The first time

Ok, everybody, so this is the last piece. Barrie18, thank you so much for the last post, that was very thoughtful of you. Unfortunately for me, it was all work, and no play, instead of spending favorite pastime (meaning writing Ank fanfic, hi, hi). Because I am to lazy to find out how to un-hide my e-mail from profile, here is my e-mail: ankfanforever@yahoo.com (anybody that wants to say something to me, feel free to contact me at this address).



Now, I hope I won\'t be flamed for getting a too light ending for this story, but endings are not my best parts. I am already thinking of a different story ... and, well, this last chapter came a little in pains. Jishe, thank you, dear, for your ongoing support, as well as everybody taking the time to read this awful long story.







The light in the terminal room was cold. The most important room on the surface of Amoi. Jupiter was asleep, something that hadn’t happened for many, many years. Since the beginning, her presence filled this room, so that no one could achieve entrance, unless it was one of her favorites. And they were actually now turning against her, making the tables turn. Even asleep, Jupiter was conscious. Her artificial mind drifted away, remembering every aspect of the life on Amoi as once known. She jolted seeing the different facets of affection she experienced through time. She thought: “I did the right thing.” She was still in her world of dreams when they entered.



- Do you think she is still around?

A rictus formed on Iason’s beautiful face.

- We are practically stepping on her ground here, Riki. She may be around.

Guy was encircling Raoul’s hand with his own, protective, making the other smile. Jason warned:

- Everyone, let’s be very careful right now. She may seem deactivated, but she could still have a trap set here, somewhere.



Only two seconds past and the room began to shake. Rays of lights went through the walls, aiming at the intruders. Guy simply covered Raoul with his body, pressing against him, in the same time as Iason took a step forward, hiding Riki behing his bulky frame. The tension released when they realized that nothing had happened. They were touching their own bodies, wandering about some kind of a fucked up mind game designed by Jupiter, meant to dematerialize them, leaving their conscious minds at her disposal to be tortured. Raoul pushed Guy a little from him and looked lovingly at him:

- Why are you keeping me like this? Are you afraid that I might break?

- Shit, Raoul, what the hell is happening? Are we ok or what? And yes, you need protection, tough guy, he said, tugging a little Raoul’s collar.

The words died on his lips, as he turned and looked at the frial being taking shape in the middle of the room. It was a woman, that one could hardly name an age for, with distant looking eyes, her body so light, that it looked like she was hovering over the floor, instead of walking on it. She looked first at Iason, at Raoul, and a glance was shot towards Riki and Guy.

- My children, she asked and raised her hands towards Iason and Raoul.

The two friends looked at each other, not knowing what to make of this. Riki grabbed Iason’s arm, whispering:

- Don’t go to her!

Iason caressed Riki’s hand and refused his advice.

- I don’t think she represents a danger.

They took the almost immaterial hands, surprised to sense the warmth in dry fingers.

- I want you to know that I never meant to harm you.

An angry Riki could be heard in the background:

- Bullshit!

The frial being smiled.

- I may have a great deal of explanation to give. You, Iason and Raoul, will be the first to find about the mystery of your creation.

She turned and light up a holographic screen. An image of Amoi, seen from space appeared.

- When I was summoned to rule Amoi, I had no idea what I was dealing with. I’m afraid that in my early days, I took hasty decisions.

Riki stepped forward.

- You fucking ruined Ceres and the people there!

Iason looked at his lover severely:

- Riki, please, let her talk.

Jupiter continued:

- I do not intend to cast apologies. At the moment, I did what I thought it was right. But now my reign is over, and change has come from where there was no hope, no chance. Ceres has its revenge, Riki the Dark. The creature said these, fixing her translucid eyes on Riki, making him feel a chill on his spine.

She paused a little, but she took on her trail of thoughts:

- Iason and Raoul, you should know one thing first hand. You are not artificial being, you are flesh and blood.

The two Blondies widened their eyes in disbelief.

- I worked hard to enhance your beings, that is correct. The idea of having androids to serve me, no matter how appealing, did not work. They seemed to lack something, the flexibility, the needed emotion in dealing with other people from different planets. The project was a failure. Then I came up with you. Do you know where your genes come from?

- I thought, Iason dared, almost choking, that we were created in your labs.

- Your genes, my darling ones, come from Ceres.

Iason and Raoul gasped in the same time. Riki and Guy changed glances, and the mongrels could not surpress a smile.

- Of course, I gave you everything I could from my databanks. Your looks, she said, caressing Iason’s digits, come from a man I loved a long time ago.

- You? Love? There was nothing but pure wonderment in Iason’s voice.

- Yes, love, this frialty you, humans, cherish so much. I loved that man with my whole heart. I wasn’t a computer back then; we both died in an accident, but it was decided that only I was to be resurected as an AI. Could I refuse to become a deity?

Jupiter laughed sadly.

- But they didn’t realize, or they didn’t care that they left me with my memories. And I have craved for centuries to see him once more. I used combinations and combinations, to find his face once again. So, in a way, I can still see my love in every Blondie’s face. You, Iason, however, are …. Exactly like him. And you do not have just his looks, but also his temper, his boldness, his … everything. I love you, Iason, I always have.

Riki’s voice could be heard once again:

- You bitch!

- Riki! Iason warned again.

