*Disclaimer: Hehe...no matter what Kayla tries to tell you, she does NOT own Evil Endy, nor any of the other SM characters in the story. But do believe her when she threatens to roast your cajones if you copy the plot ^^;;; Alpha's Omega Chapter One By: Kayla Chavi and The Rose Society Rating: R Email: kaylachavi@hotmail.com EtrlSlrMn@aol.com http://www.envy.nu/kaylachavi/index.htm http://www.wishing-blue.net/kii/ *April 1, 2999, The Era of New Order* *Somewhere in Alpha One Enclave, once known as Tokyo, Japan* She looked like Sleeping Beauty. Her skin was a pale white and her hair a golden shimmery wave upon the pillows. If she were to open her eyes, they would be that perfect blue that every story book princess has. Well, those in the Western culture, as it was once called in the time before the New Order. The man who watched her, smiled and turned away from the picturesque scene. He ran a hand through his white hair and his red-violet eyes were drawn to the pictures that lined the mantle of the fireplace. There was one that contained a picture of a beautiful young woman who was sitting in the arms of a much younger version himself. She was smiling and cheerful. The couple looked almost happy. The other pictures contained several children, all around the same age, all just bright and cheerful. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. It was too painful. Perhaps he should-- "Why do you cry?" He turned to find the blonde girl sitting cross-legged on the bed. The simple blue sheets were tucked under her chin as if she feared the chill of the room. Her blonde hair was slightly tousled and her blue eyes curious. She didn't look much older then twenty-four. Still so very young. "Did you sleep well, Serenity?" He avoided her question with another question. She frowned and looked at him intently, "My dreams, they.... they were very odd. But...but why are you crying, Demando?" He sighed quietly and looked away. "No reason, Serenity." "There is a reason!" she insisted. "There is always a reason for tears. Are you hurt, Demando?" He shook his head, "Not in the way you understand, my child." "Then tell me why so I might understand. I need to know," she implored. Serenity stood and tossed away the blankets. She took several steps towards him but stopped, her simple flannel pajamas swaying as if in an invisible breeze. "Please," she whispered, "I need to understand." Demando looked at her and again ran a hand through his hair. "Meredith was my wife," he said after a moment. "Seven years ago she was killed to stop me from completing a very special project. My three children were also killed." Serenity raised her hand to Demando's brow, but paused just before she made contact. Looking at the older man's expression, she let the silent question hang in her eyes. Nodding, Demando closed his eyes and let Serenity place her hand on the side of his head. She saw flashes of Demando's life, his first encounter with his future wife at the Genetic Matching Center, their assignment as a mating couple, their blossoming regard for each other, the birth of their three children. And then, she re-lived the end of it all. It was a beautiful night as Demando walked home. The dark ominous clouds usually present every day had actually thinned out enough to make out a glimmer of moonlight. Demando had just met with his fellow resistance fighters, discussing Project Omega. As he neared his house, he thought how his family would soon live in a world free of the Alpha Group, free of the violence, the misery, the drudgery of every day life. They would soon experience the paradise of freedom. Suddenly, the slapping of his shoe lace caught his attention, just as he was approaching the door. He bent down to tie his shoe, his figure hidden in shadow. A large explosion was the next thing that Demando remembered. He was flying, in the air, his body flung outwards as bits and pieces of what was once his house, his family, billowed into the peaceful night sky. The intense heat scorched his face and body as the sheer concussion of sound rendered his ears deaf for days after the event. But he could still hear their screams. He didn't need to have his hearing to know that they were screaming, pleading for him to save them, his children and his wife. His eyes, as well as his mind, continued to function perfectly. The site of his house was now a flaming site of wreckage, the orange flames lighting up the dark night sky. He watched all through the night as his fellow resistance members came to drag him from his place. But he did not move. He couldn't move. Everything, his house, his family, his dreams... everything just went up in a cloud of smoke and fire. He lay there, dazed, as Omega cell's leader concocted a plan to make the Alpha authorities believe he was dead, along with his family. The remains of a fellow resistance member, who was killed by the Alpha Enforcers that day, was placed in the burning debris, so that the Alpha people would find evidence of five bodies and presume Demando dead. For that indeed was the goal of Alpha. Their spies had been suspicious of Demando and his unexplainable disappearances. They suspected him of being a part of the resistance movement and the higher-ups decided to make an example of him. The message was very clear: See what happens when an individual tries to defy Alpha? We blow up you and your whole damn family. Slowly, Serenity withdrew her hand from Demando's head. The entire exchange had only taken mere seconds, but it had felt like forever. He had let her into his mind a lot farther than he had before. Of all in the Omega cell that she had met, Demando was the most withdrawn of them all. She understood what a great feat of trust this was to Demando, trust in her. With a sad smile, Serenity cupped Demando's face. "Thank you, my mentor," she said softly and gently brushed her lips against his forehead. There was a loud and annoying beep that interrupted the quiet of the room. Serenity turned towards the sound and looked at the door with a somewhat perplexed expression. Demando smiled at her innocent confusion. "Enter." The door opened and two people walked in. One was tall and had short blonde hair. A scar was right underneath one pale blue eye, and it ran from just beside the bridge of the nose to the ear in a straight horizontal line. Her eyes scanned the room, her body taut in readiness. The other was a woman with long black hair. She had pulled it back into a high ponytail that ended with a complicated braid. Her eyes were a stunning dark violet and her face carried no flaws. Serenity hadn't seen a lot of women yet, but she knew that this woman was considered beautiful by nearly everyone's standards. It was the other person standing there that confused her. She couldn't tell if they were a man or a woman. The dress shirt was too loose to reveal any shape of breasts, but the facial features were too delicate to belong to man. Her curiosity was beginning to mount and Demando wasn't telling her anything except that he obviously knew both of the visitors, for he offered them a smile in greeting. The woman with long black hair broke the silence. "Ami told us that the project was