[b][center]Somewhere In The Altenia Tower[/center][/b]
	
	As much as security tried to keep an eye on every last spot in the tower to make sure things ran smoothly there was only so much that the understaffed division could there. There we areas with broken cameras, some purposefully disabled even. Shadows and dark corners could be found if one looked hard enough. Tristan had let the Tower fall into a horrible state, the Tower was one of the newer ones in the Galaxy and in a strategic point but because of the way Tristan ran things it had quickly fallen into disrepair; this combined with the personality of said former Tower Lead led to most to transfer out. Those that remained were split. The majority that were there were good people that just wanted to help those on the planet and keep the Tower running but with every group of people there were those that enjoyed Tristans tactics, as hard as it was for others to comprehend. 

“What do we do now? This completely throws off the plan,” a deep voice whispered in one of the remote areas of the Tower few ever tread and was out of the security divisions monitoring. 

“No, we stick to the plan. We knew this could happen, we prepped for this very scenario just in case things went down this way,” another said in a gruff voice.

“What about her? Even with our back up, it was contingent on someone like a classic Lead. This woman is anything but normal. People…. The people like her.”

“Don’t worry, just let it play out. Let her [i]fix[/i] things, it will get them to lower their guard and make it easier to finish this. We have direct orders from much higher up than she is, we stick to the plan,” the one who seemed to be in charge said.

“I don’t know, maybe this isn’t right,” the other said with some doubt showing vocally.

“You turning and running?” 

“No, no. It is just I wonder if maybe she’ll fix things so we don’t have to follow through with the plans.”

“Doesn’t matter, we stick to our orders, you got that?” 

“Yes sir…”


[b][center]Mor Of The Altenia Tower[/center][/b]

	The Twins kept working as they always did and even though they were not happy about the extended shift they plastered their usual happy faces on and took care of what was on the lists. During their down time between T&C’s they would relax somewhat, grab a bite to eat and even wander around the Mor talking to various people. They seemed to be asking a lot of questions but few paid them much concern. Questions were flying around the Tower as it was because of Silvia taking over; most of them concerning though her personally not her tactics. The Twins seemed more concerned with what she was actually doing.

[i]”This is going to complicate matters,’[/i] Gemini said to Gemine telepathically.

[i]”It will but we shouldn’t worry. He took care of it, things should go back to normal soon,”[/i] Gemine replied.

[i]”So the package has been delivered?”[/i] Gemini asked.

[i]”Yes, it was delivered a couple of hours ago. Now we wait, stay busy and make sure to stay on camera,”[/i] Gemine answered and smiled at her Twin. Craig watched the Twins, he knew they were up to something but they were good at keeping whatever it was between them. He didn’t trust them; few did, but most figured they didn’t pose a real threat. Craig wasn’t so sure of that.  
	
[b][center]Crystal Mines on Altenia[/center][/b]

	The mines on Altenia ran constantly, trying to find new larger crystals that the towers needed for power but even on the best planets they were hard to come by. Very few planets could survive off crystal production alone. Altenia had been lucky having the Brax’Na to help out when they did to be able to locate veins that were solid enough to drill through on the dusty planet. Yet even with their help the large finds were few and far between and with the equipment always breaking down it made the process even slower. Add to that the sand storms that would cause sonic events from the exposed crystals far too many Singers were being driven mad.

An older woman dressed in a Singers mining uniform leaned over the make shift work station going over the mines underground maps and trying to figure out where to dig next. Placing both her hands on the table she sighed deeply and shook her head. Even if she found somewhere to dig the equipment was shot. They have Frankensteined repairs together as best they could but it was getting pointless; after an hour or two things would just break down again. 

Hearing heavy footsteps moving quickly through the tunnels she looked up and saw another Singer running towards her with a print out in his hand. He was far younger than she, just a trainee, but he was good and had proven himself valuable to the operation. Stopping in front of her he took a few moments to catch his breath before handing over the paper.

“The contact,” he said as he coughed a bit and spit out some dust onto the ground. “The contact is finally here Singer Gwen.”

Gwen took the paper from him and read over it, a transmission had been able to be made through underground channels from the Tower to the Mines. A smile came to her lips for a moment before it faded. Looking over to him she nodded. “Good work Trevor, from the looks of things we make initial contact tomorrow,” she said before burning the paper to ash.

[b][center]Infirmary Of Altenia Tower[/center][/b]

Marx sat there in his chair rocking his heel back and forth as he waited for Ailen to wake up. He wasn’t exactly sure what to think about what was going on with Silvia. She had acted afraid while she had been working; fear was not one of those words in Silvias vocabulary.  Seeing Ailen finally wake up he stood and perked a brow at the fist bump, shrugging slightly as he returned it. “Yeah, good to meet you to man,” he said as he watched Ailen move around and test out  the new arm.

