Star Crossed Cyborg



As Serene's eyes closed, a blue-screen faded back into her mind, warning messages and errors covering almost everything.... it was getting too hard to see.... She couldn't tell where the attack was coming from exactly, or what was going on. She struggled through the massive ammounts of text that weren't even finished loading. Her consciousness started to lag she was starting to get confused. Why was she looking inside her own head again?

It was so hard to think with the blaring blue around herself, so many warning messages.... warning about what? What was wrong? She felt fine..... Maybe.... maybe if she reached out to one of those warning pieces of text, they'd tell her what was going on....


[BG="#0000EE"] WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING CORRUPTED DATA CORRUPTED DATA WARNING CORRUPTED DATA PLEASE SEEK TECHNICIAN - EJECT FROM CONSOLE REMOVE SELF FROM SLEEP MODE OR RISK PERMANENT DAMAGE

[BLINK]Where AM I?..... Oh crap, my thoughts aren't in parentheses.... they're not encrypted... what the hell is going on in here?[/BLINK]

[GLOW="red"]??)(QQQ(CLE--- SOFTWEAR PROCE$##S WILL TAKE FOUR HOURS)001---G[/GLOW]


[BLINK]Ok, I think that's what I'm looking for... I think that's why I'm here....[/BLINK][/BG]

Serene's consciousness drifted closer to the text, then slowly realized the red, warning glow around it, and a couple text malfunctions around it. She was getting more an more confused. Her programming taught her that green text was good, Red was bad.... Yellow was risky.... black.... black's not good at all. But what the hell was green WITH red? She just barely touched it, and suddenly everything got worse.

The blue screen was gone.... it was black... and dark. She felt her processes trying to work, but it was becoming an overload. What had she run into? What was this?... So terribly dark, with no codes or text..... then... suddenly, she realized what was going on. She was fucked. The text was black now. She carefully highlighted what she could so she could see...

ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRORRRRRRRRRRRRRRR SYSTEM ERROR SYSTEM ERROR SYSTEM ERROR ATTEMPTING REBOOT REBOOT FAILED [BLINK]Why is it trying to reboot me? [/BLINK][GLOW="red"]ATTEMPTING FULL SYSTEM ERASE AND REBOOT[/GLOW] ([BLINK]NO! DON'T DO THAT! SHIT! Fuck... fuck... what the hell is going on... How did I get here, what is going on, I don't understand....[/BLINK])








Then.... It was all dark again... She had a vague sense that she was still virtually alive, but she was so confused now... she couldn't see.... the highlight wasn't working anymore.... Black error messages scrawled everywhere... she was screwed.... Now this, THIS was an errror she would understand if Sintronica killed Cyborgs for..... She was scared... and she barely understood what was going on... she couldn't really remember her name.... and even her own code, or unit number....


ERROR ERROR ERROR ERRRRR-RROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR CORRUPTION OF PORTS- CORRUPTION OF[GLOW="red"] MEMORY STORAGE[/GLOW]

Memory storage... Maybe that would help her understand....?

She slowly drifted over to the words.... her thoughts were hazy.... something about red.... red and black.... But it didn't matter... it's probably not that important... and the glow was so bright.... almost guiding...

she came closer to it

[GLOW="red"]MEMORY STORAGE[/GLOW]
[GLOW="red"]SINTRONICA MANUAL
HUMAN MEMORIES
IMPLANTED MEMORIES
TRASHCAN[/GLOW]


She looked at the options.... Sintronica manual..... She scanned through that one and found nothing but broken text and hyperlinks.... Implanted memories was full of error messages and demands to reboot....She looked back at "Human memories, and wondered about it, but then looked through Trashcan....

And was amazed at what happened next.... For a brief moment.... it was like movies were playing in fast forward all around her, sensations.... emotions.... tastes... everything...

Then more error messages.... so many error messages....

She then gently scrawled over "Human Memories"... and again, more of that interesting movie.... but nothing that really helped her... Until it seemed like the movie paused on something.... A tree... in front of a school.... Two children....

She felt like she was supposed to understand.... but her head hurt so much now...

She wasn't understanding something vital.... Serene clawed at the consciousness of the scene, trying to get it to zoom in, or replay.... anything... just a few more clues.... she felt like she was so close to understanding something.... but then more error messages blocked her out of the link...

In cyberspace, you can't speak... you can't scream.... you can barely even feel emotions... it's all just text... Binary life.... it's complex... it's built to have very little emotion, but enough to understand their creators.... to understand human whims enough to not consider them obsolete. Giving them just a smidgen of the same problems that the flesh and bone sentient beings had.

She felt so frustrated...

She couldn't remember.... What was her name.... who was she?....

If she had some sort of a body right now, inside her head, she would be trying to force her way back into that link....

Human Memories.... Why were there memories in the trash?

She went back to the trash... hovering over it for a moment... unsure of what to do... then looked through it again...

Pain..... she felt pain... she saw flashing lights.... blood.... someone was gripping her hand and it was almost comforting... She squeezed back.... She tried to speak... she didn't know what she wanted to say..... but all the same, her lips moved with no sound.... The hand was torn from hers suddenly... bright lights blinded her, suits with tags on the pockets, a logo.... three letters were visible... "S I N"... she felt herself getting pried out the darkness.... more pain... she couldn't scream... then.... someone telling her to calm down...

Crying... someone was crying in the background.... she tried to focus on it... who was screaming?... Why did it make her so angry and sad?...

Shouting out..... a name was being screamed out.... A mask was placed over her nose and mouth... the scream became distant... everything seemed to fade out as pain flourished in her head. Blooming like some deadly flower... She was so tired... She tried speaking one last time... anything... a whisper was on her lips.... a name... an important name... but no one could hear it... and as everything faded out, she heard that blood-curdling, desperate scream again...


She still didn't understand! Why was this in the trash?! Her head hurt so much... She didn't understand.... so she kept wandering through her head, trying to remember what she was even doing in there. Meanwhile, her head on Cliff's shoulder, her body started crying.... she wasn't aware of it... but there was no other response.... she was still far from conscious.
 
The subway train was empty. THe few vagrant passengers swayed with the motion of the car as it pushed on into the night. Cliff left his watch in their quick getaway, but figured it had to be around four a.m., at least. Outside the window was nothing but a cement wall. It whizzed by at an almost trance inducing sped. As Cliff watched it he was again sucked into sleep. He let himself get sucked in, only after checking to see if Serene was ok.


Cliff knew what had happened. HE had lost his best friend that day. The memory wasn't gone, it was just buried, like a metal sliver, deep in his brain. He did his best to keep it from the surface of his thoughts. It was the exact time, right to the mother fucking PIN-point, that his life began going down hill. And no matter what hellish turn it took, he would never, ever forget his girl. Molly.


Two and a half short years later. Cliff is 15, but looks 19. He has grown a good two feet and his shoulders are broad. He is a very handsome young man with a great build, but few notice it because he is always covered in thick jackets and hooded sweatshirt. But honestly, who can blame him, living in Northern Michigan during winter isn't exactly time for tank tops, but that's beside the point.

Its dark out, just after mid-night. Thick plumes of smoke sail from Cliff's mouth as he works a crow-bar back and fourth, trying to get this fucking trunk open, trying to get whats inside, trying to rip off this car, so he can get money for a hotel room…for the ultimate goal, so he doesn't have to sleep outside in this putrid weather. It was a nightly struggle for Cliff. He wasn't in a gang, his crimes were for himself.


After running away, Unable to live with his mother and "the Dick of the week" whoever she was fucking that month, Cliff took off, dropped out of school and said good by to home. Nothing left here for him. So one night, after sending a lamp into the face of "Rod, Dick of the week for November" he left, only a backpack and a few personal items going with him. :come back, Cliff" his mother had said "Fuck you, heartless bitch." Cliff Replied to his neglectful mother. HE had little use for her, and that was the last time he ever wanted to see her again.

CLICK

Finally. FINALLY, and not a moment to soon, the trunk pops open, revealing what Cliff came for. He had watched this particular car for a while now, the owner was a small business owner who frequently made trips to the bank. Cliff knew there was at least 500$ in here…

"We'll take that bitch" Cliff felt the gun press harder into his skull as it was cocked.

