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Potential barrier scattering when particle energy equals to the barrier height
What happens if we have $E=V$, where $E$ is the energy of a incoming particle and $V$ is the height of a square potential barrier? [This wiki page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectangular_potential_barrier) actually gives a finite transmission probability for this case. But what does the wave function look like in the barrier region?
Edit:
I just realized that the potential barrier case can be easily solved and the transmission can be calculated to be the one given in wiki. However, things are slightly different if we have a step potential at the origin instead of a square barrier. Even though a step potential is just a square barrier with infinite width, we look at the situation separately.
If we look at the schroedinger equation for the barrier region, which goes from 0 to $\infty$, then we have
$$\psi''(x)=0$$
which means $\psi(x)=ax+b$, where $a$ and $b$ are undetermined constants. Suppose for the no-barrier region, the wave function is given by $e^{ikx}+re^{-ikx}$, where $r$ is the reflection coefficient. Then after matching the boundary conditions, we have
$1+r=b$ and $1-r=-ia/k$.
If we require that the wave function does not blow up on the potential side, then we must have $a=0$ and consequently we have $r=1$ and $b=2$, which means that even though it becomes all reflected the wave function at the potential region is a non-zero constant function.
So how to explain this peculiarity? Is it because that transmission is not necessarily related to probability density?
As you guessed, the probability density is not the same as transmission. In order to have non-zero transmission there has to be nonzero gradient: $$j=\frac{1}{2m}(\psi^\dagger \hat{p}\psi - \psi \hat{p}\psi^\dagger)$$
In the case of a constant probability, there is no gradient. You only have particle "buildup". The reason for this is that you are solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation, which gives the steady-state solutions. This means the system has had a long time to stabilize and reach a steady state. Since the time is so long (essentially infinite), the particle built up is really large (integral of probability from zero to +infinity). If E was lower than V, this build up would be limited to regions near x=0 and have a negative exponential form (also known as the evanescent part), but E=V is an edge case.
Had you solved the time-dependent Schrodinger equation (TDSE), you would observe the build up forms gradually in time. Specifically, assume a particle source at $-\infty$ (which makes this an open system), providing a constant particle flow at fixed energy $E=k^2/2m$ and a potential barrier $V(x)=V\_0 u(x)$, where $u(x)$ is the step function. Start solving the TDSE with an initial condition at $t=0$ of $\psi(t=0,x)=\exp(ikx)u(-x)$, which is a crude approximation of the shape of the wavefunction right before it hits the potential barrier.
I have seen references relating the "square potential barrier" to the case of the space between two metal surfaces, but this is incorrect. The square potential barrier would require an infinite electric field at both ends with no field elsewhere. This model is used frequently but I see no practical application.
| stackexchange/physics |
the electric - dipole selection rule does not allow one- and two - photon processes to coexist for given initial and final states in quantum systems with a center of inversion symmetry , where all states have well - defined parities @xcite . because one - photon transitions , resulted from the electric - dipole interaction between two non - degenerate states ,
require that these states have opposite parities ; but two - photon process needs those states to have the same parity @xcite
. however , the one- and two - photon processes can coexist in systems with lack of inversion symmetry , e.g. , in the semiconductor systems kurizki89,dupont95,atanasov96,kral99 .
then , the magnitude and direction of the photocurrent in these systems @xcite can be controlled by using two different optical paths . ref .
@xcite showed that electric - dipole transition between any two states is allowed for chiral molecules and their mirror images due to lack of inverse symmetry .
it means that the one- and two - photon processes can also coexist in these systems .
then , the same initial and final states can be connected by two different paths , which result in an interference effect for final state .
the different relative phase differences for pulses of the two optical pathways will result in different interference fringes .
this implies that final state can be controlled by choosing applied pulse phases .
using an example in ref .
@xcite , the coherent population transfer ( cpt ) was studied in a three - level system with cyclic transitions , induced by three classical fields .
different from the usual @xmath1-type atoms @xcite , the cpt in these systems is controlled not only by the amplitudes of the electric - dipole transition elements , but also by the phases of applied pulses . recently , the microwave control of the quantum states has been investigated for superconducting quantum circuits @xcite , called artificial atoms " , which possess discrete energy levels .
the optical selection rule of microwave - assisted transitions is carefully analyzed for this artificial atom .
it was shown @xcite that the electric - dipole like transition can appear for any two different states when the symmetry of the potential of the artificial atom is broken by changing microwave bias .
then , so - called @xmath2-type or cyclic transitions can be formed for the lowest three levels . and
the populations of these states can be selectively transferred by adiabatically controlling both the amplitudes and phases of the applied microwave pulses .
the previous investigations , e.g. , in refs .
kurizki89,dupont95,atanasov96,kral99,kral0103,liuyx - prl , only focus on a single three - level system with @xmath2-type or cyclic transitions , induced by the three classical fields .
in contrast to the above examples kurizki89,dupont95,atanasov96,kral99,kral0103,liuyx - prl , the electric - dipole interaction can not induce cyclic transitions among three energy levels for a usual atom , due to its symmetry and well - defined parities of its eigenstates . to have cyclic or @xmath2-type transitions ,
a coherent radio - frequency field is required to apply such that it can induce a magnetic dipole ( or an electric quadrupole ) transition buckle , kosachiov , fleischhauer between two levels , e.g. , two lower ( or higher ) levels which are forbidden to the electric - dipole transition in the @xmath3 ( or @xmath4)-type atoms @xcite . in this paper
, we will investigate the collective effects of photonic emissions and excitations of a cyclic three - level system ( such as atomic ensemble with symmetry broken , or the chiral molecular gases @xcite , or manual atomic " array with symmetry broken liuyx - prl , siewert ) where the quantum transitions is induced by two quantized fields and a classical one .
we will focus on the photonic properties of emissions resulting from such cyclic transitions , such as the two - mode photon entanglement , the quantum state exchange and swapping between the two - mode optical field and the two collective modes of atomic excitations .
in more details , by utilizing the collective operator approach and the hidden dynamic symmetry as recently discovered @xcite for the three - level @xmath1-type atomic ensemble coupled to a classical control field and a quantum probe field , both the adiabatic and dynamic properties for the system of the photons and atomic ensemble are studied systematically .
different from the case of three - level @xmath1 ( or @xmath4 , or @xmath5)-type atomic ensemble , due to the interference between one- and two - photon processes in the system of @xmath2-type atomic ensemble , we find that the electromagnetically induced transparency ( eit ) phenomenon eit , appeared in @xmath1-type system , does not exist here .
in stead of dark - state polariton operators @xcite , a general set of polariton operators is introduced to describe the collective motions of the whole system when the excitation to high energy levels is low .
some novel results are obtained .
for example , the entanglement between two quantum optical fields is tunable via classical field , applied to the @xmath2-type atomic ensemble .
our paper is organized as follows . in sec .
ii , the model is described and the polariton operators are introduced in the limit of the low excitation . in sec .
iii , the entanglement between , e.g. , the atomic ensemble and quantized fields , or two different optical modes , is discussed . in sec .
iv , we analyze the information transfer from the quantized fields to the atomic ensemble by adiabatic passage , and study the storage of photon information via atomic ensemble .
we consider an ensemble with @xmath6 identical three - level atoms `` ( such as atomic ensemble or the chiral molecular gases @xcite or manual atomic '' array with symmetry broken liuyx - prl ) interacting with electromagnetic fields .
each atom has cyclic or @xmath2-type transitions shown in fig .
[ fig1 ] , where a lower level @xmath7 by quantized fields through the electric - dipole interaction ; and two higher states are coupled by a classical field with a frequency @xmath8 through the electric - dipole interaction .
the hamiltonian of the interacting system is given as ( @xmath9 ) @xmath10here , @xmath11 , with @xmath12 but @xmath13 , are the flip operators between the levels @xmath14-th atom .
@xmath15 ( @xmath16 ) represent the population operators .
@xmath17 ( @xmath18 ) and @xmath19 ( @xmath20 ) are the annihilation ( creation ) operators of the two quantized light fields , with the angular frequencies ( wave vectors ) @xmath21 ( @xmath22 ) and @xmath23 ( @xmath24 ) , respectively .
the parameters @xmath25 and @xmath26 denote the coupling constants associated with two quantized fields , coupling to the atomic transitions @xmath27 and latexmath:[$|c\rangle \rightarrow @xmath25 and @xmath29 of all atoms to the two quantized fields are identical .
@xmath30 and @xmath31 are the angular frequencies of the atomic transitions @xmath32 is the rabi frequency related to the atomic transition @xmath33 , driven by the classic field with the angular frequency @xmath34 and the wave vector @xmath35 . for the sake of simplicity ,
we assume that three light fields are _ resonantly _ coupled to the relevant atomic transitions , that is , @xmath36 , @xmath37 , and @xmath38 .
thus , in the interaction picture , the hamiltonian ( [ hamil01 ] ) can be simplified to @xmath39 considering that any quantum state is allowed to have a global constant difference of phase factor , one can redefine new atomic states with the phase factors @xcite as @xmath40we further assume that the _ momenta _ @xmath41 , @xmath42 , and @xmath43 for the three light fields satisfy the _ conversation _
condition @xmath44then , after the factors @xmath45 , @xmath46 , and @xmath47 are absorbed into atomic states , the hamiltonian ( [ hamil02 ] ) can be rewritten as @xmath48here , we still use the notations @xmath49 and @xmath50 to denote @xmath51 and @xmath52 ( @xmath53 ) .
obviously , the above hamiltonian describes the homogeneous couplings of the three light fields to atoms in the ensemble .
this homogeneity means that there exist various collective excitations that can be characterized by the following operators @xcite @xmath54therefore , by using the above collective operators , the hamiltonian ( hamiltonian ) can be expressed as @xmath55eq .
( [ h2 ] ) implies that there exists a dynamic symmetry in the considered system .
this symmetry is characterized by lie algebra generators @xmath56 , @xmath57 , @xmath58 and their complex conjugates @xmath59 , @xmath60 , @xmath61 ( also @xmath62 ) , that satisfy the following commutation relations @xmath63 & = & [ a,\,c]\,=\,0 , \notag \\ \lbrack a,\,a^{\dagger } ] & = & 1,\,\,\,\,\,\,[c,\,c^{\dagger } ] \,=\,1 , \notag \\ \lbrack t^{-},\,c^{\dagger } ] & = & 0,\,\,\,\,\,\,[t^{+},\,c^{\dagger } ] \,=\,a^{\dagger } , \\ \lbrack t^{-},\,a^{\dagger } ] & = & c^{\dagger } , \,\,\,[t^{+},\,a^{\dagger } ] \,=\,0 , \notag \\ \lbrack t^{+},t^{- } ] & = & t^{z } \notag\end{aligned}\]]in the large @xmath6 and low excitation limit @xcite .
where the low excitation means that the most atoms are in the ground state , only a few of them are excited into the higher states . in this case , the average numbers @xmath64 and @xmath65 of the atoms in the two excited states satisfy the condition @xmath66 and @xmath67 .
it means that two independent bosonic modes ( @xmath68 and @xmath57 ) of the atomic collective excitation exist in the ensemble . since the complex coupling constants can be rewritten as @xmath69 $ ] , @xmath70 $ ] , and @xmath71 $ ] , where @xmath72 and @xmath73 are positive real numbers , however @xmath74 is a real number .
then the phases @xmath75 and @xmath76 can be absorbed into the operators @xmath68 and @xmath57 as follows : @xmath77\rightarrow a^{\dagger } $ ] , @xmath78\rightarrow c^{\dagger } $ ] . in this case , the operator @xmath61 should be changed as : @xmath79 $ ] . without loss of generality , we now consider a simple case with @xmath80 @xmath81 . under these conditions , the hamiltonian ( [ h2 ] ) can be represented as @xmath82where @xmath83 .
the transform from eq .
( [ h2 ] ) to eq .
( [ hh2 ] ) means that only the total phase of the three rabi frequencies ( @xmath25 , @xmath29 , and @xmath84 ) is involved in the dynamical evolution .
the hamiltonian ( [ hh2 ] ) can be diagonalized by using polariton operators @xmath85 ( @xmath86 ) as @xmath87here the polariton operators @xmath88describe the normal bosonic modes with frequencies @xmath89 in eqs .
( [ pola12 ] ) and ( [ pola34 ] ) , the first indexes of the l.h.s correspond to the above symbols of the r.h.s , and @xmath90it is obvious @xmath91 $ ] for the positive real numbers @xmath92 , @xmath73 , and real number @xmath74 . from eq .
( [ h3 ] ) , the eigenstates of the system can be given as @xmath93with the ground state @xmath94 .
here , @xmath95 is the vacuum state of the two quantized optical fields , @xmath96 is the ground state for all atoms with the definition @xmath97 .
the eigenvalue of the state @xmath98 is @xmath99 it should be pointed out that the polaritons @xmath85 obtained in present cyclic ensemble are different from the dark state polaritons in the @xmath100-type ensemble @xcite .
the latter are the dark state polaritons and commute with the interaction hamiltonian , but the former ones do not commute with the interaction hamiltonian , and also are not dark state polaritons .
now , we study how to generate the entangled states by using solutions of the polaritons and their eigenstates .
we first calculate the dynamical evolution driven by the hamiltonian ( [ h3 ] ) with the constants @xmath74 , @xmath101 and @xmath102 . in this case , the polariton operators in eqs .
( pola12-[pola34 ] ) are simplified to @xmath103the heisenberg equations @xmath104=-i\varepsilon _ { j}d_{j}\text { ( } j=1,2,3,4% \text{)}\]]describe the time evolution of the normal modes of the polaritons @xmath105where @xmath106 is a time - dependant phase . since the physical modes can be expressed by the normal modes as @xmath107 , \label{eq:22 } \\ b & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}-d_{2})\sin \theta + ( d_{3}-d_{4})\cos \theta \right ] , \label{eq:23 } \\ a & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}-d_{2})\cos \theta -(d_{3}-d_{4})\sin \theta \right ] , \\ c & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}+d_{2})\cos \theta -(d_{3}+d_{4})\sin \theta \right ] , \end{aligned}\]]the time - dependent operators @xmath108 , @xmath109 , @xmath110 , and @xmath111 ( also @xmath112 , @xmath113 , @xmath114 , and @xmath115 ) can be obtained by a straightforward replacement @xmath116 $ ] ( @xmath117 $ ] ) .
the explicit expressions for these operators are given in the appendix ( see , appendix [ appendix ] ) . in what follows in this section
, we will investigate the dynamical evolution of the above cyclic system and show that the entanglement and the information exchange between two optical modes can occur in the present cyclic system for an initial direct - product fock states of two optical modes .
we will also show that the atomic coherent excitation and coherent output of photons can occur when the system is initially in a direct - product coherent states of two optical modes .
if the system is initially in the two - mode photon number state @xmath118where @xmath119 is the ground state of the system .
then , according to eqs .
( [ eq:22]-[eq:23 ] ) , at time @xmath120 , the wavefunction can be expressed as @xmath121 ^{m}\left [ b^{\dagger } ( -t)\right ] ^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}% \right\rangle \notag \\ & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{m!n!}}[f_{a}^{a}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{b}^{a}(t)b^{\dagger } ( 0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{a}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{c}^{a}(t)c^{\dagger } ( 0)]^{m } \label{evolution } \\ & & \times \lbrack f_{a}^{b}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{b}^{b}(t)b^{\dagger } ( 0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{b}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{c}^{b}(t)c^{\dagger } ( 0)]^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle , \notag\end{aligned}\]]with the time - dependent coefficients @xmath122 ( @xmath123 , @xmath124 , @xmath19 , @xmath68 , @xmath57 ) given in the appendix .
eq . ( [ evolution ] ) shows that the entanglement between the optical modes and atomic collective modes can be generated when the coefficients in eq .
( [ evolution ] ) satisfy certain conditions . however , in the following
, we will only focus on how to generate quantum entanglement between two optical modes .
when the coefficients of the atomic operators @xmath68 and @xmath57 of eq . ( evolution ) vanish in some instants or in the certain limit , i.e. , @xmath125the state @xmath126 in eq .
( [ evolution ] ) only contains the variables of photons , namely , @xmath127^{m } \\ & & \times \lbrack f_{a}^{b}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{b}^{b}(t)b^{\dagger } ( 0)]^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle .
\notag\end{aligned}\ ] ] there are three cases in which the above photon state ( [ eq:28 ] ) can be generated during the dynamical evolution satisfying eq .
( [ equ0 ] ) .
_ case i _ : when the classical field is strongly coupled to the atomic ensemble such that the coupling constants @xmath74 and @xmath128 satisfy the condition @xmath129 , then @xmath130 and the polariton operators in eqs .
( [ pola12]-[pola34 ] ) can be simplified to @xmath131 in such condition , the time - dependent state in eq .
( [ evolution ] ) becomes into @xmath132^{m } \label{state - t6 } \\ & & \times \lbrack -ia^{\dagger } ( 0)\sin \phi _ { 3}+b^{\dagger } ( 0)\cos \phi _ { 3}]^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle .
\notag\end{aligned}\]]eq .
( [ state - t6 ] ) shows that the entanglement of optical modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 is obtained if the condition @xmath133 with the integer @xmath134 is satisfied . when @xmath135(mod@xmath136 ) , the state @xmath137 with a negligibly global factor .
this process means that the information between the modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 is exchanged . when @xmath138 ( @xmath139 ) , the state @xmath140 @xmath141 , which returns to the initial state .
_ case ii _ : when the coupling of the classical field to the atomic ensemble is much stronger than that of the quantized fields .
that is , the rabi frequencies satisfy the condition @xmath142 , then @xmath143 . in this case
, the polariton operators can be simplified to @xmath144the state in eq .
( [ evolution ] ) becomes into @xmath145^{m } \\ & & \times \lbrack -ia^{\dagger } ( 0)\sin \phi _ { 1}+b^{\dagger } ( 0)\cos \phi _ { 1}]^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle .
\notag\end{aligned}\]]similar to the case i , the entanglement between optical modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 can also be obtained . when @xmath146 ( @xmath147 @xmath148 ) , the state @xmath149 ; when @xmath150 ( @xmath147 @xmath148 ) , the state @xmath151 .
same as the case i , the above processes mean that the state can return to the initial one , or the quantum information between modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 can be exchanged in some instants . _ case iii _ : under the condition of @xmath152 with the integer @xmath134 , we can also obtain the similar results as the above . comparing with the cases i and ii that are in the special limit of the ratio @xmath153 , here we consider a general case of @xmath154 . at the instants @xmath155 ( @xmath156 ) with @xmath157 ,
the time - dependant phases satisfy@xmath158then eq . ( [ evolution ] ) is @xmath159^{m } \\ & & \times \lbrack -ia^{\dagger } ( 0)\sin \phi _ { s}+b^{\dagger } ( 0)\cos \phi _ { s}]^{n}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle , \notag\end{aligned}\]]which is a two - mode photonic entangled state when @xmath160 with the integer @xmath134 , where @xmath161 ( @xmath147 @xmath148 ) . moreover ,
when the the special value of @xmath154 is taken in case iii , the modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 can be disentangled in some certain instants . for examples ,
if @xmath162 ( @xmath163 , @xmath164 are integers ) , then at time @xmath165(@xmath156 ) , one has @xmath166 , and @xmath167which is just the same state as the initial one . if @xmath168 ( @xmath163 , @xmath164 are integers ) , then at time @xmath169 ( @xmath156 ) , one has @xmath170 , and then we have @xmath171which means the information carried by two optical modes has been exchanged between modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 . for the entangled states generated by the above three cases , we can further calculate their entanglement degree in order to make them more clearly .
in fact , for each pure state , the entanglement can be defined as the entropy of either of the two subsystems @xcite .
for example , the expression of entanglement for eq .
( [ state - t6 ] ) is given as @xmath172where @xmath173is the reduced density matrix of mode @xmath17 .
for simplicity , we consider the case of @xmath174 in eq .
( [ state - t6 ] ) . in this case
, we have @xmath175and the entanglement is given as@xmath176here @xmath177 . ) vs the time @xmath120 [ in units of @xmath178 .
points a show the maximally entangled states for @xmath179-dimension .
points b show the maximally entangled states for @xmath180-dimension.,width=302,height=151 ] figure [ fig2 ] shows the entanglement in eq .
( [ entanglement ] ) during the time evolution .
in fact , at time @xmath181 ( @xmath182 ) , @xmath183 and @xmath184 , as shown in fig .
[ fig2 ] with those @xmath68 points .
it means that @xmath185 is a maximally entangled state for two optical modes in the two dimensional space , constructed by the states @xmath186 and @xmath187 . at the time @xmath188/\varepsilon _ { 3}$ ] or @xmath189/\varepsilon
_ { 3}$ ] ( @xmath190 ) , it has @xmath191 and @xmath192 , which shows that @xmath185 is a maximally entangled state in the three dimensional space , constructed by the states @xmath193 , @xmath194 , and @xmath195 of two optical modes ( see the points b in fig . [ fig2 ] ) .
these so - called maximally entangled states are very useful in the field of quantum information , e.g. , to implement the quantum teleportation . in this subsection
, we have studied the entanglement and the information exchange between two optical modes in the present cyclic system for an initial direct - product fock states of optical modes .
such an entanglement or information exchange phenomenon can not be occurred in a non - cyclic three - level system , e.g. @xmath4-type three - level system @xcite .
physically , the classical field , which is used to couple two higher levels , assists to implement the entanglement ( or information exchange ) between these optical modes .
this can be seen from eq .
( [ hh2 ] ) , in a non - cyclic three - level @xmath4-type system obtained from the @xmath0-type system with @xmath196 , two optical modes only interact independently with two collective excitation modes respectively .
so it can not realize the entanglement between two optical modes . here
we study the dynamical evolution of the cyclic system when the system is initially in the several kinds of coherent state as follows .
\i ) if the system is initially in a direct product state of coherent states for four modes @xmath17 , @xmath19 , @xmath68 and @xmath57 : @xmath197where @xmath198 $ ] ( @xmath199 ) is the displacement operator .
then the state evolves into @xmath200with @xmath201here , the relation @xmath202 \\ & = & \exp [ \gamma ( f_{a}^{q}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{b}^{q}(t)b^{\dagger } ( 0 ) \\ & & + f_{a}^{q}(t)a^{\dagger } ( 0)+f_{c}^{q}(t)c^{\dagger } ( 0))-\text{h.c.}]\end{aligned}\]]has been used in eq .
( [ state - t9 ] ) .
( [ state - t9 ] ) shows that any initial direct - product coherent state is still a direct - product coherent state during the time evolution .
however , the intensity of each mode varies with the time evolution .
\ii ) if the atoms are initially in the ground states , but one of the optical modes , e.g. , mode @xmath17 , is initially in a coherent state @xmath203then , at time @xmath120 , the state is @xmath204where@xmath205this means that _ a new coherent optical field _ of mode @xmath19 and two new coherent atomic collective excitations are generated .
\iii ) if the atoms are initially in the ground states , and the two optical modes are initially in their coherent states : @xmath206then , the evolved state will be direct - product coherent state of four modes : @xmath207with @xmath208this means the initial optical modes can lead to the coherent output of new modes of atomic collective excitation .
\iv ) if the two optical modes are initially in the vacuum state , but the two atomic collective excitation modes are initially in the coherent states , @xmath209then , the state will evolve into a direct - product state of the two optical modes and the atomic excitation modes : @xmath210with@xmath211 eqs .
( [ state - t11 ] ) and ( [ state - t12 ] ) show that the coherent optical modes or coherent atomic excitation modes will result in the generation of the coherent atomic excitation modes or coherent optical modes in the cyclic atomic ensemble system .
\v ) we now consider that one of the optical modes , e.g. , the mode @xmath17 , is initially in odd or even coherent states @xmath212 with the normalization constant @xmath213 .
but another optical mode @xmath19 is in the vacuum state , and also the two atomic modes are in their ground states .
that is , the system is initially in the state @xmath214at instant @xmath215 when @xmath216 ( mod @xmath217 ) , the state will evolve to a so - called _ entangled coherent state _ of these two optical modes agarwal89,sanders92,solano03 @xmath218
. \label{state - t5}\end{aligned}\]]when @xmath219 in eq .
( [ state - t5 ] ) satisfies @xmath220 ( mod @xmath148 ) , the state will be in a maximally entangled state @xcite .
these states have recently been proposed as an important tool in the theories and experiments relating to the quantum information processing munro00,wang01,jeong01 . specially , if @xmath221 ( mod @xmath148 ) at certain time @xmath215 , the instantaneous state in eq .
( [ state - t5 ] ) returns to the initial state in eq .
( [ eq:49 ] ) . if @xmath222 ( mod @xmath148 ) at certain time @xmath223 , the instantaneous state in eq .
( [ state - t5 ] ) becomes into @xmath224it means that a new coherent state for the mode @xmath19 is generated .
it also shows that the quantum information is transferred from mode @xmath17 to mode @xmath19 .
so far we have showed the atomic coherent excitation ( or coherent output of photons ) when the optical fields ( or atomic collective - excitations ) are initially in the coherent states . moreover ,
if one of the optical modes is initially in an odd ( or even ) coherent state but another one is in the vacuum state , the system will evolve to an entangled state for two optical modes with coherent states each .
when a special condition is satisfied , the information can be transferred from the first optical mode to the second one , which has been described in eqs .
( [ eq:49 ] ) and ( [ state - t3 ] ) .
these interesting results is due to the classical optical field , which induces the atomic transition between two higher states
. however these interesting phenomena can not be found in the non - cyclic three - level @xmath4-type atomic ensemble , where only the classical optical field is removed as a comparison with the cyclic system .
in section iii , we have studied the dynamic properties of the atomic ensemble with the cyclic transitions . here
, we consider the adiabatic evolution of the cyclic atomic ensemble , controlled by the time - dependent classical field . in this case , the rabi frequency @xmath225 should become into the time - dependent one , i.e. , @xmath226 . using the diagonalized hamiltonian ( [ hh2 ] ) and following the method of collective excitations shown in ref .
@xcite , we will discuss how to transfer the information from the two quantized light fields to the atomic ensemble by the adiabatic passage . in the following ,
the value of @xmath227 is fixed , i.e. , @xmath228 , but @xmath229 will be changed within the range ( @xmath230 ) according to the constant @xmath128 . in general , the polariton operators @xmath85 @xmath231 consist of two photonic modes and two atomic collective excitation modes . for simplicity ,
we consider two simple cases for @xmath85 .
one is @xmath232 . in this limit , @xmath233 , and the polariton operators
are given in eqs .
( [ eq:30 ] ) with the relative values @xmath234 , @xmath235 .
another is @xmath142 , then we have @xmath236 , and the polariton operators become into eq .
( [ eq:33 ] ) with the relative values @xmath237 , @xmath238 . the analysis on eq .
( [ eq:16 ] ) shows that when @xmath74 varies in the range ( @xmath230 ) , @xmath239 will vary in the range ( @xmath240 ) . in the above two limit cases , the polariton operators @xmath241 ( or @xmath242 ) consist of only the optical modes @xmath243 ( or only the atomic collective excitation modes @xmath244 )
this implies that the information can be transferred from two quantized light fields to the atomic ensemble , and then can also be stored in the atomic ensemble , as given in ref .
@xcite , for example , initially , if we set @xmath245 , and the system is in a direct - product fock state of two optical modes @xmath246then , using expressions of the polariton operators in eq .
( [ eq:30 ] ) , eq .
( [ eq:52 ] ) can be rewritten as a superposition @xmath247where@xmath248 in the process of the adiabatical evolution , the state at time @xmath120 will be @xmath249^{j+k}[d_{4}^{\dagger } ( t)]^{m+n - j - k}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle , \label{state - t1}\]]where @xmath250 is the relative dynamic phase:@xmath251.\ ] ] when @xmath226 is adiabatically changed to @xmath252 in certain time @xmath223 , the state will be @xmath253^{j+k}[d_{4}^{\dagger } ( \tau ) ] ^{m+n - j - k}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle \notag \\ & = & \sum_{j , k}f_{mn}^{jk}u_{mn}^{jk}(\tau ) \left [ -\frac{a^{\dagger } ( 0)+c^{\dagger } ( 0)}{\sqrt{2}}\right ] ^{j+k } \label{state - t } \\ & & \times \left [ \frac{a^{\dagger } ( 0)-c^{\dagger } ( 0)}{\sqrt{2}}\right ] ^{m+n - j - k}\left\vert \mathbf{0}\right\rangle .
\notag\end{aligned}\]]eq .
( [ state - t ] ) shows that the quantum information carried by optical modes ( @xmath17 and @xmath19 ) has been completely transferred to the atomic collective excitation modes @xmath68 and @xmath57 .
since atoms are local and robust , the above adiabatic process means that the information of two quantized light fields has been stored in an atomic ensemble . especially , for certain evolution path of @xmath226 ,
if the relative dynamic phase @xmath254 holds for any integer @xmath255 , that is @xmath256 with an integer @xmath134 , @xmath257 will have a simple form @xmath258that is , when adiabatically changing @xmath259 , under the special case of @xmath254 for any @xmath260 and @xmath261 , the state transfer can be realized as follows : @xmath262such an adiabatic passage means @xmath263 and @xmath264 , so the initial state involved only for the optical modes will evolve to the final state involved only for the atomic excitation modes .
this also means that the quantum information carried by the optical fields has been transferred to and stored in the atomic ensemble .
an inverse adiabatic passage , which makes @xmath265 @xmath266 @xmath267 , will result in information transfer from the atomic ensemble to the two optical modes , i.e. , @xmath268 and @xmath269 . and
then , the initial atomic state @xmath270 by the inverse adiabatic passage with the relative dynamic phase @xmath271 .
it is _ worth stressing _ that if the initial state is @xmath272 , after an adiabatically changing @xmath273 , this state will become into the fock state of the two optical modes @xmath17 and @xmath19 ( depicted according to the polaritons @xmath241 ) , where we also assume that the dynamic phase factor is @xmath274 during the adiabatic evolution , that is@xmath275which is equal to @xmath276 with an integer @xmath134 .
the inverse adiabatical passage @xmath277 will result in the information carried by the optical fields to be transferred to that by atomic ensemble .
so far , we have achieved the quantum information exchange between optical fields and atomic ensemble with initially in the fock states .
for general states , e.g. , @xmath278or @xmath279the information can also be transferred in the similar way as done in ref .
@xcite . in section iii
, we mainly study the generation of entanglement states between two optical modes , and the quantum information transfer from one optical mode to another optical mode by virtue of _ the dynamical evolution_. in this section , we discuss the information transfer and storage from the optical fields to the cyclic atomic ensemble through _ the adiabatic passage_. moreover , the quantum information can also be retrieved from the atomic collective excitation modes .
it is well known that photons are non - local and not easy to be stored , but atoms are local and robust .
the above process provides a way to implement retrievable storage of the optical information in an atomic ensemble .
we have investigated various protocols of quantum information processing based on the photonic properties of the emission and excitation of a @xmath280-type ( or cyclic ) atomic " ensemble , which coupled to two quantum optical fields and one classical field .
the classical field controls the coupling between two upper energy levels . by means of collective operator approach
, we studied the dynamical evolution and adiabatic manipulation for such a novel system .
our results show that the two - mode photon entanglement and quantum information exchange between two optical modes can be realized when the optical modes are initially in the direct - product fock states or coherent states .
it is remarked that , even without symmetry broken , a three - level system can also form a cyclic one .
the electric - dipole interaction of the classic field coupled to the two higher states in our model can be replaced by the magnetic - dipole transition .
however this magnetic - dipole interaction is generally very weak compared with the electric - dipole interaction and disposed as perturbation .
the significant phenomenon of cyclic three - level configuration only occurs in the systems with symmetry broken as given in the present work .
we also need to point out that , it is the classical field to result in various new phenomena , found in this paper . without this classical field , it would be impossible to generate the entangled states of the two optical modes . as a quantum memory , the collective excitations of the @xmath2-type atomic ensemble can store the quantum information carried by two quantum optical modes through the adiabatical manipulation .
the corresponding adiabatical evolution is realized by choosing certain classical rabi frequency @xmath226 .
we expect that our proposal can be confirmed and implemented experimentally in the near future . in this paper
, we just consider an ideal case .
actually , in a realistic system , two kinds of decoherence mechanisms may play a role .
the first one comes from the multi - mode radiation , which will result in the collective decay of atoms from the excited states to the ground state .
this kind of radiation properties due to atomic decay in present system will be investigated in a following paper .
the second decoherence effect is due to the inhomogeneous coupling of atoms to the light fields .
the influence of inhomogeneous coupling has been studied in detail in a two - level - atom ensemble by sun _ et _ _ al . _
@xcite . in the realistic experiments ,
the atoms can be fixed and the coupling can be taken as the constant by a special design to avoid the decoherence of inhomogeneous coupling .
our assumption for homogeneous coupling is reasonable in a short interaction time .
this work is supported by the nsfc ( with grant nos . 90203018 , 10474104 , 10447133 , 10547106 , 10574133 , and 60433050 ) and the national fundamental research program of china ( with nos .
2001cb309310 and 2005cb724508 )
. y. l. is also supported by the china postdoctoral science foundation ( with no .
2004036309 ) and hong kong k. c. wong education foundation .
here we rewrite the forms of @xmath281 in eqs .
( [ dd1],[dd2 ] ) : according to eq .
( [ h3 ] ) , it has@xmath104=-i\varepsilon _ { j}d_{j}\text { ( } j=1,2,3,4% \text{)},\]]and then@xmath283where @xmath284 .
following eqs .
( [ ddd1])-([ddd4 ] ) , we can obtain the inverse transformation:@xmath107 , \text { } \label{a } \\ b & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}-d_{2})\sin \theta + ( d_{3}-d_{4})\cos \theta \right ] , \label{b } \\ a & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}-d_{2})\cos \theta -(d_{3}-d_{4})\sin \theta \right ] , \label{a } \\ c & = & \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left [ ( d_{1}+d_{2})\cos \theta -(d_{2}+d_{3})\sin \theta \right ] .
\label{c}\end{aligned}\]]by means of eq .
( [ djt2 ] ) , we have@xmath285 \notag \\ & \equiv & f_{a}^{a}(t)a(0)+f_{b}^{a}(t)b(0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{a}(t)a(0)+f_{c}^{a}(t)c(0 ) , \notag\end{aligned}\]]@xmath286 \notag \\ &
\equiv & f_{a}^{b}(t)a(0)+f_{b}^{b}(t)b(0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{b}(t)a(0)+f_{c}^{b}(t)c(0 ) , \notag\end{aligned}\]]@xmath287 \notag \\ & \equiv & f_{a}^{a}(t)a(0)+f_{b}^{a}(t)b(0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{a}(t)a(0)+f_{c}^{a}(t)c(0 ) , \notag\end{aligned}\]]@xmath288 \notag \\ &
\equiv & f_{a}^{c}(t)a(0)+f_{b}^{c}(t)b(0 ) \notag \\ & & + f_{a}^{c}(t)a(0)+f_{c}^{c}(t)c(0 ) , \notag\end{aligned}\]]where we have used @xmath289 and @xmath290and the related coefficients are@xmath291@xmath292it also has@xmath293 p. krl and m. shapiro , phys .
lett . * 87 * , 183002 ( 2001 ) ; p. krl , z. amitay , and m. shapiro , _ ibid .
_ * 89 * , 063002 ( 2002 ) ; p. krl , i. thanopulos , m. shapiro , and d. cohen , _ ibid . _ * 90 * , 033001 ( 2003 ) ; i. thanopulos , p. krl , and m. shapiro , _ ibid . _ * 92 * , 113003 ( 2004 ) ; p. krl , i. thanopulos , and m. shapiro , phys . rev .
a * 72 * , 020303(r ) ( 2005 ) . | arxiv |
Arman's RPGs
Deadlands: Constitution Day
The train limped into town - Dodge City, Kansas. While it is in for repairs, the posse split up.
Wilhelm headed to the Catholic church, and got a little information, and a free meal. Dr. Abigail Winston headed to the drugstore, where she picked out a few ingredients. She met a strange man wearing armor outside. Mr. Brag headed to the saloon, as did Hector.
It wasn't long before Hector met Ida Mae Hobart, a staunch teetotaler and leader of the Ladies Temperance Movement, who lectured him on the horrors of the devil's drink. Once she left (in a huff), Hector tried to stir up a bit of trouble - bringing some of the bar rabble over to harass Ida. They (mostly) declined, saying that the sheriff wouldn't be too pleased about people making trouble. Hector and his big mouth blurted out, "Well, why don't we just kill 'im, like we killed the last one?"
The room fell silent. Finally, one of the men patted Hector on the shoulder. "Y'might not want to go around sayin' that, son. I recon ol' Wyatt Earp wouldn't take kindly to that."
Hector quickly realized that maybe this wasn't the town to shoot up.
The "paladin", the strange man in armor, found a bill advertising a job - temporary deputy during Constitution Day celebrations. Abigail, visiting McCarty's City Drugstore, read the same poster; and Wilhelm came across the information through the priest he spoke to. Hector, meanwhile, decided to stay away. By the next day, each (except Hector) had each trooped through Earp's office, and were officially deputized. And a good thing, too...
After stopping a fight between Ralphie Simpkins, a local hothead, and Walter Jackson, a young black ex-Union soldier, the posse stopped over at Dog Eye's, the local saloon. Earlier, Hector met a tattered-looking fellow named Clayton Mansfield; well-spoken, if somewhat drunk.
Not long after, Hector caught Dog Eye's saloon gal, Suzy Winger, talking with a man she called Paul in the alley; Paul hurried off, and Suzy escorted Hector back to the saloon.
Abigail, meanwhile, has begun to pay off the local kids as unofficial spies; handing out dollars like candy, she quickly formed a speedy spy ring of eager, if somewhat grubby, children. Which paid off - one of those children called her to the scene of a crime! She and the paladin looked over the body - a rather grisly scene! The man had been neatly decapitated; his arms, too, were severed at the shoulders. Abigail quickly checked him over, and could tell that whoever had killed him had done it very quickly, and must have had great strength. Rather than a large chopping blade, the wounds were incurred with a smallish blade...
A further search turned up a letter, sewed into his clothes - the man, Paul Goodwin, was a Union spy! Abigail kept that information to herself. The saloon's barman and owner, Dog Eye himself, took Suzy to the local doctor.
Not long afterward, Ralphie got into another fight with Walter; this time, he broke Walter's arm! Nobody spoke up to rescue Walter - too afraid of Ralphie and his brother, the leaders of the Wilderness Riders - but nonetheless, Wilhelm and Hector hauled the both of them to jail. Though not until after Wilhelm healed Walter's arm. Clayton, the drunk Hector had met earlier staggered over, peered at the man's arm, and muttered, "Huh. Looked like a good clean break..." before belching in Wilhelm's face.
Ida Mae arrived, and contradicted Ralphie's story of Walter starting trouble; Jake sneered, but before tension could raise any higher, Wyatt Earp arrived and dispersed the crowd. He was none too pleased with the posse, though, allowing themselves to get drawn into a fight with the Wilderness Riders...
The next day, Abigail went to Wyatt with the news that the murder victim, Paul, had been a Union spy; as it turned out, Wyatt knew it all along. As long as Paul hadn't made trouble, Wyatt wasn't about to intervene.
Abigail and the paladin went to visit Suzy, but she was still hysterical. However, the doctor motioned them over and verified Abigail's initial hunch - the killer was strong, and knew his way around the human body.
After following some clues - including finding a scrap of cloth at the crime scene, and verifying that it was silk - the posse was called to yet another grisly murder. This time, though, Abigail and the paladin had figured out who the likely suspect was - none other than Clayton, the drunk! They searched his room, and found a small case - empty - and a collection of trunks and carpet bags - filled with heads, arms, and legs, sewn together into horrible monsters! They didn't waste a moment, and gathered the body parts up and locked them into a cell, leaving a message for Earp as to what they likely were.
At the scene of the murder, they found Ralphie - or at least, what was left of him. Hector emptied his stomach, as did some of the other townsfolk. A search of the area turned up nothing; the posse was left to sleep - if they could. Wyatt spoke to them in private, and advised them to find the killer before he struck again...
The next morning, the posse was roused by a call from the town doctor; Suzy was felling well enough to speak, finally. She told them what happened - the killer shoved open the door, knocking her back against the desk. When she regained her senses, she saw the killer stuffing Paul's head into a carpet bag. He leaped out of the window, and vanished.
The doctor had his own story to tell - ten years ago, at the Battle of Gettysburg, he had been working with the rebels, tending the injured, when he heard gunshots. He ran to the hospital tent and saw a man severing arms, legs, anything he could. He shouted and ran, and guards fired, but the bullets didn't seem to harm him; his last victim, a man named Ketchum, was the one who shot at him, even as the Butcher was removing Ketchum's eye. Ketchum survived, but so did the Butcher...
Abigail realized that this Butcher was likely the same creature who had been following her, and indeed the same creature who was terrorizing the town! Abigail quickly rounded up her informants, and sent them all to the drugstore, with instructions to the owner to keep the kids safe.
The posse kept an eye out for any trouble. Finally, it struck - the Butcher jumped down from the building he was standing on, and pulled a scalpel from his arm! Abigail let loose with a blast, but the bullets didn't seem to do much harm. The paladin charged in, knocking the creature aside; while he was going toe-to-toe with the thing, he wasn't making much headway. He managed to nearly sever the creature's hand with his sword, and the thing howled; Hector and Wilhelm moved into rifle range, and with a barrage of gunfire, finally severed the creature's hand. Immediately, the form reverted to that of Clayton, the drunk; Hector, taking no chances, fire twice: once at Clayton, and once at the scalpel. Clayton died immediately; the scalpel, however, seemed untouched, but a slow hairline fracture darted across the blade, then suddenly, it shattered into dust. Finally, the town was safe.
The next morning, Earp shook their hands; the body parts in the cell, as it turns out, came alive when the Butcher was out and about. He had personally burned every last one of them. He handed out their pay, collected their badges, and thanked them for their service - they likely saved numerous lives, and with Ralphie out of the way, the Wilderness Gang would likely be less of a problem.
Meanwhile, it was finally time to leave. A message arrive from the train station - their train would depart in an hour.
Posted by Andrew Metzger at 10:30 PM
Labels: Deadlands
ETU
Musgraves
Non-writeup
Quern War
Shifting Horizon
Tempus Frigate
Andrew Metzger
Deadlands: Night Train Part II
Image attribution: www.CGPGrey.com | slim_pajama |
Every two weeks we will be collaborating with the extremely talented and gorgeous Eleanor, who is the creator of Petite Kitchen. All her recipes are gluten free, sugar free, additive and preservative free and are easy to make! Eleanor started her blog just over six months ago and it already has had alot of success. We are obsessed! If you haven't checked out her blog then have a look at all her amazing recipes. This week I will be posting a blog post on the benefits of Cinnamon and we will be posting a Cinnamon, Coconut and Raisin Biscuit recipe created by Petite Kitchen. YUM! | slim_pajama |
Shatrughan Sinha moved to Mumbai to become an actor and established himself as a prominent member of the Indian film industry. Shatrughan Sinha is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India.
Shatrughan Sinha was one of the top male Bollywood film stars in the 1970s and 1980s. He began his career by playing villainous roles and was immensely successful in portraying stylised villains such as the one in the movie Raampur Ka Lakshman. He then switched over to playing the protagonist/main lead with Subhash Ghai's Kalicharan and was even more successful in solo starrers as well as multi-starrers. While he was at the peak of his acting career, in the mid-1980s, he decided that he should do something for his country. Inspired by the great politician from Bihar Mr. Jai Prakash Narayan, he decided to enter politics.
Shatrughan Sinha chose to join an opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was then a small outfit made up of two Members of Parliament. He faced many obstacles in his political career due to this and his attempts to do social work in Bihar were often obstructed by the ruling party at that time. His attempt to organise entertainment mega events with the help of film personalities from Mumbai to raise money for important social causes dear to him were stopped time and again under one false pretext or the other.
Sinha is considered one of the most successful actor politician of India, having made history by being the first member of the film fraternity to become a cabinet minister with the Government of India. Shatrughan Sinha has held two portfolios, the department of health, and the department of shipping. Shatrughan Sinha is still a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and campaigns for the party all over India and is well known as a leader of the masses and a brilliant orator. As of May 2006, he has been appointed as the head of the BJP Culture and Arts Department. | slim_pajama |
Die Michaeliskirche (auch St. Michaeliskirche oder St. Michaelis) in Hildesheim ist eine ottonische, also vorromanische bzw. nach Kubach frühromanische Kirche. Sie war bis zur Reformation die Abteikirche der gleichnamigen Benediktinerabtei. Heute ist sie evangelisch-lutherische Pfarrkirche. Die Bernwardskrypta gehört zur katholischen Innenstadtpfarrei und wird für Werktagsmessen genutzt. Seit 1985 zählt die Kirche gemeinsam mit dem Hildesheimer Dom unter der Bezeichnung Dom und Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim zum UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe. Am 2. Januar 2010 erschien eine Jubiläumsbriefmarke (2,20 EUR) mit dem Motiv von St. Michael. Seit dem 7. Februar 2014 ist eine deutsche 2-Euro-Gedenkmünze im Umlauf, deren Rückseite die Kirche zeigt.
Geschichte
Bischof Bernward von Hildesheim ließ nach seinem Amtsantritt im Jahre 993 auf dem Hügel nördlich der Domburg in Hildesheim eine Kapelle errichten. Diese Kapelle weihte er am 10. September 996 dem heiligen Kreuz, von dem er eine Partikel von Otto III. als Geschenk erhalten hatte. In einem undatierten Testament schenkte er für die Lebenshaltung der dort angesiedelten Kleriker mit ihrem Propst mehrere Güter, darunter seine Eigenkirche in Burgstemmen. Im Laufe seines Episkopats erweiterte Bernward seine Stiftung zu einem großen Benediktinerkloster und vermachte diesem in einem zweiten Testament vom 1. November 1019 seine gesamten Besitztümer.
Einen Steinblock vom südwestlichen Treppenturm mit der Jahreszahl 1010 sieht man als einen von zwölf Grundsteinen für die Abteikirche an. Bernward bestimmte die Westkrypta dieser Kirche zu seiner Grablege und zum Ort des ständigen Gebets für ihn und gab der Anlage den Namen des "Totengeleiters" Michael. Die Krypta wurde am Michaelistag (29. September) 1015 von ihm geweiht. Am Michaelistag des Jahres 1022 erfolgte die Teilweihe der Kirche. Bernward verstarb am 20. November 1022 im Michaeliskloster und wurde in der Krypta bestattet. Die Weihe der gesamten Kirche erfolgte am Michaelistag 1033 durch Bernwards Nachfolger Godehard.
In der Forschung wird diskutiert, welchen Beitrag Bernward selbst als Architekt geleistet habe. Einigkeit besteht darin, dass Bernwards Leistung bei dem Bau der Michaeliskirche weit über die eines Auftraggebers und Bauherren hinausgehe. Von dem Bauhistoriker Hartwig Beseler wurde er als Architectus sapiens (nach 1 Kor 1,13) bezeichnet, der "geistige Schöpfer des Raumgedankens". Er war demnach für die Konzeption (dispositio) verantwortlich. Als ausführender Architekt, der für die constructio zuständige Baumeister, wird oft der nachmalige erste Abt (1022 bis 1030) des Michaelisklosters Goderam genannt. Beide haben sich an den Prinzipien des Boethius und vor allem Vitruvs orientiert, die er in seinen "Zehn Büchern über Architektur" niedergelegt hat.
Einige Forscher vermuten, dass die seit 1035 am Hildesheimer Dom nachweisbaren Bronzetüren ursprünglich für St. Michael bestimmt waren, da deren Inschrift besagt, ihr Stifter Bernward habe sie im Jahr 1015 am "Engelstempel" (templum angelicum) angebracht. Diese Annahme bekam neue Nahrung durch kultgeschichtliche Beobachtungen, denen zufolge templum angelicum als liturgische Wendung ein dediziertes Michaelspatrozinium bezeichnet. In St. Michael hatte die Bronzetür ihren Ort möglicherweise am südlichen Seitenschiff im Eingang neben dem westlichen Treppenturm gehabt, wo – nicht weit vom Grundstein – auch Fundamentreste einer Vorhalle gefunden wurden.
Noch wahrscheinlicher als Anbringungsort ist der Westeingang zur Krypta, wo im April 2007 vorgenommene Radaruntersuchungen eine 250 cm breite massive Strukturstörung aufdeckten (die Breite der Bronzetür ist 227 cm): Das Westportal war ursprünglich wesentlich breiter.
Für die im frühen 19. Jahrhundert in den Dom gebrachte bernwardinische Christussäule ist eindeutig belegt, dass sie zuvor im Osten der Kirche von St. Michael hinter dem Kreuzaltar gestanden hatte. Ihr Standort unter dem Triumphbogen bestätigte sich bei der Grabung von 2006. Der große Bronzekruzifix auf dieser Altarsäule wurde 1544 von Bilderstürmern gestürzt und eingeschmolzen. Für die Zeit der Domsanierung, vom 30. September 2009 bis August 2014, war die Säule zurück in die Michaeliskirche gebracht worden; sie wurde im südöstlichen Querhaus aufgestellt.
Die biblischen Bildprogramme der Reliefs auf der Christussäule und den Bernwardstüren sind eng aufeinander bezogen.
Der große Radleuchter Bernwards, der früher über dem Kreuzaltar vor der Christussäule hing, zerbrach 1662 bei Bauarbeiten.
Bereits im Jahr 1034 kam es zu einem Brand in der Kirche. Nach Instandsetzung erfolgte 1035 die Wiederweihe, was 1186 nach einem weiteren Brand und einem Umbau (darunter Erneuerung fast aller Langhaussäulen) unter Bischof Adelog erneut geschah. Von 1171 bis 1190 wurden die sehenswerten Kapitelle geschaffen. Ein bedeutendes liturgisches Zeugnis dieser Zeit ist das Ratmann-Sakramentar von 1159. Mit einer Miniatur, die auf gleicher Höhe Bernward neben dem Erzengel Michael zeigt, erbringt es den Beweis, dass die Mönche den Gründer ihres Klosters auch schon vor seiner Kanonisation im Gottesdienst als Heiligen verehrten.
1192 wurde Bernward heiliggesprochen. Von 1194 bis 1197 entstanden die Stuckreliefs der Engelschorschranken am Eingang zur Krypta. Die bemalte Holzdecke St. Michaels im Langhaus entstand um 1230. 1250 wurde der Kreuzgang (neu) gebaut, der die Kirche mit der alten Klosterkapelle der Abtei verband, die vor dem Bau der Michaeliskirche genutzt wurde.
Im ersten Drittel des 16. Jahrhunderts gehörte Henning Rose dem Konvent von St. Michael an. Er versuchte seinem Kloster durch mehrere Fälschungen zu dienen, die zum Teil bis heute nachwirken.
Am 12. November 1542 wurde die Michaeliskirche nach Einführung der Reformation in Hildesheim evangelisch-lutherische Pfarrkirche. Der Benediktinerkonvent blieb jedoch bis zur Säkularisation 1803 bestehen und durfte die "kleine Michaeliskirche" im Kreuzgang sowie die Bernwardskrypta zum Gottesdienst nutzen. Die Krypta ist bis heute katholisch. Die Michaeliskirche ist damit eine der 65 Simultankirchen in Deutschland.
Die Benediktinermönche hatten Höfe in den Orten rund um Hildesheim. So gab es zum Beispiel einen Zehnthof des Klosters in Gronau (Leine); seit 1648 war ein Pater als Administrator über diesen Hof eingesetzt.
1650 wurde die Ostapsis wegen Baufälligkeit niedergelegt, was zum Einsturz des östlichen Vierungsturms und der teilweisen Zerstörung der Bilderdecke führte. Zwölf Jahre später mussten der westliche Vierungsturm und das südwestliche Querhaus ebenfalls abgerissen werden; dabei wurde die südliche Engelschorschranke zerstört. Der Ostturm wurde wiederaufgebaut und erhielt 1672 eine barocke Turmhaube.
Joachim Barward Lauenstein, von 1727 bis 1745 Prediger an St. Michael, verfasste umfangreiche Werke zur lokalen Kirchengeschichte.
1809 wurde die Kirche geschlossen und von der seit der Säkularisation im Michaeliskloster untergebrachten Krankenanstalt genutzt. Die Kirchengemeinde zog in die Martinikirche (heute: Teil des Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museums) um. Nach grundlegender Renovierung unter Conrad Wilhelm Hase in den Jahren 1855 bis 1857 kehrte die Gemeinde in die Kirche zurück. Aus der Martinikirche brachte die Gemeinde das 1618 geschaffene Bronze-Taufbecken, das Johannes-Retabel von 1520 und das Bothmersche Epitaph aus dem 17. Jahrhundert mit, die sich noch heute in der Kirche befinden.
Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde die Michaeliskirche bei den Luftangriffen auf Hildesheim am 22. Februar, 3. März und 14. März 1945 zunächst beschädigt und bei dem letzten Luftangriff auf die Stadt am 22. März 1945 durch Spreng- und Brandbomben zerstört. Die Holzdecke und die anderen Kunstschätze waren auf Initiative des Provinzialkonservators Hermann Deckert ausgelagert worden und blieben unversehrt. Die Engelschorschranke war durch eine Schutzmauer gesichert worden, so dass sie nicht beschädigt wurde. Nach Kriegsende wurde die Kirche ab 1947 auf den vorromanischen Resten nach den ursprünglichen Plänen und unter der Leitung des Hildesheimer Architekten August Albert Steinborn wiederaufgebaut. Der Wiederaufbau wurde möglich durch die christlich-jüdische, deutsch-amerikanische Partnerschaft zwischen dem orthodox-jüdischen Geschäftsmann Bernard R. Armour aus New York, der anbot die gesamte Finanzierung des Wiederaufbaus zu übernehmen, und Kurt Degener, der seit 1939 die Pfarrstelle an der Michaeliskirche innehatte. Am 20. August 1950 erfolgte die Wiedereinweihung des Langhauses und des westlichen Querhauses. Endgültig fertiggestellt und wiedergeweiht wurde das Gotteshaus 1960. 1985 erfolgte die Aufnahme in das UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe, zu dem auch der Hildesheimer Dom, der Domschatz und der Tausendjährige Rosenstock am Dom zählen.
Im Jahr 1999 erhielt die Kirche eine neue Orgel. Orgelbauer Gerald Woehl platzierte das Instrument, das er sowohl für barocke als auch für romantische Orgelwerke auslegte, um 45 Grad gedreht unter den südlichen Bogen der westlichen Vierung.
Von 2005 bis 2010 wurde der Innenraum von St. Michael komplett restauriert. Im Zuge dieser Arbeiten wurden von Februar bis Juni 2006 archäologische Untersuchungen in der Kirche durchgeführt. Bei der Erneuerung des Fußbodens wurde dieser um etwa 15 bis 18 Zentimeter abgesenkt. Kirche und Krypta haben jetzt wieder das ursprüngliche einheitliche Niveau und sind wieder durch zwei Durchgänge miteinander verbunden. Die früher in der Türfassung stehende Grabplatte aus dem 14. Jahrhundert fand einen neuen Platz auf dem hohen Chor über der Krypta. Die an die Krypta angrenzende Sakristei nutzen die katholische Magdalenengemeinde und die evangelische Michaelisgemeinde im Rahmen der nachbarschaftlichen Ökumene gemeinsam.
Im Altarraum im Osten wurden im Dezember 2008 die von Thomas Duttenhoefer geschaffenen Prinzipalstücke (Kruzifix, Altar, Kanzel und Lesepult) aufgestellt, 2010 ergänzt durch einen Taufbaum aus derselben Hand.
Architektur
St. Michael ist eine doppelchörige dreischiffige Basilika mit zwei Querhäusern und einem quadratischen Turm über jeder Vierung. Der Hauptchor mit seinem Chorquadrat liegt im Westen. Im Osten ist zwischen Vierung und Apsis nur ein querrechteckiger Raum eingeschoben. Die Querhäuser werden von je zwei im unteren Teil achteckigen, im oberen Teil (ab Beginn der Dachschräge) runden, kleineren Treppentürmen flankiert.
Baustil
Die Michaeliskirche ist eine der bedeutendsten erhaltenen Kirchen im ottonischen, also vor- oder auch frühromanischen Baustil. Gesamtbau und Einzelformen zeigen eine deutliche Weiterentwicklung gegenüber antiker, frühchristlicher, byzantinischer und auch karolingischer Baukunst. Zu den hier erkennbaren Neuerungen der beginnenden Romanik zählen die durch vier Bögen begrenzten ("ausgeschiedenen") Vierungen und die zwischen Vierung und Apsis jeweils eingeschobenen Räume, dazu das Verhältnis von 2:1 zwischen Höhe und Breite der Räume ("Raumsteilheit"). Die Gesamtansicht verdeutlicht die strenge kubische Ordnung, die den Eindruck archaischer Macht ausstrahlt. Der Grundriss zeigt ein annäherndes Gleichgewicht der Ost- und Westflügel. Der Gruppe von Apsis und Querhaus im Osten entspricht eine ähnliche Gruppe im Westen.
Der Außenbau zeigt einen vollkommenen Ausgleich von vertikalen (Turmgruppen) und horizontalen Bauteilen (Mittelschiff, Querhäuser). Die optische Geschlossenheit der Anlage bewirken die beiden gleichgewichtigen Turmgruppen, würfelförmige Zentraltürme mit Pyramidendächern und Treppentürme, in Ost und West, die das Langhauses fest begrenzen. Die spitzbogigen Fenster im südlichen Seitenschiff sind in der Gotik hinzugekommen.
Geometrie und Zahlensymbolik
Auf den ersten Blick scheint der gesamte Bau einer aus gleich großen Quadraten entwickelten geometrischen Konzeption zu folgen, bei der das Vierungsquadrat zur Grundeinheit für die Gesamtkonstruktion genommen wurde: Den Durchdringungsraum von Mittelschiff und Querhaus, die Vierung, empfindet man als die Maßeinheit, nach der das gesamte Bauwerk proportioniert ist. In den vier Querhausarmen erscheint dieses Quadrat je einmal, im Mittelschiff dreimal, schließlich im Westchor zwischen Querhaus und Apsis noch einmal. Tatsächlich ist der Bau aber – bis zu den Umgangsnischen hin! – durch ein subtiles Raster regulärer Polygone sowie durch platonische Körper dimensioniert, was sich dem freien Auge verbirgt, wohl aber dem messenden und rechnenden Verstand erschließt; die dazu benötigte Mathematik hat im Ottonenreich noch nicht zur Verfügung gestanden, weshalb man an einen byzantinischen Mathematiker am Hofe der aus Byzanz stammenden Kaiserin Theophanu denken sollte. An der geometrischen Ausführung mehrerer baulicher Elemente sind Zahlen ablesbar, die theologische Aspekte entsprechend der mittelalterlichen Zahlensymbolik widerspiegeln.
Arkaden, Decken, Licht
Nach einer Idee Bernwards besteht jede der beiden Arkaden des Langhauses aus vier quadratischen Pfeilern, zwischen denen jeweils zwei runde Säulen mit Würfelkapitellen stehen. Diese Form des Stützenwechsels wird wegen ihrer Einführung in Hildesheim als niedersächsisch bezeichnet.
Ein schmales Gesims trennt die Arkaden von der Hochwand. Da diese Kirche noch keine Gewölbe hat, fehlt die später übliche Gliederung der Hochwand durch Wandpfeiler.
Die hölzerne Flachdecke des Mittelschiffs stammt in ihrer heutigen Form erst aus dem 13. Jahrhundert.
Wie bei Basiliken üblich, wird der Innenraum sowohl durch Obergaden erhellt, als auch durch die Fenter der Seitenschiffe. Diese sind nicht mehr die ursprünglichen. Das Südseitenschiff hat Spitzbogenfenster aus der Zeit der Gotik. Die Fenster im nördlichen Seitenschiff wurden bei der Wiederherstellung der Außenwand durch Conrad Wilhelm Hase 1855 bis 1857 in romanischen Formen ausgeführt.
Westchor und Krypta
Der Apsis im Osten gegenüber steht der architektonisch aufwändigere Westchor. Sein Fußboden liegt ein Stockwerk über dem von Kirchenschiff und Ostchor. Von den Chorschranken ist nur noch die nördliche erhalten. Der Lichtgaden des Westchors erhielt seine heutige, polygonale Form im 3. Drittel des 13. Jahrhunderts, als man an anderen Kirchen schon in gotischem Stil baute. Zentrum des Westchors ist ein Schaugrab des Heiligen Bernward. Das eigentliche Grab, jahrhundertelang der heiligste Ort in dieser Kirche, befindet sich genau darunter in der Krypta. Die Krypta ist von einem Umgang umgeben. Kryptenumgänge können als Vorläufer der seit Mitte des 11. Jahrhunderts gebauten Chorumgänge angesehen werden. Die Bernwardskrypta ist durch den befensterten Umgang entgegen der Wortherkunft des Begriffes (von ) kein wirklich verborgener Ort.
Chorfenster
Der Gesamteindruck des (heutigen) Innenraums ist durch den Lichteinfall von allen Seiten geprägt. Dabei kommen den Fenstern im Ost- und Westchor große Bedeutung zu.
Die fünf von Charles Crodel 1965 geschaffenen Fenster im Westchor mit den Engelsdarstellungen erinnern mit ihrer Farbigkeit an mittelalterliche Buch- und Glasmalerei. Die gesamtarchitektonische Wirkung wird durch die aus der Bildtradition der Deckenmalerei entwickelte moderne Bildsprache erreicht. Der farbige Aufbau der Glasmalerei betont zudem die Rundung der Apsis und des hohen Chores gegenüber dem Kirchenschiff und vergegenwärtigt zugleich das Patrozinium der dem "Schutz des Erzengels Michael, der im mittleren Fenster mit zerbrochener Lanze als Bezwinger des Satans in Form des tot darnieder liegenden Drachen dargestellt wird, und der ganzen himmlischen Heerschar" unterstellten Kirche. Unterhalb des Fensters mit Michael befindet sich an der Außenseite des Westchores im Scheitelpunkt des Chorumganges die Nische, in der der Michalisaltar aufgestellt war.
Die vier anderen Fenster des Westchores zeigen links (Süden) weitere Erscheinungsweisen, den Engel mit dem Schwert und den Schutzengel sowie rechts (Norden) den Verkündungsengel mit Maria und den Erlösungsengel (Seraph, Jesaja 6) und weisen so darauf hin, dass St. Michael von Bernward als Engelsburg erbaut wurde.
Die 1966 vom Hamburger Künstler Gerhard Hausmann geschaffenen Fenster mit stilisierten Lebensbäumen in der Apsis des Ostchors zeichnen sich dagegen durch ihre Schlichtheit aus. Sie symbolisieren – wie die ganze Kirche – das himmlische Jerusalem . Hausmann schuf 1971 ebenfalls die Glasfenster der östlichen Nebenapsiden. Die Fenster in der unteren Apsis des nordöstlichen Querhauses, das als Taufkapelle genutzt wird, widmen sich mit den Darstellungen Sintflut als Wasser des Gerichts , Christus als Morgenstern und Wasser (des Lebens) aus dem Felsen diesem Thema, während die Fenster in der unteren Apsis des südöstlichen Querhauses mit der siebenfachen Ähre , Christus als Kelch in der Kelter und Manna als Brot vom Himmel die Eucharistie als Bezugspunkt haben.
Christussäule
Die Christussäule ist ein Bronzehohlguss aus dem ersten Drittel des 11. Jahrhunderts, auf der in 28 Bildern das öffentliche Leben Jesu Christi dargestellt ist. Sie stand bis zum 17. Jahrhundert unter dem westlichen Triumphbogen der östlichen Vierung. Mit der durch die Reformation verbundenen Umgestaltung der Kirche verlor sie dort ihre liturgische Bedeutung und wurde von der evangelischen Gemeinde in das umgestaltete südöstliche Querhaus gebracht. Im 19. Jahrhundert gelangte sie in den Hildesheimer Dom. Von September 2009 bis August 2014 stand sie für die Dauer der Domsanierung für knapp fünf Jahre wieder in St. Michael, im südöstlichen Querhaus. Dabei wies die erste Szene – die Taufe Jesu im Jordan – nach Norden und damit liturgisch in Richtung des in der Ostvierung befindlichen Altars sowie des im nordöstlichen Querhaus aufgestellten Taufbeckens.
Bemalte Holzdecke
Die bemalte Holzdecke im Mittelschiff des Langhauses, die im 13. Jahrhundert entstand, ist einzigartig nördlich der Alpen. Johannes Sommer datierte 1966 die Deckenmalerei zeitgleich mit den Westchor-Erweiterungen in die Jahre gegen 1200 und begründet dies hauptsächlich damit, dass es nach dem 1204 resignierten Abt Theoderich II. im Kloster keine Persönlichkeit mehr gab, die zu solchen Leistungen fähig gewesen wäre. Die Untersuchungen im Rahmen der interdisziplinären Begutachtung der Decke im Jahre 1999 weisen jedoch auf ein Fälldatum der für die Decke verwendeten Eichen zwischen 1190 und 1220 hin.
Neben den Deckengemälden in St. Martin in Zillis (Schweiz) und in Dädesjö (Schweden) ist diese Deckenmalerei das einzige monumentale Tafelgemälde des hohen Mittelalters, das bis in unsere Zeit erhalten geblieben ist. Sie misst 27,6 × 8,7 Meter und besteht aus 1300 Eichenbohlen, die aus dem Holzstamm gespalten wurden; gesägte Bretter konnten noch nicht hergestellt werden. Dadurch ergibt sich eine strukturierte Darstellung im Vergleich zu den später beim Austausch schadhafter Bohlen eingesetzten Brettern.
Abgebildet ist der sogenannte Jessebaum, der die Abstammung Jesu darstellt. Die Malerei besteht aus acht Hauptfeldern.
Das erste Hauptfeld zeigt den Sündenfall im Paradies. In dieser für den Jessebaum ungewöhnlichen Darstellung stehen Adam und Eva neben dem Baum der Erkenntnis. In der Krone des daneben stehenden Baumes ist der segnende Christus zu erkennen. Das zweite Hauptbild zeigt Jesse, aus dessen Lende ein Baum entspringt, der sich durch die folgenden Hauptbilder rankt (Jessebaum). Die weiteren Felder sind sozusagen die Etagen dieses Baumes. Sie zeigen mit David, Salomo, Hiskia und Josia Könige Israels; sie umgeben jeweils vier weitere nicht benannte Könige. Das siebte Feld zeigt Maria umgeben von den vier Kardinaltugenden. Sie hält eine Spindel mit rotem Garn in der Hand. Nach dem Protevangelium des Jakobus gehörte sie zu den sieben Jungfrauen, die den Tempelvorhang anfertigten. Ihre Handhaltung erinnert an die der Eva im ersten Hauptbild; dies unterstreicht ihre Stellung als neue Eva. Das achte Hauptfeld wurde 1650 bei einem Einsturz des östlichen Vierungsturms zerstört. Seit dem Wiedereinbau der Holzdecke 1960 wurde es durch ein Bild Christi als Weltenrichter auf dem Thron ersetzt, das nach einer Vorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert entstand.
Das Paradiesbild ist von den vier Paradiesflüssen sowie den Evangelisten Markus und Lukas umgeben. Das Christusbild wird umrahmt von den Erzengeln Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel und Michael sowie den Evangelisten Matthäus und Johannes. Jedes der anderen Hauptbilder ist auf jeder Seite von zwei rechteckigen Darstellungen (hauptsächlich Propheten) flankiert; neben Maria befinden sich rechts der Verkündungsengel und Jesaja, oben links Johannes der Täufer; das vierte Bild kann nicht eindeutig identifiziert werden (Aaron oder Zacharias). In den vier Eckbildern werden die Symbole der Evangelisten dargestellt.
Weiterhin befinden sich an der Decke 42 Medaillons mit den Vorfahren Christi. Nach dem Matthäusevangelium sind dies die Generationen von Abraham (der sich in einem der Medaillons befindet, aber keine Sonderstellung einnimmt) bis Jesus . Die Darstellung der Vorfahren ist jedoch dem Lukasevangelium entnommen, das 78 Vorfahren erwähnt und von David nicht über Salomo, sondern dessen Bruder Natan – nicht zu verwechseln mit dem Propheten – weiterführt . Damit sind sowohl die königliche als auch die genealogische Abstammung dokumentiert.
Ursprünglich befand sich unter dem obersten Hauptbild der Kreuzaltar mit dem Bernwardskreuz, direkt dahinter stand die Christussäule.
Die Decke wurde 1943 ausgebaut und an verschiedenen Orten eingelagert. Die nach dem Einsturz des östlichen Vierungsturms ersetzten Bretter verblieben in der Kirche. Die ursprünglich verwendeten Bohlen überdauerten so den Zweiten Weltkrieg. Vor dem Wiedereinbau im Jahr 1960 sind alle Teile der Malerei sorgfältig gereinigt und restauriert worden.
Nördliche Chorschranke
Auch die nördliche Chorschranke (Engelschorschranke) in der Vierung vor dem Westchor beweist die Farbenfreudigkeit des hohen Mittelalters. Sie wurde 1194 bis 1197 nach der Heiligsprechung Bernwards bei der Erweiterung der Krypta und der damit verbundenen Verlängerung des Hohen Chors hier angebracht. Das Gegenstück im Süden wurde 1662 zerstört.
Die Schmuckformen sind durch und durch Stuckaturen. Diese Technik der Gestaltung von Skulpturen und Reliefs war in Niedersachsen verbreitet und zu hoher Kunstfertigkeit entwickelt.
Auf der Innenseite (nach Süden) stehen über dem Fries mit Fabelwesen 13 Engelsfiguren; einige trugen Spruchbänder.
An der Außenseite der Chorschranke sind noch die drei ursprünglich zur Krypta geöffneten Rundbögen zu erkennen. Die sieben Bögen darüber stellen das himmlische Jerusalem dar. In ihnen stehen Heiligenfiguren, in der Mitte als Hauptfigur Maria mit dem Kind, nach rechts (Osten) Petrus, Jakobus und Benedikt, nach links (Westen) Paulus, Johannes und Bernward (mit der Michaeliskirche in der Hand). Die Figuren treten stark von der Wandfläche hervor und werden an einigen Stellen fast vollrund.
Seligpreisungen
Im südlichen Seitenschiff befinden sich in den Arkadenzwickeln zum Mittelschiff acht Frauenfiguren aus Stuck. Sie sind älter als die Chorschranke. Auf den Spruchbändern der Frauen waren bis zur Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts noch die Seligpreisungen aus der Bergpredigt zu lesen. Die Plastiken wurden bei der Zerstörung der Kirche bei Kriegsende zum Teil stark beschädigt. Nur auf zwei Figuren konnten beim Wiederaufbau die Originalköpfe wieder aufgesetzt werden.
Johannes-Retabel
Der Altar auf dem Hohen Chor im Westen ist um das Jahr 1520 entstanden und war ursprünglich in der Kirche des Johannisstifts am Dammtor aufgestellt. Von dort gelangte er im Zuge der Reformation in die nunmehr evangelische Martinikirche, die ehemalige Kirche des Franziskanerklosters. Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts wurde die Kirche profaniert und als Museum, heute Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum genutzt. Die Gemeinde zog 1857 (wieder) in die Michaeliskirche und brachte den Altar – evtl. als Ersatz für den während der Säkularisation in die Magdalenenkirche verbrachten Elfenaltar – mit. Die beiden äußeren, beidseitig bemalten Flügel wurden jedoch an den Museumsverein verkauft und befinden sich heute im Besitz des Stadtmuseums.
Der Altar ist fast immer geöffnet, so dass im Altarinneren sieben in goldene Gewänder gekleidete Heilige zu sehen sind. Im Mittelpunkt steht Maria mit dem Jesuskind – daher wird auch der Begriff Marienaltar verwendet. Ihr zur Seite stehen links der Evangelist Johannes (mit dem Kelch) und rechts Johannes der Täufer (mit dem Lamm). Auf der Innenseite des linken Flügels sind Barbara und Jakobus, auf der Innenseite des rechten Flügels Andreas und Elisabeth von Thüringen zu sehen. Auf den beiden bemalten Außenseiten befinden sich die Heimsuchung (links) und die Geburt Jesu (rechts).
Die beiden äußeren im Stadtmuseum befindlichen Flügel zeigen Abbildungen der Verkündigung (links innen), der Anbetung der Könige (rechts innen), die Taufe Jesu durch Johannes den Täufer (links außen) und den Evangelisten Johannes auf der Insel Patmos (rechts außen).
Taufbecken
Bereits im ersten Drittel des 13. Jahrhunderts wurde für den Hildesheimer Dom ein Bronzetaufbecken gegossen, welches auf vier wasserschüttenden Männerfiguren ruht, sie symbolisieren – wie auch an der Basis der Christussäule und an der bemalten Holzdecke – die vier Paradiesflüsse. Diese Tradition wurde auch nach Einführung der Reformation in Hildesheim mit dem Messingtaufbecken von 1547 für die Andreaskirche fortgesetzt, allerdings in typisch protestantischem Stil. In Hildesheim und Umgebung entstanden insgesamt sechs Nachfolgewerke, so etwa 1592 für die katholische Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche.
Das letzte dieser Taufbecken ist das 1618 von Dietrich Mente für die Martini-Kirche gegossene Bronzetaufbecken, welches sich seit 1857 in der Michaeliskirche befindet. Es steht in dem als Taufkapelle genutzten nordwestlichen Querhaus.
Das Becken und der Deckel zeigen jeweils sechs biblische Szenen. Auf dem Schaft sind in zwei Reihen die 12 Apostel dargestellt. Die Bodenplatte wird von vier Putten getragen, die nur noch entfernt an die Wasserschütter an der Taufe im Dom erinnern. Inschriften weisen auf die Stifter und den Gießer hin, die Kartusche auf dem Deckel mit dem heiligen Martin verweist auf den ursprünglichen Standort. Der Deckel wird von einer Halterung mit einer Darstellung der Dreieinigkeit bekrönt.
Die einzelnen biblischen Szenen auf dem Taufbecken:
Die Bilder auf dem Deckel:
Die Arche und die Sintflut
Philippus tauft den Kämmerer aus Äthiopien
Israel zieht durch das Schilfmeer
Die Vision Ezechiels, der aus dem Jerusalemer Tempel ein segensreiches Wasser fließen sieht
Petrus tauft den Hauptmann Kornelius
Jesus spricht mit Nikodemus über die Wiedergeburt aus Wasser und Geist
Die Bilder am Becken:
Johannes tauft Jesus im Jordan (, , )
Auferstehung, Taufbefehl und Himmelfahrt Christi (, , )
Paulus tauft Lydia und den Kerkermeister
Jesus segnet (tauft) die Kinder (, , )
Bekehrung und Taufe des Saulus
Die Pfingstpredigt des Petrus
Woehl-Orgel
Die Orgel in der Michaeliskirche wurde im Jahre 1999 von dem Orgelbauer Gerald Woehl (Marburg) erbaut. Sie ersetzte ein 1958 von Paul Ott gebautes Instrument, das nach St. Elisabeth Gera umgesetzt wurde. Die Orgel steht frei im Bogen des südlichen Querschiffes zur Westvierung hin, gegenüber der nördlichen Chorschranke. Das Gehäuse nimmt die Grundform des Gebäudes auf, indem es als ein über Eck gestelltes Quadrat gestaltet ist, welches aus der Mittelachse herausgerückt ist. Es hat einen vierseitigen Prospekt.
Das Orgelwerk selbst ist für die Darbietung einer breiten Palette an Orgelliteratur angelegt, d. h. von der Musik J. S. Bachs und der Musik der deutschen Romantik, als auch für die Darbietung französisch-symphonischer Orgelmusik bis hin zur Musik der Gegenwart. Das Instrument hat 68 Register und ein Effektregister auf drei Manualwerken und Pedal. Die Spieltraktur (Hängetraktur) sowie die Koppeln sind mechanisch, die Registertrakturen sind elektrisch. Die Pfeifen des Pedalregisters Großbordun 32′ sind außerhalb der Orgel untergebracht; sie liegen auf der 1. Empore der Engels-Chöre im südwestlichen Querhaus. Das Glockenspiel hängt auf der darüberliegenden Empore, der Empore der Engelchöre.
Koppeln
Normalkoppeln: II/I, III/I, III/II, I/P, II/P, III/P
Bass-Oktavkoppeln: I/I, III/I, III/II
Glocken
Die Michaeliskirche besitzt mit insgesamt zehn Glocken das, nach dem Dom, glockenreichste Geläut Hildesheims und eines der vielstimmigsten Geläute Niedersachsens. Die älteste Glocke ist ein wertvolles Instrument aus dem Jahr 1270 und zählt zu den ältesten datierten Glocken Norddeutschlands. Sie wurde 1812 an die Kirchengemeinde Werlaburgdorf verkauft und sprang dort einige Jahrzehnte später. Die Glocke gelangte daraufhin in das Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum in Braunschweig und wurde 1955 im Glockenschweißwerk Lachenmeyer in Nördlingen repariert und als Dauerleihgabe an die Michaelisgemeinde zurückgegeben und erst 1976 läutbar aufgehängt. Bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg besaß St. Michael nur ein Geläut aus drei Glocken in der Disposition a° - c' – e', von denen die kleinste 1518 von Harmen Koster gegossen wurde und ursprünglich im Hildesheimer Johannisstift hing. Nachdem die beiden großen Glocken der ortsansässigen Glockengießerei Radler durch Einschmelzen und die spätgotische Glocke beim großen Bombenangriff am 22. März 1945 vernichtet wurden, beschaffte sich die Kirchengemeinde zwischen 1950 und 1965 acht neue Glocken, welche allesamt von Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling in Heidelberg gegossen worden sind. Diese Glocken repräsentieren fast die gesamte Schaffensperiode Schillings. 1971 gab man noch die heute größte Glocke des Geläutes bei Schilling in Auftrag. Die Formarbeiten wurden noch unter seiner Leitung abgeschlossen, ehe er am 6. Juni desselben Jahres verstarb und der Guss sowie alle Nacharbeiten selber durch seinen Nachfolger Karl Stumpf, ausgeführt wurden.
Aus statischen Gründen hängen alle zehn Glocken auf insgesamt fünf der sechs Türme verteilt. So ergibt sich von außen von jeder Seite ein neues, ganz eigenes Klangbild. Die hochgotische Glocke von 1270 wird nur solistisch verwendet und ist im Gesamtgeläut nie zu hören.
Legende: NW = Nordwestturm, SW = Südwestturm, NO = Nordostturm, SO = Südostturm, ÖV = Östlicher Vierungsturm
Religiöse Deutung
St. Michael wird vielfach als Gottesburg bezeichnet, da es aufgrund seiner Lage, der massiven Mauern und wehrhaften Türme einen burgartigen Eindruck macht. Treffender wird die Leitidee mit Gottesstadt wiedergegeben. Zwar war die mittelalterliche befestigte Stadt immer zugleich Burg, doch steht hier nicht der kriegerisch-abwehrende, sondern der Wohnung und Gemeinschaft stiftende Aspekt im Vordergrund. Es handelt sich um ein Abbild der vollkommenen, endzeitlichen "Stadt auf dem Berg", die keinen Tempel mehr braucht, weil sie insgesamt Tempel – Wohnung Gottes mit den Menschen – ist. Die geometrische Konstruktion erinnert an die Maßangaben des Tempels in f wie an den quadratischen Grundriss der Gottesstadt nach . Sie ist gesichert gegen das Dunkle und Böse (Michael, der Drachenbezwinger), hat aber weit geöffnete Tore für das Gottesvolk von allen Enden der Erde (Jes 2).
Die Michaeliskirche als architektonisches Vorbild
Die Michaeliskirche hat als architektonisches Vorbild bis zum Ende der Romanik vielfach weitergewirkt, so schon ein Jahrzehnt später in der Basilika von Aquileia.
Für den romantischen Historismus des 19. Jahrhunderts war St. Michael eines der Hauptsymbole der religiösen Reichsidee und wirkte auf zahlreiche Kirchbauten dieser Zeit ein. Eine idealisierte Kopie, ergänzt durch den Turm des Soester Patroklusdoms, ist die Antoniusbasilika in Rheine.
Zeitgenössisch dienten einzelne architektonische Elemente als gestalterisches Vorbild. Die dreiteilig hierarchische Gliederung der Querflügelemporen in St. Michael wurde beispielsweise in der Klosterkirche Fredelsloh nachempfunden.
Maße
Lage und Umgebung
St. Michael liegt am nordwestlichen Rand des historischen Stadtkerns von Hildesheim auf dem Michaelishügel. Über die Südseite wird das Langhaus durch das Hauptportal betreten. Hinter der Kirche schließt sich ein Garten an, der Klostergarten. Über den alten Kreuzgang, der auch über diesen Garten zu erreichen ist, gelangt man in die modernen Gebäude der Umgebung mit dem Zentrum für Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik und der Landessuperintendentur. Nach Osten und Süden erreicht man über Seitenstraßen das Stadtzentrum.
Unweit westlich der Michaeliskirche befindet sich der barocke Magdalenengarten, und im Norden schließt das Gymnasium Andreanum an. Im Nordosten befindet sich die Kirche St. Bernward und im Osten die beiden Kirchen St. Jakobi und St. Andreas sowie der Historische Marktplatz. Südlich der Michaeliskirche befindet sich die Kaiserhausfassade am Alten Markt, der Dom und das Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum und im Südwesten die Kirche St. Magdalenen.
Evangelisches Zentrum für Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik
Das Evangelische Zentrum für Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik an der Michaeliskirche wurde im August 2004 im ehemaligen Michaeliskloster nördlich der Kirche eingeweiht, es ist eine rechtlich unselbstständige Einrichtung der Evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Hannovers in Zusammenarbeit mit der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD). Das Zentrum besteht aus dem Arbeitsbereich Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik, dem Posaunenwerk und einer Tagungsstätte. Dem Arbeitsbereich Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik, der zusammen mit dem Posaunenwerk vom Haus kirchlicher Dienste Hannover an das Michaeliskloster abgegeben wurde, sind der Bereich Kindergottesdienst und seit 2009 das gemeinsam mit der EKD errichtete Zentrum für Qualitätsentwicklung im Gottesdienst der EKD zugeordnet. Im Zentrum sind außerdem der Lektorendienst und weitere Einrichtungen und Verbände wie der Niedersächsische Kirchenchorverband oder der Verband evangelischer Kirchenmusikerinnen und Kirchenmusiker in der Evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Hannovers untergebracht. Das Haus kirchlicher Dienste übernimmt Aufgaben der Verwaltung für das Zentrum. Das Zentrum umfasste 2015 etwa 40 Mitarbeitende.
Seit August 2004 ist Jochen Arnold Direktor der Einrichtung, ein Beirat begleitet die Arbeit. Die Aufsicht führt ein vom Landeskirchenamt Hannover gebildetes Kuratorium unter Leitung des zuständigen Referenten für Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik.
Kirche als Turmfalkenbrutplatz
An der Kirche brüten Turmfalken.
Siehe auch
Liste von zum UNESCO-Welterbe zählenden Kirchengebäuden
Romanische und frühgotische Chorumgänge
Literatur
Allgemein
Adolf Kottmeier: Die St. Michaeliskirche von ihrer Aufhebung (1809) bis zu ihrer Wiedereinweihung (1857). In: Alt-Hildesheim, Heft 1, 1919, S. 19–25.
Francis J. Tschan: Saint Bernward of Hildesheim. (1. His Life and Times, 2. His Works of Art, 3. Album), Publications in Mediaeval Studies, 6, 12 and 13. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame, 1942–1952.
Hartwig Beseler, Hans Roggenkamp: Die Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim. Berlin 1954.
Kurd Fleige: Kirchenkunst, Kapitellsymbolik und profane Bauten: Ausgewählte Aufsätze zur Bau- und Kunstgeschichte Hildesheims und seiner Umgebung. Bernward-Verlag GmbH, Hildesheim 1993, ISBN 3-87065-793-6.
Johannes Sommer: St. Michael zu Hildesheim (= Die Blauen Bücher). 3., durchges. Auflage. Königstein i. Ts. 1993, ISBN 3-7845-4662-5.
Sibylle Harbott: Hildesheim: St. Michael. In: Ursula Schädler-Saub (Hrsg.): Mittelalterliche Kirchen in Niedersachsen – Wege der Erhaltung und Restaurierung (= Schriften des Hornemann Instituts, Bd. 4). Petersberg 2000, ISBN 3-932526-85-6, S. 16–41.
Manfred Overesch: St. Michaelis – Das Weltkulturerbe in Hildesheim, eine christlich-jüdische Partnerschaft nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Verlag Schnell & Steiner GmbH, Regensburg 2002, ISBN 3-7954-1509-8.
Die Inschriften der Stadt Hildesheim, gesammelt und bearbeitet von Christine Wulf unter Benutzung der Vorarbeiten von Hans Jürgen Rieckenberg (Die Deutschen Inschriften 58). Wiesbaden 2003.
Manfred Overesch: Von Hildesheim in die USA, Christ und Jude im Dialog über den Wiederaufbau des Weltkulturerbes St. Michaelis 1946–1949. Georg-Olms-Verlag AG, Hildesheim 2004, ISBN 3-487-12656-7.
Manfred Overesch, Alfhart Günther: Himmlisches Jerusalem in Hildesheim – St. Michael und das Geheimnis der sakralen Mathematik vor 1000 Jahren. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2009, ISBN 978-3-525-55004-5.
Gerhard Lutz: Die Michaeliskirche Hildesheim. Verlag Schnell & Steiner GmbH, Regensburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-7954-2248-6.
Christoph Schulz-Mons: Das Michaeliskloster in Hildesheim. Untersuchungen zur Gründung durch Bischof Bernward 993-1022. 2 Bde. (Quellen und Dokumentationen zur Stadtgeschichte Hildesheims; 20,1 und 20,2). Hildesheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-8067-8738-2.
Bernhard Gallistl: Bischof Bernwards Stiftung St. Michael in Hildesheim: Liturgie und Legende. In: concilium medii aevi 14, 2011, S. 239–287 (Digitalisat auf journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de, abgerufen am 9. November 2022).
Angela Weyer, Gerhard Lutz (Hg.): 1000 Jahre St. Michael in Hildesheim. Kirche-Kloster-Stifter (= Schriften des Hornemann Instituts, Band 14). Petersberg 2012, ISBN 978-3-86568-767-8.
Bernhard Gallistl: Erzähltes Welterbe. 12 Jahrhunderte Hildesheim. Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 2015, ISBN 978-3-487-15230-1.
Alfhart Günther: Kirchen des Mittelalters mit den Augen eines Physikers – Baukunst zwischen Theologie, Technik und Geometrie. Garamond, Gera 2017, ISBN 978-3-946964-07-0.
Architektur und Baugeschichte
Hans Roggenkamp: Die ehemalige Michaeliskirche zu Hildesheim in Maß und Zahl. Studie über eine frühmittelalterliche Entwurfsarbeit. Diss. Ing. TH Hannover 1946. (Maschinenschrift)
Hans-Dieter Heckes: Die Michaeliskirche in Hildesheim – Ihre nachmittelalterliche Baugeschichte von 1542 bis 1910. Diss. phil., TU Berlin, 1985.
Cord Alphei: Die Hildesheimer Michaeliskirche im Wiederaufbau 1945–1960. Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 1993, ISBN 3-487-09812-1.
Michael Brandt (Hrsg.): Der vergrabene Engel. Die Chorschranken der Hildesheimer Michaeliskirche. Funde und Befunde. Ausst.-Kat., Hildesheim 1995, ISBN 3-8053-1826-X.
Christiane Segers-Glocke, Angela Weyer (Hrsg.): Der Kreuzgang von St. Michael in Hildesheim: 1000 Jahre Kulturgeschichte in Stein (= Schriften des Hornemann Instituts, 2 und Arbeitshefte zur Denkmalpflege in Niedersachsen, 20). 1. Auflage. Niemeyer, Hameln 2000, ISBN 3-8271-8020-1, doi:10.11588/diglit.51152, online abrufbar unter digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de.
Bernhard Gallistl: Unbekannte Dokumente zum Ostchor der Michaeliskirche aus der Dombibliothek. In: Die Diözese Hildesheim in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart 72, 2004, S. 259–289.
Christiane Segers-Glocke (Hrsg.): St. Michael in Hildesheim: Forschungsergebnisse zur bauarchäologischen Untersuchung im Jahr 2006 (= Arbeitshefte zur Denkmalpflege in Niedersachsen 34). CW Niemeyer Buchverlage GmbH, Hameln 2008, ISBN 978-3-8271-8034-6, doi:10.11588/diglit.51162, online abrufbar unter digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de.
Manfred Overesch: St. Michael – Gottes Stadt und Bernwards Burg in Hildesheim. Georg-Olms-Verlag AG, Hildesheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-487-14472-6.
Ausstattung
Christoph Schulz-Mons: Die Chorschrankenreliefs der Michaeliskirche zu Hildesheim und ihre Beziehungen zur bambergisch-magdeburgischen Bauhütte. Bernward, Hildesheim 1979.
Manfred Lausmann, Peter Königfeld: Das romanische Deckenbild der Ev. Pfarrkirche St. Michael in Hildesheim. In: Hans-Herbert Möller (Hrsg.): Restaurierung von Kulturdenkmalen. Beispiele aus der niedersächsischen Denkmalpflege (= Berichte zur Denkmalpflege, Beiheft 2). Niedersächsisches Landesverwaltungsamt – Institut für Denkmalpflege, Niemeyer, Hameln 1989, ISBN 3-87585-152-8, S. 197–201.
Bernhard Gallistl: Die Bernwardsäule und die Michaeliskirche zu Hildesheim. Georg-Olms-Verlag, Hildesheim 1993, ISBN 3-487-09755-9.
Johannes Sommer: Das Deckenbild der Michaeliskirche zu Hildesheim. Ergänzter Reprint der Erstauflage Hildesheim 1966 nebst einer kritischen Übersicht über die seitherigen Forschungen 1999. Königstein i. Ts. 2000, ISBN 3-7845-7410-6.
Elizabeth C. Teviotdale: The Stammheim Missal. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2001, ISBN 978-0-89236-615-6.
Peter Turek, Carola Schüritz: Die "Seligpreisungen im südlichen Seitenschiff von St. Michael in Hildesheim". In: Matthias Exner, Ursula Schädler-Saub (Hrsg.): Die Restaurierung der Restaurierung? – Zum Umgang mit Wandmalereien und Architekturfassungen des Mittelalters im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert (= Schriften des Hornemann Instituts, Bd. 5 = ICOMOS – Hefte des Deutschen Nationalkomitees, Bd. XXXVII). München 2002, ISBN 3-87490-681-7, S. 191–196.
Rolf-Jürgen Grote, Vera Kellner: Die Bilderdecke der Hildesheimer Michaeliskirche, Erforschung eines Weltkulturerbes. Aktuelle Befunde der Denkmalpflege im Rahmen der interdisziplinären Bestandssicherung und Erhaltungsplanung der Deckenmalerei (= Schriften der Wenger-Stiftung für Denkmalpflege, Bd. 1 = Arbeitshefte zur Denkmalpflege in Niedersachsen, Heft 28 = Veröffentlichungen aus dem Deutschen Bergbau-Museum Bochum, Nr. 105). Herausgegeben von der Wenger-Stiftung für Denkmalpflege und dem Niedersächsischen Landesamt für Denkmalpflege in Kooperation mit dem Deutschen Bergbau-Museum. Deutscher Kunstverlag, München 2002, ISBN 3-422-06401-X, doi:10.11588/diglit.52523, online abrufbar unter digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de (181 Seiten mit zahlreichen Illustrationen und Grafiken).
Patricia Engel: Strategia podejmowania decyzji konserwatorskich w procesie identyfikacji i konserwacji historycznych śladów uauwania pisma (tekstu) w rękopisach (I–XV wiek) – Na przykładzie konserwacji – restauracji "Ratmann Sakramentary" z kolekcji Skarbów. Hildesheim. Diss. Warschau 2007.
Michael Brandt: Bernwards Säule – Schätze aus dem Dom zu Hildesheim. Verlag Schnell & Steiner GmbH, Regensburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-7954-2046-8.
Marko Jelusić: "Ein Löwe in seinem Fach" – Wie Joseph Bohland die Deckenmalerei von St. Michaelis vor der sicheren Zerstörung rettete. In: H. Kemmerer (Hrsg.): St. Michaelis zu Hildesheim. Geschichte und Geschichten aus 1000 Jahren. Veröffentlichungen der Hildesheimer Volkshochschule zur Stadtgeschichte Hildesheims 15. Hildesheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-8067-8736-8, S. 108–113 (Online auf academia.edu).
Weblinks
UNESCO-Welterbe St. Michaeliskirche
Kirchengemeinde St. Michaelis in Hildesheim
Michaeliskloster Hildesheim, Evangelisches Zentrum für Gottesdienst und Kirchenmusik
Webseite zur Michaeliskirche beim Hornemann Institut
Einzelnachweise
Ottonische Architektur
Michael
Michael
Michaeliskirche
Michaeliskirche
Bauwerk der Romanik in Niedersachsen
Kirchengebäude des Kirchenkreises Hildesheim-Sarstedt
Hildesheim Michaelis
Simultankirche
Bauwerk der Vorromanik in Deutschland
Ehemaliges Benediktinerkloster in Niedersachsen
Romanische Kirche
Hildesheim
Geläut
Kloster (11. Jahrhundert)
Erbaut im 11. Jahrhundert
Rekonstruiertes Bauwerk in Hildesheim
Michael
Disposition einer Orgel | slim_pajama |
Kim Possible Alpha
**Disclaimer I do not own the following.**
* * *
"Professor the machine is working!" said Shego.
"Good not let's watch as we break the speed of light" said Prof Lipsky.
"The filed is maintaining professor" said Kim.
"Good, good then all going to according to plan" said Prof Libsky.
The machine that would produce the effects of going faster then light began to glow and make a humming sound. Kim as the Professor's lab assistant began writing everything down. Shego his other assistant made sure all the safeties were on. Then what the Professor called the 3 outcomes happened, the machine exploded.
"Maybe we didn't use enough Utonuim?" said Prof Libsky.
Shego grabbed the fire extinguisher and a hazmat suit to put out the fires.
"What now professor?" asked Kim.
"We'll try again next week at lab 42" said Prof Libsky.
"Ok" said Kim.
Professor Drew Libsky was trying to discover a way to move faster or as fast as light. Professor Libsky was a a famous earth scientist who at Tomorrow Tech, a earth company responsible for hover cars, short range telaportation, human cloning, robots, laser weapons, deep space travel and instafood. Prof Libsky was a 42 year old, white human male with a scar on his left eye due to a failed experiment, and a really good green thumb. Shego was a lab assistant from the planet Team Go, where everyone consisted of at least one color in each family, such as red, blue, purple, green, orange, or yellow. Shego was what most people considered slutty. She wore spike heels, a shirt that exposed her pierced navel, her nose was pierced as well, around her midsection she had a belt of tattooed stars. She was also wearing a mini skirt and it was public knowledge that that she regularly gave the Professor blow jobs. Kimberly Ann or Kim was a red haired girl barley in her 20's from the planet Possible. On her world Kim was considered a freak as she could not cook, hit a high note, or stop being whiny. Kim wore a long sleeved grey shirt, cargo pants, and tennis shoes. No one knew what Kim did on her time off or what sex she preferred but in sexual Shego who craved it could get it anytime while Kim never showed much interest and was thought to be a virgin.
"Professor I'm going home now, is there anything you need me to do before I go?" asked Kim.
"Oh yes, check on Rufus please" said Prof Libsky.
Kim watched for a few minutes as Shego went down on the Professor. Rufus was a genetically altered super mole rat minus the super part. Kim walked over to his cage, checked his food and water.
"How are you Rufus?" asked Kim.
"Me finn!" said Rufus.
"Good, do you want the Tv on?" asked Kim.
"Yeen!" said Rufus.
Kim turned on the little tv by his cage.
"key by" said Kim.
**"Wad oud! wad oud!"** shrieked Rufus.
Kim thought he was talking to the tv until something grabbed her from behind. Shego's head popped up when she heard Kim's scream. Prof Libsky pulled up his pants and ran into the rest wing to see tentacles ripping off Kim's clothes. They watched as it removed everything but her shoes. Two tentacles grabbed her legs forcing her on her back, while holding up her legs. A tentacles plunged into her into her vagina and seeing room two more entered. Shego laughed causing Kim to look there way and the tentacles made a grab for Shego.
"Professor help me!" pleaded Kim.
"Fascinating where I wonder did they come from" mused Prof Libsky.
Shego did not fight the grabby tentacles instead she she showed them her back as she wore a skirt but no panties. One tentacle felt her ass probing until it reached her opening and plunged in. Shego was enjoying the tentacles pumping into her body, she opened her mouth allowing another to enter. She rubbed on the exposed flesh of the tentacles liking how slimy it felt in her hand. Shego moaned in delight as another grasped one of her boobs.
"Just incredible, does this still unknown creature only crave the flesh of women or is it trying to procreate!" mused Prof Libsky.
"Professor help murmp!" a tentacle entered Kim's mouth as she had tried in vain to get the Professor's help. The professor made notes as Kim grabbed one of the tentacles in her pussy trying to pull the stubborn thing out. Two tentacles each took hold of her hands while a third grabbed her waist pulling her up so a fourth could get to her ass.
"Shego give me a hand sign, but does the creatures slime add to your pleasure?" asked Drakken.
Shego thought about it, on one hand she was had never been so close, but on the other she was losing feeling where the tentacles had her. Shego gave a sideways thumb. The tentacles increased speed and force making Shego bounce up. Kim let go of the tentacles no longer able to feel her hands.
"I should probably find out where they are coming from" muttered Prof Libsky.
Kim could feel the pressure building and could not contain her joy any longer when it reached the point of no return, her body convalesced and withered under the throws of release. Shego felt her end was near but something unexpected happened. The tentacles disappeared and Kim fell to the floor.
"I found the source it was a rock supercharged by our failed experiment" said the professor.
"Get over here you need to finish me off" said Shego.
"With pleasure" said the Professor.
The professor walked over and inserted a his fingers into her vagina. He thrusted into her body and wiggled his fingers which Shego enjoyed. Kim stood and watched as the professor made Shego quake and scream as he finished her.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Is this a violation of Equipartition theorem?
My book has a question asking to calculate ***average kinetic energy*** of the molecules in 8g of methane.
By the Equipartition theorem, I calculated that energy:
1. per molecule per degree of freedom = $(1/2)kT$ (by definition)
2. per molecule = $3kT$ (since methane is polyatomic => 6 degrees of freedom`*`)
3. per mole = $3RT$
4. for 8g methane ($=0.5$ moles) = $1.5\cdot RT$
But the answer stated by my book is $0.75\cdot RT$ - just half of what mine is.
This is not the only question where values have mismatched. I have started losing faith from Equipartition theorem.
**Question:**
>
> What did I get wrong?
>
>
>
**SUMMARY+UPDATE:** Final conclusion reached is that while **total kinetic energy** is indeed the one Equipartition theorem gives (and so it's correct! :D) but the textbook assumes the molecule to be at ***at very low temperatures*** (although this is NOT mentioned) implying the *rotational and vibrational* energies are NOT counted.
---
`*`=>my textbook says so. I understand that there's a lot of complex things in this topic, but let's please assume it is 6 as my book says.
For a non-linear polyatomic molecule like methane, there are a total of $3N$ degrees of freedom, where $N = 4$ is the number of atoms in the molecule. This is broken down as follows:
$$\begin{array}{c|c} \hline
\text{Component} & \text{# Degrees of freedom} \\
\hline
\text{Translational} & 3 \\
\text{Rotational} & 3 \\
\text{Vibrational} & 3N - 6 \\ \hline
\end{array}$$
(Note that for a linear molecule, or for an atom, this breakdown is different.)
Under "normal" temperatures (close to room temperature) the vibrational contribution to the internal energy can be neglected. (The vibrational gap $\Delta E = \hbar\omega \gg k\_\mathrm{B}T$ for "normal" $T$, so higher vibrational states are not populated and the equipartition theorem does not hold.) This is probably the reason why your book states that there are six total degrees of freedom.
The key is to realise that the *kinetic* energy of a *molecule* arises only from the translational degrees of freedom. From my limited knowledge of physics, it seems to be a common thing to separate translational degrees from the "*internal*" degrees of freedom, i.e. rotational, vibrational, and electronic. This allows the translational motion of a body to be modelled as the movement of a point mass, located at the centre of mass of the body.
In this paradigm, rotations and vibrations preserve the centre of mass of a molecule, and therefore don't contribute to the kinetic energy of the *molecule*. Therefore, the correct answer is $(1.5~\mathrm{mol})\cdot RT$.
Another way of looking at it is to consider the definition of the kinetic energy
$$E\_k = \frac{1}{2}m\langle v^2\rangle = \frac{1}{2}m(\langle v\_x^2\rangle + \langle v\_y^2\rangle + \langle v\_z^2\rangle)$$
where $v$ is the velocity of the centre of mass, $v\_\mathrm{cm}$. For each quadratic term the contribution to the energy is $kT/2$, for a total of $3kT/2$ per molecule. These three terms correspond to precisely the three translational degrees of freedom.
The equipartition theorem is a well established result of *classical* statistical mechanics. It states that the mean value of each independent quadratic term in the energy (per molecule) is equal to $\frac{1}{2}k\_BT$ where $k\_B$ is Boltzmann's constant and *T* the temperature. Being 'classical' means that if $\Delta E$ is the energy of a quantum then the thermal energy is far greater than this and effectively all levels are populated at the given temperature, i.e. $k\_BT >> \Delta E$. (A derivation of equipartition can be found in this answer [Derivation of mean kinetic energy](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/61255/derivation-of-mean-kinetic-energy/61332#61332) )
The kinetic energy is split into three parts, translational , rotational and vibrational. As motion is possible in three directions (cartesian axes x, y, z thus three degrees of freedom) the average translational kinetic energy is $<E\_{trans}> = \frac{3}{2}k\_BT$.
The rotational kinetic energy also exists and occurs because a molecule can rotate as a whole body about each of the three axes (x, y, z, and assuming a non-linear molecule such as methane). ( The angular kinetic energy is $\frac{1}{2}I\omega^2$ where *I* is moment of inertia and $\omega$ the angular velocity). Thus the average rotational kinetic energy is $<E\_{rot}> = \frac{3}{2}k\_BT$.
If there are *N* atoms in a molecule then there are in total $3N$ degrees of freedom. We have accounted for $6$ of them in whole body translation and rotation, which leaves $3N-6$ internal degrees which are attributable to vibrations. As methane has 5 atoms the average vibrational kinetic energy is then $<E\_{vib}> = \frac{9}{2}k\_BT$. This value will not be reached at room temperature as typical vibrational quanta ($500 \cdots 3000 \pu{ cm^{-1}}$) are far greater than $k\_BT \approx 208 \pu{ cm^{-1}}$ at room temperature. Thus the vibrational kinetic energy can often be set to zero with little error. However, the temperature is not specified in your question so in any answer it is necessary to justify removing the vibrational energy.
The rotational quantum for a polyatomic molecule is by contrast often only a few wavenumbers, or less, and $ \approx 10 \pu{cm^{-1}}$ for methane and so the average rotational energy will satisfy the energy criterion $k\_BT >> \Delta E$ as will translational kinetic energy.
The total average kinetic energy (in Joules) is $<E\_{tot}> = \frac{15}{2}k\_BT$ per molecule. Removing the vibrational energy gives $<E\_{tot}> = \frac{6}{2}k\_BT$, which is $ \frac{6}{2}RT ~ \pu{J mol^{-1}}$ or $ \frac{3}{2}RT ~ \pu{J }$ for $0.5$ mol. It seems that to obtain the answer you quote, the rotational kinetic energy would also have to be removed, which then supposes that the temperature is very low.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Geracodes is a genus of earwigs in the subfamily Isolabiinae. It was cited by Steinmann in The Animal Kingdom.
References
External links
The Earwig Research Centre's Geracodes database Source for references: type Geracodes in the genus field and click search.
Category:Anisolabididae
Category:Dermaptera genera | wikipedia |
Lost Girl 1. Chapter 1
Cheating. Bo Dennis had got her here through cheating.
Last Tuesday night, exhausted and a little pissed off for more than one reason, Tamsin just wanted to sleep the night away. Well, after drowning her blood in scotch that she had stolen from Trick's private stash but that was nobody's business but her own. In fact, she had been in bed when Bo called her, inviting her to join the brunette and her overly whipped boyfriend to some over twenty one club that was opening in the next town. She'd wanted to say no, she almost did too. But then she remembered that Bo is sickeningly entitled and tends to take things to heart more than she should, she would have taken Tamsin's refusal personally and probably tried to get her back somehow. And she had way too many somehows for Tamsin to risk it. So she had taken her drunk self out of bed, washed her face and headed off to Bo's, drunk off her ass and exhausted as shit. It's honestly a miracle she hadn't gotten into an accident on the way.
The club as it turned out, wasn't all that bad. Bo's cousin, Vex, co owned it so they had no problem getting in or getting drinks. They'd been given relatively cool seats and it might or might not have happened, but Tamsin even recalls some hot chick giving her a lap dance. All in all, it had been a good night, well, what she recalls of it. After her second or sixth drink, Tamsin couldn't recall, they'd apparently played a drinking game which Tamsin had apparently lost to Bo and as the loser, she had to do whatever Bo wanted and Bo, it turns out, wanted Tamsin to take math lessons from the town nerd.
Hence the reason why Tamsin was standing in front of a white door staring at it with fury that could melt ice and cursing Bo Dennis and her cheating ways. Honestly, sometimes her life sucked.
...
She knocked once, then again after a few seconds, then went to knock a third time but stopped, she figured it might annoy the person inside.
''Who is it?'' A voice called from inside.
''Uh..Tamsin, Tamsin Sarksten, we talked on the phone.''
''Just a minute.''
There was silence for a few seconds then she heard the door being unbolted then...well, damn, Bo mentioned a whole lot of things about the nerd, but not once did she tell Tamsin that the girl was like, ridiculously hot.
She was wearing what, assuming television hadn't been lying to Tamsin since forever, was a lab coat over a white sundress, her hair in the messiest pony tail Tamsin had ever seen and sanitary gloves in on her hands, one of which she was busy removing.
''Hi, please, come in.'' She moved aside to let Tamsin into what might just have been the cleanest house she had ever been in, in her entire life.
''I'm sorry for the mess,'' the girl moved to pick books from a table, ''I wasn't expecting you till five.''
Tamsin wanted to ask what mess but the girl looked uncomfortable enough as it was so she just shrugged and removed her bag from her back, ''I managed to get off work early.''
This in itself was nothing short of a miracle. She had honestly expected Nadia to say no when she asked her if she wanted to switch shifts since the brunette had told her more than once that she's never going to work day shifts due to the shitty tips. So you can imagine her surprise when Nadia had jumped at the opportunity. Turns out her relationship is on the rocks so she needs to dedicate some time to it and since her partner is only at home during the night, day shifts was the way to go.
''Right,'' the blond girl nervously looked around the room, ''please have a seat.'' She motioned to the small dining table and Tamsin had to suppress a smile, this girl was too cute.
''So um... did you bring some material you'd like to go over or..?''
''No actually,'' Tamsin removed her book and calculator and frowned into her bag when she couldn't find her pen, she was sure she had put it in there, ''I'm gonna go with whatever you say.''
Damn it where is that pen, she thought only to be pulled from her thoughts and her bag by a chuckle. ''What?''
''Did you lose something?'' The girl asked, a smile playing on her lips and Tamsin just found that she couldn't be annoyed at her, ''yeah,'' she looked in her bag again, ''my pen, I'm sure I put it in here, but now I can't find it.''
''Here,'' she looked up to find a hand extending a white pen to her, ''you can use mine.''
''Oh, I, are you sure?'' The pen looked expensive.
''Yes I'm sure,'' there was that smile again. Tamsin placed her bag on the floor and took the pen, ''thanks.''
''You're welcome. Shall we begin?''
''Sure.''
...
''No, no no no. Please no,'' she mumbled into her pillow the next morning as the knocking on her door persisted.
She had only been sleeping for two hours after being on her feet the whole night and she desperately needed sleep if she was to go to anywhere near school.
The knocking stopped for a second and she almost believed the person on the other side of the door had taken a hint but then it started again with renewed strength and she sighed, she was going to kill that bitch one day.
Seriously.
''Stop knocking already bitch, I 'm coming. God!''
''Took you long enough.'' Was what Bo said when she opened the door.
''It's six in the fucking morning.'' She banged the door closed and winced when she felt something break. Mrs Perkins was definitely going to make her pay for whatever it is.
''Six thirty actually,'' the brunette said sitting daintily on Tamsin's only couch, ''and your place stinks.''
''Fuck you. The fuck do you even want?'' She asked as she headed for the fridge. Since clearly she wasn't going to get any more sleep, might as well get breakfast done with.
''I'm,'' the brunette frowned, ''what are you doing?''
''What are you, blind? Clearly, I'm drinking.''
''Beer.''
''Yeah.''
''At six in the morning?''
''Six thirty actually,'' Tamsin took a swig, ''I would offer you one but this is my last one and since your ass came here uninvited I'm not required to be hospitable.'' She took another swig. ''Anyway why are you here?''
Bo sighed and shook her head, she had known Tamsin for almost two months now, she knew when to not pursue a line of conversation.
''I want to know how it went.''
''Be more vague why don't you.''
Bo rolled her eyes, ''the tutoring session.''
''Seriously? You came knocking on my door at ridiculous o'clock in the morning, woke me up from sleep that I desperately need, insulted the state of my house, just so you could ask me how a tutoring session went?''
''Well,'' the brown eyed girl shrugged, ''yeah.''
''I could kill the fuck out of you right now, do you know that?'' Tamsin asked seriously.
''It was part of the deal Tamsin. ''
''Do I look like I give a shit?'' She threw her empty can in the overflowing garbage bin, she needed to get around to dumping that before it starts stinking up the whole place.
''No, you look like you need a shower and food. Go take the former then you and I will go grab the latter.''
She almost insulted her, she had like a thousand and then some insults just begging to be spat but she thought about it and decided not to. She did need some food in her, she hadn't eaten since breakfast the previous day and her ulcers will soon start developing ulcers. Plus it wasn't like she was adverse to talking about her tutoring session, it had gone rather well.
''Give me a minute, and don't mess with my stuff while I'm gone.''
Bo scrunched her nose in obvious disgust, ''not even if you paid me to.''
2. Chapter 2
She brought the item of clothing to her nose, sniffed it, then frowned. It didn't smell clean enough to be worn again.
She has been telling herself for weeks that she should do her laundry before she completely ran out of clothes. But with work and school and now the tutoring there was just no time for it.
This was all Bo Dennis's fault, she didn't know how exactly, but it was.
''Tamsin, hurry up. Betty is going to be out of pie by the time we get there.''
Tamsin rolled her eyes.
To hell with it, she picked the top and sprayed some deodorant on it, whoever thought she smelled bad would be standing close enough to have themselves punched.
''Finally,'' Bo said sounding every bit like the suffering martyr, ''I honestly don't get how you take that long to look like a hobo.''
''Ha ha, you're a freaking riot, let's go.''
She picked her pills from the table, her keys, considered for a second taking the garbage but then reconsidered, she'd do that later.
''Come on Tamsin, I really want pie today.''
''Alright, God.''
...
In this small town that Tamsin found herself in, Betty's was the dinner that everyone frequented.
It had the whole small town vibe thing going. Everyone greeting everyone by name, the waitress, who was flirty as hell, knew everyone's order and everyone's business too.
Tamsin hated it.
'' Stop scowling, '' Bo chastised sipping on her coffee, ''that's just Betty being Betty.''
''And this is just me being annoyed. Is she trying to burn a hole in my head?''
Seriously, the woman had been staring at Tamsin since they entered the diner thirty minutes ago, it was starting to get on her already frayed nerves.
''Forget her. So...'' Bo said waving Tamsin previous comment off and staring at her expectantly.
The blond tilted her head and regarded the brunette with a hint of amusement and a whole lot of teasing in her eyes, ''I love how you're crazy enough to believe I have any idea what the fuck it is you're talking about.''
''The tutoring session Tamsin. Christ you can be so annoying.''
''And you can be such a nag, I told you, nothing special happened, I went there, she tutored me, I went to work.''
''First, you did not tell me that. Second, something must have happened.''
''Something like what?'' Tamsin was getting annoyed. She was honestly in no mood to deal with whatever it was Bo was trying to make her deal with right now.
''I don't know, just something.''
''Well nothing happened, unless you count me realizing that I know shit all about cosines and whatever else that other thing is as something then yeah, something happened a lot.''
''Really?'' Bo sounded deflated.
Tamsin didn't care. ''Yes really, God,'' she looked towards the kitchen, ''is that food coming from Rome on a snail, it's been forever since we ordered!''
''You can't be serious.''
''I actually am, it's been like twenty minutes since¬''
''I mean in regards to the tutoring session!'' Bo cut her off. Tamsin frowned.
''Who the fuck says in regards to during normal conversation? And what's your obsession with this damn tutoring thing?''
''I don't have an obsession with it, I just..'' she fidgeted a bit, ''I just think you should have told me that before I practically bought you half the food in Canada.''
''Uh..first of all, fuck you, second of all, you offered to buy me breakfast, no one put a gun on your head and forced you to and third, fuck you, again. Now where the hell is that woman with our food!''
...
She had a hangover, it was second period and she had a hangover. Also, she was going to vomit, which was Bo's fault for buying her food and no alcohol. Honestly, who does that?
''Miss Sarksten, are you okay?''
The teacher who no matter how hard she tried Tamsin couldn't for the life of her remember her name asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
''Uh,'' she cleared her throat, ''yeah, I'm fine.''
''Are you sure?''
What was it with people and nagging her?
''Yes.'' She said trying hard to keep the nausea down. She started drinking when she was ten, dealing with hangovers was almost like breathing to her.
She felt a weird taste in her mouth; but a little air couldn't hurt either.
She raised a hand, the teacher sighed, ''go.''
''Thank you.''
...
She had been standing on the hallway for almost five minutes, trying to decipher a poster that was hanging in front of her although she knew full well she was never going to ¬it was in Latin¬ while simultaneously dealing with her nausea the only way she knew how; ignoring it until it took a hint, when she saw her walking down the hallway.
Should I smile? Would it be weird if I smi¬ ''Tamsin, Hi.''
''Uh, hello, I mean, Hi. Hello.''
It was the hangover talking, honest.
Lauren smile, her brown eyes shining and her hair looking like Tamsin never thought hair could look.
''Are you okay?''
''Yeah,'' she shrugged, ''just a little hangover but that's nothing.''
That sounded totally badass. Totally. Right?
''Oh, I have something that could help with that,'' she reached into her bag and produced a banana, ''here.''
''A banana.'' Tamsin deadpanned.
''Well, it has vitamin B6 which contains¬'' she seemed to suddenly realize what she was doing and smiled sheepishly, ''it's good for you, believe me. Also you should drink some water.''
''Okay, thanks.''
''No problem. So,'' she adjusted her bag, ''will you still be coming this afternoon or would you like to sleep off your hangover. That helps too.''
''No, no. This will have passed by then, I'll be there. Is four okay with you?''
Lauren nodded and gave Tamsin that smile that lit up her eyes again, '' Four is fine. I'll see you then.''
Tamsin watched her go and for some reason, she just couldn't stop smiling.
...
Since Lauren wasn't expecting her till four and she had gym class as her last period, Tamsin decided to skip and maybe grab some sleep before heading out to Lauren's. She had just gotten under the sheets when she heard a knock on her door.
''Kill me, kill me please.''
''Tamsin, I know you're in there. Open up.'' Bo yelled from the other side of the door. Tamsin practically stormed to the door, cursing all the way.
''Are you on some mission to make sure I get no sleep today?''
''Don't be melodramatic.'' Bo said with a roll of her eyes as she walked right past Tamsin and into the two roomed house.
''By all means, come right the fuck in.'' She banged the door closed. Something cracked, God, Mrs Perkins was going to be pissed as hell.
''Why are you even here? I thought you weren't the type to skip.''
She asked the brunette who was already comfortably seated on Tamsin's couch.
''I heard you were sick, so as your friend and only person who gives a shit about you in this town, I decided to come make sure you're not drowning in your own vomit. You're welcome.''
''This isn't my first rodeo, Bo.'' She said as she made her way to the fridge before she recalled that it had practically nothing in the morning and unless some elves or whatever had come and stocked it with food and beer while she'd been away, it probably still had nothing.
She sighed, whether it was from exasperation that Bo just wouldn't let her get some bloody sleep today or from suddenly realizing she was so hungry she could cry, she didn't know.
''Besides, I already drank a shit tone of water and Lauren gave me a banana earlier. She said it will help me somehow. Now if only you'd let me sleep, I'm pretty sure I'll be fine in no time.''
Bo suddenly looked more alert, ''exchanging hangover remedies already? I'm impressed.'' She said her voice sounding anything but.
Tamsin frowned, ''what's your deal with Lauren Lewis?''
''What do you mean?'' She fidgeted.
''Why do you hate her so much?''
''I don't hate Lauren Lewis, I just don't care much for her existence.''
The blond in the room raised a brow, ''really? Is that why you talk about her after like, every fifteen seconds?''
''I...you know what, fuck this, I have places to be.''
She sounded upset and Tamsin almost cared enough to stop her from walking out the door so they could talk about it, there was more to this than Bo was letting on and Tamsin wanted to get to the bottom of it. But then she remembered her interrupted sleep and she decided to let her walk out.
There's always later.
...
Later turned out to be an hour later in Lauren's kitchen that resembled some sort of detergent and bleach commercial set.
They'd been going through some mathematical concept or the other ¬the drum playing gorillas in Tamsin's head didn't allow her enough concentration power to be certain¬ when it slipped out of her mouth, ''what's up with you and Bo.''
For a moment, Lauren looked like she wasn't breathing and Tamsin almost slapped herself.
Honestly, her absolute lack of tact even took her by surprise sometimes.
''Bo?''
''Yeah, Bo Dennis, she's kind of obsessed with you.''
There was utter silence for a minute and Tamsin felt herself tensing.
''I'm sorry I just¬''
''Are you friends with her?''
Well, she'd never been asked that before. Was Bo Dennis her friend?
A month ago she would have said no. She honestly just started speaking to the girl because she was the obvious queen bee in town. Her father practically owned half the businesses in the place and her mother was one of the people who were important for no apparent reason. It also didn't hurt none that the girl's grandfather owned the biggest bar in town, a bar in which Tamsin had asked for a job. Really, it was more than convenient to affiliate herself with the brunette.
But now, now she kind of genuinely liked Bo. When she wasn't cheating in drinking games or knocking on Tamsin's door when the blond needed sleep or being an entitled little bitch, she was okay.
''Yeah,'' she nodded, '' I am.''
Turns out, that wasn't the smartest thing to say.
''Is this whole thing some sort of trick? Are you two trying to trick me because I'll have you know¬''
Okay, uh, the fuck?
''Lauren.'' She said to catch the other girl's attention, ''I have no idea what you're talking about. Honest. Look, let's just forget I said anything, okay?''
Lauren let out a small breath and nodded.
Tamsin smiled ,a little nervously and a lot had just stumbled onto her first rule of getting along with Lauren Lewis; do not, under any circumstances, mention Bo Dennis.
3. Chapter 3
''So,'' Tamsin placed her books neatly in her bag although she didn't know why, she'd never really been one for neatness, ''are you going to Bo's party?''
Lauren kept pouring juice into the two glasses in front of her and for a moment Tamsin thought she was going to ignore her. Over the past five weeks she had learnt quiet a lot of things, one of them being that Lauren Lewis had a tendency of pretending not to have heard questions that she did not feel like answering.
''No.'' She placed the jug on the island.
They had reached an unspoken agreement some day, neither of them knew when, that Bo could be brought up as long as the context by which she was mentioned did not imply that she and Lauren had any sort of relationship.
(It was a crazily complicated thing, being friends with Lauren Lewis, maybe that's why Tamsin liked it so much.)
''Okay. Just seems like the whole town is going.''
''I'm not the whole town though, '' she said a cheeky smile making way to her lips, ''cookies?''
Tamsin had to smile, ''please.''
''Are _you_ going?'' Lauren asked, making her way to the table.
Tamsin was a little surprised at the question. Usually when it came to Bo, she asked the questions and Lauren gave vague answers or sometimes gave no answer at all. She'd never outright asked anything concerning Bo.
''Yeah, she's my friend.'' Also, Tamsin had spent the better part of her previous weekend helping Bo search for the perfect dress all around town as her whipped boyfriend followed them around like some annoying puppy. Tamsin had made Bo promise to supply her with unlimited alcohol on the night of her birthday and there was no way Tamsin was going to slack on collecting.
''I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun. Bo's birthdays are usually a really big affair in town.''
Tamsin was intrigued but this was the most Lauren had ever spoken of Bo and Tamsin didn't want to mess things up now. She was already convinced that there was a whole of a lot of history between Bo and Lauren and although she had decided she was never going to go digging for it, she wasn't going to turn away when it presented itself.
''Yeah? I thought it was only this year that it's a big affair since she's turning eighteen and all.''
Seriously, Tamsin had never in her life seen so many preparations being done for a person's birthday before. At some point during the week she'd even asked Bo if she was sure she wasn't getting married instead of having a birthday. Bo had just smiled and told her it's not everyday that a girl becomes an adult, 'you should know, you went through this.'
That's the thing though, Tamsin didn't know. She'd been an adult since sixteen when she'd emancipated herself from her alcoholic mom and his stupid abusive brute of a husband. In fact if memory serves her right, she'd been in hospital getting stitches on her eighteenth birthday after fighting a man twice her size because he had groped her ass. But Bo didn't need to know that, such things didn't exist in her world.
''No, this year is just the biggest so far, the previous ones were pretty big too. Like her twelfth for example, they brought this ladies from the zoo and so many animals and they had candy machines and a live performance by some pop star with a stupid name and a stupider haircut... '' She smiled, her whole face lighting up so bright Tamsin actually felt the room getting warmer. Then slowly it melted away and she sighed, ''it was a lot of fun.''
''you were there?''
So Bo and Lauren had been friends once. Tamsin couldn't say she was very surprised.
'' I didn't say that.''
''But you didn't deny it either.'' Tamsin couldn't help the bit of smugness in her voice.
''Eat your cookies, Tamsin.'' And Tamsin knew they weren't going to pursue that conversation anymore.
''So what will you be doing while the whole town is celebrating Bo Dennis's eighteenth birthday?''
She shrugged, ''experiments. Or maybe I'll be asleep. I plan on spending the whole of tomorrow night watching Sherlock since my father will be out of town so maybe I'll compensate for tomorrow's sleep on Sunday.''
''Sounds lonely.''
She shrugged again.
''I could...come over, if you like. Cause you know, we're friends and friends don't let friends watch Sherlock alone so...I could come over. If you'd like me to, of course.''
Where the hell did that come from!? Honestly sometimes Tamsin wished she could divorce her mouth. Really.
''I'd love that.'' There was a smile playing on her lips and her eyes were twinkling with mirth and Tamsin couldn't help but smile back.
Sometimes she really liked her mouth. Really.
...
She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned a little. The shirt still looked creased, even after she'd spent like twenty hours ironing it. She smoothed it with her palms then practically growled when the creases still showed. The thing is, she wanted to look nice. Not like all made up or anything, just nice. Today was the first time she and Lauren were doing a 'friends' kinda thing and although she didn't know why it felt like such a big deal to her it still did and she wanted to look nice for it.
''Tamsin,'' Bo called her as she barged into the house and walked straight to the bedroom.
She scowled, ''how did you get in here?''
''Through the roof, did you not see me fall in?'' the brunette deadpanned.
''Fuck you,'' Tamsin returned her attention to the mirror, ''this isn't a church, you don't just walk in.''
''Whatever,'' Bo slumped on the bed, ''I have a huge problem.''
''Judging by your tone I assume you think I care.''
''Will you quit being a bitch for a second, I'm being serious.''
''So am I.'' She turned around, ''can you see creases on this shirt?''
''Only like one million of them. Haven't you ever heard of an iron box?''
''Fuck off. What's your emergency anyway.''
''My dress,'' Bo whined like she had just remembered that she had a predicament, ''it's ruined.''
Tamsin arched a brow, ''therefore you came to me, Tamsin the great dressmaker, to get it fixed?''
''Tamsin!''
''What, it's a genuine question.'' She chuckled.
''Just finish whatever it is your doing so we can go get another before stores close.''
''I can't,'' she shrugged and removed the shirt. She had to have another clean one that didn't have creases somewhere around here.
''What do you mean you can't?''
She rolled her eyes, ''it's a two word sentence, figure it out. And also, move your ass, I need to find a clean creaseless top.''
''Why?'' The brunette asked incredulously.
''To cover my nakedness.'' She answered simply, ''God, do I honestly have no cool, creaseless...'' her eyes landed on a blue one that she hadn't worn in a while. It was clean and creaseless. Not as cool as the one she'd had on but it would have to do.
''to cover your...what's going on here,'' Bo's eyes widened, ''are you going on a date?''
''I'm not sure whether or not to be offended that that thought surprises you, but no, I'm not going on a date. I'm going to Lauren's for a movie night.''
She looked at herself again and nodded in satisfaction. Not too bad.
''Bo?'' the brunette had been quiet for too long.
''Are you guys dating?'' her voice sounded odd to Tamsin's ear.
The blond rolled her eyes and started scanning her room for her bag, she really has to start being more organized. Seriously.
''What part of I'm not going on a date did you not comprehend?''
''So what, the two of you are _girlfriends _now?'' she asked in her bitchy voice that Tamsin had only heard her use once on some guy in her grandfather's bar.
''The fuck crawled up yours and died? I thought you were over the whole Lauren hate thing.''
Bo rolled her eyes, ''I told you, I don't hate her.''
''Then what's with the bitch act?''
''Nothing, it's just,'' she stood up, ''you're one of my best friends now. I mean, next to Dyson, You're the person I spend most time with. You're part of my world and if you and she get close, then she's going to be part of your world and this is a small town, Tam. If she's part of your world and your part of my world then _they're_ part of my world and I just...''
''You just what? What happened between the two of you that made you hate each other so much?''
''I don't hate her.'' She said quietly, her voice sounding more sincere than Tamsin had ever heard it sound. ''Just, don't go out with her,'' now she sounded on the verge of crying, ''anyone but her. Please.''
''Bo¬''
''I need to go.''
Then she practically bolted.
4. Chapter 4
AN; First of all, Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and following and favoriting. just, thank you.
Some people have asked for me to specify a ship. I will, but not just yet.
I don't own lost girl. obviously.
* * *
><p>She felt guilty for feeling so excited standing here. Then she felt stupid for feeling guilty because judging by the exit she'd made and the fact that she wasn't answering her texts; Bo clearly needed some space.<p>
She let out a soft breath, things were getting too complicated too fast and she had a feeling deep down that it was only going to get worse. She had seen something that Bo clearly tried very hard to hide come to surface tonight and she knew that something had shifted.
She knew it.
What worried her though, is through all this confusion and guilt, she still found a way to be more excited to watch Sherlock with Lauren than she had been over anything in a really long time. That alone, even without factoring in all the other things that were happening, told her she had a problem.
And not a small one either.
The door opened startling her from her thoughts. Lauren stood before her a teasing smile on her face, looking impossibly cute in pyjamas that had pies and numbers drawn all over it.
''You've been standing out here for close to ten minutes.'' She informed Tamsin in a voice laced with amusement.
''I..I was texting someone.'' She lied not so smoothly. Lauren just shook her head and stood aside to let her pass.
She started peeling off her jacket, ''I'm sorry I'm late, something came up and I had to sort it out first before coming.''
''It's no problem,'' Lauren took her jacket from her, ''I hope you don't mind watching the series on my laptop. My father has a deep dislike for television, we've never had a set.'' She said pouting so adorably Tamsin found herself biting her lip so as not to smile.
''I don't mind.''
She followed the shorter blond as she led them to her bedroom. This was the first time Tamsin had ever been anywhere in Lauren's house other than the kitchen area. It was just as you'd expect it to be, intensely clean.
''So I um, I bought some snacks,'' she said nervously as she opened the door to what Tamsin assumed was her bedroom.
Uh, okay. When she said, 'some' snacks, Lauren seemingly meant the town's whole supply of snacks. Her bed was covered with snacks of every kind.
''Wow, that's... a lot of snacks.''
Lauren just stood there, shifting her weight from one leg to another, looking a bit uncomfortable,then she sighed.
''The thing is,I didn't know what you liked so I thought maybe I should buy what I like and maybe you would like it too, but then I realized tortillas weren't for everyone and what if you were a potato chips kind of girl? So I bought those too, in every flavor since it would have been unfair to buy you your favorite snack but not your favorite flavor of it. Then it occurred to me that maybe you were traditional and what's the traditional movie watching snack, popcorn, so I had to get them you see. Then I remembered that you really liked Oreo so I bought them, and other cookies too, just to be safe. That left me with drinks which was pretty simple because well, coca cola. Then I bought Pepsi too,just in case.'' She took a deep breath and smiled weakly.
Tamsin blinked, then blinked again; it took will power that she did not know she had not to attack Lauren's lips right then and there.
She was sure it's illegal to kiss someone without their consent.
...
When Lauren said that she was going to spend the night watching Sherlock, she meant that she was going to spend the night watching Sherlock.
After they had both chosen their snack of choice (Lauren went with Tortillas and Tamsin chose a packet of cookies whose name she couldn't pronounce but looked delicious enough) they had gotten comfortable under Lauren's sheets that smelled like the blond (a mixture of vanilla and honey and something else Tamsin couldn't place yet) surrounded by snacks, and Lauren had started the movie.
''Comfy?'' she asked Tamsin sweetly, her brown eyes soft and excited at the same time. Tamsin could only nod, that feeling that told her things were moving in a dangerous direction bubbling in her,only to be shot down by a feeling of delicious warmth, spreading all over her body right down to her toes.
''Good.'' Lauren grinned at turned to her laptop. Tamsin smiled, good indeed.
That 'good' was the last word Lauren had said to Tamsin for when she got immersed in the movie, there was clearly no way of getting to her. Tamsin could practically see her trying to think the way Sherlock was thinking. Her brown eyes were intensely concentrated and for a moment, Tamsin wished she could see just how the fascinating mind of Lauren Lewis worked. Even just a peek.
''That can't be scientifically accurate.'' Tamsin heard her mumble and she smiled and munched on her cookies.
Being friends with Lauren Lewis was pretty darn amazing.
...
''Tamsin. Tamsin wake up.'' A voice called her softly.
''No,'' she mumbled.
She heard a soft laugh, ''come on Tamsin, it's morning.''
''Don' care.''
''Don't make me pour water on you.''
Whoever it was that was waking her up shook her. Tamsin's sleepy mind wondered if whoever it was had some sort of death wish.
''Stop that.'' She was half awake now.
''Not until you wake up.''
''Fine, Jesus.'' She opened her eyes ready to kill whoever it was when she was met with Laure's laughing eyes.
''Lauren?''
''Finally!''
''What,'' she sat up and memories of a ridiculous amount of snacks and Lauren's ability to scientifically explain everything came back to her. She smiled, ''morning Sherlock.''
Lauren raised a brow, ''Sherlock?''
Tamsin nodded. They both had that hot nerdy thing going on. Not that she was going to tell Lauren that though.
''What time did we sleep?'' She asked rubbing her eyes and wondering how the room was so clean already.
''I slept at four. You on the other hand were out cold even before Sherlock died.''
Tamsin's eyes widened, ''he died?''
Lauren chuckled. ''Yes and no. It's a long story. Do you have anywhere to be this morning?''
''Yeah, work. I have to take the nine to three shift so I can have the afternoon off.''
So she could attend the party. God, just thinking of Bo or anything related to her brought her mood down a notch.
When had things started tangling themselves up like bitchy earphones?
''Well it's only seven now so you still have time to freshen up and come have breakfast with me. I made pancakes.''
Tamsin's eyes widened. The last time she had had homemade pancakes was seven years ago and she had stolen them.
''You're not like, messing with my mind or anything right? Cause that would be plain mean.''
''I never joke about pancakes Tamsin.'' Lauren said trying to be serious and failing badly. ''bathroom's first door to the left, I put a fresh towel and a toothbrush for you on the counter. Oh and don't use the toothpaste in the green tube labelled toothpaste, it's not toothpaste. And hurry, I hate cold pancakes.''
...
Breakfast with Lauren was quiet and more peaceful than anything Tamsin had ever experienced. They ate as Lauren read some magazine on medicine and Tamsin perused the newspaper. She only liked the sports and entertainment part.
Then they had coffee and Lauren talked a little about her experiments. Tamsin managed to make her promise to one day let her in on one. Lauren had laughed when saying yes. For some reason that made Tamsin feel accomplished.
When it was time to head home and change then rush to work, Tamsin really didn't want to go. Spending time with Lauren had put her on some sort of high for a reason unknown to her and she just knew that once she stepped into the world, that high would somehow be taken away and she really didn't want to part with it.
''I'll see you Monday .'' Lauren said softly as if reading Tamsin's mind.
''Yeah. Good luck in your experiments.''
''Thanks. Have fun at the party.''
...
Tamsin had been right, by the time two rolled by, her high was practically nonexistent.
Between having to deal with drunk people while she was sober and listening to Nadia bitch over how ungrateful her partner was, she had lost almost all her sanity.
''I'm off.'' She informed Nadia who was busy wiping glasses and still bitching about her ex to herself.
The curly haired girl frowned, ''you're done?''
''Yeah.'' They had divided closing duties amongst themselves; Trick had had most of the chairs shipped to the venue of Bo's party, so they were closing early today. Tamsin's duty had been to count the money and calculate the days profits she'd done it within half an hour.
''How?'' Nadia seemed genuinely surprised.
Tamsin shrugged, ''I take math lessons from a genius.''
...
When she arrived at Bo's party two hours later not only did she have no high at all, but she was also nervous as all actual fucks.
They hadn't spoken since Bo had pulled a Usain Bolt on Tamsin, not even a single text and Tamsin was a little wary of how things will play out.
This was Bo after all, you never really knew with her.
''You came.'' Speak of the devil.
Tamsin managed a weak, nervous smile ''I was invited.''
Bo smiled back. ''Yeah you were. I'm really glad you're here.''
''of course I'm here. You owe me unlimited amount of alcohol.''
Bo laughed and grabbed Tamsin's hand, ''let's go then.''
...
She was on the border of tipsy and wasted, leaning more towards wasted if the number of times she had stumbled on these stairs was to be taken into account.
Bo's party was amazing. Good food, good booze, hella annoying people. What? It was amazing, not perfect.
Speaking of Bo, she was a bitch and Tamsin was going to tell her to her face the next time she saw her. Who leaves their best friend alone during a party for four hours to go God knows where? Also, how was Tamsin supposed to tell which one of the a million and one doors in front of her was the washroom? Honestly, did Bo have to live in a freaking mansion? Why couldn't she live in a cozy comfy house, like Lauren's for example.
Now that was a nice house.
Fuck she needed to pee.
''ennie, minnie,minny...urgh fuck this¬'' she pushed a door open hoping against hope that it was a washroom and there was Bo, seated on a bed, holding a bottle of jack and crying her eyes out.
Right. This definitely wasn't the washroom.
5. Chapter 5
For a moment, she contemplated turning back and proceeding with her hunt for a washroom.
She was one of those people who were just naturally horrible at dealing with emotional situations, and that was when she was sober. She doubted she'd be any good at it now, drunk and harbouring an almost bursting bladder.
But she had never seen Bo look so broken in all the months she'd known her and to make matters worse, it was her birthday. She sighed, this is what she got for forming friendships; a freaking conscious.
''Bo..'' she called softly.
The brunette looked up, her eyes blood shot and her makeup that had looked so impeccable before all ruined, ''Tamsin,'' she frowned, ''what are you doing here? Did mother send you? Cause if she did you can go back down there and tell her to fuck herself. I'm in no mood to mingle.''
Tamsin shut the door behind her and took a seat on the bed next to Bo. Maybe sitting would make her forget she was pressed.
''Do I look like FedEx to you? Go tell her yourself.''
''So she did send you? God,'' she scoffed, ''that is just classic mother. Never allows me a moment to myself. '' she wiped her tears away furiously and drunk some more jack.
''You've been missing from your party for like four hours, Bo.
''Still doesn't give her the right to watch over me like a crow. Go tell her I'm not coming.''
''The fuck would I do that?''
Bo's red eyes eyed her curiously, ''because she sent you. She'll be expecting either me or an explanation for my absence.''
''Who said she sent me?''
''Wait,'' she shook her head as if to clear it of fog, ''mother didn't send you?''
''No.''
''Then what's the point of the conversation we've been having for the past few minutes?''
''Well, you looked like you needed to bitch so I was trying to be a good friend by contributing to the conversation while at the same time trying to convince my bladder that now isn't the best time to burst.''
Bo just stared at her like she didn't know what to do with her then she shook her head and drunk what was left of her drink, ''you can be so strange sometimes.''
Tamsin shrugged.
The room fell into silence. They could hear people talking and laughing outside while music played on softly.
''Your party is great.'' Tamsin said genuinely.
''I guess.'' She shrugged.
''You guess?''
''I would forfeit it all in a heartbeat if it meant I got just one phone call from her.''
Tamsin was pretty certain her guess on who her was was spot on.
''This is the first time in six years that she hasn't celebrated my birthday with me. I just...I'd convinced myself that she'll call. I kept looking at my phone today, willing her to call me but...'' she gave a defeated little sigh. ''I just miss her so much and she won't even pick my calls anymore and,'' she wiped away the tears that had started spilling again, ''today was my last hope. She's big on birthdays and the fact that she didn't call me today shows she's completely done with me and that thought makes me feel like dying.''
Tamsin didn't know what to say. She had a feeling at that moment that she couldn't explain. She felt bad for Bo, she did. But she also felt something else. Something that she couldn't define but it was there and it was strong.
''I messed things up so bad, Tamsin.''
''Have you tried apologizing?'' she asked, feeling like something had wrapped itself around her neck and was chocking her
''She doesn't want an apology from me. She wants me to grow a back bone, she wants me to make promises and keep them.''
''Then why don't you?''
The brunette shook her head, ''I'm not brave enough yet. I'm not and she's grown tired of waiting for me to be.''
''Are you ever going to tell me the whole deal between you and Lauren, I mean a few weeks ago she was your enemy number one. Now here you are, crying for her'' there was that feeling again. Like she wanted to smash a couple hundred glasses on a wall.
Bo smiled sadly ''I will, just not today.'' She stood up, ''the next door to the right is a guest washroom. You can use it. I need to change for the second part of the party before mother does send someone to come looking for me.'' She started walking towards the door then stopped and turned to Tamsin, a small smile, half sad half thankful, on her lips, ''thank you. You're a great friend''
She said sincerely.
Tamsin nodded though she really didn't feel like one at that moment.
...
It was past ten when she said goodbye to Bo and left for home. She was drunk and exhausted and that stupid feeling that she couldn't adequately describe had only grown stronger as time went by. Every time she thought back on her conversation with Bo, she felt like crying, or hitting something, or hitting something while crying.
She let herself into her house and slumped ungraciously on her couch. It was pissing her off that she felt like this and didn't know why.
''Fuck!'' She growled and face palmed. She had to distract herself before she goes crazy. She fished her phone from her jeans pocket and dialled the first number that came to mind.
''_Hello.''_
Suddenly it didn't seem like such a brilliant idea to call someone at ten in the night.
''I'm sorry, did I wake you?''
''_Tamsin?''_
''Yeah, it's me. I know it's late but I... I just wanted to talk to you.''
''_It's okay. Is everything alright?''_
''Everything's fine.'' That didn't sound convincing even to her own ears. ''
''_Good. You'll never guess what I did today.''_
'' An experiment?''
There was silence from the other side of the line and Tamsin felt a smile creeping onto her face.
''_Lucky guess. But you'll never guess which experiment.'' Her voice sounded smug._
''You made a volcano.''
''_How¬ how did you know that? Have you being spying on me?'' She asked seriously._
Tamsin let out a laugh.
''Maybe.''
Actually Lauren had told her about it in the morning. It seemed she had forgotten and Tamsin was having too much fun to remind her.
''_it's for one of my father's patients. He's ten and has been asking me for one for a while now. I hope he'll like it.''_
''I'm sure he will.'' She said sincerely.
Someone called Lauren's name,
''_I have to go help my father with something. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay.''_
''Okay. Thanks for staying on the phone with me although I called so late.''
''_You're welcome. See you tomorrow.''_
''See you tomorrow.''
She ended the call and placed the phone on her chest, a smile playing on her lips. That feeling, the one she had been eating away at her insides for hours, it was gone.
...
It had been almost four weeks since Bo's birthday and anyone with half a brain could sense that the order of things had shifted.
Bo was still Bo; bitchy when she wanted to be, sweet when it suited her and entitled as hell. at the same time though, if someone looked closer, she wasn't Bo at all. She had an air of vulnerability and sadness around her that hadn't been so prevalent before and for some reason, it made Tamsin's shoulders feel a little heavier. Like somehow, it was her fault that the brunette was down.
They still hang out and Bo still thought Tamsin's house was a church and she could come and go as she pleased. But the asking about Lauren after every hour had stopped. She acted like that night in her room hadn't happened at all and Tamsin let her. If Bo wanted to talk about it, they would, if not then that was her business. Tamsin had her hands full with other things anyway.
By other things, she meant the complete and utter havoc Lauren was raging on her feelings.
She couldn't as much as look at the girl anymore without feeling things she didn't understand. Feeling like her whole entire being was coming completely unravelled.
It was sudden and confusing and it wasn't making Tamsin's already complicated life any easier.
...
''Could you ask Lauren to meet me so we can talk? Please? She won't pick my calls and you guys are friends anyway, so you might be able to convince her.''
They were having lunch at Betty's, exactly a month after Bo's birthday and or breakdown, when Bo pleadingly made her request. Before Bo's request, Tamsin had been enjoying the meal. She doubted that she would anymore. For some reason, she felt sick in the stomach.
''You want to talk with her?'' She asked more out of needing to say something than wanting to know.
''Yes. I just, I realized she isn't going to wait for me forever. I'm not as brave as she needs me to be yet but I'm ready to fight for her. I'll even fight my own cowardice if I have to. I just need to know that she still _wants_ me to fight for her. I need to hear her say it.''
Tamsin was going to be sick. Either that or murder someone.
''So, will you?'' Bo asked, ''talk to her for me I mean.''
''I am not her freaking parent Bo, I don't have any influence over her. There's no telling she'll talk to you just because I ask her to.'' She sounded harsher than she intended.
''I know that. I do. If she doesn't say yes then cool, I'll find another way. Just please try. It doesn't even have to be today or tomorrow. Come on Tamsin, for your best friend.''
''Whatever, fine. I'll try.''
''Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll totally owe you one.''
...
''Are you okay?'' Lauren asked, taking her eyes away from the movie for a second.
''Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.''
''Really? Because you haven't even finished one cookie. Usually you eat like three packets before the movie is even halfway.''
They were watching a movie later that same night. It had become their thing now, watching movies together on Sundays which was Tamsin's off day. Lauren still hadn't gotten the art of buying just enough snacks down yet. Tamsin teased her about it endlessly. Not tonight though, tonight she had her conversation with Bo playing over and over in her mind. It was making her angry then that made her angry because she didn't know why she was angry to begin with.
It was all messed up. But she wouldn't let Lauren see that.
''Are you insinuating something?'' she asked with a faux gasp.
Lauren shrugged, her cheeky smile, in place.
''You can be so mean sometimes.'' Tamsin said, unable to hold back her laugh.
''being honest and being mean are two different things.''
''Whatever. I just like cookies.''
''Yet surprisingly, you're not gobbling them up today.''
Tamsin smiled softly, not even knowing she was doing it or why, ''I'm fine. Really. Just not that hungry.''
''Speaking of food,'' Lauren suddenly perked up, ''would you like to have dinner with my father and I this coming Saturday? He wants to meet the famous Tamsin.''
''Famous huh?'' she couldn't resist teasing her. It was too cute when she blushed.
''Shut up,'' Lauren said shyly. ''So, will you come?''
''Of course.'' She said without missing a beat, it made Lauren smile before turning back to the movie.
Tamsin thought of Bo and her faith in her ¬her best friend¬ getting Lauren to talk to her, then she looked at Lauren, all excited and beautiful and more perfect than one human being should be allowed to be, and she had no idea what to feel.
None at all.
6. Chapter 6
Have I said thank you to all of you for being amazing? If I haven't, then thank you.
disclaimer; I don't own lost girl.
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><p>Something had to give. Something had to fucking give before Tamsin lost all her shit.<p>
''Tamsin,''
''What?'' she snapped, concentrating on the drink she was mixing.
''You need to calm down.'' Nadia whispered.
''And you need to back the fuck off.'' She slammed the drink in front of a bearded man who was one pervy look away from getting himself punched.
Someone snapped their fingers to get her attention, Tamsin turned towards them, poison in her eyes.
''Snap those hideous things at me just more time, I beg you.'' She snarled.
The girl backed up a little, clearly scared.
Tamsin was about to say something else when she felt herself being pulled by the elbow.
''What's your problem?'' Nadia sounded pissed and concerned in equal measures.
''Other than you not getting the concept of backing the fuck off?''
''I'll back off when you stop being rude to customers! God Tamsin, have you completely lost it?''
Tamsin ran her hands through her hair. It was a good question, one she too wanted the answer to. Things were just constantly running through her mind, feelings that she didn't understand and was scared to try understanding were keeping her up at night. She just needed things to calm down for a moment so she could fucking think. But they wouldn't and it was messing with her head.
''I know we're not close but, you can talk to me Tamsin.'' Nadia's voice pulled her from her thoughts.
She sighed, ''I'm fine.''
''T¬''
''I said I'm fine, okay. Let it go.''
...
She left the bar a few minutes past ten. Business had been doing well for Trick for some time now and he had finally decided to hire another girl to work during the day so that Tamsin and Nadia could share the night traffic. It was a good arrangement. Nadia was pretty cool to work with and during school nights she even let Tamsin take the first part of the night so that she could squeeze in a few hours of sleep. Also, having someone to help deal with the occasional sleaze bags wasn't something Tamsin was complaining about. Honestly, she really liked this new arrangement.
Just not tonight.
Tonight, she had felt suffocated. Nadia, the customers, the Irish music that she couldn't stand; they were all just sucking the air out of her, leaving her with nothing.
If Nadia hadn't forced her to head home, tired of her attitude, Tamsin probably would have killed someone tonight. It would most likely have been the girl with the snappy fingers.
She took a large sniff of her cigarette and closed her eyes as she felt it course through her lungs. The last time she'd had a cigarette she was ten. They were her mother's husband's expensive ones. The man never had a cent to spare for basic necessities but he could afford Italian cigarettes. He was so pissed when he found out she had smoked them. Tamsin actually believed that that was the day his blows to the head would finally kill her.
She threw the unfinished stick to the ground and crushed it with her boot. She hated thinking about her past. Nothing good ever came from it.
She sighed, things were just getting more complicated by the day and complications were the last thing she needed. She'd had enough of them to last her a lifetime.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, a message; Lauren.
''_Hey, I just want to tell you that dinner will be at seven. My dad is really excited to meet you. Good night, and please don't hit any drunkards at the bar. It's bad for business.''_
She found herself laughing at the text. The hitting drunkards thing was a little inside joke of theirs. Tamsin was always complaining about how she sometimes the customers made her so mad she could hit them and Lauren always told her that she shouldn't, it was bad for business.
She shook her at Lauren's sneaky sense of humour. Some things were definitely worth having a complicated life for.
...
For all the stressing out she had gone over it, Tamsin was really surprised when Saturday dawned on like any other day. The weight on her shoulders and the annoying knot in her stomach were still present when she woke up, just like they'd been for the past few weeks. Mrs Perkins's cat which was pregnant and noisy and annoying as fuck was still around. Still pregnant and still inflicting murderous thoughts into Tamsin's head.
She rubbed her eyes. Why the hell was she stressing over having a simple dinner at a friends house and meeting said friend's father? She didn't have to feel guilty about this. She hadn't done anything wrong. Yes, she hadn't told Bo about it yet but Bo wasn't her keeper, she didn't need to tell her everything.
What she did need to do, was go buy a new top, and maybe get new jeans while she was at it. She was going to meet the girl's father for Pete's sake, she had to look presentable.
...
''Is that new?''
She started, completely startled.
''how many times do I have to tell you this isn't a mosque?''
''You said church and don't change the subject.'' The brunette sat on the bed, ''why are you wearing a new top?''
Tamsin turned back to the mirror, she really didn't want to have this conversation.
''I'll try not to take offense in that statement.''
Bo rolled her eyes, ''You know what I mean.''
''Actually, I don't.''
''Whatever. So I've been thinking. Maybe I should have a party.''
Tamsin frowned, glad for the change of conversation but a little confused,''you had the hugest party I've ever seen just weeks ago.''
''Yeah, but maybe I should have another one and as my best friend you have to come and maybe ... maybe bring someone with you.''
Then it dawned on her, ''By someone you mean Lauren?''
''Yeah.'' She stood up, ''It'll be a great chance for us to finally talk.''
Tamsin couldn't see how that even remotely made sense but at that moment she couldn't concentrate enough to tell Bo that. it was starting to worry her how many times in a single day she felt like vomiting. if she didn't know any better she think she was pregnant.
''Maybe you could ask her when you see her on Monday for your lessons?'' Bo sounded so innocently shy and sickeningly trusting.
''I'm seeing her tonight actually, we're... we're having dinner with her dad.''
There, it was out. It had been choking Tamsin every time she'd seen Bo in the past five days she had felt guilt and anger in such high intensities that it scared her.
There was a moment of silence then. Tamsin felt a weird case of dejavu
''What?'' her voice and eyes and entire body language told Tamsin Bo was hurt. suddenly she wanted to take it back.
But she couldn't.
The words were already out there and Bo already looked like Tamsin was having dinner with Lauren just to hurt her. she wanted to make it better, so she softened her voice, ''it's just dinner, Bo.''
''With her father,it's just dinner with her and her father.'' her voice sounded dead.
''She...''
''God I'm so stupid!''
''What are you¬''
''I practically handed her over to you!''
Uh, ''What?''
''If it wasn't for this stupid tutoring thing you wouldn't even have known her. How could I have been so stupid.'' She was talking more to herself than to Tamsin.
The blond took a breath, no use losing her shit now. '' she's just my friend, Bo.''
''And I'm your best friend. Your best friend who trusted you with the most important thing in her life, your best friend who you're going to screw over. Aren't you?'' Her voice was dripping with so much hatred it scared Tamsin a bit.
''That's not...'' She tried explaining although she didn't know exactly what to say.
Bo put her palm up, her brown eyes swimming in a sea of so many emotions.
''Fuck you Tamsin. Just¬ fuck you.''
