Shadowed Stars

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Keene closed his eyes again at her question, but it was only for a moment as he tried to gain some equilibrium and then the hybrid was focusing again....and rising. He took a long, shaky breath as he looked down at Tessa and then slowly, he reached down and took her arm in his hand and pulled her up, initiating contact between them before he let her go again and moved out of the room, knowing the white-haired female would follow.

The black-haired male ran a hand through his hair, noting that his whole body trembled with residual reaction. He was feeling...feeling again in a way he'd not let himself do in a long, long time. Not since Lyalah. The thought of the girl made Keene inhale sharply and his hand came up to rub his chest, an ache there that he couldn't deny. He missed her.

He saw a lot of Lyalah in Tessa.

The realization made the male look back at her even as he found the bed, sitting down and then scooting back against the pillows, letting Tessa have the end of the mattress. She was a lot like Lyalah. Was that...was that why he found it so hard to just open up to her? Did he fear that if he allowed himself to care...that she'd be taken from him? Perhaps the questions were simple and had simple, obvious answers - answers his inner child was saying a clear 'duh' over - but Keene hadn't wanted to think, to acknowledge anything, to use the past to figure anything out. No, he'd been using the current danger as an excuse not to accept Tessa....and now those things no longer worked.

He watched the other hybrid for a minute and then finally spoke, nothing sarcastic or waspish in his tone. He simply told Tessa the complete truth as he knew it. All of it.

"To explain who Nimue is, you must first understand who...everyone else is. Nimue belongs to the Legends of Old Earth, specifically Arthurian Legends..." Keene's voice seemed to fill the room as he told her the tale of King Arthur. About how a corrupt human King had given his child to a powerful, mostly-human Seer, Merlin, in payment of a debt and how Merlin had taken that child to be raised away from the Kingdom of Camelot, to learn nobility and justice, mercy and patience. He told her about Morgan le Fay, an alien of unknown origin who'd been drawn to Merlin's power, to the prospect of Arthur's future, how her heart was filled with nothing but darkness and how she desired destruction of all things belonging to the light. Keene spoke of the friendship that developed between a Lord's son, Mordred and the undiscovered prince, Arthur and how they grew to be strong young men, inseparable before something, the love of the same woman, drove them apart. He explained how Morgan used that to her advantage, taking Mordred under her wing, teaching him, corrupting him completely. He told her about how Arthur came to claim his throne and rallied his people against their great enemy the Saxons, how he'd married the maiden Guinevere and how Knights had come from all around to pledge their loyalty to Arthur, the greatest among them being Lancelot.

Keene explained all this before he ever mentioned what she'd asked about and then he slowed, grew more thoughtful. "Merlin...was the greatest Seer who ever lived...and Nimue was his counterpart. She was not of Earth, but unlike Morgan, she desired to help those she saw. She was called the Lady of the Lake and her great power was with water and ice. She was the guardian and keeper of the great sword Excalibur and when Arthur requested her aid, she gave it to him to wield. When Arthur would not listen to Merlin, he heeded Nimue. She was...Merlin's other half, the balance in his life. She kept him sane and kept him good, kept him fighting for the light instead of against it. She never feared Morgan and the two hated one another."

The hybrid took a deep breath, arms wrapped around his knees and he closed his eyes as he told Tessa of the birth of Merlin and Nimue's daughter, about how the Women of Avalon had taken the girl away for safe keeping, aliens just like Nimue herself and about the shattered peace that rocked the Kingdom of Camelot, the war Morgan waged against Arthur and those who followed him. About how, in the last battle, Mordred gave to Arthur a fatal blow, but that the King returned it in kind, leaving both former friends dead that day. He spoke of how Merlin and Nimue destroyed Merlin, but how Nimue had payed with her life and how Merlin...had faded away, having nothing to live for. He spoke of Lancelot's departure, his heart heavy over the love he had for Guinevere, but his loyalty to Arthur and how Queen Guinevere had ruled faithfully and wisely after her husband's death, bearing his son, his heir.

