RP thread : The Quest Into The Forbidden

[Belle Starr]

Belle’ blue eyes fluttered open as she awoke to the chatter of small children. She sat up and swung her long shapely legs to sit on the side of her bunk and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with dainty pale hands. Belle blinked her wide eyes several times to assure herself that she was seeing what she was seeing. About a dozen children, of various sizes and races, were at the bars of her jail cell staring at her, quiet now that she was looking at them, with a tall human with a trimmed goatee in a tailored khaki suit standing behind them. She glanced at Law Keeper Weeks still sitting at his desk, but now in deep conversation with a lanky Irathian Deputy Law Keeper with a feather in his ball cap standing next to him.

Law Keeper Weeks must not consider me a danger anymore if he lets these kids get this close to me, Thought Belle to herself. I wish I hadn’t left my hailer in my baggage, so I could tell Chase and Vo not to worry.

I could have contacted them for you, Alfred interjected, her EGO unit communicating to her through the telepathic link they shared.

Yeah, but then Rose would have heard and she needs her rest, Belle thought back to Alfred, not mentioning that she worried that Rose might come to the Law Keeper’s Office with guns blazing, and that would have ruined everybody’s day.

“Sorry to awake you fair lady, I am Robert D. Jurasik, librarian to this fair city,” The tall human in the goatee said in a deep Shakespearean voice, ”It was the children’s reading circle at the library, but they had heard you were here, and positively would not settle down until I had taken them to see the heroine of one of their favorite books.”

From her perch on the edge of the cell’s bunk, Belle narrowed her blue diamond eyes and tilted her blond freckled head as she stared intently at Jurasik’s face. His name and face were just at the edge of her memory, if she could just remember it.

Brower’s Hill, old prime time TV series, you saw it as a child, interjected Alfred.

Belle smiled warmly at the memory, not questioning how Alfred would know she saw it, since he supposedly was not yet connected to her until much later. Instead, Belle jumped up and rushed to the cell door, yet again thrusting her pale right hand to grab Jurasik’s tanned one and shook it vigorously.

“Belle Starr, pleased to meet you! I really enjoyed your work in Brower’s Hill!” Said Belle with enthusiasm. “The whole plot line of a detective in a small town investigating a murder and how it affects the townsfolk along the way…” Belle’s voice trailed off as she realized the irony of the situation, then added, ”Well, it was a fun ride!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it Miss Star,” He smiled as he began, but the smile disappeared as he added, holding his hand to his face in a stage whisper, “I wish I could say the same for your book. It was positively literary drivel, but the children love it. No offense meant!”

Belle’s smile got bigger, as she too put her hand up in a stage whisper to reply, “No offense taken, as I heartily agree with you!”

Law Keeper Weeks made his way through the diminutive crowd, unlocking and opening the jail cell door wide, saying, ”Deputy Fleetwind talked to the locals around the alley where the killing occurred, and all confirmed hearing blaster fire before hearing a charge blade being activated, and a camera across from the ally also collaborated your story of how things played out. You’re free to go Miss. Starr.”

There was a collective “AWW!” from the children around the jail cell
.
Belle smiled and picked up the book entitled, The Collective Adventures of Belle Starr from the jail cell floor where she had tossed it, saying, “If you don’t mind Sheriff Weeks, it’s the kiddies’ reading hour and somebody should read to them, so unless you need the cell at the moment, mind if I…”

Her small group of tiny fans let out a collective, “YAY!”

Law Keeper Weeks gave a wry smile and a curt nod of assent, so Belle sat on the edge of the cell bunk, the children gathering into the cell and sat cross-legged at her feet, whereupon she began reading, “Belle was the first to enter the dark ark fall, when suddenly she was surrounded by a squad of monstrous beings with blue flamed guns. Volge, thought Belle, as she calmly unslung her SMG and took them out one by one.” Belle then made pew-pew sounds to the delight of the children and to the amusement of the adults.

[Keeper Riff]

"No threats found!", Taffer's EGO informed once he took Belle's present from her hands, "no explosives, no poisons, no surveillance devices."

Taffer smiled when he looked at the wrapped package Belle gave him. It was long ago since he received this kind of a gift, back to the days of his childhood when he was raiding wreckages and abandoned places in a group of street urchins like himself. Those were actually the only ones at that time who cared for him and tried to cheer up each other sometimes by gifting something they considered "precious", wrapped in a dirty piece of paper or a plastic bag. It could be salvaged weapon parts, a box of matches or even some jewelry — anything they could find or steal. It usually was not for a specific date, but more to celebrate an unusual strike of luck that may happen to someone of them. Those "gifts" were usually sold for food when the bad luck struck again. On the contrary, his poor Mari were much more down-to-earth. She was a weapon dealer, so a gift in her vision was just an opportunity to order something for free.

When he unwrapped it, he smiled again, ironically this time. Does this gift represent how she sees him — a cold-blooded silent killer? He never enjoyed killing people and usually didn't take assassination jobs unless the target was some prick the world could happily live without. He wondered if she would be happy seeing him killing someone with her gift, or if she just didn't think of it at all. But anyway, it was a gift and he'd definitely find it a good use, so he sent a voice message with sincere thanks to Belle.

___________________________

After the sincere talk with Rose, he was left to his thoughts again. So it was Belle's EGO after all. All pieces of the puzzle suddenly was put together. The inability of Belle's EGO to activate a self-revive routine after she was incapacitated which happened right after they were alerted at night. The assassination attempt on Dr. Mrvaa who supervised Belle's healing at the hospital in New Vegas (he also thought he probably underestimated the threat if it was VBI after her). All the simultaneous assassination attempts in Defiance and Chase's kidnapping after they failed. He did already suspected someone's EGO being a mole, not excluding his own one, but he tried not to pass a final judgment until he had a clear evidence and now he had it. The only question left was why didn't they outright give her a command to sabotage their mission when she had many chances to. That means either they can't control her this way or they are still waiting for what they could find on their mission and allow the group to do the dirty work for them. If it's the second, the VBI link may get even useful if they would care to provide some info on the facilities they may venture into. Either way, he decided not to tell anyone until the VBI plans are revealed.

But there were still things he wanted to tell Rose, so he excused himself for being too obtrusive and climbed to the roof where Rose were enjoying her sunbath.