ready, Demando." Nodding, Demando motioned for Serenity to join him at his side. Smiling like a proud father, Demando introduced the three to each other. "Rei, Haruka, this is Project Omega, otherwise known as Serenity. Serenity, this is Rei and the blonde is Haruka. They'll be your personal bodyguards from now on." Both Rei and Haruka gave Serenity a curt nod. Wrinkling her brow, Serenity appraised the newcomers. "Mentor, why must I have bodyguards? These two don't see like they are armed; even if I needed protection, they don't seem like they can do much." She looked at them critically. Both were slender, with toned bodies, but it did not seem as if they possessed great strength or speed, qualities of a good bodyguard. A protector would require both skills. Rei seemed as if she were going to protest, but it was Haruka's reaction that got Serenity's attention. Haruka merely gave her a cold look and then promptly whipped out a wicked looking sword out of a hidden sheath along her spine. She had moved so quickly, that Serenity didn't realize what had occurred until she felt the cold press of metal against the skin of her throat. An instant later, Rei followed her partner's lead, after regaining control. Rei too took out her weapon, the crossbow complete with titanium poison tipped arrows, from its strap on her back. It was small for a crossbow, but it still looked just as deadly. She had easily hidden it behind her and Serenity had been none the wiser. Serenity met the two, now armed, women's glares with raised eyebrows and a smile. "I stand corrected, mentor. They do indeed seem like ideal bodyguards." "I'm glad we meet your approval," Rei said dryly and replaced her crossbow. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you even understand the need to have a bodyguard, Omega?" Demando chuckled softly when Serenity's eyes narrowed. "My name is Serenity." She almost sounded like a petulant child. Haruka put a hand on Rei's shoulder and the dark-haired woman obviously stopped whatever it was that she was about to say. "Do you understand, Serenity?" Haruka asked again, this time much more politely. Serenity sighed heavily and shook her head, "No, I don't." "Then let us explain," Haruka gestured to Demando's pristine white couches and the four of them sat down. Serenity seemed unwilling to leave Demando's side, for even as they sat, she pressed herself against him like a little child would use their father for protection. Patting her head absentmindedly, Demando asked, "Can you access your memory banks for the historical information? It would help to augment this discussion, Serenity." She nodded and did so. Haruka's eyes looked off into the distance, as if trying to see into the past. "This is the old calendar year of 2999, the Era of New Order. Hundreds of years ago, humanity was a group of individuals, embarking on a journey of new scientific experiments, especially dealing with genetic manipulation. But over the years, society deteriorated more and more as the gap between the rich and poor grew wider." Haruka paused for a moment and her eyes seemed to move very quickly from side to side. It was as if she was reading something and deciding what to repeat and what to ignore. She continued. "The world was a terrible place to live in. Technology had damaged the environment to such an extent that it was surprising that life was still able to be supported on Earth. Eventually, humans were so full of poisons, that they were becoming unable to have offspring, at least viable ones." Rei continued the story. "A genetic company called Gamma Alpha arose, saying that they had solutions for all the problems. They started to help rich couples conceive genetically perfect offspring and began to gather a lot of power and influence. And that led to the end of the old way of life." "It wasn't a war that involved guns or even mass casualties; it was a political war. Eventually the desire to survive overrode the desire to be human. The Alpha group got control over the Presidency in what used to be called the United States. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the world fell," Demando added quietly. "That's when the underworld began to grow," Rei looked out the window. "We're on one of the higher levels but... below us, it is a different world." "Sex is the lowest common denominator," Haruka said with a faint trace of bitterness. "Sex?" Serenity looked at the three of them with an innocent look of confusion on her face. "Oh shit," Rei muttered. "You haven't explained sex yet?" Demando glared at Rei and then flushed. "Well, it's not like I've had time to check every component of her mental programming. I've been preoccupied just trying to make sure she was assimilating the basic knowledge." Serenity cocked her head to the side. While they had been talking, she had been accessing her knowledge banks. "Sex...otherwise known as copulation. The method a species employs in order to propetuate their species. Humans and dolphins are the only two species that use it for pleas--" Coughing, Demando interrupted Serenity's speech. "Um, let's continue with the more important issues, okay Serenity?" Haruka finally refocused on Serenity. Her pale blue eyes seemed colder, more distant. "Sex, rape, murder, these are common occurrences today. Rape gangs roam around, attacking men, women, or children, whoever is unprotected. But this is the better part of the society that we live in." "We are a global community of mindless slaves. From birth to death, every major choice that we might have had is predetermined by Alpha. Mates are chosen via genetic matching, children are taken at age seven from parents and 'educated' by Alpha. Your occupation is given to you, as determined by Alpha according to what would best suit your genetic makeup." "Two hundred years ago, a group of people who were growing more and more fed up with Gamma Alpha's omnipotent powers began to speak out. They were successful in getting much of the population to agree with what they were saying, to listen to what they were trying to uncover from Alpha's dirty list of crimes. On the eve of the first political election in the United States for over two hundred years, Alpha's military went into dissenter headquarters." Haruka paused, her face contorted with pain. Hand on her comrade's shoulder, Rei picked up the story. "Every dissenter was beaten, tortured, captured or killed. No one was spared. Anyone who had spoken out against Alpha was eliminated as a potential threat. The general population was so terrified that no one dared go against Alpha on the election day. So Metallia, the head of Alpha, began to secure her power. Japan was one of the first countries to become a willing part of Gamma Alpha. All soon followed, willingly or not. The names of all countries were lost over the next few years and the group was shortened to Alpha. Every place is now a number, no distinctions, all parts of Alpha. Barely one hundred years passed until the entire world was controlled by Metallia and she's been in total power. We don't even know if she's the original leader or if its just a title given to the head of the world." Serenity's eyes widened considerably and it