Iczer-one Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Earth Child ❯ What Dreams May Cum ( Chapter 19 )

The Earthchild

 

(An Iczer/Ranma/Sailor Moon Crossover)

 

Written by

Jim Robert Bader

 

Proofread by

Shiva Barnwell

 

(Inspired by the works of Rumiko Takahashi,

Naoko Takeuchi, Toshihiro Hirano, & Hitoshi Okuda,

with ideas and suggestions by TH Tiger and Johannes Huber)

 

 

 

 

 

“You are certain then, there is no hope for a countermand of these orders?”

 

“None whatsoever, Sir,” the lieutenant reported firmly, “The High Command is as determined to see this through as the Solnoid High Command themselves, and if their plans for attack come to fruition…”

 

“It will spell the doom of everything,” Commander Lucifer replied, “Not just of them but of the Paranoid race as well.”

 

“Total universal genocide,” Lieutenant Baal replied, “Both fleets sail to their doom with star killers at their rear, ready to annihilate an entire solar system if it means the death of the enemy fleet…”

 

“But to use our own fleet as bait,” Lucifer somberly concluded, “Madness! What is the point of victory if neither side will live to achieve it?”

 

“Sir, if I may be forgiven for making this observation,” Baal noted, “But it would appear that this is the aim of both groups of leaders, as if the loss of our mutual homeworlds and outlying colonies has spurred them to such a desperate extreme that the thought of suicide itself holds no terror for them anymore…”

 

“Of course not,” Lucifer growled, “What have they to live for anyway? They are more machines than living people! The Solnoid High Command leaders died long ago but live on in their artificial bodies with only the memory of what it meant to be alive, while our own leaders are more metal than organic…and all because of the failure of Project Exogamus and our schemes to create a Third Race that could mediate between our two peoples!”

 

“There are reports that the project had one successfully cross-fertilization,” Baal noted, “But the seed was lost on Terra when forces from both sides clashed upon the artificial moon of Chaos. No one from either side has dared mount a recovery of the lost subject, and in any event it is much too late for us. With the fleet under Commander Dawn moving to encounter the enemy at Sigma Narse itself…”

 

“Yes, such a waste, and such a pity,” Lucifer frowned, “And none shall even live to know which side came out the victor, if any battle that incurs such fatality could truly be called a victory…”

 

“That is the matter of why I am here reporting to you, Sir,” Baal replied, “There are some in the lower echelons who have initiated a program that might prove useful in salvaging the survival of our race from the ashes of this battle.”

 

“Eh?” Lucifer asked, “What say you?”

 

“There are as-yet unconfirmed reports which say that the Solnoids have taken steps to insure their own survival, so the Command has devised a plan to insure our own seed is perpetuated to a new generation. Understand, the problem we face is that the enemy has released biogenic weapons into the environments of those colony worlds that have not yet been destroyed outright, rendering them useless for our purposes so that we can no longer supply ourselves with food and raw materials from those planets. We cannot establish a new homeworld so long as all the likely candidates have been infected with an airborne virus that attacks a Paranoid's central nervous system or renders our immune responses null and void, so as long as these diseases thrive upon those worlds we are helpless to establish a new colony…unless we can alter our own genetic make-up to allow us to adapt to these worlds and gain immunity to these terrible diseases.”

 

“I see where this is leading,” Lucifer nodded, “A hybrid species mixing Paranoid DNA with that of some native life form…”

 

“Would become stronger and gain the host species natural resistance,” Baal replied, “Which is where you come in, Commander…you have been chosen to head an expedition that will plant biogenic seeds with Paranoid DNA strands that can be implanted in numerous host organisms deemed appropriate for our needs. These seeds will lay dormant for many generations before they spring forth and give birth to new life forms that will contain the Paranoid legacy, and one day a new species will emerge and prove triumphant through competition and conquest. Then the Paranoid civilization will live again, stronger and better than before…”

 

“But without memory of what has been,” Lucifer said, “Our entire lore and culture will be forgotten by them, they will not even know that we lived and once gave birth to them. My mate and many others died in the hope of preserving our civilization…will they have died for nothing? He would not want to be forgotten, nor would I wish that our offspring be forgetful of their parents.”

 

“It may be for the best that they forget about us for a time, Sir,” Baal replied, “But our memory will live on. We will leave tokens of our vast knowledge in special data packages designed as artifacts that will weather the ages. One day our children will find these cubes and unlock their secrets…and then the Paranoid civilization will live again, I can assure you of that.”

 

“Then…perhaps it will not have all been for nothing,” Lucifer felt a stirring of hope in his bosom, “Perhaps we shall live again and find new meaning in the new world that will dawn for our children. I assume you have my orders with you?”

