Scene 1: Mess-Hall

Narrator:

Gordon was in the mess-hall with the ten pilots afterwards.

Gordon:

(Sung to "Barrett's Privateers" by Stan Rogers)

God bless them all
I was told we'd cruise the skies in the dark and cold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
Now we're broken souls in a Vencume pier,
The last of Wainwright's Privateer

Becca:

Very nice. Now teach them 'Wild Blue Yonder'.

Gordon:

I'm sure the Eagles could teach them better lyrics.

Avari:

Flying high and low and fast
Twirling madly through the stars
The enemy's not meant to last.
The glory, soon, will all be ours.

(Orenda sings it back. The other pilots sing back in melody and rounds.)

Arlene:

Stomp along across the sky
Or thunder through some poor ship's deck
Any method can apply
Just knock them off and leave a wreck.


(The pilots sing this verse. Redheads clap)

aVariella:

We've got a ship, we all have names
We showed those nasty beasts what-for!
Burning brighter than the flames
Of any sun, and then some more!

Narrator:

Other redheads had come in for dinner. They clapped and snapped their fingers or beat their thighs or the table and the rhythm became more complicated and the blonde pilots took lyrics and sang them through one scale, then the next. The melody and harmony fell over itself; one group chanting or singing a verse, the others playing with more complicated tones.
iDana came in from the corridor. She scanned it all with narrowed eyes and the others stopped their singing and clapping.

Idana:

You're all having a good time.

Olathe:

We were!

(the others laugh)

Idana:

You stop your fun on my account.
I understand; my dour demeanor
Would bring a frown to any face
And stop any song or dance cold.
I stand alone and look upon you
And see myself reflected back so many times
So now, what should I do?
We are all cast from the same mold
And all of us raised in the same place.
Don't think on me as like you, only meaner.
I'm just like you, by some amount.


(The redheads whoop and cheer. Idana laughs. The girls continue their little celebration and it faces out.)

Scene 2: Human Quarters

Narrator:

Becca was getting ready for bed when a visitor arrived.

SOUND: knock at the door

Evie:

I'm on it. (pause) Hi, iMala.

Gordon:

Hey, kiddo, what's up?

Imala:

Becca, can we talk about something?

Evie:

It's like I'm not here at all! No one wants my attention! Oh, run along, Evie, and go do whatever it is you do; we don't need you.

Imala:

I want to talk to Becca about this.

Evie:

Oh, whatever!

Becca:

Can I go deal with this and talk with you later?

Evie:

Fine, fine. You're the one they want...(she leaves)

Becca:

What's going on, iMala? Are you having a problem with your sisters again?

Imala:

Not here.

Scene 3: Hallway

Narrator:

They went out into the hallway. iMala was rubbing her right eye furiously.

Becca:

OK. What's going on?

Imala:

They won't stop torturing it!(starts to cry) It's just helpless and awful and they keep hurting it. And they're starving it and iDana keeps sticking it with pins and then soldering the wounds shut and they won't stop!

Becca:

What is 'it'? You mean that...that Tzikzik you captured! You mean iLyssa and iDana are tormenting that captured Tzikzik?

Imala:

Not just them. Everyone is. They all want a go at it. They just go in there and hit it and kick it and they're all so angry...

Becca:

Even the new pilots?

Imala:

They're the worst.

Becca:

(internal) Even the friendly ones want to hurt something. I thought they were different. We're like the prison on Peg-51; we've devolved to barbaric torture on a helpless prisoner. It's not Human, but still...

Imala:

I can't stop them. I just want it to stop, but they won't listen to me. They chased me out of the room.

Becca:

Maybe they're angry because they had to fight them. Maybe they're afraid and you know how bullies are always afraid, right? They always pick on things that are weaker than them because they can't fight the things that are bigger. (internal) I'm pretty afraid right now. I'm terrified. We have to get off this ship and soon. If they're going to act like that, then maybe the project is a failure. And they're still just children! This would be so much worse if they were older. All that hate has been brewing in them and now that they finally have a release, they aren't going to let up.

Imala:

I asked them to stop. I begged them. But iLyssa told me to not interfere with her army.

