"A Piece of Me"

Author's note: This fic contains parts that could be possible spoilers so if you have not beaten the game, I wouldn't suggest reading too much into the story. Anyway, explanations and comments would be given at the end. Credit goes to Amber Michelle for the generous use of Igraine and the Tri-Element idea from her fantastic story "Shadows Falling", which you may want to read as a cross-reference to both our fics. Enjoy!

  There was only the sound of dripping water. Drop by drop, a bare trickle. Suspended in space, she was enfolded by darkness. Lulled by the gentle splashing sound just like a mother's soft lullaby, she slept quietly. She knew no concept of time, for in the darkness there was no beginning or end. It was the world she knew and she was one with it, belonging together.

  Reya bolted erect from her bed, drenched in sweat. Her long dark hair tangled and twisted with the sheets. She was shaking, awaken violently by the nightmare that had plagued her as a child. So many years yet it was still the same, just as clear and vivid as it was yesterday. She had always woken up in tears, crying hysterically while Igraine hugged her close, comforting her. Her reoccurring dreams had been the main reason why Igraine had insisted in sharing her room when they were children.

  Igraine.My sister in soul.

  Brushing away a damp strand of hair away from her eyes, Reya took a deep breadth to calm her still racing heart. There was neither warmth nor any comfort the cold stark, unadorned walls of her room offered her. A small morose smile touched her lips.

   And I thought I should be used to this by now.

  She had been living alone ever since Krelian had sent Igraine to the Church for her education and Kahr away to Jugend. All by herself, in the living quarters in his Lab. Reya knew Igraine had begged Krelian to let her stay but this was one matter that he had not relented. It had resulted in a big argument between them before Igraine finally admitted defeat bitterly and she was perplexed as to why Reya had not uttered a single word of protest nor had she asked Krelian to let her remain. Reya had not done so because out of the three of them, she knew Krelian best. His decisions were always final and no amount of persuasion could sway him once his mind was made up. Both Igraine and Kahr had clung to her, stubbornly refusing to let her go while Krelian stood behind them, an impassive figure. All he said was one single word as he pulled them apart.

  " Go."

  And the portal slid shut, baring them from view.

  " Could you not stay, just for another night? I know we had an agreement but how can you bear to just leave me? Hmmm.Sigurd? "

  Jana pouted seductively as she traced a playful finger down his bare chest. Pushing her hands gently away, Sigurd rose from the bed they had shared and stretched sensually, drawing an appreciative purr from his Gazel lover.

  " Sorry Jana, I won't be seeing you again. It has been a great pleasure but I guess this is goodbye. " Sigurd regarded her almost quietly as he put on the uniform that identified him as a Jugend student.

  " Seems that the rumors I heard are true then. They say you never have a relationship longer than a month. Such a pity.Now if only you can stay faithful to one woman. " Jana sighed, sounding a little regretful as she drew on a flimsy gown that left very little to imagination.

  " Perhaps, I would be if I found the right woman, faithful that is. " 

  " The right woman? She'll indeed be very special if she can hold that philandering heart of yours. Come, join me. " She pressed a gleaming glass of rich amber liquid into his hand.

  " You should know that I don't drink. "

  " Please, Sigurd. Just think of it as a goodbye toast to what we had. Humor me for the last time? It's only one glass. " Jana entreated inexorably, a plead in her hazel eyes.

  " For the last time then. "

  All desire for sleep abated by her nightmare, Reya rose and changed from her damp nightdress into a simple shirt and pants. Pausing briefly to pick up her sword, her only constant companion, she headed out.

  Besides Krelian, she was the only other living being staying at the Lab. The Lambs might have qualified as living when they arrived at the facility but once the doors slid shut behind their backs, they were as good as dead. Knowing full well about some of the experiments that went on behind these walls, Reya felt sick to her soul yet there was nothing she could do. Many of those send into the labs were usually offenders that had dared oppose the system. Yet it was too terrible a price to pay for a little defiance.

  Her footfalls rang eerily as she walked through the winding corridors, echoing like an ominous peal in a tomb. The Lab and the adjoining Research Facility seemed constructed entirely of steel emanating a sense of detachment, stoicism and indifference. Still, lifeless, dispiriting without any source of warmth. It was a place of death.

  Reya unconsciously took a deep breath as she emerged into Upper Etrenank. The air even seemed to be fresher outside the confines of his domain. Unaware of where she was going, simply letting her feet taking her where they pleased; Reya strolled through the silent streets. It had become almost like a habit, her night wanderings. This was her way of forgetting the unpleasant things that happened. A way to devoid herself from caring too much since that made life much easier to live. Trying to become empty, emotionless, apathetic, the very essence of what Solaris exemplified.