“She has a talent for this kind of thing,” he said as he lifted up the leg of his jeans and showed Ailen his own artificial leg. It looked similar to the same design as Ailens arm but it was clear it was a bit older. “I might have to have her upgrade me while I am here,” he said as he looked over to Silvia and smiled. “That Angel right there, I doubt there is anything she can’t do,” he said quietly.  He watched Ailen closely as he kneeled down next to Silvia and brushed her hair from her face. Looking slightly confused to his words about failing two women, one of them being Silvia. Then he just couldn’t help himself but laugh when Ailen said that Silvia deserved a better man.

“Yeah, Ailen, no offense but she does deserve better; better than you or anyone else for that matter. Do you really think, even after only knowing her a short time, there is a single person that deserves that angel? But the truth of the matter is that it isn’t anyone’s place to decide who she does or doesn’t deserve. That’s her decision,” he said as he boxed up what was left and picked it up to move out of the infirmary, including Silvias bag she had brought down from her quarters and his own gear bag.  Looking over to Ailen to make sure he had a good hold on her and stepping aside from the toss of pills in his direction, simply using his telekinesis to make sure they landed in the trash. 

“Nah, that crystal in your arm may have been from her crystal but that is your arm to operate. She made it for you and damn good thing she did. I don’t know how you did anything with the piece of scrape you had as an arm. I’ve seen toys kids on Earth play with that had better construction. For a newer tower you all are really in the shitter when it comes to supplies it seems,” he said as he followed Ailen up to Silvias quarters. 

“Replacement, yeah guess that is what I will be looked at as but in truth that isn’t why I am here,” he said before shutting up until they were in Silvias quarters and the door was shut and secured. “I’m here to make sure she stays alive,” he said as he dropped the crates down in a corner and made his way to a free bedroom in Silvias quarters to put his personal belongings in. It seemed that Marx had just moved in with Silvia. Stepping back out he nodded slightly towards Ailen. “Yeah, I have some things to go over with him. He says you need to get your head back in the game but what I am seeing your head is in the game. Guess we will see tomorrow,” he said before making his way to the fridge and grabbing some food to eat, sitting down and taking a bite. 

“I got no problem with you watching over her tonight since I have things to take care of but in the morning you will be back working and back sleeping in your own quarters,” he said before taking another bite and rising from his place to go check on Silvia, food still in hand. Stepping into her bedroom he looked down at her and smiled but worry was on his face as he pulled the covers up a bit more. He knew she was going to sleep a while after everything and probably wouldn’t be hungry when she woke up. Kissing her on the forehead before stepping back out and closing her door he looked over at Ailen. “When she wakes up, make sure she eats even if you have to force feed her,” he said as he stepped towards the door. “Yeah man, I’ll be down early to grab you. I’m going to lock down her quarters so no one can get in or out until morning, I need to run a through a few things before I can feel safe with her being here,” he said before unlocking the door and it sliding open. “No offense but as far as this tower is concerned, the only one I trust here is that Angel asleep in the next room,” he said before taking another bite of his food and stepping out the door. It slide back into place and it locked down to keep anyone with bad intensions out. Marx just hoped he left her in safe hands.


[b][center]Somewhere In Time[/center][/b]


	The rain had been coming for days, An unrelenting down pour that had soaked the ground soil and caused runoff from the hills above but people thought they were safe. It happened every year during the spring, so while each drop continued to fall from the sky the people of the small remote village outside of the Crystal mine went about their daily lives; sure that it would eventually pass and everything would dry up for another year.

	This year was different though and in the hills a chain reaction began as a few Teresa uprooted and fell; causing a domino effect that catalyst for the rock slide that swept over the village. A young couple were in their home taking care of a toddler with dark hair and bright blue eyes when they heard what sounded like a train and felt like an Earth quake. Looking out their back window they saw it coming.

	The couple picked up their child and ran out of their home, trying to out run the inevitable. The small one held close to her mother's chest could see it coming closer and closer. Screams were lost in the sound of the raging wave of rock and mud that was on their heels. The ground gave away beneath them, a lime sink caused by far too moisture. Down they tumbled into the nothingness below. The child's eyes began to swirl and around her and her parents a glowing blue sphere surrounded them as they hit the ground.

	The debris piled on top, forming a shell to the telekinesic cocoon that surrounded them. The mother and father lay there in the sky tinted glow dead, having used their bodies to break the fall for their child. The child cried, trying to wake them. The cries grew louder and louder until they were desperate screams into the world.

	Silvia lay tossing and turning in bed, reliving the nightmare of the night she lost her parents before she suddenly screamed out, blood curdling, before ripping herself from the memory and sitting straight up in bed. Grasping as her sheets as she struggled to catch her breath, beads of sweat clinging to her brow.