Delivery
by Lena
Chapter 10
Having loaded Guy into the cell in the tank (that was the name Edgar Gorr used for the armoured aircrafts that served as mobile prisons), they were free to go. Behind, they left the siege that had positively turned into a battle. Thanks to the vehicle's fully automated, intelligent system of piloting they didn't need a living pilot, so – much to Raoul's contentment – they were left alone in the surprisingly spacious cockpit.
First ten minutes of the flight he spent simply slumped in the seat, watching the ground sliding past them with a surprising speed good half a mile beneath. He wasn't used to such sight, just like he wasn't used to travelling, so he took a moment to relish the view and relax. Katze next to him lit a cigarette, relaxing as well. Raoul rose and allowed himself to remove his overcoat, hanging it over the seat's backrest – with only the redhead around, he didn't need to hide the embarrassing piece of his garment anymore. He felt strange; their adventure was over, they were going home... and he was not so happy about it at all.
Katze from his place cast a sidelong glance at his shirt and smirked under his breath. It didn't even annoy the Blondie, on the contrary, he felt comforted by this little sign of confidence.
"Not a word," he said for good measure.
"I didn't say anything."
Having slid back into his seat, Raoul bent over the dashboard to check the read-outs "Four hours before we get to Tanagura," he murmured more to himself than to Katze. "We'll be there at 6:35 in the morning, considering time difference."
The redhead just nodded, acknowledging it without much interest. Raoul leaned back comfortably and allowed himself to close his eyes. He felt worn out and extremely dirty after so many hours in the desert. If the flight was going to take so long, he would have to go to the on-board toilet to refresh himself at least a little. He took another several minutes to relax and rest, finally with a sigh, pulled himself up from his seat again.
"I'm going to the bathroom," he said, moving to the entrance. "I need to wash this dust off myself."
Katze stirred and looked after him as if he wanted to say something, but then he just turned to the windscreen again. Raoul pressed the button opening the door. The cockpit was separated from the cell by a wide crosswise corridor with a row of fold-out seats on the back wall and main entrances on both sides. There, on one of the seats, hunched and looking somehow miserable, sat Daryl. The Blondie froze, seeing him – somehow, he had completely missed the fact that they had yet another passenger on board. Despite his surprise, his mind parenthetically studied the youth, comparing him with what he remembered from his times in Iason's household. Only now did he have a chance to take a good look – he'd seen Daryl earlier this day, but only fleetingly. The ex-furniture grew taller and wider in shoulders. More muscled as well. From a boy he'd definitely transformed into a man. He was still strikingly attractive – the passing of time hadn't ruined his beauty as it sometimes happened with ex-furniture, but there was something new in his features – hardness and determination that completely changed the character of his face.
Noticing the Blondie in the doorway, the young man leapt up from his place and stiffened. His eyes fell at Raoul reflexively... and widened. The next moment they were lowered abruptly with a loud intake of breath. Seeing the poorly hidden reaction, the biologist knew what caused it and swore. His unfortunate shirt suddenly started to burn his chest as if it were on fire.
"Sir Raoul," Daryl mumbled, sounding as if he was hiccupping.
Raoul decided that the only way to regain his dignity was to pretend that absolutely nothing happened. He ignored the greeting as his given and glided past the young mongrel as gracefully as possible, disappearing in the bathroom with relief. Damned Katze.
He spent there a good quarter, washing his face and shoulders in the small basin, and in fact simply postponing the moment of showing himself in the embarrassing piece of clothing again. But the two alternatives – spending the whole flight in the bathroom and going out half-naked were even more ridiculous, so eventually the Blondie got a grip and opened the bathroom door, hoping against all odds that Daryl won't be outside.
He was sadly, but unsurprisingly, disappointed.
The mongrel rose, tautened and lowered his gaze again. But when Raoul was passing him quickly, he unexpectedly opened his mouth.
"Sir Raoul?"
Reluctantly, Raoul stopped and turned to him. He was grateful to Daryl for keeping his eyes low. But he was certain the mongrel was doing it to spare them both embarrassment... which in itself was embarrassing.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to talk to Katze for a moment. If you could please tell him to come out here to me for a few minutes."
"Very well, I will."
He moved again, wishing to get to the door finally.
"Sir Raoul?"
Ugh. "Yes, what now?"
"Your shirt. It's..." the mongrel cleared his throat, "it's very interesting. But I would humbly suggest you to put on your overcoat next time you show yourself to someone other than Katze. Some people might not appreciate your new..." cough, "...taste for clothes."
Raoul felt his face go white. "I am aware of that, Daryl. Thank you for your advice, but it was needless. I was intending to wear the coat upon our arrival."