Scene 4: Comm Room

NARRATOR:

Two more freighters were recovered that week and towed to Leonis-83. Now that there would be no more attacks, it was simply a matter of mopping up what mess was left.
Mirabilis was discussing this with the Shipping Authority. The new translators had been implemented and the conversation was smoother than before, with no false starts or corrections to be made. Becca and Gordon were still on hand, in case there needed to be any clarification.

Leonis-83:

(radio) We are overjoyed that there will be no additional attacks. We have brought in an additional three ships ourselves, so it would appear that only four more are in need of recovery. We are sending the locations to you.

Mirabilis:

We are overjoyed that we have been able to so swiftly handle this situation. We hope that this unfortunate time has reached an end and that the relations between our peoples can be repaired.

Leonis-83:

(radio) Indeed! I must thank the efforts of the Vencume fleet that was sent on this mission. Tell me, how many ships did it take?

Gordon:

(chittering, whispering) Tell them five.

Mirabilis:

The five arms of the Vencume, have reached across the galaxy and the five fingers of the Human hand have received it. May this symbol mark our new partnership.

Leonis-83:

(radio) May this new Khamsa ward off all who attack us. Five books, five pillars, five cloaks, five symbols. There is a God that has given you such meaning. We shake hands firmly.

Becca:

(chittering, whispering) The Khamsa is a pendant shaped like a human hand with an eye in the palm and is supposed to serve as some protection to the wearer. (internal)  We found the one person on that station who's religious...or superstitious.

Mirabilis:

Is shaking hands still the Human custom when they greet or agree?

Leonis-83:

(radio) May this be our first true handshake. We wish you peace and prosperity and may our peoples never quarrel again.

Scene 5: Hallway

NARRATOR:

Becca chased after gordon as they left the Comm Room.

Becca:

Why did you say to tell them five?

Gordon:

It seemed a better number than one. We don't want them to know that we're the only ones taking care of this, do we? It also makes it look like the Vencume are actually involved in this.

Becca:

I guess that makes sense.

Gordon:

I think what is remarkable is that fact that we are the only ship handling this. What I mean to say is, why aren't there other Vencume ships involved? Do you think our cover story about this being a rouge ship wasn't too far off the mark?

Becca:

(internal) He's right. This one and the other are the only two ships that have been present for any of this. Many of the same Vencume are involved.  Sure, we're on the outskirts, but Humans have been dealing with Vencume for a long time.

Gordon:

Didn't the Vencume give us the borrowed time field?

Becca:

We gave them wheat and rice. It's the colony/colonizer relationship. We give them raw materials and they give us technology.

Gordon:

We've been set up.

Becca:

No, that can't be the case. Why do something like that?

Gordon:

They've always been interested in our affairs. And they helped us spread out all over the galaxy. Wasn't Peg-51 a Vencume outpost? They just gave it to us; everyone knows that. Now we're here, bustling about with technology we've never seen before that's going to push our spread even further. We're making it from one system to another in a matter of weeks, not months. They're putzing around with our DNA and making...people that can live in any environment. They know how to suck information out of our heads and how to implant it. You can't say they just want to...to serve man, now can you?

Becca:

There's more than one Penemue. That means that any information that is given to us is from one individual. It's not a direct connection to the Library. Our connections have been directed.

Gordon:

So we only have limited access to what's really going on.

Becca:

And, Buer tried a direct connection with me once. She said that they had to pass on as much information as quickly as possible, like there was some kind of time limit. They all keep talking about the 'schedule'. I'm starting to doubt that this ship was ever headed to the Vencume home-world, where ever that is.

Evie:

Buer and Penemue are the names of demons.

Gordon:

Thanks for joining us, Eves.

Evie:

Buer taught man medicine. Penemue taught mankind the art of writing with ink and paper... and thereby many sinned from eternity to eternity and until this day. For man was not created for such a purpose.

Becca:

But it was iMala who gave them those names.

Evie:

And Penemue taught the children of men the bitter and the sweet and the secrets of wisdom. She found something in there and named it.

Gordon:

How long have the Vencume known about Humans? Since before recorded history?

Becca:

That's stupid. You can't say they've been directing Humankind this entire time. You heard the girls. They said the Vencume didn't know about internal skeletons until recently.

Evie:

Maybe not that long...But this is the kind of divine intervention that people used to talk about in legends. We're making a myth right now.