Jupiter continued:

- Because I suffered so much for my lost love, I wanted you to have nothing to do with that sort of suffering. I made you believe that you are artificial beings, that it is impossible for you to have any sort of feelings. I know I didn’t succeed, she said, a longing look in her eyes. You and Raoul fooled around, but I accepted that. Yet, I knew this day will come, when you will fall in love. And it was blindness from my part, to fail to see that, since you, Blondies, were made out of love, it was meant for you to love, as well.

She let the two Blondies’ hands and walked towards Riki. The fiery demon darted his chin out, prepared for the confrontation.

- Riki the Dark, she hummed and she raised her hand to caress his face.

Riki flinched from the touch, cursing inwardly.

- There was an … unfortunate event in one of my labs, one day, more than 20 years ago. I was fascinated with the incredible combinations the slums provided me with. Especially one particular combination. I had not seen such glorious amount of qualities in one gene, since the one I used to create Iason. But this new gene, that landed on my hands, provided me with equally one challenge. I repeatedly tried to apply the coded information from my lover’s DNA, but nothing seemed to work. It made me laugh: how would this creature look like? A Blondie with raven like hair and eyes of pitch black? I needed to terminate it, before coming into being. I was amazed to see how Ceres could provide perfect DNA for my plans, but this was too much. Yet, a rogue, a person working in my lab took the embryo one night and never came back. I could not trace that person ever. I expected to see what would happen, if the dark haired Blondie will ever come into being, but no matter how much I watched over Tanagura, nothing came out. How foolish of me to miss on watching over the one place where a dark hair male would blend perfectly, without drawing any particular attention: the slums.

She caressed Riki’s face and watched him with strange love hidden in her eyes:

- You are my failed project, a Blondie like no other. I didn’t know I had you at arm’s length, until it was too late. Iason was already head over heels, and I could not just snatch you from his arms. I knew you would be my termination, Riki. My fallen angel.

Her gesture made everybody in the room gasp in surprise. She placed her soft aerial lips on Riki’s mouth and kissed him tenderly.

- So, you can kill me now, and I beg you to deny any hesitation. I would have killed you, if I had had the chance.

She motioned Riki towards a button installed under the only desk in the room.

- Just push it, and I will be just history.

His tanned hand caressed the button, tempted to just get it over with. He glanced over, at Iason, than his eyes floated towards Jupiter. A glint in her almost dead eyes made his heart jump. He smiled mischieviously, making her frown. Riki withdrew his hand and placed it on his hip.

- It’s a trap.

Jupiter shook his hand impatiently.

- Just push it!

- No! He freed his hand from hers. You want us dead. Dead like your lover. Since you cannot be loved back, you want everybody to share your fate.

Riki commed Katze from the device on his wrist.

- Did you disconnect the bomb, Katze?

The affirmative answer came quickly. Iason hurried to his lover’s side.

- How did you know, Riki? He embraced him and shot a murderous look towards Jupiter that remained motionless, like set in stone. He wanted to say something, but the door opened and Katze entered.

It was Katze alright, but it was like he was embodied in a different person. He somehow looked taller, and instead of red hair, amethyst black waves were falling on his broad shoulders. His lips were quirked in a laughter, and he exhibited nothing of the Furniture like composure, that everybody knew.

Jupiter emitted a gutural sound, taking everyone by surprise.

- Rogue! She screamed.

Katze smiled faintly, showing his teeth.

- Long time no see, my lady. The knowledge I gathered in your labs helped me create a new body for myself, and this way you had never known that I was hiding under your nose. With my wits, I convinced Iason quickly to become his furniture, and so, I got deep down in your secrets, bathing in them like before. Don’t worry, Iason, he said, looking at his former Master, it was not an accident when you caught me. I had everything arranged, so I got entangled even more in Tanagura’s business, since you offered me the leadership of the Black Market. Unfortunately, during those times, I had not so much time to watch over Riki, I had to leave him at Guardian, wishing every day that you, Jupiter, won’t look that way to find him.

Riki asked faintly:

- Everything was planned?

- Not everything. Katze smiled. I had never thought that the head of Tanagura Syndicate would fall for a mere mongrel. His lips curved ironically. That surpassed even my predictions. I feared for you, Riki, that she would find out you are alive. But my hands were tight and I was just waiting for the right moment to set the things in motions. Riki, you helped me a lot.

He passed over them and showed Jupiter a velvet case:

- Do you know what is this?

She flinched away.

- This is the end, my lady. You should be grateful. Now, you will get to be with him forever.

Jupiter looked at Katze with wide eyes, and just nodded. Katze took the device from the case and shot a beam of light at Jupiter. She vanished in a second, leaving the room in darkness.



Epilogue



- It will be hard to put the pieces together?

Iason embraced Riki from behind, setting his chin on his lover’s shoulder.

- Yes, but everybody’s helping, including faithful Katze.

- You are telling me you didn’t suspect anything? While he was in your house?

- No, he was so correct in everything. I was surprised when I caught him.

- I owe him everything, I guess.

- He cares for you, Riki. He always did.

- I don’t know why, though.

Iason turned Riki to face him.

- But I know why I care about you.

Teasing, Riki caressed Iason’s lips with his own.

- I cannot think of a reason.

- Silly! It is quite simple: because I love you.

Happily, Riki plunged into the kiss. And it was their first deep kiss from that moment on, one that opened the road for many, many others.





Author\'s epilogue: As I said, flame me, if you want, but I guess, for me, a sappy love story only ends when I hear the words "I love you". ;)