Chapter Seven

“Like HELL we will work with him!” Avin exclaimed, fists clenched tightly, eyebrows furrowed. Rinn was silent, looking down, cat-ears drooping. Byakuya stared at Zenarith in shock, apparently appalled at such a suggestion. Zenarith sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Let me explain.”

“NO. We will not work with that....that...sickfuck!” Avin was furious, and Zenarith sighed, dropping his hands, looking at Rinn.

“Calm down, Avin...look at Rinn. I know this is hard. Both of you know better than anyone else in this room exactly what that man did, but we will need him in order to access the hidden files. We will restrict him, of course...”

Avin glanced down at the other and winced, he brushed his fingers through the soft blue hair and rubbed the young man's shoulders. He sat down, deep in thought. Zenarith sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes.

Sorrell stood, leaning forward to get a closer look at the diagram. “This Nefe Kuro...He's the son of Amris...correct?” She seemed thoughtful as Byakuya nodded, silent once again. She sighed, sinking back in her seat. “You say he can help with the encryption..? Where is this man?”

Rinn stood, crimson eyes glowing faintly. “Librithium.” The room went silent as everyone stared at the blue-haired boy. His hands were tightened into fists, and he pulled away from Avin's touch, staring at the floor, ears flattened to his head. He lifted his head slowly, eyes burning. He turned the burning stare towards Zenarith. “Need this man to help?” He asked, his voice far too cold.

Zenarith nodded slowly, feeling prickles run along his spine. “He may know something we need....I am sorry, Rinn...”

The boy held up his hand, looking away from him. “If needed, then fine. Will accept presence,” He turned, looking at Avin. “Will need your power. Will guard him,” he said softly, looking intently at Avin. The taller man nodded slowly. Rinn sighed softly and wavered where he stood. Avin's face was a little pale, beads of sweat running down his face. The boy sighed softly, and sunk against Avin's frame. Avin cradled Rinn into his arms, holding him close against his frame.

Thalia and Sorrell stood with a gasp at the sudden movement. “Is he all right?” Thalia exclaimed worriedly. Fen sat in silence, staring at the cat boy.

Avin stood, nodding, cradling the young man in his arms. “Just exhausted...” he said softly. “I'll take him out for some air..” he said quietly. Byakuya nodded, and pressed a button, calling the young crewman outside to take down the shield. Avin carried him outside, and the door closed once again.

The room stayed silent for a long while before Zenarith was startled out of his contemplation, hairs raising on the back of his arms. It seemed like everyone in the room shivered simultaneously, and then the pressure seemed to relax, and then dissipated. Zenarith blinked, glancing around, looking for what may have caused that odd prickle.

“He's an empath, isn't he,” a new voice said, the voice masculine, and most definitely not one that belonged to someone they had invited. Byakuya's flames flared up around the strange man's form. He was sitting in the middle of the table, nibbling on a round, green fruit with white interior. His hair was messy, and a bunch of different lengths, the shortest strands being only a thumb length, the longest being past where his collarbone was, and the color seemed to shift as Zenarith looked at it. His eyes shifted with his hair color, looking far too old for his apparent youth. His garb was similar to that of the desert nomads, and something about the man's face sparked a memory in Zenarith.

“Byakuya, wait,” Zenarith said, holding up a hand. He stared intently at the man, studying his face. The strange man stared back, nibbling another bite of the fruit in his hand, apparently indifferent to the blossoms of flame that winked out near his head. Zenarith studied him carefully before it hit him. “You know Doctor Pierce,” he said, not quite as a question.

The man nodded slowly, finishing the succulent fruit. He licked his fingers to get the remainder of the juice. “Got the message you sent to him,” he said with a shrug. He pulled out a second piece of fruit. “Got curious. Here I am,” he said with a cheeky grin. He looked at Byakuya with a wide smile. “By the way, nice ship. Fixed your engines a bit. They were running at about forty percent. You should be getting around ninety or so.” He shrugged and took a large bite of the fruit. “Anyway, you didn't answer me,” he said to Zenarith, eyes flickering gold, along with his fascinating hair. The man leaned back, the front of his sandy-colored robes slipping open, black leather decorated with heavy chains revealed.

Zenarith nodded slowly. “Psychic sensitive,” he explained, glancing at the door. “May I ask for your name?”

The man snickered. “No, but I'll tell you anyway. Call me Sigma.”

Byakuya stood, eyes burning, hair flickering with flame. “You do not have permission to be on my ship,” he hissed, barely containing his anger. Fen was staring at the strange man, Sorrell's expression seemed unchanged, and Thalia was blushing faintly. Zenarith sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Byakuya, this man is from Kalla...I vaguely remember him. He worked with Doctor Pierce,” he said, nodding at the man in the middle of the table. He turned to Sigma, frowning faintly. “Why are you the one who came. Did Doctor Pierce send you?”