"Rose, there's something I still need to tell you", he began, sitting down beside her, "First, about your desire to kill all of E-Rep and VBI. Let me tell you I know how it feels myself and you've already killed those who did nasty things to you. That's fine by me, I'd do the same. You won this fight, you're no more of their puppet nor subject nor weapon. But then the thing is, mass murdering does not solve the problem. All it does is creating a vacuum which gets filled by people of the same kind or even worse that were held back before. You know, there were such thing as EMC. During the Pale Wars they were doing all kinds of experiments on people which resulted in mutants, bio-men and Tranquility virus appearing. Many of them died during the war, and at the end of the war the coalition was disbanded. The result is what we have now — VBI and E-Rep with their EGO project, world domination ideas and who knows what else. Two problems instead of one. I once thought it's just a human nature, but the more I know votans, the more I think they have too much in common with us. Think terraforming, think Dark Matter, think Volge, think Grid. It's more like the whole universe operates this way. There always will be people who invents powerful things usually meaning something good and there always will be people who will try to use and bend those things into giving themselves power over others no matter the price. Destroy the technology and it will be discovered again. Kill people who work on it and more of those will come again. What we actually can do is to give the power to someone more level-headed who could hold those freaks at bay.

So that comes to the second issue. If that Greenstreet person is the one who calls all the shots, then we definitely can cut off the snake's head. Then let them fight for power and see if they could come up with someone who is, you know, more science, less torture. And if they do not behave, they could follow that Greenstreet's fate. The only problem as I see it is that they are already waiting for us to come. I can be very patient when it comes to these kind of affairs, but it may take years, literally, before it will be the right moment to kill the snake. That means I'll need your help. With your knowledge of VBI structures and hacking abilities it will be much faster and reliable of operation than just me alone. If you share all the information with me, my EGO unit will never rival Sarah with her abilities like she did when you found Belle's link. And who knows what do they still have in their sleeves.

And then comes the third. I need you alive. To have our mission done. To have our team together. And to make the world a little better when we kill the snake. So well, if it would be the only way to keep the team alive is to sacrifice yourself, then I'll do as you asked. But if I see a slightest chance of keeping you alive along with everyone else, then I'll grab you too and drag you out. And the best thing you could do in that case is to help me do it. And if I happen to die in the process — well, shtako happens, people die, especially with hellbugs around. But that's my choice and I want you to respect it as much as I respect yours. And that doesn't mean I'd be upset too much if someone of you drags me out of the hell too."

[JadedSinn]

she sighed on the roof after listaning to taffer and shook her head " a normel ego cant handel the infermation that is stored inside sarah. chases might beable to handel it a little becuse hes been upgreaded with the ark brain matter but unless the ego in the back of your neck was created useing arkbrain tech 100% like sarah was. all the infermation inside her might fry out yours. but i can give you most of the data on VBI there base locations there base layouts stuff like that. aswell as names of all employies and " ex employies " as for whipeing out all of them. it was a sper the moment ... words.. and as for a mole ego. i dont think thats how its working. something tells me belle is fighting it but cant control whatever is being done to her. from what sarah described it was just an uplink thay didnt have 100% control. like thay where forcing her to give them a status update. on the team. or something. i think hes watching us. wating for the moment to strike and kill us all at the same time. but we wont give him that. i should have enough ark brain material left to rewright a kill switch for belles ego i need to. i can hide it in a normel healing stem and inject her if need be. with it. and take her ego out befor it has a chance to retaliate. but im not going to do that. something tells me greenstreet will slip up and hes going to slip up hard.

and when he does. we will be there to take care of him. iv also been geting minor chatter from the E-reps about new york. the base greenstreets in . is burryed under 200 afeet of freash taraformed rock and earth. theres no way out of the base. hes traped down there along with the rest of his people that are inside it. and there not comeing out for some time. "

she smiled and rolled onto her belly after the tan had taken to her front. and looked out over the ladn from the roof.

" iv been though hell taffer. im willing to die to protect every one . i should of died on our last mission. but you all saved me. you stoped my death. witch means it has been passed over for now. and when the time comes the devil will come to collect his dues and ill be wating for him. i want to be old and gray when that happens but becuse of the mix in my blood lines. i may live to be well over 100 and still look like this. if thats the case. i hope to die in battle protecting thoughs that i care about insted of in a bed somewhere with an IV drip in my arm. " she smiled at him and closed her eyes on her deck chair " no matter what we find taffer. the team is priority one. i am not a priority. ever. even if theres a chance to save me. if im ment to live though whatever happens. ill live. i dont want anyone on the team playing hero for me. ever. think of it as a finel request if stalko hits the fan hard. while we are in the toxic zone. " she smiled at him as she relaxed and taned a little longer

" i think ill head into town tomarrow. i need to pick up something at a nearby vbi hq its a nano bio scruber that ill be attaching to pinky so we can filter her air better. once installed even nuculer waist could be dumped into the air filters and it will come out smelling like freash cut roses " she smiled and slowly drifted off into a light sleep . sarah set up an alarm to wake her when it was time to roll over agine. and rose was out cold. the last week catching up to her hard. and wearing her out fully.

[Keeper Riff]

The door to Lawkeeper's burst open, making him pull his gun out and aim at it, and Vo Kshaa appeared in the doorway, blue glint of blur fading from his silhouette.
"What the…" he swallowed the last expletive under the heavy look of the librarian while he was looking around the room. Seeing the lawkeeper still pointing a gun on him, he raised his hands showing he's unarmed and looked around the room again, having his new sunglasses raised over his forehead this time.

"Belle, what happened?" he asked at last, "It's just the whole street was talking about some incident with you, and that Deputy… Fleetwind was asking people questions about it and… Oh well. I think all I need to know is that it was a misconception of sort of which you were put in jail and now you're just reading for these children because you feel like it", he sat on the floor at the side of the crowd and smiled, "sorry for storming in and shattering the idyll and worrying too much about everything. Just continue please, I'd like to hear it too!"

[Belle Starr]

Vo sat on the floor at the side of the crowd and smiled, "Sorry for storming in and shattering the idyll and worrying too much about everything. Just continue please, I'd like to hear it too!"

Belle grinned from ear to ear at Vo’s dramatic entry, but also noticed that Law Keeper Weeks had narrowed his hazel eyes and was frowning at his desk, seriously considering arresting Vo for disturbing the peace. She made an exaggerated grimace at Vo with a twinkle in her wide blue eyes, than quickly said to him, “We are just finishing up, as my fan club needs to go home before their parents worry,” then she turned to the children.

“But just as the evil Boss took aim with his big boomer at Belle’s pretty head, her Prince Charming Vo the Handsome busted into the chamber, cutting off the Evil Boss’ head with his charge blade” Belle hurried her story as she saw Law Keeper Week’s frown grow, “The evil head roaring as it rolled away into a bottomless pit. Prince Charming Vo the Handsome picked up Belle off the ground with one mighty arm, and carried her out of the bad guy’s secret base, putting her on the back of his white ATV, which they rode into the sunset. Andtheygotmarriedandhadatonsofkidsandlivedhappilye verafter. The End!"

The kids clapped enthusiastically, and the adults were all smiles, with even Law Keeper Weeks sparing a small smile.

