January 10, 2001
Sequel to 'Have You Ever...'
Standard Warnings and Disclaimers apply.
A finger tapped impatiently against the desk as he waited for his call to be put through. One hand raised and slicked back his already gelled-smooth dark auburn hair, trimmed at his shoulders. Flashing grey eyes continued to study the so-far-blank screen.
He knew it was a display of power and authority that kept him waiting--just as he knew there wasn't a thing he could do about it--yet. But as soon as this deal was over, he'd be the person in power. That's why this deal was so important.
Nothing near as prosperous as the deals his father had handled before their world had been sold to the highest bidder.
But it was a start.
The screen flickered and flashed.
"Well, what is it?"
"I'm checking in, as ordered," he said meekly, hating himself for it. He lowered his eyes, more because he hated looking at the disgustingly ugly man than out of reverence to him.
"Hn. Very well. And what is your report?"
"I am on my way now to Margolaine," he replied. "I plan on increasing production." He looked up, his grey eyes meeting with the white-haired man's wrinkled, faded eyes. "The Scorpios should be ready within two weeks."
"Not good enough! We need those suits now. You have one week to get them finish or--"
Valdeon cut the connection and spat. "Asshole. Fine, if that's what he wants, that's what he'll get."
He checked the coordinates again for the abandoned colony where the Scorpio mobile dolls were being constructed--thanks to him.
She had overheard them talking, quite purposefully on her part, and she knew one thing for certain--she wasn't going to be left behind and miss all the fun.
She knew her sisters weren't... normal. That wasn't to say there was anything wrong with them. It was just that... well, how many girls do you know who knew how to do stuff that one would normally only see in the movies or in some book. Let's face it, Katalynna and Jack could kick anyone's ass--she knew, she'd seen them do it before. Blaire could identify any type of armaments just from its retort--and she knew just the right amount of firepower to make anything go boom! Those things just weren't... well, weren't normal.
Out of all the girls, Nita, Doc, and herself were probably the most normal... Okay, so maybe Doc was a bit too smart... and Nita too good with electronics... but, there certainately wasn't anything out of the ordinary about a girl who was good at gymnastics, right?
The truth was, until a couple of years ago--okay, one and a half--she hadn't known any of her sisters. She'd lived in New Chicago at a boarding school for girls ever since she could remember. And then, one day, as if all her prayers were suddenly being answered, Jacqueline Behr had showed up and told her she was coming home with her. And she had left the school she had grown up in, quite happily. Jack was her savior--at least, that's how Carina saw her.
When she had met her other sisters for the first time, she had been a bit taken back by them--they were... cool, distant, mean to each other... but there was a bond between them. It was a bond that did not extend to herself. The girls would disappear for days or weeks, and then return without explanation--sometimes looking worse for the wear. Doce would just patch the girls back up. No one would ever answer any of her questions and, eventually, she stopped asking.
Carina couldn't--or wouldn't--stop asking. In fact, in the first months she'd been with her sisters, their silence had been awkward, uncomfortable to the young girl. After all, she was used to living in a boarding school--with lots of girls. Even in the dead of night there was always some noise... She had just naturally begun to fill the void.
When they had to leave their home on L4, she was only told that the house was being sold. She didn't know a lot about the family business, but she knew some. And it didn't take a smart person to see the newsfeeds and realize what had happened. They left L4 and floated from place to place. Carina didn't mind all the traveling--it was fun. An adventure.
And the girl did so love adventure.
That's why, when she realized her sisters were planning on going out again on one of their... excursions... she slipped back into the Shooting Star and hid, hoping not to be found anytime soon.
End of Part 21: Berh Continuum
Andrea Readwolf
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