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In the late 22nd Century

The roar of fire, the sounds of death like the devil's own symphony...and dragging, her body..her comrade's body. Hauling him, agony with every step....she slumped behind the dip in the land, turning to her oppo, and his face was gone, a skull staring out at her, and he pointed an accusatory finger at her.

She jerked awake, not sitting bolt upright, but a pained cry, and she darted her eyes around, she almost rolled off the medical bed, only the straps keeping her there, the instinctual trained urge to dive for cover was restrained only a few seconds of struggling and she found herself gasping...heart racing and...she became aware of where she was. Or to be more specific, where she wasn't.

No doubt a nurse's monitor was set off, from the subtle but myriad of sensors surrounding her, because a nurse rushed in, to check in on the patient, who was staring up at the ceiling.

"Good Evening Corporal Eisenkurk," the young man smiled, all soothing voice and professional smile, "You'll be getting out today. But that doesn't mean you can slack off," he checked on the exoskeleton, and the medical relays plugged into her spine.

Sitting up slowly, the myomer muscle strands worked, helping her sit up whilst her body, the aid of modern medical science was building itself back up. Cloned nerve endings, and vat-grown spinal chords could be made only so fast and could only heal and knit with a certain amount of speed.

"Private Jelling, is he..is he okay?" there was concern, a sadness in her voice as though, this one time she expected the answer to change, to reflect the dream.

The nurse had heard this question and every time the answer was the same, "He's fine. It's still amazing how you managed to drag him that far after being shot in the spine," he noticed the thylacine rolling her eyes and laying her ears flat with embarrassment but he persisted. "Hey, you're brave. You deserve a medal and then some."

A bitter grunt followed this remark, "Everyone else was killed in the ambush."

"And you saved one man. Remember what we I told you," came a growly authoritarian voice from the door. Stepping in, decked in the fine service dress, a mandarin collar, and a grey jacket with red trimming here and there, and a Captain's insignia on the epaulettes. His beard was maintained, trimmed for military bearing and the grey turban on his head gave him a certain exotic look.

Hella grinned, a wide Cheshire cat grin, "Man is not a potato," both she and Captain Pradesh Singh spoke together, and the Sikh allowed himself a thin little smile. "Very good. You remember. Now go get showered. We're heading to Dubai."

Hella knew well enough that the Captain wouldn't explain the whys and wherefores, not here not in this hospital, so she went to the task of showering, then she was presented with a neck-choking parade dress uniform that fit over the partial-exoskeleton. Already she noticed, that the purple heart had been added, and her Military Cross.

Giving Captain Singh a look, he shook his head. "The medal has been rushed through. We'll get you a proper ceremony later. For now you have a job to do, something I think you might enjoy."

******

"Babysitting?" came the incredulous reply and glowing red eyes regarded the suited politico. "I do *not* require a babysitter, Senator."

The balding man gestured pleadingly at the leathery jackal-man, "Yes I'm sure you're quite Capable Doctor Akai, but I must insist. The military wishes to protect it's investment."

That leathery jackalish countenance gave a thin, humourless smile, "Ah," he remarked in kind. But his lips did not move as such, rather the sound originated from his ribbed throat. "I see of course, to whom the reigns of power belong," he added with a snide retort. "Very well, as I am clearly so valuable to you. And I'd had to think of you having an apoplexy on my part," although the dry way he spoke so, indicated he didn't give a tinkers damn of the sort, "I will allow myself to paired to a guard dog."

With this, the jackal-man turned out towards the balcony, the glittering vista of Dubai was laid out beneath and around him, the orbital elevator off into the distance, and the fireflies dancing of air-cars, military vehicles and even some old vertibirds. Remaining silent, and pointedly ignoring the Senator, who took his leave, sweating profusely. The smell of his nervousness reached the Senator, who found those baleful red eyes quite imposing.

******

"So, this Doctor, he's got some fancy new advances for the big-hats in charge?" replied Hella. Then a bemused expression, "But why me? I'm not exactly fighting fit sir, if the shit hits the fan."

Captain Singh inclines his head, "Your psychological scores indicate you are mentally adaptable, and you lack certain psychological biases. If you do this well, you might even make it as a diplomat some day."

Hella gave her Commander a withering look, non-verbally giving her opinion of what she thought of *that* idea. Her, a Diplomat? How boring. Tête-à-têtes, sipping expensive plonk and eating tiddly little expensive foods and prattling and not being allowed to punch idiots?

But Singh knew his subordinate well, "You *will* do this well. The Doctor is to be extended every courtesy. I warn you he will be difficult. So extend him every courtesy Corporal. But don't let him walk over you either."