"Arthur and Guinevere's line continued on in their son. Merlin and Nimue's daughter was kept from harm, raised in safety. Morgan had birthed twins in secret, only one surviving, and he was taken by her own kind to be suckled on darkness and corruption. Mordred sired many bastard children with many women and so his line continued."

Jade eyes looked up then into violet and Keene gave a faint, weak smile. "We are part of those bloodlines. We are the heirs of a great story...we are the new players in one of the oldest legends in time."
 
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As Keene rose from the bathroom floor, Tessa was already starting to push herself up when the male took her arm and helped her up fully. Tessa blinked, surprised at Keene's sudden willingness to not only help, but also initiate touch. It seemed as though Keene had truly broken past his barriers and even though that pleased Tessa, she couldn't help but feel a little out of place with this new Keene. She said nothing about it though, as she followed Keene out to his room and sat down at the end of his bed.

As Keene began to answer her question, Tessa listened intently. The deeper he got into the explanation though, the more Tessa began to suspect that maybe Keene's meltdown hadn't fixed him, but rather pushed him off the deep end altogether. After Keene had finished speaking, Tessa was quiet for a solid minute, her mind racing through everything that he had said. If she revealed just how crazy she thought this all was, then Keene might not be inclined to open up to her in the future. He was finally talking with her, straightforward and openly, and she didn't want to do anything to make him regret that. Still, it was hard to take what he said seriously and Tessa was clearly struggling with her response.

"That's...quite an interesting theory. If I am Nimue's heir though... who are you?"

Tessa already suspected she knew; Keene was a Seer, just as Merlin had been, but she wanted to confirm it before jumping to any conclusions. After all, Keene had just told her that Nimue and Merlin were not just each others' second halves, but also apparently lovers since they had a child together. Tessa found it more than a little strange that she might be fated to someone, especially Keene of all people. She didn't say that out loud though. No, she would wait for Keene's response and then try to judge from that just how crazy the poor man was.
 
Keene watched her, watched the expression that flitted across her face and when she spoke...he didn't withdraw as he might have once done. He wanted to. He wanted to say screw it and stop trying then and there. He was raw, hardly knowing how to handle this. He'd switched, like a light flickering on after years of being off and the last time he'd done this had been with Lyalah...but the child had been with him for nearly a year before he'd done it. She'd followed him, pestered him, asked a million questions, MADE him care and then suddenly...he had, freely, willingly and he'd cherished her and loved her like a sister.

He'd opened up to that child in a way he'd never interacted with anyone in his life. Not as a child himself, not during his teen years or as a young adult. He'd not dared to get close to other slaves and afterward, when he'd escaped...he'd taken to drugs to dull the pain and the memories, to keep his wild Foresight under control. He hadn't trusted or cared about people until Lyalah and then she'd been killed, taken from him and he'd closed up again tighter than before.

And now there was Tessa. Nimue's heir. She'd gotten under his skin rather quickly, but if history was to be learned from...that was to be expected, even if he hadn't liked that fact. So he was trying. He was trying to...to trust her because something in him demanded that he do so, had been plaguing him until he cracked, but...

"You don't believe me." The hybrid said it calmly, his jade eyes piercing her violet and Keene sighed, but didn't say another word. He just reached out and took Tessa's hand, interlacing their fingers before she could protest...and then the world was fading as his eyes flashed gray.

Knowledge. It surrounded them, flying by like the stars, a vortex of history that soaked into their very pores. Keene's mind focused on what he wanted to show Tessa and the world spun in a lurch before steadying, blackness around them, their consciousness' floating. Light began to appear and suddenly faces were visible, like looking at a screen, a picture and Keene's voice echoed in the vast space around them, but it was as if he wasn't alone, as if all those before him, the Seers who carried his power long before he had, spoke too.