Cliff felt the cold steel from a gun barrel push lightly against the back of his head. He knew right away they were Leech's, small gangs that followed other people on jack moves to steal what THEY worked to get.

Cliff slowly turned around, little did he know, the events that were about to take place would forever change his life.
 
Serene floated through the memories in the trash.... scanning through everything, trying to make sense of anything. Faces blurred through her memories, names without meaning, words and sentences flew by without making any iota of sense. But.... one face kept coming up, and there was a constant..... Hazel eyes.... a face with hazel eyes.... A kid....

Couldn't be older than twelve or so.... he was cute.... but she couldn't understand why his face kept coming up, and it wasn't helping that her memories were still faulty, and nothing was sinking in or sticking with her. She didn't know who she was, still, and she couldn't figure out any clues or keys. She didn't even understand how to fix things so she could remember.... She couldn't even figure out how to get out of "Trash".

Then suddenly she stumbled over a memory that she wouldn't be forgetting soon....

It filled her with rage, and anger.... sadness and confusion too....



She remembered waking up for the first time as a cyborg.... They were programming her.... telling her things that she'd have to remember as well as locking it into her head too.... commands she should never forget...

Something seemed wrong about it... She was naked, strapped to a table, wired from every port... But... she hadn't been like this the last time she was awake... she couldn't shake the fact that something wasn't right...

They told her about her enhancements, her specialized limbs....

They then unlocked her from the table and tested each feature, which she was fine with, until they brought in another cyborg....

They told her to kill it....

And she couldn't. Even the coded command via computer wouldn't make her budge...

She remembered them explaining her purpose to her, arguing with her, trying to force her.... Nothing. She just couldn't do it.... the thought of blood.... of making someone or something bleed... for some reason paralyzed her. She just couldn't do it...

She remembered them even bringing her to watch other cyborgs that apparently were part of the same generation as her. She watched as they mindlessly followed commands. Slaughtering...

She remembered when they finally modified her data to include the Parent Software... And it was like being put in the back seat while someone else took over and moved her... It terrified her. But at that point, she knew it wasn't worth the effort to resist anymore... but that she needed to wait for an opening. Any chance to get away from this...

It was in training with another cyborg when she detected a malfunction in the software.... right before she was supposed to end the fight and go to the kill, it stopped and she was back in control again. She stood there, poised over the mangled body, watching its body convulse in an attempt to keep alive.... white fluids splashed all over the floor... Serene remembered faltering, then trying to run away....

It was in vain. The next day, the same thing happened, and again the next day... It all kept repeating! The fights, the needless violence, then, the malfunction right before the end. Finally they figured a way around it, tweaked the programming. She watched her body kill, day after day... slowly starting to accept it. There was nothing else she could do...

Until the day that she malfunction badly enough that she was put back into sleep mode until earlier today.... The reason she was supposed to be killed....




Serene suddenly felt all the error messages leave her head.... for some reason, it was all ok again.... everything was back to normal.... She didn't question it, or take it for granted. Slowly she came out of the sleep mode. Her eyes slowly drifted open. A shudder went through her body as she tried to forget her mechanical past.... trying to remember what else she had found in the trash, in her human memories....

It was in vain, and she gave up quickly.

She raised her head from Cliff's shoulder and looked up at him briefly before looking around at where they were, confused as to how they ended up where they had.

She found that her other limbs were not with her, though, she wasn't too disturbed by it... she didn't like that kind of power.... her tail was enough.... but even it was too much...

She looked around at the passengers, then looked back at Cliff, watching him sleep for a moment, watching as a frown came to his lips... a bad dream? She found herself reaching out, touching his cheek for a moment... wondering what he was thinking about in his sleep. Then she withdrew her hand, unsure if she should be touching him like that... was it ok for her to even do that?

She then looked through what they had, finding the tickets, then looked to a nearby map. So they were going as far as the train could take them, eh? Something about one of those names echoed in her head.... Metal Graveyard... there was something familiar about it, but she couldn't think of if it was a good memory or a bad one... but it seemed so vaguely familiar....

Serene then had a flash of a memory, only a glimpse... Blood. White blood. Cheers and hollers, darkness that was only punctured by a bright light above her....

She shook her head of it... It must have been a weird memory... something in her head was still messed up probably. That virus DID take a toll on her.

She also scanned news in the area, quickly finding that Cliff was now wanted for quite a sum of money, especially since he had killed three Mask guards. Wait.... WAIT... He did what? She looked at Cliff quietly as she worked through more information that she found.

Serene quietly sat next to Cliff, trying not to wake him, choosing not to ask how they ended up on the train, but quietly thanked him for taking her with and not ditching her even though she was unsure of whether or not he could hear her... either way... she couldn't get it out of her... that memory of when she was being programed... She was just an expensive toy....

She was just a tool, and she was honored to even be useful to anyone...

She then probed a nearby console for answers, They needed information on where they could possibly go next...

It came back with an answer she liked, but it would come at a cost. She then gently tried to wake Cliff after a time. He had seemed so tired, she wanted to let him sleep as long as she could.

"Cliff... How do you say this....?.... How much is left in our funds?..... Errr... How much money do we have? There's a area near here that I think we should go to.... we could get out of this mess... A shuttle.... To the space station... It's a three day trip to there. It's almost entirely isolated and wouldn't probably know about you... But.... It costs quite a bit of money... I will now search for quick ways to raise money just in case... I'll narrow the search down to options that are available in the area around the last stop of the train...." She relayed to Cliff before starting the search.

"The easiest way to make money in that area is to enter is..... mostly gambling, and fights... Prostitution.... Selling cybo...." She stopped there, disturbed by what she was about to finish saying, looking up at Cliff with a glance that clearly spoke of how she felt of that option, then continued. "Selling drugs, pawn shops.... the most money you could get is out of underground fights it seems..." She looked at the ground, troubled. "Humans pit against cyborgs.... death matches, I'm pretty sure." Serene sighed. "Everything else doesn't offer much money..."
 
Cliff awoke, still a little shaky from the dream, unlike the first one, he was SURE that this one was a sight at a past memory. He remembered that day well, and in all honesty, wished he could forget it. He looked to his Cyborg friend and saw that Serene was already on the ball. Not only had she found a way out, but she had also considered the fact that they would most definitely need money. Having a personal computer with you, Cliff thought, took all the guess work out of life. He listened intently to her before answering.

"Well, prostitution is out of the question." He said, giving her a small smile at her flawlessly naive attitude and at the thought of him whoring her out for money, something he would never do. " And gambling is too much of a….well crap shot, even if we did get that lucky it would draw too much attention to us. That is the last thing we need." He thought briefly about the fighting, and honestly he didn't want Serene fighting anyone, but at the same time it seemed like something that would be underground, they would be able to get in and get out without getting recognized.

"I guess we could go for the fighting, just try not to kill your opponent"
 
Serene looked up at Cliff as he went through the options she had provided, feeling a little relieved that he wouldn't do such a thing. And his comment on the gambling came and went, she smiled slightly at the comment.

As for his answer for fighting, she felt a little concerned for it. She didn't know how to process that... Did it mean that he wanted her to beat her opponent within an inch of his or her life? Or did he mean to fight on a restricted amount of power, as not to cause critical harm. Or... was he being sarcastic or joking? She was unsure of how to absorb that command, but did the best she could.

"I promise death will not be a result of my fighting a human." She reassured Cliff quietly, thinking to herself while the train finally came to a stop and she led Cliff out, leading him by the hand through the small throng of people and then sat down near the exit of the station for a while, trying to work a few things out, gesturing for Cliff to sit near her while she worked out what was necessary.

About how much money could she win in one round? Two? What were the rules of it? Was there a possibility that she would loose sight of Cliff and be unable to find him? That brought up a genuine problem, so she went around to solving it, quickly grabbing Cliff's hand, pressing her index finger against his. Then a clicking sound as a very small hypodermic needle exited her skin and struck Cliff, taking a sample of blood. She smiled up at him and then let go of his hand. "There, if we get separated, I'll be able to find you.... Also, your blood sugar's kinda low right now, you need to eat." She offered before continuing her search process.

