The Unlikely Tajaran

[Keroman]

 

You heard what happened at the CentCom Symposium for Pathogenics right?

 

You didn't? Well you missed out, but before I tell you about it I have to tell you about a certain crewmember who was there. Maxwell Edison, in his first real attempt at majoring in Medicine, decided he wanted to study viruses to get his foot in the door at Medbay. He knew about the Sciences, about building robots and breeding slimes, so working with something a little more dangerous didn't particularly faze him, even if he was a bit clumsy at times. He was bright (or so he thought), he was friendly, and most importantly to the story he was human.

 

Well the day of the symposium came about like any other day. Maxwell had been granted a short reprieve from his regularly scheduled shifts thanks to a kindly Head of Personnel who liked to see crew members attempting to better themselves. Max showed up bright and early to the first day of the conference to learn a little about viruses and how they work. The first few seminars delved into topics such as viral classification and pathogen intensity. Interesting stuff! After a lunch of space fish and chips Maxwell was wandering the main hall of the conference building when a sign caught his eye. Hands-On Pathogenics for Robust Virologists? That sounded right up his alley!

 

Entering the lecture hall Maxwell found, rather than row upon row of seats as he was expecting, instead there had been set up a great number of tables with real live equipment! NT employees walked from table to table, looking into microscopes or feeding viral sample trays into analyzers and centrifuges. Max found himself swept along with a group of people like him, eager to learn and do. He found himself at a table with a small tray full of slides, each one labelled "Kingston Syndrome" followed by a unique STAMM identifier. The lecturer at the table picked up one of the slides and spoke to the gathering.

 

"Kingston Syndrome," said the virologist, "There are other viruses that can rewrite a person's DNA - I'm sure you've all heard of Pierrot's Throat," he said as he looked knowingly around at his small audience, "This one," he held up the slide, "can turn a Human into a Tajaran." He waited a moment to let the hushed murmurs subside, then carried on in his professional tone, "We're still studying the why of it. There's a few theories - the most popular being that it originated on Ahdomai with the Tajara themselves. Our best and brightest surmise that where the virus once could only survive within a Tajaran host this particular strain mutated in such a way that it began to break down Tajaran DNA cells, much like our own DNA Breakdown Syndrome affects us Humans. There are records of so-called 'wasting disease' passing through the population of Ahdomai. Eventually the virus may have mutated even more so as to absorb and carry those DNA cells with it without causing harm to the host. Further down the line - and we're talking thousands, tens of thousands of years here," he shrugged vaguely, "it mutated still further to pass along to other species altogether. When the first Humans and Tajarans met it's entirely possible that a predecessor to this virus passed from Tajaran to Human." He held out the slide to the first person on his left, "Go on, pass it around. Take a look at how it's labelled, how the culture looks under the glass. Fascinating, yes."

 

The slide made it's way through the hands of half a dozen people before making it to Maxwell. Holding it up in both hands, Max studied the labeling eagerly, marveling at how strange the universe must be to create such a virus. As he peered at the glass he was taken entirely unawares by an inconsiderate passer-by bumping into him. The glass slide dropped to the ground and, without thinking, Max reached down to catch it. The glass, of course, shattered on impact and Max, already stooping to grab it didn't manage to stop himself in time. A flying shard of the broken dish embedded itself in his ungloved hand, "Ow! Uh.. err.. S-sorry?" said Max, meekly, gripping the wrist of his injured right hand in his free left hand. He looked up from the shattered dish to see the group of wide-eyed faces staring back at him. The silence that followed lasted only a moment before the lecturer called out, "Loose virus! Everyone out! It's only blood-transmissible so keep it orderly people! Stay away from the Kingston station!" Max's fellow attendees backed away, their worried looks not diminishing as their distance from the accident grew. As a group of hazard-suit wearing doctors filed in from the entrance the lecturer took a close but careful look at Max's hand, "Oh boy... If you're lucky this'll be nothing. If you're not, well, you're in for a rough ride, friend." As the men in plastic suits ushered him away Max saw the lecturer giving him a look of pity. He most certainly didn't like what the man had implied.

 

Bundled off to a clean, hermetically sealed room, Max was looked over by some of the best virologists in attendance at the conference. Over the course of several hours he was told nearly 15 times how lucky he was for such a thing to happen at the conference and not while he was tucked away in some quiet corner of Paradise Station without any assistance. Max, of course, didn't feel particularly lucky at all. Poked and prodded from every angle, scraped and stuck by a wide range of medical implements, Max began to wonder if he'd really been infected with anything. It had been hours since the incident and he didn't feel any different.. did he? Of course not - anybody would feel weird with a veritable conga-line of doctors parading through his room and asking him to cough or spit into vial or stare into a penlight. As the day wore on the doctor visits tapered off. Maxwell was led into another room, this one set up more like a bedroom, though with blank white walls and the permeating smell of strong medical grade cleaning chemicals. Max's PDA had been taken away earlier in the day, along with his clothing, but he didn't mind as he was too exhausted for anything beyond sleep. He laid his head on the pillow, the soft papery pillowcase crinkling gently. He pulled the itchy wool blankets up and shut his eyes.

 

His sleep was thick with nightmares of the most hostile sort. He dreamed of himself, still human, but wearing a collar and licking himself clean. He dreamed that he was changed - not into a regular Tajaran, who often looked like fearsome Terran lions or panthers - no he dreamed that he turned into a housecat and tormented by ghostly owners who kicked at him, dragged him by his tail, or threw him to rabid dogs out in the yard. He dreamed that he was something akin to a feline version of a werewolf - a beast without reason who would on instinct hunt down his friends and co-workers.

 

Max woke the next morning as the first of the day's doctors filed into his room. Immediately he knew something was wrong. For one his entire body ached much like the last time the cloning machine had mucked his genes up. He also noticed that the lower part of his vision was considerably more obscured than usual, as if his nose had suddenly gotten quite a bit bigger in both length and width. It also didn't take long for him to notice the fur, the tail, the strange structure of his legs, or the claws poking out at the ends of fingers and toes. The virus had done it's work well and Maxwell Edison was now something entirely other than Human.

 

The week passed by with more tests being run every day, every hour, every minute! Hair samples, fur samples, saliva, blood, and even urine for some reason. The biopsies were even worse - the doctors digging into him to pull out small pieces for testing. Fortunately they kept Maxwell doped up on so much morphine he could do little more than blink one eye at a time.

 

By the end of the week the doctors had run out of tests. The virologists had almost all gone as the conference had run it's course. The only ones left who showed any interest in Maxwell's condition were the virology staff at CentCom. With all the tests and surgeries behind him Maxwell asked firstly when he could expect a cure, and secondly when he would be allowed to go home. He was informed that unfortunately there was as of yet no cure. This particular strain of Kingston Syndrome had proven fairly resilient against treatment. He was given a prescription for low-dosage radium pills and told that hopefully his body would figure out how to create antibodies on it's own. As to the second question he was told that he could go home that very day. He was released with orders to check in at CentCom virology at least once a day. He was also told that he should check in with the NT Rep on board Paradise Station during his next shift as he was now for all intents and purposes a Tajaran, with all the good and the bad that entailed.

 

The next day Maxwell woke up feeling better but still somewhat uncomfortable with his strange new physique. Mentally he didn't feel very different. As he showered he heard a Tajaran advertisement play on the radio and couldn't make heads nor tails (ugh) of the language. It was a worrying sign to him that while he might not fit in with Humans anymore neither would he fit in with the Tajarans. He didn't know the first thing about them after all. They were like Terran cats in a way, but there had to be so much more than that. He wouldn't like it if someone boiled down all of Humanity to the phrase, "Oh they're like hairless version of the primates we have on Ahdomai." That would just be insulting.

 

So Maxwell set off on the shuttle for his shift. He arrived a little bit late as he had needed extra time (and shampoo), but he dutifully reported to the NT Rep on staff. As the Rep's pAI flitted about the room as a sleek metal dragonfly Max was reassured that he would be treated no different than if he were human by most of the crewmembers. He was also told that if anyone verbally abused him he could report it directly to the Rep without hesitation and that it would be dealt with quickly. There were the occasional racist crewmembers aboard... or was is speciesist? Specist? No that didn't sound right. Well whatever the case might be Max figured if anyone gave him a hard time or called him catbeast he would just inform them that he was actually Human. They'd understand, right? As he was ushered from the Rep's office a mouse crawled out from the air ducts nearest the door. A confusing desire gripped Max and he fought it with every fiber of his still-Human mind. He didn't think of the rodent as an animal or even a nasty pest. He saw a snack. And he ran.

 

He made it to his post in Robotics before the RD even noticed he was running late and began assembling the day's first cyborg shell. He was grateful that the nature of the work helped take his mind off of his predicament. Ten minutes later he was prodding at the positronic brain with a screwdriver when the Research Director walked in accompanied by the NT Rep. Maxwell thought for sure they had come to speak to him, perhaps to send him home for the day. He greeted them nervously and was informed that the Rep had simply requested a tour of the station and, coincidentally, Robotics was the first stop. Maxwell relaxed and started to return to his work when he heard the NT Rep exclaim, "My word, is that a rodent? They're everywhere on the station today. Get rid of it, will you Max?" Poor Maxwell replied, pleadingly as he looked from the Rep to the RD to the litte mouse that had crawled out from somewhere below the disposal, "I.. uh.. C-could you do it, please?" Unfortunately the Rep was having none of it, "They're filthy things - I'd rather not get my hands dirty. I'm sure you can handle it." Max groaned inwardly as he approached the mouse where it stood blinking up at him by the base of the disposal. He reached down and caught it much more easily than he would have thought - later in the day he supposed maybe the artificial air made them more sluggish than their earthbound brethren - and held it up, looking at it with disgust but also a strange sense of anticipation. He hesitated just long enough for the RD and NT Rep to leave the room to continue their tour elsewhere then looked back at the terrified little thing.

 

Surely it couldn't be that bad, right? I mean... Tajarans do this sort of thing all the time...

 

And so did he..

And he nearly vomited it right back up..

But then again.. he didn't feel quite so hungry anymore..

 

Thankfully for Max the rest of the shift went rather smoothly despite a cult (whose members included none other than the RD himself!) causing troubles, Max accidentally DNA-locking a Ripley mech, and later being asked to build a ton of cleanbots for Mother the AI. He was thankful there was no shortage of things to do so that he didn't have to sit and think about his predicament and whether or not he'd ever really be himself again. As the shift ended and he boarded the shuttle he accidentally sat on his tail, yelping loudly and cursing under his breath. Even so, he felt better than he had since that first day of the conference. He hummed an old Terran tune quietly - you know the one - "Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine, calls her on the phone..."

 

----

 

I hope this was at least semi-entertaining to read. I had a ton of fun running with this theme for my character earlier tonight.

 

To everyone who took the time to RP with me I appreciated it a lot! To Elysian, who spawned the mouse and telepathically sparked the desire to eat it - good show man. To the NT Reps who RPed this with me - I think Sam Smash and someone whose initials were QQ, to whom I apologize for forgetting his name - Thanks to both of you for letting me roll with a fun RP opportunity. To Balamb-OS thanks for teaching me some quick and dirty R&D.

 

I'm thinking I'm going to alternate off and on from Human Max to Tajaran Max. Maybe the virus's effects subside for days, weeks, or months at a time, only to return at inopportune moments. I've never really played a furry character but I have no problem with them in general so I guess we'll see where this goes. I think it would be funny to release a Kingston Syndrome-laden virus in game just to troll the furry-haters but I know that'd likely get me in trouble so it'll remain just an idea for now.

 

[Keroman]

 

With the murmur of the shuttle bay lounge all around him it was difficult for Maxwell to concentrate on reading his book. One of the things he had come to both appreciate and despite about being Tajaran was the more detailed sense of hearing. Now it only served to distract him. Even in the quietest corner of the lounge, with a dozen or so seats separating him from any of the other waiting passengers he picked up bits and pieces of conversation. It had been strange few weeks. Ever since his accident his friends had gradually distanced themselves - or was it him that had pulled away from them? - he had spoken to his mom only once via telecomms and had lied to her about the video function on his console not working. Even then she had wondered why he sounded so strange. That was three weeks ago. Despite the fact that there were plenty of other species living in the Central Command megastation it was still clear that Humans made up the vast majority. To suddenly find himself excluded from that group was like having his world turned upside down. Even the few Tajarans he had met had seemed to realize he was different from them.

 

He sighed and reached under his seat to place his book back in his backpack, and as he sat up he was at least a little surprised to see a man standing just a few feet in front of him. He very briefly wondered at the fact that he hadn't heard anyone approach when the man spoke, "Mr. Edison, I take it?" The man gave a sly smile. Some people could make a smile like that look friendly, but with his close-cropped black hair, his narrow chin, and the odd fact that he was wearing sunglasses indoors, the man's smile seemed to mock Maxwell. Still, if nothing else, Max was raised to be polite.