 

“Of course, Sir,” Ball answered, and extended a pseudopod for the Commander to accept as he curled one protoplasmic tendril about the data cube and started to examine it in the light of his bridge…and in doing so Lucifer saw his own reflection staring back at him, with large dinner-plate sized eyes set in an amorphous pink face that was more octopoid than human…

 

 

 

Muku awoke with a start, her dream still vivid in her mind as the nightmarish vision of the creature she had been. She found herself laying on a soft-as-down bed feeling pleasantly relaxed and relieved at finding herself back in her own body. The images of the Paranoid ship were still too fresh in her memory, and the thought of the creature whose body she had inhabited made her skin faintly crawl with loathing and disdain.

 

But there was nothing around her that could alarm her in such a way, even if the walls of the room did appear somewhat different from her own bedroom. As Muku glanced up at the ceiling she recognized the architecture as being C'thuwulf in design, and the furnishings were quite nice, for all that she had some difficulty identifying their relative nature. There was a large picturesque window to one side through which light trailed through some kind of optical filter that partially opaqued the view but gave a very nice observation of Gamora City. Muku was amazed at witnessing the curiously futuristic buildings with their highly organic framework, and she stared to move her body in order to get a better angle at which to appreciate this aesthetically pleasing skyline…

 

…And felt her hand brush against soft, naked skin that was not her own, making her aware of a warm body that lay close beside her, snuggled in for warmth and comfort, and without having to look she began to get a creeping sensation that she knew whose body it was curled up next to her own.

 

Very slowly she turned her head to see Rhea's blissfully sleeping form, shoulder and arm bared from beneath the silken sheets that only partially were draped over her completely naked breasts. The Bioroid looked sweetly angelic as she murmured something faintly in her sleep that sounded like, “Muku-chan…”

 

That prompted Muku to look down at herself, at which point she realized that she was not wearing her pajamas and was---in fact---quite naked beneath her half of the bedsheets. Vague memories about being shown to her room late at night by Rhea led her to an obvious and rather inescapable conclusion, at which point she did the only thing natural to her in such a situation.

 

She jump up out of bed and stumbled up against the wall, pressing her back against it as she gave a yelp of panicked realization!

 

“GAK!”

 

“Mmm?” Rhea sleepily stirred back to life, “Muku-chan…? What is wrong?”

 

“AH—ME---AH---OH MY---!”

 

“Oh my what?” Rhea asked as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, stretching her arms and yawning in an entirely human manner (and causing Muku's eyes to widen as she stared at the Bioroid's naked upper body), “Is it morning already? My internal sensors say that there's at least two hours left before you need to be back at your school…”

 

“BUT---BUT---DID WE---DID I---?” Muku gulped aloud and said, “Hooboy…”

 

“Did we what?” Rhea seemed momentarily confused, but then she seemed to grasp the reason for Muku's distress and abruptly colored, “Oh…you mean…did we do…that?”

 

“Yes, that!” Muku snapped, pointing accusingly at the Iczer, “Did we or did we not…ah…”

 

“Oh…well,” Rhea continued to blush as she looked guiltily at Muku, “No…actually…you fell asleep shortly after we got back to my room, so I…undressed you and put you to bed. There was no time for anything else…I'm sorry if I gave you that impression…”

 

“Huh?” Muku blinked, “You're…sorry?”

 

“For giving you the wrong idea,” Rhea replied, starting to stand up, “Although…if you had been in a mood for it and reasonably well rested…I would not have minded at all. Sharing pleasure is perfectly natural for an Iczer and her partner, my mothers do it all of the time, and so do my aunts…”

 

“Ah…they do?” Muku asked as she stared at Rhea's unselfconscious manner as the Bioroid spread her legs to shoulder-width and she began to stretch her body as though to limber herself for the performance of some katas, acting completely oblivious of the fact that she was stark naked.

 

“Oh yes,” Rhea said as she rotated her hips and flexed her spine a bit before returning to a fully upright posture, “We C'thuwulf believe that the mind and body should be integrated as one unit, and that parts of the body become blocked and stymied if they are not properly worked into some form of balance. It is the reason why we Iczers were designed to perfectly duplicate a human frame…we have nervous systems that closely match your own, which helps enormously in the process of synchronization. That is why I have a functioning set of sexual organs, the same as you, though mine were not intended to be used for reproductive purposes. Most C'thuwulf contain functioning sex organs, but in us they are largely atrophied from countless generations of disuse. They function for us to heighten sexual arousal, while yours are primarily designed with the purpose of making babies inside your own body.”

 

“Well…um…right,” Muku conceded.

 

“As I said,” Rhea replied, smiling now more openly at Muku, as if fully appreciating the nakedness of her partner, “We C'thuwulf believe that blocked nerve passages can diminish ones health and vitality, so we neglect no area of the body when we stimulate for arousal. I know that your society tends to frown on sex outside of the approved form of a marriage, but to us sex is as important to health as food and water, and not receiving enough of it can be very unhealthy.”

 

“You mean you…do this for health?” Muku swallowed as she saw Rhea approach her, only to have the Bioroid place a finger to her lips.

 

“We do it for both health and pleasure,” Rhea said with a charming smile, “As your friends were greeted by my people when they attended the onsen last night…”

 

“When they---HUH?” Muku blinked, “No way! Are you telling me they…?”