These are the Children of Legend. The Line of Merlin, my ancestor. Images flashed then, too many to count, but with each came a flood of information; names, ages, life-span, gender, accomplishments, powers, bloodline. Always they ended with the tracing back of a bloodline all the way to Merlin - and Nimue consequently - and so it kept on, thousands of years of history condensed into the span of a few minutes before it ended, before the line stopped at Keene and he let that linger, let Tessa absorb it as she could.

And then he spoke again. The Line of Nimue.

Again the process started and before her mental eyes, her ancestry was revealed, every face, every name, every deed laid bare, every meeting between the heirs of Merlin and the heirs of Nimue in time made known, shown until the face of her father flashed, for just a brief moment, showing that it was indeed from him that Nimue's blood descended to her and then it was over. Silence fell and the world came back into focus as Keene slowly released Tessa's hand and sat back.

He didn't say a word. He just waited.
 
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When Keene stated, calmly and plainly, that Tessa did not believe him, the white-haired female immediately opened her mouth to protest. She didn't want Keene to withdraw again or regret telling her anything; she was so used to walking on eggshells around Keene that even though he seemed to be different now, Tessa didn't want to risk upsetting the balance he had achieved. To her surprise though, Keene was surprisingly calm about the matter and even more surprising was the male's decision to take her hand into his. When he did, Tessa's words died in her throat and she looked at Keene, her violet eyes searching his jade in confusion.

Before she could even ask though, Tessa's mind began to flood with the images, names, and lives of the ancestors leading to both Merlin and Nimue. It was more than overwhelming and even after the rush of information had stopped, Tessa sat in a stunned silence, her mind racing to process everything she had just seen.

After several seconds, Tessa swallowed hard and met Keene's eyes again, her violet ones wide. "This is real..." She shook her head then, as if trying to clear her thoughts.

"If I am Nimue's heir and you are Merlin's...then I assume Rasheel is Morgan's? Who are the others then? Where are the rest of the heirs?"
 
NOW she was getting it.

Keene smiled that slightly smug smile that she would be used to. He was still himself even if he was trying - truly trying - now and the hybrid gave her a look that said 'really? Haven't you been paying attention?', but he didn't say as much, instead shaking his head and answering as plainly as he could. "I only know where Arthur's heir is. I've hidden him. That's who we're going to see now." He finally admitted his great secret and Keene was unsure she'd even realize that.

He moved on then, knowing there was a great deal to tell her about. "Morgan's heirs have always been raised to know who they were. Even if they didn't have powers, because some of us don't, they did what they could to cause destruction. They have always hunted Arthur's heirs so Merlin's heirs have always discovered who they were so we could protect them. Nimue's heirs...rarely discover who they are, actually and Guinevere's heirs are the same, though, they are often occupied by Lancelot's heirs without knowing it and Mordred's heirs are often in close proximity to Arthur's at some point."

The hybrid paused, wondering what else he wanted to say, what would be important. Finally he ran his hand through his hair, speaking again. "We don't always come in contact with each other, all of us together. There are many years, even hundreds, when we don't come together, when nothing happens that is significant enough, but there are always heirs that know what is going on, that pass on what they know in some way. We don't all have powers and there are bloodlines that fizzle out with time because the powers that we are granted migrate toward stronger bloodlines, toward the most pure strands, I think. And while technically you and I are both Merlin AND Nimue's heirs....our powers decided for us which line we really resemble. Same goes for Arthur and Guinevere's heirs."

He had stood by this point, pacing, needing to move, growing a bit more animated in a way Tessa would have never seen. But Keene was in his element and he was...being allowed almost to speak freely. "Heirs don't have to be one gender either. There have been plenty of female heirs for Arthur's line and males for Nimue's. It all depends on what's going on in the universe and the heirs themselves. Oh, and Lancelot's heirs are not technically of his bloodline. He didn't have children. It's more...a title that is given to the protectors of Guinevere's heirs. And this time, though....everything is the same as it was so long ago. The genders are the same and all the heirs are strong. I haven't found Guinevere, Lancelot or Mordred's yet, but I will. It's the Horde threat bringing them out. I know it..."
 
