Bottom

[MiniKitty]

---

The scent of your fear is overwhelming, LEVAN.

---

I try to end it, but whatever I do, it just gets me deeper and deeper into the chaos.


My gunboat hit the landing pad and I look out of the cockpit windows. Thunderstorm over David's Hollow. The weather on this planet often made me think about how clean the rain water is. Rain on Pittsburgh always means shelter time. Here on Denver, you can actually go outside, stick your tongue out and not get acidic burns. So, I leave my ship, and slowly walk the way home, enjoying the rain. Thunderstrikes in the distance. Nothing to worry about. Quite the fascinating sight, though. Nature's wrath unleashed beyond the mountains. The clouds glow. Many buildings are shielded nowadays, so the weather has barely any impact on anything but the streets and nature.

Does not take long for me to end up completely drenched. My beanie, my T-shirt, and I even got wet socks. Even leather can repel only so much water, I guess. Luckily, the den is not far away. I see it. I walk over to it. No loud music? There is still plenty of holiday decoration everywhere, even on our balconies. Many hovercars in the parking lots.

I go through the entrance. The same level of chaos in the lobby. Two security robots, one janitor robot sorting the garbage sent down the garbage chute. Many bags. Makes me wonder how many people live in this complex. Probably around one hundred?

I open the door to my apartment. Pearls of water are slowly rolling down my jacket and my pants. Madeleine immediately jumps at me, hugging me despite me being completely wet. Almost forgot she is a head taller than me. I return the hug, not saying anything. Just looking around, at the familiar faces in the living room. Many new ones, too. A couple was making out on the couch. The others were watching one guy playing some hard game on the console while backseatgaming. Pizza, beer, a water pipe and some other stuff on the table. Things have not changed, people are still taking drugs here.

Madeleine takes my hand and leads me upstairs, pointing out that I am drenched in rain water. Monique is on the balcony of the bedroom with two other people, sees us and rushes over to me to hug me. Then she slaps me, complaining about me having been gone for way too long and that they were worried about me. Then she too points out that I am wet all over. And without much hesitation, they strip me down entirely. The two people on the balcony must have gotten the wrong idea and rushed downstairs.

Madeleine takes me to the bathroom and stuffs me in the shower. She herself joins. The water is hot, but pleasant. Without another word spoken, she keeps her arms wrapped around me as the water rinses off every bit of sweat and dirt. Her eyeliner, too. We just stand in the shower like that. Monique joins. They both hold me. What a weird situation, really. I have no idea why I mean so much to both of them. Especially with them knowing I am chasing after Kristoff this entire time. Makes me feel rather bad. Madeleine once said that we tend to want what we do not have.

It feels nice to have them this close.





We go to bed after this. Not to sleep, but just to be together. They both huddle up next to me under our warm sheets. I hear the bass booming downstairs, and the thunderstorm seems to be right over us right now. The thunder is quite loud. It frequently hits the area's main lightning rod.

Monique asks why I had not come home before. And in all those days I have been gone, I have been wondering what to tell them. That I said I would let Sirius burn if it means I can have Kristoff? How can one say that? And how could one say that to the two women that love one so much that they even share one with another. I must have been out of my mind to say something like that. The worst part, however, is that I meant it in that moment.

I tell them, roughly, what happened. That Harbinger did something to Kristoff. That he is possibly a key now - even with Relevant and Kristoff saying he is not. If I was them, I would dispute it, too. Caliban allegedly killed himself, and shortly after, Harbinger kidnaps Kristoff and changes him. I have heard it all myself. He knows where the vault is. He went insane.




I tell them about me exploring the Omicrons. They ask me why I did that. I avoid giving them a direct answer. The truth is, I did not know what I was doing. I was on the way home through the Sigmas when I saw that green cloud and headed right for it. It lead to Omicron Beta, where I was just flying around without any aim, looking at the weird rock formations and caves. Taking anti-rads made me feel rather drowsy. Not the most comfortable feeling. But in that moment, it was... better.

I returned to Delta later and stayed at the freeport. Those security checks are... thorough. Very thorough. And intimidating. Hard to imagine that people do that every time they come aboard. At least I know now that I do not have a space fish inside me. Although, I feel like I would have known if there was something like that inside me.

I saw Relevant visiting on the freeport, too. I guess that means she is not one of those, and just a regular asshole. Harbinger must have different ways of manipulating people. Most likely promising them technology. That is what those Technomancers are all about. Kristoff himself said that they have the best technologies sirius-wide. Quite the bold claim, really. Cryer, Ageira and Kishiro have giant laboratories and manufactoring complexes. The Auxenians have literally just that station in Inverness. I wonder if Kristoff actually believes what he said.

Well, with him under their control, he probably does.




I tell Madeleine and Monique about the space fishes. About that woman on the weird gunboat. The more I tell them about it, the more I hear her voice again. The clicking. The intimidation. To them, it must sound like something from a fantasy novel. But I think Madeleine believes me. Not sure about Monique. I think she is just glad about me being back. Her hand brushes up and down my chest and my abs, sometimes glides down to tease me a bit. She gets more bold over time. I stop talking. Madeleine and I make out while Monique gets down.

We have been told that you are a threat to the stability and peace of this region.

Did Relevant s-say that?

We are asking the questions here. Not you.

Tell us who this Relevant is.

Uh-m- the leader of- the Auxenians- who- works with- Harbinger- and, and- she wants me- dead-

I missed you so much, Levan...

So big...