Daryl stooped his body in a low bow, mumbling his apologies, and the Blondie happily escaped to the cockpit.
The door opened again no more than two minutes later. Katze went out to the corridor and looked down at Daryl sternly. On reflex, the younger man got up again.
"Hey."
They hadn't really have a chance to talk earlier. And Daryl was aware that there was at least one issue the redhead would want to clear up with him. He was sure it wouldn't be pleasant.
"Hey, dumbhead," Katze said for a start.
He was much taller than Daryl, good trait for a boss, very effectively made him intimidating when angry. Katze had never been angry with Daryl before, and right now Daryl realized how lucky he had been. Katze's mastery demeanor made him want to cringe, even if he wasn't really scared. His friend disappeared, replaced by a big, towering superior.
"What is it that you wanted?"
"To apologize for starters. I know entering the Citadel was stupid."
"Stupid doesn't even begin to describe the level of idiocy you presented with your stunt! You could get yourself killed! And for what? I always thought you had good reason and cool mind. They made you a good man in the market. Now it looks you've lost them somewhere in the deserts."
Daryl stared at the floor, feeling stupid. When had he even lowered his gaze? Was there a reason to feel guilty? He didn't feel guilty. And he was still determined in his resolutions.
"I'm sorry," he said, "but I don't regret it."
Katze snorted and shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?"
Daryl forced his gaze up. He looked at Katze with what he hoped could be read as firm determination.
"Katze, I would like you to let me into the cell. Guy shouldn't be alone right now, I want to keep him company."
Red brows furrowed. Katze's gaze bore right through him scrutinizingly. This time Daryl didn't lose his cool. Out of all stupid things that came to his mind, he felt like making a face at the redhead. It was a good few seconds before Katze spoke.
"Do you think I am blind, Daryl? Do you think I didn't notice what happened there at the entrance? That you were leading Guy before he grabbed you? That he didn't wear his collar? You were trying to escape us no less than you were trying to escape those muggers. What did this fucker do to you that you tried to safe him? He screwed you or what?"
This, of all things, was unexpected. A blind guess that hit the bull's eye... and about such an embarrassing detail. Daryl felt an opulent blush running up his cheeks, even though he tried to keep his face straight. Katze's eyes widened.
"No," the redhead whispered.
"And what if he did? I'm allowed to sleep with whoever I want."
"You don't sleep with people, Daryl! That's what describes you. You are a man without feelings, remember? And now you choose him to fall for?! Fuck!"
"You don't know him!" Daryl heard his own voice raising. "Everything I thought about him, everything you probably think about him... it's all not like that. He is completely different. He doesn't deserve to die!"
Katze rolled his eyes, rising his gaze to the sky. He waved his hand in a resigned gesture, as if he suddenly decided that Daryl was a lost case.
"You got completely out of your mind."
Daryl took his breath and stilled himself once again.
"Do you think the others noticed?"
"I don't know. I think Raoul did, although he didn't say anything. As for the soldiers, I won't risk a guess. This way or another, it's good that he took you hostage in the end, otherwise we would have to charge you as an accomplice. As it is now, I don't think there will be any consequences."
"Yeah, it's good, isn't it?" Daryl snorted bitterly. "Very convenient for me."
Katze blinked surprised by those words, then frowned in suspicion, but eventually he just shook his head, dismissing whatever thought he had. "Whatever."
For a short moment they stared at each other silently.
"Just let me in, please. I want to be with him now."
The muscles on Katze's shapely, angular jaw worked for a few moments. The dealer looked frustrated.
"Very well," he snapped, and saying nothing more, turned to the port. With a quick, irritated move he produced a magnetic key from his pocket and slid it through the reader. The cell door puffed and opened. "Get in, I am locking you inside."
Daryl nodded his thanks and stepped into the cell.
Guy was lying on the bench, which was the only furnishings of the cell. When the door opened, he did only as much as raising his head to take a look at the entrance. On seeing Daryl, his eyes lit up a little, and his lips twisted in a wan smile.
"You're flying with us," he said. "Cool."
The door slid close. Daryl got right to business.
"You idiot," he spat angrily, "you think I don't know what you did back there? You didn't try to save yourself, you were trying to save me. Why didn't you warn me?"
"How was I supposed to warn you?"
"I don't know. Give me a word, a sign. For a moment I was really fooled. You know how it made me feel? What if I hurt you? What if I didn't figure it out and still believed it?"
The head was slumped back to the bench.
"And what difference does it make?"
"A big difference," Daryl said. "For me."
Guy took a deep slow breath, looking hopelessly desolated.