seemed for a moment that the innocent light that had filled the blue depths dimmed. It wasn't dramatic, but enough to be noticed. "Next in power after Metallia is the Inner Circle. Anyone in the Inner Circle of Alpha has been genetically manipulated," Rei continued. "They're stronger, smarter, and have more abilities then even the normal genetically created human." She paused, haunted by something, but almost as quickly as the change occurred, she pulled herself back into her cold shell. Seeing Rei hesitate, Haruka took her turn. "Ten years ago a prophecy was made by an old wise women. She warned that Alpha would find it's end, it's Omega, and that the world as we know it would be completely destroyed and remade." Haruka looked into Serenity's eyes so there would be no misunderstanding. She consciously directed her thoughts and memories at the small girl and formed a mental transfer link. Serenity saw the old woman give her prophecy and her execution. Alpha destroyed her completely. An image of a young girl with bright green hair stood out. The young girl had tortured the woman and, as the final act, shot the old woman. The girl simply smiled as blood spilled over the floor and splattered over her face. "'Omega will come,' were the woman's last words. The prophesy scared a lot of people. It even scared Metallia. She tightened her control even more after that. The Alpha Brigade started, a secret police of sorts, designed to sniff out any possible dissenters and destroy them. All of us lived in fear. It wasn't until two years after the death of the prophetess that we realized what Omega was." Demando looked down at Serenity and she broke gazes with Haruka. "Her words gave many of us something we all had lost long ago. Hope. The resistance pulled itself out of the depths of humanity, recruiting those willing to fight for their beliefs. We have cells scattered all around the world, some of our members in complete hiding and some working within Alpha itself. We are called Omega cell, because of our special mission to create you. We now represent the last hope for the human race." All three turned serious eyes upon the golden haired child. "You are that hope, Serenity. You are Omega, the bringer of the End to the Era of New Order, to Alpha itself." Their minds opened to Serenity then, sending a crash of emotions and memories into her mind. She was Haruka, years ago, captured and brought before Esmeraude, the Alpha Enforcer, the girl with bright green hair now all grown up. Esmeraude wanted to interrogate Haruka, to get information about the resistance and especially Project Omega. Refusing to talk, Haruka had had to endure Esmeraude's torture. The Enforcer raped Haruka. She beat her and then raped her again. She cut up her body and still continued the painful rape. The scar on her face was just one of many momentos that the Enforcer had given Haruka. She had finally been able to escape, with the aid of other resistance members, although it had seemed certain that she would be caught. But her soul had lost some of that warmth, its brilliance, after her encounter with Esmeraude the Enforcer. Serenity could feel Haruka's hatred for the green haired woman; it was like a physical blow, a line of hot pain across her cheek. Then, like a sudden breeze, Serenity was Rei, a young carefree woman. She saw a man, with hair almost as golden as Serenity's and laughing blue eyes. He kissed her, their tongues dancing. They made love, not just sex, and it was slow and passionate. Next, she was crying, as her former lover turned away from her, now in the service of Metallia, the epitome of evil. He had changed, his soul no longer the bright flame to her own. He was darker, more sinister. He frightened her more then any other being on the planet because he knew her deepest desires and dreams. And what hurt the most was that he had chosen to serve Metallia, believing that she would have killed Rei. What he didn't know was that his surrender actually boosted Metallia's power. Before he and his friends joined her, she would not have had the power to hold control over the entire globe as she did now. Serenity felt Rei's sorrow over her lost love, her pain and her grief. "So now you see the reasons for the bodyguards." Rei leaned back tiredly and sunk into the couch. Remembering her lover had been hard; it was even harder to show their most intimate moments to a young girl who didn't even understand love yet. Serenity nodded slowly. "I understand," she said simply. Demando touched her hand lightly. "Serenity, we will train you to use the body that you have been given to bring to pass Omega. We will protect you and teach you everything you need to know." She nodded. "There is another thing," Haruka said after a moment of silence. "Bringing forth Omega is no longer as simple as it might seem." Demando frowned, "What do you mean?" "We have Omega, they have their Alpha. A rather strong Alpha." Growing pale, Demando began to curse, rapidly and fluently. After a few moments, he was finally able to ask, "When did this happen?" Rei replied, "A few days after Omega achieved consciousness. Luna and Artemis just obtained the information." Standing up, Demando began to pace. "With Alpha already operational, our plans are going to be that much more difficult." Nodding, Haruka looked at the agitated scientist. "That's why Minako has assigned us to be Omega's constant bodyguards. We are to protect her. She will also have other bodyguards during any and all missions. Minako has also given orders that Serenity's training is to begin immediately. The entire resistance chain has been notified and movements against Alpha will be stepped up to distract them. All of Omega cell's resources are being put into Project Omega; anything else will be handled by other resistance cells." Glancing at the slight young woman, Haruka felt the first creepings of doubt. Would this delicate looking girl be able to defeat Alpha, the perfectly designed killing machine? Would she succeed in bringing Omega to this god-forsaken world? "Alpha is also male," Rei continued. Demando groaned and ran a hand through his pale white hair. "Who designed him?" Haruka pulled her eyes away from Serenity. "We think that it was Kalkia Skye. She's young but incredibly intelligent." "Her specialty is purely physical if I recall her file," Demando almost argued. He just couldn't accept that Alpha was online. The ramifications were just too horrible to comprehend. "There is no way she could make something like that from scratch." "She didn't," Rei raised an eyebrow, "Ever look at the innocent boy toy she carries around with her? She designed Alpha to resemble him." "Pervert," Haruka muttered. Demando blinked. "Shit. She designed Alpha after Jonathon d'Stormui?" "Why does that matter so much, mentor," Serenity finally asked in a quiet voice. Their conversation was confusing her and she was trying her best to understand what they were saying. "Jonathon was one of the strongest and smartest men ever to work for Metallia. During an accident, something affected his brain. Genetically, he's still very close to perfect, but mentally he's a mess. Metallia can't trust him anymore, so she gave