Tabula Rasa Roleplayers

The shadow moved through the night. It had been a long day and Gerin was weary to the bone. He had hopped from Foreas to Areki and back so many times he felt as if his body was splitting in two.
Almost home... I really want a shower... whoops...
He froze. A Bane mech came into view. Followed quickly by a squad of Thrax, and then another. He checked his cover and concealment automatically. He was in good cover and far enough away that they couldn't see or scan him, but...
On that heading... Aw crap, they are heading for the base
He opened his comlink, checked that it was secure and bounced a transmission to his home. He smirked as he remembered how many bounces that transmission took and where some of them went. One through a Bane base and another through Penumbra HQ.
Anyone trying to trace THAT will be confused as hell... he sobered as Kat came on the line. She was still recovering from her wounds, it had only been a week, but she was tough. And she refused to, as she put it “sit around eating” when there was work to be done. Her voice was serious, he would never have commed unless there was a problem.
“Situation?” Her voice was calm but he could hear the tension behind it.
“One strider, two... no, make that three full squads approaching base perimeter.” He could hear her indrawn breath. In an open field setting he could take them easy. Sit back beyond their sensor range and take them all. The mech would be a pain, they always were, but he could do it. He had done it, recently, just not here. And not near his home base. “I'll try and draw them off.”
“Gerin. Wait one...” His com clicked off and he shook his head slowly. Another voice came over the com. He smiled under his helmet as Sara spoke.
“Gerin. What will happen if you take them out?”
“Uh... oh. They will believe the base unoccupied.” he thought for a second and then came to the same thought. “NO!” he hissed the word quietly. “We don't have enough soldiers...” At the moment they only had fifteen. Even odds, discounting the mech.
“Gerin. We have to show the Bane that the Atta are here. Then they will recon, but they won't try it in force. They know better.” Her grin was audible. His mind went into overdrive. His words came cold and clipped.
“Understood. Then this is what we do...”

<nearby>
She sat in her hide, waiting. She didn't like Areki but orders were orders. She had been ordered to this lonely spot to observe bane movement through the area. It was a relatively unknown spot between two subsectors on the continent of Ligo. The only AFS presence here had been wiped out by the Bane and she shuddered in memory of the report. Gas... Until they could build a bigger presence, her lonely vigil was an important link in the sensor net. She shook her head and returned her gaze to the bane patrol she had been observing. It was far from her position, and the only reason she had noted it was it included a strider. Although why would the Bane...
Her thoughts broke off as a Torqueshell rifle fired from less than twenty meters away. She watched as one of the Bane, a caretaker, took a direct hit and disintegrated. She carefully looked to her left and saw the fuzzy outline of someone wearing AFS stealth armor. She couldn't make out anything else and she ducked instinctively as the surrounding landscape started to be torn up by blind return fire from the Bane. The Bane moved into formation to attack the sniper and she could only shake her head in disbelief.

Is that sniper suicidal? And should I help? Orders say no communication except...

Again her thoughts broke off as something new entered the mix. The back rank of bane suddenly were catapulted off their feet as large rocks started landing in their midst. Then forms started appearing from cracks in the ground moving towards the Bane lines that were suddenly thrown into confusion. She focussed on the newcomers and froze. Four legs, two arms, insectoid body...!
What in the...? Atta?
She could see the strider start to turn and she smirked as it showed its vulnerable neck to the sniper.
Sure enough, the sniper's next shot severed the main control column. She loved to watch the things collapse. They always seems to blast themselves when they did. A heck of a design... Then she realized something. The Atta were not advancing mindlessly. They were staying in cover! And the unknown sniper was not shooting at them. She drew in a quick breath. He was providing cover fire for them! Finally after an eternity, maybe two or three minutes, the Bane started to run. They didn't get far. Most were swarmed by the Atta and she grimaced in memory, having seen similar things happen to AFS personnel who strayed into Atta territory. A lightbender got the farthest, almost to the cover of a canyon, and then a torqueshell blew its head off. She stayed motionless where she was. She couldn't believe her eyes. The Atta were not eating... they were..
Since when do ATTA police a battlefield? They were collecting some of the bodies, the weapons... Three harvesters appeared and they were picking up pieces of the strider! She watched without moving as the unknown sniper reloaded and then moved off slowly. Whoever this guy was, something was VERY strange here.
That was a coordinated ambush. I need to find out what just happened. No one at High Command would believe me. I need proof.
She slowly got out of her hide and followed. Carefully.