  Yet perhaps she was just searching.  

  " So you think you could just leave me like that, huh? I'm sorry to say that you made a big mistake. No one treats me this way and you are no exception. "

  Jana regarded the prone figure before her with a touch of spite. He had been the best lover she ever experienced: sensitive, enthusiastic, passionate and attentive. How she relished the nights they had spent together but that was not enough. She wanted more than just a brief affair with him, Sigurd Harcourt, the man who had gained an irresistible reputation as a Don Juan following the footsteps of his predecessor Shitan Uzuki.

  She had wanted him ever since the first time she caught sight of him at Jugend, where she had went to see the man behind the notoriety. It had not deterred Jana's determination to make Sigurd her man instead it was a challenge that she could not resist. She was Gazel and nothing stands between her and her desire. Jana had sworn to herself that she would become the only woman that he would ever be faithful to.

  " We could have been so good together. " She ran a hand through his beautiful silver white hair, caressing his face lingeringly.

  Do I love him? Jana wondered.

  No, she did not.

  She had never loved anyone else other than herself. It was not a question of love but of pride. Her pride as a woman had been dealt a heavy blow when Sigurd had indicated he was not interested in furthering their relationship after she had hinted at commitment. This was an insult Jana could not forgive.

  " It is a pity since I doubt I'll ever find another man like you. You did made this choice so if there's anyone to blame, it's only yourself, Sigurd. "

  His weakness to liquor had given her a godsend opportunity to redress her injured self-esteem. It had been so easy, making him drink glass after glass since he could not refuse her. Of course, she had added some sedatives into the wine to help him along. There was a wicked sense of gratification when she watched him collapse, bewilderment in his azure eyes before he was dead to the world. Viciousness was in a woman's nature and now there was hell to pay.

  " If I can't have you, no one else would! "

  Reya fingered the intricate hilt of her saber, it was a magnificent blade presented to her by Kahr when he had discovered her choice of arms was similar to his own. She had been his sparring partner ever since he entered Jugend and this was one of the ways in which she could spend some time with the man she regarded as a younger brother. With her thoughts turning to him, she could not help but recall their childhood.

  The three of them, Igraine, Kahr and her had lived together in Krelian's Lab yet Reya knew nothing about herself. She did not know where she was born, who her parents were or how she came to be under Krelian's custody. If Krelian knew anything, he chose not to reveal a word even when she had persistently asked. Igraine and Kahr had just accepted her, without any questions.

  Only they believed her when the other Gazel children called her a liar for claiming to be able to "talk" to Gears. Without knowing why or understanding, Reya had always felt an affinity to the mighty machines known as Gears. She had often sneaked into the restricted access Gear hangars just to look at them.

  Machines had no souls yet she could sense a sort of sentient being within the cold metal and steel and there was one Gear that she felt strangely close to. Sequestered away in a remote corner of one of the hangar bays, rested a sleek, four-winged black and silver Gear. Shrouded within the dark enfolding cocoon of its wings, it appeared asleep, a gently slumbering dark angel. Every time, Reya gazed upon it, a sense of kinship would warm her.

  Through the Gear mechanics she had befriended through her frequent visits, she learned that it was an Omnigear probably left behind from a bygone age where strange and superior technology was prevalent. It had no pilot since no one could figure out how to get it to function and this was why it stood half forgotten.

  People watching her speaking aloud to the immobile Gears, just thought that she was playing a game at pretending that the machines could hear her and answer back. Some may have even though her a little mad and pitied her, letting her stay in the hangars when regulations stipulated that no non-military personnel were allowed on the premises. It was not until the near fatal accident when they all starting believing it was no lie.

  " Aren't they beautiful? " Reya sighed wistfully; looking at the first wave of a Gear battalion that was approaching the landing runways with a dreamy expression on her face.

  According to Igraine, she had been unconscious for close to six days before she finally woke and Kahr was the first thing she had asked about. He came out of the accident unscathed but had to be grounded for six months as punishment for attempting to pilot a Gear without permission. Reya was aware that Kahr had done it to assure himself of his self worth and she was sure that Igraine knew too. On a silent agreement, both of them had not mentioned the incident ever again in front of him. Yet since then, Reya discovered that she now possessed a strange Extra Sensory ability.

  The sense of being able to communicate with gears had become more acute. Without being near to a gear, she could detect what was wrong and the reasons for malfunction. The machines had a distinct presence in her mind and Reya just had to concentrate slightly to know what class an individual gear belonged to, its location and the pilot operating it. Krelian personally conducted various tests to determine the limit of her unique ability and discovered she was even strong enough to influence a gear's actions independent of its pilot's commands.