him to Zoicite to play with. Kalkia managed to get him into her apartment and away from Zoicite." He paused and took a deep breath. "Who's in charge of Alpha's mental progression? I know that Skye couldn't have done all that this quickly without help." "I think that her name is Rose Nakazaki," Haruka looked thoughtful. "And if what I recall is true, then she's a super genius. Rumors say that she makes Ami look like a non-enhanced human." "But we never listen to rumors," Rei actually joked. Shocked, Demando grew even paler, if that was possible. Alarmed, Serenity stood and took his arm. Guiding him gently to the couch, she got the ice-cold man to sit. "What wrong, Demando," asked Rei, her violet eyes peering into Demando's with concern. He shook his head, as if trying to deny the truth. "I've worked with both of them, before my 'termination' by Alpha. They were only teens then, but you could tell that their mental potential was enormous. I knew that Metallia had taken special interest in their cases." Haruka and Rei shot each other a look of alarm, but Demando ignored them. "If Alpha was designed by their team, you can be sure that they did a good job. What I still can't believe is that they completed the project so quickly. We were years ahead of them." The door opened with a whoosh, without the customary beep for admittance. Both Rei and Haruka tensed in anticipation, their weapons drawn. A couple walked into the room. The woman had jet black hair and soft blue eyes while the man had waist-length hair as white as Demando's and the same colored eyes as the woman next to him. Seeing them, both Rei and Haruka replaced their weapons, relaxing. Plopping down on the couch next to Rei, Artemis grinned at Demando. "Are you coming up to speed with all the latest developments, Demando?" He felt the need to clear the air of all the doom and gloom coming from the white-haired scientist. Luna chided her husband. "Artemis, this is not a laughing matter!" Instantly the man sobered, but his eyes still held a hint of mirth. All the occupants in the room, including his very serious wife, couldn't help but smile; his jovial nature was infectious. Turning her attention to Demando, Luna sat next to Artemis. "So, Demando, have the girls told you everything?" "Not quite. What I want to know is how Alpha got their project completed so quickly." Luna frowned. "Our sources aren't quite clear on that. But the story is that Metallia had the scientists taken by force to her top laboratory and coerced them to work on the project." "We don't know what hold she has over them," Artemis said, his own face holding a frown. "Especially the head scientists. If we could find out, we might have been able to keep Alpha from being completed so quickly." He sighed and ran a hand through his long white hair. "If we could find out the hold, perhaps we could try..." He didn't finish his sentence, but let the suggestion hang in the air. It really was a decision to see how close to the devil they were willing to get. All resistance actions into the heart of the Alpha infrastructure, especially their scientific research areas, were disastrous, usually ending up with the deaths of all volunteers on the mission. Haruka smashed her fist into her palm. "Enough talk about what ifs and could have beens. It's time that we took action. While we waste time here, Alpha is gaining the advantage. If you don't mind," she said as she stood and placed a hand on Serenity's elbow, "we'll be in the practice room. Come on Rei." The trio left, leaving the other three to discuss what would be their next step. *Top Alpha Laboratory, Alpha One Enclave* Rose rubbed her temples, a headache quickly gathering. She looked over at the couple on her couch and frowned, the headache growing even more. "Kalkia..." she said with a warning tone. "Yeah?" The redhead tried to stifle a gasp as the dark haired man kissed her neck. The two had been kissing--no, kissing was too mild a term. Making out was even too mild. She didn't have a word for what they were doing and they had been doing it for the last half hour. If she hadn't already been used to the way that Kalkia acted, then Rose would have seriously considered homicide as the remedy for her headache. Endymion tilted his head and watched the couple curiously. "I still am unsure as to what they're doing." The man holding Kalkia chuckled and pushed the redhead off his lap. She made a whimper of disappointment but easily settled against his side. The man was extremely tall; even sitting down it was possible to see that he was close to six and a half feet. He was broad shouldered and very muscular, his eyes an unearthly blue. His black hair was short and gelled in a messy fashion. If anyone had dared to comment, they would have noticed that Endymion resembled this man, almost as if they were brothers, although Endymion was a little shorter. "I still don't see what this has to do with my training," Endymion finally said. Kalkia laughed quietly and shook her head. "It doesn't. I'm not going to be fighting you anymore, Jon is--" There was a loud and high-pitched beep. The doors didn't wait for the customary 'enter' before they opened. In came two people, a man with long silver hair, and a young woman with long bright green locks. It was obviously her natural color, and that in itself was a little freaky. Endymion could feel the hackles of the other three original occupants rise at the sight of both the new arrivals. The silver-haired man merely gave him a once over before settling his gaze at the surprised Rose. The woman, however, was staring most fixedly at Endymion, with a hungry glint in her eyes. He was perplexed; why was the woman staring at him so? The green-haired woman stepped up to him, her hips swaying very seductively. Kalkia bit down the urge to snort indelicately. To say that that Esmeraude was seductive was like saying that elephants were graceful. But Esmeraude didn't enjoy being mocked. So Kalkia wisely held her tongue. She had kept herself carefully out of the other woman's clutches, she wasn't about to be stupid now. No, she simply broadcasted her thought to Jonathon, who squeezed her hand. Her dry humor always amused him. Smoothing her hands down his chest, Esmeraude purred in Endymion's ear. "So you're Project Alpha. My, my, aren't you a lovely dish?" Her hands traveled down Endymion's body, hovering near his flat stomach. "Tell me, Kalkia, is he as nicely hung as Jon?" She reached down the front of his pants in an attempt to cup him. Endymion felt a wave of disgust that accompanied the woman's touch. She was repulsive. But before he could step back from the woman, a slender hand wrapped around Esmeraude's throat and lifted her into the air. Squeezing just a bit, letting the other woman know that she could indeed kill her, Rose growled, "Do NOT touch Endymion with your filthy hands, Esmeraude." Her deep violet eyes filled with anger as Rose tossed Esmeraude into the far wall, single-handedly. She stepped in front of the taller Endymion, as if to protect him. Rose knew she would pay for the small victory sooner or later. Hopefully it would be later rather than sooner. The Enforcer always pushed the limits of