 

“Have I said something to upset you, Muku-chan?” Rhea asked, “I was…hoping that I might be permitted to show you the same hospitality since we are in my room together.”

 

“In your…room?” Muku suddenly had a very good idea of how things appeared from the Bioroid's angle and swallowed appropriately before stammering out, “Er…I…it's nice of you to offer and all that but…”

 

“I understand,” Rhea sighed, lowering her hand, “It is still too soon for you. I should not press my case…or at least that is what my aunt would say, though I did hope…” she sighed again, then turned reluctantly away, “No doubt you would like to bathe, dress and have something to eat before attending your high school. I will see that you are safely delivered to your class, along with the rest of your friends…”

 

“Rhea-chan?” Muku blinked as she watched the strawberry blonde haired elf-girl turn away, “Are you…mad at me?”

 

Rhea paused to turn back, and then she smiled at Muku and said, “How could I ever be mad at you? I am the one who took certain…liberties with you during the night…to insure that you would be comfortable. I did not mean to incur your disapproval by forcing myself upon you…I would never do that to you, Muku-chan. It is just…that I had hoped this time that you might be ready…”

 

“Ready…to…?” Muku stopped herself from completing that thought and reflexively covered herself up with both hands, only to gulp in surprise as Rhea came back to her holding up another fresh version of the borrowed dress that she had been wearing on her last visit, this time green colored and styled rather much like a school uniform, and with some reluctance on her own part, Muku accepted the uniform and nodded her thanks for her nominal “partner.”

 

“I had this made for you after your last visit,” Rhea informed her, “It is specially designed so that you can change into it through the use of your bracelet, or make it disappear when it is not needed. It will look enough like your school clothing so as not to raise suspicion, but it can be converted to a third form type on command, when you need something more appropriate to combat.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Muku asked, beginning to relax somewhat, “Like what?”

 

“I will show you,” Rhea turned her head and said, “Unit Six-Nine, please come forward.”

 

Muku blinked her eyes as a new object entered the room from a side panel, one that was only a meter in height and hovered above the floor as though suspended on an invisible wire. It was vaguely humanoid in shape, but seemed more like a cute version of an anime-styled robot. It even had a kind of face with eyes that were like two translucent mirrors, and then it halted a couple of meters away and seemed almost to be studying Muku with its unblinking expression.

 

“Unit Six-Nine, complying with instructions,” it replied in a curiously hollow intonation.

 

“W-Wha…it talks?” Muku gasped,

 

“This is Unit Six-Nine,” Rhea explained, “An Iczelion unit that is being assigned to you for your personal defense. The Iczelions are an elite battalion of armored warriors who serve the C'thuwulf cause, and some of them are Earth women, like yourself, who have become our allies. It's considered a normal function for partners these days to have their own Iczelion units, just as my mother and Aunt Sayoko, and---of course---you met three members of the Iczelion Corps last night at the onsen.”

 

Muku recalled the armored women, who had spirited them to Gamora base while Rhea was still recovering from her injuries, and she pointed at the diminutive robot before saying, “This…this is a suit of armor like those women were wearing?”

 

“Indeed,” Rhea nodded, “Show her, Unit Six-Nine.”

 

“As you wish,” the mini-robot studied Muku a moment before saying, “Unit Six-Nine now recognizing subject Senzenen Muku Dori as this unit's designated controller. Charging up---now!”

 

All at once the robot seemed to come apart as though its various unit components were detachable, and all at once those parts flew to cover Muku's naked body. She gasped and staggered a moment before feeling an electric shimmer pass over her skin, and then she stared down in amazement as she saw her body now clad in some kind of form-fitting material that covered those areas left exposed by the huge platelets of armor that otherwise adorned her body.

 

“Now you are an Iczelion,” Rhea smiled proudly, “And with a little training in the use of the armor's natural abilities, you can fight the Venomoids without any fear of contamination. It is quite powerful, although not as powerful as a fully trained Iczer, because its strength is derived from you and your will. The armor will obey your mental commands, just as you should learn to listen to its internal instructions as the onboard computer will supply to you a full knowledge of your capabilities and how to use them. This way you can fight beside me as a full equal without having to enter our Iczer-Robo. Feel free to ask the armor any questions and Unit Six-Nine will comply as best he is able.”

 

“Unit…six-nine?” Muku blinked, only to hear a voice speaking in her mind, (A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Muku Dori-san).

 

“He will not be too intrusive in your life, so don't be afraid to confide in him, he is totally loyal,” Rhea continued, “He will protect you from all forms of personal harm, which means that I won't have to be watching your back a full twenty four hours in a day…not that I mind watching you, of course,” she smiled all the more sweetly, “But he will stay in the background and remain unseen by others until you need him. He has stealth capabilities and is programmed to avoid unnecessary contact with others…”

 

“You said he?” Muku blinked.

 

“Yes?” Rhea asked in surprise.