Gordon:

So, are these angels or demons?

Evie:

Neither, because we're smarter than that. We're just fitting them into our own vocabulary. We grew up afraid of the dark and now we spend months in it, aiming...for what?

Becca:

We're looking for the back-door to Eden. We do it because we have to.

Evie:

(pause) Either/or, here we are. What are we going to do about it?

Becca:

Renatus told me about an escape pod before we did that raid on ΑΩE -CXV-236. He also said that the Shipping Authority is following us and—

Gordon:

Alpha-Omega-what?

Evie:

The other Vencume ship. We're on 158, if that gives you any idea how many of these there are.

Becca:

The Shipping Authority has been following us. If they already know it's only one ship, then why are they playing along?

Evie:

They can't be following us. We're moving at an advanced rate. They might be transmitting information between themselves, but we would have picked it up.

Gordon:

Who is 'we'?

Evie:

The ship, of course.

Becca:

Right... The Library might be picking something up and not letting the girls know.

Evie:

Which means...that the Library might also be transmitting something and no one would ever know.

Scene 6: Hallway

Narrator:

Becca was on her way to the kitchen when she heard the three designers around a corner. She stopped and leaned against the wall, listening.

Idana:

Two of them are frigates. That means that they're going to have weaponry, so we might have to use a collapser on them.

Imala:

I dislike using it. We're not getting real information when we do that.

Idana:

That Library broke its own ship apart. Now we have two of them. They've been discussing things a long time.

Imala:

The ship still works. They're not going to kill everyone off.

Ilyssa:

We still have two million Vencume on this ship that could turn on us at any minute. It's obvious that we're only here by their good graces. It's not like we can reprogram the door.

Idana:

Actually,... we can. We all have the same basic DNA.

Ilyssa:

If we recode the doors to the sequence that makes our shape, then nothing with more than two arms would be able to open a door. Or it requests some of our hemoglobin...So, if it asks for an iron sample from us, no Vencume would be able to get through.

Imala:

The Library cannot live without the rest of the ship. It needs the heat we provide and food.

Idana:

It has to be kept fed and if we can control their access to that, we can control them.

Ilyssa:

We can make adjustments to the doors and the lifts. I don't see that being a major issue.

Idana:

It might affect our new screen. They can still cut that off. It all feeds through them. We'd be flying blind.

Imala:

I don't think they want to hurt us.

Ilyssa:

I don't think you know what you're talking about. If they want to blind us, we can always starve them.

IMALA:

Why don't we just talk to them?

ILYSSA:

Why don't you just shut up? We'll handle this. iDana, get working on the lifts first, then the doors. Start at the bays. I don't want them running away.

Scene 7: Factory

Narrator:

Becca took the threat of reprogrammed doors very seriously and hurried off to the factory. She knew that if doors were designed to look for Evie's DNA, she would be unable to get from point to point as she needed. She wasn't about to try to graft on a new hand, but there might be another way around it. Pulling up the information from the Library allowed her to set a tank to her specifications.

Becca:

This is the most clandestine thing I've ever done.

Narrator:

It was also her way of warning the Library of what might be on the horizon. She couldn't communicate with them directly, but they would be able to extrapolate the purpose of what she was making.
Once they were done, Becca slipped the four gray things in her pocket.

Becca:

One for me, one for Gordon, and two extra for...for who? iSkandar? Buer? Maybe just as extras.

Scene 8: Human Quarters

Narrator:

When Becca got back to their quarters, Gordon and the twins were sitting at the table, playing the board-game. Evie stuck her head out from her little lab. It looked like she had finally given up on keeping her weight under control and now wore a voluminous gray smock.

Evie:

Does everyone know how to play this stupid game but me? 

Gordon:

It's not a stupid game at all. It's a lot like chess, but if you capture a piece it starts to fight for you. But this has the extra twist that if a piece is recaptured, it's pulled from the board, like you killed a spy. And you don't keep the captured pieces in-hand and then drop them later like in shogi; they turn instantly and they can capture any piece on the board.

Evie:

Well, I'm glad you're having fun.

Uma:

You move.

Gordon:

Yeah, you're going to beat me again. This isn't easy.

Ulan:

You think. We return.

Uma:

Too much water...