For a moment, she was silent, then she frowned for a moment before looking up at Cliff.

"If they find out that I have a.... tail.... they won't let me fight, it would be an unfair advantage....Cliff..... I don't need it much anyways, I mean, if I really need it, I can always reconnect it... but... I don't like it much anyways.... help me take it off, please?" She asked quietly, unsure of how to go about asking for help for such an odd request.
 
" I don't think your tail will matter, I mean after all, a Cyborg is a Cyborg." Cliff thought about that statement and thought that it might have been offensive to her so he quickly added "But you're not just a Cyborg, You're -MY-Cyborg" He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, no longer caring about the obvious repercussions. Honestly, he had felt closer to Serene over the last few days than he had to any girl he had ever met….except one.

As they entered the arena, Cliff saw almost immediately that it was exactly what he had expected. A bunch of drunk guys betting on Matches, however Cliff saw a couple signs that he didn't expect to see. Signs that troubled him greatly.

One read: FIGHTS LAST UNTIL CYBORG DEATH OR HUMAN DEFEAT. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL A CYBORG KILL A HUMAN.

Another read

CYBORG PARTS SOLD HERE


Cliff resisted the urge to go out and just rob a bank, no this would be quicker and they couldn't risk the exposure of a bank robbery. This would have to do, besides Cliff had faith in Serene's fighting ability. If it came down to it, Cliff would save her if he had to.

He steeped up to the registering counter. The man working it was fat and balding, he had some type of food crusted to the side of his mouth and he wore a red bandanna around his neck. He glanced at Cliff then gave a more lingering look to Serene. Cliff stepped in front of his vision and said.

"We want to register for a fight."

"And how much are you putting up on your….friend" The crusty man said, again staring at Serene's beautiful body.

"Max bet, and if you look at her again, I'll rip your fucking eyes out of the sockets" The man must have been used to rough types because he hardly flinched, but his eyes stayed on Cliff for the rest of the conversation.

"Ok, we're running 10:1 odds n Cyborgs today, we have a very powerful human contender you see. He hasn't lost a battle yet. But I have to tell you, if you have no cash you'll have to put up her." He said nodding at Serene, but still never taking his eyes off Cliffs. "She will cover the max bet……and we'll be sure to put her to good use." He said this, smiling wide, exposing one front tooth. Cliff had to restrain himself not to jump over the counter and flatten the guy.

"Ok, we'll do it." Said Cliff signing the necessary papers. It was done, it was all on the line now.

He walked with Serene to the entrance of the arena. Inside was the largest man Cliff had ever seen. He had long scars up both sides of his body and his arms were as big around as his legs. His neck pulsed with thick tendon and vein. He wore a look of sheer murder on his face and the fact that the ground was stained with Cybernetic fluids didn't help much. Cliff had a brief moment of question, but again knew that Serene could take him.

Cliff Squeezed Serene's arm and said "Good luck, I know you can do it." And with that he took his seat.

He sat next to some drunk guy who was obviously enjoying this brutal event way to much.

" I like your Cyborg." he said to Cliff "If she wins I'll pay to fuck her brains out behind the dumpsters out back."

Before the words left his lips, Cliff had a short serrated knife stuck deep into the mans knee cap, under the table. He twisted the blade slightly, feeling as tissue and cartilage popped. Then he took out one of his .45s, slyly so no one would notice, and placed the barrel at the mans crotch. The drunk man twisted with pain in his seat as Cliff spoke.

"Feel that? Its a 45 pistol." He jammed the barrel deeper into the mans crotch. "If you move, or even attempt to take that knife out before I leave, I'll blow your fucking dick out the back of your ass, got it?"

Cliff then sat back, with his finger on the trigger of the gun aimed at the drunks crotch and watched the match. A soft "piddle" Sound could be heard. It was the drunk man pissing himself in pain. A small pool of urine, and blood from the knife in his knee, was forming underneath him. Little did he know, Cliff was going to kill him either way…just as soon as Serene creamed this guy into paste.
 


Serene had been a little hurt when Cliff had just generalized what she was... but when he pecked her on the cheek and called her his, she felt kinda... warm and fuzzy. Though, when they entered the arena, and she saw the signs, she got a little bit frightened. She wished... no... she knew it wasn't right. Cyborgs had no real rights compared to humans... they had higher odds against them...

When they came upon the registration, she felt a little violated with the way the man was staring at her.... She was glad when Cliff threatened him. But when she heard about who she'd be going up against, she got a little afraid again. She then realized that in this form, her arms and legs weren't as protected... they'd be weak points. But then again, with these limbs she was a little quicker.... And then she realized that she was what was going to be lost if she didn't win. She wasn't afraid anymore, she was pissed. SHE was the fucking bargaining chip?!

Then she saw her opponent and tried sizing him up inside her head, keeping in mind that she wasn't allowed to kill him... but he was given free reign. She was a little relieved when Cliff had spoken his confidence for her and went to take his seat. She watched him go and then stepped forward, unsure of how to begin. Someone shouted something and apparently the match started. She tried to focus, keep everything logical in her head, not to think of emotional values.

That ended when her arm got snatched up pretty quickly and in response, she quickly detached it, luckily Cliff's jacket wasn't harmed in the process, she gently tossed the jacket as well. The man threw her arm aside but she wasn't even paying attention, she was searching for a way to win. Some sort of answer to this fight. She circled around the man and reattached her arm as she walked by it, picking it up while moving quickly. She had to win this... She tried to ignore the white fluids on the ground, or the look on her opponent's face.

She shot forward, aiming a punch at the opponents midsection, but was troubled when she found out that even to her, it was like punching concrete. Serene attempted to jump back, or evade anything that the guy might throw her way, but was caught again in his grasp, this time there was a popping sound as her arm was made to bend in a way it wasn't intended to. Pain was new to her and she was distracted for a few seconds as she yelped and tried to get away without using her head, panicked. She was thrown and slid across the slick floor, cringing. She bit her lip and tried to get up quickly, using her other arm.

She ran forward, aiming a kick, trying to hit a unprotected spot. She was knocked aside before she could even connect with the body.

"I don't understand.... I should be winning" She muttered to herself quietly. Her eyes went over to her opponent and wondered who in this match really should have the restriction on killing their opponent. She tried to think of how she could win and came up with an option she didn't like.

But she didn't really see any other way.

She started up the Parent Software, feeling her consciousness drift away.

Serene was nothing more than a machine now, she ran towards her opponent, her tail ripping free of her clothing as she passed the beast of the man, its sharpened edge slicing through his forearms as she passed by, the red blood dripping down into the puddle of cybernetic fluids, making a swirling, marbling color.

She ran back, going into a slide, and as she passed him again, she hooked an arm around one of his legs, taking him off balance, then using her tail to slice away his lower leg. She looked up at the man, then smashed her fist into his face, feeling the splintering of bone in his nose, and the crushing sound as she broke his cheekbone. Changing direction, she then brought her elbow down on his sternum, feeling another crack. She then looked down at the man as she stood up. He got back up as best he could and she merely slammed her entire body at him while running as fast as she could, hearing another crack from his head. But yet he raised up again....

Could she beat him without killing him?



She looked for Cliff; some semblance of reassurance. The software faltered, paused, then finally stopped within seconds. For some reason, her attention had been so absent that the second she finally found Cliff in the crowd, a huge, meaty hand snatched at her ankle and yanked her to the ground. She landed straight on her face and as she dragged herself to her feet, white blood dripped from her nose and from a slice in her lip.

Serene was trying to get back to her Software, but she couldn't seem to activate it.

She couldn't figure out how to finish the guy off without killing him, besides, he was bleeding so much that her readings were showing that his vital signs were starting to drop. She got a little bit away from him and then quietly cleared her throat.

"If you do not stop trying to bash my skull in, you'll do yourself in.... I believe the fight is over now. You'll die if you continue." She explained quietly, to no response from her opponent, though the audience didn't seem happy with her explanation, though she couldn't tell if they were angry about her trying to finish the fight, or the fact that she had wounded their precious fighter to such a state.

With a growing horror, she figured out that if that hulking idiot kept trying to fight, he'd kill himself, though it would be her fault.... and that's against the rules... which would mean...