"Did you come here to tick me off?"
"No, dammit, I came here to be with you."
"Well, then shut up and come over." And when Daryl did as he was told, Guy lifted himself on his arm, making room for him on one end of the bench. "Please, sit down," he invited the dealer.
Daryl took the offered seat, and the next moment he had Guy's head on his lap.
"How much time before we get to the place?" the mongrel asked.
"I heard something about four hours. Would be three and a half by now."
"Will you stay with me for all that time?"
"Yes. If you want."
"I want. And I want you to hold me and not let go."
Hearing Guy's quiet, resigned voice, Daryl suddenly had a huge lump in his throat. The prisoner reached back for his arm, and entwined it around himself. Daryl tightened the grip eagerly and held him as close as possible.
His eyes were burning – it was a very bad sign.
"What was it about?" Raoul asked when Katze came back to the cockpit.
"Don't ask." The redhead slumped down into his seat. He produced another cigarette and lit it. After a second thought he said, "Daryl wanted me to let him into the cell."
"Did he fall in love?"
The question was delivered in a cool, unsurprised voice. Right, so much for doubts about Raoul's perceptiveness. Katze moaned and shook his head.
"Let's hope it didn't go that deep. That idiot couldn't have made a worse choice."
"They say that heart is stronger than mind."
The dealer glared at the Blondie. "When the hell did you become so romantic?"
Raoul snorted. "I guess you know pretty well when. And by the way," he added, "for this shirt stunt you are going to pay."
Katze chuckled and cheered up in spite of the circumstances. Somehow he couldn't wait to pay.
The capital of Amoi welcomed them with its metallic glint and artificial, symmetrical beauty. They glided over and between the buildings with a speed that didn't even allow a decent look around. Their first goal was Jupiter Tower – the tank descended straight to the structure's landing platform, already awaited by several elite members and a few droids. Raoul stepped out of the vehicle, zipped in his coat up to his neck, and followed by Katze and Daryl who was dragged out of the cell almost by force. Immediately they were approached by a Platina named Angus Ghan, Raoul's direct administrative deputy in the Syndicate. The Platina bowed a greeting and said:
"You are requested for a private audience with Jupiter at 7 a.m., sir, that is twenty minutes from now. She wants to discuss with you the details of the mongrel's execution."
Raoul gave him a scant nod. "Very well."
"I ask for your permission to come on board and take over the prisoner."
"Granted. We left the key in the port."
At the Platina's sign, another elite, Onyx this time, followed by the droids moved towards the vehicle. Next to Katze, Daryl shivered.
"Katze, do something," he murmured to the redhead, his voice alarmingly close to becoming squeaky, even though it was barely a whisper. "Don't let them take him away like that. I want to stay with him to the end. Tell Raoul."
"Shhh. Calm down. Not now. There will be time for it later."
"Later it might be too late."
A minute later the droids reappeared, surrounding the much smaller, miserably looking human being. Dragged between the two columns of his metallic guards, Guy cast frightened looks around, apparently surprised by the top-echelon surroundings.
Having exchanged bows with the rest of the elites, Raoul turned to face the scene. His gaze fell to the group of droids and then, moving just little, to the pair of ex-furniture.
"Angus," he said to the deputy, pointing his chin at Daryl, "this man was the prisoner's guard for the whole trip from Nyccoss. He is trusted and competent. He will be assisting the droids wherever they take the mongrel till the moment I exempt him.
"But sir, we have our own men to..."
"No discussion, Mr. Ghan. That's an order."
"Very well, sir." When the Platina lowered his head in a reluctant bow, Raoul gave the slightest of nods towards Daryl, his lips quirking in a minimal smile. Daryl just stared at him incredulously with wide eyes, and only nudged by Katze did he nod back and eagerly jogged to the group led by the Onyx.
Raoul swept his gaze around the metallic creature called Tanagura for the last time and sighed. Then he turned and moved inside the building. Everyone present on the platform followed in his wake.
The wine was waiting for him as always when he sat in his chair in Jupiter's sanctum. The ever present detail instead of helping him to relax only served to irritate him. A smokescreen in the courtroom, and he felt like a convict.
Jupiter's avatar stood on her post before him, still and unchanging.
'Welcome, my son,' she spoke in his mind.
He answered her greetings with a nod.
'You look different,' she commented. 'Your skin is darker, and your clothes are casual.'
If she only saw those clothes in their full glory...
"I come straight from the deserts. I didn't have time to change."
'Yes, I am aware of that, and I appreciate your commitment. It was by no means a reproach, on the contrary, I am very pleased with your performance. Thanks to your fast and good-measured action we will cleanse the planet of one of the worst trash that soiled it. You proved to be worthy of the post I have entrusted you.'