Narrator:

Becca waited until the twins had left the room before leaning over to Gordon. She palmed him a fleshy gray slug. Gordon took the four-centimeter thing from Becca.

Becca:

I need to give you this. Try to keep quiet about it.

Gordon:

What is this? It's soft.

Becca:

That's your key. Hold that up to the door-panels when you want to get in and out. Let me know if it wears out and I'll see if I can grow you a new one.

Gordon:

This is because my hands are still my own, right?

Becca:

It's because you aren't Evie or an Evie clone. Please, hold on to that and try to not be obvious about it. I don't know if we'll need it, but it might come in handy.

Narrator:

Gordon slipped the object reverently into his pocket, like a dead mouse.

Evie came out of her lab in the spare room and handed Becca a cumbersome object with a large buckle.

EVIE:

Becca, here. Put that on and tell me what you think.

Becca:

It's not much for fashion. What's this supposed to do?

Evie:

Stand back, and witness some magic. 

Narrator:

Evie pressed a button on Becca's belt.
Becca saw the room shimmer around her. Sounds were muffled.
And Evie took a swing at her
There was a sound, like someone had dropped a paper cup and Evie's fist was redirected to one side. Becca felt her head pressed slightly to the right.
Evie gestured to the belt. Turn it off, she mouthed.
Becca obliged and pressed the button.

Evie:

That's a minor force-field. You won't be able to use it for long periods of time because you'll run out of air.

Becca:

You've been busy.

Gordon:

She's been in there all day.

Evie:

This will toss off the rail-bolts and deflect a bit from the laser. It will look like a miss.

Becca:

You're as afraid of them as I am. How many of these did you make?

Evie:

I made five. You, me, Gordon, and the twins. Try to hide it a little. We don't want to be obvious.

Becca:

So I'm not the only one who's worried.

Evie:

Shh, the twins are coming back. I want to surprise them.

Uma:

(chittering) Humans are discussing chichitiizi.

Becca:

The round-about-way-that-prevents-problems.

Ulan:

(chittering) You are expecting conflict and preparing for it. Follow us.

Narrator:

The three adults followed the twins into their room. There was a large map on one wall.
Uma traced a line across the map. She tapped one location.

Uma:

(chittering) There are many ways to exit the ship. This path will be the most direct route to where the lifeboats are held. In a panic situation, we must be able to get there before any others. This is the ship we used to contact the Library. It is not in the usual location.

Gordon:

Are those similar to our lifeboats?

Ulan:

(chittering) You will not leave us a second time. There is a code.

Gordon:

(embarrassed) I wasn't considering it.

Uma:

(chittering) We learn from our mistakes.

Scene 9: Vencume Garden

Narrator:

The Libraries were still in discussion, so Evie, Gordon, Becca, and the twins went to check the new garden. The three designers seemed more interested in the Libraries and how they connected to the rest of the ship.

Becca:

iDana must be trying to figure out a way to control them. It must bother those three to no end that they aren't actually the ones in charge.

Narrator:

Buer, iSkandar, and Penemue had joined them. The librarian was there mostly to see how this new garden was going to keep the second Library fed. Buer was there to see how a new section of ship was going to affect day-to-day operations. iSkandar had come along because iSkandar made himself part of every important event on the ship. There was a part of Becca that distrusted the creature, but was resigned on how useful he was. She wondered if he felt the same way about her.
The twins were ecstatic about the new garden. They danced and chittered between themselves.
Becca understood their excitement the moment the door opened. She did not understand Vencume plants, but she knew that they had not been as tall, nor as thick as the ones she saw here. The seaweed smell was not as choking, either. They seemed more vital than the rare sample she'd seen.

Becca:

So this must be creating a better yield. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a Vencume eat...

Buer:

This is vast improvement! We must communicate with the Library when they are out of congress and send the information to the others. If nothing else, this river must flow.

Iskandar:

Capability is greatly increased. Protein production is ten-fold.

Penemue:

Other Scientist did not inform us of such advancement.

Evie:

(chittering) I hope that this will make things better back home. If you get nothing more, at least there are plants that can feed your people.

Narrator:

There was a shadow that moved through the garden. Becca saw it blink dark red against the glittering blue.