"Fuck..... STOP TRYING TO FIGHT ME YOU IDIOT!" She snarled, but he just kept coming towards her, she finally gave up and her tail slashed out at his back, over his spine. His legs immediately ceased moving and at the same time, the smell of urine and defecation spread through the arena.

"There. You can't fight anymore. Fucking idiot.... I didn't want to fucking do that..." She sputtered, awkwardly saying the cusswords, she looked around and then up at Cliff uncertainly, hoping that that would be the end of it.

"GIVE MY OWNER HIS FUCKING MONEY ALREADY." She hollered after a moment or so.
 
Cliff watched, not in amazement, but at the same time amazed. Serene was, hands down, a killing machine. She took that beast of a man and made him look like a school girl. She absolutely fucking owned him. The small amount of damage she had taken was microscopic in comparison to the beating she dished out to the now paraplegic opposition. Although Cliff had that "must protect" mentality with her, he realized that protection was the last thing she needed. All at once, Cliff felt a bit useless, after all how was he really helping Serene? Would she not be better off without him? For the time being, he didn't question this matter further. And when and - if - that time came he would deal with it, but for now he was more than happy to have her as a travel companion.

He helped her down the stairs that led to the ring, a white liquid ran from her lip that had been split, and she looked a little tore up, but considering the situation, not bad.

"You did great Serene, really good. Now we can get the hell out of the sub-district. Hopefully before we get spotted"

Cliff snatched the money from the now amazed man behind the counter. His eyes were wide as he stared at Serene in a new light. His look of sinful lust and perversion had nowchanged into a look of sheer respect.

"If she ever wants to fight here again, just say the word. Also….here." He threw Cliff a damp cloth "You should probably clean her up a bit." Cliff wiped some of the fluid off her face.

"Thanks, but I don't think We'll be coming back" Cliff noticed two 'duster' type coats hanging in the back. He reached past the man and grabbed them "Also, we'll be taking these." He gave the man one more sharp look before leaving.

"Here, Serene. Put this on and pull the hood up." They didn't have far to go, but still, Cliff didn't want to take any chances.

Luckily for them, the Gateway to the shuttle depot was close by, and after a short walk they were there. Cliff wished there was more he could do for Serene, but he was no doctor. He held her arm as they walked, glad that they were finally under cover and making their way to the Depot.


When they finally made their way to the other side, it was like a breath of fresh air…literally. Cliff went and got the tickets through an automated teller. HE looked at the destinations, and decided on a Satellite/space station. It was named Satellite 15 and was a research facility that doubled as a resort center for people making long voyages through space. Cliff choose it for the reason that it was out of the way for most everyone, it wasn't really the kind of place that people would look for them. Since it was government regulated, it would be the last place anyone would suspect them.



They boarded the shuttle and got ready for the three hour flight to Satellite 15.
 
Serene followed Cliff, expressions blank until he praised her, making her smile, pleased. She felt better when she saw that the guy behind the counter actually had some realization that she wasn't just some fuck toy. When Cliff ran the cloth over her face, she felt something click inside of her... She wanted... she wanted to please him... kinda like when she was in that more or less "whore mode", but.... not as self-absorbed and just seeking pleasure for him... She wanted to make him happy.

Then Cliff had grabbed those coats and she took one and put the hood up as directed. While the walked, she tried to figure out how she should go about fixing her arm, knowing that it needed to be repaired at some point. But she wasn't trained to fix those kind of problems, she didn't know how to really repair something like that, so she disconnected it until she could figure out what to do. But it was a little better as they walked. hoping that they could just get out of here.... be out from under watchful eyes... maybe finally relax?

Serene was pleased with Cliff's destination choice and followed him into the shuttle for the flight, watching as people separated into seating choices, the seats looked extravagant.... though each had its own computer and sound system, even a projector, that would project onto the back of the chair in front of them, and there was a small pad of buttons on one of the armrests, each with an assigned task.

Futuristic_Media_Chair_Concept_Design_.jpg


As she followed him to some seats that were still untouched, she suddenly found herself thinking thoughts that were.... perhaps out of place for her to be thinking of. The way he had kissed her on the cheek.... the way he had been defending her, or threatening other men when they were talk lewdly about her. Serene thought of the way he had turned her down when she had was about to try to please him. About how he had probably joked about them watching porn together shortly after their first altercation with some of the men from Sintronica. She thought about he had looked when he had slept after she had sewn up his arm. How he had ripped open her top and ruffled her hair before telling her to behave like she was with a client when the Mask had come to the door.

Then her thoughts turned quietly to the memories in her head that she didn't understand. Memories from when she was human. Memories that felt like they didn't belong to her at all, like she was looking through someone else's head. A memory of being kissed by a boy that couldn't have been older than 12. That same boy kept reappearing in so many of her memories... hers? She didn't even know who she had been.... so could she even call them hers? She absent-mindedly looked up at Cliff while the swirling thoughts in her head spiraled out of control, yet her external emotions were blank, relaxed. Calm. Serene Serotonin. Her fucking name was a euphemism for calm. She wasn't calm, or at least, if it wasn't for the damned emotional regulators, she wouldn't be so damned calm or 'robotic'.

Did Cliff like her like that? Did he like her at all for that matter? She couldn't figure out what he was thinking for the most part, always so confused about what he possibly thought of her. She wanted to find out more about him, but she was just a cyborg.... -his-, but no less of a tool. She was a tool to humans. She wasn't human- at least, not anymore. He was her owner.... that was all.... or was it more? Could it be more?

She wanted to please him, she wanted to make him laugh again.... like when she had accidentally put that undergarment on her head. Or smile like how he did before they went to get ice cream....

Honestly, she was surprised he had not used her yet... From what she had seen from the other men that had seen her, she was attractive enough... and she was perfectly willing to, probably for more than one reason. She had never been used before, and surely if she still..... was a virgin by her own accounts, wouldn't that make her desirable? Yet, he had not.... was it because they were on the run? Or did he not want to use her like that?

She was unsure of how to proceed from that point, so she sat in her seat next to Cliff. Then gently laid her head on his shoulder, smiling softly to herself.
 
Satellite 15





A data collecting space station located in "no mans land" (In the middle of nowhere, deep space). It's distance from the nearest planet is significant enough to force them to also facilitate a sort of resort for 'road worn travelers' and a place for ships to dock for repair if needed, which also helps to fund their research since it is not technically a government funded program. While half the station is dedicated to the study of deep space, the other is a sort of tourist town, equipped with spa, five star dining and a casino. It is massive in comparison to other stations, with the resort section being over half of its total mass.



The second Cliff's ass hit the seat, a simultaneous wave of relief hit his body. They had made it. They had finally made it off the planet. After all that work, after being chased by two separate bodies of law enforcement, after an uncountable number of close calls that could have easily ended in one -or both - of their deaths. After EVERYTHING they had made it. Cliff reclined in the seat and looked to Serene. He knew at that moment that she was his savior as much as he was hers, and something about that made him feel happy. He hadn't felt happy for most of his adult. And now, out of all the crazy situations to be in, he did.




As the gentle whir of high powered rockets sent waves of heat distortion through the air, a small light went on inside the cabin, alerting the passengers that lift off would be only moments away. Cliff was exhausted, and ready to sleep through the flight, but first he looked out the small donut hole window. The ground below started inching away, but with in seconds it was not much more than a blur. A sharp pop was heard, signaling that the main engine had kicked in. The next second the plane was vertical (Although the gravity control was turned on, so the crew and passengers barely noticed) and flying ]past the surface of earth and through the atmosphere. In the next second, blackness filled the small donut hole window. The vastness of space filled Cliff's senses. It was honestly breathtaking, and enough to make him forget they would be hunted no matter where they went, but for this one moment, he let himself be consumed by the beauty that was deep space.


As small indicator lights blinked into the cabin, Cliff hit a button on the armrest of his seat. It sent a message telling the chair to recline, it did, and before it stopped a projected screen appeared before his face, giving him a choice of music and movies to choose from, this is nice, thought cliff. He wasn't so much in the mood for music, but he found a selection of atmospheric sounds. He choose one called 'rainy nights'. He selected it and found it to be very soothing. For the moment, the killer was gone. The man who gave into his rage, all the time, was gone. All that was left was a quite, timid person, who wanted nothing more than…..