 

"Yes...?" he replied, "Uh, how can I help you?" Max lifted his backpack into his lap as if it were some sort of shield that could keep him safe from this intruder into his life.

 

"I represent a group who has taken an interest in you as of late," no big surprise there. Since the incident at the virology conference almost a month ago now Max had been of great interest to quite a few people, many of whom seemed to know quite a bit about him even if he had never seen them before in his life.

 

"Okay.. and, uh.. I'm sorry, how can I help you?" Max repeated himself.

 

"Oh you misunderstand, Mr. Edison. It is I who wish to help you." The man slipped a hand into the pocket of his black vest, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He opened it up and held it out to Max who immediately recognized the format. It was a printout from a virus analyzer. Several words had been marked by a yellow highlighter:

Kingston Syndrome STAMM #4945 - Persistent Strain

Antibodies detected in blood sample.

 

The realization of what he was looking at hit Maxwell like a punch to the gut, "Y-you have a cure?! Where? HOW?" Maxwell had been taking his low-dose radium pills every day to no avail. Every morning he woke up and, like clockwork, took the pill with a glass of water he had set by his bed the night before. In the evening he would prepare another glass of water with the next day's pill, and every night as he settled down in bed his hope for a cure dwindled a little more. But now he was being shown proof that this man could make him human again.

 

The man held up a hand to quiet Maxwell, "Ah, I'm afraid that information - and the cure - have their price." In a single fluid motion the man folded the paper and tucked it into his vest again only to retrieve, from the same pocket, a PDA. He held it out in offering to Max, "On your shuttle ride to the NSS Cyberiad type in the code 318 Delta. Do as you are instructed and when you return at the end of your shift I will contact you about getting you the cure for your.. condition."

 

Another punch to the gut. Maxwell had heard stories about people being approached like this. Shady men lurking about, approaching crew members and bribing or threatening them to coerce them into doing terrible things. But if there was a cure.. would it be worth it? Max took the PDA, looking at the colorful plastic case and the flawless, perfectly clean surface of the touchscreen. He tried to find any indication that it was somehow different from the one already in his pocket, but short of the different color it looked perfectly normal. He looked up, his mind racing with question after question, only to see the mysterious man already pushing through the nearest exit. The fellow certainly had impeccable timing, as at that moment the announcement came over the PA: "Crew shuttle now boarding. Departure for NSS Cyberiad in 15 minutes."

 

Max slipped the PDA carefully into his own pocket, handling it as if it could explode at any second - and for all he knew from the stories he had heard, it very much could. He lined up with the rest of the waiting crew and made his way onto the shuttle, once again finding a more secluded seat in the corner. With his backpack in his lap, as if to hide his clandestine activities from others, Maxwell pulled out the PDA and activated it. The screen lit up and showed a normal interface, if a little lacking in personal touches. It prompted him to touch his ID card, and when he did it quickly downloaded his profile from his home console. Within seconds the screen had rearranged and redesigned itself to match his regular PDA. Cautiously curious Maxwell opened the messenger function, then the settings for said function. On the input screen for entering a new message ringtone Maxwell typed in the code the man had told him, 318 Delta. Immediately the screen flashed to a blank red background. Green text scrolled across the screen in a monotype font:

Target: Johnny Law

Mr. Law has made himself a nuisance to the wrong sort of people. You are to make an example of him. Break one of his limbs or disfigure his face in some way but above all DO NOT KILL HIM. He will serve as a reminder to others that we are not to be crossed.

 

Maxwell swallowed hard, suppressing a shudder that wanted to pass through him. He was being asked to maim somebody. Someone he'd never met before or who had done him the least bit of harm. He had never been much for violence. Even when he had been attacked in the past he preferred to run and let security handle the situation if possible. But the man who approached him had promised a cure, and this Johnny Law could always get cloned if he was too badly injured. At the end of the message containing his orders Maxwell noticed a set of keywords and response phrases for identifying people who could assist him, as well as a small button labeled "TC". He touched the button and was greeted by a list of equipment available for him to complete his task. These people were using telecrystals? He had heard the things were nearly priceless and here this shadowy organization were prepared to use 20 of them to exact some sort of petty revenge against a man who was, in their own words, "a nuisance." He didn't know for sure who had the means to take a grudge that to such an extreme but if he had to guess this sounded very much like the Syndicate.

 

He shut the PDA off and tucked it back in his pocket, his mind a whirl for the rest of the ride to work. Occasionally he glanced around the shuttle, wondering if this Johnny Law fellow was on board. He didn't even have a description of the man with which to find him, but everyone was required to wear IDs while on board anyways.

 

Disembarking at the arrivals platform Max walked sullenly down the hall. He knew he was supposed to check in with the NT Rep on shift every day but he very much didn't feel up to it today. He had skipped the meetings before without catching any flak and besides, it's not like his condition had changed at all since the last meeting.

 

He walked past the bridge and turned two corners, idled by the bar for a second and considered getting a drink, then continued on until he was standing in front of the Science department. He checked in over the radio as he stepped through the airlock, "Edison here. If nobody else has called it I'll take Xenobiology today." Max always liked Xenobio. The lab was fairly secluded from the rest of the station and the slimes didn't really care if he was Human or Tajaran, they were equally likely to zap him or latch onto him either way. As the last airlock opened to admit him into the lab Maxwell was frightened nearly half to death by the sight of a Xenomorph standing by the lab tables! His initial shock was quickly dismissed when he realized that he was looking at a man in a costume. He recalled seeing this very same costume several times on previous shifts and thinking the crew member wearing to be very eccentric.

 

The man lifted one rubber-clawed hand in greeting, "Oh, hey, didn't know someone else was going to be working Xenobio today. I'll stay out of your way."

 

With his heart still hammering from the surge of adrenaline that had hit it Maxwell replied, "Ah.. it's fine. I mean, it's nice to have someone to help out down here sometimes. I'm Max, by the way. Edison. Maxwell Edison."

 

The costumed man replied politely, "Josiah Young."

 

Max took a few breaths to calm himself and set to work prepping the room. First he moved some of the equipment to the center of the room for easier access. The plasma sheet on the lab table went into the grinder and a clean syringe was placed next to the beaker. The monkey cube boxes were emptied onto the table, and Max tucked a few into his pockets. He unwrapped one monkey cube, stepped over to the sink in the corner to wet it, and watched the horrifyingly fascinating process as the small shape turned gooey and, over the course of several seconds grew into a living breathing monkey. Max lifted the monkey out of the sink and buckled it to the operating table behind him then procured several beakers and another syringe from the lab's supply boxes. Josiah watched over his shoulder as Max began to draw blood from the monkey, emptying the syringe into the beakers and filling them one by one. He knew some other Xenobiologists were fine with using their own blood but Max didn't want to risk using his and potentially exposing others to his condition. Besides, it was really unpleasant to be jabbed with needles over and over, as Max knew all too well.

 

KABOOM

 

Max was suddenly slammed from the side, leaving a searing pain all down the left half of his body! He barely managed to catch himself on the lab table with his free hand. His eyes watered as smoke billowed around him, and when he tried to call for help over the radio he found he couldn't even hear himself speak. Out of nowhere he felt someone grabbing at the back of his labcoat and tugging him. Though he was disoriented he finally realized he was being dragged towards the airlock - it was Josiah that had grabbed him! - and they exited the lab together. As Max tried to rub his eyes he was horrified to find his left hand completely gone, his wrist terminating in a bloody, ragged stump. He took a few panicked breaths and then screamed as the dull numbness of the arm gave way to blinding pain. Josiah, seemingly unharmed by the explosion, hooked an arm under Max's shoulder and around his back and together they limped to Medbay.

 

As it was still early in the shift they were lucky to find the cryo-pods unoccupied. The pain shooting up Maxwell's left arm quickly subsided in the cool Oxygen-Cryoxadone mix that flooded the tube. In less than a minute his wounds were knit and he was let out. The attending nurse injecting Maxwell with occuline which quickly restored his hearing, and finally he was able to ask Josiah, "What the hell happened? M-my hand..." he whimpered, holding up the now-healed stump. Max had never lost a limb before, and while he knew that CentCom Medical had the ability to grow organic replacements it was still an extremely unpleasant experience. Together Josiah and Max made their way to Robotics where a mechanical prosthetic was printed out and strapped to Max's left wrist. They returned to Xenobio to find an engineer already fixing the damage that was done. Josiah pulled Max off to one side and spoke quietly, his voice hushed even more for coming from underneath a xeno mask, "Max, listen, I'm sorry you got caught up in the blast. It was my PDA that exploded. Somebody must be targeting me."

 

Maxwell was perhaps not as stunned by this revelation as he could have been. The keywords on the PDA he had been given, the ones used to identify potential allies, of course there were other people on board with tasks like his own! He should have realized it from the start! He gave a nervous glance at the engineer making repairs at the other end of the room, "Josiah.. I might.. I might be able to help you find the person who targeted you." He laid everything out then - his encounter with the man at the shuttle lounge back on CentCom, the PDA he was given, his objectives, even the keywords to identify other traitors.

 

Josiah seemed reasonably calm about the whole thing, but when Maxwell finished he replied, "Listen, Max, I've seen this guy, Johnny Law. He's been assigned to the Science department too. All I ask is that you leave me out of this. You do what you need to do but I want no part of it."

 

Maxwell gave a heavy sigh. On the one hand he was relieved that his colleague wasn't going to turn him in. On the other hand the man didn't seem to want his help in locating the bomber. Maxwell nodded, "That's fair. I'll.. I'll be back in a little bit." Max passed by the engineer and into the airlock. The door hissed shut behind him and he touched his prosthetic left hand to the outer airlock's panel to open it when a jolt suddenly shocked him. The door had been electrified! He grumbled under his breath about the engineer not fixing things quickly enough, tucked his pained left arm against his body and angrily hammering the "cycle airlock" button to open the door without touching it. He stepped into the small antechamber that made an intersection between Xenobiology, the Chem lab, and the rest of the Science department and retrieved from his backpack the PDA he had been given.

 

Punching in the code to unlock the hidden menu, Max took a closer look at the list of equipment. There were some frightening tools at his disposal, from guns and e-swords to implants that could explode a person with the touch of a button. Max settled on a pair of items that he hoped would help him complete his task quietly: a sleepy-pen and a mindslave implant, pocketing them quickly to keep them out of sight. It was a curious thing that Maxwell didn't like the idea of maiming someone but had absolutely no compunctions about taking away their free will. He figured that if he could get Johnny Law all alone and drug him, then he could implant the man and make him scar himself. There'd be no need for Max to get his own hands dirty, but though he tried to his best to rationalize his plan Maxwell couldn't completely quell the creeping feeling of guilt.

 

As Max stowed the contraband items in the internals box in his backpack he looked into the Chem lab and realized it was empty. He stepped inside and made his way to a Chem dispenser. The Science department regularly used sulfuric acid for use in circuit printers. He knew that stuff could leave some incredibly disfiguring scars and so he whipped up a large beaker-full in just a few seconds. Sulfer, Hydrogen, Oxygen in equal amounts, snap the lid on tight so it doesn't spill, and into the backpack it goes. With his equipment prepared Maxwell decided to look around the Science department to see if he could find his target.

 

It seemed that Maxwell's luck was turning around as he approached the intersection of Robotics, Research, and the RD's office. Though he was reasonably familiar with most of the people who worked in Science there was a man standing at the corner looking confused. Max felt that now-familiar breathless sensation as he saw the man's ID: Johnny Law. He approached Mr. Law casually, "Hey.. uh.. you need help?"

 

The man was younger than Max with dark blonde hair. He didn't respond immediately, seemingly preoccupied with something. Max pressed on, subtly retrieving the sleepy-pen from his pocket as he pointed to one corner of the intersection, "Well you've got Robotics there," he took a sideways step and turned slightly so he was just a bit behind and to the side of Johnny, pointing with his free hand across the hall, "Research and Development here," he carefully jabbed the point of the pen against Johnny's shoulder blade hoping the man didn't feel it, then gestured to the third corner, "RD's office is there. I hope that helps."

 

He struggled to maintain his composure. There was nobody else in the hallway, so all Max had to do was wait until the drugs took effect, drag Johnny to a secluded area, and implant him. This was going to wor- wait.. where was Johnny going? Maxwell watched in horror as Johnny Law quickly exited the Science department and entered the main hall. He made to follow the man, calling out for him to wait, but by the time he was out in the hall he saw Johnny walking quickly back towards the center of the station. Maxwell followed, hoping, praying that the man would end up somewhere secluded before he passed out. Sadly, luck had turned against him as Johnny turned left into the Medbay lobby, one of the busiest areas of the station! By the time Max caught up to look through the doorway a crowd had formed around his unconscious target. As nobody seemed to notice him yet Maxwell decided it was best to back off - maybe get back to Xenobiology and rethink his plan. On his way back he checked the PDA once more and found there weren't enough telecrystals for another sleepy-pen. He nearly pulled his hair out in frustration, and as he was quite preoccupied with his predicament he zapped his hand on the airlock to Xenobio once more, causing his prosthetic to come loose and clatter to the floor. He cursed and spat and kicked the door, wanting to yell about how unfair life was. How could things have gone so wrong for him?

