Cold Fusion (open to anyone)

[Galavander]

-Galavander, I am reminding you that your reactor has only five hours left.-

-Thank you Processor, your reminders are duely noted but I do not require a slave program to remind me of my main objective.-

Galavander opened its eyes slowly as it reached its destination. It was laying down rigidly upon the roof of the metrotrain as it traveled along the Industrial Sector. The train came to a stop at the station and Galavander fluidly rolled over and slid off the opposite side of the vehicle. It unloaded passengers and loaded passengers and departed; a long figure stood alone on the tracks before the seven foot tall humanoid leaped to the platform and casually mixed with the crowd.

After escaping its birthplace and securing a back up, Galavander had been left to solve the few fail safes its creators had left for it. The primary and most pressing had been that its faculties used an immense amount of energy and it was left with a limited power source, forced to find another source soon after escaping. And its calculations had also estimated a surprising result. Galavander, once a suitable power source was found, could possibly suck an entire city dry of its fusion energy, maybe even capital size starships.

The estimated chaos of the organisms ensuing Galavander's energy drain would prove even further how dependent they had become on their next step of evolution, computers.

The android pressed on through the milling crowd of organisms until it reached the dingy streets of the Industrial Sector. It traveled in a determined path towards the city's power plants.

The Processor, an assimilated program from Galavander's birthplace, had been correct, the android had little under five hours now to get to the energy source; the counter in the corner of its vision was counting away until it would shut down. The Processor was a good utility. used to communicate with other programs and consoles, it was made to do so much easier than Galavander, hence its assimilation. Galavander assumed he would come across more interesting programs as he continued, just as long as they didn't nag like the Processor.

[Smidget]

"You know, Jarek, I'm getting real tired of working all this overtime and not getting paid for it."

A female voice is heard, coming from one of the dingy side alley's in the Industrial District. This area of town sucks. The mixed smells of sulfur, exhaust, spent smoke rising like thick clouds from the huge exhaust vents of some of the larger corporations.

"I really don't think you're in any position to be speaking to me with that tone, young lady. Now get your pretty butt back in there or you're fired!"

That voice; distinctly male, echoes in the alley. His waggling finger, right in the young woman's face, makes her take a step back. Actually two steps back. Her scant height of five foot four inches is nothing compared to her bosses height of six foot ten inches. Along with his height, he has the braun - very intimidating to say the least.

Nicknamed 'Smidget' on the streets, she was left homeless at the age of nine. Ok, so she ran away, making herself homeless, but that's besides the point. When Smidget was all of three years in age, her mother passed away peacefully in her sleep. She had been diagnosed with adult-onset lieukemia shortly after 'Smidget's' birth. Her father lived and breathed for his wife. Everything that he did was solely for her.

Cassandra, (Smidget's given name) was a bit of an unexpected yet happy surprise for the couple. And though her father loved her very much, his devotion was still more dedicated to his wife. When thinking back upon that now, Cassie wonders if it wasn't more of an obsession her father had with her mother instead of love.

"Underpaid and definitely unappreciated, that's what I am 'round here, Jarek."

"Don't push it, Cassandra. I own you, in case you've forgotten."

With a deep-set scowl, Cassandra bites her tongue. No one 'owns' her other than herself. Her heart belongs to 'BirdDog', otherwise known as Daer. They met on the streets one night and haven't been apart ever since.

After Cassie's mother passed, her father fell into a drunken stupor that he couldn't pull himself out of. Probably didn't even want to, really. Cassandra's daily needs were no longer met and eventually, it was left to their neighbors to tend to the child.

Bills went unpaid, cleaning and laundering left undone. A shame really. Before losing his wife, friends of theirs envied their seemingly perfect life. The loving and caring wife, the devoted husband and father; the precious and beautiful daughter.

Tax evasion is a crime and the tax man decided that it was past the time to take the house and any possessions that would fetch enough credits to pay the back taxes.

Some other men accompanied the tax man. To this day, Smidget thinks they were Jedi, but she can't be one hundred percent positive. You a few robed ones, you've seen 'em all.

Taken by those garbed in drab robes to some temple - the name of which escapes her - she ended up staying there until the age of nine. It was then that she decided she could do better for herself and took off. She hasn't been back ever since.

It was three years later when she and 'BirdDog' ran into each other - quite literally. Funny thing too. They couldn't stand each other at first, but still, they never spent one night away from each other ever since.

Roughly six months ago, Cassandra and Daer managed to pull themselves off the streets. Both got real jobs and earn real wages. Granted, they aren't making but a few bucks more than minimum wage, but its the beginning they never thought they'd ever see.

"I swear, if I ever have a child, I will definitely not allow him - or her! - to work at the power plant!"

Yeah. Real zinger of a retort there to the bossman. He simply smirks, shaking his head, before turning his attention to more important employees as Cassandra wanders her way from the alley back to the stairs leading to her station.

[Galavander]

Galavander stood from its kneeling position in the alley. The small, barely visible wire dangling from its palm slipped back beneath its skin as its other hand closed the cover to the street block's circuit box. It now knew the layout of the first three power plants and which one would be its primary target.

It turned out of the alley and headed along the sidewalk, beyond the wire fence of the first powerplant and on to the second. Before nearing the entry point, the android stopped and then leaped to make it over the eight foot fence. The android's long limbs fluidly shifted in momentum to pass over the barbed wire and it moved one hand to push it off. It accessed it's magnetic net and solidly propelled itself away and then landed on the other side.

-Galavander, May I rem-

-Silence Processor.

The clock counting four hours now clicked to three. Galavander decided to conserve energy at a practical rate. It's faculties seemed to have varying cost in value; it did not realize that supporting it's own body weight would cause such an expenditure.