...
"Fuck, fuck fuck!"
She dug her hands in to her hair and pulled, she needed to feel the pain, she needed to feel something at that moment other than confusion and pure hate at herself.
God had she fucked things up!
She shouldn't have told her. Yes, it had been eating the fuck away at her although she had no idea why but she could have handled it. She was good at handling shit so that other people didn't have to.
She had done it for her mother for fifteen fucking years and she didn't even like the woman.
"Fuck!"
The alarm that she'd set so that she wouldn't be late leaving the house went off.
It was time to go to Lauren's for dinner. A dinner that Lauren had been so shy and excited inviting her to, a dinner that if she went to, Bo would never talk to her again.
She stared at the phone, the alarm kept going off.
7. Chapter 7
This chapter is for FrenChi, I hope I got that right, you were my very first reviewer and therefore the very first person in the world other than my closest friends to give me an opinion on my work and that to me is very special. so this one is for you.
Thank you all for reading and reviewing and as soon as I learn how to and what to say, i'll reply to your reviews. promise.
I don't own lost girl.
* * *
><p>When you took her age into consideration, or even if you didn't; Tamsin Sarksten had been through a whole lot.<p>
Her mom had married a useless son of a bitch who thought Tamsin and her mother were punching bags. The very same mother thought insulting Tamsin was some sort of sport and once, and this isn't an exaggeration, she had battled a bear. Maybe not an actual bear but the boy she´d fought with had been so huge he might as well have been one. Point is, Tamsin was a survivor. She had survived a whole lot of shit and she was definitely going to survive a whole lot more.
Just as long as none of what she had to survive included Lauren Lewis shutting her out.
"_I can't."_
That was all the content of the text she'd sent to Lauren on Saturday night.
Had it been a cowardly move? Yes.
Did it completely kill her to send it? Definitely.
Had she drowned her blood in all the alcohol she had in the house while ignoring Lauren's calls and texts? Yes. Yes. Yes.
But it had been necessary. Bo considered her her best friend and in her own terribly annoying way, the brunette had made herself a tiny home in Tamsin's heart. She couldn't hurt her, not any more than she already had. The brunette might be annoying but she was still Tamsin's friend and Tamsin might not have liked it, but the girl had made a tiny home for herself in Tamsin's heart. She didn't want to hurt her, not any more than she already had. Those were the facts.
Facts that she desperately wished she could curse to hell as she sat in Lauren's kitchen pretending to be doing some stupid sum while stealing glances at Lauren.
Lauren who had looked at her with mild surprise and incredible amounts of hurt when she'd opened the door.
Lauren who hadn't smiled at her, not once since she'd walked into this house.
Lauren who was clearly shutting her out.
…...
''I um…I have something to show you.'' She said nervously, reaching into her bag.
It was Wednesday and Lauren was still acting like Tamsin was just someone she was tutoring. Like they didn't share inside jokes and Sunday movie nights and it was scaring the shit out of Tamsin.
She had seen what being shut out by Lauren Lewis was like. She had listened to Bo whine, bitch and cry over Lauren and she would be damned before she just sat and watched that happen to her.
"You do?" She said politely nit even sounding remotely excited.
Tamsin's hopes shot down like a dying radio.
''Yeah,'' she forged on, ''here.'' She stretched out the paper, feeling an odd mixture of nervousness and excitement. A paper that she'd worked harder on than she'd ever worked on a paper in her life. She had spent time that she was supposed to be sleepin studying instead. She had taken her time while doing it, trying to recall what Lauren and the teacher had taught her. She had gotten a freaking A! That had to count for something, right?
Apparently, something was a twitch of the lips.
''This is great Tamsin, I'm really proud of you.'' Said in a polite voice that you just didn't use with friends.
Tamsin sighed inwardly. She'd just have to try harder.
…...
The idea came to her as she was shopping with Bo Saturday afternoon.
The brunette was confusing Tamsin's head in a way that wasn't appreciated. She had just walked in to Tamsin's apartment in that never knocking way of hers and sat on Tamsin's neatly spread bed.
"_I don't wanna talk about it. I know I over reacted and it was just dinner but, I love her Tamsin. And the thought of her being with anyone else, especially now that I'm trying so hard to get my shit together so there can be an us, it scares me. But you're my best friend and…I trust you so…yeah.''_
Then she had shrugged and that was it. She was back to being annoying and never knocking and making Tamsin leave the house when all she wanted to do was drown herself in alcohol and think of ways to get back on Lauren's good side.
''Remind me why we're here again?" She asked glaring at the green haired boy who had been looking at her rather oddly since they walked in to the movie store.
"To get an action film for Dyson. He needs it for a boy's night in. What do you think about Bruce Willis?''
"I don't." She said bluntly.
Bo rolled her eyes, "find, stay there and be unhelpful, I'm going to go loo around." Then she had swung her hips and walked away.
Tamsin was still glaring at the boy when her eyes landed on a poster and she had a light bulb moment.
_Lauren will love that._
…
She hadn't been sure what to do. Things were so tense between them and Lauren was acting like she was just starting to see Tamsin now. She thought of not going at all. But then she thought of what was in the overnight bag that she had packed. And how Lauren's eyes will light up when she saw it. She thought of a bed full of snacks that they weren't going to finish and a peaceful breakfast full of shy smiles and science speak that she couldn't understand a word of but was happy to listen to all the same.
She thought of all of this and she couldn't not go, no matter how nervous she was feeling.
"I got you something." She after they'd settled into bed.
Lauren just looked at her, her brown eyes soft and eternally curious, her hair glowing and her skin looking so babyishly soft.
"Here."
She watched for a reaction. A smile, maybe a hug. Hope, she lived on it.
"Where did you get it?" her voice sounded happy. Tamsin smiled.
"The movie store." She felt proud.
That brilliant smile on Lauren's face, she had put it there.
"Thank you so much Tamsin. Do you mind if we watch this tonight?"
"Nope. I like Star Trek."
"Okay and its Star Trek _Original."_ Lauren said in that adorably excited way of hers.
Tamsin couldn't stop smiling. Things were looking up for her.
…..
Dyson, Tamsin had come to a conclusion, had a complex. She didn't what it was yet, but he had one and she hated it.
"But don't you miss it?" He was trying her patience. He really was.
She had been in a good mood all day. Lauren had made her pancakes in the morning like she did every Sunday morning and for some reason she had put smiley faces on them today.
_Smiley faces._
God, no one had ever done that for her. Not even her mother, between drinking herself to oblivion and taking beatings from her stupid husband or watching as her daughter took them in her stead, Danielle Sarksten really didn't have time to make something as silly as pancakes let alone put smiley faces on them.
It surprised Tamsin how happy that tiny little thing made her. And how much she actually wanted someone to care enough for her to do something like that.
That happiness was the only thing preventing her from beating the fuck out of Dyson.
Honestly, who asks people about their sex life while they were eating? Really. They weren't even friends. He was just the guy who hanged around Bo acting like some half boy half way too loyal dog and Tamsin was forced to hang out with him by extension.
"That's really none of your business." She was trying to be polite.
"Come on ,we're all friends here. Right baby?" he put his arms around Bo.
"Yeah, Tam. We're all friends."
That's when it dawned on Tamsin that maybe, just maybe, Bo wasn't as okay with everything as she'd want Tamsin to believe.
And honestly, she didn't know how to feel about that.
…...
"So since we always solve the brackets first, regardless of…"
"Are we okay?"
She had to ask. It had been two days since her lunch with Bo and she just, she was asking herself questions.
Bo had said that things were okay between them, she had acted like they were, but now that Tamsin looked closely, they really weren't. Bo was still harboring some hurt and Tamsin felt some sort of guilt at that and also something else. Like she was being lied to, being tested.
She didn't like it. And she was sure she would like it a lot less if Lauren wa doing that too.
She needed to know.
"Sorry?"
"I know you're acting okay and all but I-"
"Acting? I'm acting?"
Maybe that wasn't the right word to use.
"No. That's not what I mean I just…are we okay? I know I was a jerk and all but I need to know that we're _really_ okay."
Lauren sighed, Tamsin tensed.
" Yes, we are admit that I was hurt when you canceled on me and didn't even explain why. You still haven't told me why by the way."
"I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
Tamsin could practically see Lauren's walls building back up. Had she been thinking straight, it would have worried her just how panicked that made her.
"Lauren," she could tell her, it would lift a huge weight off her shoulders if she just said "I like you."
"You-" had she said that out loud? "You like me?" oh fuck.
It was out there. She hadn't admitted it even to herself but now it was out there, Lauren knew.
"Yeah. " She wasn't good at this, she wasn't good at this at all.
Also, the silence was driving her nuts.
"Say something," please please say something.
Lauren didn't say anything, she did do something though, she kissed her.
…
She was kissing Lauren Lewis.
No,no; Lauren Lewis was kissing her.
And it was amazing. So so amazing.
It felt like floating, floating in everything Lauren. Her scent, her softness her lips the way she placed her soft hands on Tamsin's cheeks. It was floating and trusting that –lauren wouldn't let her sink.
Trust.
_You're my best friend…and I trust you."_
She couldn't do this. She wasn't supposed to be doing this.
She pulled back, too a breath and looked into Lauren's confused and aroused eyes. Taking a moment to just look into them incase she never got another chance.
"Tamsin what-"
"I can't do this."
8. Chapter 8
AN: I think a couple of things need to be adressed before I go on. You guys have taken the time to read my story and it's only fair that I explain my thought process where it isn't clear, so here goes;
There's a reason, and a really big one as far as this story is concerned as to why I'm yet to and probably will not specify a ship. If this was mainly a Copdoc story, trust me I would already have said so.
Lauren, Bo and Tamsin, as I'm trying to depict them, are human and growing. So far we've only seen Tamsin's side of things, mainly because I find it really easy to write her, but all the characters will be explored, I promise.
I notice that people think Bo is selfish and self absorbed, which she is, but there's a reason for that. I'm sure that when you read Bo's point of view you will see this.
I have a very clear path as to where I want to lead this story. If you're going to come on the journey with me, Thank you, so much. If you feel like I'm a little too confusing for you,Thanks for giving it a chance anyway.
Thank you all for the support, you're all sorts of amazing.
_Marcelle._
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><p>"You can't." A deaf person would have heard the incredulity in Lauren's tone.<p>
Tamsin wanted to bash her head in something hard. She was making a mess of things left right and center and she just did not know how to stop.
"I just-"
"-kissed me back, Tamsin. I kissed you and you kissed me back. Right after you told me you liked me. So I don't-" she placed her palm on her forehead, Tamsin didn't think she had ever seen her so confused before, "did I do it wrong? Is that it? Because-"
"You didn't." Tamsin cut in. She couldn't let Lauren think this was her fault in any way. "You didn't do it wrong." She said softly.
'_You__ did it amazingingly, you're an amazing kisser' _Went unsaid.
"Then what's the problem?" She sounded like a mixture of confusion and hurt and it broke Tamsin's heart.
Bo, my friend Bo. The first person in a really long time to take me as I am, no judgments passed. The person who's in love with you, the person who's _trusting me_ not to do anything with you. She wanted to say.
"I just can't." She said instead.
"I just can't is not an answer Tamsin, at least not one I'm willing to take." Lauren sounded angry.
Perfect, shy, polite, always saying the exact right thing Lauren sounded angry. Tamsin didn't think she could hate herself any more than she did at that moment.
"I don't-" she felt bile rising in her throat, God she would need so much alcohol after this, "I don't like you like that."
Lauren's eyes narrowed, Tamsin could practically see her rolling the words in her mind. Processing their every possible meaning. And the more time she took, the sicker Tamsin felt.
"Oh." She said finally. Her brown eyes more blank than Tamsin had ever seen them and suddenly, she wanted to take the words back.
"Lauren I-"
"We'll revise angles tomorrow," she sounded detached, lost, vastly uncomfortable where she was, like a doctor who longed to be someone else.
"Laure-"
"Try not to be late."
...
"Not this again." Nadia's voice sounded tired.
Tamsin didn't give a shit. She drowned some more of the drink she'd been having since she got to work, she hadn't even bothered to check it's name. She had been on a mission to forget.
Forget the look in Lauren's eyes when she opened the door and wordlessly begged her to leave.
Forget the fact that she had messed up what without a doubt the best thing she had going for her in her whole damn life.
She didn't care what helped her forget, she might have been drinking surgical spirit for all she knew, just as long as it did the trick.
"Not now, Nadia." She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and winced.
Seriously, what the fuck was she drinking?
She raised the bottle to eye level, the words looked like some sort of dancing ants, it was making her dizzy just looking at them.
She shrugged and brought the bottle to her lips, it's not like she cared what it was anyway. Alcohol was alcohol.
"This is getting out of hand, Tamsin." She heard Nadia say. Or maybe she said _"This is getting really hard, Tamsin." _She wasn't completely sure.
"So?" Out of hand, really hard; she honestly didn't give a fuck.
Nadia sighed, she'd been around enough drunk people to know when there was no getting through to one, "I'm going to call Bo to come get you."
She said, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and pity.
Tamsin vomited.
...
"God," Bo dumped her on the bed, "you reek something awful."
Tamsin scoffed. Did she look like she cared about that? Really.
"She's never going to talk to me again."
"What?" Bo asked as she struggled to cover her in the sheets that she absolutely loathed. They insisted on having a certain smell no matter how many times she washed them.
It reminded her of her mother.
Tamsin pushed them away. Bo covered her again. Tamsin threw them on the floor.
"Tamsin, stop that."
"Don't talk to me." She curled herself into a ball, her back to Bo.
"What the fuck is your problem. I don't recall advicing you to go get shit faced."
She sounded angry. Tamsin just couldn't bring herself to care. Or look at her without feeling like vomiting again. Whether from guilt or something else that she'd been holding against the brunette for sometime now; she wasn't sure.
All she was sure of was that her emotions had taken all they could take for the night.
She needed a break.
"Just leave Bo. I don't want you here."
"Whatever."
A few seconds later she heard the door close.
...
When she woke up the next morning, she made a decision. Right after she drunk some black ice because the best cure for a hangover is having another drink.
Life lessons from Danielle Sarksten.
She had decided that one; she was going to get rid of Mrs Perkins stupid cat. The bloody thing had refused to give birth or stop screeching every damn morning. She wasn't going to kill it, that would be just wrong, but maybe she could drive it to the next town and leave it there. Or give it to Bo's cousin, Vex, he seemed like the type to like annoying pregnant cats.
Two, she had made the right decision yesterday. No, not the decision to drink whatever it was that she drunk, that had been a horrible decision.
She had made the right decision in regards to Lauren.
Bo clearly felt something extremely strong for her, and evidently had been feeling it for a while. It wasn't fair for Tamsin to hurt her by interfering with that.
Third, Bo did not need to know that she and Lauren had kissed. That Lauren was the most amazing kisser in the whole entire universe and beyond. That Tamsin would give anything to go back to that moment, that moment when Lauren Lewis in all her etheral perfection had deemed Tamsin Sarksten, fucked up as she was, worthy of her kisses.
Bo certainly did not need to know that.
Fourth, and most important, she had decided, or realized rather, that she did not deserve Lauren Lewis. She did not think there are a great many people on earth worthy enough of Lauren. But amongst the unworthy ones, she was top of the line.
Lauren was smart and charming and really nice and sweet in a way that Tamsin knew would get her hurt one day. And she was so heart breakingly beautiful that sometimes, in all her confusion, it hurt Tamsin's heart to look at her.
Lastly, she was going to tell Lauren about Bo wanting to speak to her. It was the least she could do and maybe it would help take away this stupid feeling she felt every time she saw the brunette.
Yes, Tamsin Sarksten, with the help of Smirnoff ice, had made decisions. and if you ask her, all of them were pretty good ones.
...
Good decisions, as it turns out, can be really fucking hard too.
It was killing her, slowly, painfully, with every blank look; it was killing her that Lauren Lewis had completely shut her out and there was nothing she could do about it.
She had known, immidiately she'd seen her on the other side of the door, she had known.
It was in the greeting. In the way she didn't wait for her before walking to their study area. But mostly, it was in te way she did not smile at her.
She didn't want to come. She'd presumed things would be wierd and maybe Lauren needed some space after the evening from hell. But immidiately her alarm went off, she'd remembered Lauren telling her not to be late and she found herself in the bathroom, getting ready. Had she not been worrying over how everything will go, it would have annoyed her a little the power Lauren has over her.
"Okay, we're going to-"
"Please don't do this." Apparently,Tamsin's mouth and brain had no relationship whatsoever.
Lauren sighed, she sounded eternally tired, "Tamsin."
"Please." It was the most pleading please she had ever said in her life which was saying something because sometimes her pleas had come when she was within an inch of her life.
Lauren softened, "I just need some time. Yesterday was...confusing and embarassing and,_painful_ for me. It's just going to take some time before for me to get over it. But I will, it's not your fault you don't like me like that."
"I really do like you Lauren. Being with you is...it's the best part of my day." She didn't know why she said that, she just didn't want to see the hurt in Luren's eyes anymore.
"You just don't like me _that _way. I know."
"But Bo does." It came out sofltly and completely from nowhere, even Tamsin didn't know she was going to say it until it was out there.
She shoud probably reduce her alcohol intake. It was clearly messing up her brain.
"Sorry?"
Well she had started it, might as well finish,"Bo, she still likes you and...and she was hoping maybe you'd give her a chance to explain herself. That you'd go to a party she's having this weekend?"
God was she thankful she had not eaten anything today.
* * *
><p>From the minute he had seen her, Daniel Dennis knew that his daughter was going to bring great things his way.<p>
She had been so tiny and so perfect and so, so beautiful. Just like her mother.
And as he held her and rocked her gently, watching fondly as she suckled on her tiny fist, he knew she woud be his greatest investment.
And he had been right. Four years, she's been dating the Thornwood boy for four years and it was pretty much a sure thing now that they were going to get married someday.
Everyone in town knew it.
Everyone in town also knew that the second that happened, Daniel Dennis would be the most powerful man in town. Most of the business in town that were not owned by either the Dennis-McCorrigan family was owned by the Thornwoods. A marriage between Bo and Dyson would merge them. Make them even stronger than they already were.
It honestly was the perfect arrangment.
One that Bo Dennis really hated.
"Dyson, stop," she said turning her head away. He always insisted on keeping his stupid face hair and it got on her nerves when they made contact with her skin.
"Why?" he kept kissing at her neck.
"Because," she pushed him away and sat up, already scanning the room for her top, "I need to go check on Tamsin. She wasn't feeling so good yesterday and she skipped school today. I'm worried about her."
Dyson sighed. He didn't like Tamsin much. Mostly because the blond did not make it a secret that she thought little of him.
"I don't get why you're frinds with her. She's a bitch."
She found her top and slipped it on, hoping it had no creases on it, her mother would throw a fit if she looked anything other than perfect at any time of the day.
"I don't tell you who to be friends with, Dyson. It would be really nice if you extended the same courtersy."
She sounded harsh, Dyson visibly retracred,"Fine,but we're still going away for the weekend, right?"
"Of course." She gave him a peck on the lips, adjusted her clothes accordingly and left.
...
She didn't go to Tamsin's, she hadn't been planning on it even when she told Dyson that that's where she was going.
Tamsin had thrown her out of her house after Bo had taken her drunk ass from the bar and talked her grandfather out of giving her a suspension. If she wanted to talk, she had Bo's number.
Besides, she had other important places to be.
_"Do we have to come here every week?" Bo's voice was whinny as she walked behind the blond, heading towards the old town park that no one went to anymore._
_"Yes Bo," Lauren hurried on, her blond hair being swept by the wind, making Bo smile for some reason, "You know I need this for my research."_
_Now Bo's smile was full blown, her best friend was too cute sometimes._
_"That word always sounds so different when you say it."_
_Lauren __smiled, "You think everything sounds different when I say it."_
_"Because everything does sound different when you say it. You make odinary words sound-" she bit her lip in thought for a second then it came to her, "refined."_
_Lauren laughed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink that made Bo feel proud at being the cause of._
_"Come on, we have plants to uproot." She took Bo's hand and Bo let herself be led._
_Her fingernails were going to be so dirty and her mom will be extremley pissed but Lauren Lewis and her refined way of saying ordinary things was holding her hand._
_Bo found she didn't care for much else._
Now she sat on a bench facing the park, it had a direct view to where Lauren still came to pick her reaserch plants. Soon, Lauren was going to appear. Her curious eyes taking in everything around her before she decides what to take back home.
And Bo was going to sit and watch her from afar, wishing she had the courage to just go and say what she desperately wanted to say. What she had wanted to say all those times she had called Lauren late at night and ended up just listening to the other girl breath into the phone, waiting for her to grow a back bone until she got tired and hanged up.
She wanted to say it. With all her heart she wanted to say,_I'm sorry, I love you, please please give me another chance,please._
But she couldn't, not until Lauren herself gave her a chance to.
Her phone vibrated, she had a new text message.
Tamsin.
_"Start planning that party. She's agreed to come."_
Her heart literally stopped beating for a second.
9. Chapter 9
Her door flew open and Bo Dennis in her, no one ever taught me the art of knocking ways, came almost running into Tamsin's house.
The blond frowned, she had sent the text to the brunette less than ten minutes ago.
"How the fuck is it that at your you still not understand the concept of knocking? It's honestly not that complicated."
Bo didn't even seem to have understood a word she'd said, she just stood there, panting, "what did she say, tell me exactly what she said."
_"A party?" It was a question and a statement, one that had been uttered in a tone of voice Tamsin had never heard from Lauren._
_"Yeah. She- she wants to talk- and-"_
_"She wants to talk." Disbelief. Her voice was full of disbelief._
_"And sort things out." _
_Tamsin wanted this conversation to be over. Yesterday. She had never in her life thought that she would ever feel her heart break as many times as it had been breaking lately._
_Like it was breaking at that moment.
><em>
_Lauren let out a humorless laugh,"you're joking, right?"_
_Joking? Seriously?_
_ Her heart was being torn in two in a way that she'd never wish on anyone, not even her worst enemy, and Lauren thought she was joking?_
_The unfairness of life surprised the fuck out of her sometimes._
_She refrained from saying anything. Chances were if she opened her mouth at that moment something bitchy will spill and and she wasn't going to be bitchy to Lauren._
_Anyone but her._
_"Is-" Lauren had that shiny quality in her eyes that always came about when she figured something out, "Is that the reason why you pushed me away?"_
_Sometimes Tamsin forgot that there was reason Lauren had managed to get into college at sixteen._
_The girl was ridiculously smart._
_"What, no, of course-"_
_"Don't insult my intelligence Tamsin. Please."_
_She sighed._
_ How and when had her life become so freakishly complicated? _
_"Were you lying?" Lauren asked in a soft hurt voice when it was clear Tamsin wasn't going to say anything.
><em>
_"I-"_
_"When you told me you didn't like me like that. When you made me feel like I'd just gone and violated you. We're you lying to me?"_
_Panick. That's what that question and the tone of voice it was asked in brought out in Tamsin._
_Pure Panick._
_"Lauren it's not-"_
_"Yes or no Tamsin. Yes or no will do just fine."_
_She was going to completely lose her. Whatever little she had of Lauren Lewis she was going to lose if the word yes came out of her mouth._
_"Don't make me answer that." She begged softly._
_"I guess I have my answer."_
_No, no no. God no._
_"Don't do that." She shook her head. It felt like someone was squeezing her heart, and had been doing so for such a long time Tamsin didn't even recall how it felt to not have it squeezed._
_"Don't do what,Tamsin? Feel hurt that you lied to my face. That you intentionally did things that you knew would hurt me!?"_
_"You can't really think that." She whispered. Hurt._
_"Why Tamsin, why shouldn't I when we both know it's true." She sounded like she was on the verge of crying. "Is it the reason you didn't come to dinner? Because of Bo? Because you're here for her and her needs come first?"_
_"Lauren that's-" she could feel her throat closing and her eyes stinging._
_Fuck it, she was **not** going to cry!_
_"Don't lie to me!"_
_"I like you, okay! I like you in that **way** and in all other sorts of way a person can like another person."_
_"And that's such a bad thing you had to lie to me and tell me you didn't?"_
_"Of course not! God, Lauren. You're the most **amazing** person I have ever met in my life."_
_"Then what-"_
_"Bo gave me a chance." She said cutting the other blond off, "she was the first person in the world to do so. My own mother didn't even think I deserved one. And I-I don't want to repay that by completely shitting her over. I just, I don't want to be one of those ungrateful bitches that go through life screwing other people over. I don't want to be my mother. " God she was exhausted of feeling her world spin out of control and not having a say in it. "I'm not asking you to forgive her Lauren. I'm not even asking you to go to the party if you don't want to. I'm just telling you that Bo is having a party and she wants you to go. What you do with the information is up to you." She finished softly. Feeling completely drained. _
"_I'll__ go."_
_"What?" _
_"I'll go to the party."_
_Tamsin felt what was left of her heart breaking.
><em>
"She said she'll come to the party." Tamsin said, pretending to be concentrating on her laptop.
Bo arched a brow, "that's all?"
"That's all."
...
She could do it.
She could sit and watch as Bo tried dress after dress in order to find the perfect thing to wear to her party(which surprisingly,_was_ going to take place that weekend. Short notice and all) Just as long as someone kept filling her glass with vodka.
"What about this one?"
It was a blue strapless dress. Blue was Lauren's favorite color.
_It reminds me of the sea,my mom loved the_ sea.
She was never going to lie under covers that smelled of vanilla and honey and something solely Lauren and hear her whisper tiny details about herself ever again.
"She'll like it."
Bo bit her lip, "you really think so? I want to look perfect. I want everything to be perfect. This is my chance to start winning her back. I can't mess up."
Seriously, did she have some sort of stomach bug? I couldn't be normal to get this sick in the stomach this many times.
She took a bigger than neccesary gulp of her drink. It burnt as t slid down her throat. She welcomed the sting. Honestly at this point she welcomed anything that wasn't hurt, pain, self loathe and utter devastation.
"What's your plan anyway?" She asked to change the subject.
Bo tilted her head to the side, regarding herself critically, "what plan?"
"What will you say to her?" She scoffed, "you're not going to wing it are you?"
"It's called speaking from the heart, Tamsin."
Tamsin let it go. What did she know about speaking hearts. Her's was too busy breaking at all hours of the day to do much else.
* * *
><p>Bo was out of her mind with nerves.<p>
Tamsin had bailed on her, she had just sent a text that said she was busy and coudn't come.
Bo was a littlee dissapointed. Tamsin had been acting odd for a while now and Bo knew somewhere in her mind, if she just searched hard enough, she'd figure out why.
She just didn't want to.
Their relationship was a bit unconventional, and sometimes the blond pissed the hell out of her but as things stood Tamsin was her friend. And Bo knew if she figured out the cause behind Tamsin's odd behaviour they wouldn't be friends anymore.
So she chose to let sleeping dogs lie.
Besides, she couldn't go into that tonight. Not when Lauren Lewis was going to be here, talking to her, giving her a chance to make things better after she'd let them go to shit so bad.
This was her chance and no one was going to mess it up for her.
Not Tamsin and whatever it was she was hiding.
Not Dyson and the fact that he was pissed beyond belief that Bo had cancelled their trip for an out of nowhere party.
Not even her parents and their controlling, self serving ways.
Absolutely no one was going to ruin this for her.
She looked around, her eyes trying to make sure everyting was perfect and her mind trying to keep her away from checking what time it was.
Tamsin had said Lauren had said she'll be here.
And if there's one thing Bo is certain of, is that Lauren Lewis always keeps her word.
_"It's only one week, Bo." Lauren said as she double checked her things for the trip she was taking with her father._
_"That's a whole seven days," Bo said with a pout, "what I'm I supposed to do without you for a whole seven days?" She honestly sounded like she was going to cry._
_Lauren sighed and sat next to her on the bed,"do you want me to stay?" She asked softly._
_Bo took her hand and started playing with the blond's fingers._
_ It was a little nervous habbit of hers._
_Lauren found it adorable._
_"Yes." She said quietly, "but I want you to go too. You love everything science and you get to spend time with your dad. I'm just going to miss you so bad."_
_"I'll miss you too." She watched as the brunette laced their fingers, "but I'll call you, every single day."_
_"Promise?" She asked innocently._
_Lauren squeezed her hand softly, promise."_
And she did call, every single night.
And everytime they had to say goodbye Bo would find something new to talk about so they could stay on the phone for a while longer.
She smiled at the memory, God what wouldn't she give to go back if only for a minute.
She would do so many things differently.
"Hello Bo," a voice said from behind her.
She felt her mouth go dry and her heartbeat increase.
She turned around,"Lauren,Hi."
...
She didn't know what she had been expecting.
She'd dreamed of this moment so many times that all the ways that she had ever hoped it will go were all just jumbled up in her head into one big mess,
What she did know though, is she hadn't been expecting Lauren to just greet her then walk up the stairs.
That part had come as a complete shock to her.
"Uh, thanks...thanks for coming Lauren. It means a lot to me."
Shit.
Why the hell was she nervous!
She had planned this for days, she didn't need nerves messing everything up for her.
"You wanted me here Bo. Well here I am. Say what you wanted to say."
Bo fiddled with her fingers.
Fuck it she was making a mess out of her one and probably only chance at ever working things out.
"I- I am so sorry Lauren. I know I've said that to you more than enough times but it needs to be said again. I am so sorry for everything, I probably will be for the rest of my life."
"Sorry isn't enough anymore Bo. Not after everything that happened between us."
"I know that," Bo took a step towards the blond, "I do. But I needed to make a firdt step and you knowing that I feel so bad for everything that happened and that I am willing to do anything to make it better was that step for me."
"Bo,I know you're sorry and I forgive you." She said in that soft way of hers and Bo's heart completely soared.
She was getting it, she was getting another chance to fight for the only person on earth who had ever made her feel happy and loved.
"But I can't be with you, not after everything that's happened."
Bo's face went blank, her eyes glassed up, she shook her head, "you don't mean that."
"Yes I do, Bo."
"No you don't," she was standing in front of the blond now, her eyes pleading, "it's us, remember? Bo and Lauren, Lauren and Bo. Perfect and meant to be. You-you said that. Remember? You said that."
"Bo-"
"Please. I'll do anything Lauren. _Anything. _Just take me back. Please."She was openly begging now and she couldn't even begin to care.
Not when this was on the line.
Lauren shook her head, her eyes getting glassy too, "there isn't a thing you can do Bo," she took a step back, "not this time."
"I'm not going to stop trying you know. I'm never going to stop."
Lauren looked at her with sad brown eyes, shrugged like there was nothing else she could do and left.
And that's when the sobs racked Bo's body.
* * *
><p>She had done the right thing.<p>
It had been the right thing to do.
Bo loved Lauren and if she could only get her act together, she would be able to give the blonde everything she deserved.
And if there's one person on earth who deserved everything, it was Lauren Lewis.
Sweet, funny,caring,ridiculously gorgeous,effortlessly sexy, Lauren Lewis.
"She makes the most amazing pancakes." She breathed out and smiled.
God she was going to miss her so bad.
So so bad.
She didn't think Bo was going to let her anywhere near the blond again and even if she did, Tamsin wasn't going to do that to her heart.
Seeing Lauren everyday and knowing what she had given up was going to break the pices that were already broken.
But then not seeing her _at all,_well that would probably kill her.
"Fuck!"
She threw the bottle she'd been holding across the room.
How the fuck had she let her life get so god damned complicated over one girl?
One perfect girl but one girl nonetheless.
And worst of all, if were ever to do it all over again, she wouldn't do anything different. Not if it meant she didn't get to see that smile or sit on her bed and watch her concenrate on one scientific show or the other or even hear her nerd out about mathematical formulas. She would take all the heart break twenty times over if it meant she got to expirience what it felt like to be wrapped up in something so completely Lauren that it made you forget that your life is fucked up.
Even if for just a moment.
She placed her face in her palms and her elbows on her knees; as if she wasn't fucked up enough as it was, now she'd gone and turned into a massochist.
Her train of thought was cut short when she heard her door fly open and a livid Bo Dennis walked in, looking like she had been crying for hours.
Tamsin stood up, "what are you-"
She didn't even see the slap coming.
She just felt a sharp sting on her face and heard it echo in the house.
"What the fuck,Bo!"
10. Chapter 10
_AN; This chapter is kind of like an ending of the first part of the story and the setting of the stage for the second part._
_AN2; Thank you for reading and reviewing and saying really really nice things about my writting._
_Thank you, very much._
_I do not own lost girl._
* * *
><p>Tamsin had been slapped more times than she had been kissed in her life.<p>
At some point, the sting of slaps stopped surprisingher and became kind of familiar, something she should bear with because she was Tamsin Sarksten, the mistake that had ruined Danielle Sarksten's entire life. And mistakes, mistakes deserved all the slaps in the world, she had been told that enough times for her to believe it.
For her to reconcile herself with it.
But for some reason Bo's slap surprised the fuck out of her.
Maybe it was because she had given up something that she hadn't even known was her's to give up in the first place for the brunette.
Maybe it was because she had been sitting here for hours, talking to herself like some insane person while slowly corroding whatever was left of her liver, giving herself liver freaking cirrhosis, thinking of Bo and Lauren getting together, leaving her to deal with heart break for the rest of eternity.
Most probably though, it was because a slap, after everything, was the last thing she expected from Bo.
"Why the fuck would you-"
"It's all your fault! All of it."
The brunette looked half crazy and if she hadn't just slapped her, maybe Tamsin would have given a fuck.
"Keep speaking in tounges Bo. Cause we both know I'm freaking psychic, I'll know exactly what the fuck you mean."
"Don't play dumb with me, Tamsin. Were you just laughing at me in that twisted mind of your's? Did you set me up knowing full well you'd already poisoned her mind towards me?"
What the-
"What the fuck are you talking about?!"
"Lauren! I'm talking about Lauren and how you've fucking ruined any chances I ever had of getting her back."
Tamsin narrowed her eyes at the brunette. This wasn't happening right now. Not after everything she had done for Bo. Not after she had been willling to let her own heart break just so Bo could get a chance.
Bo was _not_ saying these things to her at this moment, Tamsin refused to believe it.
The brunette looked drunk, that must be it. Tamsin knew better than most what alcohol can make people do and say.
"You need to calm down." She said as calmly as she possibly could.
Bo scoffed, "what I need, is for you to leave Lauren the fuck alone. You don't deserve her."
Uh, okay. Forget being Bo being drunk, forget Tamsin being rational; that fucking hurt.
"And you do?" Tamsin asked with an arched brow.
She had verbally sparred with people enough times to know that if you want to maim them, you hit them where it hurts most, and she knew exactly where to hit Bo, "you've hurt the girl so much she can't even hear your name mentioned without flinching."
The livid look in Bo's eyes fell away and was replaced by hurt, she hardened her features, "you know nothing about that." She spat out
"And you know nothing about me. So don't go acting like you do." Tamsin said with just as much anger.
"I love her, Tamsin! Why won't you just understand that!"
"Of course I understand, I understand better than anyone what it means to love Lauren Lewis."
Immidiately the words left her mouth, both of them grew silent.
So silent you could hear them breathing.
How the hell had she not seen it? It was more obvious than day that she loved the girl.
The constant heart break at the thought of her being with anyone else, the excitement any time she spent time with her, the need to always make sure that things were fin between them.
God, she had even apologised to the girl, more than once. And Tamsin Sarksten just didn't do apologies.
"You're-" Bo broke the silence, her eyes glassy and blazing with more anger than Tamsin had ever seen in them, "you're in love with Lauren?"
"Bo-" shit, what the hell was she supposed to say? Before the words spewed out of her mouth even she hadn't known that she was in love with the girl her best friend was pinning over.
Bo backed a step and dug her fingers in her hair, "How could you?" She whispered.
How could you?
What, did she think that Tamsin had planned this? That she had even known that she was falling in love with Lauren?
"Bo it's not-"
"Anyone but her. I asked you to date _anyone _but her."
Uh, the fuck?
"I'm not your freaking puppet, Bo. I don't do or keep from doing things because you tell me to. And Lauren isn't your property."
"No, she's the girl I'm in love with and you're supposed to be my friend." She yelled pointing an accusing finger at the blond.
"I am, Bo. God if only you knew."
"Well, I don't know. All I know is that I trusted you, I believed in you and you threw it back in my face."
"Bo-" She started but the brunette put her palm,up signalling her to stop talking.
The tears she had been trying to hold were falling freely now.
"Don't even bother explaining. It won't matter what you say because I'm done with you, Tamsin. Totally done." She said with utter finallity in her voice.
Then she left.
...
Distraction, distraction distraction.
That was all that was running through Tamsin's mind as she walked into Vex's club.
She hadn't been able to stay in the house after Bo left.
She was out of alcohol and there were too many things running in her mind all at the same time and she felt suffocated.
She felt like she was going crazy.
But most of all, she felt like an utter idiot.
Who the fuck cannot tell when they're falling in love with someone?
Seriously!
All the signs had been there. All of them.
God, she'd even drunk herself half to death when she'd thought of the girl not talking to her again.
"What can I get you hot stuff?"
The barman asked, pulling her from her mind.
She shed off her coat and drapped it on the back of her seat.
"Vodka on the rocks."
He nodded and got to work.
She turned to scan her eyes around the club.
Distraction, she needed a distraction, and tonight it had to be more than just alcohol.
She was going to fall out of love with Lauren Lewis.
She had to.
...
"Hi," She said in what she knew was her most seductive voice.
She was tipsy enough to be flirty and drunk enough not to give a fuck about much at that moment. And she had been eyeing the blond for good few minutes before approaching.
The girl was tall, with a head of nice golden hair and brown eyes.
They didn't twinkle and she did not smell of vanilla and honey and other things that made Tamsin lose most of ger senses but that was okay, she'll do.
"Hi." The girl smiled.
She had seen Tamsin watching her, she had been waiting for her to make a move.
Tamsin smiled like a hunter who'd just conered her prey.
"You want to get out of here?" Her voice oozed sex.
The girl bit her lip and nodded.
...
The washroom. How cliché´.
No matter though, she wasn't looking for romance.
She was looking for a bloody destraction. Something had to be good enough to remove the image of warm whisky eyes and soft smiles from her head.
"You're so hot." The girl (Dani,Sami?- who the fuck remembered)said while unbuttoning Tamsin's shirt.
Tamsin smirked, this was going to work, whatever her name was was going to distract her, she was going to help her forget.
If only for tonight.
"You're not so bad yourself."
The girl giggled and brought their lips together.
Then it happened; Absolutely nothing.
There was no floaty feeling, no feeling of complete safety, there wasn't that incredibly warm feeling in her belly that made her feel light haeded.
There was nothing.
Either whatever her name was was a really bad kisser or whatever Tamsin was doing was really wrong.
Either way, she knew she had to stop.
"I can't." She pulled back.
If the situation wasn't completely fucked up and if the girl before her wasn't looking at her with outmost confusion, Tamsin would have laughed at the irony of it all.
Hadn't she told Lauren the exact same thing after kissing her?
"I thought you-"
Tamsin shook her head and started buttoning her shirt back up, "not anymore."
She wasn't falling out of love with Lauren Lewis. Not tonight.
...
She still needed a freaking distraction, now more than ever.
"Scotch," she said hen she sat back down, "keep it coming."
The bar man did not dissapoint and neither did Tamsin.
Before ten she had drunk almost a whole bottle and was busy relating her troubles to the bar man, Frank.
Such a nice name, Frank.
Nice man too.
"And I sacrificed my happiness for her you know?"
Frank nodded.
"I-It's not like I planned on falling in love with the girl."
"Your best friend's girl, you mean."
"Shut up, _Frank._ No one asked for your opinion."
He laughed and picked another glass to wipe, "well if you would have asked, I would have told you to tell her."
"That I love her?" She asked incredulously.
"Yeah," he shrugged, "seems like the other chick already lost her chance and I kinda fear for your liver if you go on like this."
She laughed, "but my liver's loss is your gain, isn't it."
"That it is." He said before winking at her and leaving to go serve someone else. Leaving her to think about what he'd said.
...
She found herself in front of Lauren's door at ten thirty, Frank waving at her after he'd convienced to stop being such a wimp and a doormat and just go for it.
_I'll even drive you after my shift._
And he had driven her. And given her his number to call him if things went to shit.
"Do it!"
He yelled while driving away.
She chuckled a bit and turned to the door.
She could do this. There was no reason she should lose both Bo and Lauren.
Bo was clearly done with her, her own words. And if everything Tamsin had done to keep their friendship wasn't enough.
If her knowing that Tamsin was in love with Lauren and had still stepped aside so she could get a chance wasn't enough, then nothing will ever be.
And she wasn't going to keep bending herself backwards trying to make things okay if Bo wasn't even going to appriciate her efforts.
What she was going to do though, was make things okay with Lauren.
She could do it, all she had to do was knock the door and say the right words.
She took in a breath and raised her knuckles.
Before she could knock though the door flew open and there stood Lauren, tears in her eyes.
And someone was standing beside her, "Bo?"
11. Chapter 11
To everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, thank you.
Really.
So I was going to dedicate this chapter to one of my favorite reviewers but uh...I really don't think she'll want this so..yeah.
I hope this answers a few questions and I hope it isn't as hard to read as it was to write.
All mistakes are mine.
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><p>The first time Aife Dennis heard the name Lauren Lewis, her daughter had been eleven, almost twelve really.<p>
"_There's a new girl in my class. Her names Lauren" _She had gushed as they ate dinner one night, "_she's smarter than smart."_
That was the first of many times Aife would hear the name Lauren in her house.
"_Do you know that Lauren has golden dapples in her eyes?"_
"_Golden Dapples?"_
"_Mhmm, and when she smiles, they dance."_
If she's being honest, Aife had initially found it cute. She remembered when she was Bo's age, she'd also had a best friend who had been more like a sister to her.
She was glad her daughter was getting to experience the joys of true friendship.
"_Mom, do you think we could have like, zoo animals and stuff, at my party." _
"_Animals?"_
"_Uh huh. Lauren really likes animals and I really want her to have fun at my party."_
"_But honey, you're afraid of animals."_
"_Yeah, but Lauren loves them so-"_
They had hired half the zoo for the party, and Aife started worrying.
A simple friendship she could stand, there was really no harm in it.
But it seemed like whatever Bo had for the blond girl was a little more than just friendly feelings.
Or maybe Aife was just looking too much into things.
Bo, from a very early age had always been extremely passionate.
She did not do things half assed, she put her heart and soul into everything she did.
That must be what was going on, it was just a very intense friendship.
Nothing more.
She had been wrong.
It happened when Bo was fifteen.
The brunette had been down for almost a week and when Aife asked her what the problem is, she said something about Lauren and a conference and that she didn't really feel like talking about it, Aife let her be.
Until one day, late at night, when her father was out of town and it was just the two of them making dinner, she brought it up herself.
"_Mom," she started softly._
"_Yes dear," Aife answered, not really giving her much attention, she needed to focus all her attention on measuring the flour, it was imperative if the brownies she was baking were to be any good._
"_Uh, I need to ask you something, and I need you to not freak out, Okay?"_
_Now she turned her attention to her daughter. _
_She had never heard Bo sound so nervous about asking her anything._
_Bo was Aife's only child and judging by the fact that Bo was fourteen and there still weren't any signs of her getting pregnant any time soon, that was going to be a permanent thing._
_She tried making sure they were friends, that Bo felt free to tell her anything anytime without feeling scared at all._
"_Honey, you can tell me anything. You know that" She used her most motherly voice._
"_Just, just promise not to freak out."_
"_Well, I can not really promise until I've heard what you have to say." She said softly._
"_It's uh-it's about Lauren." She wrung her hands while staring at her feet._
"_What about Lauren?"_
"_I just, " she sighed, "I miss her."_
_Aife chuckled, "that's what's got you worried? Honey, it's normal to miss people."_
_Bo shook her head, "not the way I miss her. I miss her all the time. Sometimes, sometimes I can't even think of anything else."_
"_Ysabeu wha are you trying to say?" Aife asked with narrowed eyes._
"_I don't know."Bo looked like she could cry, "I think- I think I like her."_
_Something in Aife told her this conversation was getting dangerous._
_She tried not to jump to conclusions._
"_Of course you like her. She's you're best friend."_
"_No I mean," she sighed, "__**Like l**__ike her"_
_Aife felt her blood freeze._
_This wasn't happening, her daughter wasn't saying these things right now._
_She was fifteen for god's sake! She did not know anything._
"_I don't think you're old enough to know what you're talking about,Ysabeu."_
"_That's the thing though, I do know what I'm talking about mom. I don't know how, I just know that I know."_
"_I don't think I want to keep having this conversation."_
_Bo's eyes widened, "What? Mom you-"_
"_You're too young to know anything, Ysabeu. You and that girl have been best friends over two years and you spend almost everyday together. It's normal that you've become, attached."_
_She said the last word like it was poison, it felt bitter in her mouth._
"_That's not what this is!"_
"_Did I not say I do not want to talk about it? I am telling you what is and what isn't. I am not asking for your opinion."_
"_But-" tears were poling in the brunette's eyes._
"_Go get ready for dinner." Aife said with a note of finality. _
_Bo jumped from the counter, looking at her mother with glazes eyes and a look that said she did not even know who the woman before her was. At that moment, the two might have as well been strangers._
"_And Ysabeu," Aife said not establishing eye contact, 'not a word of this should be uttered to anyone else. Understood?"_
_Bo ran out of the kitchen, cying._
_That night, the brunette had cried herself to sleep and Aife had made phone calls to the Thornwoods, inviting them to dinner the next week._
…
_The next day, Bo was standing in front of Lauren's door._
_The blond had called twenty minute prior to inform her that she was back home and immediately after they'd hang up, Bo was out of her house heading to Lauren's._
_The door was opened after the first knock, as if Lauren had just been waiting for the brunette to knock. And before she could even say hi, Bo's arms were around her._
_Lauren chuckled, "hey."_
"_God I missed you."_
_Lauren heard tears in the brunette's voice, she pulled back, "hey, what's wrong?" She asked softly._
_The brunette shook her head and chuckled a bit, "nothing, I'm just, I'm really happy to see you."_
_She knew she couldn't tell her about the conversation with her mom, no matter how much she wanted to._
"_I've known you for years, Bo. You can't lie to me."_
_Bo wiped the tears away from her eyes and tried to look cheerful, " nothing's wrong. Really." She tagged the blond's hand and pulled her inside the house, "come show me all the sciency stuff you brought back for me from the conference."_
"_Bo-"_
_Lauren wasn't ready to let things go._
_She knew Bo. She knew when she was okay and when she was hurting and right now she was really hurting._
_The brunette turned back,her eyes begging Lauren to just let it go and for some reason, it was ingrained in Lauren to give her best fried whatever she wanted._
_Even if sometimes it wasn't good for her._
_She sighed, "fine, but don't think we won't talk about this later."_
_Bo's reply was a sad smile._
…
"_Where are you off to in such a rush?"_
_A week had passed since Aife's talk with her daughter and to say things had changed would be an understatement._
_Aife found it hard to look her daughter in the eyes and Bo found it revolting to look at her mother at all._
"_Lauren's," she answered curtly, "we have a study date."_
_The word we in regards to her daughter and that girl, uttered in the same sentence as the word date was enough to make Aife feel like vomiting._
_Where had she gone wrong with her little girl?_
_Honestly._
_She had plans for Bo. Big plans and it would be a cold day in hell before she let some stupid teenage phase ruin those plans._
_Bo could hate her all she wanted but Aife was doing this for her own good._
_She would come to see that one day._
"_Bo, I thought I told you-"_
"_You did not forbid me to see cannot forbid me to see her."_
"_I'm your mother, Bo. You'll find that there isn't that many things I cannot do where you're involved."_
_Bo sighed," mother," she sounded tired, a complete different person from who she was a week ago and if Aife didn't know in her heart that what she was doing was best for her child, she would have felt guilty._
"_We're having dinner with the Thornwoods tonight. You're to attend."_
_It wasn't a request._
_Bo's brown eyes looked stormy,"why?"_
"_Because I say so."_
…
_Dinner with the Thornwoods was a torturous affair._
_Mrs. Thornwod was stiff and Dyson Thornwood was touchy._
_Aife encouraged him to end._
"_Dinner was lovely, Aife. Thank you for having us."_
"_Thank you for coming. Bo," she turned to her bored looking daughter, "aren't you going to say goodbye to Dyson?"_
"_I already did."_
"_Well, do it again." Her voice was honey sweet, it made Bo sick to her stomach,"I think he has something to ask you."_
_The two women in the room shared a look that Bo didn't like. _
_She turned to Dyson who looked a little embarrassed," goodbye." She said shortly._
"_Ysabeu!" Aife sounded appaled._
"_You said to tell him goodbye, I told him goodbye. What more do you want?"_
_Aife sighed and offered the Thornwods endless apologies on behalf of her daughter, assuring them that she was never like this and promising she'l l have a talk with her._
_Imidiately the Thornwoods left, she turned her angry eyes at Bo, "what was that?"_
_Bo shrugged. "I don't like him." She said simply._
_Aife narrowed her eyes, "that's too bad, since you'll be spending a lot of time with him, from now on, seeing as he's your boyfriend."_
_Bo's eyes widened, she opened her mouth to say something but the look in Aife's eyes hushed her, "that my dear, was not a suggestion."_
…
_They were lying on Lauren's bed, Lauren running her fingers through Bo's hair and Bo crying her eyes out._
_The blond was at a loss on what to do._
_Bo had just turned up late for their study date, her eyes red and with no explanations to give other than she absolutely hated her mother._
_Lauren had tried everything she could think of to get Bo to stop crying, nothing was working._
_So she'd figured maybe it was best to just let her cry whatever it was out, when she was ready to talk she would._
_The sobs quieted down after almost an hour and the brunette's eyes looked swollen as she looked into Lauren's eyes._
_The blond wiped some left over strays of tears away, "do you want to talk about it?"_
_Bo shook her head._
_Lauren nodded._
"_Do you want me to tell you atom jokes? I learnt new ones during the conference." She offered politely._
_That made Bo crack a tiny smile in spite of herself, she still shook her head._
_Lauren nodded again and seemed to be thinking. _
_Bo scotted closer._
"_I want to kiss you." She said._
_Lauren's eyes snapped to her, "sorry?"_
"_I want to kiss you." Bo repeated, sure of herself._
"_I-"_
"_You can tell me if you don't want me to,okay?"_
_Lauren nodded, but didn't ay a thing._
_Bo took that permission to kiss her and brought their lips together._
_It was awkward and terrifying and exhilarating all at once. _
_And as Lauren brought her soft hands to cup Bo's teary cheeks, the brunette just knew that no matter what her mother said, what she felt for Lauren was more than attachment._
_So much more._
…_._
Bo drowned another glass of scotch and almost laughed at herself.
God, she was so , so _stupid._
It had been right there, clear as freaking day.
The Sunday movie nights.
The stupid grin Tamsin wore everytime after she'd seen Lauren.
The way she'd looked at her each time Bo mentioned winning Lauren back.
Honestly, short of wearing a freaking sign on her head, Tamsin had given all the signs that she was in love with Lauren.
And Bo had stupidly chosen to ignore them.
She had stupidly told herself that Tamsin, her bestfriend, was someome she could trust.
So Stupid!
She heard the door to the study open and she closed her eyes.
She had told the maids to send everyone home and make sure no one bothered her.
Company was the very last thing she needed right now.
"Ysasbeu? Is that you?"
Fuck, her mother was the very last person she wanted to see at this moment.
"Are you drinking your father's scotch?"
"I really don't want to talk right now, mother."
She poured more scotch into her glass.
Aife frowned.
Her relationship with Bo had never been repaired since that night, years ago.
She honestly doubted it ever would be repaired.
Too much time had passed, too much had happened.
But she was still the girl's mother and she deserved some respect.
"I will not-" she started only to be cut short by Bo banging he glass on the table.
"You know what," the brunette stood up, "I've changed my mind,lets talk."
Aife had never seen her daughter look so angy before, honestly, it was a bit scary.
"Ysabeu-"
"No mother. You wanted to talk, so let's talk. And to start with, let's talk about how you ruined my entire life."
Aife pursed her lips, "I do not like your tone of voice, Ysabeu."
"And I don't like you, mother. In fact, I hate you."
Aife's blood froze, "where is this coming from?"
"It's coming from the fact that I've lost the only person who ever mattered to me and it's all your damn fault!"
Aife was now genuinely puzzeled.
"Dyson broke up with you?"
"Dy-" Bo's eyes grew even more stormy, "you think this is about Dyson?"
"It isn't?"
"Of course it isn't! I don't even like him! I never even wanted to date him and you know it!"
"I thought things were good between you two."
"Good?" Bo took a step towards her mother and unconsciously, Aife took a step back, the girl looked murderous.
"I hate him, mother. Do you know what it's like to be with someone you hate? To feel filthy and vile and violated every time he touches you?"
"Ysabeu-"
"No mother, you wanted to talk, were talking. We're talking about how every damn day I die a little more inside but I have to smile because I'm Bo Dennis. Aife's perfect daughter who has no right to be anything but."
"I- I didn't know that."
Aife said swallowing the lump in her throat, this conversation made her feel like vomiting.
"Of course you didn't. How could you? Everything was going your way and that's all that ever matters to you."
"That's not true. You're my daughter, you're happiness matters to me."
"Really?" she narrowed her eyes, "because it didn't seem like it when I came to you scared and confused and you just made me more scared. God, mother, I was fifteen!"
It suddenly dawned on Aife where all this was coming from, she straightened her back, ready to defend her principals.
She was sure she was right then and she is sure she is still right.
"I couldn't let you fall into sin, Ysabeu."
"What do you mean sin mother? I was in love! I still am."
"What?" She breathed out, completely shocked.
She ha thought it was some stupid sick infatuation.
Some stupid sick infatuation that she had done away with, not love.
"You heard me." Bo said in a strong voice. "I was in love with her then and I am even more in love with her now and I am so tired of hiding it just so you'll keep having your stupid illusion of a perfect family. So there mother, I've said all I had to say, what I should have said years ago. Do your worst."
Then she walked out, Leaving a speechless Aife behind.
12. Chapter 12
You're all on another level on awesome, honestly.
Sometimes I can't believe you're all reading my story.
Hope this explains why the last chapter happened when it did,Too lazy to sign up.
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><p>Bo did not know where she was headed until she stopped her car across Lauren's house.<p>
She had been furious and relieved and more than a little drunk when she'd left her house and she'd just gotten into her car and drove.
She hadn't planned on coming to Lauren's but now that she was her, she realized that she wanted to be here.
Tonight was a night of saying what exactly she should have said for so long.
Tonight was a night to finally deal with the past and what she and Lauren had done earlier had barely scratched the surface.
There was so much more that needed to be said between them, so much more that Laure deserved to hear.
She took in a huge breath and prepared herself, she could do this.
She had to do this.
….
The door was opened on her third knock by a more than exhausted looking Lauren Lewis who looked more than a little surprised to see the brunette on her door step.
Bo's heart broke on the sight of her.
God, she had messed things up so bad.
"Bo? What are you doing here?"
Her voice sounded even more exhausted than she looked.
Bo steeled her nerves, she had gotten this far, no use turning back now.
"I- I need to talk to you."
"We already talked Bo. There's nothing more to say."
"Yes there is Lauren," so much more, "please, I just need ten minutes."
""Bo.."
"Five then," the brunette insisted.
Lauren sighed. Her brown eyes made it clear that she had taken more than she was willing to take for the night. Still, she wordlessly moved aside and let the brunette in.
Bo breathed out her thanks.
…
The nostalgia that hit Bo immediately she walked into the Lewis household was sort of overwhelming.
She had spent a great part of her childhood in this house.
She had made some of her happiest memories in this house.
She had had her first kiss here.
She had fallen in love here.
"_Take it back"_
_The brunette said as she tickled the blond girl under her._
_Lauren, her brown eyes shining with laughter and tears shook her head stubbornly._
"_I won't stop till you do."_
_Bo warned._
_Neither of them knew exactly how this tickle fest had begun._
_It had something to do with Lauren insisting that they couldn't spend all their time kissing and Bo saying that yes, they could because honestly, what in the world could be better than she and Lauren, on Lauren's bed, kissing the afternoon away?_
_The blond seemed to think that books, books were better than kissing the afternoon away. _
_How Bo refuting that fact had translated into a tickle fest, neither of them knew._
"_Fine, I take it back." Lauren finally laughed out._
_Bo looked down at her. She loved this girl. No matter what her mom said, and the woman said a lot of things, Bo Dennis knew that she was completely in love with this Lauren Lewis._
_She had known that day, two years ago, when they'd kissed, she knew now and somewhere in her mind, she knew she'd know forever._
"_What?"_
_The blond asked, her voice still had traces of laughter in it._
_Bo smiled softly and pushed messy blond hair behind Lauren's ears, "I love you." She said simply._
_Lauren smiled at her adoringly._
_It wasn't the first time those words had been uttered between them but they still held some sort of wonder anytime they came out._
_Maybe it was because sometimes, with Bo's mother and Bo's boyfriend and the fact that sharing Bo wasn't and keeping their relationship a secret wasn't as easy as either of them had thought it would be when they'd decided to give this relationship a try at fifteen._
_Maybe it was because they fought a lot over things that two teenagers weren't even supposed to deal with let alone fight over._
_Probably though, it was because the words were so true. It didn't matter that Bo had a boyfriend who she sometimes kissed, a fact that broke Lauren's heart and seemed to break Bo's too._
_It didn't matter that sometimes Lauren felt it was justified for her to be angry at the whole situation so much that sometimes she avoided Bo for days only for Bo to turn up at her door._
_Confused and hurt and more desperate that it was healthy for one human being to be for another._
_None of it mattered because at the end of the day, they were in love._
_Utterly and completely and because of that, Lauren had once told Bo, she believed they could fight a whole lot of things._
_They were Bo and Lauren, Lauren and Bo. Perfect and meant to be._
_Bo's phone went off, breaking them away from their little world._
"_Hello?.. Oh hey…today? No no, I didn't forget. Yeah, I'll be right there….Ditto."_
_She seemed guilty when she disconnected the call._
_Lauren's whole demeanor changed._
"_Was that him?"_
"_Yeah," Bo said like that was the last word she wanted to be saying at that moment._
_Lauren nodded._
"_Please get off of me."_
"_Lauren-"_
"_Please Bo."The brunette moved from her straddling position on the blond._
_God she hated Dyson._
_Most of their fights were always about him._
_And somehow he always found a way to ruin their special moments._
_Like every Valentine's Day when Bo spent with Lauren but couldn't enjoy completely because they both knew that later she'll be spending it with him too._
_Like after the first time they'd made love and instead of basking in the afterglow, Lauren had made Bo promise that it would never ever happen between she and him._
_Bo had promised. They'd decided that she'll tell him she was a virgin and was waiting to give her virginity away on her wedding night._
_They had laughed a little at their genius, but they both knew the mood had shifted._
_Like it had shifted now._
"_I'm sorry."_
_She didn't know what else to say._
_Lauren just nodded._
_Bo was turning seventeen in a few weeks. Then they'd only have to wait for a year and they'd get to leave this stupid town with its narrow minded people._
_They'd go to the big city and be free and happy and in love._
_She could wait a year._
…
"You said five minutes, Bo."
The blond said pulling Bo back to the present.
"Right," Bo nodded and wrung her hands, she desperately wanted to reach over and take Lauren's hand.
It always calmed her to touch the blond when she was nervous.
But she knew she couldn't.
She had lost that privilege a year ago when she had been stupid and a coward.
…
_It was Bo's birthday and she had spent the night before, as was tradition, at Lauren's._
_She woke up alone in Lauren's bed and frowned as she went in search of the blond._
_Lauren was always there so that she was the first thing Bo saw on her birthday mornings._
_It was odd to wake up alone._
_Her search ended in the Lewis kitchen where she found Lauren and her father putting finishing touches on her birthday cake._
_The brunette's smile was brilliant as watched the blond demand that her father hurry up before Bo woke up._
_The brunette contemplate turning back and heading to back to the room, Lauren clearly wanted to surprise her and Bo hated disappointing the blond._
_She did that enough as it was._
_But before she could turn back Mr. Lewis spotted her and smiled broadly, his brown eyes so much like his daughter's._
"_There's the birthday girl."_
_He said smiling widely at her and opening his arms up for a hug._
_Bo walked to him and hugged him._
_She hadn't seen him in a while; he was almost never around, travelling around the world doing helping people who couldn't afford to find the help themselves._
"_Happy birthday sweetheart," he had watched the brunette grow up, she was like a daughter to him, "I'm glad I got to see you before I left."_
"_Where to this time?" Bo asked pulling away._
"_Namibia," it was Lauren who answered. _
_Bo turned to her girlfriend, he smile supernova,"hey."_
_And suddenly it was like there was o one else in the entire world but the two of them._
"_Hey surprise ruiner."_
"_Sorry." The brunette sounded adorably apologetic._
_Lauren shrugged the apology of and hugged her, "happy seventeenth."_
"_Thank you," they pulled away, Bo resisting the insane urge to kiss her girlfriend. "And thanks for the cake."_
"_I helped bake it," Mr. Lewis made his presence known, a knowing smile on his face._
_Bo and Lauren blushed for some reason, it really was a wonder, given their tendency to get lost in each other, that they'd managed to keep their relationship a secret for so long._
_As they ate the cake, Lauren and Bo stealing glances at each other and Mr. Lewis pretending he wasn't seeing what they were trying really badly to hide, all that was running through Bo's mind was one year._
_One year and she'd be free to love Lauren Lewis the way she deserved to be loved._
_One year._
…
One year, that's how long had passed since she had let things go to utter shit.
…
_Bo entered her house smiling._
_People were running around, making final touches to her birthday party._
_Her mother was somewhere passing orders and her father was talking to Dyson's father, looking all important._
_But all that didn't register in her head._
_She had just had amazing sex with her girlfriend._
'_Early birthday present' Lauren had called it, and had promise more tonight when Bo headed over to the blonds' place._
_She was on cloud nine._
"_Ysabeu," her mother appeared in front of her, "you're late."_
_Bo let the smile slip from her face._
_She had never mastered how exactly she was supposed to look at her mother these days._
_So most o the time she avoided eye contact._
"_I'm here now."_
"_Well hurry up and get ready. The guests will be arriving soon and I will not have you embarrass me."_
_The brunette rolled her eyes and walked to her room._
…
_The party was probably good._
_Bo couldn't tell you._
_She smiled when necessary, mingled in a way that she knew made her mother entirely proud, but none of it registered in her mind._
'_more to come later' Lauren had said._
_God she loved that girl. And when later came, she was going to show her just how much._
…
_Later couldn't come fast enough._
_No, really._
_Between her mother insisting on introducing her to everyone and Dyson acting like they were some sort of married couple, it seemed like this party will never end._
"_You wanna go somewhere with me after this?"_
_He asked in a husky voice._
_Bo scowled, completely disgusted._
"_I told you, Dyson. I'm saving-"_
"_Yeah yeah." He sighed, "I don't think can do this with you anymore, Bo."_
_It was a good thing most people had left and he and the two of them were practically alone on the table they'd occupied._
_Bo didn't think that shock was very attractive on her._
"_What do you mean?"_
_Dyson, for all his annoyingness, had a purpose, he kept Aife from Bo and Bo needed that._
_As long as she was with him, her mother did not follow her every move._
_Losing him would make things very difficult for her._
_Not to mention the fact that Aife had threatened more than once that if she did not put effort into making it work with him she was going to tell her father and that wouldn't down well._
_The man had already started making plans on the numerous businesses that he'd get into with the Thornwoods._
_And if there's one thing Bo knew her father did not appreciate, it was someone disrupting his plans._
"_So, you're saying if I don't sleep with you, you'll break up with me?"_
_He shrugged._
_She felt sick to her stomach._
_She needed air._
…
_Air, was what her mother found her trying to take in._
_She had excused herself from Dyson and found a quiet place to calm herself and talk to Lauren._
_She didn't know what she was going to say to her._
_She just needed to remind herself that there was a reason she was going through all this._
_A bloody good reason._
"_Ysabeu," her mother called, startling her, "what are you doing out here?Dyson is looking for you."_
_This was the very last thing she needed._
"_I need some alone time mother."_
_Aife pursed her lips._
"_Are you fighting with your boyfriend?"_
"_That's none of our business."_
"_Everything about you is my business Ysabeu. Especially if you insist on ruining not only your future but something that will benefit our family greatly."_
_Bo scoffed._
_Nothing her mother said surprised her nowadays._
"_And you might think you're so grown up now. But I swear to God if you ruin this your father and I will cut you off."_
"_You wouldn't. Daddy-"_
"_Listens to me. Ruin this Ysabeu and you'll find out there isn't that many things in the world that I wouldn't and can't do."_
…
_Lauren was worried and a little hurt._
_She had been extremely excited for her night with her girlfriend and it really pained her that Bo hadn't turned up._
_She tried being understanding, Bo's mother, she knew, was sort of a bitch._
_She comforted herself that at least they had spent the morning together._
_Still though, she felt a tad bit hurt._
_Their situation absolutely sucked._
_A knock on the door drew her from her pity party and she smiled in spite of herself._
_Bo was here._
_Her smile fell immediately she saw the brunette._
_She just knew, she didn't even have to ask, he guilty eyes and the trembling lips and the way her whole body seemed to be apologizing let Lauren know that it had happened._
_Her worst nightmare had come true_
_She took a step back, "you didn't."_
"_Baby, I'm so sorry. My mom threatened me and I didn't' know what o do and he was threatening o break up with me and- I'm so fucking sorry."_
_They were both in the house now. _
_Lauren ran her fingers through her hair, "You promised."_
"_I know- I" Bo took a step forward, "It'll never happen again I-"_
"_Yes it will Bo! He's your boyfriend and the excuse you've been giving him is now useless. We both know it will happen again."_
"_Lauren-"_
"_You have to break up with him. I can take it this once, it'll be hard but we- we can work through it. Love you and we can deal with this. But you have to break up with him Bo. You have to.""I-I can't." the brunette said, her mother's words ringing in her ears, "I can't."_
"_Of course you can! I've never asked anything of you Bo. I've always, always understood that things are hard for you I am willing to put up with a lot, I have already put up with so much. But this, this will kill me. Just knowing that he kisses you is too much for me to handle and I'm actually surprised I haven't hurled considering how sick I feel that he touch you like that. He touched you the way only I'm supposed to touch you and it's killing me. I can't- you can't ask me to put up with it for a year Bo. You just can't."_
"_Lauren," she knew she should say more, she just didn't know what to say._
_Everything was just so so fucked up._
"_Please Bo. I need-"she wiped tears away, "I need you to do this for me. You can even find another guy o distract your mom. Someone who'll believe the excuse we came up with. Please."_
"_I can't." The brunette felt her heart break as she said this._
_How could she make Lauren understand her parent's obsession with having her with Dyson when even she didn't understand it?_
"_I'll do everything to make sure he doesn't touch me Lauren. I pro-"_
"_Don't." The blond suddenly sounded cold and Bo panicked._
"_It's only a year Lauren, we can-"_
"_No we can't and, I need you to leave."_
"_You-"_
"_Now Bo. Leave now, Please."_
…
"Bo, if you're not going to say what brought you here then.."
"I'm sorry, Lauren. For everything."
"You already said that."
Bo nodded."I know, but it needs to be said again and again. I hurt you so bad and," God, this was so hard.
Just thinking of Lauren with Tamsin drove Bo out of her mind, she didn't even know how Lauren handled knowing she was with someone else.
She couldn't even justify in her mind anymore how she had expected Lauren to keep putting up with it.
"If you came to repeat what you already said then I think you should just leave Bo."
"I understand that you're angry at me, you have every right to be. I was stupid and scared and a coward and I made so many wrong decisions that ended up hurting you."
"Are you telling me you're not any of those things anymore?" The blond challenged.
Bo shook her head, "No, I'm still scared, I won't lie and say I'm not. But more than anything I'm ready, Lauren. I'm ready to be anything and everything you need me to be. All I need is for you to need me."
"I ," Lauren let out a humorless laugh, "I don't even know what you expect me to say.
"You don't have to say a thing just" she balled her hands to stop herself from wiping away Lauren's tears, "think about it. For as long as you need to."
Lauren furiously wiped away tears and more took their place.
It became too hard for Bo to stop herself and she took a step to the blond who took a step back, "don't. I- I think you should leave." She moved to open the door.
The brunette sighed and rubbed her temples, this night was not going the way she wanted it to.
Her eyes snapped up when she heard her name being called by a voice she honestly did not want to hear.
Tamsin.
Fuck.
…
Fuck!
Honestly, someone somewhere was playing a really huge joke with Tamsin's life and it wasn't appreciated.
Seriously, could this night get any fucking worse?
"Tamsin, what are you doing here?" Lauren wiped stubborn tears away.
"Uh," shock had sobered Tamsin up pretty darn fast.
She looked from the exhausted blond to the incredulous brunette and gulped.
God she needed some sort of escape.
Any sort of escape.
"Tamsin," Lauren prompted.
"I- Uh," fuck! "I think I should go."
Lauren frowned.
She knew Tamsin was here for something, it was ten at night.
You don't show up at someone's door at ten for nothing.
"Tamsin you,"
"No you know what, I'll go. I was leaving anyway." Bo who'd been quietly fuming said, venom in her voice.
Before she left she gave Lauren a longing look that managed to say so much more than Tamsin was able to interpret.
Then she gave Tamsin a disgusted look, one that said she couldn't believe she'd thought of the blond as her friend, "you're unfuckingbelievable," she spat out then stalked away.
If Tamsin wasn't sober before, she sure was sober now.
Her eye moved from the retreating brunette to the blond who seemed to have no fight left in her.
What was she doing here?
Really, what?
"Ta-"
"I can't do this."
That seemed to be her line.
Lauren's tired eyes suddenly seemed angry.
"You can't do this? I have had a day from hell and a night from somewhere beyond that and you turn up at my door, drunk, to tell me you can't do this? Do what, what is it that you can't do Tamsin?"
"I just-"
"No Tamsin, you owe me that much for the stupid mind games you've put me through. You owe me!"
"Love you okay! She yelled then took a deep breath and sighed, "I can't love you."
There, she'd said it, it was out in the universe.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Countess of East Frisia
House of Cirksena, 14641654
Princess of East Frisia
House of Cirksena, 16541744
See also
List of Counts of East Frisia
List of East Frisian people
East Frisia
East Frisia
Category:House of Cirksena | wikipedia |
Phantom of the Opera How to seduce Erik for Dummies ::complete::
I write this at two in the morning, if you flame.... I will understand, but I am so very muffin right now I find this terribly funny and ingenious.
Forgive me, it's been concocting in my brain for quite some time now and I needed a small break from Angel of Music Among Other Things and my site.
Dedicated to my deliciously wonderful friend Amy, the bestest never met friend in the world
Chicketieboo presents to you now, in digicolor:
SEDUCING ERIK FOR DUMMIES
A book by Chicketieboo
You've read "internet for dummies," and "accounting for dummies", but you haven't read anything if you have not read the new instalment to the series of self tutoring books, "SEDUCING ERIK FOR DUMMIES." Within this book you will find five easy steps into the heart of everyone's favourite phantom.
STEP ONE: KNOW THE LANGUAGE
Read "French for dummies."
Remember ladies, "I would bare your children," means nothing if not understood. Only when you are able to speak and understand fluent French will you be able to continue onto the next step.
STEP TWO: FIND A WAY TO GET THERE
Read "Time travel for dummies."
It is quite impossible to seduce someone who has been dead for over a century. (Unless you are actually quite into necrophilia, in which case you would need his body.) Within the pages of time travel for dummies you will find expert ways as to create your own personal time machine and how you should pack for your new life. One does not make an impression wearing a tank top and jeans. Also, one might remember to travel to Paris present time before travelling through time. It is faster and less expensive in 2003 then the three-month voyage you would have to take in 1880.
STEP THREE: SET UP THE GAME
Once you have completed the easy steps 1 and 2, you are ready to embark on the journey that is the extraordinary and exquisite Erik. With the knowledge you brought with you through time from our books, you first need to rent a small, affordable apartment within walking distance to the Paris Opera in the year 1880. (Why do we choose a year before the events in the opera house take place? It's simple really, if Erik never has a chance to lie to Christine, they cannot truly fall in love can they?)
After you have rented this apartment, you must secure yourself a position in the chorus of the Opera Populaire. This is the perfect way to set up the game of chess you are about to masterfully play. Now that you are a member of the chorus you have easy access to a young woman named Christine Daae. With any chance she will be new there as well, not to mention quite lonely, a vulnerable victim of your undying love indeed. Taking this into consideration you should make friends with this woman as soon as possible. If you are apt you already know her hobbies, her likes and dislikes. That way you can skip the formalities.
Confide in her, make her trust and confide in you. Remember, if you are closer to Christine, you are closer to Erik.
STEP FOUR: BEGIN YOUR PLAY
Part one: Your move
Once you have a well-established relationship with Christine, or in other words, before she talks to Erik of the angel of music. (Trust me, you will know if she has or has not, and if you do not, you don't deserve him.) You can now take your plan into action.
Upon finishing rehearsal take Christine aside and confide in her that you feel that your voice is lacking and you fear dismissal from the managers. If she does not bring it up, then ask her if she would rehearse longer with you in her dressing room.
When she says yes, for she will not say no to you if you secured your position as her friend, proceed to her room and begin the extra practice. Give the libidinous and lascivious lover enough time to hear Christine's and your singing from the dressing room. You mustn't forget that below your feet is five levels' of catacomb basement. Our provocative profound phantom isn't really a ghost after all, just a man.
Within twenty minutes of singing, maybe even thirty begin to cough and make the simple request for a glass of water. If you were wise, you have already made sure that all glasses and water supplies within ten minutes of her room were gone. Being ever the hostess she is, Christine will depart on her small quest to quench your thirst.
Using this opportunity to win over our tantalizing talented teacher of terror's empathy, act like a helpless victim and reveal a sad tale of woe to "no one" but the room itself. Remember this tale of woe does not have to be falsified, nor completely true, nevertheless, the more pathetic and heart wrenching, the better.
Divulge that you feel you cannot sing, that you feel so out of place and "trapped." You do not necessarily need to use the word trapped. However, it does implore our fashionable and facile friend to feel a bond or connection, if you will, with you. Then state maybe you should just become a dancer instead and proceed to attempt to do some of the steps the ballerina's do.
Position yourself so that your back is to the mirror, that way you can fall into it and not hurt yourself too badly. The point of this exercise is not to break the mirror, but to portray yourself to be unconscious. Nevertheless if the mirror does break you are in a safer position that face or extremities first.
Part two: his move
Unfortunately the next part of this is entirely in the hands of enigmatic, esoteric, extraordinary Erik. Fortunately if memory serves correct, the equivocal, evasive, educator of euphony can't help himself when it comes to damsels in distress. When he takes you in his strong arms, try to remember to not pee yourself in utter glee. A dry Erik is a happy Erik. However tempting, resist the urge to kiss, cuddle, jump, ravish, or rape him as he carries you down to his secret lair. Lay totally paralysed in his arms, as one would if they were asleep.
Part three: The suggestion
Upon entering the room he is to keep you in for the night, wait till he lays you on the bed, and then open your eyes to look at his masked face. There is no need to fret ladies, at least at this part there is no need to act, simply smile warmly and mutter something about "A wonderful dream." When he leaves, TRY to sleep for the night. It is understandable if you cannot; nevertheless it is pertinent that you do try for tomorrow is a big day!
Part four: The victor
If it is possible try to wake before him, although it is doubtful that it would be possible. Therefore, there are two ways to greet him the day after his rescue.
You may either:
Greet him friendly with a smile commenting on his beautiful home and music. (Would our ingenious incommodious inventor be doing anything else?) Ask him politely what happened to you for him to be such a gentleman and take you into his home. Also, ask if you may have some tea... in fact, does he have any Russian tea? The kind one must make with a Samora.
Or
If you do have the opportunity to wake up before him, hopefully you were sharp enough to learn how to work the samora yourself in the twenty-first century and can use those skills to impress and thank him for saving you the other night.
STEP FIVE: MANNERS
If you have gotten this far, then obviously you are resourceful enough to take it the rest of the way on your own. Here are just a few pointers so that you do not ruin the opportunity you now have. Never ask what lies beyond the mask within the initial part of your budding relationship, nor remove it. Remember ladies, removing once mask without permission is not only uncouth, but unlady like as well. Never once ask him about the infamous murders taken place in the Opera. If you are going to be with our ambrosial and alluring angel then you already know that there was more to the stories then just the black and white outlook. Never mention his name until he gives it to you, nor anything you learnt of his past. It is one thing to be kind to him; it is another to turn out to be just as much of a stalker as he is. Although it is appealing to you, it may not appeal to him. Not to mention that there is a chance that maybe something has been fallacious in the books, music, and media surrounding his life. For all you know, he could of grown up the second child of a caring and devote mother only to be kidnapped and tortured by gypsies. You will only know when he finally feels that you are trust worthy. Lastly, try and keep him as far away from Christine as possible and when with her, always praise the Vicomte. If you do this correctly she will not even KNOW who Erik is let alone how much she loves him.
Now that you have read "How to seduce Erik for dummies," you are probably laying in his arms right now, you vixen. We hope we have somehow had a part in helping you entrap sumptuous singing slave of sexual, sensual and seductive sin.
Don't forget to read our other books: "How to sing for dummies" "How to torture for dummies" "How to seduce Chorus girls for dummies" "How to sew red death costumes for dummies" "How to throw your voice for dummies" "How to defeat Erik for dummies" "How to survive the torture chamber for dummies" "How to be a ballerina for dummies"
End file.
| fanfiction |
Sailor Moon Flames of Courage
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters within it. Those belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I do not make any money off of this whatsoever. I do however own any original characters within these stories.
In the beginning, Mars was shaped into existence by the god Aries, whose power came forth in the shape of fire. He melted the rocks of space and reshaped them into the planet, before setting himself in a home deep within the molten pits of Olympus Mons. From the same molten stone did he shape and give life to the first Martians, Phrixus and Helle.
And many generations after, there once lived a man named Jason. He was young, around the age of twenty, and considered handsome by his peers. But he lived in a pasture separated from most of his people. His task was to be shepherd of Aries's second most favored creation after the Martians, the Martian sheep. To be their shepherd was considered the highest of honors.
So Jason spent many a day lying beneath the shade of trees, keeping watch of this most special of flocks. But one day, Jason heard cries of help from over the hills of the pasture. He rushed in the direction of the voice, fearing some sort of attacker had struck a passerby. Instead he found himself facing a single young woman lying in the grass.
This young woman was Medea. She had grown up to be a follower of Aries, a priestess and student of temples and the mysteries of the universe. Medea lived in a temple at the edge of the desert. A series of wild sandstorms had caused the high priests to hastily abandon it for fear of being buried. But Medea had stayed on despite the way the priests sneered at her decision and labeled her a foolish woman. In the end, the sandstorms passed, and Medea was left alone to care for the temple.
She had been traveling to a village in order to gather supplies. But her horse had become frightened by the sudden appearance of an animal, and had thrown her, spraining her ankle in the process.
Seeing the young woman's distress, Jason helped her back to his house in the middle of the field, and carefully wrapped her ankle.
Medea stayed there to rest over the next few weeks, and in that time, both Jason and Medea grew to enjoy each other's company, both having had such lonely lives. Attraction turned to budding love, and by the time Medea's ankle had healed, and Medea left back to her desert temple, her thoughts kept returning to Jason. So she beseeched Aries, and asked him to let her be free of her temple duties, and instead stay with Jason.
Medea's request was granted. And so it was that they married, and there were two shepherds of Aries, each taking turns watching the flock in the day and night. While Jason watched the rams, who were identified by their red fleece that turned crimson with maturity, Medea watched the golden-fleeced ewes. All was peaceful, and all were happy.
But such happiness was not to last. Far away, a great beast came over one of the mountains of Mars. It was a creature like no other. This was Cadmus, the great dragon. He stood taller than any tree, taller than the hills and even some mountains. His scaly hide was black as coal, and his eyes were a glowing, sickly yellow with pupils shaped in narrow slivers. In his great hands, armed with long claws, his could grasp and crush even boulders. His long barbed tail swung to and fro, smashing forests. His great wings, whipped up hot desert winds. And from his mouth and nose there poured a black, suffocating smoke that brought all manners of birds falling to the earth below.
His breath was a jet of flame hotter than any furnace, and even the liquid that dripped from his foul maw was corrosive to the touch, and spread plague and blight. Cadmus flew over village after village, poisoning the air and water, burning fields, and devouring any that he wanted. The Martians tried to fight him, but all weapons just bounced off of his hide. Cadmus bellowed like thunder at the warriors that faced him. At one such army, the great dragon simply pulled the teeth from his jaws and tossed them into the soil, the teeth instantly growing back. And from those teeth he had discarded, there grew awful parodies of men, having the shape of a man, but the skin and head of reptiles, in full armor.
Cadmus burned village after village, field after field. News of his destruction reached even Jason and Medea, for the village they often visited for supplies had been struck a hard blow by the dragon.
Upon returning home, Jason saw his wife deep in thought. "What troubles you Medea?"
"Something must be done about Cadmus," she said. "He needs to be stopped."
"I agree my love, but the warriors of Mars will eventually overcome him."
"Those warriors have not fared well against him so far," answered Medea.
"But what could we do Medea?"
"There may be something," Medea looked away, lost in thought. "I have an idea Jason. But I will need your help. I must go back to my temple in the desert." She looked Jason in the eye. "Will you go with me my love?"
"I would follow you to the ends of Mars Medea."
The two quickly packed for their journey, setting aside provisions for their flock and securing them safely indoors while they were gone. Soon they took to their horses and made the journey into the desert, and into Medea's temple.
Medea took a torch and led the way, Jason following her through the maze like hallways deep into the ancient structure. After what seemed an endless journey, Medea stopped in a large room whose doors had been disguised to look like stone.
Inside was a statue of the god Aries, depicted as a man in armor with the head of a great ram. In the hands of the statue was a glowing red gem the likes of which Jason had never seen.
"What is that?" he said, pointing at the jewel.
Medea lit the torches of the room. "It is the Mars Crystal, a gem containing the very magic at the heart of Mars, the very fire of Aries. This is the most sacred of shrines within the temple, long hidden and eventually forgotten."
Medea knew of this room well. Priestesses had only the simplest of tasks given to them, and hers had been the care of ancient texts, written in old and unused forms of Martian. Over time, she'd learned to read them, though she kept such knowledge to herself, knowing the priests would not listen or they would simply claim to have deciphered the text themselves. After the priesthood hastily abandoned the temple, Medea had discovered this most secret and sacred of chambers.
She bent down before the statue. "Great Aries, we come here to ask you for the use of the Crystal's power."
The statue's eyes glowed a powerful red, and a voice filled the room, sounding like the eruption of a volcano. The torches on the columns flared brighter than before. _Why do you ask for the power of the Crystal Medea? Why do you ask for the most sacred of treasures? You are a shepherd of my flock now, as are you Jason. Why are you here, asking for the Crystal instead of tending to your duties?_
"The great dragon Cadmus ravages the land, and its magic may be the only chance of stopping him. Warrior after warrior has fallen to him, and villages continue to burn."
_Cadmus? Cadmus walks upon Mars?_
Jason stepped forward, bowing before the statue. "He does great Aries. He has already killed many and blighted countless fields. Even the village nearest us was ravaged."
"Do you know of Cadmus?" asked Medea.
_Cadmus is an evil that I had hoped would never return,_ said Aries. _Look, and see the story of Cadmus._ With that, a ball of fire came into being, and within in, images appeared. _Long ago, several generations before you, Cadmus had been a mere mortal. He was a man obsessed with power and control, with brining all under his heel. He destroyed village after village with his forces, delighting in killing and maiming innocents. _
In the sphere they saw dozens of armed men marching among frightened villagers. In front of them all was the man who was clearly their leader. He was tall and dark haired, but what made him stand out were his eyes. They were wild as they moved about, filled with bloodlust, an untamed desire for murder. He licked his lips as he drove spear and sword into anyone in his path, man, woman, or child.
_And one day, he even dared to strike my shepherds. In those days there were two, a man and woman, like you are now. They were orphans I had given shelter to, and had given them the names Phrixus and Helle._
"After the first Martians," interjected Medea.
_Correct. Cadmus came for even them. He killed them both, and drank of their blood, and he slaughtered my flock. For murdering my shepherds and my flock, and for all else that he had done, I confronted Cadmus._
The image changed. There stood wild Cadmus in the very fields Jason and Medea would later call home. The blood of Martian and sheep soaked the grass. Cadmus had a bone in his hands, though from what animal could not be told. And there before him stood a ram, a ram several times larger than any Martian ram, with the deepest red fleece and the greatest of horns. Cadmus laughed at the animal, which glared back at him.
The ram charged head on, faster than anyone could react. It slammed itself hard into Cadmus, sending the man flying back and crashing into the ground. The ram just stood there afterwards, glaring and snorting smoke.
Cadmus struggled to his feet. "You will pay for that."
The ram merely shuffled a hoof against the soil, and flames shot out to form a ring around Cadmus and his followers.
_For his crimes and endless violence, I transformed Cadmus into what he was, a twisted beast._
In the sphere, the form of Cadmus could be seen doubling over in pain. His flesh was transforming into something hideous and reptilian. The ring of flames moved inwards, becoming a wall that pushed the captives back.
_I drove him and all those with him deep into a cave, and blocked the entrance with an avalanche. I thought that was the end of him. But it seems he has escaped, and grown in power and violence._
"Great Aries, I have been a priestess of this temple for many years," said Medea. "I have learned the ways of magic, and of fire. I could wield the Crystal's power to banish Cadmus back to whence he came."
_You speak truth Medea, and your spirit is admirable. For that, I shall grant you your wish. You may take the Crystal to banish Cadmus. And you Jason…_
"What do you wish of me?" stuttered Jason in surprise.
_You shall accompany Medea and protect her on her journey. Go, and rid Mars of Cadmus._
Medea took the Crystal from the statue, and put it around her neck with a chain. She and Jason departed the temple to prepare to face the dragon.
"Are you sure you can defeat him?" asked Jason.
"We must try Jason. He must be stopped."
"I do not wish to lose you my love."
Medea turned to face him and smiled. "You and I will never lose each other. Trust in that. And trust that together, we will defeat Cadmus."
Upon reaching their home, Jason began to gather weapons and armor. Medea too made preparations, coming upon an idea to protect them from the dragon's terrible breath. In her time with Jason, she'd become familiar with shearing the flock and knitting garments from their wool. And being a student of Aries, she'd known one great secret about the nature of these animals.
The Martian sheep had, according to writing, lived with Aries before he'd granted the title of shepherd. In that time, the earliest of their kind lived in the temple, within the glow of the Mars Crystal's magic, which expressed itself as fire. Medea knew that by living in that magic, the wool of the Martian sheep had become highly resistant to even the hottest of flames.
So she gathered wool from the flock, first from the rams, and next from the ewes. From each set of wool, she made two cloaks, one for Jason and one for herself. These would protect them from Cadmus.
The couple made their preparations, and restocked the supplies for their flock, and bid them goodbye. They set out toward a mountain Cadmus had been known to circle. They climbed the mountain slowly but steady, all the while steeling themselves for the inevitable battle.
And when they reached the summit, they found themselves face to face with the terrible dragon.
"Who dares come before me?" bellowed Cadmus. "Are you here to fight, or have you the sense to just sacrifice yourselves?"
"I am Medea, and this is Jason. We are the shepherds of Aries. We have come here to banish you from Mars Cadmus."
The dragon simply laughed. "You are fools to think you can defeat me. Now DIE!"
The dragon let out a jet of flame, but Medea just shielded herself with her golden cloak, and Jason did likewise with his. The flames struck the fabric, but could not even singe it.
The dragon snarled. "So you have armed yourselves well. No matter, I will still spill your blood."
"No you will not" said Medea. She raised her hands, closing her eyes, letting the Crystal's power flow through her with the ease that came with being both a woman and a magician. Flames appeared in her hands, and she threw them at Cadmus.
The dragon used his wings as a shield, but smoke billowed from the impact. The dragon's eyes narrowed. "You have great power…"
"It is the fire of Mars, and with it you will be no more!" Medea shot again, and Cadmus took to the air to avoid the flames. He came at her with his claws, but Medea brought a wall of fire to intercept the dragon.
While that battle raged, Jason saw some of Cadmus's twisted soldiers coming onto the summit. They had their sights set on Medea, on overwhelming her. Drawing his sword, he dove into them. Shepherd he may have been, but he was no novice to the art of combat. And he was pushed on by his love of Medea. They would not lay one mutated finger on her, not while he drew breath. He hacked away at them, even as they tore his crimson cloak.
Back and forth went the battle between Medea and Cadmus. The priestess bent fire to her will effortlessly, and struck the dragon several times, while Cadmus had yet to land a blow. Medea gathered her strength, and took aim at Cadmus.
"Now you shall fall Cadmus!" She let loose a great blast, one that took the shape of the mystical phoenix birds that lived within the Martian desert. The fire bird flew at the dragon, at such speed that Cadmus could not avoid it. It struck him in the chest, making him scream in pain as he fell from the sky.
Jason withdrew his sword from the last of the band of soldiers and turned to face Medea. She turned to face him as well. She was breathing heavily, but gave a smile at him. "It is over my love," she said. "Cadmus is…"
But as she said those very words, Jason looked on in horror as the dragon rose back up behind her. "MEDEA! Behind you!"
Medea turned in surprise. Cadmus lashed out his barbed tail, and Medea gave a horrible scream as she was thrown to the ground. Jason rushed to her side. She laid there, her chest bleeding heavily. He cradled her head, and she strained to open her eyes.
"Medea, Medea please don't die. Don't die."
"I am sorry Jason my love. But don't despair. You must…you must finish what we started. Take my cloak, and the Crystal, and use them to stop Cadmus."
"I can't," sobbed Jason. "I cannot use them, not like you. I am a warrior, not a weaver of magic. I cannot use the Crystal."
"Yes you can Jason. I believe in you. Please, you must." He eyes began to droop.
"I cannot lose you Medea. I love you too much."
"We will never lose each other Jason," whispered Medea. "We will see each other again, in the pastures we love. Please, fight on my love. Do not let fear be your master. Fight on."
With that, Medea passed on. Jason held her close, unable to hold back his sobs.
Behind him there was a bellow of laughter. Cadmus stood there hovering in the air, along with more of his soldiers. "So the witch is finally dead. What a fool she was. I am Cadmus. I slaughtered you Martians once, and no Martian can ever stand against me. Aries was a fool. His imprisonment only made me stronger. And now his pathetic little woman is dead, as she should be. Of all the Martians, women are the most pathetic of them all, useful only for the bearing of children and for menial labor. And for all her efforts at magic, all she has earned is death."
Jason's body was trembling. "Stop that."
"Oh? Do you take offense at that you insignificant little shepherd? Did this bleeding bag of flesh and organs matter to you? No Martian matters to me. From the very moment I was imprisoned, my soldiers and servants became my food. I chewed on their bone marrow. And now I am Cadmus, the all-powerful dragon. Your witch was a failure. She thought she could defeat me, and now her body will rot, here."
"Be silent! You will stop insulting my wife!" Jason turned to face the dragon, his voice shaking with fury. He looked upon the dragon and his minions with fear. How could he face this monster? He was one man, and not the greatest of fighters. How could he win? The dragon would eat him, tear him to pieces.
But then he just looked back at Medea, and remembered her words. _Please, fight on my love. Do not let fear be your master. Fight on._
With new resolve, he took Medea's cloak and the Crystal. The dragon just laughed at him.
"So the shepherd wants to fight? Well then, have at me! Show me what you can do."
Jason eyed the dragon. Though Medea's final attack had not killed him, Jason saw the spot where she had struck. She'd hit Cadmus hard enough that scales had been ripped from his hide, right on his stomach, revealing soft flesh underneath. Her sacrifice would not be in vein.
Jason took his bow and drew an arrow. Remembering Medea, he willed the Crystal's power to work. His body burned with pain. The magic of the gem flowed most easily through a woman, and Medea had easily bent it to her will with her training in magic. But Jason bore the pain, he had to for her sake.
The magic ignited his arrow. Taking aim, Jason set the arrow free, putting all his will into it, all his rage, all his sorrow. It shot forward, leaving a burning trail in its wake, and struck the still laughing Cadmus in the stomach.
The dragon roared in pain, his stomach blackened with fire as an explosion burst from it. Cadmus dropped onto the summit. Jason shot again, aiming at the soldiers. The arrow's landing created a blast that incinerated all of them in a heartbeat.
Jason fired yet again, striking one wing, and then another. Cadmus would not fly again. The muscles and tendons of the wings were charred. The dragon continued to scream, staggering backwards at the blows, and Jason threw down his bow and charged at the beast. Striking him on the chest, both Jason and Cadmus fell from the high summit.
Jason stood there on Cadmus's chest, fighting the wind as the pair plummeted from the sky. Jason let the fire of Mars pass into his hands and pressed them to the dragon's flesh, eliciting another scream of agony.
"Stop, please! Stop!" cried the dragon, flailing his head about as the clouds rushed by.
"What is the matter Cadmus? Are you afraid? Are you afraid of dying? Is the great dragon finally terrified that some lesser Martian will bring about his end?"
Jason glared at the dragon, forcing down the pain in his hands. "I have conquered my fears Cadmus. I am not their slave. I am a warrior of fire, a soldier of Aries, and keeper of his flock. I will teach you not to insult my wife, or to underestimate any of the women of Mars."
He channeled the power again, drawing his sword. He ignored the searing pain in his muscles as the magic traveled up his arm and into the weapon. The blade ignited with magical flames. He aimed it high above the dragon's chest.
"Do you feel that pain Cadmus? Remember it. And remember that it was given to you by my wife, by a _woman_. The Martian woman you mocked pierced your armor, and gave you all this pain you now feel."
"And to you, I have only one thing to give. In the name of Mars Cadmus, I give you a command…_BURN!_" Jason plunged the sword deep into the dragon's exposed flesh, and the beast erupted into flames, flesh rupturing everywhere. Jason felt the burn of the Crystal, but kept pushing. His heart felt like the center of a volcano, his blood like magma. But still he kept pushing the power of the Crystal into the dragon.
The two became a great fireball, hurtling toward the ground, scorching the very air. Cadmus reached out his claw, trying to kill the source of his agony, but it simply ignited before it could reach Jason, burning down through skin and muscle and tendon, down to the very bone.
Jason drove the fire more and more into Cadmus, burning every inch of him. Down and down they fell as the flames grew ever higher and hotter around Jason. But still he held on. He could not back down, could not be afraid, even of dying.
The great fireball slammed into the earth with a tremendous crash, whipping up dust and smoke greater than any sandstorm in the Martian desert. Crowds of Martians ran to the crater, drawn by the sight. And when the smoke cleared, there stood Jason, his sword still driven into the skeletal, blackened husk that had been Cadmus.
Jason pulled free his sword, staggering away from the monster, away from the melted ground which still radiated heat. The remains of Cadmus crumbled, becoming a black ooze that seeped through the soil of Mars, back into the dark underground from which he had come.
"Cadmus is dead," said Jason to the crowd, his breathing labored. "You can all rest easily now."
"They can indeed Jason" came a voice from the crowd.
The people split, revealing the strangest of sights, a man in armor with the head of a ram, burning with an aura of red. This was Aries.
Jason looked upon Aries, but could not bow for fear his legs would completely collapse. "Thank you mighty Aries. I…I shall go to your temple to return the crystal."
"That shall not be necessary Jason. I wish for you to be its permanent keeper." Aries walked forward to Jason and placed a light hand on his shoulder. "You and Medea have done Mars a great service by killing Cadmus."
"Medea…"
"I am saddened by her loss as well. She was brave soul, as are you Jason. In honor of your bravery, and for that of Medea, I declare you to be the king of all Mars. Rule this planet with the same courage you showed now, and let your family keep the fire of the Mars Crystal."
Jason looked into the face of Aries, moved to tears. "Thank you Aries. I shall guard this Crystal with my life."
Aries left, and the people of Mars welcomed their new king. Leaving the crater, Jason returned to the fields of Aries, where he was greeted by his flock. He gathered them together, and took them safely from the field. Then he led a group of Martians back up the mountain, where he took the body of his dear wife and carried it down in his arms, even though his legs shook with the effort. At the base, he built a great bonfire, and set Medea upon it. He buried her in the fire of Mars, as he knew she would have wished for. All of his flock cried with him, for to them Medea had been like a second mother.
Jason gathered her ashes and set them in a jar which he kept as closely guarded as the Mars Crystal. The village nearest Jason's home would grow into a sprawling city thanks to the construction of a palace for their king. This palace was built adjacent to the pasture and the little house Jason and Medea had shared, the two always within sight and within the palace's grounds, but never to be touched by royal order, and it remained untouched until the very end. A new shepherd was appointed, and for the rest of Martian history, the flock Jason and Medea had watched lived there in peace.
Medea's desert temple grew too, and became the religious center of Mars itself. The members of the temple from that point forward wore cloaks of Martian wool, red for the priests, and gold for the priestesses, in honor of the pair. The golden cloak of Medea was kept in her memory in the same guarded room as her remains.
Jason married again to Creusa, a woman from the village that had been a dear friend to both he and Medea. But though they had several sons and daughters, Jason's heart never filled the great hole Medea had left. But still he sat upon the throne of Mars, protecting and guiding its people, wearing the iron crown adorned with ram horns, fighting on in her memory, for he considered her the true hero of Mars.
But a shadow of tragedy followed the life of Jason. The fight with Cadmus had given him long lasting injuries, ones he struggled with and ones which he succumbed to at the age of forty-two. Though Medea had given all in the fight against Cadmus, Martians born generations after Jason would look upon Medea's death as failure, with only Jason bearing witness to her true courage. Her death only reinforced the misogyny that had filled both Cadmus and the fleeing priests of her temple.
Only when the mantle of Sailor Mars was finally created did the legacy of Medea finally start to see the light of day once again, for those chosen to take it were the children of Medea in spirit as much as they were of Jason in blood. And with the marriage of Ares and Bellona, the mantle saw even greater respect from nobles and commoners alike.
After Jason, the royal house took up the name of Arietis, which meant "of Aries". But over time, the name acquired another, more common translation in the Martian language:
Dragon Slayer
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed the story. And please remember to leave feedback. I really appreciate it.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Writers and poets involved with Writing Through Fences have performed in festivals, soirees, poetry slams and recorded their work. Please find some links to some of the performances below. For upcoming performances please see Current and Upcoming Happenings. | slim_pajama |
What is the chemistry behind heat produced when blood is bleached?
When I discard blood (20-40 mL) in a beaker containing bleach (400mL), I can feel that heat is produced in the beaker. What is the chemistry behind it? Will heat be produced due to Lysis of haem protein in RBCs? Or any other mechanism?
This reaction produces heat for the same reason as burning methane in oxygen. There's a lot of chemical energy stored in the reactants, and comparatively little in the products.
The hypochlorite is oxidising the organic content of the blood - not just breaking proteins but then breaking down the amino acids too, as well as anything else that happens to be in the sample.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Error propagation of statistical error
I have a pulse profile (binned photon counts versus phase) of a star, and for each count rate I have its statistical error.
I want to calculate the so-called pulsed-fraction $P\_{frac}=\frac{F\_{max}-F\_{min}}{F\_{max}+F{min}}$, where $F\_{max}$ and $F\_{min}$ are the maximum and minimum count rates, respectively.
Is it possible to do propagation error to find the error for $P\_{frac}$? If yes, how?
for simplicity of notation say $P = \frac{X - N}{X + N}$
given $\delta X$ is the uncertainty in X and $\delta N$ is the uncertainty in N
then
$\delta (X - N)$ = $\delta (X + N) = \sqrt {\delta ^2X + \delta ^2N}$
and therefore:
$\delta P = P \sqrt{(\frac{\sqrt {\delta ^2X + \delta ^2N}}{X - N})^2 + (\frac{\sqrt {\delta ^2X + \delta ^2N}}{X + N})^2}$
This is based upon equations 1b and 2b of the following reference:
<http://www.rit.edu/~w-uphysi/uncertainties/Uncertaintiespart2.html>
| stackexchange/physics |
Mass Effect 1. Hope
_A single gasping breath of hope._
* * *
Kaidan walked into his sparse living quarters with a heavy head and a heavy heart. He had spent the last week assisting with the cleanup effort in London and it was certainly taking its toll. It had been no easy feat convincing Joker to bring the Normandy back rather than get as far away from Earth as possible, but Kaidan suspected that with EDI gone Joker probably wasn't too keen on staying on the Normandy anyway and was eventually able to get him to agree. Somewhere between the raging battle with the reapers and their total destruction, Kaidan had thought - no, he had felt - that Shepard was still alive, and he was determined to find her.
Admiral Hackett had initially resisted his offer of help, no doubt believing that Kaidan's emotional state was too fragile. But although Kaidan hadn't known the admiral nearly as well as Shepard had, he was able to convince him that he needed more good soldiers to help. Once Kaidan was back on his feet after the shot he took to the gut, he had thrown himself into the work. It had been a grueling week of salvaging wreckage, recovering bodies, and in very rare cases - rescuing survivors. Kaidan was losing hope and not just a little sleep. He had rationalized that even if Shepard had survived the ordeal, the chances of her being alive after a week without medical attention were slim. Unless he could convince Cerberus to rebuild her again - he thought bitterly, then cringed at the horror of it.
Kaidan raked his hand through his already disheveled hair and let out an exasperated sigh as he dropped his gear on the floor and all but collapsed on the couch. The truth was he needed to keep himself busy in order to avoid thinking about the very real possibility that he had just lost her - again - right after he had gotten her back. Avoid the reality that he had lost her for two years, had never really moved on, then pushed her away for another six months before allowing himself to believe she was really there, and then he'd gone and lost her again, failed her again. He half smirked at that, knowing that if Shepard knew where his thoughts were going she wouldn't waste even a moment before flipping him on his back and reminding him with a pistol to his neck that he wasn't responsible for her life. In any case, feeling sorry for himself wouldn't make the search for her go any faster. As an Alliance marine and human Spectre, the best way for him to keep busy was to throw himself into the cleanup process.
Still, he kept replaying it in his mind. Not because he was feeling for himself, although sometimes he was, but in hopes that he may have missed something - some clue in their last exchange, the last of her comm traffic - that would lead him to her body. He cringed again at the path his thoughts were taking. His subconscious clearly already believed her to be dead. The explosion on the Citadel had left it mostly in ruins. In a moment of weakness, Kaidan had begged the Admiral to assign him to the Citadel efforts. Hackett hadn't even given it consideration. He was right, of course, Kaidan would have been a liability, he would have put all his energy in finding Shepard and shirked the rest of his duties. He had been assured that there were hundreds of capable men and women combing the wreckage and preparing to rebuild the Citadel. As time passed, though, the hope that they'd find her alive was dwindling. They had found Admiral Anderson two days prior in what appeared to be the wreckage of a control room. The doctors calculated his time of death to be mere minutes after the arms of the Citadel had opened to receive the Crucible. He had been shot in the gut, seemingly by the Illusive Man, whose body was also found, with a gunshot through the head. It looked like a suicide, and there were whispers that he had all the evidence of being indoctrinated. This had given Kaidan renewed hope. Hackett had confirmed that Shepard was the one who had input the command to open the Citadel's arms, yet her body was not at the scene, and Kaidan suspected that Shepard was the one who convinced the Illusive Man to take his own life rather than let the Reapers control it. But her body was not there, so he kept believing. The part that made Kaidan second guess that hope was that they had found traces of her blood at the scene, quite a bit of it actually, and without medical attention he couldn't imagine how she would hold on. He sighed deeply, this was the part he kept trying not to think about.
* * *
_They were running toward the beam, it was just the three of them now. The reapers were taking out all their reinforcements. Kaidan and Garrus were doing their best to keep up with Shepard but she had barrelled ahead with renewed determination. He watched her stop and skid down low to avoid something, all of his instincts told him he needed to protect himself but he saw it too late. The vehicle crashed in front of him, exploding on impact and his vision went white for a moment. She was by his side before he felt anything and when she grabbed his arm and forced him to his feet the pain began to register. She set him down behind cover and Garrus was at his left now, she was yelling something into her comm unit, he couldn't quite hear it over the ringing in his ears. "... EVAC RIGHT NOW!" He heard and breathed a sigh of relief, they were getting out of there. She hoisted his arm over her again when the Normandy arrived, Garrus following behind, limping from his own injuries, and they hurried to the shuttle bay doors to get inside. When they got there, though, she draped his arm over Garrus' shoulders and began to walk away. Kaidan felt the panic fluttering up in his chest, he knew he couldn't fight anymore, he needed medical attention, but she couldn't go out there without him. His eyes were wide with unspoken resistance and Garrus was trying his best to hold onto him despite his own pain._
_"Shepard -" he tried to yell but she cut him off abruptly._
_"You've gotta get outta here." She said, matter-of-factly._
_"That's not going to happen," he said weakly, he knew it was futile, how would he help?_
_"Don't argue with me." There wasn't remorse, just the knowledge that she needed to finish what they had started and he would just slow her down._
_"Don't leave me behind," he gasped at her, not willing to lose her again, not now, not when he had just gotten her back. It was selfish and wrong and he knew it but he didn't care. He had held her again, he had touched her again, and she was real and alive and she was his Shepard, he couldn't let her go, not again._
_Kaidan saw the change flash in her eyes, the softness, the warmth and he knew she was about to tell him goodbye. He braced himself._
_"Whatever happens," she took a step closer to him as she spoke, her eyes betraying feelings she had kept carefully hidden from everyone, everyone except him. And now she was displaying those feelings in front of Garrus, in front of Cortez, in front of the shuttle bay crew, and he knew then that this was the end. "I love you... always." She finished the declaration as she closed the distance between them, her hand resting on his cheek, her eyes conveying more honesty than she had ever shown and more of a goodbye she wouldn't dare say._
_He sighed in defeat, tears pricking the corners of his eyes, he was going to lose her again and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was in no shape to try. "I love you too," he said simply, covering her hand with his own, squeezing her fingers as she started to pull away, but not letting go of her gaze. "Be careful." She turned from him and released his hand and he looked helplessly after her, knowing his world was ending again. She turned back to him and the warmth was gone, replaced with the cold resolve she got when she knew that the fate of the universe depended on her and she'd have to face the loss later. Compartmentalized, that's what her psych eval had called it. He saw it and sorrow washed over his own face, he knew there wouldn't be a later. His Shepard would save them, all of them, one last time. But the universe would not let her live through it. Three strikes, he thought grimly, she could only save humanity three times before the universe demanded a price, she was prepared to pay it, and he was in no position to stop her. He stared after her as the shuttle bay doors closed and she ran full speed toward the beam. He knew she'd succeed, she always had, she had prepared for this, they all had, he knew that deep down he'd even been prepared to lose her again._
_And then, as the thought crossed his mind that they would survive it, something happened. A reaper beam was too close to her, and he felt the cold dread blooming in his gut. The world seemed to be spinning in slow motion. Garrus was standing to his left, clutching onto him as he watched the scene unfold. He watched in horror as she fell, and he fell to the floor of the Normandy as she hit the ground, the light from the beam colliding with her. He was screaming "NO!" but he wasn't hearing the words. His chest tightened and his biotics flared, and Garrus held his grip on his shoulder while Kaidan's world crashed down around him. His injuries were burning from within him, and then he realized there was no such thing as being prepared._
* * *
Kaidan hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until he woke with a start and discovered he was no longer injured, Garrus wasn't gripping his shoulder, and he wasn't in the Normandy shuttle bay. In his sleep, his emotions had caused his biotics to flare into a thin barrier over his skin. He cursed under his breath as he forced the flare to dissipate. As if the barrier could shield him from his emotions, his loss. He mentally scolded himself for losing control, he hadn't since he got to London, though he didn't think he'd let himself sleep in as long either. He raked a hand through his hair before squeezing the back of his neck to battle an oncoming migraine. "This is why I don't sleep," he muttered to himself before walking to the sink to splash water on his face.
All of a sudden he realized that it wasn't the dream that had startled him, but the metallic ping coming from his terminal indicating a new message. He approached the small desk warily, not sure if he was prepared for either good or bad news. He tapped the green light to bring up the message, surprised to see that it was from Miranda Lawson. His confusion deepened as he read the message.
Major Alenko -
I'm sure you already know that Cerberus would have no motivation to bring her back
a second time if what you find is not a living version. However, I have reason
to believe that all hope is not lost. If you would give me a moment of your time,
I'd like to discuss it with you.
- M.L.
Kaidan blinked at the screen. He was half surprised that Operative Lawson seemed to know what he had been thinking (was she still an Operative now that she wasn't with Cerberus?), and half surprised that she would be willing to help him. He absent-mindedly rubbed the back of his neck again, attempting to coax away the headache. He mused that Miranda was no longer part of Cerberus and that maybe she had even found a friend in Shepard, in her own way, and that perhaps she needed Shepard to be alive almost as much as he did. Kaidan considered this for a moment before responding with a time and place to meet.
2. Operative
**Author's note:** This is a really long chapter. I apologize. When I first started writing it, I was having a really hard time getting the feelings across that I wanted to portray. I scrapped the whole chapter and started over. This chapter kind of took on a mind of its own, and at the end I didn't have the heart to split it into two. Enjoy! I promise the next one will be closer to 2000 words.
* * *
Miranda Lawson had taken a gigantic risk by contacting Kaidan Alenko. At the very core he had never truly forgiven her for her part in Cerberus and while she had thought he would at least respect her for bringing his girlfriend back to life, he had some moral objections to the process itself. His personal feelings aside, he was Alliance military and a Spectre. Worst case scenario he'd have her thrown in some Alliance cell for the rest of her life. Best case scenario he'd shoot her on the spot, she thought grimly.
She was standing in a small bar in the middle of London's central square. Looking around, she guessed he had chosen the spot for its lack of patronage. The place was empty save for one patron who looked about a shot away from a blackout and a bartender who was pretending to wipe at an invisible stain on the bar top when he wasn't staring at her. For the most part, it seemed untouched by the battle for Earth that had taken place less than a klick away. That's not to say it didn't show some signs of wear. It looked as if the structural integrity would need to be reinforced, but that was a constant for most of the buildings in the center of London. For now, it was as good a place as any for someone to drink and try to forget, and Miranda had a suspicion that Major Alenko had tried to do just that on more than one occasion in this little forgotten bar.
* * *
She was already leaning against the bar when he arrived. Of course she was early, Miranda Lawson would have made sure to be early to give herself the upper hand. But upper hand in what, he wondered to himself as he crossed the small bar to reach her. He scrutinized her quickly to look for any concealed weapons and noticed with some shock that she looked a little less than impeccable. She was dressed all in black, a black jacket rolled up to her elbows that buckled under her chest, concealing a black nylon tank top scooped just low enough to show off her assets. Coupled with a pair of black nylon leggings that were so tight he briefly wondered if they were real or painted on, but that accentuated her hips perfectly. And finally a pair of heeled boots that put her taller than the average man but must be hell to walk in, he figured. Miranda had been built by her father, Henry Lawson, with perfection in mind. He remembered Shepard telling him how she was designed to have the upper hand in every aspect, beauty, power, intelligence. Shepard had pitied her, always having to live up to perfection, and Kaidan noticed for the first time now that she was showing some signs of... what? Weariness? Relaxation? Her father was dead, the Illusive man was dead, the Reapers were dead, perhaps Miranda Lawson had finally stopped running and started living. He saw a few strands of raven hair had disentangled themselves from her perfect ponytail, and he thought he noticed dark circles forming under her eyes. His interest was piqued, what would cause Miranda Lawson to display anything but perfection.
"Major." She said by way of a greeting as he closed the distance to the bar. She hadn't even looked up from her datapad when he heard a ping on his omnitool. He looked at it curiously, realizing that she had sent him some files. Miranda was waiting to meet his gaze when he looked at her this time, questions flickering across his eyes. She made the briefest of movements to indicate a shrug and simply said "It's a peace offering, Major," in a dismissive tone. He pulled out a datapad and transferred the files for easy reading and stared at them for a moment. She had sent him all of the files for the Lazarus Project, even her personal notes, and the realization of it stirred an old anger inside him. Kaidan felt the hair on his arms start to prickle as he stared at the screen and he did his best to stifle the rage that was brewing beneath the surface before his biotics began to flare. But Miranda was also a biotic and he knew she could feel the thrum of them powering up. Kaidan placed the datapad on the surface of the bar slowly. One look at Miranda and he noted that although her position at the bar hadn't changed, she had gone on the defensive. The way her shoulders had squared and her body had tensed told him that she felt the power threatening to escape from him and she was ready. He tried to look apologetic but he knew there was anger dancing in his eyes and he hoped she saw it for what it was, and not as a threat to her.
When she spoke, it was slow and deliberate, as if she was keeping her voice and tone steady for a child who needed an explanation for something he didn't understand. "Major, I know that you are not my biggest fan." The anger flashed over his eyes with renewed purpose and she took a breath before continuing. "I have no desire or intention to hurt you, I am offering these files to you because before the Illusive Man's death I couldn't have given them to Shepard without repercussions. She would have wanted to study them, and now that Cerberus is in chaos, I am able to retrieve them from their servers without consequence." She paused, looking at him for some kind of response or encouragement and he nodded for her to continue. She let out a little breath of relief, telling him that he was putting off more energy than he had initially assumed and he fought to suppress it while she spoke. "I want you to understand that I am not giving you these files so that you can go and try to have Shepard rebuilt again, you and I both know that that's not what she would have wanted, and we don't have the resources to try." His shoulders slumped and he dropped his eyes to the edge of the bar, he had known this, of course he had known, but as the days went on he knew the chances of finding her alive were dwindling. She kept talking, ignoring his change in posture. "I'm giving you these files so you can have some closure regarding Cerberus, and me, and our work on Shepard. I know you won't forgive me unless you understand. I want you to understand. I want you to know that I did whatever I could to bring her back the way she was before, and only made modifications when necessary to her survival." She took a deep breath and he looked up at her. "When the reapers were destroyed, so was all other synthetic life - as far as we know - and Shepard was part synthetic." Kaidan winced at the words. "But -" she said quickly, "the cybernetics we incorporated into Shepard's body were top of the line, designed to grow with her, to learn her DNA,to evolve. I believe that with enough time they would become more human than machine and with that hope, she may still be alive." She finished the sentence breathlessly, she had said it in a hurry as if there was a part of her that didn't believe it and she had to get the thought out before she second guessed herself.
Kaidan inspected Miranda's face for sincerity. There was no sign of deceit, she was holding his gaze not looking away, she wasn't fidgeting or touching her face, her jaw was relaxed. He noticed that her eyes were wide, and he saw something in them that was new... hope. She was looking at him with the same hope in her eyes that he had held onto every time he received a message on his terminal, waiting with bated breath to hear good news. He sighed deeply, and motioned to the bartender with two fingers. He felt Miranda tense up again as the man brought them two glasses of ale. She frowned into hers as he picked up his glass and carried it to a nearby table. She followed behind him somewhat warily, but took the seat across from him, setting her glass on the table untouched.
He had a sneaking suspicion that when he opened his mouth, his voice wouldn't work, but he managed to choke out a sentence nevertheless. "I don't need your closure." The words came out in a voice that was quiet and tight. He kept his eyes low and his tone coarse. Kaidan hadn't meant the words to bite, but Miranda must have felt it because she took a moment to recover. He used this to his advantage. "I don't know what you want from me," he said just above a whisper, "but I've lost her twice now, and it's been a week since the reapers were destroyed, we've heard nothing. I need to try to move on with my life." He felt the burning in the corner of his eyes, he would not let tears fall in front of this woman, he had never said the words out loud, never let himself say that he had to give up on his Shepard, but he knew it was the truth. Miranda silently laid a hand over Kaidan's, it was a move that seemed very foreign, like she'd never comforted someone before and his head shot up to meet her gaze. What he saw startled him. It wasn't as if he knew her well - hell, he'd barely met her - she was there at Sanctuary when they helped her take down Henry Lawson, and later at Shepard's apartment for the ridiculous party that had felt like a goodbye. But he'd heard enough about her, Miranda Lawson, ex-Cerberus operative, calculating, perspicacious, intelligent, and manipulative. She didn't care about anyone other than herself and her sister. Cerberus would give her resources and an objective and she would get it done, no matter the cost, no matter the consequence. Always running, always surviving, Miranda Lawson didn't have friends, she had projects, and no one would ever describe her as warm. But here he was, staring into her eyes and seeing something he never expected. Miranda looked broken, like she had lost her best friend and he was the only one who could help get her back. And Kaidan Alenko had just told her he needed to move on. He felt like an asshole.
Before he could backpedal, her eyes flashed back to normal, cold and calculating, the Miranda he had heard about was back. He braced himself for the impact of her words, ready for her to berate him, he deserved it. She spoke the word so low that he had to strain to hear, and even then he wasn't sure he had heard her right.
"Bullshit." She said it with so much ice in her voice that it sent a shiver through him. He saw the anger in her eyes, a spark in a sea of blue and he could see the muscles contracting as she clenched her teeth, biting back something, some barrage of words that she was trying very hard to keep inside. In a flash, she composed herself and her features were back to normal. He took a deep breath to do the same. There was no use fighting her, he might as well hear her out.
"Major," she began, in the same calm tone she had used in the beginning. "I don't believe for one minute that you would give up hope before knowing for a fact that she's dead. Not again." The words were meant to sting, and they did. He remembered Horizon, remembered seeing her for the first time after two years, seeing a ghost.
_"If it wasn't for Shepard, you'd all be aboard that ship." A woman in a white nylon jumpsuit said to the mechanic by way of defense. They had gotten to Horizon too late and the Collectors had made off with most of the colonists. "Shepard? Wait I know that name, sure you're some type of big Alliance hero." The man said when he heard her name. Kaidan walked out from behind one of the colony structures, not sure if he believed his eyes. "Commander Shepard. Captain of the Normandy. The first human Spectre. Savior of the Citadel." He looked at the mechanic. "You're in the presence of a legend, Delan," looked back to Shepard, "and a ghost." Delan mumbled something about Alliance types but Kaidan wasn't listening anymore. He had lost her, his Shepard, she had died, he had mourned her, but here she was standing in front of him. He walked closer to her and took her into his arms. She didn't hesitate,returned his embrace immediately. His, he thought, she was still his. "I thought you were dead, Shepard, we all did." He held on for what seemed like a very long time, before she finally pulled away._
_"You don't sound too happy to see me. Something bothering you, Kaidan?" She had asked airily, like she hadn't been gone for two years, like she hadn't come back from the dead without even a word to let him know she was ok. Anger flared inside him and before he knew it he was spitting the words in her face. "Yeah something's bothering me. I spent the past two years believing your were dead! I thought we had something, Shepard. Something real." He looked down, he didn't want to see her face when he said the next words. "I... I loved you. Thinking you were dead tore me apart. How could you put me through that." The anger was bubbling up through him and out through his mouth and he knew she would feel it. "Why didn't you try to contact me? Why didn't you let me know you were alive?" He looked into her eyes then and thought she was still there, thought he could see the warmth in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kaidan. I was clinically dead. It took two years to bring me back. So much time has passed, you've moved on, I didn't want to reopen old wounds." So she had kept away from him to try to protect him from the emotions? He didn't buy it, his Shepard would have come for him immediately._
_He looked to the woman to her left, there was a Cerberus emblem on her ensemble, the reports had been right. "I did move on," he dropped his eyes to avoid her gaze. "At least, I thought I did. But now we've got reports about you and Cerberus." The Cerberus woman made some comment about security, he ignored her. "Alliance intel thought that Cerberus might be behind the missing human colonies. They got a tip this colony might be the next one to get hit." He sighed, "Anderson stonewalled me, but there were rumors that you weren't dead. That you were working for the enemy." He stared at her, the reports had been right, she was with Cerberus now, she hadn't even flinched when he said it. But he saw her harden, the warmth leave her eyes when she began to speak again. "Building the defense towers was just a cover story. The Alliance sent you here to investigate me, didn't they?" She said it with a mix of rancor and sarcasm. No, she wasn't his Shepard anymore. "I was here for Cerberus," he began, "You were just a rumor." He put all his effort into not grabbing her shoulders and yelling it into her face, but he was sure his eyes betrayed him anyway. "You turned your back on everything we believed in. You betrayed the Alliance. You betrayed me. "For a moment he saw something flash across her face - shock maybe - but she recovered quickly. Her eyes were cold, but her voice was softer. "Kaidan, you know me. You know I'd only do this for the right reason." She looked away. "You saw it yourself," she motioned toward the colony, "The Collectors are targeting human colonies and they're working with the Reapers." He took a fraction of a step closer to her, he could feel her biotics thrumming and he briefly thought back to a time when he could recognize every movement she made by the feel of her energy - but that had been his Shepard, not this woman - he reminded himself. "I wanna believe you, Shepard. But I don't trust Cerberus." I don't trust you, wasn't that what he really meant? "They could be using the threat of a Reaper to manipulate you. What if they're behind it?" He shrugged at her. "What if they're working with the Collectors." The Cerberus bitch spoke up again, but Shepard was looking at him with something fierce in her eyes, and he didn't think she'd even heard the other woman speak. "I can see you won't listen to reason," Shepard said, the softness in her voice gone, replaced by the even tone she maintained when she was determined to complete a task despite all odds. He knew that tone, or at least he used to. But this wasn't his Shepard. "You show up after two years and tell me you're working with Cerberus. What does reason figure into any of this?" Something flashed across her face again, hurt? He began to turn away before it could register. "You've changed, but I still know where my loyalties lie. I'm an Alliance soldier, always will be. I've got to report back to the Citadel. They can decide if they believe your story or not."_
He wouldn't give up hope. Not after that. Not after Horizon. Not after he had given up on her, just to spit accusations in her face when she was standing in front of him after two years. How did Miranda Lawson know that better than he did, how did she know his regret? He and Shepard had cleared the air but he had never felt free of the guilt. He had accused her of betraying him, but the truth was - he was the one who had betrayed her. He had decided not to trust her, even though he had always known deep down that Shepard was loyal to one thing - the survival of all races - and she would use whatever means necessary to ensure that survival, no matter whose colors she had to wear. That's why she was the Hero of the Citadel, of the Alliance, of the Normandy, the woman who defeated Saren, the Collectors, the Reapers. His Shepard, she had never betrayed her goal, and she had always succeeded. He had been the betrayer, and he'd never forgive himself.
Miranda was looking at him knowingly. And she took his silence as a cue to keep talking. She went on to speak of how one of the improvements they'd made to Shepard had been a medi-gel dispenser, designed to administer the healing salve at a steady rate. It was tied into the bio readings of her hardsuit. Miranda was theorizing that if the hardsuit detected injury or any detrimental change to her vitals, it would activate the medi-gel system normally, as most suits were already designed to do. However, due to the cybernetic enhancements, she believed Shepard could continue to receive small amounts of medi-gel for up to two weeks. They weren't deciding on a plan of action, just discussing the possibilities, and the fact that they may have another week to find Shepard alive.
Kaidan regarded her carefully. He had taken Miranda's presence on Horizon as confirmation that Shepard was working with Cerberus. At the time, before even knowing her name, he had regarded her as an enemy, with hatred and contempt. But he had come to know, as he should have always known, that Cerberus was working with Shepard, not the other way around. When it came down to Shepard, everyone always fell in line. She had the power to command loyalty from the most unusual suspects. She had gained the loyalty of this Cerberus operative, probably before Miranda herself had even realized it. She had gained the loyalty of an unshackled AI, of the geth, of the rachni. And now, in a little bar in London, Kaidan realized his own loyalty was what would ultimately bring Shepard home.
3. Luna
_"Luna, huh?" He asked and the question was met with a raised eyebrow. She followed it up with that wonderful half-smirk she got when she was about to throw him a bone. Rare moments, he thought, when she wasn't giving him a hard time or doing everything in her power to make him uncomfortable. She set the datapad down on the desk in her cabin, perhaps realizing that he wasn't going to let her get any work done right now. He smiled at her when she looked up at him again, the patient look of someone who was trying desperately to hide her frustration. Kaidan knew the frustration wasn't because of him, she was at wit's end with the Council politics, but he also knew that she was burying herself in work and he figured it wouldn't hurt for her to not take things seriously for a few minutes._
_"My dad, he was a bit of a romantic." She started, keeping the smirk on her face, but her eyes had gone somewhere else, focused on something far away that he couldn't see. "When my parents found out they were pregnant, my dad tried to convince my mom to go back to Earth with him, so I could be born on the home planet and not a ship or a colony." She snickered, shaking her head slightly. "My mom wouldn't have it, she was determined to finish her post no matter what." Kaidan smiled as she spoke, knowing that Shepard was very much like her mother, though he'd never met Hannah Shepard. "They were assigned to different ships at the time," she continued. "But my dad took some leave and spent the last few days of the pregnancy on my mom's ship. He bribed the helmsman." Kaidan saw a light in her eyes then that he'd never seen. He could tell this had been a popular story of Shepard's childhood, and one she held close to her heart, he knew that if he wasn't held there with it, he would never have gotten to see this side of the woman he loved. "So my mom, she was pretty uncomfortable that last day before I was born, the doc put her on bedrest and she didn't even notice where they were.." she flashed him a brilliant smile.. "until right after I was born, doc handed me to my mom, my dad was sitting next to her and he opened the shutter to the observation window. I was a little early - impatient from day one - but he had managed to get them just outside Earth's atmosphere, and when they looked out they were in spitting distance of the moon."_
_Kaidan looked at her then with new eyes. Shepard had never told him much about her family or her childhood. He had only seen her name by peering over her shoulder at the datapad she had been holding when he had entered her cabin. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting when he said it out loud, but he felt that hearing the story had brought him even closer to understanding the mystery of his Shepard. She was looking at him with amusement and he was sure he was wearing his feelings on his face again, but he didn't care. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into him, his other hand sliding over her cheek as he brought her face up to his for a kiss. "Hmm.. Luna." He murmured. "I think I like it." She kissed him back, tangling a hand in his hair before abruptly using it to pull his head back just a fraction of an inch. It didn't hurt, just a bit of pressure, but it did interrupt the kiss and he looked at her with wide-eyed shock. "Don't like it too much, Lieutenant. It's still Shepard on this ship." Her mouth was set in a thin line, meaning business, but her eyes were still alight with amusement, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Yes ma'am," he replied "it won't happen again, Commander." Her smile broke through then, and she joined him in laughter before they both got lost in another kiss. Sometimes you just need a break from all the insanity, Kaidan thought, having overcome the challenge of breaking through Shepard's serious facade. And when she laughed he thought it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard._
Kaidan woke from the dream and felt his whole world crash down around him again. It was one of his favorite memories of Shepard. A time of smiles and laughter and sharing. It had been a moment when war was forgotten and all that remained was the two of them. He had seen into her soul and she had let him. And it was just a dream.
In reality, Shepard was not with him, in fact she might not be anywhere, and that day on the Normandy was ancient history. Before she became the hero of the Citadel, before she died and was rebuilt by Cerberus, before she beat the Collectors, before he doubted her loyalties, before he became a Major, before he fell in love with her all over again, and before she destroyed the Reapers. He walked into the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. His biotics were vibrating along his nerves, responding to the dream, responding to the closeness of her. He would have a hell of a headache in the morning, but he didn't try to suppress the feeling now.
For the first time in a long time, he looked at himself in the mirror. He had gotten so good at hiding his emotions after she'd died on the Normandy, and it showed. Sure, his hair was disheveled from sleep - or lack thereof, but his face was composed and emotionless, save for some dark circles forming around his eyes. He stared at his own eyes in the mirror, not recognizing the man he saw there, and wondered if he'd ever get over the guilt.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted Kaidan's moment of self-loathing, and he looked at the clock on his omnitool suspiciously before turning to walk toward the door. It was the middle of the night, and he had made sure no one really knew where he was other than Hackett, so who the hell would be at his door at this hour? He hurriedly pulled on a pair of pants, stubbing his toe on the base of the bed in the process, cursing under his breath. He grabbed his Phalanx - well, it was her Phalanx, but he had found himself unable to leave her favorite pistol on the Normandy for the Alliance to confiscate - from where he had it stashed under the headboard and went to greet his guest.
"Jesus fucking Christ, Alenko!" James Vega yelled at the heavy pistol aimed at his chest when the door opened. "What are you trying to do here, man? Fuck!" Kaidan lowered the side arm and sighed at the Lieutenant, stepping aside to let the man into his quarters. Vega ran a hand through what little bit of hair he had on the top of his head and blew out a breath, muttering something about insanity. Kaidan rolled his eyes.
"Vega, do you have any idea what time it is? What the hell are you doing here?" His voice was much calmer than Vega's had been a few moments before, but then he wasn't speaking into the end of a gun. Vega was shaking his head at him in disbelief. "Listen, pendejo, you can't just going around pulling guns on your friends, man. You need to snap out of it." Kaidan was not amused and was out of patience. It's not like he and Vega were really friends, which was probably mostly because the latter had unabashedly flirted with Shepard on more occasions than Kaidan could count. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Major." She had told him at the party, after he'd found out about the workout session she'd had with Vega in the apartment alone earlier that day. He never could keep his emotions from her, even with his best poker face. He ran his hand over his face, trying to shake the memory and focus on the here and now. "Ok, Vega. What's up?"
Something was eating at Lieutenant Vega, he was pacing back and forth between the small kitchen area and the door of Kaidan's quarters. He was a big guy, had much more bulk than Kaidan, who had eight years on him, and his size was made all the more intimidating in such a small space. He had been Shepard's go-to-guy when it came to close quarters fighting and he'd always held his own even in the toughest of situations. Then again, Shepard never sent her team into any situation they couldn't handle. Not after Virmire. He really needed to stop letting his thoughts go there, he tried to focus on Vega. Kaidan could see the tension in the man, but figured he'd let loose when he was ready, so he just leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Vega cross the small space over and over again.
He finally stopped dead in his tracks and whirled around to face Kaidan. His eyes were wild with excitement and something else... maybe a little bit of hope? "Listen, brother, Lola is out there waiting for us to find her." Kaidan's heart sank at the nickname, not jealousy this time, just sadness. He had been jealous the first time he'd heard it. Shepard laughed him off. "Doesn't mean anything, Kaidan, he gives nicknames to everyone, he says I 'kinda look like a Lola' that's all." And that had been the end of it. "I know, man, I know, we're not supposed to go up there and look, we're too close and we'll just get in the way." Vega had begun pacing again, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "But man, you've seen that place. There's got to be 50 klicks of wreckage to deal with, and I got a friend, an old squadmate up there helping who says they ain't even looking on the right level yet." This was news to Kaidan, he knew they'd found the control room, how did James know Shepard would've been somewhere else? Vega must have seen the confusion in his eyes because he stopped pacing to explain. "Look there was this control room, right? And that's where they found the Admiral and the Illusive Fuckhead, right? Yeah well apparently the place where the Crucible was fired wasn't that room, it was like... above it, on a different level of the Citadel." Vega was still talking when Kaidan walked slowly to the couch and sunk down onto it, he was afraid his legs were going to give out if he didn't sit down and he needed something under him in case the rest of the new information was equally shocking. "So yeah, they've got hundreds of guys up there working on the wreckage, but they're working on the arms starting from the bottom up, and I'm thinking whatever room Lola ended up in, it's up - where the Crucible was docked. At this rate they're never gonna get there in time."
Kaidan Alenko felt hope draining out of him, hope he hadn't realized he'd held onto. He had heard Miranda say the words, and he believed her, at least a little bit, but he had told himself deep down that he had lost his Shepard, his Luna. "We have a week," he croaked out in a voice he didn't recognize. He dropped his head in his hands and started rubbing at his temples, this migraine was going to be a doozy and he was out of meds. Chakwas was not inclined to give him more, either, in fear of him relying too much on them and growing dependent. "Major. You ok?" Vega seemed sincerely concerned and Kaidan did his best to look normal when he nodded to the Lieutenant. "Ok good, man, cause I have a plan." He sat on the chair opposite Kaidan and began to chronicle his plan of rescue. "So we get a crew, small one, you know like a groundside crew. And we go up there and find her." It was such a simple delusional idea, take a few people and rescue the Commander. Hackett would never let him do it. "There's no way I'll get clearance for a ship, and even if I did they'd never let me near the Citadel." James was gaping at him and for a moment Kaidan wondered if he had heard himself right or if he'd said something way different than what he'd meant to. "Dude, I don't know if you remember this, but you're a fucking Spectre. And man, we're not talking about commandeering the Normandy again - though I really wish I'd been there when you guys did that - I'm talking a Kodiak, I'll call Esteban. We don't need stealth and guns, we're just gonna go play around in the rubble and find your sweetheart."
Kaidan considered this for a long moment. In theory, it was a decent plan. With Shepard, they'd taken groundside teams on missions that were impossible for a small crew, and they'd not only made them possible, they'd excelled. Making the impossible possible, that's what Shepad was good at, she did her best work under pressure. Isn't that why she was N7, why she was recruited for Anderson's team. That was surely why Cerberus spent billions of credits on bringing her back to life. They could have created an army of supersoldiers but they wanted her ideals, her determination. That's why she was brought on to gather allies to battle the Reapers. Shepard ended two wars that were centuries old - one between the Krogan and the Turians and one between the Geth and the Quarians - the impossible made possible. But Shepard wasn't here, and Kaidan didn't know how to do what she did. She was one of a kind, a paragon of excellence, a woman who had completed each mission with honor and integrity, without sacrificing anything, or anyone. He'd watched her grow into that woman, and he didn't know how to follow in her footsteps.
Vega was still talking, but more to himself than anything, when Kaidan rose to his feet and went to the terminal to send an outgoing message. If there was any chance she was alive, even a fraction of a chance, he had to do whatever he could to see her again, didn't he? Isn't that what she'd have done for him? Isn't that what Commander Shepard would have done for anyone on her team? Isn't that what she had done time and time again for anyone who asked for her help? He turned back to Vega with new conviction in his eyes.
"Call Cortez, let's go get her."
4. Guilt
"Absolutely not!" Miranda Lawson yelled as she burst into Kaidan's quarters uninvited. Kaidan relaxed his hand slightly. He had been ready to pull his pistol when he heard someone outside tampering with his door. Now he realized that Miranda had decided to respond to his message in person and was so determined to be in control of this encounter that she had hacked the door's lock rather than knocking. He rolled his eyes as she advanced on him, clearly determined to speak out against his plan with whatever objections she had thought up.
"Are you out of your mind? Or do you just have a death wish? No one is going to let you just shuttle up into the Citadel and have your own little investigation." She spat the words in his face and he wondered momentarily what her problem was, but figured it best to let her get it all out of her system. He was vaguely aware of Vega smirking at them from the couch, and suppressed the urge to shoot him a warning look. Miranda was angry, and while he was sure it was unfounded, she was still a powerful biotic and he didn't want to provoke her anymore than he already had, however unintentional it had been. Kaidan thought Miranda would want to help, would be happy about the idea of taking matters into their own hands, she was the one who gave him renewed hope after all.
"Have you even thought this through? Do you have any idea what kind of defenses they have in play up there?" He hadn't, actually, not yet - which was completely uncharacteristic of Kaidan, he was usually the one who triple checked everything, never one to make snap decisions. He had assumed that all the Council's forces would be focused on the search and cleanup efforts, why would they put any resources into defending a bunch of wreckage anyway? She could see his response before he even opened his mouth, or maybe she just wanted to hear herself talk - he wasn't sure which. "I didn't think so," she continued, "think about it, Major, think about all the species that have homes and governments set up on the Citadel. Do you think they'd leave it all for looters without some sort of defenses?" She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head before looking back up at him. "You need a plan, a real plan, not just 'I'm a spectre so lets go commandeer a shuttle and rescue my girlfriend.'"
For some reason the mocking tone of her last point hit him hard and he could feel the anger rising up before he could push it back down inside him. "Why do you even care, Miranda?" He all but yelled the words in her face and she recoiled from them as if he'd hit her, but he didn't stop. The anger was abrupt and the tone harsh, but it was too late to stop it now. "How can you come to me, give me hope that she's alive, and then turn around and tell me not to go after her?" He took a step closer to her and she looked as if she didn't know what to do, and took a half step back as he continued speaking. "You have no idea how important she is to me, how many times she's been there for me, been there for all of humanity, sacrificed herself for the galaxy, and you want me to not try and find her?"
She found her voice then, and when she spoke it was low and smooth, all signs of her previous shock gone for good. "I do know, Kaidan, I know because I spent a year researching her, two years rebuilding her, and another year working with her. And while she was recovering from sacrificing herself for you, I was there." It was his turn to recoil, she had meant it to sting, and she'd hit her mark. "You think I didn't read the logs? She ordered you to leave her on the SSV Normandy, and you did, she gave her life for you and the crew." Kaidan stared at her for a moment and then hung his head, she was right, even though she was clearly saying it to get a rise out of him, Miranda was right. Shepard had always been protecting him, on Eden Prime she pushed him away from the beacon, not knowing what it would do. On Virmire, she sacrificed Ash instead of him. On the Normandy, she ordered him to get in the escape pod with the crew and he did. In London she sent him away on the Normandy SR-2, to protect him. How would he ever get past it if she didn't make it again. All the more reason for him to see to it that she had a future.
Miranda sighed. "Have you even thought about what happens when you find her?" The question surprised him, he wasn't sure what she meant, he had figured they'd make it up as they went, like they always had. "I.." he began, but she put up her hands to stop him. "You've been torturing yourself with guilt since she died three years ago, how will you live with knowing she would have died for you again? Do you expect to have a normal relationship?" He had, he had expected that, hearing it out loud made him realize how ridiculous that was. "Guess what, Major, Shepard isn't a normal woman."
"She has some guilt to live with too, you know." He said the words before he could stop himself and when Miranda's head snapped up he regretted them immediately. "Well, she cheated." He offered weakly by way of explanation. Miranda's eyes narrowed at him and he braced himself for another barrage. "She cheated?" The anger dripped from her voice and Kaidan was taken aback momentarily. Seriously, why did this woman care so damn much? "Do you not remember Horizon? Do you not remember how you called her a traitor? How can you stand here and say she cheated when you turned your back on her after she gave her life for you?" She was seething, he could feel her biotics raging beneath the surface and was surprised that she hadn't let loose yet. "She was broken, Kaidan, devastated. I was there, I saw it - and so did Thane - and he was struggling too, with Kolyat and his sickness, and they found comfort in each other." She held his gaze with ice in her eyes and he felt like she had stabbed him in the heart. "How dare you sit here and insult her - and him for that matter - accusing her of cheating on you after you made it clear you weren't willing to get past the Cerberus logo on her armor, regardless of your feelings for her." Miranda threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Here you are getting ready to foolishly throw yourself at the mercy of whatever defenses surround the Citadel to save her and you're still holding a grudge against her for events that happened when you weren't together, events that were put in motion by you!"
He groaned in frustration, his emotions were causing his biotics to flare again and he could feel the headache coming on. He wasn't going to let her talk to him like this, she was only a part of Shepard's life because it was her job to be, but that time was over and she had no business being here now. "Why do you give a shit what I do or what happens to her, Miranda? You're just an ex-Cerberus operative bitch who was put on a job. Well guess what, the job ended over a year ago and your services are no longer needed" He saw her eyes flare bluer than normal and he almost missed the cue, but got his barrier up just in time to deflect the orb of biotic power she shot at him.
"I give a shit," she said, seething and breathing heavily and visibly trying to compose herself, "because Shepard is not a job, she is my friend" The confusion must have been evident on his face because she straightened her stance, sighing heavily, and ran a hand over her suit, smoothing the wrinkles caused by her display of biotics and explained. "Yeah, it surprised me too. Not that its any of your damn business, but she is the only person in my whole life who hasn't betrayed or left me." Miranda wasn't looking at him now, but gazing out the window and he suspected she might be crying. Her voice was small, and he could feel the pain radiating from her and wondered if Miranda would ever stop surprising him. "My father used me, my best friend sold me out, the Illusive Man discarded me when I didn't agree with him." She nodded, more to herself he guessed than to him since she had her back to him now. "Shepard and my sister, they're all I've got. So you see," she looked back to him and if she'd been crying, she'd composed herself before he could see. "I want to get my friend back, and I'm not going to let your reckless heroics screw it all up."
Kaidan released his barrier and stood up from his defensive stance. He looked to the couch where Vega seemed as surprised as he was. The man shrugged again. Kaidan looked back to Miranda and just stared for what seemed like a long while before speaking again. "Okay, what would you have me do?"
"Just," she paused, sighing again - "we need to cover all the angles here." She said, leaning against the couch. She looked exhausted, and he guessed the biotics weren't the cause. For the first time, Kaidan realized that Shepard had touched the lives of all kinds of people, all kinds of species actually. He wasn't the only person who needed her. In her own way, Miranda had found a friend in Shepard, and needed her to be alive as much as Kaidan did. This woman had been given near unlimited resources to bring Shepard back from the dead, she had devoted a chunk of her life into Shepard, while working for the Illusive Man. At the time she had been loyal to Cerberus, but that changed somewhere along the line. She had gained Shepard's trust and had given her own in return. Shepard had saved Miranda's sister, twice now, even though Miranda's own informant - and best friend - had betrayed her. And Kaidan had been there the second time, when Shepard had saved Miranda's life as well.
He looked at her with new eyes now, he could see that it wasn't just a feeling of being indebted to Shepard, Miranda Lawson really did care for her, he still didn't quite trust her, but he'd try harder not to judge her. "I think we should sleep on it. Do what you need to do, go over your logs, call Hackett, just don't make any rash decisions and we can regroup tomorrow?" She looked a little frantic, like she was afraid for the first time in her life and wasn't sure how to handle it. He nodded, and noticed that Vega looked a bit disappointed. "That will give me a chance to contact some others that I know are still in this system. More brains, more possibilities." Vega got up off the couch, shaking his head at the lack of action. Kaidan sighed and showed them both to the door. "Tomorrow at 0900?" Miranda asked him. Kaidan nodded and Vega squeezed his shoulder as he followed the woman out the door.
He let out a great sigh as the door slid shut behind them. He was sick of Miranda being right. He had enough guilt to live with and now she had told him that he was the reason Shepard had cheated. He had driven her into another's arms for comfort. Could he even call it cheating? He had been, since he had found out he had been calling it cheating. But Miranda was right, again, he had turned his back on Shepard - believing she had turned her back on him - and he expected her to never move on? He'd tried to move on, hadn't he? He'd been dating that doctor before he found out Shepard was alive, but that was almost two years after she'd died. She'd begun moving on mere weeks after Horizon. Another thing he'd have to live with when they found her. And that brought him to another thing Miranda Lawson had hit on the nose. How would they have a normal relationship when he was holding onto so many grudges, so much guilt? They had cleared the air, but there was still so much they'd never discussed.
There was a knot in his gut as Kaidan wondered if he'd ever get the chance to apologize for any of it.
5. Logs
Kaidan began the process of going back through the audio logs he had kept after the Normandy was attacked. He'd gone through them before, but not since reuniting with Shepard.
* * *
Personal logs - 2183 - Summer
- Doc says I should keep personal logs of my memories, and the things I want to say, says they'll help me cope.
- Anderson told me today that Shepard was officially declared killed in action. They haven't found a body so I am holding onto whatever hope I can muster. I can't get those last moments on the Normandy out of my head. I wake up from nightmares where I'm reliving it. There's fire all around us, and Shepard orders me to help the crew escape. Why did I let her make me leave? Why didn't I hold her hand till the end? I can hear her gasping for breath through the comm, it torments me.
- It's been a couple months, I'm going back to helping with geth patrols next week. I will keep holding out for good news.
- The Normandy crew has all dispersed. Too many alien species to continue as an alliance crew, but that's not the whole truth. The truth is, Commander Shepard was what held us all together, without her - well - we're just a bunch of different men and women without a leader. Normally, it would fall to me, but Anderson knows I can't lead - not yet. He keeps up appearances, pretends he doesn't know we broke the fraternization regs, but I know he can see how broken I am. Not the kind that comes with just friendship.
* * *
Personal logs - 2183 - Fall
- It's been six months since the Normandy. No sign of Shepard. They have some monument on Akuze from her early days as a commanding officer. I hear they're having some sort of memorial there in her honor. I'm not going. She died and left me here. I'm not even alive, not really. I'm angry. She sent me away so she could die without me and now I'm stuck here without her.
- My last entry was angry, and I shouldn't be angry with Shepard. I love her, I should have been with her when it went down. I should have been holding her hand, next to her where I belonged. Not in an escape pod with the crew. She should have let me die on Virmire and saved Ash, then I'd never have fallen in love with her and I'd be a war hero. I'd be better off with a memorial than as a shell of an alliance soldier. Going through the motions without really living them. But who am I kidding? I was already falling for her on Eden Prime.
- Anderson wants me to head a spec ops group for biotics. I don't know why he thinks I'd be able to advise kids, I can barely convince myself to keep going sometimes. I guess my history makes me perfect for this, we'll see.
* * *
Personal logs - 2184 - Spring
- It's been a year since the crash of the Normandy. We're reducing our patrols. There's almost no sign of geth activity anymore. Sometimes we get tips from civilian ships and we go take care of it with a few grenades and a small ground team.
- A year later and I'd give anything to go back to Ilos, to see her again. I'd do it all over again, the whole war. I'd have laughed in the face of the regs sooner, so I could hold her more. It wasn't enough. It'll never be enough.. I don't think anyone is looking for her body anymore.
- Doc's been listening to my entries, to help with my therapy she says. After the last one she said I need to try to move on. How can I move on when she's out there somewhere and she needs me? I just want to be able to see her again. If she was really dead, someone would have found her body. I can't give up on her. If the roles were reversed, she wouldn't give up on me.
* * *
Personal logs - 2184 - Summer
- Tried to talk the doc into upgrading me to the L5 implant. She says the surgery would kill me. I wonder if it would be worth the risk. My headaches aren't as bad as they used to be I guess, but I'm also not constantly on missions like I was on the Normandy. I'd love to have the option of a stable implant, and the L5s have been tested over and over with good results across the board. Apparently upgrading an L2 to an L5 can cause major brain damage. I'd be ok with it I think.
- Found out that the only way to get an L2 upgraded to an L5 is illegal surgery and the only people I've heard of doing those kinds of experiments are Cerberus. No way in hell I'd ask for their help, no matter how desperate I'd be. Have to be crazy or psychotic to work with a terrorist organization.
- Doc says me holding onto this implant obsession is just another way of redirecting my grief away from thinking about Shepard and it's still unhealthy. Not sure what she wants from me, when I talk about Shepard it's unhealthy, when I don't talk about Shepard it's unhealthy. Maybe I shouldn't talk at all.
- Apparently now I'm being passive aggressive. I'm going to focus on work, it's tough without the geth to occupy my time. Though I've been researching news articles from around Alchera which is where Anderson said they found some wreckage of the SSV Normandy. This, I'm told, is also unhealthy. I'm beyond caring about my health.
- I can't talk about the Spec Ops group much here, it's Classified. But it's helping. I am helping people and that's helping me. Shepard would say "I told you so," if she heard me right now. Someday I'll be able to tell her all about it.
* * *
Personal logs - 2184 - Winter
- Some weird shit happening in the Terminus systems. Apparently the colony on Fehl Prime was being attacked by Blood Pack mercs but people are saying its more than that.
- Some of the guys have been on my case about one of the doctors here on the Citadel. I don't know how to explain to them that I don't want to date anyone. They think it's unnatural to hold on to someone who's dead like I hold on to Shepard.
- Rumors are floating around that the Collectors were at Fehl Prime. Everyone knows the Collectors are nothing but a myth, but I haven't heard rumors of them since I was in BAaT. Well anyway, an Alliance team was sent out to Fehl Prime to help with the mercs and there was a serious firefight, but then some reports are saying a huge ship landed and started abducting the colonists.
- The latest rumors say that the Alliance squad somehow disabled the "Collector" ship on Fehl Prime but then it crash landed with the colonists on board, so no survivors. No way that it could be the Collectors, but still weird happenings out there. I hope Anderson sends me to the Terminus, I am sick of being stuck in Citadel space, and my team is ready, they don't need me anymore.
- A lot of human colonies are disappearing. No bodies, no destruction, they go off the grid and then when our troops get there to investigate there's no one there, no sign of a struggle. Freedom's Progress was the latest to go dark, if only we had some kind of warning.
* * *
Personal logs - 2185 - Winter
- Finally asked Sarah out for drinks, the doctor I was talking about before. She's really nice, very positive about things. Like most people on the Citadel, she doesn't believe in the Reapers, but we don't talk about war stuff much so it doesn't really matter. I thought going out with her would get the guys off my back, but now they just dog me for details, I swear they're like women with their gossip. Anyway, it's nice to spend some time with a girl, it's nothing serious, maybe just a new friend, but it's nice.
- There are rumors out there. I don't want to believe them. No, that's not true, I want to believe half of them. I heard that Shepard is alive, I know it's too much to hope for, but I have to at least try to believe, right? The other part is that she's working for Cerberus. That's where it gets hard to believe, if she was alive, she'd never work for Cerberus, not after what they did on Akuze.
- We got a tip that the next colony to be attacked is Horizon. The Alliance started equipping human colonies with GARDIAN turrets when all this trouble began with people disappearing, but Horizon's don't seem to work right. Anderson is sending me out to take a look at them.
* * *
Personal logs - 2185 - Spring
- Our tip was good. Horizon was targeted. The rumors were true, it was Collectors. The other rumors were true, also. Shepard is alive, I can hardly believe it. Just minutes ago she was standing in front of me... wearing Cerberus colors. I can't believe she'd betray me, betray the Alliance, I can't believe she didn't contact me. I can't believe Anderson knew and still didn't warn me. She said she spent two years in a coma, or some kind of stasis, while Cerberus brought her back to life. Maybe she feels like she owes them. I don't know, but she's not the woman I fell in love with, she's not my Shepard anymore.
* * *
Kaidan finished listening and ran his hands through his hair. He had stopped keeping logs after seeing Shepard again, but looking back through the logs he'd kept while she was presumed dead and he realized what a shell of a person he had been. Nearly two years he spent not really living, trying to pull himself together after losing her, and then when she was there in front of him he doubted her motives. He was an idiot.
He had realized it a few days after seeing her, and sent her a message sort of apologizing. But Miranda had been right, he still couldn't see past the Cerberus colors long enough to trust her. He pulled up the message he'd sent her.