Belle got up off the bunk and went over to the librarian and shook his hand, handing him the book after she did so, saying, ”Please return this to Odie and thank him for me. This was a lot of fun!”, Then went over to Vo quickly taking his arm, pulling him up and to the front door, turning to say, “It’s a pleasure meeting y’all, but my ride is here, so… “

Belle squinted and her pale forehead wrinkled as she tried to think of a good exit line suitable for children, and positively beamed when she thought of one, saying with a jaunty wave before she disappeared from sight, “Study hard, always eat your vegetables, don’t do drugs, and most important, always love your family, and remember to be good, cause Belle Starr will be out there watching!”

Belle grabbed Vo’s arms with both her hands almost dragging him down the street telling him the story of her day as they walked to the tailor shop on Greenbrier Street. The old lady was waiting with Belle’s purchase and allowed Belle to change into the bikini in the back room. She came out of the back room into the main shop dressed in the tiny yellow polka dot bikini and a tentative smile, not sure whether Vo would like it or not. In fact, Belle had the type of athletic but feminine body that bikinis were made for, since it emphasized her ample bosom, hard abs, round curves and long shapely legs. She posed first left profile, then right, giving a little twirl at the end.

“Ta da!” Belle ended her fashion show with her slim arms thrown over honey blond head, a wide smile on her freckled face and a gleam of happiness in her wide blue eyes. “What do you think? It’s great isn’t it? It’s perfect for when we go to the beach tomorrow morning!”

“Oh yes, that it is,” Replied Vo as his amber eyes grew big, his thoughts hidden behind a big grin.

“I even had a special pocket build in it for my charge blade!” Belle said excitedly, ”Bet you can’t figure out where I have it? Want me to show you?”

In fact, Vo couldn’t figure out where she could possibly have hid a charge blade in those two small pieces of fabric, but was pretty sure he didn’t want to find out in the public area of a store, so merely answered, “Maybe later, let’s go get something to eat!”

“Yeah I am famished! Let me go change!,” Belle said as she hurried into the dressing room and changed into her Liberty Trooper armor, then re-entered the front room of the shop, paying the old lady the agreed price with a hefty tip.

As Belle and Vo left the shop, arm in arm down Greenbrier Boulevard, Belle holding tightly to her wrapped purchase with her free arm, she stopped suddenly, her blue eyes locked with his amber ones, and asked Vo much like a small child would, “You do like it, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes, Belle, I really do,” The lanky Irathian answered with a lop sided smile.

They continued down the street to Cooper’s Cafe, where they had a tasty meal and charming conversation, the details of which neither would remember, just the fact that they had a wonderful time, before they returned to their separate rooms at the Delilah Sisters’ Hotel. Unfortunately, the couple was so engrossed in each other that they didn’t notice the shady figure that followed them from the Law Keeper’s Office to the hotel.

[CB2001]

There was nothing but silence between the two of them, even though the room was filled with the sounds of electronics and fans that kept them cool. Nine years since he last seen Iri Sewuel*. He never thought he'd see her again, much like how he never thought he would find himself in town again. Yet, she was here, in town.

"Uh," Chase tried to find the right worlds. And yet, all that came out was, "Hey Iri."

"You've already said that," she told him. "But hello again."

She smiled small at him, something he hadn't seen any Indogenes do. Yet, she did it for him.

"It's been quite a long time since we last seen each other," Iri said. "I will admit, I wasn't expecting you."

"You and me both," Chase replied.

She "humphed" at him, but maintained the small smile. Chase wondered if the "humphed" was an Indogene's way of chuckling or laughing, since he's never heard of any of them do a "humph" in the way she did.

"What can I help you with?"

"I, um, uh," Chase tried to sort his mind and get it back on track. "My music player is having a problem."

She walked up to the counter and picked up the Player. Chase noticed the change of her eyes from indigo to blue.

"A VBI Player unit," she identified it. "Can you tell me what issues you've been having with it?"

"I was listening to music, and it began giving me the low battery symbol. It then would just shut off, even though it has a full charge."

She moved over to a table next to the counter, with hand-held tools of various types from screwdrivers to soldering iron. She opened a drawer looking through what appeared to be a series of cables. She found one that she connected to the bottom of the Player, and then plugged the other into a nearby computer unit. She tapped on the screen, and held the Player closer. Chase noticed how her lower lip curled up as she examined the Player. He couldn't help but think of that night years ago, where huddling for warmth lead to three days of love making. The computer bleeped and caught her attention.

"Just as I suspected," she said. "The problem is with the battery. It's lost its memory."

"The battery has a memory?"

"Basically, when a battery is charged up and remains charge over a long period of time, it loses its place. So, though your battery is reading full, it is actually locked up. This was something common with lithium-ion batteries. It's an easy fix, and we've got power sources that allow for a longer battery life than any lithium-ion battery can muster."

She picked up a screwdriver with a tri-wing head. Chase observed her as she opened the case and carefully worked with surgical like skill. She disappeared into the back for a moment and returned, carrying a small circular battery unit that looked as if it belonged in a watch between her thumb and index fingers of her gloved hand. She removed the old battery out, putting in the new one. She wired it in a way like a true craftsman would thread a needle in an intricate pattern of a tapestry. She tested the Player, it coming on and functioning normally again. She pressed play on the Player, the sound of Cassandra Wilson's rendering of "Love is Blindness" playing in his EGO. He noticed that she also looked up, as if she were able to hear the music. Chase had to ask.

"You have an EGO unit too?" Chase asked her.

She looked over at him.

"No," she replied. "One of my old implants is able to detect wireless signals of various types. I can hear it on the frequency set on the Player."

She carefully use both hands to flip the Player over and she began to put the screws back into place. She appeared to make sure that the screws were as snug as she could get them. The song still played as she carried it over, setting it down on the counter.

"That's a real beautiful song," she said. "For a typical human composition."

Chase looked up into her eyes, as they switched back to their natural indigo color.

"You have an EGO unit," she said. "Quite interesting."

"It's had its perks," he told her.

Chase went to pick up the Player, when Iri's gloved hand slowly came down on top of his. Chase silently tensed up, hoping that she wouldn't notice him grinding his teeth. He wondered if she knew how he still felt about her, just as much as if he wondered what she felt of him. The sound of the door chime caught Chase's attention as a man came in, his hair nicely trimmed and sporting a beard that matched his dark hair. He carried an old Thermos, and dressed in a business suit without the top button done, and an old pair of army boots.

"Hey, Iri," he began. "Got some fresh... Oh..."

Chase recognized the man really quickly, the Cowboys having done business with them for a while. Michael Breaker, the owner of the Tech Shop.

"Hello, Mister Breaker," Chase said, pulling his hand from under Iri's as he turned to tip the brim of his hat.