"Your praise is excessive, Jupiter," Raoul lowered his head curtly, however feeling pleasantly tickled. "I did what I had to do."
'And you are too modest, my son. You definitely deserved a reward, and be sure that you will be rewarded. But everything in its due time. Now tell me, Raoul, you did bring the mongrel Guy to Tanagura.'
It wasn't really a question, it was rather marking the change of subject, as she knew perfectly well that Raoul had brought Guy with him.
"Yes, Jupiter. At this moment he is being kept under guard by your androids, waiting for your decision concerning his fate."
'Very well. The decision has been made. I want you to bring him to me. I will execute him personally.'
Raoul stirred as those words were spoken in his mind. He wanted to ask Jupiter to repeat, but he knew he understood correctly. There was no room for mistakes when the meanings were delivered straight to your brain. The AI really did say what he heard.
"But... Jupiter, he is a mongrel. Only several highest ranked elites are allowed to see you. Such a procedure is beyond comprehension. And think about the threat..."
'He won't leave this room alive, so the procedure doesn't discredit anyone. And he is no threat for me. Don't try to talk me out of this, Raoul. It will please me to no end to deliver justice with my own hands, and I fully intend to do so. So here is my instruction for you. After you leave my sanctum, order to bring the murderer here. Right now. I want him alone, accompanied only by two droids. That would be all, my son. You may go.'
Overwhelmed by disbelief, Raoul still sat on his place, unable to move. Only a slight nudge in his mind brought him back to his senses. He rose and inclined his head.
"Very well. Your wish is my order, Jupiter," he muttered and left.
When Raoul brought them the news, they were sitting in a small room many levels below. Only the lowest floors of the tower were available for common visitors – and even that only on the special occasions when their presence in the building was highly demanded. Katze, the Onyx and the droids hung here and there around the room, however never approaching the convict and his private guard. The Onyx kept eyeing the pair suspiciously, but said nothing.
"Wow, that's something," Guy murmured when Raoul announced him Jupiter's decision. "To be killed by this fuckin' planet's Goddess herself. That's what they call to go in a big style. I bet you guys envy me."
He was trying to sound nonchalantly, but he failed badly. His voice was faltering, betraying him completely. He slowly rose from the table, and Daryl, who sat in front of him mirrored it. Raoul nodded.
"Let's go."
He led the group down the corridor. It was a gloomy and silent procession. No one dared to say a word. And then, it lasted just a minute. The Blondie stopped at the elevator and turned to them.
"Katze, Daryl, this is as far as you can go."
Daryl stared at the Blondie. Slowly, his face twisted. He shook his head.
"Please..."
"You have to say goodbye here, Daryl."
Guy turned to his guardian quickly. "Hey, just don't crack up. It's not so bad, you know? I could have had the worse end. Like it is now, I'm quite glad." The feeble attempt of reassurance didn't sound too well in a shaky, breaking voice.
"Bullshit," Daryl snapped. "It's just wrong. It shouldn't be like that."
"Shh. Stop it, there's no time." With that, he just grabbed Daryl and pulled him into his arms. "I want you to know that I'm happy that I met you," he whispered into the furniture's ear. "Thanks to you I will go in peace. Thanks to you the last days of my life were a great adventure instead of a nightmare. I will be thinking about it now and I will smile into Jupe's face till the last second. Just remember me, Daryl, okay? You really were someone special."
Listening to the fast flood of words, Daryl felt how his lips curved into a downturned arc, how his chin began to shake, how his eyes watered. He tried to say something, but couldn't produce anything intelligible. So he just tightened his grip around Guy and held him with all his might, hearing someone sobbing, and realizing that it was himself.
They stood like that unwilling to let go of each other, until finally someone coughed meaningfully and a big hand rested on Guy's shoulder.
"Enough. It's time."
The mongrel started to disentangle himself shakily from Daryl's grip, but the dealer suddenly protested, catching a new hold of him, pulling him to himself again.
"Daryl—"
"I won't let you go," Daryl mumbled into Guy's shoulder. "I won't let you go."
Raoul frowned and exchanged a glance with the Onyx, the Onyx nodded at the droids. Two of them stepped forward, took the young dealer firmly by his arms and pulled back.
"No! Stop it! Let go of me!"
The youth fought desperately in their arms, trying to free himself, reaching towards Guy, who stared at him helplessly, blinking too often.
"Let go, bastards! Fuck you! It's not fair! It's not fair!!! He didn't deserve it!"