  She had became one with the black gear when she saved Kahr, her mind in perfect synchronization with that of the Omnigear. No conventional form of controls was found in the cockpit now that the mechanics and engineers finally had access to the inner core. The gear was purely controlled by mental activity.

  Caliginus.

  The awakening of her ability changed her life. Krelian became her mentor, personally monitoring her progress and training her in Gear related fields. At the age of twenty, she had become a specialist on gear design, weaponry and battle tactics. Unknown to most but the top Jugend commanders, Reya had a hand in the planning and design of the combat training modules that a Jugend student undertakes, especially those in the Element classes of Air and Earth.

  Reya smiled as she recalled her first meeting with Jessiah. He had mistaken her for an aide when she had entered the conference room with another Jugend commander, totally ignoring her until she started to speak. Jessiah's face had been so full with shocked surprise then. She had been given the rank of a Tri-Element later to make things easier for everyone. Finally feeling more relaxed; she was about to head back to the Lab when she heard hushed whispers.

  " ...Keep it down...Want any attention."

  " Damn!.. He's heavy..Help.. "

  The voices sounded harsh and intrusive, shattering the quiet night. They had came from within the back enclosure of a Gazel citizen's house. Her curiosity prickled, Reya pressed herself to the wall, moving with practiced stealth nearer to a back gate. As she got closer, the snatches of conversation became clearer.

  " Are you sure we won't get into any trouble? This is a Jugend student we are talking about."

  " Feeling scared? Go on home to your mother, we can handle him without you. You are not man enough to share in Jana's favors. "

  " You bas."

  "Quiet! Quit arguing among yourselves. Since he's out cold, all we have to do is to drop him down one of those refuse shafts. No one will ever know what happened. The fall would probably kill him straight. "

  Jugend student? Refuse shaft? Kill? The words bothered Reya but what that disturbed her more were the speaker's accents. It was pure Solarian. Third Class citizens were not put through speech correction courses and while Second Class citizens speak the same dialect, both classes have no access to Upper Etrenank. They could only be Gazel. While Gazel citizens may enjoy special privileges, murder was not one of them. Prepared for trouble Reya loosened her saber from its scabbard.

  From the voices alone, she could determine there were three of them. Since citizens were not combat-trained, Reya knew she would probably not face any serious challenge if it ever came down to a fight. Still, she was not foolish enough to leave anything to chance. Reya moved swiftly across the street, melting into the deep shadows after a quick peruse of the surroundings, selecting a position that gave her the most advantage should the need arise for her to take the offensive.

  Her potential murderers at last reached the back gate, encumbered by their intended victim. Reya's guess was right. The moonlight was wane but it was enough to illuminate the distinctive attire of a Gazel and they were all young men scarcely out of their teens. Since the house where they were leaving was located on a dead end street, there was only one direction for escape. She was only waiting for them to close the gate and start moving off before issuing a challenge.

  " May I inquire as to what three Gazel citizens are doing with a Jugend student? "

  Startled, they dropped their victim with an unceremonious thud. Eyes slowly growing wide with fear, three heads whipped about, desperately seeking the source of the seemingly innocent question.

  " Who's there? " One youth pushed his way forward, barely able to conceal the shaking in his voice.

  Moving out of the shadows, Reya stepped into the middle of the street, effectively blocking the only route to freedom. She had hid her blade behind her back, giving an impression that she was harmless. Seeing one apparently unarmed woman, the three Gazel youth regained some courage.

  " We're just sending our friend back to Jugend. He's dead drunk. Couldn't hold his liquor, you know. Now who might you be, pretty lady? You sure don't look like a Gazel to me. "  

  " Yeah, I bet you are just a trespasser. Why don't you come along with us? We'll treat you real good. Heehee." One of them laughed lecherously.

  On an unspoken cue, they had started advancing on her.

  " Sorry boys, I have no intention of being a companion to your drunken friend over there together in some smelly refuse shaft. "

  Realizing Reya knew their plan, the three youths rushed her, trying to overwhelm her by sheer numbers. The nearest youth was almost closed enough to seize her when Reya sidestepped, spinning by his flank. Before he could react, she smashed her saber pommel against his temples and he keeled over without a sound. Seeing a naked blade, the other two Gazel youths checked their charge, not willing at all to come to their fallen accomplice's aid.

  " Do something! Stop her! We can't get caught here! " It came out as a whimper.