Tessa did indeed catch the reveal of Keene's secret and even she seemed to perk up a little at the revelation. Even though she couldn't deny that the information was overwhelming, the pieces were also coming together in her mind. When Keene spoke now, he had her full attention, no disbelief or skepticism in sight.

After he was finished, Tessa ran a hand through her hair, deep in thought. Her violet eyes came up to meet Keene's jade again. "How accurate are our lives to the original legend? I know the genders are the same this time but...is there a chance that anything will change? That our generation might do things differently?"

In a way that was uncharacteristically indirect for Tessa, her tone hinted of unspoken questions; Was there a chance they could fail? Would she and Keene have a romantic relationship no matter what? Would she die as Nimue did in a fight against Morgan's heir?

For once, Tessa's expression was one of caution and wariness, so unlike the rashly headstrong person she normally was. The unexpectedness and magnitude of what Keene had told her was staggering and even Tessa, who was normally quick to catch on to ideas, was struggling to wrap her head around everything.
 
"Our lives are not dictated by the original legend at all unless we wish them to be."

Keene's answer was immediate and he stopped pacing, his tail swaying back and forth instead, looking very much like the child version of himself right then; loose clothes, barefoot, black hair all awry, almost relaxed, calm and focused. He looked thoughtful at the answer he'd given and then back up at Tessa. His eyes swam gray as he looked at her, studied her really and it was true he was cheating, seeing what she'd ask if she could, if she made certain decisions all in the attempt to be able to answer them before she even spoke.

The only problem was that it was sporadic. He couldn't SEE Tessa properly - or at all sometimes - and so it made it hard to predict what exactly she'd do and it honestly frustrated him a good deal of the time, though, he'd not shown it in the past.

"There is every chance that things could be different for us even if we closely resemble the original legend at this point in history. We have free will still, Snowy. Rasheel chooses to be like Morgan. I chose to hide Arthur's heir, Atarn. Atarn will choose whether or not he leads his people. You must choose what you'll do with the information given you. We all have choices and even now we all differ from the legends. I'm f***ed up in a way Merlin never was, you don't even know who you are...things are different already. We are not the same even if there are similarities." Keene assured her and then he moved back to the bed and crouched down in front of Tessa, meeting her eyes directly.

"There is every chance that we can fail and there is an equal chance we can succeed. I have told you that the Light and the Dark are balanced in Racheel and me, but you're part of that as well. We all are. We make our paths and what has happened in the past does not dictate the future unless we let it."
 
Tessa exhaled a little in relief, only then noticing that she had been holding her breath. She was grateful for the quick and direct answer Keene had provided and the answer itself was what she had been hoping for. Tessa didn't like the idea of anything being decided or fated for her - she was her own person dammit, and she would make sure all of her decisions were her own. Satisfied with that thought, Tessa met Keene's gaze again.

It wasn't the first time Tessa had seen Keene's eyes shift from jade to gray and now that the male was right in front of her, meeting her eyes with his, and answering all of her questions with unprecedented straightforwardness, Tessa decided to venture another question.

"...Why do your eyes turn gray?"

Tessa had noticed that it occurred when Keene was using his foresight, though she also saw it at times when it wouldn't be obvious that foresight was being used - such as during combat or just right then when he was using foresight to unearth Tessa's unasked questions. Whatever the reason, Tessa wanted to know.
 
Of all the questions she could have asked...

Keene blinked, surprised, truly surprised and that wasn't easy to make him feel. He tilted his head, tail snapping the air in a waspish, thoughtful way as his eyes slowly faded back to jade, piercing Tessa's violet ones. She was a puzzle to him. He thought he knew her and then...then she did something like that, asking such a simple, off-topic question and he was thrown for a loop once more, faltering.

Not even Lyalah had done that. Tessa was the first and it intrigued him. In fact, it was probably the mystery around her that had made him willing to tolerate Dorene and Raxiel's presence...along with hers, too, if he was honest. Now though...he actually wanted them here....in a way. Not all of him did, not even close, but there WAS a part of him that had grown used to them, fond even.