Gerin moved through the battlefield, nodding to the soldiers who were clearing the area. He didn't want anything left for the bane or AFS to find and point towards their hidden base. He stopped at a particular bane corpse and picked up the Thrax weapon. It was something he hadn't seen before. It was a laser pistol. It looked like a laser pistol, but... different. He looked around, waited till all of the soldiers had moved off and aimed it at a convenient rock. He almost dropped it when it went off, instead of one shot it fired a burst of three. The rear most soldier looked back at him and he waved them on.
Nice... This will do for a sidearm I think. He pocketed the pistol and moved off after the last soldier left. For once nothing went wrong, no casualties, for us anyway He smiled grimly under his helmet.
He never saw the indistinct shape that followed a good hundred meters behind.
Gerin was almost to the last canyon before the base when an urgent message came through.
“Code 5!” That was all, the comlink cut off. Code 5, intruder alert! He didn't waste time, he hit the ground and rolled into cover. The soldiers were already swarming towards where a figure in familiar armor had just taken cover. He unlimbered his Torqueshell rifle and looked at the figure through his scope. He froze in shock. AFS SNIPER! Where did HE come from? He could see the figure unshipping his Torqueshell rifle and he hurriedly ordered the soldiers to cover. They obeyed without question and he sighed in relief as the last one made it to cover unscathed. He ducked back into cover himself. This is not good...I don't want to shoot him, but it may just come to that... He called out.
“AFS Sniper. This isn't what you think.” He moved from his spot and scanned the area carefully. Nothing. Whoever this was, this sniper was good! Then he froze as red limned his limbs. Oh boy, he's target painted me... A voice called out from his left and he looked carefully that way. The muzzy outline of the sniper was in cover less than twenty meters away. At that range there was literally no way HE could miss, and this sniper was at least as good at sneaking as he was. If the shooting skills were to match... He relaxed and turned towards the AFS man. He kept his hands away from his weapons. He could see the Atta massing behind the unknown, but they wouldn't be able to save him if this sniper fired. It wouldn't help the sniper, but Gerin would be dead before the other.
“I don't want to shoot you. But I will if I have to.” The voice was muffled by the Stealth armor helmet. Gerin reached up slowly and unlatched his helmet. He let it fall to his back. Then he lowered his hands to his sides.
“If you are going to shoot, do it.” The unknown cocked his head at Gerin and Gerin was sure he had startled the other.
“I don't want to shoot you.” The other repeated. “I fight the Bane. Not humans.” Gerin looked at the Atta that were closing in, thought hard at them Stop. and they did.

“So do we.” He replied quietly. The other sighed audibly and lowered his rifle. The other sniper kept one hand on his rifle and unlatched his own helmet. Gerin could not restrain a strangled oath as red hair spilled out in an untidy wave. He was staring, he knew he was, but...

“What in the hell is...” The other sniper, he KNEW who she HAD to be... broke off as he grimaced.

“This isn't a good place to stand around and talk. If I give you my word you will come to no harm, will you trust me? And follow?” All the thing he had heard, and mostly discounted about her ran through his head.

“How am I to trust you If I don't even know your name?” She replied in a cautious voice.

“Good point.” he extended his hand. “Gerin Kalenath.” After a moment she took it and shook.

“Sarah Morrison.” He put his helmet back on and in a moment Sarah followed suit. He led off into the gathering Areki night. Sarah Morrison, as if our lives were not complicated enough...

Gerin led his 'guest' through the final canyon and into the ruins of the AFS base. He stopped at the entrance to the undergound section and she caught up to him. She shook her head as he entered a code in the blast door control panel.

“This base is contaminated. Bane nerve gas.”

“Was.”

“What?” She stood, waiting. He sighed.

“It WAS contaminated. Most of it has been cleared. But, if you see a hall or door with yellow tape on it, the areas beyond haven't been deconmed yet.”