Penemue:

This is a well fed Library. We shall shift the diet over for ours. This is a vast improvement.

Narrator:

The hairs on the back of Becca's neck stood up. A tingling sensation crawled across her shoulders, like impending nausea.

Iskandar:

Other Blue Tzikzik have done this. I am sorry to have left the ship when I did.

Buer:

Clever Blue must not apologize for prudent behavior.

Penemue:

This is perfect work. Indeed, Clever Blue must swim again and expose more garden information.

Evie:

(chittering) I like how this can grow anywhere. If the lessons from the garden can be used, then Vencume will be able to spread to any planet.

Narrator:

There was a rustling to their left. Becca fumbled with the controls on her shield-belt.
The Tzikzik spun out before them. It looked like a double-ended Vencume; there were five arms on one side, five on the other, and a spoke of five legs between.
For the first time since Becca had known them, the twins looked disgusted.
Ulan and Uma pushed the others back.
Everything happened at once.

Uma leapt to one side. Evie grabbed Ulan's arm. Gordon grabbed Evie and pulled her away, but because Evie had Ulan's arm she was pulled away as well. Uma stopped to see where her sister was. The Tzikzik slashed out with two black hands, striking Uma in the chest and Ulan across the arm. Uma fell stiffly and iSkandar caught her and threw her at Becca in one swift movement.
iSkandar, Buer and Penemue fell on the Tzikzik, each turning deep red, grabbing arms and punching? No, stabbing the monster repeatedly with one hand that had formed a sharp spike. It was fifteen hands versus ten, and three of those hands were black and poisonous. They were pulping the monstrosity before them and water gushed out. A thick blue liquid rushed onto the floor, mixed with water, and it stained the shoes of those who stood and watched.
Ulan struggled in Evie's arms,  broke free, and rushed to her sister.
Evie struggled in Gordon's arms.

Becca found herself praying while holding Uma's stiffening body.

Becca:

(internal) Our eyes shed tears and our hearts grieve, but we must not say anything that is not pleasing to our creator. Please, welcome this soul with open arms. Take these words for the sake of the departed and not the soul that utters them.

Narrator:

Uma's face had turned blue. Her eyes still locked with Ulan's. The twins held each other tightly.

Becca:

(internal) Prove to us that you are most merciful. You must be merciful if you are all-powerful. You must be good if you are everywhere.

Narrator:

iSkandar, Buer, and Penemue had finished with the Tzikzik and left the bloodied meat in a heap.

Becca:

(internal) You allowed this to be made. You must forgive it. You must not punish this. If you love us, you'll love even this. This is a life. You have to honor that! You have to honor what we made. You wouldn't have let us do it otherwise.

Narrator:

Gordon was still holding Evie tightly. She thrashed and clutched the air.

Becca:

(internal) Please, we're so alone here. We're trying. Can't you see that? We're trying! Why do you have to do this? Why do you have to test us so much? Is this how you tell how good we are? Why are you so arbitrary? Why are you so capricious? Why do you throw blind chance at us so often? We're trying! Why can't you let us be and let us live our lives?

Narrator:

iSkandar grabbed Ulan's arm and started a quick succession of massage. A thick black liquid collected on her sleeve. The girl was pale and unfocused.

Becca:

(internal) It's like you harvest us at our peak. You take us away from our loved ones all the time. Are you trying to teach us something? Fine! We've learned how to love and you have to show us how to lose. We'll never be good enough for you! You show us the dawn to prove how dark the night can be.

Narrator:

Penemue shoved Becca aside and quickly grabbed Uma and Ulan's heads. The hands turned white.

Becca:

(internal) Please, please, don't make me watch a child die. I can't take this. I can't watch a child die like this. They're so defenseless. Why did you let me love something if you were just going to take it away? Don't destroy this.

Narrator:

Uma's fingernails were a dark blue. She still gripped her sister and her lips moved. Becca turned her belt off, but there was no sound.

Becca:

(internal) Please. I'll make a deal with you. You make deals all the time, don't you? Aren't you always asking for some noble sacrifice? Do you always have to take that ration of flesh?

Narrator:

Ulan shuddered and whispered something.