The smile disappeared from Sigma's face and he stopped eating the fruit. “Doctor Pierce is dead,” he said simply. “Two years now.”

Zenarith paled. “Oh god...” He sat down heavily in a chair. Pierce had been a close friend. Zenarith remembered the times that he'd been on circuit and stopped to visit the old doctor. Pierce had befriended him when Zenarith had once gotten lost out in the Waste, a long time ago. He couldn't believe his old friend had passed away. “How..?”

Sigma shrugged, finishing off his second fruit, licking his fingers once again. Byakuya was obviously fuming....quite literally. Smoke was pouring from his sparking hair. Thalia stood carefully, coming nearer Sigma, a curious expression on her face. “Excuse me, sir...” she started softly. He met her gaze with a raised eyebrow. She smiled softly at him, and then tilted her head. “How, exactly, did you get in here?” She asked. Thalia brushed a strand of long black hair behind her ear, her sky-blue dress rustling with the movement.

His hair color shifted, muted reds and purples, his eyes following suit as he stared at her, his expression looking slightly lost. “...I walked in,” he said softly. She blinked, standing up, turning to face Sorrell.

“He's telling the truth,” she said, surprised. She moved swiftly to the door, brushing her fingers against the wood inlay on the sturdy door. Her hair seemed to move slightly, her eyes closing as she stood there in silence. Sigma's eyes followed her to the door, his blank expression unchanged. “Fascinating,” she said with a smile.

Sorrell's mouth twitched into a smile. “Indeed,” she said, pulling herself up to stand at her full height. She touched the seemingly forgotten memory crystals with the tip of her finger. “It appears you have...rather unique skills, master Sigma,” she said softly. She tilted her head, and Zenarith could almost see the thoughts turning in her head. She turned her eyes to Thalia, a silent exchange going between the two. “Are you a freelancer...?”

Sigma shrugged. “Maybe,” he replied. His eyes darkened, along with his hair as he suddenly wasn't there, and then was next to Sorrell, a long, thin knife at her throat. Her eyes widened faintly, and Zenarith had barely a moment to react. Sigma's eyes were cold as they bored into her head. “Don't try to get into my head, woman,” he hissed darkly. “I am here because I was curious. I have no intention to work for you.”

Thalia's gasp seemed almost delayed, it had happened so suddenly. Ice wrapped around Sigma's chest, arms and hands, freezing him in position, and Fen pulled Sorrell away from the slender knife. Her face was white, and a red droplet of blood colored her slender neck. Zenarith stood between Sigma and Sorrell, and red flames blossomed around Sigma. The man sighed, letting go of the knife. It sunk into the thick carpet of the floor, and he looked almost irritated, put upon. “It wouldn't be wise,” Zenarith said softly, taking hold of the other's shoulder. “Just tell us why you're here...this meeting is not for the public.”

Sigma turned his head slowly, meeting Zenarith's gaze. “Curiosity.”

Thalia hesitated, and then lifted her hand, avoiding looking at Sigma. “He's telling the truth,” she said softly. “His public mind holds no other intention than that...” She bit her lip. “I will not look further without his permission. It's not polite...”

Sigma didn't look at her, his eyes studying Zenarith's face. “Too soft,” the man said. “You should kill an opponent while you have the advantage.” And then suddenly, as suddenly as the man had appeared, he was gone.

Byakuya let out a soft curse, the flames winking out, and Zenarith released the breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. Fen shook his head, gathering up the memory crystals. “I'll get a second team working on the encryption,” he said shakily. Zenarith just nodded, a frown pulling onto his lips. This wasn't going quite as well as he'd have liked.

Sorrell cleared her throat. “I'll get you our finest geneticists,” she offered. “Byakuya, I presume you'll be dealing with the release of Nefe?” she asked, gathering up her things. Zenarith didn't blame her haste. He wasn't quite sure what to think of what had occurred.

Byakuya waved his hand at her, his hair sparking. “Yes, I'll deal with that,” he grumbled, his azure eyes glittering darkly. She nodded back at him, and took hold of Thalia's arm, pulling her from the room to take her own floater back to the city.

Zenarith sat in his chair, fingers tapping on the surface of the table. His stomach growled, and he glared down at his gut, frowning. “I don't understand,” he said softly. Byakuya turned, glaring at him in silence. “Doctor Pierce is dead...we have talking bio-gens...a man just appeared out of nowhere in our private meeting...and here I am, wondering what we're going to have for dinner.”

Byakuya stared at him for a long moment. “God, you're an idiot.”