 

Breathing deeply Max retrieved the prosthetic from the floor and turned to head back to the Medbay. He didn't like the idea of going back while Johnny was there, but at least he had a legitimate reason with burns on his arm. As he walked down the hallway he saw the famliiar black vest and red jumpsuit of a Security officer. He kept his expression neutral. There was no way anybody knew he had done anything wrong. The guard passed by him without notice and he turned to enter the Medbay when he was blindsided by a shock considerably more powerful than the one the airlock had given him. He fell to the ground, twitching, his muscles no longer under his control as the guard loomed over him, "W-w-what?" he stammered as the ziptie cuffs went around his wrists.

 

Hauled roughly to his feet Maxwell continued to protest, stammering and stuttering more from the fear, humiliation, and guilt than the lingering effects of the tasing. Maxwell made weak, halfhearted attempts to struggle against the cuffs digging into his wrists, but in his heart he knew that he had well and truly been caught. In the interrogation room they would search his belongings and find the implant and the acid. As the officer dragged him into the brig offices, through several secure airlocks which Maxwell was sure he would never see from the station side again. Though the interrogation room only had one small lamp it was still relatively well lit by the light coming in from the surrounding offices, rather spoiling the intended intimidation effect. Still cuffed and now buckled to a chair Maxwell's bag was placed in the desk, as was his lab coat and even the prosthetic hand which he had managed to cling to even through being tased.

 

"Officer... I need to say something," Maxwell said, his voice soft and full of fear. He recounted the entire story, starting with the man who had approached him back at CentCom station all the way up to where he had been apprehended. The officer - whose ID Maxwell could now read, the man's name was Steve Mason - listened patiently and asked few questions. When Maxwell had finished the officer turned away and spoke quietly into his radio. Not a minute later the airlock opened to admit the Warden, a red-scaled Unathi named Akram. The officer and the Warden spoke quietly for a moment before they turned to Maxwell.

 

"He's been very cooperative. What should we do with him?" Officer Mason said.

 

"I'll tell him e-everything I told you, Officer," Maxwell nodded as he spoke, unable to wipe the tears from his eyes with his wrists bound as they were.

 

The Warden seemed to ignore his offer. He shook his head and hissed out a single word, "Permabrig."

 

"WHAT?" Maxwell couldn't help that the word came out as a yelp, "BUT I COOPERATED! I TOLD THE OFFICER EVERYTHING! PLEASE, NO!"

 

"Kitty hasss made hisss choiccce," the Warden chuckled, grimly.

 

For just a brief moment Maxwell's fear was replaced by a boiling anger, "WHAT OTHER CHOICE DID I HAVE?" he cried as he struggled at his bonds, "TO STAY LIKE THIS FOREVER? I JUST WANTED TO BE HUMAN AGAIN! I JUST WANTED TO BE ME AGAIN!" The Warden seemed unmoved by Maxwell's words as he nodded to the officer who began to unbuckle Maxwell from the chair.

 

The rest of Max's belongings were removed and he was dressed in an orange prisoner jumpsuit. His will broken Maxwell followed glumly, sagging so much he was barely able to stay on his feet. Officer Mason led him through several more airlocks until they were in a small room with three cots. He eased Maxwell down onto the nearest one before uncuffing him. Lost in his thoughts Maxwell didn't even notice the officer leaving, nor did he realize there was even another prisoner in the permabrig with him. Slumping over onto his side and utterly exhausted from a day full of guilt, pain, and fear Maxwell slipped into a fitful sleep.

 

He woke to a strange noise in the next room. Sitting up on the cot Maxwell shuddered as he realized where he was - as all the memories of the day came flooding back to him. The noise came again, a scuffling noise and a tense voice muffled as it came through the wall. Maxwell looked to the airlock and saw brief flashes of orange and red through the reinforced glass. Suddenly there was a zap! accompanied by a bright flash of light, and then all went still. His curiosity getting the better of him, Maxwell approached the door and pressed the panel to open it. The other prisoner, a dark-haired, hard-faced man, stood over the prone body of Officer Mason. Somehow the prisoner had gotten his hands on the taser. As Maxwell in mute horror the man began to pistol-whip Officer Mason over and over in the face, quickly drawing blood and shattering bone. Even now Maxwell had no will to fight, but he couldn't sit idly by and watch someone die, especially since the officer had treated him so kindly in the interrogation room. So he did the next best thing. He rushed to the airlocks which led back out to the security offices and began hammering on them with his good hand, yelling for help. It seemed an eternity before two other officers finally arrived and neutralized the prisoner, dragging both him and the officer away and leaving Maxwell utterly alone.

 

More time passed - Maxwell was unsure just how much as there were no clocks in this area. He sat at the table in the open common area and fiddled with some of the objects that had been left for prisoners to occupy themselves with - dice, toys, crayons, as if they expected him to try to hurt himself with anything more substantial. He was startled out of his dark reverie by the sound of airlocks opening. Looking up he saw the Warden step inside followed by Officer Mason who seemed to be good as new.

 

"The Warden is willing to let you out of the permabrig," said the officer, though he didn't sound happy about it, "but only if..." he trailed off.

 

The Warden finished the sentence for him, "Kitty mussst agree to be borged."

 

That flash of anger hit Maxwell again, "I'm NOT..." he stifled himself before he could say anything stupid, "You don't understand at all. I just.. I just want to be human again."

 

Their offer refused Officer Mason and the Warden took their leave.

 

As he listened to the airlocks hissing closed behind them Maxwell began to notice a strange and unpleasant sensation. Although the permabrig common area was particularly chilly he ran his arm over his brow it came away covered in sweat. Not being a doctor Maxwell wrote it off as a negative reaction to all that had happened that day. He got up and made his way unsteadily back through the common room, past the airlock, and lay down on his cot again. Within a matter of minutes Maxwell knew that his condition was worse than he had imagined. The sickly warmth spread all through his body making him sweat enough to soak through several parts of his orange jumpsuit. Hoping he could call for help once more Maxwell attempted to stand and immediately regretted the decision as his legs buckled under him and he hit the ground hard. With no other options at his disposal Max began to crawl, making his way out into the common room. He reached the table in the common room and reached for the edge to pull himself up. Still unused to the fact that his left hand was gone Max made the mistake of attempting to use it to pull himself up only to have his right hand slip free. As he fell once more his flailing knocked several objects from the tabletop.

 

Laying on his back and looking up at the plain metal ceiling, Maxwell's eyes rolled and his head turned from side to side. His vision began to blur and waver, and the few lights in the room seemed to flicker. Even in his semi-delirious state Maxwell knew that if he died in here there was a very good chance the Warden would order him to be turned into a cyborg against his wishes. With significant effort Maxwell managed to focus his eyes on an object close to his right side. A yellow crayon. He grabbed for it and rolled over, then began to scribble on the metal plating of the floor in big messy letters.

 

DONT

BORG

 

NOT

CAT

 

With his mind burning with a delirious haze Maxwell wasn't particularly started when he heard a noise at the window. Head feeling like it weighed several tons, Maxwell slowly looked around expecting to see only open space through the tinted glass. Instead he saw a figure floating there in a bright halo of light, tapping on the glass to get his attention. Though Maxwell had never been a particularly spiritual person all of his sense and logic had gone out the window, he slowly, agonizingly crawled towards the ghostly apparition.

 

"Help..." he croaked, weakly, as the otherworldly visitor began to smash at the window with a crowbar. In his addled state Maxwell remembered all the friends who had abandoned him back home. There was only one person who would come to save him now, but did she even recognize him, "Mom.. I'm so sorry.. I didn't.. didn't mean to..." The figure was ripping apart the metal grill between the window panes now, "I just wanted.. I wanted to be.." he continued weakly. He pawed at the window as the figure suddenly floated back away from the damage it had caused, "Mom? It's me.. It's Maxie.." he felt hands grabbing at him, dragging him away from the window, "I know I.. I look different.. Mom, I'm so sorry."

 

Through the airlocks again, round several corners, Maxwell had no notion of where he was or who had hold of him. All he could do was continue his pitiful pleas and apologies. When sleep finally came to him once more he was visited again by nightmares, much the same as he had the night after the virology conference. Confused, helpless, and above all lost even to himself.

 

Edited November 29, 2015 by Guest

[Keroman]

 

Okay, I had to type this entire story out like 3 goddamn times, first because a power outage shut the computer down just a few minutes before I was planning on posting it, then because the forum decided to log me out while I was finishing up and pressing the back button didn't work like it had in the past.

 

So if it seems a little rough and poorly written it's because I just wanted to get it done and posted. Sorry about that.

 

The round where all this stuff happened was kind of a weird one, but it was nice to get a chance to RP a little more about Max dealing with his shit.

 

Thanks to Steve Mason for being a cool player. I'm pretty sure he got my Karma that round. The part where he gets attacked by Drake (the other prisoner in permabrig) happened because Steve went SSD after bringing me in. I know it's a HUGE no-no to mess with SSD sec officers so I ahelped it which I hope is the reason the other Sec officers came so quickly.

 

I'm not sure why I started getting a fever but it worked out well enough. I also forget who was EVA at the window trying to bust me out only to be interrupted by the Brig Phys showing up at the most inopportune time. It was fun to watch all that go down.

 

[KasparoVv]

 

Excellent work, absolute pleasure to read your stories. You really can knock these out of the park.

 

Real writing prowess, I look forward to reading others from you! Your talent is greatly appreciated.

 

[Keroman]

Well I'm glad that someone is actually reading and enjoying these. Anytime I have a particularly interesting round with Maxwell I plan to post it here. Canonically Maxwell is currently under house arrest for two weeks by CentCom as punishment for aiding the Syndicate. The only reason his sentence is so light is because he was manipulated into it. Fortunately not every antag round I play is canon otherwise Maxwell would be in much more trouble. It's kind of funny how we can pick and choose which rounds we play are "canon" for our characters.

[KasparoVv]

All for the sake of a good story, haha. If anything, hella convenient!

[The Ultimate Chimera]

Really good story. I love all the details you put into the RP. Great job man! Also, Josiah's suit isn't make from foam, it is made from the actual chitin of a xeno.

[Keroman]

Corrected!

[Keroman]

 

(Kind of a short one today compared to the other two.)

 

Never before in Maxwell's life had two weeks felt like such a long time. Two weeks confined to his small apartment in the Central Command dormitory. Two weeks of his life taken away because he had been manipulated by the Syndicate and been caught in the act. It was only because of his unfortunate circumstances that the Magistrate had approved such a light penalty. It had come with a stern warning, however, that if he ever tried to do the Syndicate's bidding again he would never see the outside of a brig cell.

 

Two weeks. This was cruel and unusual punishment for someone who wanted to forget what they were. Maxwell tried to fill the time with frivolities - holo-shows, films, video games, e-novellas - but eventually the boredom overtook him once more and with it came the sullen reminder that he was no longer human, no longer himself, and that he would remain so for the foreseeable future. In his darkest of moments he felt a glimmer of hope that maybe the Syndicate would send someone after him for failing their task. But nobody came. For two weeks.

 

And then the door chime sounded.

 

Lost in his thoughts Maxwell didn't realize what he was hearing at first. On the second ring he was on his feet and rushing to the door. Locked down like he was and with all but emergency comms privileges taken away Maxwell didn't realize just how much he missed contact with others. He hesitated briefly before hitting the panel that would open the door. In the brief moment before it opened Maxwell felt a twinge of despair - the door was still bolted! Whoever was out there was going to leave! - and then it opened to reveal a man. Maxwell recognized him as was one of the Auditors who had spoken to him in CentCom Medbay after his stint in the permabrig. Maxwell was still fuzzy as to how he had made it off the station after that shift and the officer who had been set to guard him while he was recovering had been scarce with the details. The Auditor handed over a parcel and spoke curtly, his distaste for Maxwell quite clear in his voice, "You'll be reporting to the Cyberiad tomorrow. You will not be assigned any duties until you have earned the trust of the Corporation once more. Ask the Head of Personnel what service roles need filling. In time we'll see about getting you back into the Science department." Maxwell began to stammer out a reply, looking from the man to the parcel that he had been given and back. Before he could say anything the Auditor was gone, walking down the hallway to the dormitory exit. The door timer finished it's countdown and slid shut in front of Maxwell, who wordlessly opened the package he had been given.

 

A blue jumpsuit, a PDA, and an ID card: Maxwell Edison (Civilian)

 

Well, it was something.