“Okay...”

“Ma'am, no one knows we are here, and...” he broke off as the door opened. A small figure in bio armor stood just inside the door. The injection gun she held did not waver from target, her... Sarah noticed. Gerin held up a hand. “Stand down.”

“No. She is threatening...”

“Stand down.” His voice did not rise, his inflection did not change, but the small women took an involuntary step back. Something primeval spoke in his body language. He shook himself and in a more normal tone continued. “Please?”

The small woman lowered her injection gun and frowned. Gerin, sighed then removed his helmet. He nodded to his companion. She removed her helmet. “Katerina meet Sarah Morrison.”
The small woman actually took a step back at the name. Then she grimaced and Gerin jumped forward to catch her as she fell. He looked at her pale face and shook his head. He lifted her easily.

“How long have you been standing? You know you body is not healed entirely. It won't be for a while.” He carried her to a chair and set her in it.

“I'm sorry Gerin. I... I was scared...” Katerina hung her head, but Gerin grasped her chin and gently pulled her head up so she looked him in the eyes.

“I know. I'm sorry.” He shook his head in mild exasperation. “It will be ok. Get something to eat and drink, then get back to your bed. Medic's orders, remember?”

“Gerin...” he looked at her. “Ok, ok I'll go...” Gerin watched as his sister moved slowly back into the depths of the base. He looked to where ((Sgt.)) Morrison was standing with a puzzled expression on her face.

“She doesn't have the sense of a goose sometimes.” He smiled fondly.

“She was hurt?”

“She nearly died. I found her in Valverde Pools after her team was killed. She survived, she's tough.”

“I thought she was going to shoot me.”

“I did too for a moment.” They shared a relieved smile. “Come on. Lets get something to eat.”
Gerin led the way to the mess hall and after plucking two ration packs out of a bin, sat down. He tossed one to Sarah and tore open the other with practiced ease. Sarah looked at hers, it was unmarked. She tore the top off and sniffed. It smelled like...! She looked up in amazement.

“One of the benefits of working with others, they have some very cool food reproduction abilities.”
Gerin bit into his with obvious relish and Sarah took a bite of hers. It tasted heavenly, just as good as she remembered turkey tasting.

“What is this?”Gerin grinned.

“Totally synthetic. That one tastes like turkey, just like mine tastes like beef stroganoff. It started out as an AFS ration pack. And now...” He took another bite.

“Mmmph” Sarah nodded, her mouth full. Gerin finished his first, balled up his wrapper, and threw it. He made a perfect three pointer into a trashcan.

“We can't mass produce them, but they are nice.” Sarah finished hers and set her wrapper down on the table. That was good!

“You said you could explain.” Gerin sobered.

“This may take a while...”

“I have all day.” Sarah replied in a tone that left no doubt that she thought he was stalling.
“I am stalling.” She looked at him and he grinned wryly. “I had hoped that my sister would be able to be here, but she's busy healing the soldiers who were injured in the attack on the bane column. I'm guessing that's where you caught sight of me?”

“Yes.”

“These Atta have set up an offshoot colony. Specifically to attempt communication with humans.” Her eyes widened perceptibly. “And yes. The Atta are sentient. They are the original inhabitants of Areki, preceding even the Brann.”

“Oh my god...” Her voice was quiet as she struggled to make sense of what he had said.

“Yeah.”

“Are you trained for first contact?” He shook his head and she winced. “then how...? I mean what happened?”

“He got his butt blown off is what happened.” Came another voice and a white suited figure came into the room. She was small, lean and a forean hybrid. Those were obvious. She was also staggering with fatigue. Gerin jumped up and took her by the arm and Sarah noticed that the newcomer was tiny, maybe the size of a preteen. Gerin led the newcomer to the table and went to the food bin. The newcomer moved to get up and Gerin waved at her.

“No, you stay sitting. I'll get yours.” The small woman, girl, whatever, sat back and removed her helmet. Gerin came back with a ration pack in one hand and a tray with plastic cups in the other. He deftly slid the tray onto the table in easy reach of the three of them and laid the ration pack in front of the newcomer. Then he sat down beside her. He squeezed her shoulder and watched as she started to eat. Only then did he relax. He took one of the cups and drank deep. Small the white suited woman may have been, but she finished off the ration pack fast and took a cup of her own. She smiled her thanks to Gerin and sat back.