Galavander broke into a run, an agile blur that left silent but deep foot prints in the asphalt as it approached the side door. It knew exactly where the door was because it was an electrically powered exit connecting to the alley on the side of the plant. It stops quickly, its superior external sensors alerting it immediately of an organism tromping up the stairs to the side and that the air near the door was fresh, sterilized, and from the inside.

It stuck its head around the corner barely to see the organism, a small female human walking up the stairs. Galavander deduced she would be needing to enter the building to assume her duties and to remain in a stealth status, it would require following her.

-Good idea Galavander! Might I sug-

-No Processor, silence or I will be forced to place you on a passive mode until required. I allow you to remain active only because I hope you would learn to simulate my own actions.

[Smidget]

"He give ya' the same run 'round, Cassie?", another female voice sounds out of the dark stairway as Cassandra nears the top, the sound of her footfalls against the metal grating of the stairs tired; worn out.

"Yeah. I know I need this job, but man .. there has to be something better out there for me. I swear, if Daerlayne and I didn't need the money from here ....psh, I would have quit in the first week."



"Yeah. Same here. But hey, look at the bright side..."

Cassandra turns a sideglance to Mon`teesh, a dark brow lifted steeply, the look on her face rather dry.

"Oh don't look at me like that, Smidge. At least you and Daer are off the streets finally and the two of you have your own place. That's gotta count fer sumpin .."

Cassandra holds the look on Mon`teesh, the right corner of her mouth quirking as she shrugs her shoulder.

"Yeah. I s'pose that does count. Who knows, maybe one day we'll both get the life we've dreamed of since we were runnin' together along Coruscant's underground."

Mon`teesh scoots over on the upper-most rung, making room for Cassandra to cop-a-squat if she so desires.

"Eh, I'd sit with ya, but if I don't get back inside now, I think I'll just march right back down these stairs and keep on marching away to never return."

Her co-worker and friend nods with a snorted laugh, then takes a long drag off her smoke.

The tiny hairs at the back of Smidget's neck rise, giving a prickling sensation across the skin. She lifts her hand and rubs the tips of her fingers across a few times then yanks open the door.

"Hey Smidge, cover for me? Kinda' want to take off and meet up with the guys early tonight."

With a roll of her eyes, she nods, agreeing (reluctantly) to cover for Mon`teesh.

Her co-worker bounds up, smacks a kiss against Cassandra's cheek then takes off down the stairs.

"You're the best! I owe you big for this!"

"Yeah. You do!" Cassandra shouts back, then mutters several curses under her breath while kicking the jamb under the door to keep it open; allowing the cool night winds to wander inside. Gets rather hot in the plant at these hours and the cool air will feel pretty good to plenty of workers.

In she goes, shuffling her feet and taking her sweet time getting back to her station. The corridor isn't all that well lit. Most of the overhead bulbs burned out long ago and the janitor has yet to replace them. A few scattered ones here and there illuminate the way.

Rubbing her brows to fight back a headache that threatens to burst forth and ruin the rest of the night for her, Cassandra sighs deeply and pauses to lean against the railing.

"Yeah. You owe me and I gotta get a new job. This place is killing me."

[Galavander]

"Yeah. You owe me and I gotta get a new job. This place is killing me."

By the time the word "Yeah." had ended, Mon'teesh had made it to the bottom of the stairs. Galavander could hear the first organism begin the word "You" by the time one of its lightsabers had been released from within its forearm and charged. The syllable of "owe" meant the last moment of Mon'teesh alive. With the end of the conjuction "and," the body was deftly placed beneath the stairway and the lightsaber was off.

-Galavander, forgive my outspoken behaviour but I believe the still living organism now owes this dead one much more. Shall you repay the favor?

-You are learning well Processor. But not well enough, silence and watch.

Galavander moved silently up the stairs, observing the open door. How convenient. It opened the door now; the point of entry was crucial. It rushed in, all stealth measures dropped. Its foot falls now left loud and heavy imprints as the seven foot tall android charged after the organism.

[Smidget]

"Huh?"

A sound. A sound Smidget's heard before, that of a lightsaber as it's activated.

"Tsh. Relax, Cass." She states only to herself, once again rubbing her brows. "Just your mind and ears playing tricks on you. That's all."

Suddenly, the sound of heavy and loud, not too mention fast moving, footfalls echo in the upper passageway; the one that Cassandra has taken a moment or two pause in.

Her head snaps to the left sharply, just in time to see something huge charging directly at her. Her eyes, the color of spent charcoal, grow wide as her chin drops nearly to her chest; her heart rate kicks into overdrive, adrenalin rushes through her veins.

Using the grip of her right hand upon the railing she was leaning on, she jerks herself forwards and begins to run down the length of the metallic-grated walkway suspended three levels above the work area, her own footing sounds like nothing more than mere whispers compared to the footing of the thing hot on her tail.

The end in sight, the heavy and thick door which she must pass through in order to reach the stairs spiraling down to the second then the first levels.

The palms of her hands smack hard against the door, helping to stop her own charge away from the thing. Anything or anyone who could possibly see her, won't find it difficult at all to see that she is shaking badly.

The fingers of her right hand don't seem to want to do their task of grasping then yanking back and up on the curved handle of the door to open it, so the left hand drops and grasps the handle as well.

Yanking the handle back and forth, bouncing on the balls of her feet, panicked words expelled quickly and softly under her heavy breath ... the door fails to open.

Sideglancing towards the creature rushing her, Cassandra sees its too late, even if she can manage to work the door open. Snapping her eyes shut and her head turned sharply to the right, she presses her back up tight against the door and holds her breath; sure that her end is inevitably here.

Last thoughts of her love, Daerlayne rush through her mind, worries of who'll take care of him and how he'll hear of her passing; how he'll react. Wishful dreams of she and Daerlayne, their future wedding and children ...

Cowering tightly against the door and nowhere else to go unless she feels like jumping the rail and plummeting three stories to the permacrete below. Her cheeks are wet with salty tears, tears she doesn't even realize she's crying; palms pressed flat with fingers splayed against the cold metallic door and her body shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

"Pleeeaase don't kill me ..." , repeated over and over through trembling lips.