"Well, I'll be... Chase Lonehart," he said. "Quite a pleasant surprise to see you."

Breaker extended his hand, to which Chase took. Chase had already lost count of the amount of hands he's already shoot within the short few hours of being in town. But, it was a gentleman's thing to do, and he did it without andy griping about it.

"What brings you into my shop?" Breaker asked.

"He had a hardware issue with this Player," Iri responded as he came up to the counter.

Chase noticed Mister Breaker pick up the Player and examined it.

"Oh, I've heard of these," he said. "VonBach Industries Player unit. Where'd you pick this up?"

"Old Vegas strip," Chase replied.

"Nice little unit," Breaker placed the Player back down on the counter. "Have you already handled it?"

"Yes, Michael," Iri replied.

"That's good."

"How much do I owe you?" Chase asked, figuring it was probably best to go ahead and go.

"On the house," Michael replied, picking up the Player and handing it over to Chase.

"I can't do that," Chase told him. "I pay my dues, just like any other person."

Breaker couldn't help but chuckle at Chase, handing the old thermos over to Iri.

"What was the hardware issue?" Breaker asked Iri.

"Battery replacement. I used one of the IRC Four-Four-Nine units."

"With service and parts, sixty scrip," Michael told him.

Chase handed the scrip chip over to Iri, who walked over to handle the payment.

"So, I heard you went to New York," Breaker told him. "I thought you were still there when it got destroyed."

"I was there for about seven years," Chase told him. "Been in the Bay for about a year or so."

"Heard it was quite dangerous out there."

"No more dangerous than around here," Chase replied with a chuckle.

Iri came back, handing the scrip chip back over. As Chase took it, she bend her thumb to touch the inside of his palm. Michael didn't notice it, or at least Chase though he didn't notice. He proceeded to pocket his scrip chip.

"It's good to see you again, Chase," Michael told him. "I've got to get into the back. I have an Apple MacBook Pro I'm trying to restore for a client."

"Good luck," Chase told him. "Apples are the most difficult PCs to put back together, especially the 2010s."

"You still have it," Michael told him. "I hope you've been putting it to good use out there in the Bay. See you around."

Michael headed around the counter and passed Iri as he headed through a set of double-doors to the store-room in the back. Chase picked up the Player, pocketing it. He could hear the music playing at a low volume as he was about to turn to head towards the door.

"Chase," Iri spoke in a low volume.

He turned back to look at her.

"Tonight at the library, they're going to be a screening of the 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi," she told him. "If it's not too much to ask, and if you would be so kind, would you join me at the screening at eight o'clock?"

Chase was taken aback by Iri's request of accompanying her to the film. "I didn't know you liked human movies."

"I've started to take an appreciation in the human arts," she said.

He considered it for a moment and then nodded. "Okay."

"I will meet you at the library," she said, bowing her head in appreciation.

Chase headed out the door and found himself outside on the street once again. He took a deep breath in, trying to hold back tears. He still carried the weight of his father's death, but he realized he had also been carrying the weight of another moment in his life. Nine years, and she was here again in his proximity, inviting him to see a movie.

She seems nice, EGO told him.

"I didn't ask you," Chase told it. He stopped the Player and put it in his pocket. He wanted a moment to clear his head.

He took several breaths in, keeping everything at bay.

Was coming back here a bad idea? He thought.

It was at that moment, he noticed that Belle and Vo were walking. They took notice of him as they walked.

"Hey," Belle said. "We're about to grab something to eat. You wanna join?"

"I'll get something later," Chase told her. "I've got a meeting to get ready for."

He headed back to the Hotel and to his room. He stripped of his clothes and started up the shower. It had been a while since he last recalled stepping into a shower. When it came to keeping clean in the Bay, he made a habit of just using a small pond or the ocean water whenever he was near one, getting a good container full of water and heading back to his mountain top. He knew he had a few hours until he was able to go to the library to meet Iri there. He could get a meal at Cooper's Cafe, maybe even buy a couple of Candied Apples for him and her. Chase hadn't been this jittery since he was a younger, back when he asked a girl to dance during Defiance Day.

"It's just a movie," Chase told himself. "She just wants to go to a movie with you and nothing more."

He took in a couple of deep breathes, trying to calm his nerves.

"It's just a movie."

-----------------
* - Pronounced "Airy Say-wel."

[Belle Starr]

Belle got her key to room 2f at the Delilah Sisters’ Hotel from Samatha Delilah herself, and wasn’t surprised at the spiel about the special menu. When she got to her room that was in between Chase’s and Vo’s rooms, she found her overnight bag on top of the double bed. She took off her collapsible armor, carefully folded it and placing it in the drawer of the night table. She placed her Thorn Liro charge blade and Wolfhound pistol on top of the night table, so that she would have easy access to them from where she would sleep. Belle then took out of her overnight bag a green oversized T-shirt with a yellow disc on the front with two eyes and a smile stenciled on it and slipped it on.

Bell picked up the sex menu from the small table in the room and walked onto the balcony that connected all three rooms. The humid warm sea breeze felt comforting on her bare skin and she enjoyed the smell of nearby tropical plants. The lights of the city reminded her somewhat of the ark fall belt above the Bay Area at night, and for the first time she started to wish she was back in Paradise. She knew who the bad guys and the good guys were there. She knew what was around each bend in the road there. She knew who she was there. She walked back into her room, sat at the small table, and studied the menu thinking of a similar hotel in similar circumstances.

When Belle was ten and times were economically rough in N’Awlins, Papa Boudreau had rented some of the hotel rooms above his restaurant to what Belle called fancy ladies. They were always kind to her giving her beauty tips and, since she didn’t have a mother at the time, helped her get through an early puberty. She would always run to them if she had a question she felt too embarrassed asking Papa Boudreaux. They would always be patient answering her questions, and had an open door policy with her. Belle didn’t find out what the ladies did for a living until at twelve she walked into one of the fancy ladies with a customer. From then on, she always knocked first.

Shortly after her rude awakening, Belle asked Papa Boudreaux if what the fancy ladies did for a living was evil. Papa Boudreaux quoted scripture to her, judge not, lest you be judged. Young Belle frowned, crossed her arms, and told him that was no answer to her question. The big black man sighed, than asked her a question in turn, did the fancy ladies hurt anyone? Belle had to admit that no, they didn’t seem to and in fact, every man coming out of their rooms seemed pretty happy. He then pointed out to her that she had just answered her own question.

Belle smiled at the memory, but the smile widened when she was struck with an idea. She ran out of the room on bare feet not stopping until she got to the front desk. Belle thrust the menu with one hand while pointing at an item with the finger of the other in front of a startled Samatha Delilah.