“Sarah Morrison, meet Sara Kalenath. My clone sister.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Sara sat up straight. She had been warned by the soldiers, but she had not realized WHO had followed Gerin almost to their doorstep.
“I have wanted to meet you for a long time, Miss.. er Morrison...”

“You can call me Sarah. Your... brother? Has been explaining what is going on.”

“And has he been talking in monosyllables again?”

“Hey!” Gerin shared a grin with his sister and Sarah could see a faint resemblance.
Then they both sobered.

“You want to know why humans are working with Atta?”

“To put it simply, yes”

“We are building a bridge.”
“Are either of you trained for this?” She couldn't believe this. It was just too big...

“I wish. Might make thing a lot easier sometimes.” Gerin said in a rueful tone.

“Then how can you possibly expect to be able to do this? How many of you are there?”

“Right now three.”

“Three of you.” Sarah couldn't keep the disbelief out of her voice. “A recently wounded biotech, a sniper, and a child sized medic...” She shook her head.

“Yep.” Gerin's voice was low, but easily audible.

“I don't understand. How can you possibly expect to be able to do something that AFS command has said is impossible.” Gerin and Sara traded a glance and Gerin nodded. Sara looked straight at Sarah and said..., no her MOUTH DIDN”T MOVE!

Like this.

Sarah was out of her chair and grabbing for her pistol before she realized what had happened.
Gerin lifted an empty hand.

“Peace I gave you my word. No harm will come to you here. Unless you bring it on yourself.” Her pistol was out now, but neither had moved. Neither of them had weapons out... But she couldn't help feeling small and alone. The small hybrid hung her head, in... fear or shame... Gerin's quiet voice cut through Sarah's own fear.

“And that is why we believe we can succeed. The Atta communicate that way. And Sara can too.”

“How? I've known Forean hybrids. None of them can do what she just did.” She backed up until she bumped into the wall.

“I don't know.” Sara's voice was small, more like a child than an adult at the moment. “I've always been able to do it.”

“So you can read minds?” This is not good...
The small woman looked up and fire danced behind her eyes.
“I don't without a damned good reason. It hurts...”
“What?”
“It hurts when I... When I do it.” Sarah looked at the mismatched pair and shook her head.
Gerin kept his face still, his pistol was also out, hidden, but ready. But if he fired... Sara was vulnerable. Her helmet sat on the table. Morrison wouldn't miss, not at that range.

Another voice came from outside the room. “All of you stop this. Gerin put your weapon away. Sarah Morrison, we mean you no harm.”All eyes went to the door.
A small atta queen walked in the open doorway and stood in the middle of the room.
“Ecien...” Gerin began and she cut him off with a commanding wave. He holstered his pistol, reluctantly.
“Gerin be silent please. Sara's distress is easy to read. You are now the only person in this room with a weapon ready, Sarah Morrison. What will you do?” Sarah looked at the Atta in shock. The voice was coming from a small box, a shining thing attached to the Atta's thorax. It wasn't human, forean, or Brann tech, it looked... She inhaled, then relaxed. She safetied her weapon and put it back in her holster. She slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor and nodded.

“That box on your... It's Eloh isn't it?”

“Yes.”

“Then they are behind this?”

“They are assisting us when and as they can. You wish understanding. We can give you information to shape your own understanding. Is this what you wish?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. My name is Ecien.” the Atta queen sank down until her abdomen was resting on the floor and began to speak again. “Gerin rescued my egg from the Bane, then did something very foolish and utterly in character for him...” Sarah relaxed for the first time since entering the base and listened to the Atta's tale.

“...and then Gerin brought Katerina here. Once she had healed we asked her to join us.” The small biotech nodded ruefully. She had come in and sat down in the middle of Ecien's tale. Sarah sat back in her chair, she had resumed it halfway through. It was more comfortable than the floor.

“Yeah, I reacted about as well as you did.” Katerina grinned ruefully and took a sip of her water. Morrison shook her head in bemusement. When she had woken this, er, yesterday morning, she had no idea what she was going to encounter. She looked at the time and winced. Gerin noted her wince and nodded.