 

“You used a male pronoun,” Muku pointed out, “But always before you described things in the feminine gender…”

 

“I…suppose that I did,” Rhea seemed puzzled as she considered the matter, “Curious…I wonder why that is?”

 

“Uh…never mind,” Muku replied, glancing down at her armor, “I'm impressed by this demonstration and all…but…how do you take this off?”

 

“Merely think, `Armor Away,'” Rhea replied, and when Muku did she found the robot detach itself from her body and seemingly vanish, but rather than restore her to her former naked condition she instead found herself wearing the dress which Rhea had provided.

 

“Whoah…” Muku exclaimed in further amazement.

 

“Any clothing which you are wearing prior to changing into your armor will be stored away in a subspace compartment until you need it once again,” Rhea revealed, “Much as I can make my armor appear when I have need of it.” And to emphasize the point she stood firmly as her armor reappeared on her body.

 

“Neat,” Muku grinned, feeling more relaxed now that the two of them were at least wearing some type of clothing, “Um…well…so…” she took a moment to glance around, “This is your room, huh?”

 

“Yes,” Rhea said as she made a sweeping gesture to include their immediate environs, “I brought you here because separate quarters have yet to be assigned to you, and besides…”

 

“Partners should stay together, right?” Muku said as she studied the room in more detail, finding it an elegant, spacious if somewhat typical room for a teenager, if one ignore the ultra-modern sleekness to the place, the full bed that the two of them had been sharing, and the windows that took up a full third of the walls in the place, wrapped around like a four meter-tall canopy opening out upon the city of New Gamora, “Nice place…and you even have a wall poster of a favorite Idol singer of mine, Ijima Kiiro…”

 

“She's an Iczelion warrior,” Rhea revealed, “We…kind of look up to her around here as a symbol of human and C'thuwulf cooperation.”

 

“Oh,” Muku took a moment to absorb this then said, “I thought that girl in gold armor looked familiar…but wait…wasn't she also at the onsen with that---oh…”

 

“Yes,” Rhea replied, “She and my Aunt Kawai are…very close friends…even partners. Around here having a partner is the most important thing…it's our equivalent of a serious relationship, perhaps even what you would call a marriage.”

 

“A…marriage?” Muku swallowed.

 

Rhea just smiled at her then turned to the window and said, “Open shades, eighty percent permeation.”

 

At once the picture windows cleared up to reveal more light, and then Muku gasped as she saw the city unfold in all its true glory. Now it was not only was it the most advanced and aesthetically pleasing city that she had ever seen or even read about, but it was beautiful beyond compare, like a jeweled garden unfolding before her eyes. She almost did not react when she felt Rhea move closer beside her, but then the other girl took her hand and squeezed it in a reassuring manner.

 

“This is what I fight for, Muku-chan,” Rhea confided, “Every time I see this view I know that the world I fight to bring about is growing here, nurtured in the sanctuary of this haven. It is a world where humans and Bioroids can share equally of its bounty, and where the C'thuwulf people can live again in peace and prosperity, exactly as the Goddess intended.”

 

Muku felt the hand of her new friend squeeze hers ever so gently, and reflexively she squeezed it back, feeling oddly moved and contented at that moment. She wanted to see more of this world that existed beneath Tokyo, knew that she had to return here soon to explore its mysteries and discover more about the people who lived here. Having Rhea for a tour guide certainly seemed like a very pleasant prospect, and the sense that she legitimately belonged here was growing in her bosom. It was indeed a very pleasant feeling.

 

But first a good soak in the onsen was urging her to postpone her sightseeing tour, then she had to get herself ready for school, thankful that most of her school books were still locked up in her locker and knowing that time was a premium she turned to Rhea and said, “Mind taking me to the baths and…ah…I'll skip the full body treatment…for now, okay?”

 

“For now, all right,” Rhea smiled back, and in that smile Muku found something infinitely more dazzling than the fake sunrise on the false horizon, and in that moment her heart grew lighter and she smiled back at her companion feeling a new awareness of the ties between them growing ever stronger the longer they were together…

 

 

 

 

“TADAIMA!” Nagisa called out as she and her companions returned to command central, “We're home everyone, did you miss us?”

 

Cobalt whirled around and said, “WHERE---WERE---YOU???” in tones as scary as any Demon Head attack ever launched by a Tendo.

 

“Whoah!” Sayoko did a back-step, “Don't go all nuclear on us…what's wrong, did something happen while we were out?”

 

“What happened?” Iczer Two demanded, sensing from the tension in the air that something significant had occurred during their absence.

 

“Yes, what did happen?” Iczer One inquired more calmly, turning to Sepia and saying, “Deputy Commander?”

 

“Do you want the short list or in more detail?” the sandy-blonde base commander replied, “We had an incident involving your daughter…Atros by name, and she came complete with her own Void-style Iczer Robo.”

 

“Atros?” Nagisa reacted, “She's alive? Gold brought her back?” then she blinked her eyes and added, “Daughter?”