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……Sleep……



Again, it was that cold night in northern Michigan. Out of all the Winter hell holes to be stuck in, Cliff was here. And out of all the cars he had choose to jack it had to this one, and out of all the nights for him to be followed and surrounded by thugs with hostel intentions……

"Get the fuck on, bitch. We're taken' this shit" Said the nearest man, who Cliff believed to be about 19 or 20, five years older than Cliff.

Cliff froze, not sure how to react at first. He was out numbered, that was for sure, but he had a long, steel crow bar in his right hand.

Like tragic memories, as well as traumatic experiences, whenever Cliff thinks back to the what happened next, it's always in cut scenes. Played out like some sort of old horror movie. Looking back he felt no remorse, after all he was like a wild animal trying to eat. And when you try to take an animal's food....it will bite.

One of the Leech's grabbed Cliff by the neck, prepared to throw him to the ground, but instead he was met with the business end of the bar, it split his head right above the brow. The other leeches stepped back, then ran. As cliff looked down at the leech, he saw that he wasn't 19. In fact, laying there with blood pooling from his head into the soft, white snow, he looked little more than 15, the same age as Cliff.



Cliff woke up and realized that these chairs were much more comfortable than they looked. So comfortable, infact, that he had forgotten the dream. He looked to Serene, who seemed to be more or less ok. He wondered if she felt regret after she murdered (or as it was , Maimed)? Could machine's feel Regret? There were so many questions he wanted to ask her. Cliff felt regret, but only that first time. Every person -and Cyborg -he had killed in his adult years were never given a second thought, but he could never seem to shake that first one.

Before Cliff knew it, they were docking. Either he had slept a long time or this was the fastest ship he had ever been on. He looked out his Donut window and saw the Ship being tied into hard dock.

"Alright Serene this is it. Hopefully we'll be safe here for a while….I need to rest" He gave her arm a squeeze, this was becoming a habit for him, a sort of affectionate exclamation.

They exited the ship and walked through the large hanger towards the reception area, where they would no doubt book a few days stay.

yea, at least a few days. Thought a very tired Cliff.


 
Serene rested there, next to Cliff, feeling safer with him than she had ever felt.

But... something echoed in the back of her head without rest, something that tried to convince her that she had felt this way before. Like she could easily fall asleep or be entirely vulnerable right now, and she wouldn't have to worry about anything. But she still didn't understand the memories. She didn't understand why she felt like she had experienced this feeling before... But as he moved his seat back and fell to sleep, she watched him and was overtaken by a storm of memories that barraged her mind as she rested there as a beat entered her mind.



MADNESS

No sadness...

No anger...

No questions...

She was doing as told.

No remorse...

Nothing...

Opponents were put in front of her and she killed them as she was told. It wasn't even a fair fight. How could regular cyborgs even compare to her? She was perfectly tailored, trained and programed to fight. To kill. She had weaponry in most of her body... and she fought like everything was on the line. So it was no surprised when the fight would end right after it had started.

She watched as the white fluids covered her body. She absentmindedly noticed the cyborg's life-retaining fluids as they sprayed out from the torn and mangled body that she was maiming. A kind of controlled madness was inside of her head as she worked, kept at bay by the mechanics in her head. An internal anger that couldn't be stopped and a confusion that was so childlike and innocent in nature, but had grown to be malicious.

So as she slaughtered one of her fellow cyborgs, she harbored deeply-seated chaos in her mind. A conflict between the organic and the digital. Something dark was copulating in her head as she destroyed what she was told to.

And then.... something clicked off in her head for a few precious seconds. Seconds that this beast of madness took advantage of. Within seconds, she was off of the mangled body and onto the scientists and workers in the lab. Every limb outstretched, nails turned into hard metal claws that pierced flesh and sliced through bone, her metallic tail stained red, and her eyes contained a look of such utter hatred. Something had been discovered in her head during those few seconds...something vital...

She didn't know what it was now... but she knew she had hated Sintronica when she had known what it was.

Either way... her rampage only lasted long enough to slice apart twenty people. After that, a command to sleep had been entered into her code and she was forced to follow it.

And then she had woken up to Cliff.


She came out of the memories easily, but hid her troubles as she looked over at Cliff. How the hell would he react to the information of what she had done? She was a killer... she didn't even know if she cared about who she hurt in the process. She did what she was told.

No one tells a machine to feel regret from killing.

Though.... there was a whisper in her head that she SHOULD feel regret.

She looked up at Cliff as they docked and he spoke to her while squeezing her arm. She didn't know how to interpret that simple gesture. She didn't understand at all...



They exited into the Reception area which appeared to be very cozy. From there they found their room.

hican-bed-futuristic-bed-room.jpg


Serene explored around and quickly found the bathroom, which held an odd fixture in the center, which as she ran a search on it, turned out to be a tub.

futuristic-bath-05.jpg


As she walked over to it and turned it on, the water fell from the top of the overhead of the cocoon-like structure as two exterior walls seemed to rotate out from the two sides.

Cocoon-Stall-3-Futuristic-Bathroom-Ideas.jpg


So in a sense it was not only a bathtub but a shower stall. She found that interesting and explored more. Then she found a room that was more or less a work of an artfully controlled garden. The ceiling above it and the walls around it were almost purely a window to see into the inky darkness of space, punctured by stars, and off to the left was a good view of Earth. This view itself was obscured on the ceiling by heat lamps for the plants.

indoor-garden.jpg


She then turned back to Cliff, unsure of what to do next.

"It's very pretty here, Cliff.... Is there anything in particular you would like to do, sir?" She blinked as she realized what she punctuated the sentence with, though figured that it wasn't something she could control. It was part of the mechanisms in her head, so she didn't worry about it. Though, she was starting to worry about how she viewed Cliff.

She was just a cyborg... his.... yes, but human no longer... Was that what he wanted? Is that why he hadn't.... done anything to her? She was confused, but ignored it as not being important to what was going on right now. She focused her attention solely on Cliff, smiling up at him demurely.
 
Cliff examined the room with his Cyborg next to him. It was perfect. It had so many futuristic gizmos and gadgets that Cliff thought it would take him a year to figure it all out. And although they didn't have a year, especially at the rates this place charged, they did have a while. Cliff needed this, he needed rest. Unadulterated, untempered rest. The thought of being able to sleep without having to keep one eye open made his mouth water, actually made HIS mouth water. All his worries and stress seemed to vanish like the sun at the end of a winter day in late December, and for the first time in….well forever, things were good. He looked to Serene, taking in her vacant, and yet totally aware eyes. He thought again about his first murder, at only 15, and how it set off his career as a hit man for Sintronica. Even more than that though, it set off his life as a man without morals. He wondered briefly if he and Serene were alike in that sense. This idea was cemented like a brick foundation after watching her take out that guy at the arena. Then there was something else, something that went much deeper...If only Cliff could put his finger on what it was.

"I think we made the right choice coming here, Serene." For a moment, and not unlike the man at the arena, Cliff let his eyes wander over Seren's body. She was built perfect, from the size of her breasts to the curve of her hips; Perfect creation.

Cliff Shook his head, realizing that his attraction towards her, while growing (literally) , was much more than just superficial. He was sure she was anatomically correct, weren't they all? And he would love nothing more than to use her to the fullest of her capabilities (After all, she was created with 'those parts' for a reason). And Although Cliff had needs, that he KNEW Serene could fulfill, it was something more. Something lying under the surface, like a ground hog waiting for his shadow in spring. Something that was there, yet at the same time ….not there. It was a deep attraction, Impacted and waiting just under the surface, one that Cliff could not explain. Whatever it was, it had a certain pull to it. A pull that would keep him with her, it would keep him gravitating towards her. Somehow Cliff knew it would reveal itself soon, whatever it was.

"Well, Serene, I'm gonna take a Shower and Hit the casinos. Maybe we could go out to diner tonight or something?"