“We have the sensor net up and running. Anything coming through this area, that isn't in stealth armor that is...” He grinned and Sarah shared it. “...will be detected and passed to us.”

“I don't understand. Why not report this? This is... monumental. An ally. We need all the help we can get.”

“The AFS isn't a single entity, you know this.” This time Sarah nodded ruefully. “Neither are the Atta.”

“Oh. Joy...”

“Yeah. Each colony is a separate entity. They maintain communication, more or less, but they do not impact each other's territory. This colony is an offshoot of the Rivasa colony and allied with it. The other colonies know of our existence. Most are neutral, some are most definitely not.”

“My people are just as fractured as yours. Only the threat of the Bane brings us together.” Ecien nodded and Sarah got the impression of sadness.

“And the AFS has not given them reason to attempt communication before this.” Gerin shook his head.
“My grandfather always said 'Hindsight is always clearer than foresight, but nowhere remotely as valuable', and its true. The AFS goofed, big time. We focused so much on the Bane...”

“We ignored a potential ally.” Sarah could not believe, no she could... She remembered Earth, seeing so many people who refused to acknowledge things that happened right in front of them.

“We treated the Atta like dangerous animals.” Sara spoke this time. “And they treated us the same way. They knew we were not Bane. And that were were not native to Areki, but they had no idea...”

“No we did not. But you and Gerin cured us of that.” Ecien nodded to the small form of the medic who hugged her legs up to her chest... Looking at the girl, er woman... Sarah's face took on a puzzled expression.

“You are a clone? Of Gerin?” Katerina and Gerin sat back. Ecien froze in place.

“Yes.” Sara's words were almost inaudible.

“Then why are you... I mean... what...” Sarah broke off embarrassed. The medic winced and then spoke, in an almost normal voice.

“I'm a mistake.” Gerin took his sister by the arm and gave it a light squeeze.

“Don't say that.” His words were not a snarl, they were kind, but... under it was rage. Not at the medic, Sarah realized...

“Why not? It's true...” This time Gerin took her by the shoulder and shook her. He tapped her on the nose and when she looked at him, her eyes glistened.

“No. Its. Not.” With each word he tapped her nose again. She finally grinned weakly. She shook herself and looked at Sarah.

“I was created without authorization, by a doctor...” A quack Gerin muttered sotto voice. “...at Foreas Base. Neither of us have been able to determine how the doctor got hold of Gerin's genetic sample, but she did. And when she made me, there were problems...” She looked at Gerin and he shook his head in memory.

“I was called into Foreas HQ, I was told to report to the medics. When I did, I found Sara. The doc wanted wanted to get rid of her 'mistake' as she put it. I said I would take custody. I got legal advice, when I returned the doc was in the process of euthanizing Sara. I... may have overreacted.”

“Well, 'I' don't think so. You only put them in the hospital. If I had been there at that time, I probably would have killed them.” Katerina's voice was fierce. She gave Sara a hug and then sat back.

“I don't understand. What happened... Was it the 'problems' he mentions that make you so small?” Morrison looked from one to another and they all shook their heads, almost in unison.

“Yes. I am the size of a twelve year old girl. I have the physical strength of an adult, since I work out regularly. But I am small. And at one time, I did something dumb that made me realize I can do other things normal people can't.” This time Gerin slapped her on the arm.

“Stop that. You are as 'normal' as any of us. More normal than me to tell the truth.”

“You are full size.”

“Size matters not.” His impersonation was perfect. At that all the humans in the room cracked up. The tension that had been building dissipated.

“So you can read minds, and speak telepathically.” Sarah Morrison had seen some strange things since she left Earth, but this...

“And sometime I can touch heal.”

“You're kidding!”

“I wish.”Sara hung her head again. This time Katerina took her arm and squeezed. “It hurts worse when I do something like that.”

“How exactly does it hurt? I mean, this is...” The two women, the sniper and the medic locked eyes.

“Far fetched? Tell me about it! It... I feel a buzzing at first... here.” She put her hand to the back of her skull. “Then the pain begins. If I do it for too long I get a nosebleed. I think somehow I tapped into something humans either are capable of or maybe used to be capable of... or... I don't know...”

