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The Legacy of Kain - Chapter 14 (The Measure of a Man)

        There was a hiss and a clatter as the seal on the cryo-unit was
broken, a
cold wave of mist pouring from the cylinder.  A pair of hands gripped the
sides of the unit, pulling the owner into view.  Nobyuki, blinking in
confusion, levered himself upright.  He tried to step forward, but his legs
refused to obey him; he pitched forward, flinging out his arms in a
desperate bid to regain his balance.  He managed to catch hold of something.
        He squeezed experimentally.  Soft.  Hmm.
        Oh no.
        He looked up.  His hands, as he'd surmised, had in fact landed on a
pair of
breasts.  He cringed and froze as his gaze went up further, his eyes meeting
an angry yellow stare.
        "Er...hello, my dear...heh heh..."
        ""Knock it off, wouldja?" snarled Ryoko, shoving him backwards.
Nobyuki
managed to grab the side of the unit, keeping himself upright until the
feeling in his legs returned.  Hmm,  that was an awfully sedate reaction for
Ryoko, he thought to himself...hope nothing's wrong...
        "Uh...what's going on?  Where are we?"
        Ryoko simply looked at him, then jerked her head towards the rest of
the
group.  It slowly dawned on Nobyuki where he was - Washu's lab.  Or what was
left of it.  Debris, scraps of metal and shards of broken glass littered the
once-spotless floor.  The rows of equipment that had lain carefully placed
against the walls or hidden behind access panels had been methodically
destroyed - screens shattered, metal torn, mechanisms torn whole from their
housings.
        Nobyuki whistled softly a the level of destruction.
        In the direction Ryoko had indicated, the family sat, acting as
their
natures dictated.  Washu sat crosslegged on the floor, tapping at her
holotop and hissing in frustration.  Mihoshi, looking uncharacteristically
grim, was checking and rechecking the action on her GP standard issue pistol
(forgetting to take the clip out first, but fortunately Washu's AMP -
AntiMihoshi Protocols - still seemed to be working, and the gun didn't go
off).  Kevin and Tenchi were engaged in an intense conversation, while Ayeka
looked on, resolution writ on her tear-stained features.
        "Hey," said Nobyuki.  "Where's Sasami?"
        The stern mask of Ryoko's features cracked for a second.  She turned
to
him, opened her mouth, but got no further, for just then the mammoth
veiwscreen hanging from the far wall spat and cracked into life.
        "Hello, Walker," said Hunter, his smirk firmly pasted on his
story-high
face.
        Kevin's head snapped up, the blood draining from his face.  Slowly,
slowly
he turned to face the screen.
        "You," he whispered.  "You.  I prayed it wouldn't be you, Hunter.
But I
knew it had to be."  He shook his head sadly.  "This whole affair has your
stink all over it."
        "Such venom," tsked Hunter.  "Why waste it on me?  Surely there's a
lot to
catch up on, hmm?"
        "I have nothing to say to you."
        Hunter's eyebrows shot up.  "No?  You must have done something
worthwhile
with your time all these decades.  Unlike me.  Rotting away on a backwater
moon in this backwater system.  Years that YOU stole from me."  He leaned
closer, his grin gone.  "Have you anything to say about THAT?"
        A momentary irresolution crossed Kevin's face.  "Hunter," he said,
his tone
strangely soft, "you and I have already said all there is to be said.  What
happened was the only way it could end."
        "Was it?" said Hunter, his face expressionless.  "It's not too late.
Even
now."
        "Yes," sighed Kevin, "it really is.  Where is Sasami?"
        Hunter sat back, staring at him.
        "Safe," he bit out.  "For the moment."
        "Return her."
        "I think not."  He shook his head in disbelief.  "You really did it,
didn't
you.  All this time.  I dreamed of you.  Hoped that it was the madness that
had come upon you, hoping that you fled to the thrid planet to fulfill our
mission and erase your shame.  And now...I come to find that you have truly
abandoned our people.  You have betrayed us in your heart."
        "Kevin-" began Ryoko.