* * *
_ Shepard,_
_I'm sorry for what I said back on Horizon. I spent two years pulling myself back together after you went down with the Normandy. It took me a long time to get over my guilt for surviving and move on. I'd finally let my friends talk me into going out for drinks with a doctor on the Citadel. Nothing serious, but trying to let myself have a life again, you know?_
_Then I saw you, and everything pulled hard to port. You were standing in front of me, but you were with Cerberus. I guess I really don't know who either of us is anymore. Do you even remember that night before Ilos? That night meant everything to me... maybe it meant as much to you. But a lot has changed in the last two years and I can't just put that aside._
_But please be careful. I've watched too many people close to me die - on Eden Prime, on Virmire, on Horizon, on the Normandy. I couldn't bear it if I lost you again. If you're still the woman I remember I know you'll find a way to stop these Collector attacks. But Cerberus is too dangerous to be trusted. Watch yourself._
_When things settle down a little... maybe... I don't know. Just take care._
_-Kaidan_
* * *
He was about to put away the datapads and try to get some sleep when he realized he had access to Shepard's personal logs too. When Miranda had given him the files from Project Lazarus, she had included the personal logs kept by herself, a former Alliance Corsair named Taylor, and Shepard as the Commanding Officer. He hadn't looked at them, and even now he felt that it would be an invasion of her privacy, but he rationalized that there might be something in there that would be helpful. That, and his curiosity was getting the best of him. He called up the files and navigated to entries a couple weeks before Horizon, focusing on ones that Shepard logged herself.
* * *
Personal logs - 2185 - February 25 - XO Shepard
Part of my psych eval, or rather the process of pleasing Operative Lawson enough so she'll get the hell off my back, requires that I keep a log of anything "notable" that happens. Okay, well, recently I woke up on an operating table in a medbay to some crazy woman yelling over the com at me to get up and grab my gear. I then proceeded to fight my way through some hacked mechs that seemed intent on blowing up the station. Turns out, one of Lawson's lackeys turned on her and tried to kill us all. Oh and the best part is they all work for Cerberus, who apparently spent the last 2 years rebuilding me. Two years. Ilos feels like a month ago, the attack on the Normandy feels like days ago. I woke up expecting to find Kaidan standing over me with that worried look he gets while Chakwas lectured me about waiting too long to get to the escape pods. Instead I find out I'm a project for Cerberus and now the new threat is the Collectors (which I always thought were a myth, by the way). My old crew is scattered, Kaidan's file is sealed. I need to get to Anderson so he can get a message to him for me. No way they'll transmit a message from Cerberus to Alliance but Anderson will understand, I'm sure of it.
* * *
Personal logs - 2185 - March 1 - XO Shepard
Started building a crew, found Garrus! Crazy Turian was being all vigilante on Omega, same old Garrus - though the civilians were calling him Archangel, as if the damned bird needed a bigger head. Got him out of a tight spot, though he sustained some mandible damage. I assured him he was always ugly so it won't hurt his chances with the ladies much. Picked up a Salarian doctor who is really a genius, he's a little hyper and talks a lot but he grows on you. Also got an amazing biotic, we broke her out of jail, she's tight-lipped but she'll come around. Oh and a tank-bred Krogan, haven't decided if I'm going to wake him yet, too many unknowns but we'll see. Went to visit Anderson, but he wouldn't give me any intel on Kaidan while I'm working with Cerberus. I wonder how long it's going to take both sides to realize they're fighting for the same thing. Regardless, I don't work for Cerberus, they're just a means to an end. The Illusive Man is sending us to Horizon, he says Kaidan will be there. Once I see him, I'll feel better about all of this.
* * *
When he started to play the last file, he could hear the tension in her voice, and the audible sigh of defeat. It pulled at his heart.
* * *
Personal logs - 2185 - March 3 - XO Shepard
We got to Horizon too late. The Collectors were already abducting colonists. We got the GARDIAN turret online in time to scare them off but we weren't able to save the colonists they'd already loaded into their ship. They were putting them into some sort of weird stasis with swarms of bugs. We need to figure out what they're doing with all these humans. [long pause - another sigh]
I saw Kaidan, it wasn't the reunion I had hoped for. I was so relieved to see him, even though it's only been weeks to me, I figured he'd be overjoyed to see me since he's felt the full weight of two years apart. But he's really angry at me. I never would have thought he of all people would be unable to see what's really going on here. He has to know deep down that I'm only working with Cerberus to get to the Collectors because the Alliance is ignoring the threat that is right in front of them... the Reapers. Kaidan has moved on, maybe it's time I did too. There Miranda, I know you're listening to these. I'm done writing my feelings, loose ends tied off. Psych eval done.
* * *
"I'm an asshole." Kaidan said out loud to no one. She had tried to contact him, she had wanted to talk to him but couldn't, and when she realized she couldn't she assumed he'd know. And he should have known, his Shepard, she didn't work for Cerberus, she had tricked them into working for her. In the end they had followed her with unfaltering loyalty, a loyalty she commanded of anyone close enough to server under her. Because she was Commander Shepard, hero of the Alliance, and to know her was to follow her. She thought he'd see that, and he should have. He had watched her recruit a Krogan, a Turian, and a Quarian into her command and not once did any of them question her reasoning. He had loved her unconditionally, until the condition was Cerberus, and in that moment he had doubted her so quickly despite her beliefs to the contrary, that she had turned her back on him the moment she'd lifted off Horizon soil. Miranda was right, he had driven her away.
They had talked about it, on Mars, when he still doubted her, talked about it when he was in Huerta after getting pummeled by Dr. Eva, the Cerberus synthetic - they had deemed the air cleared then. But after, he had doubted her again - even if only for a moment - during the Udina situation on the Citadel. He had ultimately pulled the trigger and put a bullet in Udina because when it came down to it he trusted Shepard's word, but he had doubted her at first. Before she welcomed him back onto the Normandy he had told her he wouldn't doubt her ever again, and he had meant it at the time. He wondered now if he had been speaking the truth. There had been times, times where they stumbled upon Cerberus in places where Cerberus shouldn't have been and he had wanted to ask her why. He had held back the urge to ask but there was always that little voice in the back of his head telling him that something wasn't right with his Shepard, that Cerberus must have changed something.
Then there was that night before the battle in London and she was there with him, completely. It had been just like before, but somehow so much more. It had been his Shepard, moving the same way against him and whispering his name the same way she used to and he had known with every fiber of his being that she was still his Shepard.
And then he'd let her send him away again. She was running into certain death and she'd ordered him away and he'd listened for the second time. He had pushed her away back on Horizon, but she had pushed him away on the Normandy, and again in London. It was time for him to get her back and hold on to her, once and for all.
6. Doc
At 0700 hours, after getting barely a moment of rest since he'd seen Vega and Miranda out of his apartment the night before, Kaidan walked into the clinic where he knew he'd find Dr. Chakwas. She had been working at the clinic for the last week, helping out the injured soldiers and civilians as much as she could with whatever other medical professionals that had turned up. He wasn't sure what information he hoped to obtain by going there. He had seen the doc plenty of times in the last week while he was recovering from his injuries, if she'd known anything about Shepard she would have told him.
She nodded to him as he walked through the door, seemingly unsurprised by his visit, even though they had no appointment scheduled. She was working on some report on a datapad, there were no patients to see quite yet as the clinic was just opening. He figured any long-term patients were seen in the early hours of the morning so as not to take time from any new emergencies that could arise. Kaidan stood at a parade rest by the desk he knew to be hers, waiting until she was ready to see him.
Dr. Karin Chakwas was an older woman who had been assigned to the SSV Normandy as the med-bay physician. She had seen to all of their injuries and illnesses during the mission to stop Saren and the Geth. She was fantastic at her job, and she wasn't afraid to scold a soldier for being careless in the same way a family woman at her age would scold a grandchild who was playing with something that could hurt them. He respected her, and she had always had a rapport with the crew that he'd never seen of an Alliance physician in all his years as a soldier. She looked at him with mild amusement before chuckling.
"At ease, Major, permission to speak is granted, not sure what the hell you're waiting for."
Kaidan blinked and then relaxed his stance, smiling. She hadn't put down her datapad but he figured she could read and listen at the same time. Trouble was, he wasn't yet sure what he was going to say, so he just stared forlornly at the medigel dispenser in the corner of the room. When he looked back at the doc, she was studying him warily. He hated when people looked at him that way. The poor L2 who could snap at any moment. He knew, at least, that the doc was regarding him with medical curiosity and not pity. He shot her an apologetic look anyway.
"Kaidan, how are your migraines lately?" She asked, still looking him over, finally placing her datapad on the desk that was between them and motioning for him to have a seat across from her. He nodded curtly and obliged. It was hard for him to relax, even though he'd worked with the doc for nearly two years - first on the SSV and then again on the SR-2. She had worked with Shepard a lot longer than that though. He realized then what he had come to her for. It wasn't to talk about the Shepard that he was searching for after the destruction of the Reapers. It was to talk about the Shepard he hadn't been able to be with during the fight against the Collectors.
He breathed a deep sigh, gathering his thoughts. "I was just wondering," he ran his hand through his hair, keeping his eyes low to avoid making eye contact with the doctor. "If you could maybe tell me a bit about the time Shepard was with Cerberus." He cleared his throat. "I mean, how she handled everything." He looked back up at Chakwas, who was studying him again with a smile in her eyes. He didn't understand why she found this particular subject amusing, but the thought of it was slightly annoying, and he let out an exasperated sigh.
"Major," she began with warmth in her voice, "Kaidan," she corrected, now speaking as a friend. "If I understand what you're trying to ask me, you mean how did she handle being away from you?" He wasn't sure that was what he had meant until that moment, and surprise flashed across his face as realization dawned on him, but he just nodded slowly in response.
"I think," she continued - "that you would have been better off asking such questions of Kelly Chambers, as she was in charge of any of the crew's psychological injuries, while I was only in charge of the physical ones." Kaidan hung his head at hearing Kelly Chambers' name. He knew that she was another death that Shepard had faced as a result of the Cerberus coup on the Citadel. Another thing she had felt weigh on her with the guilt of every casualty Cerberus left in their wake. He wouldn't be getting any answers from the ghost of Miss Chambers.
Dr. Chakwas eyed him and smiled, a bit sadly, before speaking again. "However, Major, I can speak to you as someone who has had the pleasure of calling Luna a friend." His eyes flew back to hers and he waited eagerly for her to give him the answers he so desperately needed but had never had the cognizance of that need to ask Shepard himself. She seemed to understand everything his eyes were trying to communicate and she rose to her feet, offering to make some tea. He nodded, hoping the doc still had some herbal tea as it didn't encourage his migraines the way the black tea and coffee that the Alliance usually stocked always did.
When she returned, setting the mugs in front of each of them, her brow furrowed a bit as if she was contemplating whether or not to say something. She sat down and her features smoothed before she spoke. "Before I start, Kaidan, I want you to look at this as objectively as you can. I'm not telling you these things to hurt you or make you feel guilty. I'm telling you because I think maybe it'll help you clear your head to handle the task of getting her back, because I fully believe she's still alive." Chakwas nodded as she finished her disclaimer, reassuring him and also herself he suspected, that she was doing this for Shepard's own good, and not for his peace of mind.
She began talking to him about the medical logs she'd had access to after joining with the Normandy SR-2 team. The logs that described how Shepard had called out to him the first time she regained consciousness. She told him about the way Shepard never allowed anyone to think she was working for Cerberus, and how all of her former Cerberus crew were no longer with the organization, because they followed her and not Cerberus. The good doctor seemed to get more serious as she kept speaking, talking of the mission to Horizon, and how Shepard had known Kaidan would be there and had seemed to relax a bit at the thought of seeing him again. She had recruited Garrus already, and he was a good friend and a great asset to her and the crew, but Karin had known that Shepard would need to see Kaidan before being able to fully focus on the mission at hand. When she returned from the mission, she had been noticeably hardened, with a new resolve.
"I don't say that to make you feel bad, Major." She quickly said in an apologetic tone. "Just to explain that there was a change in her. She had realized exactly what was at stake and it had taken seeing you, seeing your anger, to really drive it home. She was no longer fighting for human colonies, she was fighting for humanity, including her own." He nodded, he had felt the guilt weighing on him since that day, but that's not what he felt now. He felt understanding, she had been different. He had seen it while evacuating them from Earth, again on Mars, she had tried to keep it showing through while he was back in the hospital on the Citadel, but he had heard the warmth in her voice. She had become a hardened soldier, not necessarily a bad thing, though it had gotten more difficult to reach her emotionally. But he knew that's what she had to be, _who_ she had to be, in order to be the hero that the Alliance needed her to be, the Savior that the Galaxy needed her to be.
Doc looked at him before continuing, like she was making sure it had all sunk in the way she had intended. "Kaidan, you know that she wouldn't have let herself develop feelings for the Drell if she hadn't thought-" He raised his hand to stop her, he knew that, Miranda had made that clear. "I'm not here about her relationship with Thane, doc. I just want to know if there's anything I can do to help her."
Dr. Chakwas was silent for a moment, considering how to answer. She nodded and smiled at him. "Major Alenko, Shepard survived the massacre of her entire squad on Akuze, the prothean beacon implanted her brain with a technology that allows her to understand images from over 50,000 years ago. She was further altered by the Cipher from the Thorian. The Collectors killed her, and it didn't stop her. Cerberus implanted her with top of the line cybernetics and she didn't miss a beat. She survived a suicide mission through the Omega 4 relay, without losing a single squad member. Harbinger tried to kill her again in London and it didn't work." She grinned at him with all the confidence in the world, and he realized she believed it wholeheartedly. "Kaidan, I know that you're worried for her. But if anyone can survive all the odds that the universe can throw at them, it's her." She reached across the table to pat the top of his hand, it was a maternal touch, and it seemed very foreign from the doctor, but one look at her face and he could see just how sincere it really was.
"I should have been there with her, doc, for all of it." He shook his head, the self-pity needed to stop, but how could he deny the truth.
"You should have." She agreed, not accusingly, but matter-of-factly. It surprised him, but then she'd always been honest when they were making mistakes on the field, why should this been any different? "But you weren't, and she doesn't blame you for that," She gave his hand a squeeze "and at some point you're going to need to stop blaming yourself."
The door to the clinic slid open as a soldier limped in on crutches. He looked bad, but Kaidan was certain he'd been worse, he looked to have already been through a good deal of treatments.
"I'll let you get to it." He said to the doctor, picking up both mugs and carrying them to the sink for her as she went to greet the patient. She smiled back at him as he walked to the door. He turned back and nodded to her, "and thanks for the tea." He felt a lot better, as he walked out into the morning sun. His meeting with Miranda and Vega was about an hour away, he had sent messages to some others that he knew were still on Earth as well. It was time to form a plan of rescue for the Savior of the Galaxy. He wasn't prepared to live without her for another two years, it was time.
7. Brainstorm
_Floating around the edges of consciousness there was only pain. White and hot - consuming - until the chill of the damp darkness took over again._
* * *
Kaidan took a moment to look around the large table in the clinic. He had suggested they all meet here so that Dr. Chakwas could join if she wanted to between patients. There was a large conference room in the back of the clinic, and since the staff was more - diminished - than it had been before the war with the Reapers, few people ever used it. They were seated at the large round table and Kaidan had gone about making coffee and tea for everyone.
Vega and Miranda were there, as they had agreed to the night before. Miranda was back in the white leather outfit he remembered from that first time he'd seen her in Horizon. Vega was in fatigues and a t-shirt that didn't even attempt to conceal the muscles beneath it. Next to Miranda sat Joker. Jeff Moreau was all too happy to be sitting next to the woman wearing a skin tight suit, and Kaidan was glad he was getting a break from mourning the loss of EDI, even if it was just to gape at Miranda.
On the other side of Vega was Jack. Subject Zero. The psychotic biotic. Kaidan had heard about her, but only met her once - at the Citadel party - and he hadn't gotten the chance to pick her brain. Other than Shepard, he hadn't known a lot of human biotics with power as intense as his were, and while she had been raised by Cerberus and he had been sent to BAaT, he figured they might have some things in common. He noticed she was more conservatively dressed than the last time he'd seen her. That wasn't saying much, however, as even with her fatigues and mesh shirt, she was still showing more skin than she was concealing. Nearly every inch of her skin was covered in tattoos, though, and while he'd love to spend some time hearing the story behind each of them, he assumed that she wouldn't jump at the chance to share.
Steve Cortez, the shuttle pilot, was talking quietly to Jack and Vega, though Kaidan noted that Vega was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Jack's body while Cortez was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Vega's. Jack seemed aware of this, and more than a little amused. Garrus, Tali, Grunt, and Wrex were all there too, having been stranded on Earth at least until the relays were repaired. They had offered their skills to the Alliance, and were being kept busy with repairs and cleanup. Garrus and Tali were speaking to each other in hushed tones and Kaidan smiled to himself. They had been working together for over three years now, and he remembered Shepard had been pleasantly surprised when she had found them... nuzzling before the battle in London, it had been a long time coming. Wrex and Grunt were having their usual pissing contest about who was stronger, and their voices were getting louder as the conversation escalated, until Chakwas entered the room with Liara and Samantha Traynor and hushed them.
Liara gave Kaidan a look of sadness and pity and he fought the urge to return it with a glare. He had no reason to dislike Liara. She was in love with the same woman he was, but how could he blame her. Shepard had picked him in the end and Liara's feelings for her had only had positive consequences - helping her with the cipher that ultimately allowed Shepard to understand the Prothean messages left behind, leading to Shepard's second chance at life, using her Shadow Broker intel to assist in the war. He gave her a tired smile, not because he wasn't grateful to her - he was - but because he really was tired. He couldn't remember the last time he got a good night's sleep.
* * *
_Pain fluttered around the edges. Pushing further to the center, intensifying with every inch. There was an intense pressure almost everywhere - shoulders, legs, ribs - and everything was shrouded in darkness. Fingers twitched but they weren't met with the usual return squeeze of assurance._
_Where was he?_
_Kaidan..._
* * *
When Conrad had suggested to Jenna that they should volunteer for the cleanup of the Citadel, she had been in complete agreement. They were technically only civilians, but he had spent a lot of time studying Commander Shepard and she had learned a few tricks while working undercover for Chellick. Still, she wasn't sure how Conrad had convinced the Admiral to let them work on the Citadel. She suspected, however, that Hackett had finally agreed in order to get rid of him. He had directed them to a stop that was populated with hundreds of workers assisting with the cleanup and rebuilding of the Presidium. However, Conrad had steered the shuttle to the far end of the wards, and Jenna had narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.
"Jenna, there are hundreds over there, they don't need us. There could be survivors up here and no one is even looking." He had explained, and she had understood right away and nodded in concession.
But - after several days of searching and finding nothing but bodies and rubble, she had started to lose hope. Jenna knew Conrad was looking for the Commander, and while she wasn't necessarily jealous with his unnatural obsession with the woman, she thought it was a futile effort. How could she possibly have survived not only the blast that took over the Citadel but also the following week without rescue. Conrad was still going at it with a vigor she wouldn't have thought possible after nearly a week of work with little rest.
"Con, hun, maybe we should take a break."
He looked at her with surprise, and she returned his look with a soft smile, he needed to start to consider the possibility that they wouldn't find her alive, if they found her at all. He hadn't had the easiest life, and Commander Shepard had been his motivation when he got older and was stuck in a loveless marriage with thoughts haunted by the memories of an abusive father and a red sand addicted mother. Shepard had been a woman who had survived despite the worst of situations and had gone on to be the hero of the Alliance. He wanted to be like her, and Jenna had initially found it endearing. It would be hard to see him realize she had died. After he had placed her on such a pedestal she figured he thought of her as invincible. If she had a weakness, though he had Jenna now, she knew it would still be a tough pill to swallow. She would stay here with him until there was no more hope, but he was looking weary and she wanted to take a break.
He seemed to see the concern in her eyes, because he nodded slowly.
"Ok, Jenna, you're right, we need a break." He smiled at her, a sight that caused a flutter in her chest every time she saw it. She did owe Shepard, she had saved her from a bad situation and later she had been the reason Jenna and Conrad had found each other. She was grateful for all of that, and she knew she'd see this through until they were sure she was safe or dead. She took Conrad's hand as he helped her down onto the floor with him and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, wiggling closer to her boyfriend and breathing in the calm around them. The calm in the midst of wreckage that had cost the lives of millions.
* * *
Kaidan was getting tired, they hadn't made any progress. No one had any ideas that they could follow through with in enough time to actually save her. The thought sent a shiver down his spine and he watched his friends, and acquaintances, eleven of the people who cared about Shepard the most and they were dangerously close to losing faith in her return to them. He rubbed his hands over his head and through his hair, stopping to rest at the implant scar on the back of his neck, massaging it gently to try and stop the migraine that was threatening to take over his head at any moment. He hadn't noticed Liara moving closer to him until she was beside him, hand on his shoulder. She didn't say anything and he didn't look her in the eyes, but he was comforted nonetheless. They were close to losing the one person who meant the most to both of them, but they were there together, feeling the same sorrow, and there was a camaraderie in that realization that neither of them had shared before.
* * *
_There was a muffled raspy breath, followed by an equally muffled hoarse cough. It took her a moment to realize the sounds were coming from her, as she felt what resembled someone dragging metallic claws down the back of her throat. The darkness was overwhelming, but she thought she saw a small beam of light coming toward her right before she slipped back into unconsciousness._
_Perhaps it was time to let go. _
* * *
They were walking along a hallway filled with rubble, much like the other hallways they had searched. Jenna could hear nothing but their footsteps through the wreckage. Conrad smiled at her as they continued down the hall, and she flashed him a grin back, she would be happy to get home once this was all over, and spend their nights in their own bed instead of a sleeping bag. He began humming quietly to himself and she smiled again, he knew how to set her mind at ease, without her even giving words to her worries.
Jenna placed her hand on his arm when she heard something, signaling him to stop so she could listen better for the source of the disturbance. It was easy for your mind to play tricks on you in a place like this, all wreckage and bodies, but she was convinced she had heard a cough coming from further down the hall. She tilted her head toward the sound and he nodded in acknowledgement, walking just a bit in front of her. Jenna smiled again, always the protector, he almost took a bullet for Commander Shepard, and she knew he'd do the same for her in a heartbeat. She frowned at the thought, hoping there was no danger of gunshots on this adventure..
* * *
Kaidan was making some more tea for everyone, they had agreed that they all needed a pick me up and they were going to give it a few more hours of brainstorming before calling it a day. The plan was to take any information they had gathered and present it to Admiral Hackett with a formal request to search for Shepard, but Kaidan knew they'd need at least something to go on before Hackett would entertain the notion. So they were going to compile all the data, and Kaidan was going to present it.
* * *
_The sound was wrong, like after a flashbang grenade had gone off too close but for some reason this time the hearing loss didn't fade. It sounded like someone was tapping a message out under water. When she shifted to try and turn toward the sound it felt like a million needles jabbing into her body, and then the darkness washed over her again. _
* * *
"Holy shit, Jenna."
The words were a whisper so quiet that she wasn't sure that she had heard him say them at first. But when she stepped into the space next to him she realized she what had caught his attention.
"We did it." He breathed, and despite the darkness she could see the relief washing over his face. Her mouth gaped open at the sight of Commander Shepard laying in the rubble. She wasn't conscious, and she wasn't moving except for the very slight rise and fall of her chest as she took shallow, rasping breaths. She was alive.
Jenna hadn't realized how relieved she really was to see Shepard alive until she tasted the tears that had fallen onto her lips. Conrad let out a burst of quiet laughter as he typed something into his omnitool and then kneeled beside the broken body of his hero to begin the process of removing the debris from on and around her. Jenna happily knelt down to help.
* * *
The group had fallen into easier conversation after all the data had been gathered. They were reminiscing about each of their favorite times on the Normandy, or with Shepard. It wasn't the depressing remembrances of friends talking about a loved one who had passed, but the musings of friends talking about a loved one who they hadn't seen in awhile, but would again. No one here was willing to consider that Shepard wouldn't come back, and Kaidan felt oddly comfortable right here. Away from the guilt and regret and loneliness he felt when was at home - these people, as different as each one was - made up some sort of family. The thought made him smile.
He was still thinking about the events that had brought them all to be serving under Commander Shepard at one point, when his omnitool pinged to alert him of an incoming message. It was Admiral Hackett, and he frowned realizing it was quite late for a professional call. He brought his hand to his ear to greet the man and his breath caught in his throat as he listened to his words. Something must have changed about him outwardly because a silence fell over the room and he realized everyone was staring at him.
"Yes, I understand. Thank you Admiral," he said into the receiver of his omnitool before turning to face the group. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath and he looked from one face to another, nodding finally -
"She's alive," he choked out, and he wasn't sure they heard him at first until the room was filled with the sound of eleven breaths being released in relief.
8. Foot in mouth
_3 1/2 years ago - 2183 - SSV Normandy_
"Did you hear? They're bringing Shepard on as our XO," Jenkins was saying in a conspiratorial whisper. Kaidan was focusing on his tea and trying to will away the dull ache that was starting at the base of his neck. The mess was nearly deserted, and he wasn't quite sure why Jenkins was whispering, but he just responded with a listless "hmm?" so his friend at least knew he was listening.
"Hmm?" Jenkins responded incredulously, "What kind of response is that?" He sighed, clearly annoyed with Kaidan's lack of interest in this particular piece of information, and Kaidan resisted the urge to roll his eyes and made an effort to straighten in his chair and give the man his full attention.
He tried to sound less preoccupied.
"That's interesting," Kaidan told him, which was met with a grunt from Jenkins, clearly this was not the way he should be responding. Finally he motioned to his friend to go on - knowing he'd have plenty of opinions on this new post, and at least then Kaidan would know how he was supposed to feel about it. Jenkins took the cue immediately.
"You know, they say she's a crazy bitch? That she survived on Akuze by being indifferent to her team and what they were going through. Ruthless."
Kaidan had heard the stories. Shepard had been commanding a team that had been sent to investigate a colony that had gone dark. When they got there, the colony stood with no survivors to be found, and that night Shepard's squad had been attacked by thresher maws. She was the only one to make it out alive.
"I don't know, Jenkins," he started - baiting his friend a bit, "maybe she's just a survivor." Jenkins blew a a frustrated puff of breath out and Kaidan grinned at him.
"You're a pain in the ass, Alenko. Whatever, man, crazy bitches are the best in the sack, you know." This time Kaidan really did roll his eyes.
"Either way," Jenkins continued - talking at a much more normal level now, "she's got an impressive service record for someone her age. I bet she's been brown nosing the brass."
Kaidan just nodded as he went to deposit his mug before heading back to his terminal, not really listening anymore due to the escalating migraine he was failing to control.
* * *
Kaidan hated these formal meet and greets. He was standing at a parade rest with the rest of the soldiers, waiting to meet the infamous new XO - Shepard. All of the marines were standing shoulder to shoulder on the bridge, quiet anticipation rolling over them while they waited for the airlock to open and Captain Anderson to come aboard with their new crew member. When they heard the hiss of the decontamination process, he observed the tensing of each soldier, and he followed suit when they all stood at attention.
He wasn't sure what he had been expecting. A battle-weary woman with wrinkles and scars and grey hair? He vaguely remembered Jenkins' earlier comment about her service record being profuse for someone of her age, and while he hadn't paid it much mind at the time, he now knew exactly why his friend had been so impressed. Shepard was not an older woman, riddled with scars and wrinkles and grey hair. She was slender and fit, with striking green eyes, red hair cut just to her chin, and tan skin that was sprinkled with freckles. The only scar that Kaidan could see was one that started above the right side of her mouth and trailed down to connect with her upper lip. He didn't realize he was staring at her mouth until he saw the corner lift ever so slightly and he forced his gaze up to meet her eyes. She was smirking directly at him with a raised eyebrow and he was mortified, but also extremely aware in that moment of how attractive he found her. He willed away the blush that was rising to his cheeks as he watched Anderson continue his introductions and tour of the SSV Normandy.
* * *
"Man, I would be honored to serve under her anytime," Jenkins was whispering crudely at him that evening. Kaidan shot him a glare and turned back to his dinner. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of it, in fact he'd been able to think of little else since the presentation of their XO earlier that day. It was unlike him to be so unprofessional, even in his personal thoughts, but there was something about her that got under his skin. Something that made him vow to make it his duty to elicit as many of those smirks from her as he possibly could.
He almost spit out his food when he looked up and saw her leaning against the wall at the other end of the mess - definitely in earshot - with a cool amusement on her face. She must have sensed him staring, because she met his eyes a moment later and he was rewarded with another smirk. Kaidan mentally kicked himself as he felt his cheeks flush with color again. 'What the hell was wrong with him. He was a grown man, not a teenage boy and it wasn't as if he'd never served with a woman before - he'd served with plenty. He'd even served with attractive women before. Why was this one affecting him so much.' He made an effort to focus back on his food again, and when he looked up a few minutes later, she was gone.
* * *
Jenkins was wrong about her. It was too bad he wasn't able to see it. When he went down on Eden Prime and Kaidan realized he was dead, he half expected Shepard to give him some callous speech about soldiers and death . But she was not ruthless, she was comforting, telling Kaidan that his friend deserved better. She invited Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams to join them, after learning that her whole squad had been taken out by the Geth. He knew Shepard could relate, but never expected her to welcome the other soldier without hesitation. When Kaidan was an idiot and got too close to the Prothean beacon, she pushed him out of the way and put herself in danger to keep him out of it. This woman definitely cared for her crew.
15 hours later and she was waking up in the medbay. He was there with her the whole time, much to the doc's dismay. He was determined to make sure she was okay, especially after she risked her own safety for him.
"You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?" Dr. Chakwas was saying, and he noticed Shepard rubbing her palm against her forehead and he figured she had one hell of a headache.
"Minor throbbing. Nothing serious," She responded and he would've bet all of his credits that it was a lie. "How long was I out?" she asked calmly, but her hands were shaking. Definitely a lie.
"About 15 hours, something happened down there with the beacon I think," Chakwas told her.
"It was my fault," Kaidan jumped in apologetically, "I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way." He expected her to berate him for his carelessness, but she turned to look at him over her shoulder, an impossible warmth in her eyes after what she had just been through.
"You had no way to know what would happen," she said reassuringly.
He caught himself grinning like an idiot before mentally kicking himself, he was doing a lot of that lately. Chakwas continued to explain what she had found during her examination, and Shepard thanked Kaidan for getting her back to the ship before Anderson entered the medbay and asked to speak with her in private.
As he walked back out to the mess, Kaidan smiled to himself. Shepard was a puzzle, but he was looking forward to putting all the pieces together.
* * *
"I'm glad to see you're okay. Losing Jenkins was hard on the crew. And I'm glad we didn't lose you, too," Kaidan said as Shepard walked into the mess from the medbay. He felt like an idiot.'Glad we didn't lose you? No shit.' But she didn't admonish him for it, simply asked how he was doing.
"Yeah, you never get used to seeing dead civilians. Doesn't seem right, somehow. But at least you stopped Saren from wiping out the whole colony," he assured her.
"I couldn't have done it without you," she said so matter-of-factly and yet he found himself grinning again.
"We're marines. We stick together," he chirped, sounding cheesier and cheesier the more he spoke, "I'm just sorry we lost Jenkins."
"Yeah... I wish I could've done something to save him." She looked slightly defeated, and in that moment he realized just how human Shepard was. She wasn't a legend or a ruthless marine, she wasn't a woman who'd accomplished more than most. She was a soldier, just like the rest of them, affected by loss and defeat - just like the rest of them. And he felt he needed to comfort her in some way.
"I was there. You did everything right. It was just bad luck," He assured her, trying to make his voice lighter when he continued, "It's been a hell of a shakedown cruise. Our first mission ends with one Spectre killing another. The Citadel Council's not gonna be happy about that. Probably use it to lever more concessions out of the Alliance."
"You've got a good grasp of the situation. You a career man?" she said in appreciation with a nod. He looked at her for a moment before answering and tried again to make light of his response.
"Yeah, a lot of biotics are. We're not restricted, but we sure don't go undocumented. May as well get a paycheck for it," he replied with a shrug, "besides, my father served. Made him proud when I enlisted. Eventually. But is that why you're here? Because of your family?" He was prying, he knew he was - but he just wanted to know more about her.
"I was a regular Navy brat," She said without any hint of surprise at the question, mirroring his shrug.
"I got a little more noteworthy than the folks expected."
"Ah that's right, Akuze. I imagine that bought you any post in the fleet," he responded without thinking, then felt like an ass, probably a sore subject and he barely knew the woman. He quickly moved on to another topic. They talked a bit about their trip to the Citadel before getting ready to dock.
* * *
He made the mistake of putting his foot in his mouth again while on the Citadel, much to Ashley's amusement. Williams wasn't about to let him live it down either. He had accidentally admitted to finding Shepard attractive and had been humiliated immediately by Williams. Shepard was kind about it, but he could hear the cool amusement in her voice.
* * *
Later, when Shepard was given command of the ship because Anderson had "stepped down," he noticed her fierce loyalty to the man when she blatantly called Udina out on what she perceived as forced retirement. He was sure she was right, but was shocked by her insubordination. Even more shocked by Udina's lack of action on the subject. The woman garnered a lot of respect from Alliance brass - he didn't know how she did it.
After that, he found it easier to slip into casual conversations with the commander. The captain's cabin was right next to his terminal, and she frequently stopped by to get his assessment on a mission or a decision she would have to make. He felt comfortable speaking freely about his opinions, and she never chided him for them, though she teased him often about his "romantic" notion of the Alliance. There was the one time she joked with him about the proper way to address his commanding officer when he'd called her "Shepard," but she hadn't balked when he told her he wasn't speaking to her as a commanding officer. He had talked with her honestly about Jump Zero, and it was the first time he had spoken of his experience to another soldier in ten years, but she just made it so easy because they were... friends?
He hadn't realized just how easy it was to talk with her until he put his foot in his mouth yet again saying he thought she was unstoppable and he'd never met a woman like her. He sounded like he was talking to a hero. She surprised him - she was always surprising him - by saying she liked the man he had become, despite his rough upbringing. It made him bold, and he was encouraged when she smirked at him and warned him that he was a distraction. He'd countered with his own warning - "It'll take care of itself one of these days. Or nights." It was the first time he saw the heat in her eyes, she buried it fast under another smirk, but it was there and he knew that he wasn't the only one dying to break regs.
But his confidence had faltered when Liara T'Soni showed unashamed interest in the commander, and he found himself feeling jealous - a completely foreign emotion to him - and he felt like an idiot for thinking he could have.. what... a relationship with his CO? She had mocked his insecurity with another smirk and another raised eyebrow and he didn't know how he was supposed to have a serious conversation with her when she kept doing that.
"All right, Alenko. Off the record, permission to speak candidly, cross my heart and hope to die. What are you talking about?" she had asked him with amusement and exasperation in her voice. He had stumbled through the words like a bumbling idiot when he explained he thought she was being distracted by Dr. T'Soni and he noted just a hint of annoyance in her voice when she wondered why he was so worried about her personal affairs, and she changed the subject too quickly. He had hit a nerve and he wasn't sure why he'd questioned it, they didn't have time to get caught up in the details and he didn't want to scare her away now - he enjoyed her company too much.
Then they were grounded, and she was taking it hard, all but collapsing onto the floor by the lockers. He tried to comfort her, tell her to appeal, and he found himself speaking about the Council with the same bitterness she had thrown in Udina's face when Anderson stepped down. He understood her loyalty now, knew he'd do anything for his commander - he trusted her decisions as if they were his own. But in her usual form, always teasing - she had hassled him about his lack of comforting words and he placated her sarcastically. When he helped her up, she had stumbled into his arms, his arm around her waist and hers against his shoulder. It was the first time she lost control of her biotics around him - not enough that a non-biotic would have noticed - but enough that he could feel the hum of energy against his skin. He knew she was taking things rough, but he had watched her maintain such steady control that the change was unexpected. He liked it, and for a moment he thought maybe the response was less about her weariness and more about her proximity to him. Right there next to the medbay he decided to test his theory. Looking into her eyes so she knew his intentions, Kaidan leaned down to kiss her.
Joker had come over the comm system then, and he could have killed the man.
"Sorry to interrupt, Commander. Got a message from Captain Anderson," Kaidan reluctantly told her she'd better go, while silently cursing the helmsman.
Interruptions notwithstanding, Kaidan's prediction ended up coming true on their way to Ilos. He had said the spark between them would work itself out, and he found himself walking into her cabin late at night, rambling on about how they didn't know if any of them would make it out of this mission alive and he wanted to say a lot of things but just couldn't find the words. She had bared a bit of her own vulnerability, confirming his previous assessment that she wasn't buying into the hero worship she always received. She was just a woman, doing the best she could and just hoping she was making the right put his foot in his mouth one final time by inadvertently repeating Jenkins' words from Shepard's first night on the ship.
"I've enjoyed serving under you," he said with a straight face and then promptly wished he hadn't. Vulnerability dissolved in an instant and she countered airily with that smirk.
"Kaidan, I don't think I've had the pleasure of you serving under me," she teased, but her voice dropped to a low throaty invitation, "don't you think it's time to rectify that?" Her words slid over his body, and he was unprepared for the desire he felt for her... so he started rambling again, laughing nervously, talking about fraternization regs, and she was staring at him with amusement until he finally caught up to his thoughts in time to save himself. "The galaxy will just keep going. But you and I, we are important right now."
He had tried to use her joking tactics against her when she asked him to bunk with her, asking if it was an order. She looked hurt before answering, but told him assertively that she wasn't looking for a pet. He'd told her with seriousness that he didn't want it to change anything, that he was happy with the crew and didn't want to mess things up. He'd made it sound casual, and it wasn't, it was the most amazing night of his life up until that point. He wanted to tell her as much when it was over, but he was interrupted by Joker once again, and it would have to wait.
He had wanted to tell her that he hadn't cast aside the fraternization regs just to blow of steam with a member of the crew. He wanted more from her, and he planned to let her know exactly that as soon as possible.
9. Broken
_"I'm proud of you."_
_Anderson's voice echoed in her mind. In Shepard's dreams she was always haunted by the dead. Or maybe this time she had finally gone to join them. She noted that she was still engulfed in darkness and remembered Benezia's dying words on Noveria._
_"No light, they always said there'd be..."_
_But if she was dead, would she still feel this pain?_
* * *
Kaidan never thought he'd be happy to see Conrad Verner. He remembered the first time he'd met the man, the obsessive fan on the Citadel that harassed Shepard until she had agreed to let him take a picture with her. It was the first time he'd seen Shepard blush, clearly not comfortable with the hero treatment. After years of it, she never got a big head about it, always the humble one, blushing when people called her a superhero or a savior. Conrad Verner had idolized her, to the point that Kaidan had thought him a threat, and now he had been the one to find her. He had to admit it hurt his pride a bit.
There wasn't time to ask him how or why he had gone with his girlfriend to the Citadel to help cleanup, or why he was on a side of the station that was nowhere near the rest of the cleanup crew. The shuttle had landed, and behind Conrad and Jenna were field medics carrying a stretcher, and the sight of it was almost too much to handle.
Kaidan gasped when he saw her, he had seen Shepard after gunshot wounds, broken bones, burns, scars, and internal bleeding. He had never seen her with all of them at once. She looked so small, so broken. Her armor was scorched and melted from either the Reaper's beam or the Crucible's explosion, he didn't know which. She had a gunshot wound to the gut and her leg was bent in a way that made it clear that it had been broken. Dried blood was all over her left arm. There were gashes all over her skin where it was exposed, and he was sure there were countless more beneath her armor.
He remembered a time when he had resented Cerberus for healing all of the scars he had discovered while learning her body during their time together. Now seeing her like this, he wasn't bothered by the fact that she would come out of this with a whole new set, but for the first time he was wondering if she'd even come out of this. When he'd gotten the call that she was alive, he hadn't even considered the shape she'd be in. He could see her chest rising and falling slowly, her breaths much weaker than they should be, and he could hear the rasping sound coming from her mouth. She was alive, he reminded himself, and Chakwas was the best. She'd make it; she had to.
Her fingers twitched, and he reached out to squeeze them, an instinct from so many times standing next to her in the medbay while Chakwas patched her up after a groundside mission.
She had done the same for him countless times. He was only able to hold on for a moment before the medics carried her past him into the clinic, and he turned to see everyone had joined him outside to greet the shuttle. They were all looking at their commander with the same dread that he had felt mere moments before.
Kaidan straightened and composed himself as he followed the medics into the clinic. It was his job to be the strong one now, while their commander was out of commission, and he wasn't about to let them down.
* * *
"_Shepard-Commander, I must go to them. I'm... I'm sorry. It's the only way." It was Legion's voice she heard now._
_Why did they haunt her, wasn't she being punished enough? The universe had realized its mistake in letting her live, letting her cheat death. She had unraveled the course of many cycles and changed everything, and she shouldn't have even been alive to do it. Now she was being punished, held in darkness and pain for eternity. Maybe Ash's God had decided she wasn't worthy to meet her friends again, and instead she was to be tormented by their voices, those she lost in this war._
_She felt the familiar squeeze then. It wasn't a disembodied voice taunting her from the darkness. It was real and it hurt, fingers squeezing at her seemingly broken ones, but it felt like home._
_Kaidan. _
* * *
He heard her breathing hitch for a moment, and he began to panic as he ran closer to the stretcher to examine her features. Her brow, though smeared with blood, was furrowed, and he knew the pained expression even though her eyes were closed.
"What's happening?" he demanded from one of the medics.
"Nothing, I think she's trying to speak," the man said, looking at him, clearly annoyed and shrugged.
'Trying to speak? She was clearly unconscious, how could they think she was trying to speak? ' He rushed over to her side again and grasped her hand in his, causing the medics to stop moving for a moment. Kaidan leaned down and studied her face for any sign of awareness.
"I'm here, Shepard, and Chakwas is here, we're going to get you back to your old self in no time," he whispered to her, still watching her face. He saw it change before his eyes, and his heart leapt when she croaked out, almost inaudibly, what he was sure was -
"Kaidan."
"Don't die," he whispered, echoing the words she had whispered to him after Mars, words he'd never told her he'd heard. And then, in a lighter tone he added, "that's an order," while squeezing her fingers one more time before allowing the medics to get her to the doctor's operating table.
* * *
_"Don't die, that's an order."_
_She thought she'd heard the words come to her in Kaidan's voice. That wasn't right, she was the one that had said them to him, wasn't she? And she was the one that was dead, not him. Oh god, not Kaidan. All the voices she was hearing were of her dead friends, Kaidan couldn't be one of them. The universe wouldn't take him too._
_She was vaguely aware of being moved, and thought she felt something pinch her skin before the darkness took over one more time._
* * *
15 hours later - September 23rd
Kaidan was pacing. Dr. Chakwas refused to let any of them inside the operating room while they worked on Shepard. She had, in fact, ordered them all to go home, and - since it had been a very long day - most of them had. Joker, Miranda, Liara, and Garrus were the ones who remained there with Kaidan. They had stayed all night, sometimes sleeping, sometimes talking with each other, most of the time silently working on something. The four were sitting at the conference room table while he paced back and forth in front of the door that Chakwas had locked behind her so as not to have any interruptions.
Liara looked concerned, which didn't make Kaidan feel any better; he was sure she was hurt, which kept her from lending her medical expertise to help with the procedures. Dr. Chakwas had not said anything to the group, positive or negative, yet. She had gone in the room, asked for two more medics, and went to work on Shepard's mangled body. There were few noises coming from the room, whatever they were doing they were doing in almost complete silence.
Miranda had been working diligently on a datapad for hours; he wasn't sure if it was actual work or if she was just reading reports to keep herself busy. He assumed the latter.
Garrus had disassembled and reassembled his Black Widow at least three times since they'd brought Shepard in. It was an impressive weapon - Shepard had clearly gotten it for him, since it was a Spectre model - and he was methodically cleaning every piece of it. But as complicated as the sniper rifle was, Kaidan doubted it needed such thorough cleaning. Then again, Garrus always did have to play with a gun to keep him distracted.
Joker had fallen asleep again at least an hour before, lying down across three chairs, a steady stream of drool running from his lip to one of them, but no one else had seemed to notice.
When the door slid open and Dr. Chakwas reentered the room, Joker swore under his breath as he hit his head on the underside of the table upon waking up. Everyone jumped to attention, awaiting the news.
Chakwas looked at them strangely, as though she wasn't expecting them to be there.
"At ease soldiers," she glanced at the remaining group, "...and otherwise." Everyone seemed to relax just slightly, and Kaidan stood at a parade rest, hands behind his back, as the woman spoke.
"I've done all that I can for her, and it looks bad, but I think she's going to be okay." This was met with a collective sigh from the inhabitants of the room. The doctor flashed them a forced smile before her features became serious again, "It's going to take a lot of time - and a lot of work - until she'll be back to her old self again." She told them how Shepard had suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach, presumably even before she had made it to the Citadel, and the medi-gel enhancement from Cerberus' rebuild was the only reason she had survived this long. He caught the relieved smile on Miranda's face and felt genuinely grateful to her. Shepard also had four fractured ribs, a fractured collarbone, multiple fractures throughout her arms and legs, and countless contusions and lacerations that would need time to heal. In addition to all of this, several pieces of her armor had fused to her skin in the explosion. When Kaidan inquired as to what it all meant for her recovery, they finally heard the weight of it all.
"The medi-gel did wonders for her," Dr. Chakwas began, "It set her bones and prevented any vital organs from being punctured in the process, but therein lies the problem." Kaidan heard a quiet gasp and turned to the sound, Liara had realization dawning on her face and looked horrified.
"You mean to say..." she paused. "You had to re-open all of her injuries, didn't you?" she asked.
Kaidan's head whipped back to face the doctor, and she nodded gravely. He couldn't even imagine the pain, having nearly every bone in your body broken, then the soothing of the medi-gel just to have it removed.
"She was nearly unconscious and giving her a sedative would be risking in case of a concussion. We had to induce a coma," she shook her head wearily, "we will slowly reduce the barbiturates after about two weeks. That should give her body enough time to heal the worst of it, as well as get the nourishment she's been lacking for the past nine days," she crossed her arms in front of her and sighed, "she's going to be okay, but she's been through so much trauma, physically, emotionally, psychologically..." She trailed off. When she looked back at them she took a deep breath. This was hard for her too, he realized. Shepard had been a friend to her, just as she'd been to the rest of them.
She explained that they had needed to create skin grafts from the few healthy areas of her skin to cover the wounds where they had removed the melted pieces of her armor. The whole process had taken nearly 16 hours, and Kaidan could see his own exhaustion mirrored in the doctor's eyes.
Dr. Karin Chakwas nodded to the group, "It's going to be weeks after she wakes up - maybe months, maybe longer - before she's going to be able to run again, or fight, or use her biotics for more than lifting something of a few pounds," she still had her arms crossed in front of her and looked troubled, "but that's not what worries me. I'm worried that she's never going to feel like herself again. She may never be able to do the things she could before, and while the war is over, it came with a lot of casualties, and if she's stuck out of the action, she's going to have a lot of time to consider them."
Kaidan walked over to the older woman and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Doc, we know it'll be hard," he looked back to the others who nodded in encouragement, "but we're all here for her, we'll help her, we are her family." He smiled at her softly, he did know it would be hard, Shepard was harder on herself than anyone else - and she would hate being stuck in a bed, stubborn as she was - but she had so much support, and they wouldn't let her down.
Dr. Chakwas returned his comforting gesture with a hand on his own shoulder, and she nodded with a smile. "Kaidan, you can go in there, but she's not going to be conscious, and I have to recommend that you go home and get some sleep, that's what Shepard would want right now too."
He knew she was right, of course. Shepard wouldn't want her crew to see her like this, wouldn't even want him to see her like this, but she had another thing coming if she thought he was going to stay away.
He took a step to move past the doctor and enter the room behind her when she tightened her grip on his shoulder.
"Trust me, Kaidan. We all need some rest," she said softly, so only he could hear.
"Aye aye, ma'am," he said with a salute and a smile before entering the room.
10. Mars
_Three months ago - 2186 - Alliance Headquarters - Vancouver - Earth_
After his meeting with the defense committee, Kaidan didn't know what the hell to think. If the council had just listened to Shepard's warnings years ago - but there was no use thinking about that now. Shepard was stuck in the detention center after her involvement with Cerberus and the destruction of the Alpha relay. He'd heard whispers that they were calling on her to advise on the situation. He had to stifle a wry laugh at that; it was too late for them to trust her now - now that the Reapers were already attacking.
He greeted Admiral Anderson as he approached the committee's quarters where Kaidan had just been. He had been so lost in thought that he almost didn't catch the nod that Anderson had thrown to his right, indicating a woman shaking hands with Lieutenant Vega. It was Shepard.
He hadn't seen her since Horizon, and she looked great. Her hair had gotten longer and she had it pulled up into a ponytail but a few strands had escaped and brushed against her forehead and down across her cheeks. When he called her name, she turned to face him fully, the warmth was there in her eyes, something he had only hoped he'd see again.
"Major, how'd it go in there?" Anderson asked, forcing him to turn back to the Admiral, though what he really wanted was to pull Shepard aside and just... talk.. about everything, try and put the bad stuff behind them.
He sighed before answering the question, "Okay, I think. Hard to know - just waiting for orders now." Shepard had caught up and was standing shoulder to shoulder with Anderson, she looked at him with surprise.
"Major?"
"You hadn't heard?" Anderson retorted.
"No, I hadn't."
Kaidan felt like he owed her some sort of apology. Not that there had been any chance to talk with her these past months. He had written her a dozen messages and deleted every single one of them before sending. He figured she'd have responded to his message after Horizon if she wanted to talk.
"Sorry, Shepard. It's been... well."
This was all he could come up with. So very eloquent, Alenko, he scolded himself.
But she wasn't upset, or cold about it. She smiled at him, warm and easy, bringing him back to that day in the medbay after Eden Prime.
"That's okay. Just... glad I bumped into you, Kaidan."
And he relished in the sound of his name on her lips.
"Yeah - me too."
* * *
When the Reapers landed minutes later, Kaidan and Vega were still standing in the hallway chatting about Shepard. Panic broke out all around them and they both ran at top speed while Kaidan tried to contact her. Nothing. Shit. He looked back toward the rear of the building and saw debris and wreckage replacing what used to be the defense committee's quarters. Where the hell were they?
Kaidan set his comm to the proper channel and was about to reach out to the Admiral when he heard static coming through - Anderson trying to reach him.
"This is Admiral Anderson - reporting in - Major Alenko, is that you? What's your status?"
Shepard was with Anderson; they were both okay. He blew out a sigh of relief. He sent him their location, and Anderson told him he was having trouble raising the Normandy, and told Kaidan to take care of it.
"Normandy, come in - this is Major Kaidan Alenko - we need evac - sending coordinates now!" he yelled over the din as they ran outside. Destruction was everywhere around them as they escaped Alliance headquarters and watched shuttles and ships get blasted out of the sky by giant red lasers.
"Alenko! We're on our way, is the commander with you?" Joker's voice came through his omnitool.
"Negative, they're on their way."
"Aye, aye - ETA 2 minutes!"
* * *
They had only been on board for a few minutes when Anderson's voice came through again.
"Normandy, this is Anderson - do you read?"
"Admiral - what's your location?" Kaidan asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. He was watching people die every second and he needed to get them out of there as soon as possible. The signal cut out then, and Kaidan swore before Joker's voice came over the comm system.
"Major, picking up a distress beacon. I'm thinking it's from the Admiral."
He breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, Joker - lets go get them."
* * *
When they got close to the location of the distress beacon, Kaidan looked out and located Shepard and Anderson fighting off Reaper forces. He watched her warp one to shreds without breaking a sweat, blue energy rolling over her skin in waves, and then take the next out with the Locust. He was mesmerized by the way she moved so easily even after so much time off duty. She ducked behind cover to reload, and he watched the biotic energy cover every inch of her once again. When she stood to launch another attack, it was one fluid motion. The blue sheen against her skin flowed over her and out through her right hand creating a ball of destruction that - on impact with her attacker - ripped it to shreds. Before the flare had even faded, she was back behind cover again.
"Damn," he heard a quiet voice to his left. Vega was staring too, apparently.
Kaidan cleared his throat, nodded to the lieutenant, then opened the comm channel and declared triumphantly,
"The cavalry has arrived!"
He saw her fire off one more warp before turning to look up at the Normandy. He saw Vega smirking at him out of the corner of his eye.
"What? We're coming to the rescue," he said shrugging.
Vega snorted, "Mhm."
He watched Shepard hop easily over obstacles and run up to meet them as the shuttle bay doors opened. She lept onto the ramp and Kaidan reached out to help her - in vain, because she cleared the jump without any trouble.
"Welcome aboard the Normandy, Commander," he said, like an idiot. Welcoming her onto her own ship? A ship that he himself hadn't been on before now. Sure, it was still the Normandy, but it was a complete rebuild from the SSV. The SR-2 had been built by Cerberus, and retrofitted by the Alliance after Shepard had returned. In fact - they hadn't quite finished working on it - but it was hard to plan for an invasion. She thanked him, barely glancing his way, and he wondered if he'd imagined the warmth he'd seen earlier.
But then - after Anderson reinstated her - after he told her to seek out the Council's help - after she told him with conviction that she'd be back for him - she walked up to Kaidan, and he thought he saw something in her eyes, something that gave him hope. She turned to look back to Anderson, shoulder to shoulder with Kaidan and he could feel the hum of her biotics in the closeness of their bodies. He had missed that feeling. He wanted to reach out and take her in his arms and kiss her, but as the thought crossed his mind, he watched her squeeze her eyes shut and saw the source of her pained expression.
Two shuttles evacuating civilians were destroyed by a Reaper attack. They had more important things to worry about right now.
He watched her as she dealt with Vega's blatant insubordination. Yelling at her for things she couldn't control. She didn't lose her cool - just put him in his place. He watched her talking with Joker over the comm, relief flushing over her face as she spoke to her friend. He watched her talking with Hackett over vidcom, appreciated her sharp salute when he directed them to investigate Mars.
* * *
Up close, she was even more impressive than he remembered. Something happened in the time they'd been apart, and she'd become bolder. She wasn't hiding behind cover at every chance; she was running up and blasting enemies with her biotics almost as often as she was launching a warp from afar.
But something wasn't right. Cerberus forces were present on Mars, not a full battalion just a few vehicles. He felt his anger flaring up and demanded answers from Shepard, ignoring he hurt in her voice when she claimed not to know anything.
He advanced on her when they got to the elevator.
"Shepard I need a straight answer."
She turned from him, hand on her helmet before she spoke.
"Kaidan..." it was the tone she used that caught him off guard. The one she'd use when they were alone, not when they were working.
"Don't Kaidan me," he interrupted her before she could go on - not wanting her to be informal with him now when he needed to answers - "this is business." He was pointing a finger in her face when she whirled around to face him, but he kept going, "Do you know anything about why Cerberus is here?"
"What makes you think I know what they're up to?" she asked, all warmth gone from her voice.
He started pacing, he didn't want to look at her when he accused her, "you worked for them for god's sakes - how am I not supposed to think that?"
"We joined forces to take down the Collectors - that's it," she said patiently. He didn't want to hear her excuses.
"There's more to it," he said - still not looking at her, "They rebuilt you from the ground up; they gave you a ship, resources -"
"Let me be clear – " it was her turn to interrupt, "I've had no contact with Cerberus since I destroyed the Collector base," she stated, leaning against the railing next to him, "and I have no idea why they're here now or what they want."
Vega stepped forward to interject.
"Commander Shepard has been under constant surveillance since coming back to Earth. No way they've communicated since."
He wasn't ashamed for asking - he needed to know - but he apologized anyway.
Kaidan wasn't prepared for her next words or the weary tone in which she delivered them.
"You of all people should know what I'm about, Kaidan. Please trust me."
And he told her he did. Then he heard her telling Liara pointedly that she kept fighting because she knew how much was on the line - while looking at him. And then he heard her talking with Liara about how he'd become quite a capable soldier. He felt that hope again - like they'd be able to work it out once things settled down.
He screwed it up a few minutes later when they found a Cerberus trooper who had clearly been altered with Reaper tech. Before he could stop himself, he asked her if Cerberus had done the same to her. Always shoving his foot in his mouth. She was angry now, not like before, not frustrated with his lack of trust in her but angry that he would suggest such a thing. And he floundered, he told her he didn't know who she was anymore - avoiding her eyes again. He didn't know how he could have such a need to say the words and yet feel so guilty while he was doing so.
But he had to look at her when she said his name again, defeated, no longer angry, just - hurt. And he asked her the most important question - the one that had been eating at him since Horizon.
"I just wanna know - is the person I followed to hell and back - the person that I loved - are you still in there... somewhere?"
The warmth was back in her eyes, and she put a hand on his shoulder in an effort to comfort him he supposed.
"They didn't change me, Kaidan. Or how I feel about you." 'Feel', she had said feel - not felt. She stepped back assessing him, "But words won't convince you, will they?"
"Probably not."
She sighed, "I didn't think so," Then she punched him playfully on the shoulder, "you were always stubborn." That forced a laugh out of him, and again he thought - maybe there was hope for them.
* * *
He thought he could trust her again - even more so when the Illusive Man showed up to the - via holo - and she seemed as angry as ever. This wasn't the relationship of people working together; she was legitimately disgusted with the man. She even tried to convince him that they should be fighting on the same side - but he wouldn't hear reason. Kaidan heard the conversation through the comm in his helmet and had resolved to apologize thoroughly when they got back to the Normandy. But then he came across Dr. Eva.
His life flashed before him as the synthetic got permission to kill him from her creator. He thought about all the things he needed to apologize to Shepard for. He thought about all the time they'd lost, all the time he wanted to make for them in the future. He heard her demand that the machine let him go, and he thought he heard the panic in her voice. Then it all went black.
11. Gifts
_"I think about losing you and I can't stand it."_
_The words haunted her in her death slumber. He had said them before Ilos, their first night together, when they stopped caring about the regs, and she made light of everything to avoid wearing her heart on her sleeve._
_But then he had lost her, to the Collectors, Cerberus, and now to the Reapers._
_"I can't lose you again."_
_Those were the ones that had decided her fate, though. Five words that made her choose to destroy the Reapers instead of creating a synthesis between organic and synthetic life. Because she had hoped, just a little, that she could give him the life he wanted. That maybe she'd make it out of this mess and he could have his wish._
_"I'm gonna fight like hell to hold you again."_
_So she had sacrificed all the Geth, sacrificed - oh fuck - EDI, she gave up lasting peace for the selfish wish of having a life with Kaidan._
_A wish that had been in vain. The Catalyst had been right, choosing to destroy the Reapers had killed her too. And now she would spend eternity in her guilt._
* * *
_September 23rd - 2186_
When Kaidan walked into the room, it felt as though someone had reached into his chest and squeezed his heart. Chakwas and her team had cleaned all of Shepard's wounds, but it had only made it more obvious how much she had been hurt. There were countless ground missions that he could remember where she'd come out of it covered in blood, but after some medi-gel and a shower, she had almost always seemed good as new.
Here was his Shepard, the woman he loved more than anything, and she was alive. She was going to be okay. It was going to take a lot of work, but in the end, she'd make it out of this good as new, just as she always had.
He wasn't doing a very good job at convincing himself.
Laying there in the clinic bed, she just looked so fragile. Fragile and part machine. There were tubes helping her breathe, tubes feeding her, tubes administering medication. He worried that it would be ages before he could hold her in his arms again, and he felt completely helpless.
He walked over to the bed and placed his hand gently against her cheek, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Her breathing was more even now, not the raspy weak breaths she had been struggling with when they brought her in. She looked like she was just sleeping, as if she'd open her eyes if he called out to her, but he knew she wouldn't.
There was a gash along her jaw line that had been sealed with medi-gel but would definitely leave a lasting scar. Kaidan wanted so badly to kiss every cut and bruise and hold her and tell her she would be okay. He knew she wouldn't be able to hear him, and even if she would she'd just get upset that he was trying to coddle her. Instead, he placed his hand against her cheek, placed a kiss against her forehead, and whispered a promise in her ear. Then he decided to take the doctor's advice and get some rest, silently vowing to check on her every day until she opened her eyes again.
* * *
_"Just don't make the mistake I did. There's always another mission. None of them are an excuse to make yourself an island."_
_Thane was speaking to her. Warning her against being alone in her duty. She hadn't heeded his warning. She had put the mission above all else. Shepard, the savior, the hero they all expected her to be - she had saved every individual she could, she had created peace between species, but she had closed herself off from the people who cared about her._
_"Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness."_
_She had given her heart to Thane Krios, but not fully, she could never give him all of herself because she had already given that to Kaidan. In her final moments in London,she had known she was going to die, known she would make sure she completed the mission first, but that she would die. It was okay because Kaidan would live. He would live and find another person to love, and that person would be able to give him a stable family - something Shepard could never have. She had told him she loved him - always - that was supposed to be enough._
_"You are a great protector, siha. But some things are beyond even you."_
* * *
_September 27th - 2186_
Jeff Moreau was angry. There wasn't anything he could do about it now, and he doubted he'd ever actually do anything about it, but he needed to know why EDI was gone. Logically, he assumed all synthetics were destroyed with the Reapers. That explained the destruction of the Geth which happened simultaneously. He knew that was the simple answer. What he wanted to know was if there could have been any other way? Shepard was part synthetic, why was she still alive?
He mentally kicked himself as soon as the thought crossed his mind. If it wasn't for Shepard, he would have never given EDI a chance. Hell, he wouldn't even have a ship anymore if it wasn't for the Commander. Deep down, he knew that if there had been another way, she would have found it. She had always risked everything for the sake of others, why would this be any different?
He was significantly less angry by the time he arrived at the clinic, and Dr. Chakwas just raised an eyebrow at him before returning to the frantic wife of a soldier that was under the doctor's care. He walked into the room where he knew he'd find Shepard and had to double check that he had walked into the right room when he saw her. After a moment, he realized in alarm that he was indeed staring at his commander. All the anger evaporated, and he had to hold onto the arm of a nearby chair to keep his balance.
Shepard looked terrible. She was connected to tubes and wires and machines, and nearly every inch of her body was covered in bandages or surgical tape. There was a particularly gruesome gash along her jawline that he knew would never heal quite right. Her and Garrus would have to compare scars once she was awake, he thought with a wry smile.
Joker just stood there staring for a long moment, not quite sure what to do. His commanding officer - a woman he had worked with for nearly four years and who he had respected from day one - was lying on a hospital bed looking like death. He realized for the first time that she was not invincible. This wasn't like the Collector attack when they'd never found a body, and she showed up two years later, better than new with Cerberus upgrades. She was laying here broken, and he wasn't sure if she'd come out of this one on top.
Dr. Chakwas opened the door to check on her patient and must have seen the look on his face because she simply placed a hand on his shoulder without saying a word. He looked down at the model of the SSV Normandy that he held in his hand. He had taken it from her cabin to bring here, hoping the reminder would help her feel more at home. Now - looking at her condition - he wondered if she'd ever open her eyes to see it.
Chakwas was smiling at him.
"It's a lovely thought, Jeff," she told him, going back to checking the wires and numbers on her omnitool that were no doubt cluing her in to Shepard's vitals, "We'll be waking her up in about 10 days, I'll make sure she knows it's from you."
He nodded and set the model on the table next to her bed. He found himself lingering there for a bit too long when he heard her speak again.
"She's going to be okay; don't worry."
He was worried, but if Dr. Chakwas said she'd be okay, he'd have to put his trust in her for now. He turned and left, feeling defeated.
* * *
_"Shepard. Excellent timing. Good to have you here."_
_Mordin. Was he welcoming her into this dark, damp afterlife? Her friend - a scientist who was a little crazy and completely eccentric, but a great friend. She admired him so much, he had been a huge part in the creation of the genophage and he had been proud of his work. But when the situation changed, he didn't think twice about making it right. He had given his life so that the Krogan had a chance._
_"No apologies. Did what was right. Hope you do the same if necessary."_
_And isn't that what she had done? Hadn't she sacrificed herself so that humanity - no, all species - had a chance at survival? Somewhere deep down she knew that she had succeeded in that at least. The Reapers were destroyed - the Catalyst had told her she was the only one who could have made that decision._
_"Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."_
_Yeah, she could relate to that._
* * *
_September 30th - 2186_
Miranda felt odd walking into the clinic. It had been one week since Shepard had been found, and she had stayed away thinking that she'd be no use to her unconscious friend. But then late the night before, she remembered she had come into possession of Shepard's original dog tags after the Alliance had retrofitted the Normandy SR-2 but had to escape Earth before loading everything back on board. She wanted to bring them to the clinic so that she'd have them when she woke up.
She still felt like an outsider among Shepard's Alliance friends, and so, she had picked a time late at night when she thought she wouldn't have to worry about other visitors. She had been wrong. Kaidan Alenko was sitting in a chair next to Shepard's bed; he looked like he had been sleeping but he startled awake when he heard the door slide open. Miranda tried to give him an apologetic shrug, but to her surprise, he stood and offered her his chair.
There was camaraderie present with all of these people, a bond that Miranda didn't quite understand at first, but it had become clear to her one night while she was thinking about conversations between her and Shepard on the Normandy. She had said it herself 'I don't have what you do, that fire that makes someone willing to follow you into hell itself.' It was true. The woman had a fire that all around her could not only see, but could be pulled into with ease. She had this way of making you believe in what she believed, of making you want to fight her fight with her.
"Coffee?" Kaidan asked her sleepily as he walked toward the door, she nodded without looking back to him and placed the dog tags on the table. There wasn't a lot of room, she noticed. There was a model of the SSV Normandy, a Chess set that she recognized as belonging to Oleg Petrovsky.. or well, it used to belong to him. There was a glass box containing Shepard's damn hamster, a holo of a baby Krogan, and a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy. She smiled; Shepard sure was one of a kind, with a one of a kind family that always had her back.
Miranda tentatively placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder.
"Hey, Shepard," her voice was unsteady, and she hadn't been expecting that, "remember how you told me that it wasn't goodbye?" she laughed nervously, "you told me we'd both make it out alive and I believed you," she looked at her friend, silently wishing she could hear her, "you said we'd done enough running, and it was time to stop." Miranda smiled, remembering the conversation over holo when Shepard arrived in London, "Well here we both are, alive, so hurry up and get better so we can enjoy it, huh?"
She hadn't heard Kaidan reenter the room and was startled when he set the coffee down on the table next to her. She looked at him, suddenly embarrassed about the tears in her eyes, but he was smiling at her warmly.
"She's going to be okay, Miranda," he said, taking a sip from his mug and nodded, a much more confident man than he had been just a week earlier.
"I know, I just -" She trailed off, and they were both silent for a while.
"Yeah, I miss her too," he said quietly.
12. Right
_**AN: Illustration available at my deviant art page (the-nara) art/Welcome-aboard-Major-390205912**
_
* * *
_One Month Ago - 2186 - The Citadel - Docking Bay D24_
Kaidan was pacing. He was confused, and he felt like he had almost died at the hand of the woman he loved. He wasn't sure what to think. Part of him wanted to scream at her - another part of him wanted to kiss her and apologize for every single time he'd doubted her. That was the part that was winning. He leaned against the window and looked out at the Normandy SR-2.
And then the doors slid open.
"Kaidan - Hey - I wondered where you went, what's up?"
He stared at her; she was wearing her N7 hoodie and her fatigues and looked as casual as ever - as if a Cerberus battalion didn't just try to take over the citadel at the command of an assassin - as if the human councilor didn't just die at the hands of Kaidan himself. Just another day for Commander Shepard.
"I'm trying to wrap my head around what just happened," he said finally.
"You sound angry," she said - repeating the words she'd said to him on Horizon. No - this wasn't the same thing.
He pushed off of the wall to stand straight in front of her. "Not angry - just not every day you have an armed standoff with someone you love. How it all went down it's got me... I don't know."
She nodded, "Okay - talk to me, let's have it." Another repetition - this time remnant of the time he felt jealous of Liara. So long ago.
He took a step closer and told her exactly how he felt - that if he wouldn't have backed down she'd have taken the shot. She countered saying she trusted him, and that's what mattered, but he wasn't convinced.
"But sometimes the way a thing goes down does matter, Shepard," he stepped back, "later, when you have to live with yourself." He turned back toward the window. "Knowing that you acted with integrity - then it matters."
When he looked back at her the understanding was there in her expression. She knew he was talking about Udina now. She assured him that he'd done the right thing, and he thought he believed it. But it wouldn't have been the first time he'd second guess her.
He felt like a desperate child when he told her he wanted to join the Normandy's crew again. He was higher ranking than her now - not that it mattered - and here he was all but begging to be a part of her team again - a part of her life again. When she responded, there was a sadness in her voice that contradicted the warmth in her eyes, she welcomed him easily, but he felt then that she was going into this thinking it would be her final mission.
"Shepard, I need you to know that I'll never doubt you again. I've got your back."
She smiled and responded politely, but he got the feeling that deep down she knew she didn't need him to have her back. Commander Shepard always got it done - no matter who was against her.
* * *
He heard her outside on the Crew Deck, talking with Garrus. And he smiled to himself when she admitted to the Turian that she wouldn't have been able to pull the trigger. He had known deep down - but there was that tiny question that was bothering him.
When he heard the door to the observation deck slide open, he knew she was coming to check on him. He was conflicted. He wanted to help fight with the people out there, but he wanted to be on the Normandy. That pull was undeniable and he knew that it was a pull to Shepard, not the team - though he cared about them too - it wasn't the same thing. She comforted him about his dad, and she looked out into the stars with him. When she approached him to tell him it was good to have him back, he almost thought she was going to kiss him, and was more than a little disappointed when she shook his hand and then left the room.
They had talked about some stuff when he was in the hospital, they'd cleared the air about Horizon - about the drell assassin she'd been with during her time with Cerberus - and he had told her in no uncertain terms that he still cared about her. But they hadn't really talked about their future, the next step. For his part, she was it for him - but he wasn't sure she felt the same.
* * *
When they finally got around to having dinner together at Apollo's, Kaidan had hoped to talk about their relationship seriously - and make at least tentative plans for the future. He told her he was having trouble sleeping, and she caught the edge that he had been trying to hide. It was going to come out eventually, so he figured he might as well get it over with.
"The war isn't the only thing keeping me up at night," he admitted, avoiding her gaze - he always had trouble with these confessions when her eyes were piercing into his. So he focused intensely on a spot on the table as he spoke, "I wonder about us."
He looked up at her when she encouraged him to continue. "I understand why you cheated." She flinched ever so slightly. Maybe cheated wasn't the right word, but it was too late now. "But I still love you, Shepard. I wanna understand what this is between us, and make it real," he sighed, focusing back down on the table, "That's what I want."
A long moment passed and he looked back up at her, she seemed to be wrestling with a response, so he prompted her: "What do you want?"
She just stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable and he felt like she was about to shake her head and walk away when she said finally - "I can't bury what I feel for you anymore. And I don't want to."
It was all the encouragement Kaidan needed, he clasped her hand in his, so happy to hear the words from her mouth - and he told her as much - bringing her hand up to his cheek before turning his face to kiss her palm.
A grin spread across her face when she tried to entice him back to the Normandy with her - telling him they needed to go ASAP. He shot her down saying he planned to take his time, and she gave him a disappointed look for a moment before he took her hand in his again. That's when she rewarded him with the smirk, and he knew he was finally home.
* * *
_Two weeks ago - 2186 - Horsehead Nebula - Normandy SR-2_
Kaidan couldn't sleep if he tried. They were on their way to launch an attack on the Cerberus base, and he felt like he hadn't seen Shepard in ages. She was constantly being pulled this way or that way by this politician or that general. Fixing everyone's problems while uniting a galaxy. She was doing a damn fine job at it too.
But if he knew her - she wasn't sleeping either. Shepard was probably pacing around her cabin with a datapad, crunching numbers that had already been crunched ten times front and back. He remembered the night before Ilos - she was sitting at her desk with at least six datapads scattered around her, looking exhausted, but they hadn't slept..
He figured she could use some stress relief tonight too, and he grabbed the whiskey and two glasses and headed up to her cabin. He promised her a quick drink and assured her she'd done everything possible to ensure success. He told her she could lean on him - on her crew. He remembered a night years ago when she had asked him for a shoulder and he didn't know how to respond. This time - she wasn't willing to accept it. She had hardened in their time apart, and sometimes that was necessary for survival - he thought grimly wondering if he was the cause - but he wanted to help her now.
When she kissed him, he admitted his lie about the quick drink, and she smirked at him - eyes full of life and anticipation. She looked at him with emotion in her eyes, and he thought she'd tell him she loved him - she hadn't said it yet - but she simply told him that he made her strong. He faltered a bit, but told her he wanted to be that for her and when he told her he loved her, she responded with another kiss. He knew what it meant - she didn't have to say the words.
There was something urgent about their time together that night. It wasn't like the first time - before Ilos - when it was two people learning each other. It was needy and desperate - two people holding onto a night that could be their last time together. When he woke up later to see her sitting up beside him, head in her hands, he felt something tug at his heart when she asked if they were going to make it.
He didn't answer the question she asked because he didn't know if they'd make it. What he did tell her was that they were ready - because they were - as ready as they could be. She was second guessing herself again - and it was just like Ilos, except with more at stake.
Shepard recovered so quickly he almost thought he'd imagined the insecurity when she placed her hand against his cheek and said, "You're right - I gave us hope and a fighting chance. Hell - the Reapers better watch themselves."
She ran her fingers along his jaw, pulling him to her lips for a kiss. But she looked at him for a moment too long, and he saw the fear in her eyes and the distracted look that came over her when she pulled away. He wanted to reach for her again and convince her that it would be okay, but he didn't know if it would.
What Kaidan did know, was that he had just gotten her back. He had just said his apologies, told her he wanted to be with her, and held her again. He wanted to hold her a million more times and kiss her more than that. He wanted to have a life with her - maybe a family. He wanted her to meet his parents and he wanted to meet hers. What Kaidan knew was that the Reapers were not going to take his hope away from him, his Luna, his Shepard. Not now, not after he had finally gotten it right.
13. Alive
When she came to, Shepard felt the full reality of her injuries. She only sort of remembered drifting in and out of consciousness while Chakwas dissolved the medi-gel that had apparently been holding her together. Now she felt as if she had been pummeled by a hundred charging Krogan and had somehow lived to tell the tale.
She hadn't yet opened her eyes. She wasn't quite sure what had been real and what had been dreams. She remembered Anderson, dying beside her, using his last words to tell her how proud he was. The thought brought tears to her eyes, and they stung like acid. She remembered speaking with the Catalyst, being told that if she destroyed the Reapers she would die too, but she was alive - wasn't she? Maybe the Crucible had backfired, and she still needed to get the hell out of here and join the fight.
But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew she'd never be able to take them on if they hadn't been destroyed. Her body felt broken into a million pieces, and before she had even gotten to the Citadel, every species had suffered heavy losses. She had done the impossible, allied the Geth and the Quarians, the Krogan and the Turians, but her greatest weakness was that she cared too much about each one of them. She felt the tears rolling down the side of her face as she remembered all of the losses. Legion - the Geth consensus who had provided so much aid against the Reapers and she suspected had a little human emotion in him, Anderson - her boss, and a father figure to her through her time with the Alliance, Mordin - the eccentric Salarian scientist who had helped create the genophage and then gave his life to right his wrongs, all of Thessia.
Thane. She had loved him. Not the way she had loved Kaidan, and she had been honest with Thane about that from the beginning. Her love for the Drell had been unexpected and so very needed in her time with Cerberus. A time when she had been forced to look within herself many times, second guess herself, but she had known she was doing the right thing. Thane had been there for her as she had been there for him, she had never meant to fall for a dying man, and she mourned him fiercely when he had passed.
And even before the galaxy had realized they were at war with the Reapers, they had lost Ashley - who had sacrificed herself so that the rest of them could escape Virmire - the choice had been between Ash and Kaidan. She'd chosen to save Kaidan - Ash knew it was the right choice, he was a higher ranking officer, more experience, but sometimes Shepard found herself doubting her motives - did she selfishly save the man she had grown to care for? Then there was Pressly - lost during the Collector attack when Luna had herself died, and now, if the Crucible had fired then they'd lost all Geth.. and EDI.
Shepard's throat burned as a sob threatened to rip painfully through her. Her eyes flew open when she felt the slightest pressure against her temple.
* * *
He had spent the night there again, sitting in the chair next to her bed, watching her breathe. Chakwas had done a good job, there would definitely be permanent damage, but she was as beautiful to him as ever. He had always loved her scars, testaments to every battle she'd won, every hurdle she'd overcome, and now she had won the whole damn war. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her back, in front of him again.
Kaidan hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep until he woke, alarmed to hear her breathing heavily. At first, he thought something was wrong and was about to call a medic into the room when he saw that she was crying. Her face wasn't contorted like it would be if she had been in pain, but it was, instead, a look of sorrow and he knew, somehow, that she was thinking about all that had been lost. He could see her body tense up and before he realized it, he was leaning forward in his chair to press a kiss against her temple, where a stream of tears had fallen just moments before. Her eyes flew open in alarm, and he couldn't stop himself from beaming at her. Her alarm changing quickly to realization and then to relief, as a new set of tears welled in her eyes as she tried to speak.
* * *
"Kaidan," she choked out his name and felt like someone had blown fire down her throat. She tried to reach up to place her palm against his cheek,but she couldn't move her arm. The pain was overwhelming, muted - they had clearly given her some anesthetic - but it still felt as if something was spearing her insides with hot metal. She could not believe how relieved she was to see him. That was curious - she had been ready to die, hadn't she? When they were running toward the beam and she watched as both Kaidan - the love of her life - and Garrus - her best friend - got injured, she had sent them away on the Normandy knowing she would likely never see them again. She was willing to give herself up so that the rest of them would survive. But now that he was here with her, she selfishly thanked every god or goddess she could remember for letting her see him again.
It was then that she saw the worry in his eyes, and she could only imagine how she looked. She smirked at him.
"How bad is it?" she breathed, and barely recognized her own voice - a breathy sound that seemed to come from somewhere other than her mouth.
* * *
Nothing in the world meant a thing when he saw the side of her mouth lift in that smirk he loved so much. He made a mental note to send Chakwas a whole case of Serrice Ice Brandy as a thank you.
"No, no, don't try to speak, you're dehydrated and have a lot of recovery to do, don't strain yourself." She raised an eyebrow at him and he almost laughed at the sheer joy of seeing it. Everything was going to be okay if his Shepard had come out of this with her attitude intact. He took some time to go through every injury with her and all of the work that had been done so far. He knew she'd never want him to sugarcoat it, she would want to know everything she was facing. That was just her way, she couldn't analyze it unless she had all the facts and what better way to get through something like this than with an analytical approach.
He told her she'd be basically confined to the bed for at least another week or two - that revelation was met with a frown, followed by a cringe. Then he went over the physical therapy regimen that Dr. Chakwas had suggested and the biotic regimen that Kaidan thought they should work on after that. He gave her the report in the most matter-of-fact way he could, knowing she'd appreciate no nonsense. He told her Chakwas' estimate of about a month before she'd be able to report back to the Alliance for active duty, but then only as support, it would be several months of therapy before she'd be fit for ground work again.
He looked at her face, she looked conflicted, but she was nodding at him with complete understanding. He took her hand and she flinched, causing him to pull back with an apology.
* * *
Shepard had listened to his report with complete clarity. Kaidan knew she wouldn't want him to sugarcoat the situation, but she couldn't say she was happy to hear she'd be off her feet for weeks and then out of duty for months yet after. She didn't want her friends and family to see her bedridden, it wasn't about pride - well maybe it was a little about pride - but whatever it was, she didn't want to be in a bed for weeks. She would ask Dr. Chakwas to keep her visitors to a minimum until she was on her feet.
He must have seen the concern on her face because he reached down to squeeze her hand. She hadn't been prepared for the pain that such a simple gesture caused. It felt like lightning shooting from her fingers through her arm to her shoulder, and she flinched involuntarily, causing him to pull away, apologizing swiftly.
"Kaidan," she shook her head, swallowing the pain in her throat, "don't apologize, I'm just.." She frowned when he finished her sentence with "fragile." It wasn't a word she wanted to associate with herself but for now it was the truth. She smiled at him, not a smirk, but the kind of smile that only he got to see and it seemed to put him at ease.
* * *
He sighed happily when she smiled at him. The war was over, the Reapers were destroyed, and though she might be recovering for a long time, he knew - they had all the time in the world now. They had never had that before. There was always some certain doom looming around the corner. Geth, Saren, Sovereign, Collectors, Cerberus, Reapers. But now, there was just rebuilding and cleanup, and them. He smiled at her and lay his hand over hers softly, so as not to hurt her again.
"I'm gonna let you get some sleep." He leaned in and placed a very soft kiss against her lips, and then another on her forehead, brushing the hair from her face before he turned to walk away. He didn't want to leave her, but Chakwas would have his head if he didn't let her relax and get some sleep that wasn't brought on by the medication. He turned to smile at her one more time as he approached the door.
* * *
She didn't want him to leave, but at the same time she was exhausted. Every inch of her body ached, and she just wanted to rest. All of her questions could be answered when she was feeling a little better. She felt her biotics threaten to hum to life as he pressed a kiss to her lips, and then her forehead, trailing a finger from her forehead to her ear, tucking a strand of hair behind it. She returned his smile and tried to ignore the pain that was radiating all over her, realizing that now their life together could finally begin.
He turned to smile at her again when he got to the door, and she felt a moment of panic and needed to tell him something right away.
"Kaidan -" she whispered but he raised a hand to cut her off.
"I love you too, Luna," he smiled, and she relaxed, because everything was going to be alright.
14. Alone
The next time she woke up, Shepard was alone. That was okay, she thought, the less time looking like an invalid among others the better. It's not that she didn't appreciate the attention, and she knew her friends cared about her well being; it was just awkward to be on her back in a clinic bed while talking with them.
Karin had told her she would have to stay in the clinic for at least a week, and up to two, until her bones set and her injuries healed enough with the injections that she could walk on her own. Even then, she had been told she might need to walk with a cane. A cane. Shepard was not happy about the cane idea. She had broken almost all of her bones, sure, but that didn't mean she was a crippled old lady.
As she thought about it, with disdain, she decided she would need to do something to help move things along. Her limbs were tied down to the bed - so that she wouldn't toss and turn in her sleep and break everything all over again she assumed - but she could still try and strengthen her muscles.
She started small. Wiggling one finger, bending it then straightening it out. It hurt, but she'd had worse. Shepard repeated the exercise with each finger on each hand, then again, and again, until they were too sore to continue. Then she started on her toes, one toe, bending then straightening. Then she repeated with the rest of her toes, over and over, until they were also sore. Next she moved her hand at the wrist, bending it up and down then rotating it at the joint - over and over - until she couldn't anymore. Then the other wrist, then her feet.
After what seemed like a long time, she was exhausted. Sweat was pouring down her face, and her body ached as if she had just spent hours sparring with James. She felt helpless. She was broken, couldn't even manage the simplest of activities without feeling like she needed a nap. Sure, anyone who'd been through what she had would go through the same recovery. She couldn't though, not now. If she was stuck in this bed with her thoughts, she'd go crazy.
Shepard closed her eyes and tried to will away the thoughts of the dead. The echoes of the voices of her friends. She didn't know how to pay them proper tribute. The Reapers were destroyed, but at what cost? How would she go back to her life, back to the Alliance, knowing what they'd all lost? Knowing how many times she had put the people she loved in danger.
She thought about Kaidan. He had been in the front seat for every dangerous mission she could remember. He was a soldier, she rationalized. But it wasn't just that, she had really gotten in deep there. Back on Eden Prime, she had pushed him out of the way of the Prothean beacon, and when the visions came and she blacked out for 15 hours, he had been by her side when she had awoken. Full of apologies and so concerned about her safety. She had told him he had done fine, and he had given her a smile that reached into her core and planted a seed. It was against all the regs, and she knew it was wrong, she tried to stifle the feelings she had for him and she just failed every single time.
It wasn't like she hadn't tried to fight it. She had been attracted to him instantly, but she didn't admit it to herself until much later. It wasn't just his appearance, though that clearly didn't hurt, but his confidence was what got to her. He was her lieutenant, but he never thought twice before giving her his thoughts or advice on a mission, even if it wasn't his place. He was never afraid to ask her business, even if it wasn't his, but then again she was never afraid to answer his questions. Shortly after Eden Prime, she had found herself stopping by his terminal on purpose, nearly every time she went to or from her cabin. To get his opinion on a mission, or the crew, or just for a chance to make him blush. There had been something so very innocent about him back then, when he was just a lieutenant on the SSV Normandy, a biotic soldier who had been through BAaT and had been changed by the cruelty of aliens, but who had never become judgmental as a result. That seed grew so quickly into something more. Something she'd never allowed herself to feel before.
And his innocence had changed somewhere along the line, she remembered him telling her 'it'd figure itself out one of these days... or nights' without a hint of insecurity, and if she hadn't been crazy about him before, that was the moment it changed. He didn't act on it, never testing her, risking insubordination until before Ilos. That was when the atmosphere of the ship had changed. No one was really sure they'd be coming back from it, hell no one even knew what they were facing. He had come into her cabin to tell her it was an honor serving under her, and she had turned it into a joke. Always covering her emotions with humor, it was her way. But he hadn't faltered, he had taken her offer to stay the night and they had said and done to each other all of the things that the regs wouldn't allow them, and she wasn't ashamed.
She didn't tell him then, didn't say the three words that terrified her. She was afraid it was too soon, unprofessional - as if taking her clothes off wasn't - and she had kept quiet. To his credit, he didn't push it, didn't ask for more, and didn't expect anything. They could have been two soldiers blowing off steam that night and that could have been the end of it.
It wasn't the end of it though, not even close. Even though they hadn't said the words, something had changed between them. He'd been her strength, the one she'd lean on when she had to make the hard decisions. Not just then, but even before they'd shared a night together. He had seen her. To him, she wasn't the sole survivor of Akuze, the woman who had made it, through all the odds against her. He saw her as human, a soldier, just like the rest of them. She was a biotic, like him, she had manifested young, but had never gone to BAaT. They had a lot in common and just ranks between them.
When the Collector ship attacked, he was by her side in an instant, helping to put out fires. Kaidan Alenko was insubordinate to the last minute, insisting he wasn't leaving without her. When push came to shove, she had pulled rank - ordered him off the ship - knowing that at his core he was loyal to the Alliance, and he had followed orders. If he hadn't - no, she wouldn't think of that now, he had followed orders.
Then she had lost two years of her life. Technically, she had died. Clinically brain dead, the logs had said. Impossible, the scientist's voice had echoed. But it wasn't impossible. Miranda Lawson and the Illusive Man had brought her back to life, and the first word on her lips was his name. Kaidan. But he hadn't been there. She had woken up on a Cerberus ship, fighting for her life and when she finally saw him again he embraced her and then spit accusations in her face.
She couldn't blame him, not really, not now after they'd seen what Cerberus had been capable of. But then - she was so angry after Horizon, so furious that Kaidan hadn't been able to see through the uniform, and the Cerberus shuttle. That he couldn't see her then, like he had years before. Then she was angry.
They had since cleared the air. After he had questioned her on Mars, after he'd - almost died - on Mars. They had cleared the air. He had asked about Thane, and she had been honest. She didn't know where they stood after Horizon, Thane had been there for her. Kaidan had apologized, told her it had always been her, and she still had been unable to say the words.
When he joined the Normandy again, they had met at Apollo's one evening and talked about their relationship. She told him she didn't want to pretend she didn't feel for him. She had been burying her feelings for years, and it was time to stop, but she still didn't say the words.
Before they launched the assault on the Cerberus base on Cronos Station, he had come to her cabin on the pretense of a quick drink. She had known better, he had that smile - mischievous and confident - and she'd asked him to stay. He did. And he told her he loved her, and yet she still couldn't say it. When she had woken up with nightmares, the same - but still a bit different - he had been there, hand on her back, concern in his eyes. Her strength, her rock. When he told her she had inspired hope in others she had believed it, felt it.
Then she had watched him get hurt again. It was like a flashback to Mars when she watched him go down under the truck that had been tossed across the battlefield. Something in her gut clenched and her breathing stopped. Everything flashed before her. Every time she had put him in danger. Every time she had almost lost him. She panicked. Somehow she had been able to regain her composure in time to get both him and Garrus - also hurt - behind cover and call Joker to bring in the Normandy. When she was sure they were safe in the cargo bay, she had turned to continue her advance to the beam. He called after her to wait, and he tried to be defiant again.
She didn't order him away that time. She had known about the guilt he felt after the first Normandy had gone down. All she could do was comfort him. She knew she was running to her death, it wasn't a question of if she'd come back. But she had wanted him to know how she felt, and she had finally been able to tell him that she loved him, hoping that it would be some closure in the days ahead, days he'd have to face without her. She had never expected to come back from it, never dreamed that one day she'd wake up again with Kaidan by her side.
When he had been next to her the day before, all smiles and anticipation, she had felt that familiar knot in her stomach. She was so grateful to have him there with her, but also terrified of what it would mean for their future. She loved him, that much was true, but she was also afraid for him. It seemed that anytime someone got close to her, something bad would happen to them. She didn't want anything to happen to Kaidan. He meant the world to her, and if things had been different - if she was the type of person to have a family life - she would want to spend every moment of their lives together.
The truth was, Shepard wasn't a family woman; she was married to her job. In the next several months she would be going crazy without being able to do what she does best - be a soldier. Anderson was gone, and while Hackett was a great Admiral and a great leader, he wouldn't understand her insistence to get back to work. She knew Anderson would have gotten it, given her reports or something to look over to keep her occupied. Hackett, she already knew, would want her to relax and take some time off. She couldn't do it. She couldn't handle the ghosts of her past.
15. Not Friends
_3 ½ years ago - March 21st, 2183 : 0645_
It was time to meet her new crew, and Shepard groaned as she left the temporary quarters on Arcturus to meet with Captain Anderson. He was a good man and a great captain, and he was right to get her off her ass for a new command, but she was dreading it nonetheless. It had been nearly six years since Akuze and she couldn't spend all of her time doing minor N7 ops - reliving that damn mission at the bottom of a bottle between posts. She needed to move on and stop avoiding taking a command post and Anderson had found her and made her see that. She had dressed in her standard-issue BDUs as this wasn't really a dress blues situation and had her duffel tossed over her shoulder as she approached the docking bay.
The SSV Normandy was a prototype human-turian ship with advanced stealth systems and a state-of-the-art experimental drive core. Anderson had briefed her on it, but the ship was much more impressive up close. She had been given the dossiers on the crew in advance, which was equally impressive. The helmsman was the best in the galaxy, despite almost being court-martialled - she had made a mental note to ask Anderson about that later. The Navigator - Pressly - had received commendations for his part in Elysium. The Engineer looked to have more experience than most, having served on more types of ships than she could name. There were a few as yet undecorated soldiers under Anderson's command - Private Fredricks, Corporal Jenkins, but the one that caught her eye was Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko - another biotic. He had been at brain camp - which was tough for any kid, but when she had looked over his service record she wondered if he had been unable to handle it or if he'd been through something really terrible. He had been off the grid for the last ten years.
Anderson was waiting for her outside, and when the decontamination process began she squared her shoulders and fixed a practiced, carefully blank expression on her face. She knew people thought of her as cold and distant - it was how she'd been taught by her father.
* * *
_"You're a soldier now, Luna, people are going to die either by your side or under your command. It's gonna happen on your watch even when you think you're prepared for everything. It's inevitable." She looked at him from under her salute, her father was all business in these moments, and she knew she'd see other soldiers die but he made it sound like business not war. "Hold your head high and keep your face straight with your crew. You're not there to make friends, friends are liabilities. You're there to complete your mission - whatever the cost."_
* * *
She hadn't heeded his warning before her first post. After Akuze, she was broken for a long time, watching her friends die in front of her, barely making it out alive herself. That was going to change now. He had been right, these people weren't supposed to be her friends.
They walked onto the bridge to a line of soldiers with practiced salutes. Anderson didn't identify them one by one - not friends - but they walked by them as he told her things she already knew about the ship. One thing Shepard was proud of was her preparation. She had researched the ship, its builders, its crew, and now rather than listening to the Captain repeat the stats she already knew - she was taking in the sight of the Normandy in all of its glory. The CIC was larger than any she'd ever been in, and the galaxy map was gorgeous, she was impressed even by the upgraded terminals, but as always she kept her features smooth and unresponsive.
That was when she felt someone's eyes on her, which was strange because of course all of their eyes were on her - Anderson was parading her around like a prize-winning varren. But when she looked to her right, she came across a soldier a few meters away who was staring intently at her lips. He was something, too. Tan skin, dark brown hair, muscular but not bulky, definitely fit. She caught herself smirking involuntarily and he slowly brought his eyes up to meet hers - whiskey brown eyes that seemed to bore into her - and she raised an eyebrow. She relished in the effect it had on him, a warm blush rising to his cheeks, and he averted his eyes quickly. Not here to make friends. She scolded herself when she felt her biotics humming beneath the surface, and she fixed the calm expression back on her face.
* * *
As they took off toward Eden Prime, Shepard was hit by how ridiculous she had been these last years. On this ship, flying through space, she felt free. She was an Alliance marine, and she belonged among the stars. She probably would've gotten over Akuze much sooner if she'd let herself fly again.
She was doing better with her tough facade, and the only one who was trying consistently to break through it was Joker - though she assumed it was just his way. But, when Jenkins went down from a geth turret, she didn't give Alenko the calm, cold speech her father would have expected of her. This man had lost a friend, and she empathized with him. He seemed taken aback, and she mentally scolded herself again. Great, Shepard, let him see your soft side on the first fucking mission. But secretly she didn't mind the way he was looking at her with pleasant surprise shining in those gorgeous eyes of his. There was no harm in enjoying that - as long as she didn't act on it.
* * *
When she woke up in the medbay she was disoriented. She heard a man's voice speaking and she couldn't place it at first. Her head was pounding and she had experienced some sort of weird vision before blacking out. Dr. Chakwas came into focus and explained she had been out for nearly 15 hours. Something had happened with the beacon.
Right. Shit. Prothean beacon - Nihlus dead - Saren suspected. It would be a lot easier to think without the fucking throbbing.
Then someone spoke behind her and she turned to look over her shoulder. Alenko - he'd been the voice before - had he stayed with her for the full 15 hours? He was apologizing and she managed to be comforting again when she should have chided him for being careless. But when he grinned at her, she couldn't care less.
* * *
Shepard was pissed when Anderson "stepped down" from his post as CO of the Normandy. She knew Udina had forced this change. Fucking politics. But there was Alenko, having her back on each decision - talking to her about each mission - and giving his honest opinion. If it had been anyone else, she'd have put them in their place the minute they broke rank. Kaidan Alenko had her intrigued, and she found herself wandering over to his terminal nearly every time she was near her cabin. He never questioned her authority in front of the rest of the crew, but he was there as a sounding board when it was just the two of them. He had become a friend - sorry dad - but she didn't want to lose that connection, it made her feel human.
* * *
After Virmire, he finally broke rank - finally disagreed with her in front of everyone, in debrief. As if she wasn't already angry enough with herself, Alenko was pissed at her too. She marveled at just how much that bothered her. When she sulked back toward her cabin later, he grabbed her wrist to stop her. She felt the electric hum of his biotics against her wrist, and her quickening pulse distracted her for a moment before she shot him a reflexive glare. He dropped her wrist immediately. He apologized for what he said in the debriefing and asked her how she dealt with Akuze… losing people under her command. The question had surprised her - though she didn't know why - and for the first time she didn't use the canned response she'd given reporters or her commanding officer. She answered him honestly.
"It was my job to get everyone out safely." A pause, because this was the part she always had trouble admitting to even herself. "I failed," she said. She made an effort to meet his gaze and found that his eyes were surprisingly warm, nothing like the angry soldier he had been less than an hour ago. So she continued, "I vowed not to let that happen again. Same here. I'll remember her… and I'll do better for her."
He nodded at her, and agreed that in these cases that was all they could do. She felt better, even admitting some of her own downfalls, her own insecurities. He didn't seem to judge her, or even disagree with her, and it was nice being able to confide in someone. Her father would never approve.
* * *
Shepard couldn't sleep. This wasn't new - ever since Akuze she could never sleep right before a big mission. And Ilos might be the biggest mission she'd ever face. She wasn't used to going into a mission blind like this. She had no idea what to expect, and no idea if they'd come out of it alive - they'd already lost Williams, and she didn't want to think about losing anyone else.
She was lost in thought and swimming in datapads when Kaidan walked into her cabin - on the pretense of a hesitant goodbye it seemed - he was unsure of the outcome of this mission, too. She met his dark thoughts with inward insecurity but outward humor - it was her way. Something serious comes up? Shepard deflects with a joke! She was even annoyed with herself. She surprised herself by asking him to bunk with her, they'd been dancing around each other - flirting with each other - for months. He told her it couldn't change anything, and she agreed if only to feel his lips on hers - she could keep it professional, she thought.
She tentatively placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him down to kiss her. His arms immediately curled around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her biotics were raging beneath the surface, and she realized just how badly she'd been holding onto her feelings for Kaidan. He reached one hand under her ass to hoist her against him, and she responded by wrapping her legs around his waist easily. His other arm slid up her spine, and his hand rested at the base of her neck, fingers rubbing tiny circles against the scar tissue below where her amp would be if she had one in. She felt the energy wrapping around her and pulled away from the kiss breathless to see them both swathed in blue light. Shepard had never been with another biotic before, and she was shuddering at the sensation, shocked at how he could drive her so crazy without even removing her clothes.
Kaidan seemed to read her expression and he released her without putting any distance between them, leaving her sitting on the desk they'd been pushed against moments before. He held her gaze while he placed his fingertips along her neck on either side. She could feel the biotic pulse he was creating and he ran his fingers along her jawline, down her neck, across her collarbone and it was electric - the feeling of the energy against her skin. She shuddered again - staring into his eyes and seeing her hunger reflected back in them. They made quick work of their clothes and before he could collect her back into his arms, she decided to play with her own biotics. She used a gentle throw to push him onto her bed, and when he blinked up with her in stunned surprise, she activated each node in her body to create a sparkling field over her skin. She slowly crawled over him on the bed, grazing his skin ever so slightly and watching with amazement as he responded to the slightest touch of their bodies. When she leaned down to kiss him, he reversed their positions, deepening the kiss and pressing her into the bed with his body. Every inch of her skin was on fire with electricity and heat and the hum of their biotics rolling together in waves.
She felt like years stretched before her while they kissed and touched each other, testing their energy fields against one another. When she arched up to him, pleading with her eyes and he finally entered her in one swift motion she forgot all about Ilos. She forgot about Virmire, she forgot about Eden Prime, she forgot about Akuze. He stopped moving, and she opened her eyes and frowned at him in protest. His hands were firmly on her hips and he slid them along her sides, over her breasts and behind her back - biotic energy teasing her skin with every touch - until he rolled her up onto his lap and they were face to face. She stared into his eyes as he held her still against him, grip firm and unmoving. Something in his eyes was unreadable, and she was confused for just a moment before he started rolling his hips into her again, holding her body impossibly close to his own. When she exploded around him, biotics flaring, legs shaking - his name was on her lips, and when she looked into his eyes and he poured himself into her, she knew she was in over her head.
Sweat-soaked and sated, she knew immediately that what she was doing was a mistake. The galaxy came rushing back to her and she knew she was fucking it up. She got up and got cleaned up and dressed - knowing they'd be hitting the relay soon - and told herself she had to stick to what he had said, this couldn't change anything. Shepard leaned against the desk in her cabin, gazing at the man in her bed as he rolled onto his back, waking up. And she kept telling herself he didn't want anything to change, she agreed, end of story. But when he propped himself up on his elbows, looking at her with that unreadable stare with those gorgeous whiskey eyes and that stupid grin she couldn't resist - she realized everything had already changed… and she was too far gone to care.
16. The Shrink
_October 7th, 2186_
Kaidan was pacing in the waiting area of the clinic again. He could feel Dr. Chakwas' eyes on his back as he made his circuits around the room. Hackett had ordered a psych eval for Shepard and had recommended (more like ordered) it to be completed while she was still bedridden. Kaidan figured this was because she wouldn't be able to make excuses or fail to show up for the appointments, which was reasonable because that's exactly what she would do.
Shepard didn't have anything against shrinks, not really; she just thought they were a waste of time. After losing Kelly Chambers to the Cerberus coup, she hadn't seen another one. When Kaidan had told her about the eval, she had looked at him indignantly, rationalizing that she already knew what it would say. It would say she compartmentalizes her problems, so she can handle them one at a time, but that it's unhealthy for her psychological recovery. It would say that she has deep seeded regrets after the events on Akuze and that she has not found a proper way to cope with them. It would say that she idealizes and devalualizes individuals - thus allowing herself to feel compassion for all species and feel nothing for her enemies - easing her mind about having to kill. The final diagnosis would be inconclusive; they always wanted to report her as having post traumatic personality disorder or post traumatic stress disorder, but she never gave them enough to go on.
This time, he had warned her that if she didn't talk, Hackett would delay her clearance for active duty. That was enough to cause a chain reaction of facial expressions that he wasn't prepared for. When she finally smoothed her features, he was disheartened to see her fix her face with practiced calm and tell him she wanted him to wait outside. There wasn't anything he could do to convince her otherwise, and while he'd known the doctor would have requested to speak with her alone, he had been prepared to stand his ground. He had not anticipated Shepard herself requesting him to leave the room.
Since the doctor arrived, he had been trying his best to stay calm and keep out of Dr. Chakwas' way while she tended to patients. His mind was racing and he didn't know why Shepard didn't want him in the room but he was sure something was wrong.
* * *
Shepard hadn't talked to anyone about what happened that day on the Citadel, not even Kaidan. She didn't know how to have that conversation with him. She didn't know how to tell him that she had made the wrong decision without it breaking his heart. Every time she thought they could talk about it - every time he brought it up nonchalantly,hoping she'd slip into the conversation of her own accord - she shut down. He hadn't pushed her about it, hadn't even brought it up directly, just comments that she knew he thought she might run with. But all she could see was her first waking memory of Kaidan's face, eyes bright and full of relief because she was alive and looking back at him. She couldn't take that away from him.
She had known there would come a time when she'd have to talk to someone about it. She had hoped it would be Hackett. Hackett, she thought, would understand why she couldn't let the information become public, why she couldn't even let her friends know the truth. A shrink? Nope. The shrink would make a record of it and a diagnosis and file it away, and it would be available for any high ranking officer in the Alliance that might need it. That meant Captains and higher. That meant Major Kaidan Alenko. She knew before the doctor got there that she would have to lie about what happened. Shepard was prepared to lie to any officer, doctor, or otherwise to protect the truth. She was not, however, prepared or even able to lie to Kaidan. That's why he wasn't allowed in the room. She suspected he'd realize it eventually and he'd look up the report. But reports don't have eyes that certain Majors can see through and she knew he wouldn't press the issue.
When the doctor walked in, she looked at Shepard without interest or amusement before taking the seat next to the bed - the one where Kaidan often sat. She introduced herself, but Shepard didn't listen. She asked the usual starter questions and Shepard responded with the usual answers.
Where did Shepard grow up?_ Did she want the list of every ship and colony or just the ones she remembered?_
Why did she join the Alliance? _Family tradition, it was in her blood._
How did it affect her attitude toward the navy after the incident on Akuze? _All of the soldiers there did the best they could with the situation they were given, no one could have anticipated the thresher maw attacks. It wasn't the Alliance's fault, it wasn't Shepard's fault; she didn't hold it against anyone._
Her military background questions went on for a while. She had to tell the woman about joining the crew of the Normandy, becoming the first human Spectre, the incident with Saren, her attitude toward the Council, just about every single significant fact up until the war with the Reapers.
When the questions turned to the Reapers, Shepard felt her throat go dry. She had been expecting this, rehearsing for it in her head, and yet she felt like she was being pulled back into a nightmare.
_Shit shit shit. They won't clear you for duty if you have a fucking panic attack right now_. She forced a smile at the woman, and asked politely if she could call someone to get her a glass of water.
* * *
She was going to lie to them.
The realization hit Kaidan like a ton of bricks and he hadn't realized he was gaping like an idiot until he saw the sidelong look he was getting from Dr. Chakwas. He forced his mouth shut and sat on one of the chairs in the waiting room. It was the only explanation that made sense. If she was going to tell the truth about what happened - the truth she hadn't yet told him - she wouldn't keep him out of the room, he'd just read the report later. She knew that. She knew that. She was going to lie about it. She couldn't lie about it while he was in the room, he'd know it. But if she lied to the shrink and he read the report later, he wouldn't know the difference.
But he knew the difference now. She could have just clued him in on the lie._ No, you'd want to know the truth_, he thought. He _did_ want to know the truth. He wanted to know what Shepard had to do that day that made her so ashamed she couldn't tell Kaidan. Was she the one who killed Anderson? No, how could he even think that? He mentally chided himself as soon as the thought manifested in his mind. The man was like a father to her, that wasn't even a possibility. So what was she hiding from him? He raked his hand through his hair as the door to Shepard's room slid open and the shrink leaned her head out.
"Excuse me, could someone get a glass of water for the Commander?" she asked in a polite yet bored tone and Kaidan jumped at the chance.
* * *
When the door opened again Kaidan was standing there holding the glass of water, which he promptly handed to the doctor who handed it to Shepard. When the doctor's back was turned to the door again, Kaidan gave Shepard a look that told her she wasn't getting away with anything. _Shit_. She made a show of drinking the water but maintained eye contact with Kaidan. He wasn't glaring - not exactly - but he was staring her with intense seriousness that said '_I know what you're doing and we are going to talk about this later._' It was too late now, and she resolved to continue with her plan even if it meant a confrontation later. But he knew, and that complicated things.
The doctor took notice that Kaidan was still standing in the room - lingering longer than was necessary, and turned to flash a forced polite smile at him.
"Thank you, Major, I'll need to be left alone with the Commander now," she said dismissing him, and he flashed Shepard one more pointed look before exiting the room.
* * *
He had to leave. Kaidan decided he could not sit in the waiting room and wait for Shepard to spin some fabricated story to the doctor. He was angry with her, but it would do neither of them any good for him to stay there stewing about it. So he grabbed his jacket and ignored the questioning look he got from Dr. Chakwas and walked out into the London streets.
He wasn't really sure where he had intended to go until he found himself at the bar where he'd met up with Miranda the week Shepard had been recovered. The place seemed to have been cleaned up quite a bit, and there were a handful of patrons - humans and aliens alike - scattered around the room, enjoying food and drink. He ordered a whiskey and sat down at a table in the corner, alone with his thoughts.
* * *
Shepard had expected Kaidan to burst into the room as soon as the doctor left, but he didn't. In fact, no one came into her room that night. Part of her wondered if she'd be able to fix the damage she just created between the two of them. Part of her wondered if he had decided she wasn't worth his time - he'd probably be right. But part of her just wanted to sleep off the exhaustion of the day, so she closed her eyes and wished for a rest free from nightmares.
17. Us
_October 8th, 2186_
_Commander Luna Shepard, Alliance Navy, N7 Biotic of the Sentinel Class, Spectre._
_The Commander shows typical signs of mild post traumatic stress; this is not surprising considering the extensive experience she has had with combat both on the field and in the sky. She does not appear to show signs of change in function or attitude and therefore I am unable to officially diagnose her with PTSD._
_The Commander was the final living soldier from the ground team in London during the battle of the Reapers; she was the one to issue the command code to fire the crucible. She detailed her experience to me as such:_
_- Shot in the gut by a Reaper Marauder before reaching the beam._
_- Made it to the beam and was transported to the Citadel, arriving at an unknown hallway which was complete with human remains and Keepers seeming to scavenge._
_- Was in communication with Admiral Anderson, this seems to have been a closed channel as Hackett and the other Alliance forces had no recording of this communication available._
_- Anderson and Shepard made it to a central room - a control room of sorts - in the Citadel and were met by the Illusive Man_
_- The Illusive Man had found some way to harness the Reaper's powers of indoctrination and Shepard was somehow able to convince him that he was being controlled, leading to him committing suicide, but not before he shot Anderson, leading to his eventual death._
_- Shepard was then able to fire the Crucible from another location - again one she did not recognize._
_- There was an explosion that knocked her backwards and presumably to the location in which she was discovered_
_My professional opinion is that Commander Shepard is in a solid state of mind, but is dealing with the traumas that most soldiers and civilians alike are facing in these times of repair. I believe that with proper rehabilitation, she will be able to return to her duties to both the Alliance and the Council._
_Submitted by Dr. Carolyn Jones, Systems Alliance_
_2186/10/7 21:25_
* * *
Kaidan closed the report and shut down the terminal in his apartment with a sigh. It had been over 24 hours since he left the hospital, and he had wanted to read the report before returning, but it wasn't helping his state of mind.
It all seemed normal on the surface, well normal as far as indoctrination and mind control and Reapers had ever been, but he knew she was hiding something - and she knew he knew - and he didn't know how to talk to her about it.
What he did know was that he sure as hell wasn't going to sit around his apartment brooding all day because he couldn't find the quad to talk to the woman he loved. He would give her a piece of his mind and hopefully convince her to tell him the truth.
He snorted to himself, convincing Shepard to do anything was like trying to convince a Krogan to ask a Salarian out on a date.
* * *
When she woke up in the morning Kaidan was nowhere to be found, and while this shouldn't have surprised her, she was still disappointed. He knew she was lying and as much as she wanted to find a way to move on and start their lives together free of lies and secrets, she couldn't tell him about the choice and about her regrets. And she knew he wasn't going to just let it go. Maybe this was a good time to attempt plan B.
She had gone through her routine checks with Chakwas, and was feeling stronger everyday - but still not strong enough to get out of bed and start her physical therapy. She was stretching her muscles and sore joints after lunch when the door slid open to reveal Kaidan, scowl firmly in place. But when he saw her his face changed, a flicker of sadness, of pity, of guilt, before he settled on panic and rushed to her side.
"Shepard," he breathed in alarm, "are you okay? What's wrong?" He was frantic and she almost had to stifle a laugh. He was so concerned about her, and it was so touching because she could imagine how she looked right now - sweat dripping down her face, hair plastered to her forehead, face contorted in concentration - all while sitting in a bed. It was laughable.
"I'm fine," she managed without letting the laughter seep through her voice, "just stretching some underused muscles to get a jump start on my PT." He looked like he was about to argue with her before she raised a hand to stop him. "It's all been approved by the good doctor," she assured.
Right on cue, Chakwas sauntered in and gave them both a warm smile.
"Don't worry, Major, the more she does now the easier it will be when she has to tackle walking and all the other hard stuff," she said lightly and Shepard snorted. Who would've thought_walking_ would be the hard stuff.
Chakwas flitted about the room checking vitals and other important things on the screens around the room. By the time she left, Kaidan had settled into the chair next to the bed with a look of confusion, and Shepard braced herself for the inevitable conversation.
* * *
He had been so angry at her for lying that he had forgotten the most important thing: she was _alive._ And he wanted to yell and argue and find out what she was hiding, but mostly he just wanted to help her get better and take her home and just be able to hold her again.
He looked at her broken body - significantly less broken than when they had first brought her in - but still had a long way to go, and he felt terrible for coming in here with intent to fight. He thought that maybe they could make it through one lie, one occurrence where she had made an executive decision that it was necessary.
He sighed heavily, not meeting her eyes.
"Shepard, I know you lied to the shrink," he whispered, pausing, "and I'm sure you had your reasons."
He waited for her to say something, but she was quiet, "and I know those reasons had something to do with me."
He was met with silence.
"I just want to understand why you don't trust me," he said, his voice pleading, but when he heard her inhale to speak he interrupted, "no, no, I know why you don't trust me. Because _I_didn't trust_ you_. Not on Horizon, not on Mars, not with Udina - not at first," he rubbed his temple where a dull throbbing was preparing to escalate into a more present ache, "I get it, but - I thought we were past all that."
When he looked up at her, he thought he saw tears in her eyes but she turned her face from him immediately. His heart ached. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with her, he realized then. As much as he had planned to do just that when he got to the clinic, Shepard had seen more fighting in the last few months than most soldiers saw in a lifetime. She was tired, he could see that, and she was hurting from so much loss. She lied, okay, maybe it was a big one, maybe it was to protect humanity, maybe it was to protect the galaxy… again. Maybe it was for the best.
He sighed again.
"Look, you don't need to tell me. I'm going to try and take this one on faith, I guess I owe you that much," he said, and her head whipped around so her eyes were meeting his again, but they were cold now.
"You don't _owe_ me anything, Kaidan," she said angrily.
* * *
What was he thinking. Here he was telling her he'd accept the lie, take it on faith, that he _owed_ her. _Shit._ There was a small part of her that had hoped he'd end it, that he'd stop holding onto her, that he'd move on and live a life without the burden of Commander _fucking _ Shepard. Plan fucking B.
He recoiled when she hissed the words at him and she felt like an asshole. But wasn't she? _Stick to the plan, Shepard._ She knew it would work, but she didn't have to be so cruel about it.
"Kaidan," she said, softer now, "I can't explain to you what happened up there, but I don't expect you to live a lie with me either."
His eyes widened but she kept at it, not giving him time to interrupt. "I was prepared to give up everything so that you could live a normal life without me."
She couldn't look at him now and she heard his sharp intake of breath. "Maybe that's what you should do."
Her voice was firm despite the war raging inside of her that made her feel like she was one inch tall.
"Maybe that's for the best."
He stood then, holding his position next to her bed and waiting for her to look up at him. When she finally did after minutes that felt like hours, she was shocked to find a wry smile on his face.
* * *
"You of all people should know what I'm about," he breathed her words back at her and watched as her eyes narrowed in question.
"Dammit, Shepard, do you really think… did you really expect me to just turn around and say 'Okay, I'll be going now?'" his voice was low, so as not to cause any sort of scene but he knew she could recognize the severity of its timbre. He reached for the hand closest to him and held it in his tightly, as if he could convey the meaning of his words through touch.
"I've been in love with you since before all of this," he motioned around the room with his free hand, "before we knew what Reapers were, before losing friends and family to this war, before Ilos... before Virmire."
The last one was barely a whisper but he held her hand and her eyes with his own and made sure to drive the point home. "I waited for you to catch up then, and I'll wait now - but I'll do it by your side."
"There was never any such thing as a normal life with us, and it isn't because you're you, Shepard, it's because we're _us._ And maybe instead of trying to find a way to push me away from your trainwreck of an existence," he spat sarcastically, "you should start looking for a way to accept that _I'm here with you_."
He was rubbing circles against the back of her hand with his thumb and her eyes dropped to watch. "You can lean on me, and I can be your strength, but I know you love me too, and maybe that's not enough," he rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand, "but you'd better believe I'm going to fight like hell to hold onto you."
He paused so her eyes would meet his again. "I meant it then, and I mean it now, we have a chance to see what this thing is now - a _real _chance," he told her as he finished his speech while looking into her eyes and brought her hand up to his face to place a kiss on her palm, a whisper of another conversation about their future, one that felt like ancient history now.
* * *
Gone was the man who understood when she needed space, gone was the man who offered to take a step back if she was interested in Liara back on the SSV Normandy, gone was the cautious man who never put himself in a position he couldn't get out of.
"What about always leaving yourself a way out?" she asked him - her voice betraying the emotion she had been trying to hide from him. He looked at her with patience and understanding and squeezed her hand gently before responding.
"Shepard, I don't want a way out, not from this," he said, smiling at her knowingly and she pulled him down to her for a kiss. Gone was the man that she could let go of. This new man, this new Kaidan - strong and confident and _hers, _he wasn't letting go, and she knew then that she couldn't either. She couldn't let go on Virmire, couldn't let go on Horizon, couldn't let go on Mars or on the Citadel. Kaidan was her weakness, and he was her strength, and Shepard realized that he was right.
"Us," she murmured thoughtfully against his lips when they pulled apart for a breath.
"Us," he agreed before wrapping his arms around her to pull her into a strong - albeit painful - hug, before kissing her again.
18. Defeat
Sweat was pouring down her brow and into her eyes as she gritted her teeth against the pain. She was Commander _fucking _Shepard of the Alliance Navy, first human Spectre, sole survivor of the massacre on Akuze, destroyer of Reapers. But now, she was staring defeat in the eyes, and it both terrified and angered her. She felt the rage building like a slow burn throughout her body as she glared at her opponent -
"My mug!" Chakwas exclaimed as she entered the room, causing Shepard to lose concentration and the ceramic mug to crash to the floor, shattering instantly. She sighed heavily and looked to the older woman who was scowling at her.
"Shepard, that was my favorite mug, what on earth are you doing?" she asked, clearly frustrated and Shepard felt a tinge of guilt.
She had been trying - unsuccessfully - to pull the damn thing off the table with her biotics. She had been a natural with her biotic abilities since they first manifested when she was young, and she had never felt so completely useless as she did right now, realizing that she couldn't even pull a fucking mug.
She sighed again and flashed the doctor an apologetic look, but it seemed that Chakwas' annoyance had morphed into pity at the sight of her patient struggling so much with what was once a simple task. Shepard hated that look. She was getting it from all angles lately. Miranda was the only one who either didn't feel sorry for her at all or knew she didn't want to see it. She had reassured Shepard that her recovery was remarkable - in part thanks to the cybernetics Miranda had helped implant her with - and that she was sure she'd be on her feet in no time.
The minute she saw the look on Liara's face, however, she told Chakwas in no uncertain terms that she wanted no more visitors until she was on her feet again. Even Kaidan had agreed to give her some space, get back to work and let her recover on her own time. He had still come by every few days to check on her, but overall she was alone most of the time.
Seemingly realizing that she was getting no apology or explanation from Shepard about the mug, Chakwas cleared her throat to speak.
"Shepard, I think your biotics should come secondary to your physical recovery," she said softly, ignoring the look of disappointment on Shepard's face, "Kaidan has already detailed a routine he'd like to start with you once you're on your feet again. For now, I have a new challenge for you and I think you're ready." She finished with a bright smile, and it was almost contagious until Shepard saw the item the doctor had been hiding behind her back.
"You've gotta be kidding me," she said incredulously, feeling the anxiety washing over her in waves.
"I'm afraid not, Commander, you've got more broken bones than Jeff after a wrestling match and you've got to start somewhere," Chakwas teased, doing nothing to stifle the feeling of contempt that Shepard was already experiencing at the small object.
A cane. Commander Shepard of the Alliance Navy, first human Spectre, sole survivor of the massacre on Akuze, destroyer of Reapers was going to have to walk with a_cane._ She groaned and made sure Karin didn't miss the exaggerated rolling of her eyes before she sighed in defeat. She _did_ have to start somewhere, she supposed.
"If you take any photos or tell anyone about this, I might have to kill you," she warned her friend and was met with a chuckle which just served to fuel her annoyance.
"Yes, Commander, I'm sure you'll be quite intimidating trying to balance your pistol while leaning on a cane," she said, laughter seeping through her voice. Soon the two of them were laughing at the visual and though walking still seemed an impossible feat, Shepard felt just a little better about the day ahead of her.
* * *
She had been wrong, of course. It was not the mug that would defeat her on this day, but her own crippled legs. She spent hours trying to decide how best to apologize to Joker for all the times she had teased him about his disability. It had been all in good fun - but she felt guilty now.
Her bones were abandoning her, it seemed, with every step she tried to take. Chakwas had assigned an orderly to assist her; his name was Joe and he was a brawny guy - not like Vega, but strong and steady - and he was doing his best to help her despite her swearing after every slight maneuver.
Getting out of bed had been the easy part, and that was laughable. She thought back to just a few hours earlier when Chakwas had introduced her to Joe, and he'd stepped over to the side of the bed to offer her his arm. She had wrapped her own arm around his and shuffled herself to the side of the bed carefully, feeling like the smallest movement would cause her to shatter into a thousand pieces. Her attempts at mini-therapy hadn't been enough and her legs were thin and weak with smatterings of bruises all over, highlighted by puckered scars - one on her right leg trailing diagonally from her upper thigh to just below her knee, and two on her left leg circling around her lower leg and ankle. She was anything but steady, and Joe had offered to lift her to her feet but she had decided that if she could complete this feat the rest would be easy.
So once she had successfully positioned herself on the side of the bed with her legs dangling off, she took a minute to catch her breath and wiped the sweat from her brow before grabbing onto Joe's arm with both of hers and hoisting herself up.
It was one of the most painful experiences of her life. White hot pain shot through every nerve in her body, and she felt as though she would explode from the force of it. She gritted her teeth to stop from crying out, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Joe steadied her with his right arm and detached his left from her grip to wrap it around her back, lifting her effortlessly, and he just held her there for a moment, her feet brushing the floor while she caught her breath again and let the pain subside.
Only it didn't. The pain remained burning in her muscles, in her bones, and she thought it would kill her. Not the Reapers, but just the simple act of walking. She spared a glance to Chakwas who looked concerned, but when she saw her looking she composed her features to reflect soft encouragement and even though Shepard wasn't buying the act, she somehow felt better for it.
It seemed like hours had passed from the time she had grabbed onto Joe's arm to the moment she felt steady enough to take the cane in her left hand and only with the orderly's arm remaining steady at her back. Chakwas was saying something about how they would just be walking around the clinic for now, until she got used to it, and that she hoped in a few days they might be able to walk around the block. Shepard was trying to listen despite the pain, but all she could think about was how impossible moving from her current position to the front door would be.
In the beginning - just inside her room at the clinic - Joe was doing most of the work, allowing her to put her weight against him and the cane equally and keeping a strong arm against her back always. She had tried to make conversation with him through gritted teeth, asking about his family - he was recently married, asking about his job at the clinic - he had been working a Huerta but they moved him to London just a few months earlier. Her heart sank at the words, had he remained on the Citadel he wouldn't be alive today. She stole a glance in his direction and he was smiling warmly at her, she didn't have to say the words because he'd surely had the same thought countless times.
He had slowly released his grip on her to allow her to take more control of her walking - if you could call it that - and in an hour they had barely made it out of the room. She was struggling with every movement and the pain was nearly unbearable. She felt like she'd need three showers plus a decontamination process once the day was done because of how much she was sweating from the exertion. Chakwas had left to see to other patients and when they emerged into the waiting room of the clinic Shepard was relieved to see that it was empty. It wasn't that she didn't trust the doctor to uphold her promise of keeping out visitors, it was that she didn't trust her friends to listen and the last thing she wanted was for them to see her like this… not just broken in a hospital bed, but worse - struggling to put one foot in front of the other.
Four hours after the beginning of this experiment, they had made a full circuit around the waiting room and back into the bedroom and Joe was helping an exhausted and spent Shepard back into her bed. Chakwas was by her side a moment later, dismissing the orderly with a wave and Shepard said a tired thank you before turning her attention to the doctor. The next 30 minutes went by in a haze, someone brought in something for her to eat along with several glasses of water because she needed to stay hydrated, said Chakwas - along with a joke about her perspiring so much that she couldn't possibly have any liquid left in her body. Shepard had let out a half-hearted laugh while Karin checked her vitals as she quickly drifted to sleep.
* * *
When she woke a few hours later, she could hear Kaidan and Chakwas talking just outside her door in muted tones. She smiled to herself knowing that Kaidan had come to check on her, but even more when she heard Chakwas tell him firmly that Shepard was to have no visitors. She didn't want to see Kaidan like this, exhausted and in desperate need of a shower, and she knew her doctor - no, her friend - understood that. She made a mental note to send a thank you note to his omni-tool later, and let herself fall back into a deep sleep.
* * *
_"Let him go! " she shouted at the.. thing that was holding Kaidan by his helmet. She heard the metal woman asking for orders and she was horrified when whatever was said on the other end of the communicator caused her to slam Kaidan against the wall._
_Her heart lurched in her chest. All this time, she'd just gotten him back, he was just starting to trust her - hopefully even forgive her - and here he was dying in front of her eyes._
_The monster tossed his lifeless body aside and everything seemed to go in slow motion as Shepard launched a warp in its direction, shooting her pistol three times dead on - making it count._
_The woman - no, machine - seemed to short-circuit and collapse on the landing pad and Shepard looked to where Kaidan was laying dead, no… no dead… please don't die Kaidan, and ran to get his body and carry it to the Normandy. He felt like dead weight and all she could think about was how she failed him… again._
* * *
She woke up from the nightmare with tears streaming down her face and gasped for a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Why was she forced to keep reliving these failures every time she closed her eyes? They had won, they had defeated Cerberus and the Reapers and they were both alive, why was she being tortured still?
End file.
| fanfiction |
post - inflationary reheating in which the energy of a scalar field of the inflationary era is converted into the relativistic particles of the radiation era is of intrinsic interest , and there may prove to be tests of the mechanisms of inflation and reheating .
a common scenario is that there is a period of inflation followed by reheating , consequently followed by the radiation era ; density and graviton perturbations are supposed to be of quantum origin arising in the inflaton field(s ) early in the inflationary era .
it is an interesting question how the reheating affects the perturbations of various wavelengths , particularly the density perturbations . for those wavelengths @xmath0 observable in the variations of the cmbr the phase @xmath1 , where @xmath2 is the reheat time , is extremely small .
so the usual assumption is that for these wavelengths the effect of the transition on the perturbations can be well calculated by the sudden ( instantaneous ) approximation . in recent years
there has been some discussion on this point @xcite.it is the main purpose of this paper to support the usual assumption by illustration using a well known inflationary scenario followed by a particular reheating mechanism . the mechanism that we use
is an old one @xcite , that of a friction term in the scalar field equation with the corresponding balancing term in the radiation fluid energy equation .
we do not postulate this as a close representation of the actual physical process of reheating or defrosting , which is anyway not yet determined , but use it as a stand - in providing a balanced transfer of energy - momentum from one phase to another in a mixed phase state . in this latter respect
it is more physically motivated than reheating representations which just interpolate the scale factor of the frw universe @xcite .
the new feature is that the calculation of the transition from a universe of all scalar field to one of all radiation fluid is done explicitly for the perturbed as well as for the unperturbed case . in the former case
the synchronous gauge is used for calculation .
we find that the numerical results for the resulting perturbations in the radiation era are the same , to many significant figures , as those got in the sudden approximation by application of the lichnerowicz conditions @xcite on a hypersurface of constant energy density , as formulated by deruelle and mukhanov @xcite .
this result serves to confirm the hypothesis ( and its implementation ) that the sudden phase transition happens on a hypersurface of constant energy density even where it is between entirely different types of physical states in this case a scalar field and a standard type of perfect fluid . in the following section we outline the model , setting out the scalar potential
this is adjusted to give a period of power - law inflation , followed by a transition to zero scalar field , with the transition being mediated by a friction term . in section [ reheat ]
we first derive the resulting equations for the reheating transition in which the scalar field matter of the universe is wholly converted into a radiation fluid and the universe enters the radiation era ; secondly we derive the equations for the development of the density perturbations , arisen by earlier quantum fluctuations , through the gradual reheating transition .
section [ transitions ] is mainly on the numerical solution of these equations to give the resulting radiation era parameters ; for the perturbations we treat only wavelengths important for the observed fluctations of the cosmic microwave background . we also derive the corresponding radiation era perturbation for the sudden transition approximation , so as to compare this with the result of the gradual transition .
we show that the two results are the same , to extremely good accuracy .
the computations are done in the synchronous gauge , but the comparison of results for the sudden and gradual transitions are done using gauge invariant variables @xcite .
we also include a discussion of the effect of our gradual transition mechanism on non - physical so called synchronous gauge modes - eliminable by a coordinate transformation using the residual gauge freedom of synchronous gauges @xcite .
the metric tensor perturbations - gravitational waves - are a separate and much easier case and in [ transc ] we show analytically that the sudden transition approximation is valid also in this case .
we choose a potential for the scalar field @xmath3 which gives constant power law inflation for large @xmath3 and which , in conjunction with a friction term , converts the scalar field energy into a perfect fluid as @xmath3 decreases .
we take the fluid to be the usual one of the radiation era , so that the pressure and density are related by @xmath4 .
the potential is given by @xmath5 @xmath6 ; \phi < \phi_{a}. \label{potenl2}\ ] ] and is illustrated in the figure for the particular case where @xmath7,@xmath8 and @xmath9 .
the constants @xmath10 are adjusted so that @xmath11 are continuous at @xmath12 . the curvature , @xmath13 , changes sign at @xmath14 so that it is negative for @xmath15 where a friction term @xmath16 , where @xmath17 is an adjustable constant , is added to the equations as detailed below . the scalar field decreases with time and in the power law inflation region,@xmath18 , the cosmic scale factor @xmath19 where @xmath20 is conformal and @xmath21 cosmic time .
@xmath22 is a constant , @xmath23 and @xmath24 for @xmath25 the field accelerates until some @xmath15 where the friction becomes large enough to slow it down ; finally the field energy is all converted into fluid energy .
this model is just one realization of inflation followed by reheating and is designed to track coupled metric , scalar field and density perturbations through inflation to the end of reheating .
these perturbations are supposed to arise from quantum fluctuations early in the inflationary era .
they are accompanied by quantum fluctuations with graviton production giving rise to gravity waves which we shall likewise track through to the radiation era .
we write the equations for the case where the radiation fluid and the scalar field are coexisting ; the pure scalar field era and the radiation era are just special cases of these equations . for @xmath18
the model has an analytic solution but otherwise a numerically computed solution is necessary , even for this unperturbed case .
the einstein equations are @xmath26 @xmath27 the right hand side being the sum of the energy - momentum tensors of the scalar field and of the fluid , with density @xmath28 and pressure @xmath29 and 4-velocity @xmath30 : @xmath31\ ] ] @xmath32 to solve these equations the scalar field equation is also requisite . to the usual scalar equation
we add a friction term so that it becomes @xmath33 where hubble , @xmath34 and we have used the notations @xmath35 @xmath36 from the einstein equations we obtain @xmath37.\ ] ] the bianchi identities from the einstein equations combined with the scalar equation yield the fluid energy equation ; @xmath38 eqs .
( [ scalareq],[hubble],[energyeq ] ) are sufficient to solve the model ; we note that as @xmath3 decreases kinetic energy is taken from the scalar field and given to the fluid .
the einstein equations remain valid . for calculation
it is convenient to use @xmath39 as evolution parameter instead of @xmath20 and we use the notation @xmath40 .
the equations of motion then become @xmath41 @xmath42 @xmath43 where in the last equation we have used @xmath44 for the relativistic fluid . in these equations @xmath45 are given functions of @xmath3 only , and the solution of the equations gives @xmath46 as functions of @xmath47 only .
we can find the value of @xmath20 as a function of @xmath48 and thus of @xmath49 by @xmath50 we note that the equations scale in the following sense : if we have a solution with a certain @xmath51 , eq.([potenl2 ] ) , with a certain @xmath52 and @xmath53 is any constant _ then _
@xmath54 is also a solution .
this is convenient because if we have a solution with a particular @xmath51 then , by adjustment of @xmath53 , we can get a solution appropriate to the era we wish to consider . in this region @xmath55 and eqs.([scalareq2],[hubble2 ] ) yield @xmath56 the simplest solution is @xmath57 letting @xmath58 it follows that @xmath59,a \propto ( \tau -\tau_{p})^{p } , p \equiv 2/(\lambda-2 ) , \tau_{p } = constant$ ] . with @xmath60
this is the well known power - law inflation due to an exponential potential . in this region
we need to use numerical compution to solve even the unperturbed equations whose solution we shall denote by @xmath61 . in our numerical computation the unperturbed solution and the perturbation to it are evolved simultaneously , and we proceed now to the formalism for this latter .
perturbations to the energy - momentum tensor density are coupled to scalar perturbations of the metric tensor . for these
we work in a synchronous coordinate system and follow in the main the formalism of grishchuk @xcite .
the metric is @xmath62dx^{i}dx^{j}.\ ] ] @xmath63 are the relevant perturbations which can be expressed as a linear superposition for the various wave numbers * k * of @xmath64 where @xmath65 is a superposition of the spatial wave function solutions @xmath66 so that @xmath67 . the total perturbation can be found by solving for @xmath68 and this we shall do .
we write the * k*-components of the _ perturbation _ to the energy - momentum tensor as @xmath69 @xmath70 where @xmath71 , and where @xmath72 and @xmath73 are density and pressure perturbation components appropriate to * k*. then the perturbed einstein equations where the variables are functions of @xmath74 are @xmath75 @xmath76 @xmath77 @xmath78 in what follows we shall denote the * k*-component perturbation to the scalar field by @xmath79 and the * k*-component fluid perturbations by @xmath80 and @xmath81 . for the perfect fluid ,
which we assume , @xmath82 and the corresponding quantity vanishes for the scalar field ; so @xmath83 .
the right hand sides of eqs.([perteinst1]-[perteinst4 ] ) are given by : @xmath84 @xmath85 @xmath86 @xmath87 inserting these into the preceeding equations we have a set of differential equations capable of solution when we have added the following perturbed scalar field equation ; @xmath88 this equation combined with the ( perturbed ) bianchi identities yields the perturbed fluid energy equation as : @xmath89 as in the unperturbed case the physical assumption lies in the addition of the friction term to the scalar equation ; the einstein equations are preserved leading to the perturbed fluid energy equation , including the appropriate friction term which balances the one in the scalar equation .
the initial conditions for solving the equations in the transition region , @xmath90 , are given by the solution at the end , @xmath91 , of the power law inflation in the region @xmath18 .
in that region we already have the unperturbed solution in [ reheata1 ] and shall now use well - known analytic methods to get the perturbed solution .
we shall use dotted quantities to denote differentiation with respect to @xmath20 ; for example @xmath92 from eqs.([perteinst2],[rhseinst2 ] ) @xmath93 it can be shown that for the scalar field only case @xcite @xmath94 @xmath95 @xmath96 where , as defined in [ reheatb ] , @xmath97 .
the scale factor is given by eq.([apowlaw ] ) so that @xmath98 .
integration of eq.([eq.mu ] ) gives @xmath99 as @xmath100 where @xmath101 is an integration constant subsuming , when @xmath102 is constant , the lower limit of the integration .
@xmath103 is a solution of @xmath104 which can be eliminated by a coordinate transformation allowed by the residual gauge freedom of the synchronous gauge @xcite ; it gives zero contribution to gauge invariant variables @xcite .
we drop this term here but we shall revisit it later in conjunction with the results .
all the above development was non - quantum mechanical .
we shall now briefly remark on the quantum basis of the phenomena .
we denote the corresponding quantum field theory quantities by a tilde : @xmath105 @xmath106 where @xmath107 is a quantum annihilation operator , @xmath108 , and @xmath109 , is that solution of the bessel equation ( [ eq.ddotmu ] ) such that @xmath110 thus corresponding for large @xmath111 to the usual mode function of quantum mechanical plane waves .
@xmath112 is a normalization factor whose determination gives the absolute magnitude of the observed density perturbations ( in terms of the model parameters ) given the assumption that these come from a primordial vacuum with zero quantum occupation number .
n has been determined as @xcite @xmath113 for this paper , which is mainly about sudden transition versus gradual transition amplitudes , we do not need to discuss the quantum aspects further .
we can now proceed with the evaluation of the metric scalar components at the end of inflation .
the exact expression for the solution @xmath114 is , with @xmath115 , @xmath116 exact power - law inflation ends and the transition region begins at @xmath12 ; other variables at that surface,@xmath117 , we denote by the suffix @xmath117 . for example : @xmath118 . for small enough values of @xmath119
we can expand @xmath120 given by eq.([eq.mu1 ] ) in an ascending power series and just consider the first one or two terms .
our first interest is in values of @xmath111 of importance in cobe and other observations .
these are of the order of magnitude ( the relevant meaning here is being within a few factors of ten ) of @xmath121 where @xmath122 denote the values of the scale factor and hubble at the time , @xmath123 , when the matter era begins .
thus for such values of @xmath111 the values of @xmath119 are of order @xmath124
. then we expand @xmath120 in a power series with leading terms @xmath125 @xmath126 the corresponding expansion of @xmath99 from eq.([eq.h ] ) , with @xmath127 , is @xmath128 we need these expressions at @xmath129 to find the initial values for the numerical solution of the coupled differential equations in @xmath130 .
noting that the first term in the expansion of @xmath99 @xmath131 is a constant , we find to first order in @xmath132 the initial values @xmath133
@xmath134 @xmath135 @xmath136 @xmath137 @xmath138 where @xmath139\ ] ] in eqs.([perteinst1]-[perteinst4 ] ) @xmath99 occurs only when multiplied by @xmath140 .
this and the initial conditions above lead us to rewrite the equations in terms of renormalized variables which are of order zero in @xmath141 .
these are : @xmath142 , @xmath143 , @xmath144 , @xmath145 , @xmath146 . except for @xmath147
the renormalization is by the same constant factor coinciding with the factor for @xmath147 at @xmath117 .
the initial conditions for the hatted variables are given by the replacement @xmath148 on the right hand sides of eqs.([init1]-[init6 ] ) .
the hatted versions of the last two einstein equations are @xmath149,\ ] ] @xmath150 we shall supplement eqs.([eq3],[eq4 ] ) by eqs.([eq5],[eq6 ] ) below , which are the hatted versions of eqs.([pertscalar],[pertenergy ] ) .
we shall omit the explicit @xmath151 terms because these are of order @xmath140 smaller than the other terms in the equation for both cases .
this is a consistent , controlled approximation , extremely good for cobe and related observations .
@xmath152\phi_{0 } ' = -\lbrack\frac{dv_{f}}{d\phi}\phi_{0}'\hat \phi_{1}+ v_{f}\hat \phi_{1}'\rbrack /h\ ] ] @xmath153 = \lbrack\frac{dv_{f}}{d\phi}\phi_{0}'^{2}\hat\phi_{1}+ 2v_{f}\phi_{0}'\hat\phi_{1}'\rbrack h\ ] ] eqs.([eq3])-([eq6 ] ) , with the initial conditions specified above , have to be solved for the perturbations .
it is necessary to know the unperturbed solutions @xmath154 , @xmath155 and @xmath156 which enter the equations ; these are given by eqs.([scalareq2])- ( [ energyeq2 ] ) and their initial conditions at the beginning of reheating are given in [ reheata1 ] .
we evolve all the variables , both the perturbed and the unperturbed , together as a set of coupled differential equations with evolution parameter @xmath74 .
the end of the transition period and the beginning of the radiation era are signalled by @xmath154 arriving at a negligable value ; @xmath79 accompanies @xmath154 into oblivion .
our objective is to compare the radiation era amplitudes resulting from this gradual transition to those resulting from a sudden transition .
for this we use the matching conditions given by deruelle and mukhanov @xcite ; conditions ( their eqs .
4.5a , b ) in the longitudinal gauge can equivalently be given in terms of the gauge invariant variable @xmath157 .
they are that @xmath157 and @xmath158 are continuous across the matching surface @xmath159 : @xmath160 @xmath161 where @xmath162 @xmath163 additionally , more obviously , @xmath49 and @xmath164 must also be continuous across the surface .
density perturbations can be described by the mode function @xmath165 , corresponding to the @xmath114 of the inflation era , such that @xcite @xmath166 in terms of the synchronous gauge variables @xmath167 and the gauge invariant variable @xmath157 is given by @xcite @xmath168 so that from eqs.([perteinst1]-[perteinst4 ] ) @xmath169 non - physical synchronous gauge modes ( that is of the form @xmath170 ) give zero contribution to both @xmath165 and @xmath157 .
we write the solution of eq.([nu1 ] ) as @xmath171 so that @xmath172 @xmath173 from the continuity of @xmath157 and @xmath158 across the interface these expressions enable the determination of @xmath174 and thus the density perturbation in the radiation era .
so we need the values of @xmath175 and @xmath176 from the inflationary era solutions . from eqs.([init1 ] , [ init3],[phih ] ) , interpreted now as being at the surface @xmath159 , we find that to lowest order in @xmath177 @xmath178 solving eqs.([cont1],[cont2 ] ) straightforwardly gives to lowest order @xmath179 for @xmath111 relevant to cmbr fluctuation observations @xmath180 is of order @xmath181 where @xmath182 and thus away from the interface the term in @xmath183 dominates the radiation era density perturbations . for our reheating model , or any such continuous transition ,
no question of sophisticated implementation of lichnerowicz conditions at an interface arises .
there is no interface ; the physical variables arising from the solutions of the equations of motion are all continuous through space - time .
we shall consider the case where the transition ends at the same surface , @xmath159 , as that of [ transb1 ] ; @xmath3 is negligable for @xmath184 and the system is in the radiation era .
the transition begins at the end of pure power law inflation , @xmath185 .
we note here that @xmath186 of eq.([sigma ] ) is a constant of the power - law inflation era .
below we shall refer to a @xmath186 evaluated at @xmath187 at the end of power - law inflation at the beginning of the gradual transition ; while in [ transb1 ] we referred to @xmath186 evaluated at that appropriate ( sudden ) end of power - law inflation , @xmath188 ; these have the same name and are indeed the same numbers .
the radiation era analysis is of course precisely the same as in [ transb1 ] , with eqs.([phih],[phinu ] ) giving @xmath189 so at the end of the transition , @xmath159 , which is the beginning of the radiation era @xmath190 @xmath191 putting into the rhs of the last two equations the computed values at the end of the transition we can find @xmath192 and @xmath183 . in fact , because of the very small magnitude of @xmath180 , the last equation implies that to lowest order in @xmath180 @xmath193 since otherwise @xmath194 would take a large value unattainable in the transition .
the result we have arrived at is that for the continuous case the density perturbation in the radiation era is determined by the value of @xmath195 at the end of the gradual transition . by numerical integration of eqs.([eq3]-[eq6 ] ) with the stated initial conditions we determine @xmath194 and @xmath196 in terms of @xmath186 using eq.([phih ] ) .
we can then compare the results for @xmath183 and @xmath192 , determining the radiation era perturbations , from the sudden and gradual transitions . for the sudden transition we have , eq.([cs1 ] ) ,
@xmath197 for the gradual transition we denote @xmath198 so that @xmath199 thus if @xmath200 the two transitions agree .
we have calculated the gradual transition for two values of the inflation power - law exponent , @xmath201 , each for a number of values of the friction coefficient , @xmath17 , with the results shown in the tables . it may be noted that for the larger values of @xmath17 , ( @xmath202 ) quoted the system grinds to a halt at the bottom of the potential well with no significant oscillations ; this of course does not resemble any usually envisaged reheat mechanisms @xcite . for smaller @xmath17 oscillations
occur and it is found , as we would expect , that their number increases rapidly as @xmath17 decreases .
our numerical computation methods fail for @xmath17 significantly smaller than the last value in the tables , @xmath203 .
as stated previously the transition is deemed to have come to an end when the value of @xmath154 is sufficiently small .
there is not a precise criterion and we display results for various values of @xmath204 .
we see that always @xmath205 to very high accuracy , in agreement with the sudden transition .
this establishes the agreement ( for appropriate wavelengths ) in the following sense : whether there is a sudden transition at red - shift @xmath206 or our type of gradual transition ending at @xmath206 , the resulting radiation era scalar perturbation is the same . as set out in eqs.([eq.phi])-([eq.h ] ) there is in the inflationary era ( as in other eras ) a synchronous gauge mode given by @xmath207 where @xmath101 is a constant .
this mode is non - physical as it contributes zero to the gauge invariant variable @xmath157 , given by eq.([phih ] ) , as well as to other gauge invariant variables , and also it can be eliminated by a coordinate transformation making use of the residual gauge freedom of synchronous gauges .
whole these remarks justify our ommission of this term , we have investigated further so as to provide a comment on the mechanism of energy transfer inthe gradual transition of our model .
our theory is a linear perturbation theory , so we can completely investigate the consequences of a synchronous gauge mode separately from the physical modes previously considered by inserting solely eq.([hsynch ] ) and its derivative and @xmath208 as the initial conditions in eqs.([eq3])-([eq6 ] ) .
these correspond to zero @xmath157 in the inflation era . for a perfect , that is coordinate independent , perturbed transition mechanism in eqs.([eq5 ] ) and ( [ eq6 ] )
the resulting @xmath157 in the radiation era would be zero .
to give an idea of the magnitudes involved we can put , formally , @xmath209 at the beginning of the transition - that is as if this quantity began the transition with the same magnitude as the physical mode previously considered .
we illustrate by giving two results , corresponding to the first and last lines of table i , for the value of @xmath157 at the end of the transition : @xmath210 @xmath211 the results for the physical mode were @xmath212 for whatever @xmath17 .
( [ f4synch ] ) and ( [ f4synch ] ) illustrate firstly that there is a coordinate dependence in the transition mechanism when applied to the non - physical , coordinate dependent , perturbative mode and secondly that it decreases with @xmath17 .
it is probable that other transition mechanisms expressible as terms in the lagrangian , such as some of those which have been invoked to investigate particle production in the reheat phase @xcite , would transmit only coordinate independent information into coordinate independent variables.however investigation of these would involve different formalisms and calculations .
we would not expect any different answers for the physical modes .
tensor perturbations are very much simpler to treat than scalar perturbations .
after their generation by quantum fluctuations their development is governed solely by the cosmic scale factor @xmath49 .
corresponding to eq.([eq.mutil ] ) we have in the power - law inflationary era @xmath213 where @xmath214 is the annihilation operator for the graviton with polarization @xmath0 and wave number @xmath215 , and the polarization tensor satisfies @xmath216 .
@xmath114 given by eq.([eq.mu1y ] ) is a solution , appropriate to the quantum mechanics as in eq.([eq.limits ] ) , of the tensor mode equation @xmath217 this holds for any cosmic era , whatever may be the dynamics responsible for the particular form of @xmath218 and in the radiation era , beginning at @xmath219 , which defines @xmath159 , we can write its solution as @xmath220 where @xmath221 and @xmath222 are constants to be determined by continuity , as set out below .
if we assume a sudden transition from inflation to the radiation era at @xmath219 the matching conditions that determine @xmath221 and @xmath222 are that @xmath120 and @xmath223 ( equivalently @xmath224 ) must be continuous across the interface ; the continuity of @xmath49 and @xmath225 is also a condition but we already hold these enforced as in [ reheatb ] @xcite . up to the second term of the power series expansion @xmath120
is given by eq.([eq.mu1y ] ) and @xmath224 by @xmath226 and the required continuity gives @xmath227 @xmath228 due to the extreme smallness of @xmath229 for waves of observational interest @xmath222 dominates and to lowest order @xmath230 @xmath231 at the end of power - law inflation , beginning the gradual transition @xmath232 @xmath233 also we shall below use the fact ( see eq.([sigma ] ) ) that @xmath234 is a constant of the inflationary era .
it is convenient to consider the function @xmath235 so that from eq.([eq.mugrav ] ) @xmath236 generally the solution is not trivial , but working to lowest order , putting @xmath237 , we get @xmath238 and , again to lowest order , at the end of the power - law inflation @xmath239 then @xmath0 is constant throughout the transition , @xmath240 , as it also is in the inflationary phase , though for different @xmath218 ; in both cases @xmath241 .
this implies that , to lowest order , where @xmath120 and @xmath114 are the gradual transition and inflationary mode functions respectively : @xmath242 since @xmath243 .
thus eqs.([g+0],[g-0 ] ) hold as in the sudden transition case .
this establishes the same result for tensor perturbations as was established for scalar perturbations , and in the sense stated at the end of section [ transb3 ] . for scalar perturbations it was likewise justifiable to neglect terms of order @xmath177 in certain equations for waves with @xmath111 relevant to current observations .
we may note that this easy way of finding the result in the tensor case is not only due to the relative simplicity of the governing equation ( [ eq.mugrav ] ) but also to the assumption that the inflation is power - law .
however we would expect it to hold more generally .
as the transition proceeds both the unperturbed , @xmath154 , and the perturbed , @xmath79 , scalar fields diminish so that at some sufficiently small value we can use the perfect fluid model of the radiation era . in the latter part of the radiation era , as the the matter era is approached , the amplitude of the density perturbation is specified by the single quantity @xmath244 , evaluated at the end of the transition .
an extension of the length of the transition , specified in the tables by the number of e - foldings , can always give values of @xmath245 as small as we please until the computation runs out of numerical accuracy .
we have chosen the varying examples in the tables to demonstrate that the lack of precision in the @xmath245 criterion is not important in the sense that @xmath246 is very near to 2 for many different end values of @xmath245 .
though @xmath247 and @xmath248 vary in the third decimal place the @xmath249 is much more constant , and we can understand this : in the radiation era by eqs.([cs4],[nu3 ] ) @xmath250 and the first term is constant since @xmath251 and @xmath252 and an equivalent result would apply towards the end of the transition region .
thus for the above calculations with small @xmath111 the value of @xmath253 is very constant over many e - foldings of the cosmic scale factor @xmath49 after the scalar field has decreased in magnitude by more than about 4 powers of 10 .
this is a property of the early part of the radiation era and not a property of the particular transition mechanism adopted .
having concurred with some other authors @xcite , through different considerations , that transition period detail has no influence on density perturbations important for the cmbr fluctations , we may ask for what wave numbers @xmath111 the detail is going to be important .
the answer is likely to vary considerably with the assumed physics of the early universe .
so we can only give an answer for power - law inflation followed by reheating .
for illustration it is simplest to consider the case of gravitational waves as in [ transc ] . to get the gradual - sudden equivalence there required that @xmath254 throughout the transition region .
we can conclude that for @xmath255 the sudden result is still reasonably good ; here @xmath99 is the hubble parameter .
@xmath256 , given by eq.([eq.k1 ] , for redshift @xmath257 , being the value around which we did our tabulated calculations above , specifies the region of wave numbers of importance in cmbr fluctuations .
translated into energy terms this means that gravitational waves with @xmath258 would not be affected by reheating details .
a calculation with density perturbations gives similar results .
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[ cols="^,^,^,^,^,^",options="header " , ] | arxiv |
Generalization of special relativity to curved space
Special relativity ignores curvature of space-time due to presence of mass and energy which is discussed in GR of course. in a curved space a physicist also can live and have true electrodynamics but ignoring curvature of space-time due to mass and energy as did Maxwell and Einstein in 1905 about our maybe flat space. what is this electrodynamics (which is core to special relativity) and it's corresponding special relativity? I mean main axioms, generalization of main definitions and main equations.
Your level is not altogether clear, but in any case you can read the following as saying that there is a very natural way to think of these things.
Electrodynamics in *any* geometry is most clearly written in the notation of exterior calculus and differential forms:
$$\begin{array}{lcl}\mathrm{d} \,F &=& 0\\\mathscr{Y}\_0\,\mathrm{d}\star F &=& \star J\end{array}$$
where $F$ is the Faraday 2 form and $J$ the current one-form (*i.e.* four-vector). The first equation is simply the Bianchi identity, if we think of $F$ as being the exterior derivative of a potential $A$, thus an exact form. In that light, the first equation (which reproduces both Faraday's law and Gauss's law for magnetism) is a purely geometrical one. All the "nasty bits" that arise from spacetime curvature (or some diseased mind's curvillinear co-ordinates on flat space, which can be even nastier) are naturally tamed and concisely summarized in the Hodge star operator, which encodes information about volume forms of various dimension submanifolds relate to one another in spacetime. The Hodge dual's actual calculation is fiddly, though, and in implementation the above is naturally the same as [this one here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations_in_curved_spacetime#summary), but the above lets us see what is happenning geometrically.
A simple way of understanding it is first to note that the Maxwell equations are perfectly compatible with SR (i.e., they are covariant in Minkowski spacetime under Lorentz transformations).
If written in tensorial form they become perfectly compatible with GR (I.e., covariant with respect to any coordinate transformation that is differentiable twice) as long as one replaces the derivatives that appear in Maxwell's equations with covariant derivatives (which include terms with the metric and derivatives of it). Gravity appears, correctly, when that is done.