Interesting.

"They turn gray because Foresight is neither of the Dark or the Light. It can be used for either, doesn't care about either. It is...a gray zone, just like me." He sighed, looking down at his hands, still crouched before the bed and his black hair brushed into his eyes, ignored. "I know you were in my head, what you saw." Keene paused, taking a deep breath, unsure what he felt about that right now. "My eyes used to just glaze over, a light gray to them, but....over time they just got darker as I did. They go black sometimes. I can feel it."

He looked back up then and Keene was very obviously trying to appear nonchalant, like he wasn't bothered by anything he said, anything he told her. "I guess you could say my eyes reflect where I stand between the Dark and the Light."
 
Tessa smiled faintly when she saw Keene falter and she knew then that her question had caught the male off guard. That hadn't been her intention, but watching Keene deal with it was amusing nonetheless. To see him process the question and then struggle to answer nonchalantly... it made Keene seem more relatable - like he was finally someone Tessa could start to understand. Without even realizing it, Tessa had gradually become more relaxed around the male and even though Keene's answer wasn't a very positive one, it at least gave some more insight into the man's mind.

Tessa opened her mouth to pose another question when there was an alert buzz at the door. Tessa frowned slightly and got up from the bed, taking the liberty to answer the door herself - after all, it wasn't like any of the people on the ship were strangers. Tessa pushed the button at the side of the door and when it slid open, Dorene stood on the other side.

The redhead blinked, obviously confused as to why Tessa was in Keene's room. "Tessa, there you are! I was looking for you everywhere. I thought I'd ask Keene if he'd seen you, but... here you are." Dorene gave Tessa a look then - a silent question as to just why she WAS there, especially since it seemed the two hybrids fought with each other more often than not.

Tessa sighed, deciding to ignore Dorene's inquisitive gaze for now. "Yep, here I am. What's going on?"

That seemed to remind Dorene of her original intention and her soft green eyes betrayed concern. "I think something is wrong with Raxiel. He's been... off lately."
 
Keene wasn't sure if he was grateful or not when the buzz sounded. One hand it was a relief because it meant he had some time to stabilize again, gain some control over the wild emotions that were no longer contained so well. But then again, people at his door just meant more people and it probably meant something bad as no one ever came to his door...probably for fear that he'd take their head off with his tail, but still.

The hybrid said nothing of it, though. He didn't even give indication of what he felt, finding that he could still bring a type of wall up, a quick defense if he needed it and Keene moved after Tessa, raising a brow at Dorene's information.

Raxiel was 'off' lately? An android?

Well, that was interesting.

Keene moved to the door, leaning against the frame and crossing his arms, tail relaxed behind him, but the tip twitching in small circles by his feet. "Off how? Does he need to be reprogrammed or are you talking more complicated than that?" Okay, so him actually ASKING instead of just using his power to see what he wanted to know was strange, but hey, he was trying...and seriously wondering if it would be worth it.
 
Dorene looked up at Keene, a little surprised that the male was asking at all. She was used to him being rather distant and she didn't think he would have taken much interest in helping with Raxiel. Since he was though, Dorene set aside her surprise quickly and addressed Keene's question.

"It is becoming increasingly difficult for Raxiel to function and I believe there is a risk that he may become hostile. After all, the sole reason why he was created is to kill soldiers of the Bevnonsian empire. Unfortunately, we are sharing a ship with one."

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but Keene isn't really on their side. Besides, isn't the war over?"

Dorene's light green eyes flickered over to the white-haired female. "It's not that simple. We were able to permanently change our perception of Keene once we found out more about him because our minds are constantly processing new information and changing our thoughts based on said new information. Raxiel however, has limited mental flexibility. He met Keene as a Bevnonsian soldier and he is forced to challenge that perception every time he sees Keene. Further, we are now fugitives and that means every waking second for Raxiel is spent resisting the urge to turn us all in. He is constantly defying orders that were ingrained in him. Normally, the only way to fix this would be to return to the United Intergalactic Collective and use their systems to update him. Of course, we can't do that since the war isn't technically over yet and won't be for a while, meaning we are still wanted fugitives."