 

“Is there anybody we've faced in the past that they won't bring back?” Sayoko asked, then paused before saying, “Who's Atros?”

 

“Before your time, Darling,” Iczer Two replied, “I barely even knew her myself. Neos created her a short time before reviving me, and she was supposed to be a clone of Troi, only she turned renegade against her master and sided with us before Neos destroyed her.”

 

“Only Gold wasn't taking any chances this time,” Cobalt revealed, “She filled Atros with a copy of her own base program to insure that she would have a one-track intention to destroy both Rhea and Troi.”

 

“Was anyone hurt?” Iczer One asked.

 

“Your daughter, for one,” Cobalt replied, “Atros ambushed her and some of her new friends in the middle of a dress shop and stabbed Rhea-chan in the back, just missing her heart by the width of a finger.”

 

“WHAT?” both Iczer One and Nagisa cried out with matching shocked expressions.

 

“Rhea-chan,” Iczer Two looked no less stricken.

 

“Is she…?” Sayoko could not finish the question.

 

“Surprisingly enough, she not only survived but she's fully recovered,” Sepia declared, “Those friends turned out to have special gifts of their own that are remarkable even by the standards of C'thuwulf science.”

 

“Thank the Kami!” Nagisa sighed and leaned against Iczer One, who did not look any steadier on her feet upon hearing this reassuring revelation.

 

“They healed her?” Iczer Two asked with an openly astonished expression.

 

“Whoah,” Sayoko said, “Who are these guys who could perform a healing spell on an Iczer?”

 

“We'll get to that in another moment,” Sepia made a placating gesture, “The point is that we couldn't find any of you, and if Troi had not returned to central when she had and gone to the battle site to rescue your daughter…”

 

“Troi fought against Atros?” Iczer Two sharpened on that point with her usual tactical grasp of any combat situation.

 

“Fought her and won,” Cobalt said, “After a fashion.”

 

“After a fashion?” Sayoko repeated.

 

“She…had help,” Sepia replied, “A temporary partner.”

 

“WHAT?” Iczer One and Two chorused with both of their partners, the stunned parents and designated teacher of Rhea jointly surprised at hearing that their younger sister had found someone to bond with.

 

“Whoah…talk about missing all the fun when you step out of the office…” Sayoko marveled.

 

“A Temporary partner?” Iczer One blinked her eyes, “Troi?”

 

“Who is the unfortunate party who could bond with her?” Iczer Two marveled.

 

“One of those friends we previously mentioned,” Cobalt turned to a monitor and said, “Call up the picture from the cradle for Delta unit.”

 

An image appeared in the air as a holographic image depicted the designated Iczer Robo, stunning both Iczers once again, though it was Sayoko who had the presence of mind to ask, “What's that strapped across its back? It looks kind of like a giant…spatula?”

 

“A baker's peel,” Iczer Two clarified, “Only fifty meters long…”

 

“Where did Troi get that?” Nagisa asked numbly, “And who could have made it?”

 

“Troi's partner, for one,” Sepia revealed, “Created out of Subspace virtual matter.”

 

“And it still holds integrity in real space?” Iczer One marveled.

 

“Apparently it was invested with so much energy that it's assumed its own integrity field,” Cobalt replied, “Spectral analysis reveals that it is composed of solid iron…almost one hundred percent pure…”

 

“Ninety-nine-point-nine-nine-nine-eight percent to be exact,” Sepia clarified, “With the atoms assuming an almost diamond-like arrangement, so hard that it's almost like Adamantium, and with that level of purity it won't even rust…and we still have yet to find an internal fracture rate, even though it was used to finish off a giant Void.”

 

“Who could have created something like that?” Iczer One sounded shaken, not only at the near loss of a child but the discovery that her sister could have obtained such a powerful partner.

 

“I know who…” Iczer Two blinked her eyes, “But I don't believe it…a Saotome did this! They have a unique ability to focus Iczerio-type energies, and my mentor had such incredible powers of concentration that he could easily have made something like this…only…”

 

“You are right on the mark, Two,” Cobalt revealed, calling up another image of a human woman, “Meet Saotome Sakura, the daughter of your former sensei and Troi's current amorata…”

 

“Troi's…?” Iczer Two grew pale, “That child I knew long ago…she can't be more than sixteen in human years…she wouldn't! She couldn't! TROOOOOIIIII!!!”

 

“That's who we're talking about, right?” Sayoko pointed out.

 

“She would and she could,” Iczer One said grimly.

 

“So she did,” Nagisa concluded in a hollow tone of voice.

 

“Where is Troi now?” Iczer One asked before hesitating and adding, “And…my daughter?”

 

“Our daughter,” Nagisa frowned, shaking off her surprise to convert to a worried mother, “Where is she now?”

 

“With her partner, no doubt enjoying a sunrise from the vantage point of her room,” Cobalt answered, “If you wish we could disturb their rest…”

 

“No thank you,” Iczer One replied, “Nagisa and I will seek out Rhea when we know that she is awake and not otherwise…occupied.”