The scent of your fear is overwhelming, LEVAN.

I-s that surpri-sing?

If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

... I certainly have nothing to hide, knowing that people like Kimiko are out there-

I missed your lips...

Look at him moan...

I really do not understand the world.





I will die now, will I? Revanent wants me dead.

There are many things which are difficult to comprehend.

The whims and musings of hostile species are unknowable to the human mind.

We can show you what you wish to know, Mr. Harlow. All you have to do is cooperate with us.

I... I do not think knowing things will make me happy.

I was just a kid leaving Pittsburgh, and the more I learned, the less anything made sense.

I love you, Levan...

I want to do this every day and every night...

Do you seek happiness? Justice? Clarity?

Is there justice?

We can help you. There's a way out of this.

No matter what, I won't leave your side...

His sweet moans...

Out of this?

The mess you've found yourself in.

You mean, this situation right here? Being surrounded by you and your friends?

You can look at it that way, if you wish.

Or you can look at the big picture.

If I say no, will I die?

Just tell us what You know about thE AuxeSians, and Revenant.

You don't have to tell us now.

We can leave you a line.

About Renevant? She is evil. She wants me dead, for being- for having been in a relationship with one of her pawns.

She hates me and made Harbinger send... some of your kind after me.

How do you know about Harbinger?

My friends explained all of this to me. That Harbinger and Revanent work together to open some kind of vault.

This vault is not yet prepared to be unsealed.

We can work together, Levan. Just be prepared to tell us when they make their move.

I- I can do that. Just... can you promise me one thing?

Make your request.

I do not want Lazurith to get harmed. He is trapped in all of this. I do not want him to get harmed. This is all Relevant's-

Ah aaaahhh Levan~

...fault!

Our agents will be aware of this compunction.

Agents, our primary objective is within our grasp.

"You" , "Dark One" , "
You" -bear- |Death Scent|

I cannot move. My mind is awake, but my body is still unconscious. I am paralyzed.

"You" -are bound to a- |Scheme|

Relevant?

-yet another- |Name| -for- "Our" |Starlight Jester|

Starlight Jester? She is a joke, alright-

|What Harm| -has- "She" -brought- "You" (?)

She desperately wants me dead! She made some kind of deal with Harbinger!

I- I really do not want anything from her. I just want her to let go of Lazurith! He wants out!

"Old Gods" -and their- |Ideals| -now bring- |Ruin| -again-

Old gods? Is that what Harbinger is?

-to tell of- "Harbinger" -is to tell of- |Theorhetical Histories|



|Old Names| . . . "Harbinger" , "Aurora" , "Destiny" . . .

-so- "They" -would make- "You" -fight- |A War| -that has long since- -ended-

I- I am not going to fight any war! But... I guess that is what Harbinger is doing with the space jester, then?

I'm here to get you out of here.

K-krist-o-off!?

... God, you lasted two hours, Levan!

That's our stud...

Maybe you're made for that?

Sounds definitely better than risking your life in space, don't you think, Levan?

...yeah...

Whenever I close my eyes, I hear these voices. When we are at it, I hear these voices. I want to be left alone. I want to be with Madeleine and Monique, without these voices in my head. I want to forget, all of it. All I want it these two women. Nothing more!





And then I think of Kristoff.

He forgot that I broke up with him. He was confused about it when I told him. We argue. I forgive him. No... I say I forgive him. But I know he is lying.

I remember it.

The room reeks of what we just did. Monique had fallen asleep, our bodies still covered in sweat. Madeleine lay ontop of me, her face against my neck.

Tell me what happened then.

So I do that. I tell her about how I regained control over my body and cruised out of Delta, chased by Kristoff and Rebecca. And Relevant.

I tell her about how I went to hide in Omicron Beta in one of the hollow rocks, knowing the Kay can survive a lot longer in the radiation than Relevant's little fighter. I tell her how I outlasted her, how she lured a nomad to our rock and made it block the exit.

Madeleine keeps listening, her fingers gently caressing my cheek and my neck.

I tell her how we managed to escape, fled through Outcast home territory, through the Taus and Kusari until we reached Niigata. How Kristoff slept on the Kay with me. How he vanished after the sex, to return to the Citadel. How he came back, behaving differently, asking me not to tell anyone about the Sentinels. Giving up on my only leverage, the public message to Sirius about the Sentinels. The document Madeleine helped me making.

I tell her how Rebecca was wasting my time. How Kristoff tried to manipulate me. I tell her everything about it. How he lies to me. How he returns to the Citadel whenever he was with me. How he says one thing and then does the other. How he insults me, calls me stupid, paranoid. How he wants to silence me.

How I still love him.

I am certain. He is a key now. Relevant would not have been chasing us if he was not valuable to her now. He is a key. And this is not over. Dezember, Shozak, the Order, none of them want Harbinger and Relevant to win. Yet Relevant and Kristoff are obsessed with being Harbinger's pawns. Of course. Relevant wants what is in the vault, and Kristoff is controlled by Relevant and Harbinger.

Levan, you can't win against them.

I know.

Then stop. Just stay here on Denver. Be with us.

I would love that.

But?

It is too late. We know about the Sentinels.

Relevant is after me. Kristoff loves me. And I love him.

There is just no way out. Except, maybe, for you and Monique.

No.

Can't speak for her, of course.
But I will stay with you until the bitter end.

I know it's silly, but you changed my life.

I love both of you, too.

Well. Looks like we will die as lovers, then.

---