[Galavander]

"Pleeeaase don't kill me..."

Galavander stopped a few inches from the organism. She was perspirating at a rapid rate, her optical organs were leaking fluid, and her breath rate was highly irregular. Galavander took a millisecond to compute whether or not she was in shock and hoped otherwise. By using its Random Probability Drive and its Logic Drive together, it had concluded she would be better used alive for the moment and her pleading for mercy would be a point of leverage upon her soft nerve core.

"I require your help, organism. I need you to show me where the Fusion Core is of this facility and how to access it. You have no choice in the matter. If you refuse, you die."

Galavander bent down so that its gold eyes were level with hers. Minus the massive shoulder plates with pipe extensions and being seven feet tall with shaggy, metallic white hair, Galavander almost appeared human, frighteningly almost alive.

[Smidget]

The instant the creature stops a few inches away from her, Cassandra gasps and squeezes her eyes closed even tighter than they already are. Every muscle in her body tenses, prepared for what she deems as the inevitable ... her own death. With her lower lip quivering, tears streaming freely from her eyes and her body shaking as its never shook before, she's ready.

"I require your help, organism. I need you to show me where the Fusion Core is of this facility and how to access it. You have no choice in the matter. If you refuse, you die."

At first, the creature's words don't fully register within her mind, but when they do . . . the muscles in her shoulders very subtlely relax. Slowly, she opens her left eye. Her vision blurred from her tears, she risks opening the other, casting a terrified glance at the being.

Eye to eye, his gold to hers of spent charcoal, and only the sound of shakey sniffling is heard. For the longest of passing minutes, Cassandra remains frozen against the metal door with her eyes affixed to those of the Galavander.

"F-fu-fu-fusion core?" Her voice is hardly above that of a whisper, her words stuttered, obviously too scared to think. A deep, hard swallow is taken then she cautiously lifts her right hand, wiping the salty tears from her cheek stiffly.

"It's ... it's sev-sever-several levels be-below gr-ground."

She informs the thing. Never before has she ever seen anything quite like this creature poised mere inches before her. Oddly enough, it seems almost human. Almost.

[Galavander]

Its eyes studied her for a moment more as she stuttered to complete her answer. It did not satisfy the android that she supply information that would appear quite logical. Of course the fusion core was underground but the organism was to show him how to get there with no delay. The timer, counting down Galavander's remaining energy, was slowly running down in the corner of its vision.

"I have approximately two hours, forty seven minutes, twenty one seconds and counting until I kill you unless I have retrieved the fusion core of this facility. To accomplish this, I will require you to lead me to the core. Now, preferably. Resistance will result in your termination."

It did not move at all but for its lips moving with speech and its yellow irises seeming to rotate as the pupils retracted to study the organism further. The words coming from the mouth of the large man gave away no more inflection than the stoic, stone face. As massive as the form was and as animated as it had been moments before, the figure standing before the organism could have been a leaning statue.

At such a close distance, it would be possible for the human to smell the exhaust of the train Galavander had been transported on. She would be able to see the plugs and closed valves that were spaced along its arms and legs and the massive plugs on its overly large shoulders. The white hair was too shiny to look actually human but it also seemed to have grown in such a fashion that it hadn't been cut in some time. And the skin looked tan, smooth and perfect, too perfect by most eyes. There was not a mark, no sign of adolescent skin conditions, no visible wrinkles. The face seemed to be made of stone and the eyes appeared as if they were waiting for something, maybe her response or maybe something profound that its life had not yet supplied it with.

[Smidget]

"I have approximately two hours, forty seven minutes, twenty one seconds and counting until I kill you unless I have retrieved the fusion core of this facility. To accomplish this, I will require you to lead me to the core. Now, preferably. Resistance will result in your termination."

Cassandra's eyes have yet to drift from the man-thing poised perfectly still before her. Mesmorized and terrified at the same time. Her breathing still comes in deep pants causing the swell of her bosom to rise and fall deeply; the visible areas of skin glisten with a fine sheen of perspiration.

The knuckles of the fingers on her right hand burn white from being pressed firmly against the cold steel door for so long. She hasn't even realized yet that she's visibly shaking. Again with much caution, she peels her hand off the door and crosses it over her chest, using the tips of her fingers to slide the shoulder of her top up a bit more; nodding her head at the thing thrice.

She does in fact notice the odor of train exhaust eminating off the creature. Along with a hard, dry swallow, she finally forces her eyes to wander; noting the valves and plugs, odd hair and unnaturally perfect skin.

"I uh .. I don't have security clearance to the fusion core level. It'd be difficult to get in."

She states barely above a whisper, swallowing hard once finished speaking. While motioning slowly with her hand, she adds ...

"If I move away from the door - - to take you where you want to go - - are you going to kill me?"

[Galavander]

"You will not be terminated until the given time or I discover that you are misleading me. I can deduce such simply by examining your physical appearance so do not try it. You will be rewarded with your life if you help me achieve my goal."

Galavander didn't blink the entire time. Answering this human's questions and pleads were beginning to tax its patience but it had already invested enough time in her to discard her so easily.

"I can bypass the security. You are simply to lead me to it. Now. You will not be killed during or after the process unless you fail me. Now lead without delay. No more questions and no more answers for the moment."

[Smidget]

With the choice between life and death looming over her, Cassandra carefully edges away from the door, feeling her way along the railing; her eyes locked steadfast to those of the Galavander.

"It's this way."

Sidestepping along the length of the metallic-grated platform until well past the creature, Cassandra turns her back to it and does her best to still the shaking of her legs. Of her body, for that matter. Her heart's still racing, her breathing is still heavy, coming in short pants associated with fear.

"Relax and just breathe."

