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Rann, Irmas

Rann took his eye back ind put it back in the socket. He grimaced in pain as the robotic eye connected with his organic nerves.

He blinked a few times before asking, "So what have you done so far?"

Ed-Irma's

"Well we have two polished lenses so far. I have the refelctor angles calculated and thworn into the schematics. The only problem now is taht we optimized materials but we don't ahvethe available resources to update the tech on the eye to give you features similar to teh ones on the current model."

Rann, Irma's

"I don't care what it looks like. I'll put a damned pebble in this hole in my head if it'll help me see."

Lily, Irma's

"Rann, stop talking about pebbles and make your eye."

Ed-Irma's

"Well once we have our names cleared I still have a huge research fund to my disposal. We can then order a new chipset, and enhance your vision to be better than your current models. the Rithum is really to high precision for the crude technology you're using at the moment. you eye sight while it will be restored won't be in focused. the way the lens focuses the beam, and your photosensor you'll be using. you will have little depth perception through this eye.

Rann, Irma's

"Alright, that's fine. I can get someone at my sister's station to work with it once I go back. Oh, and since I have no depth perception, you're flying back."

He sat down at the bench and started to form the shell of his eye based on the sketch that Ed had drawn. After a few minutes, he put the rithum lens where it belonged.

"How the hell is this going to connect to my nerves?" he asked, hoping Ed knew.

Satyana, RS413

At last...the lab looked as it was supposed to look again. After a great deal of hard work and with some assistance from Syke, it was habitable ......so she sank down in a chair closing her eyes......So tired!

"Where´s Rann? by all mighty powers he hasn´t been in touch for ages.....just hope he´s ok!"

Satyana fell asleep sitting in that chair......

Ed-Irma's

"That's fine" Ed replied. as he worked on soldering par tof the circuit to the photosensor.


"well, that's in aprt where the problem lies. we don't have the utensils fora full nerve connection. it will be partial at best. there's a docking station at the back, that will connect to your optic nerve. but seeing as how we con't have a complete network, it is a temporary fix. As I said it can be fixed, but not with what is available to us."

Rann, Irma's

"Do what you can with it." he said, putting the eye down on the table. "I have to go talk to Irma about something."

He left the room, heading towards Irma and his ship.

Infirmary Administrator

The admin opened Arthur's pockets on the clothing they had confiscated as the man rested, in a deep sleep.

"Lets see . . .pocket knife, flashlight, ah . . .what might this be?"

Opening a small piece of paper, the man read what was written inside it.

To The Commander of the Earth Branch,

Reader has been assigned to several assault tasks, including the research stations positioned within striking distance of Earth. You have permission to call up one-hundred and twenty able bodied men and women from the reserve to aid you in this assault.

The purpose of this assault is to undermine research that may be leading to advances in weaponry of the HDF.

You are to carry out orders immediately. If you fail, and are suspected yet alive, a backup squadron will be sent as fast as can be managed to open the assault on Target 1 again.

Target 1 is reasearch station 413, contact headquarters for further tasks.


Regards,
-Branch Headquarters-


Standing up, the Infirmary administartor immediately made his way to Satyana,

"Miss, perhaps you should read this." he said as he shook her awake.

Ed-Irma's

"Alright. I'll just ifnish it off then."

Rann, Irma's

"Thank you, Miss Irma." Rann said. He couldn't actually believe that she had agreed to have the work done in only five more days' time rather than six. That gave him two days to get the hell away with Satyana and Syke. Granted, it had taken telling her that Syke was in trouble to get her to agree...

"Don't expect many more favors, Rann." she said as he left her and headed towards Ed and Lily.

"Is it done?" he asked Ed, coming back in.

Ed-Irma's

Ed was bent over the workbench, looking through a desktop magnyfying glass as he finished of the circuit when Rann came back it.

"Yeah it's getting there. just a bit more,"

as his finger worked dexterously over the eye, pulling the pieces together. A couple minute later, he handed it to Rann,

"Needs a nice clean and it should be ready for you to test."

Rann, Irma's

"Alright then." he said, dipping it in alcohol and then wiping it clean. "Here goes nothing."

He popped it in and the pain caused by the nerves connecting was far worse than his other eye, probably because of it's crude design.

"Well." he said, "I can see a little bit. I can't zoom in or anything with this eye, but I can see a little."

Lily, Irma's

"You look like a cyborg." she said with a laugh.

Ed-Irma's

Ed couldn't help but smile at Lily's comment.

"It's only temporary. Didn't have the time to put together a good aperture for teh lens. Cosmetically speaking, well there wasn't time to add that detail. Once I can draw form my funds I'll work on it some more. add some modification, and then replace your other eye as well."

Rann, Irma's

"I was thinking that we could just get another of my usual eyes, and then just replace the lens with the rithum..." he said.

"We'll worry about that later though; I'm tired."

OOC: want to just skip ahead 5 days?