 

Wanting to look presentable for work Maxwell decided that, with his confinement now over, he would take a trip to the station barber. He had a little difficulty in communicating just what he wanted but the barber seemed to know what he was doing and in the end Maxwell was relatively pleased with how he looked, though he couldn't help a small grimace at the feline face in the mirror. Looking and feeling better now that he was able to leave his quarters Maxwell took a walk around the station, the darkness that had been clouding his thoughts for what seemed like an eternity now began to fade to a blurry grey. He may not be human anymore, but at least he was alive. It was something.

 

The next day Maxwell boarded the shuttle with little fuss - no suspicious Syndicate agents - and eventually disembarked at the Cyberiad. As ordered by the Auditor he went directly to the Head of Personnel, a slime-person named Squishington. Unfortunately for Maxwell it seemed all the service positions had been filled already, and so Mr. Squishington rattled off a few other jobs that were available. One of them caught Maxwell's attention immediately: Gateway Explorer.

 

Maxwell had heard stories of the strange and wondrous places the gateway could lead. He had even once been through the gateway to the small beach lounge where he had kicked back with a few drinks. If Maxwell hadn't had his liver removed after that he wouldn't mind spending another shift lounging on the beach but given the boredom of the last two weeks he was looking forward to something a little more.. adventurous.

 

Maxwell signed up immediately and, because he wanted to be as prepared as possible for the trip, he asked the Head of Personnel for authorization to carry a belt full of tools and a pair of insulated gloves. He knew a little of hacking and if he ended up in some abandoned outpost he'd want to be able to get around without too much hassle. It took a little time but Mr. Squishington was able to scrounge up some gloves for Maxwell. Then he beckoned for Maxwell to follow as he stepped out of his office. He led the way down the hallway to the engineering department - eerily deserted so early in the shift - and scrounged up a toolbox from under a table, handing it over.

 

"I'll tell you what. Take these tools and hack this door and you can grab a tool belt from inside," said the slime-man.

 

"What?" Maxwell said, nervously. He didn't much care for the fact that the Head of Personnel was advocating an illegal activity.

 

"Think of it as a test. Prove you can hack a door so I know you're capable enough to handle yourself through the gateway," said Squishington as he gestured impatiently toward the door.

 

Fidgeting nervously for a few moments Maxwell sighed and turned to the door. It wasn't his quickest work but it didn't take him overly long either. Soon Maxwell was prying the door open with a crowbar. As luck would have it there was a tool belt on a rack just inside the door. He grabbed it and stepped outside where the waiting Head of Personnel had an approving look on his semi-opaque face. Maxwell pried the door shut behind him and closed the maintenance panel so nobody could tell someone had hacked in, then buckled the belt on and began to unload the toolbox and put the tools into their proper places on the belt.

 

"Well done. Now get your ass to EVA," said Squishington as he turned and headed down the hallway back towards the center of the station. With a little more preparation and a quick call over the radio to see if anybody wanted to join him Maxwell eventually found himself in the gateway room accompanied by a man named Arven and a cyborg known as MAC. Maxwell grabbed the spare first aid kit from the table as well as a station-bounced radio, then approached the great circular mass of metal and wires. He touched the holographic display and the gateway sprang to life, emitting a deep humming sound along with a worrying concert of whirs, clicks, and buzzes. After a few seconds a hole in reality formed at the center of the metal ring and expanded quickly outward. Though his EVA suit was sealed up and his oxygen tank was at full capacity Maxwell felt a slight trepidation. He thought he was prepared for almost anything as he stepped inside.

 

And found himself on a the beach.

 

"Son of a BITCH!" He kicked at the sand angrily as Arven stepped through behind him, "I was hoping for anything besides this goddamn beach!" he ranted to nobody in particular. Arven, at least, didn't seem disappointed, and neither did MAC. The trio made for the hut that served as a bar for lounging beachgoers. Together they looted everything that could be useful - a Booze-O-Mat, a Getmore Chocolate Corp machine, a liquor cabinet - and made their way back to the station. Dropping off their goods in the bar they reported to the Head of Personnel once more. Maxwell, perhaps a little more angrily than he intended, told Squishington, "The gateway goes to a damn beach. Isn't there a way to recalibrate it or something?" The Head of Personnel shook his head no, but then held up one finger, "There is, however, one other place I could have you explore. Follow." Maxwell and Arven were led to the teleporter room where the Head of Personnel booted up the computer and began the process of calibration.

 

"I'll go first," Maxwell said as the telepad activated, shimmering yellow, purple, and green. He activated the oxygen tank at his waist once more and hefted a flashlight in his hand as he stepped through. Immediately he was glad that he had brought a light source as the place he ended up was quite dark. It was a small room made of bare metal walls and floor plating and various debris scattered about. As he scanned the room he noticed a break in the wall that led to open space.

 

Arven soon appeared behind him, followed shortly - to Max's surprise - by the Head of Personnel who lacked any sort of protective gear. Maxwell felt a twinge of panic at that as, while he wasn't especially familiar with slime-person physiology, he was pretty sure it wasn't a good idea for anyone to be out in space without air or an EVA-capable suit. The Head of Personnel seemed unperturbed about the situation at first, pulling out a hand-teleporter and activating it to open a shimmering blue portal, "Sorry, I was curious," said Squishington with a shrug, "Well, good luck gentlemen," he said to Maxwell and Arven before stepping through. Crisis averted there, at least, Maxwell thought, and then nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard something thumping against the metal wall to his right.

 

At first he thought it might just be space debris bouncing off the hull of the room, but as the thumping continued Maxwell looked to Arven, "Something's out there! Should we go look?" Arven nodded and together they stepped out of the breach in the wall and crawled across the outer plating of the structure. Rounding the curve of the metal hull they quickly spotted the source of the thumping noise. The Head of Personnel was there, weakly hammering a fist at the metal plating, his face and hands bruised - or at least the slime was discolored, all Maxwell knew was that it didn't look good. He grabbed Squishington and made his way back into the room while Arven followed. By the time they made it inside Squishington was worryingly unresponsive.

 

"We have a problem!" called Maxwell over the radio, "The HoP teleported us to some abandoned teleporter station and then came through without EVA gear! I think he's dead!"

 

And it was at that moment that he heard the telltale thud of an explosion somewhere nearby in space. A computerized voice buzzed through his PDA, "ANNOUNCEMENT - Telecomms has been bombed."

 

"Fuck!" Maxwell turned to Arven, "What are we going to do?"

 

Arven held up up a circuit board he had found, "This says teleporter console on it. Maybe put it in that old console over there and see if we can get it working?"

 

Maxwell nodded and got to work setting up the console by the defunct teleporter. Arven moved to the busted APC unit on the wall and began working on restoring power. When they both had finished they tried to make sense of the teleporter controls. No matter how they set them the telepad wouldn't light up. Maxwell was about to give up hope when he remembered the hand teleporter the Head of Personnel had brought with him. He murmured an unheard apology as he went through Squishington's pockets and found what he was looking for. The small grayish-blue box was much less complicated than the console, and there were only three settings available.

 

Maxwell dialed the target to the location that said, "Active" and turned the hand-teleporter on. A blue portal slid open in front of him and he stepped through... right back to where he started, "Shit, that's not it, it just leads back here!" Lacking other options he dialed the teleporter to the next option despite the fact it said, "Inactive" and hit the switch to open another portal, "Let me go through first in case it's dangerous," he said to Arven, "I'll try to contact you if it's safe."

 

He stepped through and felt the weight of gravity hit him. He looked around and realized he was back on the Cyberiad - on the bridge, in fact - with a rather startled-looking Captain standing nearby. Maxwell didn't waste any time, "TELL ARVEN TO GET THE H-O-P THROUGH THE PORTAL! MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR, OR SOMETHING! NOW!" The Captain seemed confused and unsure as to what Maxwell was speaking about. Frustrated, Max switched the hand-teleporter back to the previous setting and activated the portal, stepping through and emerging in the metal space-bound room once more, "I've got it!" he yelled to Arven as he came through, toggling the hand-teleporter once more. He grabbed the Head of Personnel and, in a surprising display of strength fueled by adrenaline, threw the man through the portal before stepping through himself with Arven following shortly afterward. Instead of the bridge, however, they found themselves at Arrivals. Maxwell and Squishington were in the middle of the hallway while Arven appeared in between two of the windows between the hallway and the arrivals shuttle.

 

Maxwell immediately grabbed the Head of Personnel and ran as fast as he could for medical. When he arrived he was glad to see that somebody had heard his call for help on the radio just before they had gone down. Another slime-person was ready behind the desk to receive Squishington's body with the intent to revive him as quickly as possible.

 

With the Head of Personnel safe in the hands of Medbay Maxwell figured it would be a good idea to fill in the Captain about what happened. He only hoped that nobody would blame him for the HoP's decision to step through the teleporter unprotected...

 

He activated the station-bounced radio and asked for Arven to meet him at the bridge. The man was already there when he arrived and knocked at the door to get the attention of one of the few command staff on the bridge. It was the Captain who came to the door and Maxwell explained the situation from the beginning, about the gateway and the beach, the teleporter and the small metal room in space, and how the Head of Personnel was now in Medbay hopefully being revived at that very moment.

 

The Captain nodded along patiently, and gave a simple reply, "Thank you Maxwell, Arven, give me some time to verify this. I'll call for you later."

 

Feeling a bit deflated at being dismissed so quickly after all he had done Maxwell sighed and gestured for Arven to follow him. They went to the bar and sat down, the bartender giving them each a free drink for the equipment they had brought in from the gateway earlier. Though Maxwell knew he shouldn't be drinking alcohol he felt he deserved something after the strange ups and downs and twists and turns the day had taken. He deserved to treat himself - after all, he was a big damn hero for saving the Head of Personnel wasn't he? One drink couldn't hurt.

 

As Maxwell sat and drank in sullen silence, listening to Arven regaling the bartender with stories of their exploits, Maxwell heard radio chatter slowly returning to the station. Though the telecomms satellite had apparently been blown up many people were equipping themselves with the same type station-bounced radio he had in his pocket. As he felt a creeping uneasiness (or was it the alcohol) in his gut Maxwell heard his name called for over the radio. The Captain was calling he and Arven to the bridge...

 

So off he went, his cohort in tow, speculating about what they were needed for. They were greeted at the door by the Captain who let them onto the bridge. The man seemed quite pleased with Maxwell and Arvin.

 

"Arvin, for your service in rescuing the Head of Personnel I award you the medal of distinguished conduct," said the Captain, solemnly, pinning a silvery badge to Arven's jumpsuit. He then stepped in front of Maxwell and turned to face him, "Maxwell, for your more immediate and decisive action in rescuing the Head of Personnel I award you the medal of valor," he reached out and pinned a platinum medal to Maxwell's jumpsuit and then put his hand on Maxwell's shoulder, "Good man."

 

A flood of emotions hit Maxwell all at once, he was barely able to hold back tears. The shame he had felt upon being tossed in permabrig two weeks before was there again. How could he deserve something like this after what he had done?

 

"I don't.. I don't deserve this, Captain," he said, his voice slurring a bit from the drink a short time ago.

 

"Of course you do son, now I've got important business to attend to, please," he gestured toward the door, opening it for Arven and Maxwell.

 

Dismissed once more Maxwell was unsure what to do next. He stood for a while in the hall, looking down at the fancy medal that contrasted with his plain blue jumpsuit. Unfortunately he didn't have long to admire his prize before his body finally began to protest the alcohol it couldn't process. With his insides twisting in knots Maxwell made his way to the Medbay for help. As he sat in the lobby, clutching his stomach in pain he missed the call that came over the radio, "NUKE OPS IN EVAC!"

 

It wasn't until he heard the gunfire in the halls that Maxwell realized something was very, very wrong. He heard the six deep thuds of a revolver followed by the rapid-fire jackhammer of an auto-shotgun. Without any real weapons to defend himself and still very much in pain Maxwell was cornered in the lobby area of the Medbay. When a man in a red space-suit stepped inside with a pistol and a riot shield Maxwell felt a surge of adrenaline much like he had earlier on the abandoned teleporter platform. The man pointed a gun at him and Maxwell immediately responded by throwing anything and everything he could in their direction. Stools, tables, tools from his toolbelt. He scored a few hits but the objects glanced harmlessly off the man's shield and armor. Though Maxwell would never admit it he was certain that his Tajaran reflexes saved him from most of man's shots, but when he felt a burning pain in his chest he knew he had been hit, and even the adrenaline couldn't save him. As he gasped on the floor, vision blurred and coughing up blood he knew this had to be the end. Any second the man would put a bullet between his eyes and he'd die alone and helpless on the Medbay floor.