Rose's tolerance and Rose always took the bait. Kalkia had always been able to avoid it and ignore Esmeraude but Rose couldn't. Esmeraude seemed to enjoy getting Rose in trouble. And striking the top officer of the Alpha Brigade was getting into deep trouble. One day, Rose's luck would run out and Esmeraude would finally be allowed to personally punish her, something Rose was sure she would not survive. But Esmeraude kept pushing and Rose kept pushing back, even knowing the possible ramifications. Dazed, Esmeraude rolled up from the floor. She glared at Rose. "Damn you, bitch," she shrieked as she wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. She got up to retaliate, but the silver-haired man put up a hand to stop her. "Do not touch the doctor, Esmeraude." She shot the still glaring doctor a dirty look. "General Kunzite, that bitc-" Kunzite's hand shot out and smacked the Enforcer. His ice-green eyes showed his anger as he stated in his quiet, deadly tone, "Do not make me repeat myself, Esmeraude." Esmeraude shot one last glare at Rose before she bowed. "As you command, general." Spinning on her heel, she left the room, stomping angrily the entire way. Kunzite lifted a gloved hand to his temple, as if he had a headache from dealing with Esmeraude. He looked over at Rose and shook his head disapprovingly. She did not reply, just merely looked at him. "You can't let Esmeraude get her claws in him. It's rape until he knows what's going on," Kalkia said quietly. "Unless your tastes have changed," she tilted her head to one side and let the statement hang in the air. "Do not test me, Kalkia, I'm not in the mood." "You hardly ever are." The General turned his cold silver-green eyes on her and she let go of Jonathon's hand. He just stood slightly behind her and his presence was indeed very threatening, telling Kunzite that he would attack him if he raised a hand to her. "I want to know your progress," Kunzite said instead of chiding Kalkia further. Physically, Kunzite was not a match for the much taller man. He would simply wait until Kalkia was alone. Kunzite had a great deal of patience when it came to things such as these. He looked over at Rose and Endymion. "He has not been given full mental knowledge yet, has he?" Rose looked away. Kunzite sighed in annoyance. "We've been through this, doctor. He has to have knowledge of everything. He needs to know why he is the only person capable of stopping Omega. In order to do that, he needs everything." He looked over at Kalkia and smirked slightly. "And letting him watch Kalkia screw Jonathon is not necessarily the best education." "Shut up, Kunzite." Kalkia was about to say more when Jon put a hand on her shoulder. "Or perhaps I should call Esmeraude back in here if you want him to learn about sex. Perhaps she and Kalkia can give him a live demonstration. Or Rose instead, since Esmeraude is so fond of you." Kalkia rose, her hands clenched into fists. But Rose's terrified pleading look and Jonathan's hand upon her shoulder kept her from striking Alpha's highest ranking officer. Smirking, Kunzite walked up to Rose and fingered a tendril of her hair. She lowered her face, trying to mask her sheer fright. "No, I don't think I'll need to call Esmeraude in, will I, Rose," asked Kunzite, quiet triumph written in every inflection. Slowly, Rose raised her face, her every expression closed. She shook her head. "No need, General Kunzite." "You've taken quite a liking to the project, haven't you, doctor?" Kalkia bit her lip and squeezed Jon's hand harder. She knew her friend well enough to know that Rose was disgusted and fearful of the general. The bastard had been interested in her when she first joined Alpha. Back then, she was too young, naive even, to understand. She thought that Kunzite was a good friend. Rose had enjoyed their time spent together, saying that Kunzite understood her perfectly and was her best friend. But then Kunzite had tried to make advances, the night when she tried to confront him about another issue. Confused, Rose had turned him down, never having any intention of that sort with him. He raped her in return. Kalkia still remembered the night when Rose showed up at her quarters, her eyes completely blank and her face slack, as if her mind had taken flight. It did no good to report a rape like this, there was no justice anymore. So Kalkia had helped clean her up and did her best to help dull the memories. Once in awhile, Kunzite seemed to take great pleasure in forcing Rose to return to his bed. She always gave in eventually, no matter how much she wished to fight him, because he always threatened to kill someone. He once slit the throat of a young boy in front of her when she tried to refuse and Kalkia knew that memory always haunted her. It was something she could practically taste every time Rose briefly remembered it. Rose shot Kalkia a look, telling her to stop thinking of the past. But even when Kalkia stopped, Rose continued. The poor boy was a starving waif from the streets. When she tried to fight back, Kunzite had dragged the poor shaking child into his chambers and before she could grasp the situation, slit the boy's throat with his sword. The boy's wide, frightened gray eyes bore into Rose's own, pleading with her to save him. She had tried to save the boy, but Kunzite, backed with the power of Metallia, had struck her down. He then told her that this would happen every time she refused as he tossed the boy's body onto the ground. Rose had cradled the child's cooling body and sobbed for the rest of the night. The terror in the room was strong enough to breathe. The fear filled Kalkia's lungs thickly and breathing became a little more difficult. Even Endymion felt it, and felt why. He couldn't understand, not yet. He did know that he didn't like this man. He wasn't afraid, but he did hate. Kalkia closed her eyes and, for the briefest instant, shined a pale silver. Her mental bond with Rose allowed Rose to take strength from her friend's concern and Rose forced herself to stay in control of herself. This action caused the attention of Kunzite to shift, although he still had his fingers wrapped in Rose's hair. He raised an eyebrow and Kalkia smirked in return. "Do what you came to do, Kunzite, and then leave. Stop getting off on trying to scare us because it won't work." "You would be wise not to anger me, Kalkia." He looked back down at Rose, who was avoiding his gaze. "Rose shows that sense of wisdom." "Why? Because you'll force me? I know more about sex then you could ever hope to know." The silver-haired man chuckled. "Ah yes, I remember that experiment. I never got to read the report." "Look it up sometime, it's a very interesting read," she said dryly. "I have other interests at the moment," Kunzite said and then looked back at Endymion. "Although I must know, does he function correctly?" "We haven't exactly taken him for a test drive." "And why not?" Kunzite looked at her coolly. "He's your type. I'm sure that if we left you two alone in a room long enough, we'd find out." Kalkia sighed heavily and crossed her arms over her chest. Endymion could tell that she was beginning to lose the small amount of patience