Becca:

(internal) Don't you have enough? Haven't we thrown a billion corpses at you? You have to let them live. They never would have lived if you hadn't allowed it. You don't just give us things to take them from us. You can't be that cruel. They only have each other. Let them live. Please, I'm begging you. Just let them live long enough to say goodbye.

Narrtor:

Uma's eyes glassed over and she stopped breathing.
Penemue released the heads of the twins and ran a slow hand over Uma.
Ulan formed tears and held her arm.
Evie broke free from Gordon and she scrambled to the twins, holding Ulan tightly in one arm, and Uma's lifeless form in the other.

Evie:

It's not fair! No! No! No! It's not fair! Give her back! Give her back! Give her back!

Becca:

(internal) You took my husband adn now you've taken her daughter. We'll beat you at your own sick game. Someday, I'll face you and you'll have to answer for this.

Evie:

No, no, no! Becca! You're a doctor! Do something! No! No! Give her back. No...no. Please, please. Oh god. Give her back. That's not yours to take. Give her back! Please, please. Give her back!

Gordon:

Evie--

Evie:

It's not fair! I had it all worked out! They were supposed to be safe! You can't do that! That's mine! She's mine! She's mine! Give her back!

Narrator:

Buer gave the Tzikzik body a slight kick. It did not move. iSkandar ran a hand over Becca.
Ulan looked exhausted and held Evie tightly. The girl had dark circles under her eyes.

Evie:

You don't do that! She's mine! Give her back! You don't do that! (whimpering now) It's not fair...It's not fair. Not like that. Please, not like that. No. No. Please...

Iskandar:

The parent should never mourn the child. Your unique nature--

Becca:

Shut up.

Narrator:

Evie was clutching Ulan tightly with both arms now and making inhuman sounds. It was a keening mixed with chokes and heaves.
Ulan shut her eyes and held her mother as tightly as she could.


Scene 10: Human Quarters

Narrator:

The Reds did a sweep of the new garden and found two other Vencume Tzikzik. Five were found in the second Library, but it was the Library itself that had exposed and expunged them.
Ulan spent the next few days in bed, recovering from both the chemical and emotional assault on her body. Evie spent most of her time curled up behind the child, stroking her hair.
Both Gordon and Becca circled the room, unsure of what to do. Evie was unapproachable.
Maybe they starved in that time of grief. Hunger seemed so petty.
Gordon fell asleep with his head on the table. He was surrounded by clay models and drawings. He woke with a start some time later and shambled to bed. Becca watched his pained steps.

Becca:

He's so trapped. We all are. Why didn't we feel this when oDele was killed? Were there too many of them for us to make an investment? Is it because the death was so removed from us? Is Evie directing how we feel? Can't they grow another one? No. Even iSkandar had said they were unique. Humans are isolated. They have no ocean.

Narrator:

But there had been that moment, she remembered. Penemue had connected the twins at the last minute. The librarian, that multi-bodied creature, let them see each other off. 

Becca:

That death, no matter how small, is going to be part of the Library now. Was that the only reason for the connection? To gather what it could? Will the grief be transmitted as well? We're so small. They're so small, really.  Why should I be so affected by this? They always scared me. Is it because I had to watch it?

Narrator:

Evie came out of the room, stumbling. She pulled the drawing of the two girls from the door and crumpled it with one hand. She left the quarters and came back a few moments later and collapsing in a chair opposite Becca.

Evie:

(after a pause, almost accusitory) You want to know about my sister, don't you?

Becca:

(catching up) I...I've always wondered.

Evie:

But you've never asked me. I've...seen you... wonder...but you've never asked me directly.

Becca:

I figured you'd tell me when the time was right.

Evie:

She was everything I wasn't. Graceful. Pretty. My parents thought the world of her. I was never going to give them grandchildren, so they pinned their hopes on her. People doted on her. Everyone paid attention to her...I guess I was jealous. She wouldn't say a word, but had complete command of every room she was in.

Becca:

(internal) I'm sure she was blonde. That Vencume model had to come from somewhere, not just Gordon.

Evie:

Gwennie was born a couple years after my accident. I guess she was a comfort to my parents. At least they had a child they could keep at home; I was always in the hospital.

Becca:

But they visited you, didn't they?