Belle had to let her breath catch up with the rest of her before asking, ”Do you have this with sisters? It has to be sisters!”

Samatha looked taken aback, but her more liberal thinking sister Jolen came up from behind Belle to see what she was pointing at on the menu and smiled, saying “Sure we do Miss Starr!”

Samantha started to object, but Jolene interrupted her sister stating, “It’s not like it’s something we haven’t done before! We’ll be right up to your room, Miss Starr!”

Belle started back to her room, but stopped and turned smiling, saying, “And please bring a bottle of champagne and three glasses!”

As Belle disappeared into her room, Jolene observed, "Celebrities! The are always so eccentric!."

Samantha laughed, saying, "How would you know? We have never had a celebrity as a guest in the hotel before!"

The two sisters looked at each other and shrugged. They then got the bottle of champagne and the three clean glasses and followed after Belle. When they entered her room they found a smiling Belle seated cross legged on the double bed, rocking slightly and still dressed in the oversized t-shirt.

“If you want to join us, Miss Starr, we can get a room with a larger bed, although that will cost more,” asserted Jolene.

Belle stopped the rocking movement, tilting her tousled blond head as a puzzled look crossed her freckled face, but answered, “No, all three of us will fit here just fine.”

The sisters exchanged a look of doubt, but Samatha put the three glasses on the nightstand as Jolene opened the bottle of champagne and filled each one halfway up. Belle picked one up quickly and started to take a large sip as the two sisters in unison began to disrobe.

With a look of horror on her freckled face, Belle spit the champagne all over her t-shirt and sputtered, “S-s-stop! You misunderstood me! I just want to talk! I’ll pay, but please, put on your clothes, and come sit by me!”

The two sisters complied with what Belle asked, wondering if this was some kind of new perversion or just plain old voyeurism, but as Belle explained how Rose was her sister from another mother yet Belle was drawn to her in a ways that sisters shouldn't be, and that Belle has always been sexually drawn to guys like Vo and Chase, and still was and that she was too confused and really needed advice like the fancy ladies in N’Awlins used to give her and could they help her please. The Delilah sisters began to understand that this was merely a young girl who was sincerely sexually confused, so they listened, and patiently explained how it was natural to be confused and wanting to experiment at her age, but that only Belle could decide what was right for Belle.

After about an hour and a half of discussion, Belle bit her lower lip in thought, her blue eyes widening as she asked, “Can I ask two more questions?”

The Delilah sisters both nodded assent.

“First, may I please order another bottle of Champagne! And,” Belle began to uncontrollably blush, asking, “How do you sexually satisfy an Irathian man?”

If someone had been listening at the door later, they would have heard the spirited conversation and laughter of women, punctuated by the occasional giggle of a young girl.

[CB2001]

Arkfalls, Hellbugs, 99ers, Raiders, Afflicted, Volge, Dark Matter and The Grid…

He could list off every single moment where he’s faced death and danger, yet the only thing that scared him was going to the movie with Iri this evening. He found himself on his knees and hunching over a toilet, dry heaving.

“It’s only a movie,” He repeated to himself. “Only a movie.”

He got to his feet, crossing the room to the door that lead out to the connecting balcony. The sun was in the late afternoon sky, but Chase inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. It took him a few minutes to collect himself before heading back inside. Chase opened the drapes and the blind over the window to allow the light to shine in. He set up his hailer to a countdown time, giving himself 30 minutes to lay on the bed, to be still and clear his mind.

Chase pictured himself sitting on his Challenger near the Golden Gate, overlooking the ocean as the sun began to set. It was a beautiful view, and so peaceful.

So, you’re worried about tonight?

Chase looked over to find EGO floating near the edge of a drop off, looking at the same sunset.

“Yeah,” Chase admitted to it.

It must be really complicated, EGO turned and floated over to Chase’s side, looking as if it were sitting on the Challenger too.

“It is,” Chase admitted. “You have no idea about Iri and I. Well, actually, you do, but you don’t either.”

Clearly, you have some feelings for her you never resolved. Maybe you can get a chance to do so tonight after the movie. Talk to her. She may listen if you give her a chance.

Chase chuckled. “What do you know? You’re a computer program.”

I happen to know a lot about you, Chase. That’s one of the important things I’ve been made to be. To know my user, I therefore know if something is wrong with him. It’s something all EGOs are programmed for, the concern and well being of their users, both physically and mentally. If there’s something wrong in your head, I’d definitely know about it.

I can’t argue against logic like that. EGO did know Chase better than he was willing to admit.

“What if,” Chase tried to start his question, but got choked up. “What if I’m in love with her? Or what if I mistook what was three nights of sex as a moment of spiritual connection between the two of us?”

EGO seemed quiet for a moment.

Indogenes are primarily known for their lack of emotional connections, EGO pointed out. However, there have been a few exceptions. Look at Erin Niden as an example. She and Rosa Rodriguez seem to have a good relationship.

“That doesn’t help me much, EGO. Just because something worked well for Erin and Rosa doesn’t necessarily mean its true with Iri and I.”

Just talk to her, EGO told him. You won’t know how she feels about you unless you discuss it with her. She may feel the same way as you do about her, not sure if those nights were nothing more than sexual gratification.

“Please, don’t use that term,” Chase told it. “It makes it sound so cheap and demeaning even more than just using “sex” by itself.”

Opening a line of communication between you two may be able to help you resolve some of these issues you feel yourself to be having, that have plagued you since you and she parted ways at the University.

“Why did she have to be here in Freedom?” Chase caught himself asking. “I could have gone into Florida and die without having to answer these questions.”

But then you would hate yourself for not giving yourself that chance.

EGO was making a lot of valid points. Chase knew he was going to have to ask her these questions, despite not ever wanting to know the answers.

The alarm from the hailer snapped him back to reality, the thirty minutes being up. Chase went to the bathroom, checked to see if his hair was good before pulling on Old Faithful. He looked over at the open drapes for the windows and the blind for the door, wondering if he needed to close them.

I can do it when I get back, he thought.

He exited the room and headed towards Cooper’s Cafe as sunset a couple of hours away. The late lunch/early dinner crowd was there, so Chase kept his order simple: one Powburger, a coffee and two Candy Apples. He had forgotten how good the coffee tasted, the Cafe growing their own beans, fruits and veggies from the garden they have out back. He wasn’t sure if Iri was going to eat before or after, which is why he bought two Candy Apples in a plastic container, so that she wouldn’t be running on an emptied stomach. But then he began to wonder if Indogenes ate food, since he never really noticed any of them eating.

Better safe than sorry, he thought to himself.