Ed-Irma's

"Indeed. It is far in the future. Though I'll probably draw up plans between now and then. see in what ways I can pefect the eye."


with the Ed stretched and yawned,

"Don't know about you two but I'm exhausted,"

OOC: yes. no point in siting around. no one else i s going to do anything.

Rann, Irma's

"Yeah. G'night." Rann mumbled on his way back to bed.

Lily, Irma's

"Good night you two." she said, heading off as well.

OOC: I'm gonna go to Barnes and noble to read; be back aroun 11.

OOC: alright have fun

Ed-Irma's

Ed cleaned up and put stuff away, then went out to the ship where Irma was,

"Good night Miss Irma. Thank you for letting us use your workshop to fix Rann's Eye"

He then returned to the guest room were he collapsed on the bed and was shortly asleep.

Rann, Irma's

The days passed by quickly, and Irma soon had the ship ready to go and free of Rann's identity.

Rann had already told Ed what had happened with the threat to his family and Irma's and what he planned to do, but he still kept it secret from Irma and Lily.

"Flawless, as usual, Ir-Miss Irma." Rann praised after looking at the codes.

"So you're leaving?"

Rann wished that she didn't sound almost hopeful. "Yes ma'am."

He found Ed eating in the kitchen with Lily. "You ready?" he asked, squinting hard, trying to get his new eye to focus right.

OOCL took a few minor liberties; hope you don't mind...?

OOC: liberties are fine

Ed-Irma's

Ed looked up with his mouth full

"..."

then realizing what he was doing finished chewing, swaloed and said,

"yeah let me just finish this wonderful meal Miss Lily has fixed,"

he quickly finished eating his meal and proceeded to clean up his dishes in teh sink.

Rann, Irma's

"Just meet me at the ship; I have to load some stuff anyway." he said, leaving Ed to wash his plate.

Lily, Irma's

As soon as Rann left the room, she got up and poked her head around the corner to make sure that he was out of earshot. Satisfied, she turned back to Ed.

"You have to help me get on without Granny or Rann noticing." she pleaded.

Ed-Irma's

Ed just smiled at Lily's request,

"I figured you would want to come along. There's sill some equipment I brought from the ship in the work room. You could hide in on of the cases maybe. Or you could simply pack your stuff up put it on the ship and tell your grandma 'good bye I'm leaving. I'll keep in touch.' but that would be too easy."

Lily, Irma's

"I don't want any of us getting hit with a cane, so I'll go with the first option." she replied, returning the smile.

Rann, Irma's

He packed the few clothes he had onto the ship, and a few materials he had bought from Irma to recreate the guns he lost to the crimelord.

He lowered the ramp and sat on it, waiting for Ed.

Ed-Irma's

"Ah yes the infamous canings. They really are fun to watch." He said with a laugh

But anyways you better hurry and get in one of the cases. wouldn't want ot raise the suspicion of Irma seeing us walking together to the work room." He waited several minutes after she left before leaving hte kitchen and going to the workroom. He pick up a small case, and then began rolling a larger one with him back to the ship. by the weight of the case Lily was inside.

He walked out on the dock,

"alright this is the last of it."

Rann, Irma's

"Alright then. I guess it's time to go." He said as he waved to Irma who was standing off at a distance.

"Hey Ed, is Lily mad at me or something? you'd think she would at least say good-bye..."

Lily, Irma's

Lily tried her best to keep from bursting out in laughter at Rann's quesstion, and after a time, steadied herself and began eating some crackers that she brought along.

Ed-Ship

Ed glanced at Rann while he waved at Irma,

"Yeah you could say something like that," he said with a smirk.

"She was very upset that we were leaving her. She thoroughly enjoyed our company," as he turned to cart the cases into the storage room.

Rann, Irma's

Rann shrugged, having no idea what the hell he was talking about.

"Let me take that; you're flying, remember?" he asked, tapping on his new eye. "No depth perception."

He took the cart from Ed and put it in the storage room himself.

Ed-Irma's

"Right forgot about that," as he handed Rann the cases, "Be carefull that's delicate equipment."

He then proceeded to the cockpit and started the ship. After a few minutes he had managed to take of and was no leaving the atmosphere of the moon. ed turned on the intercom,

"So how is it back there? nice and cozy?"

Rann, Ship

"I'm right behind you." he announced, walking into the cockpit and sitting down beside Ed. "No need for that." he said as he flipped of the speakers.

"Set the course for RS413. I'll try to communicate directly with Satyana once we get closer; if I don't, nobody will believe that it's me with this new code."

Lily, Ship

Lily burst out of the confining crate, but didn't leave the storage room; they were still too close. Once they got far enough, Rann wouldn't want to turn around.

Ed-Ship

Ed didn't say anything that the message was mostly for Lily.

"Roger that coordinates have been set. Computer is in control now." Ed said sprawling out on the chair and getting comfortable. aftera yawn he said to Rann,

"only a day of travel" in an enthusiastically sarcastic tone.