  " Damn that woman for getting us into this! Here goes nothing! "

  Reya was almost taken by surprise when one of them suddenly brandished an energy whip. Backing cautiously, she could tell that he was not proficient in the use of the weapon, simply waving it about vigorously to keep her away. Standard Jugend military issue, they must have taken it off him. Knowing full well that the whip could easily flail through flesh, Reya assumed her battle stance.

  She was about to strike when an unearthly scream suddenly shattered the still night. In his desperate bid for freedom, one youth got too near to his whip-wielding companion. Like a voracious serpent, the band of pure energy seared deep into his unprotected back, almost severing his body into two halves sending a rain of blood and guts that splattered onto the streets and onto the face and body of the remaining Gazel.

  Reya moved then using the crimson shower as a cover, deftly cleaving the generator disc from the steel whip handle, and destroying dangerous weapon. The last youth stood frozen, eyes wide with horror and denial, unaware of Reya at all. The ruined whip slipped from his nerveless hands, clattering onto the floor. A broken sob grew into a keen of anguish as he fell to his knees beside the dismembered body.

  " Maven. my brother.. brother.. BROTHER! "

  Dismayed by the turn of events, Reya turned away. She could not shake the feeling that it was destined for someone to die during this night. Had she not interfered, the Jugend student would have been the one to perish but she could not help but question her decision. Reya bent down to check on the unconscious man she had saved. Silver hair and dark skin, what an arresting combination. She was about to see his face when she felt a presence behind her back.

  " You! You killed him! You killed my brother! Die bitch! "

  Reya spun around but not in time to avoid the fist that caught her with a glancing blow to the chin. She rolled away into a defensive crouch with the force of the punch, her blade raised as a shield. Her assailant came at her, fists swinging wildly, eyes burning with demented fervor. Trying to force him away, Reya launched a lightning swift strike, her saber darting in, drawing multiple slashes across his body. The cuts were not deep as she only intended to deter yet he continued to close in on her unfazed by the blood seeping from his many wounds.

  He's mad. The thought flashed across her mind even as she continued to fend him off with another flurry of slashes.

  Though reluctant, Reya was forced to draw a conclusion. If she could not stop him, she would probably have to kill him. Taking a life was nothing new to her. Krelian had long bloodied her sword with the dispensable lives of the Lambs. He had not given her or them any choice, forcing confrontations by sealing her into a room crammed with the desperate land dwellers.

  Offered freedom if they managed to kill her, the Lambs willingly took the fleeting chance. She had resisted; pleading with him who she knew was observing everything from an adjoining room as she feinted and dodged. Finally backed into a corner, battered and bruised she was forced to make the decision between death and retaliation.

  She chose the latter. Perhaps it was to be a choice she would regret all her life yet this was a path of no return. Nothing could undo the past. With every rise and fall of her blade, Reya had cleaved through fresh and bone, washing the walls with the cerise paint of bright vermilion blood. As she plunged her sword into their fragile bodies, she wept. Her tears blinding her, merging with the blood on her face. Relentlessly slaughtering until she stood alone amidst the carnage.

  The gory scene had repeated itself over and over until the day she no longer shed a single tear. Painfully, she had learned to suppress the emotions Krelian did not approve of. Tears were for children, a weakness that must be crushed. Yet even as Reya put on her impassive facade for his benefit, her heart was rend into tattered strips. The task of killing was a simple one but it was the mental burden of guilt and remorse afterwards that tormented her.

  Her mind made up, Reya executed a lightning thrust. The sharp tip of her saber piercing through his vulnerable jugular. He reached for her, not yet comprehending death even as his lifeblood spurted from his torn throat as she pulled her blade free. The burning intensity in his eyes clouding as he fell backwards. It was all over swiftly and painlessly, a small mercy that she gave to those that died by her hands. Reya was about to sheath her saber when halted by a shout.

  " Hold! Drop your weapon! "

  Some citizen had notified the security forces. Reya slowly placed her weapon on the ground, aware that any sudden moves could probably get her killed, no questions asked. Two officers approached cautiously, guns pointed at her while the rest of the unit quickly examined the situation. A commotion that resulted in two deaths was a cause of concern in the normally peaceful Upper Etrenank.

  She was searched and since it was obvious they thought of her as a prime suspect, Reya was placed under arrest after being read her rights. Reya suffered being handcuffed without protest as full cooperation would get her out of this mess faster. They escorted her under heavy guard away to the security headquarters just as the forensics arrived to clear up the grisly scene. As the security vehicle pulled away, Reya could not help but felt a little dejected.

  He would not be pleased.