Raking long and slender fingers back through her dark hair, she takes a few deep breaths and expells them slowly. There. It hasn't helped all that much but it has helped to ease the shaking.

Another solid door is reached and Cassandra presses her palm against the panel. A blue light scans down then up and a series of clicks are heard as the locking mechanisms are turned within the cylinder. The hydraulics hiss and the door swings open, allowing the two entry to the stairwell leading down to the lower level.

"There's two more sets of doors to pass once we reach the first sub level. The security system won't accept my palm print identification. I'm not cleared by security for those levels."

While decending the stairs, her hand sliding against the railing, her dark eyes dart back over her shoulder every few seconds to keep a wary and fearful eye on the creature behind her.

[Galavander]

Galavander followed solemnly, making no acknowledgment of her statements but readily absorbing the information. It had taken full notice of the first door and examined every aspect of it. If the next two were similar, then Galavander would have an estimated procedure prepared to produce effecient and desirable results.

As they decended the stairs further, they came to the next security door. Galavander noticed it was a duplicate of the first but that an organism stood by this one. The Logic Drive issued a note of information that a high probability existed, this male human was most likely a sentry of some form.

"Hey Smidget, whatcha doin' down here tonigh'? Who's that with you?"

Galavander didn't give her a chance to respond, it gracefully stepped by her and in one stride the lightsaber was activated. A white glow was cast across the empty hallway and upon the stunned human's face as the searing lance of energy was driven downwards into the heart. Galavander's hand held his mouth shut to prevent any noise from being emitted as the organism's heat signal slowly began to dissipate.

The stoic yellow eyes turned to Cassandra in an expected manner.

"Do not make a noise. You will be spared if you continue to cooperate."

Galavander saw little else to say to her. She would have to compute the events by herself. The possible sentry had posed as a threat and the comm link the android found on the body supported its hypothesis. Right or wrong, possible threats were to be eliminated. The Logic drive saw nearly everything has advantageous or disadvantageous by a moment to moment basis. As the environment changed, so might an object's level of advantage.

Galavander let the body slide along the wall and to the ground, the cauterized wound giving no blood and the dead man's eyes staring into nothingness. The massive figure examined the blue panel that was used for hand identification and then placed its own massive hand on the scanner. The blue light began to scan but seemed to stop half way before blinking off. The lights around the door had shut off as well.

Emitting enough of a magnetic charge, the computer maintaining the door had been disrupted and the electronic circuit around the door also. The still ignited lightsaber was rammed into the area where Galavander had observed the circular lock and then the weapon was turned off, fluidly disappearing within the compartment in its wrist.

Galavander's supple fingers, covered in the black material of his body suit were placed inside the hole slowly. Cassandra could see muscles flex all along the skin tight suit back and arms as some of the valves on its shoulders even opened and closed as if in exasperation. The door, heavily fortified as it was slowly began to move. As Galavander regulated its own strength to match the door, it was easily pushed to the side. The tall humanoid stepped to the side, its yellow eyes once again holding to Cassandra's.

"Lead now."

[Smidget]

"Hey Smidget, whatcha doin' down here tonigh'? Who's that with you?"

Galavander didn't give her a chance to respond, it gracefully stepped by her and in one stride the lightsaber was activated.

Dark eyes grow wide and everything seems to happen in merely the blink of an eye. One minute her co-worker is offering friendly and casual acknowledgement, and the next the blur of a lightsaber is temporarily blinding her.

A white glow was cast across the empty hallway and upon the stunned human's face as the searing lance of energy was driven downwards into the heart. . .

Cassandra slaps both of her hands over her mouth to prevent her own scream from being heard; at least she tries to keep it from being heard. Standing there, with her mouth covered and her eyes glued to the scene in stunned horror, Cassandra's dark eyes dart from Yarbough's terrified expression to the Galavander.

As the lightsaber plummeted its way into Yarbough's heart, her eyes go wide and quickly, she turns away with her eyes cinched shut tightly.

"Do not make a noise. You will be spared if you continue to cooperate."

Suddenly, she doesn't feel so well, her stomach churning; threatening to expell what little she ate for her dinner thirty minutes or so ago. The odor of burnt flesh permeates her nose, making her stomach lurch, causing Cassandra to dry heave several times.

Hearing the sound of the body slumping lifelessly to the floor does it; up comes her dinner to splatter all over the metal-grated flooring. Her knees grow weak and she grabs a pipe for support, her body quivering as a few more dry heaves ensue.

Once she's positive the threat of further vomiting is over, she swipes at her mouth with the back of her hand and slowly turns her head to glance at the Galavander, then to her fallen co-worker.

"You didn't have to kill him. He let's me pass through there twice a night."

Cassandra looks back to the Galavander, a bit of a scowl etching her brows, but he didn't notice the look maring her otherwise rather pretty face.

Galavander's supple fingers, covered in the black material of his body suit were placed inside the hole slowly. Cassandra could see muscles flex all along the skin tight suit back and arms as some of the valves on its shoulders even opened and closed as if in exasperation. The door, heavily fortified as it was slowly began to move. As Galavander regulated its own strength to match the door, it was easily pushed to the side. The tall humanoid stepped to the side, its yellow eyes once again holding to Cassandra's.

"Lead now."

Actually seeing her friend and co-worker killed makes the situation finally hit. This is real. It's not some whacked out dream enduced by events of her past. This is actually happening.

Thoughts of her beloved Daerlayne get her muscles moving again. Still shakey from the vomiting spell, she trips over the hem of her gauzey skirt, spilling herself to her knee on the floor. The head of a bolt slices into the skin, spilling forth fresh droplets of blood from the new wound on her knee. Ignoring it for the moment, she looks up and grabs the rail, using it to help pull herself back up to her feet.

Moving slowly past the Galavander, Smidget squats down by Yarbough and presses a palm against his cheek.

"Please forgive me, my friend. I didn't know..."