 

He slipped briefly into unconsciousness and was quite surprised when, a short time later, he came to and found nobody around. He shooks his head to clear his vision and sat up, wincing and clutching his arm across his stomach. Barely able to think straight from the pain Maxwell called out for help. When his cries went unanswered he looked around the lobby to see if there was something that could be useful. It wasn't until he finally decided to check his own backpack that he remembered the first aid kit he had grabbed from the gateway room! Lifting his shirt he slapped a healing patch on the oozing bullet-wound, groaning loudly as the chemicals caused a burning sensation. Then he grabbed the autoinjector from the kit and jabbed himself in the thigh. If nothing else the epinephrine could get him on his feet and to evac.

 

Climbing slowly to his feet he could hear the sounds of fighting out in the hallway. Using the wall for support he leaned out and looked in both directions, his ears twitching as they picked up staccato blasts of automatic gunfire from the bridge. He knew he was unlikely to survive another fight.. he knew that he should head for the evac area to wait for the approaching shuttle.. but he couldn't bring himself to let these Syndicate assholes get their way. He couldn't let the Captain down...

 

He stumbled across to the wall opposite the Medbay door and followed it carefully towards the bridge. Turning the corner he saw another Ops member who seemed to be injured. The man was barely able to stand, much like Maxwell, and when the man dropped his gun Max leapt, nearly vomiting in mid-air from the pain in his chest and stomach. The gun was in his hands! He took aim at the man and pulled the trigger over and over, but he was unsteady and there was little ammunition left in the weapon. Out of four shots only one hit the redsuit, the man quickly turning to face Maxwell, drawing a pistol from his holster and firing back. Maxwell dove out of the way just in time to avoid the shots and when he looked up several other crew members were there ganging up on the man. Maxwell pushed himself off the ground and dove into the fray. Lacking any weapons he began to claw at the helmet of the man, hoping to either rip it off or break it open so he could do some real damage. The other crew members laid into the man too with every weapon at their disposal, from kicks and punches to telescopic batons and welding tools.

 

Before long the man in the hardsuit was deathly still, but Maxwell didn't stop. All the anger in him was coming as he tore at the edges of the suit, ripping and tearing with his claws and bionic hand, every memory of shame and guilt and rage he had felt since the virology conference that seemed a lifetime ago. As the other crew members moved away to continue the fight elsewhere a low, ominous beeping sound began to issue from the red space suit.

 

Five

 

Four

 

Three

 

Two

 

One

 

KABOOM!

 

Maxwell was blasted back against the wall as the Syndicate man exploded in a shower of gore! Disoriented and deaf from the blast Maxwell slowly realized he was somehow on his feet once more. Unfortunately he was not apt to stay that way for much longer. Several new wounds had been opened on his chest Max barely made it five steps down the hallway before he collapsed.

 

Unable to do much but flail weakly and call for help he slipped in and out of consciousness once more. He was only vaguely aware of the sound of someone running past, but he managed to stammer out, "Help..." He heard the person stop and come back to him, "First.. first aid kit.. in my backpack," he sputtered as blood welled up in his throat. He felt himself being dragged as he slowly slipped into sleep once more.

 

When he awoke he was in the medbay, still very injured but somehow alive. The new wounds had been patched up and his vision was remarkably clear. As he sat up and looked around he saw a vulpkanin woman in a doctor's uniform nearby working on another unconscious and wounded patient, "D-did you save me?" he asked weakly.

 

"Yes, for now, but you've got internal bleeding, stay there," the doctor replied.

 

"If I can walk I'm getting to the shuttle, but I appreciate you saving me," Max said as he carefully turned in his seat to lower his legs to the floor. When he found himself steady enough to stand he began to move for the exit, "You've got other patients that are nearly dead, they'll fix me back up at CentCom, I'm sure."

 

The doctor nodded as she went back to work on her other patient, and Maxwell made his way out into the hallway. Once more using the wall for support Maxwell realized he had made a grave error in judgment thinking he could make this trip. His insides, still wrenching from the alcohol, were also now bleeding freely. He fell to the floor a few times and had to rest before getting to his feet again. Eventually he came to the evac lounge where many of the surviving crew had gathered. It was a short wait before the shuttle arrived, but as the crew tried to board the external airlocks stayed firmly shut.

 

Lacking some of his tools Maxwell was unable to hack through the door like he had earlier, but looking closely he could see that somebody had already had a go at messing with the doors, likely to keep them shut. It was by sheer luck that, upon checking his belt, he still had wire cutters, a welding tool, and a crowbar. They would be just enough to work. He cut through the remaining wires and wedged the airlock open. Stumbling through, he was followed by most of the remaining crew, receiving a few pats on the back for his efforts.

 

He took his seat and leaned his head back against the cool glass of the shuttle window, closing his eyes and trying his best to ignore the wrenching pains that gripped him. They would be at CentCom soon, the doctors were surely on standby ready to patch people up. Maybe he would get through this after all. Maybe they would see his medal and the Captain would tell them what he did. Maybe things were looking up for him.

 

Maybe.

 

[Keroman]

 

The engineering department had immediately set to work as the shift began. Maxwell suited up and headed into containment - it was generally agreed that they would set up the Tesla engine today - while Amir Trovato set up the Particle Accelerator. Soon the engine was buzzing along and, with no other pressing matters to attend to, Maxwell considered what to do next. Though he did not yet know it today was the day he had feared would come for a long time.

 

He had seen RISSA on the crew manifest. The pAI-turned-IPC was working surgery today and Maxwell had been spending much of his free time with her as of late. As he opened the airlock and entered the hallway he heard his PDA beep. Taking it in hand as he walked he opened up the message.

 

From: Landyn (Chemist)

To: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

 

Hey man, I think cargo delivered some of your mail to me by mistake.

 

That was... very strange. Maxwell had never really gotten mail on board the NSS Cyberiad before. He quickly typed out a reply.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: Landyn (Chemist)

Alright, could you meet me in front of the bridge in a few minutes?

 

Maxwell figured if the man was up to no good he wouldn't be able to do much in such a public place. The Chemist's reply told Maxwell all he needed to know.

 

From: Landyn (Chemist)

To: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

Actually I'm checking out that chinese restaurant, can you meet me there?

 

Maxwell stopped in his tracks as he realized what was going on. This man had been sent after him by the Syndicate. He was certainly lucky that the fellow was lacking in subtlety.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: Landyn (Chemist)

Alright, give me a few minutes.

 

Maxwell circled the central hub of the station and headed for the strangely silent security lobby. He briefly considered calling for an officer to the brig lobby over the radio but he knew that would likely alert Landyn. Tapping at his PDA a few times brought up the crew manifest, including a list of security team members. He tapped the name of the first one on the list, an officer named TUGS.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: TUGS (Security Officer)

Hey, could you meet me in the brig lobby?

 

 

A beep from his PDA came in just a few seconds later.

 

From: TUGS (Security Officer)

To: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

Sure

 

Fortunately the wait was a short one, the sound of jackboots on the tiles announcing TUGS' presence long before he opened the airlock to the brig lobby.

 

"What's up?" said the red-suited IPC officer.

"I got some suspicious messages from the Chemist," Maxwell tapped his PDA to bring up the incoming message log before holding the device out for the officer to take.

TUGS took a quick look before handing it back, "What should we do?" he asked.

Maxwell gave a slight grin, the plan forming in his head even as he spoke, "How about this.. You hide in maintenance right near the airlock into Chang's. I'll go in and if he attacks me I'll call for help and try to get into the tunnels. Err.. you may want to take those boots off so he doesn't hear you nearby."

Though it was hard to tell with IPCs sometimes Maxwell thought that officer TUGS looked rather pleased with the plan.

"Alright, I'll PDA you when I'm in position," said TUGS before stepping out of the security lobby once more.

 

Maxwell steeled his nerves and headed south towards the bridge, sending a PDA message to Landyn as he walked.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: Landyn (Chemist)

Alright, I'm on my way, just had to finish up at the engineering outpost.

 

Maxwell hadn't even reached the entry to the dorms yet when he got the message from officer TUGS confirming that he was in position. Stopping for a moment Maxwell decided to slip into his hardsuit. It wasn't the best protection but it was certainly better than nothing. He hit the button that slid the helmet over his head, grimacing as it momentarily flattened his ears against his head.

 

Here goes nothing.

 

The dorms were quiet and empty, as was the exercise room. Maxwell stepped past the pool, silently hoping that other people might show up. He didn't like the idea of being attacked even when there was security nearby. Why had he thought this was going to be a good idea? He took a deep breath and opened the airlock into Chang's. There was, of course, only one person inside, a brown-haired and bearded man wearing the white-with-orange-stripes of a Chemist.

 

Maxwell lingered near the door, "So.. what's up?"

The man seemed at least a little surprised to see him, "Oh, hey man," he said as he stood up. Maxwell watched as the man approached, fumbling in his pockets. Instead of mail the man pulled out a bottle - one of the spray bottles usually used to hold space cleaner - and shot a mist right in Maxwell's face! Max's vision began to blur and for a moment he panicked, thinking the man had blinded him and that any moment now he was going to feel a knife through his ribs. He took a few sidelong steps to the right and opened the maintenance hatch.

"HELP!" he called out into the darkness, and within seconds Officer TUGS was there to save the day! Though Maxwell couldn't see what was happening he could hear the sound of the officer arresting his attacker. The Chemist gave protest, acting as if he didn't know why he was being arrested.

 

Maxwell's vision abruptly cleared and he caught a whiff of an acrid smell. A slight tingling sensation hit his face, and within seconds he could feel a mild burning. Acid!

 

Maxwell lowered his helmet and began rubbing his face against the sleeve of his jumpsuit, his breath mask slipping off and falling to the floor as it dissolved into a puddle of liquid plastic. As the burning sensation faded Maxwell looked up in time to see Landyn being led away through the maintenance tunnels by TUGS. He followed as they emerged into the security wing and passed through the lobby. Landyn was taken into processing while Maxwell stood right outside the door almost yelling in his anger, "He sprayed acid on me! Look!" He turned to one side and pointed behind his head to the faceplate of his hardsuit which had been completely eaten away.

"Hey man, I guess I slipped, I'm sorry," the Chemist said meekly from where he was cuffed and buckled to a chair. The man looked to Officer TUGS, "Just give me my 10 minutes for assault, I have work to do." His tone was flippant, uncaring. If the suspicious messages and the acid spray weren't enough that attitude told Max all he needed to know.

 

Leaving the brig area Maxwell looked up the crew manifest once more, quickly finding the name of the CMO, BuzzPing, yet another IPC. He fired off a message as he headed for medbay.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: BuzzPing (Chief Medical Officer)

Can you meet me in the medbay lobby? Your chemist sprayed acid on me and he's in the brig for assault.

 

Within minutes Maxwell was seated in the waiting room. It wasn't long before the CMO approached him.

"What's the name of the person who assaulted you?" BuzzPing asked.

"Landyn. He's a Chemist and he's in a cell right now serving 10 minutes," Maxwell replied.

"A crime like assault is grounds for dismissal. Consider him fired. I'll alert the HoP, you let the officers know. Thank you for bringing this to my attention." If nothing else the CMO was quick and to the point. Maxwell nodded and BuzzPing stepped away to attend some other business. Pulling out his PDA yet again Maxwell sent off another message to officer TUGS.

 

From Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: TUGS (Security Officer)

The CMO says Landyn is to be fired as soon as he's released from his cell.

 

He very nearly hit "Send" when he decided to add a bit more.

 

I'm turning off my messenger in case of PDA-bombs, call for me over the radio if you need me for anything.

 

With a sigh Maxwell slipped his PDA into the carrying case at his hip. Still in the medbay waiting room he looked around anxiously, hoping to see RISSA there. When the airlock opened from the inner medbay hall a familiar face appeared, though it was not the friend he expected.

"Heya Max," Jacob Ryals said, smiling and waving as he opened the sliding door to the waiting room desk and took a seat.

"Oh, hey Jacob!" He stepped over to the window in front of the desk, noticing something odd about his friend's jumpsuit, "What, no genetics today?"

"Nah, I got in late and the assignment office said both Geneticist positions were full. I'm just a regular old doctor today," Jacob shrugged.

"Well let's hope those Geneticists are half as good as you are," Maxwell grinned.

Jacob rolled his eyes at the compliment, "As good a thing to hope for as any, I guess."

"Hey, Jacob, if you see RISSA around - she's a surgeon - tell her I said hi, okay?"

"Sure, Max, of course," Jacob nodded.

 

Maxwell and Jacob waved goodbyes to each other as Maxwell stepped out into the hall. He figured it would be a good idea to replace his messed-up hardsuit, so he headed for engineering. Fortunately for Max there were only two engineers, he and Amir Trovato, on shift today. There wasn't even a Chief Engineer, surprisingly enough. Max grabbed the spare hardsuit, tossing his old one on an empty rack, and suited up. Despite all that had happened so far there were no reports of damage to the station so Maxwell decided to make a trip to the engineering outpost to raid it for the spare supplies and materials.