she had. "He's made perfectly to the dimensions of Omega. Everything about him was built so that he could seduce and satisfy her. In that moment he would be able to take her and kill her. Omega is the only woman that is going to get him all the way up, Kunzite. Everyone else will just be boring." "I see," Kunzite murmured and then looked back down at Rose. "It really is a pity that you're not a blonde," he sounded vaguely disappointed. He shoved her away and Rose almost stumbled but Endymion caught her before she fell to the ground. He had wisely held his peace, not wanting to make it worse then it already was. Breathing heavily, Rose finally spoke again. "Even if I was Minako, Kunzite, I would not touch you. She hates you and I share her sentiments." Pure, unadulterated anger blazed in her eyes, chasing away the icy panic from before. Incensed, Kunzite turned back to Rose, but she held his gaze. When he raised his hand to backhand her, a golden shimmer surrounded her and repelled him just before he made contact. Clutching his injured hand, Kunzite growled. "You'll pay for this tonight, Rose." He tossed a glare at Endymion, who still had an arm around her, steadying the doctor. "Mark my words, you will pay me dearly for this insult. If not, something might just happen to poor Project Alpha." With those parting words, he left the room. Once he was gone, Rose allowed herself to slide to the floor. Endymion knelt by her side, concerned. He touched her cheek, surprised to find it wet. The doctor was...crying. So relieved was she that the man was gone that she was crying. "He can't kill or damage Endymion in any way," Jonathon said after a moment of tense quiet. "Jon shut up," Kalkia snapped softly. "Just shut up." "No, but he can hand Endymion to Esmeraude. He can take a lot of damage without dying, but Kunzite knows it would hurt me to know that Endymion was being raped or tortured." Mustering a smile, Rose wiped her tears away and gave a grateful look to Endymion, Kalkia, and Jon. "Thanks guys. I was hoping that he forgot about me, but it seems he has broken his newest conquest a lot earlier than expected." With Endymion's assistance, she raised herself up from the floor. "Come on, Endymion. It's time to test the integration of the mental programming thus far. I'll have to start adding some things soon or else Alpha will start to question the delay." Kalkia placed a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Will you be alright, Rose?" Not turning around, she replied, "I hope so, I really do." Holding Endymion's hand, Rose left the practice room, Kalkia and Jon both watching them, worried. Kalkia sighed quietly as she watched her friend and co-worker go into the other room. Jonathon gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "She still hurts." "No shit, Sherlock," Kalkia snapped but she leaned back into his chest. His arms came around her waist and they stood in silence for a long time. "You hurt too." "Kunzite never raped me. You can't rape the willing, remember?" She closed her dark green eyes and was silent for a moment. "Besides, he doesn't want a girl who can top him." Jonathon chuckled, "Very true. Rose could do it if she tried." Kalkia shook her head, "No, she can't. She'll submit every time because of what happened the last time she refused." "Have you ever refused?" His tone was almost accusatory for a moment. "Screwing him and submitting are two different things and--" She cut herself off. "We're not having this argument again, Jon. You know that I can't control what they did to me." "Are the drugs helping at all?" "It adapts too quickly." She pulled out of his arms and went to the tinted window. He watched her for a moment and ran a hand through his hair. "You know I would give anything to take it away." She smiled sadly. "It's not really that bad. It's only a problem after an adrenaline rush. I don't get a lot of those in the office." "What about when you've been training with Endymion?" "That's why you're here." Jonathon actually laughed quietly and she turned to smile at him. "I forget why I'm complaining again." Kalkia blinked several times and felt the rush of heat go through her. "You know, so have I. Rose has a private--" She never got to finish her sentence, for Jonathon had picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder and was carrying back to the aforementioned room. *Testing Facility, Alpha Laboratory* She practically dragged him to the testing room. He could feel her heart hammering in her chest, the taste of fear in her skin, hear the jumble of her thoughts. She was disturbed by the encounter. Slamming the door shut behind her, the doctor leaned against the door, her eyes shut, trying to regain control. Endymion placed a hand upon her quivering shoulder. Instantly, she reacted, twisting his arm behind him and placing pressure on his elbow. "DON'T TOUCH ME," Rose screamed, her eyes wide with fright. She blinked a few times, her mind finally registering that it was Endymion that she had in her grasp. Releasing him, she stammered out an apology. Shaking his head, he reached out to touch the doctor but stopped. "What did he do to you?" Rose hugged herself, shivering. "I don't want to discuss it, Endymion. Please don't make me refuse you again." He nodded. This was a subject that he could drop, for now. But it was strange. Somehow, he felt that he should know, that he should somehow try to make things right for the woman in front of him. But he didn't want to press the issue, so he let the doctor compose herself in silence. After a few minutes, Rose seemed back to her non-emotional self. She patted the examination table and motioned for Endymion to have a seat. She hopped onto the table next to him and leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. Endymion could feel her heart rate slow, her rapid breathing calm down, as the peacefulness relaxed her. He felt something too, as if the peacefulness was seeping into him as well. Finally, Rose opened her violet eyes, gazing at Endymion with a smile. "I suppose I should explain to you some things. You already have learned about your purpose, to destroy Omega. You have been created for that sole purpose. You are, for a lack of a better term, her soulmate, her perfect complement." "Kalkia and I were recruited at an early age for our mental abilities. Alpha Group hired us to make Project Alpha, a genetically altered human in order to defeat the resistance's Project Omega. Kalkia went ahead and designed you physically from a variety of men, mostly from her lover, Jonathan, the man you met. I was to be in charge of your mental and cognitive programming. I designed you using my own mind as a blueprint. That is why you feel protective of me, why we seem to have an odd connection. You are, in a sense, a part of me." "But, as Alpha demanded, I tweaked certain aspects. You are mentally only satisfied with Omega as your mental equal. Everyone else will pale in comparison. When we discovered that Omega was going to be a female, well, we made her the only person who could," Rose paused. She blushed and tried to figure out how to explain it as delicately as possible. "Um, well, you know, make you