You can use the EM field a source of the spacetime curvature of you want, and calculate. Those are called electrovac solutions. Or add charged matter also. So it is a very straightforward prescription, just more complex equations.
See a more complicated answer if you want all the details at <https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations_in_curved_spacetime>
So it is a very straightforward prescription for turning equations valid in SR, expressed tensorially covariant, into the expected GR equations. This has also been used in taking equations from Quantum Field Theory (ie, applicable to SR transformations), when written covariantly, into Quantum Field Theory in curved spacetimes. One has to take care with any ordering of non-commuting operators. See it at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_field_theory_in_curved_spacetime>
| stackexchange/physics |
Parliamentary elections were held in Kuwait on 4 July 1999. A total of 288 candidates contested the election, which saw pro-government candidates and secular opposition candidates emerge as the two largest blocs in Parliament. Voter turnout was 83.2.
Results
References
Category:1999 elections in Asia
Category:1999 in Kuwait
Category:Elections in Kuwait
Category:Non-partisan elections | wikipedia |
thyroid nodules have an incidence of 33 - 68% in the general population and can be malignant or benign ; however , 5 - 15% of these nodules are malignant [ 1 , 2 ] .
although the incident of palpable thyroid nodules in the adult population ranges from 4 to 8% , at autopsy 50% of the population has thyroid nodules .
many techniques like physical examination , fine needle aspiration cytological examination and imaging are used to detect thyroid nodules .
a fine needle aspiration biopsy ( fnab ) is a non - surgical and accepted diagnostic method for confirming the nature of the nodules .
however , it leads to 10% to 20% thyroid nodules with no diagnosis and 15 - 30% of results are indeterminate .
non - diagnostic fnab indicates that thyroid nodules have a high probability of malignancy and aspiration should be repeated [ 2 , 4 ] .
radiographs , computed tomography ( ct ) , magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) , positron emission tomography ( pet ) , ultrasound and scintigraphy are diagnostic imaging modalities available for the evaluation of thyroid nodules .
ultrasound is the chosen imaging technique for assessment of thyroid nodules , owing to being in real time , radiation - free , non - invasive , widely available , low cost and ability to detect non - palpable nodules .
grey - scale ultrasound contains useful features to quantitatively characterize thyroid nodules such as texture features , whereas doppler provides an intra - nodal vascular pattern [ 6 , 7 ] .
although there is no precise and mathematical definition of texture , simply conceived by human .
image texture can be described by various patterns : coarse , fine , smooth , spatial variations in pixel intensity of objects within an image .
contrary to the computer , human detection of textures may be qualitative and limited by vision .
likewise such patterns within the image may be different but will be perceived by humans as the same texture .
computerized texture analysis ( ta ) is a mathematical technique that increases and provides rich quantification and information of spatial grey - level intensities in pixels within the image [ 8 - 10 ] .
initial diagnosis by a radiologist is qualitative and may contain errors . to increase and improve the confidence of a radiologist in differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules ,
used real - time ultrasound elastography to classify benign from malignant thyroid nodules with a sensitivity of 88% , specificity of 90% , ppv of 81% , npv of 93% and an area under the roc curve ( az ) of 0.94 .
reported that sensitivity , specificity and accuracy were 94.6% , 92.8% and 93.6% respectively when the energy features of co - occurrence matrix were used .
tsantis et al . used speckle - free feature set based on nodules boundary shape and wavelet local maxima located for differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules with a sensitivity of 93% , specificity of 98%and an area under the roc curve ( az ) of 0.96 .
utilized texture features derived from the gabor filter bank at various wavelengths and angles for the classification of benign and malignant thyroid nodules .
they used svm classifier and achieved the sensitivity of 95% , specificity of 100% and accuracy of 96.7% .
gopinath et al . reported that accuracy , sensitivity , and specificity were 90% , 100% , and 90% respectively when two - level wavelet decomposition based on the texture characteristics of the thyroid cells was used to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules . in this study , we evaluated a non - invasive method based on ta to improve radiologists diagnosis in the classification of thyroid nodules as benign or malignant in ultrasound images .
although our study is not the first attempt to use a ta method , as far as we know no other study has employed ta via all groups and classes of texture features .
ultrasound images of 70 patients ( 53 female , and 17 male ) comprising 26 benign ( colloid and adenomatous nodules ) and 44 malignant thyroid nodules ( 41 papillary thyroid carcinoma and 3 hurtle cell carcinoma ) which had been approved by fnab .
thyroid nodules images saved in ultrasonography system and the images were compared with biopsy and the reference for statistical analysis .
the databases were selected in the time interval from june 2013 to august 2014 in the radiology department of imam khomeini hospital , urmia , iran .
ultrasound images were acquired by accuvix v20 sonography system ( medison , seoul , korea ) equipped by l5 - 13is linear array transducer working in the range 5 - 13mhz .
ultrasound images were input to mazda software ( mazda 4.6 , the technical university of lodz , institute of electronics ) for ta .
we have selected one region of interest ( roi ) for each ultrasound image ; hence 70 non - overlapping rois ( 26 benign and 44 malignant ) were selected in mazda for ta .
we evaluated and analyzed texture features coming from six main categories for differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules : histogram ( statistical class ) , absolute gradient ( statistical class ) , run - length matrix ( statistical class ) , co - occurrence matrix ( statistical class ) , auto - regressive model ( model class ) and wavelets ( transform class ) .
. an intensity range will be from 1 to 2k , where k is the number of the bits per pixel .
n2 : 3s , limiting image intensities in the range [ -3 , +3 ] where is the mean grey level value and the standard deviation of the grey levels intensity inside the roi .
n3 : the rois grey level ranges between the darkness level at which the image s accumulated histogram is equal to 1% of its total to the brightness level , where accumulated histogram is equal to 99% of its total .
automated feature selection
all 270 parameters are not suitable and effective for differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules . by using two reduction algorithms , fisher and lowest probability of classification error and average correlation coefficients ( poe+acc ) ,
these parameters were reduced to the best ten texture features to show the best discrimination between benign and malignant thyroid nodules [ 16 , 17 ] .
fisher algorithm selected up to ten features , with the highest being a ratio of between - class variance ( d ) to within - class variance ( v ) . where k and vk are mean and variance of class k , f is fisher coefficient and pk is probability of class k. maximization of fisher coefficient is desirable .
a poe+acc algorithm produced set up ten features with minimization probability of classification error ( poe ) and average correlation coefficients ( acc ) between chosen features .
the first feature , f1 , is selected to minimize poe for all classes : where poe(fi ) is the classification error probability for feature .
this probability is defined as follows :
figure 1 shows the sample distribution of feature fi for two classes .
the samples marked can be assigned to both class 1 or 2 . in this case
the next feature ( second feature ) is then selected by minimizing the sum of all features except , excluding f1 : the is the absolute value of the correlation coefficient between the previously calculated feature f and the new feature fi . the n - th feature is selected by minimizing the following sum for all remaining features except for the already chosen features : where the averaged sum is extended for all correlation coefficients between previously selected features and feature fi .
this sum is defined as an average correlation coefficient ( acc ) . in brief , the poe+acc algorithm introduces ten features with high discriminatory potential and a least correlation with features that are already selected .
texture analysis methods lda , pca and nda investigate these features and transform data to lower - dimensional spaces , and increase the discriminative power under two standardization states ( standard and nonstandard ) [ 18 , 19 ] .
pca and lda features were classified by 1-nn classifier and a - nn classifier was performed for the features resulting from nda .
roc curve analysis was employed to compare the discrimination performance of the applied ta methods using the area under the roc curve ( az ) .
in addition , six objectives that indices sensitivity ( sen ) , specificity ( spc ) , overall accuracy ( acc ) , positive predictive value ( ppv ) and negative predictive value ( npv)were also applied to assess the performance of the proposed methods .
these indices are defined as follows : where ntp is the number of malignant cases and ntn is the number of benign cases that have been diagnosed correctly .
nfp and nfn are the number of incorrectly diagnosed benign and malignant cases , respectively .
in this study a total of 70 patients including 26 benign and 44 malignant thyroid nodules were approved by fnab to ensure the classification accuracy of the proposed method . as mentioned previously , in each normalization scheme the same ta method and the same classifier
were applied to the set of features resulting from both poe+acc and fisher algorithm . in default normalization , we found out the features extracted by poe+acc algorithm and analyzed by nda to be higher than the other two ta methods , pca and lda . in this case
we reached a sensitivity of 94.28% , specificity of 96.42% , accuracy of 95.6% , ppv of 94.28% and npv of 96.42% ( table 1 ) . in terms of the normalization role , in 3 sigma normalization
the nda has shown the best discrimination power with features resulting just from the fisher algorithm , where sensitivity , specificity , accuracy , ppv and npv were 86.36% , 100% , 91.42% , 100% and 81.25% , respectively ( table 2 ) . in 1 - 99% normalization and
features resulting from poe+acc algorithm analyzed by nda have the highest discrimination power to distinguish between benign and malignant thyroid nodules , with which sensitivity , specificity , accuracy , ppv and npv were 94.45% , 100% , 97.14% , 100% and 92.86% respectively ( table 3 ) .
figure 3 , 4 and 5 respectively represent roc curves plotted on the same graph for each normalization and features resulting from reduction method to compare the discriminating power for classification of benign and malignant thyroid nodules .
in general , the nda ta method has an advantage over pca and lda in each state with respect to a greater az value .
in this study , three normalizations , two reduction algorithms , two standardization states and three ta methods provide a total of 36 states for each roi case study . in our study , lda has good performance with the features resulting from poe+acc in default normalization in which value is 0.9124 ( figure 3 ) .
from figure 3 , 4 and 5 one can see that normalization has reflected a positive impact on the performance of the classifier .
hence the best performance in this study was obtained in 1 - 99% with nda .
the best results were driven in 1 - 99% normalization with features extracted by poe+acc algorithm and analyzed by nda with az value of 0.9722 , which corresponds to a sensitivity of 94.45% , specificity of 100% , and accuracy of 97.14% .
the roc curve analysis indicates that of all features in the reduction methods and normalizations , nda is privileged over pca and lda in terms of differentiating between benign and malignant nodules ( figure 3 , 4 and 5 ) .
the proposed method demonstrates a more reliable performance in comparison with other studies [ 11 - 14 , 22 ] already conducted on the subject of ultrasonic differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid nodules , with an accuracy ranging from 90% to 96.7% , sensitivity ranging from 88% to 94.6% and specificity ranging from 90% to 100% . in this study , we assessed all six groups of texture features and achieved higher accuracy in respect to the studies that employed one texture subset or combined some texture subsets to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules . our results also indicate that texture analysis possess significantly more discriminative ability than the other methods , morphology and elastography [ 11 , 12 ] .
the ten texture parameters leading to the best performance in our study are as follows : co - occurrence matrix - based features : s ( 0 , 2 ) sum entropy ( s ( 0,2 ) sumentrp ) and s ( 1,1 ) sum of squares ( s ( 1,1 ) sumofsqs ) where s ( i , j ) shows the direction of matrix construction and inter pixel distance i along the rows and j along the columns of matrix ; energy of wavelet coefficient in low - high energy components in first level wavelet decomposition ( wavenlh_s-1),low - low energy components in second level wavelet decomposition ( wavenll_s-2),low - high energy components in third level wavelet decomposition ( wavenlh_s-3 ) , low - high energy components in fifth level wavelet decomposition ( wavenlh_s-5 ) and high - low energy components in sixth level wavelet decomposition ( wavenhl_s-6 ) ; absolute gradient matrix - based features : gradient kurtosis ( grkurtosis ) ; auto - regressive model : teta1 , which is the vector of ar model parameters ; histogram - based features : kurtosis .
our research indicates that a combination of texture features ( co - occurrence matrix , wavelet , absolute gradient matrix , auto - regressive model and histogram - based texture features ) has a higher level of accuracy than the previous studies that employed one texture group [ 12 - 14 , 22 ] . in all conditions ,
it does not have any impact on lda except in default and fisher features . in order to decrease the training time in ann classifier
since this study is based on texture analysis and our gold standard is pathology , other nodule characteristic feature does not have any additional information and are not considered .
this method will not only be used as an alternative for biopsy , but also helps radiologist to select high malignancy risk of thyroid nodules for fnab in patients with multi - nodular goiter which is the most common endocrine disease .
one of the most important clinical challenges is that which nodules in patient with multi - nodular goiter should be fnab and our methods can aid to radiologist to select the target nodule between multiple nodules in patients with multi - nodular goiter .
the main advantage of this method is that there is no operator dependency , because analysis is performed by the computer and also it does not have any additional time or costs . in this study some limitations should be clearly noted .
first , the data group was small , so further investigation with a larger data set is needed .
second , our ultrasound image classifications were performed in comparison with fnab , although fnab is highly sensitive for the diagnosis of neoplastic thyroid nodules , for definitive results surgical pathology may be needed .
third , some of our data from the study were excluded due to indeterminate fnab .
for example , averaging run - length matrix features of four different orientations were hard to perform .
fifth , only nodules larger than 15 mm were used in this study , because the sizes of the rois for texture analysis are 12 mm 12 mm .
sixth , in this preliminary study all the patients suspicious to thyroiditis or any other inflammatory process were excluded to avoid external perturbation of the blood flow perfusing the thyroid gland and affect texture .
mazda software was originally developed in 1998 at the institute of electronics , technical university of lodz for the purpose of automatic ta of magnetic resonance imaging .
generally , our results indicate that mazda software can provide useful information contributing to the discrimination of thyroid nodules by ultrasound images , and also has the potential to help radiologists in the detection and classification of benign and malignant thyroid nodules . | pubmed |
Pieces of Home
Women's Writing Workshop aims to bring women together
By Reagin von Lehe / The Daily Gamecock
By Michaela Catoe
Sep. 29, 2019, 9:28pm
Last fall, Nellie Hildebrandt and a few of her friends met often to discuss each other's writing in a small group.
As the group grew, they realized it could be helpful to other students who have creative writing backgrounds and decided to make it an official student organization — the Women's Writing Workshop. The club aims to create a safe space for women to share their writing and ensure their voices are heard.
Hildebrandt, a third-year English student with a creative writing concentration, said it wasn't difficult to start the Women's Writing Workshop.
"I had great co-officers," Hildebrandt said. "They were super motivated to leave with a legacy."
Other than that, they had everything else they needed — enough members for the Leadership and Service Center to count them as an organization, an adviser in mind and the support of creative writing professors.
"The creative writing professors, I would say, here are generally pretty excited about the club, so they were super eager to find an adviser for us," Hildebrandt said.
Hildebrandt said she likes the organization because having a small group full of women provides an openness and willingness to share that a class full of people does not.
"It's kind of nice when you do have a smaller group, because you get close to those people faster, you feel more comfortable sharing, kind of, more maybe vulnerable work with those people. Maybe stuff that deals with sort of more sensitive topics than you might in a class that has like 30 people who are not all there because they enjoy writing," Hildebrant said.
Sally Wardlaw, a third-year English student, said she feels the same way.
"Certain fields are harder for women to be heard," Wardlaw said. "I was looking for a space where women's voices are more heard and where I don't really have to explain certain aspects of just being a girl."
For a traditional meeting, a member will submit her work for the week to a Google Doc, and other members will read it and prepare notes for the meeting. At the meeting, they talk about what's working and what isn't and make suggestions for improvement.
The members range from freshmen to seniors. Wardlaw said she enjoys mentoring the younger students because encouraging them to develop certain aspects of their stories reminds her to do the same when editing her own.
"It's kind of given me the opportunity to break down these skills that I've already learned in my classes 'cause I'm a junior, gonna be a senior," she said. "So I know how to do it, but explaining to other people how to do that helps me work on my skills."
The members of the club said the Women's Writing Workshop is a good way to reach out to underclassmen as well as develop a relationship with people who have their best interests in mind at a big university.
Anne Gulick, the club's adviser, emphasized the importance of having a small group, especially at such a large school.
"I have discovered in my career as an academic ... was how important it is to find a cohort of people that you can share your work with that you trust, and that you feel are going to support you and help you produce your best possible work and keep going," Gulick said.
She said she believes the group of women are going to be game changers.
"I see this club as one that has the potential to really bring to light the kinds of skills and values that often don't get recognized as much as they should, and allow talent to really flourish," Gulick said.
In the future, the organization said it is hoping to create a safe haven for collective improvement.
Recap: Board of trustees discusses how to uphold shared governance
By Tyler Fedor and Holly Poag | 5:00pm
Recap: USC no longer under monitoring status by accreditation board
By Tyler Fedor | Jan. 15
'Every preparation is being made': Extended police presence in place for potential protests, officials say
By Emma Dooling | Jan. 15
Rivers Edge site of morning carjacking
Plane crashes into Rosewood home
By Tyler Fedor and Holly Poag | Jan. 13
'Why not?': Childhood friends leave piano in Assembly Street tunnel
By Holly Poag | Jan. 11
Guest column: USC is not protecting its students
By Allison Dunavant | Jan. 10
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DARK SCREEN - NOVEMBER 4th, 1968
A darkness where even outlines are not discernible. There is
a dim point of light coming from a dot on the HI-FI which is
PLAYING the BEACH BOYS: "When we could say good night and
still stay together... wouldn't it be niiiice?... we could be
married, then we could be happy, wouldn't it be niiiiice?"
Through it there has been the SOUND of BANGING, distinct and
rhythmic. It GROWS LOUDER as the MUSIC ENDS. There are also
WHIMPERING SOUNDS from a woman.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Oh, no.
GEORGE'S VOICE
... what?...
FELICIA'S VOICE
That headboard.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Nobody can hear it.
It BANGS a couple of more times.
FELICIA'S VOICE
I can. It makes me nervous.
It continues to bang until Felicia screams, over the banging
of the headboard. She follows the scream with a few yelps.
Silence. Now the SOUND of the PHONE RINGING.
FELICIA'S VOICE (CONT'D)
(complimentary)
Oh my God... Jesus... Jesus
Christ... Jesus H. Christ.
The PHONE CONTINUES TO RING.
FELICIA'S VOICE (CONT'D)
(a slightly different
tone)
You going to answer it?
GEORGE'S VOICE
(meaning no)
Uh-uh.
It CONTINUES TO RING.
FELICIA'S VOICE
(being for her very
mischievous)
Want me to?
GEORGE'S VOICE
Let it ring.
And it does. It CONTINUES TO RING, killing all other
considerations.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Boy, whoever she is, she doesn't
give up.
After a moment's fumbling, George finally picks it up.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Hello...
(a little surprised)
Ah, hi.
The GIRL'S VOICE on the other end of the phone can be HEARD
only FITFULLY, when George holds the receiver loosely by his
ear. It is TINA.
TINA'S VOICE
What took you so long?
GEORGE'S VOICE
Wasn't sure it was you.
TINA'S VOICE
(muffled)
GEORGE'S VOICE
I... uh... I... uh... can't.
TINA'S VOICE
(laughter, sizing it up
immediately)
All right, who're you with? Jill?
GEORGE'S VOICE
No.
TINA'S VOICE
(lively but muffled)
GEORGE'S VOICE
No.
TINA'S VOICE
(she's heard Felicia)
Awww --
GEORGE'S VOICE
I'll call you back.
TINA'S VOICE
Come on by.
GEORGE'S VOICE
I'll call you back...
TINA'S VOICE
(raucous laughter,
muffled)
GEORGE'S VOICE
(to Tina)
Okay, okay...
He hangs up. Felicia has fished for a cigarette, lit it and
coughed.
FELICIA'S VOICE
You're rude. I mean, you're very
rude.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Hey, I tried to get her off the
phone.
FELICIA'S VOICE
You know what I'm talking about.
GEORGE'S VOICE
No, baby. Now look, that girl that
called -- I have to talk to her,
she'll do something.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Like what?
GEORGE'S VOICE
I don't know, kill herself. She's
O.D.'d four times.
This calms Felicia. A pause.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Well, is she your girlfriend?
GEORGE'S VOICE
No.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Are you in love with her?
GEORGE'S VOICE
Her?
FELICIA'S VOICE
Are you?
GEORGE'S VOICE
No.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Then it's not your problem.
GEORGE'S VOICE
It isn't?
FELICIA'S VOICE
No. You know too many sick ladies.
GEORGE'S VOICE
I guess so.
FELICIA'S VOICE
How do you expect to get anything
done if you allow yourself to get
sidetracked? Particularly in your
business... you deal with women
every day...
GEORGE'S VOICE
I guess so.
FELICIA'S VOICE
Don't worry, honey, I'll protect
you.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Okay.
FELICIA'S VOICE
God, I adore you.
She starts to kiss him, the SHEETS are RUSTLING. The PHONE
RINGS.
FELICIA'S VOICE (CONT'D)
Shit.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Hello.
JILL'S VOICE
You're home.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Yeah.
JILL'S VOICE
I'm coming over.
GEORGE'S VOICE
I'll call you back.
JILL'S VOICE
(firm but frightened)
No you won't.
GEORGE'S VOICE
What do you mean?
JILL'S VOICE
I told you I get 'scared up here,
so if you're not coming right
now...
(muffled)
I'm not kidding.
GEORGE'S VOICE
Okay.
JILL'S VOICE
(muffled)
GEORGE'S VOICE
Yeah, yeah -- 'bye.
George flips on the light.
FELICIA
Whoever she is, she doesn't give
up, does she?
GEORGE
No.
Bare-assed, George swings out of bed, looking for something.
FELICIA
What're you looking for?
GEORGE
My keys.
FELICIA
I thought you said you weren't
going anywhere.
GEORGE
I'm not. I mean I've gotta see this
friend of mine for a few minutes.
FELICIA
You mean that girl, don't you?
George finds his keys and has begun throwing on his clothes,
a pair of crumpled levis, and a brightly-colored shirt. He
leaves his shorts and socks on the floor. He's obviously in a
hurry.
GEORGE
What girl, she's not a girl, she's
just a friend of mine.
Felicia gives him a long hard look as he dresses.
FELICIA
You son of a bitch.
George sighs, shrugs, and heads toward the door.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Wait, at least wait 'til I'm
dressed. I'm going.
She starts to get out of bed.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Oh, Christ -- do you have any
Kleenex?
George is a little desperate now. He runs to the bathroom,
tosses her the whole box.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Thanks a lot.
GEORGE
(desperate)
Listen, baby, don't leave, really.
FELICIA
Why not?
GEORGE
I'll be right back, it's just that
this girl is a different girl...
she has attacks.
FELICIA
What?
GEORGE
These attacks... it's got something
to do with her... uh... pancreas.
George is trying to remember the rest.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
She's got a...
FELICIA
(suddenly interested)
Does she have a pancreatic ulcer?
GEORGE
(anxious to go now)
Yeah, I think so.
FELICIA
That's very serious. Who's her
doctor?
GEORGE
I don't know.
FELICIA
Gee, that's very serious...
GEORGE
I know.
FELICIA
Ruth Lesserman had a pancreatic
ulcer.
GEORGE
She did?
FELICIA
It turned out to be cancer.
GEORGE
Wow.
FELICIA
So what are you doing going over
there? You're not her doctor.
GEORGE
I've gotta give her some pills.
Percodan, she ran out.
Before Felicia can say anymore, George goes to the bathroom
and grabs the first pill jar he can find, moves to Felicia
and kisses her.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
And listen, I'll be right back and
I want your ass in that bed when I
get back.
FELICIA
(acquiescing)
You're very rude... if you don't
come back --
GEORGE
I'll be back in a while.
FELICIA
I don't want to see you anymore.
GEORGE
I'll be right back, baby, really.
EXT. SUNSET STRIP - NIGHT
George on his bike threads through traffic on the Strip. OVER
this, we HEAR A FEW BARS of THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS "Monday,
Monday." He pulls up to a signal beside a faded Eugene
McCarthy billboard. Somebody HONKS.
GIRL'S VOICE
George!
GEORGE
Hey, baby, what's happening!
GIRL
(not bad)
Nothing, my sister's back from
Vegas.
GEORGE
That's too bad.
GIRL
I have to see you.
GEORGE
Hey, stop by the shop.
He takes off. Winds through alleys and heads up the hill to
Jill's. It's a shortcut whose precision should make it
obvious he's traveled it a number of times.
EXT. AT JILL'S - NIGHT
George jumps off his bike and pounds on the door.
JILL'S VOICE
(soft)
Who is it?
GEORGE
(furious)
Who do you think it is?
JILL opens the door. She's shaking.
JILL
There were some shots.
GEORGE
What're you talking about?
JILL
Gunshots, there were some gunshots.
GEORGE
(looking around)
Where?
JILL
Here in the canyon.
GEORGE
Well, it's a big canyon.
(seeing she's upset)
Honey, I'm sorry but I've gotta get
back... just for a minute.
JILL
Let me come, too.
(pleading)
Please don't leave me alone.
GEORGE
What's gonna happen?
JILL
(near tears)
I don't know... every once in a
while I just get the feeling
something awful's going to happen.
GEORGE
Well, like what?
JILL
I don't know... just... somebody's
going to get me.
Jill starts to cry. She ambles into the carport in her
nightgown.
JILL (CONT'D)
I've had these dumb dreams lately.
GEORGE
What?
JILL
They're dumb, somebody... I don't
know...
GEORGE
(suspicious)
Who?
JILL
I just... who what?
GEORGE
You said somebody... who?
She's not answering.
JILL
I don't know. I can't remember. It
was just in my dream.
GEORGE
No shit?
Jill laughs. George comes over to her.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Nobody's gonna get you. Now get
inside.
JILL
(uncertain)
George, I don't --
GEORGE
You'll do what I tell you. Now get
the fuck inside.
She backs inside. He moves in after her.
JILL
George --
GEORGE
(moving after her)
Keep moving --
JILL
Now, George --
GEORGE
Nobody's gonna get you but me!
He leaps after her and she screams, delighted. George chases
her into the bedroom. Jill screams. He throws her on the bed
and leaps on top of her, kissing her. She likes it.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
How are you, baby?
JILL
Fine. How are you?
GEORGE
Great, great, fantastic. Fantastic.
Incredible. Incredible, really
incredible.
JILL
What?
GEORGE
I'm gonna open the shop, baby, I'm
gonna open the shop. I'm getting it
together.
JILL
How?
GEORGE
(rising)
Right now -- I'm at the epitome of
my life.
Right now I feel so good I'm afraid
something's gonna happen.
He gets off the bed. Jill is fascinated.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
When I was a little kid, I used to
want to go to Europe but right now
wherever I am I'm gonna be in
Europe.
JILL
Honey, what happened?
GEORGE
I just came from a meeting... I
can't talk about it now, baby. But
in a few days -- see I'm disgusted
with my life.
JILL
I thought you said you were at the
epitome of your life.
GEORGE
I am, I am. But I've had it with
chicks. They're like an
occupational hazard. Six guys
working for me... I'm gonna retire
or settle down or something.
JILL
What about me?
GEORGE
(meaning it)
You're different.
JILL
I am?
GEORGE
You're great.
JILL
I am?
GEORGE
Yeah.
JILL
Do you really mean that?
GEORGE
Hey, baby -- I'm gonna retire with
you.
He kisses her. They start rolling around on the bed.
JILL
Honey?
GEORGE
Yeah, baby.
JILL
Why am I great?
George is a little annoyed.
GEORGE
Jesus, I don't know. You're great.
Jill looks a little perplexed.
JILL
Will we live together?
GEORGE
We live together now.
JILL
But in the same house, you know,
one house.
GEORGE
(just a slight hitch)
-- Sure.
She hugs him.
INT. JILL'S BEDROOM - LATER
George in bed, beginning to sleep. Hubert Humphrey expresses
opinion at his chances tomorrow on TV.
JILL
Maybe you don't even like children.
GEORGE
Of course I like children.
JILL
You've never even been around one.
GEORGE
I'm around you and I like you,
don't I?
JILL
(smiling despite herself)
Yeah.
GEORGE
Okay...
(sinking back down)
Night, baby.
JILL
(after a moment)
George?
GEORGE
What!
JILL
Not right now, I don't mean right
now... but eventually...
GEORGE
(grumpy)
Okay, baby. Okay...
JILL
Jackie says she wouldn't bring
children into this world. That it's
hypocritical and overpopulated.
EXT. BANK OF AMERICA - DAY
A FEW BARS OF THE BEATLES AND "SGT. PEPPER" OVER George on
bike whipping into bank parking lot.
INT. BANK OF AMERICA - DAY
George sits talking, with MR. PETTIS, a bank vice president.
He is perspiring a little. Somebody's breathing rather
heavily. It's Mr. Pettis seated behind his desk now and
opposite George. He's going over something.
PETTIS
(looking up now)
Oh yes. Mrs. Shumann called about
you.
GEORGE
(smiling)
Right.
PETTIS
How is she?
GEORGE
Great.
PETTIS
Wonderful woman.
GEORGE
She is.
PETTIS
I went to school with her husband.
GEORGE
Great.
PETTIS
(pleasantly affirmative)
So you want to go in business for
yourself?
GEORGE
Right.
PETTIS
And you need money?
GEORGE
Right, that's right.
PETTIS
(smiling)
You do know what money's like these
days.
GEORGE
(no)
Well, yeah... you know.
Pettis grabs a sheet off his desk, one in plastic containing
rates.
PETTIS
Jesus, look at this. Nine, nine and
three quarters -- that's our prime
rate. And I'll tell you something
else: the big boys are going for
it.
GEORGE
They are?
PETTIS
After all, Mr. Roundy, we're paying
six percent. Six percent. FHA's at
eight and a half -- no, we won't be
going back to the old days.
GEORGE
I guess not...
PETTIS
It's got nothing to do with
inflation. Rates, for example, rise
independently of tight money if you
look at interest curves carefully.
Historically, that's always been
true, though most people don't
realize it.
An uncomfortable pause.
PETTIS (CONT'D)
What sort of references do you
have?
GEORGE
Well, I do Barbara Rush.
PETTIS
Pardon me?
GEORGE
(embarrassed now)
Her hair, I do Barbara Rush.
PETTIS
I mean credit references, Mr.
Roundy.
EXT. MELROSE COFFEE HOUSE - DAY
Jill Haynes and JACKIE SHAWN, in mini skirts and boots, are
having coffee at one of the interior decorator hangouts
outdoors off Melrose in West Hollywood.
A CAR HONKS. A Cadillac pulls up to the curb. Its occupant
HONKS again, obviously trying to attract their attention.
Jill starts to look over.
JACKIE
I think you're crazy. Don't look
over, it's Lenny Silverman.
JILL
Who is that?
JACKIE
(deadly)
A real swinger. He's been trying to
fuck me for about two hundred
years.
LEONARD is now calling Jackie's name. Jackie can't avoid it
anymore.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(pleasantly)
Hi, Leonard.
LEONARD
Jackie, what're you doing?
JACKIE
(they're having coffee)
Going for a pony ride at
Kiddielands, want to come along?
LEONARD
I have to meet a client... who're
you dating?
Jackie looks off and spots a billboard.
JACKIE
Poster-Kleiser.
LEONARD
Oh yeah?
JACKIE
That's right.
LEONARD
I'll call you.
JACKIE
Fine.
LEONARD
See you later.
JACKIE
Anyway, you're crazy.
JILL
I am? I mean why?
JACKIE
Oh, honey, don't be totally naive.
JILL
I'm not. Maybe I am.
JACKIE
No, listen. He's a very good
hairdresser.
Jill looks at Jackie.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Well, he is.
JILL
(annoyed)
So what's your point?
JACKIE
Jill, I'm just trying to be
helpful.
JILL
I know, I'm sorry.
JACKIE
I spent three years with him. I
just couldn't take it not knowing
who was gonna pay the rent... his
unemployment or mine. George was
adorable but it drove me crackers.
Now at least I'm comfortable.
Lester does what he says he'll do.
Maybe you're happy living like a
gypsy. Are you?
JILL
George is great but I know what you
mean.
JACKIE
Face it, you can go around with
cute guys and get hung up on their
sexy bodies and things like that
but sooner or later you've got to
find somebody. Face it, time isn't
on your side.
JILL
I guess not.
INT. BANK OF AMERICA - DAY
George and Mr. Pettis.
GEORGE
(giving it all he's got)
I've got the customers... that's my
point. I'm the one they want. If I
had my own shop, they'd leave and
come to me. I have a lot of
customers.
PETTIS
Look, Mr. Roundy, why don't you
make out a financial statement?
It'll save us both some time. Miss
Michaels here can show you... have
it notarized and we'll see where we
go from there. Miss Michaels, would
you get me a couple of forms?
Pettis rises, shakes George's hand and disappears. George is
left with MISS MICHAELS, who has been more or less within
earshot of the whole conversation. George is very upset.
INT. OFFICE WAITING ROOM - DAY
Jill thumbs through a Life magazine with Eldridge Cleaver on
the cover, waiting for an interview in the outer office of
the 9000 Building whose open window overlooks a smoggy chunk
of the city.
She's one of so many girls that at first she's not
recognizable. All of them have composites which they carry in
leather folders. They eye each other uneasily.
INT. INTERVIEW OFFICE - DAY
There is the PRODUCER, Barry, and the director, JOHNNY POPE.
JILL
Egypt?
POPE
That's right.
JILL
But why Egypt?
POPE
Well, that's where the pyramids are
and we want real pyramids in the
ad.
Jill nods.
PRODUCER
You seem disappointed.
JILL
No... how long did you say?
PRODUCER
Three weeks.
Jill nods.
JILL
Egypt?
Pope, chagrined, shoots Jill a look. He's trying to get her
the job.
PRODUCER
Look, is there somewhere else you'd
rather go? Maybe we can change our
location.
JILL
No, it's not that...
PRODUCER
Do you have children?
JILL
No.
PRODUCER
Are you married?
JILL
No.
PRODUCER
Do you have something against
traveling?
JILL
(unable to interpret
Pope's looks to her)
No.
POPE
Well, do you have something against
us?
Jill laughs, a little embarrassed.
JILL
No!
PRODUCER
(to Pope, he's wasting
time)
John...
POPE
(ignoring him)
Go ahead, Jill, you can say it.
JILL
Now I'm embarrassed to tell you.
She is, too, and Pope can see it.
PRODUCER
We'll let you know tomorrow.
JILL
Please don't misunderstand... I'd
really like to go.
PRODUCER
(a little sarcastic)
Thanks for coming by.
Jill is at the door. She turns back. To Pope.
JILL
Oh. thank you.
POPE
Sure.
Jill leaves.
POPE (CONT'D)
(shaking his head)
This town...
At the shop on Brighton Way in Beverly Hills. A FEW BARS OF
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL'S "SOUNDS OF SILENCE" covers George
pulling up on his bike.
The street is empty of traffic except there are scores and
scores of parked cars, a few parking lot attendants, and some
meter maids. George starts toward the shop. A pair of women
in colored smocks and huge curlers burst out of the shop.
They look like Medusas. They hurtle down the sidewalk as if
they're running from something.
Then they find their respective cars and begin pouring
pennies into the meters. CLINK, BUZZ, CLINK, BUZZ.
George looks glum. He's walking along the street. A GIRL
stops him. She's driving by in a 3.4 Jag.
GIRL
Hi, George.
GEORGE
Hey, baby, what's happening?
GIRL
Nothing, I reconciled with Ron, you
know, the guy I divorced last
summer.
GEORGE
Great, great. I hope you make it.
Somebody HONKS in back of her.
GIRL
Call me!
GEORGE
I don't have your number, stop by
the shop.
GIRL
(waving goodbye)
Okay!
George looks after her, smiling. Then:
GEORGE
(disgusted)
God damn it.
He goes into the shop.
A large gilt mirror on one wall of the shop. It covers most
of the wall it leans against.
An attractive young woman in her early thirties, everything
matching, a real French garden, leans forward INTO SHOT and
looks at herself in the mirror. She studies her image
carefully. She moves closer to it. She seems uncertain at
first. Then as she looks her conviction grows:
TINA
Great... great... great... great...
great!
She turns back to DENNIS LOLLY, her hairdresser. She takes
his hand.
TINA (CONT'D)
Great, Dennis.
With her other hand she touches her hair.
TINA (CONT'D)
Do you think there's enough height?
I mean do you think there's enough
height?
Now she and Dennis look into the mirror at her together.
Dennis toys with the calico scarf around his neck. Felicia,
in far corner, waits defiantly. George spots her.
TINA (CONT'D)
George, do you think there's enough
height?
GEORGE
(on way to Felicia)
Yeah, sure.
TINA
Dennis doesn't think so.
DENNIS
Man, I didn't say a word.
TINA
Well, what do you think? Is there
enough height?
Both Dennis and Tina turn back to the mirror for further
deliberation.
FELICIA
You're late, George.
GEORGE
(taking her to his
cubicle)
I gotta talk to you.
FELICIA
I don't want to talk about it...
GEORGE
But you don't know what happened.
FELICIA
I don't care.
TINA
George, do you think there's too
much height?
GEORGE
(seating her)
It's great. You don't know what
happened, this girl she almost got--
FELICIA
(a little hysterical)
I don't care about that girl, I
don't care if she's dead.
GEORGE
Calm down, baby.
FELICIA
(calming down)
I'm perfectly calm, George, I'm
simply saying you have no respect
for me, that you're incapable of
distinguishing between me and one
of your average Hollywood...
mummers...
GEORGE
-- What?
FELICIA
Nummers.
GEORGE
What?
FELICIA
-- Numbers, and I don't need to
place myself in that kind of
position.
GLORIA tugs on George's arm.
GEORGE
What're you here for?
GLORIA
(as if giving away a
secret)
-- A wash and set.
GEORGE
No.
GLORIA
No?
GEORGE
You need a cut.
GLORIA
But Mr. Norman said --
GEORGE
Said what!
GLORIA
(whispered)
I just needed a wash and set, a
wash and set, that's all.
GEORGE
Well, baby, I'm George and it needs
to be cut.
(to Felicia)
But I don't want to place you in
that position either.
FELICIA
-- I like myself far too much, far
too much.
GEORGE
I don't want to place you in any
position --
FELICIA
-- to be put in that kind of
position...
GEORGE
(to Gloria)
I'll have Mary wash you. Mary!
MARY
(a schvar)
Yeah!
GEORGE
Wash her.
MARY
(looking at Gloria)
What with?
GEORGE
(nudging her)
-- A brillo pad, I don't care,
anything.
Mary has gone over to the shampoo stand above which are
several photographs of models and one of a handsome young
black Marine in fatigues. George has gone to pick up a razor,
changes it.
MARY
-- You takin' a lot of shit lately,
George.
GEORGE
-- Oh yeah.
MARY
(mixing)
But then again you ask for it --
you just like my Otis -- can't keep
his hands outta ladies' hair
either.
George laughs.
GEORGE
-- White ladies?
MARY
(laughing, too)
-- Oh my yes.
FELICIA
(burning with anger)
George --
GEORGE
(calling back)
I'm coming, baby --
(to Mary)
How's Otis doing, anyway?
MARY
That boy always does great. He's a
corporal or a squad leader or
something, just wrote me from some
place called Kwang Due?
GEORGE
I don't know if you don't know --
FELICIA
George!
George winks at Mary, heads back.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
(going right on)
I'm not used to that kind of
treatment.
GEORGE
What kind of treatment?
FELICIA
(going right on)
I've never been treated that way,
and I'm not going to start now.
GEORGE
Jesus, I don't know, baby, I been
cutting too much hair lately. I'm
losing all my concepts...
Jill has entered the shop. She approaches George.
JILL
George.
GEORGE
Hey, baby, what's happening?
JILL
They want me to go to Egypt for
three weeks.
GEORGE
Great.
Jill stands there now, not knowing what to say.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Jill, say hello to Felicia.
JILL
Hello.
FELICIA
Hello.
JILL
George.
GEORGE
Yeah, baby...
JILL
How did it go at the bank?
George looks away.
GEORGE
Great.
JILL
Could I talk to you for a second?
GEORGE
Hey, I'm, you know --
JILL
Could I?
George moves away from Felicia.
GEORGE
Yeah.
JILL
(with some feeling)
I said I wasn't sure if I could go.
GEORGE
Go where?
JILL
(impatiently)
Egypt!
GEORGE
Oh, great, listen, baby, I gotta
get back, okay?
JILL
Okay, but how did it go at the
bank?
GEORGE
Great... can we talk later?
NORMAN
(the shop's owner)
George!
GEORGE
Yeah.
NORMAN
You're late, we're all backed up
and you're supposed to go to
Buffums.
GEORGE
Buffums?
NORMAN
Yes, Buffums.
GEORGE
I've got heads here, Norman.
NORMAN
You promised you'd do the show.
GEORGE
Oh fuck, Norman!
NORMAN
Don't use that tone of voice with
me... never mind, I'll take Gordon.
George turns back to Felicia as RICCI comes by. He's near
tears.
RICCI
Do you know what that Lillian
Bercovici just did?
GEORGE
(working on Felicia)
No, man.
RICCI
-- Right after I sprayed her?
GEORGE
What?
RICCI
(losing control)
She touched it! Then she played in
it and got it all into something
else. Now I don't know what it is!
He's waiting for George for sympathy. Jill steps away
gathering patience.
RICCI (CONT'D)
I can't even stand to talk to her
on the phone.
GEORGE
(sympathetic)
She's heavy.
(to Felicia)
See, Norman expects me to get in
here, take care of all the
customers and then do his show out
in Norwalk. I gotta have my own
shop, just out of self defense.
FELICIA
I can see that.
GEORGE
You're looking great, baby.
FELICIA
What're you doing later?
GEORGE
(half kidding)
Whatever you say.
FELICIA
We have this political thing
tonight. Could you comb me out at
the house?
George is torn.
GEORGE
I don't know. I'm beginning to feel
guilty.
FELICIA
What about?
GEORGE
All I ever do is play. I should be
doing something to get my own shop
open.
FELICIA
Why don't you see Lester?
GEORGE
(a little alarmed)
Your husband?
FELICIA
Yes.
GEORGE
(not sure what she's
driving at)
What about?
FELICIA
The shop. I think you're a good
investment, and I don't mind
telling him.
GEORGE
Hey, listen, baby, I'm a star.
Jill returns.
JILL
George.
GEORGE
Hey, baby, say hello to Felicia.
JILL
I already said hello.
GEORGE
Okay.
JILL
George.
GEORGE
Yeah, baby.
JILL
When can I talk to you?
GEORGE
Baby, I'm in the middle of work.
JILL
I know but this is important. I
have to make a decision.
GEORGE
About what?
JILL
Whether or not I'm going.
GEORGE
Going where?
JILL
Egypt.
GEORGE
Honey, have they offered you the
job?
JILL
No, but I think they might.
GEORGE
(to Jill)
Just a second, I'll be right with
you...
He turns back to Felicia. Jill moves away.
FELICIA
(interested)
Is she all right?
GEORGE
I don't know. Just a minute...
George moves over to Jill.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
What do you want?
JILL
Your advice!
GEORGE
They didn't offer you the job yet.
JILL
I want your feelings about it.
GEORGE
Right now?
JILL
Look, either we have a meaningful
relationship or we don't, I've got
to know.
GEORGE
(really harassed)
Look, baby, can we talk about it
later?
Felicia is watching them.
JILL
When?
GEORGE
When I get off work.
JILL
When is that?
GEORGE
I'll call you.
JILL
When is that, George?
GEORGE
I'll call you.
JILL
(really upset)
But I never know when you're
working and when you're not
working!
GEORGE
(half to himself)
Neither do I, baby.
JILL
What?
GEORGE
Nothing, I'll call you, okay?
JILL
... Okay...
Back to Felicia. As Jill leaves.
GEORGE
-- Anyway.
FELICIA
I hope she's all right.
GEORGE
She's fine. You really think I'd be
a good investment?
FELICIA
I wouldn't say so if I didn't.
GEORGE
No, I know.
FELICIA
And I certainly wouldn't tell
Lester.
GEORGE
I know.
FELICIA
I mean it or I wouldn't say it.
GEORGE
That's great. You look great, baby,
great. Dennis, look at Felicia's
hair.
Dennis stops. He's with the DESK GIRL. Both of them:
DENNIS & DESK GIRL
Great.
EXT. SHOP - DAY
Jill, in street, on verge of tears... moves to her car...
gets in... sits for a long moment.
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
George on bike pulls into office building. The MUSIC OVER is
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE'S "WHITE RABBIT."
INT. LESTER'S OFFICE - DAY
In his inner office.
LESTER'S on the telephone, staring out the window.
LESTER
Look, Kurt, I don't care where you
have to go. I want Beluga Caviar
there. Call Jurgenson's, call
Chasen's... I don't care how much
it costs... how much?... then spend
it. Just make sure it's there.
You've got all the money in the
world to buy it. You understand?
Just make sure it's there on the
table tonight.
(he hangs up)
Jesus.
(to George, to no one)
You've got to do everything
yourself. You know?
Suddenly Lester gives George a steely look. It covers his
hair, his clothes. George is acutely uncomfortable.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Felicia says you're a very good
hairdresser.
GEORGE
Well, yeah.
LESTER
She says you're a fabulous
hairdresser.
GEORGE
Thank you.
LESTER
I didn't say it, she did. How'd you
happen to get in that line of work?
George sort of knows what Lester's driving at.
GEORGE
Oh, well, I went to beauty
school... you know you go to beauty
school... and you get your
operator's license... and you
graduate... and you're a
hairdresser.
LESTER
I see.
Long pause. George hasn't told Lester what he wants to know.
LESTER (CONT'D)
It's an unusual trade.
GEORGE
Yes it is.
An awkward pause.
LESTER
But the important thing is you're
successful at it.
GEORGE
In a way. But...
LESTER
But what?
GEORGE
I'm better than the guy I work for.
This seems to interest Lester.
LESTER
Well, George, I invest for a lot of
people. I make a lot of money for
them. More than they could do for
themselves.
GEORGE
After a while that hurts... doesn't
it?
Lester smiles. He appreciates this.
LESTER
It's good you want to do something,
George.
GEORGE
Thank you.
LESTER
But personal services are not the
kind of thing I usually get into.
GEORGE
They're not?
LESTER
(suddenly direct, almost
enthusiastic)
No, they're a pain in the ass,
there's no way of keeping track of
anything. It's a cash business and
you've got to watch your operators
or they'll steal you blind, am I
right or am I right?
GEORGE
You're right.
LESTER
Who needs that kind of aggravation?
Who needs that kind of aggravation
at my age? When I finish work I
want to...
The door bursts open. It's one of the SECRETARIES.
SECRETARY
Mr. Karpf...
Jackie is right behind her. She bounces in, not seeing
George.
JACKIE
I'm sorry but I need an extra
garage key.
In Lester's presence she seems distinctly younger than she
did with Jill. She's startled when she sees George.
LESTER
What for? What do you need the key
for?
Jackie continues to stare at George.
JACKIE
The man from Sloan's is coming. I
called you about it.
LESTER
How did you lose that key? Oh,
George, this is uh Miss -- this is
Jackie.
JACKIE
Oh, hi, I mean hello, we've met.
LESTER
(a little suspiciously)
Is that right?
JACKIE
(almost immediately on the
defensive)
Well, yes, George is a wonderful
hairdresser.
LESTER
Is that right?
Awkward pause.
JACKIE
So how's Norman?
GEORGE
Great. Who's been doing your hair?
Jackie glances at Lester.
JACKIE
I go to the blue'n gold barber shop
in Westwood. The guy in the third
chair's dynamite... nobody much.
LESTER
George is going to open a shop.
JACKIE
(really interested)
No kidding? Your own shop?
George starts to say yes.
LESTER
George, could you -- excuse us for
a minute?
GEORGE
Sure.
He leaves the office, shuts the door, leaving Jackie and
Lester alone. Lester shuts the door.
LESTER
I called to tell you I was sending
one over but the line was busy,
you're always on the phone.
JACKIE
I am?
LESTER
Who were you talking to?
JACKIE
Who do you think I was talking to?
LESTER
My secretary saw you with that boy.
JACKIE
Steve?
LESTER
Whatever his name is, that actor.
Jackie looks for a moment as if she's going to get very
emotional.
JACKIE
Steve Slutes, and he's not a boy.
(a touch bitter)
Steve couldn't get arrested as an
actor. He couldn't get arrested as
a boy.
LESTER
Then you were talking to him.
JACKIE
I ran into him at the 76 station on
little Santa Monica, what was I
supposed to do, hide in the ladies
room? Yes, I was talking to him.
Lester's a little chagrined now but not much.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(an outburst)
I'm always on the phone because you
never let me see anybody, I can't
even bring my girlfriends over to
the house because they might run
into you. You're driving me up the
wall, Lester. You're even jealous
of the dogs. I mean I've gotta have
somebody I can talk to.
LESTER
I'm not jealous of the dogs.
Jackie looks at him in disgust.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(very positive)
Now listen, Jackie, I'm not jealous
of anybody, I just can't afford to
get caught... off base.
JACKIE
So I can't talk to some broken down
actor, what do you think, I'm going
to tell him I'm screwing Lester
Karpf!
LESTER
Of course not.
JACKIE
That's not very logical, Lester.
INT. OFFICE - GEORGE AND SECRETARY
picking up the tail end of this.
SECRETARY
He thinks the room is soundproofed.
Don't tell him it's not.
GEORGE
How come?
SECRETARY
He'll have that awful construction
crew back again, and they can never
do anything right.
INT. LESTER'S OFFICE
LESTER
(trying to think of why)
It's very logical, it's the most
logical thing in the world. You
wouldn't feel this confined if we
could go out with people and have
dinner, and a little conversation
and so forth...
JACKIE
Really? How about starting with
tonight?
By her tone, Jackie indicates she's been saying all of this
for months. Lester repeating it like it's just occurred to
him genuinely upsets her. She's near tears and she's not the
kind of girl who cries easily. Lester's sensitive to it.
LESTER
Sweetheart, I know it's rough but
at this point -- my business
involves handling money for some
very touchy people, politics and so
on... Felicia's at a very difficult
period in her life... any divorce
and settlement and so forth, my
finances would have to be looked
into.
Jackie knows what he's talking about.
JACKIE
(quietly)
You and your touchy investors.
LESTER
(finally)
Look... you do well for people,
they don't ask you to stop. Nobody
wants you to stop making money,
doll, not even Uncle Sam. They all
want their share.
Jackie comes over to Lester.
JACKIE
You're lying about one thing,
Lester.
LESTER
What's that?
JACKIE
You're still jealous.
She's said it provocatively and like the younger girl she can
be with him. Lester smiles. He's almost benign.
LESTER
God, you're a doll.
He takes her in his arms and she responds.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(he means it)
We'll work something out about
tonight, I promise...
INT. OFFICE - GEORGE AND SECRETARY
The door opens. Jackie and Lester emerge, distinctly subdued.
LESTER
Angie, give Miss Shawn a garage key
for the Bowmont House, would you?
ANGIE
Yes, Mr. Karpf.
Angie opens her desk and goes through some files, pulls out a
key, puts it in an envelope and hands it to Jackie -- she's
lightning quick about it, super efficient.
LESTER
Well, let's go down together.
C'mon, George, I'll walk you out.
LESTER, JACKIE AND GEORGE IN HALLWAY BY ELEVATOR
Jackie turns to stub out a cigarette in a standing ashtray.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(quietly)
Felicia's really interested in the
shop, isn't she?
GEORGE
Oh yeah.
Jackie moves back.
LESTER
(normal tone now)
Well, George, you may not think ten
or fifteen grand means much to me,
but I invest for myself and a lot
of particular people.
GEORGE
Oh yeah? I mean I know.
LESTER
So I'm going to want a little more
of your thinking on the subject.
The elevator doors open.
GEORGE
When?
LESTER
When?
The doors close on the three of them.
INT. ELEVATOR
going down. George is looking at Lester, waiting for an
answer.
LESTER
(looks up slowly)
How about tonight?
Jackie looks to Lester. Lester winks at Jackie.
GEORGE
Tonight?
LESTER
Yeah, little election party I'm
giving at the Bistro.
It's a pain in the ass but -- I
have to do it. We'll have a little
time to talk there.
The elevator stops on the third floor. A man in a suit and a
middle-aged woman with a cane get in. They're strangers to
each other. The elevator proceeds.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(quiet, almost solemn in
their presence)
-- maybe you could, on your way,
you know, pick up Jackie here.
GEORGE
(slowly)
Okay.
They've reached the basement and are standing as Bill the
maintenance man, races around the cars to get to Lester's
Rolls.
LESTER
It's good you want to do something,
George.
George doesn't answer this time.
LESTER (CONT'D)
I wish my son knew what he wanted
to do.
GEORGE
Oh yeah?
LESTER
-- Anything, I don't care what it
is, just so it's something.
GEORGE
I know what you mean.
Lester's car is backed up. The door opened for him.
LESTER
(thoughtfully)
Maybe he ought to go to beauty
school. Anyway, see you tonight,
doll, okay?
JACKIE
Fine.
Lester slips Bill a few dollars and takes off, leaving Jackie
and George looking at each other. Jackie shakes her head.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Jesus...
GEORGE
-- Yeah... your car down here?
Jackie nods. They walk toward it.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
-- Listen, I'm supposed to take
Jill to El Cholo tonight. She's
really going to be pissed if I
don't.
JACKIE
-- Maybe she'll come with us. If I
tell her how important it is to me,
I don't think she'll mind. Do you?
GEORGE
I don't know. Probably not.
JACKIE
Jill's really great, isn't she?
GEORGE
Great... so how's everything with
you?
They've reached Jackie's 230SL.
JACKIE
Great, more or less.
She starts to get in.
GEORGE
How long you had this?
JACKIE
Oh, about six weeks now... Lester --
well, he's very sweet.
GEORGE
I'm sure.
JACKIE
He's a very private person,
actually.
GEORGE
Yeah -- he doesn't happen to know
that we went together, does he?
Jackie has started to get in the car several times. This
stops her again.
JACKIE
-- Well no. It never came up.
GEORGE
You going to tell him?
JACKIE
(smoothly)
-- What for? Honey, I'll see you
later.
They kiss each other's cheeks, she gets in and takes off.
EXT. SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD - JILL AND JACKIE - DAY
tooling along the tracks in Jackie's 230SL.
JACKIE
Jill, you're a real sweetie pie.
You really are.
(she glances over at Jill)
You're sure you don't mind?
JILL
Don't be silly.
JACKIE
You're really a love -- you sure?
JILL
-- No. No really.
JACKIE
Well, what is it, honey?
JILL
Nothing.
JACKIE
It must be something.
JILL
Well, it's George.
JACKIE
I thought you said things were
great with George.
JILL
Well they are. But we have
problems. You say things are great
with Lester. Is he going to marry
you?
JACKIE
We don't think marriage is
important.
JILL
But you have problems?
JACKIE
-- Yeah, honey...
JILL AND JACKIE
JILL
I don't know. One minute he's up in
the air and makes love to me five
times a day and tells me
everything's going to be great and
he's getting his own shop and then
suddenly he disappears and he won't
even talk to me. It's driving me
crazy.
Jackie pulls away from the signal a little jerkily.
JACKIE
Five times a day?
JILL
(sighs, then)
-- I guess it's all got to do with
this shop.
JACKIE
Really, Jill, aren't you
exaggerating just a little? Five
times a day?
JILL
(embarrassed)
Well, you know what I mean.
JACKIE
After four years? No I don't... and
I don't know too many girls who do.
JILL
I'm exaggerating.
JACKIE
How much?
JILL
(giggling a little)
Jackie --
JACKIE
What?
JACKIE AND JILL
JILL
(taking a little breath)
Well... it's not so much the number
of times he does it, it's... he
does it for a long time.
JACKIE
He does?
JILL
Well yes -- you know that about
George.
JACKIE
It's been so long I don't how long?
JILL
Quite a while... an hour, an hour
and a half -- sometimes forty-five
minutes -- that's quite a while,
isn't It?
JACKIE
I would say so, yes.
JILL
Honey?
JACKIE
What?
JILL
I think you're going to hit that
car in front of us.
Jackie slams on the brakes.
INT. UNEMPLOYMENT LINE - JILL AND JACKIE - DAY
standing there.
JILL
-- See, I just know that if I go to
Egypt, well, things happen, I just
don't know what'll happen to us, he
just never seems to think ahead,
does he?
JACKIE
-- When you say forty-five minutes
or an hour, do you mean continuous
time? Just continually, without
stopping?
JILL
-- Well -- not going in and out, I
don't mean just that. Why are you
asking me? You went with George
longer than I have.
JACKIE
-- I guess I just blocked it out,
that's all.
JILL
C'mon.
JACKIE
Well, there was this one time --
JILL
(a little devilish)
-- Yesss?
JACKIE
-- I was in the kitchen doing the
dishes and George was out in Long
Beach doing a show...
JILL
(meaning yes)
-- uhh-huhh...
JACKIE
-- Well it was very hot so I'd left
the door open and the water was
running so I didn't hear him come
down the stairs...
JILL
... Mmm-hmmm.
Now Jackie has begun to lose her self-consciousness and is
into the story. A little faint edge of nervousness or
something like it begins to take over Jill.
JACKIE
-- He came up behind me and I was
wiping a dish and he just... lifted
up my skirt, and, you know, right
there...
JILL
Didn't you have any panties on?
JACKIE
(remembering)
-- He reached up and tore them.
JILL
What did you do?
JACKIE
Well... I just kept wiping that
dish. Maybe it doesn't sound very
sexy but it was.
JILL
(faintly perturbed)
No, it sounds very sexy -- did you
just stay by the sink all that
time?
JACKIE
No, he picked me up and carried me
out to the sundeck -- God, it was
hot. The wood on the sundeck,
everything.
EXT. LESTER'S HOUSE - BEL AIR - AFTERNOON
A gardener is riding a mower around the front lawn. There are
three cars parked in and around the circular driveway.
INT. BEDROOM - LESTER
He slips into a cardigan sweater. His vanity is restricted
entirely to how well pressed and clean everything is he
wears.
He goes out of the dressing room toward the kitchen, passing
Lorna on the phone in the living room and Felicia at dining
room table, hair in curlers, reading Cosmopolitan magazine.
LESTER
Do you think George is a fairy?
FELICIA
Who?
LESTER
That kid... the hairdresser.
FELICIA
Well, I don't know for sure... he's
a hairdresser.
Mona brings her coffee from kitchen.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Thank you, Mona.
Lester has swallowed some vitamins in the kitchen. Turns to
her.
LESTER
Maybe he's just a kooky guy who
likes doing something kooky like
that.
FELICIA
Maybe... why do you ask?
LESTER
I'm thinking of investing with him.
He worries me.
FELICIA
Why?
LESTER
Maybe he's too flighty and
irresponsible. That's why I asked
if he was a fairy.
FELICIA
I don't know. He's a hairdresser.
LESTER
(really asking)
You suggested it, don't you think
it's a good idea?
FELICIA
Yes, but... I thought...
LESTER
What?
FELICIA
That you were just indulging me.
LESTER
No, doll, I listen to you. And if a
deal loses money that's not so bad
either if it's handled right.
He gives Felicia a peck and starts out.
LESTER (CONT'D)
He's a nice boy. I invited him
tonight. I'm sorry he's a fairy.
INT. SHOP - GEORGE AT WORK - DAY
George is busy. He's working on ANJANETTE.
ANJANETTE
You're in a good mood today,
George.
GEORGE
Yeah, baby. Things are great.
Listen, there's Devra, whatta you
want?
ANJANETTE
Chicken salad.
GEORGE
Chicken salad, Devra!
DEVRA
I don't have any change.
GEORGE
Get some at the desk.
ANJANETTE
Anyway, you remember Harold?
GEORGE
Yeah, baby, how's it going?
The PHONE RINGS. Norman brings it to George.
NORMAN
George... Jackie Shawn.
George seems really surprised to hear the voice on the other
end. Anjanette looks around.
GEORGE
No, I'd like to but I've got too
many heads here, can't you stop by
the shop?
(to shampoo girl)
Two caps, Mary, yeah, two.
(back to phone)
Okay, but I have to be in Bel Air
at four...
He hangs up. It RINGS again.
ANJANETTE
Don't you think there's too much
gold?
GEORGE
(to Anjanette)
It's great.
(into phone)
You wanna speak to Mary? Hold on...
ANJANETTE
I don't know, I think...
GEORGE
(good natured, but firm)
Look, would you argue with your
doctor?
ANJANETTE
No.
Ricci comes up to him ready to cry.
GEORGE
(to Ricci)
Hey, what's happening?
(calling)
Mary! Telephone.
(to Ricci)
What's the matter?
RICCI
(furious)
Wanda...
GEORGE
Oh yeah?
RICCI
You were supposed to handle that
bitch, she's always asking for you,
and she was furious you weren't
here.
GEORGE
Yeah?...
RICCI
She's murdered her hair... you do
something with her, I'm never going
to touch her again.
GEORGE
I'm busy, man.
RICCI
If I have to touch her again, I'll
throw up!
GEORGE
(exploding)
Don't talk like a child. You're a
pro, now get out there and cut!
Ricci is stunned. He says under his breath, "I'll throw up"
again and leaves. Mary, her back to George, sits holding the
telephone to her ear.
ANJANETTE
I thought you were in a good mood.
GEORGE
I am... except I've gotta do
somebody at their house.
ANJANETTE
Don't you like her?
GEORGE
No, it's a very groovy girl.
ANJANETTE
Then what's the problem?
GEORGE
(really worried)
She's a very groovy girl. That's
the problem.
ANJANETTE
What're you talking about, George?
GEORGE
Well, it's a small town. Sooner or
later things catch up with you...
don't they?
Mary runs out of the shop, tipping over a magazine rack.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Where's the caps, Mary?
She's exiting front door in a hurry.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Mary? What's goin' on, Mary?
EXT. GEORGE ON HIS MOTORCYCLE - MOVING - DAY
MUSIC, THE BYRDS, "TURN, TURN, TURN."
He pulls up to a rustic house. He gets his little case off
the bike and then hesitates. He walks to the door and rings
the bell.
Jackie answers the door. She seems distracted and, at the
same time, a little wary. Much the same, in fact, as George.
JACKIE
Hi. C'mon in.
Jackie's wearing a robe. They walk into the living room, the
dogs yelping.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Shut up, it's all right.
(to George, automatically)
Do you want a drink?
GEORGE
No, thanks.
JACKIE
Well, I do.
She starts to mix herself a drink. She changes her mind,
pours herself a shot of whiskey and hurls it back. She does
it again. When she turns back to George he's looking at her
noncommittally.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Where do you want to do this?
GEORGE
Probably the bathroom.
JACKIE
Can't you do it out here?
George looks around.
GEORGE
Well, it depends. If you just
wanted a combout. I guess I could.
Jackie turns to him, honestly uncertain.
JACKIE
Well, what do you think?
George himself is tentative.
GEORGE
I don't know. Why don't you sit
down.
Jackie looks around a little at a loss and finally sits down
on the glass-topped coffee table.
JACKIE
(meaning her position)
Is this all right?
George moves in. He draws the drapes back so light comes in
from the backyard and the swimming pool can be seen.
GEORGE
Yeah.
He takes her hair in his hands. The contact makes them both
nervous. She looks away. George continues to run his hands
through her hair.
JACKIE
(a little nervous)
Well, what do you think?
GEORGE
I'd cut it...
JACKIE
You would?
GEORGE
Yeah, I think so...
JACKIE
(almost irritable)
You don't seem very sure.
GEORGE
No, I'm sure.
There is a moment where Jackie is trying to decide whether
she'll let George actually cut her hair.
JACKIE
(then)
Okay... but I want you to know one
thing.
(almost a threat)
I've got to look great tonight, I
mean I have to look great, okay?
GEORGE
Okay.
INT. FELICIA'S BEDROOM AND DRESSING ROOM - DAY
Felicia is throwing on a bandana and wraparound sunglasses.
She seems in a hurry.
She leaves the bathroom, moves quickly through the house to
the kitchen. She passes Lorna's bedroom. LORNA is changing
from her school clothes into a tennis dress. She watches her
mother flash by.
IN THE KITCHEN
Felicia stops. She is holding a dangling pearl earring in her
hand.
FELICIA
Mona, Mona!
MONA comes out from the laundry room. Felicia has called a
little too loud.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
(indicates earring)
Have you seen the other one of
these by any chance? I want to wear
them tonight.
(before Mona can answer)
Oh... when George gets here, tell
him to wait. I have to pick up a
dress and I may have to have it
fitted, but be sure...
Lorna ambles into the kitchen, expressionless.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
... to tell him to wait.
MONA
Yes, ma'am. But I have to go to the
market...
FELICIA
Just be sure he doesn't leave.
Felicia flashes out the door and into the carport, visible
through the kitchen. She takes off. Lorna slowly slips a
white swetlet onto her slender wrist.
INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM AND BATH - DAY
which includes a sauna. Jackie's got on a terry-cloth robe.
George has been wetting her hair in the basin. Her terry
cloth robe is bulky and obviously in the way.
JACKIE
Jill's coming with us.
GEORGE
Great.
JACKIE
She's incredible...
(after a moment)
She loves you, George.
GEORGE
Yeah... I mean great.
George begins to cut. Jackie winces a little. George notices
it.
JACKIE
Getting my hair cut is always a
little nerve-wracking.
The cutting goes on. The bathroom is very close. George has
begun to perspire a little as has Jackie.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
... I don't get it done often.
GEORGE
Whew.
JACKIE
What's wrong?
GEORGE
It's hot in here.
JACKIE
(after a moment)
It's the sauna, I keep the sauna on
and it makes the whole bathroom
hot.
GEORGE
Yeah... wow.
George stops and takes off his shirt. He's wearing a purple T
shirt underneath. He goes back to cutting. Jackie's getting
more and more edgy, partly because of George's proximity and
partly because of her concern over what he's doing. George on
the other hand is now less tentative, more focused on the job
at hand.
JACKIE
(finally)
Not too much, don't cut too much.
GEORGE
Jackie, would you argue with your
doctor.
JACKIE
The shrink? Many times.
George stops and looks at her. Both are perspiring freely
now.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Bernstein... seemed to think I
hated men.
GEORGE
Do you? You still see him?
Jackie tries to look at her hair in the mirror. George gently
pulls her back.
JACKIE
(with some feeling)
No.
GEORGE
Why not?
Jackie doesn't answer.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Why not?
JACKIE
... he tried to... uh... make it
with me.
GEORGE
And?
JACKIE
And what?
GEORGE
Did you?
Jackie looks up slowly. George is still cutting, not looking
directly at her.
JACKIE
It was after you, baby. After you.
GEORGE
(breathes deeply)
Boy, that sauna is really... can't
you turn it down or something?
JACKIE
No... Lester likes it on all the
time in case he wants to use it.
INT. JILL'S BEDROOM - DAY
Jill, alone, sits on bed. Gazes into bureau mirror, shaping
her hair. The PHONE RINGS.
JILL
Hello... oh hi, Johnny. Oh really?
Thank you... Are you serious?...
Tonight I'm busy, I... Right now?
Oh no, you really couldn't come up
here.
INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM & BATH - DAY
with Jackie's hair considerably shorter. George is sitting
now as he works, his knee wedged between her legs, working
very close.
JACKIE
Anyway, he offered me a silver
cloud. At least he should give me a
Ferrari and pay off my house and
give me a nine carat ring or
something...
GEORGE
(amused)
Did Lester know about him?
JACKIE
There was nothing to know.
Anyway... if I can't have love I
have to at least have money. I have
to have some pride I can do
something.
George has started to dry her hair. He stops. He picks up the
scissors. Her hair is askew still so it's difficult to see
what George has done.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(staring at the scissors,
a warning)
George...
GEORGE
I just have to do one little thing.
JACKIE
If you screw me up for tonight,
I'll kill you, I swear to God, I'll
kill you.
GEORGE
I won't screw you up.
EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD - LESTER DRIVING - DAY
his dark blue Rolls Royce. He's listening to the radio, keeps
switching to pick up fresh news reports.
He turns off Sunset and heads up Coldwater Canyon.
INT. JACKIE'S BATH AND BEDROOM - JACKIE AND GEORGE - DAY
JACKIE
George... how about Felicia?
GEORGE
(expressionless)
What?
JACKIE
Did you?
GEORGE
Did I what?
JACKIE
You know what I'm talking about.
GEORGE
Hey, I don't tell.
JACKIE
(teasing)
Can I count on that? I just want to
see Lester with me and that cunt in
the same room tonight.
GEORGE
Yeah?
JACKIE
Well, did you or didn't you?
George shuts the blower off. He picks up his comb for the
final comb out.
GEORGE
Now, baby... if I told you about
her... then you couldn't count on
me not telling anymore... could
you?
JACKIE
You did, didn't you?
They're very close and Jackie's moving closer. She's
intrigued, amused and at ease. George is trying to keep some
distance.
GEORGE
Baby...
JACKIE
You did, I know you did.
GEORGE
One of my few virtues is
discretion.
JACKIE
You just can't stand to miss one of
them, can you?
She's moving closer and closer, being deliberately
provocative -- to seduce the information out of him.
EXT. JACKIE'S STREET - DAY
Lester pulls into it. He stops, reaches in the glove
compartment and pulls out one of the little airline bottles
of vodka. He pours it into a glass, drinks it. He notices
George's bike in the driveway. Next to him on the seat is a
prettily wrapped package.
INT. JACKIE'S BEDROOM AND BATH - JACKIE AND GEORGE - DAY
George sprays her. He turns her around in the chair to face
the mirror so she can see herself for the first time. She
should look really different, her hair significantly shorter,
and modishly and beautifully cut to her face.
Jackie's lips part.
JACKIE
(softly)
George...
GEORGE
(staring at her)
Yeah, baby...
JACKIE
You're a genius.
Her hand automatically goes up to take his. He starts to pull
it back.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(grabbing it, thrilled)
You're a genius, do you know that,
you're a genius?
She turns and throws her arms around George, kissing him.
It's too much for George. He kisses her back.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(trying to resist)
Oh, no.
George is obsessed. He wraps his arms around her and she
responds, passionately.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Oh, no.
They are grappling, pushing and pulling with each other.
George kicks away the stool by the mirror and tries to bend
Jackie to the rug-covered bathroom floor.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(genuine)
No! Don't! Please!
GEORGE
(forcing her down)
I don't want to... I swear...
She throws her arms around him, kissing him and shoving him
away. George is tearing at his trousers. They are on the
floor now , rolling around, bouncing gently off the ceramic
molding from the sunken tub.
JACKIE
It'll ruin everything.
GEORGE
I know... you don't know, I know.
JACKIE
Don't, don't, don't...
They hit the sauna room door as they're rolling around and
the door opens. Steam comes pouring over them, momentarily
obscuring their struggles. George has trouble getting his
pants down. At the last instant, Jackie gives them a helpful
tug.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(moans)
Oh, no...
Suddenly, the DOGS begin to BARK. There is the SOUND of the
DOOR OPENING. Jackie sits up.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
It's Lester.
She's frozen with fear.
LESTER'S VOICE
(muffled)
Hey, doll... Jackie... honey...
where are you?
JACKIE
Get up, get up, get up.
George is already trying to pull on his trousers. Jackie is
up and clutching her robe, unable to move.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
Oh God, oh God, oh God... do
something, please God, do
something.
LESTER'S VOICE
(nearer)
Hey, baby, are you sleeping?
GEORGE
Sit down.
JACKIE
(frantic)
What are you talking about?
GEORGE
(equally frantic, forcing
her)
Sit down!
WITH LESTER
He's moved into the bedroom, carrying the package obviously a
gift for Jackie. He's been a little puzzled. His puzzlement
is rapidly turning to suspicion.
LESTER
Jackie?... Jackie?
Lester opens the door. He's hit with a blast of steam and the
sight of George stripped to the waist, ostensibly working
over Jackie who is loosely wrapped with a towel. George has a
comb in one hand and now turns on the dryer, blowing it with
a somewhat exaggerated gesture.
JACKIE
Shut the door, shut the door!
LESTER
Oh, I'm sorry.
He shuts the door. Then he thinks better of it. He opens the
door again and takes a step into the bathroom.
George waves the comb at Lester a little impatiently. It's
wet and sprinkles Lester.
GEORGE
Look, either come in or stay out!
JACKIE
Shut the door, Lester. What do you
think this is, a picnic?
LESTER
(confused now)
Sorry, honey, I...
GEORGE
That's okay, that's okay, just shut
the door.
Lester shuts the door, feeling a little chagrined, and
relieved. He sits on the bed and puts the present beside him.
In a moment George emerges.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
... she's very upset...
LESTER
What about, tonight?
GEORGE
(seizing the opportunity)
That, and... I'll be done in a
minute.
He goes back inside.
IN THE BATHROOM GEORGE AND JACKIE
just stare silently into mirror at each other.
LESTER'S VOICE
Jackie?... Hey, I brought you a
little something, doll.
AT THE DOOR - LESTER AND GEORGE
George has his case of comb and scissors, etc., and is
standing with Lester. He's anxious to go.
LESTER
You look like you've had quite a
work-out.
GEORGE
It's nerve wracking sometimes...
women can get you very upset.
LESTER
I know it, I know it.
GEORGE
... this doing hair it's...
LESTER
I know it, son. But tonight's going
to be even tougher.
George just looks at him. Lester walks him to bike.
LESTER (CONT'D)
George, I know you have to deal
with Felicia and you're caught in
the middle, and if you can just
bear with me tonight, well, I
appreciate the way you've handled
the situation.
GEORGE
Oh, hey...
LESTER
It's a difficult situation, and I
want you to know I appreciate it.
Tonight's going to be real tough
for me --
GEORGE
I don't know what to...
LESTER
Son, we'll do business, I can tell
you that.
George roars off on bike.
JACKIE AND LESTER IN KITCHEN
Jackie is cleaning up some dog food. Lester stands there for
a minute.
LESTER (CONT'D)
I'd like a drink.
JACKIE
(looking up)
Just a second, I've gotta clean
this mess up or the dogs'll have it
all over the house.
LESTER
You ought to get rid of those dogs.
Jackie looks up and then controls herself.
LESTER (CONT'D)
They get hair all over the place.
JACKIE
They're Yorkies and they don't
shed.
Jackie goes into the living room and fixes Lester a drink.
Lester follows.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(giving him a drink)
Here.
LESTER
Aren't you going to have one?
JACKIE
No.
LESTER
Why not?
JACKIE
Because I don't want one.
Lester goes over to her to kiss her.
LESTER
C'mon, doll, it's five o'clock,
have a drink.
Jackie turns away and explodes.
JACKIE
I don't want one! First you tell me
not to drink then you tell me to
drink, which is it? I don't want a
drink!
Lester's now a little intimidated, but even more suspicious.
LESTER
I called to tell you I was on my
way, but the line was busy, you're
always on the phone.
EXT. LESTER'S HOUSE IN BEL AIR - DAY
George pulls into the circular driveway. COVERED by a few
bars of The Mama's and The Papa's "California Dreamin."
There's only one car.
George gets off the bike and goes to the door. Nobody
answers. He hears the SOUND of a BALL BANGING. He looks
toward the tennis court.
ON THE COURT - LORNA
is banging away on the backboard. There's a basket of balls
nearby. She hits with considerable skill and power until she
misses the backboard and the ball lodges in the steel mesh
surrounding the court.
George is standing there. Lorna looks at him.
LORNA
You here to see my mother?
GEORGE
Yeah.
LORNA
She's out, but you're supposed to
wait.
LORNA WALKING TO GEORGE
LORNA (CONT'D)
Hungry?
GEORGE
A little.
AT THE KITCHEN TABLE
They're eating silently. Lorna has hauled all kinds of food
out of the refrigerators. She watches George as he eats with
some relish. She gets up and goes to the steel-doored
refrigerators.
LORNA
(indicating refrigerators)
This is the one thing I like about
this house... want some lox?
GEORGE
No thanks.
LORNA
You're my mother's hairdresser?
GEORGE
(warily)
I do her hair, yeah.
LORNA
Chopped liver?
GEORGE
No thanks.
LORNA
Are you gay?... baked apple?...
they're cold but they're good.
GEORGE
No thanks.
LORNA
Did you hear me?
GEORGE
Yeah.
LORNA
Well, are you? Are you queer?
GEORGE
... yeah.
LORNA
(laughing)
C'mon, are you or aren't you?
GEORGE
(trying to avoid it)
Gee, this is great.
He slices a piece of cheesecake. Lorna sits down, in the
chair nearest him now.
LORNA
C'mon, tell me. Don't be afraid.
GEORGE
Why do you wanna know so bad?
LORNA
See if you've been making it with
my mother.
GEORGE
(looking at her for a
minute, he changes his
tone)
What would my being a faggot have
to do with that?
Lorna shrugs.
LORNA
Nothing, I guess... have you ever
made it with a guy?
GEORGE
Have you ever made it with a girl?
LORNA
I asked you first.
GEORGE
Yeah... I've made it with a girl...
Lorna smiles. A pause.
LORNA
Well, are you?
GEORGE
Am I what?
LORNA
Making it with my mother?
George wants to avoid this at all costs. He stares at Lorna
intently.
GEORGE
I'd like to do your hair sometime.
LORNA
Why?
GEORGE
... just, you could look very
heavy...
LORNA
Don't make conversation with me.
GEORGE
What?
LORNA
You don't have to make conversation
with me, I'm not my mother... do
you have a thing about older
women... that's sort of faggoty
isn't it?
George is weary and getting annoyed.
GEORGE
Yeah, it is.
LORNA
I never get my hair done.
GEORGE
No kidding.
LORNA
In fact, I don't think I've ever
been to a beauty parlor in my whole
life.
GEORGE
No shit.
LORNA
You think that's funny, don't you?
GEORGE
(laughing a little)
Yeah.
LORNA
You live a phony cheap cop-out
existence.
GEORGE
(determined to be light)
Yeah...
LORNA
Beverly Hills hairdresser... what
kind of a thing is that to do...
you might as well be a faggot...
think that's funny too?
GEORGE
No.
LORNA
Then what do you think?
GEORGE
That you're just like your mother.
LORNA
I am not like my mother!
GEORGE
You are.
LORNA
I am not!
GEORGE
You are.
Lorna is furious.
LORNA
I am not!
GEORGE
(he starts to placate her)
Look...
(then defiantly)
Do you wanna fuck me?
LORNA
(defiantly)
Yeah.
George stops eating. He's not prepared for this.
GEORGE
(uneasily)
Right now?
LORNA
(a little more tentative
now that the moment has
arrived)
Yeah.
EXT. SOURCE RESTAURANT - JOHNNY POPE AND JILL - DAY
A scraggly bearded WAITER with long stringy hair sets down
two huge green salads before Jill and Johnny Pope.
In so doing the Waiter drops a wooden menu he's been
carrying. As he bends down to pick it up, he kneels beside
Pope. Pope taps him on the shoulder.
POPE
(tapping him)
Oh, scraves...
WAITER
Yes?
The Waiter looks up, and moves.
POPE
Thank you.
WAITER
What for?
POPE
Taking your hair out of my salad.
WAITER
Oh, I'm sorry.
Pope nods, Jill giggles. The Waiter goes off. Pope tosses out
a few pieces of lettuce from the top of his salad.
JILL
Why don't you ask for another one?
POPE
Are you kidding? His hair's
probably the most nutritious thing
in here. See, you've reduced me to
eating weeds.
JILL
... my friend doesn't like it here
either.
POPE
All right, forget this filth.
Continue about your friend.
JILL
Well he's not exactly a friend.
POPE
Is he an enemy?
JILL
(laughing)
Of course not... he's sort of a
boyfriend.
POPE
-- sort of a boyfriend?
JILL
Sort of.
POPE
I see. You mean he just sort of
fucks you.
JILL
Johnny!
POPE
My God, did I say that? I don't
believe it.
He looks under his chair to see if it was somebody else.
POPE (CONT'D)
I'm terribly sorry.
JILL
(amused)
-- never mind.
POPE
What does he do? Is he an actor?
JILL
-- no.
POPE
Good for you.
JILL
He's a hairdresser.
Pope drops his fork in the salad bowl.
POPE
-- oh, sure. A hairdresser. How...
how do you a... meet a hairdresser?
JILL
Getting your hair done...
(looks at him, abruptly)
Would you like to go to a party?
POPE
Not with your hairdresser.
EXT. LESTER'S HOUSE - FELICIA - DAY
pulls into the driveway. She gets out of her car, spots
George's bike.
INT. THE KITCHEN
She sees the food spread out.
FELICIA
moving through the house. She stops by Lorna's room. Lorna
has a sliding door, which is closed. Felicia opens it.
FELICIA
Lorna?
LORNA'S BEDROOM
Lorna is sitting on her bed, in her tennis dress but with her
tennis shoes off. She's straightening a string in her racket.
She looks to her mother, expressionless.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Have you seen George?
LORNA
He's in the bathroom.
FELICIA
Your bathroom?
LORNA
Yes.
The toilet flushes. The sink runs, and George emerges. He's
looking a little haggard.
GEORGE
Hi.
FELICIA
(coolly)
Hello, George.
They walk out to the lanai together and George picks up his
case. There is considerable tension from Felicia as they walk
into her bedroom. Felicia slides the bedroom door shut, an
action which George unhappily notices. She turns to George.
She looks very hostile. She's trembling.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
I've missed you.
George is taken aback. He gropes for a moment.
GEORGE
I've... missed you too.
Felicia comes to him. She comes to him and touches his arm.
George suddenly flings his case across the room and pounds
his fist into a high-backed chair, turning away from Felicia.
She clearly misunderstands the action.
FELICIA
(touched)
It's okay, honey... it's okay now.
She moves to the door and quietly locks it. George winces.
She comes back to him and kisses him gently. She kisses him
again with more passion. George tries to respond.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
Comb my hair out later, honey.
GEORGE
No, that's okay, I'll do It now.
FELICIA
No, baby... I'm glad you're coming
tonight.
She gently tugs at him, leading him toward the bed. George is
miserable.
GEORGE
(looking toward the door)
But aren't you...
FELICIA
Right now, I just don't care.
As they sink to the bed, Felicia switches on the HI-FI. The
Tijuana Brass begin to play.
GEORGE ON HIS BIKE - LATE AFTERNOON
COVERED BY a few bars of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone".
Riding home. He turns down his street and pulls into his
driveway. He gets off his bike and only as he starts up his
walk does he see Jill. She's been quietly waiting on his
front porch, hidden in the shadows of the overhang. She
doesn't look happy. George stops cold.
GEORGE
(?)
Jill says nothing.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Where's your car?
JILL
A friend dropped me off.
GEORGE
Who?
JILL
Never mind. Where've you been?
GEORGE
A business meeting, I told you
that.
They go inside. The living room is messy. George looks around
in disgust.
JILL
What business meeting?
GEORGE
Look at the way I live.
JILL
I've been trying to reach you all
afternoon. You weren't in the shop.
What is this thing tonight?
GEORGE
What do you mean, what is it? It's
some political bullshit.
JILL
I have to have Jackie ask me? Don't
you think you could call me and let
me know? Look at my hair.
GEORGE
Wait a minute, God-damn-it. Do you
think I want to go to some God
damned party? I'm trying to get
that God damned shop open. I'm
trying to get a little bread
together. That's all I'm doing.
George's outburst has shocked Jill. George maniacally begins
straightening the mess.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
I just wanna live like everybody
else, that's all. I want clothes in
the closet, and food in the
refrigerator, and I don't want shit
all over the house and running my
ass all over town... I want my own
house... I want an appointment
book... I want to get up in the
morning and go to bed at night... I
want a normal life like everybody
else, that's all.
He collapses into a chair. She comes over to him and knee
beside him.
JILL
I know, honey.
GEORGE
Maybe I should get a dog... no, it
would just shit all over the house
and I'd never clean it up.
JILL
(laughing a little,
touching him)
Oh, honey. If we had one place, we
could have a nicer place and I
could take care of it. We're almost
never here.
REAR VIEW MIRROR - NIGHT
A signal red Porsche cabriolet pulls up into mirror. The top
is down. Under the brightly lit streetlights Jill's blonde
hair and features are VISIBLE.
WITH GEORGE AND JACKIE
in her Mercedes. George still looking through the rear view
mirror. Jackie's a knockout.
JACKIE
(looking at George looking
in mirror)
-- you'll be the prettiest thing in
the room -- light's green...
GEORGE
(he takes off)
-- oh yeah... what do you know
about this guy?
JACKIE
-- what guy?
GEORGE
(gesturing toward rear
window)
-- this guy with Jill.
JACKIE
He's a director.
OUTSIDE OF BISTRO - GEORGE AND JOHNNY POPE - NIGHT
pull up, Pope right behind George. Parking ATTENDANTS leap
for the doors.
A few photographers of the movie freak variety ask each other
who these arrivals are. One assures several others that
they're nobody.
GEORGE
(to Attendant)
Do I need a ticket for this?
ATTENDANT
We'll remember you.
POPE
as they move to take his Porsche.
POPE (CONT'D)
(shaking his head)
I'll park it.
Pope drives his own car onto the lot.
WITH JILL, GEORGE AND JACKIE
waiting for Pope who is now ambling toward them.
GEORGE
(to Jill)
What does he direct besides
traffic?
JILL
Ha, ha.
GEORGE
Television or movies?
JILL
Commercials.
JACKIE
(quietly, to George)
Feel better? Let's go.
Pope has joined them.
INT. BISTRO FOYER
They clear it to see the long elegant bar, bathed in soft
light, filled with elegant customers.
George looks and sees someone. A fortyish WOMAN, attractive.
GEORGE
(to Jackie)
Jesus Christ, there's Norma Stern.
Look at her hair.
JACKIE
What about it?
GEORGE
Looks like somebody took a dump in
it, that's the worst color job I've
--
Norma comes over, hugs George.
NORMA
George --
GEORGE
(pointing to her hair)
Baby, you've been chippying on me --
NORMA
Yes, isn't it awful --
GEORGE
(smiling)
-- yes.
Jackie tugs him by the arm.
JACKIE
We're upstairs, George. Now come
on. Behave yourself, and for
Christ's sake, do me a favor. Don't
let me drink too much.
GEORGE
(going upstairs)
You don't do that anymore, do you?
BISTRO STAIRS
Jackie doesn't answer. They've reached the top of the stairs.
They're hit by the full force of the upstairs gathering --
black tie, posters of Nixon, Agnew, Reagan, and Murphy,
vaguely familiar faces crossing back and forth, clustering,
watching early returns on television sets that are blaring
from various points around the room. An ORCHESTRA PLAYS Meyer
Davis Society Jazz. Jackie and George hesitate. Pope and Jill
are behind them. Pope jostles George as he stops, abruptly.
George looks around. Pope smiles. He's holding Jill's hand.
George notices. Jill disengages her hand casually, as though
it were necessary only for the walk up the stairs. Jackie
nudges George, forcing him to move into the room with her as
Lester comes toward them. He's stopped on his way over.
WAITER
Can I get you folks something?
JILL
A stinger, please.
POPE
A tomato juice.
GEORGE
I'll take a -- some white wine.
WAITER
And you, madam?
JACKIE
(searching the room)
Oh I'll uhh -- just a coke.
The Waiter moves on and they wait for their drinks.
Lester finally makes to them.
LESTER
George, glad you could make it,
son. Hi, doll.
JACKIE
Lester, this is my friend Jill and
this is Johnny Pope.
LESTER
Glad to meet you, Jill, Mr. Pope.
INT. BISTRO UPSTAIRS
George turns to get his drink from the Waiter as do Jill and
Pope. Lester takes Jackie's arm.
LESTER
Who are they?
JACKIE
(quickly)
Jill Haynes, Jill Haynes, I've told
you about Jill a hundred times,
Lester, you never remember anything
I say.
LESTER
Does she know about us?
JACKIE
Jesus, she's my best friend.
LESTER
Who's the guy, George's boyfriend?
JACKIE
I don't know. Why don't you ask
him?
LESTER
C'mon, Jackie, I'm only trying --
George --
He draws George aside.
LESTER (CONT'D)
-- do me a favor, kind of keep your
eye on Jackie, she's a little high
strung tonight --
GEORGE
-- yeah?
LESTER
See she doesn't drink too much.
Jackie has heard this last. Lester turns to her.
LESTER (CONT'D)
See you later, doll.
Jackie puts down her coke, picks up a glass of white wine
from a passing tray and downs it in one gulp, putting it on
another tray and picking up another glass of white wine.
FELICIA
with cleavage carefully prominent in a strapless gown, spots
George. She excuses herself from the couple she has been
talking with and goes straight to the powder room.
INT. POWDER ROOM - FELICIA
checks herself out in the mirror, glossing her lips with a
pale tint of something or other. She gives a final anxious
look, then hurries out, nearly bumping into a lady coming In.
OUTSIDE
she moves through the crowd up behind George, turning him
around.
FELICIA
George, darling.
She kisses him full on the lips, lingering on it.
GEORGE
(without batting an eye)
Hey, baby, what's happening. Oh
this is Jackie. Jackie, say hello
to Felicia.
It is only now that Felicia sees one of George's arms has
been holding onto Jackie.
JACKIE
(also without batting an
eye)
Hello, Felicia.
FELICIA
(instantly suspicious of
George)
... hello.
Felicia looks from George to Jackie and back again.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
I'm so glad you could make it. I've
been looking forward to seeing you.
LESTER
pours his drink on the cuff of a distinguished MAN sitting
beneath him at a table as he sees George and Felicia and
Jackie clustered together.
WITH LESTER AND MAN
MAN
Lester, what the fuck do you think
you're doing?
LESTER
Jesus, Nate, I'm sorry.
Lester fumbles, tries to clean Nate off with a napkin.
NATE
Never mind, I'll do it myself.
He dips the napkin into a glass of ice water and proceeds to
clean off his cuff.
Nate goes back to the TV monitor where Agnew is making some
remarks or commentators are repeating his comment about being
a household word.
LESTER
So far so good.
NATE
Aw there's nothing to worry about.
LESTER
You never know.
FELICIA WITH GEORGE
FELICIA
Why didn't you come alone? Lester
invited you. Did you have to bring
her?
GEORGE
(looking toward Lester)
Well she...
FELICIA
She what?
GEORGE
She's a friend of Jill's.
FELICIA
And who's Jill?
She spots Jill.
GEORGE
Well, she's a friend of Johnny
Pope's -- you know, the director.
She looks at Pope who is saying something to Jill which is
making her laugh.
FELICIA
Oh.
GEORGE
is threading his way through a crowd, holding two drinks, one
of them a coca-cola. It's a little more raucous now, with
election returns from the television sets creating a more
festive mood. Now and then someone jumps up from a set and
hugs someone so carrying drinks is a little dodgy.
JACKIE, F.G. - LESTER, B.G., TALKING
Jackie sits alone by the bar, an unlit cigarette in her
mouth. A man offers her a match. She stares at the burning
match as if it's obscene. She blows it out.
JACKIE
No thanks.
The man looks a little shocked, moves on.
GEORGE
has his arm held. It's KENNETH, a red-haired decorator.
KENNETH
Excuse me, I know I know you, but I
can't think where.
GEORGE
Look, I'd like to help but --
Felicia grabs George's other arm pulling him away from
Kenneth. Kenneth looks a little shocked at the ferocity of
Felicia's move.
FELICIA
There you are.
She tugs him with her.
GEORGE
Wait a minute --
She takes him right into the ladies room, George still
juggling the drinks.
JOHNNY POPE
watches Felicia and George disappear into the ladies room,
looking over Jill's shoulder. Jill has not seen it.
POPE
This other couple that we're here
with, do you know them very well?
JILL
Well... sure...
POPE
Then maybe you can tell me why
George would be going into the
ladies room.
Jill looks around and stares at the door.
JILL
George? Was he alone?
POPE
I don't think so.
JILL
Well did he go in there with
Jackie?
Pope points over to Jackie sitting at the bar drinking now.
JILL (CONT'D)
That bastard.
POPE
George is a hairdresser, isn't he?
Jill doesn't answer.
INT. BATHROOM - FELICIA AND GEORGE
GEORGE
(desperate)
Baby, you gotta let me out of here.
Felicia kisses him.
FELICIA
Sweetheart, it's a bore out
there... let's lock the door.
GEORGE
Holy Christ. You want to get us
killed?
FELICIA
Don't be silly. I'll just tell
Lester we were smoking a couple of
joints. See?
She pulls two joints out of her beaded bag.
LESTER
only a few seats from Jackie, Jackie staring daggers at him,
Lester aware of it. He's talking to a pair of lacquered
eminence grises.
LESTER
-- fellas, fellas, just listen, you
both have tidelands, you both want
Uncle Sam to come through with
offshore drilling permits -- so do
it together --
JACKIE
has taken an olive from an olive tray and hit Lester on the
back of the head. He's finished this little dissertation. He
sees the source of the missile. He grows pale, frozen.
Sixty-four year old bejeweled WOMAN in b.g.
WOMAN
So, little red riding hood says 'my
what big teeth you have and the
wolf says all the better to eat you
with, my dear, and she says -- eat,
eat, eat, doesn't anybody ever fuck
any more?'
Jackie has now picked up a carrot from a relish tray. George
appears.
GEORGE
Don't do it.
JACKIE
That son of a bitch, everything he
says is a phony piece of shit, what
does he think, I'm some cigar butt
he's got between his teeth --
GEORGE
(almost picking her up)
C'mon, cunt, you're going for a
walk.
He takes her into the next room and Lester watches the move
with a mixture of relief and concern.
INT. OTHER BAR
Jackie is now near tears.
JACKIE
He just completely ignores me. He
could have at least said something,
introduced me or something.
INT. SMALL BAR
GEORGE
Sweetheart, you're drunk.
She leans on George.
JACKIE
Oh God, what do I want, George?
Lester comes hurrying in, sweating, now.
LESTER
Hi, doll, what's wrong?
JACKIE
You know what's wrong.
Felicia trips coming into the small bar.
FELICIA
Lester --
Lester straightens up like he's been shot.
LESTER
Oh, Felicia, there you are, you
know George and uh -- uh --
He's genuinely forgotten her name.
JACKIE
Jackie Shawn.
LESTER
Yes, Jackie Shawn, my wi --
Felicia.
FELICIA
We've met.
JACKIE
Yes.
GEORGE
Well anyway...
LESTER
(to Felicia)
Your hair looks -- well fabulous.
FELICIA
That's George.
INT. SMALL BAR
LESTER
It's just -- fabulous.
(to George, an attempt at
levity)
Think you could do anything for me?
GEORGE
(he takes it seriously)
Well -- I could try. Do you wash
your hair every day?
LESTER
Isn't that bad for it?
GEORGE
No it keeps the skin peeling.
You've got to keep the follicles
open. You lose hair and the skin
grows over the follicle and that's
how you lose it.
George actually touches Lester's hair, professional interest
growing.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
This really ought to be layered...
LESTER
Layered?
GEORGE
Well yeah, otherwise it just sort,
you know, lies there -- layer so it
kind of fluffs out --
He starts to fluff Lester's hair a little when Johnny Pope
walks in with Jill to this. Pope stares at them.
POPE
I think they're waiting for
somebody to start dinner.
LESTER
Have they sat down?
POPE
Everybody but us.
FELICIA
They're waiting for you, Lester.
INT. BISTRO DINNER TABLE
Dinner is pretty much finished, waiters have begun picking up
plates.
IZZY SOKOLOFF
(to Jill)
I guess it's almost impossible to
get work in the business these
days.
Pope watches Sokoloff make his move.
JILL
Well, commercials. I read for a
soap the other day.
IZZY
A soap?
JILL
A daytime soap opera.
IZZY
And?
JILL
I was too old.
IZZY
What was it, somebody's daughter?
JILL
Somebody's mother.
JACKIE'S PLATE
is untouched. She holds up her wine glass.
JACKIE
Waiter!
George looks at her.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
One word out of you and I'll gargle
with it.
The waiter pours the wine. George looks to Jill, shrugs. Jill
mouthes, 'try and stop her.' George mouthes back, 'are you
kidding?'
INT. BISTRO
SID ROTH has been eyeing Jackie.
SID ROTH
Aren't you hungry, Miss Shawn?
Jackie looks at Roth. Roth shoots his cuffs and smiles.
JACKIE
Not for rubber chicken, no.
Sid Roth smiles. Jackie smiles back.
SID ROTH
(intime)
Well maybe I can get you something.
JACKIE
That's very sweet of you, Mr. Roth.
SID ROTH
Sid.
JACKIE
Sid. You must be a very important
executive.
SID ROTH
(almost a whisper)
Well, whatever I am, I think I can
get you whatever you'd like.
JACKIE
You do?
SID ROTH
Yes.
JACKIE
(same tone as Sid's)
-- well, more than anything else --
(indicating George)
-- I'd like to suck his cock.
She points to George. George chokes on the last of a piece of
chicken. Sid Roth is stunned. He doesn't know what to do.
George is coughing badly. Jackie slaps his back.
HEAD TABLE - FELICIA AND LESTER
Felicia is listening to Lester. The Agnew and Nixon posters
are directly behind them.
LESTER
(to East)
-- Senator, you should've seen
those little kids! About forty of
'em, all blind. We put out these
mattresses on the front lawn and
they came running out of the house,
tripping and falling all over the
place, having a hell of a good
time. I mean they were blind of
course. But it really gave you a
feeling of accomplishment. I tell
you I never had such a good time.
Felicia during the above has looked up to see Jackie fawning
over George. She can't believe her eyes.
FELICIA
Lester --
SENATOR
-- let me understand this was
exclusively a home for blind
children --
FELICIA
Lester --
LESTER
-- yes, Senator -- just a minute,
dear --
FELICIA
Lester, don't you think that uhh --
Now Lester spots it. He's very confused.
FELICIA (CONT'D)
That girl's making an awful
spectacle of herself.
LESTER
(angry himself)
What do you expect me to do about
it?
FELICIA
I just thought you'd like to know --
LESTER
Why would I like to know if there's
nothing I can do about it,
goddammit --
OTHER VOICE
Quiet! Cranston's on.
They quiet down.
JACKIE AND GEORGE
Jackie's now moving around kissing George on the mouth.
Jill is watching. Johnny Pope is fascinated.
JILL
-- Jackie really shouldn't drink --
POPE
-- oh I don't know --
JACKIE
(arm around George's
shoulders tonguing his
ear)
-- Just get me out of here, baby. I
can't stand it. It's killing me.
GEORGE
(indicating head table)
-- we can't now.
JACKIE
-- why not? C'mon, take me out of
here, somewhere I don't have to lie
to anybody and I'll fuck your
brains out, you little fiend, I
adore you --
FELICIA
is watching Jackie and George with ever greater intensity,
her mouth growing more and more agape.
JACKIE AND GEORGE
JACKIE (CONT'D)
(plaintive)
-- don't you want to --
GEORGE
Jackie, can we --
JACKIE
(a little louder)
Who's the greatest cocksucker in
the world? C'mon --
George looks around sweating now.
GEORGE
(very quietly)
-- you are.
JACKIE
Fuckin' A --
With that she slips right under the table. It's a
surprisingly fluid move.
FELICIA
almost simultaneously rises, knocking her chair back.
LESTER
sees both moves and interrupts the Senator.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Senator, excuse me a moment --
He turns to Felicia and then looks over toward Jackie's empty
chair and literally doesn't know which way to go first. He's
a little like the bear in the penny arcade that is shot and
keeps turning one way, then another. Finally he heads toward
Jackie's vacant chair and George.
GEORGE
his chin to the tablecloth is fishing under it for Jackie.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Now, Jackie --
JILL
(trying for aplomb)
-- she's a very compulsive girl.
POPE
I can see that.
Lester rushes up.
LESTER
(a desperate smile)
Hello, George. Your friend feeling
a little under the weather?
Jackie surfaces through the tablecloth.
JACKIE
(to Lester)
-- you phony asshole --
LESTER
(as if he didn't hear it)
Oh, dear that's too bad.
(with quiet desperation,
to George)
-- get her out of here, get her out
of here.
A cheer goes up as some late returns come in. Dirksen is
talking about a new mandate for law and order and peace with
honor.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(to Sid)
What was that?
SID ROTH
Illinois.
LESTER
(doesn't know what he's
saying)
-- oh, good.
INT. BISTRO
Lester glances back toward Felicia who is watching him.
GEORGE
Jackie, c'mon --
George moves to Jill.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
I've got to get her out of here.
JILL
-- go ahead.
GEORGE
-- well aren't you --
JILL
-- what?
(indicating Pope)
-- I'll see you later...
GEORGE
(not liking it too much)
-- okay --
(pointed)
-- I'll see you later. Your house.
He moves away with Jackie. Lester turns back toward the main
table.
INT. 230SL - JACKIE AND GEORGE - NIGHT
driving down Sunset Boulevard. There is a long moment of
silence. The RADIO'S PLAYING the Eve of Destruction. George
gives Jackie a couple of sidelong glances.
JACKIE
(finally)
-- gee...
GEORGE
-- what?
JACKIE
(she sits up, lights a
cigarette)
I don't know what gets into me.
GEORGE
You were great.
JACKIE
No, I blew it, I blew it with
Lester.
GEORGE
No you didn't.
JACKIE
You don't think so? I do.
GEORGE
You were great.
JACKIE
You always say that... I really
care for Lester, don't I?
George laughs.
GEORGE
That sounds like me.
JACKIE
I am you, you little bastard.
She starts to scrunch over and kiss him, then stops.
JACKIE(CONT'D)
Where do you want to go?
GEORGE
Sammy's?
JACKIE
He still having parties?
GEORGE
He never stopped.
INT. BISTRO - FELICIA IS SITTING WITH LESTER
fuming. A woman, ROSALIND, is painstakingly and painfully
introducing the Senator.
ROSALIND
... and so... to have this man...
here... among us... who has
helped... as has everyone here to
bring so many people together... of
all races, creeds, and colors...
FELICIA AND LESTER
Rosalind droning on, b.g. She finally introduces Senator
East.
INT. BISTRO - FELICIA AND LESTER
FELICIA
Lester.
LESTER
Yes, sweetheart, shh.
He pats her hand. She gives him a look that could kill.
FELICIA
-- I hope you like Miss Shawn --
LESTER
-- what, who? Oh she's very nice,
yes -- I mean normally ---
FELICIA
-- cause she's going to be very,
very expensive.
LESTER
Can't we go into this later,
sweetheart?
ROSALIND'S VOICE
Ladies and gentlemen, to Senator
Joe East.
Glasses are raised, a little dissonant hurrah.
FELICIA
We cannot go into this later.
LESTER
That's okay too.
FELICIA
You make me sick. Just be straight
for once in your life.
There are now O.S. calls for East to do his Indian chant.
QUICK CUT TO:
EAST
SENATOR
-- this tells of the ancient
grandmother who, upon seeing the
garden gate of her childhood, stops
a moment and says, hello garden
gate, hello garden gate, garden
gate, hello.
INT. BISTRO - LESTER AND FELICIA
LESTER
(finally exasperated)
-- look, Felicia, this party
involves more than you and me, you
know. These people are concerned
about more than each other, you
know.
FELICIA
-- is that right?
LESTER
-- yes, we're all trying to do
something to make this a better
country to live in, believe it or
not.
THE SENATOR
has begun his weird chant, beating out accompaniment on a
cigar box and a pewter vase.
FELICIA
(glancing up)
-- is that what this is all about?
LESTER
Yes and you don't have to be
sarcastic about it, that's a
beautiful thing he's doing -- some
people do more than go to the
beauty parlor and shop at Saks --
FELICIA
Lester, you're a miserable man.
You're not helping anybody. You're
just twisting arms to raise money
for a lot of silly son of a bitches
that are out for themselves -- this
is just business, don't kid
yourself. And you know the worst
thing about it, even if it does
somebody some good somewhere which
I can't possibly imagine, you'll
never know the difference. You're
just sweating and kidding yourself
- and you're kidding yourself if
you think your new business partner
is going to keep his hands off that
girl -- or that she'll keep her
hands off him.
LESTER
(he turns like a shot)
What are you talking about?
INT. BISTRO - LESTER AND FELICIA
FELICIA
(she laughs)
-- think what you have time to
think, Lester.
Lester grabs her.
LESTER
What are you talking about,
Felicia?
Suddenly there's a rumble in the room and East has stopped
chanting. Several men have stepped to the center of the room.
One of them in a slate suit raising both hands.
DET. YOUNGER
Excuse me, Senator. Ladies and
gentlemen, we're going to have to
evacuate this room as quietly and
quickly as possible. There's
nothing to worry about. We'd like
you to exit through the door here
on my left... down the steps into
the street, please!
There are whisperings and rumblings of 'a bomb' and
rejoinders to the effect that it's a hoax. Nevertheless the
exodus begins and grows to bedlam. Waiters who had been
fawning over jeweled ladies are now unceremoniously pushing
them down the stairs, even going over them to make the
entrance.
OUTSIDE
the emergency doesn't keep autograph hounds from inhibiting
the exit as they try to hold up celebrities in the crowd that
flows onto the street. Jill and Johnny Pope are caught up in
the swirl of the crowd. Pope temporarily loses Jill. He looks
around. Jill taps him on the shoulder.
JILL
-- here I am. Now what?
Pope turns.
POPE
Well -- as I see it we've got two
choices. We can hang around here
and wait for the bomb to go off, or
we can go to my party.
JILL
Let's do that.
Lester is with some security people, trying to find out what
they're doing.
B.G. are several police cars, a fire truck, and the fire
truck ambulance. Lights are flashing.
LESTER
-- have they located it?
Somebody shrugs. A CAR HONKS. Lester is pulled to the side.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(looking toward driver)
-- oh, sorry.
Then he sees it's Felicia. She gives him the finger, and lays
rubber nearly sideswiping him.
ONE OF THE SECURITY MEN
What was that all about?
Somebody else says 'who was that?' Lester shrugs.
INT. SAMMY'S HOUSE - GEORGE AND JACKIE
are dancing to a tape of 'Good Vibrations.' George's coat is
off, his tie loose. They are near the entryway and sitting on
a large staircase b.g. a young girl can be SEEN breast
feeding her baby.
George and Jackie are obviously enjoying themselves. The tape
ends. George's silk shirt is clinging down the center of his
back.
He moves with Jackie, where she picks up a coke at the bar.
A black in a caftan with a huge Afro offers Jackie a joint.
She takes a drags, she and George move outside the living
room. As they walk she hands the joint to George who hands
the joint to a couple of girls lying on a low couch by the
door -- all without really losing stride.
OUTSIDE SAMMY'S - NIGHT
There's a long rolling lawn. The lights are soft coming from
the living room, the MUSIC more muted. Jackie, nevertheless,
is breathing rather heavily from the dancing. George is
looking at her intently, too intently for her not to notice.
She appears not to notice.
GEORGE
What are you looking at?
JACKIE
The lawn -- it looks like it goes
on forever, doesn't it?
She turns back to George.
GEORGE
-- yeah.
JACKIE
-- look, you don't have to
entertain me...
GEORGE
(a slight laugh)
Am I entertaining you?
JACKIE
We're friends.
GEORGE
-- sure.
JACKIE
-- well, if you feel like playing,
go play...
Jackie looks past George into the living room.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
-- there's a lot of players in
there --
The TWINS come up behind George, and Jackie, grabbing George.
The move should be a little startling almost as if it were an
attack.
TWIN ONE
George!
TWIN TWO
George!
They grab George and spin him around, temporarily pushing
Jackie OUT OF SHOT.
GEORGE
(pleasantly)
Hey, what's happening.
TWIN ONE
We're going to the jacuzzi.
TWIN TWO
Right now.
TWIN ONE
(tugging)
C'mon with us --
GEORGE
In the jacuzzi?
TWIN TWO
Sure, why not?
TWIN ONE
Come on, George --
GEORGE
No, later, maybe -- go ahead, I'll
catch up with you --
(they head off)
I've got --
He turns back to Jackie to finish what he was going to say,
and she's not there. Only a wisp of her cigarette smoke hangs
in the air, and then it disappears.
George looks surprised and disappointed.
INT. KITCHEN
Several tall stringy types are eating out of the
refrigerator, with a couple of dogs eagerly watching, others
are eating hash cakes off the formica counter.
RED DOG sits in a corner, sipping wine out of a measuring
cup. He smiles and looks up to Jackie, who has her arm on his
shoulder. Strobe lights from an adjacent room can be SEEN
PERIODICALLY.
RED DOG
Where the fuck you been, Jackie?
London?
JACKIE
-- no.
RED DOG
Real good to see you, man.
INT. KITCHEN - JACKIE AND RED DOG
JACKIE
So what's been going on, Red Dog?
RED DOG
Hey, it's the same old shit, ain't
it? No matter where you go, it's
the same old shit. Nothing ever
changes, nothing, man, nothing.
(with sudden intensity)
Hey -- you ever been to Cuuliacaan?
George, a little hastily moves through the kitchen, spotting
Jackie. He's nearly upended by a couple, tall man and woman
at the refrigerator. They grab him and kiss him, and he
shakes through them moving to Jackie.
GEORGE
-- where'd you go?
JACKIE
-- oh I thought you were --
GEORGE
-- what?
JACKIE
Nothing.
RED DOG
Hey, man, what's happening?
GEORGE
Nothing.
RED DOG
That's right, man!
And he laughs. George silently takes Jackie's hand and they
move through the kitchen and out of doors toward the grounds
in the rear of the house.
EXT. BISTRO PARKING LOT - JOHNNY POPE
The crowd has thinned out to a trickle, but Pope's red
Porsche is hemmed in by the fire trucks and a couple of other
cars.
Pope is vainly trying to talk to firemen and policemen to
move their trucks and they keep referring him to someone
else.
JILL AND LESTER
Lester stands, swaying a little unsteadily in the lot. The
Deputy secret service man seen twice earlier, comes on up to
Lester.
DEPUTY
-- we can't find a thing, Mr.
Karpf.
LESTER
(turns to him)
Can't find what?
DEPUTY
No bomb.
LESTER
-- oh -- well that's good, isn't
it?
DEPUTY
(he's serious)
It's good if there's no bomb. If
there is a bomb and we can't find
it, that's not good.
EXT. BISTRO PARKING LOT
Lester thinks this over.
LESTER
No of course not.
POPE
(coming up to Jill)
-- we're going to be here all
night.
JILL
-- why?
POPE
-- these bastards have me hemmed
in.
LESTER
(to Jill)
-- what's the problem, honey?
JILL
-- his car. They have it blocked.
LESTER
Oh that's no problem.
(to Deputy)
-- take care of this boy's problem,
will you, Gene?
DEPUTY
-- sure.
Pope and Deputy go off together.
LESTER
-- listen, I wonder if you kids
could give me a ride? I'm kind of
stranded here.
JILL
Sure thing, Mr. Karpf. C'mon.
They walk toward Pope's car. The trucks are being driven off.
LESTER
Everything okay, son?
POPE
Terrific. Now all I have to do is
find my car keys.
He heads back into the Bistro. Lester and Jill stand outside
the Porsche.
JILL
-- I'll get in the back --
LESTER
-- oh no, honey, I'll do that...
JILL
-- there's not much room --
LESTER
That's fine --
Lester opens the car door and pulls back the seat. He has a
hell of a time squirming into the back, but tries to be
lighthearted about it. Jill gets into the front.
INT. PORSCHE
The door on the driver's side is still open and Lester's feet
are poked out it. His head is pushing on the canvas top.
LESTER
See, nothin' to it.
Jill turns and smiles, but it's a mistake since Lester's
upper body is almost leaning on her as it is. Lester puts his
hand behind Jill's head, forcing her to hold the position,
almost nose to nose with Lester.
LESTER (CONT'D)
What did you say your name was,
sweetheart?
JILL
Jill.
LESTER
(not moving his head)
Jill.
Jill can't really move her head back and Lester is obviously
captivated by Jill's face.
JILL
(trying to be casual)
-- yes, Jill.
LESTER
(still holding her)
Gee... that's wonderful, Jill.
JILL
(very uncomfortable)
Thank you.
LESTER
(fondling her head, moving
her closer)
-- just wonderful.
POPE
is heading back to his car. He stops when he sees Lester's
feet hanging out the door.
POPE (CONT'D)
(another irritant)
Oh, no shit.
Pope gets into the car.
POPE (CONT'D)
Hi, what are we doing?
Lester falls back and hits the isinglass rear window. Pope
notices.
JILL
Oh, Johnny, Mr. Karpf needed a ride
home and I said we'd take him. Do
you mind?
POPE
(furious)
Of course not.
LESTER
Call me Les.
POPE
Where to, Les?
LESTER
Oh, say, how would you kids like to
stop off for a drink?
Jill and Johnny Pope exchange glances. Jill shrugs to say,
gee I'm sorry. Pope nods.
POPE
Well we'd love to, but we're going
to another party.
LESTER
Well... that's wonderful -- I'll
stop by there for a drink.
Pope is furious. He starts the car, backs it up quickly,
jostling Lester around as he goes. Lester chuckles.
EXT. FREEFORM SWIMMING POOL - JACKIE AND GEORGE - NIGHT
lie side by side on deck chairs at the end of the pool. The
house and upper grounds are obscured by neat rows of hedges
and all sorts of random shrubbery. Jackie and George watch
the Twins splash and flounce around in the jacuzzi with a
couple of androgenous men. The Twins stand up in the jacuzzi,
arm in arm and half move, half throw themselves to another
end of the jacuzzi.
Jackie smiles. She stretches, yawns.
JACKIE
(lazily)
-- very nice, very nice.
GEORGE
(yes)
-- mmm --
A pause. She glances at George scarcely moving her head.
JACKIE
-- but you never were much of a tit
man --
GEORGE
Mmmm --
JACKIE
-- ass and legs --
GEORGE
Look who's talking.
JACKIE
Me?
GEORGE
-- yes, you --
JACKIE
Well of course. Who loves a big
fanny on a man?
GEORGE
Not me, pal.
Jackie laughs. The Twins have gotten onto some sort of
splashing contest with the boys. Water hits George and
Jackie. They're hit again. They shrug, George rises, takes
Jackie's hand. They walk on around the pool, beside and along
a maze of hedgerows.
EXT. SAMMY'S - THROUGH PORSCHE WINDOW
as the slow moving car catches the rolling lawn seen earlier
and the neat hedgerows which wind around the property.
LESTER
Whose place is this?
INT. SAMMY'S FOYER
by the open staircase. Pope is greeting Sammy. Introducing
Jill. Sammy's a tall, Jesus figure with an Indian shirt that
goes to the knees on his levi's.
SAMMY
Sure I know Jill.
Lester is staring in some wonder at the girl who is still
sitting on the staircase, nursing her baby. She looks up,
smiles at Lester, who manages a nod back, doesn't take his
eyes off the sight.
POPE
(noticing)
-- the bar's in there, Les.
LES
(embarrassed)
-- oh, fine.
He strolls off toward the bar which is half visible through
the open foyer.
AT THE BAR
where Jill and George were earlier. Lester's ordered a drink.
The huge black in the Afro offers him a toke. Lester stares
at it dumbly.
LESTER
(a little lamely,
indicating drink)
... I'm...
He takes his drink and half toasts the black. He stops and
his eyes PAN the room. Lester is virtually the only person on
his feet. Everyone else is either on the floor or on deep
sofas, side by side, head to feet, barely talking, barely
moving. In fact the most mobile thing in the room in smoke
from the joints.
INT. LIVING ROOM - LESTER
Lester shakes his head as if to clear it. He takes a drink
and almost on cue the ACID ROCK MUSIC HITS and the strobe
lights go on.
Lester is momentarily alarmed, as if it had something to do
with his drink. He manages to stagger out of the strobe light
effect, hangs onto a railing in the next room.
INT. KITCHEN - JILL, RED DOG AND POPE
Jill stands over Red Dog who hasn't moved an inch, his
measuring cup of wine still half filled.
JILL
-- so what's new, Red Dog?
RED DOG
Nothing, man. Same old shit. It's
the same old shit wherever you go,
nothing ever changes.
Pope looks up, sees Lester just outside the kitchen door.
POPE
Jill, scraves is a --
He points toward the kitchen door where Lester looks like
he's about to enter.
Pope takes Jill and they move out the back door in the
direction of the rear grounds that Jackie and George had
taken earlier.
LESTER
peers into the kitchen. It's filled mostly with unkempt
beards. He decides against it, turns up a small staircase and
continues up it until he finds himself in a den.
Several people are seated on the floor, quietly smoking and
watching television. They seem a shade better dressed than
those in the kitchen.
Lester squints at the set which is a little blurry and
partially blocked, by someone sitting directly in front of
it. He kneels by a fortyish man in a bush jacket smoking a
pipe.
LESTER
(whispering)
-- how's it going?
INT. DEN
MAN WITH PIPE
(quietly)
-- just fine.
LESTER
(squinting to see)
-- is that Illinois?
MAN WITH PIPE
(taking a good look at
Lester, then)
No, that's Sally.
Lester looks at the screen. Sally, handled by bare arms, is
being placed on a foam rubber cushion. She laughs.
LESTER
(dumbly)
-- Sally?
MAN WITH PIPE
(pointing with his pipe
stem to a girl by
Lester's ear, also
watching the set)
-- Sally.
Lester looks at Sally. She looks at Lester, nods. Turns back
to screen to watch herself. Lester turns from Sally to see a
television camera and the foam rubber mattress, now
abandoned. Lester shakes his head.
OUTSIDE ON GROUNDS WITH JILL AND JOHNNY POPE
They're walking through shrubbery and hedges that lead them
to a pair of empty deck chairs by the jacuzzi end of the
pool. One of the Twins is still in the jacuzzi.
JILL
-- so when are you going to Egypt?
POPE
You mean when are you going to
Egypt?
Jill laughs. She turns and shakes her finger at Pope.
JILL
Now I didn't mean that, you rat.
POPE
Two weeks from tomorrow.
JILL
You're going?
POPE
You're going.
Jill stops cold. She turns to Pope.
JILL
You're kidding.
POPE
Those Arabs won't be when they
start chasing you around the sand
dunes.
JILL
(laughing)
Johnny!
(she hugs him)
Why didn't you tell me before?
POPE
-- just before I ask you out? I
can't do that. Let's get out of
here before good old Les catches up
with us again.
There's a flash of light from the poolhouse window. Jill
turns toward it, then back to Pope, still making up her mind.
ANGLE SHIFTS SLIGHTLY to HOLD on light from window.
INT. POOLHOUSE - GEORGE AND JACKIE
George has pulled a pair of cokes out of the fridge. He's
looking at Jackie, closes the refrigerator lamely. It opens
again and he closes it again.
JACKIE
What's wrong?
GEORGE
-- do you want ice?
Interior poolhouse lit now by lights from outside.
JACKIE
-- no.
George pops the tops of the cans, hands one to Jackie.
Neither one of them drink. They're staring steadily at each
other, their eyes shining from reflections from the tennis
court lights which someone has turned on.
GEORGE
(finally)
-- we're kidding ourselves.
JACKIE
(staring right back)
-- we are?
GEORGE
-- last night I dreamt I was fifty
years old and Mary told me I was
supposed to meet Jill at the shop.
It seared me shitless.
JACKIE
Why?
GEORGE
I can't imagine being with Jill
when she's fifty years old. I can't
imagine not being with you.
George moves to her. Jackie is waiting for him. They kiss. It
is long and lingering and deliberate. George breaks away and
goes to the poolhouse door. There's no lock, only an eye
latch on the screen door. He latches it, tests it. It gives
slightly. Nevertheless he shuts the door and heads back to
Jackie who stands waiting.
JACKIE
-- but what about her? I don't want
to hurt Jill.
George takes the coke out of her hand. She lets him.
LESTER
walks back in the foyer, holding a drink, swaying. The strobe
lights are going again in the living room.
Suddenly he sees a girl, at least half nude, her huge painted
lavender tits flashing at him through the strobe lights. The
vision disturbs him greatly.
He carefully steps down into the room in an effort to get
near her. She seems to move. He moves after her through the
lights down the length of the room, going as quickly as
prudence allows. Finally when they reach the end of the
living room she's disappeared. Then he looks out and sees her
poised at the top of the steps a few yards away by the hedged
path that leads down to the pool.
He lunges toward the vision, and bounces off a sliding glass
door.
JILL AND JOHNNY POPE
have made it through the entrance and Pope's Porsche is in
sight. Jill suddenly stops and looks at Pope.
POPE
What's wrong?
JILL
We can't really leave that poor man
here alone.
POPE
-- he'll never know the difference.
Jill is clearly thinking about something else besides Lester.
JILL
-- still -- at least we should tell
him we're going. C'mon.
POPE
(going along with it,
protesting)
I'm telling you he won't know the
difference.
BY THE POOL - LESTER
now with a sizable bump on his head he moves with the care
that only tightrope walkers and drunks can move: every step
is a possible disaster.
TWIN
(from Jacuzzi)
Hey.
Lester looks down, sees one of the Twins. Her arm is
outstretched, her breasts dripping water VISIBLE through the
shrubbery spotlights. She's holding a joint.
TWIN (CONT'D)
-- it's getting soggy.
Lester takes it.
THE GUY WITH HER
-- just put it on the bench over
there and come on in.
LESTER
-- in there?
THE GUY
Sure.
Lester takes the joint and with fierce concentration makes it
over to the bench. He puts the joint down.
Stares at it. He looks up and there's the other Twin standing
beside him, nude, with her breasts visible through the towel
loosely flung over her shoulders.
TWIN
(meaning joint)
Could I have that?
Lester silently hands it to her. Stares at the pool and the
other Twin isn't there. He looks back and the one who had
taken the joint is gone. He looks back to the pool and the
other Twin surfaces with the force of Flipper, beside the Guy
in the pool.
Lester stares, then he sighs and pulls off his pants, almost
falling down as he does.
Carrying them, he walks over to the edge of the jacuzzi.
LESTER
Say --
THE GUY
-- what is it now, man?
LESTER
Do you know where I can find a
towel?
THE GUY
-- the poolhouse.
Holding his trousers, his tux shirt hanging half down over
his boxer shorts, Lester moves on over to the poolhouse. He
tries the door. The latch creaks. He pulls at it again and
the latch pops open. He starts to open the door, then hears
the unmistakable sounds of a couple in the throes of intense
love making. The girl is quite carried away.
Lester hesitates. He listens as her sighs, interspersed with
fetching little sobs begin to mount in intensity. He thinks
better of it. He takes his hand off the door knob and quietly
closes the screen door.
He starts to walk away, then notices the window on the side.
He can't resist. He moves to it. He can't see anything. He
moves closer. The dim, dark but classical outline of a man
mounted on a woman moving with ease but increasing intensity
can be SEEN. Lester watches. The SOUNDS are not as loud from
this angle, but gradually they can be HEARD as the woman's
cries grow louder. Lester is glued to the window.
JILL'S VOICE
-- there you are. Les. Les -- Les --
Les, we're leaving.
The ANGLE has BROADENED to SHOW Lester holding his pants, not
taking his face away from the window. Jill and Johnny Pope
stand beside him.
LESTER
Shhh --
(with genuine awe)
-- now that's what I call fucking.
Pope almost inadvertently tries to look in the window.
As he does, a light begins to flood the room. It is the
refrigerator door slowly opening, due in part to the rhythmic
impact of the lovers transmitted through the sofa to an end
table to another end table and to the refrigerator.
It opens until the light shines on the upper body and face of
George and Jackie.
LESTER
who has been smiling continues to smile until the enormity of
the image hits him. His face freezes. It is harsh and
determined. He turns slowly away from the window and walks
past Jill without looking at her.
JILL
-- what --
She turns to the window and sees George and Jackie herself.
JILL (CONT'D)
(watching)
Oh my God. Oh no, oh no. Oh no.
She turns and picks up a wrought iron end table and hurls it
through the window, shattering the glass everywhere.
JILL (CONT'D)
(screaming)
You son of a bitch! You bastard!
WITH GEORGE AND JACKIE
George has leapt up.
GEORGE
Honey? Where've you been? We've
been looking everywhere for you.
Jackie doesn't move, only stares wide-eyed through the broken
window at the screaming Jill.
JACKIE
(softly)
Oh God.
An ashtray is hurled into the room, smashing against the
wall, and Jill can be SEEN now storming off with Pope.
George, with one leg in his pants, rushes over to a far
window, pulls it open.
GEORGE
Jill! Jill! Jill, goddammit!
He's got the pants on backwards. He turns back to Jackie who
has already slipped into her dress, is stuffing pantyhose
into a purse.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
-- Jesus --
JACKIE
-- well you better go after her.
He bends down, turns his pants around, and is hopping into
them.
GEORGE
-- shit...
(he grabs his shirt)
... wait here, honey --
He runs out of the door, beside the pool, past the jacuzzi
and into the maze of hedgerows. The Twins stand motionless
side by side in the water.
TWIN ONE
George?
(to Twin Two)
Who was that?
TWIN TWO
Far out.
George, searching wildly through hedgerows, is calling Jill.
He can't find her. He finds himself next to a ten foot ivy
covered wall. He can't reach the top. He moves along the
wall... arrives at a wrought iron gate. It's locked. He peers
through the gate calling frantically:
GEROGE
Jill, honey?
Inches from his face on the other side of the gate, the bare
teeth of a huge German Sheperd GROWL at him viciously. George
chooses to go up the hedgerows toward the living room of the
house.
He trips and falls.
INT. LIVING ROOM
George running through the strobe-lit party to the foyer.
He's bare-footed, but his pants are on. His frilly shirt is
unbuttoned.
INT. FOYER - GEORGE
breathing heavily, spots Red Dog.
GEORGE
Hey, Red Dog. You seen Jill?
RED DOG
She just went out the door, man.
George charges out the door in time to see the red Porsche's
taillights blink bright at the end of the driveway before it
purrs off into the night.
George turns and runs back into the house and through the
strobe-lighting living room.
AT THE POOLHOUSE
George heaving deep breaths now runs on into the poolhouse.
The refrigerator door still hangs open. Window glass is
scattered on the floor, and George steps on it, cutting his
foot, hopping a little, pulling out a shard. Jackie's gone.
GEORGE
Jackie?
He opens the poolhouse bathroom door.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Jackie?
He runs back out the door of the poolhouse.
EXT. POOLHOUSE
GEORGE
Jackie?
TWIN ONE
She went up to the house, George.
TWIN TWO
You're a trip and a half, man.
INT. THE HOUSE
George runs through the living room again and the strobe
lights. Again he reaches the foyer. Red Dog is still there.
George is heaving deeply now.
GEORGE
Hey... you seen... Jackie...
RED DOG
(pointing)
-- out the door, man.
GEORGE charges out the door, this time seeing Jackie's 230SL
pulling away, tires screeching.
GEORGE
(shouting)
Jackie!
He looks down defeated. His foot is bleeding on the pavement.
EXT. HIGH ROAD - NIGHT
George on his motorbike, COVERED by a few bars of Buffalo
Springfield's 'For What It's Worth,' has thrown on a peacoat
but kept on his velvet trousers. He's riding up what should
now be a familiar road to Jill's. The lights from the city
below flash in and out of view.
JILL'S GARAGE - GEORGE
pulls in. Her slot in the three car garage is empty, only the
oil slick stares at him.
There's the SOUND of a CAR coming down the road. He looks up
expectantly. As it comes by the morning newspaper is tossed
at his feet.
George turns and fishes in the hanging planter by the door.
He pulls out a key, blows the dirt off it and goes inside.
INT. JILL'S - GEORGE - NIGHT
GEORGE
(swaying in)
Jill... Jill... Jill.
He looks in bedroom, then moves back to the phone and dials.
It rings three times.
OPERATOR'S VOICE
Jackie Shawn.
GEORGE
-- yeah, this is --
OPERATOR'S VOICE
-- yes, George.
GEORGE
I guess you haven't heard from her
yet.
OPERATOR'S VOICE
Not yet.
GEORGE
Okay... thanks...
He hangs up. Stares around the room. Jill's apartment is, as
usual, good-little-girl tidy. (A contrast with Jackie's
particularly kitchen.)
George walks over to the window and look's at the city. He
walks out onto the deck and sits in a deck chair.
DISSOLVE TO:
GRAY SCREEN
There is the SOUND of a CAR IDLING.
George opens his eyes. Above him is the carport and Jill's
yellow Mustang has just pulled in. George rises. He walks
into the living room as Jill comes down the steps to the
kitchen, carrying the paper. The kitchen clock reads 4:44.
George glances at it. Then back at Jill. She looks at him,
frightened but not moving. Her hair is stringy and she's got
no makeup on. There's a bruise on the inside of her upper arm
and a small one on her neck, and one on her left thigh all of
which George will note in the course of the scene.
George looks her up and down.
JILL
I don't want to fight, George.
GEORGE
I don't want to fight either.
Look... uh -- I love you.
JILL
Bullshit.
GEORGE
(moving to her, taking her
arm)
I do, Jill.
At this point he notes the arm bruise. Jill stares back at
him unflinching. George smiles.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
How come you took your own car?
JILL
(getting a cigarette)
I didn't want him meeting me here.
GEORGE
Well that's something.
JILL
What is.
GEORGE
You didn't plan on fucking him
tonight.
Jill doesn't answer.
She walks into the bedroom, kicks off her shoes, starts to
take off her dress, then changes her mind and puts on a robe
over it.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
You did fuck him, didn't you?
JILL
I'm very tired, George.
Jill goes into the living room. George grabs her arm again.
GEORGE
Didn't you, baby?
JILL
Let go of me.
George doesn't.
JILL (CONT'D)
Let go of me or I'll scream, I'll
call the police.
GEORGE
Oh, Christ.
He lets go of her. The PHONE RINGS. Jill answers it. Her tone
alters appreciably.
JILL
Oh, hi... listen, can I call you
back?... Yes... no, everything's
fine, really... bye.
She hangs up.
GEORGE
That was him.
JILL
Yes.
GEORGE
You told him I was here and he
wanted to know if I was beating you
up.
Jill smiles thinly.
JILL
Yes.
GEORGE
Well, did you get a job out of it
at least?
JILL
I'd like you to leave now.
George doesn't move. Jill goes over and fishes into a tote
bag by the wall. She returns with Felicia's missing earring.
JILL (CONT'D)
-- and take this with you.
GEORGE
Where did this come from?
JILL
Who knows, I'm sure you don't --
but if it'll help any, I found it
in your bed.
George nods. Jill's anger is growing and her hurt is
beginning to surface now. Tears start welling in her eyes.
JILL (CONT'D)
(unsteadily)
So who else was there besides
Jackie? Huh?... huh?
GEORGE
Baby, don't do this. I do love you.
JILL
Obviously there were others,
weren't there?
George stares at Jill. Then:
GEORGE
Obviously.
JILL
How many?
GEORGE
What do you wanna know for?
JILL
I just want to know, that's all.
GEORGE
What difference does it make?
JILL
I just want to know while we were
seeing each other... I just don't
want girls looking at me and
knowing and me not knowing...
Jill is crying a little now and looks very vulnerable. George
moves to her and tries to put his arms around her.
GEORGE
Baby, please don't... I love you.
JILL
(breaking away)
I don't want to be a fool!... I
want to look them in the eye and
say, I know!
GEORGE
(she's backing up, he's
trying to touch her)
Baby, don't do this --
JILL
(fighting for control)
-- it'll help me if you'll tell me.
GEORGE
-- please, baby --
JILL
-- no, it'll help me, really --
GEORGE
How?
JILL
I'll know you've lied to me... all
along. I'll know you're incapable
of... love... that'll help me...
not now, but eventually.
It's been rising in him the last few exchanges. Now all
George's restraints seem to leave him. He stops trying to
touch her and stands his ground, exploding:
GEORGE
You dumb cunt, everybody fucks
everybody, grow up, for Christ's
sakes. You're an antique, you know
that? Look around you -- all of
'em, all these chicks they're all
fucking, they're getting their hair
done so they can go and fuck,
that's what it's all about. Come
into the shop tomorrow and I'll
show you -- I fucked her, and her,
and her, and her, and her -- I
fucked 'em all!... That's what I
do, I fuck. That's why I went to
beauty school, to fuck. I can't
help that, they're there and I do
their hair and sometimes I fuck
'em. I stick it in and I pull it
out and that's a fuck, it's not a
crime.
George leans on a glass topped coffee table for support, not
even bothering to look at Jill. Jill has been pulled together
a little more by the speech.
JILL
... well I'm glad you told me.
GEORGE
(his eyes closed)
Jesus.
His tone has indicated disbelief and disgust.
JILL
I am... I mean, you know, that's...
She can't finish It.
GEORGE
What? What? What? What? What?
JILL
... honest. At least you're honest
with me.
GEORGE
Does it make you happy?
Jill doesn't answer.
JILL
I wish you'd go now.
GEORGE
That's all you've got to say?
JILL
-- yes.
GEORGE
-- tell me something -- did you
talk about me?
JILL
George...
GEORGE
Did you?
JILL
Please!... that's not like you.
GEORGE
Yeah, I know. Did you?
JILL
George, now cut this out.
GEORGE
Did you?
JILL
Stop it.
GEORGE
Did you?
JILL
Yes, yes, I did.
GEORGE
What did you say?
JILL
George, if you keep this up I'm
going to scream.
GEORGE
What did you say?
JILL
George...
GEORGE
What did you say?
JILL
I said you were a loser!
She starts to cry again. George smiles.
GEORGE
No, I'm not a loser, baby, I just
sort of break even.
George turns and walks up the stairs and out the door.
EXT. GEORGE'S HOUSE
George shuffles up the steps to his front porch and into the
living room.
INT. GEORGE'S LIVING ROOM
George finds himself facing Lester and two other MEN who look
like hoods. Lester sits in the chair George sat in the other
night. Before him is a bottle of J & B, a paper bucket filled
with melting ice. The other men rise when George walks into
the room.
Lester, glass in hand, stares silently at George.
LESTER
(to the other two)
Wait outside, would you?
The two Men walk toward George and pass him on either side,
coming very close. Both of them are much bigger than George.
They stare through George as they pass him.
George continues to stand there. Lester, drinking, continues
to stare. Lester glances idly around the living room. Then
back to George.
LESTER (CONT'D)
You live like a pig.
GEORGE
Yeah.
(Lester doesn't answer)
How long have you been here?
LESTER
(looking it)
All night.
GEORGE
Well... who are those guys?
LESTER
What do they look like?...
GEORGE
Look, Lester... are you unhappy
with me about something?
LESTER
Yeah, I'm unhappy with you about
something.
GEORGE
Well, what?
LESTER
Godammit, George...
GEORGE
Now wait a minute...
LESTER
Sit down.
GEORGE
But...
LESTER
I said sit down!
One of the men opens the door and peers through the screen.
MAN
Everything all right?
LESTER
I'll call you, it's okay.
George site down. Lester has risen to his feet, a little
unsteadily.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Now, George, I want to hear it from
you. Either you admit it, man to
man, to my face or I'll have him
pound it out of you, and he does a
hell of a job, believe me.
George nods.
GEORGE
I believe you...
Lester waits, standing over George.
LESTER
I wanna hear about it.
GEORGE
Oh Jesus Christ.
Lester slaps him.
LESTER
I wanna hear about it, George.
GEORGE
Hey, have 'em put me away, or
whatever you're gonna do, okay?...
I'm too tired to lie, I'm too tired
to tell the truth... I'm too tired
for anything.
LESTER
I wanna hear about it.
GEORGE
What can I say!
LESTER
I wanna know your thinking, I wanna
know how someone like you thinks.
Did you think you could get away
with it, did you think you could
put something over on me? Does a
guy like you get his kicks sneaking
around behind people's backs and
taking advantage of them? Maybe
that's your idea of being anti
Establishment!
GEORGE
I'm not anti-Establishment.
LESTER
That's got nothing to do with it...
You're so beyond my comprehension I
can't even discuss it with you.
GEORGE
Then don't... just have 'em beat me
up or whatever you're gonna do.
LESTER
No, not yet, not yet. You worry
about it for a while, I've been
worrying all night, now you can
worry.
A pause. Lester freshens his drink.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Was it me, did you have something
against me?
GEORGE
What, do you think I planned it?
LESTER
Did they have something against me?
GEORGE
Didn't they tell you?
LESTER
I wanna hear it from you!
GEORGE
(agonized)
... how am I gonna tell you what
they have against you?
I mean Jesus fucking Christ,
they're women, aren't they? Have
you ever listened to women talk,
man? Have you? Well I do, I do 'til
it's fucking coming out of my ears.
I'm on my feet all day, every
fucking day, listening to women
talk and you know what they talk
about, don't you? Being fucked up
by some guy. That's all that's on
their minds. I'm sure you've done
something they could get pissed off
about, what's that got to do with
it? All women are pissed off, man,
all of 'em. They fucking hate us!
Don't you know that?
Lester has listened to this with some alteration of his
intensity.
LESTER
... yes, I follow your thinking on
that.
GEORGE
We're always trying to fuck them...
they know it and they like it and
they don't like it... that's just
how it is... look, it's got nothing
to do with you, man. It just
happened. Felicia's got nothing to
do but shop and get her hair done
and she knows she's getting
older... her daughter hates her,
what's she going to do, go to PTA
meetings?
LESTER
Do you think Lorna hates her? I
don't think she hates her. I mean
she may resent her a little...
GEORGE
Oh, are you kidding, man? She hates
her.
LESTER
Why, why do you think that is?
GEORGE
Oh, fuck, Lester, how should I
know?
LESTER
Well, I don't know.
A pause. Lester goes to pour himself another drink.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(to George)
Want a drink?
GEORGE
No thanks.
LESTER
Have a drink.
GEORGE
Okay, thanks.
Lester gets up and goes to the kitchen.
LESTER
You don't have a clean glass in the
house.
GEORGE
I know.
LESTER
(talking to himself)
I'll have to wash one out.
He turns on the faucet in the kitchen. He brings the glass.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Jesus, what a way to live. I never
lived like this, not even when I
was your age, not even when I never
had a dime.
George takes the drink. Lester just shakes his head.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Hell of a way to treat a business
partner, that's all I can say.
GEORGE
Who?
LESTER
Me!
GEORGE
Hey, you were never going to give
me the money.
LESTER
(after a moment)
I was gonna give you the money.
Probably I was. Shit, I don't know,
I don't know anything anymore.
Lester sits and stares into his drink.
LESTER (CONT'D)
I tell you, you never know... you
just never know... one minute
you're here and the next... I mean
a man at my age, how long have I
got -- ten years? Five years? I
wish I knew... what I was living
for.
George looks at him.
LESTER (CONT'D)
... You can lose it all; you can
lose it all no matter who you
are... I don't know, what's the
point of having it all. Look at me.
I don't have a goddam thing... the
market's terrible right now, went
down ten points last week, goddam
Lyndon Johnson!
GEORGE
Oh yeah...
LESTER
Yeah,, it goes up a little and then
it goes down, maybe Nixon will do
something. What's the difference,
they're all a bunch of jerks. I
wouldn't let 'em run my business, I
can tell you that much. Not if I
had any choice in the matter.
(after a moment)
I don't know what to do with you. I
don't know, I don't know what's
right or wrong anymore.
GEORGE
I don't either, Lester, I swear to
you I don't.
LESTER
(suddenly)
What about Jackie?
GEORGE
What about her?
LESTER
I mean, how did that happen?
GEORGE
Lester, it just happened.
LESTER
She's nothing but a whore.
GEORGE
No --
LESTER
Just a whore, I go over there, have
a few drinks and get my gun off.
I'm through with her, she's nothing
but a whore.
GEORGE
No, man, no. You can say
everybody's a whore. She's okay. I
mean Jackie'll fuck around but not
that much. Somewhere she really
likes you, Lester, and it's not
just the bread. She's okay.
Lester sits and thinks about that.
LESTER
You really think so?
GEORGE
Yes I do.
LESTER
I'm finished with her.
Lester goes to the door. He turns as if he'd just thought of
something.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Oh, by the way, I think you oughta
know -- Lorna thinks she's got the
clap.
GEORGE
What?
LESTER
Yeah, the clap. That's what she
thinks. But who knows -- I don't
know.
George nods. Lester shakes his head.
LESTER (CONT'D)
I don't know anything anymore.
He opens the door and goes out. The two hoods are standing
there. They look to Lester.
LESTER (CONT'D)
(to hoods)
Go easy on him, he's a nice boy.
George looks shocked. Lester laughs, gives George a playful
punch.
LESTER (CONT'D)
Just having a little fun, George...
(to hoods)
Go on home.
(to George)
I'll call you later about the shop.
I'm beat. God, I'm beat.
With that, Lester's off.
EXT. SHOP - GEORGE - DAY
pulls up. He goes into the shop.
INT. SHOP - NORMAN AND DEVRA
Norman is by the front desk.
NORMAN
You're late, George.
GEORGE
Devra, try Jackie Shawn will you?
And if you don't reach her, keep
trying.
DEVRA
(on desk)
Mrs. Shumann and Mrs. Young are
waiting. Mrs. Young is kind of
p.o.'d.
George nods.
GEORGE
Where's Mary?
DEVRA
She hasn't showed up yet.
GEORGE
(grumbling something under
his breath, then:)
Norman!
(to Devra)
Devra, I asked you to call Jackie.
Call her.
DEVRA
(perturbed)
All right.
Norman from upstairs shouts down.
NORMAN
What!
GEORGE
Somebody's going to have to wash
Mrs. Young. Mary's not here.
NORMAN
You do it.
GEORGE
(he's had about enough)
Look, Norman, I'm not the shampoo
girl.
NORMAN
You are today.
George starts to say something but he's tired. He goes to his
corner, slams his jacket down.
MRS. SHUMANN
Temper, temper, George.
George fiddles around with the shampoos and rinses, knocks
over one where the top was not on, and the shampoo spills all
over the table top and starts to drip on the floor.
GEORGE
Oh, Jesus, that fucking goddam Mary-
He starts to look for a rag and sees that Mary, wearing a
cloth coat is coming into the shop.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Mary! Get over here!
Mary moves very slowly, George waits, hands on hips. It
should almost be a little faggy, his petulance as if,
inevitably some of the shop must rub off on him.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Mary, where were you yesterday?
Huh?
Mary doesn't answer.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
You ran out on me and you left it
like a goddamn pig pen.
Mary's swaying.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
What's wrong, Mary, are you drunk?
Look, I've had a rough night, one
of the roughest I've ever had, now
I'm not in the mood for any sulking
bullshit, what's wrong? Are you
sick? Are you drunk? Can you work?
MARY
Otis is dead.
GEORGE
-- Otis?
She points to his picture on the wall.
MARY
My son Otis. He was killed in
Vietnam. They done phoned me at the
shop yesterday.
It's suddenly very quiet. The SOUND of the SHAMPOO DRIPPING
on the floor can be HEARD.
GEORGE AND MARY
GEORGE
Oh, Mary.
Mary starts to cry and like a little child buries her head on
George's shoulder.
MARY
-- you shouldn't talk to me like
that no matter what, George... you
know better...
GEORGE
-- oh -- sweetheart...
MARY
-- you shouldn't do me like that...
GEORGE
(hugging her)
-- please, please forgive me...
MARY
(crying)
-- you know better...
GEORGE
(after a moment)
-- why did you come in today?
MARY
-- left my bag, didn't have no
money...
GEORGE
-- how did you get here?
MARY
-- took a bus.
GEORGE
-- c'mon, I'll get you home...
EXT. STREET - GEORGE - DAY
on his cycle drives up Bowmont into Jackie's driveway. Her
car is there.
George jumps off his bike, fairly races to the door. It's
open and he barges in. He's met by Jackie's Yorkies who bark
furiously, jumping up and down, nipping his pantlegs for
attention.
JACKIE'S VOICE
-- just a minute, you're early --
Jackie comes walking out. She's carrying a large cooking
spoon and wears an apron over a travelling outfit, a
pantsuit. She's wearing more makeup than usual. She stops
when she sees George.
GEORGE
-- good afternoon --
JACKIE
-- you've got to leave.
George is not prepared for this.
GEORGE
I've got to leave?
JACKIE
-- yes, honey, you've got to get
out of here.
GEORGE
Why?
JACKIE
Lester's on his way.
George stares at her then walks past her into the living
room. Bags are packed, a coat thrown over them. The wire
kennel carrying cages for the Yorkies are beside the bags.
George looks into the kitchen where Jackie's been cooking
some pasta.
GEORGE
Where are you going?
JACKIE
Please, we'll have to talk later --
GEORGE
Look about last night --
JACKIE
(exasperated but not
unkind)
Forget about last night, it's okay,
we'll talk when I get back --
GEORGE
It's not okay, I mean we've got to
talk now. Where are you going?
JACKIE
Look -- either you leave or I leave
because I don't want the two of us
here when Lester arrives. I just
don't --
The level of her nervousness has just risen about fifty
decibels. There's the SOUND of a CAR outside.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
My God that's him --
George looks out the window.
GEORGE
-- It's Malone's.
JACKIE
That's it, then I'm leaving.
With that she tosses the spoon onto an end table and rushes
out the door. George starts after her. The DRY CLEANER comes
to the door, stopping George.
CLEANER
Cleaners.
George has to fumble with Jackie's cleaning and keep the dogs
contained. He does, tosses the cleaning down and races
outside to his bike.
ON THE STREET
he sees Jackie's car rounding the corner, going up the hill,
winding around the curves. George guns his bike and takes off
after her.
AROUND WINDING CURVES - GEORGE
almost sideswipes a car parked on a hairpin turn. Jackie's on
the curve above him.
AT THE NEXT CURVE - GEORGE
catches up with her, pulls even to her.
GEORGE
Pull over, pull over!
He threatens to run her into the curb. She stops the car
sharply and jumps out.
AT THE TOP OF THE DRIVE
They've reached a cul de sac where there's a parched 'view
lot' not built on.
Yellow October weeds cover it and there's a huge television
antenna in its center which sways slightly in an afternoon
wind.
Jackie has run onto the lot, then slows to a walk. She grabs
one of the rusty stays of the swaying antennas, stares down
below her.
Her house can be seen from this angle, the Malone's truck
just pulling away.
George comes up to her.
JACKIE
(looking below her)
You're going to kill me.
GEORGE
No --
JACKIE
(turning to him,
imploring)
Well then what are you trying to do-
GEORGE
I want to marry you. I want to take
care of you and I want your
children, and I want you to be my
girl. That's all I want. That's all
I want out of my life, and it's a
lot.
She stares at him in disbelief. She actually clutches her
stomach.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Look, I don't know if I'll ever
make it. I mean I'm a fuckup, but
I'll take care of you, I'll make
you happy, I swear to God I will.
Jackie doesn't answer. She slowly sinks to the ground. George
sinks beside her. Her eyes are wet.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Jackie... Jackie?... answer me, for
God's sake, answer me.
JACKIE
If you knew how many times I wanted
to hear you say that...
GEORGE
So I'm saying it...
JACKIE
It's too late...
GEORGE
What's too late about it? Look,
we're not dead, are we? That's the
only thing that's too late.
JACKIE
Lester's left Felicia. He's taking
me to Acapulco on the five o'clock
flight. He's asked me to marry him.
GEORGE
So what? You don't love him, do
you? Answer me.
JACKIE
What's that supposed to mean?
GEORGE
I don't know... Jackie?
JACKIE
What?
George now is very near tears himself. What he says now he
has to force out of himself, as if it's the biggest secret he
holds.
GEORGE
I don't trust... anyone... but
you...
George lets his head fall on her shoulder. She's kneeling,
supported by the television aerial, and George cries quietly
on her shoulder. She has her arm around him.
JACKIE
Oh my baby...
As she's holding George, and looking down the hill, Lester's
silver Rolls pulls up. Lester gets out of the car, goes to
the front door.
JACKIE (CONT'D)
God, there's Lester...
GEORGE
Don't go, Jackie...
JACKIE
I can't just let him stand by the
door...
GEORGE
Don't leave me...
JACKIE
I've got to... I've got to tell him
where I am.
GEORGE
What for?
JACKIE
I don't know -- I've got to.
She gets up and hurries over to her car, starts it and goes
back down the hill. George sits under the television aerial
and watches her car go down the hill, periodically flashing
INTO VIEW.
Finally she pulls up while Lester is pacing back and forth.
She hurries to him. He taxes her by the shoulders. They talk
for a moment. The discussion looks like Jackie is giving
Lester directions. She glances uneasily up toward George.
George is watching them.
He sees that Lester and Jackie have their backs to him, his
arm around her shoulder, hers around his waist. They're going
through the front door.
THE END
| screenplays |
Candy Candy 1. Chapter 1
TE VOLVERÍAS INOLVIDABLE PARA MÍ
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA RECORDARÍA EL MOMENTO EN QUE TE CONOCÍ..
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA MI MENTE RECORDARÁ EL FUEGO INTERIOR QUE APAGASTE DE MI CUERPO AQUELLA NOCHE..
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA VOLVERÍA MI MENTE HACIA ATRÁS Y TE ENCONTRARÍA DENTRO MUY DENTRO DE MI OLVIDO..
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA RECORDARÍA TU ROSTRO, TU VOZ, TU CUERPO EN LO MÁS PROFUNDO DE MIS PENSAMIENTOS.
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA VOLVERÍA A MI MENTE EL SABOR DE TUS DULCES LABIOS Y ESCUCHARÍA TU VOZ DICIÉNDOME TE AMO!
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA NADARÍA EN LO MÁS PROFUNDO DE MI ALMA Y TE ENCONTRARÍA ANCLADA EN EL CENTRO DE MI CORAZÓN.
SÍ VOLVIERA A PERDER LA MEMORIA NO TENDRÍA QUE BUSCARLA EN LO PROFUNDO YA QUE TÚ ERES EL CENTRO DE MI SER Y TE VOLVERÍAS INOLVIDABLE PARA MÍ...
WILLIAM ALBERT ANDLEY...
2. Chapter 2
ADVERTENCIA!
ESTE FIC ES PARA ROMANTICAS QUE SUEÑAN CON AQUEL PRINCIE AZUL QUE LE DEDICA O SUSURAN PALABRAS, FRASES O PEMAS DE AMORRRRR...
ESTE ES UN ALBERT FIC
CON UN TOMO MAS ROMATICO-POETICO..
CLARO TIENE SU TOQUE DE DRAMA COMO TODOS LOS FICS ESPERO QUE LES GUSTE...
ERES INOLVIDABLE PARA MÍ
CAP 1
QUIEN ERES TU?
Eran pasadas las 7 de la noche Candy se dirigía en su bicicleta como de costumbre a el lugar donde hacía ya 5 años vivía el lugar es un poco alejado de la cuidad muy cerca de los arrecifes donde se podía ver el mar al doblar una curva se escucha un estruendo Cómo si una bomba hubiese hecho explosión... seguido de una extensa cortina de humo que subía hacia el cielo su casa estaba solo a unos escasos metros de distancia..
Dios mío! Que es eso! Se acercó y desde el lugar pudo ver que se trataba de un auto al parecer había hecho exposición al instante...
Dios si había personas ahí deben de estar muertas!
Iba a alejarse cuando escuchó una voz al parecer alguien pedía ayuda.. Se dirigió hacia dónde provenía...y pudo ver un hombre semi inconsciente tirado en suelo herido..
Santo dios! Rápidamente tomo de sus cosas un pequeño botiquín...y comenzó a tratar de curar sus heridas... y cayó inconsciente.