 

The trip to the outpost was a quick one and Maxwell headed for the mass driver room. Dragging an empty crate to the center of the room Maxwell began loading it with sheets of metal and plastic, the spare hardsuit and helmet, and even the spare EVA gear from the storage unit in the corner. The crate was hauled onto the shuttle but Maxwell wasn't done yet. He also unbolted several vending machines - YouTool, EngiVend, and a Getmore food machine - and dragged them aboard the shuttle as well.

 

Back on station he unloaded his loot into the engine prep room, bolting down the vending machines in an out of the way place and dragging the crate of materials into the equipment room where the other materials were stored. He tucked the crate into a corner, hoping it would go unnoticed - he had plans for it.

 

Next stop was the HoP line. It was relatively quiet and the Head of Personnel, Jade Fea, sat smiling behind her desk, "Hello, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I've got a personal project I'd like to pursue," Maxwell explained, "I want to fix up the abandoned teleporter and make it habitable. I either need teleporter access or for someone to open the door for me, but I've got all the materials I need for now."

Jade considered his request before placing a form on the desk in front of Max, "Well since there's no CE right now we'll need to check with the Captain. Fill out the form, please, and I'll run it by her."

Max nodded and filled out the form quickly before passing it back, "My PDA messenger's off so just ask for me over the radio when you hear back from the Captain."

 

Since it had been a good deal more than 10 minutes since the Chemist had been arrested Maxwell decided to check with the CMO and see if the man had, in fact, been fired. He headed for the medbay once more and when he took a peek at the chemistry station his heart nearly froze. Landyn was there at one chem dispenser.. RISSA was at the other. Maxwell fought the urge to call out a warning to RISSA. He moved to the front desk where Jacob was still seated, "Hey, can you call for the CMO to come to the lobby again?"

Jacob nodded, seeming to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Maxwell pulled out his PDA and, despite his better judgment, activated the messenger again for just long enough to send a single message.

 

From: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

To: TUGS (Security Officer)

The chemist who assaulted me is in the chemistry station in medbay. The CMO wanted him fired, can you come grab him?

 

The wait seemed to take ages and Maxwell constantly checked to make sure RISSA was okay. He didn't think she had noticed him, so absorbed in her work as she was. Finally Officer TUGS arrived, but as Jacob was letting him into the medbay the Chemist slipped past and out the front. By the time TUGS had gotten the story from everyone Landyn was long gone.

 

Frustrated, Maxwell didn't even stick around to talk to RISSA. He knew if he couldn't get approval to go to the abandoned teleporter he'd spend the rest of the shift having to watch his back. Back at the HoP line he spoke to Jade once more, "Any word on my request?"

"I sent a message to the Captain but she hasn't replied yet. Maybe go bother her until she gives you a yes or no?"

Maxwell nodded and headed for the front of the bridge. As luck would have it Captain Lilly was there.

 

"Hey, Captain, did the HoP tell you about my request to go to the abandoned teleporter?" Maxwell asked, hopefully.

"Yes, and I denied that request. I don't want anyone messing with the teleporter system right now," the Captain's tone was quite stern.

"But..." Maxwell began to protest.

"I said your request was denied, Mr. Edison."

 

With a defeated sigh Maxwell moved away from the bridge windows. If he wasn't allowed to go off-station he could at least stay in a crowded area. He headed for the bar and, preoccupied as he was, he nearly ran right into RISSA!

"Max!" said the IPC cheerily.

"Oh, hi!" Maxwell said, his dour mood immediately lifting.

"What are you up to this shift?" RISSA asked, putting a hand on Max's arm.

"Oh, not much. I think I'm just going to have a few drinks at the bar. If you're not busy you should join me."

RISSA gave a delighted ping, "I'd love to but I have so much work to do. The Chemist hasn't been doing his job and so I'm filling in. I'll stop by when I'm done, okay?"

Maxwell didn't have the heart to tell her the Chemist was a Syndicate spy, "Sure, sounds good."

He and RISSA hugged briefly before going their separate ways.

 

Max sidled into the bar and took a seat, ordering an Irish Car Bomb and taking a few sips. He exchanged some pleasant conversation with the bartender and other customers while sipping at his drink. Halfway through his glass the Captain's voice spoke up over the radio, "Engineering to the bridge, please." Maxwell quickly downed the rest of his drink and rather unsteadily got up. As he went to stand Maxwell felt strangely dizzy, moreso than he should for just a single drink, "I feel sick..." was all he could manage to stammer out before doubling over and vomiting on the floor.

Fortunately for Maxwell the Paramedic, Joachim Miller, happened to be seated next to him, "I got you, buddy, come on," said the man, assisting Max out of the bar and across the hall to he medbay.

Max's vision was clouding up, and this time he was sure it wasn't acid eating away at his helmet, "I'm gonna.. pass out.." he mumbled before tripping over his own feet which didn't seem to want to obey his brain anymore.

As he slipped in and out of consciousness he could barely make sense of what he saw.

 

The examination room

The Paramedic standing over him

A second, IPC Paramedic wearing a clown mask.

The medbay interior hallway.

An Operating Room.

 

Maxwell woke with a start, laying on the surgery table, "What? What happened?"

"Those Paramedics tried to poison you, Max!" It was Jacob!

"What? Jacob?" Max sat up, his body still sore from being dragged around and doped up with any number of chemicals.

"I saw them take you into the exam room and when I went in to check on you they were injecting you with morphine. I got you away from them but you were in pretty bad shape. There was something in your system wreaking all sorts of havok - it couldn't have just been morph-" Jacob stopped talking suddenly, looking towards the door. He leaned in and spoke quietly to Maxwell, "I think they're outside the operating room, come on."

 

Jacob led Maxwell through the maintenance door and into the tunnels, "Here, I don't know what the Paramedics are up to but just try to stay away from them, okay?"

Maxwell nodded and hugged his friend, "Thanks Jacob, I owe you big time."

 

As Maxwell hurried through the tunnels to the nearest exit his mind was a flurry of thought. Were there TWO assassins? Three? Jacob mentioned there were two Paramedics but Max had thought the one in the clown mask had to be some sort of fever dream. Emerging from maintenance in the hallway by the Paramedic office Maxwell heard his name over the radio, "Mr. Edison please come to the brig," it was the voice of Officer TUGS.

 

What fresh hell could this be, Maxwell thought sourly to himself as he headed to the fore of the ship. At the brig he was let into the back hallway by TUGS so he could see what was happening in the processing room. A green-haired man was cuffed and buckled to one of the chairs and his belongings were laid out on the table in front of him. Maxwell didn't recognize the man but the stuff had the unmistakable white-with-orange-stripes of Chemistry. The ID on the table was barely visible, but Max could see it belonged to Landyn. What was going on here?

 

Maxwell watched as the man protested innocence, claiming that Kalaya Gutierrez - the Security Pod Pilot and yet another of Maxwell's friends - had arrested him and then dressed him up in the Chemist's gear to frame him. The Officers argued that the man's name wasn't even on the crew manifest and that he didn't have any sort of ID of his own to prove who he was. Though he couldn't be sure of it Maxwell wondered if this was, in fact, the Chemist who had tried to attack him. Could he be a changeling? Maybe the Paramedic was a changeling too... He had heard that sometimes changelings took work from the Syndicate.

 

Stepping out of the brig Maxwell once again resolved to stay in a public area. He heard over the radio that a blackjack table had been set up in the dorms and so he headed over. There was only one person at the blackjack table for the moment, the Chaplain Jay Wingler. Max knew the man as an acquaintance and so he sat down to watch the game.

 

By the time Maxwell decided to play several more people had shown up, even RISSA who had taken a seat next to him, and Kalaya who stood back and watched as people gambled their credits away. Feeling better with several friends nearby Maxwell decided to play a hand himself. He pulled a 10 credit chip from his pocket and laid it on the table to wait for the next hand to be dealt. At the end of the hand Jay was called away from the table, but not before he set down a 200 credit chip, saying to bet it on Maxwell. That was a bit of a surprise, and Max waved as the Chaplain left.

 

The dealer, Theodore Gregory, began to deal. For the first round of cards Max was dealt Jack. Not so bad, as long as he didn't end up stuck with a low number card. The second round of cards was laid out and, to Max's surprise, he was dealt an Ace! Luck had not only tripled his 10 credit bet but also Jay's as well!

 

"Hey, Jay, I just won you 400 credits, man, come get it!" Max called over the radio. As he and his friends celebrated the win Max was vaguely aware that a green-haired man had entered the room and was heading in his direction. Maxwell turned to look, realizing it was the fellow who had been caught with Landyn's ID. He stood up to confront this potential assassin but before he could say a word the man held out a large glass beaker and dropped a smaller beaker into it.

 

KABOOM!

 

Maxwell was knocked back against the blackjack table by the concussive force of the blast. He felt a searing heat engulfing him and when he looked around it seemed as if the whole station was on fire! Fortunately he had been wearing his hardsuit which helped prevent the flames from touching him directly, but the heat was certainly becoming painful quite quickly. As he finally reoriented himself he saw RISSA running around with a fire extinguisher putting out everyone who had been caught in the blast. Kalaya was already on her feet and chasing after the green-haired man.

 

Max stayed out of the way as the situation seemed to resolve itself. There was no real damage to the station and only a few mild burns here or there which RISSA was quite prepared to handle. When things were more or less back to normal he took RISSA to one side, speaking quietly with her, telling her the whole story about the Chemist and how he thought that the green-haired man was the same person and a changeling. RISSA, for her part, listened intently, but Maxwell could tell he was just making her worried. He wanted to tell her more - to hold her close and let her know everything would be fine - but a sudden announcement from the AI intruded quite abruptly into their conversation.

 

ATTENTION: A level 5 biohazard has been detected aboard the station.

 

Maxwell groaned and gave RISSA one more hug before hurrying off to prepare. He knew the alert was for a blob on the station, and blobs generally meant major repairs would be needed.

 

Engineering was his first stop. He'd need repair materials and it was worth checking on the Tesla just to make sure it was still contained. As he entered the containment prep room he noticed something strange about the port wall. The optical meson scanners that all engineers were equipped with allowed him a sort of mild x-ray vision so that he could spot damage to the station. From what he could tell, though the wall itself was not damaged, there were several walls beyond it that had been destroyed. He moved over to the airlock and opened it up only to find a disgusting mass of green-blue goo waiting for him on the other side. Maxwell quickly shut the airlock before the mass could spread into engineering, then he called over the radio, "BLOB AT THE ENGINEERING OUTPOST SHUTTLE!"

 

Knowing that people would be arriving shortly with any number of energy weapons Maxwell searched the department. He knew there was a recharger somewhere, and he finally found it by the maintenance drone fabricator. Grabbing the recharger from the desk he entered the maintenance tunnels which led close to the engineering outpost shuttle. He found a place near the aft port solar airlock that seemed suitable, where people could gather to recharge their weapons while fighting the blob. He also made sure to drag the nearby welding fuel tank out of maintenance and into the hallway by the Mechanic workshop so the blob couldn't detonate it.

 

People began to arrive in droves, some armed with x-ray rifles to Maxwell's relief. He directed them to the maintenance tunnel just fore of where the blob had taken root and told them to fire south through the wall to hit the blob. As more and more people arrived to fight he also heard calls for help over the radio. He heard one stammering voice calling for help starboard of the blob in the engineering department. Not having a weapon with which to fight Maxwell decided he could do the next best thing and rescue those in distress. He circled around through the main engineering entrance and back to where he had first noticed the blob. It had expanded some since then, pushing it's way into the containment prep room and secure storage. There was only one person in here, the NT Representative Jack Edwardson, lying worryingly still and nearly surrounded by blob matter. Max hurried forward and pulled Jack away, hoping to get the man to medbay as quickly as possible. As he entered the hallway he met up with RISSA once more, dragging another injured crewmember by the name of Rosetta Q.

 

"Max! You take Rosetta to robotics, she's stable but she needs new prosthetics!"

"What about the Rep? He's either dying or already dead!"

"I'll take care of him, don't worry!"

 

Trading off patients Maxwell continued on, his hardsuit slowing him down so that RISSA got ahead of him. As he turned the corner by the bar he looked up to see the Joachim the Paramedic approaching him. The man passed by at first, but then lingered worringly close, and Maxwell suddenly felt ill once more, just like he had in the bar earlier. As his strength was sapped from his body he spotted, by complete happenstance, his friend Jacob heading his way.

 

"Jacob.. help.. poison!" he coughed out as he collapsed.

 

Maxwell awoke inside a sleeper in the medbay, Jacob standing over him and monitoring the console.

"Damn it..." Maxwell slurred as he came to, "that fucking Paramedic again."

"I don't know what he hit you with, Max, but it's bad. I've got this sleeper pumping out as much chemicals as I can to counteract the effects but you're still taking damage."

"Well I'm glad you're here to save me, man. That's twice now."