Daryl's voice was breaking into a shriek. As he continued to struggle against the two much stronger artificial creatures, Raoul heaved a minimal, impatient sigh and bent towards Katze.
"You said something about a man without feelings."
Katze's blank face was full of barely hidden exasperation. "Forget it."
Right. The Blondie nodded at the Onyx. It was time to end it. Four remaining androids stepped forward, closely surrounding Guy. The mongrel didn't try to resist. They walked into the elevator, which was already waiting for them. The corridor still echoed with Daryl's sobs and cries long after the door slid close.
The droids threw him to his knees before her, taking position on both sides of him. The mongrel staggered but caught his balance quickly and looked up. His eyes swept around the room in awe, and stopped when they reached her. She looked right back at him, assessing his daring gaze.
"So you are the one who killed Iason," she spoke aloud, in a synthesized metallic voice. Mongrels naturally weren't predisposed to have a mind link with her, although such a link wasn't impossible. Still, she didn't desire to find herself in such an inferior mind like his – the very thought disgusted her. "Such a little, miserable creature you are. What a shame that a lowlife like that caused death of the finest specimen on this planet."
At those words the mongrel's gray eyes lowered with embarrassment, which gave her satisfaction. The murderer indeed was a miserable creature – miserable in his awareness that he was going to die, miserable in his resignation; worn out and broken. Strangely, she didn't sense much fear in him, it was resignation that prevailed.
"I guess saying I'm sorry won't change a thing," the mongrel spoke unexpectedly. "But I truly am. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have done it. I'm sorry."
She measured him with her avatar's eyes deciding not to grace his meager apologies with an answer. Instead she bellowed:
"For me you are the worst scum that sullies this world. You do not deserve to live. You are worth nothing and you achieved nothing apart from destruction. For what you did I have sentenced you to death. And I shall carry out this sentence personally, right now."
She heard anger in her own voice. The anger she knew would come at the sight of this shameful human being. The anger she awaited and didn't try to stop. She allowed herself to be overwhelmed by it. She started to change her form – she needed to approach him to be able to give him her lethal touch, but then the murderer opened his mouth again.
"If I am going to die, could I please have one question?"
That surprised her so much that she stopped her transformation. How dared he speak to her so freely?
"You are not in a position to ask questions."
"I know. But if you could do me this favor. My last wish. I am truly curious about one thing."
Last wish. The stupid concept humans, even elites, tended to have some sentiment to. As if it could give them something. But then, she suddenly was curious what he was so curious about.
"Ask, and I will decide whether to deign to answer."
Guy raised his eyes then and asked: "Do you understand love, Jupiter?"
The silence that followed was heavy. Silently, she stared at him. That was the last question she had expected. The last, because so vital. How was this possible? He asked exactly the question she had been asking herself for the last few months? Correction: there was no secret how this was possible – a simple convergence of circumstances, he was here for a reason, after all. It was just strikingly ironic.
Seconds passed. The silence stretched. Guy fidgeted on his knees.
"I mean, you are a computer," he took up, taking her silence for confusion. "Computers don't have feelings. But then I can see how you are angry at me. They say that Iason was your beloved child. If he was your beloved, it would mean that you loved him. But how could you have loved him if you don't know love? I don't understand that."
Yes, exactly the issue, put in the simple words of a mongrel. How funny. So funny that her anger faded in wonder over the creature that turned out to be so insightful. Of course she wasn't going to tell him about her dilemma – she hadn't told anyone, let alone this disgraceful little man. Probably it would be easiest to refuse him any answer at all, kill him right now – and with him his questions. But perhaps because of the unexpected understanding she found in him, instead of killing him, she allowed:
"Feelings are basis to understanding many concepts – every assessment, opinion is based on some kind of emotion. Therefore there could be no real AI without understanding emotions."
That was at least the way she'd been explaining it to herself. That made things a little bit easier. Guy frowned in thought, apparently finding it hard to understand what she meant.
"So, you did love Iason," he summed up carefully.
Did she love Iason? She remembered the pain – the excruciating, all-encompassing pain that seized her when she felt her Golden Boy ceased to exist. She remembered the overwhelming despair that fell down on her at the next moment. And her own terrible, piercing shriek... She thought she would shatter into pieces. The mere memory of that day was still unbearable.
"Yes, you could say that I loved him," she said levelly.
Unexpectedly, the mongrel's lips curved into a minimal, slightly sardonic smile.
"Well then, Jupiter, we've got a problem."
She made her avatar's brows knit a little. "And what problem is that?"