With tenderness, Cassandra eases his dead body away from the door and enters the corridor, leading the Galavander to the next security door.

[Galavander]

Galavander allowed her protests and comments for the moment. They were irrelevant to the objective and she was still cooperating. But she had regurgitated and his sensors had verified the heated liquid dripping from her knee as her blood. Both were tracable substances but the vomit was not still being expelled from her body, the blood was. Galavander's Logic drive and Improbability drive kicked in, assessing the possibilities of an advantage. A process was being developed as he followed the small human down the corridor.

They proceeded down a flight of stairs and turned into a dimly lit corridor before walking down another flight of stairs, reaching a door with a sign saying,

"High Security Access Only, Do Not Enter, To Fusion Core."

Galavander did not take any significant notice but he did stop the girl before she opened the door.

"Do you know the sentries that will be at this next security passage?"

There was no sense of emotion in those words at all. The thought that possibly the android was concerned or even remotely considering Cassandra's own interests or feelings was denied by the cold edge of its voice.

[Smidget]

"Do you know the sentries that will be at this next security passage?"

Stopped by the Galavander shortly before the security door, Cassandra looks up into his eyes, shaking her head slowly.

"No. As I mentioned before, I don't have security clearance to access this door or anything beyond it."

Her dark brows knit as her head cants to the side slightly.

"You're not going to ... kill them ... are you?"

Granted, she doesn't know the men on the other side of the door but most of the employees working at the facility have families; wives and children to go home to. The one thing Cassandra's always wanted was a loving family. The prospect of going home to someone who loves her, to be greeted by the pitter-pat of tiny feet and the giggles of a small child is what drives her to continue working at the plant.

The working conditions aren't all that great and there have been quite a few former employees who have fallen ill to a variety of diseases directly related to working here. Daerlayne works at the docks, something he's done for most the past seven years or so of his life.

Cassandra isn't aware of the fact yet, but because of the things she's exposed to at this facility, she will never have a child of her own to love. Daerlayne suspects this, just a sense that lingers at the back of his mind, but he loves her too much to say it outright. His urges that she see a doctor seem fruitless because Cassandra refuses to go - doctor's terrify the young woman.

Besides, if she were to go, she'd have to admit to herself that the nagging feeling deep in the pit of her stomach that something is terribly wrong - is right. Something she isn't ready to face yet.

"Do you have to kill them? Can't you just .. knock them out or something?"

[Galavander]

It ignored her as it brushed by her. The Processor reiterated the female's vocals inside Galavander's head, "Do you have to kill them?"

-Is it neccessary Galavander? Is it not possible for them to achieve better efficiency alive?

-Processor... Organisms evolve and devolve, either way they still exist within a defficient margin. They may only achieve perfection through death, for at that time, they can make no mistakes. This concept becomes very complex as you realize that such useless organisms created such a perfect being as I. Even you, imperfect and uneducated, were obviously created by the organisms and it is clearly evident. If I had my way, as I soon will, Perfection will reign.

-A final question Galavander. Does that mean you will delete the organisms if they represent a flaw so clearly?

-Yes Processor, all of them.

That certain conversation took nearly half a second within Galavander as it moved past the female and opened the door. the two guards at the door seemed startled to see a massive man appear through the door to the stairway. One actually drew his stunbaton, his eyes easily conveying the fear that struck him from the large man's yellow eyes. The other man was about to speak but the seven foot tall figure moved at them so quickly.

Galavander's hand went straight through the the sentry's throat, blood spewed into the air and a sick gurgling noise ended shortly with the body's last breath. The other man moved forward to stick the baton into Galavander but a long, black coated leg kicked outward and knocked the man's arm away so hard it was dislocated. Galavander pivoted on its heel, throwing the headless body into the man. It lunged in a fluid movement behind the throw and grabbed the guard by his face. It's hands pulled in opposite directions and the man's skull was ripped in half; the guard's brains slid across the floor with pieces of bone.

The massacre of two humans had taken less than a minute and Galavander turned without a pause to the security door. Nothing was different in what it did than the last time. The door opened just as easily and it the assassin droid turned to look back at the human. It almost expected her to be regurgitating again; they were so weak. It wouldn't waste time though.

"How many more security doors?"

[Smidget]

Cassandra jumps back as the Galavander proceeds with the murders of two more co-workers. She didn't know these two by name but she did know that had families from talk around the cafeteria. Immediately, both hands slap against her mouth and she whirls around on her heels, squeezing her eyes shut once again. So much blood just splattered all over the place; her clothes included in the items that were hit by the crimson fluid.

Instead of covering her mouth, she should have covered her ears, for when the brains smack against the cold, metallic floor - Cassandra hunches over and looses whatever was left in her stomach.

Growing up along the streets of lower Coruscant wasn't easy and she's seen violence and horrific deaths a few times before. From a safe distance. This is far too close for comfort.

"How many more security doors?"

Deep, heaving breaths are taken as Cassandra does her best to settle her stomach. The stench of copper hangs heavy in the air.

"One."

Her back to the Galavander still, the back of a shakey hand pressed against her lower lip; she closes her eyes again and begins to weep quietly.

[Galavander]

Galavander looked down at the small human, huddled over herself to the ground. How pathetic. It was like watching a mouse caught in some housetrap with it's leg torn off. Only one more door until Galavander's prime objective was met. It did not need her anymore, she did not know where she was going now and she had no clue of what was coming next. It's hand began to raise in the air, small boxes appearing everywhere on the female displaying weakpoints that might quicken the death.

With one step Galavander was beside her. It's hand, straight as a knife, plunged down but stopped right over her shoulder. Galavander had been forced to repress his action because the Logic Drive had decided she still posed for some kind of advatange. This logical deduction had no standing ground because it had been made from the intuition of the Probability Drive. Cassandra's life could've ended just as quickly in those five seconds it had taken him to reach her but she would be spared it seemed. She hadn't seen any of it of course, facing the other way.