Es un hombre rubio de cabellos largos a pesar de tener un fuerte golpe en un lado de su frente donde brota sangre es un hombre sumamente guapo..
Dios tengo que hacer que vuelva en sí... tomo un poco de alcohol y suavemente le frotó las mejillas y en la nariz y surgió efecto
El lentamente abrió los ojos en ese instante la luz de la luna comenzaba a salir de una nube gris y iba iluminando el entorno cuando descubrió unos ojos verdes que lo miraba con preocupación...
Te encuentras bien?
Dónde estoy? Que me paso? Le dijo confundido..
Estamos en Lakewood...
Lakewood que es Lakewood?
Qué? Dios creo que este hombre ha perdido la memoria...pensó..
Es un pueblo que está a las afueras de Chicago..
Chicago! Quien eres tú?
Mi nombre es Candy White vivo a pocos metros de aquí y soy estudiante de medicina...
Candy dulce nombre. Trato de incorporarse..
Nooooo! Te muevas tengo que terminar de revisarte.. el le obedeció y dejo que ella le terminará de curar provisionalmente sus heridas...
Creo que no tienes fracturas..
Pero como llegue hasta aquí?
No recuerdas nada?
No y no recuerdo mi nombre.. Estoy confundido! Dijo angustiado..
No te preocupes tuviste un accidente y le mostró hacia donde aún el auto ardía en llamas.
El que no recuerdes nada es posible que sea por un golpe que recibiste pero eso suele ser temporal...
Sí pero como me voy a hacer no sé quién soy ni de donde soy!
Tranquilízate! Vivo cerca de aquí puedes quedarte ahí hasta que puedas recorvar tu memoria además es probablemente que tu familia comenzará a buscarte...
Y no será mucha molestia no quiero causarte problemas.
No te preocupes vivo sola... ella lo ayudo a incorporar... Y lo llevo a pasos lentos hacia su casa..
Candy vive sola en una casa de estilo campirano de dos niveles que heredó de sus padres.
Lentamente lo subía por las escaleras.. y lo condujo hacia una de las habitaciones….
Ven ahora podre curarte mejor en mi bici no tengo todo el material gastable…. Le ayudo acostarse en la cama ambos se quedaron mirándose fijamente….ella no se vía fijado en el azul de sus ojos…
El le acaricio tiernamente una mejilla "**_Tus ojos son preciosos quiero verlos a la luz del día porque pienso que serán más preciosos a la luz del sol_**"….. le dijo Candy se sonrojo ….
Gracias ¡! Yooo Voy a buscar mis equipos de curación ….. y salió nerviosa de la habitación…..
Dios que fue eso! Que habrá pasado su auto al parecer exploto fue un milagro que el salió con vida de allí.. Es muy buen mozo….
Y en la habitación…. Ella me da la sensación de paz ¡! Sin tan solo pudiera recordar….. Se dijo tomándose su cabeza con ambas manos…..
Candy regreso…. Bueno tengo que curarte bien esas heridas… y procedió lentamente a curar la herida del rostro… ella con manos firmes hacia su trabajo… pero se sentía nerviosa al sentir la proximidad de el casi podía sentir su aliento….
El por su parte no dejaba de contemplarla…
Listo! Ahora necesito revisar tu espalda y cuello…. A Candy se le hizo un nudo en la garganta al empezar a desabrochar su camisa toda sucia y manchada de sangre y descubrir el bien formado pectoral y brazos de el… delicadamente limpio sus rasguños que no eran muy profundos él no se quejaba simplemente se mantenía callado dejando que Candy realizara su labor…. Bien necesito ver tus piernas dijo y se sonrojo…. El vio su vergüenza…
No te preocupes creo que no tengo nada grave el pantalón al parecer me ayudo… el vestía un camisa fina blanca de algodón y un jeans negro …..
Bueno yo! Y le tomo de las manos.. Gracias Candy! Por ayudarme….
Es mi deber y mi servicio por eso estudio medicina….. Bien debes de tener hambre, y has de estar adolorido…
Si me duele todo el cuerpo….
Es lógico al parecer la explosión de lanzo unos metros hacia delante…. Voy a prepárate algo de cenar para darte un analgésico, descansa regreso….
Gracias Candy ¡! Volvió a repetirle….
Si estaré en la cocina…. Dios ¡! Que osadía la mía estoy sola con un desconocido? susurro al cerrar la puerta…..pero, pero sus ojos reflejan el azul del mar como se ve desde el acantilado ….. Es como tener a un príncipe de cuentos de Hadas…. Al parecer debe de pertenecer a una familia rica sus ropas se ven que son finas… pensaba mientras entraba a la cocina…..
Por otro lado al lugar donde exploto el auto dos autos de negro con vidrios oscuros se detiene de uno salen tres hombres y del otro dos…
Vamos que esperan! Revisen si el cuerpo esta hay! Ordeno un joven moreno pelirrojo….
Al regresar….
Sr Legaan no hay cuerpo… el auto esta irreconocible pero no encontramos el cuerpo dentro….
Que! Idiotas busquen en los alrededores no quiero ver a ese hombre con vida y su cuerpo es la evidencia !
Si señor! Y comenzaron la búsqueda con linternas …..
Volvieron al rato sin encontrar nada….
Señor nada hemos revisado el perímetro y nada!
Maldición! Marck ¡!
Si señor te fijaste bien si el conducía el auto….
Claro que si señor yo mismo me percate desde allá…. Le dice señalando una pequeña elevación de tierra. Y vi como el auto exploto y por eso inmediatamente fui a buscarlo a usted…
Idiota! Le dice tomándolo de la cuello de su camisa… y no te fijaste si el salió del auto imbécil! No sabes que si William Albert Andley está vivo mi madre no podrá cobrar la herencia… estúpido!
Señor pero usted me dijo que de inmediato el auto explotase que le informara….
Imbécil pero como hay que tener un cuerpo y sin evidencias no podemos proceder hay que crearlas… dijo en tono burlón…
Que me quiere decir?
Thomas! Andy!
Si señor ¡!
Aten a este imbécil y úselo como evidencia ya saben que hacer….
Si señor!
Necesito saber si el pudo escapar! El no puede estar con vida! Dijo furioso…..
3. Chapter 3
Eres Inolvidable para mí
Cap 2
"Tus ojos color Esperanza"
Candy estaba en la cocina y pensando en los acontecimientos pasados….
Quien será el? Se ve que es un hombre gentil, aunque esta confundido por la pérdida de su memoria…. Pero ¡! Me dijo palabras dulces! Su voz es tan, tan, ¡!
Hay! Candy ya deja de pensar bobadas! .. y se dio unos golpecitos en la cabeza….
Albert estaba acostado mirando hacia el techo su cuerpo le dolía bastante pero más le preocupaba el hecho de no saber nada de sí mismo…
Quien soy yo? Donde vivo? Cuál es mi nombre…. Y si no vuelvo a recobrar mi pasado que será de mí? Dijo perturbado…
Candy! Tiene una sonrisa dulce y angelical sus lindos ojos me trasmiten paz…. Pero no puedo quedarme aquí…. Tengo que saber de dónde provengo …..
Candy había terminado de hacer unas tostadas con jugo ya que ella no era muy amante a la cocina…
Subió las escaleras hasta llegar a la habitación donde estaba el respiro profundo y entro…
Ahí estaba el con la mirada perdida hacia el techo… inmediatamente sintió su presencia volteo hacia ella…
Cómo te sientes? Le pregunto tímidamente…
Me duele todo el cuerpo… ella lo ayudo a incorporase y volvió a sentir su aliento sobre ella…. Y se sonrojo…
**_"_****_Te sonrojas cuando me ves? Tu piel cambia de tonalidad… y hace que tus ojos brillen aun mas como luciérnagas juguetonas que se mueven entre si buscando el calor entre la penumbras de la oscuridad"_**
Candy quedo muda y sintió que sus piernas temblaban al escuchar esas tiernas palabras de el….
Gracias ¡! Eres muy gentil …..
El sonrió de medio lado al ver la como su rostro se tornaba rojizo de la vergüenza….
Es que no pude evitar es que tienes unos ojos preciosos que reflejan una paz interior. Le dijo…
Por favor ya! Me haces sentir vergüenza…. Le dijo apenada…
Y el soltó una carcajada….
Jajajaja!
Candy vio su sonrisa… de verdad parece un príncipe de los cuentos de hadas! Parece un ángel… su sonrisa es sincera… se dijo a si misma..
Bueno aquí te hice unas tostadas con jugo no soy muy amante a la cocina suelo quemar la comida… le dijo cabizbaja…
No te preocupes si vienen hechas por esas lindas manos que me han curado las heridas con gusto me las comeré…
Y ella le devolvió una linda sonrisa….
Y tu cena?
Ya cene allá bajo no te preocupes tienes que comer bien para darle un analgésico..
El mordía las tostadas y observo que Candy salió de la habitación.. Para luego al rato entrar con un juego de pijamas y ropa….
El ya había terminado de cenar….
Terminaste qué bien! Toma con este analgésico dormirás y mañana te sentirás mejor… aquí te traje un juego de pijamas y ropa eran de mi padre yo las mantengo limpias… le dijo con dejo de tristeza…
El estiro su mano hasta tomar la de ella…
Candy que le paso a tus padres? Le pregunto preocupado.. Ella esquivo su mirada y las lágrimas comenzaron a salir de su rostro…
Lo siento Candy no quise!
Está bien no te preocupes,,,, mis padres murieron en un accidente hace 5 y medio años…
Lo siento Candy no debí!
Está bien…. Mira aquí está el baño por si quieres asearte…
Gracias!
Bueno te dejo para que descanses si necesitas algo mi habitación está enfrente…. Buenas noches!
Buenas noches Candy gracias por todo…. Le dijo con una tierna sonrisa….
Ella por su parte también le ofreció una gran sonrisa y desapareció por la puerta….
Ya dentro de su habitación cerro su puerta corrió a cerrar las ventanas con desesperación….. Cuando termino se derrumbó a llorar mientras su mente se recordaba el accidente de sus padres y un incidente que marco su vida…..
Todavía en su mente tiene el eco de su propia voz y los rostros de aquellos que quisieron hacerle daño….
Se tapaba sus oídos mientras sus ojos brotaban lágrimas a mares….
En la otra habitación él se levantó con pesadez y se dirigió hacia el baño….
Al salir miro bien el lugar no se había percatado de este….
Ella vive sola aquí no debería….. se ve muy frágil pero a la vez es fuerte, tiene un temple para las cosas, su dulce rostro…. Y se durmió pensando en Candy
Al amanecer en el lugar del accidente ya hay varias personas entre ellas la policía….
Este auto pertenece a la familia Andley!
Señor hay un cuerpo dentro del auto!
La noticia se rego como pólvora
"Un integrante de la prestigiosa familia Andley murió en un accidente aún no se sabe quién es porque el cuerpo quedo irreconocible" rezaba un titular de un diario. De la época.
Mientras en la mansión nadie quería decir en realidad de quien se trataba todos guardaban silencio…
La Sra Elroy quien fuera la matriarca de la familia desde que murió el Sr Andley….. George Johnson quien ha sido su mano derecha y quien cuida del heredero de la familia el joven William Albert Andley II…
La Sra Elroy lloraba sin consuelo…..
George te pudiste fijar bien era el auto de William verdad?
No cabe duda Sra es el auto de el…..
Dios mio! William! Noooooooooo
En otro lugar en otra mansión de los Andley una mujer de elegante con aire de arrogancia entra a la biblioteca …..
Neal ¡! Todo salió como lo planeado viste las noticias?
Si madre! Todo salió como lo planeamos…
Bien pues hay que esperar que los Andley den el comunicado para previamente resolver lo de la herencia…
Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa claro madre todo pasara a nuestro nombre… rio Neal con ironía
Mientras tanto en otra habitación una joven lloraba por la noticia …..
William porque te paso esto, porque ¡! Lloraba mientras miraba una foto…
Ya el sol comenzaba a colarse por las ventanas…..
El se despertó al sentir como el sol jugaba con su rostro…
Donde estoy! Miraba todo a su alrededor y recordó que estaba en la casa de Candy pero no pudo recordar su pasado…..
Estoy en la casa de la chica de los ojos color esperanza..
Se levanto fue al baño se dio un buen baño aún era temprano busco las ropas que Candy le había dejado se las puso y le quedaban un poco apretada dejaba ver bien marcado su atlético cuerpo….
Salió de su habitación y bajo pensando que la encontraría pero no fue así…
Y se dirigió donde podría ser la cocina hay comenzó a buscar entre las provisiones de la alacena y se dedicó a hacer el desayuno….
Candy se había levantado….
Dios ya es tarde! Se dijo salió al pasillo y abrió lentamente la puerta y no lo encontró hay…..
Se fue? Se marcho ¡! Pensó y sus ojos empezaron a brotar lagrimas….. Pero al sentir el olor de proveniente de la planta de abajo…..
Rápidamente bajo y abrió la puerta de la cocina trago en seco al verlo despaldas…. Ahora a la luz del día su pelo caía como cascada dorada un poco más debajo de la nuca… espalda ancha, firmes y fuerte brazos ya que su ropa le quedaba ajustada….. piernas y glúteos bien torneados hacia el juego…..
Buenos días! Dijo
El volteo al verla vestida con un pantalón azul y blusa rosada con pequeñas florecitas….
Hola! Le dijo con una gran sonrisa….
Ella volvió a sonrojarse al ver que solo tenía abrochada dos botones de su camisa…. Su amplio pecho se veía en todo su esplendor….
Dormiste bien ….. Tímidamente se le acerco y vio que este era alto para ella…..
Si me siento mejor aunque me duele un poco aquí.. le dijo mostrándole el golpe de su frente….
Tengo que curarte! No has recordado algo?
No nada… le dijo tristemente…..
Bueno no te preocupes es un proceso…. Pero que haces aquí? Estas haciendo el desayuno? Le dijo al ver que tenía todo casi listo
Bueno no sé porque pero mis manos trabajan solas…. Creo que debo de ser cocinero o algo por el estilo…..
Se ve rica… ella hizo una mueca y el soltó una carcajada…..
Jajaja también te vez linda haciendo muecas….
Le dijo mirándola profundamente a los ojos en ese instante desde una pequeña ventana de la cocina un rayo de sol se reflejó en sus rostros….
_"__**Lo sabía tus ojos a la luz del sol son más hermosos reflejan el color de la esperanza en ti, reflejan el color de tu alma amable, son esmeraldas recién sacadas de la profundidad a la luz"**_
4. Chapter 4
Eres Inolvidable para mí
Cap 3-3
"Pequeña Flor"
Candy estaba en trance sus ojos se quedaron fijos mirando el azul de los ojos del…..
Se puede ver el cielo en tus ojos –pensó-… ella se sonrojo y agacho la mirada….
Gracias eres la primera persona que me habla de esa manera…
El tomo su barbilla para obligarla a verlo….
No miento no sé por qué pero me inspiras esa confianza que talvez quizás nunca he tenido y además eres muy linda…
Gracias! Ella volteo la mirada hacia unos periódicos viejos que ya hacían olvidados en un lado de la mesa…
Se me ocurre algo….. Creo que debemos de ponerle un nombre no crees? Le dijo alegremente..
Bueno no sé cuál es mi nombre ni de donde soy-dijo tristemente..
A ver si puedo encontrar uno a adecuado para ti. Decía mientras tomaba el periódico y en la primera pagina vio una noticia. "_El misterioso Sr William Albert Andley Jr será dado a conocer en los próximos días ya que desde que su padre el Sr William Andley murió solo se sabe que es su sucesor y hasta que no cumpliese su mayoría de edad no sería presentado a la sociedad como patriarca y dueño de todo el emporio Andley" _
Wao! Ese señor se dice que es todo un misterio, ah! Que tal te gustaría ese nombre William Albert?
El la miro confundido….
No te gusta verdad?
No está bien solo que me gusta más Albert….
Okey Albert! Y le regalo una gran sonrisa…
Al rato se encontraban desayunando….
Sí que cocinas rico! Uhmmm le dijo saboreándose los labios…
No lo sé solo sé que mis manos se movían solas….
Candy ¡! Por qué vives sola? No sería muy peligroso para ti. Le pregunto…
Bueno yo! Esquivo su mirada y una lágrima comenzó a bajar hacia su mejilla…
Lo siento Candy no quise volverte a preguntar solo es que creo que no deberías…
Mis padres fallecieron en un accidente yo tenía 15 años, me enviaron a una familia provisional, allí pase 3 años largos de mi vida… dijo entre sollozos…
Me traban como una sirvienta, dormía en el establo un día su hijo trato de abusar de mí.. y me defendí como pude cuando les conté no me creyeron después de varios meses una noche entraron él y su padre! Fue horrible! Dijo ahogada en llanto….
El la abrazo, la acuno en sus brazos mientras acariciaba sus cabellos…
Ella sentía sus brazos fuertes abrazándola y hundió su rostro en su pecho…..
_"__No llores más olvida el pasado que ya no volverá, eres mucho más linda cuando ríes que cuando lloras, no dejes que la sombra del pasado empañen tus lindos ojos" verdes" _ le dijo haciendo que lo mirara a los ojos…. El delicadamente limpio sus lágrimas con las yemas de sus dedos…
_"__Pequeña veo que has sufrido mucho y escondes muchos dolores pero aun así sonríes a pesar de tu dolor en tu corazón, vives sola por que no quieres volver a pasar por aquel momento" _le dijo suavemente
Albert! …. Estaban tan cerca uno del otro que podían sentir sus alientos el la miraba profundamente, ella aun con lágrimas en los ojos miraba perdida el azul profundo de sus ojos… hasta que una voz la hizo volver en si….
Candy! Candy! Alguien la llamaba desde afuera….
Oh! Lo olvidaba… Albert hoy tengo practica de anatomía y tres veces a la semana trabajo en un consultorio médico hoy me toca así que volveré ya casi de noche… discúlpame por dejarte solo…
Está bien pequeña no te preocupes estaré bien….
Dios ¡! Se me olvido curarte ¡!
No te preocupes yo cambio el vendaje si me dices donde están los materiales…
Claro! Y le mostro donde estaba todo….
Candy! Que pasa? Volvió la voz a llamarla desde afuera…
Disculpa Annie ya voy! Le dijo
Por favor si recuperas la memoria no te vayas espérame…
Claro no me iré sin despedirme de ti… y le regalo una tierna sonrisa….
Gracias y salió por la puerta principal…
_"__Pequeña flor que has crecido dentro de espinas y no te has marchitado dime como yo podre ayudarte a crecer en medio de tu dolor perpetuo, como podre curar el pasado espinoso que te agobia y no te deja vivir" _
el desde una ventana la vio encontrarse con una chica que al igual que Candy tenía una bicicleta…
Candy llevo casi 10 minutos esperando que pasa?
Nada Annie vámonos! ¡! Candy y Annie Britter se conocieron en la universidad ella estudia educación en el área de música a pesar de estudiar dos carreras diferentes no se separan se han convertido en dos amigas inseparables.
Candy supiste que uno integrante de la familia Andley falleció en un accidente….
Como?
Si eso fue esta madrugada a las afueras de la cuidad encontraron su auto todo quemado con una persona adentro…
No puede ser a lo mejor… pensó Candy pero en ese mismo instante pasan frente al lugar donde Candy encontró a Albert pero por los arboles del lugar no deja ver bien si el auto aún estaba hay…
Que te pasa Candy? te quedaste pensativa…
Ah! No disculpa me decías que el accidente fue a las afueras de la cuidad…
Si al parecer fue cerca de la salida hacia norte….
Oh! Bueno no se trata de el entonces? Dijo en susurro…
Candy que te pasa? Te noto extraña…
No no es nada jajajaa y rio de muy buena gana…
En la mansión Andley todos estaban acongojados por la segura muerte del patriarca de la familia…
En ese mismo instante llega Karen Andley la viuda y tutora de William junto a sus hijos Neal y Elisa….
-**El señor Andley había enviudado muy joven su esposa murió****de una extraña enfermedad dejando a la orfandad al pequeño William de apenas 4 años de edad… luego al pasar del tiempo conoció****a una joven mujer con dos hijos que también había enviudado su esposo murió****en un infarto y el se casó con ella al poco tiempo… después 4 años el señor Andley enfermo y murió dejando todo su legado a su hijo el cual tendrá la potestad de todo hasta que cumpliese la mayoría de edad exactamente, eso se trasmitiría de generación en generación a menos que por algún problema o en caso de muerte pasaría a su esposa la viuda Andley para ese entonces seria Karen si William no se haya casado aun.. -**
**Oh! Karen que golpes nos ha dado la vida! Dijo la señora Elroy entre sollozos amargos….**
**Lo siento mucho… pobre William yo no quería igual que a un hijo… dijo con lágrimas de hipocresía…**
**Sra Elroy! Dijo Elisa abalanzándose hacia ella… no lo puedo creer porque a William! Por qué! **
**Hija yo se lo mucho que tú y William se quieran**
**-**para el pequeño William la vida fue muy dura a pesar de tener todo, no era feliz su madrastra la Sr Karen lo humillaba y lo odiaba profundamente, Neal desde siempre ha sido cruel al igual que su madre todas las travesuras y acciones malas decía que era William que las realizaba y el pobre chicho quedaba muchas veces castigado sin comer y en una habitación a oscuras, solo Elisa tenía piedad sobre él no le gustaba la forma en que lo trataba y a escondidas le llevaba algo de comer cuando estaba castigado, pasaban largos tiempos juntos ya que a ella le fascinaba las poesias que el escribía, Elisa es de noble corazón al igual que su padre….
End file.
| fanfiction |
Harry Potter Puttin' up with Peter Pettigrew
*SongFic*
"Puttin' up with Peter Pettigrew"
(By Chou)
Original song:
"Puttin up with the Joneses"
By Spirit of The West
A/N: Wow, this is my first song fic, and I just sorta got the idea by listening to me Spirit of the West CD… man they rock. J Well, here it is. One of my favourites, I thought it really suited Peter Pettigrew, except that he has a wife in this fic.. Sorry, but it's the only way I could do this properly. Whatever… enjoy!
Oh no… oh no.. oh no! Oh no!! Mr. Pettigrew has a little problem. His fiery eyes won't see that it is me. He's the size of a man with the potential of a boy, now God what kind of child could this be? I'm afraid that he'll amount to all of nothing, The joy of reading the ATM he'll never know, and in the rat race of our computer guided world, he stands no chance of winning let alone a place or show!
So lock him up and throw away the key, boys! Mr. Pettigrew is not like you or me. Lock him up tight, cuz if he had the chance he might show us that we're wrong, and that's the one thing we can't be! Oh no… oh no!
Mr. Pettigrew wanted to be married. It seemed like such a cute thing at the time. Two peas in a pod, two of a kind, who'd never have to ask each other: "what is on your mind?" It seems the only thing to make him happy, and happy's such a civil thing to be. And if they keep to themselves like to books upon a shelf, the kind you judge by the cover and never take the time to read.
So lock them up and throw away the key, boys! The Pettigrews are not like you or me. Lock them up tight, cuz if they had the chance they might show us that we're wrong and that's the one thing we can't be!
Peter, we're ablated to and for you. Though you failed to meet the standards, we've a place where they wait for you. It's a ways outside of town. But the distance has its uses; close enough to make the effort, far enough to make excuses.
So lock him up and throw away the key, boys! Mr. Pettigrew is not like you or me. Lock him up tight, cuz if he had the chance he might show us that we're wrong and that's the one thing we can't be!
Mrs. Pettigrew wants to have a baby. She says that as a woman it's her right. Oh, yes we tried to tell her, I guess that she forgot; when she and Peter were at the doctors they tied the knot! Why can't she just be happy in her own world? Then we can all be happy here in ours. And we could still help out, even go as far as to stop up at the safe and drop some pennies in the jar.
So lock her up and throw away the key, boys! Mrs. Pettigrew is not like you or me. Lock her up tight, cuz if she had; the chance she might show us that we're wrong and that's the one thing we can't be!
So lock them up and throw away the key, boys! The Pettigrews are not like you or me. Lock them up tight, cuz if they had the chance they might try to tell us that we're wrong and that's the one thing we can't be!
Oh no.. oh no! Ohh noo! Oh noo!!! Ohhh no-ho!!
End file.
| fanfiction |
Why is an isothermal process not unique in nature?
To be clear, I have got two doubts,
* One, about the non-uniqueness of an isothermal process &
* Two, about the uniqueness of an adiabatic process.
**The first doubt**
The Wikipedia page of isothermal process states that:
>
> For an adiabatic process, in which no heat flows into or out of the gas because its container is well insulated, Q = 0. If there is also no work done, i.e. a free expansion, there is no change in internal energy. For an ideal gas, this means that the process is also isothermal.[4] Thus, specifying that a process is isothermal is not sufficient to specify a unique process.
>
>
>
Now I am confused about the meaning of the last line.
>
> Thus, specifying that a process is isothermal is not sufficient to specify a unique process.
>
>
>
I am not able to understand the significance of that last statement. Does it mean that any two states, say A & B, can be connected by more than one isothermal processes?
**The second doubt**
Similarly, I had read in my textbook that an adiabatic process is unique in nature. That is, between any two states only one adiabatic process can exist. To say the same thing in other words,
**if two thermodynamic states are connected by a reversible adiabatic process, then the same two states cant be connected by an irreversible adiabatic process**
Kindly help me understand these statements with the help of some PV/VT/PT diagrams.
Any help would be deeply appreciated.
(1) An isothermal process is one during which the system temperature $T=constant$. For an ideal satisfying $pV=RT$ this means that $pV=constant$ irrespective of how you achieve it. You can go up and down, back and forth on the same isothermal, but it is still an isothermal process having the *same* temperature. So it is not a unique process between two fixed points.
(2) The uniqueness of the adiabatic process is true only for a *simple* system, that is one whose state can be described by temperature and one additional "mechanical" parameter, e.g., for a gas $p = p(T,V)$, or a magnet $M=M(T,B)$, etc. It is definitely not true for more complicated systems, for example a gas with magnetic properties $p=p(T,V,B)$. Instead what is true is that through every equilibrium point there is a unique adiabatic *surface* (not a curve) determined by a pair of variables say $T,V$ or $V,B$ or $T,B$ such that any curve lying in that surface is an adiabatic process. That such adiabatic surfaces exist is the basis of one of the mathematical proofs of the existence of the entropy function and this quite famous proof is due to Caratheodory.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
As you will no doubt notice, they are all in fact music bands, but I changed the title as in my eyes: bands are brands.
More fun and games, I like games and quizzes which leads conveniently to a plug for my Unevolved Brands.
If you are struggling to work them out, it is pretty tricky, then head on over to TheHighDefinite for the answers. | slim_pajama |
recently , protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1 ) , one of the most important types of protein in prmt family member in mammals , was reported to be over - expressed in a variety of cancers , including lung cancer , and is correlated with a poor prognosis of tumor development .
showed that sirna silencing of prmt1 reduced the proliferation of lung cancer cell lines a549 and h1299 by decreasing the colony formation on soft agar .
suppressed the expression of prmt1 and prmt6 with sirna , which significantly suppressed the growth of lung and bladder cancer cells .
however , the role of prmt1 in tumor , especially in nonsmall - cell lung carcinoma ( nsclc ) progression , particularly metastasis , remains largely unknown .
family members of prmt play a crucial role in gene transcription regulation , thereby affecting several physiological and pathological processes such as cell growth , dna repair , signal transduction , and tumorigenesis .
prmt1 is reported to methylate histone h4 arginine 3 side chain , -n , which is used to form asymmetric double methyl and monomethyl and plays a critical role in regulating protein function . as a transcriptional co - activator ,
there are several important mechanisms involved in tumor metastasis , such as epithelial - mesenchymal transition ( emt ) , extracellular matrix degradation , and some signaling pathways activation , such as focal adhesion kinase ( fak ) , src , and akt .
to determine the role of prmt1 in nsclc migration , we down - regulated the prmt1 expression in the nsclc cell line a549 via a lentiviral vector - mediated small hairpin rnas ( shrnas ) .
cell migration , transcription , and protein expression of several targets were analyzed after prmt1 silencing .
double - stranded oligos were inserted into the bamhi / ecori site of puctp vector , which contains a red fluorescent protein ( tdtomato ) marker for cell tracking .
eight shrna primers ( a - h ) were designed based on the prmt1 gene to ensure that each gene has a minimum of 12 shrna primers to inhibit its expression .
prmt1-shrna primers are the following : a : ccggcagtacaaagactacaa ; b : gtgttccagtatctctgatta ; c : ccaggcggaaagcagtgagaa ; d : gcaagtgaagcggaatgacta ; e : tgttctacatggaggactacc ; f : tggagaaggtggacatcatca ; g : ttgactcctacgcacactttg ; h : cttaccgcaactccatgtttc .
shrna primers were annealing with 10 l of primers ( 10 m ) , 10 l 10 annealing buffer , and 70 l ddh2o .
shrna was integrated into lentiviral vectors with connection system as follows : shrna 4 l , vectors 2 l , ddh2o 2 l , 10 t4 buffer 1 l , roche t4 ligase 1 l , 24c for 2 h. genehogs , a chemically competent bacterium , was transformed using 5 l of connection products .
plasmids were validated by colony polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) and restriction enzyme digestion . at the screening stage ,
human embryonic kidney ( 293 t ) cells ( atcc , manassas , va , usa ) were co - transfected with lentiviral and helper plasmids and cultured with serum - free dulbecco 's modified eagle medium ( cat : 10313021 , dmem , life technologies , invitrogen , usa ) . at a logarithmic growth phase
, cell suspensions were seeded into 96 well plates ( thermo scientific , usa ) at 10 10 cells / well the day before transfection .
cells were transfected according to transfection reagent instructions 24 h after seeding into 96 well plates .
total dna ( 0.125 g , containing lentiviral expression plasmids ) was added to each well ; 0.25 l transfection reagent was also added to each well .
crude viral solution was collected at 48 and 72 h , respectively , after transfection , and kept at 80c .
human lung carcinoma a549 cells ( atcc , manassas , va , usa ) were seeded into 96 well plates with 2500 cells per well .
the lentivirus particles produced from the transfected 293 t cells were used to infect a549 cells in the presence of 8 g / ml polybrene ( sigma - aldrich , st .
the shcontrol group was constructed by a549 cells transfected with empty vector ( without shrna targeted prmt1 ) .
ninety - six hours after infection , the knockdown efficiency was validated by quantitative pcr ( qpcr ) .
qpcr was carried out using cfx connect real - time pcr detection system ( bio - rad , 185 - 5200 , usa ) .
the primers of prmt1 ( forward : tcagcgcatccggtagtc , reverse : tcaaagccaacaagttagacca ) and -actin ( housekeeping gene ) ( forward : gcatcccccaaagttcacaa , reverse : ggacttcctgtaacaacgcatct ) were designed using primer analysis software primer premier 6.0 ( premier biosoft international , palo alto , ca , usa ) .
total rna was extracted from cell lines using trizol reagent ( invitrogen , life technologies gmbh , darmstadt , germany , ) .
cdna was synthesized from 2 g of rna using a reverse transcriptase ( rt ) reagent kit ( takara biotechnology co. ltd . ,
dalian , china ) , in the following reaction system : 4 l of 5 primescript buffer-2 , 1 l of primescript rt enzyme mix , and 1 l of rt primer mix .
the reaction mixture was treated as follows : dnase ( takara biotechnology co. ltd . ) and ddh2o up to 20 l and incubated at 37c for 15 min and then 85c for 5 s. qrt - pcr reaction system : 2 sybr green qpcr mix ( dstm ) 7.5 l , primer/10 mol / l 0.2 l , ddh2o 1.32 l , cdna 0.31.0 l , 15 l in total .
qpcr protocol was performed as follows : 94c for 2 min , 95c for 15 s , 60c for 30 s , 72c for 30 s at 40 cycles . at the extension stage ,
all the experiments were repeated in triplicate . in order to quantify gene expression , the mrna level of the target genes
was normalized by the -actin mrna level and the relative gene expression was calculated adjusting the target gene expression in the silenced shprmt1 group with the expression in the shcontrol group .
quantitative polymerase chain reaction primers of matrix metalloproteinase 1 ( mmp-1 ) ( forward : tcgatgctgctctttctgag , reverse : gataacctggatccatagatcgtt ) , mmp-2 ( forward : tgctggagacaaattctgga , reverse : gatggcattccaggcatc ) , tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 ( timp1 ) ( forward : tttgtggctccctggaacag , reverse : cattcctcaca gccaacagtgt ) , timp2 ( forward : gaaggagccccatcaatcct , r : ctcccatttctacaaggctcaga ) were also designed using primer premier 6.0 .
scratch wound healing assay a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and empty vector were grown in dmem supplemented with 10% fbs .
cells were seeded into 24-well tissue culture plate at a density of 1 10 cells / ml , reaching 80% confluence as a monolayer after 24 h. the monolayer was gently and slowly scratched creating a straight line with a new 1 ml pipette tip across the center of the well .
cells were incubated for additional 48 h , then washed twice with 1 pbs , fixed with 3.7% paraformaldehyde for 30 min and finally stained with 1% crystal violet in 2% ethanol for 30 min .
photos of the stained monolayer were taken on a microscope ( axio vert a1 fl , carl zeiss , germany ) and gap distance at 0 h and 24 h was quantitatively evaluated using image analyzing software ( axio csm 700 , carl zeiss ) .
transwell cell migration assay a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and the empty vector were trypsinized and centrifuged , discarding the supernatant .
the cells were resuspended in serum - free medium , counted and diluted to a density of 5 10/ml .
a total of 500 l medium was added to each well of a 24 well cell culture insert ( 8.0 m pore ; bd falcon , franklin lakes , nj , usa ) . the cell suspension ( 100200 l ) was transferred into the upper compartment of the cell culture insert and incubated at 37c ( thermo forma , 3111 ) for 1248 h. the migrated cells in the lower compartment were then fixed using 4% paraformaldehyde for 1520 min .
pbs was removed , and the chambers were inverted and stained with 0.1% crystal violet solution ( ht90132 , sigma , usa ) for 15 min . the dye solution in excess was washed out with distilled water .
the number of migrated cells in the lower compartment was counted within each field ; the number of cells in shprmt1 group was calculated adjusting with the number in the shcontrol group .
a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and the empty vector were cultured in 6-well plates and lysed with ripa lysis buffer and phosphatase inhibitors ( sigma - aldrich , usa ) .
cell lysates were collected by scraping and centrifuged , protein concentration was measured using a bicinchoninic acid protein assay reagent ( cat : 23227 , pierce , thermo scientific , usa ) and diluted with lysis buffer to obtain a protein concentration of 56 g / ml .
1030 g of total protein from each sample was loaded onto a 810% sds - page gel for electrophoresis at 200 v ( bio - rad , usa ) and transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes ( millipore , usa ) at 100 v for 60 min .
membranes were blocked in 5% blocking buffer ( bio - rad ) in tbs containing 0.1% tween-20 ( tbst ) for 1 h at 25c and then incubated with a specific monoclonal antibody for 12 h at 25c .
primary monoclonal antibody was incubated in 1% bsa in pbs for 1 h at 25c .
the primary monoclonal antibodies used were e - cadherin ( cst , usa ) , n - cadherin ( cst ) , fak ( cst ) , phospho - fak ( cst ) , src ( cst ) , phospho - src ( cst ) , akt ( cst ) , phospho - akt ( cst ) and gapdh ( cst ) , each of them used at a dilution of 1:1000 .
after washing , the membrane was incubated with a horseradish peroxidase - conjugated secondary antibody ( cst , dilution : 1:2000 ) , and washed again in pbs with 0.1% tween-20 , for three times of 10 min each , the membrane was transferred to a shallow tray and treated with dab solution ( 10 ml of 0.05% chromomeric substrate 3,3-diaminobenzidine in pbs + 10 l h2o2 30% ) .
the membrane was incubated at 25c under gentle shaking for 12 min in a darkroom , then washed in pbs and dried .
images were acquired on chemidoc xrs + system ( bio - rad ) in a darkroom and analyzed by image lab software ( bio - rad )
. ratios of target gene to housekeeping gene ( gapdh ) were calculated to normalize the expression of target proteins .
data were expressed as mean standard error and analyzed by t - test using spss 19.0 statistical software ( ibm , armonk , ny , usa ) .
double - stranded oligos were inserted into the bamhi / ecori site of puctp vector , which contains a red fluorescent protein ( tdtomato ) marker for cell tracking .
eight shrna primers ( a - h ) were designed based on the prmt1 gene to ensure that each gene has a minimum of 12 shrna primers to inhibit its expression .
prmt1-shrna primers are the following : a : ccggcagtacaaagactacaa ; b : gtgttccagtatctctgatta ; c : ccaggcggaaagcagtgagaa ; d : gcaagtgaagcggaatgacta ; e : tgttctacatggaggactacc ; f : tggagaaggtggacatcatca ; g : ttgactcctacgcacactttg ; h : cttaccgcaactccatgtttc .
shrna primers were annealing with 10 l of primers ( 10 m ) , 10 l 10 annealing buffer , and 70 l ddh2o .
shrna was integrated into lentiviral vectors with connection system as follows : shrna 4 l , vectors 2 l , ddh2o 2 l , 10 t4 buffer 1 l , roche t4 ligase 1 l , 24c for 2 h. genehogs , a chemically competent bacterium , was transformed using 5 l of connection products .
plasmids were validated by colony polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) and restriction enzyme digestion . at the screening stage ,
human embryonic kidney ( 293 t ) cells ( atcc , manassas , va , usa ) were co - transfected with lentiviral and helper plasmids and cultured with serum - free dulbecco 's modified eagle medium ( cat : 10313021 , dmem , life technologies , invitrogen , usa ) . at a logarithmic growth phase
, cell suspensions were seeded into 96 well plates ( thermo scientific , usa ) at 10 10 cells / well the day before transfection .
cells were transfected according to transfection reagent instructions 24 h after seeding into 96 well plates .
total dna ( 0.125 g , containing lentiviral expression plasmids ) was added to each well ; 0.25 l transfection reagent was also added to each well .
crude viral solution was collected at 48 and 72 h , respectively , after transfection , and kept at 80c .
human lung carcinoma a549 cells ( atcc , manassas , va , usa ) were seeded into 96 well plates with 2500 cells per well .
the lentivirus particles produced from the transfected 293 t cells were used to infect a549 cells in the presence of 8 g / ml polybrene ( sigma - aldrich , st .
the shcontrol group was constructed by a549 cells transfected with empty vector ( without shrna targeted prmt1 ) .
ninety - six hours after infection , the knockdown efficiency was validated by quantitative pcr ( qpcr ) .
qpcr was carried out using cfx connect real - time pcr detection system ( bio - rad , 185 - 5200 , usa ) .
the primers of prmt1 ( forward : tcagcgcatccggtagtc , reverse : tcaaagccaacaagttagacca ) and -actin ( housekeeping gene ) ( forward : gcatcccccaaagttcacaa , reverse : ggacttcctgtaacaacgcatct ) were designed using primer analysis software primer premier 6.0 ( premier biosoft international , palo alto , ca , usa ) .
total rna was extracted from cell lines using trizol reagent ( invitrogen , life technologies gmbh , darmstadt , germany , ) . cdna was synthesized from 2 g of rna using a reverse transcriptase ( rt ) reagent kit ( takara biotechnology co. ltd . ,
dalian , china ) , in the following reaction system : 4 l of 5 primescript buffer-2 , 1 l of primescript rt enzyme mix , and 1 l of rt primer mix .
the reaction mixture was treated as follows : dnase ( takara biotechnology co. ltd . ) and ddh2o up to 20 l and incubated at 37c for 15 min and then 85c for 5 s. qrt - pcr reaction system : 2 sybr green qpcr mix ( dstm ) 7.5 l , primer/10 mol / l 0.2 l , ddh2o 1.32 l , cdna 0.31.0 l , 15 l in total .
qpcr protocol was performed as follows : 94c for 2 min , 95c for 15 s , 60c for 30 s , 72c for 30 s at 40 cycles . at the extension stage ,
all the experiments were repeated in triplicate . in order to quantify gene expression , the mrna level of the target genes
was normalized by the -actin mrna level and the relative gene expression was calculated adjusting the target gene expression in the silenced shprmt1 group with the expression in the shcontrol group .
quantitative polymerase chain reaction primers of matrix metalloproteinase 1 ( mmp-1 ) ( forward : tcgatgctgctctttctgag , reverse : gataacctggatccatagatcgtt ) , mmp-2 ( forward : tgctggagacaaattctgga , reverse : gatggcattccaggcatc ) , tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 ( timp1 ) ( forward : tttgtggctccctggaacag , reverse : cattcctcaca gccaacagtgt ) , timp2 ( forward : gaaggagccccatcaatcct , r : ctcccatttctacaaggctcaga ) were also designed using primer premier 6.0 .
scratch wound healing assay a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and empty vector were grown in dmem supplemented with 10% fbs .
cells were seeded into 24-well tissue culture plate at a density of 1 10 cells / ml , reaching 80% confluence as a monolayer after 24 h. the monolayer was gently and slowly scratched creating a straight line with a new 1 ml pipette tip across the center of the well .
cells were incubated for additional 48 h , then washed twice with 1 pbs , fixed with 3.7% paraformaldehyde for 30 min and finally stained with 1% crystal violet in 2% ethanol for 30 min .
photos of the stained monolayer were taken on a microscope ( axio vert a1 fl , carl zeiss , germany ) and gap distance at 0 h and 24 h was quantitatively evaluated using image analyzing software ( axio csm 700 , carl zeiss ) .
transwell cell migration assay a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and the empty vector were trypsinized and centrifuged , discarding the supernatant .
the cells were resuspended in serum - free medium , counted and diluted to a density of 5 10/ml .
a total of 500 l medium was added to each well of a 24 well cell culture insert ( 8.0 m pore ; bd falcon , franklin lakes , nj , usa ) . the cell suspension ( 100200 l ) was transferred into the upper compartment of the cell culture insert and incubated at 37c ( thermo forma , 3111 ) for 1248 h. the migrated cells in the lower compartment were then fixed using 4% paraformaldehyde for 1520 min .
paraformaldehyde was removed , and the cells were washed with pbs for 1 min . pbs was removed , and the chambers were inverted and stained with 0.1% crystal violet solution ( ht90132 , sigma , usa ) for 15 min . the dye solution in excess was washed out with distilled water . the chambers were stored at 4c after drying .
the number of migrated cells in the lower compartment was counted within each field ; the number of cells in shprmt1 group was calculated adjusting with the number in the shcontrol group .
a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna and the empty vector were cultured in 6-well plates and lysed with ripa lysis buffer and phosphatase inhibitors ( sigma - aldrich , usa ) .
cell lysates were collected by scraping and centrifuged , protein concentration was measured using a bicinchoninic acid protein assay reagent ( cat : 23227 , pierce , thermo scientific , usa ) and diluted with lysis buffer to obtain a protein concentration of 56 g / ml .
1030 g of total protein from each sample was loaded onto a 810% sds - page gel for electrophoresis at 200 v ( bio - rad , usa ) and transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes ( millipore , usa ) at 100 v for 60 min .
membranes were blocked in 5% blocking buffer ( bio - rad ) in tbs containing 0.1% tween-20 ( tbst ) for 1 h at 25c and then incubated with a specific monoclonal antibody for 12 h at 25c .
primary monoclonal antibody was incubated in 1% bsa in pbs for 1 h at 25c .
the primary monoclonal antibodies used were e - cadherin ( cst , usa ) , n - cadherin ( cst ) , fak ( cst ) , phospho - fak ( cst ) , src ( cst ) , phospho - src ( cst ) , akt ( cst ) , phospho - akt ( cst ) and gapdh ( cst ) , each of them used at a dilution of 1:1000 .
after washing , the membrane was incubated with a horseradish peroxidase - conjugated secondary antibody ( cst , dilution : 1:2000 ) , and washed again in pbs with 0.1% tween-20 , for three times of 10 min each , the membrane was transferred to a shallow tray and treated with dab solution ( 10 ml of 0.05% chromomeric substrate 3,3-diaminobenzidine in pbs + 10 l h2o2 30% ) .
the membrane was incubated at 25c under gentle shaking for 12 min in a darkroom , then washed in pbs and dried .
images were acquired on chemidoc xrs + system ( bio - rad ) in a darkroom and analyzed by image lab software ( bio - rad ) . ratios of target gene to housekeeping gene ( gapdh ) were calculated to normalize the expression of target proteins .
data were expressed as mean standard error and analyzed by t - test using spss 19.0 statistical software ( ibm , armonk , ny , usa ) .
protein arginine methyltransferases 1 expression in the nsclc cell line a549 was silenced using lentiviral vector - mediated short hairpin rnas .
plasmids were validated by colony pcr [ figure 1a ] , restriction enzyme digestion [ figure 1b ] , 293 t cells infection [ figure 1c ] , and prmt1 silencing efficiency in a549 cells was evaluated by qpcr .
the expression of prmt1 mrna in a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh was remarkably lower than the shcontrol group , with an expression reduction of 87.89% ( p < 0.05 ) [ figure 1d ] .
therefore , shprmt1-eh shrna was selected to infect a549 cells in the subsequent experiments to obtain a549 silenced cells .
selection and validation of optimal protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-small hairpin rna ( shrna ) target sites for rnai .
( a ) shrna was integrated into lentiviral vectors with a connection system where a chemically competent bacterium ( genehogs ) was transformed using connection products .
plasmids were validated by colony polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) and the positive clones showed amplified bands with a size of approximately 170 bp ; ( b ) plasmids restriction enzyme digestion : each selected fragment had two positive clones , which were digested with kpni restriction enzyme producing a 2.95 and 7.5 kb fragment ; ( c ) lentiviral and helper plasmid validation in 293 t cells .
shrna lentiviral plasmids containing mixed primers ( a - d and e - h ) were used for viral packaging , thus each shrna corresponded to two hybrid viruses ; ( d ) prmt1 silencing efficiency in a549 cells by quantitative pcr : the expression of prmt1 mrna in a549 cells infected by shprmt1-e was reduced by 87.89% respect the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) .
scratch wound healing assays of protein arginine methyltransferases 1-silenced a549 cells a scratch wound healing assay was conducted 96 h after a549 transfection with the hybrid plasmids which targeted prmt1 and with an empty vector ( without shrna , the shcontrol group ) .
the results showed that migration distance of a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh ( 184.50 44.55 m ) was shorter than the shcontrol group ( 288.00 5.66 m ) ( p < 0.05 ) , while a549 cells infected by shprmt1-ad ( 272.00 50.91 m ) were similar with the shcontrol group [ figure 2 ] ( p > 0.05 ) .
cell migration of protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells ( scratch wound healing assay ) .
the results showed that migration distance of a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh was shorter than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while a549 cells infected by shprmt1-ad was similar with the shcontrol group ( p > 0.05 ) .
shprmt1-eh was the optimal small hairpin rna and would be applied in the following assay .
transwell cell migration assays of protein arginine methyltransferases 1-silenced a549 cells the migrated number of a549 cells infected by either prmt1-eh ( 0.536 0.183 ) ( p < 0.02 ) or prmt1-ad ( 0.371 0.136 ) ( p < 0.05 ) decreased than the shcontrol group ( 1.000 0.01 ) [ figure 3 ] .
the results showed that shprmt1-eh was the optimal shrna and would be applied in the following assay .
since prmt1 expression is associated with an increase a549 migration , the transwell experiment indicated that the migration ability of a549 cells decreased after infected with shprmt1 .
cell migration of protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells ( transwell cell migration assay ) .
the number of migrated cells in the lower compartment was counted within each field ; the number of cells in shprmt1 group was calculated adjusting with the number in the shcontrol group .
the migrated number of a549 cells infected by either prmt1-eh ( p < 0.02 ) or prmt1-ad ( p < 0.05 ) decreased than the shcontrol group .
the results showed that shprmt1-eh was the optimal small hairpin rna and would be applied in the following assay .
western blotting analysis revealed that the expression of e - cadherin increased while the expression of n - cadherin decreased in a549 cells after prmt1 silencing [ figure 4a ] .
the ratio of e - cadherin to gapdh in shprmt1 group ( 0.909 0.07 ) was increased significantly than the shcontrol group ( 0.624 0.09 ) ( p < 0.01 ) , while n - cadherin in shprmt1 group ( 0.860 0.07 ) was decreased significantly than the shcontrol group ( 0.709 0.04 ) ( p < 0.01 ) [ figure 4b ] .
epithelial - mesenchymal transition marker proteins expression in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells .
( a ) western blot analysis showing the increased expression of e - cadherin and decreased expression of n - cadherin in a549 cells after prmt1 silencing ; ( b ) ratios of e - cadherin and n - cadherin to housekeeping gene ( gapdh ) were calculated to normalize the expression of proteins .
figure shows the ratio of e - cadherin to gapdh in shprmt1 group was increased significantly than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.01 ) , while n - cadherin in shprmt1 group was decreased significantly than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.01 ) .
matrix metalloproteinase 2 mrna expression levels ( 0.60 0.15 ) decreased significantly in prmt1-silenced a549 cells compared to the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while the expression levels of timp1 ( 1.69 0.12 ) ( p < 0.01 ) and timp2 ( 1.38 0.07 ) ( p < 0.05 ) increased , respectively [ figure 5 ] .
these results may indicate that prmt1 promotes the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins to facilitate a549 cell migration .
mmp-1 mrna expression ( 0.67 0.31 ) was not significantly changed in prmt1-silenced a549 cells respect to the shcontrol group .
mrna expression of matrix metalloproteinase ( mmp ) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ( timp ) in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells .
mmp2 mrna expression levels decreased significantly in prmt1-silenced a549 cells compared to the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while the expression levels of timp1 ( p < 0.01 ) and timp2 ( p < 0.05 ) increased , respectively .
these results may indicate that prmt1 promotes the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins to facilitate a549 cell migration .
mmp1 mrna expression was not significantly changed in prmt1-silenced a549 cells respect to the shcontrol group .
the expression of phospho - src was reduced in prmt1-silenced a549 cells , while phospho - fak and phospho - akt levels remained unchanged , indicating that prmt1 promotes a549 cell migration by activating the oncogene src [ figure 6 ] .
focal adhesion kinase ( fak ) , src , and akt phosphorylation in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells .
a549 cells infected by shprmt1 showed a decreased expression of phospho - src while phospho - fak and phospho - akt levels remained unchanged .
protein arginine methyltransferases 1 expression in the nsclc cell line a549 was silenced using lentiviral vector - mediated short hairpin rnas .
plasmids were validated by colony pcr [ figure 1a ] , restriction enzyme digestion [ figure 1b ] , 293 t cells infection [ figure 1c ] , and prmt1 silencing efficiency in a549 cells was evaluated by qpcr .
the expression of prmt1 mrna in a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh was remarkably lower than the shcontrol group , with an expression reduction of 87.89% ( p < 0.05 ) [ figure 1d ] .
therefore , shprmt1-eh shrna was selected to infect a549 cells in the subsequent experiments to obtain a549 silenced cells .
selection and validation of optimal protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-small hairpin rna ( shrna ) target sites for rnai .
( a ) shrna was integrated into lentiviral vectors with a connection system where a chemically competent bacterium ( genehogs ) was transformed using connection products .
plasmids were validated by colony polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) and the positive clones showed amplified bands with a size of approximately 170 bp ; ( b ) plasmids restriction enzyme digestion : each selected fragment had two positive clones , which were digested with kpni restriction enzyme producing a 2.95 and 7.5 kb fragment ; ( c ) lentiviral and helper plasmid validation in 293 t cells .
shrna lentiviral plasmids containing mixed primers ( a - d and e - h ) were used for viral packaging , thus each shrna corresponded to two hybrid viruses ; ( d ) prmt1 silencing efficiency in a549 cells by quantitative pcr : the expression of prmt1 mrna in a549 cells infected by shprmt1-e was reduced by 87.89% respect the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) .
scratch wound healing assays of protein arginine methyltransferases 1-silenced a549 cells a scratch wound healing assay was conducted 96 h after a549 transfection with the hybrid plasmids which targeted prmt1 and with an empty vector ( without shrna , the shcontrol group ) .
the results showed that migration distance of a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh ( 184.50 44.55 m ) was shorter than the shcontrol group ( 288.00 5.66 m ) ( p < 0.05 ) , while a549 cells infected by shprmt1-ad ( 272.00 50.91 m ) were similar with the shcontrol group [ figure 2 ] ( p > 0.05 ) .
cell migration of protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells ( scratch wound healing assay ) .
the results showed that migration distance of a549 cells infected by shprmt1-eh was shorter than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while a549 cells infected by shprmt1-ad was similar with the shcontrol group ( p > 0.05 ) .
shprmt1-eh was the optimal small hairpin rna and would be applied in the following assay .
transwell cell migration assays of protein arginine methyltransferases 1-silenced a549 cells the migrated number of a549 cells infected by either prmt1-eh ( 0.536 0.183 ) ( p < 0.02 ) or prmt1-ad ( 0.371 0.136 ) ( p < 0.05 ) decreased than the shcontrol group ( 1.000 0.01 ) [ figure 3 ] .
the results showed that shprmt1-eh was the optimal shrna and would be applied in the following assay .
since prmt1 expression is associated with an increase a549 migration , the transwell experiment indicated that the migration ability of a549 cells decreased after infected with shprmt1 .
cell migration of protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells ( transwell cell migration assay ) .
the number of migrated cells in the lower compartment was counted within each field ; the number of cells in shprmt1 group was calculated adjusting with the number in the shcontrol group . the migrated number of a549 cells infected by either prmt1-eh ( p < 0.02 ) or prmt1-ad ( p < 0.05 ) decreased than the shcontrol group .
the results showed that shprmt1-eh was the optimal small hairpin rna and would be applied in the following assay .
western blotting analysis revealed that the expression of e - cadherin increased while the expression of n - cadherin decreased in a549 cells after prmt1 silencing [ figure 4a ] .
the ratio of e - cadherin to gapdh in shprmt1 group ( 0.909 0.07 ) was increased significantly than the shcontrol group ( 0.624 0.09 ) ( p < 0.01 ) , while n - cadherin in shprmt1 group ( 0.860 0.07 ) was decreased significantly than the shcontrol group ( 0.709 0.04 ) ( p < 0.01 ) [ figure 4b ] . the results suggesting that prmt1 facilitates the cell migration of a549 cells via emt .
epithelial - mesenchymal transition marker proteins expression in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells . ( a ) western blot analysis showing the increased expression of e - cadherin and decreased expression of n - cadherin in a549 cells after prmt1 silencing ; ( b ) ratios of e - cadherin and n - cadherin to housekeeping gene ( gapdh ) were calculated to normalize the expression of proteins .
figure shows the ratio of e - cadherin to gapdh in shprmt1 group was increased significantly than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.01 ) , while n - cadherin in shprmt1 group was decreased significantly than the shcontrol group ( p < 0.01 ) .
matrix metalloproteinase 2 mrna expression levels ( 0.60 0.15 ) decreased significantly in prmt1-silenced a549 cells compared to the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while the expression levels of timp1 ( 1.69 0.12 ) ( p < 0.01 ) and timp2 ( 1.38 0.07 ) ( p < 0.05 ) increased , respectively [ figure 5 ] .
these results may indicate that prmt1 promotes the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins to facilitate a549 cell migration .
mmp-1 mrna expression ( 0.67 0.31 ) was not significantly changed in prmt1-silenced a549 cells respect to the shcontrol group .
mrna expression of matrix metalloproteinase ( mmp ) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ( timp ) in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells .
mmp2 mrna expression levels decreased significantly in prmt1-silenced a549 cells compared to the shcontrol group ( p < 0.05 ) , while the expression levels of timp1 ( p < 0.01 ) and timp2 ( p < 0.05 ) increased , respectively .
these results may indicate that prmt1 promotes the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins to facilitate a549 cell migration .
mmp1 mrna expression was not significantly changed in prmt1-silenced a549 cells respect to the shcontrol group .
the expression of phospho - src was reduced in prmt1-silenced a549 cells , while phospho - fak and phospho - akt levels remained unchanged , indicating that prmt1 promotes a549 cell migration by activating the oncogene src [ figure 6 ] .
focal adhesion kinase ( fak ) , src , and akt phosphorylation in protein arginine methyltransferases 1 ( prmt1)-silenced a549 cells .
a549 cells infected by shprmt1 showed a decreased expression of phospho - src while phospho - fak and phospho - akt levels remained unchanged .
in our study , we demonstrated that cell migration was significantly inhibited by silencing prmt1 in nsclc cell line a549 .
prmt1 expression in a549 cells was silenced using lentiviral vector - mediated short hairpin rnas .
migration ability of a549 cells infected by prmt1-shrna , measured using both scratch wound healing and transwell cell migration assays , was significantly inhibited in the prmt1 silenced group compared to the control group . in order to analyze the mechanism of prmt1 increasing a549 cell migration , we measured the expression level of emt - related proteins to estimate the relationship between prmt1 and emt .
emt represents the transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype , and has been considered as one of the hotspot mechanisms regulating tumor invasion and metastasis .
this transition is characterized by down - regulation of epithelial markers such as e - cadherin and up - regulation of mesenchymal cell markers like vimentin . in this study , e - cadherin expression increased while n - cadherin decreased in prmt1-silenced a549 cells while expression of e - cadherin and n - cadherin in the shcontrol groups had opposite change .
extracellular matrix degradation mediated by mmp and timp protein families is another key mechanism in tumor metastasis .
mmps could proteolytically degrade extracellular matrix proteins leading to tumor metastasis , and this process is proteolytically inhibited by timps . in this study ,
the mrna expression of mmp-2 decreased while timp1 and timp2 increased significantly indicating that prmt1 may affect expression of mmp and timp protein families in a549 cells and regulate the degradation of extracellular matrix .
src - family kinases are activated in nsclc and promote the survival of epidermal growth - factor receptor - dependent cell lines . in this study ,
src phosphorylation levels increased in a549 cells after prmt1 silencing by sirna indicating that prmt1 affects a549 cell migration through src activation .
however , we did not find any significant phosphorylation of fak or akt in prmt1-silenced a549 cells .
in conclusion , protein arginine methyltransferases 1-shrna inhibits the migrated ability of a549 cells in vitro by inhibiting emt , src phosphorylation , and degradation of extracellular matrix .
our research showed that prmt1 may be a target gene for the anti - metastatic therapy in lung cancer . | pubmed |
Rosita Forbes, née Joan Rosita Torr, 16 January 1890 30 June 1967 was an English travel writer, novelist and explorer. In 19201921 she was the first European woman to visit the Kufra Oasis in Libya together with the Egyptian explorer Ahmed Hassanein, in a period when this was closed to Westerners.
Early life
Joan Rosita Torr was born at Riseholme Hall, near Lincoln, England, the eldest child of Herbert James Torr, a landowner, and Rosita Graham Torr. Her father was a Member of Parliament.
Career
During the First World War she drove an ambulance in France for two years. From 1917 to 1918, she travelled in Asia with another unhappy military wife, Armorel Meinertzhagen, visiting 30 countries. After the war, she and Meinertzhagen travelled in North Africa, with little money but much ingenuity. The result was her first book, Unconducted Wanderers 1919. The next year, she disguised herself as an Arab woman named Sitt Khadija to visit the Kufra Oasis in 1921, the first European woman and only the second European known to have seen that location. The way she portrayed her travel guide, Hassanein Bey, as a minor part of the journey was criticized by her book's reviewers and his colleagues, who pointed out that he was an Oxford-educated diplomat.
In 1937, Forbes was the second Westerner and first Western woman to visit places from Sahara to Samarkand, which is today are in Libya to Uzbekistan. She had a gift of a genuine traveller; she lived and mixed with the locals, made friends with the Afghans, Indians, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kazaks and Afghans and bonded well with the natives although she was, most of the time, the only woman during the journey. The journey is described in her travelogue called The Sahara to Samarkand.
Rosita Forbes found an audience as a daring and witty travel writer and lecturer between the wars, and as a novelist; but her reputation was somewhat tarnished in the 1930s by her description of walking through a flower garden with Adolf Hitler, and her meetings with Benito Mussolini. She published a book of interviews in 1940, These Men I Knew, insisting that she was only reporting their politics, not endorsing them; she also lectured in support of the British war effort in Canada and the United States. Soon, the McGraths went to live in the Bahamas to avoid further controversy.
Forbes was made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and received medals from the Royal Antwerp Geographical Society and the French Geographical Society, and an award in 1924 from the Royal Society of Arts. She also made an early travel film, From Red Sea to Blue Nile, and two of her novels became silent films Fighting Love 1927 and The White Sheik 1928, based on her novels If the Gods Laugh and Account Rendered, respectively. Her 1924 biography, The Sultan of the Mountains: The Life of Story of Raisuli, was loosely adapted for the screen in 1972 by John Milius as The Wind and the Lion.
Personal life
Joan Rosita Torr married Col. Robert Foster Forbes in 1911. They divorced after she left him in 1917, selling her wedding ring and sailing for South Africa. She was married again in 1921, to Col. Arthur Thomas McGrath. She was widowed in 1962, and she died in 1967, at home in Warwick, Bermuda, aged 77 years.
Works by Rosita Forbes
Unconducted wanderers, 1919
The secret of the Sahara: Kufara, 1921
The sultan of the mountains; the life story of Raisuli, 1924
From Red sea to Blue Nile; Abyssinian adventure, 1925 also published under the title From Red Sea to Blue Nile; a thousand miles of Ethiopia?
Adventure, 1928
Conflict; Angora to Afghanistan, 1931
Eight republics in search of a future; evolution & revolution in South America, 1932
Women called wild, 1935
Forbidden road--Kabul to Samarkand, 1937
These are real people, 1937
A unicorn in the Bahamas, 1939
India of the princes, 1939
These men I knew, 1940
Gypsy in the sun, 1944
Appointment with destiny, 1946
Henry Morgan, pirate, 1946
Sir Henry Morgan, pirate & pioneer, 1948
Islands in the sun, 1949
References
External links
The National Portrait Gallery has several images of Rosita Forbes, including one political cartoon.
Margaret Bald, ed., From The Sahara to Samarkand: Selected Travel Writings of Rosita Forbes, 1919-1937 Axios Press 2010.
Forgotten Travellers: Appointments in the Sun Essay on Rosita Forbes
Rosita Forbes at the British Film Institute
Category:English travel writers
Category:English women non-fiction writers
Category:Women travel writers
Category:English explorers
Category:Female explorers
Category:Explorers of Africa
Category:Explorers of the Libyan Desert
Category:1890 births
Category:1967 deaths
Category:Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellows | wikipedia |
Mawan is a Madang language of Papua New Guinea now spoken only by older adults.
References
Category:Hanseman languages
Category:Languages of Papua New Guinea
Category:Languages of Madang Province | wikipedia |
The Human Rights Logo has its origin in the international Logo for Human Rights initiative, which was started in 2010. Its goal was to create an internationally recognized logo to support the global human rights movement. The winning logo was created by Predrag Stakić from Serbia.
The winning logo
The Human Rights Logo combines the silhouette of a hand with that of a bird, and a white thumb grabbing the bird. It is intended as a peaceful contribution towards strengthening human rights and as such is meant to be used across cultural and language borders. The logo is now available to everyone at no cost as an open source product. It is free from rights and can be used worldwide by everyone without paying fees or obtaining licenses.
The competition
The goal of the Logo for Human Rights initiative was to create an internationally recognized symbol for human rights. To this end, an international online design competition starting on 3 May 2011 World Press Freedom Day launched a global appeal for submissions of logo designs and put them to a vote. The competition is known as one of the largest, most complex creative crowdsourcing projects ever conducted.
From the more than 15,300 suggestions from over 190 countries a collective decision by all participants selected the top hundred logos, after which an international jury decided on the top ten logos. From these 10 logos, the internet community selected a winner within a three-week voting period.
The competition officially ended on 23 September with the presentation of the universal logo for human rights during UN General Assembly week in New York City by Cinema for Peace.
Presentation of the winning logo
The presentation of the winning logo took place on 23 September 2011 in New York, in an event organised by Cinema for Peace with former editor-in-chief of Time Magazine Michael Elliott hosting the event.
In speeches, television journalist Ann Curry and German Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, as well as human rights activists Carolyn Gomes from Jamaica and Angelina Atyam from Uganda, emphasized the importance of a universal symbol in the worldwide struggle for human rights. The musical highlight of the evening was a performance by soprano Jessye Norman.
The jury
The initiative is supported by a jury of renowned and high-ranking personalities, who have worked to further the cause of human rights. These include:
Ai Weiwei artist and human rights activist
Angelina Acheng Atyam human rights activist, winner of the United Nations Human Rights Award
Jimmy Carter Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Aung San Suu Kyi Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Waris Dirie model and human rights activist
Shirin Ebadi Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Roland Emmerich film director and producer
Guillermo Fariñas human rights activist
Carolyn Gomes human rights activist
Mikhail Gorbachev Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Mukhtar Mai human rights activist
Somaly Mam human rights activist
Juanes singer and peace activist
Navanethem Pillay UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu winner of the 2010 Citizens Peace Award of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka
Jimmy Wales co-founder of Wikipedia
George Yeo former Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs and visiting scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Muhammad Yunus Nobel Peace Prize laureate
In addition to the jury members, the foreign ministers of the founding countries Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Germany, Mauritius, Senegal, Singapore and Uruguay are partners to the initiative.
References
External links
Category:Logos
Category:Symbols introduced in 2011
Category:Human rights | wikipedia |
How do we know that the Virial Expansion exists?
How do we know that the [Virial Expansion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virial_expansion) exists? How do we know that we may always write $\frac{p}{kT}$ as a power series in $\frac{N}{V}$? That is, how do we know that there exists $B\_{i}$ so that $$\frac{p}{k\_BT} = \rho + B\_2(T) \rho^2 +B\_3(T) \rho^3+ \cdots $$
where $ \rho = \frac{N}{V}$?
Here's an semi-formal explanation. Define $$f(N,V,T)=\frac{p(N,V,T)}{kT}.$$
While $f(N,V,T)$ is a function of $N,T$ and $V$, the variables $N$ and $V$ are partially redundant, and only the ratio $\rho=\frac{N}{V}$ is needed, since pressure is an intensive quantity. Thus we can write
$$f(\rho,T)=\frac{p(\rho,T)}{kT}.$$
Every smooth multivariate function admits a Taylor expansion, so we can expand in $\rho$ (and implicitly in $T$) as
$$f(\rho,T)=\sum\_{n=0}^\infty B\_n(T)\rho^n$$
and it suffices to make some assumptions about the nature of the coefficients.
Notice that $B\_0(T)=0$ since $p\rightarrow 0$ as $\rho\rightarrow0$ (if there are no molecules present to exert force, there is no hydrostatic pressure).
Also notice that on physical grounds, in the limit as $\rho\rightarrow 0$, intermolecular interactions vanish and hence the 1st order term must reproduce the ideal gas law. As a result, $B\_1(T)=1.$
As a result, we obtain the virial expansion $$\frac{p}{kT}=\rho+B\_2(T)\rho^2+B\_3(T)\rho^3+...$$
| stackexchange/physics |
dental resin - based composites are widely used in restorative dentistry since they have been introduced for the first time in the middle of 1960 [ 15 ] .
compared to dental amalgams , they have less safety concerns , have simple usability , and possess better aesthetic properties [ 6 , 7 ] .
one of the laboratorial tests widely used to evaluate the mechanical behavior of resin composites is flexural strength test according to the international standard iso 4049 .
modifications of test parameters are commonly reported in the literature due to the possibility to increase their reproducibility and clinical relevance in oral environment .
however , the results obtained from the comparison between different methodologies were shown to be inconsistent , especially when different specimen dimensions are considered [ 810 ] .
for this reason an accurate experimental parameters selection is required in order to analyze the effect on strength related properties which is commonly considered a reliable clinical performance indicator for dental composites . by analyzing the parameters that affect physical , mechanical , and chemical properties of filled composites we should focus on some important concepts .
the flexural properties , like flexural strength and modulus , of composites are strongly influenced by the l / h ratio ( span length / thickness ) ; the ratio can be varied either by changing the support span at constant thickness or by changing the specimens thickness at constant span .
this was assumed to be due to shear stress contribution inside the specimen instead of tensile stress which lowers l / h ratios .
in addition , adequate polymerization of composite restorative materials is fundamental for obtaining optimal ideal clinical performances .
low conversion rates , in fact , affect several important parameters such as flexural strength , fatigue , solubility , discoloration , and biocompatibility , thus limiting the lifespan of the composites [ 1114 ] .
the large bar - shaped specimens , as stipulated in iso 4049 , are difficult to prepare without flaws especially with compule packaging . furthermore , several overlapping irradiations [ 240s ( 40s 3 2 ) ] are required as the exit window of all clinical light - cure units is smaller than 25 mm .
therefore the resulting polymerization shrinkage of resin composites causes the presence of residual stresses within regions of incomplete polymerization .
consequently , the overlapping curing regime of three - point flexure bar - shaped can affect the reliability of fracture strength data compared with specimens fabricated using a more clinical relevant protocol .
specimen dimensions , curing time , and layering procedure are fundamental parameters that influence the resin catalysis and consequently the mechanical properties of the final product [ 1517 ] . for this reason ,
the aim of this study was to better clarify the controversial information of the scientific community on the mechanical properties of microfilled composites at varying specimen dimensions ( length l : 12 mm/25 mm , width w : 2 mm , and thickness s : 1.0 , 1.0 + 1.0 , and 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 mm ) .
in particular the three - point bending test was performed , respectively , at 18.5 mm ( ift ) and 10.5 mm ( mft ) span length , through an 1 mm incremental technique .
a commercial light - curing resin ( quadrant universal lc , supplied by cavex holland bv ) was chosen for the tests .
it was a bis - gma resin loaded with well - dispersed fillers ( ba - al - f - silicate glass , size 0.022.00 m , and dispersed colloidal silica , size from 0.02 to 0.07 m and mean particle size about 0.045 m ) .
this universal microhybrid composite was utilized because of its general use in most anterior and posterior restorations based on its combination of strength and polishability .
a customized stainless steel mold was filled with the uncured composite paste , shade a2 ; hence , the two sides of the mold were placed between two glass slides with a polyester film interposed between the glass and the mold . with a 13 mm diameter light cure tip the polymerization for 12
2 1 specimens group can be achieved with a nonoverlapping light - curing procedure ( 20s 2 ) while for 25 2 1 group overlapping light - curing exposure is required ( 20s 3 2 ) .
for this reason , in the 25 2 1 group , after the glass slide was removed , the exit window of the visible light unit ( optilux-501 , kerr , ct , usa ) was positioned at the center of the specimen and against the glass slide and then the specimen was irradiated for a polymerization time of 20 s ( as recommended by the manufacturers ) . after the photoactivation of the specimen 's center , the exit window was moved to the section next to the center , overlapping the previous section by half the diameter of the exit window ; the same goes for the section on the other side of the center ; both sides were irradiated as recommended by the manufacturer .
therefore , the specimens were stored in distilled water at 37c for 24 h before the testing .
preliminary physical parameters , obtained according to astm d 3171 , are reported in table 1 .
three - point bending test was performed using iso 4049 flexural test ( ift ) and a miniflexural test ( mft ) .
the test was performed at room temperature using a universal testing machine ( tenso test tt2 , 5-gu , lonos test , monza , italy ) with a 10 n and 2 kn load - cell with 0.001 n sensitivity .
the flexural properties were measured using rectangular bar - shaped samples ( length l = 1225 mm , width w = 2 mm , and thickness s = 1.02.03.0 mm ) .
the test was replicated 10 times for the two experimental groups to better identify statically the mechanical performances .
the strength and stiffness were determined , respectively , by using the following equations :
( 1)f3pl2bh2,(2)ef = l348ip ,
where f is the flexural stress and ef is the apparent modulus of elasticity obtained by flexural test .
l is the span length , h and b are , respectively , height and width of beam .
i is the moment of inertia and p/ is the slope of load - deflection data .
furthermore the three - point bending test was used , according to astm d198 , to determine the shear modulus of the restorative composite . during the three - point bending test ,
a certain extent of displacement measured was dependent on the shear resistance that characterizes the material investigated .
this correlation was related to the ratio between the distance of the supports ( l ) and the thickness of the sample ( h ) .
higher shear stresses intervene when the l / h ratio is low ; on the contrary increasing this ratio becomes irrrelevant . by carrying out several three - point bending tests , which differ in the ratio of l / h ( with h constant and l variable ) , and by measuring the apparent elastic modulus , it was possible to separate young 's modulus ( e ) from the shear modulus ( g ) .
consequently , this standard specifies that a beam is tested via center - point loading over multiple spans per specimen . within this procedure ,
the true modulus of elasticity differs from the apparent modulus of elasticity because it neglects deflection due to shear . in order to determine the true moduli of elasticity ,
a linear interpolation of the apparent moduli of elasticity and the aspect ratios at which they were measured is requested .
the inverse slope of the interpolating straight line , modified by a shape factor , is the shear modulus .
the equation used to relate these parameters is the following :
( 3)1ef=1e+1kghl2 ,
where e is the true modulus of elasticity , g is the modulus of rigidity , and k is a shape factor .
microhardness tests were performed by using a future - tech microhardness tester fm-300 ( vickers indenter and compressive load 100 g ) .
the degree of conversion is defined as the percentage of reacted c = c double bonds .
hardness has been shown to be a good indicator of conversion of double bonds and was therefore used in the present study as an indirect measurement of conversion .
polymerization of resin - based composites leads to a highly cross - linked structure , but both steric hindrance and vitrification cause residual unsaturation by pendant methacrylate groups and free monomers .
this not fully cured external layer is essential for the chemical bond of further layers .
this layer , generally , is removed through polishing fine diamonds , flexible discs , and silicon polishers after clinical composite restoration .
for this reason , before performing the microhardness test , this layer was removed by lapping .
with the purpose to better clarify the effect of 1 mm layering buildup technique , with a practical 20 s curing time , on the mechanical performances of a microfilled composite , the flexural tests were performed at varying span length , in the range between 18.5 mm ( ift ) and 10.5 mm ( mft ) . in particular ,
a miniflexural test was employed to simulate a clinically realistic specimen dimensions whereas the mesiodistal diameter of molars is about 11 mm and the cervicoincisal length of central incisors is around 13 mm . under flexural condition ,
the principal stresses on the top surfaces are compressive , whereas those on the lower surfaces are tensile . while the tensile and compressive moduli are generally the same for metals , they may differ significantly for polymeric composites .
the advantage of flexural modulus for polymeric composites is that it describes the combined effects of compressive and tensile deformation .
figure 1 shows the evolution of stress - strain curve at increasing layering steps for the three - point flexural test configuration with 18.5 span length .
the analysis of stress - strain pattern evidenced that the mechanical properties of the composite resin increase at each layering step .
in particular the monolayer sample was able to carry low stresses with high strains due to its significant plastic behavior .
in fact , it could reach high deformation ( the maximum deflection for some samples was quite double of the thickness ) without the insurgence of critical failure conditions , even if the maximum stresses were relatively low .
the neutral axis of a beam curve , which was bent upwards in the device , was moved slightly from the centroid towards the center of curvature , giving a nonlinear distribution of the stresses through the thickness of the beam . for small values of thickness , the beam displacement of the neutral axis was very small and the disturbance to distribution ratio of linear stress was assumed to be negligible . if the maximum deflection was not small compared to the beam depth , linear beam theory can not be employed without an error .
west examined large deflections of three - point loaded beams , and from such results a definitive ratio of beam length - to - depth ( l / d ) ratio can be determined for valid application of simple beam formulas . based on its considerations , the error for beams with large deflection under three - point
furthermore , based on roark approach , the error due to low curvature radius can be estimated under 2% .
consequently , for our fixture configuration , the data of the analysis differed slightly from the euler - bernoulli theory ( small deflections of a beam ) and ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) could be used to compare the mechanical performances of the composite paste .
the monolayer sample showed a nonlinear curve with a first elastic region at low deformation .
afterward , at increasing deflections , the stress - strain curve exhibits a progressive deviation from linear trend . at about strain 1.5% ,
the unreacted compounds , characterized by a high mobility , influence significantly the plastic deformation inducing low strength and stiffness on the sample . instead for high layering steps , the stress - strain curve became quite linear .
these samples maintained an elastic regime also at high strain , evidencing an elastic - brittle behavior typical for well cross - linked composite resin .
in fact , during polymerization , dental resin composites transform from plastic viscous through a rubbery viscoelastic into an elastic glassy stage . during and after the vitrification stage ,
the major rate of shrinkage stress occurs , due to residual stresses within regions of incomplete polymerization , specially under overlapping irradiations .
in fact , to compensate for the polymerization of the central region of the 25 1 2 rectangular specimen , the associated postgel shrinkage stresses were accommodated by deformation of the adjacent , partially irradiated regions . as the adjacent regions of the bar - shaped specimen were irradiated , the polymerization shrinkage stress of the overlapping areas of resin composite placed the cured central portion under tensile stresses .
after the gel - point , steric hindrance becomes prominent and the elastic properties are measurable .
the elastic modulus increases with increasing conversion reaching its final level at the glassy stage .
if the deepest layers of composite restorations are not adequately cured , the elastic modulus at the bottom will be lower than that at the surface ; this can increase the material strain under masticatory forces . during the flexural test , the stresses change direction within the specimen between the top and bottom surfaces , with both stress and strain being zero at the region of change ( neutral axis ) .
shear stress is also produced near the supported ends of the specimens but does not play a significant role in the fracture process when the distance between supports is large ( i.e. , ift ) .
averages of flexural strength and modulus values of the two experimental groups are reported in figure 2 . the bending strength and modulus increase with the steps of layering both in ift compared to those in mft .
the difference was statistically significant for flexural strength and young 's modulus values in monolayer samples of ift group in comparison with the monolayers in mft group ( p < 0.01 ) . for bilayers as well as trilayers
higher flexural strength and young 's modulus values were observed in ift ( p < 0.01 ) . when the distance between supports is smaller ( i.e. , mft ) , flexural properties observed express the combined effects of compressive , tensile , and shear deformation that could induce a premature fracture of the sample .
nevertheless , higher specimen dimensions ( e.g. , ift samples ) could evidence cross - linking heterogeneity due to overlapping curing procedure .
this leads to residual stresses within region of incomplete polymerization that influence the mechanical performances of the composite paste . on the contrary smaller specimens are more subject to a homogeneous curing distribution than to less defects content [ 19 , 26 ] . with the purpose to minimize this effect ,
the sample 's irradiation steps were carried out taking into account the distribution of the overlapping areas .
furthermore , as described in the following paragraph , we proposed 1 mm layering procedure to obtain a homogenous polymerization between top and bottom surfaces of the sample .
this may explain the generally significant increase of the elastic modulus and flexural strength observed with ift compared with mft .
in particular , it was confirmed that , by increasing the span length from l = 10.5 to l = 18.5 mm , the apparent elastic modulus ef increases . instead a slight reduction in the flexural strength was observed for mft samples compared with ift ones .
this is due to the enhancement of shear strain addition ( angular sliding ) compared to flexural strength contribution when the distance between the support was reduced . to obtain the effective elastic modulus of this dental material , as value independent from span length ,
an extrapolation technique was used which allowed to obtain the young 's modulus , by eliminating the shear deformation contribute from the apparent modulus ef , by using the procedure reported in the experimental part .
analogously , by the slope of interpolation line , it was possible to determine the shear modulus .
the trilayer samples evidenced the highest apparent elastic modulus , e , ( consequently the lowest 1/e contribution ) in all range of spans . reducing the layering steps , the apparent elastic modulus progressively decreases .
interpolating by a linear curve it was possible to extrapolate the elastic and shear stiffness of each specimens group , obtaining a detailed mechanical characterization of the composite paste .
the results are summarized in table 2 . increasing the number of layers , during the restoration phase ,
an elastic modulus of about 4400 mpa for 1 mm monolayer was obtained .
instead we observe an elastic modulus for trilayer samples about 70% higher than monolayer one .
the shear modulus observed for trilayer samples is two times higher than the monolayer one .
the mechanical performances of monolayer and bilayer were slightly similar ( anyway a significant difference of g modulus was observed ) .
this behaviour plays a main role on the interlaminar stresses , favoring a better interfacial mechanical stability on samples with more high and stable performances .
consequently samples obtained with a 1 mm multilayering procedure could be able to provide a better adhesion and interlaminar shear performances .
the combined knowledge of the longitudinal and shear elastic properties of resin composites is essential for their correct use in restorative dentistry .
in fact , in the oral environment , the dimensions are compatible with the mft , which showed values of stiffness and strength lower than the ift ones .
consequently an incorrect evaluation of these parameters can lead to marginal breakdown or fracture of the bulk of the restorations which are subjected to considerable stress - bearing ( classes i , ii , and iv restorations ) where a high flexural strength is required to withstand biting forces without fracture and also a high modulus or stiffness is necessary during the restoration to maintain its shape under load .
a combined ift - mft testing approach can be able to overcome these deficiencies by providing useful information for the prediction of the mechanical behavior of resin composites under realistic conditions of application . with the purpose to evaluate the influence of layering steps on the hardness properties
the microhardness value can be considered an affordable parameter to relate with the level of curing of the composite paste [ 28 , 29 ] . in this way
, the cross - linking conversion level can be related with the geometrical thickness of the layers .
the figure shows how the gap between the layers with a time of cure of 20 sec and 40 sec is more marked ( 23% ) than the gap between the layers cured in 4060 sec ( 11% ) . due the multistep layering procedure
, the sample exhibits an asymmetrical structure , with a very hard thick region with high microhardness values and a soft superficial region .
the latter region , characterized by only 20 s of curing time , has a microhardness value about 40% lower than the hardest layer , characterized by a 60 sec of curing time .
this intrinsic anisotropy influences the stress distribution and could increase the interlaminar stresses , favoring debonding or delamination of the restored tooth .
this leads to the conclusion that to reduce the differences in hv values and therefore the mechanical properties between the various composite laminae it is necessary either to perform layers of 1 mm thick maintaining the standard cure time of 20 sec , or to raise the layers thickness and consequently the curing time .
however , considering that as the thickness of the composite increases , the number of photons available to raise cq to the activated state is limited by absorption and scattering factors associated with the overlying resin .
an optimal procedure might be to implement a multistep layering phase with the purpose to minimize the mechanical performances discrepancies between the layers and finally to apply a postcuring treatment with the purpose to homogenize the superficial layer with the underlying ones .
similar results were obtained in a number of works present in literature that have addressed the problem of incremental technique , such as kwon et al .
that show how cuspal deflection caused by polymerization shrinkage may be reduced by a 1 mm incremental filling technique in order to obtain a long restoration lifespan
. this information may be useful in order to provide a correct procedure of deposition and resin composite curing during dental reconstruction . from the dental point of view
, the mechanical behavior of the reconstructed tooth is the result of the combination of the performance of several layers , characterized by different hardness and stiffness . in this sense
, a more detailed research will be developed to verify the stress distribution for a dental multilayer system in order to be able to predict the final performance of a real reconstructed tooth .
the experimental results evidenced that the iso 4049 flexural test in comparison with miniflexural test limits the physical properties extrapolation of resin composites . in order to provide realistic clinical conditions , our results show how separate the flexural properties are from the shear stress , by carrying out several three - point bending tests , which differ in the ratio of l / h ( span length / thickness ) and in the incremental technique of specimens .
furthermore , the layering procedure , necessary to realize a dental reconstruction , played a key role in the mechanical performances of resin composite .
these last trilayer samples evidenced elastic and shear modulus , respectively , two and four times higher than monolayer ones .
anyway this configuration evidenced an anisotropic mechanical behavior with a thick hard layer ( the first and second depositions have quite similar mechanical performances ) and a soft external layer ( last deposited layer evidenced very low performances compared with other ones ) .
this last is characterized by a hardness value about 40% lower than the hardest one . to reduce this discrepancy a postcuring step after the multilayering procedure was proposed . | pubmed |
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The Class Agents are leaders who are passionate about helping St. Mary's grow. This group of seniors has been created to assist in outreach and to leave a legacy for future Aggie Catholics! Class Agents help St. Mary's Development Office reach out to students in the Class of 2019 Gift Program.
The Mission of ACT is to encourage Catholics at St. Mary's to live out their baptismal call to discipleship through getting a better understanding of our call to discipleship and offering opportunities to put our faith in action through services and other activities.
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There are so many ways to serve in the Bryan/College Station area. Here are a few more! | slim_pajama |
Why is water taken in calculating K, equilibrium constant
For the given question,
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/c6Mil.jpg)
I was trying to solve it but I was not considering the concentration of water in the calculation (because water is a pure liquid and its concentration is supposed to be taken as 1), but then I needed the volume to be able to calculate the answer. I saw the solution,
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NSCiK.jpg)
Is it taken here because the reactants are organic and thus water would probably not be the solvent?
The question they gave you is somewhat flawed, in that there are four compounds and you don't know the range of their mutual solubility.
To really answer the question, you would need information such as from [Solubility, liquid–liquid equilibrium and critical states for the quaternary system acetic acid–ethanol–ethyl acetate–water at 293.15 K](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378381211004675) *Fluid Phase Equilibria* vol. 313, pages 46–51.
The reactants, ethanol and acetic acid, are completely miscible; however, ethyl acetate only has limited solubility in water.
When you evaluate the equilibrium constant, all the reacting compounds, including water, which are in a single phase, must be included.
All reactants and products are in the liquid phase and mixed together in one vessel, so the total volume at equilibrium, $V$, is the same for each concentration we need to find $K$. Also, all reactants and products are in one to one molar ratio in the balanced chemical equation.
Therefore, if we start with $\pu{3 mol}$ of each reactant, and reach equilibrium hen there are $\pu{2 mol}$ of the ester formed, we can be sure that there were also $\pu{2 mol}$ of water produced, and $\pu{2 mol}$ of each reactant onsumed, leaving only $\pu{1 mole}$ of each reactant in the vessel.
So, at equilibrium, the concentration of each reactant is $\frac{\pu{1 mol}}{V}$, and the concentration of each product is $\frac{\pu{1 mol}}{V}$, where $V$ = the magnitude of the total volume in completely arbitrary units, as it cancels out of the equation along with the units:
$$K=\frac{[(\frac{2}{V})\cdot{(\frac{2}{V})]}}{[(\frac{1}{V})\cdot{(\frac{1}{V})]}}= 4 $$
| stackexchange/chemistry |
What is the mechanism for iodoform test given by 2-aminoalkanes?
I found 2-aminoalkanes in the list of compounds that give positive iodoform test. I was surprised as they have no keto methyl or methyl carbinol group.
Can someone help with the mechanism?
There is a comment elsewhere in this post saying:
>
> "(The mechanism for iodoform test given by 2-Aminoalkanes might be) similar to the iodoform reaction of secondary alcohols. It is oxidized to imine, maybe then similar procedure."
>
>
>
I won't necessarily agree with that argument. To have a positive iodoform test, it is necessary to acitivate the methyl group (making its three α-hydrogens acidic). That means $\ce{-CH(NH2)\!-}$ of $\ce{RCH(NH2)CH3}$ should be oxidized to $\ce{-C(=NH)\!-}$ group by the available oxidizer, $\ce{I2/NaOH}$. Even if this oxidation happens, without transforming it to the corresponding keto group, those $\alpha$-hydrogens are not active enough to remove by $\ce{NaOH}$.
The reality is it is not easy to oxidize amines compared to alcohol in this situation. In their 1969 publication (Ref.1), E. J. Corey and coworkers have said it the best:
>
> In contrast to the generation of carbonyl compounds by oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, which is used with great frequency in synthesis and for which many selective reagents are known, the efficient oxidation of primary amines to carbonyl compounds has only been realized by the fore mentioned process.
>
>
>
One of the oxidation method used in the past has been $\ce{NBS/base}$ followed by adjusting the resultant solution to $\mathrm{pH} \ 2$ at $\pu{0 ^\circ C}$ to convert a primary amine to corresponding ketone (Ref.2):
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YTwFT.jpg)
At least, this example shows that the conditions needed to make a ketone from the corresponding imine is to make the solution acidify. Even if the conditions used in the iodoform test $(\ce{I2/NaOH})$ could have been able to oxidize the 2-aminoalkane to the corresponding imine (I doubt it though; *vide supra*), you still needed to acidify the imine to convert it to the corresponding ketone. **Therefore, this point alone, it is safe to conclude that this iodoform reaction is not happening with any of 2-aminoalkanes.**
Nonetheless, I am not able to find any reference showing iodine (a milder oxidizer) or $\ce{NaIO}$ $(\ce{I2/NaOH})$ oxidizing amine in literature. Even, $\ce{ICl}$ gives an adduct with amines such as 1-aminotetraline or 1-amino-1-phenylethane, which is used to prepare lactones from corresponding alkene carboxylic acid (Ref.3). Thus, I can say that my reasoning is good enough to convince that this reaction is not possible.
**References:**
1. Elias J. Corey and Kazuo Achiwa, "Oxidation of primary amines to ketones," *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* **1969**, *91(6)*, 1429–1432 (DOI: <https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01034a027>).
2. Elias J. Corey, Niels H. Andersen, Robert M. Carlson, Joachim Paust, Edwin Vedejs, Isidoros Vlattas, and Rudolph E. K. Winter, "Total synthesis of prostaglandins. Synthesis of the pure $dl$-$\mathrm{E\_1},$ -$\mathrm{F\_{1\alpha}},$ -$\mathrm{F\_{1\beta}},$ -$\mathrm{A\_1},$ and -$\mathrm{B\_1}$ hormones," *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* **1968**, *90(12)*, 3245–3247 (DOI: <https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01014a053>).
3. Jürgen Haas, Stewart Bissmire, and Thomas Wirth, "Iodine Monochloride–Amine Complexes: An Experimental and Computational Approach to New Chiral Electrophiles," *Chemistry, A European Journal* **2005**, *11(19)*, 5777-5785 (DOI: <https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.200500507>).
Addendum to Mathew Mahindaratne's answer (though not appropriate to edit his post for this purpose). As Rishi pointed out, let's try to find a new path for the reaction to occur.
$\ce{RNH2 + NaOH <=> ROH + NaNH2}$
That is a secondary amine forming $2^\circ$ alcohol through $\mathrm{S\_N}$2 path. But $\ce{NH2^-}$ is a very poor leaving group as compared to $\ce{OH-}$, so the equilibrium lies largely to the left and hence the above reaction practically does not occur.
[Source](https://qr.ae/pGo7sA)
Another path is the reaction below, but even that cannot occur because amines such as isopropyl amine are very weak acids, with $\mathrm{p}K\_\mathrm{a}$ around 35, so you will need a much stronger base than $\ce{OH-}$ to deprotonate them.
$\ce{RNH2 + OH- -> RNH- + H2O }$
[Source](https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2198257)
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Printed from http://www.bodytalksystem.com//learn/news/article.cfm?id=897 on Apr 22, 2019.
For those who have taken Lynn Teachworths Structural Integration for BodyTalk can monitor the course for US$157.50.
You also receive access to the Structural Integration Forum should you have any questions.
This class was LiveStreamed in March 2014 and due to the high demand the recordings are available to purchase in our store.
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Thomas Veronese born November 2, 1986 in Mestre is an Italian professional footballer playing for Tarxien Rainbows in the Maltese Premier League.
Club career
Veronese played youth football with Venezia F.C..
He joined St. Georgen in 2012. In 2013 he signed for A.C. Mezzocorona.
It has been reported that Veronese once moved without advising his previous club, with the A.C. Trento S.C.S.D. management learning about his departure from his new club's website, A.C. Mestre. Mestre is Veronese's hometown team.
Thomas Veronese joined Mosta in 2017. Veronese was an important player for Mosta throughout season 201718. He showed excellent displays and was already targeted by clubs such as Gzira United F.C. half-way through the season in January 2018. He was eventually signed by Gzira United F.C. in their bid to bolster their defence prior to Europa League commitments.
Veronese debuted for Gzira in the UEFA Europa League against Andorran UE Sant Julià.
International career
Veronese has appeared for the Italy U20 C.
References
External links
Thomas Veronese at MFA
Category:Italian footballers
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Category:1986 births
Category:Living people
Category:Association football defenders
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Category:F.C. Südtirol players
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Category:A.C. Montichiari players
Category:A.C. Mezzocorona players
Category:A.C. Mestre players
Category:Gżira United F.C. players
Category:Tarxien Rainbows F.C. players
Category:Mosta F.C. players
Category:Serie C players
Category:Serie D players
Category:Maltese Premier League players
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Category:Expatriate footballers in Malta | wikipedia |
Michel Khleifi }, born in 1950 in Nazareth, is a Palestinian film writer, director and producer, presently based in Belgium.
Khleifi emigrated to Belgium in 1970, where he studied television and theatre directing at the Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle INSAS. After graduating from INSAS, he worked in Belgium television before turning to making his own films. He has directed and produced several documentary and feature films. He has received several awards, including the International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Shell at San Sebastián International Film Festival and the André Cavens Award in 1987 for his film Wedding in Galilee. Khleifi currently teaches at INSAS.
Filmography
Fertile Memory 1980
Ma'loul Celebrates its Destruction 1985
Wedding in Galilee also known as Arabic عرس الجليل trasliteration Urs al-Jalil 1987
Canticle of the Stones 1990
L'Ordre du Jour 1993
The Tale of the Three Lost Jewels 1995
Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel 2003, in collaboration with Eyal Sivan
Zindeeq 2009
Awards
International Critics Prize, Cannes and the André Cavens Award for Wedding in Galilee 1987
Special Jury Prize at Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival for Canticle of the Stones 1991
Mayor's Prize, at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival for Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel with Eyal Sivan 2005
Muhr award for Best Arab Feature Film at the Dubai International Film Festival DIFF 2009
References
External links
Further reading
Tim Kennedy, Michel Kleifi: Filmmaker of Memory in: Josef Gugler ed., Ten Arab Filmmakers: Political Dissent and Social Critique, Indiana University Press, 2015, , pp. 52-74
Gertz, Nurith; Khleifi, George 2008: Palestinian Cinema: Landscape, Trauma, and Memory, Indiana University Press. . With:
Chapter 3: About place and time: The Cinema of Michel Kheifi, pp. 74-100
Dabashi, Hamid, and Said, Edward preface 2006: Dreams Of A Nation: On Palestinian Cinema, Verso Books, London, United Kingdom, . With:
Chapter 3: Michel Khleifi: From Reality to Fiction - From Poverty to Expression pp. 45 -57
Chapter 4: Bashir Abu-Manneh: Towards Liberation: Michel Khleifi's Ma'loul and Canticle pp. 58-69
Category:1950 births
Category:Living people
Category:Arab citizens of Israel
Category:People from Nazareth
Category:Belgian film directors
Category:Palestinian Christians | wikipedia |
Triazene is an unsaturated inorganic compound having the chemical formula N3H3. It has one double bond, and is the second-simplest member of the azene class of hydronitrogen compounds after diimide. Triazenes are a class of organic compounds containing the functional group -NH-N=N-. Triazene, possibly along with its isomer triimide HNNHNH, has been synthesized in electron-irradiated ices of ammonia and ammonia/dinitrogen and detected in the gas phase after sublimation.
References
External links
IUPAC Gold Book definition
Category:Nitrogen hydrides | wikipedia |
Socarenam , acronym: Société Calaisienne de Réparation Navale et Mécanique is a French employee-owned shipbuilding company that operates shipyards in multiple ports in northern and western of the country.
History
Socarenam was founded in Calais in 1961 by Société Navale Caeannaise for repair and maintenance of its commercial fleet.
In 1969, the company established a new shipyard on the former site of Les chantiers BAHEUX in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a famous riveted steel fishing vessels shipbuilder that was created at the end of 19th century and had previously moved its headquarters to Boulogne. Socarenam opened its third workshop in Dunkirk in 1973 because of the company's tremendous workload.
In 1989, the parent company decided to spin off some subsidiaries, including Socarenam. At this point, the shipyard employees decided to take over a 100 stake in Socarenam, which finally meant that the employees managed to acquire their shipyard.
References
External links
Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1961
Category:Privately held companies of France
Category:French boat builders
Category:Shipbuilding companies of France
Category:Manufacturing companies of France
Category:Military vehicle manufacturers
Category:Defence companies of France
Category:1961 establishments in France | wikipedia |
Two-coupled oscillator: Doubt in finding normal modes and natural frequency
I want to find the natural frequency of a two coupled oscillator system like this-
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/KbHJQ.png)
My book does it this way but I don't really get it.
>
> The equations of motion for the pendula are-
>
>
> $$I\frac{d^2\theta\_1}{dt^2}=−M\_\text{eff}\ gL\sin \theta\_1− \kappa l^2(\sin \theta\_1−\sin \theta\_2)$$
>
>
> $$I\frac{d^2\theta\_2}{dt^2}=−M\_\text{eff}\ gL\sin \theta\_2+ \kappa l^2(\sin \theta\_1−\sin\theta\_2)$$
>
>
> To find the natural frequencies of the system, we take the sum and subtraction of the equations and we obtain (Using small angle approximation):
>
>
> $$I\left(\frac{d^2\theta\_1}{dt^2}+\frac{d^2\theta\_2}{dt^2}\right)=−M\_\text{eff}\ gL(\theta\_1+\theta\_2)$$
>
>
> and
>
>
> $$I\left(\frac{d^2\theta\_1}{dt^2}-\frac{d^2\theta\_2}{dt^2}\right)=−M\_\text{eff}\ gL(\theta\_1−\theta\_2)−2\kappa l^2(\theta\_1−\theta\_2)$$
>
>
> The two equations above are **uncoupled** and represent the two **normal modes** of the coupled system. The $\theta\_1+\theta\_2$ mode or ‘+’ mode represent the **in-phase** motion of the pendula where both the pendula are moving with **same phase** (same direction). The $\theta\_1−\theta\_2$ mode or ‘−’ mode represent the **out-of-phase** motion of the pendula where the pendula are moving with **opposite phase** (opposite direction).
>
>
>
I have marked the portions I don't understand in **bold** above.
Doubts:
1. What is meant by **uncoupled**?
2. Why does the two equations represent the **normal modes**?
3. Why does $\theta\_1+\theta\_2$ represent **in-phase** and $\theta\_1-\theta\_2$ represent **out of phase** motion?
1. Suppose $\alpha = \theta\_{1} +\theta\_{2}$ and $\beta = \theta\_{1}-\theta\_{2}$ then the first equation only depends on single variable $\alpha$ and the second on $\beta$, thus the equations are uncoupled.
2. Stating that the equations are uncoupled, or that the matrix of the system is diagonal, or that the equations define the eigenvectors and eigenvalues, or that the equations define the normal modes and natural frequencies, it all means the same, as far as I know.
3. $\theta\_{1}=(\alpha + \beta)/2$, $\theta\_{2}=(\alpha-\beta)/2$, if the system oscilates in its first normal mode only then $\beta=0$, meaning $\theta\_{1}=\theta\_{2}$, the two masses have an in-phase motion. With second mode only $\alpha=0$, $\theta\_{1}=-\theta\_{2}$, the two masses have an out-of-phase motion.
Consider $\theta\_{\rm sum} = \theta\_1 + \theta\_2$ as one variable, and $\theta\_{\rm diff} = \theta\_1 - \theta\_2$ as a second variable.
The two equations become
$$ \begin{aligned}
I \frac{{\rm d}^2}{{\rm d}t^2} \theta\_{\rm sum} & = − \left(M\_\text{eff}\ g L\right) \theta\_{\rm sum} \\
I \frac{{\rm d}^2}{{\rm d}t^2} \theta\_{\rm diff} & = − \left( M\_\text{eff}\ gL−2\kappa l^2\right) \theta\_{\rm diff}
\end{aligned} $$
Now it is clear they are two decoupled equations. Each differential equation is only in terms of one unknown.
* Now if they two pendulums where out of phase by the same amount $\theta\_{\rm sum} = \theta + (-\theta) =0 $ and $\theta\_{\rm diff} = \theta - (-\theta) = 2 \theta$. So the second equation describes the out of phase vibration.
* Conversely, if they are in phase $\theta\_{\rm sum} = 2 \theta$ and $\theta\_{\rm diff} = 0$, which means the first equation describes the in-phase motion.
| stackexchange/physics |
Is the trajectory of a fire rocket inherently chaotic?
All of you: a happy and physics-rich new year!
When I looked at the firing rockets launched at 00:10 2020, most of them went straight up.
Some exploded before time. Some made strange movements. So it's my guess that firing rockets **can** show chaotic, non-linear behavior.
The question though is: is this non-linear movement intrinsic (will it show in outer space, assuming it can fire away without oxygen), or are the circumstances responsible? I think the latter is true.
This question looks a bit like [this](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/323826/what-causes-the-chaotic-trajectory-of-a-balloon-going-flat) question, which is already a duplicate.
Rocket-propelled fireworks have nozzles made out of pressed cardboard or fired clay, contain fuel and oxidizer that is often not well-mixed or correctly proportioned, contain no guidance control systems, and have bodies and fins that are assembled out of cardboard and glue by poorly-paid workers. It is therefore natural for them to exhibit unpredictably bad behavior, as you noted!
Regarding *inherently chaotic* behavior of rockets in general, note that a long, slender rocket with an engine generating thrust at one end is dynamically like a pencil balanced upright on its tip: its natural tendency will be to veer off course in response to any small perturbation. For this reason, all large rockets contain either small rocket engines that can furnish sideways thrust in response to signals from the guidance system's gyroscopes and accelerometers, or gimbal-mounted main engines which can be slightly tilted via hydraulic or electric motors during the rocket's flight, to keep it pointed in the right direction.
Smaller rockets can rely on fast acceleration to build up enough speed after ignition to the point where fins and rudders can develop enough aerodynamic force to help keep the rocket going straight. A well-made model rocket operating this way can fly a surprisingly straight path with nothing but fins for guidance- and no control system at all.
Rockets are not necessarily unstable. As long as the center of pressure is lower than the center of gravity, aerodynamic forces will act to restore the rocket to its trajectory. Increasing fin size lowers the center of pressure, and adding weight to the nose raises the center of gravity. However, as niels said, most rockets don't rely on aerodynamics to maintain stability, they tend to rely on active control. Source: <https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/rocket/rktstab.html>
| stackexchange/physics |
Itata was a three-masted iron barque built by R & J Evans, Liverpool in 1883. She was severely damaged by a fire in her hold at Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, in 1906. Her hulk was towed to Sydney and was scuttled in Saltpan Creek, Middle Harbour.
The location is -33.8151031, 151.2246810
Fate
While awaiting loading of one hold with coal alongside a wharf, she was severely damaged by fire at Newcastle, 12 January 1906 after another hold with a nitrate cargo caught fire. The resultant fire and explosions bowed and twisted her iron hull. Her hulk was towed to Sydney for use as a hulk, however was too badly damaged and was scuttled in Saltpan Creek, Middle Harbour.
Notes
Category:1883 ships
Category:Ships built in Merseyside
Category:Maritime incidents in 1906
Category:18711900 ships of Australia
Category:Colliers of Australia
Category:Barques of Australia
Category:Ship fires
Category:Scuttled vessels
Category:Shipwrecks of the Sydney Eastern Suburbs Region | wikipedia |
recently , the role of corneal biomechanics , including corneal hysteresis ( ch ) and corneal resistance factor ( crf ) , in glaucoma pathogenesis has been identified .
this knowledge has helped us to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of glaucomatous damage and hence our capability to manage the disease .
ch describes the corneal viscoelastic behavior that determines its ability to absorb and dissipate the mechanical energy applied by a deformation force .
it is calculated as the difference in air pressures between force - in applanation ( p1 ) and force - out applanation ( p2 ) , that is , ( p1 p2 ) .
it is derived using the formula ( p1 kp2 ) , where k is a constant .
the constant , k , was developed through empirical evaluation of the relationship between p1 and p2 and the central corneal thickness ( cct ) , such that the value of k is more strongly associated with cct than with ch .
thus , crf is a measurement of corneal resistance that is relatively independent of intraocular pressure ( iop ) and describes the overall ocular wall rigidity.14 a number of studies5,6 found that in certain forms of glaucoma , low ch is associated with progressive visual field loss .
in addition , these studies mentioned that because the cornea and sclera are continuous collagenous sheaths and are made up of similar extracellular matrix constituents , the biomechanical properties of the cornea could be related to those of the lamina cribrosa ( lc ) , which determine the resistance of the optic nerve head ( onh ) to iop and the amount of axonal nerve damage.57 assessment of corneal biomechanics may therefore offer an indirect measurement of the lc elasticity . the ocular response analyzer ( ora )
this new technology could improve our ability to manage glaucoma patients by offering valuable information that could identify those patients who are at risk of developing glaucoma progression .
it can also serve as a helpful indicator in monitoring response to topical medications.810 the purpose of our study was to evaluate the relationship between corneal biomechanics and visual field loss .
in addition , the study evaluates the efficacy of ora as a novel noninvasive device to assess corneal biomechanics in patients with normal - tension glaucoma ( ntg ) .
inclusion criteria were ntg with iop below 21 mmhg , open angle on gonioscopy with progressive visual field defects confirmed by at least two successive visual field tests and/or onh cupping .
exclusion criteria included error of refraction that could falsely influence applanation tonometry or optical coherence tomography ( oct ) assessment of retinal nerve fiber layer ( hypermetropia or myopia > 5 diopters [ d ] , and/or astigmatism > 3 d ) , best - corrected visual acuity < 20/40 , ocular conditions particularly congenital or acquired optic nerve diseases that could mimic glaucomatous visual field loss , or systemic conditions that could affect ocular blood flow particularly cerebrovascular diseases or other conditions that could induce low systemic blood pressure .
initial examination included snellen best - corrected visual acuity , slit - lamp anterior segment examination , and fundus examination using slit - lamp biomicroscopy using + 90 d lens , including assessment of vertical cup / disc ( cd ) ratio , gonioscopy , and iop measurement using goldmann applanation tonometry and ora , which provided goldmann - correlated iop ( iopg ) , and corneal - compensated iop ( iopcc ) .
for determination of the iopcc value , three measurements were taken using ora - generated waveforms .
a good - quality waveform is defined as one with symmetrical heights of force - in and force - out waveform peaks and a waveform score 5 on a software - generated scale of 010 .
all patients underwent automated perimetry for visual field assessment using the swedish interactive threshold algorithm ( sita standard 24 - 2 ; humphrey field analyzer 745i ; carl zeiss meditec ag , jena , germany ) , onh examination using the rtvue-100 fourier domain oct machine ( optovue inc , fremont , ca , usa ) , cct measurement at the corneal apex using a pentacam ( wavelight allegro oculyzer ii ; alcon , fort worth , tx , usa ) , and corneal biomechanics measurement using the ora .
the ora ( ametek reichert , inc , depew , ny , usa ) is a noncontact device that uses a precisely metered collimated air pulse that causes the cornea to move inward , past applanation , and into a slight concavity .
milliseconds after applanation , as the air pulse force decreases , the cornea begins to return to its normal configuration . in the process
an electro - optical system monitors the curvature of the cornea throughout the deformation process , taking 400 data samples during the 20 ms measurement .
viscous damping in the cornea results in an offset between the inward and outward pressure values .
the device also provides iopg and iopcc measurements that are corrected according to corneal biomechanics measurement values .
the machine also provides crf measurements extrapolated from ch . for all patients ch , crf ,
ch crf ( crf subtracted from ch ) , and cct values were matched against the mean deviation ( md ) of the visual field and the value of the cd ratio .
for paired - eye comparison in each patient , both eyes were categorized into a better - eyes group and a worse - eyes group according to whether they had lower or higher iopcc readings , respectively . all procedures and follow - up visits
the study was performed in accordance with the tenets of the declaration of helsinki of 1975 ( the 2008 revision ) .
the research committee of the research institute of ophthalmology approved the protocol of the study and granted ethical permission to perform the study .
all patients received a thorough explanation of the procedures entailed in the study and signed an informed consent prior to enrollment .
statistical analyses for all determinations were carried out , including the calculation of the mean , standard deviation ( sd ) , standard error ( se ) , and t - value at the level of p<0.05 , for both the groups , control group ( the better eye ) , and the test group ( the worse eye ) .
the results were statistically evaluated according to the independent - samples student s t - test .
the ora ( ametek reichert , inc , depew , ny , usa ) is a noncontact device that uses a precisely metered collimated air pulse that causes the cornea to move inward , past applanation , and into a slight concavity .
milliseconds after applanation , as the air pulse force decreases , the cornea begins to return to its normal configuration . in the process
an electro - optical system monitors the curvature of the cornea throughout the deformation process , taking 400 data samples during the 20 ms measurement .
viscous damping in the cornea results in an offset between the inward and outward pressure values .
the device also provides iopg and iopcc measurements that are corrected according to corneal biomechanics measurement values .
the machine also provides crf measurements extrapolated from ch . for all patients ch , crf ,
ch crf ( crf subtracted from ch ) , and cct values were matched against the mean deviation ( md ) of the visual field and the value of the cd ratio .
for paired - eye comparison in each patient , both eyes were categorized into a better - eyes group and a worse - eyes group according to whether they had lower or higher iopcc readings , respectively . all procedures and follow - up visits
the study was performed in accordance with the tenets of the declaration of helsinki of 1975 ( the 2008 revision ) .
the research committee of the research institute of ophthalmology approved the protocol of the study and granted ethical permission to perform the study .
all patients received a thorough explanation of the procedures entailed in the study and signed an informed consent prior to enrollment .
statistical analyses for all determinations were carried out , including the calculation of the mean , standard deviation ( sd ) , standard error ( se ) , and t - value at the level of p<0.05 , for both the groups , control group ( the better eye ) , and the test group ( the worse eye ) .
the results were statistically evaluated according to the independent - samples student s t - test .
mean age was 60 years ( range : 3476 years ; se : 0.7 years ) .
mean iopcc in the better - eyes group was 14.4 mmhg ( range : 1219 mmhg ; se : 0.17 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 16.7 mmhg ( range : 1320 mmhg ; se : 0.12 mmhg ) .
mean cd ratio in the better - eyes group was 0.4 ( range : 0.20.9 ; se : 0.01 ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 0.6 ( range : 0.20.9 ; se : 0.01 ) . mean md value of the visual field in the better - eyes group was 7.8 db ( range : 22.2 db to 7.87 db ; se : 0.4 db ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 12.9 db ( range : 26 db to 27 db ; se : 0.7 db ) .
mean cct value in the better - eyes group was 536 m ( range : 527548 m ; se : 0.4 m ) , whereas the mean value in the worse - eyes group was 535 m ( range : 428549 m ; se : 0.9 m ) .
mean ch value in the better - eyes group was 7.6 mmhg ( range : 69 mmhg ; se : 0.04 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 6.8 mmhg ( range : 5.78.1 mmhg ; se : 0.06 mmhg ) .
mean crf value in the better - eyes group was 8 mmhg ( range : 6.69.4 mmhg ; se : 0.03 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 7.5 mmhg ( range : 6.28.7 mmhg ; se : 0.05 mmhg ) .
the mean ch crf value in the better - eyes group was 0.5 mmhg ( range : 1.0 mmhg to 0.1 mmhg ; se : 0.01 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 0.6 mmhg ( range : 1.1 mmhg to 0.9 mmhg ; se : 0.02 mmhg ) ( table 1 ) .
ch was inversely proportional to md of the visual field , which meant that patients who had highest hysteresis values experienced least deviation of their visual field relative to their age - matched normal population ( p=0.01 ) .
similarly , crf in both eyes was inversely proportional to md of the visual field ( p=0.01 ) .
ch crf difference was directly proportional to md of the visual field , ie , higher ch crf difference corresponded to more deterioration of md of visual field as compared to the age - matched population ( p=0.01 ) ( figures 1 and 2 ) .
no statistically significant relation could be established between cct and md of the visual field ( p=0.12 and 0.19 ) for the better- and the worse - eyes groups , respectively .
iopcc was directly proportional to md of the visual field in the sense that lower iopcc corresponded to less deterioration of md , and vice versa ( p=0.01 and 0.16 ) , for better ( lower iopcc ) and worse ( higher iopcc ) eyes , respectively .
cd ratio was directly proportional to md of the visual field for better and worse eyes ( p=0.01 ) ( figure 3 ) .
paired - eye comparison revealed that lower iopcc was associated with higher ch , higher crf , smaller cd ratio , and less deterioration of md of visual field ( table 2 ) .
mean age was 60 years ( range : 3476 years ; se : 0.7 years ) .
mean iopcc in the better - eyes group was 14.4 mmhg ( range : 1219 mmhg ; se : 0.17 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 16.7 mmhg ( range : 1320 mmhg ; se : 0.12 mmhg ) .
mean cd ratio in the better - eyes group was 0.4 ( range : 0.20.9 ; se : 0.01 ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 0.6 ( range : 0.20.9 ; se : 0.01 ) . mean md value of the visual field in the better - eyes group was 7.8 db ( range : 22.2 db to 7.87 db ; se : 0.4 db ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 12.9 db ( range : 26 db to 27 db ; se : 0.7 db ) .
mean cct value in the better - eyes group was 536 m ( range : 527548 m ; se : 0.4 m ) , whereas the mean value in the worse - eyes group was 535 m ( range : 428549 m ; se : 0.9 m ) .
mean ch value in the better - eyes group was 7.6 mmhg ( range : 69 mmhg ; se : 0.04 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 6.8 mmhg ( range : 5.78.1 mmhg ; se : 0.06 mmhg ) .
mean crf value in the better - eyes group was 8 mmhg ( range : 6.69.4 mmhg ; se : 0.03 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 7.5 mmhg ( range : 6.28.7 mmhg ; se : 0.05 mmhg ) .
the mean ch crf value in the better - eyes group was 0.5 mmhg ( range : 1.0 mmhg to 0.1 mmhg ; se : 0.01 mmhg ) , whereas in the worse - eyes group , it was 0.6 mmhg ( range : 1.1 mmhg to 0.9 mmhg ; se : 0.02 mmhg ) ( table 1 ) .
ch was inversely proportional to md of the visual field , which meant that patients who had highest hysteresis values experienced least deviation of their visual field relative to their age - matched normal population ( p=0.01 ) .
similarly , crf in both eyes was inversely proportional to md of the visual field ( p=0.01 ) .
ch crf difference was directly proportional to md of the visual field , ie , higher ch crf difference corresponded to more deterioration of md of visual field as compared to the age - matched population ( p=0.01 ) ( figures 1 and 2 ) .
no statistically significant relation could be established between cct and md of the visual field ( p=0.12 and 0.19 ) for the better- and the worse - eyes groups , respectively .
iopcc was directly proportional to md of the visual field in the sense that lower iopcc corresponded to less deterioration of md , and vice versa ( p=0.01 and 0.16 ) , for better ( lower iopcc ) and worse ( higher iopcc ) eyes , respectively .
cd ratio was directly proportional to md of the visual field for better and worse eyes ( p=0.01 ) ( figure 3 ) .
paired - eye comparison revealed that lower iopcc was associated with higher ch , higher crf , smaller cd ratio , and less deterioration of md of visual field ( table 2 ) .
the findings of this study corroborate the notion that glaucoma progression is related to corneal biomechanics .
ch has been reported to be lower in primary open angle glaucoma ( poag ) than in healthy eyes , resulting in decreased damping properties and increased stiffness of the continuous collagenous sheaths of the eye , setting the focus of glaucoma pathogenesis in the region of the lc and the onh.1115 our results demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between ch , crf , and md of visual field .
patients with lower ch were more prone to developing progression of md of visual field .
similarly , patients who had lower crf value developed more deterioration of md of visual field . in accordance with this study , a prospective observational case series including 114 eyes by medeiros et al11 reported that eyes with lower ch values had faster rates of visual field loss .
similarly , vu et al16 reported a close relation between ch and md of visual field in a retrospective study of 131 patients .
similarly , grise - dulac et al17 and de moraes et al18 reported significant association between low ch and glaucoma progression . a prospective study by anand et al19 including 117 patients with asymmetric poag found that asymmetric poag was associated with asymmetric ora parameters and that low ch was associated with worse visual field .
in contrast with the results of this study , mansouri et al20 conducted an observational cross - sectional study that included 299 eyes of 191 patients with confirmed or suspected glaucoma .
the authors reported weak associations between the corneal biomechanical parameters , namely , ch and crf , and glaucoma - associated structural and functional damage . because the crf is a measurement of ocular wall rigidity ,
a low crf value and hence decreased collagenous component would reflect a thinner lc that provides less support to axonal fibers.2123 in pursuit of this theory , we subtracted the crf value from the ch value ( ch crf ) of our patients and compared the resultant value against the md of the visual field .
we found that lower crf , ie , higher ch crf difference , is significantly related to deterioration of md of the visual field .
similar results have been reported by congdon et al.13 in an observational study , the authors detected a significant correlation between longer axial length , hence thinner lc , and glaucomatous field progression .
similarly , prata et al23 investigated the association between corneal biomechanics and onh morphology . in a prospective series of 42 patients with poag , these authors found that patients with thinner corneas and lower ch values had larger cd values and deeper cups .
it is worthy of note that up to date , there is no reliable method for direct measurement of the lc thickness .
we still rely on indirect estimation extrapolated from other measurable ocular variables , including ch crf and axial length .
a number of studies2426 have tried to apply enhanced depth imaging ( edi)-oct technology for direct measurement of lc thickness .
park et al25 failed to detect the posterior border of lc in 47 out of 137 patients tested ( 34.3% ) .
girard et al26 used edi - oct and swept - source oct in combination with image enhancement technology but concluded that the visibility of the posterior boundary of lc with these techniques is poor and hence impractical as a reliable glaucoma progression biomarker . in our study , we tested the relationship between cct and md of visual field .
therefore , we do not have basis to recommend cct to be used as a reliable tool for predicting glaucomatous progression of the visual field .
our results are congruous with two population - based studies , the early manifest glaucoma trial ( emgt)27 and the barbados eye study.28 both did not detect any significant association between cct and glaucoma risk .
however , longer years of follow - up in the emgt study concluded that cct is a risk factor , though with a preferential impact in patients with higher baseline iop ( 21 mmhg).29 medeiros et al11 reported that ch is a more significant risk factor for progression of glaucoma than cct , as cct was related to progression rates of glaucomatous field in 5.2% of their cases as compared to 17.4% for ch . in agreement ,
congdon et al13 reported that ch is more closely associated with glaucomatous visual field progression than cct .
contrary to our findings , cct was considered among the strongest independent predictors for the development of poag by the european glaucoma prevention study30 and the ocular hypertension treatment study.31 this study demonstrated that iop is significantly related to glaucomatous visual field progression .
the higher the iop , the higher is the cd ratio and the greater is the deterioration of md of visual field .
our findings are synonymous with several benchmark reports2935 that emphasize the pivotal association between higher iop as well as larger vertical and horizontal cd ratios and glaucoma progression .
the use of ora in our study allowed the direct measurement of corneal biomechanics , namely , measurement of ch and crf , as well as extrapolation of ch crf .
all three parameters demonstrated statistically significant relation with md of the visual field . the machine is a noncontact device and provides fast , operator - independent , and reproducible measurements of corneal biomechanics .
an important limitation of this study is the lack of direct means of measuring the elasticity of lc ; rather , we relied on indirect clues extrapolated from measurable parameters , namely , ch and crf
. an ideal study would include histopathological evidence that truly reflects the normal lc elasticity in vivo to corroborate our conclusion .
future advances in medical equipment and imaging techniques that provide direct in vivo noninvasive assessment of the collagenous component , hence the elasticity , of lc would be a revolutionary development in the diagnosis and management of ntg patients .
another limitation is that the current study relied on original ora - pressure - derived parameters , namely , ch , crf , iopg , and iopcc .
two of these four parameters ( crf and iopcc ) are largely calculated on empirical basis , which poses important limitations to their accuracy.3 more recent developments in ora machinery that incorporate 37 waveform signal parameters could characterize the biomechanical features of the cornea more accurately .
ch , crf , and ch crf are more powerful predictors of ntg progression than cct .
ora should be used as an integral equipment in the diagnosis and follow - up of ntg patients . | pubmed |
as a treasure trove of quantitative information , the citation dynamics has been studied for a long time @xcite .
a particularly noteworthy contribution was a study in @xmath0 by de solla price @xcite , who proposed the so - called ` cumulative advantage ' mechanism , that is , a paper which has been cited many times is more likely to be cited again than others which have been little cited .
the cumulative advantage is based on the idea of ` the rich get richer ' suggested by yule @xcite and simon @xcite , and the criterion now is widely known as the ` preferential attachment ' in the framework of currently fashionable evolving network models , proposed by barabsi and albert in @xmath1 @xcite . with concepts and methodologies of complex networks ,
the study of citation patterns has been modeled by networks with nodes representing papers published in scientific journals and edges mimicking citations from papers to others published previously @xcite . in citation networks
, the probability distribution function appears to involve dual mechanisms with a tipping point between them , that is , a distribution @xmath2 may decay exponentially for small @xmath3 and has a power - law tail for large @xmath3 @xcite . here
, the degree @xmath3 represents the number of citations a paper receives and @xmath2 is the distribution of the relative numbers of such citations . to explain this feature , several mechanisms have been proposed based on the cumulative advantage in different contexts @xcite .
for instance , peterson et al @xcite developed a direct - indirect citing mechanism to fit the citation distribution and analyzed the tipping - point transition .
eom and fortunato @xcite employed the linear preferential attachment with initial attractiveness to reproduce empirical distributions and account for the presence of citation bursts . the cumulative advantage of the node s degree , however , usually weakens and even ignores the hierarchical qualities of papers published in different journals .
it is quite possible that a new paper published in a prestigious journal with relatively few current citations will show a potential outbreak on citing , rather than a previously published paper in a common journal with more citations . on the other hand ,
the role of time is also important in citation dynamics : old papers are rarely cited while recent papers are usually cited with high frequency .
that is , the popularity of papers peaks and then fades .
the question of time dependence in the attachment probability of the incoming nodes in a growing network has been addressed in several theoretical models @xcite .
for instance , dorogovtsev and mendes studied the case when the connection probability of the new node with an old one is not only proportional to the degree @xmath3 but also to a power of its present age @xmath4 @xcite .
they found that the network shows scale - free ( sf ) behaviour only in the region @xmath5 .
for @xmath6 , the distribution @xmath7 is exponential . on the contrary , klemm and eguluz considered evolving networks based on collective memory of nodes and proposed a degree - dependent deactivation network model @xcite which transformed the cumulative advantage into the ageing mechanism .
most previous studies in citation dynamics either focused on a small number of researchers ( e.g. , high @xmath8-index scientists ) or exploited a database based on one publication society ( e.g. , papers published in journals of the american physical society ) .
this means that they worked on part of the citation network which is not enough to reflect an universal statistical feature on the whole .
of course it is very complicated to analyze citing behaviour of giant papers of the whole citation network or the network of a discipline , such as physics .
it is therefore of great importance to model realistic citation networks with a global view . in this paper
we consider the influence of journals on citation dynamics and propose an intuitive mechanism to build the citation network of physics .
we endow each node with a weight for its quality based on the impact factor ( if ) of the journal in which it was published and propose a prestige function transformed from the article influence score ( ais ) to guide citing .
the if of a journal is the average number of citations received per paper published in that journal during the two preceding years . while the ais measures the average influence of articles in the journal .
based on these we can represent paper activity not only by the degree of citations but also by the intrinsic weight , which drives the evolution of citation network .
the rest of the paper is organized as follows . in sec .
[ sec2 ] we describe the indicators from the journal of citation reports , based on which we construct and analyze the model in sec .
[ sec3 ] . in sec .
[ sec4 ] we imitate the short - term evolution of the citation network in @xmath9 based on the indicators in @xmath10 .
conclusions are drawn in final section .
a complete profile of journals and papers in the journal of citation reports ( jcr ) @xcite includes many indicators for the evaluation of the journals and corresponding papers .
we shall use the @xmath11-year impact factor ( if@xmath11 ) instead of the if as a reasonable weight of a paper published in a journal .
the if@xmath11 can avoid the influence from outbreak and decline periods of journal citing behaviour .
moreover , its rationality has been validated from different disciplines @xcite .
based on the if@xmath11 , the eigenfactor score takes the heterogeneous importance of other distinct journals which have cited the given journal into consideration .
standardized by the normalized publication volume in the @xmath11 proceeding years , the eigenfactor score can be transformed into the article influence score ( ais ) to intuitively depict the average impact of each paper in a journal .
we therefore adopt the ais as the criterion of paper citing .
we have analyzed almost all the papers in physics and astronomy published from @xmath12 to @xmath9 categorized by the jcr @xcite which spread over all the @xmath13 branches in physics and @xmath14 extra branch called astronomy and astrophysics .
taking statistics in @xmath10 for a sample , there were @xmath15 papers published in @xmath16 journals .
the indicators of some journals were not publicated generally for a short founding time or a highly self - cited rate which are unfair to others . after eliminating these defective samples , @xmath17 papers in @xmath18 journals remained , which were assigned with distinct if@xmath11s ranged from @xmath19 to @xmath20 and different number of papers published successively .
statistics in the other two years is similar .
it should be noticed that the numbers of journals and annual output in physics are steady increasing . from @xmath12 to @xmath9 .
the solid line is the fit in the form of eq .
( [ disp ] ) .
the closeness of the @xmath21-year results implies a stable growth in physics and astronomy . ]
since the if@xmath11 of each journal is almost always different , it is rational for one to accomplish the normalized publication volume based on the if@xmath11 .
it should be noticed that some journals with close if@xmath11 differ in prestige or academic status in corresponding branch . also
, papers published in the same journal exhibit heterogeneity in citation . as a first step towards modeling paper s heterogeneity , we consider papers published in the same journal having the same intrinsic weight .
although it does not capture accurately and fully the heterogeneity in real data , it will not lead to large influence on the tendency of publication with similar likelihood among them .
thus , we make a reasonable classification for all the journals by distinct intervals of if@xmath11s which embodies the specific impact of papers with a certain rank . for simplicity
, the journals with if@xmath11s between two adjacent integers are aggregated in the same rank .
moreover , the average impact of journals with the same rank , denoted with @xmath22 , can be approximated by the average value of corresponding if@xmath11s .
thus , the normalized publication volume of a given rank @xmath23 is accumulated by the number of related articles .
the best fit shown in fig .
[ fig1 ] implies a log - normal distribution , @xmath24 \label{disp}\ ] ] with @xmath25 and @xmath26 , respectively .
based on the if@xmath11 .
the original statistics of the ais is fitted by the solid line , while the dashed line denotes the modulatory function defined by eq .
( [ fh ] ) . ] from @xmath12 to @xmath9 .
the linear behaviour of the fit implies the power - law scaling . ]
we further investigate the impact of the prestige of journals on citing behavior .
as aforesaid , the ais of a journal weights the impact of each citation of citing journals , and therefore is reasonable for explaining the difference in two journals with close if .
it was found in @xcite that the ais and the if@xmath11 are positively correlated for most journals .
figure [ fig2 ] shows the statistics of the ais for physics journals with different if@xmath11s from the jcr .
as one can see , the ais increases with the if@xmath11 .
the best fit predicts a superlinear growth function . in reality , however , scientists always have a subjective judgment of journals which results in a modulatory effect : for low - ais papers , the citation increase quickly than the ais , in other words , scientists are cautious to cite papers published in low - if journals and a little increase in the if@xmath11 will lead to big difference ; whereas for high - if papers , this difference is weak and the speed of the citing increase is lower than that of the ais .
motivated by this , we propose a new prestige function : @xmath27 to an extent , the evaluation of papers ( @xmath28 ) stems from scientist s impression on them in recent years .
this impression will affect future attention , which can also be reflected by another indicator in the jcr immediacy index ( ix ) .
the ix is defined as the average number of times that a paper , published in a specific year within a specific journal , is cited over the course of the same year , which is a measure of importance and authority of a scientific journal .
figure [ fig3 ] shows the dependence of the ix on the if@xmath11 from @xmath12 to @xmath9 .
the best fit suggests a power - law relationship between them .
moreover , the consistency of the @xmath21-year data informs us that journals with different academic levels steadily maintain its status in physics research .
in this section we shall use statistical results from the jcr to build the citation network of physics .
following the idea of bianconi and barabsi @xcite , we argue that the evolution of a paper in citation networks depends not only on its topological degree but also on its quality . the topological information , denoted by the indegree @xmath3 , measures citations .
while the quality can be characterized by @xmath23 . to do that , for each node @xmath29 a weight @xmath30 is assigned , which is the random number drawn from a given probability distribution function @xmath23 .
correspondingly , @xmath28 reflects the node s ability to compete for links . with the normalized publication volume @xmath23 and @xmath28 in @xmath10
, we try to imitate the evolution of the citation network of physics in @xmath9 .
the network is initialized with a seed of @xmath31 isolated nodes which are all active . then at each time
step the dynamics runs as follows .
\(i ) add an active node @xmath29 , which connects to @xmath32 ( @xmath33 ) nodes randomly chosen from the @xmath31 active ones .
\(ii ) deactivate one ( denoted by @xmath34 ) of the @xmath35 active nodes with probability @xmath36^{-1 } , \label{deactprob}\ ] ] where @xmath37^{-1}\}^{-1}$ ] is the normalization factor and @xmath38 is a constant bias .
the summation runs over the set @xmath39 of the @xmath35 active nodes .
( [ deactprob ] ) implies that a paper with high citations or prestige has a small possibility to be forgotten . during evolution ,
a node might receive edges while it is active , and once inactive it will not receive edges any more
. moreover , the self - cited phenomenon hardly happens due to the uncorrelated attachment mechanism . denoting with @xmath40 the number of active nodes with indegree @xmath3 and weight @xmath22 at time @xmath41 , one can write out the rate equation for network evolution : @xmath42a(k-1,w , t)-\frac{m}{n}a(k , w , t ) \nonumber \\ & - \left(1-\frac{m}{n}\right)\pi(k , w)a(k , w , t)+\left[1-\pi(0,w)\right]\rho(w)\delta_{k,0}. \label{mdiff}\end{aligned}\ ] ] on the right - hand side of eq .
( [ mdiff ] ) , the first term represents an active node with indegree @xmath43 and weight @xmath22 at time @xmath41 is connected by the newcomer and not deactivated at current time , the second and third terms account for the reduction of @xmath40 , and the last term is a complement for the boundary condition that the newcomer with weight @xmath22 is not deactivated at current time . imposing the stationarity condition @xmath44 yields @xmath45}{[m(i+c)f(w)+\sigma(n - m ) ] } \ } , \label{diffeq1}\\ a(0,w ) & = \frac{n\rho(w)[c\phi(w)-\sigma]}{\sigma n+m[c\phi(w)-\sigma]}. \label{diffeq2}\end{aligned}\ ] ] employing stirling approximation , the solution can be simplified to @xmath46^{-[c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}]}\left[1+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}\right]^{1+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w ) } } \nonumber \\ & \times \frac{k+c}{c}\frac{\left[k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}\right]^{k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}}}{\left[k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}\right]^{-[k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}]}}. \label{diffeq3}\end{aligned}\ ] ] denoting with @xmath47 the number of inactive nodes with indegree @xmath3 and weight @xmath22 at time @xmath41 , it obviously satisfies @xmath48=1,\ ] ] which means only one inactive node is generated at each time step so that @xmath47 is increased by one at next time .
thus , we obtain the master equation for @xmath47 : @xmath49 since @xmath47 grows linearly with @xmath41 , we introduce the function @xmath50 such that @xmath51 where @xmath50 is the stationary probability of inactive nodes with indegree @xmath3 and weight @xmath22 . in case
that the total number @xmath52 of nodes in the network is far more than the number @xmath31 of active nodes , the degree distribution @xmath53 can be approximated by considering inactive nodes only , i.e. , @xmath54 substituting eqs .
( [ diffeq2 ] ) and ( [ diffeq3 ] ) into eqs .
( [ rel2 ] ) and ( [ rel3 ] ) respectively , one obtains @xmath55}{\{\sigma n+m[c\phi(w)-\sigma]\}c } \frac{\left[1+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}\right]^{1+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}}}{\left[c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}\right]^{c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w ) } } } \nonumber \\ & \times \left[\frac{k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}}{k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}}\right]^{k+c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w ) } } \ln \ { \frac{1}{e}\left[\frac{k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}}{k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}}\right]^{k+c } \ }
\nonumber \\ & \times \left[k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}\right]^{-1}\left[k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}\right]^{-\frac{\sigma n}{m\phi(w ) } } , \label{pk1 } \\
p(0,w ) & = \frac{\sigma n \rho(w)}{\sigma(n - m)+mc\phi(w)}. \label{pk2}\end{aligned}\ ] ]
to imitate the evolution of the citation network of physics in @xmath9 , one needs qualitative information of model parameters according to the jcr in @xmath10 . for simplicity ,
we let @xmath56 and @xmath57 , which assumes one popular article within each physical branch initially .
@xmath38 , related to the tipping point between the exponential and the power law , is set @xmath58 just as well . considering the magnitude of the annual output from @xmath12 to @xmath9 ,
we let @xmath59 .
the distribution @xmath23 has already been given by eq .
( [ disp ] ) . as to @xmath28 , since there is a one - to - one correspondence between the ix and @xmath22 ( see fig . [ fig3 ] ) , one can obtain the realistic @xmath28 from the statistics .
in fact , the distribution of the ix based on different journals just matches the conditional expectation @xmath60 in our model , which is the distribution of the average indegree of nodes with distinct weights .
therefore , by analyzing @xmath60 we can obtain exact @xmath28 . before computing @xmath60
, one needs another operation . from the jcr , the average ix of all the papers in physics , counted as @xmath61 in @xmath12 , @xmath62 in @xmath10 and @xmath63 in @xmath9 , respectively , grows steadily in recent years , which implies that the frontier of papers published by various journals in physics and astronomy persists with high quality . since our aim is to predict what will happen in the citation network of physics in @xmath9 , we only take papers published in @xmath9 into consideration and the citations from new papers to those published before @xmath9 can be neglected , in other words , the outdegree @xmath32 of each new node should be small , set @xmath14 in this work .
we therefore enlarge uniformly the fitting curve in fig .
[ fig3 ] with a ratio of @xmath64 to eliminate the scale error . with the ix .
the solid lines are the enlargement of the fits from fig .
[ fig3 ] by the ratios @xmath65 for @xmath10 ( a ) and @xmath64 for @xmath9 ( b ) , respectively .
the insets of the both plots respectively show the original ais and the predicted @xmath28 for @xmath12 and @xmath10 . ] from eqs .
( [ pk1 ] ) and ( [ pk2 ] ) , one easily obtains @xmath66 which yields @xmath67 it is hard to estimate the maximal indegree with weight @xmath22 , so we always take a large value for each case , which may bring about the error .
also , eq . ( [ i d ] ) , which is too complicated to be simplified , is restricted to numerical calculations . in fig .
[ fig4 ] , we find a consistence between the simulation result of @xmath60 and the fitting line in fig .
[ fig3 ] when the exponent @xmath68 in eq .
( [ fh ] ) in @xmath10 is @xmath69 .
the good agreement of the numerical simulations with real data in the jcr demonstrates the conjecture on @xmath28 . on this promise
, we can make a short - term prediction of the citation network in physics and astronomy based on certain @xmath23 and @xmath28 . different from work by peterson et al .
@xcite , the present model is more reasonable on the cross reference among distinct journals .
we therefore focus on the conditional probability @xmath70 which aggregates the citation statistics among journals with a certain rank , instead of the total probability @xmath2 . according to eqs .
( [ pk1 ] ) and ( [ pk3 ] ) , we obtain @xmath71^{k+c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}}\ln \
{ \frac{1}{e}\left[\frac{k+c+\frac{\sigma ( n - m)}{m\phi(w)}}{k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}}\right]^{k+c } \ } \nonumber \\ & \times \left[k+c-1-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}\right]^{-1}\left[k+c+\frac{\sigma(n - m)}{m\phi(w)}\right]^{-\frac{\sigma n}{m\phi(w)}}. \label{pk5}\end{aligned}\ ] ] in the small-@xmath3 region ( @xmath72 ) , we have @xmath73 } \}^{-[k+c-\frac{\sigma}{\phi(w)}]}.\ ] ] whereas for the large-@xmath3 region ( @xmath74 ) , eq .
( [ pk5 ] ) can be simplified to @xmath75^{-[1+\frac{\sigma n}{m\phi(w)}]}.\ ] ] between them , there is a tipping point : @xmath76 which implies that the more prestigious a journals is , the more intensely the papers published by it compete for links .
papers initialized with a small degree @xmath3 will receive random attention unless they have got abundant citations . on the other hand ,
an important result about the nonuniversal power - law scaling is determined by @xmath77 , @xmath78 , @xmath21 have been set to carry out the short - term prediction . with the assumption of a balanced resource allocation ,
the link density @xmath79 remains unchanged .
as one can see , there are exponential , exponentially truncated power - law and power - law distributions in the large-@xmath3 tail .
all the solid lines are the predictions of eqs .
( [ pk3 ] ) and ( [ pk4 ] ) , respectively . ] from fig .
[ fig5 ] , we find that distributions of low - if@xmath11 journals are exponentially truncated power - law , and even exponential in the large-@xmath3 region .
the smaller @xmath22 , the more exponentially they decay . moreover , the tipping point @xmath80 is not sensitive to @xmath22 .
however , there are hardly any highly - cited papers published by low - if@xmath11 journals , which is reflected intuitively from the monotonous relationship between the ix and the if@xmath11 ( see fig .
[ fig4 ] ) .
it is very difficult for these journals to accumulate high citations in a short period .
with so little attractiveness , even certain papers with relatively high citations can not show a great advantage over @xmath80 , which results in the exponential distribution of @xmath70 .
that is , the behaviour of the citation distribution in the large-@xmath3 region will transit from the exponential to the exponentially truncated power law , and finally the power law , with the increase of the if@xmath11 .
this transition also emerges in network evolution . for simplicity
, we assume the attractiveness from new papers to old ones to be homogeneous in a short period such as @xmath14 , @xmath78 or @xmath21 years .
based on this , we can roughly investigate a short - term evolution of the citation network in physics . from figs .
[ fig5](a ) to [ fig5](c ) , we find that the exponential behaviour in the large-@xmath3 region is gradually replaced by the power law with the increase of @xmath32 .
this transition of network structure results from the intrinsic scientific evolution . both papers and their references have been shown to increase @xcite , which will give rise to network connectivity . denoting with @xmath81 the @xmath78-year output ,
a continuous inequality is formed : @xmath82 given the weight @xmath22 , the increase of papers only contributes to the maximal indegree of nodes since older papers can accumulate their advantage , which gives rise to the first inequality . while the second inequality can only be numerically verified because of the uncertain change in @xmath83 with the increase of the outdegree .
figure [ fig6 ] shows the rising of @xmath60 with @xmath32 .
meanwhile , no matter how @xmath80 changes , it will not exceed @xmath38 according to eq .
( [ tip ] ) .
therefore , excellent papers will attract more attention as time goes by , which might show a great advantage over @xmath80 at a certain period . as a consequence
, the citation network evolves from the exponential to the heterogeneous .
another interesting feature is the power - law behavior of the non - cited papers , as shown in fig [ fig5](d ) , the larger if@xmath11 of the journal , the fewer non - cited papers were published by them , which characterizes the impact of distinct journals from another perspective . as a function of @xmath22 .
the solid lines correspond to the predictions of eq .
( [ i d ] ) , the error of which results in the difference between the analytical solutions and the numerical ones . ]
to summarize , we have presented a kind of driving force of scientific progress dually based on the selection of publication and the evaluation of citation respectively according to journals with distinct if@xmath11s and articles with different aiss to investigate the short - term evolution of the citation network of physics with real data from the jcr .
we defined the if@xmath11 as the intrinsic weight of a journal , based on which the normalized publication volume @xmath23 and a reasonable evaluation function @xmath28 have been obtained .
the former describes paper s hierarchy while the later characterizes the influence or impression from collective memory .
the growth dynamics of the proposed network model combines the addition of new active nodes randomly connected to existing active ones and the transition of active nodes to the inactive .
the deactivation probability of a node is inversely proportional not only to its degree @xmath3 ( citations ) but also to the evaluation function @xmath28 ( prestige ) .
we have employed the model to imitate the evolution of the citation network of physics in short period and observed two kinds of nonuniversal scaling phenomena .
the citation distribution of journals with same rank decays exponentially for small @xmath3 . in the large-@xmath3 region , however , we obtained continuous transitions from the exponential to the exponentially truncated power law , and finally the power law , with the increase of the if@xmath11 .
meanwhile , the increase of @xmath32 also leads to the same process .
moreover , we found that the behaviour of the power law also depends on the if@xmath11 .
the higher if@xmath11 of a journal , the larger tipping point and the smaller power exponent were obtained .
all these results should be some common regularities in other disciplines .
the heterogeneity of papers is of great importance in citation dynamics .
the present model addressed this issue from the perspective of scientific journals , that is , the quality of a paper is defined by the if@xmath11 of the journal in which it was published . to distinguish papers published in two different journals with close if@xmath11
, we have introduced the ais to weigh different impacts of papers by the definition of the prestige function .
however , the heterogeneity of papers published in the same journal was ignored in this work .
therefore , the present model is a first step toward modeling the heterogeneity of papers in citation networks . the large heterogeneity among different fields ,
authors and collaborations will draw future attention .
this work was jointly supported by nsfc/11331009 , shmec/13yz007 and stcsm/13zr1416800 . | arxiv |
FEAST
Written by
Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunston
Revised Draft
5/3/2004
FADE IN:
EXT. DESERT -- DAY
The white sun beats down on the rocky terrain. There's not a
cloud in the blue sky and the wind is at a standstill.
Far in the distance, a MEDIUM SIZED FLAT-BED TRUCK makes its
way to the entrance of a large cavern opening. Two VULTURES
perched on a barren tree watch the intruders.
EXT. DESERT -- DAY
The truck screeches to a dusty stop. Three men in matching
coveralls and hard hats jump from the cab: CHIEF (42, stocky,
weary), LANKY (32, withered) and COLLEGE BOY (23, clean cut
and naive).
Chief holds a map and glares into the howling black mouth
before them.
CHIEF
This is it.
LANKY
Why did it have to be these caves...
COLLEGE BOY
Is something wrong?
LANKY
(to College Boy)
Don't mind me, buddy. It's nothin'.
Chief grabs a flashlight and moves to the back of the truck.
The logo on the rear gate reads "WIGWAM WASTE MANAGEMENT."
CHIEF
Let's get that first barrel.
The gate drops revealing their full load of YELLOW BARRELS
bearing the familiar BIOHAZARD WASTE symbol.
INT. CAVERN -- MOMENTS LATER
College Boy and Lanky steer a cart loaded with the first
barrel inside. Chief's lone beam of light leads the men.
COLLEGE BOY
What's with the awkward silence?
LANKY
You don't know?
College Boy shakes his head "no" and they set the cart down.
CHIEF
Last winter, a man kidnapped a little
girl and holed up in one of these
caves. The cops had him pinned down
and began to move in. This guy started
shooting... but he wasn't aiming at
the officers...
(getting closer)
...he was firing at something inside.
College Boy is rapt.
CHIEF
When the dust cleared, all they found
was the little girl's shoes.
(beat)
With the feet still in 'em.
Something GRABS College Boy's ankles, causing him to jump.
COLLEGE BOY
Ahh!!!
Lanky's on his knees, having grabbed him from behind. The
two men mockingly laugh. College boy settles, embarrassed.
COLLEGE BOY
Assholes.
CHIEF
Hey, relax, I nearly shit myself
when my boss pulled that one on me.
LANKY
I went well beyond nearly.
Then, a sound. All eyes turn.
CHIEF
What was that?
COLLEGE BOY
Once was plenty, fellas.
CHIEF
Shhhh...
As Chief moves forward, pulling out his pick-axe.
Instantly, the cave is illuminated by a white floodlight. A
group of GREENPEACE HIPPIE ACTIVISTS stand in the cave,
CHAINED TOGETHER at the waist, startling the men into screams.
MEAN GREEN (35, crooked glasses on a face that has launched
a thousand craps) barks into a MINI BULLHORN that hangs around
her neck. She charges towards Chief.
MEAN GREEN
Stop it right there! You will not
rape Mother Nature one more day!
Panicked, Chief drops his pick-axe and stumbles back.
CHIEF
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
In unison, the hippies start CHANTING.
HIPPIE GROUP
Mother Nature is not a whore/Don't
dump in her any-more/Mother Nature
is not a whore/Don't dump in her any-
more...
A BEARDED CAMERAMAN with a huge KEY RING on his belt, films
the whole event. The three men are stopped in their tracks.
CHIEF
Take it easy! We have a permit!
MEAN GREEN
(handing a document)
And we have an injunction from the
State to prevent any dumping in these
caverns! This is virgin land! The
aqueducts in these caves bring
drinking water to our families, and
its piping provides drainage for our
farms that enrich this barren land!
And it won't be tainted by waste of
any kind! Not now! Not ever!
Chief, shaken, confirms the injunction and hands it back.
CHIEF
Fine, just back off!
He snaps his fingers, motioning to the barrel.
CHIEF
Let's roll... Now-now-now!
Backing away, looking to Mean Green.
CHIEF
How do you guys always know where
we're going?
MEAN GREEN
(with a smirk)
I'll tell ya next time! NOW MOVE IT!
Hastily, the men roll the barrel out of the cave.
MEAN GREEN
Score one for the green team!!!
The hippies let out a spirited cheer. One pulls out a
tambourine, drums the beat for KUM BI YA. The rest join in
the victorious chant as they watch the three men hop in their
truck and peel away.
BEARDED CAMERAMAN
Hey, man, that was righteous, but I
need a shot with the sign up.
At the end of the human chain, an earthy woman, FUZZY, moves
to hang a GREENPEACE sign. Mean Green strokes the cave wall.
MEAN GREEN
We saved you today, ol' gal.
Fuzzy hammers the sign in, but hits too hard, causing a breach
in the rock wall.
FUZZY
Oh, fuck!
MEAN GREEN
Sister, why do you always swing for
the fences?
FUZZY
(eyeing breach)
It's okay, but I... I think I see
something in there... something shiny.
Fuzzy puts her face up to the hole for a closer look. The
rest of the hippie-chain moves in closer.
FUZZY
Oh my, it looks like diamonds!
CHOMP! A set of giant, ravenous teeth bite into Fuzzy's skull.
Blood SPLATTERS on the hippies.
Bearded Cameraman jumps to pull Fuzzy from the breach.
Fuzzy's body is YANKED into the hole. The group tumbles
forward.
Mean Green tries to stop herself from sliding, but can't.
One by one, the hippies are being dragged to their death.
Ripping, tearing, and howling echoes off the walls.
Bearded Cameraman stumbles back. Mean Green spots him.
MEAN GREEN
Give me the keys!!!
Bearded Camerman just stares at her in shock. He's missing
both his arms.
Mean Green lunges and grabs Chief's dropped pick-axe. She
HAMMERS at the chain around her waist.
Foot by foot, she's dragged closer. At the last second, she
BREAKS the chain, popping herself free.
She spins, running for safety. A guttural HOWL behind her
fills the cavern. Mean Green sprints toward the cave opening.
She's gonna make it. Only a few more feet. And then... JERK!
Something grabs her neck and YANKS her back into the darkness.
The whiplash sends her bloody BULLHORN flying into the light.
As it lands, it lets out one last weak HONK...
CUT TO BLACK:
SUPERIMPOSED: BASED ON A TRUE STORY
The title SHATTERS...
INT. CRASHED CAR -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - We frantically EMERGE from the burning wreck...
RUN from the crash over desolate prairie land...
EXT. BAR -- NIGHT
Neon light flashes UNITED NATIONS TAVERN. Laughing and music
emanates. Besides the bar, there's nothing around for miles.
A 1985, pristine black Pontiac Trans-Am with a Golden Eagle
on the hood pulls up. The rear bumper sticker reads "MY OTHER
TOY HAS TITS."
A weasel-like man with a fat belly and tank-top emerges from
the hot rod carrying a VELVET POOL CUE CASE. Freeze on him.
NAME: BOZO
AGE: 32
JOB: UNEMPLOYED
OCCUPATION: TOWN JACKASS
LIFE EXPECTANCY: DEAD BY DAWN
The rest of the parking lot is scattered with cars and pickup
trucks. Bozo lazily makes his way to the bar and pushes
through the front entrance --
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Bozo passes a man dressed in a cheap suit and standing well
over six foot five with frazzled black hair and olive skin.
Talking with a thick Greek accent, he pleads into a pay phone.
COACH
(into pay phone)
They took my laptop with my PowerPoint
presentation, my Blackberry, my
cell... And to top it off, my car
crapped out on the side of the road!
I'm not making the conference and I
have fourteen leads waiting for me.
You gotta help me out here. I'm not
kidding, I've have fourteen PRIMO
leads waiting in the lobby of the
Mariott... MARIOTT...
Freeze on him.
NAME: COACH
AGE: 42
OCCUPATION: LIFE COACH & MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
FUN FACT: OFTEN CALLED THE GREEK TONY ROBBINS
LIFE EXPECTANCY: STAY FAR, FAR AWAY
CLICK. The pay phone goes dead.
COACH
Son of a --
(deep breath, soothing)
In with anger, out with love.
Further into the bar, a man in a wheelchair loads a quarter
into an old jukebox, but he is instantly pushed away by Bozo.
Freeze on him.
NAME: PARA
AGE: 29
OCCUPATION: FIREWORKS DEALER
COMIC BOOK COLLECTION: RIDICULOUSLY HUGE
LIFE EXPECTANCY: THEY WOULDN'T KILL A CRIPPLE... WOULD THEY?
Bozo's tank-top reads, "ONLY COOL CHICKS CAN DO ME."
PARA
(rolling away)
Hey...
BOZO
Shut up, fag.
Bozo punches in his selection. EDGY CAT (34, samurai pony
tail, don't you dare call him an alcoholic) stands by the
bar's POOL TABLE powdering his cue.
EDGY CAT
(to Bozo)
You're late!
BOZO
Don't dilly-dally then. Rack 'em!
The CD spins and an 1980s heavy metal classic KICKS IN.
Bozo, mouthing the lyrics, struts away.
NOTE: Music plays over all the bar sequences.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - We continue to run. Rapid breathing.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Beer Guy (kinda handsome... just kinda) sets a keg of beer
behind the bar. Freeze on him.
NAME: BEER GUY
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: BEER GUY/PART-TIME HOST AT RED LOBSTER
LIFE EXPECTANCY: WIMPS AND DORKS ARE THE FIRST TO GO... HE'S
BOTH
He talks with BARTENDER (thinning hair, chiseled face, big
earring) who preps a drink.
BEER GUY
I mean, we'd been together for so
long and then... bang! She drops me.
Since then, it's been like a damn
country song: she's gone, the car's
repossessed, and a father figure
made a pass at me. I'm not saying I
ever had it. But I have definitely
lost it.
(beat)
Now I haul this swill from armpit to
armpit. I used to be a model for
Christ's sake.
Coach has been eavesdropping on Beer Guy and approaches.
COACH
For what, may I ask?
BEER GUY
JC Penny. Spring wear.