"Because you see, your situation is pretty much the same like mine. Someone took away the one you loved. And looking for vengeance you craved to kill this someone. The problem is, if you kill me, you will show it is exactly the way to do. So in fact, if you kill me, you will show that I was right. Which is a contradiction, because why then kill me? So the only action that makes sense is sparing my life. And only this way could you prove that I was wrong."
She kept staring at him. It was incredible. There was logic in the mongrel's reasoning. It was even the hard mathematical logic, although flawed by inaccuracy. Driven by an impulse, with one shift of her mind, she switched off the droids standing beside the convict. She didn't want them to witness it, although they hardly could be called intelligent. The mongrel stirred and shot quick glances at his guards, noticing the change.
"How dare you compare me to yourself?" she hissed, attracting his attention again. "There is no equality between us and no common law that would apply to you and me."
The human shrugged. "I am not comparing us, just the situation."
"The situation is different. Your mongrel was alive."
"For me he was as good as dead," Guy snapped with accusation. "Everything about him was his spirit. Without his spirit, Riki was no more. And that was the very thing Iason killed in him, or so I thought back then. If you knew how it hurt... no, you should know it."
Guy knew he was being much too bold. He was talking to Jupiter herself, after all. All elites no less than licked her metallic feet, and he here argued with her as if she were little more than another slum mongrel. But then, what could he care, he was dead this way or another. He hadn't in the least started this argument in hope of saving his life. He did it for sport, or more precisely to show the almighty AI just how hypocritical she was. He was actually surprised that she stooped to exchange arguments with him.
"You are forgetting one crucial thing," she said. "This is not my vengeance on you, you are being punished for murder."
"Is that so?" he countered. "Then why am I here? Don't you have special units for the dirty job? Why are you doing it yourself?"
That was when her countenance twisted into a mask of fury. The light in the room blinked and went off, and electric discharges of her temper licked the walls.
"Enough!!!" her powerful voice reverberated within the space.
Guy closed his eyes tightly and tensed, hoping that death wouldn't hurt too much.
Waiting in the anteroom of Jupiter's sanctum, accompanied by the Onyx and two droids, Raoul really didn't know what to expect. He prepared himself for all possible scenarios. What will she do with the body – destroy it in rage or order them to take care of it? Raoul wasn't predisposed to doing such things, nor did he like the prospect. Will she have any special wishes afterwards – any orders, surprises, whims? He couldn't even begin to guess. What was taking place here and now had never happened before, there was no precedent, and it was making him nervous.
He definitely hadn't expected what he saw when the door finally opened.
The figure that stood in the doorway wasn't a droid. It was Guy in person. Pale like a ghost, looking as if all blood had run off his face, but undeniably alive. He seemed dazed, supporting himself with one hand against the wall, but apart from that in a good condition – not hurt, completely untouched.
Raoul slowly rose from his chair, staring incredulously at the prisoner. The Onyx didn't do even that – he simply stared, completely dumbfounded.
"What happened?" Raoul whispered.
"I... I don't know how to explain it," the mongrel rasped. "But she wants to speak with you."
That said, he fainted.
The despair turned out to be a black tight hole, so black that it completely blurred his vision, so tight that it clenched his guts and made him sick. It sucked him in and wouldn't let go. It was a place where sense and hope didn't exist, where there was no reason, since there was no sense for it.
The despair was him curled into a tight ball in a far corner of the main hall of Jupiter Tower. Him, hiccupping with loud sobs and spilling buckets of tears. Not caring whether someone would see it or not. He was crying over Guy, but also over his own miserable life. For once, he had found a person who seemed sensitive enough to start seeing him as a man of flesh and blood, who perhaps even started to care about him... just to lose this person right away. He had known it was going to happen, and still it didn't ease his anguish.
The despair was so absorbing, that a world around him ceased to exist and he became completely unmindful of what happened around. He didn't notice the commotion that broke out in the middle of this part of the hall. Nor did he hear the approaching steps. He didn't even see the shadow cast upon him by the figure that stopped a few feet before him. The figure kept standing there for a few good moments, watching him in silent amazement.
"If I knew you would be crying so much after me I would put them all down, Jupiter including, just to spare you this."
Only those words made him react. Because they were uttered in that voice. The voice he knew he would never hear again. The voice he couldn't possible hear. Slowly, he raised his head. And the man that stood before him was the one he couldn't possibly see.
Daryl just stared for a long, disbelieving moment. He forgot how to blink. He forgot how to breathe. When finally his lungs demanded oxygen, the breath came out as a word.
"How?"
Guy's lips quirked into a slight smile.