Evie:

Why would they? They had Gwen. (pause) When I got out, I started on my engineering degree and I was away at school most of the time. When I wasn't at school, I was lost in my studies. I never interacted with my parents much. I don't think I was ever good at dealing with people on a face-to-face level. Any friends I had growing up either got better and left...or died. Only the doctors stayed. Maybe that's why we're friends. I don't mean to cheapen it; I'm just saying...

Becca:

It doesn't cheapen it.

Evie:

I might have gained a tolerance to pain, considering the number of surgeries I had, but I was never good at at putting any feelings behinds my interactions with people. Too much scar-tissue? Hard to think about feelings, you know.

Becca:

I understand.

Evie:

Meanwhile, Gwennie was going out and making real connections with real people and forming real relationships. Unfortunately, one of those relationships was with a good-for-nothing several years her senior. He strung her along and abused her, I'm sure. He called me a troll and we came to blows. By then, he had decided to cut Gwennie away from us. He took over her life and we were excluded from every aspect of it. Gordon reminded me of him a bit...the one time I met that guy... Arrogant, self-centered, pretty.

Becca:

That's why you always fought with Gordon.

Evie:

Maybe. (pause) I wasn't devastated then, when she cut the family off. Somehow, I felt it served everyone right for doting on her for so long and ignoring me.

Becca:

The way the designers were always upset by the attention you put on the twins.

Evie:

This was all idiocy, of course. (slight laugh) So, when Gwen came back, after that guy...spent all her money or beat her...or whatever it was he did, I found myself in the shadows again. (pause) But, that sun shone a little less bright. Gwennie was broken in ways we didn't see, and so no one could help her because no one knew anything was wrong.
And then one day, she showed us all how broken she was by swallowing a fist-full of pills.

Becca:

I'm so sorry.

Evie:

It was...the worst kind of sibling rivalry; no one can compete with the image of someone who can never fail again. We speak so highly of the dead because they aren't there to prove us wrong.

Becca:

But--

Evie:

My parents put a new pressure on me. Gwennie became a constant reminder of how I had failed them. This was the same time I was testing for the civil-engineering corps and I couldn't concentrate. So, maybe Gordon was right. (pause) I failed there, so I came here.

Becca:

It's not your fault, Evie.

Evie:

It's one thing to be held up to some shining ideal, but it's another when you know how tarnished that ideal was. Gwennie might have been sociable and pretty, but she was a silly, giggly girl who made stupid mistakes as an adult and failed everyone when the going got rough. Maybe it was too rough for me as well, so I..I  ran away. She failed them in her own way, but I did as well.

Becca:

It's not failure, Evie. It's a Human reaction to want to get away from tough situations. No one can blame you.

Evie:

I'm not the most sympathetic of characters. I don't react the way people expect me to. Maybe my response to a death seems too cold. I was there. I felt it. I just chose to not fall to pieces.

Becca:

I was there. You were Human enough.

Evie:

I'll be judged on that. Uma isn't Gwennie. People will judge me.

Becca:

That was years ago. You've had time to think about it. You're distanced from it.

Evie:

Maybe....(she starts to sob)

Becca:

Hey, hey, you're going to be OK. It's OK.

Evie:

(crying) I could handle anything. Let them tear me apart. Let them put me back together. I can take any pain. I can't take this. You can't fix this. I'm such a coward. Why couldn't I hold both of them back?

Becca:

You saved one. It could have been both. You saved one. You're only Human.

Evie:

Only Human. I failed.

Ulan:

Mom?

Narrator:

Ulan stumbled from the doorway.
Evie held her arms out. She fell to her knees from the chair and clutched the girl tightly.

Ulan:

Don't cry. We're here. We still love you.

Evie:

Don't leave me.

Ulan:

We won't. We won't leave you.


Scene 11: Mess-hall

Narrator:

Ulan stopped playing idiot since the death of her sister. The girl watched everything with glittering brown eyes and furrowed brow. She was now a regular at group meals and sat silently, eyes shut, listening.

Ilyssa:

Doctor-Doctor will be pleased to know that we're going to handle the last ship today. It's a cruiser, so you'll get to see some fancy flying this time.

Becca:

So there won't be any more battles?

Imala:

Once the threat is fully neutralized, you'll be able to go home.