 

“But that doesn't mean we're not going to hear the full story about this later!” Nagisa whirled towards Sepia and said, “You guys should have contacted us…”

 

“How?” Sepia asked, “Your partners had turned off their internal links and went into stealth mode, while you and Sayoko weren't answering your bracelets…”

 

“We had them off for a reason,” Sayoko replied, “But if you really wanted to get ahold of us, you could have tried using our Iczelions. We had them set on monitor-only mode just in case they were needed.”

 

“The…Iczelions?” Cobalt exchanged a nonplussed look with Sepia, who looked back just as sheepishly and said, “We…kind of forgot about that…”

 

“But I told Troi how to find us if we were really, really needed…” Sayoko started to say when her partner clenched her fists and growled, “TROI---WHERE IS SHE?”

 

“Ah…that's kind of the thing,” Sepia replied, “She's down in the Containment Zone being fitted out for a mergence. You see…Atros was recovered intact, but she's still infected by Gold's program, and Sister Grey believes it can purged from her, but only with Troi's cooperation…”

 

“She's going inside?” Iczer One thought she was beyond surprise at this point, but this news was truly a stunner.

 

“That reckless idiot!” Iczer Two whirled about, “Doesn't she realize that Gold's program might infect her, that we could lose both of them with such a stunt?”

 

“She knows,” Cobalt replied, “But…she and Grey think it may be worth the risk.”

 

“How?” Nagisa demanded, “What could be worth risking her sanity and possibly turning her against us?”

 

“And for a clone of herself created by an enemy?” Sayoko blinked her eyes, “That doesn't sound at all like her…”

 

“Not a clone,” Sepia replied, then hesitated.

 

“Grey…did some tests and determined that Atros is not a clone of Troi,” Cobalt revealed, “She's…her biological daughter.”

 

“SAY WHAT???” came a collective gasp from both Iczers and their partners.

 

“Her daughter?” Nagisa blinked her eyes, “Created from the Iczerio? But…why does she look like a reverse negative image of Troi then?”

 

“Ah…that's the other thing,” Sepia felt along the edge of her collar.

 

“There was another imprint in her genetic code,” Cobalt added, “A second partner…yours, as a matter of fact, Nagisa-san.”

 

Stunned silence ensued, followed moments later by Sayoko's gasp, “ANOTHER ONE…???”

 

Iczer One turned to her stunned partner and asked, “Is there something you've been meaning to tell me...?”

 

 

 

 

“Everything checks out from out here,” Grey mused, “How are things on your end, Child?”

 

“I'm just fine, Mom,” Troi replied from where she floated in her regeneration chamber, “Are we gonna do this anytime before I get older?”

 

“Patience, Child,” Grey urged with a faint smile, “Your daughter isn't going anywhere at the moment, and we have to make certain that everything is calibrated to within precisely balanced parameters before we allow you to go into her. Once you're inside you'll be in Gold's dominion, and we have to make sure you are well armored to cope with that.”

 

“Yeah, whatever,” Troi replied indifferently, only to say a moment later, “Mom…am I really that much of a pain for you to work with?”

 

The Chief Scientist had to smile at this as she replied, “I didn't get the name of Grey because of my hair changing color watching you grow up, but…forgive my saying that motherhood certainly has made a difference in my outlook. You are my pride and joy and the greatest of my accomplishments, and I wouldn't trade you for the world, even if you are a trial to anyone's patience.”

 

Troi had to softly chuckle in that, an odd effect the way the synthetic bio-amniotic fluid in which she was submerged conducted sound and gave her voice a peculiar ring, “I guess I do kind of push the envelope a bit…but Mom…I never wanted to cause you any grief. I've just been trying to get by these last fifteen years since I gave up on my first partner.”

 

“You knew that Nagisa belonged to your sister long before you,” Grey smiled knowingly, “I can only imagine how hard it was for you, only a child, to give up on the closest bond you knew that you could ever share with a fellow human being, only to watch her be embraced by the sister you adore…while you have sought what comfort you can under the eternal promise that another would come along for whom you were destined…”

 

“Thanks for summing up my whole life in one long sentence,” Troi replied, “But I'd hardly call all my dates cheap ones…like the last girl I went out with…you should have seen her roll! I was practically a passenger along for the ride…and whoooooh! Is she ever a looker!”

 

“But now you're faced with the ghosts of your past,” Grey mused, “And Atros is the embodiment of everything you lost when you gave up on Nagisa. Are you afraid now that you could revive the pain that was caused in you so long ago?”

 

“When did you get to add shrink to your list of talents?” Troi winced.

 

“It comes with being a mother,” Grey replied, “And if we are successful, perhaps you'll find out for yourself.”

 

“Swell,” Troi said, “Something else to look forward to…”

 

“That's assuming you even have a future,” declared an angry Iczer Two as she appeared in the laboratory alongside her sister and their mutual partners, “Come out of there, Troi, we have to talk!”