By the time he exited Cooper’s night had fallen, and he approached the library. He saw a couple of people standing and waiting while some began to head inside. Chase didn’t see Iri there. He proceeded inside, thinking that maybe she was already there waiting for him. The smell of old books brought back a lot of memories as Chase navigated through the lobby and entered into the main area for the lobby. The entire front area with the lights dim, where normally people would sit and read at tables books and magazines of yesteryear, gave way to row upon row of chairs that faced towards a makeshift screen towards the far side of the room where a couple of clamp lights were being used to light it. In the back side, an old Canon projector was hooked up to a Blu-Ray player, with Mister Jurasik getting everything ready for his performance as "Mister Looker", a character he created in the same slapstick style as Charlie Chaplin, which often got the audience into the mood for the film. He had music playing over the speakers that had been set up as well, making sure that the sound was working. The song that played at low volume throughout the room was one that Chase recognized, “Roll The Credits Johnny” by Tom Russell. Others were finding seats to take, while a few had already found them. Chase moved down one side of the rows, trying to see if he could spot Iri amongst the crowd mixed of humans and Votans.

"Chase!"

He turned in the direction the voice came from. Iri was a few rows away from the back on what would be on the left side of the rows, holding her hand up and motioning for him to come to where she was. He had to cut through a row and zig-zag amongst the patrons who were heading down towards the front. As Chase got closer, he noticed, he noticed that she was wearing a long dark gray Indogene coat, with a high collar that came down in a v-shape below her chin. Chase had seen a similar coat worn by Doc Yewll and a few other Indogenes, including some males, during the fall and winter months in Defiance. She still wore the tight brown leather gloves he had noticed her wearing earlier, and a pair of boots that came up to her knees.

"I've already found seats for us," she told him. "I hope you don't find that offensive."

"Not at all," he replied.

She noticed the container in his hand.

"What's that?"

"Candy apples," Chase told her. "I wasn't sure if you were going to eat before or after the movie, but I decided to get one for you and one for me, in case either one of us wanted to have something to snack on."

"How thoughtful," she replied with the same small smile she gave him earlier at the Tech Shop.

She took one step into the row and took a seat, giving Chase a spot next to what would be the aisle. He took the seat, pulling Old Faithful off, and sitting it under his seat. Iri had taken hold of the container and opened it, retrieving one of the candy apples from it. Chase couldn't help but noticed her mouth as she bit into it, running her tongue over her thin lips before she began chewing.

"I got here early, she told him in between bites. "I often help Mister Jurasik with setting up the projector, the Blu-Ray player and soundboard, while Michael handles setting up the screen and the speakers."

"That's really nice of you," Chase said. "I remember one time when we were watching a film in here. It was the movie Clue, and when it came to the third ending, just when Wadworth was about reveal something about himself, the audio cut completely off. Took Mister Jurasik about twenty minutes just to get the audio to work again before we could restart that end."

"Let me guess," she said. "Audio cord pulled by Mister Jurasik's cane for his Mister Looker character?"

"Yep," Chase replied.

She took another bite into the candy apple, closing her eyes as she chewed. Chase knew so little of Iri, but now knew she liked candy apples. Iri had finished hers while Chase was half-way through his. The seats were all taken, some spots on the floor as well, and the music had stop. Chase had just finished his as Mister Jurasik was finding his way up to the stage, dressed in a tan suit that was two sizes too big for him, twurling a cane, a pair of thick framed glasses and a top-hat. He was making a squawking noise as he made his way up towards the front. Everyone cheered as he stepped up towards the front and center, pretending to slip and fall on a banana, which caused a lot of laughter. He got up, pretended to brush himself off and took a bow. He held up his arms, trying to calm down everyone so he could begin his routine.

"Why, helloooo everybody," he spoke with a deep and gaudy voice.

"Hello, Mister Looker!" the crowd replied. Chase couldn't resist in joining in.

"Welcome, once again, to the Freedom Public Library's Movie Night!"

This brought out a cheer out of everyone once more before they piped down.

"For anyone who is new here, or have returned here," he spoke. "On the Friday and Saturday nights of the weekends, as well as the special holidays, we show several to our patrons here. Most of the films we show, spark the imagination, inspiring awe and wonder. And tonight, is a film that was quite unique for its time. Long before the Battle of Defiance. Long before the Pale Wars. Long before our Votan neighbors came to our shores, the only thing that man had was himself. And the film you are about to witness, shows the world as it once was and in quite a unique way! We will be told a story, but there is no plot and no central characters... Ladies and gentlemen... I present to you... KOOO-YAAAN-ITS-QATSI!"

The crowd cheered once more as the clamp lights went dark, covering the screen in blackness. Mister Jurasik made his way quickly down the isle, pulling out two remotes. Chase could see him turn on the projector with one, and used the other to start the movie. Text displayed Francis Ford Coppola Presents, before it gave way to a row of red lines forming from the center of the screen. Just then a low organ began to play in a repeating manner, as the words Koyaanisqatsi formed from the red. The text faded, and the screen dissolved to an unclose shot of a cave painting as a higher tone of organ keys came in, also in a repeating manner, fading away to reveal what appeared to be an explosion, and it dissipating revealing what Chase could only recognize as the bottom portion of some rocket as chunks of ice snowed down in slow motion.

For one hour and twenty-six minutes, the film rolled on, showing the world as it was in the late 1970s/early 1980s in both slow motion and rapid time-lapse, with music accompanying it that in a simplistic series of notes. Chase looked out of the corner of his eye at Iri somewhere between the Prophecies segment and final scene. He noticed how her eyes were transfixed to the screen, almost hypnotized and wrapped in sadness. Chase also noticed she had taken his hand with her gloved left one, holding her right to her chest in a fist.

After the film had come to its finished, Mister Jurasik made his way back up towards the front for his closing routine, wishing everyone a good night, a safe return home and asking that any trash be properly placed in the trash bin near the front entrance. Chase retrieved his hat from under the seat, and tried to keep up with the Indogene. Iri didn’t say a word to him as he followed her out, the moon hanging high over the Boulevard. She headed towards Cooper’s Cafe, with Chase following. The dinner crowd had died down a few minutes before the two came in, taking a booth in the back corner. Iri decided to have a slice of pecan pie, both her and Chase each having a cup of coffee.

“That film was so beautiful,” she said. “It reminded me of the operas we used to have in our society. Especially the music, with its use of repeating notes and alterations in the sequences. The ending was so heartbreaking.”

“Yeah,” Chase told her. “It’s in our nature to strive for something. Only to fail more often than not in the end.”

She had finished the pie, the waitress retrieving the plate and refilling their cups.

“What brought you back to Freedom?” Chase asked. “The last time I saw you, I was dropping you off at the University of Alabama.”