Beer Guy then mimics throwing a sport coat over his shoulder
and delivering his "model" cheese smile.
COACH
You know, Chach, catching you at
this low point is pure serendipity.
BEER GUY
Why is that?
COACH
Because I take the rubble of man and
build superstars. In my briefcase
here is a doorway to a self-help
sensation. Give me a minute, because
I'd like to buy you a drink and change
your life forever. I have a brochure --
BARTENDER
Save it. We don't deal in pamphlets
'round here. We stick to chemistry.
And his drinks are on me.
Bartender puts a shot in front of Beer Guy. Behind him, a
mounted DEER HEAD is prominently displayed. Freeze on him.
NAME: BARTENDER
AGE: 50
OCCUPATION: BARTENDER
FUN FACT: SHOT 4 TIMES, STABBED 6 TIMES, BIT BY 1 SQUIRREL
LIFE EXPECTANCY: READY TO WEAR
With Coach stumped, Bartender turns to Beer Guy.
BARTENDER
Was that the last keg?
BEER GUY
Yup, one keg of Beast for the
basement, then the truck's dry.
BARTENDER
If you're stayin', move the truck,
boss gets pissed about you using
primo parking.
Beer Guy downs his shot and hoists the lone keg into the
waiting keg elevator.
BEER GUY
Right, 'cause this joint's hopping.
He hits a button and the keg slowly lowers to the basement.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - We jump over a bush and crash in the dusty earth.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
A glass of beer slides down the bar. A hand GRABS it and
puts it on a tray. The woman is pretty though haggard, stained
apron and dirty blond hair. Freeze on her.
NAME: TUFFY
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: CAREER WAITRESS
FUN FACT: SERVED 100 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR ILLEGAL
DUMPING OF MANURE... IN EX-HUSBAND'S CAR
LIFE EXPECTANCY: BADASS-IN-WAITING
Tuffy carries the tray toward a table. She passes a TV mounted
on the wall.
ON TV: A NEWSCASTER, dressed in a coat and tie, talks.
NEWSCASTER
...the search for the missing
protesters will be further complicated
by the unstable conditions of these
deep tunnels. Thus far, no sign of
life has been detected, yet town
officials are still optimistic.
Newscaster spins and an ECLIPSE GRAPHIC appears on screen.
NEWSCASTER
On a brighter note, or should I say
a darker note, tomorrow's solar
eclipse will bring out adults and
children alike for a citywide fair
of this metrological event. Stay
tuned for our man on the street to
take a closer look...
INT. BAR -- BASEMENT -- NIGHT
Beer Guy pulls the keg from the elevator and places it next
to other kegs. A faint conversation brews behind a curtain.
BOSS MAN (paunchy, sweaty, ugly) and ROADIE (English accent,
light hair, leather skin, thin build) talk shop.
BOSS MAN (O.S.)
Listen, bud. I got a load ready to
move and your man's not here.
ROADIE (O.S.)
He's coming. Relax. And if he doesn't
show --
BOSS MAN (O.S.)
We got a problem.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - We are trucking... labored breathing...
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Tuffy moves to a table where ADULTERER (bushy mustache,
sweater vest, dress shirt) sits with TRAMPY (designer glasses,
hair pulled back, tight blue business suit, closet tramp).
Freeze on Trampy.
NAME: TRAMPY
AGE: 19
OCCUPATION: BANK TELLER
MOTTO: THE SHORTER THE SKIRT, THE HIGHER THE RAISE
LIFE EXPECTANCY: BETTER THAN ADULTERER
TRAMPY
He said there was no reason I had to
stay a teller and that if I did good
work and didn't mess up, I could
become an assistant manager within
three years.
(pause)
Can you believe that?
ADULTERER
That sounds great.
Freeze on him.
NAME: ADULTERER
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: HIGH SCHOOL P.E. INSTRUCTOR
NICKNAME: DR. BLUMPKIN
GENITALS: SHAVED
LIFE EXPECTANCY: WORSE THAN TRAMPY
Adulterer reaches into his pocket to pay the tab, but he
inadvertently pulls out his hidden WEDDING RING.
TRAMPY
That sounds like bullshit! I could
be an assistant manager at The Lake
Arrowhead Casino for knowing the
fuckin' alphabet to G! I'll be twenty
in three months...
The damning wedding band falls and bounces. As it rolls,
Tuffy, Trampy and Adulterer watch.
The ring stops, standing still on its side.
Trampy seethes as she chooses which obscenity to deliver.
Adulterer slides a wad of cash to Tuffy.
ADULTERER
Just bring the whole bottle.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - Sprinting and wheezing. The bar lights are ahead.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Tuffy walks back over to the bar adding Adulterer's cash to
a fat roll of money. BELLE (stringy blond hair, cute face,
brand-spanking new employee) looks up with surprise.
Freeze on her.
NAME: BELLE
AGE: 21
OCCUPATION: WAITRESS
GOAL: PLAY BELLE IN STAGE VERSION OF "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"
LIFE EXPECTANCY: SAME ODDS AS PLAYING BELLE IN STAGE VERSION
OF "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"
BELLE
If I could made that kind of money,
I'd be in Hollywood next week.
Boss Man walks by and nods to Tuffy, making his way to the
rickety side-staircase to the SECOND FLOOR. Tuffy grinds her
teeth and moves to the staircase.
TUFFY
'Round here, there are ways.
Boss Man winks at Belle. Pure sleaze.
Freeze on him.
NAME: BOSS MAN
AGE: 47
OCCUPATION: BAR OWNER
MOTTO: IF THERE'S GRASS IN THE FIELD, PLAY BALL
LIFE EXPECTANCY: REGULAR OR EXTRA-CRISPY?
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - Running, approaching the distant bar...
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Bozo looks grimly at a pile of CASH on the ledge of the pool
table. Edgy Cat sinks the eighth shot of a NINE BALL game.
EDGY CAT
That cash is gonna look much better
in my pocket.
BOZO
(re: mounted head)
Ya know, that deer only looks scared
when you're in the room.
Para rolls up behind Edgy.
PARA
Excuse me, please.
EDGY CAT
Jesus!
Edgy looks to Para, distracted. Bozo quickly replaces the
WHITE CUE BALL with one hidden in his waistline.
EXT. BAR -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - The bar's a quarter mile away.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Para's chair back aims at the pool table pocket of which
Edgy Cat is lining up for the winning shot.
EDGY CAT
That's all she wrote...
SMACK! The nine ball sinks in the pocket, the cue ball
ricochets away as intended.
Para flips a switch under his wheelchair's arm rest. The cue
ball strays ODDLY into the pocket near Para. Scratch.
EDGY CAT
What?!
BOZO
Ohhh, now that's a rough one.
EDGY CAT
That's motherfuckin' impossible!
BOZO
(crude Oriental accent)
Yoh anga will be yoh downfah. Go
again?
EDGY CAT
Goddamn it! NO!
BOZO
Oh, come on. Crape Diem!
Bozo takes the cash from the table. Edgy Cat sulks away
cursing to himself and moves to the bar.
Roadie looks on, sipping a beer.
Freeze on Roadie.
NAME: ROADIE
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: BAND ROADIE
FUN FACT: TOURED WITH BON JOVI... SLIPPERY WHEN WET ERA
LIFE EXPECTANCY: A FEW DOG YEARS
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - Still running. The bar is getting closer.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Bozo HITS the table of GRANDPA (elderly, white hair, bushy
white mustache) and GRANDMA (curly white hair, glasses).
Freeze on them.
NAMES: GRANDPA AND GRANDMA
AGES: 88 AND 86
OCCUPATION: RETIRED
FUN FACT: BEEN TOGETHER SINCE THE DEPRESSION
LIFE EXPECTANCY: THEY DON'T BUY GREEN BANANAS
BOZO
Wake up! Check your pants!
GRANDPA
Get outta here.
BOZO
(mocking)
What's that? Wha'cha say? Huh?
(to Grandma)
How much for the whole night, Grandma?
GRANDMA
You should be so lucky.
GRANDPA
(re: his fists)
This one will stun ya, but this one
will put ya to sleep.
BOZO
Whoa!
Bozo approaches OLD VET (52, long hair with bandanna, dirty
beard) HARLEY MOM, (45, bruiser, grizzled, tough as a saddle)
and DRUNK GUY at the bar. The sad trio toss peanut shells
into three nearby tall, fat peanut barrels.
BOZO
You boys wanna try your luck at the
loot?
Harley mom is offended. Not a word from the others.
BOZO
Come on, I'll even throw with my
left hand.
He turns in disappointment.
BOZO
Nothin' but a bunch of butts and
pussies in here!
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - The bar is close -- we leap a ditch.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
KRASH! Belle DROPS a tray full of drinks behind the bar.
BELLE
Shit! Shit! Shit!
BARTENDER
Don't sweat it, just clean it up
before he's done.
He points up to the second floor.
INT. BAR -- SECOND FLOOR -- NIGHT
Tuffy's son CODY (7, innocent, cute) sits on the floor
watching TV. Freeze on him.
NAME: CODY
AGE: 7
OCCUPATION: TAX BREAK
LIFE EXPECTANCY: A WONDERFUL, FULL LIFE
Tuffy puts headphones over his ears.
TUFFY
Keep these on, sweetheart.
CODY
Mommy, I want Nemo.
TUFFY
Mommy's working on it.
Tuffy kisses him and then moves to an adjacent room.
ADJACENT ROOM
Tuffy enters the room and takes off her blouse exposing her
breasts. She pulls up her skirt and bends over a bedpost.
TUFFY
Let's get this over with.
Boss Man walks up naked, except for red cowboy boots.
BOSS MAN
I love a woman with enthusiasm.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Bozo walks to the middle of the room.
BOZO
I got two hundred bucks says none of
you can beat me!
BARTENDER
Hey! Get quiet or get out.
BOZO
C'mon guys --
EXT. BAR -- NIGHT
P.O.V. - Hurtling toward the double doors and --
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
BOZO
Gimme some ACTION --
BOOM! The double doors to the bar are kicked open by HERO
(30s, rugged alpha man built to kick ass).
KRASH! Belle DROPS a second tray of drinks --
MUSIC CUTS OUT
Hero is scraped, bruised and bloodied. He is dressed in blue
denim and holds a RUST-RED SHOTGUN and GUNNY SACK.
He SLAMS the double doors shut and props a chair against the
handles, securing them.
HERO
Unless you people want to die you'll
do what I say and you'll do it fast!
Bartender cocks his SHOTGUN.
BARTENDER
You hold it right there, mister.
HERO
A storm of hell's coming down on
this place any minute!
BARTENDER
Drop the canon!
Hero puts down the shotgun and moves towards Bartender.
HERO
I'm not armed now, just hear me out.
BARTENDER
I'll drop you and not even think
about it!
HERO
Let me explain!
BARTENDER
You got one second to --
Hero reveals a drool-dripping, white, GRANDPA BEAST HEAD
from the gunny sack and holds it out and for all to see.
HERO
Take a good look and listen to me!
There's at least a four of these
things out there!
Grandpa Beast's head has large red eyeballs and a mouth full
of jagged, ivory white teeth. It is like an albino jackal
head with spiked hair.
HERO
I saw one of them tear up five men
like they were corn on the cob!
(off silence, shock)
I don't know what they are. I don't
know where they came from. All I do
know is that these fuckers are fast,
nasty, and hungry.
The bar stares at him, slack-jawed.
HERO
And they can fly. Not to mention
they got claws like Ginsu knifes and
more teeth than a chainsaw.
The Bartender lowers his shotgun slightly. Fast as a snake,
Hero GRABS it. He notices the engraving, "THE JUDGE."
HERO
They're like goddamn blood hungry
biker tattoos come to life. They're
clocking us. Right now. And we have
to lock this bar down!
(moving around)
That means doors, windows, drains,
and basements. We have to do it fast!
Hero looks out the lone front window.
HERO
(looks to Belle)
You! Get on that phone. Call the
cops, National Guard, townies, whoever
kicks ass and get 'em out here.
Belle moves to a pay phone at the end of the bar.
HERO
Any questions?
BARTENDER
Who are you?
HERO
I'm the hero --
CRASH! A white Beast arms BURSTS through the window and SPLITS
Hero right down the middle. The Judge FIRES into the ceiling --
SECOND FLOOR
The Judge's blast blows a toe off Boss Man's RIGHT FOOT as
he reaches climax with Tuffy. Boss Man HOLLERS.
MAIN BAR
Hero's right half is JERKED outside through the window.
Blood sprays. Rapid chomping. CRASH! The double doors are
kicked open, splintering the propped up chair.
HEROINE (Native American, rugged, ripped pants, wickedly
hot) rushes in, slams the doors shut and instinctively kicks
up the RUST RED SHOTGUN. She flips it sideways and slides
the metal weapon through the handles of the double doors,
securing them.
BAM! A massive HIT slams into the doors from the outside
sending Heroine SLIDING across the floor.
She SPRINGS to her feet and drives her weight into a table
attempting to hoist it over the now open window.
HEROINE
HELP ME! SOMEBODY!
Old Vet and Harley Mom rush to Heroine's aid. They raise the
table to cover the gaping hole. Heroine looks outside.
HEROINE
GET DOWN!
A BEAST nails the rising table, just missing Heroine's face.
The table falls, pinning Heroine.
JUNIOR BEAST enters. He's small and too fast to see well.
He SWIPES the heads off Old Vet and Harley Mom. Bartender
grabs The Judge, but he's SCRATCHED down the back.
Junior Beast rips out the pay phone. Knocks over the TV.
Yanks out half of Trampy's hair.
Edgy Cat CHARGES the spastic monster with a stool.
EDGY CAT
I got you!
Edgy Cat misses. Junior Beast sends him FLYING into a wall.
BLAM! BLAM! Bartender FIRES The Judge at the creature hitting
lights instead. An errant shot destroys Edgy Cat's face.
Para covers as Junior Beast RIPS the back of his wheelchair.
Roadie WHACKS Junior Beast with a chair. Stunned, it flies
across the room, landing in a metal ICE COOLER.
Bozo SLAMS it closed, capturing Junior Beast.
BOZO
Got 'cha!
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Shadows of THREE SHRIEKING BEASTS close in on the window...
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Bartender runs across the bar and SLAMS shut the thick wood
shutters. The Beasts HIT, cracking the middle.
Roadie power lifts the table with Heroine and braces it
against the window for reinforcement, but a FURRY ARM busts
through and grabs the other half of Hero.
HEROINE
Goddamn you!
Blood starts to SPRAY from outside as the rest of Hero is
being devoured through the smallish hole.
Heroine works a GOLD RING off of Hero's ring finger. The
feeding MOMMA BEAST'S head breaks in through the hole. It
grabs Heroine's left forearm.
Bartender aims The Judge at the Beast...
ROADIE
You'll hit her!
Roadie KNOCKS The Judge up -- BLAM!
SECOND FLOOR
The Judge's shotgun blast blows off another toe on Boss Man's
RIGHT FOOT. He cries out in agony.
MAIN BAR
Heroine spins and buries a splintered piece of the broken
chair into the ATTACKING MOMMA BEAST'S RIGHT EYE. The Beast
SCREECHES and jerks back, dragging the rest of Hero outside.
Heroine clutches the ring. Shrieks and flapping wings are
heard outside. They dissipate. A moment of calm.
Belle timidly holds the receiver of the busted pay phone.
The other patrons emerge from under tables and other hiding
spaces in various states of shock. Junior Beast has
momentarily stopped moving. Bozo secures the lid with a nearby
PADLOCK.
BOZO
What the FUCK was that?
Wild-eyed and with a trembling hand, Heroine pours herself a
shot from the bar. She downs it and takes a long breath.
HEROINE
The jungle has a new king.
Freeze on her.
NAME: HEROINE
AGE: 27
OCCUPATION: SURVIVOR
LIFE EXPECTANCY: HOPEFULLY LONGER THAN THE LAST HERO
CUT TO:
Pan and scan over various NEWSPAPER HEADINGS with pictures
and newsreel footage that read:
"EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA 1940: HIKING CLUB MAULED BY BEARS"
"LOCKHART, CALIFORNIA 1948: BRUSH FIRE DEMOLISHES RURAL
COMMUNITY, DOZENS MISSING"
"HI-VISTA, CALIFORNIA 1956: UNIVERSITY ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG
BURIED IN MINE SHAFT COLLAPSE"
"PEARBLOSSOM, CALIFORNIA 1964: AVALANCHE BLAMED FOR MISSING
HORSEBACK RIDERS"
"SALTDALE, CALIFORNIA 1972: MUDSLIDE CLAIMS LOCAL BROWNIE
TROOP EARNING COURAGE BADGES"
"GARLOCK, CALIFORNIA 1980: ELDERLY TOUR GROUP WASHED AWAY BY
FLASH FLOOD"
"CALTIL, CALIFORNIA 1988: SINKHOLES DEMOLISH A STRING OF
CABINS, SEVERAL FAMILIES PERISH"
"WILSONA GARDENS, CALIFORNIA 1996: GAS LEAK EXPLOSION DESTROYS
HILLSIDE COMMUNITY"
CUT TO:
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
There is a HOLLER at the top of the stairs. Everyone turns.
BOSS MAN
Is it clear?!
BARTENDER
Yeah.
BOSS MAN
Is there a gun pointing at you?
BARTENDER
Nah, I got the gun.
Boss Man hobbles down the stairs with the help of Tuffy. His
foot is a bloody mess. He is holding a .38.
BOSS MAN
Alright goddamn it! Who shot me!?
Who did it!?
Belle and Bartender move to his aid.
BOSS MAN
My goddamn foot is gone! Who fuckin'
shot me? Who fuckin' shot me!?
BARTENDER
(motioning to Heroine)
Her fella.
HEROINE
My husband...
BOSS MAN
Well, where's the sonuvabitch!?
HEROINE
He's dead.
BOSS MAN
What?
(noticing destruction)
What the hell happened down here?!
Boss Man looks to Bozo.
BOZO
I didn't do it! It was fuckin'
monsters, asshole!
BOSS MAN
Jesus Christ on the cross... someone
make sense.
HEROINE
Easy. We're surrounded by something
the likes none of you have ever seen
before. Some kind of animals. Real
fast, volatile, predators. One went
through three of your patrons like
nothing.
BOSS MAN
So, your dead hubby shot me twice,
three of my customers have been eaten,
and there are angry creatures outside?
HEROINE
He only shot you once.
BOSS MAN
Huh?
HEROINE
(re: Bartender)
He shot you the other time.
BARTENDER
It was an accident. Sorry.
Boss Man squints skeptically. Adulterer points to GRANDPA
BEAST'S HEAD on the bar.
ADULTERER
Look at it!
BOSS MAN
Fan-fuckin-tastic.
TUFFY
My god... what is that?
HEROINE
That's one piece of four problems.
BOSS MAN
Please elaborate.
HEROINE
That head over there, that's the
oldest of the bunch, looked like the
Grandpa. We caught the little one,
Junior, in the cooler there. As we've
seen, what he lacks in size he more
than makes up for in speed.
BARTENDER
And the rest of 'em?
HEROINE
Unfortunately, the worst of 'em are
still outside.
NOTE: As Heroine describes each beast, we see a slight glimpse
of their virtues, hidden mainly by shadows and fog.
HEROINE
The next one is taller, but all out
of proportion. Like a "teen beast."
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
TEEN BEAST has a big head and awkward body. He clumsily moves
and seems uncomfortable in his own skin.
HEROINE (V.O.)
He was spastic, clumsy, but deadly
just the same.
INT. BAR FRONT -- NIGHT
Heroine tends to her scratched arm.
HEROINE
I just took the eye out of the mother.
She calculates, guiding the attacks.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
MOMMA BEAST flashes out from the dark. She's shorter than
Teen, but much wider. She has a big mouth and NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC BOOBS that hang down to her waist. She covers her
stabbed right eye and SCREECHES.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Heroine taps her right eye.
HEROINE
If you are face to face with her,
dive left.
ROADIE
And the last one is the --
HEROINE
Father. The biggest, the strongest...
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- NIGHT
A blur of muscles, bloody fur, and teeth.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
The entire bar stares at Heroine with their mouths agape.
HEROINE
No sign of any weaknesses. No sign
at all. He's an eating machine.
COACH
Of all the friggin' bars to be stuck
in.
HEROINE
That's not it. Four are here, but
there's three others... which I can't
account for.
Heroine eyes the room.
HEROINE
We need to lock this place down. Is
everyone in this room?
TUFFY
Oh my god! My son! My SON!
Tuffy races toward the staircase to the SECOND FLOOR.
HEROINE
Wait!
Tuffy is halfway up the stairs.
TUFFY
Cody! Mommy's coming! Mommy's coming!
HEROINE
Stop her!
BARTENDER
Hey!
SECOND FLOOR
Tuffy BURSTS through the door. Cody sits by the TV, unmoved.
CODY
Mommy --
Tuffy pulls Cody into her arms. Heroine and Bartender halt
to guard the doorway. Heroine spots a SMALL PORTAL WINDOW.
TUFFY
Oh sweetheart! What was I thinking?
Mommy is never gonna let you go!
HEROINE
Let's lock off this room.
TUFFY
(moving to exit)
Never, ever, never. Never, ever,
never, baby. I love you --
SMASH! Papa Beast BURSTS through the portal window and RIPS
Cody's torso from Tuffy's grasp. Tuffy holds his DANGLING
ARMS. Blood sprays everywhere.
TUFFY
NOOOOOOOO!
Papa Beast LUNGES at Tuffy! Bartender SHOOTS, nailing Papa
Beast. He hisses, but can't fit through the small window.
Bartender aims again for a kill shot, but Papa Beast
projectile vomits Cody's remains at Bartender.
Papa Beast retracts out the portal window. Heroine SLAMS the
wood shutters closed.
Tuffy drops Cody's arms. Bug-eyed. She moves, zombie-like,
to the staircase. Bartender follows, covered in Papa Beast's
bile. Heroine locks the staircase door shut.
HEROINE
Damn it.
MAIN BAR
Beer Guy stares at the bile covered Bartender.
BEER GUY
Oh god...
He hands him a towel. Tuffy slowly walks towards the rest of
the patrons. The blood on her face and chest tells them what
happened. The horror hits home.
Heroine eyes the destroyed phone.
COACH
(to Tuffy)
Are you --
Heroine puts a hand up to silence Coach.
HEROINE
Just let her be... please.
(beat)
Is that the only phone?
Bartender emerges from the back holding a mess of plastic
and wires.
BARTENDER
The back phone is wrecked, too.
Trampy's eyes light up and she digs through her purse.
BELLE
This is really happening. I can't
believe this is really happening.
Grandpa and Grandma have calmly re-taken their seats.
GRANDPA
What'd you say?
GRANDMA
I didn't say anything.
Bartender hesitantly tosses a wash towel over the Grandpa
Beast head at the end of the bar.
Para is awkwardly trying to fix the back of his wheelchair.
Belle moves over to help and sees a mess of wires coming
from the wheelchair's back rest.
PARA
Thank you, but I don't need any help --
BELLE
What's this? A power magnet or
something?
PARA
No. It's nothing.
Belle puts together his scam with a smirk.
BELLE
I didn't peg you for a con man.
PARA
Hey, it pays more than the couch.
BELLE
Lots of stuff around here does.
Trampy pulls out a CELLULAR PHONE from her purse.
TRAMPY
Here!
The group looks over. Adulterer GRABS it.
TRAMPY
Hey!
ADULTERER
Back off!
Beer Guy walks from behind the bar.
BEER GUY
So, what now? Did those things leave?
BOZO
Why don't you go check it out?
BEER GUY
Fuck no.
ADULTERER
(into cell phone)
I have a signal! I have -- Diane?
Diane listen to me... get the kids
and get in the basement... do it
right now...
Trampy stares with grief in her eyes.
ADULTERER
I'll explain later. Not now! I'm at
a bar... look... shut up! JUST SHUT
UP AND GET IN THE FUCKING BASEMENT,
DIANE! Diane! Diane?... Hello? Damn
it! I lost the signal!
Adulterer looks at the phone a bit dazed.
ADULTERER
Okay. Okay. Look now, I gotta get
outta here! I gotta go! My wife...
See my wife is alone... She could be
in trouble. I GOTTA GO!
He moves towards the front door. Heroine moves into his path.
HEROINE
I wouldn't do that.
Adulterer, violently grabs Heroine to shove her away.
ADULTERER
Fuck you, bitch!
Heroine nails Adulterer with THREE HITS to the chin, throat
and chest, flipping him to the floor. She pulls a KNIFE from
her belt buckle and has it under Adulterer's chin.
HEROINE
You can risk your life, but not mine!
My daughter's no more than twenty
miles from here waiting for me. I
have just as much reason to leave
this place as you do. But I also
know that if they're here, then
they're not there yet.
Adulterer squirms.
HEROINE
You understand me?
ADULTERER
Get the fuck off...
HEROINE
You understand me!?
ADULTERER
Yes!
HEROINE
Now pull that tough boy shit again
and I'll slice you from neck to nuts!
Adulterer nods obediently. Heroine removes the knife from
his neck and plants it back into her buckle.
ADULTERER
You can't keep me here. This is
bullshit. Fuckin' bullshit. This is
fucking BULLSHIT!
HEROINE
We can't risk letting them in.
ADULTERER
(trembling, pissed)
Right.
Adulterer takes his seat. He looks over at the half bald
Trampy. She looks at him, hurt.
At the bar, Bozo puts the TV back into place, he jiggles
with some wires in the back, bringing back the picture.
BOZO
Anything?
PARA
Yeah, you got it.
The bar takes notice. Trampy, cell phone in hand, paws through
a phone book as she watches the broadcast.
BELLE
See! This has to be isolated. That's
a local broadcast.
ON TV: The Newscaster reads the teleprompter.
NEWSCASTER
And now, we head to our man on the
scene with a live look at tomorrow's
event in Red Mountain.
Heroine eagerly looks on, moving closer to the TV.
HEROINE
My daughter's in Red Mountain.
ON TV: There is an awkward pause from the Newscaster. The
broadcast doesn't cut to the reporter.
NEWSCASTER
Can you hear us? Apparently we're
having some technical difficulties...
Heroine sinks in her skin.
HEROINE
Oh no.
NEWSCASTER
Oh, there we go!
ON TV: A REPORTER, in an even worse suit, stands in a field
with several people looking through telescopes.
REPORTER
That's right, the crowds are lining
up early to witness tomorrow's
meteorological phenomenon.
Heroine sighs a gust of relief.
REPORTER
But always remember, don't look
straight into the sun because a
special filter is needed to avoid
damaging your cornea.
The Reporter beams.
REPORTER
And we're all looking forward to it
tomorrow. Back to you.
In the studio, the Newscaster smirks.
NEWSCASTER
Thank you. And in other news...
Roadie points to the TV.
ROADIE
That studio's local, we can call in.
BOSS MAN
I have a short wave radio upstairs.
Trampy is already dialing on the cell.
TRAMPY
I'm calling them... it's ringing!
ROADIE
They'd have a police scanner.
TRAMPY
(into cell)
Hello? Yes, we're at the United --
ON TV: the Newscaster continues his routine.
NEWSCASTER
...it has been reported that the
power outage --
A Beast arm REACHES in and TEARS off Newscaster's jaw. The
bar gasps in horror as his blood sprays. ZAP! The broadcast
cuts out, turning to static.
Trampy screams and DROPS the cell, SHATTERING on impact.
TRAMPY
Oh no! Oh fucking no!
Heroine, tense, quells the rising panic.
HEROINE
Keep it together! I came from the
east. That studio is south of here.
For all we know, north and west are
okay.
ROADIE
An associate of mine was coming in
from the north, ain't heard a word
from him in hours.
HEROINE
So, that leaves the west.
Tuffy looks up from a booth, clearing her throat.
TUFFY
And Red Mountain. Your daughter.
Heroine looks over, making eye contact.
HEROINE
Right.
BEER GUY
This is goddamn depressing.
At the door, Heroine slides a thick metal pole through the
double door handles and takes out the Rust Red shotgun.
BOSS MAN
I've got some tools and extra planks
in the kitchen, if we're on the same
page here.
HEROINE
Let's work.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
The last board is hammered into place as the survivors back
away from the now re-enforced bar.
BARTENDER
We'll it ain't pretty...
BOSS MAN
But its got teeth.
BAM-BAM-BAM! Junior Beast bangs around in the ice cooler.
BOZO
I think it's hungry again.
HEROINE
We have to kill it.
(to Boss Man)
Can you help?
Boss Man hobbles over to the cooler and aims his .38. Junior
Beast goes wild, trying to get out.
BOSS MAN
Fire in the hole!
Bullets rip through the cooler. Junior squeals. More shots.
Casings hit the ground. Smoke rises. Bozo leans in.
BOZO
I think we got --
RAH! A tiny white arm fires out from the cooler GRABBING
Bozo's leg. Bozo yelps.
Moving quick, Tuffy grabs The Judge from Bartender and shoves
the barrel into a hole.
BLAM! Guts splatter. Bozo falls back unscathed. He catches
his breath and looks to Tuffy. She is born again, seething.
TUFFY
You're welcome.
She hands the shotgun back to Bartender.
TRAMPY
Jesus, it took all that? All those
bullets? How can we possibly fight
off the others?
HEROINE
Aim for their orifices. Eyes, ears
and mouth. From what I've seen, it's
their only weakness.
ROADIE
(looking at the corpse)
Looks like they're soft on the inside
like any other animal. Trick is to
get in there and do the damage.
BELLE
Maybe we don't have to fight them.
BOZO
Right, let's just call 'em names.
Coach steps forward, poised to make the sale.
COACH
Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have
your attention.
The bar skeptically eyes the large, sweaty Greek man.
COACH
We have to think outside the box
here. We don't need to fight them,
we need to scare them. Scare them
right back. This is a species stand-
off. We just need to show them we're
not vulnerable. That we're formidable.
ADULTERER
How?
COACH
I need a stick.
Bartender opens the cooler's lid and carefully pulls out
Junior Beast with salad tongs. It falls to the floor with a
SPLAT. Coach grabs a splintered broomstick.
COACH
Stand back.
He buries the broomstick into Junior's side and carries the
limp carcass towards a covered hole in the wall.
COACH
Let's get that board down.
Roadie pries off a board to reveal a pumpkin sized hole.
HEROINE
What are you doing?
Coach shoves Junior's mangled body through to the outside.
COACH
Showing superiority. The scent of
their dead may drive them away.
The whole bar moves to the side wall to see how the Beast
family will react. They look through SMALL HOLES, barely
able to see anything.
BEER GUY
I don't see them.
COACH
Come on. Come onnnnnn.
BELLE
Is there a call, or something?
BOZO
See that you monkey fucks! That's
what you get when you mess with us!
Woman or man, I don't give a fuck!
Shit don't make me gay because you'll
be sucking my dick!
Bozo's insult hangs in the air.
PARA
Sweet...
P.O.V - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
WHOOSH! Junior is swiped from the handmade pike.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Coach jerks back. The startled group tries to focus, but
it's too dark outside. With the moon as the only light, Father
Beast can barely be made out cradling his dead child.
Silhouettes of the other family members slowly approach
Junior. Papa Beast is gentle and it's almost endearing.
BEER GUY
It's working. I think it's working.
COACH
You see? What I tell you?
The whole group starts to ease. Then... Papa Beast HOLLERS.
P.O.V. - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
Papa Beast lets out a HORRID WAIL. The group jumps back,
covering their ears. Then, something really odd happens.
Momma tosses Junior in the air, opens her wide jaws and
SWALLOWS HIM WHOLE.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Adulterer's eyes widen.
ADULTERER
Good christ! They're cannibals!
COACH
Oh dear...
P.O.V. - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
Papa Beast moves behind Momma Beast and grabs hold of her.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
A steady "thud-thud-thud" rhythm vibrates the bar. Grandpa's
drink starts to hop to edge of his table with the beats. The
group maneuvers to get a better look.
TRAMPY
Oh... my... god.
PARA
What are they doing now?
P.O.V. - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
Yes, Momma Beast and Papa Beast are having MONSTER SEX.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
BOZO
Dude, they're humpin'!
P.O.V. - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
Unlike humans, Papa Beast finishes and the birth cycle lasts
all of thirty seconds. Momma Beast's belly balloons up and
she squats. POP! A SLIMY OBJECT the size and shape of a vacuum
cleaner drops from her.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Trampy VOMITS.
P.O.V. - THROUGH SMALL HOLES
The slimy object SPLITS in half. The two halves spring
appendages and raise their heads. The TWIN SISTER BEASTS
have been born.
Papa moves forward and cleans off his new baby girls. The
Beast Girls look at the bar and hiss in unison.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine's eyes bulge.
HEROINE
Get back!
SLAM-SLAM! The two hissing Beast Girls strike the bar front.
Roadie shoves that board back over the hole. Beer Guy is
holding back the still heaving Trampy's hair.
BOZO
Any more ideas, Animal Planet?
COACH
I-I-I was just being proactive...
BEER GUY
(to Bozo)
Hey, you weren't helpin'!
BOZO
Go douche.
BARTENDER
What the hell now?
ADULTERER
We're stuck in here. That's what.
Bozo pops open a beer off the back of Para's wheelchair.
Roadie nods to Grandpapa Beast's head on the end of the bar.
ROADIE
Hey, Miss?
Heroine turns.
ROADIE
If you don't mind me asking, how did
you run into these things?
BOSS MAN
More importantly, how did you run
away from these things?
HEROINE
Well, it all started about forty
hours ago...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- EVENING
The orange sun melts into the horizon.
INT. FARMHOUSE -- CONTINUOUS
Hero and his overweight friend TUBBS (35, hard living career
farm hand) laugh at a TV show while Heroine paces on the
telephone in the background.
HEROINE
(into phone)
So, how is staying with Grandma
working out? Ya know, if you stare
into her glasses, you can see what
cards she is holding. But I didn't
tell you that.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- CONTINUOUS
There's a home on the horizon with a big barn next to it.
Shrieking and flapping grows in the distance.
INT. FARMHOUSE -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine starts to peek out of the window.
HEROINE
Mommy will pick you up tomorrow night,
okay baby?
The phone cuts out.
HEROINE
Hello? Charlie?
Heroine and Hero look at each other with concern. Hero looks
out the window.
HERO
Holy mother of...
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Heroine has the group mesmerized.
HEROINE
We barricaded ourselves in the cellar.
Then it was just listening. We heard
those things destroy an entire heard
of livestock. They just kept coming.
Closer and closer, consuming anything
in the way. Slashing, feeding and
licking the bones clean. Just when
we said our prayers, the first ray
of sun hit the house...
EXT. FARMHOUSE -- MORNING
PLOP! A HORSE'S HEAD falls as Heroine and her companions
peek out from the damaged cellar door.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
That first beam of sunlight drove
'em away. Somewhere. We called who
we could and then decided to run for
it. We didn't see a soul the whole
drive out. When the tank went dry,
we came upon a gas station to refill.
EXT. PRAIRIE LAND -- LATE DAY
The sun is falling into the horizon. The traveler's CAMARO
pulls into a small gas station
EXT. GAS STATION -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine goes up to the service window with Tubbs and looks
inside. Nobody. There is a slight BUZZING from inside.
Hero hollers from the fuel pump by the car.
HERO
What's goin' on? The pumps are off.
TUBBS
There's nobody here --
She follows the buzzing sound to a corner of the room. There
is a swarm of black flies crawling over half a STATION
ATTENDANT'S gutted torso.
HEROINE
They've been here!
HERO
Turn on the pump!
Glass shatters as Heroine reaches inside to turn on the pumps.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
We had no time. All we knew was the
sun was dropping and we had to get
enough fuel to make it through the
night at 90 miles per hour...
EXT. GAS STATION -- LATE DAY
Hero fills their Camaro.
HERO
Suck it down you metal bitch. Suck
it down.
INT. GAS STATION -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine and Tubbs hastily grabs food and drinks, ignoring
the cash register completely. The sun is setting.
EXT. GAS STATION -- CONTINUOUS
Hero turns as a shrill HISSING comes from the shadows...
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
It happened fast...
EXT. GAS STATION -- LATE DAY
Heroine and Tubbs emerge from the gas station shop.
HERO
Move it!
Heroine and Tubbs hear the growing cries of the Beasts.
Their loot hits the pavement as they run.
HERO
Get in the car, baby.
Hero drops the spilling gas nozzle. Tubbs slides into the
back as Heroine jumps into the driver's seat.
Hero runs over the top of the Camaro and slides into the
sunroof. He grabs a rifle and aims toward the leaking gas
pool. Something rises in the gas station.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
That's when I saw three others...
just for a second.
EXT. GAS STATION -- SUNSET
Three lean, muscular shapes rise from the shadows.
HERO
Roll!
Heroine fires up the car and tears out. Hero shoots and the
station becomes a FIREBALL.
INT. CAMARO -- CONTINUOUS
HEROINE
Close the roof!
Hero lowers into the back seat and starts to close the roof
as STRIPPED COUSIN BEAST lands on top of the car...
HERO
Shit!
Stripped Cousin Beast PUNCHES through the back window,
reaching for them. Heroine jerks the wheel.
The car 180's and the Beast sails off of the car into
darkness. The Camaro tears down a tangent dirt road.
HERO
We made it!
Hero reaches back to give a "five" to Tubbs. Tubbs doesn't
respond. Heroine is the first to see Tubbs' quivering,
HEADLESS body in the back seat.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Heroine stands near Grandpa Beast's head.
HEROINE
It must have smelled the blood or
something. We buried the body and
got back on the main road when...
INT. CAMARO -- NIGHT
BOOM! Grandpa Beast LANDS on the front hood of the Camaro.
Heroine and Hero SCREAM and rev the engine, swerving madly
as Grandpa Beast VOMITS on the windshield.
HERO
Break!
Heroine slams on the breaks. Grandpa Beast slides back,
holding onto the grill.
HERO
Go! Go! Go!
Grandpa Beast tears into the engine through the grill as
sparks and smoke shoot out. Heroine jerks the steering wheel.
HERO
Look out!
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
And that's how I ended up here.
BARTENDER
And the head?
INT. CAMARO -- NIGHT
The car crashes into a ditch, DECAPITATING Grandpa Beast.
His head FIRES through the windshield, landing on Heroine's
lap. Its snake-like tongue lashes out at Heroine's crotch.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
HEROINE
I don't want to talk about that.
BARTENDER
So, your husband ditched you?
HEROINE
No. It was wild out there. No time
to think. We just moved. He didn't
leave me. He just ran.
BARTENDER
Well, justice is funny.
Para wheels over to a COUNTY MAP on the side wall.
ROADIE
The three from the gas pump are over
at the TV station? And you say there's
four here, huh?
HEROINE
It appears so.
COACH
There's five here now, actually.
BOZO
Yeah, thanks for that.
PARA
(to Heroine)
Hey, you lived on a farm, right?
HEROINE
Yeah.
ADULTERER
Do you think they're gone? I haven't
heard anything for a while, maybe
they're gone.
BELLE
Well, maybe they migrate?
HEROINE
As long as it's dark, they're around.
They hide, wait for you to drop your
guard, and then attack.
TRAMPY
How can you be so sure? You said
yourself this started a day ago.
HEROINE
We learned fast.
BOZO
We? We learned fast? You are all
that is left of we. No offense
Pocohantas, but I think someone else
should play "Chief" tonight. Someone
that knows the lay of the land.
(beat)
Like me.
HEROINE
Fine.
Para stares intently at the map. Adulterer moves over to the
window that has shutters over it, peeking through a hole.
ADULTERER
Maybe these things are like locusts
or something and only come out for a
few days to feed. This could just be
a part of their life cycle.
BELLE
Somebody's gotta know something about
these things. This stuff just doesn't
happen out of the blue.
The room is silent. Bozo looks around, quickly moving towards
Grandpa and Grandma.
BOZO
You!
GRANDPA
Wha?
BOZO
You gotta know somethin', you're
old.
GRANDPA
I don't know a thing.
BOZO
Old people know stuff like this.
Legends, tall tales, shit like that.
GRANDPA
No!
BOZO
Spill it!
GRANDPA
I don't know anything!
BOZO
(to Grandma)
How 'bout you? Or do I have to get
rough?
GRANDMA
Heavens no!
BOZO
Come on! Think back!
GRANDPA
If I throw a stick, will you go away?
BOZO
That's just horse shit.
HEROINE
Relax, they don't know anything.
BOZO
Yeah... allegedly.
Bozo saunters off.
PARA
(to Heroine)
Hey, where was your farm?
HEROINE
(points to map)
East. Why?
PARA
Did you ever slaughter? Slaughter
livestock?
HEROINE
Previous owners did, I think.
COACH
What are you talking about?
PARA
Slaughterhouse run-off used to be
drained into piping that ran through
the mountains.
Para points along the map as he explains.
PARA
Earthquakes often cracked the piping
and those flow lines were condemned,
but never drained.
COACH
Cheese n' rice...
TRAMPY
I still don't get it.
PARA
What I am saying is... there's a
distinct possibility that what we
are up against is the result of steady
stream of blood and tissue that has
been leaking into the caves. And a
day ago... something broke out.
The group is silent.
BOZO
The first order of business is gettin'
a big fuckin' tampon in that cave!
PARA
Nope, that wouldn't do it.
FROM ADULTERER'S P.O.V. - He peeks out the hole and sees
nothing but the dark night. Bartender eyes him.
BARTENDER
I wouldn't do that.
BOZO
They're probably on to the next buffet
by now. There's a retirement home up
the road, they'd be easy pickings.
HEROINE
(to Adulterer)
Careful.
ADULTERER
I'm telling you, I don't see a thing --
BOINK! Papa Beast's claw POKES into his eye. Adulterer JERKS
away holding his blood squirting eye socket.
FROM OUTSIDE
P.O.V. - The eye sees its owner stumble back and fall to
the floor holding his face.
INSIDE
Coach and Trampy move to help Adulterer.
FROM OUTSIDE
The eyeball fires into Papa's drooling mega-mouth. SLURP!
INSIDE
BASH! A Beast arm BURSTS through the side wall and SNAGS
Coach's pants and boxers. He screams and lunges forward. He
is BOTTOMLESS.
HEROINE
Everyone stay in the middle of the
room! Off the walls! NOW!
Everyone obeys her command to get in the middle of the room.
Belle hands Coach a little menu to cover himself with.
HEROINE
Now, does everyone agree that they
are still out there?
The group nods.
HEROINE
(to Bozo)
'Eh, Chief?
BOZO
...Duh.
Trampy holds Adulterer's wounded head.
TRAMPY
He's out cold.
BELLE
I know some first aid if we have a
kit. Do we?
BOSS MAN
In the kitchen, under the sink.
HEROINE
No one goes anywhere alone. Least of
all, unarmed.
TUFFY
(to Coach)
There's some sweats in my bag behind
the bar.
COACH
Thanks.
Coach heads to the bar. Roadie moves to the map near Para.
ROADIE
You're a clever man.
(re: Bozo)
Why do you take shit from him?
PARA
Yeah, he's an ass, but he's my
brother. Que sera-sera.
ROADIE
Your brother, huh?
PARA
Yep.
ROADIE
Same parents?
PARA
Look man, I read books. He reads
bumper stickers.
Roadie nods. Heroine jerks a bottle of booze from Beer Guy
and tosses it out.
HEROINE
Alright, we need to stay alert and
for everyone to take a role.
(to Boss Man)
You gotta have some guns or weapons
around here.
Boss Man, pale and morphine pumped, sits at a table with his
foot raised.
BOSS MAN
I got my .38 here. That's six shots
and two refills. Downstairs, I have
locker with a sawed-off and some
gardening tools. Maybe a few boxes
of shells.
BARTENDER
I got shells, too. Box and a half
tops. Machete behind the bar.
HEROINE
Okay, well that's something.
ROADIE
So we've got guns, kitchen knives,
pipes, fire and sticks.
Beer Guy scans the stocked bar wall.
BEER GUY
I might be able to do something with
the bottles.
GRANDPA
You're gonna need a whole lot more
than that to get outta here alive.
The crowd turns to face Grandpa and his wife.
BOZO
Oh, now you have something to say?
Grandpa holds on to Grandma's hand as he speaks.
GRANDPA
You young'uns worry about weapons,
I'm thinkin' 'bout strategy.
BOZO
Oh? And what's that?
GRANDPA
Sit still, look less like a meal.
BOZO
That's for bears and sharks, chunky
chew.
The group looks back to Heroine.
HEROINE
Alright, what else do we have? Can
we somehow contact the outside world?
Trampy pensively stays on her fractured phone.
TRAMPY
I can't get anybody. I don't even
know if I have a signal anymore.
BEER GUY
I have a CB in my truck, we could
get some help out here.
BARTENDER
Who the hell would you call?
BEER GUY
Anyone.
BOZO
Do you drive a short beer bus or
something? You go out there, you get
eaten. You stay in here, you get
eaten. Anyone comes to help, they
get eaten. Don't you see a pattern
here, Spuds Makenzie?
BEER GUY
Then I guess we should just give up.
BOZO
(re: Trampy)
Believe me, I'd love to save the day
and get some heroic snatch, but it's
not in the cards, partner.
HEROINE
(to Boss Man)
You said you had a short wave radio.
TRAMPY
Where?
BARTENDER
Upstairs.
BOSS MAN
Go for it. It's by the far wall.
Channel 9 is the emergency frequency.
HEROINE
Good. I'm heading to the basement
for supplies.
(to Bozo)
And you're going upstairs.
Bozo blinks. A little taken aback.
BOZO
Let's not get carried away...
HEROINE
Step up, Chief.
BOZO
So that's how it is?
(hands out)
Fine! Shotgun, please.
Bartender hands him The Judge.
BOZO
(to Bartender)
You're coming with, portly. 'Cause
if I'm attacked, I want a fat man
close by.
BARTENDER
I'll wait by the door.
BOZO
Now who else is comin'?
No one budges.
GRANDPA
(rising from his seat)
I'll go with ya.
BOZO
What are you gonna do? Throw your
teeth at 'em? Sit down, Cocoon.
Bartender moves to the back of the bar, grabbing his machete.
At the same moment, Coach emerges from behind the bar in
very snug, feminine-looking pink sweat pants.
BOZO
You! Zorba! You're coming too!
(to Heroine)
Now gimme the keys.
Heroine tosses the keys to Bartender.
HEROINE
No. You're locked in.
BOZO
What?
HEROINE
Those two will be on the other side
waiting for you. If you become food,
I don't want the only set of keys in
the belly of one of those things.
BOZO
Don't get your hopes up.
Bozo moves to the staircase. There's blood at the bottom and
it gets worse with each step. Bartender and Coach follow.
Heroine turns to the bar.
HEROINE
Any volunteers to head into the
basement with me?
TUFFY
I will.
Tuffy stands, sniffling. She wipes the tears from her eyes,
looking tough and resolute.
BEER GUY
That's not a good idea.
BOSS MAN
With what happened upstairs --
TUFFY
Shut up! Shut your mouth. You have
no idea what is running through me
right now. No idea.
(to Heroine)
I'm ready.
HEROINE
Alright.
ROADIE
Count me in.
BEER GUY
Me too.
Heroine, Tuffy, Roadie, and Beer Guy all move to the basement.
The door creaks open slowly. The group descends.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Bozo slightly slips on the blood. He grips the railing and
pulls himself up the staircase like an old man.
BOZO
Alright you two, I don't want to
hear any of this, "oh, I dropped the
key, wrong key, ain't no key here."
When I want out, I want out, ok?
BARTENDER
(displaying keys)
They're right here.
COACH
We've got your back, bro.
They unlock the door, swinging it open.
BOZO
Just keep 'em handy, ladies.
Bartender has the key in the thick dead bolt, ready to move.
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo hustles in. The door shuts and locks.
BOZO
Wish me luck...
WHAM! Bozo is on the ground.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
BOZO (O.S.)
I'm okay! I'm okay!
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo rises and nervously surveys the damaged floor.
BOZO
Come on. Come on. Come on.
Bozo jumps when he sees the gore and the bloody shoes from
Cody's attack. The TV illuminates the room.
BOZO
Geeezzzus.
(moving gingerly)
Okay, now. Easy steps. Easy breaths.
Easy steps.
MAIN BAR
Belle kneels next to the Boss Man.
BELLE
How are you holding up?
BOSS MAN
Well...
He pulls a bottle out of his pocket and hands it to her.
BELLE
What is this?
BOSS MAN
Morphine. My magic potion. I need a
few drops.
She puts a few drops on his out-stretched tongue.
BOSS MAN
You should try a little, it'll calm
your nerves. Works like a charm.
BELLE
No other time than now, right?
BOSS MAN
Wait, before you do that, help me
move. There's a small room off the
kitchen where I can lay down.
BELLE
But --
BOSS MAN
It's much safer in there. Trust me.
BASEMENT
The basement is dark, dingy and scattered with crap. Dried
out ANIMAL CARCASSES hang from the ceiling on hooks. A WINDOW
is open. Roadie slams it shut, eyeing the room, staring into
the dark corners.
ROADIE
Stay on your toes everybody.
Tuffy tightly grips her weapon, ready to fire. Heroine kneels
next to a hatch door that emits a red glow.
HEROINE
What's this?
Roadie jams a pipe into the little door, bracing it shut.
ROADIE
You don't need to know what that is.
Beer Guy finds the dusty locker and opens it.
BEER GUY
There's a sawed-off shotgun in here.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Bartender and Coach have their ears pressed to the door.
COACH
Come on, bro.
Behind them, through a boarded window, something CRAWLS
upward.
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo moves turtle slow.
BOZO
Lamaze. Lamaze. Lamaze.
He moves to the Boss Man's private room. He puts his hand
out to open it. Trembling, he touches the knob and...
CREEEEEEEEAK! The door eases open. Bozo steps inside the
room. He moves over to a lamp and pulls the chain. A bat
FLIES off the lamp shade SCREECHING. Bozo falls backwards.
BOZO
HAAAA!
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Bartender and Coach jump back.
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo gets off the floor again. He may have filled his pants.
BOZO
Just a bat! I'm okay! Just a bat!
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
BARTENDER
If he doesn't shut up...
COACH
He is human kabob.
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
The room is like a converted pantry. Boss Man lies on a cot,
kissing Belle. A tiny wall fan spins providing ventilation.
Belle pulls away and brushes back her long hair.
BELLE
Doesn't your foot hurt?
BOSS MAN
I can't feel a thing, Hon.
BELLE
(touching his crotch)
How 'bout now?
BOSS MAN
You're a bad girl, aren't you.
Belle, a bit high, sways and starts to remove her clothes.
BELLE
Um-hmmm.
BOSS MAN
The girl's got rhythm.
She takes off her blouse and tosses it at him. She then lifts
up her skirt and bends over, giggling.
BOSS MAN
There it is.
BASEMENT
Roadie emerges with two crates. He dumps them on the floor.
ROADIE
This is all junk.
Beer Guy holds a rusted machete.
BEER GUY
This could come in handy.
HEROINE
Let's get everything upstairs.
Heroine moves to the stairs, but stops. She grabs Tuffy by
the arm and takes her aside.
HEROINE
I'm sorry.
TUFFY
Don't worry, I'm fine. Really.
HEROINE
I admire your strength.
TUFFY
Trust me, I plan on having a full
breakdown when this is over, but for
now, we all have to be strong, right?
Heroine reaches into her shirt and pulls out an IDENTICAL
LOCKET as Tuffy's. She opens it and displays a picture of a
LITTLE GIRL.
HEROINE
This is my daughter, Charlie. She's
all I'm after.
TUFFY
(fighting back tears)
Oh...
HEROINE
And I'm gonna need your strength,
every bit of it.
TUFFY
You have it.
HEROINE
Good. But still do me a favor.
TUFFY
Name it.
HEROINE
(with a wink)
Don't tell anyone I have a soft side.
TUFFY
(tiny smile)
Deal.
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo turns and points the gun around the room. He sees the
CB. It is like an intercom with a cable running outside. He
drops the shotgun and fidgets with the CB knobs.
BOZO
Hello? Anyone there? We need help
out here at the United Nations Tavern.
Send guns, tanks, and all that shit.
10-4. S.O.S.
All he gets is static. A faint GROWL is heard outside. OUTSIDE
THE DOOR Bartender hears the growl, his eyes grow wide.
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
Belle rubs her hands over her rounded ass and flicks her
tongue at Boss Man.
BELLE
You wanna see, baby?
BOSS MAN
Hell yeah.
BELLE
How much you got?
BOSS MAN
How much I got, what?
BELLE
How much you got to see the show?
BOSS MAN
You don't understand, sweety. Daddy
doesn't pay. Daddy sees the show for
free. But you do get points for being
horny on a night like this.
She cringes and backs up a little.
BELLE
What?
BOSS MAN
You can't expect a man to buy a car
without a test drive first, can you?
BELLE
Um, hmm --
BOSS MAN
Now wiggle that sweet little ass
over here and sit on Daddy's face, I
wanna do some appraising.
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo barks into the CB.
BOZO
Repeat. We need help. SOS. Calling
all cars! Calling all cars! We need
help at the United Nations Tav --
The CB is JERKED from Bozo's hands and slams into the wall.
BOZO
Shit!
Bozo aims the gun at the wall. Chewing sounds begin.
BOZO
Double shit!
He backs up to the door.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
BOZO (O.S.)
Okay, I'm ready to come out now!
Bartender confidently turns the key. CLICK! It breaks off in
the lock.
BARTENDER
Oh!
SECOND FLOOR
BOZO
"OH!?" WHAT IS "OH?" What does "oh"
mean?
Bozo knocks on the door hard.
BOZO
HEY! OPEN IT!!!
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Bartender looks to Coach.
BARTENDER
Wha?
SECOND FLOOR
BOZO
OPEN THE DOOR!!!
A thunderous CRASH! Boards fly off the wall.
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
Belle, hearing the crash, jerks back from Boss Man.
BELLE
What was that?
CRASH! Sister Beast #1 and Sister Beast #2 punch through the
tiny wall fan and GRAB Belle by the scalp. She is JERKED
against the wall.
She's slammed against it repeatedly and then -- RIP! Belle's
skin is TORN from her head and torso. Boss Man jumps back.
BOSS MAN
Hoh-SHIT! Help!! Help me!!!
Belle falls into Boss Man's arms for a HIDEOUS KISS.
BOSS MAN
NO! NO! NO!
Boss Man shoves the bloody Belle back against the wall.
Sister Beast #1 pokes her head inside the room, hissing.
MAIN BAR
Heroine and the others, just returning from the basement,
hear the mayhem from upstairs and the kitchen.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Coach fumbles desperately with the jammed lock, trying to
use his fingernails to turn the metal stump.
COACH
Great god, why do you damn me?!
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo bangs on the door and looks over his shoulder at the
Momma and Papa Beast chomping at the wall.
BOZO
GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!
MAIN BAR
The group is mesmerized.
PARA
Oh please, no.
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
Boss Man uses the cot to block the Sister Beasts from
entering. They hiss and shred the cot fabric.
BOSS MAN
They're getting in! Somebody help!
SECOND FLOOR
Bozo kicks and punches the door.
BOZO
HELP!!! GODDAMN IT!!!
MAIN BAR
Heroine charges up the staircase. Roadie rips the sawed-off
weapon from Beer Guy and runs for the kitchen.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
BARTENDER
The key broke off!
HEROINE
(to Coach)
Move it!
Heroine rips the earring from Bartender's ear. He YELPS. She
jams the backing into the lock.
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
Boss Man crawls for the door. Sister Beast #1 fires out a
whip-like tongue and snags Boss Man's damaged foot. He howls
in pain. Sister Beast #2 tongue-lasso's his other foot.
OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Heroine's picking fingers are bleeding from her effort.
BOZO (O.S.)
HELP ME PLEASE!!!
SMALL ROOM OFF KITCHEN
Boss Man is pulled towards the Sister Beasts.
BOSS MAN
HELLLLLP!!!
Roadie kicks open the door and FIRES at the Sisters. They
dive back out of the room screeching.
SECOND FLOOR
BOZO
HELLLLLLLLP!!!
Right behind Bozo, the boards fly off the portal window.
Papa Beast flies at Bozo. Bozo spins and aimlessly FIRES his
shotgun, hitting Papa Beast directly in the groin.
The door flies open. Bozo is YANKED to safety just as Papa
STRIKES the closing door.
MAIN BAR
The patrons track the wild CRASHING and HIGH-PITCHED SHRIEKING
sounds of Papa Beast. He finally breaks out of the upstairs.
Beer Guy and Roadie carry Boss Man into the room as Coach,
Bartender, Heroine and the shaken Bozo creep down the stairs.
Bozo slowly takes a seat in his brother's lap.
PARA
I thought that was it for a second
there.
TRAMPY
What happened?
BOZO
I got Papa in the stones.
(beat)
He's neutered.
PARA
Whoa... good one...
ROADIE
That back room is sealed shut.
Heroine glares at Boss Man.
HEROINE
I told you to stay in the main room.
BOSS MAN
Yeah... I will. I will. Promise.
Coach eyes the group, this is his time to shine.
COACH
(rising, full of brawn)
If they can't reproduce anymore --
we are one step closer! A big step!
Now is the time to band together. We
need to rise up against these monsters
of the night! Those creatures are no
match for the human spirit! We can
do it! We just need to believe in
each other! In all of us! We need to
make a stand! Right here! Right now!
Long silence. Bozo stares.
BOZO
Dude, are you gay?
Coach sits down, humbled.
HEROINE
We know what not to do. We must stay
focused and together. The beasts
will find a breach. We gotta find a
way out before they find a way in.
TUFFY
Let's run for the cars, cause mass
confusion.
BARTENDER
The lot's too damn far, that's
surefire suicide.
The room is silent. Bartender motions to Boss Man, but he is
promptly shushed by Boss Man. Heroine notices.
HEROINE
(to Boss Man)
What?
BOSS MAN
What?
HEROINE
You know what.
BOSS MAN
I don't know shit.
HEROINE
(to Roadie)
You. What was that door downstairs?
BOSS MAN
Wait, wait, wait.
Heroine glares at Roadie.
HEROINE
Don't bullshit me.
BARTENDER
It's a tunnel.
Roadie nods, causing Boss Man to sigh.
BARTENDER
It runs about a hundred yards and
spits out on the backside of that
hill down the way.
HEROINE
What's it for?
They clam up.
HEROINE
What's it for!?
BOSS MAN
Grass, man. I grow pot down there.
HEROINE
Does the tunnel spit out near a car?
BOSS MAN
It spits out behind the parking lot.
BOSS MAN
My truck is near, but it ain't nearly
big enough to haul the whole lot.
HEROINE
It's a shot. Is it gassed up?
BOSS MAN
Fully.
HEROINE
Four door?
BOSS MAN
Two.
HEROINE
How many can it hold?
BOSS MAN
Six.
HEROINE
Max?
BOSS MAN
Seven.
HEROINE
It's gonna fit thirteen.
BOSS MAN
Thirteen clowns wouldn't fit.
HEROINE
(with hand out)
Keys.
ROADIE
What're you planning?
HEROINE
Three of us go. Two to defend, one
to drive. We back up to the bar and
then tear ass out of here.
BOSS MAN
Sounds sketchy.
HEROINE
Let me make this clear; if we stay,
we die.
Boss Man reluctantly pulls out some keys that are on a string
around his neck.
ROADIE
Give 'em to me, I'm going.
BARTENDER
You're trusting that con? He'll ditch
us and never look back.
ROADIE
Fuck you too.
BARTENDER
Get in line!
HEROINE
Hey! I'm not trusting him either,
that's why I'm going with.
Coach stands forward.
COACH
"Courage is being scared to death,
but saddling up anyway."
(off blank stares)
The Duke. I will go.
HEROINE
This is it. They have this place
surrounded, but if we go under them
we might just make it.
BARTENDER
This is a bottleneck waiting to
happen.
SMACK! Bozo SLAPS Coach's ass.
BOZO
This one's great under pressure. I
wish you luck.
HEROINE
The rest of you prepare the weapons,
whatever you got left. 'Cause when
we crash through those walls, we're
bringin' death with us.
Heroine takes The Judge from Bartender and hands it to Coach.
COACH
No, I don't believe in guns.
BARTENDER
This ain't time for a political
stance.
Coach takes the rusty machete from Beer Guy.
COACH
This doesn't run out of ammo.
BARTENDER
Got ya.
Heroine, Roadie, and Coach move to the basement.
BOZO
Hey!
The three look to Bozo, who offers a parting nod.
BOZO
When you get to that truck... drive
it like you stole it.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
At a booth, Trampy re-bandages Adulterer's eye.
TRAMPY
How does it feel?
ADULTERER
Lousy.
TRAMPY
You still have one left.
ADULTERER
Yes, the silver lining.
TRAMPY
It serves you right for cheating.
ADULTERER
Spare me.
TRAMPY
I figure it's karma. You wronged me
and you wronged your wife, so this
is karma biting you on the ass, or
in your case... in the eye.
Bozo moves close, surveying the bandage work.
BOZO
Oh yeah?
TRAMPY
It could be worse, you could be dead.
Then again, the climax is upon us.
BOZO
(re: Trampy's hair)
Ya know, that's not a bad look on
you. Kinda 1985, but not bad. I'd
hook it up.
TRAMPY
I wouldn't fuck you for practice.
BOZO
Tease.
ADULTERER
Leave her alone.
BOZO
Hey, cyclops. Let's have a quiet
contest... starting now.
Bozo turns his attention back to Trampy.
BOZO
Ya know, in situations of duress, I
have found that women are attracted
to my authority.
INT. BAR -- BASEMENT -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine, Roadie, and Coach make their way through the
basement. Creeks and cracks with every step.
ROADIE
(to Heroine)
You handle yourself pretty well. You
a cop or a criminal?
HEROINE
Neither. Just a farmer.
ROADIE
Oh yeah? Then how do you do it?
HEROINE
I just think about my husband and
daughter... and the rest is easy.
The light casts a shadow of something BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
Roadie moves to open the curtain with his sawed-off barrel.
HEROINE
Easy.
WHIP! The curtain slides. It's a dried animal hide on a hook.
They all sigh. Roadie unblocks the tiny door.
Heroine scans the room.
ROADIE
This place is creepy in the daytime,
too. Ready?
Coach's hand shakes as he raises his weapon.
ROADIE
Scared?
COACH
No. You?
ROADIE
Of course not. I fight monsters all
the time.
(gripping the door)
On three.
Roadie, Heroine raise their weapons.
COACH
One... two... three!!!
Roadie whips open the door. Nothing.
BANG-GONG-GONG! Some pipes CRASH to the ground next to them...
they jump, but nothing is there. A LITTLE MOUSE emerges from
the fallen heap.
COACH
Well, look at that.
Coach leans down and puts out his hand. He smiles as Heroine
watches over his shoulder.
COACH
Hey, little fella.
HEROINE
Let's go.
He leaves the mouse and follows Heroine to the tunnel.
SLURP! A pink tongue LASSOS the mouse.
A red fluorescent glow radiates from the tunnel. They all
drop in, one by one, entering the steamy, confined space.
COACH
Looks like a brothel for plants.
ROADIE
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Tuffy stands by a far wall, looking through the planks for
movement. At the bar, Beer Guy makes MOLOTOV COCKTAILS.
Bozo moves close, slaps Beer Guy's constructing hand.
BOZO
Ah-ah-ah! You're doing that all wrong!
BEER GUY
What do you know?
BOZO
I know you're doing it wrong.
BEER GUY
Prove it.
Bozo grabs a cloth rag and moves to the alcohol bottles.
BOZO
Move aside, princess.
INT. TUNNEL -- NIGHT
The tunnel is thin and no more than SIX FEET HIGH. Cherry
red fluorescent lights line the top of the tunnel and kneehigh
marijuana plants are along the ground soil. There are thick
pipes above the plants that work as a makeshift watering
system. There is about six inches of water on the floor.
COACH
(to Roadie)
You and I are similar. We both have
accents. We both travel a lot. We
both don't really have homes...
ROADIE
You should be quiet.
COACH
I am sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous.
HEROINE
Quiet.
Coach bites his lip, dying to say something.
COACH
It's just that this seems like the
opportune time for someone to be
horribly... offed.
ROADIE
What did I say?
COACH
Sorry. I'm done now.
INT. BAR -- NIGHT
Bozo stuffs the cloth rag into one of the bottles.
BOZO
You don't want the rag touching booze,
that way you can hold it and ensure
it explodes when you throw it.
PARA
You sure? I thought the rag had to
touch?
BOZO
I'm sure.
Bozo finishes the Molotov cocktail and grabs a beer.
BOZO
Perfecto. What we should do, though,
is put those peanut barrels to use.
Fill 'em with booze and line up some
planks. If the walls come down... we
hit 'em Donkey Kong style.
Para and Beer Guy eye the three large peanut barrels, perfect
for bomb-making.
PARA
Genius.
BEER GUY
You aren't nearly as dumb as you
look, are you?
BOZO
Next time, look within. Stereotyping
can be ugly and hurtful.
Bozo looks to Trampy, putting an arm around her shoulder.
BOZO
Excuse me for being forward, but I'm
curious about your dimensions.
INT. TUNNEL -- NIGHT
Roadie leads the way and glares at the opposite end. The
tunnel slightly curves, so he can't see the whole way down.
ROADIE
Hold up. You hear something?
A SCRATCHING sound is heard from above.
ROADIE
They're trying to burrow through the
tunnel walls.
HEROINE
Move.
The scratching sound increases, now heard from the far end
of the tunnel as well.
COACH
Like moles these things.
Then, Sister Beast #1 drops into the tunnel from the far
end.
She charges. At the last second, Roadie spots her.
ROADIE
Duck!
Roadie and Coach duck into the water, but Heroine is unable
to avoid a thrust that knocks her back ten yards. Sister
Beast #1 lands and turns, surveying her prey. Roadie aims
his water-dripping gun, but Heroine rises and blocks his
shot.
ROADIE
Stay down!
From her knees, Heroine fires. BLAM-BLAM-BLAM! The three
shots push Sister Beast #1 backwards. Heroine rises, covered
in muddy water and bleeding from a cut across the face.
HEROINE
Go! The bitch is mine!
Roadie and Coach reluctantly turn, leaving Heroine to fend
with the Beast.
Heroine charges. Hissing, Sister Beast #1 charges as well.
Heroine pumps and fires. BOOM! Sister Beast spins, avoiding
the shot. Now too close, Heroine jams the Beast in the mouth
with the gun, knocking her back.
Sister Beast #1 responds with a swipe and chomp on the arm.
Heroine bats her away. Sister Beast #1 moves to the others.
HEROINE
Look out!
Roadie and Coach sprint until Sister Beast #2 BURSTS through
the tunnel walls, stopping Roadie and Coach in their tracks.
Roadie fires his weapon, but it sparks and fizzles.
ROADIE
The shells are wet!
With the two Beasts closing in. The men are trapped. Coach
looks around, seeing a plan.
COACH
Grab onto ceiling and get out of
water!
ROADIE
What?
COACH
Do it!!!
Grabbing onto the piping along the ceiling, Roadie pulls
himself from the water. Coach uses the machete to cut a power
cord from above. He grabs the exposed, sparking end.
COACH
(to Heroine)
Get out of water!!!
Heroine sees what he's doing, sprints back the way they came.
As the two Beasts charge, Coach pulls himself out of the
water by holding onto the above piping. He's forced to wait
for Heroine to get out of the water.
The second she does, he jams the cord into the water.
ZAP! The conductive water sizzles. Sister Beast #1 and Sister
Beast #2 lock up and crash. ELECTROCUTION. Sparks and smoke
rises from their cooked bodies.
Roadie and Coach look to each other, victorious. They begin
shimmying along the piping to the end of the tunnel.
INT. TUNNEL/BASEMENT -- NIGHT
Heroine looks back at the two men. She turns and reenters
the basement.
GAH! Teen Beast drops in front of her, whacking her to the
floor. Heroine slides across the floor, but jumps up quickly.
Teen Beast cautiously moves in for the kill.
Heroine raises her weapon.
HEROINE
You fuck with my family.
(aiming shotgun)
I fuck right back!
Click -- out of ammo!
HEROINE
Oh shit.
Heroine THROWS the shotgun at him and pulls out the MACHETE.
She rolls left and swings. Teen Beast loses two fingers.
She swings again but gets whacked to the floor.
Heroine rolls with the hit, grabs her shotgun, and dives
into the KEG ELEVATOR.
She slams closed the door as Teen Beast regains its composure
and lunges. BAM! It CRASHES against the door.
INT. TUNNEL -- NIGHT
Roadie and Coach crawl to the platform by the exit.
COACH
They will write stories of your
bravery.
ROADIE
If there's anybody left.
The two men climb up the ladder leading to the ground above.
At the top, Roadie pushes off the plywood covering. The two
men peer into the night and spot the TRUCK.
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
Heroine wedges the door closed. The Beast continues to try
to get in. Heroine bangs the top of the small elevator...
HEROINE
Send it up! Send it up!
MAIN BAR
Tuffy backs up and hears the screams from the keg elevator.
TUFFY
Hey! Hey! She's in the shaft!
Beer Guy hits the button. The gears grind and start to pull
the elevator up to the main floor.
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
Heroine squirms as the elevator rises.
HEROINE
Move it! Move it! Move it!
As Teen Beast starts to tear at the base of the rising keg
elevator in the shaft, Heroine pounds and tears at the few
planks above her in the keg elevator.
MAIN BAR
Beer Guy hits the button.
BEER GUY
Come on!
BOZO
Ol' Crazy Horse has seen it.
TUFFY
Shut up!
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
The elevator SHAKES. Heroine POUNDS a hole through the
elevator top. She tries to squeeze through the SMALL HOLE.
Teen Beast BITES through the floor board of the keg elevator.
CLANGGG! The elevator stops. Heroine lurches and grabs the
greasy cables to stop her fall.
HEROINE
Goddamn it!
MAIN BAR
TUFFY
It stopped. It fuckin' stopped!
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
Heroine screams as the elevator shakes. Teen Beast is
struggling to climb right under her.
MAIN BAR
TRAMPY
Do something!
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
HEROINE
I'M ALIVE! OPEN THE DOOR!
MAIN BAR
Tuffy moves for the keg door. Adulterer grabs The Judge from
Bartender.
ADULTERER
Stop!
TRAMPY
What the fuck are you doing?!
ADULTERER
They can't get in here! We agreed!
They'll get us!
TUFFY
She can make it!
ADULTERER
I will not die because of her!
BARTENDER
Don't be stupid, drop the gun!
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
Heroine HACKS at one of the two greasy cables. Teen Beast is
in the elevator car and RISING.
MAIN BAR
TRAMPY
YOU'RE KILLING HER!
ADULTERER
They'll get in! We'll all die!
INSIDE KEG ELEVATOR
Heroine almost has the primary cable cut. Teen Beast rises
up to bite.
SNAP!! The cable BREAKS. Heroine SOARS up the shaft. Teen
Beast is pulled down to the bottom. The keg elevator door
bursts open on impact.
Heroine SLAMS into the ceiling, kicking and yelling.
MAIN BAR
Tuffy KNOCKS Adulterer's shotgun up, takes the gun, and rips
open the keg door. Heroine swings out.
P.O.V. - Teen Beast is right behind her with mouth open and
ready to feed. Tuffy points her shotgun.
BLAM! Teen lurches back, dropping back down the shaft.
Tuffy slams the keg door shut. Heroine pants on the floor.
Adulterer is down, winded.
BOZO
Welcome back.
HEROINE
F-f-fuck you.
BARTENDER
What the hell happened?
TUFFY
You okay?
HEROINE
I think they made it.
She turns to Adulterer, rigid.
HEROINE
Stop trying to get people killed. It
is getting very old.
Adulterer nods, ashamed. Heroine looks around the bar. She
notices the peanut barrels on top of the bar. Two wooden
planks serve as track, leading straight for the side wall.
HEROINE
What's this?
BOZO
Ingenuity, baby. Ingenuity.
HEROINE
(to Bartender)
I need some shells.
BARTENDER
I have two left.
Bartender expels a shell from The Judge and hands it over.
BARTENDER
Make it count.
Heroine cringes, eyeing the lined up Molotov cocktails.
HEROINE
Let's prepare ourselves, they ought
to be here with the truck any minute.
BOSS MAN
Bullshit.
Boss Man sips a bottle, still hopped-up on morphine. He lazily
loads his pistol from a pool of bullets on his belly.
BOSS MAN
If you ask me, I'm gonna just lay
right here, wait for sunrise, then
walk on out of here.
HEROINE
That's your choice, but this is going
to get a whole lot worse before it
gets any better.
Boss Man shrugs, content with himself.
BOSS MAN
If all of you run for it, they won't
care about lil ol' me. They like the
food that moves...
CRASH! Teen Beast's arm ERUPTS through the Boss Man's belly.
His pistol and bullets scatter across the floor.
BOSS MAN
OHHH!!!
SNAPPP!!! His head and legs SLAP together as the arm pulls
him through a small hole in the floor.
The group jumps back. Blood rockets out. His body is pureed
down the tiny hole.
HEROINE
Get on the tables!!! On the tables!!!
Everyone struggles to get on the tables.
CRASH! Teen Beast's arm reaches up and GRABS Para's
wheelchair, violently shaking it. Para FALLS to the floor.
Teen Beast's arm grabs Para's leg...
PARA
HELP ME!!!
BOZO
Bonsai!
Bozo jumps from a table and STOMPS on Teen Beast's arm. He
picks up Para and TOSSES him onto a table.
BOZO
Hot potato!!!
Bozo leaps back onto a table. POP! The power cuts out. The
room goes black.
BEER GUY
We're gonna die!
ADULTERER
What the hell?!
HEROINE
Settle down!
TRAMPY
Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!
And with that, the shouting and pounding stops. The group
nervously shuffles around the tables.
There's silence.
Dead silence.
Then, far is the distance, beyond the walls, a sound is heard.
It's screaming. And it's approaching. Rapidly. The survivors
maneuver to peek out the front walls.
BARTENDER
What's that?
Tuffy sees what is coming.
TUFFY
They didn't make it.
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Being held by Papa and Momma Beast, Roadie and Coach are
both rushed towards the wall like human battering rams.
ROADIE
RUN!!!
THUD! The first strike causes the men to HOWL.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
The survivors shake in sickened silence. From beyond the
walls, they can hear high-pitched SCREAMS.
THUD! THUD! THUD! With every strike, a splattering of blood
spits through the planks of wood.
BARTENDER
That wall's coming down!
BOZO
Commence Plan B!
The entire group goes into motion.
HEROINE
What's Plan B?
BOZO
Just watch the floor and keep the
others safe!
THUD! THUD! THUD! With a final furious strike, a few wood
planks splinter. Papa Beast sticks in his head and hisses.
BOZO
Bomb's away!!!
From the bar, Beer Guy, Tuffy, and Adulterer release the
first peanut barrel. It's ablaze and sails straight for Papa
Beast. BLAM! It explodes, bursting open the wall and knocking
back Papa Beast. The wooden walls go up in flame.
Para, on a side table, reaches out and grabs Boss Man's .38
from the floor.
The second peanut barrel is released. It sails outside the
breach, but it doesn't explode. Nevertheless, the Beasts
stay far away.
Teen Beast madly rips floor boards away, moving towards Para's
table. Teen Beast bursts through the floor, knocking Para to
the floor.
Para crawls to his fallen wheelchair. Teen Beast spots him,
moves in to feed.
Para points his seat back at the scattered .38 bullets and
flips the armrest switch. SNAP! The bullets jump to the power
magnet. Para yanks one free, loads the pistol and turns just
as Teen Beast strikes...
POP! The shot hits Teen Beast in the eye, sending him back
down the hole in the floor.
Heroine and Bartender move in. When Teen Beast sticks his
head out of the hole again, they thrust both their shotguns
into each ear.
HEROINE
Now!
BLAM-BLAM! The two shots scatter head everywhere.
The flames in the bar spread, catching the entire wall and
roof on fire.
EXT. BAR -- MOMENTS LATER
The second barrel comes to a stop a good distance from the
bar. Suddenly, the top is knocked off. Trampy sticks her
head out.
Seeing no trouble, she emerges, dizzy as hell, and races for
the nearby BEER TRUCK.
INT. BAR -- MOMENTS LATER
Papa and Momma Beast both charge the bar. The third peanut
barrel is released. It sails for them, but they dive out of
the way.
KABLOOM! It takes out the rest of the wall. Fire and smoke
fills the place.
Adulterer douses Momma Beast with booze as Beer Guy nails
her with a lit Molotov cocktail.
WHOOSH! Engulfed in flame, she bolts from the bar shrieking.
BOZO
One down, one to go!!!
Papa enters and is instantly cornered. He swings wildly.
HEROINE
(to Bartender)
Help me!
Heroine and Bartender rip the DEER HEAD from the wall and
charge Papa, pinning him against the wall with the antlers.
HEROINE
Come on!
Bozo and Beer Guy dive into Papa's legs, holding them down.
Tuffy picks up The Judge.
WHAM! The shotgun butt knocks out Papa's front teeth. Tuffy
raises the weapon again, staring down at the monster that
killed her child, but Papa Beast gets an arm free to knock
away her fatal blow.
Bartender wrenches Papa Beast's arm with all his might. With
her hair stuck in Papa Beast's claw, Tuffy is pulled face to
face with the beast. She squirms as he chomps at her, but
with no front teeth, he can't do immediate damage.
BARTENDER
I can't hold him!!!
HEROINE
Do something!!!
Tuffy reaches back and shoves her fist into Papa Beast's
mouth, jamming it down his throat. He instantly gags, sucking
for air.
Papa Beast struggles to get free, but the others hold tight.
Papa Beast's body begins to quiver from a lack of oxygen.
His eyes widen, face to face with Tuffy.
TUFFY
CHOKE ON IT!!!
With one last lunge, Papa Beast shakes, his life drifting
away. His eyes turn black as his body goes limp. Tuffy pulls
out her arm from his throat.
BARTENDER
God...
BOZO
I need to get your number.
Tuffy shakes her wet arm dry. As the group pulls away, Papa
Beast is still pinned to the wall with the deer antlers dug
into the wood.
Heroine turns to Grandma and Grandpa, offering a hand.
HEROINE
Come on, I'll help you.
GRANDPA
No thank you, we're content.
HEROINE
I'm not leaving anyone behind.
GRANDMA
Maybe next time, dear.
Heroine swallows and nods. HONK-HONK-HONK! Just outside the
breached wall, the beer truck pulls up.
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
The beer truck screeches to a halt. Trampy's at the wheel,
waving the group over. With the bar burning, a thick layer
of SMOKE blankets the entire area.
The people amass at the opening, but Heroine stops them from
advancing. The group stares the dark night. Silent.
HEROINE
She's still out here.
Heroine eyes the truck, seeing something she likes.
HEROINE
Stay put.
She creeps out alone.
HEROINE
Where are you... come on...
Nothing. Just smoke. And silence.
HEROINE
Come on! Come on!
From the smoke, a smoldering Momma Beast charges like a bull.
At the truck, Heroine opens the back doors and dives in,
leaving the doors open. Momma Beast gives chase, entering
the back.
INSIDE TRUCK
Heroine is deep into the truck as Momma Beast enters. She
advances, hissing.
HEROINE
Come and get me you blood-chugging
CUNT!
Momma howls and charges. Heroine slides out the side keg
door, locking it behind her. Before Momma can see the trap,
Beer Guy slam closed the rear doors.
OUTSIDE TRUCK
Beer Guy latches it. Trampy comes around the truck.
TRAMPY
You got her? You got her!
HEROINE
Not for long, we gotta burn it.
Heroine looks to the others at the breach.
HEROINE
Come on! Let's blow this thing!
The others move into action. Beer Guy takes off his shirt
and shoves it into the fuel tank. Adulterer and Bozo, with
Para riding piggyback, help. They use the Molotov cocktails
to make a fuel trail leading away from the truck.
BEER GUY
When this lights, run like hell.
About fifteen yards away from the truck. Bozo throws his
silver-plated American Eagle lighter to Heroine.
HEROINE
(catching lighter)
Here we go...
Then, a noise: EOCH-OCK-OCK! EOCK-OCK-OCK! EOCK-OCK-OCK!
A deafening pattern of sound erupts from within the truck.
It's Momma Beast. Again and again.
TUFFY
What is that?
HEROINE
She's calling for help.
Heroine drops the lighter onto the fuel. It races for the
truck. When feet away, COUSIN BEAST lands, stomping out the
fire with his foot.
BOZO
The fan has officially been buried
in the shit.
Instantly, another beast, AUNT BEAST, lands on the top of
the truck. These Beasts are like the others, but stripped.
The group gasps. Trampy backs away.
TRAMPY
We have to run --
BURST! Trampy's rib cage is ripped from her body. The culprit,
UNCLE BEAST, stands behind her. Her organs drop like a box
of vegetables. Cousin Beast lets out a high-pitched roar.
From atop the truck, the rear doors are ripped open. Momma
Beast emerges.
HEROINE
Get to your cars!!!
The Beasts spring into action, chasing the group.
Bozo, with Para on his back, sprints for his car. Aunt Beast
RIPS Para from Bozo's back.
BOZO
Motherfucker! Give him back!
Bozo runs for his Trans-Am. Para falls to the ground, still
alive. Bozo turns back and sees him.
BOZO
Oh Jesus!
PARA
HELLLPPP!
Bozo grabs his brother and puts him on his back again, runs.
BOZO
I thought we lost you --
Para is RIPPED into the air again.
BOZO
You FUCKER!
Tuffy and Bartender jump into his PICKUP TRUCK.
TUFFY
(to Heroine)
Get in!
Heroine hops in the back.
Beer Guy and Adulterer run to a car together. Beer Guy lags
behind, continually looking over his shoulder.
ADULTERER
Run and quit looking back!
As Beer Guy looks forward, Aunt Beast and Uncle Beast hit
him HIGH-AND-LOW, cutting him in half. Bozo makes it to his
Trans-Am.
BOZO
DO IT!
VAHVVVOOOMMMM! The car roars to life. He pushes in a tape.
The "MIAMI VICE" theme song blares from the speakers.
BOZO
Get me FUCK BIRDS!
Bozo peels out. Aunt Beast lands right in his path.
BOZO
No you don't!
BAM! He SMACKS Aunt Beast head on, sending the creature's
disemboweled body sailing through the air.
BOZO
VENGEANCE!
Para DROPS from the sky, still ALIVE and panting. Cars are
moving everywhere.
PARA
Oh Jesussss...
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
The burning JUKEBOX plays a slow love song. Dancing and
holding each other, Grandpa smooches Grandma on the forehead.
GRANDPA
We had a good run.
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Para crawls along the ground, being ignored by the Beasts.
PARA
HELP ME! HELP ME SOMEBODY!
Bozo turns on his windshield wipers to clear off the blood
and guts. He spots Para.
BOZO
Hang on!
Para claws the ground.
PARA
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Bartender jerks the wheel of his car.
BARTENDER
Oh shit!
Para sees Bartender's approaching truck.
PARA
NOOO!!!
Para rolls right, just missing tires. Para yells for his
brother.
PARA
COME ON! GODDAMN IT!
Bozo's eyes bulge.
BOZO
Brother!!!
BAM! Para is SMEARED by Adulterer's car.
ADULTERER
Shit!
Bozo floors it.
BOZO
(overly endearing)
I meant to tell you so much!
The remaining cars maneuver to hit the open road.
INT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Grandpa and Grandma hold each other tight. Uncle Beast enters,
moving to their table. It moves in for the kill.
Grandpa kisses his wife gently.
GRANDPA
Close your eyes, hon.
The Beast OPENS its massive jaws and... CRASH! Bozo's car
DRIVES through the bar, SMEARING the Beast.
INT. BOZO'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS
BOZO
YOU ARE SUCKING MY DICK!!!
Bozo guns the engine, crashing out the other end of the bar.
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
Bozo's car veers, flipping over a pile of rubble.
BOZO
Motherfucker!!!
Bozo squirms in his flipped car, UPSIDE-DOWN.
He hears a Beast approaching. He pulls out a BUTTERFLY KNIFE
from the open glove box and SAWS at his safety belt.
Cousin Beast leans into the passenger side of the car and
looks him right in the eye. Bozo raises the knife.
BOZO
Lord, if I die, bury me upside down
so the world can KISS MY ASS!
Cousin Beast leaps in.
EXT. BAR -- CONTINUOUS
The remaining TWO CARS race down the road.
INT. BARTENDER'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS
With the peddle to the floor, Bartender drives.
BARTENDER
I think we're in the clear --
BAM! Momma Beast lands on the roof. She reaches inside and
yanks out Bartender's throat. The car veers.
Tuffy rights it, leaning over and stomping on the gas. Momma
yanks at the door, pulling it open. Tuffy pushes out
Bartender's corpse and JERKS the wheel.
IN THE BACK
Momma Beast falls back, knocking down Heroine. Momma Beast
nearly falls out, but manages to grab the rear gate with one
claw. Defenseless, Heroine backs away. Momma Beast holds on
tightly, pulling herself onto the bed of the truck.
Tuffy stares back through the glass, unable to do anything.
Momma Beast lunges towards Heroine. Momma Beast's claw snags
Heroine's locket, jerking Heroine right up to the creature's
face. The locket catches Momma's attention for split second.
Her remaining eye goes from the picture of Charlie to Heroine.
Momma's mouth opens wide. Heroine screams!
And then, a beam of the RISING SUN catches the gold locket
and burns into Momma's eye. In one quick motion, she's gone,
taking the locket with her.
Heroine lets out her breath, reaching around her neck for
what is no longer there. The truck SKIDS to a halt. Tuffy
jumps out.
TUFFY
Are you okay?!
HEROINE
I don't know, I think --
ADULTERER (O.S.)
Hey!
They both jump as Adulterer approaches.
ADULTERER
Are you two all right? They left! We
made it! I think we made it!
TUFFY
They'll be back.
HEROINE
We're safe until dark, but we need
to find other people.
Heroine rises and moves to the cab of the truck. She finds a
pack of cigs under the visor. Pops in the lighter.
HEROINE
You know where the IGA grocery store
is over in Red Mountain?
ADULTERER
Um, yeah, ten miles west.
HEROINE
They have a bomb shelter.
PING! The lighter springs out, hot. Heroine lights up and
passes one to Tuffy.
HEROINE
We'll meet in three hours?
ADULTERER
I don't wanna go home alone... I
don't wanna see what might have...
TUFFY
Don't worry about that. Just go.
Moment of silence as Adulterer and Tuffy look down the
desolate road.
ADULTERER
I'm sorry about your son. I really
am.
Tuffy nods, affectionately touching his hand.
ADULTERER
Where are you two going?
HEROINE
We're going to get my little girl.
ADULTERER
I wish you luck.
The car peels off. Adulterer watches the car tear down the
road. He glances up at the RISING SUN.
EXT. TOWN ROAD -- DAY
A sign reading "RED MOUNTAIN" swings lazily in the breeze.
Tuffy and Heroine coast down a town road. There are random
POOLS OF RED BLOOD in the dirt. No one in sight.
EXT. TOWN ROAD -- DAY
Adulterer drives along a small town road. There's no sign of
life here either.
EXT. HEROINE'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE -- DAY
The car pulls up to the house. The only sound is the wind.
INT. BARTENDER'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine and Tuffy look at each other and proceed with caution.
INT. ADULTERER'S CAR -- DAY
He pulls up in front of his house. The front door is swinging
open, BANGING against the door frame.
INT. HEROINE'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE -- DAY
Heroine enters the ransacked house. Tuffy follows.
INT. ADULTERER'S HOUSE -- DAY
He enters his house. It too, is a mess.
INT. HEROINE'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE -- DAY
They look down the stairs to the basement. Nothing. They
move up the stairs to the second floor.
SECOND FLOOR
SMACK! They spin to the noise.
INT. ADULTERER'S HOUSE -- DAY
He moves up the stairs to the master bedroom. SMACK!
There's a noise at the end of the hall. SMACK!
INT. HEROINE'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE -- DAY
They cautiously move to the last room in the hall. A
scratched, closed door without an outside handle.
HEROINE
Oh no...
Heroine kicks in the door and...
There's a note on a teddy beer that says, "WE WENT TO THE
SHELTER. LOVE GRANDMA AND CHARLIE."
TUFFY
They're alive!
The shudders SMACK against the wall.
INT. ADULTERER'S HOUSE -- DAY
Adulterer holds a shattered PICTURE of his wife and two kids.
He sighs and puts it down.
ADULTERER
I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...
EXT. IGA (GROCERY STORE) -- DAY
The sun shines bright in the cloudless sky. There is a stiff
wind that stirs up the dust. Bartender's car slowly lurches
up the street.
INT. BARTENDER'S CAR -- CONTINUOUS
Heroine and Tuffy skeptically look at the surroundings.
HEROINE
It's right up there, in the back of
the store.
EXT. IGA (GROCERY STORE) -- CONTINUOUS
The car pulls up in the back of the store and stops. They
get out, looking around. Tuffy holds a machete. Adulterer
kneels against his car.
HEROINE
Where is everyone?
ADULTERER
I don't know, I just got here. Did
you find your girl?
HEROINE
She's supposed to already be here.
TUFFY
Your family?
Adulterer shakes his head, acknowledging their death.
TUFFY
I'm sorry.
Adulterer sheepishly nods.
HEROINE
This place is a ghost town.
The group makes their way to the store front, peeking beyond
the glass doors.
ADULTERER
(pointing)
Look!
In the distance, in middle of a dusty parking lot, CHARLIE
stands staring at them.
HEROINE
Charlie?
Heroine runs to her and the others follow. Charlie fidgets
awkwardly. She cries and blood stains her dress.
HEROINE
Charlie!
As Heroine nears, Adulterer GRABS her arm.
ADULTERER
Stop! There's something wrong!
HEROINE
Honey!?
The group eyes Charlie, noticing Heroine's locket around her
ankle, leading to a slightly ajar manhole cover. Suddenly,
the sunlight starts to FADE. They look up the sun.
TUFFY
Oh god.
The MOON moves in front of it -- a SOLAR ECLIPSE. Beast
HISSING and FLUTTERING is heard. Heroine looks from left to
right, panic stricken.
CHARLIE
Mommy!
The sunlight is fading. The manhole cover shakes, something
is holding Charlie in place. Heroine lurches forward, but
Adulterer holds her at bay.
ADULTERER
It's a trap!
At a standstill, the group looks around for options. In the
distance, the darkness of the eclipse rolls towards them.
Adulterer reacts, grabbing Tuffy's machete and lunging for
Charlie. The strike cuts the chain at her ankle. The manhole
cover POPS off and a Beast claw sinks into Adulterer.
The darkness covers the manhole. Momma Beast rises, hoisting
Adulterer's blood dripping body from the ground.
ADULTERER
(gurgling blood)
Run!!!
Heroine scoops up her child, moving away from Momma Beast.
Tuffy grabs them both, leading them back towards the store
front. As Adulterer's blood flows, Momma Beast drags him
towards her main prey.
A blanket of darkness leads Momma Beast, overtaking the
survivors. At the store front, Heroine pulls Charlie close.
HEROINE
(a whisper)
I love you...
CUT TO BLACK:
EXT. IGA (GROCERY STORE) -- AN HOUR LATER
A string of ten WHITE VANS come to a halt in the dusty parking
lot. THE MAN IN TAN (45, buzz cut, leathery skin, cool) steps
from the lead van and surveys the ravaged small town.
A swarm of men emerge from the other vehicles, all dressed
alike in work boots, gas masks and coveralls. They go into
action honing in on rubble with SENSORS and COUNTERS.
THE MAN IN TAN
What's the damage radius?
TECH (27, horn-rimmed glasses, all business) eyes a laptop.
TECH
Twenty miles. Red Mountain,
surrounding farms, local TV studio.
THE MAN IN TAN
How many picked up the broadcast?
TECH
We'll have figures within the hour.
The Man in Tan closes his eyes in thought.
TECH
Sir, what's the spin?
THE MAN IN TAN
Tornado cluster.
TECH
This is the California high desert.
THE MAN IN TAN
Get what you need to sell it.
COMPANY MAN (O.S.)
Sir, we have movement!
The Man in Tan moves to a few men standing over a pool of
blood and guts. Using the sensor equipment, the COMPANY MAN
follows the blood trail that enters the grocery store.
INT. IGA (GROCERY STORE) -- CONTINUOUS
The place is torn to hell. Dust and soot hangs in the air.
The men instinctively raise their high-powered rifles, letting
the flashlights on the ends lead the way. They follow the
trail of blood to a back FREEZER LOCKER.
It's scratched, bashed and thrashed.
THE MAN IN TAN
Open it.
Company Man #2 steps forward and uses a metal-cutting chainsaw
to cut through the hinges. The door falls with a THUD.
As the dust clears, Tuffy, Heroine and Charlie stare back at
the men, huddled together in a defensive stance.
The Man in Tan creaks his neck.
THE MAN IN TAN
Gentlemen, help them to safety.
Heroine, holding Charlie, lurches back.
HEROINE
You're not safe, she's still alive,
she'll be back...
THE MAN IN TAN
Relax. We know. We're the calvary.
The Man in Tan steps forward, guiding the group out.
EXT. IGA (GROCERY STORE) -- MOMENTS LATER
A bulky security truck pulls up. A DRIVER, holding a bloody
rag to his nose, gets out and moves to the back door.
THE MAN IN TAN
What happened to you?
The Driver nods to the back of the truck, opening the door.
Bozo lurches out, handcuffed and chained.
BOZO
Get these cuffs off me! I'm a goddamn
hero for Christ's sake!
A shirtless, irate BOZO sits next to Grandpa and Grandma in
the back. He settles at the sight of the others.
GRANDMA
G'morning.
BOZO
Thanks for waitin' for me back there,
really fuckin' appreciate it!
Heroine covers her daughter's ears as the survivors are helped
into the truck. Tuffy sits, looking to Bozo.
TUFFY
How'd you survive?
BOZO
I found a new weak spot on 'em, but
it damn ain't pretty getting to it.
Heroine, last in the truck, turns to the men.
HEROINE
Where are you taking us?
THE MAN IN TAN
A trauma center. We have doctors
waiting.
(off Heroine's pause)
You're in good hands now.
The door shuts on Heroine's concerned face. The Man in Tan
locks eyes with the Driver.
THE MAN IN TAN
Do it quick and spread the mess.
The Driver nods back. Sinister implication understood.
The Man in Tan lights a cigarette as he watches the truck
drive off. The truck's logo reads, "FARM-AID." He inhales.
Freeze on him.
NAME: THE MAN IN TAN
AGE: 45
OCCUPATION: HE CAN'T TELL YOU
PURPOSE: TO LAY GROUNDWORK FOR SEQUEL
LIFE EXPECTANCY: PRETTY F-ING GOOD
The Man in Tan exhales a gust of smoke.
FADE OUT:
THE END
Feast
Writers : Patrick Melton Marcus Dunston
Genres : Action Comedy Horror Thriller
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Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries An Invitation
Title: An Invitation
Author: Cat Chester
Rating: PG.
Words: 4,500 ish
Paring: Eric/Sookie.
Disclaimer: Not mine, but I've started saving to buy them. Current total: £4.15p.
Spoilers: All books
Summary: Sookie receives an invitation to the Shreveport vampire Halloween Ball. She isn't very enthusiastic about it.
AN: Not betaed, sorry only got the challenge yestersay and I wanted to post it on Halloween, which didn't leave a lot of leeway.
III
I recognised the envelope as soon as I looked through my mail. I didn't receive many letters like this one (in fact I'd only ever received one) so even before I opened it, I pretty much knew what it was and who it was from.
It arrived five days before Halloween, later than you'd think, but given the local upheaval, not unexpectedly so. To be honest, with the takeover and all, I hadn't expected Eric to throw a party this year.
I stared at it for a while, then I left it on the table while I did my house work, glancing over and wondering if going was a good idea.
Merlotte's was having a Halloween bash that year and although I wasn't working, I had basically decided to go to it.
Now I had a choice. I wasn't sure I liked it in this instance.
Things with Eric were so complicated. I wished he was the sweet, uncomplicated Eric who for a few days had shared my home, by bed and in the process of doing so, had stolen a piece of my heart.
But that was wrong of me. If I wanted Eric, I had to accept everything that came with him, politics, pride, enterprise, ego. Wishing he wad different was as futile as wishing the sky was green. Never gonna happen.
I wished I could sort out my feelings for him, but I also wanted to run from those feelings, and so this time, I chose to run again.
I wrote a very polite note, thanking him but telling him I had other plans and wishing him a good time. I posted it on the way into work that evening.
III
It was one in the morning when I got back from work the next night, and I wasn't completely surprised to see Eric's car there. He was sitting on the porch swing and smiled when he saw me. I smiled back, hating the feeling of happiness and wellbeing that washed over me when he was around.
He stood and came to the steps to wait for me.
"Dear one," he said and leaned down to kiss my cheek. It felt nice.
I noticed most of the house lights were off and assumed Amelia and Octavia were in bed.
"Eric, have you been waiting long?"
"No. Can I come in?"
I nodded. I settled him on the sofa and went to heat some blood for him. Observing the social niceties meant I could delay our conversation for a while. I thought about also going to change but that felt cowardly. I handed Eric his blood and sat next to him, at the other end of the sofa.
"Is this a social call?" I asked.
Eric thought about that for a moment. "Not exactly."
I nodded that he should continue.
"I got your letter about the Halloween party." He looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry, but I already told Sam I'd go to Merlotte's party." Not exactly true, I'd only told Sam I'd try and stop by.
Eric's eyes tuned cold.
"Not a date, just for moral support," I explained. "It's the first Halloween party the bar has ever thrown."
He seemed to relax a little but he still didn't look comfortable. Usually when he was about to tell me what to do, he looked confident.
"I wouldn't intrude on your plans usually, Sookie," I wanted to snort at that, but I bit my tongue. "But Felipe de Castro has specifically asked me to invite you."
His tone implied that there was something I was missing, something he couldn't say. It wasn't wise to refuse a vampire, but this was just a party, wasn't it?
"Why does he want me there?" I asked.
"He is intrigued by you, I think he would like to get to know you better."
"What will he do to me if I say no?"
Eric thought for a moment. "I don't know him well enough to say with any degree of certainty, but I doubt he would do anything to you at the moment. He will remember, though, and if he ever needs your services, he may not be as friendly about it."
Eric scooted closer to me and took my hand as I mulled this over.
I looked into his eyes and saw how earnest his expression was. What was I missing here? The king had personally asked him to bring me. The king had also offered me vampire protection, thanks to me saving his life. That was pretty much the extent of my dealings with him so what did he know about me? He knew about my gift, of course. He knew about my blood bond with Eric. He also knew where I worked and he could probably make some deductions about my personality from what I'd said and done that night.
"Will you come, Sookie, as a favour to me?"
Why was Eric asking me for a favour? That would mean he'd owe me one, and that wasn't a position Eric liked to be in.
If the king wanted to use my gift, surely Eric would say so. If he wanted to get to know me, a party wasn't really the best place for that. So maybe this wasn't about me, maybe this was about Eric. The king wanted to know about his new sheriff and as I was bonded to him, about me too.
Eric had said he wouldn't have asked me to change my plans yet he wanted me there, presumably because he'd been told to bring me.
So my not going would look bad for Eric. I followed that line of thought. Why would it look bad? Because he had given his word he would bring me. My refusal would reflect poorly on him… because we were bonded!
I remembered him telling Andre that I heeled nicely. Eric should be able to control me, I realised. Only my telepathic powers seemed to prevent that but given our bond, my defiance of him would make him look weak to other vampires. If he looked weak… I didn't want to follow that thought through, I didn't think weakness would be a good thing to show in his tentative position.
"Okay." I told him.
Eric gave a big smile, the one that crinkled his cheeks up. "I'll pick you up at nine."
I nodded. "Sounds good," I tried to sound enthusiastic.
I wondered if Eric could stay or if he needed to get back. I wondered what I wanted to happen if he did stay.
"I have to get back," he answered my unspoken question. He rose to his quite considerable height but didn't let go of my hand, towing me with him to the door where he turned to face me. He cupped my face with both his hands and looked into my eyes, searching them as though the answer to some important question could be found there. I felt naked in front of his penetrating gaze, like he could see into my soul, yet I was unable to look away.
He slowly bent his head and kissed me. It was a passionate kiss, but also a little tentative and questioning, like he was trying to communicate with me. When he pulled away my breathing was ragged and Eric was showing fang.
I wanted to pull him to me again. I wanted to lock him out. I wanted to explore his body and see if it was as good as I remembered. I wanted to be free of him and the unwanted emotions he brought into my life.
Then he gave me a wry smile. "I'm over one thousand years old, dear one. I can be patient."
And then he was gone.
III
Choosing a dress had been harder than I thought. Not that Tara didn't have a lot of very nice dresses, especially with Christmas rapidly approaching. The trouble was, I didn't know what I wanted my dress to say. Tara had some daring ones that looked breath taking, and some elegant ones that would look beautiful, and some demure ones that would look very pretty.
I wavered for a long time and finally decided on an elegant gown. It didn't show too much and but it did show enough. It was long and backless, with a split up to mid thigh and in a dark, red wine colour.
I almost changed my mind again when Tara told me I looked good enough to eat, but I realized it was just a turn of phrase.
Amelia had helped me curl my hair and she'd pinned it up, leaving a few tendrils to curl around my face and shoulders. I kept my makeup light.
Eric arrived right on time and I think his eyes widened when he saw me. I felt a shiver of pleasure, then firmly squashed it. Tonight wasn't the time for rampant hormones.
It wouldn't be easy though, since Eric in a tux was a sight to behold. I wasn't much for tuxedos, unless it was a wedding or something, and on most men, they just looked odd. But Eric knew how to fill one and he looked positively edible.
No, don't go there.
He took my hand and bent over, kissing the back like a gentleman.
"Miss Stackhouse, you look amazing."
I blushed. "Not so bad yourself." He led me over to his corvette and opened the door for me.
"So, what's the score?" I asked as we began our journey back to Shreveport.
Eric looked perplexed (my word of the day).
"What's the format, what should I expect?" I clarified.
"It's is basically a dance for the king's employees of Area five and some of the other area sheriff's. Felipe has themed it around a southern ball. There will be vampires and humans, we will mingle, dance and, hopefully enjoy ourselves."
Okay, that sounded fine.
"Oh, and there's an auction." He sounded offhand. A little too much so.
"Oh?"
"It's nothing. One dance, the proceeds go to charity. An idea Victor had from watching an old southern movie."
"You still haven't seen Gone with the wind?" I asked, incredulous. "You're sheriff of Louisiana and that's a southern staple."
Then I remembered the scene, the ladies were auctioned off for one dance to the highest bidder.
"Wait, are you saying I'm going to be auctioned?" My voice was higher than I'd like.
Eric's jaw was clenched. He glanced at me. Was he upset that I was going to be auctioned or that I was putting up a fight?
"As you are my guest, I am forbidden to bid on you." He told me. "But I have arranged for Bill to bid."
Well, that wasn't so bad. I could stand a dance with Bill.
He looked at me again, trying to read my face. "Will you do this for me?"
I was about to snap that I wouldn't, that I wasn't his to auction off like some old fruit basket and that I had my own mind, thank you very much!. Then I remembered why I was here, because I didn't want Eric appearing weak.
"Are all the humans being auctioned?" I asked.
Eric nodded. "It is supposed to be fun and light hearted." Yes, well vampires did enjoy knowing that other vampires coveted what was theirs.
More to the point, however, if I backed out everyone would know he hadn't been able to control me. I didn't want to be controlled, but I also didn't want anything to happen to him. I found I felt very protective of him.
I sighed. "Okay, I'll do it."
I made up my then to be the best partner to him I could tonight. I'd take his arm, laugh in all the right places and do everything I could to make him look good. He'd had a tough time recently, I wanted to help.
The party was in a Shreveport hotel's ballroom. I let Eric open my door for me at the hotel and escort me into the building. I plastered a friendly smile on my face and we went into the ballroom together.
About a third of the room was given over to a dance floor at the other end of the room. There was a stage behind it with a quartet (piano, violin, cello and singer) and the rest of the space was given over to mingling with a bar at either side of the room, and a buffet (for humans) along the back wall. There looked to be about sixty people in the room.
Eric began introducing me to people, I presumed people he worked with. Sandy was there, as were some other Fangtasia employees, like Pam. I looked around for Bill occasionally, but I hadn't seen him yet.
Most of the vampires had a human as their date and the humans looked pleased as punch to be here.
"Why doesn't everyone have a date?" I whispered when we were alone.
"Because the lower ranked vampires are afraid of losing their humans to a higher ranking vampire."
I drew back a little. "Does that mean that someone else could claim me?"
Eric shook his head. "No. Humans are often swayed by power and might switch allegiance to a more powerful vampire. I cannot give you to someone else unless you want to go."
That was a relief. Until I remembered Tara. She had been traded, handed off to another vampire without her consent.
From the thoughts around me, I began to realize that I wasn't fawning over Eric enough, so I suggested a dance. Eric was happy to agree.
"You are uncomfortable," he told me as we danced.
I shrugged. "This feels very much like a beauty pageant." I told him. "It's demeaning."
"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said coldly.
I glared at him. "Hey, if you want to date me, ask me on a date." I hissed, trying not to draw attention to us. I had promised myself I wouldn't show him up. "Do not parade me around like a dog owner trying to win best in show. It's tacky. You're better than that macho crap."
Eric smirked then and pulled me closer. "Oh, Sookie, I'm sorry. I may be a vampire, but when it comes to you, I am a man. I want everyone to see how wonderful you are because it makes me look good."
I finally cracked a genuine smile. Eric had a lot of bad points, but he was always straightforward.
"And if the king hadn't told you to ask me, would you have?"
"Of course," he looked at me like I was mad for thinking he might not. "But I would also have allowed you to decline if you chose."
"So this whole thing is point scoring?" I clarified.
He nodded. "Most of vampire life is point scoring."
I took a deep breath. "Then you'd better kiss me."
I'd noticed most couples on the floor were kissing. Not hot and heavy, but very definitely enjoying each other.
Eric looked like I'd asked him to bark like a dog. "Sookie?"
I put a hand behind his head and pulled him down to me. Eric didn't need asking twice. We didn't break step and I wondered how he knew where the edge of the floor was, then I decided I didn't care.
We were interrupted by the side doors opening and everyone turned to look. The king's entourage steamed in, in pairs with the king at the rear. His "date" was tiny, probably only five foot, with black hair and some Asian blood in her. She looked very exotic.
Filepe began meeting and greeting and we decided to do the same. Every vampire we spoke to (male or female) gave me the once over, most of their dates did too. I tried not to because if you need to size up your competition, it means you don't have faith in yourself.
Besides, I knew I'd lost this one when I'd seen the king's companion.
Bill had brought a young woman called Lisa. She seemed very nice and it annoyed me that Bill wasn't paying more attention to her. From her thoughts I picked up that she genuinely seemed to care for Bill. He'd be a fool to let her go, but it wasn't my call.
Finally we stood before the king and his "date".
"Ms Stackhouse, how wonderful to see you again," he told me, his eyes travelling over my body as he made small talk with Eric. As his gaze made its way back up I noticed him scrutinizing my neck.
"Not hungry tonight, Eric?" he asked pleasantly. I'd noticed most of the fang-bangers had fresh puncture marks in their neck, but I hadn't given it a lot of thought. That's how fang-bangers looked.
"Ah," Eric seemed stumped. He wanted to say he'd fed from me, but he knew I wouldn't like that implication.
For some inexplicable reason that I still didn't understand, I didn't want Eric looking bad in front of his new king.
"That's my fault, sir." I looked at the floor, hoping he thought I was blushing. "I didn't want anything to detract from my dress so I asked Eric to feed a little, uh, lower down."
After a moment I risked a glance at the king. His eyes were positively smouldering. Uh oh.
"I see." He said in a strange tone. "Well, Eric, you are a very lucky man."
"Thank you, Sir." Then the king passed on to the next couple.
I gulped. I had the feeling that in protecting Eric's reputation had just made a big mistake. I was about to ask Eric what he made of the interaction when he turned me to him and kissed me. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. There was passion in it (well duh) and gratitude and maybe just a little desperation.
When he eventually released me from the kiss (but not from his arms) his voice was rough with desire. "Sookie, you are…" he gently pushed a curl off my forehead.
I didn't get a chance to find out exactly what I was because someone was on the stge, asking for quiet. The auction was about to start.
"The auction goes in order of rank," Eric explained. "The lower ranked vampires partners will go first."
"Where will I come?" I asked.
"You should be third from last, behind Victor and, of course, the king."
So Eric was the third highest ranking vampire in the room! Even Sandy didn't out rank him. Wow.
The auction was in aid of the Katrina fund, so at least my humiliation was for a good cause.
I was pleased to note that the male humans were also being auctioned. Sandy's date was someone I wouldn't have minded bidding on myself, but being human, I probably wasn't his type.
Finally my name was called and Eric raised our arms like everyone else had done. I didn't like the feel of the eyes that turned to me, evaluating me and my worth. I felt like chattel.
Bill didn't begin the bidding, two male vampires who's names I couldn't remember did, they bid back and forth for a while, then Bill joined in. I heaved a sigh of relief. Then it was just Bill and the black vampire remaining. The black vampire was slowing, taking longer to consider each bid, Bill was winning. Until Felipe stepped forward and doubled the current bid.
My heart sank.
Bill managed another bid but Felipe bid a great deal higher again. I could tell from his expression that Bill was out of the running. I could feel by how firmly he gripped my hand that Eric wasn't happy either.
The next two auctions took place but I wasn't paying attention. Now I just wanted to get my dance over with then get the hell out of there. Once the auction finished I thought we would all have our dance, but then I realized that was impossible because some vamps had bid on more than one person.
"When do we dance?" I asked Eric, unreasonably furious at him for letting someone else win the bidding.
"When he asks you," he said, his face carefully blank, "you must accept."
Eric hadn't bid on anyone.
"I feel a little overwhelmed," I told him. "Dance with me."
Eric led me around the dance floor. He didn't talk or try and kiss me, he just gave me time to think, bless him.
I had so many thoughts and fears running through my head that it was hard to pick one to focus on. When I did manage to focus on my fears, I began to realize I had no way to predict what might happen. Kings were laws unto themselves.
Andre had tried to bind me to the queen, no one would have stopped him. If the king really wanted me, I doubted anyone could stop him, even if they wanted to. Would Eric try and save me? Would Bill? Was Felipe observant enough of vampire law that he wouldn't try and take me away from Eric?
I remembered my Grandfather. He would never let me be taken against my will, and even if they stopped me contacting him, he would find me, I was sure.
I was also sure it would cause a war. I had thought about Eric's words a lot since the night of the take over, and that was the only explanation I could come up with. Grandfather interference on my behalf would have caused the vampires to go to war with the fairies.
That wasn't an option I relished, but it did provide some comfort.
Just then the song changed and Felipe appeared at our side.
"May I cut in?" he asked pleasantly.
Eric looked deeply into my eyes but I was too confused to know what he was trying to say. He kissed my forehead softly and stepped away.
Felipe took his place and held me a little too tightly. I tried to give him a gracious smile.
"So, Ms Stackhouse, how have you been?"
"Very good, thank you. You?" I didn't care how he had been, but it was polite.
"Over worked," he grinned. "But I enjoy my work."
We lapsed into silence then because I couldn't think of anything to say and Felipe seemed to be considering something.
"Are you very fond of Eric?" he finally asked.
"Very," I said firmly. "I am his."
"I could look after you," he told me. "You would never want for anything."
"I can look after myself, thank you, and I don't want for anything now."
His eyes narrowed slightly and I felt tweaks of power around me.
"That doesn't work on me," I told him, sounding ruder than I probably should.
"So I see. You are quite an enigma."
I didn't know what to say to that.
"And you are quite beautiful."
"Thank you."
"I don't know if Eric has told you, but if you came to me of your own volition, he could not stop you."
"I know, and I appreciate your offer, really I do, but I like my life just as it is."
He smiled then. "You are different from the others."
"Well, I'm telepathic." I shrugged slightly.
"No, it's more than that." He contemplated me for a moment. "I could always force you, I suppose." The soft, seductive voice he used made those words even more frightening.
"You could, but you wont." I hoped I sounded firmer than I felt.
"Oh? Why not?"
"First of all, because Eric would never let me go willingly. He will fight for me."
"He cares enough to die for you?" he asked incredulously.
I wasn't really sure about that. "It's a matter of pride, "I bluffed. "If you take what is his illegally, he'll have no choice but to fight you. You want to keep Eric, I don't see you killing him over a human."
He shrugged. "Perhaps. You had another point?"
"Yes, I would fight. You can't glamour me and I will fight you every step of the way."
Judging from his expression he didn't seem to think that was much of a problem.
"And finally, there are things you don't know about me, forces you wouldn't want unleashed. If you hurt me, the vampires will be at war again." I very deliberately didn't say who they would be at war with.
He smiled. "Humans don't scare us."
"It won't be humans you're at war with."
He considered this. Perhaps he was thinking of shifters, or demons, or even fairies, I didn't mind. As long as he realized that acquiring me was not without consequences.
He surprised me then by tipping his head back and giving a deep laugh. "And the mystery deepens." He was still smiling.
Finally the song drew to an end but he didn't let me go. Eric appeared beside us.
"I love a good mystery, Ms Stackhouse, I look forward to figuring yours out." He kissed the back of my hand and then he was gone.
I turned to Eric and he took me in his arms, holding me. I hadn't realized how tense I was until I was able to relax. Eric stroked my back.
"Do you want to go home?"
I nodded into his chest and he led me away.
III
The drive back to my house was silent, aside from the opera quietly playing in the car.
As he pulled into my driveway Eric said, "I'm sorry he made you so uncomfortable tonight."
I tried to laugh it off. "I should start a fan club." My laugh sounded hollow.
"Sookie," he took my hand. A lot of people were taking my hand tonight. "Sookie, he will never hurt you. I won't allow it."
"I don't want you to get hurt, Eric."
He gave a wry smile. "Surprisingly enough, nor do I, but I don't want you hurt either. You may resent it at times, dear one, but our bond means that I cannot ignore your pain anymore than I could ignore my own. I cannot lose you."
I put my hand up to his cheek. Sometimes he was so… sweet.
He slowly leaned towards me, giving me time to back away, I assumed. I didn't. Our lips met in a tender and loving kiss. I wanted more. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as my desire grew.
It couldn't hurt, right? One night, no strings. It had been so long since anyone had shared my bed, would sleeping with Eric really be so bad?
That thought brought me up sharp and I pulled away. I scrambled from the car as quickly as I could before the last shreds of my resolve disappeared.
I turned when I got to the front door to see him sitting in the car, exactly where he had been. I think a part of me had been hoping he'd pursue me.
"Goodnight, Eric."
He smiled, as though amused by my antics. "Goodnight, Sookie." His voice was deep with desire. "Sleep well." He winked at me as he pulled away.
Bastard. Like I could sleep at all after a kiss like that! I was horny and alone.
I stomped into the house and slammed my bedroom door after me. Not very mature, I know, but it did easy some of my tension and suddenly, though perhaps not surprisingly after what had happened tonight, I did feel weary. Bone tired.
I got ready for bed and climbed in, pulling the covers over me protectively.
Sometime soon I needed to decide what to do about Eric. But not tonight.
Not tonight.
End file.
| fanfiction |
a comprehensive knowledge about the mass spectrum and spin splittings of heavy baryons is important for our understanding of quantum chromodynamics .
however , except for singly heavy charmed baryons and only one singly heavy bottom baryon ( @xmath0 ) , most of the heavy baryon masses have not yet been measured experimentally @xcite . on the theoretical side
there are many results on heavy baryon masses from different models including , for example , a number of quark model variations@xcite . using lattice qcd , substantial
work has been done in the heavy meson sector .
however , so far only very few results have been reported for heavy baryons@xcite , and there is only one work @xcite where heavy ( bottom ) quarks are treated nonrelativistically .
a further study of charmed and bottom heavy baryons on the lattice using nonrelativistic qcd ( nrqcd ) therefore seems worthwhile .
extraction of the experimentally observed mass splittings between vector and pseudoscalar mesons remains a challenging problem in lattice qcd ; quenched calculations have so far been unable to extract the observed mass splittings@xcite , and unquenched studies have not resolved the issue@xcite .
therefore , it is natural to ask whether lattice results for baryon mass splittings also exhibit similar suppression compared to experiment . empirically , spin splittings in baryons are smaller than those in the meson sector .
moreover , in a lattice simulation the correlators for baryons , particularly for spin 3/2 states , are noisier than those for mesons , and thus , by using lattice qcd it is comparatively difficult to extract a reliable mass spectrum for heavy baryons . in this work we report on the charmed and bottom baryon mass spectrum and mass splittings by using a nonrelativistic heavy quark action and an improved light quark action on anisotropic lattices . in section ii we summarize different charmed and bottom heavy baryons with their relevant quantum numbers and discuss our choice for interpolating fields .
section iii presents numerical simulation details . for heavy quarks
, we use the nonrelativistic action from ref .
@xcite , while a tadpole improved gauge action and an improved dirac - wilson action of the d234 type @xcite are used for light quarks .
since these actions were previously detailed elsewhere @xcite , we will describe them only in an appendix .
the calculations are done on two different anisotropic lattices with the same gauge configurations as were used in ref .
@xcite at @xmath1 and @xmath2 . in section
iv we present our results .
masses are calculated using two methods ; the first uses the standard nrqcd relation between mass and energy while the second employs mass splittings to calculate masses .
as mass splittings can be estimated more accurately than masses , errors in the second method are smaller than those obtained from the first one .
the overall systematic uncertainty is estimated by including scale uncertainty , uncertainty due to the choice of a time window for fitting correlation functions , error due to extrapolation to the physical light quark masses , uncertainty in fixing charm and bottom masses and uncertainty from our determination of the lattice anisotropy .
spin splittings are discussed in section v. from our results , along with other published results , we conclude that the suppression of mass splittings is _ not present _ in the baryon sector in the same way as it is in the meson sector . over the whole mass range where data are available , quenched lattice qcd simulations yield mass differences between spin 3/2 and spin 1/2 baryons which are comparable to or larger than experimental values .
singly and doubly charmed and bottom baryons are summarized in tables i and ii respectively .
table ii also includes doubly heavy states containing two different heavy quarks ( charmed and bottom quarks together ) .
quark content , as well as the spin - parity @xmath3 , the isospin @xmath4 , and @xmath5 which identifies the total spin of the light quarks ( also spin - flavor symmetry : @xmath6 is symmetric while @xmath7 is antisymmetric ) are shown .
notice that masses for many singly heavy states are not measured yet and there are no data at all on masses for doubly heavy states .
.summary of singly heavy baryons , showing valence quark content ( @xmath8 and @xmath9 ) , spin - parity , isospin and mass ( in gev ) .
the quantity @xmath5 is the total spin of the light quark pair .
the experimental values are from ref .
@xcite . [ cols="^,^,^,^,^,^,^",options="header " , ] moreover , mass differences ( eq .
10 ) can be calculated more precisely than masses ( eq . 9 ) .
therefore , for example , one can calculate a meson mass from the relation @xmath10 where @xmath11 here @xmath12 and @xmath13 denote the heaviest light quark and a lighter one respectively , and @xmath14 is extracted by using eq .
( 13 ) is valid as long as @xmath15 in eq .
( 11 ) is the same _ i.e. , _ both states consist of the same heavy quark @xmath16 .
similarly , masses of singly and doubly heavy baryons can be extracted from meson masses by using @xmath17 where @xmath18 for example , the @xmath19 mass is extracted by taking its difference ( at each @xmath20 ) with the @xmath21 mass ( @xmath22 ) at @xmath23 and then subtracting that from @xmath22 .
masses extracted by using eq . ( 9 ) and eqs .
( 12 - 17 ) are consistent with each other .
however , errors in the second method are smaller than the previous one . versus @xmath24 where @xmath24 is the average vector and pseudoscalar meson mass @xmath25 .
`` lattice literature '' results are from refs .
@xcite while d234 results are from ref @xcite .
, height=585 ]
the mass spectrum and spin splittings of heavy quark baryons have been computed on an anisotropic lattice using the nrqcd heavy quark action .
results are summarized in table v , where the first error is the statistical error obtained from a bootstrap analysis with a bootstrap sample size equal to the configuration sample size .
the second error is an overall systematic error due to scale and anisotropy uncertainties , the uncertainty due to choosing a time window , the light quark extrapolation error and the strange quark mass uncertainty .
mesons , singly heavy baryons and doubly heavy baryons are separated into different groups by horizontal lines . in table
vi we have compared our results with those obtained by using a relativistic ( d234 ) heavy quark action @xcite and experimental numbers ( where available ) .
one can notice that the nrqcd results and d234 results are consistent with each other .
results are also consistent with a previous nrqcd calculation @xcite . as in ref .
@xcite , it is found that the suppression of spin splittings is not present in the baryon sector , although such a suppression is known to be characteristic of the heavy meson sector .
one can also notice that the spin splittings for doubly heavy baryons are as large as their singly heavy counterparts .
in order to put the results of the present calculation into perspective it is useful to consider spin splittings over the whole range of available quark masses . we start with mesons where it has been known for a long time that the squared mass difference @xmath26 for vector and pseudoscalar mesons is approximately constant for all mesons of the form @xmath27 , where @xmath28 is up or down and @xmath29 is any light or heavy flavor .
this relation is illustrated in fig . 4 for the mass pairs @xmath30
@xmath31 @xmath32 and @xmath33 also shown are the results of lattice simulations including the present work .
the tendency for quenched lattice qcd to underestimate the spin splittings relative to experimental values is clearly visible . versus @xmath24 where @xmath24 is the average vector and pseudoscalar meson mass @xmath25 .
`` lattice literature '' results are from ref .
@xcite while d234 results are from ref @xcite .
the solid line is a fit to the experimental data , height=585 ] in ref .
@xcite we showed that it is useful to consider the behavior of the spin splittings in the baryon sector as a function of quark mass also in terms of the mesonic average mass @xmath34 .
the results for the baryon pairs @xmath35 , @xmath36 , @xmath37 and @xmath38 are shown in fig .
5 . it is a remarkable empirical fact that the baryon spin splitting scales almost exactly like the inverse of the average meson mass .
the implication is that the ratio of meson to baryon spin splittings is almost constant .
this was discussed in ref .
@xcite and was to some extent anticipated by lipkin @xcite from the point of view of the quark model ( see also lipkin and odonnell @xcite ) .
the results of quenched lattice calculations are also shown in fig .
the suppression of spin splittings relative to experiment , visible for mesons , is not seen for baryons .
the results of the present lattice nrqcd calculation support this conclusion in the charm and bottom sectors .
it is clear that a definitive measurement of @xmath39 and @xmath40 masses would be highly desirable to extend the experimental comparison to larger mass values .
from the point of view of lattice nrqcd our results present an interesting challenge .
as is well known , the spin splittings of both charmonium @xcite and heavy - light mesons @xcite are clearly underestimated by lattice nrqcd simulations . up to now
, these simulations have used couplings modified only by mean - field tadpole factors .
it is tempting to speculate that there are additional large perturbative corrections to these couplings .
in particular it might seem that a correction to the quark coupling with the chromomagnetic field ( the @xmath41-term in eq .
( a5 ) ) has the potential to cure the spin splitting deficiency for both charmonium and heavy - light mesons .
however one has to be cautious in wishing for such a cure as it would upset the already reasonable values for spin splittings in the baryon sector . to summarize , we have calculated the masses of baryons containing one or two heavy quarks using quenched lattice qcd .
nrqcd is used to describe charm and bottom quarks . in the charm sector
the results of this work are compatible with those obtained previously where a dirac - wilson action of the d234 type was used for the heavy quark .
no suppression of the spin splittings observed in lattice nrqcd simulations of heavy - light mesons is seen in the heavy baryon sector .
this and our previous work @xcite leave a number of difficult open questions .
one would like to be able to improve the lattice calculations of baryons to reduce the uncertainties to the same level achievable in mesons .
also how ( and whether ) the addition of dynamical quarks to the simulations will solve the dilemma of spin splittings has yet to be understood .
a phenomenological issue is to understand the remarkable constancy in the meson to baryon spin splitting ratio over the whole available quark mass range . on the experimental side
it will be a significant challenge to extend baryon mass measurements in the bottom and doubly heavy sectors .
this work was supported in part by the natural sciences and engineering research council of canada .
nm is also thankful to ccs of university of kentucky for its support .
some of the computing was done on hardware funded by the canada foundation for innovation , with contributions from compaq canada , avnet enterprise solutions , and the government of saskatchewan .
the heavy quark action is nonrelativistic and is discretized to give the following green s function propagation : @xmath42 the nonrelativistic hamiltonian is complete to @xmath43 in the classical continuum limit : @xmath44 here a tilde signifies discretization errors have been removed . in particular , @xmath45 the various spatial lattice derivatives are defined as follows : @xmath46 , \\
a_s\delta^{(+)}_ig(x ) & = & \frac{u_i(x)}{u_s}g(x+\hat\imath ) - g(x ) , \\
a_s\delta^{(-)}_ig(x ) & = & g(x ) - \frac{u^\dagger_i(x-\hat\imath)}{u_s}g(x-\hat\imath ) , \\
a_s^2\delta^{(2)}_ig(x ) & = & \frac{u_i(x)}{u_s}g(x+\hat\imath ) - 2g(x ) \nonumber\\ & & \hspace*{0.4in}+\frac{u^\dagger_i(x-\hat\imath)}{u_s}g(x-\hat\imath ) , \\ \tilde\delta_i & = & \delta_i - { a_s^2\over 6 } \delta^{(+)}_i\delta_i\delta^{(-)}_i , \\
\delta^{(2 ) } & = & \sum_i \delta^{(2)}_i \label{laplacian } , \\
\tilde \delta^{(2 ) } & = & \delta^{(2 ) } - { a_s^2 \over 12 } \delta^{(4 ) } , \\ \delta^{(4 ) } & = & \sum_i \left ( \delta^{(2)}_i \right)^2.\end{aligned}\ ] ] the leading classical errors of the gauge field action are quartic in lattice spacing . the action is @xmath47},\end{aligned}\ ] ] where anisotropic ratio @xmath48 and @xmath49 is the lattice gauge field coupling constant .
+ _ ps _ : spatial plaquettes + _ rs _ : spatial planar 1@xmath502 rectangles , + _ pt _ : plaquettes in the temporal - spatial plane , + _
rst(rts ) _ : rectangles with the long side in a spatial(temporal ) direction . for light quarks , we used a d234 action @xcite with parameters set to their tadpole - improved classical values .
its leading classical errors are cubic in lattice spacing and the action can be written as @xmath51\nonumber\\ & & + \frac{4\kappa}{3}\sum_x\left[\frac{1}{u_t}d_{1t}(x ) -\frac{1}{8u_t^2}d_{2t}(x)\right ] \nonumber\\ & & + \frac{2\kappa}{3u_s^4\xi^2}\sum_{x , i < j}\bar\psi(x)\sigma_{ij}f_{ij}(x ) \psi(x)\nonumber\\ & & { \hspace*{-1.0 in } } + \frac{2\kappa}{3u_s^2u_t^2\xi}\sum_{x , i}\bar\psi(x)\sigma_{0i}f_{0i}(x)\psi(x ) - \sum_x\bar\psi(x)\psi(x),\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath52.\end{aligned}\ ] ] 99 d.e .
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_ * 58 * , 034502 ( 1998 ) . | arxiv |
Do only metals form ions?
Do nonmetals form ions? I am asking this because I was reading something and I came across the phrase "metal ions," which left me to wonder whether or not there are nonmetal ions as well.
In short, yes. Single-element ions are common for both metals and non-metals. Some simple examples: $\ce{F^{-}, Cl^{-}, I^{-}, S^2-}$ Multi-element non-metal cations are a bit more common: $\ce{NH4+}$ and $\ce{H3O+}$ being the obvious examples and there are plenty of anions like $\ce{CN-}$, $\ce{SO4^{2-}}$, $\ce{NO3-}$, etc. Things like proteins and polypeptides are also frequently ions in solution and may be positively or negatively charged depending on the pH.
Simply due to their electronegativities, all the single element non-metal ions are anions in solution, but in the gas phase, all bets are off and you can knock off an electron to get a cation, (or have negatively charged metal ions) so long as it doesn't bump into anything else.
Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer that is composed of nonmetal ions.
There are myriad other examples.
Ions are classified into cation and anion, cation is a positive ion and anion a negative ion. Cations are mostly from metal nature while anions are mostly from non-metals, so yeah there are non-metal ions!
| stackexchange/chemistry |
the hybrid monte carlo ( hmc ) algorithm@xcite is now the standard method to simulate dynamical fermions .
however the cost of the algorithm is substantial .
it is therefore desirable to improve the efficiency of the hmc algorithm .
first , we examine the possibility of changing the step size adaptively@xcite .
second , we implement the hmc algorithm with approximate hamiltonians .
lastly , we precondition the fermionic action used in the hmc algorithm .
the conventional hmc algorithm is performed with a fixed step size .
one expects however that the molecular dynamics ( md ) trajectory will bounce off the effective energy barrier represented by the minimum of the fermionic determinant . as it does , the curvature increases and so does the integration error .
this effect should be more pronounced for smaller quark masses .
therefore one might expect , in that regime , benefits from varying the step size adaptively . the naive way to adapt the step size
consists in keeping the local error constant at each integration step . but
care must be taken to preserve time - reversibility .
stoffer has constructed a time - reversible adaptive step size method which gave promising gains on the kepler problem@xcite . here
we implement this method for the hmc algorithm .
call @xmath0 a one - step integrator ; @xmath1 .
it maps momenta and link variables @xmath2 onto @xmath3 .
now we define a symmetric error estimator , @xmath4 where @xmath5 is a local error at @xmath2 when the system is integrated by @xmath0 .
if the integrator is reversible , eq.([es ] ) is obviously symmetric under the exchange @xmath6 .
the adaptive step size @xmath7 is then determined by solving a symmetric error equation , @xmath8 the tolerance should be kept constant during the md simulation . the adaptive step size determined by eq.([tol ] ) takes the same value at the reflected point @xmath9 . therefore an integrator with the adaptive step size determined by eq.([tol ] ) is reversible . taking for @xmath10 the standard leapfrog integrator , we tested the above method for several quark masses , volumes and couplings@xcite .
we observed that the variance of the step size increases as @xmath11 increases , as expected .
however , it decreases as the volume increases .
thus the gain over hmc with fixed step size turns out to be very small .
the overhead to determine the adaptive step size by solving eq.([tol ] ) exceeds this gain .
the leapfrog integrator with step size @xmath7 has @xmath12 errors , resulting in an energy violation @xmath13 , which reduces the metropolis acceptance . since such errors are present anyway ,
there is no need to keep for the molecular dynamics hamiltonian @xmath14 the exact hamiltonian @xmath15 .
an approximate hamiltonian @xmath14 which introduces errors of similar magnitude can be substituted at cheaper cost .
the cost of the hmc algorithm is expressed by the cumulated cost of fermionic force evaluations per accepted trajectory : @xmath16 for trajectories of a certain fixed length , where @xmath17 is the number of multiplications by the dirac operator @xmath18 at each step of size @xmath7 . in the following ,
we consider two possibilities to decrease @xmath17 and try to find the minimum cost @xmath19 .
lscher proposed to approximate the inverse of the fermion matrix @xmath18 by a chebyshev polynomial @xmath20@xcite of degree @xmath21 with zeroes @xmath22 : @xmath23[cheb ] this approximation allows the construction of a local update algorithm with @xmath21 auxiliary bosonic fields@xcite .
here we use the same approximation for the inverse of the fermion matrix which appears in the molecular dynamics hamiltonian : @xmath24 this formulation does not require any linear solver .
the fermionic force evaluation requires instead a predetermined @xmath25 multiplications by @xmath18 .
as @xmath21 is reduced however , the approximation ( [ cheb ] ) increases the energy violation , which reduces the metropolis acceptance .
fig.[fig : chebyshev](a ) shows the efficiency @xmath26 vs. @xmath7 .
we find that the optimal step - size depends little on the degree @xmath21 of the polynomial .
for the optimal @xmath21 , the work is reduced by about 4 over standard hmc .
usually , in the molecular dynamics steps , the linear system which gives the fermionic force is solved to high accuracy .
the initial guess to the solution of this linear system can then be extrapolated from previous results without measurably spoiling time - reversibility . in this way
, the number of iterations in the solver can be reduced by a factor @xmath27 2@xcite . on the other hand
, it is also possible to reduce the accuracy in the solver , provided that the solution is time - reversible .
this is achieved simply by forfeiting the benefits of time extrapolation , and taking always the same initial guess for the solver .
while this second approach is well - known , its benefits have not been studied to a comparable extent . here
we systematically investigate the optimal accuracy , which minimizes the cost of hmc , by varying the stopping criterion in the solver . in this case , the actual form of the corresponding hamiltonian @xmath14 can not be known .
fig.[fig : chebyshev](b ) shows efficiency , acceptance and number of iterations .
the number of iterations linearly decreases with the logarithm of the stopping criterion . on the other hand ,
the acceptance remains practically constant up to a certain stopping criterion and then rapidly decreases .
we measure the efficiency by @xmath28 .
the figure clearly shows that a low accuracy stopping criterion ( @xmath29 and @xmath30 on @xmath31 and @xmath32 lattices , respectively ) is most efficient .
however the gain over standard hmc ( @xmath33 ) appears to decrease as the volume increases .
the use of preconditioners is well - known for the solution of linear systems , like the one which gives the fermionic force @xmath34 at each step . on the other hand ,
little attention has been paid to preconditioning the fermionic action itself .
one exception is even - odd preconditioning : @xmath35 where @xmath36 this formulation is widely used to reduce memory requirements and work per force evaluation .
what has not been noticed is that the fermionic force from ( [ sf ] ) is smaller than in the non - preconditioned case ( see fig.[fig : force ] ) , allowing for an increase in the step - size without loss of acceptance .
this benefit stems from the better conditioning of @xmath37 ( to order @xmath38 ) than @xmath18 ( to order @xmath11 ) .
this preconditioning can be pushed to higher order with virtually no overhead .
consider the partitioning of @xmath37 : @xmath39 where + ( - ) stands for the lower(upper ) triangular part .
the lower(upper ) triangular matrices @xmath40 and @xmath41 have determinant @xmath42 .
the preconditioned matrix @xmath43 can then be substituted to @xmath37 in the fermionic action : @xmath44^{-1 } \phi_e \nonumber \\ & = & \phi_e^\dagger(ud_{ee}^{-1}l)(l^\dagger d_{ee}^{\dagger -1}u^\dagger ) \phi_e . \label{sflu}\end{aligned}\ ] ] the corresponding fermionic force is obtained as : @xmath45 with @xmath46 ; @xmath47 .
since no inverse of @xmath40 or @xmath48 appears in this formulation , the overhead in the force calculation is negligible . as shown in fig.[fig : force ] , the fermionic force is reduced by a factor @xmath49 as @xmath50 changes from @xmath51 ( standard even - odd ) to its optimum slightly below @xmath11 . it becomes much smaller than the gauge force .
a sexton - weingarten integration scheme @xcite then allows to take very large fermionic step - sizes .
we tested @xmath52 preconditioning eq.([sflu ] ) on a @xmath53 lattice , at parameters studied by the sesam collaboration ( @xmath54 ) @xcite .
we could increase the fermionic step - size from @xmath55 ( sesam ) to @xmath56 while maintaining a @xmath57 acceptance .
a more extended , though still preliminary test was conducted on an @xmath32 lattice at @xmath58 .
these parameters were chosen in @xcite to compare hmc with the multiboson method , very near criticality .
@xmath52 preconditioning allowed us to increase the fermionic step - size from @xmath59 to @xmath60 . at the same time
, we used a low - accuracy stopping criterion @xmath61 during the trajectory , reducing the number of matrix multiplications per step from @xmath62 to @xmath63 .
the autocorrelation time of the plaquette seems unaffected by preconditioning .
9 s. duane , a.d .
kennedy , b.j .
pendleton and d. roweth , phys .
b195 ( 1980 ) 222 .
de forcrand , nucl .
b ( proc . suppl . )
47 ( 1996 ) 228 ph .
de forcrand and t. takaishi , hep - lat/9606020 d. stoffer , computing 55 ( 1995 ) 1 m. lscher , nucl .
b418 ( 1994 ) 637 r.c .
brower et al . , hep - lat/9509012 j.c.sexton and d.h.weingarten , nucl .
b380 ( 1992 ) 665 sesam collaboration , nucl .
. suppl . ) 47 ( 1996 ) 386 k.jansen , hep - lat/9607051 , these proceedings | arxiv |
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My Little Pony Flutterbitch's Week
Hello everyone. I would like to start by stating my discovery. After the Mane 6 were cured of being discorded, a part of that evil element stayed inside them, in the deepest, darkest parts of their minds. You probably think this story will be dramatic and dark. Nope! Chuck Testa! This story is about a normal Fluttershy week, and the story is helped being told by the Anti-Shy.
–
Fluttershy woke up. The sun shone its warm rays onto her pillow, and in the distance birds sang their morning songs.
"Another beautiful day." The cream colored pegasus whispered to herself. _Fuck, another day when Twilight is gonna mess shit up and we're gonna need to save Equestria's ass again._ Fluttershy hummed to herself as she walked downstairs. "Hello all my animal friends!" She said as the rabbits and birds and mice of all kinds turned to see her skip downstairs. She pulled out the bag of seed and poured them into each individual bowl. The animals scampered towards the food and nuzzled Fluttershy's hooves as she passed. "Eat up, my friends, you've got a big, beautiful day ahead of us." _I would save a shit-load of money if I dumped your asses. _She walked over to her table. On the table sat a mouse in a wheel-chair, its arm in a sling, and a tiny bandage across its chest. "Hello, Mr. Mouse, are you feeling alright?" The mouse nodded. "Wonderful! Just take those pain killers, and I think you can get out of that cast in a week." The little mice next to him hugged and kissed him and their mother next to him.
"I'll be back!" She said, and bid them goodbye. Oh the way into the kitchen, she bumped into her bunny, Angel. Angel was now a very nice rabbit, but sometimes he had bad days. This was one of them. "Hello, Angel, how are you?" _What up, shithead?_ The white rabbit began chattering angrily about his bed being too uncomfortable. "Okay, okay, Angel, I'll see what I can do." _I'll get you a bed of nails, then you'll be begging to sleep in your old one. "_I've gotta go see Twilight today, bye bye everyone!" _Fuck._
–
Fluttershy arrived in the Ponyville Library five minutes later. She had flown there, to avoid any distractions. She knocked on the door and it flew open. The lilac unicorn stood in the doorway happily, her face black and her mane smoking. "Hiya Flutters! Soooo glad you came! I need your help testing one of my spells!"
"T-that's nice, Twilight. I can help you-if you w-want." _Fuck. This is not going to end well. _
"Great! Follow me!" Twilight Sparkle led Fluttershy into the basement, where Twilight had set up a series of test tubes. She picked up two of them and poured one into another. It let off a green smoke and Twilight grinned. She poured it into a cup and drank it.
"T-twilight, are you sure that's safe?"
"Positive! Now let's see about that spell!"
Her horn lit up and Fluttershy closed her eyes. "B-be careful." _Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck fuck. _There was a flash of bright light and it was over. Fluttershy opened her eyes. She looked down and gasped.
"HANDS!" Twilight shouted. "I read all about them in my books! So I wanted to see if the spells actually worked!"
"Well, it did." Fluttershy said. She looked at her new hand. It had five long, thin hoof-like things. And the tips were hard.
"Fingers and nails." Twilight explained as she pointed to the long hooves. "Those are fingers." She said. "And these, are fingernails. Dunno what they're for, though."
"Oh, Twilight could you pleeeeease turn me back? Please?" _Do it, bitch. _
"Okay, don't worry, I will." She cast the spell once more, and the fingers were gone. _Thank god. Don't you ever do that shit again. _
"Now, I've got a few more spells I'd like to try out." Fluttershy nodded and smiled.
_Fuck._
–
Fluttershy stepped out of the library at sundown. She sighed. Hours after hours of testing different spells and she was exhausted When she returned to her house, the animals saw she was tired, and the birds fed the other animals as the rabbits helped fix dinner for the tired pegasis. "Thank you very much." _So they ARE good for something. _Just then, Angel scampered in, looking hopeful. "I'm sorry, Angel bunny, I didn't have time." _ Shit, Angel, I don't care. _The bunny frowned and stomped off. Fluttershy finished the salad and bade her animal friends goodnight. She curled up in bed, thinking of the next day. "Tomorrow I need to see Rainbow Dash." _That stuck-up swag fag. _
End file.
| fanfiction |
Unconventional thrust generation?
So I will preface this by saying the following is simply a thought experiment. However, in my field, I have heard seemingly legitimate arguments for different answers.
The thought experiment goes as follows:
Suppose we have a closed shock tube in the vacuum of space and free of any gravitational or frictional forces. As many of you are probably aware, the shock tube has a high pressure side termed the driver section (state 4), and a low pressure side termed the driven section (state 1). The two sides are initially separated by a diaphragm until at a given instance, the diaphragm is ruptured. A shock wave begins propagating into the driven section and simultaneously a rarefaction begins propagating into the driver section. The post-shock and rarefaction state are denoted by states 2 and 3 in the schematic below.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/pB7Tg.png)
Now the physical value of these states can be determined in any classical text in gas dynamics, however, for the purposes of this thought experiment they are unimportant. As the gas goes into motion within the shock tube, a series of shock, rarefaction, and contact surface reflections and interactions will take place until eventually the gas inside the tube becomes stationary and reaches a spatially uniform equilibrium. The question then becomes, after all of the internal motion of the gas has resided, does the shock tube itself experience any net acceleration in any direction?
A control volume analysis of the shock tube system would indicate that the external forces acting on the control volume are defined by,
$$ \sum F\_{ext} = \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \int\_V \rho \vec{V} \ dV + \int\_S \rho \vec{V} (\vec{V} \cdot \hat{n}) \ dS$$
However, since the system is closed, there is no momentum flux through the surrounding control volume and we are simply left with,
$$ \sum F\_{ext} = \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \int\_V \rho \vec{V} \ dV $$
Now this would be the force on the control volume, and from the dynamics of the fluid, it is obvious that there will be instances during the gas motion for which $\frac{\partial}{\partial t} \int\_V \rho \vec{V} \ dV \neq 0 $. This is usually enough for some people, to which they claim, obviously the system will experience some form of a net acceleration in a given direction. Then the second crowd will come along and suggests, it is impossible for the shock tube system to experience any net acceleration simply because all of the motion from the gas within the shock tube acts as internal forces, and only external forces can provide a net acceleration to the system.
So I am curious, what are your thoughts as to which is the correct answer?
It is true that in the absence of external forces, the *center of mass* of a system does not change position. That said, components of the system can shift around all they want, assuming that the center of mass stays in the same place. In this case, the gas is initially distributed unevenly, as higher-pressure (meaning higher-density) gas is on one side of the wall than the other. Hence, the center of mass of the system will not be in the geometric center.
However, once the gas reaches equilibrium, being distributed evenly, the center of mass should be at the geometric center of the system (as the system is now completely symmetric across its midline). Since the center of mass's position relative to an outside observer does not change, then the system must accelerate and decelerate in such a way that the geometric center of the system occupies the original center of mass's position once the gas reaches equilibrium.
| stackexchange/physics |
pubmed |
|
Lie Algebra Conventions: Hermitian vs. anti-Hermitian
Consider the Lie algebra of $SU(2)$.
To find the infinitesimal generators we linearise about the identity $$U=I+i\alpha T$$ where $\alpha$ is some small parameter. To find the form of $T$ use the condition $\textrm{det}(U)=1$ to find $\textrm{Tr}(T)=0$ and also $U^{\dagger}U=I$ to give $T=T^{\dagger}$ Hermitian.
But instead linearising as $$U=I+\alpha T$$ we would find the conditions $\textrm{Tr}(T)=0$ and $T=-T^{\dagger}$ anti-Hermitian, which seemingly results in a different Lie algebra. I think the former approach is the one usually used (and results in a nicer answer). Is there some rule that determines whether the factor of $i$ should be used in this process, or is it just a matter of convenience?
Strictly speaking, the first convention is almost an abuse of notation, for there is no Hermitian matrix Lie algebra, at least with the usual matrix commutator as the Lie bracket. To understand this, do the:
**Exercise** *Prove that the Lie bracket of two Hermitian matrices* $X,\,Y$ *is* **skew** *Hermitian*, *i.e.* $[X,\,Y]^\dagger = -[X,\,Y]$
and so the putative Hermitian algebra *cannot close* under the Lie bracket. However, one can cheat, or abstract (depending on your view) a bit and define:
$$L(X,\,Y) \stackrel{def}{=} -i\,(X\,Y-Y\,X)$$
and this binary operation is indeed skew-symmetric, billinear and fulfills the Jacobi identity, so one can indeed, at this abstract level, define a Lie algebra of Hermitian matrices. Our *new* Lie bracket $L$ also conserves tracelessness, so that one can regard this algebra as the Lie algebra of $SU(N)$.
This is, in fact, what we are doing here for the sake of the convenience of working with Hermitian matrices.
The Lie algebra of traceless, skew-Hermitian matrices kitted with the wonted commutator bracket is the "correct" Lie algebra when one insists on using the commutator bracket $L(X,\,Y)\stackrel{def}{=}X\,Y-Y\,X$. This would be the usual convention in a mathematics text, for example. fi you do your exercise again, you'll see that the commutator of two skew-Hermitian matrices is again Hermitian, and so now the algebra closes under the wonted Lie bracket.
The factor of $i$ is generally a matter of convention. Essentially, it boils down to choosing what constant you'd like sitting in front of the defining equation,
$$[T^a,T^b] = f\_{abc} T^c$$
of the structure constants $f\_{abc}$ of the Lie group. We could have instead a factor of $i$ or any constant in our definition and it is a matter of convention.
There is also some freedom in choosing the normalisation of the 'inner product' $\mathrm{Tr}(T^a T^b)$ though there are restrictions depending on if the group is compact for instance.
In my own experience, physicsts keep a factor of $i$ explicit and in the mathematical literature it is usually omitted.
| stackexchange/physics |
ENOUGH
Written by
Nicholas Kazan
REVISED - 3B
Dialog in parenthesis is (not spoken aloud).
NOTE ON TITLES:
GRAPHIC TITLES pop up throughout. Some are chapter titles,
others more like the explanatory arrows found in cartoons.
Sometimes the words present themselves in normal fashion. At
other times, they're loosely spaced or sharply angled or
individual words flash up one after another. i.e., titles
ought to be wilder and less uniform than I suggest on the page.
HEY
HER FACE. FLASHES . She looks gorgeous, then ordinary,
sloppy, white waitress uniform, gorgeous again, dishes stacked
in her arms, turning, looking, happy, tired. INTERCUT TITLES.
SLIM
Hi, can I help you?
What would you like?
Want a menu?
Hey Billy.
Hey Tom.
You take care, Rosie.
We get a sense of her: 23, smart, good attitude, proud to be on
her own and supporting herself even if the job is menial. She
moves quickly, physically, with an almost athletic grace -
SLIM
Sure thing, Annie. Have a good one.
That's two straight up.
You're good to go.
Morning.
Hey there.
Morning to you.
(beat, embarrassed)
What?
(looks down, sees she's
carrying lunch food)
Right. Afternoon.
A sense of the diner too. 50's-style joint: hip, lively; a fun
pl ace full of wacko signs that tell us we're in some modestly
sized So. Cal. beach community.
SLIM
What can I get you?
Whattaya like?
Whattaya want?
(rolls eyes; good-humored
rejection of a.come-on:)
Nice try, bud -
(INCREDULOUS)
Does that ever work?
Hey, lemme get that for you.
Hey.
Common' right up.
END TITLES as we FLASH FOOD IMAGES: beans/eggs/pie/burger/shake
/waffle/grilled cheese, fast flow of too much grub as words fly
UP :
2
HOW THEY MET
INT. "THE ORCA" RESTAURANT. DAY.
FLURRY OF MOVEMENT, WAITRESSES setting up for lunch, Slim
joking with GINNY (28, knocked around but still spirited; two
kids at home from different guys; she somehow maintains a good
attitude). Slim views Ginny as her idol: for her attitude, not
her life. Catch them in mid-conversation, Ginny slightly
offended, working-class accent:
GINNY
Why not? My grandfather was a
lawyer... Plus: I have a logical
mind...
SLIM
And you're only like 299 thousand
short of what you'd need for law
school.
FAST RIFF:
GINNY
I Piece of cake -
SLIM
Piece of pie -
GINNY
Piece of ass. So what would you do?
SLIM
I don't know...
GINNY
LIAR -
SLIM
(EMBARRASSED)
I'm also thinking... well ...I could
go back to school.
GINNY
In what? I thought you hated -
SLIM
Psychology maybe, I don't know.
I know it's not cool to say so, but
I'd like to contribute something to
society, even if - (it's just)
3
GINNY
We contribute. We give 'em food,
energy, so they can go out and
save Western Civilization -
A bell rings, a CUSTOMER comes in, and the owner of the place,
PHIL (45, Syrian, also the cook) sticks his head between them:
PHIL
Ladies, please. Am I paying you?
GINNY
Not that we noticed.
(SEES CLOCK: 11:15)
Oh my God, speaking.of time -
The lunch rush is coming; they start working triple speed -
INT. "ORCA." LATER.
Ginny and Slim converge carrying dirty dishes, piling them up
for the BUSBOY, TEDDY (21, Hispanic). They haven't stopped
moving for two hours, but now they can take a breath, survey
the scene. Slim notices Ginny has a wet spot under her arm.
SLIM
Ever try the rock, hey?
GINNY
Excuse me?
SLIM
The deodorant thing. It's salts or
something, it comes in like a...it
looks like some kinda hippie crystal.
GINNY
You're saying I sweat.
SLIM
Perspire, Ginny. You lightly -
(PERSPIRE)
GINNY
(a vow to get even)
I'll remember that.
(as someone comes in)
Your turn, I'm sweatin' too much.
Slim gives her a look, grabs a menu, goes over to where the new
customer, whom we will call for the moment OUR HERO, is seated.
4
When she reaches his booth, she notices he's got a book and a
long-stemmed red rose. She hands him a menu -
SLIM
Waiting for somebody?
He shakes his head. She can't help noticing he's very
handsome.
SLIM (CONT.
Something to drink?
OUR HERO
Just water, thanks.
SLIM
I'll give you a minute to look over -
OUR HERO
That's okay. I was in yesterday...
(reads her nametag)
Slim.
She nods, slightly uncomfortable. He hands her his menu.
OUR HERO
What's your real name?
SLIM
No.
OUR HERO
Hmm. I like it, but don't you think
it's kinds negative?
SLIM
No, I don't tell my name.
OUR HERO
Okay. Coke and a turkey burger,
coleslaw no fries, couple extra
slices tomato. I write books.
SLIM
Oh.
OUR HERO
You read books?
She kind of half-nods half-shrugs.
5
OUR HERO (CONT.)
What're you reading now?