 

“Oh, hi guys,” Troi waved her hand, “Just get back to the hanger?”

 

“Yes, and we heard quite a lot about what has been happening during our absence,” Iczer One said without her usual indulgent smile regarding her sister, “And we would have heard about it a lot earlier if you had thought at all to inform us…”

 

“Oh…that,” Troi winced, “Well…I knew Nagisa and Sayoko were gonna keep your guys busy, and I thought I could take care of things by myself…”

 

“Well, you were wrong!” Iczer Two snapped, her face only inches from the transparent capsule, “You should have thought about Iczer One and Nagisa! That was their daughter who almost got killed out there fighting your child!”

 

“Hey, don't snap at me, Two!” Troi said, “That attack happened before I even got there, and the Iczelions got her to a regenerator in time, after some kids did most of the healing. Atros may be my kid, but she was out of control, and she was MY responsibility!”

 

“You should not have tried to handle it on your own,” Iczer One replied, “And to involve a civilian as an untried partner…”

 

“Yes,” Iczer Two growled, “And to top it off, she was THE DAUGHTER OF MY SENSEI AT THAT!”

 

“Ah…well…” Troi replied, “There wasn't time to get someone else, and she was a damned sight closer to a match to my biorhythms than the last girl…”

 

“And that makes it right?” Iczer Two waved her hands, “You are unbelievable! The last girl you partnered with was in a coma for a week! The feedback of an imprecise match nearly killed her…”

 

“Hey, it nearly killed me!” Troi countered, “I took the brunt of it on myself…”

 

“We know,” Iczer One replied, “And we know you would do anything you could to spare a partner from injury or worse, but to ask an untried youth to undertake such a burden…”

 

“Excuse me,” someone else spoke up, “But I believe I'm in a better position to judge that than any of you.”

 

Heads turned as a tall young girl stepped out from concealment, dressed in a borrowed C'thuwulf-styled outfit similar to the one Muku had been wearing the day before though her hair had obviously been styled when it was put up into her usual pony tailed fashion, and she had a much easier manner about her than the day before, as if no longer carrying the burden of inexpressible emotions.

 

“Sakura-chan?” Iczer-Two responded with belated recognition.

 

“I remember you,” Sakura smiled, “Long time no see, Two. And you, Sayoko-san…you have grown up, but you're much as I remember.”

 

“You've grown up!” Sayoko blinked as she looked the girl up and down, obviously very much impressed with what she was seeing.

 

“How did you get inside here?” Grey asked, “This is a highly secured facility…”

 

“Yes, I know,” Sakura replied, “I asked one of your people were you were and then I went looking for you…took a while to find my way around here, and then I heard you talking about me…”

 

“Oh,” Troi winced, “You…heard about that, huh?”

 

“You are the one who fought beside Troi against Atros?” Iczer One arched an eyebrow.

 

“Yes,” Sakura replied, “And before you condemn her for bringing me into this, she did warn me that there would be risks, and I came of my own volition.”

 

“You did?” Nagisa replied.

 

“Yes,” Sakura half-smiled, “Several times as a matter of course…”

 

“But still,” Iczer One insisted, “Our sister should not have involved you…I can only guess what your father would say if he were to learn of this…and your mother…” she reflexively winced.

 

“Let me worry about my parents, Two,” Sakura replied, “I'm more worried about what Troi intends to do to help Atros.”

 

“Ah…yes…” Nagisa winced, “About Atros…”

 

“Yeah,” Sayoko growled, “How come you have three daughters by each of the Iczers while I don't even have one!” she turned on her partner and said, “You know what this means, don't you? One way or another, you and I are gonna have that baby we talked about earlier!”

 

“Ah…er…I see,” Iczer Two winced slightly.

 

“But still,” Iczer One insisted on returning to the main subject, namely Sakura, “To bring you into this…there can be no way that Troi would have had time to prepare you for what is involved in a battle between Iczer Robos…”

 

“Oh yes,” Grey mused, “Rather like the time you first conscripted your partner, wouldn't you say?”

 

“Ah…” Iczer One paused to think about it, then saw the knowing look of Nagisa, which caused the blonde haired warrior to look a bit sheepish. “I….see your point…”

 

“Different circumstances,” Iczer Two persisted, “And in no way does this justify your taking such reckless and thoughtless liberties with her, Sister…”

 

“Shouldn't I be the one to judge what's reckless?” Sakura countered, “After all, it's my body.”

 

Troi winced as she saw Two turn her glance from Sakura back her way, to which she faintly murmured, “That's it, I'm dead…”

 

“I can justify it with one word,” Grey challenged, “Synchronization.”

 

That got everyone's attention, especially Iczer One, who replied, “How is that again, Doctor?”