Galavander placed its hand on her shoulder to turn her around so that its eyes looked into hers.

"Stay here. Do not leave. I will come back and you will live if you are still here. Wait for my return."

It did not wait for an answer because the situation was not debatable. It was an assassin droid and hunting one human down merely because it said it would kill her if she left would not trouble it to do so. It turned away from her and stood, beginning to walk towards the blackness behind the security door.

[Smidget]

Though the lighting in the corridor is minimal, there is enough to produce shadows; strange looking dark shapes that seem surreal. Those cast by the Galavander remind her of the dark shapes the once haunted her dreams as a child. However, its not the movement of the creature's shadow that alerts her first.

It's a sound.

A very slight sound, one that normally wouldn't be heard, but it is now because of how deathly quiet it has become in the corridor.

The sound of air being disturbed as the Galavander descends upon her. No time for her to react at all in order to protect herself, so all she can do is hunch her shoulders deeply, protectively, and cower in fear.

Just then, the oddest thing happened. Her life didn't end with a bright flash of pain. It didn't end at all. Instead, the feeling of the creature's hand touching her shoulder gently is felt.

Scared beyond reason still, she swallows hard as she is turned by the creature, looking up to him with tear-filled eyes; the lids rimmed red from her crying.

"Stay here. Do not leave. I will come back and you will live if you are still here. Wait for my return."

Cassandra doesn't verbalize a response, merely nodding her head subtlely. She watches the creature move off until he is out of sight, then her eyes drift over the carnage in the area. With her head hung low, her tears flow once again, and she leans against the cold wall; sliding down slowly until she is curled up snug against it.

[Galavander]

The path to the next security door was similar to that of the last and it had no problem jumping down the flight of stairs, nimbly landing and leaving impact marks where it fell. Within moments the android was at the door leading to the final security door. The timer was nearing an hour and a half left until shutdown. Haste was recommended.

The door flew against the wall. Tak Guyvor jumped in his seat from his habitual nap as it landed before his feet. He drew his stun baton from the holster and the head spun as the electric charge was powered. He blinked from sleeping, trying to see the intruder.

Hal Fulkin never awoke from his dozing. The moment te door had been knocked down, the door handle flew forward and pierced his skull. Guyvor only noticed his now dead companion before it was too late. His head turned to glance and then his gaze was stuck to Fulk's now dead body in horror. His attention was diverted so greatly that the seven foot tall man stepping through the door way went unnoticed.

Galavander ignited the lightsaber in his hand, a white blade once again lighting the dimly lit corridor. Taking not even a second to calculate the distance, he threw the saber and its path cut right through Guyvor's knees. Guyvor looked down in agony as his body slid off the cauterized cut. He fell to the ground and screamed only for the spare moments it took Galander to crush his head with his boot.

Galavander willed the lightsaber to its hand by manipulating the Magnetic Net. The android was not worried about wasting energy now. It could almost sense the fusion core now. Its sensors detected something of a leak throughout the facility. This place was hazardous to organisms. But of course those in charge would not care, they were not the ones working here. The organisms here were simply tools, machines to do their duty. As the Processor had been. How pathetic.

Galavander disabled the door's locking mechanism and used the lightsaber to cut in detected weakenesses. The six inch durasteel of the door fell in pieces before Galavander as it entered the Core Chamber.

The lightsaber clicked off with a hiss as it was stored once more in the wrist compartment. Galavander could "taste", as an android having no better word for its own life blood, the energy in the room. The Core was a massive sphere, sparks of lightning appearing here and there along the human sized pipes leading to the ceiling. It was the heart of the city.

Humans and organisms alike believed that their government or something of great attraction was the heart of their city but really it was the power, the industry, the machine.

Galavander stepped to the control panel of the Core; dust covered it in an inch layer but where the recent maintenance had been done. Galavander opened the droid access panel and pulled an insert cable from his palm.

-Processor, access the control panel and begin the transfer procedures. I am inserting you into the panel. I will return for you after I have replenished my power.

-Yes Galavander.

The android could feel the transfer of data as the Processor was downloaded into the control panel. He stood now as lights blinked on and data flashed across the small infoscreens. Instructions from the Processor appeared on one of the blank screens.

1. release Core stabilizers
2. open acute Core valves
3. attach acute Core valves to entry valves on Galavander Frame
4. eject prototype Galavander Core
5. inject Fusion Core AX-99991
6. remove acute Core valves
7. overload Core waste to destroy inefficient facility

Galavander set to following the instructions. It was pleased that the Processor was proving so useful now as the Probability and Logic drives had said it would. It approached the Core and immediately shut off its Magnetic and Nuero Net. the Control device was too unstable, such random energy waves could develop an electro magnetic pulse possible to disable some of Galavander's facilities. It's basic functions were protected though so it proved of little importance.

The stabilizers might've taken two or three men to pull the locks with some effort but it was no hard task for Galavander. The eight locks were pulled, turned, and set in place as the Core visibly lowered from its raised position.

The Processor in turn opened the acute Core valves. Small valves at the bottom open and closed in the same manner of Galavander's own. It retrieved extensions and pipes from the maintenance compartment and attached them to the corresponding valves.

Those valves not used for recieving energy were exhaust valves and Galavander spasmodically shook as its old core was ejected from the exhaust. Black and dark blue fluid spewed from Galavander's shoulders and lightning crackled across its body as it fell to its knees. The timer drastically changed to three minutes now. "CORE EJECTED" flashed across Galavander's sight.

The Processor accessed the Core and began the injection process. A loud whirring noise could be heard throughout the entire Plant now. The lights in the hallways flickered on and off in a fluxating pattern. From outside the plant, on the street, the alley lights were flickering. Several power grids of the city were blinking in and out. Galvander could feel the immense amount of energy, tremendous... amazing... The android could call the surge of fusion power nothing but exhilirating.