The suborbital Learjet passed above Sheikh Zayed Road, the subdued roar as the scramjets vented for a slow-down, whirring of fins as it angled towards Palm Jumeriah, nose up and touching down, a thump as water and hull came together, then the rush as it started to slow down, then manoeuvring up to a large cruise ship situated off of the island.

The Captain climbs the ladder and Hella, against her better judgement climbs as well..slower, wincing at the twinges in her back, but she makes it onto the deck, leaning over and clutching the side, biting back a string of curses.

Sensing someone watching her, the thylacine woman turned, all too suddenly for her spine's liking, and she bit back a yelp, her face scrunching up in a rictus of pain as a spasm of agony cascaded itself and she mouthed an unladylike "Fuck" under her breath.

Standing there, like the Egyptian pantheon made flesh, was a dark biomechanical man. His head, was closer in a sense to Hella's own, but superficially so.

His body looked to be leather, like a very expensive gimp suit, complete with seams, a high collar surrounded the jackal-man's neck. Ah but the most curious thing, was his baleful red eyes. Although, glowing aside, they weren't entirely unattractive. Alien, smelt very spicy...exotic...oh god the pain in her back.

His expression was in part unamused, and..well if she was any guess of alien body language...nervous. But it was the unamused expression that got her first. Being the most glaringly obvious.

"And this, is my great protector. I am *truly*, in capable hands," his throat-quivering voice was putting unhidden scorn at the pained and clearly not in her prime thylacine.

Hella bit back a reply, a most unladylike reply at that and straightened herself up, her cheek twitched. He was, like so many smug Doctors, and if what she'd been told of the project on the way over, he would be an insufferable prick. Clearly her instincts were right.

"It is a very good pleasure to see you, Doctor Akai," she replied through gritted teeth that, was only in part through the pain.

Akai looked over the young...so very young comparatively; woman and for a moment. He realised that he was a guest here and she was sporting an exoskeleton, one if his professional opinion was correct; for an injury of some sort. So he decided to show just a little bit of sympathy. "And it is the same, Corporal..."

"Eisenkurk," she replied back, as the spinal-mounts started their work on reducing the pain, with vibrations rather than debilitating drugs, easing the stress on her spinal chord and she was able to speak in a more normal tone.

Akai regarded Hella, he pointedly looked at Captain Singh now, turning those red eyes onto the Sikh. "I must admit Captain. To being rather offended. I would've thought you'd pair me with a less...damaged Bodyguard."

The Captain nods to his Corporal briefly, "Corporal Eisenkurk is a combat veteran, she has been awarded the Military Cross for meritorious service. She can handle looking after you Doctor. And if that's not consolation enough, there are plenty of other guards about."

"Ah, so I am 'light recovery duties' then, Captain. Well, I'm glad to know where I stand." An almost mocking bow.

Hella gave her Captain a sideways look, and Singh gestured with a slight incline of his head, for her to follow, and follow she did.

******

The affair, is like any other. There is lots of talking, and it is talking shop with other Scientists that Doctor Akai shows a sense of the real him, he gestures with his hands as he talks about scientifical things, refuting things or concurring and even taking note of things on his fancy looking PDA for new ideas that he'd not yet considered.

But he ignores his bodyguard, almost pointedly so.

Hella is bored, but she keeps herself alert, although truth be told, her attention drifts to the piano, a proper one not without synthetics or fancy electronic bits.

Maybe it's the pain talking, or maybe she is just in a generally foul mood, but Hella moves from Akai, towards the piano, and she settles down...and begins to play a tune, a piano tune and singing. A rather sombre tone, the irony of the lyrics is rather purposeful.

Maybe, you'll think of me. When you are all, alone. Maybe the one who, Is waiting for you. Will prove untrue, then what will you do?

Conversation stops, or atleast subdues as the thylacine woman sings, but for Akai...his eyes widen, his high regal ears focus on the song..on the singing woman....

******

Maybe you'll ask me, to come back again, And maybe, I'll say...Maybe

A drink in hand, and the fan turned over head. The whiskey, in all it's amber goodness stared out, distorting features, the throbbing in his brain soothed his mind whilst pounding it.

There were things Samuel was supposed to remember...that bitch, how could she. How cold she with that grunt, goddammit. Wasn't he provider, didn't he work his ass off to make ends meet. And she...Fuck!

A blond haired, blue-eyed face approached him, sitting himself down beside the drunk man. His German accent was thick, but not incomprehensible, and he had a certain suaveness to counteract that offensive Germaness. "Ach, Adkins. You really shouldn't vaste your mind so."