 

“When Troi brought Sakura-san into her Iczer we had a reading of a ninety-four percent synchronization rate, which is pretty high for a first time in a Robo unit,” Grey explained, “But during the fight that rate increased dramatically until it was at ninety-nine-point three percent of full synchronization…and then---at the very height of the battle---it crossed over the threshold into the one hundred and six percent range of what is optimal for a partner...in other words they were both able to achieve momentary synchronization, and in that moment they became a truly unstoppable force, to which the enemy never even stood a chance.”

 

“You're kidding,” Nagisa blanched.

 

“Troi and this woman…?” Iczer One blinked.

 

“…Achieved full synchronization?” Iczer Two stammered in disbelief.

 

“Hey, I'm as surprised about it as anyone here,” Sakura shrugged, “I wouldn't have thought she was my type when we first met…”

 

“Oh, you were my type right off the bat, Cute Stuff,” Troi leered, only to assume an innocent expression when her sisters both turned back to her with inquiring expressions.

 

“Troi…and Sakura?” Sayoko whistled, “Your old man is not gonna be too thrilled about this…”

 

“Let me worry about that,” Sakura replied, turning to look at the naked Troi with an unflinching gaze, “The important thing is that you have to save your daughter from her virus. I came here to let you know that I'll be rooting for you…I only wish there was something more practical that I could to help out.”

 

“Oh…you're helping out all right,” Troi smiled back in a more affable manner, not bothering to add that she could feel the other girl's emotions resonating inside of herself, as though the link between them was still fully active, “And it's the thought that counts, right?”

 

One and Two both blinked in tandem, then Nagisa said, “Looks like Troi finally got herself a partner…at least for the moment.”

 

“I see,” Iczer One relaxed somewhat, “In that case…then I wish both of you the best, though only time will tell if this is a good arrangement.”

 

“I still don't like this,” Two crossed her arms and glared at Troi, “Putting aside the question of how I will ever be able to face her father again, you do realize that certain responsibilities and obligations must be in force with even a temporary partnership?”

 

“Of course I know that, Two,” Troi snapped, “Worry about your own sex life, will you? I'll bet you guys had quite a night together, and the reason I didn't notify you was because I thought Nagisa and Sayoko would kill me for messing up their plans.”

 

“You mean…you knew what they intended in advance?” One asked.

 

“But…how could you know before us?” Two wondered.

 

“Geez, Sis,” Troi gave her a lopsided look and shook her head (which caused her silvery hair to foam out in her aqueous environs, “For somebody who looks and acts like a Bondage Queen, sometimes you can be so naïve! Anybody could tell that your partners were looking for a little harmless mate-swapping, and they didn't want to be disturbed for that by anything short of a major earthquake!”

 

Two colored abruptly at that while One looked suitably embarrassed, yet both of their partners had identical smirks, thus confirming all suspicions, which got even Grey to raise an eyebrow at this revelation.

 

“Partner swapping?” she mused in the manner of a school marm, “How naughty…”

 

“Hey, happens all the time with us humans,” Sayoko leered, “Right Duella?"

 

Iczer Two winced while Troi made a fish-like expression then said, “Duella???”

 

“That's right,” Nagisa smiled as she took her partner by the arm, “And from now on I'm calling her Unas, at least while we're out in public. Has a ring to it, don't you think? Kano Unas?”

 

“Sounds nasty,” Troi chuckled, then added, “Unas and Duella…I like that!”

 

“I don't,” Iczer Two grumbled.

 

“What was that, Duella?” Sayoko asked her innocently.

 

“Uh…nothing,” the redheaded warrior replied.

 

“Well then,” Sister Grey remarked, “If we have all of that settled, then perhaps we should get started with the operation. All systems appear to be within desirable settings…we are ready to begin the mergence any time that you are ready, Child.”

 

“All right, Mom,” Troi replied, turning back to her sisters, “Guys…this'll have to wait until I get back. I'm gonna need to focus all my energies on getting rid of that virus that's infected my child. I think you know where I'm coming from here, Oneechan, what it's like having a daughter…”

 

“I do understand,” Iczer One affirmed, “You do what you have to, Sister…Two and I will stay with you and watch to see that you come back to us unaltered.”

 

“Duella,” Sayoko corrected.

 

“Whatever,” Iczer Two grimaced.

 

“I'll stay with you too, if you don't mind me,” Sakura said simply.

 

“Wouldn't have it any other way, Beautiful,” Troi assured, “Anytime you're ready, Mom.”

 

“Be careful,” Nagisa warned, “Big Gold is evil incarnate, and she delights in twisting everything to her advantage.”

 

“Tell me something I don't already know,” Troi murmured as she waited for the process to begin, closing her eyes and drifting a bit in her regeneration cubicle while Grey made a few last-minute adjustments then paused to give a final look towards her daughter.

 

“May the blessings of the Goddess be with you, my Child,” she said, and then she keyed in the command to activate the final circuit, and a moment later Troi felt her world begin to swirl like a drain that sucked her in down a long tube to the outcome on the other end, at the point of which she wound up…elsewhere…

 

 

 

Continued

 

Comments/Criticisms/Cell Pools of the Id: shadowmane@msn.com