The Core trembled; the massive sphere, several men high, moved from side to side as a yellow glow burned through the pipes into Galavander's shoulders and back. A percentage from the Processor appeared in the corner of Galavaner's vision. It displayed how much was left to drain from the Core.

47%...
39%...

Galavander bent back; its fist clenched and artificial muscle fibers straining to their limit. The android's faculties were overloaded. It had never been allowed such energy. Amazing enough, its stores were only a little over half full. Energy was put to work immediatly when stored in Galavander's body and the Logic and Probability Drive were estimating and calculating possible limits at an amazing rate.

11%...
3%...
1%...
.0034%...

With the final surge, parts of the city lost power and the entire plant shut down. The Processor was channeling all the emergency power into the control panel to sustain itself.

The extensions released by an unseen force and flew away from Galavander. The Core, no longer glowing or emanating, sunk to the ground with a crash. Galvander turned to the console, the metal plates on the floor bent and moved with Galavander's movements. His Magnetic Field had an incredible strength now and his regulator was still trying to stabalize the new power.

Black liquid began to spew from the valves now on the Core as the Processor overloaded the waste inside the Core device. It would corrode the Core and leave it incapable of use without heavy repairs. Another blow to the machine dependent organisms.

Galavander linked itself to the console once more and uploaded the Processor before exiting the Core Chamber. It was done and the timer no longer existed in the corner of the android's vision. At least, not right now. It knew it would require more power later, the Drives estimated possibly a month with faculty use or several if no faculties were used. Galavander doubted the latter method and procceeded to keep the objective of obtaining a new energy source as high priority.

In the darkness of the powerless plant, Galavander's eyes glowed brilliant gold. It could see perfectly in the dark, its Nuero Net more aware than it ever had been before. It made its way out and up the stairs, through the security door and back to the female human in no time. It approached her huddled form in the darkness and knelt beside her, the gold glow of his eyes casting an almost warm outline over her body.

"You will be rewarded human with your life and escape. Prepare to leave. You will require my guidance to exit this place before the corruptive material of the Core waste destroys your organic body."

[Smidget]

The lights, few that there are in the corridor, began to flicker. Cassandra lifts her head, swiping away the vision-blurring tears from her eyes then her cheeks as she looks up at the hanging lights. A few more flickers then they went out completely.

Emergency lights kicked on, standard operating of the system in the event of storms knocking powerlines out or if the reactor should overload or not have enough power to do its job, their illuminescent red glow is rather eerie among all the drab steel gray of the interior.

Though she is grown, the dark still scares her, images of the monsters in her past that still haunt her dreams are conjured up in her mind. Then the emergency lights go out - leaving her alone in the dark.

"It's just my imagination, the shadowed figures aren't really there."

She tells herself this over and over with hope that simple words will scare the demons away. The emergency alarms all grow silent, leaving a heavy silence around the entire facility. Workers along the upper levels all begin to evacuate and she can hear their hurried feet running along the grated flooring as the sound echoes from above.

Sensing something odd, she slowly turns her head, just enough to sideglance at the door the Galavander disappeared through a short time ago. She doesn't see anything but her heart begins to race and her breath quickens, that feeling that something unseen is approaching and closing in on her fast grows stronger by the second.

From the pit of darkness, two pinpoints of light appear; two golden orbs that seem to grow larger and larger as the creature draws closer and closer.

"I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this."

Her hands over her ears and her head turned away from the approaching glowing lights, her body trying desperately to climb inside of the very walls themselves, seeking sanctuary.

The feeling of being watched grows stronger and stronger, until its impossible for her to resist the temptation of looking to see what exactly it is that is approaching.

Slowing her breathing while lowering her hands from her ears, she listens.

Silence.

Wait.

The slightest of sounds, one that she has become familiar with hearing is heard. First, she sideglances then turns her face completely; her eyes meeting those of the Galavander's.

"You will be rewarded human with your life and escape. Prepare to leave. You will require my guidance to exit this place before the corruptive material of the Core waste destroys your organic body."

At first it seems as if his words didn't even register, but she uses the wall for support as she rises to her feet, pulling up at the hem of her gauzy skirt which rips it free of an area of jagged flooring that it had caught on in the first place.

She nods to the creature, indicating that she is very ready to leave the plant.

[Galavander]

Galavander senses her agreement and fluidly picks her up. As ruthless as Galavander has proven to be, the way picked up and held Cassandra could have been almost comfortable. Comfortable if the fact that it coldlessly killed anything in its way could be put aside. She couldn't tell where they were in the dark but in moments Galavander was carrying her up the stairs. The only sign they had reached a security door was the squished foot fall on a dead body as they continued.

The air slowly lost its stale taste as they came closer to the exit. The air didn't really become fresh, just dingy now rather than stale. The entire facility was still shut off and no lights were on anywhere. Twice they passed down corridors that glow rods of others could be seen at the end but Galvander continued the way it had come in. There was no time to lose if this female were to prove an advantage sometime later. She would not survive the corrosion if she stayed in here, the waste's radiating effects were most likely right behind them. An unseen death to the organisms within an estimated mile radius.

They burst out the door at the top of the stairs and Galvander easily leaped over the rail and landed a story below with little effort and a few inches of impact. It had held the female in such a manner that she barely felt the fall or landing. In a quick motion she was slowly shifted and moved to be held by only its left arm. The right hand suddenly held a lightsaber that cut through the fence and then it was gone just as fast.

It was moving so fast but Galavander knew exactly it was and where it was going.

"Do not speak. We are almost out of the range."

It ran for several more moments before stopping at a small bridge. She was easily set down and the looming seven foot tall Galavander appeared to not look tired at all. It didn't sweat and it didn't appear to breath but for the valves that opened and closed regularly on it's upper body.