She stares at him...
SLIM
Finneaan's Wake by James Joyce. A
friend told me it's the hardest book
in the English Language. Not the
hardest hardest, just the hardest
one it's actually possible to read,
and I figure if I can get through
that one, I can do the others.
OUR HERO
How long you been reading it?
SLIM
Six years. I'll be back with your
TB.
She leaves, goes back puts the order in, mutters to Ginny:
SLIM {CONT.}
Asshole.
GINNY
What'd he say?
SLIM
Wanted to find out how smart I was
so I told him I was reading the
hardest book in the English language.
GINNY
He likes you.
SLIM
I think he's just a dick.
GINNY
Slim...he was in yesterday -
SLIM
I know -
GINNY
And he's back today with a rose,
he pulls you into conversation.
Honey, if you can't tell he likes
you, you need to study psychology.
6
SLIM
Okay, so he likes me.
GINNY
Do you like him?
SLIM
I don't know him.
GINNY
What's that got to do with it?
Slim: he is a major piece of
cake/piece of pie.
SLIM
I didn't notice.
GINNY
Trust me. Carrot cake. And when
a guy like that - cuter than you? -
he actually likes you -
SLIM
He's cuter than me??
tinny gives her a long stare; this is obviously a favorite
ROUTINE:
GINNY
Hey. Wise up, huh? No-one is
ever gonna go for you 'cause of
your looks.
SLIM
(NODS SOBERLY)
That is bad news, 'cause my
personality bites.
Ginny grins. Slim writes up a check for a CUSTOMER at the
counter. When she finishes, the turkey burger is up.
She carries it to the table:
SLIM
TB, coleslaw, and so forth. You
don't really write books, do you?
OUR HERO
Nope.
SLIM
I don't read Finnecan's Wake either.
7
OUR HERO
I'm goin' into law. Enforcement.
She nods. This is more like what she expected.
SLIM
Who's the rose for?
He shrugs.
She's busy, so she starts to go:
SLIM
Enjoy your grub, huh?
She's seven feet away when she hears:
OUR HERO
HEY -
Sheturns back toward him -
He smiles, offers the rose:
OUR HERO
You.
She smiles back-their eyes meet... a sudden utterly magical
moment. This is also the moment to.note OUR HERO should be
played by a famous actor doing a cameo. Because at this
instant the scene changes.
The man (MITCH) in the booth behind Our Hero - a man we haven't
noticed because all we've seen is the back of his head - turns
and looks at Slim. Stands. Looks down at Our Hero...
MITCH
How much did you settle on?
OUR HERO
Excuse. me?
Slim frowns, steps closer so she can overhear:
MITCH
The bet. How much is it?
Our Hero has a completely blank look on his face -
MITCH (CONT.)
You and your friend. Yesterday.
Was it 200 or 500 or - ?
8
SLIM
(TO MITCH)
What're you -
MITCH
He bet his friend he could get in
your pants in less than twelve
hours, starting noon today.
Our Hero rises to his feet and pushes Mitch in the chest, which
looks like a stupid move, since Mitch is bigger -
OUR HERO
Is this your business?
(right in Mitch's face)
What are you, the morals police?
He pushes again and Mitch,s hand shoots out like a snake
striking. Grabs him by the collar. Lifts him. A frozen
moment, more violence just a breath away, and a sense of things
about to spin out of control... Our Hero's eyes are popping;
he tries to hide his fear:
OUR HERO
Take it easy, M...man. She and
I were just having some fun -
SLIM
(to our Hero)
Was it two hundred or five?
(VERY CALM)
I want to know what I'm worth.
Our Hero gestures to Mitch: would you mind putting me down?
Mitch reluctantly obliges.
Our Hero does his best to recollect his dignity. Looks at
Slim. Drops a ten on the table and smirks:
OUR HERO
The bet was two, but now that I
know you? Way too high.
A pained look flashes across Slim's face -
Our Hero starts toward the door, but Mitch steps in his path.
Speaks quietly but with authority; there's a physical power in
his words. Since he's protecting Slim, the power is
COMFORTING:
MITCH
Don't come back here, buddy. Ever.
Our Hero nods nervously.
Mitch steps back 3 inches, just far enough to let our Hero
leave. Which he does with considerable relief.
Slim's leaning vs. the counter, shaken, tears in her eyes -
Mitch tugs his baseball cap, mutters as he heads for the door:
MITCH
Sorry to get in your business.
SLIM
No. Hey. Thank you.
He nods, keeps going.
SLIM (CONT.)
(blurts out, grateful:)
I... I can't believe you actually
said something.
MITCH
(turns, shrugs)
If I'd kept my mouth shut, I'd'a
felt bad later.
Good luck, huh?
She nods.
He ambles out the door. A touch of the cowboy in him.
She shakes her head, looks at Ginny.
Ginny gestures as if to say, well?
At first Slim doesn't get it.
Ginny gestures more urgently: Come on. What're you waiting
for? She looks toward the door -
Slim follows her look. PUSH IN ON SLIM'S FACE as she tries to
work up the courage...
Just as she starts toward the door, we:
CUT TO:
10
BRIDE AND
EXT. OLD PASADENA ESTATE. NIGHT.
FLASHES:
Wedding photos. Mitch has lots of (surprisingly upper crust)
family, Slim has a few friends. The more photos FLASH, the
more pronounced (and sad), the contrast. FLY RIGHT INTO:
Bacchanalian DANCING. French Champagne has flowed; shoes and
inhibitions were abandoned hours ago. THE CAMERA weaves
through the DANCERS to find:
Slim and Mitch, dancing close, never quite touching, every move
intense, physical, like subtle public sex. Their eyes are
locked; she runs her veil down his body, his hand lightly
touches her ass; they slow down and stand, lips a millimeter
apart but not quite kissing, the sexual tension building...
We see how crazy they are about each other, how completely
physically involved - and how much fun they have.
Watching them is Phil, with Mitch's parents, MRS. TYLER (58,
confident, at ease with her power and family money, and
likeable despite monstrous flaws) and MR. TYLER (someone Mrs.
Tyler married in a moment of cupidity).
MRS. TYLER
Mitch was kind of.. .evasive. Is her
father dead too?
PHIL
Dead to her. He left when she was
two.
MRS. TYLER
Oh. Well, I'm happy to pay for the
WEDDING -
MR. TYLER
Yes, we're very happy -
MRS, TYLER
(ignoring Mr. T.)
It's a way to build bridges... Not
that you can... (repair all the
damage) When there's such a vast
body of water...
11
PHIL
You don't get along with your son?
She gives him a look. She's both offended by, and appreciative
of, his bluntness. Looks out at Mitch:
MRS. TYLER
He's like my father. Which means, I
guess, that he'll do very well.
PHIL
He's done well to get Miss Slim.
MRS. TYLER
Yes, he has, hasn't he? He's married
down, but he's gotten value.
As Phil reacts, he notices his wife, SALIMA, has joined him.
With her are two kids (5 and 2).
Salima's looking out at the floor: not at Slim, but at Ginny
and her dance partner. We see a thought cross her mind. She
bends down and whispers conspiratorially to the kids.
They whoop their response, run out to Ginny (who looks quite
uncomfortable in her Maid-of-Honor dress).
FIVE YEAR OLD SON
Mom! Mom! Mom! Can we spend the
night at Phil and Salima's house?
Ginny looks over, winks at Salima, and kisses her kids:
GINNY
Don't eat at their ice cream, huh?
They squeal with pleasure and run off.
Ginny turns back, resumes dancing with JOE (24, handsome in a
casual way, a good guy):
GINNY
So this was during college or after?
JOE
During.
GINNY
What was wrong with you?
(off his puzzled look)
I mean-why'd you and Slim break
up?
12
JOE
Oh. Well. I'm terrible in bed.
(lets this hang for a moment
for shock value, then:)
Plus, I don't know: we just sort
of.. . evolved into being friends.
GINNY
Evolution? You were going the
wrong direction, bud.
JOE
That's kinda what .1 thought, but I
guess I was so totally pathetic -
GINNY
Why am I not believing this?
(INTRIGUED)
Can I take you home right now?
JOE
If you've got a sense of humor.
GINNY
My kids are out for the night, and...
JOE
Another thing: I live in Chicago;
women always want the possibility of
LONG-TERM -
GINNY
I didn't propose, huh?
I just want to have...
(looks at him...)
a brief and completely unsatisfying
sexual encounter.
JOE
Hey. I'm your guy.
She pulls him into a kiss, and...well: he's not a bad kisser...
We glide from them to Slim and Mitch, hardly moving. Suddenly:
tender and insecure and almost comic, she looks at him...
SLIM
You sure,you love me?
MITCH
Uh-huh...
13
SLIM
For ever and ever?
He stops dancing. Senses the real issue beneath her questions:
MITCH
You're safe with me, Slim. You're
safe, and it's okay to be happy.
We deserve it.
They kiss. Others stop to watch: how cute. Phil comes over,
waits. When they break:
PHIL
I'm sorry, I gotta get up five
o'clock to buy green beans.
He slips an envelope into Mitch's hand:
PHIL
In my country, it's tradition to
give money to groom. You don't
need it, but...
Slim shakes her head, touched, as:
MITCH
That's very sweet -
SLIM
(HUGGING PHIL)
Thanks for giving me away, okay?
You're the best substitute Dad a girl
could possibly have.
PHIL
No substitute. I am real thing.
She kisses him, and he goes. They look after him.
MITCH
He really loves you.
She nods, not quite picking up how odd his statement is: of
course he loves her; she nicked him to give her away.
Mitch turns her toward him and slips his hands inside the top
of her dress (so the back of his hands touch her breasts; is
this going too far?). He pulls her to him, whispers:
MITCH
You gonna give me babies?
14
SLIM
Oh yeah.
MITCH
How soon?
SLIM
How soon can we get out of here?
He hoists her into his arms and carries her off the floor.
Applause from the GUESTS. It's a grand romantic gesture. You
have to wonder if Mitch is just a little too good to be true...
CUT TO:
CONQUERING HERO
EXT. SPANISH-STYLE HOUSE WITH GROUNDS. DAY.
Slim (4 months pregnant) stands'on the walkway leading up to a
large, simple,' beautiful house. Mitch is knocking at the door.
The man who answers the door is 62, white-haired, vigorous.
Looks like he walked out of a Viagra ad.
HOME OWNER
Hello?
MITCH
Hi. We've been driving around,
and my wife has completely fallen
in love with your house.
HOME OWNER
It's great, isn't it?
MITCH
We want to buy it.
The Home Owner's jaw drops as Mitch gestures toward his bulging
WIFE:
MITCH (CONT.)
My wife wants it for our family.
HOME OWNER
(polite but firm)
Well...we're not selling.
MITCH
Sure you are.
15
Mitch hands him a slip of paper. Totally amiable:
MITCH
That's the price. Don't worry, it's
well over-market.
HOME OWNER
(stunned, a little scared)
You... You're out of your mind.
MITCH
I know. That's just it. So before
you say no again, think how miserable
one determined crazy person can make
you. Miserable today, miserable
tomorrow, miserable for every single
day until the day you sell.
We glimpse the Home Owner's will just starting to crumble...
MITCH (CONT.)
Your kids are grown, you'll be
happier in a smaller place.
MOVE OFF the Owner's face... SLOW PAN TO the window of the house
.the SENSE that time is passing... and when we reach the
window, we see SLIM inside. MOVE THROUGH the window...
INT. HOUSE. KITCHEN. DAY.
Six weeks later. She's happily putting away groceries.
Whistling to herself. What we can see of the house feels good:
the furnishings are simple, casual, friendly.
She's putting a bottle of oil up on a shelf. . .but it never
quite gets there. Her face changes. Something's happened.
The hand holding the oil lowers... the oil bottle slips through
her fingers and smashes on the floor...
Oil spreading across the floor...
She stares at it.
Claws the air, grabbing the cordless phone as she plops down on
a kitchen barstool. Starts to cry. Punches the autodialer.
SLIM
It's Slim, is he there?
Water is flooding down the barstool; she's miscarried.
16
SLIM (CONT.)
Well, will you please just... Just
tell him I'm sorry, okay?
CUT TO:
SECOND PREGNANCY
INT. MITCH'S OFFICE. DAY.
A central area with large offices surrounding it, GUYS IN
SUITS, GUYS IN CONSTRUCTION GEAR, ARCHITECTS, ATTRACTIVE YOUNG
WOMEN. . .all moving quickly, purposefully. TWO UNIFORMED COPS
come out of a room putting envelopes into their pockets.
Projects everywhere. Models, photos, charts and timelines:
when the concrete's going to be poured, when the inspector
comes, etc. Mitch is building mini-malls.
In the center of this activity, Mitch moves from one locus of
energy to the next: answering questions, making suggestions.
Gradually we perceive something, motion slower than the rest of
the office. Slim. Coming toward him. He sees her. Sees her
expression. She stops. He realizes:
MITCH
You saw the doctor?
It's so obvious from her face that she barely needs to'say it:
SLIM
I lost this one too.
CUT TO:
B A B Y L O V E
INT. HOSPITAL. DAY.
Slim lies in bed. Very pale, a light dust of sweat. We assume
she's between contractions. Mitch's face inches from hers;
smothering her with kisses.
The Nurse brings the baby in, starts to give her to Slim -
MITCH
Can I hold her?
The Nurse looks at Slim,. who nods, and gives Mitch the baby.
17
He kisses her head, dances with her.
Slim looks adoringly at father and daughter: the sight is
almost unbelievably sweet.
His cell phone rings. He keeps dancing, ignoring it.
After one ring, it stops.
He's kissing the baby's head over and over, just like he kissed
Slim, and staring into the infant's eyes -
MITCH
She looks just like my baby
pictures.
His cell phone rings again. As if the previous call had been a
signal.
Slim looks at him as the phone keeps ringing.
With some difficulty, juggling the baby, he turns the phone
off.
But he doesn't look at Slim.
SLIM
Who was that?
MITCH
I don't know. Who cares? Some
construction thing, I guess.
She stares at him.
He stares at the baby.
MITCH
Isn't she the most beautiful
thing you ever saw in your life?
Slim nods cautiously.
CUT TO:
THE MOMENT YOU KNOW
EXT. HILLSIDE. DAY.
Remains of a picnic. Slim's playing with their daughter,
GRACIE, now 4. Says something and Gracie laughs. Slim laughs.
IS
Keeps laughing, which really gets Gracie going. Mitch looks
on, tries to join in, but it's forced-and besides that:
they're not even looking at him, not inviting his laughter;
it's all between the mother and child.
So he stops trying. Just watches them. And before his eyes,
they become - for an instant - strangers. As this reaction,
and the subtle hostility it engenders, flicker across his face,
Slim looks up at him -
For one long moment they both seem to acknowledge the gulf
between them...
Then Gracie says something. Slim turns back toward her, the
"girls" are laughing again...and Mitch is not.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM/BEDROOM. NIGHT.
SHOWER STALL. Glass, opaque, streaked with water and soap so
as to give a slightly freaky aspect. Someone inside.
Slim watching. Smiles. Starts to take off her clothes.
SLIM
Hey.
MITCH
Hey.
SLIM
(FLIRTATIOUS)
Should I join you?
MITCH
I'm about to get out.
SLIM
(down to her panties)
Oh.
MITCH
I have to go to back to work, I'm
just doing this to wake myself up.
SLIM
(DISAPPOINTED)
Okay.
(starts to go)
19
MITCH
(CALLS)
Sorry.
SLIM
(TO HERSELF)
Yeah. (Me too.)
She's in the bedroom now. It's underlit, full of shadows. In
scary-movie nomenclature, she's exposed, vulnerable; it feels
like someone's going to leap out and attack her at any -
Not this time. She throws on shorts and a t-shirt -
INT. HALL. NIGHT.
She looks in on Gracie, sleeping peacefully. Consoling image.
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT.
She's washing dishes, bored, humming to herself. The counter's
covered with take-out food containers: she didn't cook.
A noise. Pager. Not beeping, just humming slightly: she
wouldn't even hear it except it's on the tile counter.
Sounds vaguely like a vibrator. Lying there, just a few feet
from her. With Mitch's wallet and keys, his cell phone.
She looks at it. .knows she shouldn't... decides not to...
Can't resist. Dries her.hands methodically on a dishtowel.
Picks up the pager. Reads: 33.
She stares, realizing: it's code.
She looks at the cell phone. Wonders whether...
Looks toward the hall. We HEAR the shower still running...
She picks up his cell phone. Tentatively - she's not sure this
will work - she presses: RECALL 33.
The phone flashes NAME, but instead of a name there's: .
She stares at this, glances again down the hall-takes a deep
breath.. .and presses SEND.
Waits... listens nervously...
20
WOMAN'S VOICE
(FLIRTATIOUS)
Hello there.
SLIM
You just paged my husband, right?
(HALF BEAT)
Mitch.
(HALF BEAT)
Who are you, what's your name?
WOMAN'S VOICE
I'm sorry, I -
SLIM
It's too late to deny it.
Tell me your - (name)
A rustle on the other end -
SLIM (CONT.)
Don't hang upl Don't be a cowardl
Silence.
SLIM (CONT.)
Just your name. That's the least
you could do, don't you think?
A simple plea, one woman to another...
WOMAN'S VOICE
I'm...Darcelle.
Not only the name. Now we hear it in the accent: she's French.
Dialtone.
Slim goes into slow motion. How oddly her arm moves downward.
She looks at the phone. Blinks. Presses OFF.
Scans the room as if she's never seen it before.
One of Gracie's toys lies on the floor. Slim stares at it.
Reaches down to pick it up, but instead of the toy moving up,
her body moves down. She slumps to the floor. Sits. Stares.
WIDER ANGLE. MINUTES LATER.
Slim sitting on the floor. Frozen. Head bowed.
21
Mitch comes out, dressed, sees her.
MITCH
Hey.
She doesn' t say anything.
He approaches her. Some instinct keeps him from speaking. He
sees she's holding his phone, the silly toy...
SLIM
How can you do this to Gracie?
He doesn't say anything.
SLIM (CONT.)
Darcelle paged you. That' s where
you're going, right?
(off his silence)
Yeah. Wow. Mitch? Can you please?
Can you sit here with me?
He does.
She doesn't know where to start, how to talk about it...
SLIM
She's French?
MITCH
She isn't important.
SLIM
No.
MITCH
You're important.
SLIM
Yes.
MITCH
And Gracie.
She nods.
SLIM
Mitch?, I can't... I couldn't stand
for this to... (destroy our lives)
I'm happy, I've really been happy,
and I don't want to - (give that up)
22
MITCH
You won't have to. Believe me.
She's nothing, she's no-one -
SLIM
You... Damn it! You said I was
safe with you!
MITCH
You are, Slim. You are. I promise.
They fall into an embrace. We feel how keenly they need each
other.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE. KITCHEN. NIGHT.
They're hugging. Begin TIGHT on them. At first it seems like
this is the same embrace shot from a different angle. Then we
see we're in the kitchen, his briefcase is at his side; their
clothes are different.
SING A SAD SONG
We watch Slim's expression slowly change. From pleasure. To
confusion. Pain. Outrage. She whispers:
SLIM
I smell her.
MITCH
What?
SLIM
Her perfume. Darcelle or whoever.
MITCH
SLIM -
SLIM
(intense, sad)
How many, Mitch? How many are there?
How many have there been?
MITCH
What does it matter?
A stunning statement. Even more stunning because of the casual
way he says it.
23
MITCH (CONT.)
ID I mean what're you saying here, that
I don't deserve to get laid? Please.
I'm a man, Slim. With the
pregnancies, Gracie, you don't have
time and energy like you used to, and
I understand that, I really do. Men
and women have different needs, and
that's okay. Darcelle is willing to
take care of it, and maybe that's
better for everybody.
SLIM
Including you?
He contemplates his answer...and shrugs.
SLIM
No! No! No!
MITCH
Calm down, Slim -
Wild, violently invading his space and assaulting his authority,
screaming at him, her face just inches from his:
I
SLIM
I can't do this anymore! I can't!
Just take it, and take it, and take
it!? I'm not strong enough! I don't
know who would be. I love you, okay?
I love you and I'm your wife and you
can't do this! You understand me?!!!
No more! No more!
With the same speed he attacked "Our Hero" at the diner,
Mitch's hand shoots out like a snake striking. Slaps her.
A warning: stop it and stop it now.
Her face: shock. Confusion. Outrage. She raises her hand to
her cheek. Touches her skin where his fist landed...
He reads her expression and is almost amused:
MITCH
What, I can't hit you?
SLIM
(low, strong)
No. You can't.
He hits her again, this time with a closed fist.
24
Knocking her to the ground.
Stands over her like a boxer.
Sees rase flare across her face -
MITCH
You want to fight? I'm a mom,
honey; it's no contest.
She's silent, but we see (very small) her reaction: Oh yeah??
MITCH {CONT.}
You have to understand, Slim.
I thought you did: make the money
here, so I set the rules, right?
It's my rules.
He waits for her response, but again she's silent.
MITCH
You with me?
SLIM
It's your rules.
MITCH
Yeah.
She keeps her voice meek so as not to offend:
SLIM
And if I don't like the rules??
MITCH
If you don't "like" them?!
She nods cautiously.
MITCH {CONT.}
Come on. Life isn't onl stuff we
like. We take the good with the bad,
right? That's what life is, what
marriage is. So maybe, for you,
today is a bad day.
Tomorrow may be great.
SLIM
Tomorrow may be great.
MITCH
That's right.
25
SLIM
Tomorrow will be great. (Without
you . )
He appears to miss her inference.
MITCH
Yeah. Today is the price you pay
for having such a good life.
She stares at him.
MITCH
I'm going out.
She says nothing.
MITCH {CONT.}
This is gonna be better, don't you
think?
She just cannot process the absurdity of this statement.
MITCH {CONT.}
I don't have to sneak around, pretend
I'm going to work. I can just say:
"I'm going to Darcelle's, I'll be
back in a few hours."
Her face is completely blank.
He bends down, gives her a kiss on the head. We feel her skin
crawl.
She watches him go.
Waits.
Hears the front door close.
She gets up, walks to the window, watches him walk toward his
car.
She turns away, looks at the room. We HEAR his car start.
She goes to the phone. Thinks.
Starts to dial-slowly, deliberately...
Shock: RAP AT THE WINDOW! He's there.
26
She reacts with guilt, but he doesn't look angry now. Behind
him is his idling Mercedes convertible, driver's door open...
He motions for her to open the window.
She does.
MITCH
Who you calling?
SLIM
Your mother.
MITCH
What're you gonna tell her?
SLIM
I'm supposed to bring Gracie
tomorrow. Maybe I better cancel.
MITCH
(NODS)
I was thinking. You...you know
that I adore you, but if you ever
want...if you want out...
For a second he can't talk. He's choked up.
She watches coldly. His emotion appears real, but who cares?
MITCH (CONT.)
.I'll understand. I really will.
(ALMOST TENDER)
But there's one thing: you can't
have Gracie. She's my daughter.
Don't even think about taking her.
Slim stares at him. He adds calmly:
MITCH (CONT.)
If I see that thought even cross
your mind, I'll kill you.
There. He's said what he needs to. He walks toward his car.
She shuts the window.
Stares after him.
In an odd and defiant way, she starts to whistle. Loudly.
To herself. Almost daring him.
27
He keeps walking.
CUT TO:
OUTTA HERE
INT. CAR. DAY.
Emotional, impressionistic. CLOSE ON her face, almost inside
her skin: a visual symphony. The countryside behind her is out
of focus, a blur. She pulls up at a gate, punches in a code.
Drives up a long a driveway to:
EXT. PASADENA ESTATE. DAY.
FOUR JAGUARs lined up. At a respectful distance sit an old
Toyota (the maid's car) and a pick-up (the gardener's truck).
Slim parks near the truck.
Her hand moves to the door handle, but she can't bring herself
to open it. She sits... paralyzed, a failure.
In this prolonged pause, Mrs. Tyler bursts out of the house -
MRS. TYLER
You're late, you're late, I was
worried you wouldn't comet
(looks, realizes)
No Gracie?
Slim shakes her head.
Mrs. Tyler is clearly disappointed, but quickly covers it up:
MRS. TYLER
Well then, you and I will have a
girls' luncheon and gossip about
simply everybody!
She's about to hurtle into the gossip when Slim turns her head
and Mrs. Tyler sees (and we see for the first time) the result
of Mitch's brutality: a nasty bruise on Slim's cheek.
Mrs. Tyler's face falls as she realizes what this means.
Underneath it all, she's a warm person; she hugs Slim:
MRS. TYLER
Oh baby. Oh baby, I'm so sorry...
28
HOLD a moment; like a mother-daughter tableau... Her tone
stays sympathetic, not at all accusatory:
MRS. TYLER (CONT.)
What did you do? What'd you
say to him?
Slim freezes. On her sad, shocked reaction -
CUT TO:
INT. "ORCA" DINER. KITCHEN. DAY.
Ginny in the middle of an intense rap. She and Slim are wedged
in a corner booth. The off-season lunch rush has died down...
GINNY
Men are land mines. Some you trigger
the first week, others it's years in.
Problem is: you want a man man,
meaning his veins run thick with
testosterone, which is good 'cause
he can fuck your brains out but he
can also turn around, no warning,
and beat your brains out too.
PHIL
I never touch Salima.
Ginny waves at him: of course not.
PHIL
But the other part, first part:
I can - (do that)
GINNY
Relax, Phil. Nobody's talkin' about
your dick here, okay?
Phil brings Slim an iced tea and slice of pie:
PHIL
You went to cops, I hope?
GINNY
(Don't be stupid.) Mitch is in
construction, Phil.
SLIM
(NODS)
He knows every cop in the city.
29
GINNY
Even if he didn't. My aunt? She got
a restraining order? When it was up,
this slimeball beat her into a coma.
PHIL
If he wants to put her in coma,
why worry restraining order?
GINNY
'Cause he's a man, Phil! He's
psychotic!
(calmly, to Slim)
You're leaving him today. Right now.
SLIM
(shakes her head, trapped)
I gotta pick up Gracie at pre-school.
CUT TO:
EXT. PRE-SCHOOL. DAY.
THREE 4-YEAR-OLD GIRLS running toward a car, squealing.
They're all blond and adorable, and it takes a moment for us to
realize none of them is Gracie.
Slim sits in her car in the pick-up line. The Four Girls get
in the Volvo station wagon in front of her.
The Volvo pulls out, and Slim moves to the front of the line.
The very hip PRE-SCHOOL DIRECTOR smiles at Slim:
PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR
Your husband got her.
SLIM
What??
PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR (CONT.)
Gracie was totally psyched. I told
him he should do it more often.
Slim nods with feigned casualness and pulls away. Slight smile
frozen on her face.
CUT TO:
EXT. HER HOME. DAY.
She pulls in. No other car there.
30
INT. HER HOME. DAY.
She looks around. Nothing abnormal except the quiet. As if
they've gone and are never coming back.
She digs out her cell phone, punches the first number on the
automatic dialer. Presses SEND.
Thinks. After one ring, she disconnects.
Immediately presses RECALL, then SEND.
HE ANSWERS:
MITCH'S VOICE
(FOR DARCELLE)
How is my little croissant?
SLIM
It's your loaf of bread.
MITCH'S VOICE
(cheerful, no guilt)
Oh. Hi. How's it going?
SLIM
Where are you?
MITCH'S VOICE
Zoo.
SLIM
Why didn't you tell me you were
going to - (pick up Gracie)
MITCH'S VOICE
I called you at home, left messages -
He's interrupted by a LOUD SQUEAL from Gracie, followed by a
question, which he answers:
MITCH'S VOICE (CONT.)
Your Mom.
GRACIE'S VOICE
Hey Moml The elephants are peeing!
MITCH'S VOICE
(pleased with himself for
being a good Dad)
She's a little excited.
31
SLIM
When are you coming home?
CUT TO:
INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT.
Dinner. It's scary that Mitch will have this conversation in
front of Gracie, who's playing at their feet:
MITCH
It made me nervous when I
couldn't reach you.
Slim shrugs.
He stares at her. Smiles. His voice so soft and calm:
MITCH {CONT.}
Do you have any idea how bad
things can get?
SLIM
Educate me.
MITCH
(embarrassed to say it)
Slim. I'm a determined person. I
was determined to have you, and I
did. This house...the company...I
am, and always will be, a person who
gets what he wants. You can either
share in my success or leave us
(meaning him and Gracie)
right now. Which way you wanna go?
Beat.
SLIM
I want to be happy.
He's not sure of her subtext, but he's willing to give her the
benefit of the doubt :
MITCH
Good.
With a sudden shock, Slim sees Gracie staring at Mitch: the
girl has picked up on his tone.
Slim glances at Mitch to see if he notices Gracie's expression.
He doesn't.
32
Slim looks back at Gracie: still staring at Mitch. If she
already senses what's happening, how long before she's affected
by it? How long before she sees Mitch become violent?
Slim's jaw tightens slightly; her resolve grows stronger.
CUT TO:
INT. MASTER BEDROOM. NIGHT.
Mitch asleep, Slim awake, listening. His breathing deep,
rhythmic, slight hint of a snore.
In the distance, a DOVE coos.
She looks at her clock: 2:15.
She eases out of bed.
Goes into the bathroom. We hear the sound of her peeing.
INT. BATHROOM.
She's no peeing. A BOTTLE is propped up, running water into
the toilet as Slim gets dressed. Quickly, silently.
INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT.
She leans out the bathroom doorway, sees: he's still asleep.
She moves quickly, bathroom to hall.
INT. GRACIE'S ROOM. NIGHT.
Gracie's fast asleep. Slim lifts her up, piles her prized
teddy bear on top.
INT. HALL. NIGHT.
Slim carries Gracie toward the entrance. We MOVE with her.
She's silent, terrified. Glances over her shoulder -
No one there.
She keeps walking. The eerie sense of a house that's awake
rather than asleep. The almost imperceptible but anxiety-
provoking SWOOSH of her footsteps... EXTEND the suspense as
long as we possibly can...
33
She reaches the front door.
Waits to make sure all is quiet.
It is.
She turns, looks back down the hall.
Empty.
Reaches toward the doorknob... hand closer, closer... she starts
to turn it -
EXT. SLIM'S HOUSE. NIGHT.
Ginny, Phil, and Teddy are clustered under a tree, staring at
the house. Waiting. Their VAN is parked down the road.
We expect the front door to open any instant.
It doesn't.
They wait. Casually. Not knowing where Slim was.
But we know. Did something go wrong? Slim was right at the
door.
In a casual way, her rescuers start to wonder.
TEDDY
Maybe she didn't hear the signal.
GINNY
She heard it.
PHIL
No. Teddy's right. She could still
be asleep -
GINNY
She's not asleep, okay? She's coming
out any second.
Phil nods.
They wait.
She does not come out.
Ginny shakes her head, looks at her watch.
34
GINNY
Do it again.
Teddy nods. Cups his hands, coos like a dove...
They wait again.
Beat.
INT. HOUSE. NIGHT.
Slim still frozen in exactly the same spot. Still carrying
Gracie, still with her hand on the knob. Listening. Turning
her head this way-that way. She hears the COOING DOVE NOISE
come again from outside.
That settles it. She pulls the door -
MITCH FLYING AT HER -
Grabs her, catches her, catches Gracie, pulling Slim's hair
hard, leading her away from the door -
EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT.
The three rescuers still wait.
Frozen.
Phil shakes his head. We see a baseball bat in his hands.
PHIL
We better go in.
GINNY
It'd be crazy to wake him. If
anything's wrong, she'll flick
the lights. .Right?
Phil nods skeptically, and Ginny herself doesn't seem so sure.
They look at the house-and wait. . .and wait... We want to
scream: "GO IN! GO! SAVE HER!"
Suddenly something. Subtle. Was that A SOUND from inside???
They go on alert. . .step forward... listen more closely...
But hear nothing unusual.
35
Phil. looks at Ginny, shrugs -
Ginny shrugs back -
FLASH OF LIGHT, then darkness. The signal.
They run toward the house -
SCREAM. Slim. Intense horrible spit of sound, replaced by an
even more horrible silence. Deadly silence. CLOSE ON GINNY as
they run: as if we've lost Slim and Ginny's.our new
protagonist. As we near the house, we realize: it's not
silence. There are sounds from inside: almost inaudible THUDS.
Sound of a beating. On Ginny's horrified reaction -
Baseball bat. Phil smashes a window.
They climb through the hole into the house -
INT. HOUSE. NIGHT.
Silence. They move quickly, carefully toward the living room;
it's very dark, we can hardly -
MITCH
Another step and you're dead.
Mitch emerges from darkness. Light glints off his pistol.
Thirty feet behind him: Gracie's sleeping on the couch.
Mitch moves and they stare in horror. Lying at his feet is
Slim's body..
Pain springs from Ginny's throat, she rushes to Slim -
Mitch rams the gun into her head:
MITCH
Didn't you hear me?i
Ginny feels Slim's pulse, says to Phil:
GINNY
She's alive -
MITCH
Unless you go, your brains'11 be
on imy rug i
36
PHIL
Sir. We are three people. If you
kill us all, you will go sure to
electric chair.
MITCH
I could give a shit.
Slim makes a SOUND as Ginny strokes her head...
Mitch FIRES the gun into the wall over Ginny's head. Muffled
sound: silencer. But he has everyone's attention now:
MITCH (CONT.)
This is your last chance.
PHIL
We are happy to leave, Sir: with
Miss Slim and Gracie.
Ginny's helping Slim to her knees.
PHIL (CONT.)
And make no mistakes. If you keep
them here, we will go to police,
who will arrest you with pleasure.
I/
Mitch stares at Phil. Walks to him. Is he going to hit him?
Shoot him? Mitch leans in, gun to Phil's head, and whispers:
MITCH
I don't want to say this in front
of the group, but you're just a
rug-head, nobody'll believe you.
You go to the cops, it's her word
against mine. They'll find drugs
in her bureau...
(before Phil can laugh)
Or her car, whatever.
(VERY STRONG)
Trust me on that.
(casual, confident)
I'll have custody of Gracie by the
end of the week.
PHIL
(SKEPTICAL)
And if we take them away, you will
shoot all four of us??
MITCH
That's right.
37
PHIL
Then we die young.
The others are uncertain, but Phil helps Slim up; Teddy joins
him. Ginny tentatively follows his lead and picks up Gracie..
SLIM
(VERY SOFT)
(This is no good.) You're
humiliating him.
GINNY
What?
SLIM
(a little louder)
He'll come after me and kill me.
Mitch overhears this, smiles.
MITCH
You hear that? That's why she
loves me.
(off their horrified looks)
Nobody cares like I do.
The others stare at him in astonishment, but continue toward
the door. Mitch leans toward Slim, whispers:
MITCH
See you soon.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN. NIGHT.
Gracie awake now in Slim's arms: staring, confused. Gentle
rocking of the van. The others barely visible, like shadows.
CHECK, PLEASE
INT. AIRPLANE. DAY.
Gracie asleep, Slim holding her. Blinds down, movie playing.
Despite Gracie's age, the angle and soft lighting make this
resemble a Madonna and child...
CUT TO:
38
EXT. NAVY PIER (CHICAGO). EVENING.
Open air market: shops, stalls; yuppie heaven. Slim carries
Gracie on her shoulders. They're with Jog (her old boyfriend,
from the wedding). Horsing around, having a good time, Gracie
eating a pastry. They stop and look out at Lake Michigan.
SLIM
Wow ... whattaya think, Toots?
GRACIE
It's a big ocean!
JOE
Well. It's only a lake, but we
like it.
GRACIE
(nods, stares out...
Can we stay here a while?
CUT TO:
INT. JOE'S CAR. NIGHT.
They're driving along, suddenly Joe says -
JOE
Coming up, whattaya say?!
GRACIE & SLIM
(A GAME)
Bobbing for apples!
Slim (front seat) and Gracie (back) both drop their heads so
they can't be seen from outside the car -
Joe turns the corner, presses a garage door opener, and drives
into the basement garage of a nice-looking 4-plex.
INT. JOE'S 4-PLEX. NIGHT.
They come in from the garage, throw off their coats. All the
curtains in the apartment are drawn.
JOE
Is there anybody who likes ice cream?
Gracie whoops -
The doorbell rings -
39
Slim and Joe freeze -
Slim whips her hand over Gracie's mouth -
Gracie looks horrified: why are you covering my -
Slim puts her finger to her mouth: shhh.
She takes Gracie's hand; they scurry out of sight -
Joe hurries to the stereo, puts it on. Music to cover Gracie's
"whoop . "
He goes to the door, looks through the peep hole.
Sees a LARGE MAN IN A SUIT.
JOE
Yes?
FIRST FBI MAN
FBI. Can we talk?
He holds up an I.D. Not readable through the peep hole.
JOE
Go ahead.
FIRST FBI MAN
Would you mind opening up?
Joe glances over his shoulder: no sign of them. He opens the
door, but not far enough to let the man in. Behind the large
man are TWO OTHER MEN IN SUITS.
FIRST FBI MAN
We're investigating a kidnapping;
we'd like to look around.
JOE
You got a search warrant?
FIRST FBI MAN
Oh, we got a warrant all right.
He slaps a paper and pushes past Joe; the other men follow...
JOE
Can I she the warrant?
First FBI Man ignores this.
40
JOE (CONT.)
Who're you looking for?
The FBI Man gives him a sarcastic glance.
JOE (CONT.)
A mother taking her own child isn't
kidnapping. I don't think you're
FBI at all.
This elicits no response. Joe moves to where he can see the
other two guys. Looks down the hall toward:
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT.
SECOND FBI MAN searching the pantry, looking around.
He opens the door to the garage and vanishes -
INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT.
THIRD FBI MAN looks under the bed, in the closets... yanks
clothes aside. At any moment we expect him to find them...
INT. LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.
JOE
Mister: unless you leave right now,
I'm calling the police.
FIRST FBI MAN
Oh...jeez...that's a scary thought.
Joe picks up the phone -
First FBI Man slams it down.
FIRST FBI MAN
I marri a cop, okay? I'm not in
the mood.
Joe accepts this. . .but only for the moment.
INT. GARAGE. NIGHT.
Second FBI Man looks in the car, under the car... isn't this the
logical place for them to hide???
41
INT. LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.
Third FBI Man returns from the bedroom emptyhanded, starts to
search the living room:
THIRD FBI MAN
I'll look around here?
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT.
The Second FBI Man returns from the garage, starts to search...
We're scared with every cupboard he opens that he'll find them.
INT. LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.
Third FBI Man searches the room.
SUDDENLY we go to SLIM'S POV...she and Gracie are in a cabinet,
looking out through a narrow horizontal slit. Watching the
Third FBI Man makes his way methodically in their direction.
First FBI Man stands over Joe, keeping him silent.
Joe watches the Third FBI Man search the room...
And then Joe blinks. Moves his eyes, and looks right in Slim's
direction. He realizes where they must be hiding.
The Third FBI Man's getting closer and closer to them...
Joe realizes he has to do something. Abruptly Joe stands:
JOE
That's enough.
(VERY FORCEFUL)
You hear me? It's time to go. Now.
(off First FBI's. shocked look)
I know who you are, okay? I know who
hired you.
First FBI Man whirls. Suddenly he's got a knife in his hand.
Definitely NOT FBI. Putting the. knife to Joe's throat:
"FIRST FBI MAN"
Yeah? You know what it feels like
to have a knife hit your carotid?
JOE
(trying not to move)
No.
42
Inside the cabinet, Gracie gasps. Slim puts a hand over her
mouth. But Slim herself has to fight the impulse to burst out
of there to save Joe -
"FIRST FBI MAN"
You know what it's like to bleed
out in less than two minutes?
JOE
No.
"THIRD FBI MAN"
(stopping his search)
Oh please, John Boy. Not the shiv
AGAIN -
"FIRST FBI MAN"
I'm just going to cut him a little -
Slim's eyes bulge -
"THIRD FBI MAN"
You are not going to cut him!
"FIRST FBI MAN"
I sure as hell am!
Slim's on the verge of bursting out when "Second FBI" enters:
"SECOND FBI MAN"
John Boy, this is not listed on the
program. Come on, they're not here;
let's ride.
"FIRST FBI MAN"
Can't I just - (cut him a little}
"SECOND FBI MAN"
No! No slice and dice!
They head for the door.
As he goes, "First FBI Man" (a.k.a. John Boy) runs his knife
along the couch, spilling out its contents...
.passes the tv set and stabs the tube...
.runs his knife along the wall, making a vicious scary mark.
And they vanish. We hear the door SLAM.
The horizontal band through which Slim was looking widens -
43
The cabinet door falls open, Slim and Gracie come out.
Gracie's crying. Slim hugs her, says to Joe:
SLIM
Jesus, are you okay?
JOE
I guess.
(feels his neck)
I needed a shave, anyway.
The phone rings.
They look at it. It can't be who they think it is...
it rings again. Joe goes to it. Hesitates. Answers:
JOE
Hello?
MITCH'S VOICE
This is Mitch Tyler, Joe.
JOE
Hello, yes, how are you?
Joe points at phone: "It's him." He nods toward Gracie,
indicating Slim should take her into the next room. Slim does.
MITCH'S VOICE
(calm, friendly)
I assume Slim's called you.
Joe thinks for a split second, then:
JOE
Of course.
MITCH'S VOICE
Will you give her a message?
(off his silence)
If she calls again, I mean.
Slim and Gracie are in the next room, but Slim's looking
through the door back at Joe.
JOE
I don't know. I'm on her side
here, not yours.
44
MITCH'S VOICE
Her side? Come on, Joe, you're a
smart person. Let me say two words,
okay? "Lug nuts." You don't want to
worry they're loose every time you
get in your car. And how 'bout the
windows to your apartment: are they
still locked? A person could go
crazy thinking about stuff like that.
JOE
Goodbye, Mitch.
MITCH'S VOICE
Tell her to call her friends.
Joe hangs up. Slim comes back out.
JOE
Wow. Charming.
SLIM
He scare you?
Joe shakes his head - more at Mitch than in answer to her
question.
SLIM {CONT.}
I shouldn't be here -
JOE
Sure you should -
SLIM
I'm dangerous to know right now.
JOE
(calm, forceful)
Slim. You can be here anytime.
She nods. They both know what he's saying: if he's willing to
take this kind of risk, he's either a very good friend (which
he is) or he's still in love with her (which he is, also).
JOE (CONT.)
Oh. He said you should call your
friends.
SLIM
At the restaurant?
45
MOMENTS LATER.
Slim on the phone, listening as the phone rings. And again,
again. Joe watching her, concerned. Finally:
GINNY'S VOICE
Awright already! Orcal
SLIM
Hey. Gin. You okay?
GINNY'S VOICE
We had to clear the customers out,
some ridiculous bomb threat -
SLIM
What?
INT. "ORCA" RESTAURANT. NIGHT.
Ginny on the cordless; Phil working nearby -
GINNY
Yeah, right during dinner. Like
anybody's gonna bomb a diner in
Carpenteria.
SLIM'S VOICE
What about you and Phil, did you -
GINNY
You know Phil. He won't leave his
ship. We're doin' cleanup.
SLIM'S VOICE
Get out.
GINNY
What?
SLIM'S VOICE
I got a bad feeling, Gin.
GINNY
You got more than a bad feeling, hon.
You got a bad husband.
SLIM'S VOICE
I know! That's what I'm saying! Get
Phil and get out of there! Nowt
46
GINNY
All right, all right, take it easy -
(GRABBING PHIL)
Let's go -
PHIL
The police are -
GINNY
(heading out the door)
Screw the police, we're outta here.
SLIM'S VOICE
Run, okay?t Ginny?! Runt
EXT. "ORCA." NIGHT.
They step out. The restaurant is at the end of a long pier.
Ginny turns skeptically to the overweight Phil -
GINNY
Can you run?
PHIL
Like Michael Jackson!
As they sprint, sort of, toward the boardwalk:
GINNY
It's Michael Johnson, Phil.
PHIL
I know. But I run like Michael
Jackson.
And he kind of does: arms flailing, not quite connected to his
body. Just as when we're enjoying this comic sight -
EXPLOSION behind them -
They're thrown TOWARD CAMERA -
Debris flying everywhere -
They lie on the. ground. Not moving. Are they dead or just
stunned? Slowly they raise their heads. Blink.
Look back at the restaurant:
Starting to go up in flames.
47
INT. JOE'S APARTMENT. NIGHT.
Slim holding her phone. Peculiar expression on her face.
SLIM
The line went dead.
Joe stares at her, concerned.
She presses redial, and we hear THE PHONE start to ring...
She- goes to the window, parts the curtain: OUTSIDE in the
street, the FBI MEN sit in their car -
No answer on the phone. Slim looks at Joe and shakes her head:
this isn't good.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREET. DAY.
Slim walking a crowded street, carrying Gracie; TransAmerica
Pyramid in the b.g. SAN FRANCISCO. Slim goes down an alley
behind a converted warehouse, enters a basement garage.
INT. OFFICE LOFT. DAY.
One floor, lots of windows, lots of ATTRACTIVE young people in
jeans working on lots of different projects. Sign on the wall
says: V.C.V.C. Viet Cong Venture Capital. A BLOND GIRL, 24,
nudges JUPITER SLAKOWSKI (52, ponytail, handsome, confident):
BLONDE GIRL
Hey Jupe. Girl here says she's
your daughter.
Jupiter gives Slim and Gracie a skeptical look.
SLIM
I know you don't want to see me or
know about me, but I am desperate,
I had nowhere else to go...I need
your belg!
(off his blank look)
You want me dead?
He shrugs affably and leads her into his office -
JUPITER
It's a good gig. To claim I'm your
father? What year were you born?
48
SLIM
You are my Dad, Jupiter. When Mom
died, I wrote you, you didn't answer.
I didn't have enough money to bury
her, that was really fun.
JUPITER
Don't look at me, I didn't kill her.
SLIM
No, you had help.
JUPITER
That's a stupid thing to say. What
do you want, money?.
SLIM
I thought you should meet your
granddaughter.
JUPITER
(perfunctory, to Gracie)
Hi.
Gracie looks at him skeptically, nods.
SLIM
And yes, we need money. To survive.
JUPITER
Look sweetheart. From '68 to like '72,
I had maybe 5 kids. Different women.
It was like a joke to me.
� SLIM
It's like a joke to me too.
JUPITER
You're the third to show up here with a
hand out. I give all of you the same
thing.
(taking it from his wallet)
Six bucks. Enough for a sandwich.
For you, it's' twelve, you can buy
the kid a sandwich too.
SLIM
(stunned...}
Well. Now I know.
JUPITER
Yeah.
49
SLIM
Used to be if I did something nasty,
my temper got the better of me?, I'd
wonder where the hell it came from.
Thanks for clearing that up.
JUPITER
No problem.
She goes, leaving the $12 on the table. He pockets it.
CUT TO:
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO ALLEY. DAY.
Slim stands behind Jupiter's building. In the shadows. Still
carrying Gracie. It's only after we hear Gracie -
GRACIE
Don't cry, Mom. Please don't cry.
- that we realize Slim is crying.
GRACIE (CONT.)
You have mtg.
Beat.
CUT TO:
EXT. TRAIN STATION. SANTA BARBARA. NIGHT.
Slim and Gracie climb off the train and are immediately
shepherded away by TWO SWARTHY MEN in Hawaiian shirts -
SLIM
Wait. Wait. What're you...?
Who're you...?
GRACIE
(WORRIED)
Mommy?
One of the Swarthy Men speaks to Slim, but in the flurry, we
can't hear it. She looks relieved, turns to Gracie -
- but before Slim can speak, their bags are thrown in the trunk
of a car and they're pushed into the back seat -
The car speeds off, whips into a left-hand turn -
50
EXT. SANTA BARBARA. ANOTHER STREET. NIGHT.
Now the car makes a right-hand turn, and a TRUCK pulls out,
blocking traffic so no one can follow them -
INT. CAR. NIGHT.
Slim looks out the back, sees the Truck's maneuver.
Turns to face forward again.
Tries to meet the Driver's eyes.
SLIM
Hello? Where are we going?
The Driver answers her in a Middle-Eastern language.
Gracie looks alarmed.
SLIM
It's okay, Sweetheart, they're
friends of Phil's. (I think.)
EXT. MOTEL IN THE WOODS. NIGHT.
J
Gracie plays as Slim talks to Ginny and Phil. The car's parked
below. Phil gestures toward the Driver, who'e standing guard.
PHIL
.so secret we don't even know who
this man is or where he takes you.
Slim nods.
SLIM
You're not afraid to help me?
PHIL
In my country people bleed their
enemies to death out of their
genitals. A fire? This is for
roasting lamb.
GINNY
No letters, Slim, but you can call
US -
PHIL
Must be very short.
51
Slim nods. Phil ceremonially hands her a thin envelope. She
looks inside... and clearly finds money -
SLIM
No. Phil, wait a minute, I -
PHIL
I have insurance from fire -
SLIM
I know, but -
PHIL
(VERY FIRMLY)
I will not discus, okay?
We are family!
She nods. Gratefully. Ginny takes her hand. Beat.
SLIM
What about the police? The fire.
Do they -
PHIL
Mr. Mitch - of course - he has
beautiful alibi.
Slim nods again. Looks at Ginny...who's been working up to:
GINNY
You know, I keep having a bad idea.
The first time he hit you, we saw
your bruises. Second time, he beat
you unconscious. The next time?
Well. If you should fight back,
defend yourself, and he dies? Who'd
convict you? Who'd prosecute?
PHIL
This is American law??l
GINNY
I called my cousin, he's some shit-
for-brains lawyer over in Tarzana,
he says it's 2-1 she'd walk: self-
defense, justifiable homicide.
SLIM
2? That's good on a race-horse,
Gin, but for Gracie?, to lose both
parents? Besides, this is me, i
couldn't kill anybodyl
52
GINNY
We're talking about Mitch here.
SLIM
Even so. I'm not that kind of
person, okay?
Ginny nods reluctantly. She's not sure the subject is closed.
CUT TO:
NEW LEAF
FLASHES (LIKE THE CREDIT SEQUENCE)
MICROFICHE, NEWSPAPER DEATH NOTICE, "Erin Shleeter, 6 weeks."
SLIM at COUNTY RECORDER'S DESK:
SLIM
Yes, I lost my birth certificate -
BIRTH CERTIFICATE for Erin Shleeter in Slim's hand -
SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, in her hand -
DRIVER'S LICENSE, with Slim's photo: her hair's a different
color and she wears glasses. The name is Erin Shleeter,.
DRESS SHOP: new clothes, new outfits, new look, new Slim -
INT. LARGE DRAB HOUSE. DAY.
"Erin" & Gracie being led by MUSTAPHA (40) past QUASI-HOMELESS
ARABS;, finally ending in a corner of a large room where two
small mattresses lie on the floor. Somewhere in Colorado.
MUSTAPHA
I'm sorry, this is the best we can -
SLIM!"ERIN"
It's fine, thanks.
Mustapha shrugs apologetically, leaves. Gracie whispers:
GRACIE
Mom...who are all those people?
SLIM/"ERIN"
They're kind of...friends of Phil's.
GRACIE
(stares at her mother)
They're strangers.
53
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. BACK ROOM. DAY.
Mustapha working at one desk, "Erin" at another. Gracie on the
floor, coloring. Bored. Prompts a look from "Erin" -
"ERIN"
Look. I have to find the right
place and get you admitted, okay?
INT. DRAB HOUSE. NIGHT.
15 people being served from a large pot. "Erin" and Gracie
each get a good portion of something that looks quite unusual.
"ERIN"
Thank you.
GRACIE
Thank you.
(looks at it, whispers)
What j it?
"ERIN."
Food.
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. DAY.
"Erin" works at her desk. Gracie shoots paper basketballs- into
the wastebasket.. stops as Mustapha enters. He gives "Erin" an
open FedEx pack.
MUSTAPHA
FedEx is like underground railroad.
"Erin" is stunned. She looks inside the package, finds another
FedEx pack. Opens that.
Inside it is a wrapped present and note. She reads:
JUPITER'S VOICE
"Dear Daughter - (CONT.)
INT. JUPITER'S OFFICE. DAY.
Jupiter's at his desk as the THREE "FBI MEN" are shown in. He
says something gracious to them.
For. a moment they don't respond. Then one of them speaks.
54
Whatever he's saying produces a subtle but profound change on
Jupiter's features.
JUPITER'S VOICE (CONT.)
Yesterday three men threatened to kill
me if I helped you in any way.
Fortunately for you, this aroused my
interest. (CONT.)
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. DAY.
"Erin" opens the present and finds: Cash. Fifties. Probably a
couple thousand dollars. She fights the impulse to cry.
JUPITER'S VOICE (CONT.)
I'm sending this via your former boss.
If you get it and need more, leave
word at my office.
JUPITER"
CUT TO:
EXT./INT. SMALL PRETTY HOUSE. DAY.
FLASHES:
Arab Men carrying in a couch as "Erin" watches.
"Erin" hanging sheets over the windows: makeshift curtains.
"Erin" fixing Gracie's room. Small bed. Two new Teddy Bears.
"ERIN"
What do you think, you like this
place?
GRACIE
(SUSPICIOUSLY)
Why, are we moving again?
"ERIN"
No, we just - (got here)
GRACIE
Good. 'Cause I am sick and
tired to death of movingi
"ERIN"
Me too. So here's the deal. Try to
remember,. while we're here, to call
me Mom or Erin, but not Slim, okay?
55
GRACIE
I never call you Slim.
"ERIN"
I know, but...
GRACIE
I don't think you are that slim.
"ERIN"
Thanks a lot.
GRACIE
Do I get a new name too?
"ERIN"
I guess. If you want one...
Gracie stares at her blankly.
GRACIE
I have a crood idea .
CUT TO:
EXT. PRE-SCHOOL. DAY.
"Erin" approaches BETTY, Director of the Pre-School:
"ERIN"
Excuse me, Betty? Hi, I'm Erin
Shleeter, I called you -
BETTY
Oh, hi -
"ERIN"
This is my daughter.
BETTY
(TO GRACIE)
Look at you!, you're so...(cute)
What's your name?
GRACIE
Queen Elizabeth.
Betty blinks. "Erin" shrugs: that's my daughter!
CUT TO:
56
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. BATHROOM. DAY.
Scissors. "Erin" cutting her hair in some odd primitive way
that further changes her look. For the worse.
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. BACK ROOM. DAY.
T.T. (the African-American woman who works there) watches
"Erin" exit the bathroom and put away the scissors. Not a
COMPLIMENT:
T.T.
Whatever you're goin' for, girl:
you're really getting there.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR. MORNING.
"Erin" driving, nervous. Gracie/"Queen E."" is turned around in
her seat, looking out the back -
GRACIE/"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
He is not -
"ERIN"
Yes, he is -
GRACIE/""QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Mom, he turned.
"ERIN"
He turned?
(looks in rear view)
Oh my God, you're right. He turned.
Wells (That's better.)
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
That's what I've been saying. There
are other cars, okay? Just 'cause
somebody's behind you doesn't mean -
(stops ...blinks...)
Mom? You just drove past my school.
CUT TO:
EXT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. EVENING.
"Erin" and "Queen E." leaving work, bickering:
57
"ERIN"
I don't know, I can cook something.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Or we can go to McDonalds.
"ERIN"
We can't afford to eat out every
night. I can cook, Tootster.
"Queen E." rolls her eyes as:
BRAD
Hi.
(off her blank look)
I'm Brad Zall, I just rented a car
from you guys.
"Erin" stares at him. An insane moment of sustained paranoia.
Who is this guy,. really? What does he want?
Finally she realizes a normal response is required. Kind of a
TRICK QUESTION:
"ERIN"
Is the vehicle all right?
BRAD
Yeah, it's fine. I was just thinking
that if you're not doing anything,
maybe I could buy you - and the kid
of course -
"ERIN"
Who are you?! Who sent you?! You
want a date?! You are totally out of
your mind if you think I'm gonna have
even this conversation we're having
right now! I'm not, okay?! We are
not talking! Get it?!
BRAD
Yeah, I get it.
And good luck with your psychotherapy.
He walks away. She stares after him. Again "Queen E." is
looking at her mother in astonishment.
SUP
58
"ERIN"
(STILL AGGRESSIVE)
What? You're thinking I over-
reacted? Huh? Just a little?
CUT TO:
INT. "ERIN'S" TAURUS. DAY.
"Erin" driving too fast. Her slight recklessness adds an
undercurrent of anxiety to the scene. She's also eating
doughnuts, sharing a box with her daughter.
They pass a gas station. "Queen E." sees pay phones.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
You know Mom? I like the doughnuts
and all, but the driving...
"ERIN"
Don't get on my case.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Every Sunday, to drive for 55 hours?
In exasperation, "Erin" gestures with both hands - taking them
off the wheel. Nothing bad happens, but again her recklessness
makes us nervous -
"ERIN"
It's not 55 -
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Just to reach some phone booth?!
Hey can I call Daddy this time?!
Please??? Please please please...
"Erin" shakes her head.
"Queen E." gives her a mournful look.
"ERIN"
Don't beg. You look like a dog.
CUT TO:
EXT. COUNTRY STORE. DAY.
"Erin" is on the phone, "Queen E." at her side.
"ERIN"
Mrs. Tyler? It's Slim.
59
MRS. TYLER'S VOICE
Oh thank God. Listen. Mitch is
planning some legal action, you're
depriving him of his rights as a
father, some nonsense like that:
you better have Gracie call him.
"ERIN"
Oh that's good news -
MRS. TYLER'S VOICE
I thought you'd want to know -
"ERIN"
I do, thanks, I appreciate it.
Listen: we have to keep it short
again or he might trace it, so I
better put her on -
(hands phone to:)
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Hi Grandma! I have a new name!
(as "Erin" frowns...)
Yeah! You wanna hear it?
"Erin" pushes down the lever, ending the call, mutters:
"ERIN"
Sorry, your Majesty. Remember:
names're secret.
"Queen E." nods. Puts on her mournful look...
"ERIN"
That is the most pitiful expression
I've ever seen.
CLOSE ON "QUEEN ELIZABETH"
She listens, cradling the phone. "Erin" watches her daughter's
face light up:
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Hi Daddy! We're having a great
vacation!
(PAUSE)
I don't know. At a phone booth
somewheres.
"Erin" shakes her head, takes the receiver away:
60
"ERIN"
No questions, okay?, or it ends now.
(hands phone back to
"Queen E.":)
Just tell him you love him and say
goodbye, okay?
"Queen E." nods, puts the receiver to her ear. Even "Erin" can
hear Mitch yelling... "Queen E."'s face changes. Mitch keeps
shouting angrily.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Goodbye Daddy.
She did not say "I love you." She hands "Erin" the receiver.
"Erin" hangs it up.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
I am really really sad.
"Erin" nods, angry at herself:
"ERIN"
Sorry, kid. My mistake.
CUT TO:
INT. FANCY OFFICE. DAY.
Mitch hands up his cordless phone, picks up another line.
MITCH
I know mine was (too) short, but
she made other calls, right?
Ginny?, or my mother?
He crosses to a map with colored pins. Sticks in another one -
MITCH (CONT.)
Good. Good. Keep it up.
(hangs up, goes to intercom:)
Isn't he here yet?
Great, yeah, send him in.
To our shock, the person who enters is the man previously known
as "Our Hero." ROBBIE (real name) and Mitch are good buddies:
MITCH
Hey.
ROBBIE
Hey.
61
MITCH
Look, will you tell what's his face,
Lieutenant Harris: I bought his
Miata, I paid for his rec room, can
he please keep his patrolmen from
hassling my guys?
ROBBIE
You got me on a Sunday, for that?
(JOKE)
I could be out shaking down wetbacks.
MITCH
I didn't bring you for that.
ROBBIE
Her?
(off Mitch' s nod)
I told you not to be an asshole.
MITCH
Yeah, but coming from you...
ROBBIE
We had rules, okay? The rescue routine
- like in the diner? It always worked,
'cause we said: one time only. You
come, then you go. But you end up
marrying the bitchl
MITCH
I know where she is, Robbie.
More or less.
ROBBIE
That's a blessing.
MITCH
I need you to find her. Take your
VACATION -
(as Robbie rolls his eyes)
I'll make it worth your while, and
I'll fix it with the department -
ROBBIE
(DRILY)
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
MITCH
Who else'm I gonna get? Huh?
She stole my fucking childl
62
C ; ROBBIE
Okay, okay. Ease it up.
MITCH
(walks to map, pins)
She made calls from these places -
ROBBIE
She's that stupid? You traced her?
MITCH
She's not stupid, okay? It says on
the Net it takes 84 seconds to trace
a call; she keeps hers well under.
(SMILES)
Of course-your equipment is faster.
ROBBIE
You're welcome, you're welcome...
MITCH
(drawing on map)
Okay: say she lives within a two hour
radius...
CUT TO:
INT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. KITCHEN. NIGHT.
"Erin" and "Queen E." eating pasta. The sauce is unusual
colors, grey and orange. "Queen E." pokes politely at her
plate. "Erin" is understandably insecure about her cooking:
"ERIN"
What do you think, is it okay?
It's okay, right?
"Queen E." nods dubiously.
"ERIN" (CONT.)
No, it's not, it's horrible.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
It's not horrible, Mom.
"ERIN"
But it's not good, is it?
Is it good?
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
(INCREDULOUS)
(Good??) Mom, you tasted it.
63
"Erin" pushes her plate back. It's too much. in a second,
silent tears are flooding down her face.
This is not what "Queen E." wants to see. And she certainly
doesn't want to reverse roles by giving comfort. Better just
to pretend it's not happening.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Know what I think?
"ERIN"
(tries to pull
HERSELF TOGETHER)
What's that?
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
I think you miss Daddy.
This comment is so wacko that it's almost touching. Almost.
She feels compelled to be honest:
"ERIN"
Daddy yells at me, Toots.
"Queen E." nods. Thinks...
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Well. You miss somebody.
CUT TO:
NOT ALL MEN ARE HEADS
INT. SANTE FE AIRPORT. DAY.
Joe gets off a plane with his carry-on luggage, goes to a bank
of pay phones, examines the numbers on the phones...
ANOTHER BANK OF PAY PHONES. MINUTES LATER.
When one of these phones rings, he picks it up -
JOE
Sorry, my plane was delayed -
EXT. ROADSIDE STAND. PAY PHONE. DAY.
"Queen E." is hitting stones with a baseball bat as "Erin"
talks on the phone:
64
"ERIN"
Rent a car, make sure you're not
followed, drive to the Taos airport.
JOE'S VOICE
Another plane??
"ERIN"
In Taos, go to Starbucks. Not the
main one or the one by Hagen-Dazs.
The one near the book store.
INT. SANTA FE AIRPORT. DAY.
Joe shakes his head, amused:
JOE
What is this, a treasure hunt? I'm
gonna spend the whole weekend flying
around?
"ERIN'S" VOICE
I'll call Starbucks in three hours.
(REASSURING HIM:)
Don't worry, you'll be here by four.
Dialtone. He hangs up.
CUT TO:
INT. SMALL AIRPORT. DAY.
"Erin" and "Queen E." look out the window at a small prop
plane, which is starting to unload passengers.
"ERIN"
I tell you it's this one.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
No, he's not. He's with...
She's looking at some OTHER PASSENGERS who have already entered
through another gate and are walking past them.
"ERIN"
No, Toots. That one's from Reno.
(turns back, sees him)
There! Joel
She waves. "Queen E." waves too. Joe waves back.
65
But that's not what we're looking at. We're. looking at Robbie:
walking slowly toward them with the other Reno passengers.
He doesn't see "Erin", but in a moment he will. He'll turn the
dogleg corner and be right next to them...
Robbie pulls out his boarding pass. With it are old photos of
"Erin" and "Queen E.11. He shuffles past the photos, finds his
claim check. He's now only a few feet away from them...
And they're oblivious of him...
And he turns the little dogleg and looks at them -
Except they're no longer there. They've moved toward the
unloading area for Joe's gate...
And Robbie goes safely past as Joe enters the terminal, sees
them, shakes his head:
JOE
I can guarantee one thing in my
lifetime: I was not followed.
He embraces "Erin" and "Queen E."" The CAMERA looks past them
to where Robbie might be watching. He's not.
CUT TO:
INT/EXT. THEIR TAURUS/MAIN STREET, SMALL TOWN. DAY.
"Erin" and "Queen E." are pointing out sights, passing an OLD
FASHIONED DINER:
"ERIN"
And there's the diner where I do
not work.
JOE
Where do you work?
"Erin" gives him a look: she's not telling. She resumes the
tour, points to an old crumbling "movie palace:"'
"ERIN"
There's the one-plex.
(pointing again at a
NOT-TOO-FANCY PLACE)
The €an restaurant where you'd take
me if we were dating...
(for "Queen E.19
which we are not.
66
Very fast, like an old routine; we see how they play together:
JOE
No way.
"ERIN"
Not at all.
JOE
Just friends, right Gracie?
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Queen Elizabeth.
JOE
Right. Sorry, your highness.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
No problem.
"Erin" pulls up in front of their house, gestures: here it is.
INT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. HALL. DAY.
Continuing the tour, they're showing him:
"ERIN"
And this is the guest bedroom...
(CONT . )
INT. "QUEEN ELIZABETH'S" ROOM. EVENING.
He comes in, looks around. Clearly "Queen E." has painted the
walls herself : it's a "modern-art" mesa.
"ERIN" (CONT.)
.normally known as Buckingham
palace.
JOE
(nods, checks it out)
Very... colorful.
"ERIN"
You better warn him, huh?
"Queen E." looks confused. "Erin" whispers in her daughter's
ear, and she confides in Joe:
67
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Oh yeah. The dreams in here
get really noisy.
Joe sets his suitcase down.
JOE
I look forward to that.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK. DAY.
Baseball diamond. Joe pitching underhand to "Queen E." He's
using plastic balls the size of soccer balls, so it's easy for
her to hit every one.
"Erin" is running, retrieving the hits.
FREEZE FRAME as she's caught in a photograph.
The image unfreezes and is followed quickly by a series of
frozen frames, photographs of her, some wide, some tight.
REVERSE IMAGE.
The park. Mostly empty. No one taking their picture. A stand
of green bushes. HOLD on the bushes for a moment -
EXT. PARK. AN HOUR LATER.
"Queen E." is curled on a blanket taking a nap as "Erin" and
Joe finish the picnic.
JOE
You seem like you're doing great.
"ERIN"
Yeah.
JOE
How long can you stand it?
(off her look)
I mean: not to talk to your friends
or family or have anything to do with
your real life?
68
"ERIN"
(quiet, strong)
Gracie is safe.
JOE
Yeah, but what, now Mitch started
some kind of custody battle?, what
DOES -
ROBBIE
Are you Denise?
SHOCK. There he is, standing right over them, in bad clothes
and a baseball cap, dark glasses. Completely unrecognizable.
"ERIN"
Pardon me?
ROBBIE
You're Denise, right? Used to work
at the Pack 'N' Ship?
"ERIN"
I'm not Denise.
ROBBIE
Oh. Sorry, I... You look-but
you're right, your voice... (isn't)
You're not from New Zealand, are you?
"ERIN"
Never been there.
ROBBIE
Boy. Sorry to bother you folks.
He backs away, embarrassed. Joe stares after him warily...
JOE
What now? We call Pack 'N' Ship,
see if Denise ever - (worked there)
"ERIN"
Because of some homeless guy? Joe:
it could be the Pack'N'Ship in
Trenton, New Jersey.
(over his protest)
One thing I learned: I can't jump
every time someone says boo.
I can't do that to her.
69
Joe looks at "Queen E." and nods.
CUT TO:
EXT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. NIGHT.
Looks peaceful. But why do we need this establishing shot?
Its very existence in the narrative is menacing.
INT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. NIGHT.
Joe gets up from "Queen E. 's" bed and goes into the kitchen.
Gets some juice from the fridge, drinks it.
Looks into "Erin's" bedroom.
"Erin" is awake, "Queen E." asleep at her side. Half -whisper:
JOE
Gracie was right.
(off her look)
'Bout the dreams in there.
"ERIN"
Yeah, mine too.
(BEAT)
Cuddle?
INT. "ERIN'S" BEDROOM. NIGHT.
As he gets into bed:
"ERIN"
You remember the house rules?
JOE
With Gracie here? Who can forget?
They hold hands.
"ERIN"
Joe.
JOE
Yeah.
"ERIN"
You ever think about what would've
happened...(if you and I had...)
70
JOE
Yeah.
"ERIN"
What do you think?
Beat.
JOE
I think Gracie is truly a great kid,
and any path that doesn't include
her doesn't make any sense.
"Erin" nods. Beat.
"ERIN"
Ginny told me about that weekend.
JOE
Of your wedding?
She nods.
JOE
She tell you how terrible I was?
"ERIN"
Joe. This routine? It might work
on other people, but you forget:
I've actually had you -
JOE
I didn't forget -
"ERIN"
(like a compliment's coming)
- and I'm telling you, from memory...
(DRY TEASE)
you are not that bad...
They both laugh. It subsides into affection...
"ERIN"
You really go tomorrow...?
He nods.
"ERIN" (CONT.)
Couldn't you quit your job, and stay
here and play the horses or something
and become independently wealthy?
71
Beat.
JOE
Please kiss me, Slim. I know we're
not supposed to, it's against house
rules and all, but for me to come
all this way and feel the way I do
and for us to not even -
She kisses him -
And he kisses back.
And they stop.
Incredible self control.
Lie next to each other-hold hands again...
JOE
You're a great person, Slim.
You're a great person just like
your daughter.
She squeezes his hand.
THE CAMERA LINGERS FOR A MOMENT ON THIS SWEET IMAGE... clasped
hands...THEN PULLS SUDDENLY BACK, so we're seeing their hands
from outside, through a crack in the window. Hold.
CUT TO:
YOU CAN RUNs s s
EXT. PRESCHOOL. DAY.
From an odd distance across the street, we watch "Erin"
dropping off "Queen E." Extend the mundane details of this
transaction... THREE DAYS LATER
INT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. DAY.
T.T. sticks her head in, to "Erin":
T.T.
I know you have a "back room" gig,
but with Sher out, four customers:
I need help here; I'm on meltdown.
72
EXT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. DAY.
We look. past a tree, through the windows...as "Erin" comes
warily out to the counter, looks over the customers...
INT. DOUBLE A RENT-A-CAR. COUNTER. LATER. DAY.
"Erin" working a calculator, muttering in frustration...
T.T.
Here, lemme do that.
As T.T. wrestles with the calculation, "Erin" looks up. Frowns
slightly, her eyes shift... She senses something. This
strange sensation, as if she's being watched, or...
She looks out the window, doesn't see anyone...
Glances into the back office - and notices the clock: 4:15.
"ERIN"
(runs for door)
Oh my Godl, the Queen is out of dance
class! I'll be back in 20 -
EXT. DOUBLE "A" RENT-A-CAR. DAY.
We watch from across the street as "Erin" hurries to her
Taurus, gets in and drives away.
EXT. PRE-SCHOOL. DAY.
"Erin" in line for Pick-up. Betty the Pre-school Director
comes up to "Erin" and says casually:
BETTY
Erin. I'm glad you're here.
We can't find Queen Elizabeth -
"ERIN"
You can't find her??!
BETTY
So many kids're staying for
these after-school things -
She turns, distracted, as ANOTHER TEACHER calls -
73
n "Erin" blinks... looks around frantically... OTHER KIDS in gym or
dance gear, but no "Queen E."...and the knowledge of what's
happened is hitting her...her eyes're dilating, breathing
becoming frantic. Betty turns back as "Erin" mutters:
"ERIN"
I should've! ... I should've known!,
he did it before!
She rams the car in gear, rockets out of the pick-up line -
Almost hits a TEACHER and 4 YEAR OLD KID -
Slams the breaks, calls:
"ERIN"
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I... I...
Freaked out, frantic, she pulls to the side of the road, yanks
up her brake, grabs her cell phone. Auto-dial #2.
T.T.'S VOICE
Double "A" Rent
"ERIN"
Did Queen Elizabeth call?!
T.T.'S VOICE
No, of course - (not)
"ERIN"
Anyone else?!
T.T.'S VOICE
Nobody called, Erin; are you - (okay?)
"Erin" presses STOP, then Auto-dial #1, waits, looks around.
Betty staring at her like she's crazy, walking toward her car -
"ERIN'S" VOICE
Hi. Leave a message.
"ERIN"
Gracie, are you there?! Is anyone
there?! Please? Pick up!
No one picks up. Silence.
She beats the wheel in frustration... lowers her head.
For one long second, she seems completely beaten...
74
A KNOCK on her window -
She looks up, sees Betty.
Betty's talking, but it's as if "Erin" has gone crazy. For a
moment there's no sound, and then the sound is there but
unintelligible, and finally the words and sounds come together:
BETTY
.what I've been trying to tell
you...
"Erin" nodding now, beginning to grasp the words...
BETTY (CONT.)
At the end of dance class, the teacher
lets them go hide, and for a minute no
one could find her -
"Erin" looks past Betty, sees "Queen E." in her tutu and leaps
out of her car -
"ERIN"
Thank you, thank you, I... I'm
sorry. I'll explain later, I...
She rushes forward, wraps "Queen E." in a big, not quite
appropriate hug. "Queen E." looks at her as if to say, "This
is nice, Mom, but will you please tell me what gives?"
CUT TO:
EXT. RENT-A-CAR. NIGHT.
From a distance, we watch "Erin" and "Queen E." trudge toward
their Taurus. The end of the day; they're tired.
CUT TO:
INT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. KITCHEN. MIGHT.
Making meat loaf. "Erin" consults the cookbook, seems
confused, puts meat, breadcrusts, eggs, sauces, onions, etc. in
a bowl. "Queen E." mooshes them with her fingers - a
disgusting tactile job which she adores. IMPROVISE DIALOG to
make the scene utterly mundane, two "girls" having fun... The
normalness of it makes us exceedingly nervous.
INT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. NIGHT.
"Queen E." sleeping peacefully in her bed.
75
"Erin" also sleeping peacefully. We OBSERVE her from a slight
distance, to the left of the bed as we face it. Slowly the
CAMERA BEGINS TO MOVE. . .down the bed...to the foot ...to the
other side.. .back again on "Erin" sleeping peacefully... and
the CAMERA RISES to show Mitch seated at her side.
He seems calm and utterly content. It would be, hard to imagine
a more terrifying attitude.
INT. HER BEDROOM. DAWN.
"Erin" wakes with a start, sits up, looks around -
Everything's normal. Peaceful. No Mitch.
"Erin" shakes her head, as if clearing away a dream.
As she looks again around the room, her nostrils flare
slightly. . .as if she smells him. She rubs her nose.
Touches her wrist, and we notice something she's worn the whole
time she's been Erin: a colorful elastic bracelet, probably a
Swatch.
She gets out of bed and looks out the window -
Cold morning -
She goes toward the hall...
INT. HALL. DAY.
Moving down the hall... each open door feels like a trap ready
to spring...
She glances into "Queen Elizabeth's" room... We half expect
some sort of reaction or exclamation - "Queen E." may be gone -
but instead "Erin" keeps right on going...
Vanishes into the bathroom.
HOLD the empty hall. HEAR the sound of her peeing...
INT. BATHROOM. DAY.
From the doorway, we see her on the potty... The window over
her head is open slightly.
76
As she pees, she stares at the shower curtain-it rustles
slightly in the wind from the window.
She wipes herself.
Still staring at the curtain...
She stands, pulls up her pajamas...
Stares.
Yanks the shower curtain aside -
Nothing.
INT. HALL. DAY.
She goes into the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN. DAY.
She puts on the kettle.
Drinks a little o.3 from a carton.
Walks back down the hall -
In every moment of this, the tension is excruciating...
INT. HALL. DAY.
Facing her as she comes down the hall, passing the living room
doorway.. .we wait for Mitch to leap out at her -
He doesn't.
She keeps coming, past "Queen E's -
HE JUMPS OUT OF THE DOORWAY -
" Erin" starts to scream, looks toward "Queen E." and stifles
the sound.
They wrestle. Silently. Grim pantomime. The only sounds are
GRUNTS, BANGING vs. the walls.
He's far too strong for her -
They slam against one wall, the other, CRASH to the floor -
77
MITCH
Wanna know a secret?
Whispering to her, his hands moving to her neck...
MITCH (CONT.)
Cops need a body. Without your body,
they'll think you disappeared again.
Her hands at his hands, clawing, trying to pry them loose -
MITCH {CONT.}
Which is kind of true.
One of her hands moves-away from his hands to that Swatch or
whatever it is on her wrist -
MITCH (CONT. )
'Cause where you're going, they
will never... ever... find you.
She turns the gizmo so it points away from her face...
Toward his face...
At the last instant he realizes what she must be doing -
But it's too late. She presses a button -
Orange spray hits his face, eyes -
He screams and releases her -
She leaps up - and Sees "Queen E." standing in her doorway.
Staring, mute and horrified. How long was she watching?!
"Erin" grabs "Queen E." and runs down the hall. Mitch writhes
on the floor -
EXT. "ERIN'S" HOUSE. DAWN.
"Erin" bursts out the back door, whirls, pulls a rope -
- Causing a slab of 2-by-4 to slide over the door: primitive
locking device -
She sprints for her Taurus. Still in her pajamas, still
carrying "Queen E." -
Her car has a number pad on the driver's door. She punches
numbers, opens the door, puts "Queen E." in -
78
Pulls a key from under the mat -
Fires the car up, rockets away -
Down the block, so far back we're not even sure it means
anything, a CHEVY SUBURBAN pulls away from the curb...
EXT./INT. MALL/TAURUS DAWN.
Parked in back, near dumpsters. "Erin" jumps out of the
Taurus, runs around to the trunk, pulls out a small suitcase.
MOMENTS LATER.
"Erin" and "Queen E." pulling clothes from the suitcase,
getting dressed. A FRANTIC BLUR of pajamas and underwear and
suitcase and the last thing we expect to see:
KNOCK at the window. Robbie. "Erin" whirls, looks. For an
instant TIME SLOWS as she stares at him...
FLASHBACK TO THE DINER, HIS FACE: she recognizes him -
And realizes: he's with Mitch. Which means: Mitch was phony
from the moment she met him -
Robbie reaches for her door handle -
She rams the accelerator, leaving Robbie behind -
The car rockets forward, toward the dumpsters -
She spins the wheel; the car swerves, kisses off the dumpster -
Robbie running for his car, and now we see the Chevy Suburban,
hidden behind some nearby bushes -
The Taurus pogos over the concrete/grass divider, rockets
across the next parking lot...
Robbie jumping into his Suburban -
"Erin" half in, half out of her clothing, trying to drive,
trying to see, sticking out her arm to keep "Queen E." (not in
her seatbelt) from flying through the windshield.
"ERIN"
Seatbelti Seatbelti Put on your -
79
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
(trying to put it on)
Then slow down so I -
"ERIN"
I can't slow'-
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Who was that guy?!
"ERIN"
(looks in rear-view)
I don't know, some...
(sees Robbie chasing them)
Oh shit...
EXT. CITY. MORNING.
Three brief FLASHES of -"Erin" being chased out of the city.
Freaked out to drive so fast, "Queen E." screaming, etc.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD. MORNING.
Robbie's Suburban right behind them, closer, closer... finally
slams into their Taurus, knocking them half off the road. He
pushes them off again, again, "Queen E." covering her eyes,
"Erin" coming back onto the road, fighting to keep control, and
the road narrowing more and more, down to one tight lane. This
looks like totally the wrong place to be leading someone.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
(WORRIED)
Mom?
Up ahead is a one-lane covered bridge crossing over a stream.
The bridge is very narrow.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
Mom, are you sure...?!
Quite sure, thank you. "Erin" guns the accelerator.
Robbie's FACE... driving, confident, full of blood lust, and
then his expression changes. Eyes widen. He realizes - shit!
too late!! - that the bridge is way too narrow for -
"Erin" Is car slides through, scraping one side
The Suburban crashes into the bridge, careens into the water -
80
"Queen E." looks back through the rear view mirror... looks at
her mother ...back and forth...
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
That was dangerous.
INT. CAR. MORNING
Different country road. Parked ahead is a `78 Oldsmobile.
"Erin" pulls in behind it.
They get out of the Taurus. Using her keys, "Erin" unlocks the
trunk of the Olds. Two large suitcases inside. "Erin" throws
their small suitcase in on top.
"Erin" reaches up under the driver's seat and pulls out a
wallet. Checks the contents: cash, credit cards.
"Queen E." pulls a red wig out of the glove compartment.
INT. OLDSMOBILE. MORNING.
They're on a lightly travelled two-lane highway. "Erin" (now a
redhead) looks in her rear-view mirror: no cars.
"ERIN"
Okay, Toots. We can talk.
"Queen E." stares at her mutely.
"ERIN" {CONT.}
Want me to tell you what happened?
"Queen E." blinks twice, shakes her head.
"ERIN" {CONT.}
Fair enough.
One thing, though: Erin's over.
"QUEEN ELIZABETH"
(Too bad.} I liked Erin.
Slim nods sadly: she liked Erin too.
SLIM
You're not the Queen of England
anymore either.
Gracie nods fatalistically, stares out the window. Flat voice:
81
GRACIE
I'm hungry.
CUT TO:
INT. DINER. DAY.
Gracie eating voraciously. Slim has no appetite. Their
WAITRESS comes over, notices Slim's not eating -
WAITRESS
Everything okay here?
SLIM
(NODS)
Thanks.
WAITRESS
(TO GRACIE)
Hey there, cutie, what's your name?
Gracie looks up at her for a while.
GRACIE
I'm working on that one.
The waitress does a double-take and leaves. To Slim:
GRACIE {CONT.)
Maybe something normal this time.
Ann or Mary or...
(sees Slim is distracted)
Mom?
SLIM
I'm thinking.
Beat.
GRACIE
(Yeah,) I can hear it.
CUT. TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE. DAY.
Slim parks. As she starts to get out, she says to Gracie:
SLIM
Anybody talks to you, hit the horn.
82
INT. COURTHOUSE. DAY.
Slim in line at a COUNTY RECORDER'S desk. The person in front
of her leaves, she steps up:
SLIM
I need the best lawyer in town.
(QUICKLY)
I know you can't give names, it's
against the law or whatever, but I
really need help, and I can see
you're a decent person.
She slides a paper and pencil across the desk:
SLIM (CONT.)
Please. Just a name.
INT. NICE LAWYER'S OFFICE. RECEPTION AREA. DAY.
Slim comes in, sits Gracie down and whispers:
SLIM
Watch how it's done.
117 Slim goes to the Receptionist's desk:
SLIM
Hi. Is Mr. Toiler with someone?
RECEPTIONIST
No, but he's -
SLIM
I'm not a crazy person.
She walks past the Receptionist -
RECEPTIONIST
Wait a minute! You can't
Slim opens the big door, enters:
INT. JIM TOLLER'S OFFICE. DAY.
The moment we see JIM TOILER we know Slim's okay. The actor
playing him is one of those cranky avuncular types who pisses
and moans but always comes to the rescue and outsmarts the bad
guys. As we expect, he starts out disliking her:
83
JIM TOLLER
I don't know where you learned
manners, young lady, but this is
not the way to get my attention.
SLIM
I know, but I'm desperate.
(digging into purse)
My husband keeps trying to kill me,
and I need to talk to somebody who's
smart, okay?, smarter than me at
least.
(pulling out cash)
This is all the money I have - well,
all but twenty - it's almost 500, and
I'll give you all of it if you'll
just listen to what... (happened)...
just two minutes, okay? Please?
She's so charming and intense and discombobulated, he can't
help but give in.
DISSOLVE TO:
LATER.
He's staring at her. Good poker player; we can tell nothing
from his expression. His voice very quiet and calm:
JIM TOLLER
Pardon my French, dear, but I hope
you got pleasure from it, 'cause you
have really fucked yourself. You had
two chances to file a complaint with
the police and put his violence on
record. You ignored them. Which tells
him to keep comin' till he kills you.
Slim reacts to this.
JIM TOLLER (CONT.)
As for Gracie: his next move... he'll
initiate a custody hearing.
SLIM
He...he already did.
84
JIM TOLLER
If you don't show up, the judge'll rule
against you, you become a fugitive from
the law. If you do show, Mitch will,
as you say, portray you as a drug
addict. For all I know you are one:
you break in here, uninvited. I'd say
your husband has a good chance for
sole custody. Now if you don't mind:
(pushes the money back at her)
I'd like to go back to my work.
SLIM
(stares at him in disbelief)
.That's all?
(off his silence)
You're not gonna help me?
JIM TOLLER
No one can help you, lady.
She nods. Stares at him. And does not go. After a moment we
see him have a thought... hesitate... look up at her...
JIM TOLLER
The custody hearing, if he pushes
for it, is just a trick.
She says nothing. Listens. Watches as:
He plucks a $20 bill from her stack of funds. Obviously he's
giving her a valuable piece of advice:
JIM TOLLER (CONT.)
It's a way to get you to a
particular place at a particular
time... so he can kill you.
He pockets the $20.
She stares at him. Blinks. Of course. He's right...-
CUT TO:
INT. OLDSMOBILE. NIGHT.
Late. Few cars. Slim drives. Gracie curled up in the front
passenger seat. Slim glances at her. Looks back at the road.
Back at Gracie. Something building. Finally, softly:
85
SLIM
I gotta make you a solemn
promise, Grace.
Gracie is, of course, fast asleep.
SLIM (CONT.)
Ever since you were born ... well-one
day I started to think of all the
awful things that were gonna happen.
People you'd love who'd die, or leave
you, betray you, break your heart...
.Physical injuries: broken bones or
sickness or guys who hurt you some
way... And I thought that if I could
protect you even once, from any of
those, if I could absorb any part of
that myself...
(BEAT)
Well... Here goes.
CUT TO:
INT. AIRPORT. DAY.
Ginny comes off a plane with her two kids. in tow, looks around,
heads for a bank of telephones... As she approaches, one of
the phones starts to ring.
Ginny looks at it with irritation, picks it up -
GINNY
This is the most ridiculous thing
I've ever done.
SLIM'S VOICE
Oh yeah? How 'bout Horace?
Ginny glances at one of her kids, evidently Horace's child.
GINNY
Okay, this is the second most -
SLIM'S VOICE
Rent a car, drive to Denver, then fly
to Reno.
GINNY
You're out of your mind.
I
86
SLIM'S VOICE
(as though flattered)
You noticed.
Dialtone.
We watch from a distance as Ginny shakes her head in disbelief,
mutters to her kids. As they trudge off, the CAMERA FOLLOWS.
INT. AIRPORT. RENTAL CAR COUNTER. DAY.
From the same distance: Ginny and kids approach the counter.
INT. AIRPORT PARKING GARAGE. RENT-A-CAR AREA. DAY.
Ginny loading luggage into the back as her kids climb in.
As Ginny slams the trunk, SOMEONE'S RIGHT THERE -
Slim.
Ginny blinks, recognizes her, hugs her:
GINNY
What're you... (doing here?)
I thought we were... (driving to Reno)
SLIM
I had to make sure you weren't
followed.
GINNY
(re Slim's hair)
I like it.
(not so sure)
Maybe.
(SEES GRACIE)
Hey, Graceland.
Gracie slips out from behind Slim, goes and hugs Ginny as Slim
holds up a wallet:
SLIM
There's a credit card and cash. It's
on me, but make no calls home, or to
Phil. Think of it as a vacation till
the Orca reopens. Toots?
87
This to Gracie, who started to climb into the car. Gracie
looks at Slim and again tries to climb in - she wants }}g part
of saying goodbye - but Slim pulls her back into a hug.
Slim holds her for as long as Gracie can possibly tolerate.
When Slim is done, Gracie climbs into the car with Ginny's
kids. Slim has tears in her eyes.
SLIM
Take care of her, okay? Extra ice-
cream and... and if you need to reach
me...
(hands her a cell phone)
Just don't call your friends.
GINNY
Oh great. I'll call strangers.
SLIM
In an emergency, I'm #1 on the auto-
dialer. Or I'll call you.
Any calls between us must run is
seconds or less. Cake?
GINNY
PIE -
SLIM
Ass.
(re the vacation)
Enjoy it, huh?
GINNY
How long?
SLIM
The custody hearing's end of next
month. That's my deadline.
GINNY
Deadline for what?
Slim looks at her...
CUT TO:
WE'RE SO CLOSE WE CAN'T TELL WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. CAMERA
SLOWLY PULLS BACK: EYES ...SLIM'S EYES.
Intense, focussed.
88
THE KNOWLEDGE
MAN'S VOICE
You ready?
She nods. CAMERA CONTINUES BACK, we see more of her face.
MAN'S VOICE
Sure?
Another nod. Perspiration streaming from her pores, running
down her face. And a look we haven't seen before.
MAN'S VOICE
Can you lose?
She shakes her head.
MAN'S VOICE
Can he hurt you?
She barely dignifies the question with another shake. We're
now far enough back to see we are:
INT. GYM. DAY.
Slim in a leotard.
MAN'S VOICE
Even though he's bigger?
SLIM
(v. quiet)
He's a lot bigger.
MAN'S VOICE
Even though he's stronger?
Finally see her INSTRUCTOR (6'4", 235 pounds, African-American,
0.4% body fat).
SLIM
He's a lot stronger.
INSTRUCTOR
So if he hits you -
SLIM
No way.
89
INSTRUCTOR
Say it.
SLIM
It takes.twice as much energy to
swing and miss as to swing and hit.
INSTRUCTOR
After he misses, what do you do?
She answers him with an intense look.
He nods and moves after her. Slow, strong, powerful: predator.
She backs up. Her movements simple, graceful, economical but
athletic: they remind us of the easy way she moved around the
restaurant in the first scene...
Scattered over the mat are old-fashioned plastic SANTAS that
kids use as punching bags. He backs her toward one...
.then another. As she nears them, she slides deftly to the
side: like she has eyes in the back of her head...
He maneuvers her toward a desk-her back to it...
Rushes at her -
For a moment she seems trapped -
But as he reaches her, she slips to her left, tosses him over
the desk and onto the mat.
She moves quickly to an attacking position, standing over him.
He pats the mat beside him.
She sits.
He makes a motion and she closes her eyes.
INSTRUCTOR
One last thing. The hardest lesson:
we can't control the universe.
She listens.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT.)
The unexpected may happen.
He slides his hand over the mat, an order. She lies down.
01
90
INSTRUCTOR (CONT.)
Suddenly his maid enters, you're
distracted for an instant, and
he hits you...
SLIM
That's not possible -
INSTRUCTOR 4
We must prepare even for the
impossible.
She stirs slightly, uncomfortable with this idea.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT.)
We bend the universe to our will,
but it will only go so far.
SLIM
You're saying -
INSTRUCTOR
(STANDING UP)
That's right -
SLIM (CONT.)
For the sake of this exercise, he
hits me.
He's standing over her. She looks completely vulnerable.
VERY TIGHT ON HER AS:
INSTRUCTOR
Yes.
And you lie there as if dead.
But hear me.
Hold onto my voice.
She nods almost imperceptibly.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT.)
He's standing over you, he thinks
he's won-and as sure as he's a
coward, he'll try to kick you.
SLIM
(SOFTLY)
Yes.
91
INSTRUCTOR
And because you know what he'll do,
you're smiling inside,... (CONT.)
Her face blank, eyes still closed-but something changes; we
sense her confidence and serenity returning.
He draws his foot back as if to kick her...
CUT TO:
INT. JUPITER'S OFFICE. (San Francisco) DAY.
Slim strides through the office unapologetically interrupting
various conversations. Finally she spots Jupiter, walks over,
and without saying a word, demands his attention -
JUPITER
(to the others)
Ah. Just a sec, I'll be right back.
(to her, irritated}
I thought I made it clear you
weren't supposed to come here.
SLIM
I don't care what you want.
This almost makes him smile; he's getting to like her.
JUPITER
You're a different person.
SLIM
So?
JUPITER
How's that black guy I .set you
up with?
SLIM
Good.
JUPITER
Did he teach you how to think?
It's not the question she expected; it's more interesting and
complicated.
92
SLIM
.I hope so.
(before he can speak)
The English guy is good too.
(ALL BUSINESS)
But that's not why I'm here. I need
a woman who looks like me. Someone
who can handle herself: an off-duty
cop or something.
(hands him photo)
Five four, one ten. Hair like this
but cut higher, over the ear -
(hands him key)
Miko hotel, room 509, 8 o'clock.
JUPITER
Tonic ? That's awful short notice;
I don't know if I can -
SLIM
What? I thought Jupiter was like
all-powerful, king of the Gods?
Oh yeah. One more thing. At some
point.. .not right now 'cause it'd be
phony ...I need you to acknowledge
that I'm your kid.
She walks away. He stares after her. Hint of a smile comes to
his face.
CUT TO:
INT. ELECTRONICS STORE. DAY.
Slim is signing the credit card slip as the CLERK puts the
merchandise in a distinctive red bag -
SLIM
You sure this'll work?
CLERK
You bet your life.
SLIM
Thanks, I will.
She leaves, taking out her cell phone. FOLLOW HER as she goes:
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET. DAY.
She walks up the street, punches in a number...
93
BUTLER'S VOICE
Tyler residence.
SLIM
Yes. Tony. Could you please tell
Mrs. Tyler that I'll call her around
f our this afternoon.
BUTLER'S VOICE
Of course, Miss Slim. My pleasure.
Slim hangs up, goes into a. bagel shop.
INT.. BAGEL PLACE. LATER.
Slim sits at a table with a cup of coffee. A short guy, 28,
built like a fireplug, dressed in sweater and jeans and wool
cap, enters, walks to her, and says in an English accent:
ALEX
Today, hon, you graduate.
CUT TO:
EXT. DOWNTOWN L.A. STREET. DAY.
Alex and Slim are across the street from a strip joint.
SLIM
It's closed?
ALEX
Till six, eh?
SLIM
And I'd guess whoever owns it
isn't a very nice person.
ALEX
That's a safe one.
Slim starts walking toward the shop. As they go:
SLIM
Why here?
ALEX
You've got soft hands, you've worked
hard. The tricky part now is nerves.
They reach the entryway; Slim takes out her tools.
94
SLIM
People on the street?
ALEX
Yeah. And you have to go in when
his alarm's turned off -
SLIM
(NODS)
Meaning he's inside.
(has tools out)
I'm ready.
Alex moves slightly to block the view as Slim bends over and
slips her tool into the lock...
Slim working quietly, concentrating...
Alex looking. around...
A SHADY CHARACTER noticing them. Hesitating. Coming over..
ALEX
We got company, doll...
Slim still working...
The Shady Character has almost reached them...
ALEX
Forget it. You're too slow.
She opens the door -
Alex glances down, nods -
She closes the door again and stands just as:
SHADY CHARACTER
Hey. What're you guys up to?
Slim stares at him.
SLIM
We were hoping to see some action,
but it looks like they're closed.
The Shady Character stares back. He is ve skeptical.
He watches Slim and Alex walk off down the block. Alex mutters
under his breath:
95
ALEX
"Action?"
Off her grin -
CUT TO:
INT. BEAUTY SALON. DAY.
Slim sits in a chair, cell phone at her ear. Her hair is done;
now she's getting a manicure.
MRS. TYLER'S VOICE
And where is Gracie?
SLIM
She's coming day after tomorrow,
then we're flying to L.A. I was
thinking after the hearing, maybe I
could bring her by.
MRS. TYLER'S VOICE
Tell me something. Why is this call
different? You were always worried
about how long we talked -
SLIM
I was out in the country, Mrs. T.
I'm in a big city now, meeting with
my lawyer, so there're lots of cell
phones. No one can trace this.
EXT. BEAUTY PARLOR. DAY.
Slim exits in a long gray coat.
Stops outside for one moment, glances around -
Sees a guy in a GREEN TRENCHCOAT across the street.
She walks hurriedly away.
Glances over her shoulder, sees Trenchcoat following her.
She smiles slightly, to herself.
CUT TO:
EXT. SLIM'S HOTEL. DAY.
From a discreet distance, across the street, we watch her go
into her hotel.
96
Trenchcoat is standing across the street.
INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAY.
Slim enters her suite.
Sitting by the window is TOVA. As Slim walks over, Tova pulls
on a wig which matches Slim's haircut. There is now a strong
resemblance.
TOVA
I'm Tova Steinberg.
Slim stares. Tova's voice is an octave lower than Slim's.
SLIM
Say something else.
TOVA
I was a cop. I got shot, took
the benefits.
Slim thinks about Tova's voice. Takes out her cell phone.
SLIM
They have to think I'm still here,
so use my cell phone, tomorrow, to
call my dad. Autodial 2.
Slim presses the autodial number, then SEND, and motions for
Tova to put on Slim's gray coat. It fits Tova perfectly.
SLIM (CONT.)
(lowering his voice)
Hey, it's me.
JUPITER'S VOICE
What happened to your voice?; you
okay?
SLIM
I don't know, I'm getting some
bronchial thing.
JUPITER'S VOICE
Otherwise everything's okay?
SLIM
Yeah.
97
JUPITER'S VOICE
Get some rest, huh?
She presses END, says to Tova, back to normal voice:
SLIM
Tomorrow stay in, order room service.
Call him twice. Keep it brief.
"Hello, I don't feel well..."
TOVA
And tonight?
SLIM
Go around the corner, eat at Guido's.
TOVA
I'll be followed?
SLIM
Green trenchcoat.
Tova nods and Slim takes off her own wig. Short dark hair.
SLIM (CONT.)
Wish me luck, huh?
TOVA
Good luck.
SLIM
Luck has nothing to do with it.
Tova smiles.
INT. HOTEL. HALL. NIGHT.
Slim waiting as the Service Elevator arrives.
Gets in.
EXT. HOTEL. REAR ENTRANCE. NIGHT.
Slim going out the door, down the alley...
98
INT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.
Slim getting on the plane to Los Angeles.
CUT TO:
EXT. SAN PEDRO STREET. NIGHT.
Slim parks, looks across at a warehouse converted into lofts.
BATTLE OF THE
She takes a duffle from the back seat. Steps into the shadows,
stares at the warehouse:
Brick building, modern door and light fixtures.
SEXES
She looks both ways:
The street's dark. Deserted.
She hoists her duffle, takes a deep breath.
And crosses the street.
Goes up the stairs to the stoop. Looks at the alarm panel on
the door: green.
Crouches, starts to work on the lock.
INT. WAREHOUSE/LOFT. SLEEPING AREA. NIGHT.
Mitch in bed, sleeping. Peaceful.
A SOUND, Off.
He stirs slightly.
ANOTHER SOUND.
He sits up. Frowning... dazed.
Cocks his head. Listens...
The SILENCE seems to have texture. He gets up.
99
We glimpse: a beautiful brick warehouse converted inside into
an open, loft-like space filled with bird'seye maple, metal
beams, etc. Modern, glistening, expensive.
He walks around the place in the dark.
In his boxer shorts and t-shirt. He looks vulnerable...
SLIM'S POV... From one corner. Observing him. She has become
the stalker.
HER EYES, watching...
He decides everything's okay and goes back to the semi
partitioned sleeping area...
He gets back into bed - next to a YOUNG BLOND WOMAN, 22.
She turns over, mutters something, goes back to sleep.
He lies there, eyes open. Stays very still. Listening.
JARRING CUT TO:
INT. SAME WAREHOUSE. MORNING.
Bright light. Mitch in his bathrobe making coffee. The Young
Blond Woman comes out, fully dressed...
MITCH
Coffee?
YOUNG BLOND
I gotta get home, change for work.
He nods, gives her a perfunctory kiss:
MITCH
I'll call you.
She stares at him a second.
YOUNG BLOND
You want my number?
MITCH
Sure.
She sees how "eager" he is to talk to her again. Irritated,
she scribbles the number quickly, hands.it to him -
MITCH
Thanks for everything.
100
For the sex, in other words. She gives it right back to him:
YOUNG BLOND
You too. I really appreciate it.
He's too self-centered to notice her ironic tone.
She lets herself out.
The instant she does, we go to a HIGH ANGLE looking down at
Mitch. Alternate NORMAL and HIGH ANGLE during:
Mitch pours coffee, goes back into his "dressing area" and
pulls on some clothes as he talks into his cell phone:
MITCH
Janie? Hey.
(BEAT)
Yeah, I was working late.
(BEAT)
No, tonight's no good either. I've
got a morning flight to San
Francisco.
Slim in therafters, listening.
MITCH (CONT.)
If it was pleasure, you'd be going
too. No, I'm going down to get my
daughter.
Slim's reaction to this...
MITCH (CONT.)
Sure, the custody hearing's here next
week, but it looks like Gracie's
being brought to San Francisco and
my ex-wife ...well, seems like she
completely vanished.
ON SLIM. His words echo his threats when he was trying to
strangle her in her hallway.
MITCH (CONT.)
Right off the face of the earth.
I doubt they'll ever find her
this time.
Slim's jaw tightens.
When we come back to Mitch, he's dressed and packing his
briefcase.
101
MITCH (CONT.)
Yeah, I want her to meet you.
We'll call when we get in.
(FAKE TENDER:)
You too.
He hangs up, takes a sip of coffee.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT looking down on Mitch as he heads out the door.
Slim waits in the rafters until the alarm system beeps: it's
armed.
She climbs down, walks into the kitchen.
Notices his Mr. Coffee machine is still on.
Hesitates, turns it off.
Opens the fridge to find something to eat -
The alarm beeps again.
Slim drops silently to the floor.
SOUND of the KEY IN THE LOCK -
Slim scuttles away as we hear:
FRONT DOOR OPENING. FOOTSTEPS coming toward her.
She slips around the edge of the counter just as:
Mitch enters the kitchen. He goes to the Mr. Coffee... Looks
at it... Frowns. Didn't he leave it on...?
Slim in the foreground, crouched down, Mitch 15 feet away. He
looks around. Is something wrong? Is someone here?
Slim frozen, trying not to breath.
Mitch listening. Wondering: should he search the place?
She looks for a place to hide -
He looks at his watch. He's late.
He walks right toward Slim, curls around the counter -
But she's not there any longer.
He heads for the front door -
102
Goes out. HOLD ON the hall, where she was, where he walked.
EMPTY. The alarm beeps again as he resets it.
One silent beat, then Slim rises in the kitchen. (She did a
360.)
She sighs. Pours herself some coffee, replaces the liquid with
water. Auto-dials her cell phone.
SLIM
I'm in.
GINNY'S VOICE
Hey.
SLIM
Can you stay off the phone?
GINNY'S VOICE
For you, honey? (Anything.)
SLIM
I hope so.
She hangs up.
Retrieves her duffle bag from its hiding place and pulls out
tools, equipment, etc. Picks up a screwdriver and starts
searching the apartment, checking the phone line, following it
to the place where it enters the apartment.
MONTAGE INTERCUT WITH FLASHES of Slim' a face: a running tab
on her emotions. Intensity, focus, determination, fear,. ..and,
as the sequence builds: concern about what she doing...
MONTAGE IMAGES :
She disconnects the phone line.
Finds the electrical box, opens it, finds the main switch.
Removes all the knives from the kitchen... hides them...
Walks the apartment-familiarizing herself with every inch of
it-occasionally she moves a piece of furniture slightly... we
realize: she's assessing fighting spaces. angles...
She looks from one piece of furniture to another, back and
forth, gauging the distance between them.
She eats a snack from his refrigerator...
103
I
Looks out the back (bedroom) window... and sees the water of the
J
San Pedro harbor below her.
Uses a metal detector to search the apartment:
in a drawer of the night table beside his bed, she finds a
pistol. Removes it. There are papers in the same drawer,
notes or something. She throws these in the trash.
She takes out three letters. As the CAMERA sweeps over one of
them, we hear her voice:
SLIM (V.0.)
". .thanks for letting me come talk
about Gracie. And I'm glad you're
willing to admit your temper, and -
let's not mince words - the physical
abuse you subjected me to."
And glances at SECOND LETTER:
SLIM (V.0.)
"Perhaps with your new attitude,
we can really work something out.
Per your last letter, I'll see you
the evening of..."
She puts the letters in the drawer where the pistol was.
They're not in envelopes; they're loose, open.
She picks up the metal detector, resumes her search.
The machine beeps insistently around his desk. She can't find
anything. Finally she discovers a false bottom on one of the
drawers: a second gun is in there.
With the gun are papers: reports from private detectives
looking for her, an assessment of his custody rights...
She hides the guns in the bottom of the laundry hamper.
Finds a photo of herself with Mitch and Gracie. Rips it up.
Puts the metal detector back in the duffle.
Changes into sweatshirt and sweatpants.
Takes the distinctive red bag (from the electronics store) out
of the duffle. There's a machine inside. She plugs it in,
tucks it behind the couch.
Puts her cell phone beside it.
104
She makes one last check: every wall, surface, every drawer.
Barefoot, she begins to glide around the space. Backing up.
Moving with ease and grace, sliding deftly to the side as she
approaches a couch, desk, chair. She's building on her earlier
reconnaissance: learning where the furniture is and how to
navigate around it...
DISSOLVE TO:
LATER. MAGIC HOUR.
Light fading toward darkness. She's still moving backward,
only now her sliding is smooth, graceful; almost a dance.
As if hearing a distant signal, she slows to a stop.
For a long moment she stands perfectly still. Poised. Like an
animal in the forest.
There's a chair facing the front door. She glances at it. No.
She walks behind the couch, turns off the machine, picks up her
cell phone and auto-dials.
GINNY'S VOICE
Hey.
Slim says nothing.
GINNY'S VOICE (CONT.)
You okay?
SLIM
(SOFTLY)
Say it again.
GINNY'S VOICE
Say what?
SLIM
You know. What you told me.
Beat. On Slim's face as:
GINNY'S VOICE
Oh. You have a divine animal right
to protect your own life and the
life of your offspring.
Silence.
105
SLIM
Yeah.
She hangs up, turns the machine back on and stashes her cell
phone.
With simple ease, she lowers herself onto the chair. Facing
the door. Waiting in the fading light...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. STREET. NIGHT.
Mitch walks down the street.
Up the steps, punches in his alarm code.
INT. MITCH'S PLACE. NIGHT.
Mitch enters, closes and locks the door.
Turns on the light.
He walks back to the rear of the space, hangs up his coat.
Goes into the bedroom area, takes off his jacket.
The lights go out.
Mitch freezes, shadow on shadow, a silhouette in the darkness.
He looks out the window, sees:
The neighboring buildings still have light and power.
He cocks his head, listening.
Silence.
Walks to the door of the bedroom area. Waits.
Take two more steps -
SLIM'S VOICE
It's me.
He nods slowly.
MITCH
Yeah. (I thought so.)
106
He moves quietly to the bed... to the night table where Slim
found the pistol. Covers this by talking:
MITCH {CONT.}
This morning too?
SLIM'S VOICE
You always did forget to turn off
the coffee.
He rummages in the drawer. We hear the RUSTLE of the letters
Slim put there. He fails to find the gun. Gives up trying to
be quiet, tosses papers onto the floor -
SLIM'S VOICE {CONT.}
I found it, Mitch.
His hand leaves the drawer.
He thinks.
Picks up the phone, listens. Dead.
Looks around... can't see her...
Goes back to the chair where he hung his sports coat and fishes
out his cell phone. We see the GLOW of its dial.
He punches 911 and pressed SEND.
The dial goes dark for two seconds, then blinks back on.
He stares at it.
Tries again. 911, SEND.
Again it goes dead.
SLIM'S VOICE
It's a machine. Knocks out cell
phones.
He throws the cell phone onto the bed.
Walks out of the bedroom area.
Looks around the vast space.
Spooky. Slanting light and dense shadow.
He doesn't see her.
107
Walks toward his desk.
SLIM'S VOICE
I found that gun too.
He stops. Doesn't know where to go. or what to do.
SLIM'S VOICE
Scared?
MITCH
(FUCK YOU)
Of what?
SLIM'S VOICE
Now is when you decide, Mitch.
(off his silence)
Whether you're a coward. If you
are, you can run. I won't stop you.
MITCH
(meaning the match is unfair:)
You have my guns.
SLIM'S VOICE
Threw 'em away.
MITCH
Then someone's here with you.
SLIM'S VOICE
No.
MITCH
(INCREDULOUS)
You're alone?
SLIM'S VOICE
Why not?
MITCH
'Cause it'd be stupid.
Silence is her answer.
MITCH (CONT.)
You're sayin' this is man to man?
SLIM'S VOICE
Woman, Mitch.
108
MITCH
That's what I meant: man against
woman - you sure that's fair?
The lights go back on.
Slowly Slim comes out from hiding...
SLIM
Fair to whom?
As he realizes her meaning, she moves into the open area
between two couches.
She has no weapon.
She's barefoot, in her sweats, feet spread for balance, arms
just slightly raised. Compared to him: she's tiny.
He moves toward her.
SLIM
This is what you wanted, right?
What you were going to San Francisco
for: the chance to get me alone?
He lunges for her; she slides to the side and he misses.
He begins to stalk her.
And as he stalks, she moves backward, slowly and gracefully, in
the way she was practicing.
MITCH
I don't understand, Slim.
How does this work for you?
She ignores his words. Watches his eyes and his chest. Wants
to know where he's going to attack.
MITCH (CONT.)
I mean: this is carefully thought
out, right?
She does not respond.
He throws three punches. None of them hits her.
He's unfazed, keeps stalking...
109
MITCH (CONT.)
But say you succeed - beat me up
or whatever. You're not going to
murder me... (CONT.)
Her expression remains neutral, focused.
He takes this to be agreement.
MITCH (CONT.)
So all you've done is further
piss me off.
SLIM
Self defense is not ,murder.
This stops him cold.. He lowers his hands a moment. Stares at
her, trying to assimilate this new information...
MITCH
You don't have the guts.
She just looks at him.
He blinks, worried for an instant. Covers it with a smile:
MITCH
It's not self-defense when you
break in here and attack me.
SLIM
So far you're attacking me.
He lunges, almost hits her, rushes in -
She has to leap sideways with great speed and dexterity: jumps
over the couch to avoid being hit.
He also jumps over the couch, but his balance isn't as good,
and she's waiting for him as he stumbles -
With perfect balance and full force, she slugs him in the nose.
He goes down. Stays there. For the first time it occurs to
him: this might not be easy.
He climbs to his feet, feels his nose: blood.
SLIM
You see? I'm just defending myself.
He resumes stalking her. Only he's angry now, and it's scary.
110
MITCH
If you fail, you can count on this:
you'll never see Gracie again.
She reacts -
He sees it, rushes her -
Punching as he goes. From the standpoint of pure physics, he
makes a terrifying force. Until:
She steps back, grabs his arm, whips him vs. the brick wall -
He hits it, bounces off.
Cut on his forehead, blood streaming down his face.
He stares at her... breathing hard... trying to put it together:
MITCH
You really (think) ...you think you'll
kill me and get away with it?l
SLIM
I told you. Self-defense. I came
here, as arranged in our letters, to
talk about Gracie -
MITCH
Letters? There are no -
SLIM
In the drawer where your pistol was.
You just left prints all over them.
He stares at her, stunned in every way. Touches his forehead,
feels the blood...
SLIM
You attacked me, I fought back. And
of course if you never touch me...
(SWEET SMILE)
I'll have to give myself bruises...
He goes berserk. Leaps at her, covering ground quickly with
his long stride, swinging his massive arms. This is the most
terrifying form of combat: a huge person attacking a tiny one.
If he should hit her even once, a glancing blow, she will go
down, she will break, it will be over.
III
But he misses, and misses again. Sometimes his punches are
wild, almost comical. Others come so close we hear-the wind,
feel their power, feel his sweat on her...
CONTINUE this terrifying choreographed dance with destruction
for as long as it will hold. At every instant, we fear for her
bones and her life. Sometimes she leans back like Muhammad Ali
to barely slip a punch, and we see terror on her face, married
to determination. She knows the score. and the odds.
Finally, in frustration at so many misses, he grabs an ashtray,
hurls.it at her -
it flies over her head -
He punches again and again, wildly.
She remains untouched.
He stops. With all the blood, he looks like a wild animal.
He makes a great effort to pull himself together...
MITCH
This doesn't bother me, Slim.
I don't care how long it takes.
We both know: Ionly have to hit
you once. Once, and it's over.
She laughs at him.
This is the last thing he expected and the last thing he can
stand. He rushes at her again, fast -
She starts left -
He blocks her way -
She starts right -
Again he's blocking her -
She lunges to the left, through a narrow space -
He punches, grazing her hair; punches again, just missing, and
a third time. We feel the awesome power behind these blows.
She's in the clear again. Smiles casually. Clearly part of
her strategy is to keep him angry:
112
SLIM
I'm confused, Mitchy. Aren't you a
man?
(QUOTING HIM)
I thought it was "no contest?"
I mean, can't you hit me even once?
He grabs a lamp, yanks out the cord, wields it like a club.
SLIM (CONT.)
(AMUSED)
A weapon?
He smashes the lamp down, just missing her head -
SLIM (CONT.)
It's a martial-arts cliche, honey.
A weapon throws you off balance -
SWISH -
SWIPE -
SLAM -
He misses her three times, the last time smashing the lamp into
the wall so hard that the impact hurts his hand. He yelps -
SLIM (CONT.)
You see?
He turns toward her, pain on his face, holding his hand -
And she truly attacks for the first time. Smashes her fist
against his head -
He flies back, bounces vs. the wall.
As he comes off it, she punches him again -
He roars with rage, lunges at her, head first, great speed -
She hurtles him in the same direction, increasing speed -
Right into the opposite wall.
The top of his head hits the wall.
He shudders like someone in a cartoon: a spasm running head to
TOE -
He drops.
113
Face down.
Does not move.
At all.
She stares at him.
Goes to him. Wary.
Gives him a reflex test -
No reaction. He's unconscious.
She tests his neck for a pulse.
Apparently he's still alive, because she raises her hand
over her head.
Her palm vertical, like a knife.
She's about to deliver a karate chop.
To his neck.
it will break his neck.
It will kill him.
Her hand stays there, poised. CAMERA PLUNGES IN ON HER FACE.
FLASHES:
- Mitch hitting her the first time -
- Midwest house, Mitch leaping out from Gracie's doorway -
- Mitch beating her as she crawls across the floor of
their house. (Something we didn't see before.) She reaches
up, flicks the light switch; Mitch jumps on her back -
- Mitch: "You'll never see Gracie again."
- Earlier: "She's My daughter. Don't even think about
taking her."
- Strangling Slim, whispering: "...where you're going,
they will never... ever... find you."
114
BACK TO SLIM
Face contorted in rage, confusion -
She brings her hand down -
Misses. him.
Intentionally.
Turns away, tears in her eyes.
She retrieves her cell phone, turns off the cell-phone blocker,
presses redial.
Stares out the window. We see the turmoil on her face, hear it
in her voice:
SLIM
I can't, Gin.
GINNY'S VOICE
'Re you okay?
SLIM
Yeah.
GINNY'S VOICE
You're okay?!, you beat him?!
SLIM
YEAH -
GINNY'S VOICE
It worked?!
SLIM
Listen to me! I did it, but I can't
do it! I can't kill him!
Behind Slim, out of focus: movement, a soft blur...
GINNY'S VOICE (CONT.)
(URGENTLY)
Slim. He'll come after you -
SLIM
I know -
GINNY'S VOICE (CONT.)
He'll come after Gracie -
115
An indistinct shape, something rising over her head...
SLIM
I know all that!
I have to, but I can't!
I'm not a killer!
I'm not him!
Mitch. Crazed and bloody face. In his hand: the wooden lamp.
She senses something, turns her head slightly to one side -
- so the lamp does not land quite flush on her skull.
Still sends her crashing to the floor.
Now she does not move.
He stands over her. Looks insane: bloody, dazed, beaten: but
triumphant.
GINNY'S VOICE
Hello? Slim? You there?
The lamp moving in his hand. He's rotating it. A simple
menacing image... . and we realize: he' s aoinq to hit her again.
GINNY'S VOICE {CONT.}
Should I call the cops?!
Answer me?!
He's distracted by Ginny's voice. Picks up the phone.
MITCH
Listen to me, bitch.
Ginny's silent.
MITCH (CONT.)
if you value your children, don' t
call anybody.
It's over, okay? It's all over.
He throws the phone on the couch and moves back toward Slim,
lamp clenched tight in his fist.
SMASH IN CLOSE ON HER FACE.
CLOSER STILL. We're almost inside her head as we hear:
INSTRUCTOR'S VOICE
Hold onto my voice...
116
Is that the hint of a smile on her face?
INSTRUCTOR'S VOICE (CONT.)
You're ready...
Mitch sees the slight smile, can't believe it -
Rage.
He pulls his foot back to kick her -
Her eyes are open, just a slit -
His foot swinging forward...
As it reaches her, she grabs it, yanks it -
He's pulled off his feet, crashing down on top of her -
But she's already rolling, out from under him... and up -
Coming to her feet -
He starts to rise, all fours, then into a crouch and ug...
SLOW MOTION. She's ready. Her face alert. Center of gravity
low. Arm low,.fist low... As her motion unfurls:
Boxers say that an uppercut, perfectly
executed, is the most difficult,
powerful, and beautiful of punches.
Indeed: when an uppercut starts low for maximum center-of-
gravity and hits the opponent flush on the point of the chin -
as Slim's does here - it delivers a devastating message to the
central nervous system, short-circuiting it completely.
Mitch flies backward...
There's a table behind him.
His head cracks on the table.
His neck snaps.
He lands on the floor: twisted, broken.
Slim stares at him.
There's no way a living man could assume the position now
occupied by her former husband.
117
She stares in disbelief.
Though she knows the answer, she feels his carotid artery.
Her face registers what she feels. Horror, relief.
She walks slowly to her cell phone, picks it up.
Listens: no one there.
She presses redial, waits...
GINNY'S VOICE
(in a panic)
H o?d
SLIM
Hi.
GINNY'S VOICE
Oh thank God you're alive.
SLIM
Gin, he's ...he hit his...he's not
breathing.
GINNY'S VOICE
oh.
SLIM
Yeah.
GINNY'S VOICE
Well: I called the cops, they're on
their way.
Slim nods.
GINNY'S VOICE
Slim... can you hear me?, this is
important.
Beat.
SLIM
Okay.
As Ginny talks, Slim puts the cell-phone blocker into the
duffle and carries the duffle to the rear of the building.
GINNY'S VOICE
You're not him, okay? You're not
him, and you never will be.
118
SLIM
See you soon.
She drops the cell phone out the bedroom window into the water.
Then the duffle. They both sink.
EXT. BROWNSTONE.
She comes out, sits on the steps. A siren is audible.
Cop cars speed down the street, screech to a stop.
TWO COPS LEAP OUT OF THE CAR, run toward her.
FIRST COP
You okay?
She looks at him, considering the question.
Shakes her head.
FIRST COP
Where is he?
She makes a slight motion to indicate that Mitch is inside, and
the OTHER COP runs into the apartment.
Slim lowers her head.
First Cop looks at her, sees the blood on her scalp.
FIRST COP
Looks like you're one of the lucky
ones.
She looks up, stares at him, and starts to cry.
SMASH INTO:
CREDIT SEQUENCE CREDITS OVER FLASHES:
INT. LAX. DAY.
Slim jumping up and down and generally making a fool of herself
as Gracie runs off the plane into her arms. Ginny follows with
her own kids; hugs all around -
WHIP PAN TO:
119
ANOTHER GATE AT THE AIRPORT. DAY.
Slim looking... waiting... seeing: Joe. He hurries to her -
and picks up Gracie instead, gives Gracie a big hug.
Joe lingers in the hug as Slim waits...and waits...
Finally he turns to Slim, hint of a smile:
JOE
What rules are we playing by now?
She answers him with the kind of kiss you can get away with at
a bar or airport and almost nowhere else.
WHIP PAN TO:
ANOTHER GATE AT AIRPORT. DAY.
Jupiter comes off the plane, is hugged by Ginny, shakes hands
with Joe. As he turns to Gracie, Slim says:
SLIM
This time be nice to her.
JUPITER
Is it gonna be like that?
SLIM
Yeah.
Jupiter smiles, shakes hands with Gracie:
JUPITER
I hope I can work into being
your grandfather, okay?
Gracie shrugs.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW "ORCA" RESTAURANT. DAY.
SIGNS all over: OPEN AGAIN AFTER BOMBING1 SAME GREAT FOOD!
SAME BEAUTIFUL WAITRESSES! SAME TERRIBLE JOKES!
INT. NEW ORCA. DAY.
Slim, Joe, Jupiter, and Gracie eating, Ginny serving large
platters of gorgeous food:
120
GINNY
So whattaya say, Slim-girl, you
comin' back to work?
PHIL
(passing by, overhears and
JUMPS IN:)
After all I do for her... ?
She better not!
Ginny gives him a look -
PHIL
She has to go back to school, make
big success. Sigmund Freud, yes?!
(PATS JUPITER)
Don't worry, Mr. Moneybags will pay.
Jupiter gives Phil a playful look: thanks a lot.
Phil whispers to Gracie:
PHIL
But don't let her cook, huh Gracie?
You eat here all the time.
Gracie nods thanks, whispers back:
GRACIE
Call me Queen Elizabeth.
RUN TITLES ON THE REST OF THEIR MEAL. The longer it runs, the
happier this odd family (including Ginny and Phil) seems...
FADE OUT.
Enough
Writers : Nicholas Kazan
Genres : Drama Thriller
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If dS ≥ dq/T for a spontaneous change is dS ≤ dq/T for a non-spontaneous change and is that even possible?
I am struggling with the concept of entropy but might be on the verge of understanding it. The Clausius inequality, $$\mathrm{d}S \geq \mathrm{d}q/T,$$ is true for all spontaneous changes with the equality for reversible changes. But what if a change is not spontaneous or is that impossible i.e a change cannot be forced. Any help with answering this question or to help conceptualize and understand the entropy would be greatly appreciated.
As you perfectly say, Clausius inequality states that $$\mathrm{d}s\geq \mathrm{d}q/T.$$ This has to be true for any process.
For reversible processes, what happens is that $\mathrm{d}s= \mathrm{d}q/T$, and for non-reversible processes, $\mathrm{d}s > \mathrm{d}q/T$. If for a given process $\mathrm{d}s< \mathrm{d}q/T$, it would not fulfill Clausius inequality.
Consider the situation where the system is isolated from its surroundings. In this case, $\mathrm{d}q\_\mathrm{(sys)} = 0$ , and thus the Clausius relation implies $\mathrm{d}S\geq0$, so this tells us that the entropy of an isolated system cannot decrease in the course of a spontaneous change.
Since the universe is itself an isolated system, this result shows that we can use entropy as the signpost of spontaneous change. Processes are only spontaneous if they cause an increase in the total entropy of the universe.
One way of thinking about this is to consider what happens when you clean a messy room. Your room is an example of an open system (i.e. heat, work and mass can move across its boundary). If you put a lot of work into your room, in the form of good old fashioned elbow grease, you end up with a nice, clean room that has a lower entropy than what it started with. However, it is important to note that the entropy of the universe, which is an isolated system that happens to contain the open system of your room, will have increased as a result of your work. This is because you could not do the work in a reversible fashion. Your body heat, friction from moving things around, etc. all produced irreversible changes in the heat flow to your surroundings. This is where the Clausius equation holds. To describe the entropy decrease in your room you have to know the equation of state that can provide the initial and final entropies. Not really practical for an abstract concept for a room, but for a fluid such as a gas or liquid it's usually clear-cut.
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the burden of end stage renal disease ( esrd ) is increasing in sub - saharan african ( ssa ) countries [ 1 , 2 ] .
this is attributed to the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and infection - related nephropathies [ 2 , 4 ] . in spite of this increasing burden ,
care for esrd in ssa is suboptimal , compared with esrd care in europe and north america , where esrd care is often in accordance with kidney disease quality - of - life guidelines ( kdoqi ) [ 57 ] .
esrd care in most of the ssa countries is characterized by gross lack of access to optimal care [ 58 ] , with a rudimentary and unorganized institutional and human resource base for care .
virtually , all esrd care inputs are imported into ssa countries and are thus quite expensive [ 5 , 8 ] .
the cost of care is also prohibitive and outside the reach of majority of the victims [ 2 , 5 , 8 ] .
the bulk of the patients with esrd belong to the lower socioeconomic group and are thus unable sustain maintenance dialysis for longer than three months of entry into the esrd program .
affordability and access to erythropoietin stimulating agents ( esa ) is extremely poor while opportunities for kidney transplant are also limited [ 9 , 10 ] . for the majority of ssa countries
, there is hardly any , government - driven or government - supported esrd care program . as a result ,
the mortality rate within 90 days of commencing renal replacement therapy ( rrt ) of esrd patients in ssa countries is as high as over 90% , compared with patients in europe and north america where it is less than 4% [ 911 ] the objective of this paperis to use a single - center esrd care experience in nigeria , to demonstrate the prevailing lack of access to esrd care in order to advocate the need for a global funding mechanism for esrd populations in sub - saharan africa .
the demographic and clinical data of all consecutive patients , aged 15 years and above , who commenced maintenance haemodialysis treatment at the university of port harcourt teaching hospital , port harcourt , nigeria between the january 1 , 1996 to december 31 , 1999 ( 4 years ) and january 1 , 2007 to december 31 , 2009 ( 3 years ) , due to the interruption of dialysis services between january 1997 and december 2006 for technical problems , were retrospectively analyzed .
the diagnosis of esrd was based on the kdoqi guidelines for diagnosis and classification of ckd .
the data for analysis included the biodata , overall clinical status , blood pressure measurements and the haematologic and biochemical indices ( relevant to esrd ) at first presentation .
others included the duration of stay on the maintenance haemodialysis programme , the total number of haemodialysis sessions received during the period , and the average urea reduction ratio ( urr ) attained .
other parameters were the average kt / v ratio attained before dropout , patient 's actual annual incomes , and their sources of funding for esrd care .
four end points of the study were the proportion of the esrd patients that were alive and still on the program at 3 months , 6 months , and 1 year from the date of entry into the esrd program , the proportion that had dropped out of the program and lost to followup at the stated periods above , the proportion of who died at the given periods and referral for kidney transplant for the period under study .
the literature search was done using manual search of relevant nigerian and african medical journals and electronic search of medical research database through pubmed , hinari , and google .
the search keywords used were esrd ; rrt ; outcomes and sub - saharan africa .
data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as mean standard deviation and percentages .
the data for 320 consecutive esrd patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were suitable for analysis .
they consisted of 200 males and 120 females ( m / f = 1.6 : 1 ) , with a mean age of 46.2 17.6 years , and age range 1579 years ( table 1 ) .
they had a bimodal peak age pattern , with an early small peak in the 2029 year age group and a second larger peak in the 5059 and 6069 year age groups , respectively .
the results of the evaluation of the income status of a cohort 40 esrd patients in 2009 ( table 2 ) show that majority of the subjects were predominantly from the lower and middle socioeconomic classes , with 40% of them in socioeconomic classes v and vi , 45% in social classes iii and iv and only 15% from the upper social classes
i and ii , as defined by the following income range based on annual family incomes .
lower or social classes v and vi earning 800 to 2,460 united states dollars ( usd ) or 0.120.4 million nigerian naira ( ngn ) ; middle class or social classes iii and iv earning 4,677 to 7,333 usd or 0.7 to1.2 million ngn ; upper or social classes i and ii earning 14,000.0 to 26,667 usd or 2.1 m to 4 million ngn .
the computed annual cost of haemodialysis treatment , per patient , during the period under study was 15,600.00 usd ( 2,340,000.00 ngn ) .
the result shows the wide disparity between the annual incomes of the patients and the annual cost of haemodialysis treatment per patient .
chronic glomerulopathy ( 45.6% ) , hypertensive nephropathy ( 29.7% ) , and diabetic nephropathy ( 17.5% ) were the three leading causes of esrd in the patients ( see figure 1 ) .
the diagnosis of the cause of ckd was clinical , as most of the patients presented in esrd when a biopsy is of little value and determining if hypertension is a cause or effect of the kidney disease is difficult .
however , the duration of hypertension , duration of diabetes , evidence of nephritis , the patient 's age , and a history of prior renal disease such as acute glomerulonephritis ( agn ) and ultrasound determined renal size were guides to determining the aetiology .
their mean e - gfr was 6.2 5.8 mls / min/1.73 m. anaemia was found at presentation in over 90% of the subjects with a mean hematocrit ( hct ) of 20.8 6.8% and a range of 1035% .
their mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 171.2 31.9 mmhg , range ( 107240 mmhg ) and 102.5 27.4 mmhg , range 70140 mmhg , respectively .
using the jnc-7 criteria , 88.5% of the patients were hypertensive with 70.3% presenting with grade ii hypertension . at presentation , 85% of the patients were in an unstable clinical state , characterized by gross edema , anemia , severe hypertension , pulmonary edema , cardiovascular instability , and uraemic encephalopathy .
the duration of maintenance haemodialysis before loss to the program ranged from 1 to 37 weeks , with a mean duration of 5.2 7.6 weeks .
table 4 shows the distribution of the patients in accordance with the length of time spent in the dialysis program .
majority of the patients 314 ( 98.1% ) could not sustain dialysis for more than 12 weeks .
only three patients ( 0.9% ) could sustain dialysis for over 26 weeks before they were lost to followup .
all patients achieved an aggregate mean urea reduction ratio ( urr ) of 48.7 22% , range 888% and an aggregate
the 320 patients received a total of 1,476 haemodialysis sessions during the seven - year period under consideration , translating to an average weekly dialysis rate of 0.013 dialysis sessions ( 0.05 hour per week ) per patient compared to the expected 3 sessions ( 12 hours ) per week per patient .
most of the patients 285 ( 89.1% ) could only achieve an average of 19 dialysis sessions before dropping out of the program , while the remaining 35 ( 9.9% ) achieved an average of 10 to 20 dialysis sessions before dropping out of the program . within 12 weeks of commencing maintenance dialysis ,
forty percent of this number were confirmed dead , 41.8 percent absconded and were presumed dead , making a total of 81.8% deaths within 12 weeks of entry into the program .
eight patients ( 2.5% ) who were able to raise funds were at various times referred out of the country for renal transplant .
analysis of the source of funding for esrd care in the subjects showed that 65% of these patients funded their maintenance dialysis treatment from direct out of pocket payment , 17.5% received some support from extended family sources to fund treatment , while the remaining 17.5% of the patients obtained some support from philanthropic individuals or organizations such as church groups .
none of the patients were covered by insurance payments , and there was no government subsidy for the payment of maintenance dialysis of the patients ( figure 2 ) .
the results from this single - center esrd care experience show that esrd patients in our center are predominantly young adults and middle - aged people from the lower socioeconomic group with abysmally poor access to esrd care , grossly suboptimal esrd care , and minimal access to kidney transplant .
their incomes fall far below the cost of esrd care , resulting in a 90-day mortality rate of almost 100% from the point of entry into the esrd program .
the dominant factors for this poor outcome are economic deprivation and the lack of structured government socioeconomic support .
this pattern is consistent with single - center experiences in other centers in nigeria and other ssa and african countries with the exception of south africa .
menakaya et al . in a retrospective study of 454 esrd patients on maintenance dialysis , during a ten - year period ( 19811994 ) at the lagos university teaching hospital ( luth ) , southwestern nigeria , recorded 29.7% in hospital mortality with
65% percent of cases abandoning the treatment and subsequently presumed dead within three months of entry into the esrd the program .
arogundade et al . , in ile - ife , southwestern , nigeria , reported 77.8% mortality within 3 months of commencing maintenance dialysis in 540 esrd patients over a period of 15 years . similarly , chijioke et al . and
bosan and ibrahim in two different teaching hospitals in the northern parts of nigeria reported mortality rates of 66.7% and 90.8% respectively , all within three months of entry into maintenance dialysis program ; while arodiwe et al .
in enugu , southeastern nigeria reported a mortality rate of 67.3% within three months of entry .
in all these studies , none of the esrd patients was able to sustain maintenance dialysis for longer than six months .
available data from other ssa countries indicate the gross paucity of kidney care facilities and very poor access to esrd care .
the number of patients on dialysis in some ssa countries , shown in a 2003 report , indicates the following number of patients per country : mauritania ( 50 ) , senegal ( 2030 ) , mali ( 20 ) , burkina faso ( 18 ) , ivory coast ( 130 ) , and ghana ( 30 ) , respectively .
others are zimbabwe ( 59 ) , kenya ( 100 ) , and sudan ( 200 ) .
south africa is the only ssa country with a more reliable esrd data and much higher access to organized esrd care . by 1998 ,
south africa had 1525 esrd patients registered in the south african renal dialysis and transplantation registry ( sadtr ) on regular dialysis with esrd - care financed by the government .
the data shown above makes it evident that hundreds of thousands of esrd patients in most ssa countries have practically no access to effective esrd care , compared with their counterparts in the developed countries .
the over 90-percent case fatality rate within 90 days of diagnosis of esrd is unacceptable in the present state of knowledge and global development in nephrology care .
furthermore , the direct and indirect human and socioeconomic cost of the high mortality associated with esrd in ssa will continue to affect the economy of ssa countries adversely .
the prevailing situation of esrd care in ssa described above is a challenge for the global renal community , as action is required to prevent an expected worsening , in view of the increasing incidence and prevalence of ckd and esrd .
short periods of maintenance dialysis and early transplant for esrd patients in ssa countries has been advocated [ 5 , 8 ] in response to the current situation . as reasonable as this option may be
firstly , even in the developed countries , less than 50% of esrd patients are transplanted as data from the united states and european renal transplant registries indicate that only 16% to 48% of esrd patients on the transplant waiting list get transplanted per year [ 19 , 20 ] .
the reasons for the relatively low transplant rate include the shortage of donor kidneys for transplant , hla- compatibility problems as well as some medical morbidity that may contraindicate transplant [ 21 , 22 ] .
secondly , the same reason of high cost , which prevents access to maintenance dialysis , will also prevent access to transplant in ssa countries . from experience in nigeria , live - donor kidney transplant costs between 7 and 10 million ngn ( 33,000.076,000.0 usd ) excluding costs of immunosuppressive agents .
therefore , in the absence of any government support only very few persons can access live - donor transplant in nigeria .
this situation can be extrapolated for most ssa - countries , considering the existing high poverty rate in these countries .
thirdly , getting both related and unrelated live donors in ssa countries is difficult due to cultural barriers , religious beliefs , and lack of monetary incentives for donors among other reasons .
finally in most ssa countries ' health systems do not have capabilities for nonheart beating kidney donations and are not likely to do so in the foreseeable future .
resultantly , it is evident that early live - donor kidney transplant program may not provide an adequate solution to the grim realities facing esrd patients in ssa countries .
as is the practice in the developed countries of the world , maintenance dialysis through capd and or haemodialysis remains the cornerstone of esrd care for the following reasons .
not all eligible esrd patients can benefit from transplant ; therefore , the rest must remain on maintenance dialysis to keep alive . for reasons such as age , debility , certain comorbid disorders , and hla - incompatibility [ 21 , 22 ] ,
more so patients with graft failure will return to maintenance dialysis until another suitable kidney can be found .
therefore , all countries irrespective of economic status must necessarily have viable and sustainable maintenance dialysis programs .
it is certain that individual patients can not afford self - funding of esrd care in ssa countries as was the case for developed countries before now .
it was in realization of this fact that the american congress in 1973 passed the legislation that led to the birth of an end - stage renal disease ( esrd ) program , which was later followed by the us organ transplant act of the us congress that enabled esrd patients benefit from kidney transplant [ 23 , 24 ] .
the annual estimate of government expenditure for esrd care in developed countries also justifies this as the us government spent about $ 12.04 billion in annual medicare spending on esrd in 1998 , not including an additional out - of medicare $ 4.7 billion spending by employer group health plan for the sustenance of the esrd program .
it stands to reason that if esrd patients in ssa - countries are to benefit from effective esrd care there should be some mechanisms in place to enable all esrd patients have access to optimal esrd care in order to improve the survival and quality of life .
the ssa country self - reliance strategy would involve the ssa countries taking the initiative and challenge to institute their own models of esrd care that will enable universal access to optimal esrd care of their citizenry . some emerging countries like brazil and singapore [ 26 , 27 ] have established mechanisms that ensure universal access to esrd care for their populations . while the brazilian government provides esrd care free to all affected persons ,
singapore adopted a public - private partnership option in realizing the same objectives . in both countries
, there is the political will by the governments to ensure universal access to optimal esrd care for their citizenry .
few countries in the ssa which are relatively richer such as nigeria may be able to adopt the same strategy with adequate political will by government .
it would be expected that a country like nigeria that earned an average of 59 billion usd in 2010 from crude oil export sales should have the capacity to make esrd care universally accessible for its citizenry ; however , this is not the case .
the maintenance dialysis data in nigeria as shown above is a clear indication of the lack of political will by the government .
in addition to the lack of political will by governments in most ssa countries , other political , social , and economic factors which impede optimal esrd care such as the high poverty rate among the populace , the reliance on importation of almost all esrd care products , the relative lack of human capacity , and lack of reliable health data for planning also pose enormous challenges . in the present political and economic state of affairs in most ssa countries highlighted above ,
it is very doubtful if the hindrances can be addressed in the projected future on the short and medium terms .
the second strategy proposed is the institution of an international society of nephrology ( isn ) and or who - driven global fund for comprehensive esrd care programs in ssa countries .
such a fund could be patterned along the lines of the global funds initiative for hiv / aids , tuberculosis and malaria with modifications as necessary .
the fund should be a counterpart fund in which the international global contributors , host ssa country governments , esrd - care products industry , as well as the esrd patients and families shall be stake holder contributors .
the contributions of the esrd care industry can be in the form of donations of some percentage of their annual operational profits or turnover or through price discounts on their products .
host ssa countries could also create incentives for these industries to establish production factories for some of their products in host ssa countries .
other corporate concerns such as petroleum and major manufacturing companies doing business in host ssa countries can be encouraged to contribute to the fund as part of their community and corporate social responsibilities .
esrd patients shall contribute through payments of subsidized fee for service either directly or through insurance arrangements .
however , it will be important to develop mechanisms which ensure that truly indigent and disadvantaged esrd patients could be treated for free to ensure universal access and lack of discrimination .
the isn and the ssa country regional kidney associations and foundations should serve as facilitators and regulators of the program to ensure strict compliance by host ssa countries to the terms of engagement .
the proposed fund should be disbursed in appropriate proportions to cover direct patient treatment ( dialysis , transplants , and immunosuppressive agents ) , human capacity development for renal care , equipment and infrastructural developments as well as advocacy and the prevention of ckd and research .
the global fund for the treatment and control of hiv / aids , tuberculosis , and malaria has achieved tremendous success since its inception in 2005 .
the prevalence of hiv / aids in most global funds beneficiary ssa countries are on the decline . in nigeria
data from the united nations against aids ( unaids ) showed that by 2006 an estimated 1.3 million people in ssa countries were on antiretroviral therapy ( art ) . at the end of 2 years of commencing art , 60% of the hiv / aids patients on art were alive .
the unaids states that three years after the creation of the global fund it is proving to be the engine behind the scale up of the fight against the pandemic worldwide .
fatalism , inevitability and stigma are being replaced with hope and greater openness about hiv / aids .
such a global fund mechanism could also promote wider access to esrd care , develop needed the capacity for kidney disease care , enhance renal care infrastructure as well as promote prevention of ckd in the ssa countries .
this option seems to provide hope for sustainability as the ssa countries may be left to take on the responsibility for the program on the long term using the already established framework of the global initiative .
esrd patients in ssa countries have very minimal access to optimal care as a result of poverty , very low capacity for esrd care , and the absence of any government input in the care of esrd .
this has resulted in an above one - year mortality rate after diagnosis of almost 100% .
ssa countries in the present state of poor governance , weak economies , poor economic management , and seeming lack of proper direction and priority setting , have not demonstrated any willingness to intervene in esrd care as their counterparts in the developed countries and some emerging countries .
an isn - driven global fund initiative for esrd care in ssa countries , as is the case with the global fund for hiv / aids which has shown significant success is recommended .
global partners , ssa host countries , esrd care products industry , esrd patients , and isn / regional kidney societies shall constitute the stake holders . the global fund strategy will aim to provide direct esrd care , human and infrastructural capacity development for ckd care as well as ckd preventive programs .
it is expected that this strategy will change the prevailing unacceptable outcomes of esrd care in ssa . | pubmed |
in clinical research , both outcomes and predictors are frequently collected repeatedly over time and complex mediated relationships may be present among the variables of interest .
for example , in a study of the relationship between alcohol use and hiv disease progression , heavy alcohol consumption may affect antiretroviral therapy ( art ) adherence which , in turn , affects cd4 cell count .
if the goal is to evaluate the total effect of the main independent variable ( e.g. , alcohol consumption ) on the outcome ( cd4 count ) , a single linear mixed effects model ( lmm ) could be fit to the data .
lmms account for correlation among repeated observations within an individual and are frequently used to analyze longitudinal data . to disentangle the direct versus indirect effects of alcohol use on hiv disease progression
, however , a series of lmms could be fit according to the steps described by baron and kenny and demonstrated by krull and mackinnon in the mixed model setting .
in contrast , if these data were analyzed with a structural equation model ( sem ) , variables in the causal pathway could be modeled directly by incorporating adherence into the sem as a mediating variable between heavy alcohol consumption and hiv disease progression . given the objective is to evaluate the total effect of the main independent variable , it is unclear whether there are benefits to modeling the mediated relationship in terms of bias , coverage , and power for the primary study aim .
tradeoffs between the use of sems and lmms have been previously evaluated in general settings , and the equivalence of lmms and sems in some settings without mediation has been well documented in the sem literature [ 512 ] .
the potential advantages of using sems over lmms to analyze longitudinal or hierarchical data include the capacity to explicitly model complex relationships such as mediation [ 4 , 5 , 7 , 1316 ] , the flexibility in modeling covariance structures [ 7 , 15 ] , the availability of fit indices [ 8 , 9 ] , and the capability to account for measurement error [ 5 , 9 , 10 , 15 ] .
one disadvantage is the potential complexity of the sem model and , therefore , the possibility of model misspecification .
in addition , from a practical perspective , the sem may be less convenient to implement given the need for specialized software .
nonetheless , its flexibility and capacity to directly model variables in the causal pathway make it an appealing modeling technique for mediated longitudinal data . in the absence of mediation ,
the type of sem evaluated in this paper is often referred to as a latent growth curve model [ 13 , 1720 ] . incorporating mediation into a latent growth curve framework
has been demonstrated using either a time - invariant mediating factor that influences the latent intercept and slope factors of an outcome trajectory or a time - varying mediator that assumes a parallel growth process in which both the mediator and outcome follow growth trajectories [ 21 , 22 ] .
for both of these approaches , mediation occurs at the random effect level ( individual ) , rather than the observation level and , therefore , can not vary over time . modeling mediation that occurs at multiple levels in longitudinal data has been described using separate linear mixed effects models [ 3 , 23 , 24 ] .
these multilevel models allow for mediation at the individual as well as observation level , but indirect and total effects are estimated from separate regressions . in the multi - level context ,
methods for assessing mediation at the observation level have been described with the added complexity that all mediated effects are random [ 25 , 26 ] .
finally , longitudinal mediation has been described outside of the latent growth curve framework using autoregressive structural equation models [ 24 , 27 ] .
these models assume change over time , where the correlation between observations is not due to underlying random effects ( latent intercept and latent slope ) , but rather results from direct association between an outcome and its value at a previous time point .
autoregressive models are , therefore , not a direct extension of lmms but represent an alternative approach to model mediated longitudinal data . in this paper , we examine an sem in which mediation is present at each time point and can , therefore , vary at the observation level .
we do not assume that the mediator follows a parallel growth process and assume fixed , not random , effects of the mediator on the outcome .
the performance of lmms relative to sems in a longitudinal data setting with a predictor and mediator both measured only at baseline with longitudinal outcomes has previously been studied .
the lmm was accurate and efficient in a variety of settings in estimating the total effect of the main independent variable .
the main advantage of the sem was found to be the ability to simultaneously model the direct and indirect effects of the main independent variable .
the objective of this study is to extend this previous work to the setting where the predictor and mediator are both time dependent with fixed effects that change across time .
in the current study , we evaluate the performance of the lmm relative to the sem in the analysis of mediated longitudinal data with a time - varying predictor and mediator . as an example
, we consider a prospective cohort study assessing the effect of heavy alcohol consumption on hiv disease progression .
the main independent variable , heavy alcohol consumption , is a time - varying binary variable denoted by zj ; art adherence , the mediating variable , is a time - varying variable denoted by mj ; and baseline age , a continuous covariate , is denoted by w. art adherence is a mediator if the primary independent variable , heavy alcohol use , affects cd4 count indirectly through art adherence .
in addition to indirect effects , heavy alcohol use may also have a direct effect on cd4 cell count that is not mediated by art adherence or other variables .
we focus on a setting where the primary aim is to determine the total effect ( direct and indirect effect ) of heavy alcohol use on cd4 cell count while appropriately accounting for the mediating effect of art adherence .
we arbitrarily assume there are six time points at which the outcome , predictor , and mediator are measured .
time is represented by tj ( j = 1,2 , , 6 ) , and times are assumed equally spaced . in this setting ,
an lmm could be used to evaluate the total effect of alcohol consumption on cd4 cell count while accounting for correlation due to multiple assessments from the same individual and confounding effects of covariates . using a lmm would
sems are an alternative approach with the advantage of simultaneous modeling of direct and indirect effects of alcohol consumption on cd4 cell count .
the objective of this paper is to evaluate whether the lmm performs adequately relative to the sem when the goal is to determine the total effect of alcohol consumption , rather than to evaluate whether a variable ( e.g. , adherence ) is a mediator .
a series of simulation studies is carried out to evaluate the performance of several lmms and sems under different conditions .
we also describe the application of the various models to data from a prospective cohort study evaluating the impact of alcohol use on hiv disease progression .
there are two components to an sem , the measurement model and the structural model .
the measurement model relates unobserved latent variables and covariates to outcomes and exposure indicators . in the measurement model ,
the predictors in this model include underlying individual intercept and slope variables as well as time - varying primary independent variable ( heavy alcohol use ) and the time - varying mediator ( art adherence ) .
the second component to an sem , the structural model , models latent variables as a function of observed variables and other latent variables .
this model attempts to capture individual variation in the latent variables . in our model ,
the underlying individual intercept and slope variables are treated as latent variables and modeled as the outcomes of the structural model . in the case of the sem incorporating time - varying mediators , the repeated mediators ( art adherence ) , while not latent variables , are also outcomes predicted with some error by the time - varying primary independent variable ( alcohol use ) so they are incorporated in the structural model .
the subject index has been dropped in the equations below for simplicity :
( 1)yj = u1+tju2+jmj+jzj+j ,
( 2)u1=1+2w+1 ,
( 3)u2=2+2 .
for j = 1 to 6 ,
( 4)mj=3+1j zj+2+j ,
where var( ) = i and cov ( 1 , 2 ) = and cov ( 3 : 8 ) = . the parameters and latent variables in the above equations are interpreted as follows .
j represents the effect of the mediator on the outcome at time j.
1j represents the effect of the main independent variables on the mediator at time j.
j represents the direct effect of the main independent variable on the outcome at time j. the product j 1j represents the indirect effect of the main independent variable on the outcome at time j.
2 represents the constant effect of the continuous covariate on the repeated outcomes .
we have used the conventions for sem path diagrams including rectangles representing observed variables , ovals representing latent variables , triangles representing intercept terms , and arrows representing regression relationships between variables .
the simulated mediated data for this study are generated from an sem , because our goal is to evaluate the performance of the lmm in a setting where the sem is assumed to be optimal .
we considered a setting where the effects of alcohol , the main independent variable , changed across time .
specifically , we assumed a constant short - term effect of alcohol on cd4 count for the first three time points and a constant long - term effect of alcohol across the last three time points .
we refer to this as a delayed effect of the main independent variable . to model
specifically , we set the first three 's to be equal ( * = 1 = 2 = 3 ) and the last three 's to be equal ( = 4 = 5 = 6 ) , where > *. short and long - term effects were similarly defined for j and 1j . under these assumptions , it can be shown that the predictive formula for a given outcome at time tj , for j = 1,2 , 3 is
( 5)yj=(1+3)+2w+2tj+(1+)zj + ( 1+2+j)+2tj+j ,
and for j = 4,5 , 6 is
( 6)yj=(1+3)+2w+2tj+(1+)zj + ( 1+2+j)+2tj+j .
the model assumes a linear effect of time on the outcome .
for the initial set of simulations , we varied the distribution of the total effect of the predictor on the outcome .
we evaluated three situations : ( i ) the total effect was equally distributed between the direct and indirect effect , ( ii ) the total effect was primarily direct ( i.e. , the direct effect was larger than the indirect effect through the mediator ) , and ( iii ) the total effect was primarily indirect ( i.e. , the indirect effect through the mediator was larger than the direct effect of the predictor on the outcome ) . these simulations considered a setting where the true total effect of the primary independent variable was small ( 0.05 ) for the first three time points and small to moderate for the second three time points ( 0.25 ) , as defined by cohen .
these effect sizes were selected as they are considered feasible and realistic for a wide range of clinical settings .
effect size was defined as the true value of the regression parameter divided by the true standard deviation of the residual error term ( ij ) .
we fixed the true standard deviation of all residual error terms in the simulated data to one , so the effect size is equal to the true value of the regression coefficient .
we used a sample size of 350 as this sample size yielded adequate power for the second three time points with the effect size we assumed .
in addition to the initial set of simulations , we also performed simulations evaluating sample sizes ranging from 100500 and alternative effect sizes , for example , small negative effect sizes as observed in the example data set described in section 4 , a moderate effect size ( 0.50 ) as defined by cohen , and a null effect size to evaluate the type i error properties of the models .
model performance with respect to the effect of the primary independent variable on the outcome was evaluated separately for each time - point .
we generated data using the sem described above with repeated measures of a continuous outcome , a random intercept and slope and a time - varying main independent predictor and mediating variable .
the outcome , main independent variable , and mediator were each assessed at 6 time points .
two multivariate normal random variates were generated , one corresponding to the residual variance of the latent intercept and one to be the residual variance of the latent slope .
six multivariate normal random variates were generated corresponding to the residual variance of the mediator variables .
based on equations ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) , the value of the latent intercept and latent slope were computed .
based on equation ( 4 ) , the values of the mediator variables were determined .
six independent standard normal random variates were generated corresponding to the residual error of the six yj 's .
based on equation ( 1 ) , the value of the yj 's were generated .
steps ( 1 ) through ( 6 ) were repeated 1000 times to create 1000 datasets for each simulation .
the models fit to the simulated data were evaluated by assessing : ( i ) bias : estimated as the difference between the true parameter value and the mean observed parameter value divided by the true parameter value .
( ii ) coverage probability : estimated as the percentage of the 1000 95% confidence intervals that contained the true parameter value .