Tessa was quiet for a few seconds, running through everything Dorene had said. "...Is there any way to update Raxiel without returning to the UIC?"

Dorene bit her lip, suddenly looking quite uncertain. "... Well, yes. There is always a way. Black markets would no doubt have the software we need. I don't know if that's a good idea though..."

"I don't think we have a choice." Tessa glanced over at Keene then. "Would you be okay taking a detour?" Normally, Tessa wouldn't have asked - she would have demanded - but now that Keene had filled her in about his current objective of finding Atarn, Tessa finally understood the importance of it and she didn't want to do anything to compromise that.
 
Damn, he should have seen this coming.

Keene ran a hand back through his hair, looking truly thoughtful as he processed the options. Now, some of them he had to dismiss right away on principle alone - and he did have some - and the fact that he was now being...decent. The first to go was releasing the android out through the airlock. It would get rid of the problem, but even he couldn't just kill the android. They were something strange, a mixture of programming and yet something human, possessing both orders, circuits that controlled them and yet also free will and intelligence, even feeling. No, he couldn't just kill Raxiel, but he was pretty sure the females would be opposed to shutting him down temporarily, too.

No, the best solution was Tessa's, but first... Something was nagging at him. His foresight had gone very still, very interested all the sudden and Keene looked back up at Tessa slowly, his jade eyes swimming with gray strands that wanted to take over...but they were waiting.

"Yeah, Snowy, we can do that." he conceded and then pushed away from the doorway and moved down the hall, not saying a word more as he followed the pull he felt toward Raxiel's room. He'd felt this before....dammit, when had he felt this before? Keene tried to search is mind as he grew closer, but his mind wasn't cooperating, his power taking over as he opened the android's door, the metal sliding away from the seal with a slight hiss.

Gray eyes met the black-skinned Raxiel's dark ones then and Keene only spoke one word, not even aware he was going to say it. If his power was right - and when was it wrong? - then the android would respond. They always responded. They were slightly different than the others, not knowing until they were called by their rightful name...

"Lancelot."
 
Tessa blinked, confused why Keene left but she decided to let the man go without interference. Her violet eyes fell back on Dorene. "Alright, it's decided then. We'll find the nearest sketchy planet and see if we can get this program. ...What program is it, exactly?"

Dorene sighed, shaking her head. "How have we had an android on our team for so long and yet you still don't know a thing about them?" Before Tessa could respond, Dorene continued, "There are four tiers of androids: Level 1 androids are basically machines that have been designed to look humanoid. They are incapable of emotion or improvisation. Level 1 androids are usually used for repetitive, technical tasks. Raxiel is a Level 2 droid; he can physically pass for a human until he uses his gun. He has very limited emotions and adaptability designed for combat situations - meaning his ability to uphold abnormal behavior diminishes over time - hence our problem. What we need to do is get the programs needed to make Raxiel a Level 3. Level 3 androids feel a full range of emotions, along with great adaptability. They can be as stubborn or weak-willed as humans and possess a full personality. Save for his mechanical workings underneath, Raxiel would be essentially human."

Tessa had been listening carefully and when Dorene paused, she tilted her head to the side a little. "You said there were four tiers. What's the fourth? Wouldn't we want Raxiel maxed out?"

Dorene shook her head. "No, Level 4 androids are...complicated. Level 3 androids are basically human, only they know that they are not. Level 4 androids truly believe they are human - or another species - and have no idea of their android nature. They usually possess no outer skills or aspects of being an android and if they do, they don't know how to access them. If Raxiel turned into a Level 4 droid, we would lose access to his weaponry and on top of that, have to deal with a disoriented man without memories or a background he can comprehend. Level 3 will be more than enough for what we need. After all, Raxiel gaining emotion will be enough of a handful as it is."