        "Shut up," hissed Hunter,  his voice going cold.  "Walker.  You
betrayed us
once, and again, and you repeat that betrayal every time you fail to kill
them, every time you stand in defense - in DEFENSE - of these Jurian scum.
Please, Walker.  Just tell me to kill her.  Tell me to end it, and I will.
We will.  Together.  Then we'll be free.  Don't you understand that?  We can
be FREE!"
        Kevin looked at him, then turned, looking at each member of the
household
in turn.  He turned back to the screen.
        "I can't," he said simply.  "They are my friends."
        "THEY ARE THE ENEMY!" shrieked Hunter.
        A long moment ticked past in silence.
        "So be it," said Hunter in a dead voice.  "You have become sick,
Walker.
Outside influences have make you weak and corrupted, and it is my duty to
cleanse the Anajurai of your perversion.  You will come to my ship.  Alone.
If I see, if I have the slightest suspicion that any member of your jolly
little band are interfering, I'm afraid that little Sasami will be subject
to a most brutal violation before she is allowed to die.
        Ayeka leapt to her feet, snarling.  "If you harm her in any way, I
shall -"
        "You shall do nothing, little girl," hissed Hunter.
        "I can't believe you'd do that," said Kevin.
        Hunter smiled humorlessly.  "I, unlike you, remember the
psychological
tactics I learned on Father's knee.  Don't keep me waiting, little brother."
        The screen winked out.
        All eyes in the room turned to stare at Kevin, still watching the
screen,
looking defeated.
        "Shit," he said.
        Ayeka glared at him.  "Explain yourself."
        Kevin shrugged absently.  "Family's always embarrassing, isn't it?"
        "I thought you were the last!"  blurted Tenchi.
        "I was!  I - I should have been...I..."
        He stopped, took a deep breath.
        "I sabotaged the Ark.  Eighty years ago.  Bought some explosives
from some
traders we encountered just outside Pluto orbit and mined the engines."  He
shook his head.  "I just got out in time, and so did someone else...had a
brief dogfight near Jupiter and shot him down.  He should never have
survived."  He shook his head.  "Always wondered who it was."
        "Kevin..." murmured Ryoko, putting a hand on his shoulder.  He shook
it off
roughly, straightened himself.  He turned to Ayeka.  She took a step back,
partially from the look on his face, partially because his unsettling change
was coming upon him - shadows curled over his body, transforming him, his
face nearly obscured by darkness.
        "Don't think to interfere, Princess," he said.  "The words he spoke
to me
were Moch L'Dianon - the Renunciation.  This is a matter of my people.  My
family."
        "I care nothing for you or your people," spat Ayeka.  "All I care
for is my
sister.  Should any harm befall her, I swear -"
        "Nothing at all will happen to her," replied Kevin sombrely.  His
voice was
nearly unrecognizable now, his voice echoing from a blot of darkness in the
white sterility of the lab.  "She is kind and caring, and she accepted me
for what I am, without fear or hate - an example you would do well to
emulate.  You have my word, she will be returned to you."
        "Your word means nothing to me, monster," said Ayeka cruelly.
        "Ayeka -" began Tenchi.
        "Forget it.  As you will, Princess.  Believe this, though, if
nothing else.
  Hunter is quite capable of carrying out his threat.  He's close to the
Madness.  He'll ENJOY it."  He paused, letting that sink in.  "Do.  Not.
Follow."
        With that, his shape twisted obscenely, curling in upon itself.  It
lurched
upwards, a massive black bolt, streaking up towards and through the ceiling
of the lab, and then he was gone.
        "Kevin!" yelled Ryoko.  She phased, teleporting after him, and gaped
at the
face she rematerialized before.
        "Where ya going?" asked Washu innocently.
        "Dammit, Mom -"
        "Ryoko, think!  Weren't you listening?"
        "Weren't YOU?" Ryoko shot back.  "Your sister will be
returned'...not 'I
will return her'.  He's not coming back, Mom, don't you see that?  He's not
coming back!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Hitting the home stretch now...thanks for readin'.  Please
send any comments or criticisms you might have to kakapo101@hotmail.com.
Thanks.