"Good that you are responding after all. It's a long story, I'll tell you later. For now, let's pull you out of this hole." He reached out, offering his hand to Daryl. Only now did the ex-furniture notice Raoul and Katze standing a few steps behind Guy. And two droids accompanying them. He reached for the hand hesitantly, still afraid that the moment his own hand comes in contact with it, it will turn out to be an illusion. Perhaps a hologram projection Katze made for him out of pity. Perhaps his own mind playing games with him...
But the hand was very real. And closed around Daryl's fingers even too tightly, as if trying to prove it. The dealer welcomed this grip more than anything.
"Come," Guy said and pulled him up.
Daryl rose slowly, still uncertain, but then, in a split second he was all over Guy, plastering to him with full force, crushing him in his embrace.
"Oh gods," he mumbled. "Oh shit! Whatever happened... thank heavens!" He sobbed and mumbled little nonsenses a few more instants, then suddenly he grabbed Guy by his arms and pulled back, staring at him fervently. "Tell me it's not some cruel joke. Tell me they are not going to kill you in an hour... or tomorrow. Tell me it's for good."
Guy's brows furrowed. He tentatively brushed the strand of chestnut chair from Daryl's forehead.
"It is for good," he assured, with a trace of unease in his voice. "They will not kill me. But they will take me away."
"The place where you will be relocated is named Iona," Raoul said when Daryl reluctantly unglued himself from Guy. "It's a colony built on Amoi's natural satellite. It is basically a labour camp for convicts. The main trade is mining as the planetoid is rich in iron ore, but there is also a variety of other jobs available. You have been sentenced for life with no chance for parole."
Guy wrinkled his nose.
"Doesn't sound like a good life. Still, it is life. I don't think it can be much worse than Ceres."
"From what I know, Iona is not a very bad place," Katze put in. "The prisoners are not locked up in the cells. They have their own one-room flats and they can freely move about the place, it's just that they can't leave it. But they do receive guests who can stay with them even up to a few days at a time. The work is hard, but at least you are doing something useful, and it's not like people die out there."
Quiet steps approached them, interrupting their conversation. The Platina Angus Ghan came to a stop beside them, eyeing Raoul's low-class company critically, and gave out an aristocratic cough.
"Yes, Angus?" the biologist asked.
"We have just received a message from commander Gorr, sir. I thought I would pass you the good news personally. The siege has ended with success – all Crimelord's people have been captured or killed. No one escaped. The captives, including Moreno himself, are being transported to Tanagura right now."
"Perfect! Thank you very much. I will join you as soon as I finish business here."
The Platina bowed, turned on his heel and walked away, pompous as he was, while Raoul shifted his attention back to the mongrels.
"Well, gentlemen, we did it," he said with a minimal smile, and it was directed so much to Katze and Daryl as to Guy. It was a moment of subtle companionship that however was over before it really started. "Now, back to the topic. Jupiter specifically emphasized one thing: even though she spared your life, she doesn't want you on the planet. You are banned from Amoi for life. Even if by some chance you will leave Iona one day, you must never come back here. Is that clear?"
Guy heaved a deep sigh and nodded.
"You will leave with the closest transport, tomorrow. The time till that moment you will spend in the lock-up. I am obliged to see that this order is executed. Do you have any questions before you are taken to the cell?"
Guy shook his head. "No. I'm just glad to be alive."
"Well, don't ruin it," the Blondie murmured, looking at him sternly.
"I won't." It was uttered with such firm certainty that none of the present for even an instant doubted that it was true.
Raoul waved his hand at the droids, who approached the prisoner and took him by his arms. In the last moment Guy found Daryl's gaze.
"Will you visit me?" he asked quietly.
"You bet," was the simple answer.
When the droids moved, walking the mongrel away, Daryl stirred, as if he wanted to run after them. He was stopped by Katze's hand that shot out in front of him, blocking his way.
"No, you won't," the dealer drawled. "You've spent enough time dragging your ass about all kinds of cells for the last 24 hours. He is not about to die. You will see him again."
Daryl's face fell, but he didn't try to resist. He was tired... exhausted, and besides, Katze was right, he would see Guy again. Soon, as soon as possible – he promised himself.
"Katze," he asked, when the droids with the mongrel disappeared behind the corner and Katze's arm fell down, "do you have any running business with Iona?"
The redhead gave him a knowing, reproachful glance, but refrained from comments.
"I had two or three deals with them in the past, but nothing ongoing."
Daryl's gaze was hard with unwavering resolution when it met Katze's. "Well, then you better find something soon, or I'm gonna find a new employer."
They exited Jupiter Tower an hour later, coming out to a sunny, warm day that was already in fool bloom. Tanagura rose tall and majestic around them, tall skyscrapers casting merciful shadows on the streets, saving them from too much sunlight.