Tessa snorted. "I doubt it. I think some emotion from him would be refreshing. Besides, what could go wrong with acquiring a few feelings?"

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As the door slid open to reveal Keene, Raxiel's dark eyes flickered up to meet the male. For a second, his eyes narrowed and a few sparks of red light flashed behind them before the android gained control over himself and settled again. He stared at Keene impassively, looking almost bored before he heard the name.

Lancelot.

Now Keene had Raxiel's attention and even though the signs were minimal, Raxiel's furrowed brow and hard stare revealed how hard his mind was working. He was processing past events, names of UIC and Bevnonsian officials alike, searching for the name that sounded so familiar. When everything came up blank, Raxiel frowned slightly before the realization hit him.

I am Lancelot.

Before the android could do anything with the information though, the door behind Keene hissed open again and Tessa and Dorene stood outside. Tessa raised a brow, looking at Keene, then Raxiel, then Keene again. "Trying to start a fight, Hotshot? Come on, let's go find some crime-ridden planet to land on."
 
An androids mind was easier to read than a humans'. Keene had always thought that and this time was no exception. His eyes had faded back to jade as he watched Raxiel, as he tapped into his telepathy instead of foresight and Keene picked it up immediately, the words completely clear in his mind just as they were in Raxiel's.

Lancelot's heir.

The hybrid felt a smile, a genuine expression come to his face, but he didn't get to say a thing as the door slid open and Tessa spoke. He narrowed his eyes dangerously at the name, but didn't comment and stalked out of the room. His tail snapped, almost hitting her - though, he knew very well it wouldn't - as he went past and Keene growled under his breath. Normally he would have showed no emotion, no irritation at all, he would have remained blank. Now he was expressing something and the bad came along with the good.

He made his way to the cockpit and sat down, staring at the controls for a long moment before he put his head into his hands. He was tired. And the information he'd just acquired...it just made him feel even more weary...and yet elated in a way he'd not realized he'd be at the same time.

He'd found Lancelot's heir. Which meant he'd found Guinevere's heir. Raxiel. Dorene. Stars, they were all on his ship and he hadn't even known! No wonder his damn foresight had been fluctuating so badly since meeting them! The hybrid looked back up at the stars and then straightened, shaking his head and focusing back on the control panel. Right...a backwater planet...that wasn't a slave planet...

The thought made him shiver and close his eyes, seeing blood immediately, and Keene brought his fingers to his temples, wanting the images to stop, but no longer knowing how to push them back without...pushing everything back.
 
Tessa raised a brow as Keene stormed out; it used to be rare to get a rise out of the man but now it seemed it wasn't that difficult at all. It made Keene...well, more human. Tessa's violet eyes fell on Raxiel then and she smiled with amusement. Keene was finally embracing his emotions again and if that wasn't enough, Raxiel too would soon be introduced to emotions, assuming all went well with their mission. Between the two males trying to decipher their new feelings, Tessa could only predict that their future travels together were going to be quite interesting.

Raxiel's mind was still working on the name Keene had presented to him but Tessa didn't bother inquiring about the android's pensive state. Instead, she followed Keene to the cockpit and took a seat next to him.

"Cool your jets, Hotshot. If you can call me Snowy, it's only fair that you get a nickname too."

Tessa directed her attention to the control panel then, swiping through the images presented on the screen until she stopped. Zooming in on an image, Tessa glanced over at Keene. "How about this?"

Tessa began to read off of the control panel, reciting from the information HUD that hovered near the image of the planet. "The planet Argoun has been deemed unacceptable for tourists with a crime rate that is 160% higher than the standard safety limit according to the Galactic Travel Agency." Tessa stopped and grinned. "That sounds like a winner. Can you take us there? I mean, assuming you can handle the jump."
 
Keene was almost glad for Tessa's presence when she came back in. It distracted him, made him think again and the images faded back, not gone, but willing to wait. The hybrid didn't think about that fact as he focused on the white-haired female beside him, giving her a look when she mentioned the nicknames, but not commenting once again. He hadn't really been...angry about the nickname. A bit irritated, yes, but the anger...that had come from being interrupted. Sure, it was illogical, but few knew how hard it was to actually DO the things he did. And he often had to do them with a great deal of distraction. Being able to tap into and use his power without interference was rare and he'd been frustrated at being bothered.