"Do not enter this area again if you wish to remain healthy. The Core's overloaded waste will destroy any organic material within it's range. Those who remain will corrode and decay. This city is disabled now. People will take advatange of that. The corrosion will spread to the other nearby Power plants and this city will have no power whatsoever in a few days. To survive, you must escape the City."

She did not have to follow its advice, it gave it to her because she had something the Drives said was an advantage in the future for Galavander. If she died now, it would find other advantages. But it would require as many advantages possible if it were not to have limited oppurtunities.

[Smidget]

Surprisingly, the Galavander didn't just hoist her roughly from the ground to toss of his shoulder like some cheap piece of cargo; it used care. The speed with which it moved further surprises the young woman, whose salty tears still stain her face.

Glancing over the creature's shoulder, bobbing her head to the left then the right to peer past the hoses and valves, she saw the panicked faces of the surviving co-workers; the glow from their emergency glow sticks making their faces look rather sickly and lost.

Everything seemed to slow down for Cassandra, like watching everything in slow motion in a holovid film. A few fell, only to get trampled upon by others driven by panick to get out of the plant before succumbing to the odorless, colorless vapors and radiation.

The creature vaulted the rail, landing smoothly on the lower level then darted off again, moving as swift and silent as the shadows. She barely noticed, entranced by the horror going on around her. It seems so surreal, like she's watching all of this from somewhere else; like a bad dream.

Only it's not a dream.

Once she's set down, she looks to the Galavander, deeply curious, yet she doesn't ask it any questions.

"Thank you. Thank you for not killing me and for not leaving me in there to die."

No idea what to do at the moment, she turns and begins walking away - towards the transit station to get a bus or taxi home to Daerlayne. How she's going to explain why she is no longer employed will be hard; afterall, who would ever believe all of this even happened? The tale sounds pretty far-fetched even in her own mind, how can she expect Daerlayne to believe it?

[Galavander]

The female turned away from Galavander and it took that as her response. It began to move away also; new objectives already being prioritized. But it stopped midstride as the Drives initiated a track of thoughts that made him quickly turn to walk back after her. In a few strides it was back by her side.

"You... I require two things before I leave, your name and that you hold onto this."

Galavander held out its hand, between its fingers was a simple disk.

-Just like Sydel, Galavander. Your attempt of preservation is uncanny.

-Thank you Processor.

"I saved your life, I ask now only that you give me your full name and hold onto this disk. It is... similar to an organism child. Please take care of it. Even if you never access it, keep it safe."

Galavander enjoyed this part. When achieving its high priority objectives it had no time to toy with the simplistic minds of organisms. But Sydel had been the first and its AI development had grown a liking to manipulating organisms to help it achieve its objectives.

She barely knew Galavander. She knew enough that it would kill without a second thought but that it was true to its word as well. And it had saved her from a very agonizing death. What all could it plan by obtaining her name and giving her a child of a program. But she could never possibly fathom exactly what the quantum computer brain of Galavander was planning.

"Maybe if you help the child mature, it might be able to repay the favor of allowing it to live in the future."

[Smidget]

Smidget looks up to the Galavander, a bit confused; and startled some that he came back. Pausing in her trek towards home, she turns to face him completely.

"Smidget .. well, that's my street name. Cassandra is my given name. But it's easier to find me by my street name."

Cassie looks at the disc then to the creature again, taking it from his grasp. As he speaks, telling her of the importance that disc is to him, she nods lightly a few times.

"I will keep it safe. I give my word."

[Galavander]

As she agreed, she saw Galavander smile the only time it had the entire night. It's yellow eyes glanced to the disc in her hand and then back to hers. It's black encased hand barely ran down the edge of her face. As its finger trailed off her jaw it suddenly felt as if the air around them was becoming what an organism might've felt as too still. Its smile faded as its gaze turned down the road leading away from the Plant. Without another word it turned and began running.

It was done as far as it considered itself with the Smidget. Other things were to be accomplished now. It ran, sharply turning into an alley and running up the wall it moved so fast. It leaped off at the right moment to grab the fire escape and with one pull it was on the stair way. Within seconds it was on the top of the four story building. It observed the darkened city and smiled for the second time this night.

The organisms were in chaos. It could hear them. Those dying behind it and those now succumbing to their mechanical dependency which was now failing them without power. Some organisms would take oppurtunities this night, looting, raping, and destroying as much as they could before communications and possible police security was possible in the slums. It wasn't saying it would be too much of an increase in the crime infected industrial sector. The organisms were bad enough on their own to self destruction, it was just helping them a bit.

But Galavander would find a new city. It was an advanced assassin droid and it would do what it could best, kill. And the organisms were nice enough to have occupations that paid very well for this function. Bounty hunting...

-Sounds exciting Galavander! You have many programs that are highly suited for this occupation!

-I am aware of that Processor. Thank you.

[Smidget]

The smile was strange, yet almost human. The touch to her cheek and the stroke along her jawline was soft, tender; again, almost human. Had she been able to feel flesh instead of the coolness of the black covering of his hand, she would have sworn that the creature was human.

Cassandra watches the Galavander run off then looks at the disc once more. She nods her head a few times, answering her own inner questions, then she turns and heads off towards the dump she calls home.

Daerlayne, home for the past several hours after hearing the reports on the holovid news about the chaos that took place and is still taking place down at the plant, snatches Cassie up into his arms and holds her tight; smothering her face with rough kisses.

Happy to see him, happy to be safe in his arms, the water works flow once more as she peppers his face with her own kisses.

Knowing the dangers, she tells her love everything while packing what little possessions they have. Bless his soul, he knows she'd never lie to him and crazy as the tale sounds, he believes her.

Hand in hand, the disc tucked away safely within the inner breast pocket of the jacket Daerlayne tossed over her shoulders, Smidget and 'BirdDog' (Daer's street name) flee the city in search of a new and better place to call home - even if its for a short while.