“I went to the University to check in with someone I knew there,” she began. “As you remember, I was a member of a group of traveling medical unit that was passing by your area when he had gotten attacked by Raiders, which eventually lead to… I was there for my biomechanics knowledge area, and there were those who had the cybernetic implants. After I let them know what happened, I didn’t have anyone or anything there to concern myself with. Then I recalled Freedom, and got a lift back a few months later.”

“So, you just came back to here because you had nowhere else to go?”

She nodded it, pulling out a small baggie of hand-rolled cigarettes and an old electric lighter. She placed one in her mouth, offering one to Chase. He waved it off, and she proceeded to light one up. Iri took a drag off the cigarette tapping it into an old, thin metal ashtray that had Hardee’s branded into the bottom.

“What about you?” she asked. “Why are you here in Freedom?”

“Heard the beach was nice this time of year,” Chase repeated the same joke he gave in Defiance. Iri chuckled lightly at it. “To be honest, I’m with a group of Arkhunters. And we’re heading to Tampa.”

“That’s suicide you know,” she told him.

“Not the first time I’ve heard that. But I’m not going in with the others to see what’s down there. I’m going in to make sure they come back alive.”

Iri took another drag of her cigarette as Chase finished off the last of the cup of coffee. The waitress offered to refill it, but Chase waved her off.

“So,” Iri asked. “Are you in a relationship with anyone?”

“No. After… After those nights, I just shut down. Hadn’t had that same interaction as before. I’ll admit, I did wake up in bed after a night of drinking with an Irathient, but we didn’t get any further than our underwear. And I have had some not so gentleman-like thoughts about the two women in our group.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” she told him. “It’s a natural reflex that all species in one way or another have to appease. There’s nothing sinful, or sleazy about it. Your thoughts are also not wrong.”

“What about you?” Chase asked. “Are you in a relationship with anyone?”

“No. Within the time I’ve been here, I have had relations with two human males. It wasn’t really fulfilling.”

She followed it with one last drag of her cigarette, which she proceeded to put out in the ashtray. Chase handled the paying of the pie and coffee. They exited out into the cool air of the night once more, the Boulevard in the orange glow of the old lights as they reached the sidewalk.

“Where are you staying?” Iri asked.

“Me and two others from our group are checked in at the Delilah Sisters’ Hotel. I was quite surprised to find out that it was also a brothel.”

“Yeah, the Delilah Sisters,” Iri smirked. “I take it you’ve heard about the ‘Suckling of the Skitterling’.”

“I will definitely avoiding that show,” Chase told her. “It’s just seems weird that would be an option on their ‘dinner menu’.”

“I’ve actually heard of this infamous ‘dinner menu’. Would it be okay for me to come to your room and have a look at it?”

“Are you sure I can’t walk you home?”

“You can,” she told him as she turned and headed in the direction of the Hotel. “After I see this menu.”

As they walked down the narrow hallway to the room, Chase could swear he heard laugher and giggling coming from Belle’s room. He assumed that maybe Rose decided to come to visit and stay with Belle for the night. Chase was nervous about Iri being there that he inadvertently dropped the key while attempting to unlock the door. He got the door open and switched on the light, Iri following him in. She went towards the foot of the bed, looking around the room.

“Rather cozy,” she said as she took a seat on the bed and crossed her legs.

Chase closed and locked the door, not sure about how he felt about her being here. He walked over to the dresser, picked up and handed Iri the ‘dinner menu’. She opened it up, holding it by the bottom of its spine as she began reading.

“May I have a glass of water, please,” she asked, not even taking her eyes off the page.

“Sure.”

Chase sat Old Faithful down on the dresser, heading into the bathroom. He switched on the light, finding two short glasses sitting on the counter. Chase picked one up, and examined it in the light, making sure there wasn’t any dirty spots on it that he had to clean off before proceeding with filling it with water. Just as he came out, he came to a complete stop at the sight in front of him, which also lead to the glass slipping from his hand and landing on the carpeted floor.

Iri Sewuel stood at the foot of the bed, her naked body in full view of him. Chase noticed that the only article of clothes on the floor were her boots, her gloves and the long coat she had been wearing, and that due to the low lighting at the library, Chase didn’t even realize she was not wearing any pants. It took an addition moment to realize that she had been wearing nothing under the jacket the whole time. She slowly approached him taking his hand. She lead him over to the side of the bed, Chase trying to find the right words to say.

“Iri,” he started to say that it was a bad idea, but she placed a finger on his lips.

“I’ve missed you, Chase,” she told him calmly as her hands began to work to undo the straps and buttons of his shirt. “The two other human males I told you about… There was a reason why they were unfulfilling. They were concerned too much about their pleasure, and left me wanting.”

She had finally got the top of the mechanic’s suit off, followed by the undershirt, exposing his skin to the cool air of the room.

“I came back,” she told him. “In hopes that we would meet again.”

Chase knew there was not going to be any chance of talking her out of it. He reached up, running his hand slowly along the top left side of her head. Iri closed her eyes, her mouth slowly becoming ajar, her breathes becoming deeper with each intake. After he completed the slow move, she pulled him close, her lips meeting his. He began to have the same feeling as before, his uncertainty being overwhelmed by the need for her. His hand found the small of her back, and slowly inched its way up the curve of her spine. She moaned as he did this action.

Chase had remembered those nights in that hotel on the way to the University, where an accidental rubbing of skin on skin contact, Iri’s temple against his cheek, resulted in the stirring of the urge in Iri and lead to accidental sex, and followed by two consented nights of it. Iri, in between the moments, allowed Chase to be included to information about Indogene sexuality that only so few humans were allowed to. She taught him that the reason why most Indogenes would be seen dressed head to toe in clothing was because their skin provided stimulation. The less sensitive areas of their bodies were their feet, their hands and their forearms, which meant touching them in any of those areas wouldn’t give any stimulation as touching their head or their neck, or their back, and basically any other area that would typically be covered by clothing.

She turned around, pressing her back against his bare chest. Chase began kissing her neck. He had forgotten how long it was since he felt desire. He desired her, rekindled like a glowing piece of ember that had been starving for oxygen and had finally gotten its chance to breathe and glow bright once more. His hand slid across her stomach, and she grinder her back harder into his chest, groan escaping from her throat. He slowly worked his kisses up to behind her left ear. She moaned again, Chase knowing that he was keeping her on the edge. He pushed her forward, her landing face down on the bed. Chase got on the bed, running his hand up the curve of her spine again. He could hear inhaling through teeth. This was where he leaned forward, running his tongue along her left ear lobe. She inhaled sharply and her body twitched. He remembered how she told him that when it came to female Indogenes, that one of the most sensitive areas was the lobe around the ear, it invoking pure ecstasy to the point of paralyzation. He also knew that once touched, it would be a while before he could touch it again, but decided to keep her right ear lobe in reserve for later. He began to give a series of kisses, starting from the back of skull and working his way down.