He took his shirt off, revealing his well defined top half, and undid the first button of his pants, but then stopped. He had to remember that it might not be polite to undress in front of her, he had yet to grasp the finer points of 'Cyborg etiquette', so he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waste, dropping his pants and tighty-whitys to the floor. He reached into the shower and saw a red light comedown and scan his wrist, what the fuck? Then, as the light read his temperature, assessing and creating the perfect heat for his shower, the water shot out. Cliff stuck his hand under the stream and found it to be perfect. Amazing. Next he dropped the towel and quickly climbed in, covering himself for a moment as he tried desperately to figure out if this thing had a curtain or something, Then he found a button that made a Plexiglas frame slide down. Privacy. Cliff washed, rinsed, shaved and dressed, ready now to hit the Casino.

He headed for the door, stopping in front of Serene. For a brief moment, a fleeting, half-cocked second, he wanted to throw her on the bed and ravage her. He wanted to make her - HIS - girl, not just his Cyborg counterpart, but HIS girl. His Lover. Give her everything he had been holding back since he had met her. In hopes that it would provide answers? Maybe thought Cliff. Answers to as why he felt so strongly for her, answers to why he felt like he…..needed her in his life. Cliff couldn't explain, or justify, why he felt that a sexual act with her would solve this, but in the deep rooted place in his mind, the one where his unusual dreams and memories lived, he knew it would. It had to be the answer…It just HAD to.

But instead of being a slave to his urges, he simply said.

"I should be back in a couple hours, ok?" And with that he headed out the door, down the hallway and to the Elevator.



The casino. A futuristic frenzy of financial fornication. A multiplex of every type of gambling imaginable, it had to be, after all it was located in the middle of 'No man's land', deep space, there is nothing else out here besides the space station. People needed something to do out here. Think of it in relation to the Nevada desert of the 21st century, kind of like Las Vegas. Besides the usual endless rows of gleaming slot machines and plush green tables with every game from 21 to pai gow, there was also an Indoor race track, for horses, (That can be smelt throughout the lobby) and a sports book area that had live feeds to every sport imaginable, broadcasted through the galaxy. Cliff was a little more than amazed when he walked through the gigantic golden arch way that would lead him to gambling paradise.


Almost as soon as he made his way through the doors he was handed a drink, compliments of the house of course, and he made his way to the Black Jack tables, his preferred game of choice. The dealer gave him a nod, no words exchanged, and began dealing cards. seven, two, hit me! Twenty? hold, and just like that, Cliff doubled his money. Things went on like this for another few hours. Cliff won a little and lost a little, so is the fine art of black jack. He was comped several drinks, starting with beer, but slowly making his way to 7&7's, Whiskey sours, Cactus drops and finally Vodka martini's. To say the least, Cliff was seeing double, which later, is why he'll attribute and justify hitting on 16……damn.


He made his way out of the casino in a daze, a gambling, alcohol fueled stupor. He wasn't stumbling or slurring, but he was walking with a little extra swagger in his step. He passed a few, what had to be, call girls who gave him the eye. You know the one, the eye that says ' you can do anything you want to me, anything, as long as you pay". Fucking whores. That's all they were. Doll it up any way you want, thought Cliff, that's all they were. He gave them a dirty look and made his way to the elevator. On the way up, something clicked inside him. The urges he was so focused on before should be, No - H A D - to be fulfilled. He wanted Serene. Wanted to make her his, wanted to do human things with her. Wanted to fuck her until her gears stopped working. Despite his drunken state, he knew this is what he had wanted all along. To be with her.

He opened the door and entered. Taking in the fancy room and all its fancy accommodations, including the bed. Yes the bed. The place where he planned to do all the things he had deprived himself of since he had meet Serene. She, as a Cyborg, would be able to satisfy them completely. If Cliff had been sober, he might have worried about the repercussions of what was about to happen. He might have worried about the possible effect it may have on their blooming relationship, but as it was. Cliff was two sheets to the wind, living in 5pm perpetually, tying one on, riding the 80 proof wave, marinating his liver….Cliff was wasted. Little did he know that this would be a breaking point in what was to become of them both.

He approached her, noticing that she was about to speak, but put a finger to her lips. He ran his finger down her front, stopping in between her perfectly manufactured breasts. His other hand was running down her hip, her perfectly proportionate hips, and pulling her towards him. He pushed his own body against hers, hoping she would feel the urgency of his need.


Then he kissed her. It was deep, but at the same time gentle and light. He tasted her, and loved it.

Motioning her towards the bed, without a mindless clutter of words to explain the obvious, he removed his shirt, and then lifted hers over her head.
 
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Serene watched as Cliff's eyes had gone over her with an internal sense of surprise, but kept herself calm. He had mentioned getting dinner later and she smiled and nodded quietly, watching him as he peeled his shirt off, trying to keep her reactions low. But that didn't mean that she wasn't staring at him the way he had been staring at her moments previously. Every muscle, every scar, nothing was left behind in her gaze. She tried to hide the fact that she was desperately chewing on her lower lip in a furious way, almost completely mechanical as her mouth moved just slightly over that tortured lip.

Cliff had almost worked on taking off his pants in front of her and her eyes silently widened, thought she tried to keep herself in control, and was glad when he covered himself with a towel to go shower. When he came out, she wanted nothing more than to shove him out of the room before she lost control of herself. She wanted to tell him how she felt.... even though she was unsure of how to go about it. But that moment came and went and he left with one last mention of being back in a few hours.

Serene went into the bathroom after Cliff left and took a shower as well, cleaning herself meticulously, then dressed herself in a complimentary shirt and pair of pants she found in the closet, figuring a change of clothes would be nice. She walked back over to the garden for a moment taking in the wonders of the plant life, marveling at the colors, then looked out of the windows into space. She felt very peaceful at that moment, actually peaceful without help.

After a while, she returned to the room, sitting on the bed, but after a moment, found it to be uncomfortable. She couldn't enjoy it.... it felt too soft to her. Besides, what was the use of a bed when the person lying on it couldn't sleep without being ordered to? So she rose and waited for Cliff's return.

Even before he had approached the door, she could hear his footsteps, she could process what was going on. Her owner was drunk. When he opened the door, her assessment was proven, but she had thought that it would be ok. Cliff didn't appear to be one with bad judgment when drunk. When he approached her, she noticed the look in his eye and was about to tell him what she knew: that he was drunk and should probably take a drink of water or- that thought wasn't even voiced before he put his finger to her lips, and without a moment to loose, his finger trailed down between her breasts, and she trembled, trying to keep still, trying to come up with a way to talk to Cliff, make sure that this is what he wanted. But then his other hand was on her hip, and her sense of obligation to keep Cliff from doing something that he might regret was wiped aside, and was made clear when he pulled her to him and she felt his body against her own.

His lips were on hers in a moment in a deep kiss and it maddened her, she wanted more.

He motioned to the bed and took off his shirt and then removed hers. Like that, she understood that at this point, there was obviously no turning back when she grabbed his hand and led the way to the bed, moving out of her pants as she moved onto it, looking up at him, pulling him to herself as she ran a hand down to his pants and quickly got Cliff out of them. A store of information in her head was guiding her as she then continued with the act, kissing him in return.



She could taste the alcohol when she kissed him, but if this was what he wanted, how could she deny him? Even if he was drunk... she had to follow what he wanted... and she couldn't stop him when it was what she wanted as well... She pulled him onto the bed with her and kissed him again and again. She couldn't get enough of the feeling of his flesh, of the way he smelled. She wanted it... She wanted him badly.

There was a small voice in the back of her head telling her to be cautious, maybe to save her virginity for a time when it was able to be properly respected.... but that was already a voice that she was no longer paying attention to anymore.

She just wanted to please Cliff and be pleased in return if that wasn't too much to ask. She pulled him close as she gently pulled away the rest of their clothes and snuggled up to him, kissing him again with an urgency that spoke of her willingness. She wanted Cliff. She wanted him in a way she didn't know how to deal with entirely.

There was a need, curling in the pit of her stomach, but she ignored it while she savored the taste of his lips, deciding to let him decide when to take it further. She ran her hands over his body, trying to get closer to him... he was so warm... it felt good to be so close to him... She felt.... for a moment.... that it didn't matter that she was a cyborg and he was still human... Here, with Cliff, she felt like she was an equal being.