Rann, Ship

"Burrito time." he said with about as much enthusasm as Ed.

"This thing throws me off." he said, staring at his hand as he moved it towards himself, and then back away repeatedly.

"Hey, do you think that if we had used red rithum in my eye, it would look red? Then I'd look like that Sel fellow from that book you used to have back at the dorm. What was it called?"

Ed-Ship

"oh yes burrito time. How I ahve missed those pre packaged bundles of joy" he added. then putting aside the sarcasm.

"I'll get it fixed as soon as we get to the station as I promised I would. I can inlay red rithum on the aperture if you'd like to give you an iris. the book was Mystery Unleashed I think I brought it with me. I'll go check." He said getting up off the chair.

Rann, Ship

"I didn't actually want red eyes." he mumbled after Ed had gone, not realizing that he might have had another reason for leaving. Like checking up on someone.

He remembered wondering what Ed was talking about when he asked about Lily before falling asleep in the chair.

Ed-Ship

ONce he was sure Rann wasn't following, Ed knocked lightly on the storage room door before entering. He found Lily.

"So how are you hanging in? I hope everythin is comfortable. How much longer are you going to wait before letting Rann know?"

Lily, Ship

"Just come back and tell me once we get through the first gate; that should be far enough to where he won't immediately turn around." she replied.

Ed-Ship

"Alright," he said softly. and then went to his stuff where he pulled out the book. He left the storage room and walked into the cockpit only to find Rann had nodded off,

"Typical," Ed said. then placed the book down by Rann and falling back down on his chair. He saw they weren't too far from the first gate. He wondered if Irma had found out yet, and how she would react. he became lsot in his thoughts.

OOC: gone to bed. cya in the morning.

Rann, Ship

Rann woke up a few minutes later as his stomach began to growl. He hadn't eaten when Lily and Ed had.

"Want a burrito?" he asked. He didn't really wait for an answer; he just made his way to the kitchen to make one.

He stopped by the engine room for some coolant and was soon back in the cockpit enjoying a hot meal that he had eaten many times before.

"What gate is this? first? Second? Third? How long was I asleep?" he asked, pointing to the gate looming ahead.

Ed-Cockpit

"nah I'm good" Ed muttered as Rann left, unsure if he had been heard.

"It's the first gate. you only slept for a few minutes, which is miraculous enough seeing as how you've been getting very little sleep the last few days."

Rann, Ship

"The first gate? Damn this thing is slow." He complained. He didn't want any crimelords beating him to the station.

"Listen, go get yourself a burrito. I seriously need to get rid of them."

Ed-Ship

"Yes sir," Ed said sternly and saluted. He did this with a smile on his face and proceeded to leave the room. He walked to the kitchen and three two burritos into the oven. A few seconds later they were done, Ed put them on seperate plates, and then took one back to the storage room.

"Here Lily I brought you some food. We're entering the first gate as we speak so you won't ahve to sit in this uncomfortable room much longer."

Lily, Ship

"Good. By the time I eat this, we should be through, right?" she asked just before taking a huge bite.

Satyana RS413

Satyana woke up staring at the administrator with dizzy eyes..

"What is this? where did that come from?"

She took the note and started reading it....then gasped for breath ..this ....this was..just horrifying....

"SYKE!!! where are you, come on read this!!" She yelled with a voice filled with anger and fear....

Ed-Ship

Ed sat down on the floor next to Lily.

"Yeah hopefully. It's a rather large distance to cover, before we reach the gate intersection. The good news is you can't exactly turn a ship around while inside a gate."

Syke, RS413

"What?" he asked, coming into the room after hearing his sister shout out to him.

Lily, Ship

"Exactly." she said, taking another bite. "So where are we going, anyway?"

Ed-Ship

"We have to go pick his sister and brother up at their research station. The scumbag from Jupiter threatened to harm them if Rann didn't give him a name."

Lily, Ship

She stopped eating in mid-bite. "Whose name? Grannny's? What scumbag?"

Ed-Ship

Ed didn't realize he had said too much, but Lily would find out anyways and it was better this way. After a short pause during which he cleaned his glasses,

"yes they wanted your grandmother's name."

"I don't know hte whole story, but apparently Rann got caught getting whatever he was getting. they took one of his eyes as a reason for him to come back with the information, and then they threatened that if he didn't have the name to them within a week those recorded in the eye's memory would be harmed."

Satyana, RS413

"Read this Sykie,......it´s a plan to...to ..to wipe us out...or ??" She covered her face in her hands......this frightened her really!

Syke, RS413

"Is it from that Arthur guy?" he asked.

Lily, Ship

"That's horrible! Why would anyone do that?" she asked, just as the ship lurched forward slightly.

"We must be through the gate."

Rann, Ship

Rann stood up, forgetting something important; he needed weapons. He made his way to the storage rom for a few tools, and found Lily and Ed sitting on the floor, eating burritos.

"Why are you here?"

This wasn't good; now he had to worry about four people.