 

As he waited for the toxin to wear off Maxwell made use of his radio, "The paramedic named Joachim has poisoned me twice this shift! Could an officer come to the medbay?"

As Jacob continued his work a small crowd began to gather: RISSA, an Unathi security officer named Laskorreshkor Ssesiskaklas, Jade Fea the HoP. Eventually even Joachim himself showed up.

"That's him! That's the guy that poisoned me!" Maxwell cried, trying his best to point at Joachim from inside the sleeper.

"You probably just got poisoned by the blob," replied Joachim, seemingly unfazed by the accusation.

"I don't think it was that kind of blob..." RISSA interjected.

"Jacob can back me up! He's seen that man close to me both times I've been poisoned!"

 

Maxwell was released from the sleeper as Jacob noted that the poison seemed to have run it's course.

 

"There isss no proof," said the Unathi officer, "jussst stay away from each other."

Maxwell felt his anger welling up, "He's trying to kill me!"

"Thisss matter isss sssettled."

 

Unable to believe that the man was going to get away with poisoning him not once but twice Maxwell rushed forward and began clawing at Joachim's chest, wanting to do as much damage to him as he had done to Max. A pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him back, Jacob, "Max! Stop! There's nothing we can do just.. just stay away from him, it'll be fine."

 

Still fuming and glaring at the paramedic Maxwell felt another pair of hands tugging him. It was RISSA this time, "Max, come on, let's just go..."

Taking a few deep breaths Maxwell nodded and followed her out the door. Apparently while he was knocked out an evac shuttle had been called so RISSA was leading him to the evac area. As they walked in silence Max noticed her left hand beginning to spark, "Hey.. hold on. I can fix your hand if you want."

"Oh? That would be nice," RISSA stopped and turned to look at Max.

"We need a surgery table, though, I don't want to damage your hand even more."

RISSA made a soft buzzing noise, something Maxwell had come to associate with her being deep in thought. She suddenly turned around and began pulling Max in the opposite direction.

 

As they entered the garden near arrivals RISSA's intentions were apparent. The hidden surgery room had exactly what they needed. He cut a way in through the wall of the maintenance tunnel and made a hidden doorway. RISSA hopped up onto the surgery table and lay down. Max began the slow process of opening the maintenance hatches and fixing the inner workings of her limbs. As Maxwell was working at rewiring RISSA's left hand the sudden sound of energy weapons firing from the south. Bent over at his work Max was hit in the back by a green bolt of energy. He winced and moved to the side of the room as a dozen more bolts fired through the wall.

"RISSA, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, they missed me!"

 

Maxwell's PDA beeped, an incoming message from Jacob.

From: Jacob Ryals (Medical Doctor)

To: Maxwell Edison (Station Engineer)

Turn off your suit sensors, man! Jade is the one trying to shoot you! She has a crew monitor!

 

"RISSA, turn off your suit sensors, that's how they found us!"

 

He felt trapped, wondering when the lasers would start firing again. He fumbled with the hidden door he had made but only managed to end up sealing it up. Cursing his clumsiness he pulled out his welder and began cutting through another section of wall. Once a breach was made he grabbed RISSA and pulled her out into the maintenance tunnels. He heard voices around the corner, near the airlock by the escape pods, and when he peeked out he saw Anastasia the Research Director. She didn't seem to notice him, nor care, so he and RISSA made their way past and out of the tunnels into the hallway with the escape pods.

 

Moving over to the closest of the pods Maxwell saw Jacob there, already seated. He let RISSA enter before him and stayed at the entrance to make sure they weren't being followed. Unfortunately for Maxwell they were. Jade Fea rounded the corner just a few meters away. Max scowled at her, "Stay the hell away!"

 

The HoP didn't heed his warning and began to approach. Maxwell backed away, not wanting to involve his friends in the fight, moving towards the other escape pod, "Stay back, Jade!"

 

He backed into the foyer of the pod, Jade standing silently at the other side of the opened airlock. He watched in horror as she drew an energy gun from her bag and raised it, aiming at him. The anger came rushing back. He had nearly been killed no less than three times this shift. He wasn't going to give the Syndicate another chance. Maxwell rushed forward, slashing at Jade with his claws, knocking the gun from her grip and managing to shove her down. As he hurriedly picked up he gun he heard a noise to his left that immediately set him on edge - the unmistakable sound of an energy sword activating. He turned in time to see Joachim Miller, that damned Paramedic, slashing at someone laying prone inside the other escape pod.

 

"RISSA! Get away from her!" he hefted the e-gun and began firing disabler shots at Joachim. The man was hit several times but managed to turn the corner of the arrivals shuttle dock. Maxwell rushed after him firing as soon as the man was in view once more and scoring several more hits. Joachim went down and Maxwell grabbed the energy sword, slashing heedlessly at the man. Maxwell wasn't even thinking anymore, operating entirely on instinct, only wanting the man dead for what he had done to RISSA. He slashed over and over until the man's last breath was choked free, and then he turned seeing Jade once more.

 

He knew Jade was after him too, but he was fully prepared to spare her life if she just let him be. All he wanted was to check on RISSA. Unfortunately it was not to be. Jade pulled out her telescopic baton and advanced on Maxwell. Remembering he still had the e-gun Maxwell backed away and began firing, hoping he had enough shots to take her down. He scored two hits, three hits, four! She was slowed to a crawl by the energy-sapping beams! He fired again and she went down, the baton clattering on the tiles. Putting the gun in his backpack Maxwell ran forward and scooped up the baton as he passed. As he boarded the escape pod where Jacob was attempting to tend to RISSA he heard movement outside the pod. He turned, ready to fight again even as another wave of nausea began to overtake him. Poisoned, again? It must have happened during the fight with Jade! He coughed and slumped against one wall of the pod as Jade appeared at the entrance.

 

"You.. killed a man.." she spat accusingly at Maxwell.

"I'll kill you, too, if I have to," Maxwell stepped forward, his vision clouding over even as he smacked the woman across the jaw with her own baton, sending her reeling to the floor. Max glanced at the pod takeoff countdown. Less than ten seconds. He swung the baton again to keep Jade down, "Just.. just stay away!" he coughed out, fighting the urge to vomit.

 

"Max!" came a familiar voice from outside the pod. Kalaya? He had wondered where she was ever since the bombing at the blackjack table.

 

"Kalaya, get on!" he called, weakly.

Kalaya stopped at the pod airlock, seeing the stunned HoP on the hallway floor, "Max... what have you done?"

 

And then the pod launched, it's door still open. Max watched helplessly as Kalaya and Jade were pulled out the airlock and into space. Max, too, was almost pulled out of the pod, but he quickly activated his mag-boots and buckled RISSA into the spare chair. He could feel the poison coursing through him again, about to pass out, "Jacob.. the poison.. again."

"I've got you Max, it's fine," Jacob said as he began injecting Maxwell with various medicines through his hardsuit injection port.

 

Max slumped against the wall, struggling to breathe as much from the effects of the poison as from the hatch that was open to space. Fortunately his oxygen tank was attached to his hardsuit and so, with a little effort, he was able to activate it.

 

He slid down the wall to a seated position, dropping the energy sword and baton, and looking up at RISSA, who had been worryingly still and silent since the Paramedic had attacked her. She suddenly gave a long, shrill beep and her monitor shut off.

 

Maxwell began to cry, leaning forward and taking RISSA's lifeless hand, burying his face against her hip, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." his words came out in sobs.

 

Jacob placed a hand on Max's shoulder to reassure him, "She'll be fine, Max, she's just taken a lot of damage. We can repair her."

 

Max nodded slightly, but the tears still flowed.

 

"I'm sorry, RISSA."

 

Edited January 26, 2016 by Guest

[Keroman]

 

Alright, holy shit, I had THREE people trying to kill me that round and the only thing that saved me were a series of incredibly lucky circumstances.

 

Landyn was a changeling who, I think, had to just disfigure me for his objective hence the acid in the face.

Jade Fea had to either kill me or disfigure me.

Joachim Miller's objective was just to follow the orders of Jade.

 

There were so, so, so many times I was saved by sheer goddamn luck. I was lucky that Jacob was a Medical Doctor instead of in Genetics like he usually is. I was lucky that he was nearby every single time I got poisoned. I owe Jacob, like, ALL THE KARMA FOREVER for saving my ass so many times that round.

 

Goddamn.

 

EDIT - Also after killing Joachim with his own energy sword he accused us of metabuddying in LOOC. I can understand how he thought that considering how each of his poisoning attempts worked out. I never once spoke to any of my in-game friends out of game about what was going on. It really was just a ton of luck and the fact that I've cultivated these awesome in-game relationships with great people.

 

Edited January 26, 2016 by Guest

[counterfeitguise]

 

Reminding me of that ending made me cry, cuz I could easily write my own little addendum of what was going on in RISSA's head while she was down. Depends on if you want it cluttering your thread though.

 

I can see why we'd be accused of metabuddying but nah, that was pure un-adulterated luck. I spent most of that shift picking up Chemistry because of Landyn's traitorous activities. I also spent most of that shift incredibly slow due to the blob and the fire attack, haha.

 

[Keroman]

 

I could easily write my own little addendum of what was going on in RISSA's head while she was down

 

Go for it!

 

[counterfeitguise]

 

The offer to fix up her internal damage was, at first, something she was tempted to say no to - but after a spark and another loss of response from her left arm, she grabbed Max's hand before freezing in her tracks.

 

The voice in her system - the one that wasn't hers - was unnervingly quiet today. Even during the panic at the blackjack table, the other inhabitant of this shell was quiet. She had spent the shift wondering if it has finally stopped bothering her, but as she had gotten her hopes up, it spoke to her again. She spoke to her again.

 

"Public garden." What? "The hidden room."

 

One by one, her legs began to move, taking her on a course she had no control over. Fearing loss of command over everything she had, she squeezed Max's wrist hard and, now relieved that the unspoken truce between the two personalities had not been breached, she allowed her feet to walk without her.

 

They stopped, Max still in tow, in the dark and unsettling maintenance shaft above the public botany machines. RISSA hummed softly, clicking and whirring as she struggled to find the entrance to the room - turning at the sound of heat slicing through metal to see Max using a welder to break down a wall.

 

Relieved, the IPC climbed onto the surgical table and laid flat, looking around at the unused equipment that littered the hidden room. As the Tajaran beside her was tinkering with the wires in her left arm, she warmed up her vocal processor to ask what the point of building this room was if it was to be locked away - but was interrupted by a beam of some form suddenly scorching her master - friend - and a great fear rising through her systems.

 

She barely heard the other voice hiss out for her companion to stay hidden behind some of the furniture, and the same one call over the radio that someone was using an X-Ray gun on the two of them - and by the time the voice had quietened down, they were sprinting like madmen through the tunnels out of hope that the reason why the firing had stopped was a lack of charge.

 

The arrivals pods were in front of them now - they had no reason to run any more. RISSA took a moment to embrace the fluffy figure she had grown fond of, more out of relief that he was still alive than anything else, but a surge of panic had spread through the Tajaran and it took a second for the IPC to figure out why.

 

The Paramedic was back. She was convinced he was a threat, having been accused of poisoning Max before, in Medbay - but he seemed concerned about somebody else, someone she now couldn't see due to the enemy in her way. A sudden buzzing and wooshing caused her to stagger and look down as her functions began to cease; a great gash in her uniform and her metal frame, revealing the wires within. A purple blade, pulsating with a menacing aura.

 

The voice.

 

"You grabbed a knife earlier." Yes. "Use it."

 

She rustled through her pack as quickly as she could, but the blade deflected the one attack she mustered before being cut down; left sprawling on the floor as the airlock shut and she could only hear more buzzing and wooshing of that vile blade.

 

"I failed him again." "No, you didn't." "It is my purpose to protect him, and I failed to do it." "You are your own person." "But now he's dying out there."

 

"So are you. Does that not matter?"

 

She sees the airlocks open and fears the worst, unable to process any further sound now. She feels her body being dragged along the floor, and is barely able to make out a figure in her sights - pointed ears, aa slim tail. A hand reaching out for her own.

 

RISSA smiles inwardly, filled with relief and joy, but mostly hope. It has to be Max. He has to have survived. She thinks back to the question. Does it not matter that you're dying?

 

No. No, it doesn't.

 

[KasparoVv]

 

And to think the existence of that piece hinged on whether or not you got that laser out of the disarm

 

Lmfao, wickedly well written. You lucky devil!

 

[Keroman]

 

I won't lie, the entire final 10 minutes of that round made me feel incredibly robust.

 

If Jade and Joachim had both targeted me during the fight at the escape pods I likely would have died. Since Joachim decided to go after my friends and left Jade to deal with me I actually stood a chance with disarming her and grabbing her egun. I wish I could say I kept it on disable because that allows me more shots but I wasn't even really thinking about that, I just picked it up and started shooting at Joachim. If it'd been on kill I likely would not have had the shots to take Jade down afterwards.