He wasn't about to tell Tessa this right now, though and instead listened to her words, rising from his seat and coming over to her own, resting a hand on the back of her chair and the other on the edge of the control panel, half leaning over her chair and Tessa in it.

He scent came to his nose then, an odd thing to note when his mind was focused on reading through the rest of the information the planet provided, but notice it he did. It was...nice. Something like winter wind and lightning. Keene felt a smile flit at his mouth at the thought, but he tried to make himself focus again and finally nodded, though, he finally seemed to realize what Tessa had said and he glared down at her.

"I can 'handle' anything I want to, Snowy. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell."

He shoved away from his position then and moved back to his own seat, though, he didn't yet sit as he started pressing buttons and readying the ship, his black tail coiling and snapping at the air in a much freer way than he'd ever allowed it to behave before. Keene spoke over his shoulder then, nonchalant.

"I found Lancelot and Guinevere's heirs."
 
Tessa chuckled at Keene's remark about the jump and as he walked back to his seat, Tessa pushed a button on her control panel. There was a soft pop over the intercom as it turned on and Tessa leaned in to speak into the mic.

"Hey, we're jumping soon so buckle up. You know, all two of you."

Satisfied that Dorene and Raxiel would take whatever action necessary to secure themselves, Tessa buckled her own seat and relaxed, leaning back as she waited for Keene to get ready. What the male said next though, made Tessa sit up abruptly and her eyes darted over to him.

"Wait, what? You have? Who are they? ...And how the hell did you find out who they are?"

After all, Tessa had only just found out about the legends in the first place and it was overwhelming enough to know about her ancestry, along with Keene and Rasheel's. For them to already find Lancelot and Guinevere's heirs... well, that was hard to believe.
 
Keene smirked.

Well, that had gotten her attention. He glanced over at Tessa, jade eyes meeting violet past his black hair and that enigmatic look was back in his expression. She knew more about him than anyone - except Rasheel, but that didn't count - knew more about his past and why he was the way he was, why he distrusted and lashed out...but she didn't know everything. He still had many things to reveal behind his jade eyes and for a moment, that showed in the mysterious glitter in his gaze.

"I have."

He flipped another switch, the hyper-jump activating.

"I found out the same way I find out everything, Tessa." He smiled at her, a smug grin really. "I'm a Seer."

Keene found his seat, strapping himself in and the last words he said before flipping the swift to jump was the answer she wanted to hear. "It's Raxiel and Dorene." The jump was activated then and anything Tessa might have replied with was lost.
 
"What the f-"

They were warped through space then, the force behind the jump strong enough to temporarily shake Tessa from her thoughts. It didn't last long though; as soon as the jump was over and the ship resumed its natural drift through space, Tessa's mind immediately went back to the topic at hand.

"WHAT?!"

She unbuckled herself from her seat and her eyes darted to Keene, though part of her knew she likely wouldn't be getting any explanations from him, at least not until he recovered from the jump. With a soft growl, Tessa resigned herself to her thoughts while Keene got his bodily functions under control again.

That can't be right... Raxiel is Lancelot's heir and Dorene is Guinevere's? There's no way. Guinevere was a queen and Dorene is... well, not. She certainly doesn't act like one. And Raxiel...

Tessa's eyes widened with realization.

Oh man... does this mean Raxiel will fall for Dorene? No, get it together, Tessa. Keene said himself that nothing has to follow the legend. We can prevent this. Agh, but can we!? Hell, we are only here because we are getting a program to make Raxiel capable of emotions... like love. S***, this isn't good. We have to get that program but maybe... maybe I can make sure there's no way Raxiel ever likes Dorene. How hard can it be?

With that in mind, Tessa fell into silence. The scheming had begun.
 
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