Idana:

There's been some interesting chatter. I suspect they've figured out we're only one ship, but that might be that Shipping Authority officer we connected. People keep talking about how 'the blue dragon will embrace the white tiger'. Does that sound like a friendly meeting?

Ulan:

(chittering) White tiger is female. Means misfortune and bad relationships.

Ilyssa:

White tiger is also the protector.

Idana:

We'll be at the location in a couple hours. From what I've heard, they've dropped out of field and the Shipping Authority is holding them. No telling what will happen once we get there.

Ilyssa:

We'll know soon enough.
 

Scene 12: Bridge

Narrator:

Becca and Evie were brought to the bridge by aNnora and aNaba to watch the final fight. The two redheads escorted them to the first section of ship and opened the doors, but left immediately afterwards.
The Shipping Authority was waiting with two destroyers: DeYang and FuYang. The cruiser XingFeng was just out of their firing range.

Ilyssa:

They haven't even started. They're waiting for us.

Idana:

They're keeping their distance. I figured they'd wait. They want to know how we do this.

Imala:

(chittering) You have settled this already? Is there nothing for us to do?

FuYang:

(radio) We can't get close to them. They already took out two of our fighters. We don't want to just attack it. There may be survivors and we can't get close enough to be sure.

Ilyssa:

(whining) We can't use the collapser. Again...

Imala:

(chittering) We will send our fighters. Let us take out the weapons array and then you can land safely.

Evie:

You're hiding who you are. Just say it. Let them know what they're dealing with.

Imala:

We're sending our fighters. We'll soften it and then you can take it safely.

FuYang:

(radio) Who are we speaking to?

Ilyssa:

We're launching! Take our help or don't!

Narrator:

Ten golden fighter ships eased out of their bays and zeroed in on the cruiser. There was a flurry of weapons fire and the song over the radio pitched, rolled, and yawed to avoid the bolts. They moved so quickly it looked less like individual objects and more like a field-effect.
The two destroyers discussed this between themselves, overheard by three gray-haired girls with small blue eyes and long hands.

Imala:

They're afraid.

Ilyssa:

They're in awe.

Narrator:

A harmonic rose over the radio. Weapons were picked off one-by-one. The sensors on the cruiser were obliterated.

Imala:

Do you want to land now? It should be safe to approach.

DeYang:

(radio) We have never seen this process. We yield the field to the more potent warrior.

Ilyssa:

Launch the buzz-landers.

Idana:

That's not a good idea. They're testing us. Don't launch all of them.

Ilyssa:

They want to see a show. We'll give them a show.

Idana:

No. If we launch everything at that ship, our forces are just sitting there. The pilots can get out of the way, but ground-troops are stuck. We're going to toss our teeth into a blender if we go about this carelessly.

Becca:

You don't think the Authority is going to try to use this to settle two fronts, do you?

Idana:

They might. I would.

Evie:

They aren't you.

Imala:

I don't know what to tell them.

Idana:

Let's not be stupid about this. They fear us; we know that. If we send out everything we have, we might have to take them out as well.

Ilyssa:

We can still send out a couple collapsers.

Imala:

(meakly) And we can start a war anew.

Ilyssa:

This is the last one. We have to end this.

Deyang:

(radio)Were you going to land troops? We await your response.

Idana:

We respectfully ask that the Shipping Authority recover its own ship in this circumstance. We will stand by if you need assistance. You should be able to safely approach them at this point. We respect your right to privacy in this regard, in order that we may not accidentally see any secrets or weakness. (pause) Let them take this risk.

Evie:

They're going to know there's indecision over here. You just let them know you're weak.

Ilyssa:

They don't know there are three of us.

Evie:

Indecision in one person is the same as between three people.

Becca:

Send out some buzz-landers. Tell them you're going to send a portion of your ground-troops. If they think there are more, then they may play nice.

Idana:

We'll send out five. Then we have enough in reserve.

Ilyssa:

Who cares what the number is? We'll send some over and that will be that. We're also re-launching half of the pilots.

Idana:

aRlene, can you send a team of five over to that ship?

Arlene:

(radio) Only five?

Idana:

Just five. We're doing a joint deployment on this. You'll be fighting beside Shipping Authority solders.

Imala:

(in the background) Prepare landing troops and we will join you shortly.

Idana:

And, aRlene...leave your channel open. I want to hear everything.