Iri hadn’t felt like this a long time, knowing Chase hadn’t forgotten anything she told him. In the between the waves of pleasure, she had noticed two things: the first being the first being the uncovered window of the door leading to the balcony. The second was that both she and Chase was being watched, noticing a young woman. She could tell this young woman was in her 20s, a statuesque figure with the freckles amongst her pale skin. Her blue eyes looked on in curiosity. Iri wasn’t sure how long this woman had been standing there. She was sure that Chase wasn’t aware of her, him continuing on with kissing her back. Iri wanted to say something, but the pleasure intensified once again and she was lost in it, forgetting about the woman or how much longer the woman would be standing there.

[Keeper Riff]

After Vo Kshaa had a tasteful dinner with Belle, he went to his room tried to relax on his bed, but soon he found he's too agitated to just rest like that, so he headed out for a little stroll. It was his usual routine to gather his thoughts together or deal with the excessive agitation — he just walked at a fast pace. Or rode his ATV back there in San Francisco. Speaking of ATVs, he decided to find a vehicle renting store beforehand, this way his walk would have a purpose and they wouldn't waste time searching for it the next day. To his surprise, the only renting store which had ATVs was located at the west side of the town. He turned his steps there with his new sunglasses on and his EGO playing some ambient music in his head. Being raised by humans, he felt a little foreign in the Votan part, especially when there were many people of his own race around, so he usually avoided eye contact in such places, either gazing about in an idle way or pretending he's hurrying somewhere on a serious purpose. He glanced over a building he found at last — it was a old storage depot building converted to host cars and ATVs of any kind. Some of them were presented on the paved area outside, some stayed inside, visible from large windows. Vo didn't enter, just made sure the choice of vehicles is rather wide, so they would definitely find ones suitable for their ride. Once it was done, he retraced his steps back to the human part of the town and strolled around it too. He also visited The Watering Hole but didn't find the gambling den too amusing so he exited it without spending a single scrip there. Or maybe he was just so preoccupied with their trip planned for tomorrow that he could not think of anything else.

[Belle Starr]

Belle said good night to the Delilah sisters at her front door. Belle thought they were really nice and especially sweet that they were going to prepare a picnic basket for Vo and her beach trip. They were going to fill it with what they called “seductive food”, such as strawberries and brie cheese, as well as a selection of Irathian delicacies made to make the Irathian male more open to sexual suggestion. Plus they recommended a merlot wine, which is best served warm anyway! That, with the tips given to her by the sisters as to the erotic spots of the Irathian male, should make tomorrow a day to remember!

Vo is my Prince Charming and I’m darn tooting going to make me his Sleeping Beauty, thought Belle to herself, than giggled out loud as she said, “But not if I don’t get my beauty sleep!”

Belle turned off the room light and fairly leaped into bed, her oversized green t-shirt with the yellow happy face flying into the air as she quickly crawled under the covers. She lay there staring at the ceiling, the covers drawn up to her chin, but wasn’t in the least sleepy. She smiled thinking at how good her day was after a rather shaky start. She found out that she had fans, she got her bikini, and she had a wonderful date with Vo. Oh yeah, she got to totally kill one of the evil men from her nightmares! A totally great day overall!

Belle heard the water turn on from the bathroom in Chase’s room, hearing voices therein shortly after. Belle couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she was positive that one voice was Chase’s. Could the other one be Vo’s? Belle wasn’t sure, but she didn’t want Vo telling her story of her day to Chase, so she got up, threw back on her green oversized happy face t-shirt, and padded in bare feet to the balcony all three rooms shared.

I’m a much better story teller than Vo, thought Belle as she paused only to grab the half full bottle of Champagne, And it’s MY story to tell!

Belle grinned in excitement as she prepared to burst through Chase’s door from the balcony and say “Surprise!” when a low moan from his room made her stop dead in her tracks. The smile quickly disappeared from her freckled face, replaced with a look of concern. Her blue eyes widened as she remembered the attacks on her teammates in Defiance only days before, where Chase was kidnapped and almost killed.

Were the bad guys trying to kidnap Chase again? Or worse, trying to kill him? Belle debated about going back to her room to retrieve her Wolfhound pistol from the night stand by her bed, but Alfred, her EGO device confirmed that there were only two people in the room, and started to say something else to her but she cut him off with a mental Hush!

Belle had to think and didn’t feel she had the time to. The bad guy must have got the drop on Chase, probably knocking him out from behind, and that was Chase moaning, but the positioning of the two on her radar had them close together, so the bad guy may do something worse to Chase while Belle was getting her gun from her room.

Besides I can bash the bad guy with this, Thought Belle hefting the champagne bottle in her right hand, But if I go through the door, I give up the element of surprise!

Belle spotted the open window and tip toed to it, looking in. Belle’s pale jaw went slack and her big blue eyes got even bigger at what she saw in Chase’s room. Belle could see that Chase was on top of an Indogene woman on the bed doing something to her back, which seemed to please her. More important to Belle was the fact the both of them were stark naked!

OMG!, Thought Belle in horror, I’m interrupting an intimate moment between Chase and his… friend! Belle was positive the woman was a ”friend” because the clothes strewn on the floor were not the erotic ones of a paid companion, and Chase had lived in Freedom for a time.

Belle had a feeling of Déjà vu as she remembered the time when she was twelve and busted in on one of the fancy ladies with a customer in N’Awlins. She was bombarded by same feelings now that she had then: A desire to run away outweighed by a fascination to watch! Than a third warm feeling that hadn’t occurred then spread from her groin to her breast as she watched Chase’s muscles ripple up his strong arms past his back and down to his hard buttocks and legs as he straddled the pale bald woman.

Holy-crap-on-a-stick! I like Chase too, thought an even more confused Belle. She then tilted her tousled blond head as her blue eyes narrowed in concentration thinking, What is Chase doing? Licking her earlobe?

It was then that the beautiful Indogene woman that was the subject of Chase’s affections opened her eyes and looked directly at Belle. Surprised, Belle loosened her grip on the neck of the champagne bottle and it went loudly crashing to the floor of the balcony. Both of Belle’s pale hands flew to her mouth as he wide blue eyes went to the broken bottle, to the couple through the window, then to the open door of her own room. In a panic, Belle turned to make run to her room, but at the first step landed on a large shard of glass from the Champagne bottle.

Holding her bleeding foot with both hands, Belle hopped in place with her good foot, saying over and over, "OW! OW! OW!”

Belle noticed both Chase and his Indogene companion were watching her from their bed through the balcony window. A blushing Belle stopped hopping, but balancing on one leg and still holding her hurt foot in one hand, Belle smiled sheepishly and waved slowly with her free hand, saying, “Hi, I’m Belle Starr?”