Serene just wanted to feel loved...
 
Cliff, in his drunken state, was still totally aware. He felt every inch of his body tingle with pleasure when he pressed his body, tighter still, against hers. He trailed his hands slowly down her back, down her spine, over the small of her back and to her crack. The most beautiful place on a females body, In Cliff's honest opinion. He let his hand rest on the soft synthetic skin of her ass. Gently pulling one cheek as he squeezed. He wondered briefly about her tail, but forgot completely as he let his hand slip in-between, into her most sensitive place. He softly rubbed that spot, the one just in-between her legs. Without having to look, Cliff could tell that she was totally perfect down their, correct and perfect. He pushed his finger against her entrance. The one that would grant him access to her -In to her- making this night sweet and memorable. He pulled his hand away and realized it was damp, and for a moment he forgot all about the Cyborg. He forgot all about the the human. They were two lovers, that was all. By this point it was useless to resist, he rolled her off him and onto her back, parting her legs with his hand as he moved on top of her. His own body was stiff and erect, but poised under pressure. He slid into her. Then stopped half way. She was tight, not too tight, but he could feel himself ripping into her like a …..virgin? He stopped momentarily, not wanting to, but for a second he had a brief moment of "Maybe she wasn't made for this." Not wanting to pull out, but not wanting to go on he looked into Seren's eyes, kissed her again And waited for her to give him some direction.
 
Serene moaned as she felt Cliff's hands over her body, her eyes almost glassy and unfocused as she bit her lip in earnest, trying to bite back moans that she knew would be loud if she let them free. Then she felt his hand between her legs and whimpered in pleasure, her eyes shut tight for a moment as her breathing grew ragged. It only got better when he rolled her onto back and got on top. She looked up into his face and kissed him and bit back a yelp of his name when he pressed inside, a shock of pain ebbed away after a moment.

He looked up at her and kissed her, which seemed to help a bit. She looked up at Cliff for a moment, then smiled. "It's ok, Cliff... I was... made to be a virgin... It doesn't hurt as much now... keep going." Serene kissed him gently and pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him in further to herself, the pain dissipating quickly and giving way to the pleasure she was getting from Cliff being inside of her. It was almost maddening, this pleasure. She had never felt anything like it before and was happy to be under him, happy to be with him.

"Please...." She whimpered finally, needing more.
 
Awash in desire, wrapped in a blanket of lust, Cliff let himself go. With every motion he made, Serene seemed to compensate completely. If she had been human, there was no way he would have believed her to be a virgin. His hand slid down her leg, that was wrapped around him, and to her hip. Then it came to rest on her bottom. Cliff pulled her to him ,even more so, never breaking contact. He felt a slight flush overtake him and he knew the moment was close. His vision blurred as he released inside her….then there was nothing……Cliff, unknowingly passed out. Still inside her, still drunk, but holding her tight. He kept his arms wrapped around her until the next morning, never wanting to let go. On the surface it was no more than a drunk quickie….but just below the surface, it was more. So much more.



In the dark sleep that follows heavy drinking, like a thick fog covering the sea at night, dreams are scarce. When they do occur they're mostly blurred and hazy, as is the dream that Cliff had now.



Holding hands running through a field. Cliff had on a pair of boots, they were sized perfectly to fit his small feet. They had been a present, the only one he had gotten for Christmas that year, but he loved them because…..he had gotten them from her.

"C'mon, just a little further" Cliff pulled her hand, she was his girl. He wanted to marry her, and yes, even at twelve he knew it to be true.


They rounded a corner and came to a large oak tree. Its branches curved up to the sky, like thick, twisting arms. The ground around them was littered in oak balls and dead leaves, but it was beautiful.


Cliff pointed at the base of the tree where initials were carved. He had done it the day before, and couldn't wait to show her.

His love, it read






Cliff stood by the window that led into the garden, he was clad in only his boxer shorts and his boots. His hair was ragged, and his eye's held a distant, longing look. Anyone who saw him would immediately chalk it up to alcohol, but it wasn't the booze. It was the dream. It was the girl, the one that had been his last -and only- love. Her name had been Molly, this Cliff knew just as sure as his heart beat in his chest.



But a great sadness filled him as he made another relation. She was the girl in the car accident. She was dead. His head swam with this realization, he knew it was what he had been suppressing all these years.
 
Serene whimpered and sighed with every motion as Cliff continued. Constantly their bodies kept pushing closer to one another until finally she felt as though her body tightening up, and as soon as he pushed inside of her and released, her body reacted, feelings of pleasure overwhelming her for a moment as she laid there with him. His arms wrapped around her and she enjoyed the feeling of his body pressed up against hers as he rested, completely out cold.

As he rested, she searched through the files in her head, searching for answers to her last memory. Of the reason she was put into sleep mode.... why she was slated to be killed... what had she found out that drove her to such madness?

Then she found a lead. She looked through all the memories that she had seen herself go through when she supposed she was still human.

She hadn't had one memory yet, of when she was older than twelve.

That would be enough to set her off during that point. So... what did that mean? Was she actually only a twelve year? How did she die? How did she end up like this?

By the time she was done trying to figure out what was going on in her head, Cliff was already waking up.

Serene was going to say something, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she figured it might be best to leave him alone for a moment. She watched as he made his way to the window, just... standing there, looking out at the garden. She got up quietly and put on some underwear and a shirt before coming closer to him.

She didn't know exactly what to do at the moment, but she wanted to help Cliff... He seemed.... out of it. More than just alcohol.... But this seemed like it was more of a private moment, so she withdrew and took a shower, coming back in a towel, not caring if it wasn't proper etiquette.

"Cliff.... there seems to be something on your mind.... is there anything I can do for you?" She asked quietly, trying to ignore the fact that it seemed like he hadn't even registered her when he had woken up, or the fact that it seemed like right now, the last thing he wanted was to be bothered. She chewed on her lip for a moment. The fact that they had sex last night wasn't the issue; not even the fact that it had been her first time bothered her at all. That wasn't an issue. It was the look in his eyes that bothered her, that vacant look that seemed to be pining for something... if only she knew what it was so she could give it to him...

She shook her head and dropped her towel to get dressed. She didn't care if Cliff looked, but found it highly unlikely that he would. She then went back to the bed and turned on the TV that was at the foot of the bed for a moment. It was already set to a news station, and lo and behold, Sintronica was in the main story of today. Something told her she wasn't gonna like this.



"So for the news today the company, Sintronica, is releasing a new model of cyborg today after many years of planning and crafting. This new model is named Serene Serotonin and is made to serve any need for potential buyers. The company is expecting this new model to take off quickly and to be able to sell over two, or three hundred in the next week. This is due to the fact that these new models are judged to be perfect for many low-paying jobs and have wonderfully peaceful and subservient personalities, and so you may see many of these new 'borgs on the street in upcoming weeks... In other news, police are still searching for a man who has committed crimes against Sintronica-"



Serene stared at the TV for a moment, un-phased by Cliff being in the news and re-winded the live feed, looking at the reporter who was actually standing next to one of the new model of cyborgs. Then she quickly shut the TV off, not knowing how to feel about what she saw. Her name wasn't her own anymore... Her appearance, even. What was her actual name anyways!? She looked back over at Cliff for a moment, then took a deep breath before walking back over to Cliff for a moment, walking slowly. "Cliff, I will return shortly, there is something I need to tend to..." Serene stated quietly before quickly walking out of the room, heading for the elevator.

Serene felt something snap inside her head as the elevator lowered, and she found herself heading for the lobby after the doors opened. She accessed the TV back in Cliff's room, placing a message on it for Cliff. She then hacked into one of the automated tellers for the shuttle trip, leaving a space open for Cliff, unsure if he would follow but she needed this.

"Let's see one of those other Serene's do this." She thought to herself, then got on.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the TV was in bluescreen, with a message for Cliff.