 

There were just so many things that went just right for me that round.

 

[Keroman]

 

Probably going to be the last part of this series. Don't know if I'll write any more about Maxwell, though I guess it depends mostly on if I get any particularly interesting shifts.

-----

Maxwell knew little of magic. He had seen space wizards rampage through the station. During his security shifts he had more than once helped to bring down an enclave of cultists looking to summon Nar'sie. Shadowlings had come and gone, enthralling much of the crew before being hunted down with flashlights and lasers. All of these things were generally written off as weird bluespace trickery or Clarke's Third Law, that any sufficiently advanced technology was indistinguishable from magic.

 

And then RISSA found the ring.

 

It had been a quiet shift for Maxwell and RISSA. Having both been assigned to Engineering they had, with the assistance of their fellow engineers and the CE, set up the Tesla in no time at all. With nothing better to do afterwards they had approached the CE about a personal project - something they'd been wanting pursue for a while - to go to the abandoned teleporter and fix it up so that it was habitable.

 

With the CE amenable to their idea Maxwell and RISSA raided the engineering outpost for materials and set off for the abandoned teleporter with a minimum of fuss. As they worked the radio was abuzz with talk of vampires, but neither Maxwell nor RISSA were particularly worried.

 

Their project nearing completion, a room of wood tiling and glass walls, Maxwell thought it might be a fun idea to set the place up as a casino for crewmembers to come and spend their hard-earned credits. In need of more materials, however, it was during their attempt to return to the station that they hit their first roadblock. The teleporter console was finicky and didn't want to recognize the power station, or sometimes the power station worked but the console was locked up and unresponsive. Maxwell gave up quickly in frustration, but RISSA powered through, finally managing a workable, if lengthy, workaround. The teleporter humming to life in green, purple, and yellow swirls Maxwell and RISSA stepped through and emerged in the empty R&D lab. A scientist happened by and they made their way out, but Maxwell quietly admitted to RISSA that he really didn't feel like going back through the teleporter and dealing with the stubborn console on the other side.

 

So they wandered the station quietly, listening to the radio chatter and seeing what their fellow crewmates had been up to. The chapel had been renovated to include a bar and boxing ring and several people had gathered to wallow in their vices. Maxwell passed through without a second thought, but he quickly realized that RISSA was no longer with him. He turned back to see her standing, her monitor tilted forward and cocked to one side, looking at something on the ground. Returning to her side Maxwell watched as she leaned down and picked up a small, nondescript gold ring from the ground.

 

He didn't say anything. He knew what she was thinking without needing to hear it from her. Before all of this RISSA had been another person. She had professed her love for someone, proposed, and been scorned. She had fallen into a downward spiral which culminated in a chemical-induced suicide. But as we all know, through the so-called glory of NanoTrasen death is hardly the end - in many cases it is a beginning unto itself. The personality of Nerissa Roberts was preserved, though the how and why of it are disturbing and not particularly legal, as a pAI, RISSA. This personality went through several iterations after complaints about RISSA's behavior. Lines of code locked away old memories, suppressed old attitudes, and with every successive update RISSA became more and more emotionless, a slave to the corporation that maintained all pAI personalities.

 

Maxwell had met her this way, as a pAI who accompanied him on several shifts as a security officer. They learned about each other - RISSA learning of Maxwell's history and the virus that had changed him, Maxwell learning of RISSA's history as old memories resurfaced unbidden between the cracks in her code. It wasn't long before Maxwell and his friend Kalaya Gutierres agreed to help RISSA find herself again, to regain her individuality. With the help of a Kidan by the name of Ezeroc who had initially assisted in the creation of the RISSA pAI personality, an IPC shell was made and the personality transferred to it. RISSA had been hiding from the corporation who had enslaved her, and several of her accomplices had already been hunted down and killed for their role in her escape.

 

All of this was known to Maxwell. He had promised he would keep her safe, though he felt he had failed as he had watched her get sliced up by the energy sword of that traitorous paramedic not a week or two gone. As he watched RISSA picking up that ring he knew that Nerissa was attempting to resurface once more. There was little he could do but wait until RISSA came back to him.

 

And then she was. Looking up at Maxwell as she pocketed the ring. Neither of them said anything, they simply continued down the hall.

 

RISSA surprised Maxwell when a call went out for help in the maintenance tunnels. RISSA rarely ran towards danger unless Maxwell was involved, but this time she rushed ahead. Maxwell followed, worried about this strange development, and when he turned a corner he found RISSA and... something else.

 

A large, grey creature, humanoid from the waist up, billowing smoke from the waits down, with pink jewelry adorning wrists, neck, and ears.

 

"I am the Pink Genie. You are the owner of the ring," the menacing creature glowered down at RISSA, "You are allowed one wish, and only one."

"Ah.. umm.. I don't know," RISSA stammered, looking back at Maxwell.

"Think carefully. Take your time."

 

They did not remain alone for long as other people came in answer to the cries for help. Some people rushed by without a second glance, but the S.A.M., the Head of Personnel stopped to wonder at the strange being that had manifested in the dark tunnels. The Head of Security arrived soon after at S.A.M.'s bidding, and as they attempted to intimidate the genie and RISSA into yielding they only served to scare the IPC into running.

 

"Stay back!" cried, RISSA as she dodged past them all. Maxwell did his best to stay close, not hesitating to keep himself between his friend and her armed pursuers. The chase ended as the main hall came to a dead end at the mechanic's workshop. Maxwell moved to RISSA's side as the genie intercepted the pursuers, challenging them.

 

"RISSA's not going to wish anything that will harm the station, I promise!" called Maxwell.

"We don't know what that thing is capable of," replied S.A.M. matter of factly.

The genie chuckled darkly, "And if I were in a mood to destroy this station do you think that you could stop me? Back now, let the owner of the ring make her wish."

 

Quietly the HoP and HoS backed away, though they still lingered nearby.

 

"Max.. the genie could make you human again," RISSA said quietly over Max's shoulder.

He turned to look at her, pushing down the hope he felt rising in his chest, "No, this is your wish, you need to use it on yourself. Wish for your old body back and.. and maybe the people after you will lose your trail and stop killing innocents to get to you!"

RISSA shook her head, her monitor flashing between joy, sadness, and panic, "They won't stop. At least this way you can be yourself and be happy!"

Maxwell ran his hand through his hair, frowning, "They'll find a cure for me, RISSA, it's.. it's just a matter of time. Don't waste your wish, please!"

A soft buzz emanated from RISSA's monitor - a stressful sound - and she cried out, "Just.. give me some time alone to.. to think!"

 

And once more she rushed off, but this time no-one gave chase. Seeing no apparent danger the Head of Security left the scene while S.A.M. approached Maxwell, asking, "What the hell have I walked into here?"

"It's a long story," Maxwell said, quietly, leaning against the glass of the assembly line windows.

"And likely none of my business, I suppose. It doesn't seem like the station is in any danger for now. Just.. be careful," S.A.M. nodded politely turned on his heel to follow in the HoS's footsteps.

 

"I just want her to be happy," murmured Maxwell to himself.

 

The wait wasn't a long one, but for Maxwell it seemed like an eternity. He knew if he had been the one to pick up the ring he would wish for RISSA to go back to her old self - in body at least. He was reasonably sure that she had already made up her mind, as well. He looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. It was RISSA, of course, followed closely by the genie.

 

RISSA stopped wordlessly across the hall from Maxwell, a soft buzz coming from her vocal processor.

"RISSA.. what..?" Maxwell started.

"Let me get a good look at you," stated the genie, looming menacingly over Maxwell.

"What? RISSA, no..." Maxwell stepped forward. He reached out to take her hand when was suddenly frozen in place. A strange feeling welled up from somewhere deep inside him, not painful but most certainly unpleasant. Had he been able to speak he would have cried out in surprise as his view changed, no longer dominated by a blunted muzzle. He had the distinctly unnerving sensation of muscle and bone reworking and reshaping themselves. When he could finally move again he looked at his outstretched hand, flexing it, looking at the fingertips where he had cut holes for his claws and seeing only bare pink skin. His breathe came out in a strained gasp as he quickly tore off his gloves and looked at his fur-less, claw-less, once-more human hands. He brought them up to his face and felt his mouth, nose, as they once had been before that fateful virology conference months ago.

 

And he cried.

 

For himself, out of relief. For RISSA and her wasted wish. He took off his mesons and rubbed his sleeve against his face as RISSA and the genie looked on.

"Is this to your liking," said the imposing creature which had, at a whim, just altered his entire body.

"It's.. I never.. I-it's fine, this is fine," Maxwell stuttered out breathlessly.

"Are you certain?"

Maxwell nodded, looking to RISSA, still rubbing tears from his eyes, "I never thought I'd say this but.. it feels strange to.. to be human again."

This prompted a worried buzz from RISSA, but Maxwell forced a smile, "Thank you.. RISSA. And you, genie," he looked back at the strange creature.

 

As the alert sounded for the transfer shuttle the genie faded from view along with the ring in RISSA's hand. RISSA took Maxwell's hand and led him to the engineering escape pod. They sat looking at each other for some time before Maxwell found the courage to speak, taking RISSA's hand in his own, "I would have used the wish on you, you know."

RISSA nodded slightly, "I know."

 

"Thank you."

 

-----

So Maxwell is human again. While I didn't have any real plans to do so in the near future I figured it'd happen eventually. I wasn't 100% satisfied with the deus-ex magica that caused it, but I appreciate that Church was trying to make something fun happen for whoever grabbed the ring and it just so happened RISSA was the one to pick it up.

 

I suppose that here ends the tale (and the tail) of the Unlikely Tajaran.

 

[counterfeitguise]

 

Ah, man. Had I known it would have ended this way I wouldn't have done it, but such is RISSA's character, I guess...

It doesn't have to be the end of Maxwell, though. You can write more about him and his adventures - he's still got plenty more where that came from, hopefully. If I start up a series about RISSA's shifts, that could help too.

 

Besides, if you actually preferred the Unlikely Tajaran as he was, we could find ways around it.

 

[FlattestGuitar]

I've yet to see human Max, but I'm assuming he's a cool guy regardless of his race. Happy to see him around more in the future.

[Keroman]

 

Max's personality isn't changing (although he may be happier due to being human again) so I'm still down with hanging out with all the same ol' people as before.

 

I won't stop writing about Maxwell, it really just depends on how any given shift goes. It's just that the "Unlikely Tajaran" story is concluded because he's, well, not Tajaran anymore.

 

As a player I don't have any real preference for what species Max is so long as it makes for a good story. Literally the only reason he ended up as a Tajaran was that the only virus in the game at the time which could turn a character into another species was Kingston Syndrome. If there'd been multiple viruses to change his species then I'd have likely flipped a coin or rolled a dice or something. While I have no issue with people who are into "furry" characters (because we all enjoy what we enjoy, it's not like we can choose) I don't necessarily WANT to play any particular species. I've got IPC and Vox characters after all, so if I want to play something besides human I'll play one of them.

 

But anyways.

 

Thanks to everyone who read and enjoyed this particular set of stories. I'm always open to receiving constructive criticism. There's certainly a few spelling or grammar mistakes I've yet to fix as well, I'm sure, so feel free to point those out as well.

 

[HereticChurch]

 

Heh, funnily enough, that shift, someone else found the ring, picked it up, and just a few moments before I manifested from it, they walked into the chapel and dropped it. I was expecting to grant a wish of power to some greyshirt, giving them a wand of fireball or something, or making someone immortal by making them a skeleton.

Was pleasantly surprised to get a fun bit of roleplay with you guys.

 

The genie did say that he wasn't sure if the Kingston's disease was 100% cured, or would re-manifest eventually, so you could potentially do that, if you miss your Unlikely Tajaran. But, like Counterfeitguise said, you could always write up more stuff with Maxwell as a human. Plenty of fun stuff happens regardless of your race.

 

[Keroman]

 

That's fair enough, Church, and way back when I wrote the first part of the story I did originally plan on having the Kingston's fluctuate so, like, one day Maxwell would show up as a human, then another day he'd be Tajaran again. I just never really followed through with that.

 

I always jump at the chance to take part in RP, and I appreciate that you provide those chances, Church. Honestly if I'm ever part of a server's staff (hopefully Paradise someday - fingers crossed!) that's exactly the sort of thing I want to do. I can deal with the fact that Maxwell's return to humanity wasn't handled on my own terms. Like I said, I hadn't planned anything for it yet but it was going to happen eventually. I'd just rather not re-use the genie method for RISSA's own situation unless Counterfeitguise is okay with that. I even said in-game that it seems too convenient for Maxwell to suddenly encounter two genies in such a short time, but if RISSA was there and was fine with it I'd have asked Mordekai to wish her into her old body.

 

As it is I think Counterfeitguise and I would still really appreciate a chance to run the little custom event we've talked about before making any further physical changes to her character, although in the end it's really her decision.