happy. This aspect is to help you better find Omega. We do not know what Omega looks like, so that is your first mission: to find out who Omega is. Of course, you'll have to locate her." Endymion slowly nodded and processed all of this. He was quiet and in thought for a very long time. "And then once I locate her, I have to kill her." "Yes." Rose didn't move from her place of leaning against him. She really didn't want to, and after what had happened back in the common room, she needed the comfort only his presence could give. "So I have to kill my soulmate." "Yes." He looked somewhat disheartened at that fact. "Is that even possible? To kill one's soulmate?" Rose considered her answer carefully. "Omega is going to destroy the world, Endymion. She's going to be the end of all humanity. You have to understand that killing her is the only way to save billions of lives." "Could Kalkia kill Jon?" "You'll have to ask her that question. I don't know. But I know that when we are through training you and once you see the absolute destruction that Omega is capable of, you'll understand. Rule number one: Life isn't fair." Something in her voice made Endymion pause. He tried to look her in the eyes, but she avoided his gaze. "What are you not telling me, doctor?" Silence. "I've told you everything I can, Endymion. To the best of my knowledge, this is what I know about Omega." "I don't think so. There is something else." He wrapped an arm around her, and she sighed. "Damn programming. You even know when I'm telling half-truths. Well, to be honest, you can't believe anything that Alpha tells you. They say that Omega is the bringer of destruction, but something in my gut tells me that they're lying. That Omega isn't really that evil. Because I know that Alpha is evil and, as a result, Omega should be good if she is their opponent. I've told Kalkia this but she isn't sure. She admits that it's a possibility but she doesn't have the feeling that I do." Suddenly, Rose sat up, altering her position by Endymion's side. She gently lifted his hand and pointed it to her temple. "I have to do this. But you can't tell anyone, Endymion, promise me." He nodded. "I'm going to let you absorb my conscience. I want you to know right from wrong, no matter what the orders from Alpha said." She looked at him with such a fierce gleam of determination that he complied. Placing his hand on the side of her head, they opened a mental link. It was like living another person's life. He became Rose, experiencing her strict education at the Alpha facility for children. He came to the attention of Alpha's Inner Circle, joined the team of top researchers for Alpha. He experienced what happened with Kunzite, the night she lost her innocence both physically and mentally. He saw how she blamed herself for the death of the boy, how she didn't completely squash Kunzite's interest in her because she did not wish her fate to befall on another soul. He, no she, suffered by choice, despite her fear. He felt how she regretted completing Project Alpha, because he felt that somehow this was wrong. But he also knew that if he did not comply, Alpha would begin executing innocent citizens until she did. She had tried to kill herself but Alpha always brought her back. Rose broke the link, her eyes soft and wistful. "If my actions bring about the doom of humanity and the eternal triumph of Alpha, I will surely rot in hell. But by doing this, by giving you a sense of morality, I can hope that perhaps, I will prevent such a future." It took a while for Endymion to process the information. He didn't realize how long until he noticed that Kalkia was standing in the doorway, not looking very pleased. However, she did look extremely...sated. Her long auburn hair was out of its customary braid and her green eyes were shining. But she did not look pleased. He drew his hand away from Rose's temple and looked at Kalkia steadily. Finally, Kalkia spoke. "Rose, you're going to get us killed. I love you like a sister, but you're going to get us killed." Endymion looked at her at length. "You have no proof," he said suddenly, "You're guessing." He could see it, just as he knew that Rose could easily tell that Kalkia was guessing. "It's a damn good guess if I'm right. I know I'm right Endymion." "You won't say anything." "What kind of a heartless bitch do you think I am?" "Kalkia..." Rose didn't want her upset. "Answer the question, Endymion. Now that you have a goddamn conscious tell me what you think of me? Tell me that I have no soul because I can live with the way things are." Kalkia glared at the two of them but Rose let it slide. Because of what Alpha had done to control her, Kalkia was hardly ever pleasant after sex. Then again, she was hardly ever pleasant most of the time. "I think..." Endymion reassessed his thoughts. "WE think that you do the best that you can do, given the circumstances, Kalkia. We love you a lot, but we do disagree with you on a lot of things. We can understand that you are, while not happy about it, accepting of things the way they are. But we also know that we can't think the same way. We wish you could understand, that we don't want to endanger your life or Jon's, but we are compelled to fight. You once were too, before, and that is why Alpha had to control you. And because of that, you lost a part of yourself." Kalkia glared at Endymion. "Lost a part of myself? Do you know how much I lost?" "We've all lost something, Kalkia," whispered Rose, not making eye contact with either person. "I just want to stop other people from losing what we've lost." Kalkia walked up to Rose and gripped her arms. "Rose, you are only one person. You can't stop the entire Alpha Group. You'll only wind up getting yourself killed." Rose gave a small smile. "I'd prefer death to this living nightmare." She pulled away from Kalkia, turning her back on her friend. "Go help Jon clean up my office, please Kalkia. Pretend that you didn't see this. Erase it from your mind. If I am caught, they'll scan you and find that you have no knowledge of it. You'll be free of all guilt." Kalkia shook her head. "God Rose, I don't know if you're a hopeless fool or a noble soul." "I'm neither Kalkia. I'm just me." Rose glowed golden and a tendril of power shot toward her friend. "Go Kalkia and forget all that you have seen here. Go back to the arms of Jonathan." Kalkia's emerald eyes dilated and she seemed to be in a trance. Slowly, she turned around and headed back to Rose's private office. "You made her forget?" "She let me make her forget. I don't make Kalkia do anything. She forgot because she wanted to. She's not as big of a bitch as she seems." Sighing once more, Rose glanced at the clock. "I have about four hours before the general demands my presence. I have to start programming you with some social knowledge so that you can blend into the general population." She reached to pick up an instrument but Endymion grabbed her wrist. "That's wrong, what he does to you," he stated, matter of factly. Rose carefully pulled her hand away and picked up the instrument. "Of course it's wrong. But I really don't have a choice in the matter. Like Kalkia, I've accepted it and moved