“That is... That is incredible.” The wonder in Sarah's voice was unfeigned and the medic looked at her in shock.

“I thought you would...”

“What? Condemn you for being different? You are a receptive like me, we ARE different. 'Normal' doesn't apply to us.” Sara looked at Sarah and then broke down. This time Sarah reached out and gave her arm a squeeze. “We were complacent and the universe gave a swift kick in the butt. We are all changing, we are all evolving. But that was what we needed, a fresh start, a clean slate.”

Sarah Morrison looked at the unlikely group in front of her and shook her head. “So what now?”
Gerin sighed and grinned.

“Now we expand the colony. Ecien is.. er... growing, new soldiers and workers as we speak. The three of us will continue working on communication technology, as well as helping to defend the colony. We are also compiling a complete medical and biological record of what we are doing.” Sara and Katerina both nodded at Gerin's words.

“Wow. You are busy.” All three of the other humans snorted at Sarah's dry tone and something that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle came from Ecien's voice box. “I would think of some people who would be able to keep quiet about this, special ops come to...” She broke off as Gerin and Sara grimaced in unison.

“I'm afraid we can't go to them” Gerin said reluctantly. Sara spoke at the same time, “I goofed.”

“What?” Sara looked at Morrison and hung her head. Gerin slapped her on the arm again. “Ow! Stop that!”

“Then stop blaming yourself. If you hadn't done what you did I'd be dead.” Sara snarled at him but his grin was infectious and she finally cracked a smile.

“What happened? What did you do?” Sara grimaced, but Gerin raised a hand and she recoiled in mock horror.

“I uh... well... Gerin was MISSING! I knew he was in trouble... I... That stupid desk jockey just kept treating me like a kid, I'm NOT a kid!”

“What did you do?” Sarah repeated.

“I... oh to hell with it... I took the information about Gerin's mission from a Special Ops clerk at Foreas Base HQ.”

“You... took... it..?” Sarah couldn't keep a tremor from running down her spine.

“Yeah, I did. And it took me the entire trip from Foreas HQ to Thunderhead HQ to recover. Eight hours.” Sara winced in remembered pain. Gerin hugged her tight, Katerina came up and laid a hand on her shoulder and Ecien sent waves of reassurance that even Sarah could feel.

“Ouch. But, if you did that why would...” Sarah broke off as the young medic grimaced.

“I made him forget he saw me and wipe his computer records about my visit.”

“Oh boy... And you didn't get the video records did you?”

“No.” Sara's voice was small and this time Gerin didn't try and cheer her up. When he spoke it was as if the meager warmth of the room fled from his words.

“Some of my contacts have left messages about men in suits and black armor asking about Sara.”

“Penumbra.”

“Yeah.”

“Wonderful.”

“Yeah.” Gerin shook himself and smiled. It was not a nice smile, as a matter of fact, it almost mirrored her own, Sarah Morrison mused.

“Well, what do we do now? I have orders to watch that pass.” Gerin smiled, a normal one this time.

“You can do that from here. And you will always have a bunk here if you want one. And...” He handed her a small card. It had a com code on it. “...if you ever need backup give me a call.” she pocketed the card, and smiled. Backup was always handy at times.

“If you are in this area and need assistance, we would be willing to assist as well.” Ecien added, and Katerina and Sara nodded as well. Sarah nodded to all of them.

“Thank you. You have given me a lot to think about. I will keep you secret. I believe the AFS could do more, but your concerns are germane and I share them now. And if you need assistance, I will be around.” She stood up and was startled for a moment to receive a hug from Sara, then she embraced the small medic. She nodded to Ecien and Katerina and then Gerin stood up.

“Fair enough.” Gerin nodded to his sisters and Ecien and then led Sarah out of the base.

“What are your plans now?” She asked as he checked his stealth armor.

“I have to go talk to some people.” She didn't ask, she just extended her arm and after a moment he grasped her wrist in an ages old embrace of warrior to warrior. Then he activated his stealth systems and moved into the night. She followed suit, a shadow following a shadow into the darkness. Time to give the Bane some pain...