[BG="#0000DD"]INPUTTING REQUEST:
CURRENT AREA >>: SINTRONICA MANUFACTURING BUILDING

([BLINK] Cliff, I'm leaving you an electronic map of where I'm going...[/BLINK])

>>> RESULTS:

SHUTTLE TRIP BACK TO MARS> FOUR HOUR DRIVE NW ALONG 23-A HWAY

([BLINK] I can't live a manufactured existence, Cliff, and I can't live without knowing even knowing who I am... I'm going to try and find my files there... then I'm going to destroy the place... Follow if you want, I hacked into the system and got you a ticket under the name of James Silver. You were on the news today, be careful. I'd prefer you to stay low so you won't be caught.... but do as you please. I'll be back as soon as I'm done. Also, I am unsure if you remember what happened last night. You got intoxicated and we fornicated. There are pain relievers in the bathroom if you still have a hangover. I'm leaving in twenty minutes. I'll be back in a day, most likely. Be safe, don't drink too much today.

-the first 'Serene Serotonin'[/BLINK])
[/BG]
 
As small droplets of rain began splashing the clear window, probably the backwash from a storm somewhere in deep space, Cliff stood. His chest rising and falling in short, but steady bursts.



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Maddening sensation flooded Cliff's mind, as if a floodgate of emotion had been let loose in his head. It was a rush of raw feeling, something inside him was trying to tell him something. It was like his subconscious was yelling at him behind a sound proof barrier, but to Cliff the words were muffled and unclear. And as the far off sun rose indifferently, Cliff knew something to be right and true; Serene, for whatever reason, was responsible for his flashbacks. Something about her was setting inside him ablaze with the past.

Cliff heard Serene speak, but gave no response, Instead he just nodded. Truth be told, all the years he had spent with Sintronica had isolated him, both physically and mentally. At times he forgot how to properly interact with people. or cyborgs as it was.

He heard the TV in the back ground, but it was distant and detached. If he would have heard his name, his reaction may have been different. Cliff stood, glued to the window until the TV screen started flashing and an alarm sounded. He walked over to it, and the words it read made him question reality.

Mars? The very place he had dreamt about after having sex with Serene? Sometimes little pieces of life can be as magical as a fairytale. Reality has a strange way of making us all believers.

Cliff snapped out of his trance, for the moment realizing that he had to stay with Serene, through whatever, he had to stay with her. HE quickly threw on his clothes, making sure to cock both guns, and it was a good thing he did.

KNOCKING AT THE DOOR SOUND



Cliff froze, slowly reaching for one of his guns, and not a second to late. He moved to a shooting possession as the door kicked open On the other side were two men, not agents, not Sintronica, but what Cliff believed to be bounty hunters. Fuck, they had found him.


God, don't let me loose her, thought Cliff, for the first time wishing he hadn't let Serene get away. At times like this, Cliff found it funny that a man like himself should prey to god, especially since he was getting ready to kill.
 


Serene waited in her seat, trying to ignore the almost human-feeling of disappointment as time ran out, the shuttle pulled away from the gate and took off. She tried to figure that maybe it wasn't what he wanted... He had told her that his job had been destroying defective cyborgs.... and with all this running so far.... who in the world would leave relaxation to go into yet another journey? She should have just let him rest and come back after she was done... though she was worried if she'd be coming back at all. She didn't know exactly what she was up against... All she knew was that they showed only one of the other 'Serene's on that newscast...

For all she knew, they could have altered parts of the original chassis that she had been made with. Electrical wiring could have been improved, weaponry choices might have been changed.

That was about the same moment that Serene felt sick. A wave of realization struck her so quickly that she froze for over ten minutes.

She had made a mistake. She had forgotten something.

Serene wasn't supposed to be able to do that! She was supposed to be likened to a fucking laptop computer! She was supposed to be precise and know what she was doing!

She had no weaponry! Aside from that weird tail, she had nothing..... Her other limbs had been left behind when Cliff had escaped with her.

She was lighter like this, but she was nearly defenseless. Serene was unsure of how to proceed. How could she possibly do what she had set out to do when she was basically unarmed? She was possibly outgunned, outnumbered, with older technology and outdated systems at this point. And how she was right now, she was nearly as defenseless as a human...

A human.

Serene's eyes shot open and she immediately analyzed what she just thought of. She was a cyborg physically like them. But.... for some reason she wasn't totally vacant and mindless. She wouldn't be able to leave her owner if she was a regular cyborg....

She had left her owner.... She had left Cliff's side.... that wasn't supposed to be able to happen unless he ordered it of her. So how did she manage? Why was she able to? Was it another glitch in her seemingly endless list of malfunctions in her programming?



Was she in itself a malfunction? Not a prototype at all, but just a mistake? It would make sense.... She had been left there in that forsaken warehouse, meant to be killed by Cliff..... But somehow she had evaded that fate at least so far, and her life was still unknown to be among them.

Or was she even living?

Was a cyborg actually a living being in the way that Sintronica put them together? Was she alive? or was she considered a creation of artificial life, in the synthetic skin of a human?

And so... for a moment, Serene closed her eyes again and tried to analyze what she could so she could make sense of it.

Could she be too weak as it was right now? Would she just be risking her life for nothing? Or... what were the chances that she could come out of this alive without Cliff? She wanted to demolish that factory and every other 'Serene' in there. She wanted to know if they knew anything about who she was before she became this. She needed to know, she needed answers.

For a moment she considered turning back and going to Cliff... But that was unlikely...

She thought about if he used the ticket she had hacked into the system for, for another flight time.... but then she realized.... he'd be at least three hours behind her.... and that's too much time for waiting...

And she wasn't in the mood to wait anymore. She just wanted to get this done and over with. It dug around and sunk its claws into her mind, this spirit of revenge and anger and madness that was no doubt a remnant of what had gotten her out into sleep mode all that time ago.

So as the shuttle landed, she walked out with no hesitation, a map in her head guiding her as she walked along the highway that would take her straight to the building.

A nagging voice inside of her head told her that she needed to get out of this alive and find Cliff... Memories swirled in her head from the night before, of the time they had spent together.

She enjoyed Cliff's company and would love to travel with him more... and... perhaps help satisfy his needs every now and then. But if that never happened again.... at least, she hoped, they would still travel together.
 
Cliff stood , only a few feet apart from his advisories, with his gun drawn. His hand did not shake, but his heart was exploding in his chest. HE wondered who sent these guys? Were they with Sintronica? Or had they been contracted out from Cliff's escapades in the Sub-District? The man who had broken down the door (using a crude battering ram) had stepped aside. The man behind him, who was brandishing a shotgun, steeped in the door way and now had his weapon aimed right at Cliffs midsection. Cliff and the man with the shotgun eyed each other, not making actual eye-contact, but nonetheless eying each other. Surely they had not expect him to be there waiting for them, so at least Cliff had that going for him. It was a stand off. Cliff noticed the man that had used the battering ram now wielded a shotgun as well, Cliff would have to act quick, before both men had a clean shot on him.

Cliff knew the time was now, he squeezed the trigger, scoring a face shot. THe man in the door way stumbled back from the powerful .45, his face exploding into a mass of blood and tissue. His brains, which flew out the back of his head, sprayed his partner, who shot, out of surprise, into the door. Cliff could tell buy the way the door splintered that they were using a large gauge of buck shot. One of the fragments from the shell, or maybe a piece of wood, splintered off the door and struck in the shoulder. Cliff steeped around to get a clean shot and fired two more rounds, hitting the man in the chest. When he fell to the floor in a heap, Cliff wanted to find out where he came from, but he knew better. There was no time for that, he had to get out of here, off Satellite 15. As with everywhere else Cliff had been, he would now be wanted for murder.

With the two men, bounty hunters or whatever they were, laying on the floor (in the room that Serene had fortunately registered under a fake name) Cliff ran down the hall to the elevator. The words from Serene's message were permeating through his mind. James Silver, James Silver, he thought s he hit the button for ground level. When the doors opened he saw about five security guards packing into another elevator, no doubt headed to where he had just came from. Cliff could feel the warm sticky moisture of blood from where he had been struck by the splintering wood, but there was no time to worry about that now, as luck would have it the next shuttle was the one headed to Mars, Cliff's home planet.

"One way for James Silver, please" Said Cliff, ignoring the pain radiating from his shoulder.

The ticket was printed and he was on his way. He only preyed that he would be able to catch Serene before she had a total melt down, and if that Happened, Cliff was sure he would have no choice but to turn his back on her.