on." "Liar." "Don't be childish, Endymion." "That's what makes you different from her," he said as he watched her closely. It almost became unnerving as she began to set up the procedure. "We love Kalkia, but there are parts of her that are past feeling. You wish you could be like her. That you could accept things and move on. It would make your life easier if you could, but you can't. It's why you cry and why you fear." Rose looked off to the side and then began to complete the set up. She said nothing and carefully made her face blank. "This might sting." "You know I'm right." "No, you're not." He gave her a slight grin. "I'm a part of you. You can't lie to me. I'm right and you keep trying to deny it." She paused, for a moment, deep in thought. "You are right. But you also must know, if you are a part of me, that I go through the motions because I have to wait for that time when I can finally break free. Rattling the cage right now will only get me locked up even tighter. I'd end up like Kalkia. The only thing thus far that has kept me from her fate is Kunzite's fascination with me. So even that terrible thing has become a tool for me to use. I pretend to obey, act like I comply, all the while biding my time. I want out of this, somehow. I've tried death, but those bastards won't let me die. So I have to find some other way." "You can't die, you mustn't. I'd miss you." Rose laughed bitterly. "No you won't, Endymion. I'm just your cognitive blueprint. You wouldn't really miss me." She slid the cold metal band on Endymion's forehead. He shook his head, the band making him feel a tad lopsided. "Yes, I would. You're my friend, as much as I'm yours. We're kindred spirits because we're the same, as similar as possible in almost every mental aspect." She said nothing, the set of her mouth showing that she didn't like this line of conversation. She began to punch a few buttons on her computer, detailing what information she wanted to transfer. When she turned back to him to upload the data, he placed a hand over her heart. "We're the same and you can't leave me. I'd miss you too much," he said in a quiet voice. Rose paused. "Stop trying to bond with me, Endymion. I don't need another friend. Kalkia is about all I can handle." "I think you do," he replied right before Rose made him unconscious for the data transfer. Initiating the transfer, Rose looked at Endymion's slack face with regret. "I can't be your friend, Endymion, because I'm making you into a disposable weapon. I can't let myself get close to someone I know will probably leave me. Not again, never again." *Omega Cell Headquarters, Alpha One Enclave* "You know, this is rather annoying." Serenity was swinging her legs over the edge of the medical table like an impatient child. The sight made Haruka smile behind her hand and the blue-haired doctor standing in front of her chuckled quietly. Around the young girl's forehead was a thin copper ring. "It's necessary," Haruka said firmly as Ami began to take off the equipment. "Now, explain to me what you learned. Serenity sighed but dutifully explained her new knowledge. Ami began to watch her vital signs very closely and recorded the data for Demando to look at later. When they were finally done with the assimilation process, Serenity began to ask questions about their personal lives. "So you're a girl." "Yes." "But you like to pretend you're a man." Haruka frowned slightly, "It's not cross-dressing, Serenity. I just find men's clothing more comfortable." She bit her lower lip as she thought about this. "Okay. But you have a girlfriend." "Yes." Serenity frowned. "I don't understand how that works. You don't have interlocking parts." Ami laughed quietly as the blonde bodyguard looked very flustered and tried to hide her blush. "Serenity, Haruka's relationship with Michiru is not that important. Luna and Artemis are going to come and tell us any new information they have." Serenity turned her attention back to Ami, her frown still on her lovely features. "Fine, doctor, but still, it's a very interesting question." "What is?" asked Luna as she entered the room. Before Serenity could speak up, Haruka interrupted with a fast "Hello Luna, what a fine day it is today. Do you have any new information for us?" Frowning, Luna glanced at Haruka. The girl was positively flustered and blushing as well. Oh well, it was none of her business anyways. Serenity had probably said something innocent and Haruka couldn't explain it to her yet. Artemis might have been more likely to pursue the matter further. However, he was still back at Omega cell's tactical room, keeping an eye out for any new information. "Well, nothing quite yet about Project Alpha, only the same as before. But we do have new information about the first target." Interested, Serenity turned her complete attention to Luna. "Target? You mean one of the seven artifacts I am to recover for Omega to occur?" Behind Serenity, Ami nodded excitedly, recording all the readouts into her computer. It seemed that Serenity was handling the new information very well, without any danger of falling into mental blow-out. Luna gave Serenity an approving smile. "Why yes, Serenity. The first artifact is in a museum in the former city of London. There is one nearby, but Alpha has it more heavily guarded, so we'll need more time to crack their defense patterns. So London seems the next best target." "What will be my mission, Luna?" Glancing at Haruka who was still blushing, Luna answered, "Well, since this is your first mission, we'll need to see how well prepared you are to handle any Alphas you might encounter. The first artifact will be the easiest since it's on public display. Haruka and Rei will accompany you as your bodyguards, of course. Some of our other members will be there to help you on your mission. You'll be contacted by some of our legitimate agents there who will gain you access to the viewing. You are to locate the true artifact amongst the frauds and recover it for the Resistance." Haruka shook her head, having just then recovered. "Sheesh Luna, why don't you ask her to grab the moon from the sky, while you're at it? How can she do all this in her first mission?" Luna shot Haruka a glare. "Haruka, Omega has been created to be better than your average humanoid. We don't have any time. Minako is going to train her personally and the rest of the scientists are going to program her as quickly as possible. You have a week to prepare. I know that Serenity will be prepared." She turned to leave. Just before she exited the doors, she added one more comment. "If she fails, all is lost. Train her well, Haruka." Author Notes: KC: ::runs off, chasing a harried-looking Endymion:: RS: ::sweatdrops:: Um, don't worry about that folks...It's just cuz we wrote this chapter for a few hours straight, until 4 in the morning, even though I had two midterms to study for ^^;;; So excuse us if we're a little cuckoo. Also, since we slaved until, I repeat, 4 AM in the morning, it would be highly appreciated if you sent us some feedback =P Oh yeah, Rose and Kalkia are going to be big characters... just a warning. ::sighs:: I better go rescue Endy before Kayla gets her mitts on him ^^;;;