Since they had left their car with Edgar Gorr's squad, they had to wait for Raoul's limousine to arrive. The Blondie checked his wrist comm – he had called for the car a few minutes earlier.
"It should be here in a moment," he said, raising his green eyes to Katze, and noticing his somewhat distracted gaze, tilted his head. "Back to civilization, huh?"
The dealer smiled. "Yeah, and what will we do about it now?"
"I guess we'll go home and take a rest."
Katze considered it. "Yeah, home. Why not?" After all, wasn't Eos his home now? His real home, not his prison. It was a nice and unexpected thought.
A quiet hum behind him announced the arrival of the car. The limousine pulled to the curb and the door slid open, inviting them in.
Epilogue (optional)
In the depths of Jupiter's sanctum, behind the room where she received her elite visitors, a whole new realm was hidden. It was a place that housed the core of her being, the hardware of [Lambda] 3000, unavailable even for Raoul and other Blondies. Only a few specialized droids that were in fact her extension, her virtual hands and fingers, had access to this place.
There was one room in this hidden sanctum that was the point of her constant focus, where a part of her conscious mind was present at all times. In the dim, warm light that saturated this room stood two growth chambers. Each chamber was holding a figure of a young male – one of them big and pale, another small and dark.
They had been dead when they were brought here from the ruins of Dana Bahn. Luckily, they had been dead for only an hour or so and their heads did not suffer physically very much, so any damage done to their brains was from the lack of the oxygen. Such damage didn't seem beyond repair, at least with the technologies she had here. She had to try. The damage done to their bodies was severe, but that was not a problem. Body can always be repaired. They had been put in the tanks, life functions pumped back into them by force, while the destroyed tissues were stimulated to regrow.
Right now she was watching them through eyes of the droid that had just run the standard check of life supporting equipment. She didn't need to look at the control panels to know what they showed – this data was delivered straight to her mind. But she needed, wanted to see the occupants of the chambers, especially one of them, the big and pale blonde. The sight of his pure and again flawless beauty pleased her senses. She spent many hours every day pointlessly staring at him. Part of her artificial mind couldn't understand such sentiment, another couldn't refrain from it. Sometimes she talked to him in her mind. Like now.
If he only knew. He was even closer to truth in his comparison than he thought. So daring, asking me questions, arguing with me. An elite member would never be so bold. It is simply because a mongrel is unaware of the majesty he is dealing with. But then, I would have killed him if he didn't argue.
He made me realize one thing. His pain was exactly like mine. And if that was so... I know fully well how he felt. And I must understand why he wanted to kill you.
Raoul told me that it was your last wish that he lived. So be it, your wish was granted. I hope you will be glad when you wake up.
For the n-th time this day she reached in her mind for the most important read-outs. They hadn't changed since a few minutes ago when she had last checked them, still she was satisfied. Iason's chance for recovery was growing steadily week by week. It started with less than 30%, now the rate was close to 80%.
If things progressed in the same fashion, soon it would be safe to tell Raoul. Not yet though. She needed him focused on his job, she needed a strong planet's leader. Worrying about his friend's unstable condition wouldn't help him. She could predict the biologist's reaction: insisting on moving the chambers to the Center's clinic, spending long hours at the control panels, making himself responsible for the whole process. Ironically, Raoul's profession was an impediment in this case. Even so, Raoul would be the first to know.
She shifted the droid's artificial eyes to the other chamber. The dark-skinned body was already fully rebuilt as well. The mongrel was doing just slightly worse than Iason, with chance for recovery already exceeding 70%. The creature was incredibly strong, he kept surprising her. Looking at him, she could now see why Iason found him attractive. With his near-perfect proportions and exotic beauty he could compete with any Academy pet.
I've been fighting it long enough, she told herself. I have been watching Raoul with his mongrel telling myself that I'm just trying to understand, but the truth is I understood all the time. I finally have to accept it: I am capable of experiencing emotions. I must have developed this ability somewhere in time. I can love, hate, hurt. I can be distraught, furious and pleased. It was you who made me realize it with your death. But only now... after the talk with that little scum do I feel ready to admit it.
I suppose that's why I have brought the dark one back with you. It would hurt you too much to lose him. And it would hurt me too much to mindwipe you. So live, my dear Iason, live. Come back to me as soon as you can. And be happy with your Riki. I will no longer forbid you to love. Because I love too.
The End
Author's note: I was really hesitant about bringing Iason and Riki back to life. In the end I decided I am more for it than against it, but still, I put their recovery in question and made the epilogue optional. Those of you who prefer them to remain dead may as well ignore this last scene.