Samuel lifted his bleary eyes to fix a glare on he pretty face, he noted a lipstick mark on his collar, "Pizzawf.....y'kraut Bassard. W'th'pretty wimmun..an..y'good looks. Y'know whad...Faackya!" he gestured drunkenly, pointing his finger at that well designed German nose.

Kurtz smiled a bit, it was not intentionally mocking but it came across so to the drunken, sad Nuclear Physicist. "There are as zey say. Other fish in der sea."

Samuel saw red...well..drunken swirling amber and he swung a punch....

******

Akai shook his head, to clear away the thoughts that he'd tried so hard to bury and, he felt his glass of coke cracking, those alien muscles easily flexing..the glass shattered, and the contents spilled to the deck.

There were people ready to clean up, but Akai didn't notice it, he was still watching the song, and he waved the people away who were fussing over him. The glass was scarcely felt.

He takes a long stride over to Hella when she's finished playing, and before she can take a bow he grabs her arm, a tight grip, and her initial reaction was to break free but she decided not to make a scene, as 'helped' her out of the seat, and they headed up the stairs, finding one of the balconies away from bothersome people.

"Where--" Akai starts to ask/demand of Hella but she rounds on the Imaja, not giving him the chance to reply back.

"You know what Doctor. I've had enough of your bullshit! I don't care if you're the goose that shat the golden egg, but you don't get off handling me like some slab of beef. Now I may not have a fancy-arse degree---"

"Doctorate," Akai interrupted.

Her ears lay flat, "I may not have a fancy Doctorate and Yeah I've been shot in the spine so right now I'm a bit gimpy. But you coming here like some self-rightious, smug, arrogant bastard treating me like crap. Where the hell do you get off?"

Akai, drunk on the sugars in the coke, a bit of a poor judgement on his part. And, feeling tipsily bold, grabs Hella's head, laying a long, deep kiss on her muzzle, making her eyes widen, but surprisingly she doesn't push him back. Instead, she grabs his ears, and gives him a warm kiss back, which makes Akai's head dart back, his luminescent red eyes widened with shock.

"What am I doing? Why...Why do you make me think of her?!" he points accusingly at Hella.

The expression on Hella's face is one of confusion, bemusement...surprise, shock. All of the above. "Who the hell are you prattling on about?"

As if it answers everything, Akai loudly retorts, "Veronica! That two-timing hussy! I tried...I tried for so long to forget her. And you come along, with your songs, and your..." he gestures at her femininity, but it is a strong feminine form, hard, but not uncompromising. Feminine without being 'soft'.

"You're like, everything she wasn't. I bet you don't want a strong, pipe smoking republican who'll keep you in line with a good pimping hand," he laughs bitterly.

Hella is no less confused now, she is just giving Akai a weird look, and he averts his red eyes from her, turning to stare out at the starry view. "I wanted to forget her, for what she did. I thought I'd let her go but she still has me by the balls, even now."

Hella hobbled over to the jackal man, she can see that for all his vaunted esteem, all that arrogance from before, is like anyone else. A veneer, hiding certain truths. She reaches over, and touches his arm. "Hey, maybe she meant that much to you. You shouldn't totally let her go. But don't let her dominate either."

Closing his eyes, he exhales a low breath, calming himself then he turns to Hella, "My...behaviour has been deplorable, Corporal Eisenkurk. I..have been a poor Guest on your world. And...for forcing myself upon you," he rubs the back of his neck, a blue flush rises, keenly seen where the ebony skin is thin such as his ears.

The thylacine grins a wide grin, "Doctor Akai. I didn't exactly push you away. And if you want to make it up to me, well. I suspect I'll be your bodyguard for a while yet. So you can take me on a date, without all this highfalutin' chin-wagging, tomorrow. Oh and Hella...my friend call me Hella."

His ears swivelled towards her, an amused chuckle at her manner of speech, "Hella, after the Goddess of the Underworld perchance, or Hellas Planitia?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, most people just figured it was of the old 21st century slang for 'Great', and she laughs. "Hellas Planitia, on Barsoom, Aff."

An amused expression crossed Akai's face, "Barsoom? A fan of John Carter then?" he chuckled.

"Well, us Martians have taken to calling it Barsoom as a kind of Homage. Way to separate ourselves from the Terries."

His expression beamed, and Akai laughed, a joyous sound. "Marvellous! I'd...thought once upon a time there was life on Mars..ah 'Barsoom' sorry. And I'm pleased to see that my original theory is not entirely in vain. Perhaps, I shall go there again some day to see."

Hella gave a little grin, "And if you behave yourself, I might just play tourguide there."

"It's a deal. And please, Call me Seito."