( iii ) power : estimated as the percentage of the 1000 datasets in which a hypothesis test of the parameter of interest was statistically significant and ( iv ) type i error : for settings assuming null effects ( for both direct and indirect effects ) , type i error was estimated as the percentage of the 1000 datasets in which a hypothesis test of the parameter of interest was statistically significant .
after the simulated data were generated as described above , the data were fit with three sems and five lmms representing a range of possible models that could be fit to mediated longitudinal data .
the first sem we evaluated represents one of the simplest and most common models that can be fit .
this model assumes that the direct effect of alcohol on cd4 count is constant ( i.e. , = 1 = = 6 ) , the effect of alcohol on art adherence is constant ( i.e. , 11 = 12 = = 16 ) , and the effect of art adherence on cd4 count is constant ( i.e. , 1 = 2 = = 6 ) . the total effect of the repeated primary independent variable on the repeated outcome is therefore represented by + 1 .
the second sem fit to the simulated data is the model that was used to simulate the data and defined in section 2.2 ; that is , it assumes an early versus late effect . in this model , a short - term total effect of alcohol on cd4 count ( * + *1 * ) is assumed for the first three time points , and a long - term effect of alcohol on cd4 count is assumed for the second three time points ( + 1 ) .
the last sem evaluated is the unrestricted model defined in ( 1)(4 ) and represented in figure 1 .
the unrestricted sem is a model that could be used to evaluate the nature of a mediated longitudinal relationship between alcohol and hiv disease progression without assuming how the effects may change across time .
the first mixed model fit to the simulated data assumes the effect of the repeated primary independent variable to remains constant over time .
the formula for this constant effect mixed model is
( 7)yj=0+1w+2tj+3zj+b1+b2tj+j ,
where var( ) = i and cov ( b ) = . in this model , the interpretation of the parameters is as follows .
1 is the effect of the continuous covariate , w , on the repeated outcomes .
2 is the effect of time , tj , on the repeated outcome .
3 is the effect of the repeated primary independent variable , zj , on the repeated outcomes .
we note that the mediating variable has been excluded from this model , since the goal is to evaluate the total effect of the main independent variable .
if a known mediator is included in a model , then the parameter estimate associated with the primary predictor estimates the direct , rather than the total effect , of that predictor on the outcome . under the constant effect lmm defined in ( 7 ) , the total effect of alcohol on cd4 count at any time - point is represented by 3 . to capture potential short - term and long - term effects , we allowed the effect of alcohol at the first three time points to differ from that at the last three time points . to accomplish this ,
an indicator variable representing observations from the last three time points was entered into the model ( i.e. , indicator variable i(j > 3 ) = 1 at time points 4,5 and 6 and i(j > 3 ) = 0 otherwise ) and the following model was fit :
( 8)yj=0+1w+2tj+3i(j>3 ) + 4zj+5i(j>3)zj+b1+b2tj+j .
therefore , the regression model for j = 1,2 , 3 would be
( 9)yj=0+1w+2tj+4zj+b1+b2tj+j ,
and for j = 4,5 , 6 , it would be
( 10)yj=(0+3)+1w+2tj+(4+5)zj+b1+b2tj+j
in this model , the total effect of the repeated primary independent variable is represented by 4 for the first three time points and 4 + 5 for the second three time points .
in addition , the intercept of the repeated outcomes is given by 0 for the first three time - periods and by 0 + 3 for the second three time - periods .
thus , this model allows for ( a ) estimating a potentially delayed effect of alcohol ( zj ) and ( b ) accounting for a period effect , by allowing different intercept values for the early and late time periods .
the period effect may be induced by the mediator 's changing direct effect ( in the sem from which the data are generated , the mediator effect is *3 from ( 5 ) for the first three time points and 3 from ( 6 ) for the last three time points ) .
as described above , the simulated data are generated from an sem where the effect of the mediator changes over time . in practice ,
such time dependent effects can be modeled directly as part of the mediation process using sems .
in contrast , in lmm models , this difference in mean outcome value for early versus late effects can be captured by a time - varying intercept . however , the need for a time - varying intercept term is not immediately clear when fitting a mixed model in this setting , and thus , a model without time - varying intercepts may be more commonly fit .
we refer to such a model as the naive delayed effect model
( 11)yj=0+1w+2tj+3zj + i(j>3)4zj+b1+b2tj+j .
this model is similar to the full delayed model but assumes the intercept of the repeated outcomes , 0 , is the same for all six time periods . in this naive model ,
the total effect of alcohol on hiv disease progression is given by 3 for the first three time points and by 3 + 4 for the second three time points .
in mixed models , an interaction between time and the main independent variable is commonly included to assess whether the effect of the independent variable changes linearly across time
( 12)yj=0+1w+2tj+3zj+4tjzj+b1+b2tj+j .
in this model , the total effect of alcohol ( zj ) is modeled as a linear function of time , tj , and is represented by 3 + 4tj .
the last mixed model we evaluated allowed the effect of alcohol on cd4 count to vary at each time - point , without assuming linearity .
the equation for this unrestricted lmm is
( 13)yj=0+ww+tji(tj)+zzj+z , tji(tj ) zj + b1+b2tj+ij
where i(tj ) is an indicator of time point and is defined as i(tj ) = 1 if tj = j and i(tj ) = 0 otherwise . in this model ,
the effect of zj is a function of time and is represented by z + z , tji(tj ) .
this is the least restrictive model and is sometimes called a profile analysis . to evaluate the performance of the lmm relative to the sem , we made the following five comparisons .
constant effect sem ( cesem ) versus constant effect mixed model ( cemm ) . delayed effect sem ( desem ) versus full delayed effect mixed model ( fdemm ) .
delayed effect sem ( desem ) versus naive delayed effect mixed model ( ndemm ) .
unrestricted sem ( usem ) versus time interaction mixed model ( timm ) . we simulated data under the sem defined in section 2.2 .
the sems were fit as a reference standard to compare with the lmm results , since the objective was to evaluate the performance of the lmm in a setting where the sem is assumed to be optimal . for comparisons ( 1 ) , ( 2 ) , and ( 3 )
, the main difference between the models is that the sem explicitly models the mediation , while the lmm does not .
comparison 4 is of interest , because with time - varying mediated data , the naive delayed effect model is commonly fit within the mixed model framework .
however , as described earlier , this model does not fully capture the time - varying mediation process , and thus , it is useful to evaluate its performance against the sem .
comparison ( 5 ) is evaluated since a time interaction mixed model is also a common approach in the mixed model framework when a time - varying relationship is suspected . however , it relies on the assumption that the effect of alcohol is a linear function of time .
it is , therefore , of interest to compare this model to the unrestricted sem , which does not assume linearity .
in a setting where the true effect size changed over time , the estimated power to detect the true effect of the primary independent variables on the outcome from a model assuming a constant effect was generally inadequate with a sample size of 350 ( 66% for both the sem and lmm in all cases ) ( table 1 ) . when effects were distributed equally between direct and indirect effects , estimated power was similar for the two models although slightly higher for the sem ( 65% versus 62% ) .
the bias estimates for both the cesem and cemm were quite large ( 180% and 171% , resp .
, for t1t3 and 44% and 45% , resp . , for t4t6 ) , overestimating smaller short - term effects and underestimating larger long - term effects as would be expected .
the coverage probability was also quite low although for both models , it was higher for the early time points compared to the later three time points .
similar results were observed when effects were primarily direct and also when they were primarily indirect .
we note that we deliberately created a small effect at the first three time points to simulate a delayed effect of treatment on outcome and , therefore , did not expect to have adequate power to detect effects at the first three time points with the sample size evaluated .
power was markedly lower for sample sizes less than 350 and for the reduced effect sizes .
the desem and fdemm had similar power to detect long - term total effects independent of whether effects were equally distributed , primarily direct , and primarily indirect ( table 2 ) . with a sample size of 350 and an effect size of 0.25 ,
the estimated power for the last three time points for the desem was slightly higher ( 83%85% ) than for the fdemm ( 82%84% ) .
the bias for both models was low ( 0.1%1.7% and 0.3%1.4% , resp . ) and the coverage probability was high ( 95% and 94% for the desem and fdemm , resp . ) .
similar patterns were observed for other sample sizes with the same effect size . for smaller sample sizes ( 100 and 200 ) , the power dropped to unacceptable levels ( 32%63% ) .
again , since the magnitude of the effect at the first three time points is small , we did not expect to have adequate power to detect such an effect in either modeling framework with a sample size of 350 . in both models ,
the power to detect the total effect for the first three time periods was substantially lower than that for the last three ( 10%13% in the first three time points versus 82%85% for the second three time points for both models ) , where the effects were of a larger magnitude . with a sample size of 400
, the power remained low to detect a small effect ( 0.11 , the observed effect size from the real data example standardized by the residual standard deviation ) for both models ( 30% for desem and fdemm ) . at all sample and effect sizes
, results did not differ substantially between modeling frameworks . with a sample size of 350 ,
the performance of the usem and umm were very similar , regardless of whether effects were equally distributed , primarily direct , or primarily indirect ( table 3 ) .
as seen in previous models , the power to detect the effect at the first three time points was low ( 6%9% ) for both models .
for the last three time points , the power to detect the effects was also low for both models ( 36%58% for the usem and 36%55% for the umm ) .
the bias , however , was also quite low for both models ( 0.08% to 2.9% for the usem and 2.6% to 2.6% for the umm ) .
the coverage probability for both models was good ( 93%96% for the usem and umm ) across the different effect distributions .
in these models , no specific relationship with time is assumed in the lmm or the sem , so both models freely estimate the effect of the time - varying main independent variable on time .
the cost of this , however , is that several more parameters must be estimated , and therefore , the power to detect effects is reduced .
similar patterns were observed for other sample sizes and effect sizes . with the sample size of 350 , when the distribution of the effect was equally distributed , the power to detect the total effect for last three time points was very good for the desem ( 83% ) , the bias was low ( 0.1% ) , and the coverage probability was high ( 95% ) ( table 2 ) .
in contrast , for the ndemm , there was substantial bias ( 109% ) in estimating the total effect for the last three time points .
this naive model clearly does not correctly estimate the effect of the primary independent variable on the outcome .
similar trends were observed in the comparison of the two models regardless of how the total effect was distributed , the sample size , or the effect size .
regardless of the distribution of effects , sample size , or effect size , the timm and usem had low power to detect the effect of the repeated primary independent variable on the repeated outcome for the first three time points ( table 3 ) , as expected . with a sample size of 350 , power ranged 7%9% for the usem and 5%56% for the timm . for the last three time points at this sample size , the usem had lower bias but also lower power compared to the timm . for the timm ,
incorrectly forcing a linear trend resulted in a larger degree of bias . while the timm had a large degree of bias at all time points , it has higher power than the usem at most time points .
this increased power relative to the usem is likely due , at least in part , to fewer parameters being estimated .
the higher power and bias of the timm relative to the usem was also observed for other sample sizes and effect sizes ( table 3 ) .
table 4 shows the estimated type i error rates for a range of sample sizes .
the type i error was remarkably similar between analogous sem and lmm models . across all models , the observed type i
error rates ranged from 0.030 ( cesem , sample size of 350 ) to 0.072 ( umm , sample size of 100 ) .
to demonstrate the application of the various lmms and sems evaluated in the simulation study , we analyzed data from a prospective cohort study evaluating the effect of alcohol use on hiv disease progression .
the original analyses combined data from two cohorts ( the hiv - alc and hiv - live cohorts ) . to illustrate the models evaluated in this paper , we have used data from the hiv - live study and fit the various lmms and sems of interest . for clarity of presentation , we limited the analyses to observations where subjects reported any art use during followup ( n = 319 ) and included only the following key variables : heavy alcohol consumption ( yes versus no ) , the main independent variable , art adherence ( percentage of pills taken in the last three days ) , the mediator ; age , a potential confounder , and cd4 cell count , the primary outcome .
the total effect of alcohol consumption on cd4 count was not statistically significant in any of the sems or lmms fit to the data .
both constant effect models showed a small negative effect ( 3.7 in the cesem and 3.0 in the cemm ) .
the delayed effect sem and lmm showed similar negative effects in the last four time points although the magnitude of effect in the desem was slightly larger ( 10.3 ) than that for the demm ( 4.1 ) .
the magnitude of effect at the first three time points was quite small in both delayed effect models but differed in sign in the desem ( 0.41 ) and demm ( 2.3 ) although neither value was significantly different from zero .
the unrestricted models generally showed similar results with effects ranging from 41.8 to 5.7 in the usem and ranging from 15.8 to 9.5 in the umm .
the direction of the estimated alcohol effects were consistent between models with the exception of the third time - point which had a small estimated negative effect in the usem ( 1.4 ) and a small estimated positive effect in the umm ( 6.9 ) ; however , neither effect was statistically significant .
the magnitude of the effects were similar between the timm and usem . since a linear effect of time
is assumed in the timm , however , all effects after time - point 2 are negative , whereas in the usem , the direction of effects changes between negative and positive .
mixed models are a useful technique to analyze longitudinal data , with time - dependent variables .
they can be applied to mediated longitudinal data , and a series of models can be fit to disentangle direct versus indirect effects of an exposure .
however , it is unknown whether they perform well relative to sems , a method used for mediational analysis . in this paper
, we evaluated the performance of the linear mixed model relative to the sem in the setting of a time - dependent predictor and mediator , where the effects of both change over time .
the main simulation study assumed that the primary independent predictor had a delayed effect on the outcome ( i.e. , a small effect at the first three time points and a moderate effect at the last three time points ) .
a range of sems ( constant effect sem , delayed effect sem , and unrestricted sem ) and lmms ( constant effect mixed model , naive delayed effect mixed model , full delayed effect mixed model , time - interaction mixed model , and unrestricted mixed model ) were fit to the simulated data .
three comparisons were made between analogous " models in that the main difference between models was that the sem explicitly models the mediation , while in the mixed model , the mediator is removed from the model .
the analogous models were constant effect sem versus constant effect mixed model delayed effect sem versus full delayed effect mixed model , and unrestricted sem versus unrestricted mixed model .
the power , bias , and coverage probability were all similar when the sem and lmm were compared .
the results from the analysis of data from a prospective cohort study evaluating the impact of alcohol use on hiv disease progression further illustrated the similarity of results from analogous sems and lmms .
the first comparison was between the delayed effect sem and the naive delayed effect mixed model . in the sem framework ,
mediation can be directly modeled at each time - point , and therefore , the mediated delayed effect of the time - varying predictor is easily incorporated . in the mixed model framework , however , mediation is not directly modeled .
instead , mediators are removed from the model if the goal is to obtain the total effect of the time - varying predictor on the outcome . therefore , in the mixed model framework , it may not be clear whether a time - varying intercept term is necessary in the model to properly account for the mediated relationship between the predictor and outcome .
our simulations show that the naive delayed mixed model produced extremely biased estimates of both short- and long - term exposure effects , and coverage probabilities were poor .
therefore , although the naive delayed effect mixed model represents a model that may be a natural choice in the mixed model framework , it may not produce valid estimates . to obtain accurate estimates with the mixed model , fitting the full delayed effect model ( with time - specific intercept terms )
this is a distinct disadvantage of the mixed model framework since the model that may be the most natural to fit may result in inaccurate estimates , whereas a natural choice for the sem is the full delayed effect model , a model which performed relatively well .
the second set of nonanalogous models compared the unrestricted sem and the time - interaction mixed model .
these two models reflect a potential difference in the way that time is handled in the two frameworks . in longitudinal data analysis , sems incorporate the value of time as a fixed regression coefficient in the measurement model .
if some unspecified nonlinear relationship over time between the predictor and outcome is suspected , the most natural way to evaluate this is to leave the relationship between the time - varying predictor and outcome unrestricted and obtain separate estimates at each time - point as is done in the unrestricted sem .
in mixed models , however , interactions between time and other predictors ( time invariant or time varying ) are frequently incorporated . in our simulation study ,
power was generally higher for the mixed model , possibly due in part to the fewer number of parameters being estimated .
the difference between the time - interaction mixed model and the unrestricted sem was also observed in the real - data example . in the setting of mediated longitudinal data where exposure effects change over time ,
the mixed model performed well relative to analogous sems . the delayed effect sem and full delayed effect mixed model had the best performance in terms of bias , coverage probability , and power in modeling the time - specific relationships between variables .
it should be noted that in the setting of mediated time - specific effects , the delayed effect sem , a natural choice for a model within the sem framework , yielded substantially better results than the naive delayed mixed model , a natural model to choose within the lmm framework .
two other common models that may be fit , the unrestricted sem and mixed model , both performed well in terms of bias and coverage probability , however , both had lower power due to the relatively large number of parameters being estimated for the given sample size .
we note that the results observed in this study may not be generalizable to other settings , for example , scenarios with more complex pathways and relationships between variables could affect the performance of the lmm .
linear mixed models can perform well relative to sems in the analysis of mediated longitudinal data with a time - dependent predictor and mediator .
however , care must be taken to identify an appropriate model that adequately accounts for mediator effects , for example , by including time - varying intercepts and excluding variables in the causal pathway . in the specific setting of delayed effect of the time - varying predictor ,
common models fit within the mixed model framework may not perform adequately in this mediated longitudinal data setting .
however , an appropriately specified mixed model can have good performance relative to the sem in evaluating the overall effects of a time - varying predictor . | pubmed |
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Eğirdir Castle is a castle in Turkey
It is in Eğirdir ilçe district of Isparta Province. Located at is on an isthmus of Eğirdir Lake.
There is no written account of the construction date of the castle. According to local tradition it may be as old as the Lydian Kingdom BC 6-7 centuries But judging from the masonry it was constructed or reconstructed during the Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire eras. In the early 14th century Eğirdir was the capital of the Anatolian beylik of Hamidids. According to the inscription of the castle, it was restored by Dündar of Hamidoğlu in 1307. However, during the campaign of Timur in 1402, it was partially ruined. During the Ottoman Empire era the castle was a small military post.
The castle was primarily built against the attacks from the lake and it is only about high. Because of the urban settlement on the ruins, the size of the original castle is not known But the area of the inner castle is about .
References
Category:History of Isparta Province
Category:Eğirdir District
Category:Castles in Turkey | wikipedia |
supersymmetry is one of the most promising solutions of the hierarchy and fine - tuning problem , namely the vast difference between the electroweak ( ew ) and the planck scale , and the very stability of this difference .
it yields a mechanism for radiatively generating ew symmetry breaking , allows for an exact unification of all forces and conveys a candidate for dark matter .
however , it comes with the price of having new problems , connected to the flavour sector , the stability of the proton , and new sorts of hierarchy problems known as the @xmath2 problem and doublet - triplet splitting . to address these questions ,
models have been developed that derive from a planck or gut scale exceptional gauge group like @xmath0 @xcite , and might be embedded in the context of the heterotic string .
such @xmath0-based models have a matter - higgs unification , are automatically anomaly - free , include the right - handed neutrino , and solve the @xmath2 problem as an effective next - to - minimal susy standard model ( nmssm ) . however , one either has to solve a problem similar to doublet - triplet splitting , or use e.g. an intermediate left - right symmetric model , where the high - scale braking happens through orbifold compactifications @xcite .
the fundamental representation of @xmath0 , the @xmath3 , contains exotic states which carry both lepton and baryon number and hence act as lepto- or diquarks .
this is why a mechanism as in @xcite is chosen specifically to prevent a phenomenologically disastrous rapid proton decay .
as these exotics are left - chiral superfields ( with vector - like quantum numbers with respect to the ew gauge group ) , they come as a pair of scalars , @xmath4 and @xmath5 , being @xmath1 even , and a dirac fermion , @xmath6 , being @xmath1 odd , at the ew scale . the states are called leptoquarks and leptoquarkinos , respectively .
their potential discovery at the large hadron collider ( lhc ) may allow for a direct handle on the gut structure of these models at the tev scale beyond super - precise extrapolation of parameters over 13 - 15 orders of magnitude . for the rest of this letter , it is sufficient to take the model - building set - up above as a rough motivation how such states could come about in nature , and further on just assume their existence together with the spectrum of an nmssm - like model .
the phenomenology of the scalar leptoquarks is very similar to that of non - supersymmetric states due to their r - even nature and will be discussed in a following publication @xcite . while the pair production of the fermionic superpartners , the leptoquarkinos , is almost completely determined by qcd , their decays
as @xmath1-odd particles show the very same cascade - like structures as squark and gluino decays .
however , their decay products contain both non - vanishing lepton and baryon number .
hence , kinematic edge structures for the mass determination of new physics states derived from jet - lepton or jet - dilepton exclusive final states have very characteristic features which using invalid assumptions about the underlying susy model could lead to wrong particle identifications and mass determinations ( the latter point is particularly relevant , if the scalar states which happen to be usually heavier than the fermions might lie outside the kinematic reach of lhc ) .
the intent of this paper is to first introduce the relevant observables before a brief discussion of the exotic fermion production and decay mechanisms is followed by a dedicated study on the impact of leptoquarkinos with varying masses onto susy squark analysis methods .
here it is the goal to show the essential and important differences between standard susy squark cascades and leptoquarkino - triggered cascades , and why it is important to consider at least both , if not all possible model alternatives .
mass edge variables @xcite have mostly been developed with a certain decay pattern in mind : left - handed squark into a quark , two leptons and the lightest neutralino via the on - shell decays of the second - to - lightest neutralino and a right - handed slepton : @xmath7 since one is not able to distinguish experimentally which of the leptons @xmath8 and @xmath9 is nearest to the quark ( in terms of the decay cascade ) , two specific observables have been introduced @xcite to allow for a discrimination : @xmath10 as squarks are pair - produced at the lhc , they decay via the above or even simpler patterns leading to final states that may be able to mimic those of the leptoquarkino signals : two hard partonic jets , two or more opposite sign , same flavour ( ossf ) leptons and most importantly large amounts of missing transverse energy .
however , it is crucial to note , that due to the general assumption of minimal flavour violation in the susy lepton sector , flavour is a conserved quantum number and runs like a line through the cascade chain .
hence , ossf leptons originating from squark decays inside a single decay chain are ( up to a simple combinatorical factor ) equally likely than opposite sign different flavour ( osdf ) lepton contributions for standard mssm - type signals , since the branching ratios into first and second generation fermion / sfermion combinations are of the same size in most msugra scenarios .
these osdf signals are coming in the standard mssm paradigm from different flavour decays of pair - produced susy particles .
they are , however , not present in the case of leptoquarkino decays , when we consider flavour - diagonal yukawa couplings and standard fcnc constraints , which allows to suppress large amounts of standard susy backgrounds. as a selection criterion , we accept events only if they have exactly two hard jets with a minimum @xmath11 of 50 gev . this requirement is intended to suppress one additional collinear initial state radiation jet , for allowed jet multiplicities of three
if we also choose to take jet multiplicities of four into account , we have to be more careful : to avert the contamination by e.g. a gluino pair production signal , we need the third hardest jet to have a maximum @xmath11 of 50 gev , while retaining the cuts above for the two hardest jets . in the cases investigated here
this was sufficient to separate leptoquarkino signals from gluino pair production , however , there is still the possibility from mixed gluino - squark production which is known to be able to be accompanied by possibly harder qcd radiation jets @xcite .
furthermore , it could also appear that jets from decays could be rather soft ( e.g. in sps1a where gluinos and squarks are quite degenerate ) , leading to a confusion with qcd radiation jets .
for leptoquarkino signals this seems not to be overly likely ( because the leptoquarkino renormalization group equations are not so tightly linked as those of squarks and gluinos ) , but is nevertheless possible . for the further analysis presented here
, we just take the rather simplified cut above and assume that the jet backgrounds are under control .
a complete background study is beyond the intent of the present study and is not performed here .
branching ratio for the leptoquarkino decay into fermion and scalar ( left ) , leading order cross sections for single and pair production at 14 tev ( right).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] branching ratio for the leptoquarkino decay into fermion and scalar ( left ) , leading order cross sections for single and pair production at 14 tev ( right).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] leptoquarkinos , if existent , are abundantly produced at the lhc , since they are massive colored isosinglet fermions @xcite . the leading order cross sections basically depend only on the mass for pair production , and the yukawa coupling for single production , respectively ( see rhs of fig . [
cs : br ] ) .
the yukawa coupling is without knowledge of the complete gut model arbitrary , but was taken here to be of the size of the electromagnetic coupling ( @xmath12 ) .
the lhs of fig .
[ cs : br ] shows the branching fractions of the decaying leptoquarkino ( for varying masses ) into a fermion / sfermion pair . as the decay into squarks and leptons
is kinematically forbidden for low leptoquarkino masses ( and still heavily phase - space suppressed for increasing leptoquarkino masses ) , the sleptons dominate in that case as intermediate states in cascades .
though this depends on the parameter space of the models , we follow this assumption from here on .
consequently , a typical leptoquarkino decay may be given by @xmath13 whereas a second - to - lightest neutralino in the decay chain starts to become important for heavier masses , leading to different intermediate states , e.g. : @xmath14 leptoquarkinos produced in pairs thus show the same exclusive final states as squarks , namely two hard partonic jets , two or more leptons and large missing transverse energy in the detector , accounting for the undetected neutralinos .
the influence of the second type of cascade ( [ eq : lqinocasc2 ] ) however is of less importance , since the new majorana decay gives rise to additional osdf lepton contributions , which is absent in the first type of leptoquarkino chain .
additionally , heavier intermediate states are strongly phase - space suppressed and only start to become more important for increasing exotic masses .
consequently , we focus our analysis on the first cascade ( [ eq : lqinocasc1 ] ) with the case of only two ossf leptons being present , as it proves to be the most common exotic decay pattern for the regions in parameter space with relatively light leptoquarks . and @xmath15 with @xmath16,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] and @xmath15 with @xmath16,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] at this early partonic stage , standard analysis methods for lepton - quark mass edges applied to events with dedicated leptoquarkino cascades show strong discrepancies to well - known results from standard susy signals .
the difference emerges due to the intermediate on - shell scalar ( squark or slepton ) between the quark and lepton compared to a majorana fermion as e.g. the neutralino in the mssm : there are no possible spin correlations between lepton and quark , as they are connected through a scalar propagator . as a result ,
their invariant mass spectrum is equivalent to the dilepton spectrum in standard mssm models ( stemming from a scalar slepton propagator ) , in that it linearly rises from zero to its maximum at the endpoint , where it instantly falls down to zero .
this case is not necessarily a unique feature of susy as there are other models with a scalar propagator , which may distort the actual shape of the relevant invariant mass variables ( e.q . in ued , for a general review cf @xcite ) .
however we take the leptoquarkino setup as an application prototype and investigate how such deviations from possible intermediate scalars can arise in the context of a susy decay chain .
a complete knowledge of the particular extended susy model containing leptoquarkinos is not needed for the present study , but will be discussed in a future publication , which in addition will discuss a set of discrete self - consistent parameter points @xcite .
the generic properties of leptoquarkinos , however , could be inferred rather independent of the underlying model setup : they are scalar particles which decay into final states with lepton and baryon number , but because of the assumption of conserved r parity do not show a peak in the corresponding invariant mass distribution .
the smoking - gun signatures are the specific quark - lepton mass edges to be described below in detail , which deviate from standard edges in susy squark and gluino searches .
( such decays could indeed arise from squarks in susy models with @xmath1 parity violation , however , due to constraints from proton lifetime these would be overwhelmingly washed out by the standard susy decays ) .
the flavor structure of leptoquarkinos might be quite interesting , especially when considering third - generation leptoquarkinos involving ( s)tops , ( s)bottoms ( experimentally problematic because of the neutrinos in the final state ) and ( s)taus , but is rather model - dependent and thus we postpone a more comprehensive analysis to @xcite . for the comparison of ordinary squark- with leptoquarkino cascades we are exemplarily using the parameter point _
@xcite for the mssm as well as a model containing leptoquarks and -inos with varying masses augmented by squarks and sleptons with the same masses as the _ sps1a _ data point ( @xmath17 gev , @xmath18 gev , @xmath19 gev , @xmath20 gev , @xmath21 gev , @xmath22 gev ) . to reduce the dependency of the effect of edge distortion on the susy scenario
, we also looked at three other heavy snowmass points and slopes ( sps ) spectra including one gauge - mediated symmetry breaking ( gmsb ) case ( _ sps1b , sps3 , sps7 _
@xcite ) , the results of which are summarized in the appendix . in general , we find that the following analysis does not depend on the susy breaking scenario or the detailed specifics of the chosen parameter point .
the kinematical endpoints under consideration are given by the masses of the intermediate and mother particles : @xmath23^{\frac{1}{2}}\nonumber \\
= \enspace & 433 \enspace ( 496 ) \enspace { { \ensuremath\rm gev}}\label{eq : sel_edges2}\end{aligned}\ ] ] for a leptoquarkino mass of 600 gev , where the value in parentheses is given for an intermediate left - handed slepton , which is slightly phase - space suppressed in this particular
_ sps1a _ scenario .
the overall signal consists of the sum of both contributions leading to the shape visible in figures [ mlq : highlow ] , [ fig : scan ] and [ fig : invmassll ] . for each model ,
a data set of 10k unweighted events was generated using a hard - coded implementation of these @xmath0-inspired susy models into the event generator whizard @xcite , which is particularly well suited for lhc beyond the sm studies @xcite .
while a complete validation of the model implementation using the whizard interface to the feynrules package @xcite is under way , the part of the implementation relevant for this paper has been extensively tested .
+ returning to the cascade , there still remains the problem of observability : experimentally there is no possibility to select the correct partonic jet and corresponding lepton , which are then to be combined to the invariant mass spectrum .
while in mssm models this would come about due to the presence of the majorana fermion decay into two ossf leptons , in the leptoquarkino case two ossf leptons are to be collected from different cascades , one originating from the leptoquarkino and the other from its antiparticle , respectively .
the observables @xmath15 and @xmath24 , shown in fig .
[ mlq : highlow ] , thus display the tremendous discrepancy , especially the latter one with its sharply falling edge shape , intrinsic to the nature of the scalar intermediate sparticle .
the long tail , inherent in the signal variant of @xmath24 , is another unusual feature and a direct consquence of the combination of final state particles from two different cascade sides .
this issue of combinatorics however may be addressed by combining the softest jet and the hardest lepton to form an invariant mass spectrum in a single event .
this has proven to be useful @xcite in terms of resembling the actual shape and thus the most accurate position of the theoretical edge : @xmath25 and @xmath24 , respectively .
the lower parts show the complete quark - dilepton spectrum @xmath26 on the left and the combinatorics - free @xmath27 on the right , which is defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 400 , 600 , 800 and 1000 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] and @xmath24 , respectively .
the lower parts show the complete quark - dilepton spectrum @xmath26 on the left and the combinatorics - free @xmath27 on the right , which is defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 400 , 600 , 800 and 1000 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] + and @xmath24 , respectively .
the lower parts show the complete quark - dilepton spectrum @xmath26 on the left and the combinatorics - free @xmath27 on the right , which is defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 400 , 600 , 800 and 1000 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] and @xmath24 , respectively .
the lower parts show the complete quark - dilepton spectrum @xmath26 on the left and the combinatorics - free @xmath27 on the right , which is defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 400 , 600 , 800 and 1000 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] this observable is analysed in fig .
[ fig : scan ] for _ sps1a _ ( the other sps scenarios are found in figs . [
fig : scan2]-[fig : scan4 ] ) together with @xmath24 , @xmath15 and @xmath26 for four different leptoquarkino masses ranging from 400 gev@xmath28to 1000 gev embedded into an underlying sps1a spectrum . since the hadronic leading order cross - section for pair produced leptoquarkinos is of the order of @xmath29 fb for masses as low as 400 gev ( see fig [ cs : br ] ) , it dominates the shape of the observables in fig .
[ fig : scan ] .
the specific shapes of the observables directly hints towards new , possibly exotic physics beyond a standard susy paradigm .
however , this behaviour changes for heavier leptoquarkinos : the higher the mass and thus the lower the cross - section of the involved leptoquarkino , the weaker the effect on the observables .
while for masses of 600 gev the shape of the distribution is still predominantly given by the leptoquarkino contribution , differences to squark signals are merely visible for 800 gev and are practically invisible for 1000 gev ( or will be so after detector effects ) .
these characteristics do not change drastically for the other sps spectra but are instead shifted to higher values of the leptoquarkino mass .
the feature of edge distortion persists in all of the different susy scenarios and is thus mainly independent of the latter , as long as the leptoquarkino mass is not much heavier than the rest of the spectrum . shortly above the kinematical edge .
the rhs presents the impact of this cut on the variable defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) ( @xmath30).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] shortly above the kinematical edge .
the rhs presents the impact of this cut on the variable defined in eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) ( @xmath30).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] .significance estimates for @xmath31 fb@xmath32 and the relevant ( non- ) standard susy final state of two hard jets , two ossf leptons and @xmath33 .
we only consider standard susy events as possible backgrounds .
[ cols=">,^,^,^",options="header " , ] given that @xmath34 ( @xmath35 ) and @xmath26 are single - sided variables , the inclusion of the leptoquarkinos spoils the clear endpoint structure due to the presence of ( at least ) one lepton from the opposite ( wrong ) side .
a special remark is in place here : if kinematical endpoints as the ones discussed above are distorted by a certain amount of events , which are positioned in a kinematically inaccessible region ( i.e. beyond the edge ) , it may not necessarily mean , that the combinatorics of a typical squark analysis went berserk , but rather indicate an underlying process , that has , as in our case , exotic fermions involved . a closer look onto a supplementary observable such as @xmath27 from eqn . ( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) , whose construction is free of combinatorical issues ( which , however , could still suffer from an admixture from different decay sides ) , may then deliver the additional insight into the specific process and thus the nature of the model in question . furthermore considering one specific sps scenario , namely _
sps1a _ , together with the extra exotic matter content , one is able to discriminate the squark and leptoquarkino signals by means of the two involved ossf leptons in the following way : observation of the dileptonic invariant mass spectrum may indicate a kinematic endpoint for a vanilla mssm signal , which would not be the case for a signature of leptoquarkinos . a rough significance estimate for @xmath31 fb@xmath32 at 7 tev
thus is possible by comparing the number of events for the sum of mssm - type squark and leptoquarkino cascade to the ones who survive an analysis cut of @xmath36 gev .
the latter is based on the fact that the kinematical endpoint of the standard susy dilepton edge for underlying _
sps1a _ is located below this fixed point in the invariant mass spectrum .
significance estimates are given in tab .
[ tab : s2b ] while fig .
[ fig : invmassll ] highlights the discrepancies between standard and non - standard susy signals inherent in the dileptonic signal and the effect of the analysis cut on the variable @xmath37 from eqn .
( [ eq : mlqstern ] ) for a fixed exotic leptoquarkino mass of @xmath38 gev . ,
instead dressed with an underlying sps1b .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 600 , 800 , 1000 and 1200 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] , instead dressed with an underlying sps1b .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 600 , 800 , 1000 and 1200 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] + , instead dressed with an underlying sps1b .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 600 , 800 , 1000 and 1200 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ] , instead dressed with an underlying sps1b .
continuous , dashed , dotted and dash - dotted lines correspond to leptoquarkino masses of 600 , 800 , 1000 and 1200 gev , respectively.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=45.0% ]
in this letter , we showed in the context of a quite general setup of gut - inspired susy models containing non - standard susy states how the physiognomy of standard kinematic variables for mass determination of cascade states can be altered .
this happened as the lack of spin correlations does not distort the shape of those observables .
however , the missing spin correlations do not come from a complete change of the underlying model paradigm ( e.g. assuming universal extra dimensions , ued ) but from a slight variation or extension of the standard susy scenario . the potential for a possible confusion in the model discrimination is specifically given in the case that the corresponding scalar partners are too heavy to appear as resonances at lhc .
the significant issue of combinatorics may have a huge impact on the analysis , if interpreted in the wrong way .
events in certain regions , which are kinematically forbidden in vanilla mssm models , are prone to be dismissed .
this comes about due to their false misidentification based on combinatorics and prevents a possible disclosure of a real signal from extended susy models or the like , in which the population of the aforementioned regions is inherent .
consequently this might serve as a prime example to show that model discrimination at lhc is a crucial , but tedious task , that needs to be carried out very carefully .
slightest variations of the underlying model assumptions may distort the shape and appearance of observables and likely misidentifications may furthermore even prevent the discovery of new , possibly exotic physics signals .
leptoquarkinos in the context of susy models is a framework to consistently embed fermionic leptoquark states in a renormalizable model .
these particles have , depending on their mass , rather high production rates at the lhc , and their smoking - gun signatures are very pronounced mass edges in several lepton - jet mass variables compared to standard squark / gluino mass edges .
other features like mass pattern and flavor structure are more model - dependent and not generic for these states .
the discovery of leptoquarkinos could provide a direct access to the gut scale structure of supersymmetric field theories .
we thank alexander knochel , felix jrder and christoph horst for stimulating remarks , felix braam for providing us with his code and christian speckner for help with the implementation .
this work has been supported by the german research council ( dfg ) under grant no .
re/2850/1 - 1 as well as by the ministery for research and culture ( mwk ) of the german state baden - wrttemberg , and has also been partially supported by the dfg graduiertenkolleg grk 1102 `` physics at hadron colliders '' . at the very end of the project , d.w .
acknowledges support from the scottish universities physics alliance ( supa ) .
in this appendix we collect the mass edge variables @xmath39 , @xmath40 , @xmath26 , and @xmath27 for varying susy spectra given by the snowmass points sps1b , sps3 , and sps7 , respectively in fig .
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commun .
* 180 * , 1614 ( 2009 ) ; n. d. christensen , c. duhr , b. fuks , j. reuter and c. speckner , arxiv:1010.3251 [ hep - ph ] .
j. kang , p. langacker and b. d. nelson , phys .
d * 77 * ( 2008 ) 035003 [ arxiv:0708.2701 [ hep - ph ] ] . | arxiv |
Q: Java: Register key press on JTextPane I'm making an application with java that has a JTextPane. I want to be able to execute some code when the enter key is pressed (or when the user goes to the next line). I've looked on the web and not found a solution. Would it be better to tackle this with C#? If not, how can i register the Enter key in the JTextPane's keyTyped() event? If C# is a good option, how would i do this in C#?
Here is a solution i thought would work...but did not
//Event triggered when a key is typed
private void keyTyped(java.awt.event.KeyEvent evt) {
int key = evt.getKeyCode();
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_ENTER) {
Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().beep();
System.out.println("ENTER pressed");
}
}
Why the above example does not work is because no matter which key i press, i get a keyCode of 0. I would prefer a solution to this problem in Java but C# would work just as well, maybe better. Also, please try to answer the question with examples and not links(unless you really need to). Thanks!
A: One solution is to add a key binding on the textpane. e.g.,
JTextPane textPane = new JTextPane();
int condition = JComponent.WHEN_FOCUSED;
InputMap iMap = textPane.getInputMap(condition);
ActionMap aMap = textPane.getActionMap();
String enter = "enter";
iMap.put(KeyStroke.getKeyStroke(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER, 0), enter);
aMap.put(enter, new AbstractAction() {
@Override
public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent arg0) {
System.out.println("enter pressed");
}
});
A: This answer is in case anyone ever views this thread I got the same things as Mr. Mohammad Adib.
So instead of using ...
(evt.getKeyCode()==evt.VK_ENTER)
I used ...
(evt.getKeyChar()=='\n')
and the solution worked.
A: I am looking for ENTER key in the password text field, to launch the login method when ENTER was pressed. The code below will print in the console the keycode. After running the program and typing a few tihngs in the box I discovered for ENTER key it is code 13.
txtPass = new Text(shlLogin, SWT.BORDER | SWT.PASSWORD);
txtPass.addKeyListener(new KeyAdapter() {
@Override
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
System.out.println(e.keyCode);
if (e.keyCode == 13) { /* ... Do your stuff ... */ }
}
});
If you are looking for a single key press, you can still be a little lazy and avoid learning new stuff about key bindings, by using this method. The fun begins when adding CTRL+[Letter] shortcuts - but this is for another discussion.
| slim_pajama |
Tarek Tawfik, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Cairo, said that a major US business delegation comprised of 43 American companies will visit Egypt on Tuesday, to explore prospective business opportunities in the country. Members of the delegation are scheduled to meet with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, along with the prime minister, and members of the economic ministerial group.
Tawfik added that the visit of American companies to Egypt comes within the framework of periodic meetings organised every two years in cooperation between the AmCham, the Egypt-US Business Council (EUSBC), and the AmCham Egypt Inc. in the US.
Among the companies that will participate in the delegation are Apache, the oil and gas giant, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
The chamber said in a statement that the delegation will include leading US corporations represented through their global and regional senior executives, covering a range of economic industries and sectors. Representing the Department of Commerce as part of the delegation will be Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade, Sarah Kemp.
Moreover, the delegation will include senior representation from the US Trade Development Agency (USTDA), the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the Export-Import Bank of the US (Ex-Im), as well as various financial institutions.
Members of the delegation are scheduled to meet with Al-Sisi, and attend a number of events jointly hosted by AmCham Egypt with its partners, which will include the prime minister and a number of ministerial panels, as well as 700 government officials.
"Delegates will underscore the continued commitment and unwavering support of the American business community to Egypt's long-term stability, and economic development, as well as explore prospective business opportunities, " the statement indicated.
Furthermore, according to the statement, this visit comes at a period when Egypt has gone through tough yet successful economic reform measures. These measures have contributed to increasing the level of economic growth to 5.2%, the highest reported during the last seven years. Additionally, the country has witnessed an elevated level of investments in infrastructure and energy projects.
The Chamber said its legislative reform measures provided the basic mechanisms for expanding the activities of companies during the coming period. This led the international financial institutions, such as the IMF, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to praise the Egyptian economy, as well as improve its credit rating.
According to the latest data from the Central Bank of Egypt, the US's total investment in Egypt during the first nine months of fiscal year (FY) 2017/18 accounted for about $ 1.6bn, while investments in FY 2016/17 amounted to about $1.8bn.
Moreover, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the volume of trade between Egypt and the US in 2017 amounted to about $5.6bn, compared with $4.97bn in 2016, up by 13%. | slim_pajama |
UK Pound Report
Sterling holds above $1.28, unchanged as investors wait for political moves
Elizabeth Howcroft
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Graphic: Trade-weighted sterling since Brexit vote tmsnrt.rs/2hwV9Hv
By Elizabeth Howcroft
LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Sterling was little changed on Friday, holding just above $1.28 and recovering from two-week lows against the dollar and euro, as investors await political developments ahead of Britain's Dec. 12 election.
The pound was pushed to a low of $1.2794 on Thursday when the Bank of England's decision to keep rates constant was not unanimous as had been expected.
Two out of nine officials voted to cut interest rates this month and others said they would consider a cut if global and Brexit headwinds did not lift.
The pound recovered from Thursday's losses, up slightly versus the dollar at $1.2819 but overall down by around 1% since the start of the week.
Versus the euro, the pound strengthened around 0.1% at 86.18 pence.
The Bank of England meeting's surprisingly dovish outcome did not make a lasting impression on the pound, Commerzbank FX strategist Thu Lan Nguyen said.
"It just shows that the market is largely concentrated on politics at the moment, and not on fundamentals and monetary policy," she said.
Labour market data showed that British employers' demand for staff grew in October at the slowest rate in almost eight years.
Nguyen said that the weaker labour data fits into a deteriorating economic picture - along with Brexit uncertainty and weak global growth - which could make the BoE more dovish.
"This should at least limit the appreciation potential of the pound over the medium to long term, but still the general direction of pound exchange rate will be determined by the general election," she said.
MUFG European head of global markets Derek Halpenny wrote in a note that he saw downside risks for the pound in the short-term.
"On the political front, it would only take some gains for the Labour Party in the polls to unnerve the markets over the risk of the upcoming general election failing to resolve the Brexit gridlock," he wrote.
"The risks associated with that don't appear priced at present," Halpenny said.
"An election result that returns a very unstable government would also undermine prospects of any considerable fiscal easing," he added.
Sterling-dollar implied volatility gauges with one-month durations - expiring just before the Dec. 13 election - were down slightly, having more than halved since their peak in mid-October.
Moody's is due to review Britain's credit rating later in the day. Britain is currently rated Aa2. (Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; Editing by Alison Williams) | slim_pajama |
Evangelion Tears
Tears I dropped the flowers I had been holding. A slight rustle ensued as they landed on the floor. Neither of them looked up.
I turned my face away and walked down the corridor. I felt something drop from the side of my eye down to my cheek. Reaching up to touch my face, I brought my finger down and regarded what was on it. A single drop of moisture.
Was I crying?
I had never cried before in my life. Then again, neither had I smiled before Ikari-kun came. It seemed befitting that he be the one to bring tears to my eyes. He had the right. After all, he was the one who had made me smile.
Smiling and crying. Expressions of emotions that were on the opposite ends of a spectrum. Why did he bring out so different emotions in me?
I had merely intended to bring flowers for Ikari-kun. It was the normal practice to visit people who were injured, and to bring along a small gift, or so I was told. I never thought it would end with me crying.
He once told me that people cried when they were unhappy, but they could also cry when they were happy. So was I happy or unhappy? Instinctively, I knew that what I felt was not happiness. Was I unhappy then? Was I unhappy about them being together?
Logically, I should be unhappy, as happiness is ruled out. But this statement brought another question to my lips. Why was I unhappy? After all, I had seen people kissing before. Misato and Kaji, Hikari and Touji. Why was it different when I was watching them? Why was I unhappy to see them like that?
Perhaps it was because I liked Ikari-kun. He was the only person who I could actually call a friend. Perhaps I did not like anybody to be as close to him as I was.
But as I recalled the memory of the Second Child, bending over the hospital bed, her lips gently touching his, both of their eyes closed...I realised that it pained me. It pained me to see them like that, sharing that intimacy which I could never have, or hope to have.
It was more emotion than was suitable for a friend. Perhaps I had what Misato would call a ' crush ' on Ikari-kun. She had told me that it was when a person liked another person in a romantic sense, as more than friends. Perhaps that was what I felt for him.
But...somehow, I felt that there was something deeper. Something more than a mere attraction.
Ikari-kun had been the first person, the only person, to have been interested in me as a person. Commander Ikari treated me as a tool, a useful tool, that could be used to further his purpose. The Second Child...Asuka...she didn't hate me, or at least I didn't think she did. She treated me as a colleague. Necessary to keep around, not necessary to associate with. She mocked me. Wondergirl, doll...those were the names that she called me. The people at school...they avoided me. To them I was cold, something to be seen but not touched.
At times, I felt like screaming out to them: " I'm human too! " I had feelings, even if I hid them, and I could feel hurt. I could feel left out. And worse of all, I could feel alone.
Ikari-kun was...different. He cared about me. He wanted to get to know the real me. Not the pilot, not the colleague, not the classmate. He wanted _me_.
And it dawned on me, this was the reason. This was why I was willing to smile for him.
And this time, perhaps, willing to cry.
I have to apologise. I know that in my previous story, _Smile_, I promised that the next fic I wrote would be a Rei and Shinji one, but this definitely is not. I didn't intend for it to turn out this way. This idea just somehow came to me, and I thought it was something worth writing out. I swear, I absolutely did not intend to torture Rei this way. I love writing for her, and I love writing in her viewpoint. It's just that currently all her viewpoints tend to go towards angst, and romantic angst at that. I promise, somehow, someday, I _will_ churn out a Rei and Shinji fic.
I don't know if you guys noticed, but several things in this story can be said to be the direct opposites of certain elements in my previous story. I don't intend to list it out here, but I'm sure you'll be able to find them on your own. As I mentioned in the summary, this is not a sequel to _Smile_. It may be related in some ways, but after reading this, you should have realised that the plotlines don't match.
Before I leave, I would like to thank all the people that have reviewed and given me their advice and opinions on my first story. You've helped me a lot ( and I've actually gained a bit of confidence ). I hope you'll like this one as well. Once again, thank you, and, as I like to say, 'til the next story!
- Ayanami Rei ( author )
End file.
| fanfiction |
the high frequency of emergence and distribution of multidrug - resistant human bacterial pathogens is a worldwide problem and has been highlighted the requirement of looking for new antibacterial compounds ( 1 , 2 ) .
new antibacterial agents which may be derived from natural sources could be useful itself or as novel lead compounds for development of new and more effective antibacterial agents ( 3 ) .
plants are helpful and valuable resource for finding of new pharmaceuticals as well as novel antimicrobial agents ( 4 , 5 ) .
they have some proven sophisticated defense systems via production , storage and in some cases secretion of variety of antimicrobial compounds for combating with undesirable conditions caused by diverse plant bacterial pathogens during their whole life - time ( 4 , 6 ) .
( fabaceae ) is a plant genus found in africa and asia , including some province of iran such as fars , boushehr , sistan and balouchestan , hormozgan and kerman .
it has been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases such as skin diseases , piles , worms , vertigo and dyspnoea , protection from miscarriage , eye diseases , snake bite , asthma , bronchitis , leucoderma , leprosy , muscle tremors , piles and toothache ( 79 ) .
prosopis cineraria species is endemic in iran and in the present study , a bioassay - guided fractionation scheme was used to isolate and determine the effective antibacterial compounds of its aerial parts .
bacterial strains included in the study were as follow : staphylococcus aureus atcc 25923 , vancomycin - resistant strain of enterococcus faecium , enterococcus faecalis atcc 29212 , escherichia coli atcc 25922 , a clinical isolate of acinetobacter baumanni and pseudomonas aeruginosa ptcc 1430 .
the aerial parts of prosopis cineraria were collected in fars province , iran during august 2012 and a voucher specimen was identified and deposited ( mph-2261 ) in the medicinal plants and drugs research institute herbarium ( mph ) .
the reagents and the high performance thin layer chromatography ( hptlc ) silica plates were provided by merck co. ( kgaa , darmstadt , germany ) .
the plant organic extract was prepared via maceration in methanol for 48h at dark with agitation .
the resulted waxy pellet was dissolved in distilled water ( 1:10 w / v ratio ) and then was fractioned sequentially by n - hexane and ethyl acetate . the organic solvent extracted material and final aqueous materials were dried under a reduced pressure using rotary evaporator instrument ( heidolph , co , uk ) at 40 c and dried materials were kept at 4 c .
a stock of all samples were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ) and stored at 4 c .
antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the broth micro - dilution method for determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration ( mic ) and the minimum bactericidal concentration ( mbc ) , as recommended by the clinical laboratory standard institute ( clsi ) ( 10 ) , with some modifications .
briefly , an 18-hour culture of each test microorganism was used for the susceptibility tests . a serial dilution of each extract ( from 64 mg / ml to 0.006 mg / ml )
was prepared using sterile , muller hinton broth ( mhb ) , containing 0.5% tween 80 as co - solvent .
microorganisms were added to each well to final concentrations of 0.51 10 cfu / ml of bacteria .
the inoculated 96-well plates were incubated for 20 hours at 37 c and the mic values were recorded as the lowest concentration that could inhibit visible growth of microorganisms .
resazurin reagent was used as a growth indicator , as illustrated by sarker et al .
mbcs were determined by sub - culturing 100 l of each negative well on nutrient agar plates .
the mbcs were recorded after 24 hours of incubation at appropriate temperatures , as the lowest concentrations that could kill 99.99 % of the assessed bacteria , as described by clsi ( 10 ) .
a 1-mg / ml clear solution of ethyl acetate fraction was dissolved in a solution of methanol and ethyl acetate ( 1:1 , v / v ) and was spotted onto aluminum silica gel plates pf254 under n2 , using linomat 5 , under 0.2 l / sec speed .
all the plates were scanned in the range of 180800 nm , using camag tlc scanner iii ( 12 ) .
the developed tlc plates with the highest resolutions were assessed against s. aureus strain . in brief , a 50 c mueller hinton agar ( mha ) medium , containing 10 cfu / ml of bacterium , was poured into developed silica plates and then incubated for 18 hours at 37 c ( 13 ) .
the effective and ineffective bands were chosen through comparison of the duplicate scanned plates ( under 254 nm , 366 nm and visible light ) with the bio - autographic plates .
ethyl acetate derived fraction was further fractioned via passing through an open column of silica under vacuum
. 5 different mobile phase including n - hexane , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 2:1 ) , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 1:1 ) , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 1:2 ) and ethyl acetate were applied and each fraction was dried and mic values of each sample was determined against s. aureus test strain .
ethyl acetate fraction derived from first methanol extract and sample of 100% ethyl acetate from flash chromatography experiments were subjected to rp - hplc . also 2 bands tlc plates
were selected according to the results of bio - autography experiments and resolved by rp - hplc .
the knauer hplc system ( germany ) was equipped with an automatic injector ( smartline 3900 ) . a smartline 2800 photodiode array detector set at 254 nm and 210 nm , a solvent degasser ,
an ezchrom software for chromatography data analysis , a binary pump and a 20-l injection loop were used .
c18 column ( eruspher , 2504.6 mm , 5 m , 100 a ) was used for analytical purpose .
binary mobile phase which was used was as follow : a : methanol ( ph 3 by formic acid ) and b : milli - q water containing 0.1% formic acid .
the flow rate was 1 ml / min and the column maintained at room temperature .
peaks were recorded by uv ( pda ) at wavelengths 254 nm and 210 nm .
hplc separation was performed on an agilent lc 1200 series connected to a lcq ion trap mass spectrometer .
hplc conditions were as follow : c18 column ( 250 4.6 mm , 5m ) , mobile phase acn : h2o in 30 : 70 ratio .
then lc effluent passed through a uv detector at both 254 nm while the flow rate reduced to 0.5 ml / min and then to the electrospray mass spectrometer .
esi was set in both negative and positive mode in a condition including : sheath gas : 60 ml min , auxiliary gas : 20 ml min , spray voltage:4.5 kv , capillary temperature : 200 c , capillary voltage : 46 kv , and tube lens : 60 kv ) .
the xcalibur 2.0 sr2 software ( copyright thermo electron corporation 1998 2006 ) was used .
bacterial strains included in the study were as follow : staphylococcus aureus atcc 25923 , vancomycin - resistant strain of enterococcus faecium , enterococcus faecalis atcc 29212 , escherichia coli atcc 25922 , a clinical isolate of acinetobacter baumanni and pseudomonas aeruginosa ptcc 1430 .
the aerial parts of prosopis cineraria were collected in fars province , iran during august 2012 and a voucher specimen was identified and deposited ( mph-2261 ) in the medicinal plants and drugs research institute herbarium ( mph ) .
the reagents and the high performance thin layer chromatography ( hptlc ) silica plates were provided by merck co. ( kgaa , darmstadt , germany ) .
the plant organic extract was prepared via maceration in methanol for 48h at dark with agitation .
the resulted waxy pellet was dissolved in distilled water ( 1:10 w / v ratio ) and then was fractioned sequentially by n - hexane and ethyl acetate . the organic solvent extracted material and final aqueous materials were dried under a reduced pressure using rotary evaporator instrument ( heidolph , co , uk ) at 40 c and dried materials were kept at 4 c .
a stock of all samples were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ) and stored at 4 c .
antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the broth micro - dilution method for determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration ( mic ) and the minimum bactericidal concentration ( mbc ) , as recommended by the clinical laboratory standard institute ( clsi ) ( 10 ) , with some modifications .
briefly , an 18-hour culture of each test microorganism was used for the susceptibility tests .
a serial dilution of each extract ( from 64 mg / ml to 0.006 mg / ml ) was prepared using sterile , muller hinton broth ( mhb ) , containing 0.5% tween 80 as co - solvent .
microorganisms were added to each well to final concentrations of 0.51 10 cfu / ml of bacteria .
the inoculated 96-well plates were incubated for 20 hours at 37 c and the mic values were recorded as the lowest concentration that could inhibit visible growth of microorganisms .
resazurin reagent was used as a growth indicator , as illustrated by sarker et al .
mbcs were determined by sub - culturing 100 l of each negative well on nutrient agar plates .
the mbcs were recorded after 24 hours of incubation at appropriate temperatures , as the lowest concentrations that could kill 99.99 % of the assessed bacteria , as described by clsi ( 10 ) .
a 1-mg / ml clear solution of ethyl acetate fraction was dissolved in a solution of methanol and ethyl acetate ( 1:1 , v / v ) and was spotted onto aluminum silica gel plates pf254 under n2 , using linomat 5 , under 0.2 l / sec speed .
all the plates were scanned in the range of 180800 nm , using camag tlc scanner iii ( 12 ) .
the developed tlc plates with the highest resolutions were assessed against s. aureus strain . in brief , a 50 c mueller hinton agar ( mha ) medium , containing 10 cfu / ml of bacterium , was poured into developed silica plates and then incubated for 18 hours at 37 c ( 13 ) .
the effective and ineffective bands were chosen through comparison of the duplicate scanned plates ( under 254 nm , 366 nm and visible light ) with the bio - autographic plates .
ethyl acetate derived fraction was further fractioned via passing through an open column of silica under vacuum . 5 different mobile phase including n - hexane , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 2:1 ) , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 1:1 ) , n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 1:2 ) and ethyl acetate were applied and each fraction was dried and mic values of each sample was determined against s. aureus test strain .
ethyl acetate fraction derived from first methanol extract and sample of 100% ethyl acetate from flash chromatography experiments were subjected to rp - hplc . also 2 bands tlc plates
were selected according to the results of bio - autography experiments and resolved by rp - hplc .
the knauer hplc system ( germany ) was equipped with an automatic injector ( smartline 3900 ) . a smartline 2800 photodiode array detector set at 254 nm and 210 nm , a solvent degasser ,
an ezchrom software for chromatography data analysis , a binary pump and a 20-l injection loop were used .
c18 column ( eruspher , 2504.6 mm , 5 m , 100 a ) was used for analytical purpose .
binary mobile phase which was used was as follow : a : methanol ( ph 3 by formic acid ) and b : milli - q water containing 0.1% formic acid .
the flow rate was 1 ml / min and the column maintained at room temperature .
peaks were recorded by uv ( pda ) at wavelengths 254 nm and 210 nm .
here hplc separation was performed on an agilent lc 1200 series connected to a lcq ion trap mass spectrometer .
hplc conditions were as follow : c18 column ( 250 4.6 mm , 5m ) , mobile phase acn : h2o in 30 : 70 ratio .
then lc effluent passed through a uv detector at both 254 nm while the flow rate reduced to 0.5 ml / min and then to the electrospray mass spectrometer .
esi was set in both negative and positive mode in a condition including : sheath gas : 60 ml min , auxiliary gas : 20 ml min , spray voltage:4.5 kv , capillary temperature : 200 c , capillary voltage : 46 kv , and tube lens : 60 kv ) .
the xcalibur 2.0 sr2 software ( copyright thermo electron corporation 1998 2006 ) was used .
it is apparent that not only the overall antibacterial effects of the ethyl acetate fraction were better than the others , but also it had better inhibitory effects against all gram - positives and gram - negative tested bacterial strains .
this extract could inhibit the growth of bacteria in concentrations lower than 1 mg / ml and in the case of s. aureus and e. faecium ; mic values were 0.25 mg / ml . so this sample was chosen for further investigations using hptlc .
mic & mbc values ( mg / ml ) of different fractioned materials of p. cineraria .
fraction of flash chromatography ( 100% ethyl acetate ) , in the hptlc experiments , the best resolution of bands was obtained by mobile phase of methanol : n - hexane : ethyl acetate ( 1:2:4 ) ( fig .
silica plates containing developed bands of ethyl acetate fraction ( a , under 254 nm and b , under 366 nm ) .
c. indicates control of experiment ( left , developed plate without sample ) and plate after agar overlay and addition of resazurin as bacterial growth inhibition ( right ) . as shown in fig .
1 ( a , b and c ) , an agar overlay assay was performed in duplicate plates for identification of the bands containing effective antibacterial substances .
the results revealed 2 bands without any growth of s. aureus . according to the bio - autography experiments
, there were 2 zones of inhibition around two separated band in ethyl acetate sample which have been developed by using resazurin ( fig .
then a flash chromatography was performed for further separation of substances of ethyl acetate fraction and after determination of mic values of 5 resulting fraction , it was revealed that 100% ethyl acetate fraction contained effective antibacterial compounds ( as shown in the table 1 ) .
the ethyl acetate fraction and other semi - purified antibacterial substances were subjected to rp - hplc experiments and the results ( fig .
3 ) could reveal an increase in the intensity of some peaks during the process ( from a to d ) which was in accordance with increasing of the antibacterial properties of samples as shown in the table 1 .
ms spectrum and chromatogram of band 5 ( from tlc ) in lc - esi - ms analysis .
one of the most effective band resolved in tlc , resulted in a sharp peak which corresponds to a 348 da compound .
some reports could reveal the antimicrobial activity of p. cineraria against pathogens such as bacillus subtilis and staphylococcus aureus ( 8 , 9 ) .
but there are no reports on determination of the effective antibacterial substance ( s ) .
although presence of bioactive secondary metabolites like alkaloid , flavonoid , glycosides , saponins , tannins , steroids and terpenoids was reported of this plant ( 8) , it is not clear whether these known components were the actual only contributing components of p. cineraria to the anti - microbial activities against the bacterial pathogen .
the antimicrobial assays were tested against major bacteria with a focus on antibiotics - resistant strains , particularly those of s. aureus .
the agar overlay bioautography method in this study has been used also for preparative separation and purification of p. cineraria bioactive antimicrobials as well as our previous report about determination of antibacterial compounds of bromus inerrmis ( 14 ) . for further analysis ,
2 ) and all optimized hplc - dad separation was extended to lc - esi - ms equipment . for this both negative and positive mode of ionization were tried .
figs 3 and 4 show the presence of 347 m / z and 183 m / z that could be related to compounds with molecular weight of 348 and 184 dalton .
both uv - vis and mass spectrum results implying presence of compounds like phenolic or flavonoid structures ( data not shown ) .
ms spectrum and chromatogram of band 4 ( from tlc ) in lc - esi - ms analysis .
the most effective band resolved in tlc resulted in a sharp peak which corresponds to a 184 da compound . to the best of our knowledge ,
it can hypothesize that further investigations with nuclear magnetic resonance ( nmr ) analysis could reveal the identity of the effective substances in our continuous research .
such antibacterial substances can also be considered as the lead compounds for semi - synthesis of new effective antibiotics .
according to the result of this study it was concluded that characterized compounds may be applied as lead compound for designing of new and more efficient antibacterial agents .
also bioassay - guided fractionation could be served as an efficient and even cost benefit method for characterization of naturally bioactive compounds . | pubmed |
Dragon Ball Z/Sailor Moon 1. Chapter 1
_Disclaimer_: I don't own either DBZ or SAILOR MOON! If you don't like, don't read.
_Summery_: The Scouts are told that the Chaos had escaped into the DBZ world, and the only way there is Pluto. The Door is blocked, Pluto can't take them through. She was given an order by someone they all know, but don't remember who she is. They had only one choice, find the girl and make her take them there. But what is waiting fro them there?
_MOON SAYS_: I have really edited this, thanks to a reviewer who pointed some things out to me!
_Words_: 3, 414
_Pages_: 6
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 1**
Bunny and her Court were sixteen when they defeated Galaxia. Two years had passed and they were now eighteen, and were legal adults. For when you turn eighteen the government said you are now a legal adult. Sometimes they missed their 'little girl' days when they fought as Sailor Scouts, but they had all grown up.
Okay that was a lie, their bodies' maybe, but their minds? They were the same as they had been since Galaxia had come. Hell, they were the same since Beryl had first come after them and was hunting for the Moon Princess.
They, every Scout after Galaxia was defeated, had changed; they were always on their guard, never really relaxing. The Outer Scouts most of all, Pluto—or Setsuna as she was called in her Human form—had been watching the Gates of Time and Space. Always guarding the Doors to the other Worlds, making sure they were safe.
It was the second Saturday in May; it was late at night too, almost morning really, when she felt it. Someone or something had just forced itself through the Doors, her Doors, and the Door she had sworn to protect with her life. Someone had broken past them and into another World!
She screamed, it seemed the attack and the action of forcing open the Door of Time and Space had hurt her. Hotaru, Haruka, and Michiru ran into her room. Her Garnet Rod was in front of her, and then suddenly at her command it showed her the World that the force, whatever or whoever it was, had went into.
As she looked at the people in the image her Rod showed her she knew which World this was, she even knew the names for some of these places and people. Now that she knew which World it went to, the easy part was over, now she needed to know _what _or _who_ had went into that World in the first place.
She looked over at her friends, her fellow Scouts and they nodded, they knew what needed to be done and they of course got it done. They never questioned Sailor Pluto, she was their Leader, hell she was the Leader of all of the Sailor Scouts. She had the most power. She was second in command to _her_ Princess. To Pluto, Sailor Moon was never really a Sailor Scout. There was only one Princess who could be a Sailor Scout and it wasn't her. No, it was Pluto's Princess.
Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru came back into her room an hour later; they had done as they were told. They had gotten the other Scouts, and the Princess, as well as the little one. They needed to know what happened; the Outer Scouts told the others that Setsuna had woken up injured because someone broke through the Doors of Time and Space.
Of course, the girls were skeptical so they asked how they knew that, they shrugged and said. "Simple, that is the only thing that could hurt her while she was asleep, well besides a living thing. Plus the attack hurt her entire body. We didn't see nor sense any enemy."
They of course accepted that answer.
Setsuna looked at the all the Scouts—who weren't transformed yet—each in turn and then glared at the Outers.
"What took you so long? We have a really big crisis and you're all out taking your sweet time?"
The Inners and their Princesses were shocked at Setsuna's words and tone, the girl was always nice and kind as well as patient. Was this really a bigger crisis then that had originally thought?
The Outers sighed, it wasn't really their fault. They hated it when Setsuna was mad at them. It took a lot of stress to get her out of her cool façade. It appeared that this breach did just that. Hotaru spoke for the Outers.
"We are sorry, but these Scouts were…what's the word…skep—" Hotaru stopped, she couldn't get the word right.
Setsuna nodded. "It's skeptical, but none of that matters right now. Something broke through the Doors of Time and Space from our World. And it takes a Hell of a lot to do that too! So it is really powerful, this—"
Setsuna waved her hand over her Garnet Rod and it showed the Planet again, "This is the Planet it escaped to, my guess it is either an old enemy of ours that we haven't completely killed or it's a very old one that Queen Serenity fought long ago. Of course it could be a new enemy, but I highly doubt that."
Bunny thought for a moment, taking everything in. And for once, she spoke some of the right words. But of course, she didn't think everything through. She only saw the surface of the problem.
"Well does it matter who it is? It came from our side and we need to pursue it and fight it. And either seal or destroy it completely so it can't go into another World and hurt it!" Bunny told the Outers.
The Inners nodded and agreed and were disusing how they would get there when Michiru interrupted them.
"You girls, are you even Sailor Scouts? Are you even the Princess? Girls think before you speak or plan things out like that!" Michiru spoke as if she was a mother scolding her children. "Going into another World, not knowing anything about it, and not knowing the enemy on top of it! What are you guys thinking? If we jump into this without thinking of the consequences we are jumping to our deaths. We have to think from all angles girls, not just the ones you're used to. This time we are on a whole new level, got it?" Michiru asked, trying not to get mad at them. It wasn't their fault that they didn't know what the Outers knew. It wasn't their fault that their memories were still hidden.
Haruka sighed. "You don't have to be so hard on them, not fighting for two years have made them weaker and they can't think straight about things like this. Our only option is to follow Setsuna for two reasons. She is the Scout of Time, and she guards this Door to other Worlds."
The Inner Scouts all blushed, Haruka and Michiru were right. They Scouts couldn't just stand there and not think. Not thinking got them in trouble and could cost all of them their lives, not to mention those who actually lived in that world.
Ami was upset with herself. She had to be more careful. They all had to be, they also all had to think about everything through before just jumping in, if they didn't they were sure to die. Michiru was right, but why couldn't she see that before? They all looked to Setsuna for orders.
Setsuna looked at them and had the most serious face on she had ever had.
"I have no idea who this enemy is, but I do know this, whoever it is would have killed me. No, they would have completely and utterly destroyed me if I had been guarding the Door in person. I just got a little hurt and for that I am glad. I am happy I was left with so little damage done to me."
The others groaned, if Setsuna didn't know who went through then they would never go and protect that world. They would never be able to protect it.
Haruka looked at her friend and said. "You could ask _her_, I bet you anything she knows."
Hotaru frowned and rolled her eyes. "I bet you anything she let them get pass right by her. Remember girls she sees the Door of Time and Space just like Setsuna. Just our luck, _she_ has to be lazy you know." She threw her hands in the air and all the Outers laughed.
The Inners and the Princesses didn't know what to do. They didn't even know who the Outers were talking about. How was there someone else who could guard the Doors, other than Setsuna?
Setsuna nodded and took her Garnet Rod and held the Garnet Orb to her chest as she concentrated. Everything around her seemed to disappear as she concentrated on her Orb. When she opened her eyes she was in total Darkness.
She turned to the right and Pluto saw something in front of her. It was some distance away, but she could see the Planet, her Planet, her home thousands of years ago. She heard a laugh and turned to the left.
There was a Castle, just like on every other Planet there was a Kingdom on here as well, of course it just looked like that. In a flash of light the Castle turned into a temple and a woman walked out of it.
She had long blonde hair in buns just like Bunny, but the buns were black instead of the golden color the rest of her hair was. Her dress was one color. It was the darkest black Pluto had seen, even darker than her own Princess dress. As the Scout of Time watched the girl walk to her, she saw gold in it. So the dress was two colors. That was odd. The other Princess dresses were only one color.
"So Pluto you have come to ask me something? Oh, I love that black dress on you, black is such a wonderful color don't you think? Add a touch of gold and what does that make my dear, Princess of Pluto?"
Pluto looked down and saw she actually was wearing her Princess dress. She didn't care; she ran to the girl and hugged her with everything she had.
The girl laughed and she embraced Pluto, it was so good to finally see and touch someone in so long. She had been so alone since Saturn left…now someone else was here. But, like always, it wouldn't be for long. Everyone left her in the end after all.
When they let go of each other Pluto looked her up and down and frowned. "You should not be wearing a black and gold dress Princess! Your Princess dress if I remember correctly, and I do, it is white like Sailor Moon's."
The girl sighed. "That is the dress I wear when I am a Moon Princess Pluto. Right now you are on the Planet Nemesis. You are Sailor Pluto, Princess of Pluto. I am Sailor Nemesis, Princess of Nemesis. Welcome to Nemesis, my beautiful Scout of Time and Space.
Pluto gasped. "You can't be! This is the Planet of Darkness! You are of the light, and you are of the Moon. This can't be right…wait." Pluto sighed as she remembered. Of course, how could she forget she was the only one besides Nemesis who knew of her father and what that meant?
"So alone…poor thing," Pluto whispered.
Nemesis sighed and grabbed Pluto and held on to her while whispering in her ear. "You have no idea what has happened since the Moon was destroyed thousands of years ago. Unlike all of you, I wasn't reborn, I have been alone all this time on this Planet of Darkness. Don't say anything; this was how everything was meant to be."
She held onto Pluto tighter as she whispered more into her ear. "You do remember what I told you about that Planet?"
Pluto gave her a nod. Even though it was so long ago, she still remembered.
"Good, that is very good. Tell them what I told you and about the information you wish to ask me, think about these two questions: What is black and gold? What is light and darkness mixed? For Darkness is black and Light is gold. Now go, if they can't solve this problem then they have no right to be called the Sailor Scouts or…what is her Earth name again?"
As Pluto left Nemesis' embrace she smiled and said. "Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity, and Bunny, those are her three names."
Nemesis laughed. "She isn't Serenity, she is little Serenity." Nemesis reminded her, "Anyway if she can't solve this then she doesn't deserve to be called the Princess of the Moon. Princess' have to be smart. Now go back, my old friend, even though it pains me so much to send you away."
With a wave of Nemesis' hand a portal opened, and Pluto walked through it. Nemesis saw through the portal. It was connected to the room where Pluto had left. She wasn't the only one though who could see on the other side of the portal. Only the Outers knew who she was. As the Inners looked at her, a sense of déjà vu struck them, but nothing that screamed that they knew her.
They saw her smile. Nemesis' smile was one looked heartbroken and sad, like it wasn't really a smile at all. The Outers saw this and their hearts broke. Of course it looked heartbroken, she had finally got someone to see in her in so long and than that one walked away.
She whispered to the Outers as Pluto was at the portal and turned around to look at her one more time. "Don't worry my sweets, I will be with you soon enough."
The Inners and the Princess had a feeling they knew her, but off the top of their heads they couldn't remember, but they did know something. Pluto was in her Princess dress when she was on the other side of the portal and when she came to their side she was back in her night clothes once again. Just like she was before she left.
So wherever Pluto just went, it was somewhere of the past. Somewhere they could be their true selves.
Pluto had a determined look on her face as she spoke the words her friend had told her to. "I was told the enemy could be guessed from two questions and a statement. And according to her, if you can't answer this you can't be called Sailor Scouts," she looked at the Scouts. "Or Princess of the Moon," she looked at Bunny and Rini.
They nodded ready for their questions they had to answer. To prove that they were worthy of their titles, that they were worthy to be their true selves.
"What is black and gold? What is Light and Darkness mixed? For Light is gold and Darkness is black."
The girls thought long and hard, it seemed to Setsuna hours had passed by when suddenly Hotaru came up with the answer.
"Light and Darkness mixed huh? Heehee, think back to Galaxia my fellow Scouts. What had taken possession her? What was the true enemy of that battle?" she waited a few moments before it sank in. "**Chaos** had taken over her body **Chaos** isn't Light or Darkness, but the combination of both. Without one you can't have the other, for they complete each other."
Now everything had dawned on the Scouts. That was who the enemy was. Of course it had enough power to get passed just one Scout, even if it was the strongest Scout, the Outers didn't count Nemesis.
Ami turned to Setsuna and asked. "So now that we know who the enemy is, how are we going to get into the World that **Chaos** has escaped to?"
Setsuna who wanted to prolong telling them about what Nemesis had done. So, instead, she told them about the Planet using the image her Garnet Rod conjured up in front of them.
"This floating rock thing is called Kami's Lookout Tower or something like that. Though I think since Kami isn't the Guardian anymore it's just called Lookout Tower. I don't know though, it's been thousands of years since I saw this. This is where the Guardian of that World lives and watches over Earth."
She spent the rest of the hour for it was already 7:30, telling them about the World. She showed them the flying cars, but not telling them about the people, the Z-Fighters as Nemesis had once called them. Something about them and how Nemesis spoke of them made her cautious. Especially about a few of them, something in this World had hurt her Princess…and she had a feeling she knew what it was, even though Nemesis had blocked her ability to see what had happened.
Setsuna knew where they lived, some of their names, but most of them she had forgotten. She knew who Goku was by sight, and Vegeta for Nemesis had really pointed him out. It seemed she knew a lot about everyone of them. Those two men were the strongest men on that Planet, so she deemed that as important.
Ami was getting a little impatient now, she wanted answers. "You avoided my question Setsuna; tell me how we will get there? Will it be through the Door that **Chaos** broke through or a Sailor Teleport using all of our powers?"
Setsuna squirmed uncomfortably. That didn't help. That action just seemed to set off the Inners even more.
"You are the Guardian of the Door of Time and Space, the same Door **Chaos** used, so tell me why are you moving around and looking like you can't take us to it?" Rei asked, confusion filling her voice.
Setsuna didn't want to enlighten the Scout. Before she could say something to divert the question a question popped into her own mind. Why should she have to explain herself? It wasn't like Rei could do better.
Setsuna stopped those thoughts from going further. She didn't want to become so angry and take it out on others like her Mistress. She loved her, but she didn't want to end up with all that hatred inside of her coming out when it shouldn't. She did however answer the question.
"It's because I can't, it's that simple. _She _made my power of opening and traveling through _that_ specific Door useless millenniums ago. All the others I can open and close, just not that one."
Bunny didn't like that answer, here this World needed them and Setsuna was following someone else's orders. She was Princess, so why was Setsuna taking orders from someone else? Was this the woman she had gone to see? Or was it the Queen? But it didn't matter to Bunny who it was, she just wanted through that door.
"Who is _she? _I am your Princess, your future Queen; could I overrule those orders and allow us through the Door? Is there anything that you could do?"
Hotaru stood up and shook her head.
"It wouldn't matter if you were the Queen; _her_ orders are more than law to us. As for whom she is, I know you don't like _her._ You had never really liked _her_ in the first place. Pluto says she can't do then she can't, accept it.
So many questions those four sentences caused. So they did know her, but how come they couldn't remember her?
"_Oh little Saturn, why couldn't you have been all mean about it? It would have been fun to listen you talk back and insult little Serenity."_
The Outers sighed, that was her alright. She was always trying to cause strife. Two Outer Scouts shook their heads, while the other two smiled a little.
Those reactions caused the Inners to realize that they knew who spoke inside of their minds. That meant that the Outers knew some important information that they didn't know…again.
Those words left all of the Inners and the Princess speechless. Sometimes speechless was good.
Minako, being the smart Scout that she was, looked at Michiru and asked. "Was that voice in our heads _her_?"
Michiru nodded and sighed. "She is funny sometimes, but damn is she a handful."
The Outers heard the laugh in their heads again, thinking God that for the first time since the Silver Millennium was destroyed by the Dark Kingdom, that they head her laugh once again. At least she wasn't trying to kill people. Well they hoped she wouldn't start, it would be too much to clean up this time. And the Outers prayed that they just didn't jinx anything, but only time would tell.
And time…it was something they all loved and loathed.
There was a saying among the humans that said that _Time heals all wounds. _For once, as they thought about the mission ahead, they wished with everything they had that it would be so.
_To be continued..._
2. Chapter 2
**MOON SAYS:** I HAVE EDITED THIS!Here are the pairings I have come up with, if you don't like them just tell me:
Mercury: Adam (MINE)
Venus: Krillin
Mars: Yamucha
Jupiter: Dende (weird I know)
Saturn: Goten
Pluto: Vegeta (laughs is to come with this pair) (also a little NxV more laughs)
Uranus: Drake (MINE)
Neptune: Adrian (MINE)
Moon- Gohan
Nemesis (MINE)- Trunks
**WORDS**: 4, 448
**PAGES**: 7
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 2**
Goku woke up startled; he could feel the sweat running off him in waves. There was also something else he had felt when he woke up. Whatever it was, it definitely was wrong, it felt so wrong. Goku of course didn't know what to do, for he had never woken up with this feeling hitting him and washing over him like water in a flood.
He had a dream which he knew explained this feeling he felt, but he couldn't remember it. He had woken in the past from nightmares and good dreams, but not like this, not with this feeling that he felt.
He got out of bed, getting out slowly so he wouldn't wake Chichi. God knew that was the very last thing he wanted to do.
Chichi would want to know everything, why he woke up at six o'clock in the morning and why he did wake sweating up a storm? He couldn't explain it to her, this was something that only he could understand and comprehend, and it wasn't if she was dumb or something, because she wasn't. It had something to do with him, not her. And if it had nothing to do with her he sure as hell wasn't going to get her involved.
So it was safe to say he didn't want his wife to wake up. If she did, he knew that in the end he might lose her. Why and how he knew that, he didn't know, but he merely felt it. So Chichi wasn't going to wake up, he just wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He wanted her alive, not dead.
He took a shower, got dressed and left his house. Something definitely was wrong with him. Goku hadn't even eaten anything, and on top of that he didn't want to. He wasn't the least bit hungry. He was always hungry. He always ate, and when he did eat, he ate everything on the plate and more. Now, he didn't want anything. That only should how much whatever was going on was affecting him.
--
Vegeta woke up just as startled and shocked as Goku, but the difference was he was scared on top of having the weird feeling and sweating so much. Plus neither knew that the other was like this, but hey Vegeta never gave a damn what kind of dreams Goku had, and Goku didn't really give care about Vegeta's dreams either.
He had felt the feelings, the strange ones that told him something was very, extremely wrong before. But he had never felt like this before, even when the World was about to be destroyed—Planet Vegeta, Earth—he had never had this feeling. He never was this worried.
It was that dream or vision—as some might call it—that did it he was sure.
Yeah, maybe that was it—because unlike Goku who just had the dream but he didn't remember his—Vegeta actually remembered his, some of it anyway. He saw Bulma's death. And to make it even worse and more unbearable than just having her killed at the hands of someone he didn't know, he had watched it happen and did nothing. Maybe if he knew who it was he could save her, or at least prevented it by killing the one who is suppose to kill her.
What he did know was that the person had a staff of some sort; it had some kind of ball at the top somewhere. Plus the person attacked with a weird attack that was purplish and black. That was an attack he had never seen before. He was Vegeta the Prince of all Saiyans, and he knew a hell of a lot of attacks. He had seen a lot of them, faced many as well, and destroyed the owners of some he had seen only once.
But…he paused as he thought back to his younger years. He had seen attacks like that before—the color. But he just couldn't place it. The black haired Saiyan Prince shook his head and thought back to the dream.
What was worse about the Bulma's death was that he was actual there, helpless though. He knew deep down he wouldn't be able to stop this from happening even if he was there and knew what would happen. But his Saiyan blood wouldn't allow it, it wouldn't accept this. He would stop it even if he ended up destroying God knows what and who.
He kissed Bulma on the head, and went to take a shower, trying not to think about the dream. When he got out of the shower he got dressed. He looked at the time, the clock read: 6:15. He left the house and flew to the Lookout Tower. He had to get some answers and the one who could give them to him lived on that Tower.
On his way to the Tower he tried his best to focus and not let his mind wander, but it was hard. It took longer to get to the Lookout Tower then it regularly should have taken only because his mind was back to the dream. He didn't want that, he didn't want to think about it. He didn't want his mind to wonder back to it till he was at the Tower.
To his surprise Goku was just getting there too, his face didn't show its usual cheerfulness. And if Goku wasn't his usual happy go lucky self, something was really wrong.
They just took one look at the other to know they were here for the same reason. They both felt something was way out of place. They both walked up to Dende, who was waiting for them.
Dende nodded at Vegeta and Goku. He knew why they had come to him, for he had felt the same feeling as they had felt not too long ago as well. He discarded the formalities and pleasantries and got straight to the point and down to business.
Dende took a deep breath and started, "We are gathered here today—"
Vegeta and Goku didn't turn around, but walked around Dende and left him standing there looking like an idiot. Dende ran in front of them trying to cut them off.
"Wait, wait guys come on I was only joking. I couldn't start everything off like that; the mood was too…what's the word? Serious…yeah that is it, it was too serious. That is so not a good way to start off the morning."
Vegeta stopped walking around Dende and turned on him with his eyes blazing. He was mad, no furious. Why wouldn't he be? He had just seen his wife's death and could do nothing about it. He was here for answers and this fool was joking around?
"This _is_ serious you green brat. This isn't the fucking time to be goofing off like this." Vegeta growled at Dende.
"We aren't at a Wedding Dende, gosh man this is serious and that was why we came to you. You are always serious, so mature for your age; I didn't think you would be playing around." Goku said, agreeing with Vegeta, but at the same time inside of his head scolding Vegeta at being too hard on him. Goku didn't know about Vegeta's dream, though.
For that was the reason why Vegeta was being extra mean to the kid; it wasn't going to happen either.
Dende nodded and agreed to what they were saying, because they were right of course. Goku though secretly, he was laughing really hard on the inside. But he couldn't laugh out loud; because than Vegeta would well…he didn't want to get yelled at so early in the morning. He did agree with Dende, being serious so early wasn't good for their heath.
"Okay serious now, something from another World/Galaxy—if you want to say that or whatever you want to call it—has entered our World."
"It's evil right?" Goku asked.
Vegeta in response kicked him. Goku, who wasn't expecting it, winced and glared at Vegeta. He had kicked Goku pretty hard too.
"Of course it is, you stupid idiot Kakarrot! This isn't the time to be playing the fool. Do you think that it wasn't, we wouldn't be feeling that something is wrong or standing here with this green idiot right now?"
Dende of course didn't hear the insult that came his way, he was wondering how they had come across this feeling, and of course not being shy or anything he asked them. They told him that they had a dream, which neither of them had remembered and woke with that feeling completely consuming them inside and out.
Vegeta kept his dream a secret he didn't want them knowing how seeing Bulma's death affected him; he wasn't weak or anything even though he knew that they wouldn't see him as that. He still didn't tell them. Maybe if he told them, than she would die another way and he wouldn't know it or know the way to save her. So his logic was if he told someone then it wouldn't happen that way and he couldn't save her.
Dende nodded and sighed, he only wished that they could have remembered and then maybe he would have some idea of what they were fixing to face. He would then know of a way to save this Planet. But since they couldn't remember what was the point of hoping that they had remembered? No point exactly.
"If you feel it, then this intruder must be really evil and very powerful. You two are the strongest fighters this World has ever seen—I think anyway—so it must affect this World more then I originally had thought."
He seemed to be thinking over this really hard, like he was debating over something. Now that was funny, debating with yourself inside of your head. Though most don't know it happens more than you think, even to Vegeta who denies it outright.
After a few moments full of silence he nodded and turned around, motioning for the two Z fighters to follow. It took a few minutes before they entered a building they had never entered before. After passing a couple of rooms, they entered Dende's bedroom. They followed him to a mirror; the mirror was hanging on the wall, which they had never seen before. Of course, they had never been in this room before. They had been all over the Lookout Tower for years and had never seen this room before. Why would they though? This was the Guardian's bedroom after all.
It wasn't long before the green Guardian of Earth had touched the center of the mirror, egging Vegeta and Goku's curiosity even further. Even if they had heard the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat,' they still would have been just as curious. Good thing for them that they were not cats, but monkeys.
The mirror started to change right before their eyes, after Dende spoke a name so softy that neither Saiyan had caught it. This was where Dende started to explain to them.
"I am contacting the Guardian of the Galaxy, well…Worlds. The Guardian of that area is a more better term, where the enemy, the evil escaped from into ours."
"So are you saying that this Guardian should be hurt, almost dead or something to that effect, right?" Vegeta asked. Dende shrugged, knowing _who_ the Guardian actually _was,_ he highly doubted that, but then again…this Guardian was _always_ unpredictable.
The mirror, it seemed had connected to the other one the Guardian had, the picture was coming into focus before their eyes. They saw a room, darkness covered it completely. They heard a yawn, soon after that it seemed candles started to light up around the darkened room.
Directly in front of the mirror was a bed, the sheets were black as midnight, but the thread that was sewn into it was gold. Everything in the room was black with gold running through it.
They saw the midnight black sheets on the bed move and the person under those sheets sat up. It was a girl, with long blond hair and was clothed in a thinned strapped shirt that hugged her every curve. They had no clue if she had anything below the shirt for the sheets were covering the bottom of the shirt.
Vegeta had the vaguest sense of déjà vu when he looked at her, he shook his head and remembered why he was here, and he, no, and they _all_ needed answers, not just him.
They looked into her eyes as she spoke; she had the greenest eyes they had ever seen, like they were two twin emeralds looking at them. "Dende, some of us need our beauty sleep, unlike those I am not going to name. I am not a girl who is hung up over looks, but I do love my sleep." They all could feel the unspoken words she said, _especially after what just happened._
Dende was really shocked, Vegeta and Goku could tell because that was the only emotion he had at the time because he couldn't feel anything besides being shocked at what they knew was the girl, who was had been sleeping in the bed.
"You're asleep, not injured." Dende whispered. Then something clicked inside of his mind.
"You aren't even injured! That can only mean you let the enemy through the Gates yourself. You didn't even try to stop it!" Dende cried.
For the first time in a long time, Goku and Vegeta both gasped, though for some reason Vegeta knew he shouldn't be shocked, he kind of expected this from her. It was that déjà vu thing again. But Goku really gasped because he hadn't expected that from a Guardian, _she did what? _That was his thought on what Dende accused her of, though Vegeta just smirked, _she's a little bad Guardian eh?_
She titled her head to the right as she spoke. "Actually, I was a little hurt when it broke through the Door. I tripped and fell on my head," she rubbed the right side of her head before she continued. "Pluto wasn't so lucky though, she was hurt worse than I was, but she was lucky I had sealed that Door from her long ago or she would have been hurt much, much worse. The injuries she would have gotten though are a different story. She probably wouldn't be able to do anything for years, depending on how fast she heals. But all it did in the end was give her a jolt so to speak. A shock of sorts," she said. The she paused as a memory took her over. The Door…she didn't like that one.
She shook her head and shivered. "Anyway the damage is done, I had repaired the Door soon after it was broke, which spared her more injuries. Besides that its followers—which now that I think about it, I am not sure it has any. Anyway, they can't go through because: One—they are weak and can't open the Door. Two—the seal on the Door is more powerful, so I doubt the enemy would be getting through it a second time."
Now Dende had switched from really shocked to anger. She had avoided his question, skillfully he might add too. Their lives unfortunately depended on her and she was just being casual about the whole thing. Which those little facts hadn't escaped Vegeta's notice, he tried to hold it in, but he knew if this keep up he was going to start laughing. That was just perfect, all their lives were in her hands and she was just going to lay there in bed like this was nothing? That was hilarious, and since it was funny he was so close to laughing. Which wasn't like him at all, he never was himself around her.
"Nemesis, answer my question! Why did you let the enemy through? Who is this enemy exactly?" Dende almost screamed those words at her.
She sat up more; her back went straight up against the headboard of her bed. _The fool, _she thought, _has he forgotten the rules I had told him I had to follow long ago? _Her voice matched her eyes when she spoke, they could all feel the coldness radiating off her in waves, no not waves. It encased her, like she was frozen in ice.
"What right do you have to tell me what I should have done? This wasn't your enemy, even now it isn't. Not tell it actually harms someone. And don't you dare say you would have stopped it yourself. You don't have the power. Dende, I will never understand how you could be the Guardian of the Earth, you are as strong as Jupiter and she isn't that strong. One of the weakest Scouts I have, which makes you weak too."
She glared at him, momentary forgetting about Goku and Vegeta, but Vegeta, man he was in trouble, he really was going to start laughing and he knew she would kill him. He always loved it when she was mad at someone else.
Her eyes flickered to Vegeta's for a second and they could have sworn she smiled, but when that second was gone she was glaring at Dende again and forgot about the two Z fighters again.
"Yes, I will admit I could have tried to stop the enemy, and yes I said: tried. It would have been suicide; I am the only one that can save your pitiful Planet Dende, so what would you do if I was dead? And on top of that, who is this whole universe has the right to change fate? Not me, no matter how hard I try I can't, so what makes that and this different?"
To say that the three men (or two men and one Namek) were stunned by her words would be accurate. They could feel the power behind her words, yet they knew her thoughts were far away. It made Vegeta start thinking about stuff he promised himself long ago he wouldn't think about…but of course he couldn't remember that promise.
It seemed for a moment that her eyes grew sad, like she was unbearably sad. Vegeta wondered how a girl so powerful, for he could sense her power, could be so sad. His curiosity was about to come through yet again, for he wanted to see what made her so sad. Maybe, Vegeta thought, what made her sad was someone she loved was going to die or maybe that loved one was already died.
He didn't know—nor was he ever going to know. He caught himself. He wasn't going to start thinking of what was making her so sad. It wasn't his place; he always got terrible headaches whenever he thought about this girl's emotions. He should have known by now that it was useless and to back that up he noticed the sadness moment was gone.
Vegeta also thought that maybe he had imagined it because when that moment was gone, she had resumed her coldness again so maybe he had imagined it. But something inside of him told him he didn't. His thoughts were interrupted by her voice, which it seemed in those few seconds of turning back to coldness it turned into annoyance and it sounded tired.
"Who is our enemy that escaped into your World you ask me? **Chaos**, which is what it is, the most power enemy my fellow Scouts had ever faced. They were lucky they got away alive after the battle was over and done with. Most were dead when it was over, but all of you seem to know that just because they are dead does not mean they can't come back. Back to **Chaos**, yes, it could and may try to take over your World. I don't think the _Z_ _Fighters_ have much of a chance against it, but its minions? They can defeat any minion **Chaos** throws at them." Nemesis said before she sighed.
She was going to be so tired before the fighting even started if this went on. Just listening and talking with these people were tiring, and what's more was, this wasn't the last time she was going to talk to them. It didn't help that it was her power making the mirrors work.
They were surprised. She praised them right after saying they were weak and couldn't defeat **Chaos**. They were mad at her at first for saying they were weak. But, being the men that they are, forgot about that when she said they could kill every minion. Of course the guys had to expect that, **Chaos** wasn't from their World after all.
She waited for their pride and ego to adjust to the curve ball she just threw at them and smiled on the inside, men were so easily to manipulate it wasn't fun anymore.
"If you want to destroy it completely you need to ones who had defeated momentary it in the first place, not so long ago. Though I would like to point out, even though they have fought it, before haven't gotten stronger. Sad to say the enemy has." Nemesis spoke casually, as if they were just talking about the weather or some type of food.
Dende stayed quiet like a good boy and absorbed all the information she had given them. He was quiet for a minute then spoke. "Will you let them pass through the Door into our World? Will you let our only hope of surviving come?"
She smiled at him. _It seemed the Namek caught on to what I have done more quickly than I would have thought. Even some of the Scouts hadn't figured it out until it was thrown in their faces. Even the two Z fighters did not catch that, but Dende is far smarter than I give him credit sometimes. _
Vegeta and Goku both glared at Dende, hey they were hurt that Dende would just cut them out completely and forget about them. To say they were a little annoyed and hurt wasn't telling a big lie. But they understood. She did just tell them that they couldn't defeat **Chaos**.
Nemesis closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and held it for a moment or two before responding. She let it out, she had calmed down. She didn't feel that little hint of annoyance anymore. She opened her eyes once more and looked at Dende and the other men that were looking at her through the mirror.
"Oh I don't know, maybe it just depends…I took all that time insuring that they would never get into your World yet here we are. Dende I don't want them to die. They all that are left of my World can you understand that? The Silver Millennium is long since dead, it fell so many millenniums ago—no pun intended there. I am the only true one left. I am the only who has the full blood of it left in her veins. I was the only one who wasn't reborn; I was the only one who hadn't died during that horrible war. Now my people, my friends, are tainted with human blood, yet their souls are still strong, for they can use their old powers."
She turned her head away for a second then looked at them again her face under control. Her mask was about to slip there, but she had caught it in time. "Just have patience young Namek, and you too Saiyans. Everything will work out, it always does."
Vegeta spoke up then; he said simply "stop." Just as he saw the image start to fade, as soon as he spoke the image stopped trying to fade and she looked at him curiously, she waved her hand and said, "I can see you don't want anyone else to hear this do you?"
He nodded and looked her in the eyes as he said, "I can understand how you feel, about being the only one left. My Planet, Planet Vegeta, the Planet of Saiyans was destroyed and very few survived. Now there are only two pure Saiyans left: Kakarrot and I." He was about to raise his hand to point to Goku but she spoke.
"I know who he is, though I believe he goes by Goku now," she chuckled, _same old Vegeta always talking to people as if they are stupider than he is. _
"Thanks for that Vegeta. It was kind of you to say that. Even though we both know you are far from kind…most of the time." With that she waved her hand again and the image started to fade but they, heard her voice, it sounded urgent like she needed to tell them something important. It was important, very.
"Beware, the first taken over will be a girl…you can identify those taken over by their eyes…black—" she was cut off, they heard no more. The image was gone, they had barely heard what she said it the first place, and she broke up at least two times.
They were confused of course, but at least they had some information that might save them until the ones who had fought **Chaos** before come. Even though it wasn't much information it was better than no information at all.
Goku promised that he would tell the others, so Vegeta could go on home. Vegeta checked the time before he left, they had been here for a few hours. It was already 8:23. He decided to head home.
When he got there he noticed his son, Trunks, training out in the yard. Trunks continued with his training, but gave his old man a nod, which Vegeta returned before entering the house. He passed the room Bulma was in, she was in her workshop, tinkering with something he didn't know or care about.
As he passed her he could have swore that when she looked at him her eyes flashed black. But when he focused on her eyes they were their normal color: purple.
He shook his head and walked to his room to get the Capsule for his training room. He was really going to train, that is if he wanted to protect his family…_his_ family. After what Frieza put him through, he had never thought he would have a family.
She did tell him long ago that he would, she told him to protect it with everything he had, because once it's gone, you couldn't get it back. Her words spoke true, now more than ever, he had to be strong.
_To be continued..._
3. Chapter 3
**MOON SAYS:** HEAVILY EDITED!
AGES:
(18) Mercury: Adam (20)
(18) Venus: Krillin (middle to late 20's)
(18) Mars: Yamucha (middle to late 20's)
(18) Jupiter: Dende (don't really care)
(21) Saturn: Goten (18)
(22) Pluto: Vegeta (middle to late 20's)
(22) Uranus: Drake (23)
(22) Neptune: Adrian (23)
(18) Moon- Gohan (21)
(22-Earth form, but really old) Nemesis (MINE)- Trunks (18)
WOW...I have never been a supported of big age differences. But the age thing will be changed. I'll make it stupid, like someone made a wish to make them younger or something.
**WORDS**: 4, 182
**PAGES**: 8
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 3**
Rei slammed her fist down onto the table. Everyone's eyes turned to her. Rei's face was a nice shade of red, almost the color of a tomato. Obviously she was mad.
"I can't take this anymore! And I know neither can you," she turned her head around and looked everyone in the eye. "We have to get to that other World…we have to defeat **Chaos**. We can't just abandon that World to it, just because some stupid, irresponsible, childish girl decides that we shouldn't go there. What right does she have to keep us away? What right does she have to say we can't go after it?"
Ami sighed. "It doesn't matter what we think. Pluto was blocked by this girl you called, 'stupid, irresponsible, and childish' Rei. Don't you think that since Pluto is our strongest Scout, that someone who could block her powers is more powerful than her?" Ami asked.
All the Inner's thought about her words.
"I guess I didn't think about that." Rei said quietly, as if she was child that just got scolded.
"None of us did. That is the problem, we aren't thinking. We just jump head first into things. Isn't that what the Outers keep telling us?" Ami sighed.
Makato leaned against the wall behind Bunny. This was a lot to take in. First they were called to the Outers' house because Setsuna was hurt. Then they were told that **Chaos** was loose on another World, one they couldn't get to so they could save it. What were they supposed to do? The one blocking Setsuna had to be more powerful than her…so how could they get her to release that block?
Makato gave Minako a look. She nodded, so they agreed. Now they had a plan. All they had to do now was get Bunny and fill her in. After they ran it by Ami first, she was going to be the one planning the strategy.
**~LG~**
"You realize what they will do?" Setsuna sighed.
Haruka shrugged. "What they always do. They run into the battle without a thought or anything. They know nothing about this world. There had to be a reason why she sealed it off from us."
Hotaru stared out the window. It was raining…again. Their Princess always loved the rain. Sadly it never rained on the Moon, so she always went to Earth to see it. She would run and dance out in it. She would love fighting in it. That was what she loved to do the most. Their Princess was something else.
Michiru noticed Hotaru's staring. "It's raining my friends. Wouldn't it be nice if we were altogether again out in the rain? Maybe this World rains…"
Setsuna laughed. "Of course it rains, but I see what you're getting at. I think we can assume that our Princess will give in. And we will all go into this new World and save it from our enemy."
"Will the fighters of that planet aid us? Or will we be fighting alone?" Haruka asked.
Nothing else could be said because a knock interrupted them.
"I hate whining brats. I bet you whatever you want; they will come in and start demanding stuff—whether it is answers or something else." No one argued with what Haruka said. No doubt it was going to be true. Time didn't change people.
Michiru took her eyes off the rain and went to the door. Hotaru continued to watch it fall harder onto the ground.
The door opened and the wet Inner Scouts and the little Princess came inside. Once they dried off they were lead into the biggest room—the living room, it had little to no furniture, there were only three chairs—it was the size of a classroom. The chairs were big enough for two to sit in though.
Once the Scouts got comfortable—some sat on the floor, some leaned up against the wall—the demanding began. But instead of them demanding being taken to the other World, they were demanding Setsuna take them to the girl.
They wanted to talk to the girl who wouldn't let Pluto or them through the Door. The girl who was supposedly more powerful than Pluto, the one the Outers knew so well.
Michiru laughed at the Inner Scouts. "Be my guest, but when she chews you out for being weak don't come crawling back to us with tears."
Rei and Makato wanted to slap her, but for once Bunny was actually being mature, she spoke up.
"Alright, we will take what we can get. Setsuna, would you please be so kind?"
That shocked everyone, but it wasn't the time to show it. Many things had to be done.
Setsuna told the girls to transform into their Sailor selves. Once that was done, Pluto gripped her Garnet Rod and waved it in front of her. A portal to a place filled with Darkness was seen on the other side. They walked through one by one.
Once all the Scouts had stepped through the portal, Pluto closed it and the four Outer Scouts led the way. It had been so long since they had been there—minus Pluto of course, for she was there not even a day ago. They were only here for less than a few hours before they were forced onto their own Planets to Summon Saturn—who returned soon after she destroyed the rest of the Silver Millennium. Saturn left after she was summoned to Earth centuries and millenniums later. Hotaru had a place on Earth then, so she stayed and didn't come back.
They walked through the darkness for less than a minute before they came to a Castle. But like the last time Pluto was here, it changed into a Temple. It seemed that Nemesis like Temples better, but couldn't actually decide on what it should actually be. Either that or it was the power of this place that was doing it.
Pluto knew the truth, and once Mercury asked about it she explained. "If you were anyone who was not a Scout it would appear as a Castle, for that was what you were most likely looking for. But since there was no one really living here to being with, the Castle never really gets visitors. For Sailor Scouts' a Temple is what you enter. She just likes it that way."
They walked up the steps leading to the Temple as Venus and Jupiter asked, "Who is she?"
"That would be me, I believe." a voice said.
Seconds later clicks of heels were heard against the floor. A figure came into view. She had long blonde hair put into buns like Sailor Moon's were, but the buns seemed to be black, while the rest her hair was golden. She had the black and gold dress on as before. When she walked you couldn't see the shoes beneath the dress. She was beautiful, but not very tall. She had to be a little over five foot; at the max five five.
She smiled as she waved her hands toward the Temple behind her. "Welcome to the Temple of Nemesis."
Five Scouts let out gasps. It seemed they couldn't handle her words. Wasn't Nemesis that evil Planet that Wise Man was sentenced to in the future? And then there was the Outer Scouts' actions, they couldn't handle both at the same time.
Even in their skirts they gave respect to their Princess. Half the time they were in their Princess form and the other half in the Sailor form. If they were in their Princess form they would curtsy, but since they were in Sailor form, they went down on one knee.
"Princess we are so glad to be with you once again. Now we are complete. The Outer Sailor Scouts are whole once again." They chorused as one when they rose.
The blonde woman smiled, "It's is good to be with you as well. So long have I been on Nemesis, I have felt the pain of loneliness. But now that you are here, there is no need for it."
She took in the other Scouts and sighed. "None of you remember who I am, do you?"
Five Scouts shook their heads. Nemesis sighed again. This was going to take awhile. But oh well, things had to be done
"I am Nemesis, Princess of this Planet; Sailor Nemesis. No, I was not born here. I do not know much about the past of this Planet, but I know that this Planet never had any Kingdoms like yours. I only became a Scout seconds before the Moon Kingdom started getting destroyed."
Sailor Moon took this in and once the other Scout's words clicked inside of her head her eyes glared daggers.
"So you ran away?" she asked sharply.
It was a harsh thing to say, but Bunny wanted to be harsh, if this Scout here had more power than Pluto did, then she could have saved their Kingdom. They all could have lived. They all could be on the Moon right now, living in peace.
Nemesis gave the little Princess a look of pity. "No, little Serenity, it wouldn't have matter whether or not I would have stayed. I couldn't have guaranteed that I would have fought with you and not against you with the enemy."
Shock over took the Scouts. Before they could speak Nemesis raised her hands for quiet.
"Mother sent me away because of my power." She said it so simply, as if that was all the entire problem consisted of. But power was never simple. No matter what World, who you were or weren't, power never could be simple.
"Power?" they chorused together, all of them thinking the same thing. It seemed that they forgot about the mother part, but it would come up later.
Nemesis nodded. "My mother and father were enemies, and their power opposites. I learned this after I was sent here. My mother was of the Light—the Moon Kingdom. My father was of the Darkness—the Dark Kingdom. It didn't help that they were the most powerful of their Kingdoms."
Venus thought quickly about that one. "That would mean that you mother was Queen Serenity. And your father…there was no King of the Dark Kingdom. They had a Queen, Queen Metaria. "
Nemesis shook her head. "During the war that you were alive to participate in, there was no King, only Queen Metaria. I was around three hundred years old when you were born. The King was killed by Metaria when she learned of his infidelity. Of course, they weren't married, she just thought they were. She was had so many delusions about power. I was born, but I was kept hidden because my mother wanted to keep me so. She didn't want anyone to know that she had had a child with the enemy. What would that do to her reputation? Her people would believe she had been tainted. How could she have ruled then?"
No one answered her question. How could they? Her words spoke true, so she went on.
"So I mainly trained myself and my powers along with my Court, the Outer Scouts. By the time you five were born we had mastered most of our powers. Before and after your births we went to Earth all the time. The Royal Family was in need of my powers quite a lot."
"Who was the last Royal Family you used your powers for? What did you do for them?" Sailor Moon asked softly, she was afraid of the answers. But the first one, she already knew it. She was afraid to hear it out loud though.
"The last one that lived of course, you were right in your thinking. Three years before Endymion was born the first Crown Prince of Earth was born: Endymoon. That reminds me," she said with an eyebrow raised. "I am three hundred exactly. Well, not _now_ of course, I never died during the war. But when you were born I was three hundred years older then you. Anyway, where was I?"
"The first Crown Prince, Princess…" Uranus reminded her quietly.
Nemesis snapped her fingers. "Of course! I do have a bad memory…some of the time. So, he was born but he was special. He was born to this Ancient Order or whatever, and he would have to leave his family after he was five or six years old and live with the Order for the rest of his life. But no one could know that he was alive. It was supposed to be as if he never existed. So, after nine months of waiting for a Crown Prince, their people had to suddenly forget about their Prince. So that was where I came in. I went to them three times. When he was one, three and five, and erased the people of Earth's memories. But that doesn't have any matter to this story does it?"
"Princess," Saturn spoke up.
Nemesis turned to her. "What is it? Did I forget something again?"
"Let's all sit down before you tear down their memory barriers." Pluto sighed at her Princess. The bad thing was that this happened all the time. Since Nemesis wasn't used to others and how they reacted to things, she never paid attention.
Nemesis nodded and led them into her Temple. They walked through the entrance hall rather quickly, so the Scouts didn't have much time to look at it. But it was huge. After a few twists and turns of the halls they arrived at the sitting room. Nemesis poured them tea, and started talking again once everyone was situated.
"I was once in love with a Prince, one who was named Crown Prince after his dear older brother was declared 'nonexistent,' but since I had trouble with emotions I was unsure. I met him three years before my little sister first ventured down onto Earth. We talked, and we soon fell in love. But I caught him with my sister six months after she first came down to the green planet. He thought she was me, and she had no clue. I grew mad at them both, but first I went numb.
"I tried to forget what I saw, and I succeeded for a while. I threw myself into training. Endymoon helped, for he had seen my pain. I trained with his younger brother's Knights as well as him. We all became friends, rather quickly. They knew about what really happened; they knew there were two Princesses of the Moon. Soon I could defeat them all single handily at the same time. But no matter how hard I fought or trained, I couldn't beat the older Prince." Her voice trailed off as if she was remembering.
"Then one day after my training with the older Prince I caught Beryl spying on my sister and the younger Prince of Earth. I followed her then, something felt wrong. It wasn't long before I discovered Metaria's plot. So I warned my mother, she too had started to see signs. We began to plan, but when I saw them together once more I almost completely snapped. It didn't help that the other Scouts, the ones that were supposed to be guarding my dear little sister were fooling around with the Knights that were supposed to be protecting Endymoon's younger brother."
Silence took over the group as Nemesis tried to regain control of the emotions that were threatening to break the barrier she had over them to keep them out. She controlled it quickly; only seconds had passed before she went on.
"I did things I regret, but one cannot change the past, one must move on." Nemesis clenched her fist.
Mars snorted. "If you can block one of Pluto's Doors, then you have the power to change the past. Look at what Chibi Moon did."
Nemesis glared at her, it shut her up quick. "And where is that little one now? Away in the future I would take a guess." She again put her hand up. "I sent her back. Do not worry about her. Mars that reason only is why you do not control powers of the past, present, and future. I think it is a good thing that you do not hold the powers nor the task of Guarding the Doors of Time and Space. Everything would be destroyed because of the unbalance."
"It makes sense. Pluto wouldn't change anything, which would upset the already shaky balance that is around us." Mercury said as she nodded her understanding of Nemesis' words.
"What would you do without her?" Nemesis chuckled. Not waiting for an answer, Nemesis continued on with her story.
"I went straight for the Silver Imperial Crystal. I wanted my revenge, the little revenge I did take did not satisfy me. I had punished half of the guilty parties, but the last two were the most important. The two that betrayed me much more the other ones: my little sister and her Prince. The Scouts and the Knights weren't doing their jobs, so they got punished first." Nemesis smirked as she remembered what happened. She regretted it of course, but they got what they deserved.
"We were almost at war with each other and they were just fooling around. It made me so mad; again they were being so irresponsible. But I didn't get to do the damage I sought to do. Mother caught me. She wanted me out of there being before the fighting began because—I later found out—my power I got from my father would come out and make me join with the Dark Kingdom. Of course she didn't know I just gave them four of their most powerful warriors. That was of no consequence."
The Inner Scouts gave Nemesis doubtful looks, but that didn't say anything when she continued on.
"She gave me the power to become Sailor Nemesis, Scout of Light and the Darkness—for it mixed both of my powers, the two halves of my parents. I was then sent to Nemesis with my Scouts to watch our home and loved ones destroyed."
"That doesn't explain how we don't remember you." Jupiter said thoughtfully. Mars nodded and agreed with her.
Venus sighed as she gave Jupiter and Mars a look. "It actually does. The Queen wanted us to be happy, and remembering what Nemesis did to us out of anger—even if I think we kind of deserved it—and the fact she did hide Nemesis from the beginning from everyone else it makes sense."
Mercury added to Venus' words. "Remember that we didn't know that the Outer Scouts existed till way after we started being Scouts…" she trailed off as she thought of something. She gave Nemesis a thoughtful look. "Did we grow up with you and the other Scouts in the Moon Kingdom?"
Nemesis gave her a half smile. "I will ask again, where would you be without the smart Scout? Good job Venus on noticing those two reasons, though the latter is her main one. She was also afraid I would take the throne from my sister. And seeing how careless she is and sometimes acts, I think I might just do that."
She gave Sailor Moon a soft glare. No one said anything, taking all she said in. It was a lot. She gave them so much information in so little time.
"I will give you back your memories. It will be only after then that we will talk of the next mission." Nemesis told them as she got up.
She went from one Scout to another touching their foreheads for few moments, closing her eyes and then opening them. After she opened her eyes she moved to the next one and did the same until she was done.
It took a few minutes before everyone went over their new memories, or old ones locked away. Once they accepted that Nemesis was in fact the older Princes just stashed away for a long time, they had no problem with her. They just didn't like remembering that the other Scouts teased and made fun of them so much.
"First off, you five are weak." Nemesis waved her hand at their protests and attempts to defend themselves.
"You are weak. You all died—yes my Scouts did too—against **Chaos** in the first battle. You have done nothing to get stronger these last few years. If you fail, it's on your own hands. If many in that World die because you are too weak to save them, their blood will be on your hands." Nemesis said seriously. "So to remedy the vacation all of you have taken these last few years, you will have to train Scouts.
She didn't dwell on her words though. Nemesis moved on to the subject of the Door.
"I will not tell you the reasons why I locked the Door so Pluto would never get could go through. But I will let you through. But once it is over there will be no going back. So I will give you some advice that will prove to be very wise if I do end up closing that Door forever. Do you want to hear it?" she asked them.
Of course the Outers Scouts nodded, they knew that when she gave advice that it was best obeyed. She could see the future after all. Pluto was the only one who knew why she was giving the advice. The Inners took a few more seconds before they responded as well. They knew about her visions now that they had their memories back, and knew about her advice. She had told them things before they wished they heeded.
It would turn out to be one of those things they wish they did head once those Doors were closed.
"I will close those Doors. And it will crush you so. You tend to…care for those that you meet. Take the Sailor Starlights for example. You can't see them anymore. Three of you very nearly fell in love with the three of them!"
Said three—Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Venus—blushed. For Sailor Moon—for she didn't know Marmoru was dead, started to fall in love with Seiya—Sailor Star Fighter. Mercury went for Taiki—Sailor Star Maker. And last, Venus was falling for Yaten—Sailor Star Healer.
"If you fall in love with anyone on this World it will hurt. Do not care for any of them. They could die, and again it will hurt. Remember the fight with Galaxia? Everyone one of you died, do you realize what that did to Sailor Moon? It killed her inside. So please, don't start caring…I know all of you have good pure hearts, but sometimes you go too far."
Once again Nemesis sighed; then she stood up and walked away from where they were sitting and went into another room. Silence consumed the Sailor Scouts until she returned. It only took a few moments, but it seemed like so long with that silence in place.
Nemesis didn't sit down. "I will send you there tomorrow. It is late on Earth. You will need good night's rest. Pluto," Nemesis locked eyes with her. "You know what time to go."
Nemesis turned to Sailor Moon. "I need a word with you before you go." She looked at the rest of them. "I will send her back, so please go ahead."
When Jupiter looked like she was going to protest Nemesis shot her down. "I have important matters to discuss with my sister that do not concern you, so please go." She said as she motioned to her Scouts. They herded the Inner Scouts out the door till it was only the two Moon Princesses left.
Nemesis sat across from her and spoke one word that made Sailor Moon flinch. "Marmoru."
"So it is true." Nemesis sighed.
She grabbed Sailor Moon's hands and looked directly in her eyes. "Do not stay with someone because you _think _that a child's life hands in the balance."
"But Chibi Moon," Sailor Moon protested.
Nemesis shook her head. "The future is not set into stone." Then she got a wicked gleam her eye. "Tell me my dear…does black and blonde make pink? I didn't think so…"
_Wait…that doesn't make sense either, _he _would never let his son…what in the Galaxy am I telling my sister? Her destiny involves a soul mate with black hair…of course there is the problem with that pink hair…_
With those thoughts clouding her mind, Nemesis stood up and created a portal with the wave of her hand. Sailor Moon went through to where her Scouts were waiting. They would soon talk about what they heard tonight and then go to bed.
Nemesis sighed after her little sister left. She went into her room, and took that shower she had been craving for hours. She would soon have guests—through the mirror of course. After the shower she would go to bed. Oh how she loved sleep.
_To be continued..._
4. Chapter 4
**MOON SAYS: **I have edited this, I mean really edited.
**WORDS**: 1978
**PAGES**: 6
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 4**
Goku was tired. He had never felt so tired before. This new enemy was getting on his nerves already. It hadn't even been half a day since he and Vegeta had went to Lookout Tower and discovered who the enemy was that they had felt through their dreams were.
**Chaos**.
He could only pray that those other fighters from Nemesis' World would get here in time for what was to come.
Now all he had to do was start warning some people. But he didn't entirely know what to warn them about. So he just told them to come to the Tower later that day and Dende would explain it
Goku thought back to what that dream felt like. If the enemy was that powerful, then they needed all the help they could get.
Now…he had to find Gohan. Only Gohan knew where those four were. But the question was would they help? How strong were they really? But if Gohan praised their skills and abilities then why should Goku worry? He would leave that to Gohan. Gohan would figure it out.
**~LG~**
Vegeta had trained ever since he got home. For an hour he grabbed Trunks and they sparred.
Vegeta was a man who didn't let his emotions overwhelm him. He didn't let his feelings for others cloud his judgment. In that aspect he was like her. And once upon a time he felt so good whenever he had her approval.
Vegeta shook his head. All day, he had been thinking weird things, seeing stuff he didn't remember. It was as if seeing Nemesis brought something back. It made him suspicious of his own memories. Someone had blocked some of his memories. And just now he was getting them and those thoughts back.
**~LG~**
Trunks had noticed something wrong with his dad. He didn't ask though. Vegeta wasn't like Goku who was all carefree and told you when something bothered him. No, Vegeta kept it all inside, and dealt with it all on his own. Vegeta didn't need anybody.
Trunks knew that everyone needed someone. Even his all powerful dad, especially his dad. He knew his dad cared for him and his mother, but…his mother could never understand his dad fully. She wasn't a fighter; she had never gone through pain before. She didn't and couldn't know the thrill they got from fighting. She hated fighting, yet Trunks and Vegeta lived on it, thrived on it. Pain made them feel alive. Pain made them who they were.
Pain. That was a subject Trunks could go on for hours. Pain bonded people together. Pain brought people closer.
He knew that if his dad ever met someone who could share his pain…his mother wouldn't stand a chance. Now, only Trunks wished he could find someone to share his pain with.
Trunks looked up and shook off his thoughts. Goten was coming for a visit. But they hadn't talked about it before. Something was wrong.
Then it struck Trunks. His dad had been training really hard today, and that was weird. His dad never trained this hard when there was peace. And add to that the look on Goten's face…yes something was wrong.
"Trunks, we have to go to the Lookout Tower. Grab you dad, I was told by mine that we have to get there as soon as possible. Dende is supposed to talk to us about a new threat."
"We have a new enemy?" Trunks asked quickly, disbelief filling his voice.
Goten nodded at his friend. "Now let's get going."
**~LG~**
Eighteen, Piccolo, Yamucha, Gohan, Goten, Krillin, Vegeta, Trunks, and four warriors Trunks had never seen before were gathered on the Lookout Tower. If you looked you could see Yajirobe in the corner stuffing his face, but no one cared about him. He didn't matter. He never fought with them before, and it wasn't like he was going to start now.
"Dad, what's going on?" Trunks asked. He almost laughed when Vegeta and Goku turned. They were used to this by now.
Vegeta just grunted. He didn't want to talk about this. That woman…Nemesis…somehow he knew her. He knew her from Planet Vegeta. They were close, he remembered. But he couldn't remember much. It was coming back too slowly for his likening.
She was doing something to him. Something he didn't like. There was a reason that was eluding him, a reason why he didn't want to remember. Something about Nemesis told him there was something in the past that happened between them. It was something that hurt both of them. Did he want to remember that?
Goku left out Vegeta's dream, knowing his friend wanted to keep that to himself. He told them the rest though. When he was done Dende came outside. He looked worse for wear, worse than both Vegeta and Goku together looked when they woke up this morning.
"What's wrong Dende?" many of the fighters asked at once.
Dende sighed. "Arguing with a mirror doesn't help one's heath. I will tell you that, especially when it verbally abuses you."
All but two looked at him like he was crazy.
Goku gave Dende a nod. "Can we talk to her?"
Dende sighed and threw up his hands. "Why the hell not? She doesn't listen to me anyway. She prefers to play mind games and torture me. So go ahead. Be my guest. I will bring the mirror out."
Vegeta snorted at that. Of course she loved mind games. She always did know how to side step the truth. It always made him mad when used against him, but against others? It was fun to watch. She was a tricky little fox that amused him greatly.
All the other Z Fighters, when they heard Vegeta snort, assumed it was because Dende was talking to a mirror. Never did they think that he was snorting because he knew the girl inside the mirror.
Dende brought it out and hung it on the wall of the Entrance Doors. "Can you make it bigger?" he asked the mirror.
Now everyone really thought he lost his mind. And when they heard someone say, "Of course," they knew they lost theirs as well.
The mirror became bigger so that now everyone could see it. The mirror was black but it soon faded when candles were lit. This time was different then when Goku and Vegeta talked to her, they could see her clearly last time, this time they couldn't. They could make out colors and shapes, but not defining features.
"Dende, I grow tired of your games." A silky, husky female voice said. It sounded as if she was annoyed. "I do not like my creations to be put on display. Explain yourself you stupid green gaki."
Dende sighed. This relationship with her wasn't going to work out. He didn't like being verbally abused. He was going to have to get another job. If the Guardian had to deal with her, he didn't want to be the Guardian of Earth anymore. Let someone else deal with her, someone who liked getting verbally put down.
"These are the Z Fighters, Nemesis. I thought they deserved to know what their facing." Dende replied.
That was when the mirror got a hell of a lot of clearer. They saw everything now. She was beautiful. Her long blonde hair wasn't in its buns, but spread out all over her. She had the same thin strapped black tight fitting shirt on as before.
Yamucha wanted her, but reframed from doing or saying anything. Over the years he had gotten mature of sorts. Even if she was hot, he knew not to act out, especially if she could tell them about the threat they were facing.
"You brought men to see me? I really don't like being put on display green gaki. Though I see one woman, sheesh, you guys are all sexists." She rolled her emerald eyes. "What do you want again?"
Vegeta snorted again. "Never could keep your mind on the matters at hand, could you? Always getting distracted, that isn't a very good fighter."
Vegeta felt like he had said that before, and heard the comeback before too.
"Of course you get all up on me forgetting things, but tell me Mr. Princey Poo, how many times did you get distracted because my clothes got ripped while fighting?" Nemesis shot back at him.
Vegeta waved that off with a hand. "I'm a man, what can I say?"
Nemesis snorted now. "You can have a little self control. Damn, I forgot how idiotic you were Vegeta. Though, I can see that you have changed." She said as she looked him up and down. "You're not a teenager anymore, but you're still short."
The Z Fighters were too stunned at the verbal exchanged to laugh at their insults. Trunks was mesmerized, he wanted her, but knew if she acted this way with his dad he couldn't have her. It seemed his dad had found someone who knew him. The true him.
"Short? You're calling me short? What about you, my little blonde midget?"
Nemesis grabbed a pillow and threw it at the mirror. For a second, they thought the mirror was going to break, but instead the pillow was sent through and hit Vegeta. He fell with a yell.
"What the hell midget? What is this made of, bricks?" he asked as he picked up the black as night pillow and dropped it on the ground. It made a massive hole in the floor of the Lookout Tower.
Most were curious to how she threw that. She didn't look strong.
"How do you sleep on this? I knew you were hard headed, but this?" Vegeta questioned her seriously, but there were subtle tones of teasing mixed in as well.
Nemesis raised an eyebrow. "You're still an idiot. When I picked it up to throw it, I changed its weight." She paused as she thought for a moment. "You really forgot me."
Vegeta looked up and expected her to have a sad face. But she didn't. She was grinning. Oh that was it. She went too far.
"What the hell did you do to me midget?" Vegeta growled.
Nemesis shrugged. "Midgets don't know anything do they? You told me that once."
Vegeta growled again at her and threatened her. "If you don't tell me I will go through that mirror and beat it out of you."
Nemesis didn't seem fazed by his threat. Everyone else was horrified that he would hit a woman. "You always say you're going to beat me, yet I still kick your ass."
That got face faults from everyone. That was when Nemesis noticed they were there.
"I forgot they were there."
Vegeta sighed. "You really are a blonde midget."
Nemesis eyes narrowed. If looks could kill…many would have been dead after lots of pain.
"If you call me a midget one more time, I will go through this mirror and kick your ass so bad it will make what I did to Gotheam looked like what a child will do."
Vegeta froze. "You wouldn't."
He remembered Gotheam. He watched her destroy that Planet to bits. First, she went down and beat some, sliced some, tore some apart. Then when they begged her to stop, to leave them alone, saying they would do anything, she just smiled at them. She then began throwing energy attacks all over the planet. When more than three fourths were dead and one fourth was in utter agony, only then did she destroyed the Planet.
Dende's face drained of all color. "You destroyed Gotheam?" his voice was but a whisper.
Nemesis rolled her eyes. "That was one of the more toned down ones if I say so myself."
"Dende, what's Gotheam?" Krillin asked.
Piccolo lost all color too. "It was a Planet. I heard that a single Saiyan completely wiped it out alone. It was a girl? You had to have been a child then. It had to have been over forty, fifty years ago."
Nemesis gave him a cool look. "I remember you. You're that stupid Namek that got himself sealed away on Earth. It was fun to watch that. But it was sad to see such a powerful fighter brought down so easily."
Goten took Nemesis in. "You destroyed this whole Planet by yourself? What were they weak?"
Vegeta wanted to slap him. "Actually that Planet gave us the quite a bit of trouble. It had killed around five of our Third Class. It was ranked a C World, but we found out when we lost those five that it wasn't a C World. It was an A ranked World. They were more powerful the Third Classes, even if there were five of them. So they sent both of us. My job was just to watch, and if she needed help, I would back her up. She walked away with only a few cuts and bruises too. One of her best destructions, but in all it wasn't the best of all. It was brutal and cruel what she did, but it wasn't the worst." He said as a little admiration slipped in.
Nemesis rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes I destroyed a Planet, whopped de doo. Can we move on? It's no wonder you all have trouble defeating your enemies. You spend too much time talking. No wonder Cell and Boo walked all over you."
"How can we trust you?" Yamucha asked. Yes, she was hot, but deadly and evil. She destroyed a freaking Planet when she was a child for goodness sakes! "You just admitted to destroying one Planet and hinting at the destruction of others!"
Nemesis didn't even look at him or pay him much attention besides answering the question.
"Besides the fact I have Rules that I cannot break? You have no choice. I am in charge of the fighters that will save your asses. It's my choice whether or not they get sent here. Your World's fate is resting in my hands."
Dende already knew this. He knew that she couldn't directly cause the destruction of this World. Of course he didn't know that her Rules were voluntary. If she wanted to, she didn't have to follow them. Lucky for him he didn't know that.
"Can you tell us about it or not?" Dende stirred the conversation back to the original purpose.
"Now, I don't see why I have to tell you about the enemy. It's not like you can do anything about it. You just have to take care of its minions while my fighters take care of the one it is possessing."
"What can we do about the one possessed? Can we save them?" Vegeta asked.
"I wouldn't have thought you would have said that Vegeta. It seems you have changed." Nemesis said before she gave him a sad look. "I am sorry about that. In our World the enemy took people's Star Seeds, their life. Here everything is different. The enemy won't take Star Seeds, it takes something else. You have to kill them all. The minions and the possessed. There is no other way. Something half of my fighters will not want to accept."
"The other half?" Goku asked. He was curious about these fighters.
"Know their place, they know what needs to be done and will do it always, no matter what. They unlike the others know their duty. The others do not see the big picture."
"Then why send them?" Gohan asked.
Nemesis' eyes fell on him. "Simple, because they wouldn't shut up about it, they would have bugged me to death about it. If I could, I would have killed them by now, but I can't."
"Why?" Dende asked. He was curious as well.
"You all asked that question a lot." She mused. "I can't kill them because no matter how tainted their blood is, they are still my people. The only ones left, and it would be a waste, considering how much time and energy I have spent trying to keep them alive without them knowing." Nemesis said.
Before any other questions could be asked, something flashed in the room with Nemesis.
"Oh shit," she said. She threw the covers off the bed. "I can never get any sleep can I? What with enemies breaking Doors down, people coming and going, people wanting to talk to me, yep, I have no sleep."
She had long black silky pants on. She ran to the other side of the room. It was a twenty four by twenty five feet room. She grabbed a device off of a dresser. She looked at it, and her breathing stopped.
Vegeta could tell by her body language that something was wrong. "What did you find out?" he asked quickly.
Nemesis turned back to them, her face drawn in sadness. "It's started. It seems that **Chaos **has made itself known. The color is purple. It seems that whoever is possessed has been for more than half a day. Even if there was a way to save those possessed it would be as soon as they got possessed. There is no hope for this one."
Everyone's head was bowed in sadness. But Nemesis voice cut through their guilt and sorrow.
"My Scouts are coming. Go, I can see the person who is possessed, but barely. I need to be closer."
They saw Nemesis eyes now, black as darkness itself. There were no pupils in her eyes. It was just the darkness. Those that looked into her eyes were afraid if they kept on looking they would be lost forever.
"It's running, searching, I don't know what for, but I will find out. It's in a clearing now. It has found one of the things it was looking for. Hurry! Oh damn, it started making Earth minions. You might want to hurry now."
_To be continued..._
5. Chapter 5
**MOON SAYS: **More editing done. also, I have pics of Nemesis, but have changed a few things. The buns are black and the hair is blonde.
**WORDS**: 7, 637
**PAGES**: 15
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 5**
"So we are going?" Bunny asked. She looked into Pluto's eyes—for she had already transformed into her Scout form.
Pluto had a bad feeling. The information that Nemesis had told her just a few hours ago via their psychic connection was beyond troubling. She had informed the rest of the Outer Scouts, and they had agreed with her.
The only question was should she tell the others that as soon as they got to the other World that they were going to be fighting?
Pluto looked at Saturn. Saturn understood the turmoil her friend was going through. She put her right hand on Pluto's shoulder, reassuring her that she was there.
"You should tell them. They need to be prepared, if they just go into the fight without warning, they will die. We can't have that, it's too early." Saturn told her quietly.
Uranus and Neptune nodded, they totally agreed with their fellow Scout. Pluto looked over her shoulder at Uranus and nodded at her. The four Scouts had been together so long they knew what each movement of the others meant. They didn't even have to use that connection they shared to talk into the others mind. They didn't need it.
Uranus nodded herself. She turned to the five Inner Scouts, who weren't transformed yet, and whistled, getting their attention.
"Okay listen up Scouts. You all need to transform as quickly as possible. We need to get there as fast as we can. There has already been a possession." She ignored the gasps and the murmurs and continued on. "As soon as we get there, we are entering a fight. Now, here is what you need you need to know, two things. One: there will be others who will be fighting the enemy as well, though they don't have the powers we do. They are more geared toward physical fighting with energy blasts."
"The Z Fighters…" Ami said, after Uranus told her she was correct she and the rest of the Inner Scouts transformed. It didn't take long, with their Crystals activated they were strong, and the transformation time became quicker.
"The second thing you need to know…is that we can't save the ones possessed. This isn't like taking your Star Seeds. Eternal Sailor Moon cannot heal them. We have to kill them. That is what the Princess has told us." Neptune said as she took over for Uranus.
Sailor Moon and the rest were shocked.
"What do you mean we can't save them? We always have been able to save them." Sailor Moon cried to the Outers.
Saturn sighed, getting everyone's attention in the process. "This isn't that simple. **Chaos** isn't taking their Star Seeds. **Chaos** isn't turning them into phages. **Chaos** is taking something else." She waited till her words had sunk in then she went on. "But we can save them. If we can locate them quickly enough, then we do not have to kill them."
Sailor Moon and the Inners gave a sigh of relief. That was what they wanted to hear.
Sailor Moon though, had something nagging at the back of her mind. Sailor Nemesis—her sister—had told them they were all weak. Her sister had always told her that she was stupid and needed to listen more. And she had started doing just that. She needed to be strong. Uranus had said something about fighting as soon as they got there…
"Wait," Sailor Moon said as she realized something. "Uranus, you said we would be fighting as soon as we got there right?"
"Correct Little Princess," Uranus nodded.
Sailor Moon and the rest of the Scouts put it together then. "Then is it too late for the first one who is possessed?" Jupiter asked softly, already knowing the answer.
Pluto hung her head down. "It is too late, yes."
Pluto then turned around—after a moment of silence—and called her Garnet Rod to her. She closed her eyes and cupped her hands around the top of her Rod. She focused and thought of the Door and what was behind it. She imagined the Planet they were going to. She imagined the location her Princess had given her.
When she opened her eyes seconds later, the Door was in front of her. She turned toward the Scouts. "While we are in that World you are to listen to either me or Sailor Nemesis. There will be no playing the Princess card on us." She gave Sailor Moon a look. "We are all Princess's of our own Planets, but now we are Sailor Scouts. We are going to protect this Planet. No arguing, alright? We have to focus on the task at hand. I will not tolerate what happened last time we tried to destroy the enemy and you, Inner Scouts, refused to let us do it. I am not sure if we can heal the ones that die this time. We are going to assume those that die, will stay dead."
Neptune nodded. "We cannot have division among us. We have to be strong together or we will fall. We will die if we don't work together and take down the enemy. Everyone understand?"
Once every Scout nodded, Pluto opened the Door and they stepped through.
**~LG~**
"Oh crap! Double crap!" Gohan yelled as he dodged another attack the enemy sent at him. "They won't stop coming! Where is the end of these things?"
Their enemies had bracelets on their wrists, but they weren't different from what normal humans look like. They all looked the same though. They were girls in skirts, more like Sailor Uniforms. The colors were definitely different. There was Brown, Red, Blue, and White. Each color had different attacks.
The Brown ones had Earth base attacks. The Red was Fire. Blue was Water. And White was Air.
Gohan and Goten had the Brown ones. Goku had a Red one, but so did Adrian and Adam. Blue ones were attacking Yamucha and Krillin. White was attacking Vegeta and Trunks. Drake appeared to be fighting a Brown and a Blue one, but he quickly killed the Blue one.
Killing them seemed to be easy, but they kept on multiplying. Like the Earth underneath them, would mold and shape one, while the creek thirty foot away made the Water ones. And at least two of the Fire ones were keeping a huge Fire burning near their Leader. It was making it hard to see who it was. The same thing was happening to the Wind and Air ones. Just a few were away from everyone else making more.
"Does anyone know where the others are? Eighteen, Piccolo or Tien?" Goten asked as he got hit. He quickly got his balance back and killed the one who hit him.
"Piccolo is talking with Dende, Eighteen is looking for Seventeen. As for Tien…I have no idea. We haven't seen him in months." Krillin yelled as a Blue one sent an attack of Water toward him. He dodged and threw his Disc at the five Blue ones trying to surround him.
Vegeta growled as he rammed his foot into a White enemy, who was thrown back into a few others.
"Where the hell are those others Nemesis was sending?" Vegeta growled as he punched another one.
Trunks was breathing hard, they had been going at this for over two hours nonstop. He was beginning to get afraid they weren't going to beat this enemy. So where were the ones Nemesis said she was sending? Would they be too late?
**~LG~**
"Hurry! Those Z Fighters are in trouble." Pluto whispered as she closed and locked the Door. "Before you attack, watch the enemy. Find out what kind of attacks they use and find one that your powers are strong against. Now Go Sailor Scouts!"
They ran toward the battle raging in front of them, but they held back when they got close. They hid behind some trees and bushes. They saw a huge amount of different color mini Sailor Scouts. They had to be between four foot and five foot tall.
They watched for five minutes before they figured the enemy out.
"Red has Fire attacks, Mercury and Neptune those are yours. Blue is Water, Jupiter those are all yours. White is Air, Mars it strengthens your Fire go get them. The rest of us, Moon, Saturn will go after the Brown ones, they have Earth attacks. I will join Mars against the White as back up. Did I forget anyone?" Pluto asked as continued to not take her eyes off the enemies.
"I didn't get assigned." Venus said softly.
Pluto looked back at her. "Sorry, go with Jupiter. Now, every group has at least two people, or am I wrong? Wait, Uranus stop being so quiet. You can't play with the White, so go with Moon and Saturn. You are of the Sky, so take down those who are below you. Ready everyone?"
They nodded. "Come out alive, Scouts. It won't be long before Nemesis shows up. Don't take your time. Knowing her she is watching now, waiting to see if we need help. Go!"
The Outers disappeared and appeared in front of the Z Fighters taking on the enemies with their colors.
"You can go away now. We can take it from here." The Outers said as one as they had their weapons in front of them, hacking away at the mini Scouts.
Pluto was in front of Trunks who had Vegeta at his back. Mars took care of the ones attacking Vegeta with her Fire attacks, while Pluto, who was behind them, took care of those.
Neptune flashed her Mirror at the one about to kill Adrian. Adrian and Adam were just staring and didn't notice one coming up behind them, but Mercury took care of it with her Water attacks.
Saturn brought her Scythe down on a Blue one about to kill Goten, while Moon whacked one with her Scepter.
Uranus slashed with her Sword at the one Drake was having trouble with. She cut it down like it was nothing.
The rest of the Scouts, Jupiter and Venus, took on the ones they were assigned.
They all amazed the Z Fighters with their Elemental Attacks. The only ones not using their attacks were the Outers, who used their Talismans.
Within ten minutes the Scouts did what the Z Fighters couldn't do in two hours. Even though they got the numbers down, it wasn't enough. The Scouts saw that. Sailor Moon was going to do something about it though.
"EVERYONE STAND BACK!" Sailor Moon yelled.
The Scouts got closer to the Z Fighter they were Guarding and raised a barrier. Saturn protected both Goten and Gohan.
"_SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS_!" Sailor Moon yelled as white light flashed over the clearing.
The entire army of the fake mini Scouts were gone.
Saturn and Uranus quickly dropped their barriers and caught Sailor Moon before she fell from lack of energy.
"You did too much Little Princess." Saturn said.
Uranus nodded as the other Scouts came toward them. "You know when you use the Crystal you can die."
Sailor Moon tried to laugh, but she started choking. "But we would have lost; even my stupid self saw that. As long as there was one left we would have had even more enemies to take care of. The only way to get rid of them all was an attack that destroyed them all at once. Even you guys know that."
With that said she de-transformed. The Z Fighters could only watch. These were the people Nemesis sent them?
Little Girls in Sailor Outfits…just like the ones the enemy had. But the enemy did come from their World after all…their thoughts didn't going any further when they heard a voice.
"So you killed the minions, but what about the boss?" a voice asked.
They all turned around and saw Nemesis…Sailor Nemesis. She stood as tall as she was before, but she wasn't in her Princess dress now or her pajamas.
She looked exactly like Sailor Moon, but without the blonde hair. This time it was pure black. Her Sailor Outfit had black boots up to her knees. Instead of the Crescent Moon Symbols on her boots, there was the Nemesis Symbol. The symbol was a small golden circle at the center with two straight lines going out of the circle—left and right—but it didn't stop. The left one went up and had an arrow, and the right one went down and had an arrow coming out of it too.
Her skirt was black, but her bows were golden. Her gloves and the upper half of her body were black as well.
The Symbol on her forehead…there was no Tiara; it was just her symbol, like Sailor Moon had the Crescent Moon. Her staff was as tall as her. It was rounded off at the bottom, pure black all the way through. But the top of the staff was different. There was a thin metal stick sticking up out of the top the staff, about three fourths up the staff. On the end of the stick it curved straight up on both sides, but at the tip it tilted down like the long sides of a triangle. Inside the top of the staff was a golden crystal. Floating a little below the ends that were tilted down.
In the middle of the bow on her chest was a black crystal. It was her Crystal. But it was only half of it.
"I am Super Sailor Nemesis." She turned her green eyes toward Pluto. "You know what to do once the smoke clears."
Pluto bowed. "Yes, Princess."
Nemesis turned toward the group of Z Fighters, her face blank. "You did great. My Scouts, you did well as well. Now, all we have left to do is to kill the one possessed."
"Are you sure we can't save them, Nemesis? Please!" Sailor Moon begged her sister.
Nemesis gave her little sister a calm, blank look as well. She chuckled. "How I always wanted you to beg. But not for this, not for someone else. I wanted you to beg for your life little Moon. But that will have to wait. No, this person will die, it's the only way."
"The smoke is clearing," Krillin said, effectively breaking the tension that the two sisters' caused.
All the Z Fighters thought it strange for Nemesis to want one of her own Scouts to beg for her life…but no one said anything. There was too much about these girls that they didn't know.
None of them, but three caught the two words directed at both girls. Princess. They looked just a like. Before Nemesis had blonde hair, like the blonde girl with lumps on her hair did.
They all turned around to watch the last of the smoke to clear. Each Scout was by a Z fighter. Jupiter was in the back, in case of another attack. The Z Fighters weren't close together, they were spread out. Five feet or so between each one. Vegeta and Goku were in front next to Nemesis and Pluto.
Trunks was next to Gohan and Moon. Mercury was next to Adam, who was next to Venus, who was next to Krillin. Mars and Uranus were by Drake and Yamucha—who both decided to stand by each other for no real reason, but to annoy each other. Saturn and Neptune paired up to stand next to Kari and Goten, who were talking quietly.
The smoke cleared. Four Fake Mini Scouts were standing around their leader—who was bent over on the ground, it looked like the leader was holding something—holding a barrier up.
Nemesis and Pluto chuckled as they saw the barrier.
"An Element Barrier? Too bad it killed them…" Pluto said as they watched the four dissolved into the Element they controlled.
The barrier went down and the leader was crouched down fiddling with something. Nemesis narrowed her eyes.
Once the barrier did go down the leader seem to sense the others behind her. She stiffened. She quickly conjured a White Fake Mini Scout and she gave it something and it disappeared.
She stood up, her purple hair flowing down her back. She turned around and narrowed her once purple—now black—eyes at them.
"Bulma…" Vegeta said, his eyes not believing what he saw. His dream…this is what it meant. She was going to die, because she was possessed. And he couldn't save her…maybe there was a way. Maybe one of these Scouts wouldn't kill her. Maybe if he found the one that was meant to kill her, he could stop them.
"Mom…" Trunks said at the same time as Vegeta said his mom's name. He couldn't believe it. His Mother was going to die…and he had to watch it. He couldn't save her.
Nemesis took a deep breath, shut the emotions flowing into out. "Restrain and kill."
"If that is your will, my Princess," Pluto calmly stated as she nodded.
She threw an arm around Vegeta's waist and pointed her Garnet Rod at Bulma.
"_Pluto Death Ball."_ Pluto whispered as she powered up her attack.
Vegeta remembered his dream…and just like it, he couldn't stop her death. He couldn't move. He was too focused on his wife. Her face looking like her, but at the same time totally different, her eyes wasn't the only thing different. Her face mocked them.
"Kill me; it isn't like I can't possess someone else." Bulma said, her voice higher, yet deeper than her own voice.
The purple ball of energy shot out of her Garnet Rod a hit Bulma. Bulma screamed bloody murder as her became extremely pale. Then she completely disintegrated.
Bulma was dead. She wasn't coming back. Every Z Fighter felt her death, took it in. Every Z Fighter had been connected to her in some way.
Krillin had known her, with Goku, when they were children.
Yamucha had gone out with her, and at one time he was in love with her.
Gohan and Goten grew up with her there. She was like a second mom to them.
Adam, Adrian and Drake didn't know her. They only knew Gohan. But they saw the pain on his face. Even though everyone knew that this couldn't have been helped, that they couldn't save her, it still hurt.
Goku had known her since he was a child. She was like a sister to him. He looked at Nemesis who still had the blank face on. But for a second, her face grimaced as if she was suffering unimaginable pain.
"Can you guys stop thinking or feeling for one blasted minute?" She groaned out in pain.
Now, that got everyone's attention. That and her grabbing her head like it was hurting.
Pluto let go of Vegeta and walked quickly to her Princess. She grabbed her and held her from behind.
"Shh…tune them out. Block them out." She whispered smoothly like she was talking to a child who just had a nightmare.
Uranus, Neptune and Saturn walked over to their Princess as well.
"It's okay Princess…" the three said over and over as two grabbed her hands and the other stood in front of her.
Moon became scared. "Is she going to have an attack?"
The four Inner Scouts paled at those words. The Z Fighters—all but one—didn't know what that meant.
"She c-ca-can't…didn't s-sh-she get over t-th-tha-that years ago? Wasn't s-sh-she cured?" Mercury stuttered.
Saturn turned to the other Scouts and glared, they backed up. "She isn't having an attack. She just left her mind open that is all. Now shut up and close off your minds."
Vegeta snorted. Trying to block out the fact that he wife just died. He did the only thing that came to him. Tease her. Tease the woman who had ordered his wife's death. But somehow the teasing was easy, as if it was a habit he had developed. He knew he had developed it. They had known each other for years, they used to be close friends and didn't friends tease the other?
"Oh…it seems the little Princess still can't control herself. What have you been during all these years? Sitting on your ass? You used to be an expert." He smirked. "Ahh, don't tell me the baby got weak. You have to have your little attendants' help you now. You have gotten weak." He mocked her.
Nemesis forgot about the pain and whirled around. Her Scouts jumped back behind her. She glared at Vegeta, who was immune to them, just like she was immune to his glares.
"Weak? I'm weak? Who the hell had to save your ass over and over when we were kids? Hmm? Who had to cover for you when you did _that_? Who had to take the blame for _that_?" she trailed off.
Vegeta became quiet as well. "That was a long time ago. I covered for you as well, if you remembered."
Nemesis snorted. "My mess ups were expected. I was too powerful and couldn't control it. But you? You were the Prince of Saiyans, you could do no wrong." She mocked. "And that night…" She trailed off, her voice becoming quiet.
"…was my biggest mistake." Vegeta finished softly.
Nemesis looked away. "Yes, it was a huge mistake. You betrayed me."
A silence had take control of the huge group. So many things were running through each and everyone's head. How did those two know each other?
Sailor Moon looked back and forth between her sister and Vegeta.
"Was he the reason why you sealed off the Door?" she asked softly. "Why you wouldn't let us through until we talked you into it?"
Now the Z Fighters looked between Nemesis and Vegeta. Even Vegeta looked shocked. She locked the Doors because of him? Vegeta didn't know that what had happened had affected her so much.
Nemesis shook her head. "I left for a totally different reason. Not that it concerns anyone."
Pluto took in the situation. "We have to get ready for the next possession. Princess," she said. Nemesis turned around to look at her. "Are we to hunt by ourselves, as a group or wait?"
Nemesis shook her head. "I'm pairing you all up." her face and voice had become emotionless and blank again.
She turned around again and walked toward Goku. "Goku, correct?"
Goku nodded. "Nemesis, are you really a Princess?" he asked, a few people sweat dropped.
Nemesis laughed and gave him a small smile, which he smiled in return. "Yes, I am the Eldest and Crown Heir to the Silver Millennium."
Sailor Moon was mad. "STOP LYING!" she screamed.
Nemesis raised an eyebrow. "How am I lying, little Serenity?"
Moon stomped her foot. "I'm the Crown Princess! I will be Queen, Neo-Queen Serenity to be exact."
Nemesis sighed. "Always so immature little sister. This is why mother begged me year after year to become heir again. No, you brought me back, so suffer to consequences. And stop acting like a child. You are eighteen, not to mention countless centuries old. Act like the Princess you claim to be."
Sailor Moon knew her sister was right. Did she want to stop being immature, didn't she want to start being smart? Moon looked uncertain as she thought about her future daughter. "What about Chibi Moon?"
Nemesis stopped and closed her eyes. "A talk for another time, stop giving out our personal business girl. Don't you have respect? Now Goku," she said turning her attention back to him. "What do you say about pairing up? Do you agree?"
Goku thought about it. As long as one Scout was with them, they could defeat the leader and the minions easily.
"Of course I agree. Why ask me though?"
Nemesis gave him a small grin. "Because you're the leader of the Z Fighters, while I am the Leader of the Scouts. Now," she turned toward the group of Z Fighters.
"Scouts behind me, Z Fighters bunch up together will you?" she said and turned around and focused on her Scouts.
"Let's go in order shall we?" she said. The first one she looked for was Mercury.
"Mercury, you will pair up with," she looked at the Z Fighters.
There was a man, twenty years old, medium length brown hair tied back into a bow. He wore dark brown pants with a blue shirt. He had tennis shoes on. He had brown eyes as well. The man loved brown, and for a good reason too. He had power of the Earth. Only a little bit of Earth, not everything. He could lift rocks, pick really heavy Earth up, and manipulate Earth, but not Plants, trees or anything other than rock and minerals.
Nemesis knew who to pick for her. "The dude who is obsessed with brown." She said as she pointed at him.
His two friends laughed at him. He just sighed and told them his name was Adam.
"Well, Adam and Mercury go stand somewhere together so I know not to pair you up with anyone else. Next, Venus get your butty over here."
Venus walked up beside her and Nemesis saw a short dude, who was almost drooling at her Scout. She smirked; Vegeta mumbled something about being worried.
"Okay you're paired with the short, bald dude Venus, go stand somewhere. Now, little Moon get over here. You will be paired with the dude standing next to Goku…I'm guessing his son."
"Gohan is my name…Nemesis." Gohan said tightly.
Nemesis scratched her head. "Got you."
But before Sailor Moon could walk over to him Nemesis put her hand on Moon's shoulder. She froze and closed her eyes. Nemesis saw something she didn't want to see. She had been wrong about one thing, and right about another. Black and blonde didn't make pink, but Chibi Moon didn't have pink hair…it was dyed. So her father did have black hair…but she was right about the father not being Mamoru.
"Sister, did you see something?" Moon said concerned.
Nemesis took a deep breath. "I just found out Chibi Moon doesn't have pink hair, but that is all."
The Scouts all laughed, while Moon just looked confused. "What has that got to do with anything? Of course her hair is pink! I would never let my child dye her hair."
Nemesis looks the other way. "Cough. Venus…has something to do with it. Cough. Apparently she didn't like the color her hair actually was. Cough. Moving on, next group."
A few laughed, Venus looked sheepish. Moon still didn't get it. Gohan just smiled as he led her to the others that had been paired up. These girls were weird, but he was used to it.
Jupiter steeped up toward Nemesis and whispered in her ear. "It was brown wasn't it?"
Nemesis choked for a second. "I plea the Fifth, Jupiter step back, were skipping you. You're with someone who won't really be fighting. Mars go with the guy with that scar on his face…his has long black hair. Yamucha, I think is his name, now go away."
Nemesis then reached her hand out behind her and someone held it. "Saturn, my Dark Destruction, go stand with….Goku's other son…Goten right?"
Goten nodded as he walked side by side with Saturn to stand next to Gohan and Moon.
"Uranus, my Golden Sky, go find the dude…over there hiding behind the blonde one with curly hair. Wait…never mind go pair up with the curly blonde haired dude. No…." Nemesis sighed. "Neptune, my Deep Ocean, go with the blonde one, while Uranus you're going with the dude with…" she chuckled. "Love your hair. I never met someone with such a vivid color before."
Drake the one assigned to Uranus had bright red hair and eyes. He was obsessed with the color red. The other, Adrian, had blonde curly hair. Like their other friend Adam, their hair was long enough to put in a pony tail.
They all looked built, and they were. Like all Z Fighters they had muscles. But these two had different power. Drake controlled some aspects of Fire, while Adrian controlled some aspects of Wind and Air.
Her voice then went low. "Red…as blood." She stared at it as if she was in a trance. "Red…maybe I need red hair."
Pluto touched her shoulder and Nemesis shook her head and gave a quick laugh. "No. I don't need red hair to remind me of the past. Do you Vegeta?" Her eyes were dull green as she looked at him.
The Prince of all Saiyans started to reach his arm out to her, but stopped when he got a quarter of the way up.
"No, I see it on my hands wherever I go." His voice was quiet, matching her eyes.
Nemesis looked down at the ground. "This reminds me of the old days, doesn't it? We will be fighting together once again."
Vegeta blinked. "You're pairing with me?"
Nemesis smirked, her eyes brightened with mischief. "No, I believe not. Don't want to tempt fate do we?"
"Tempt what? It's not like we ever did anything." Vegeta snorted.
"Pluto with be paired with you."
Vegeta's breath caught in his throat. "She killed Bulma…my wife."
Nemesis eyes hardened as she stared Vegeta down. It didn't take her long to defeat him.
She walked up to him—he was less than six feet away—and dew her arm back and punched him in the jaw.
"Rule One, Vegeta!" Nemesis' voice matched the hardness in her eyes. Almost everyone flinched and backed up.
Vegeta not expecting the punch, so he didn't guard against it and flew back twenty feet. He crashed into three trees before he stopped.
He was mad, and his face showed it when he appeared ten feet away from her.
"I am the bloody Prince of Saiyans woman!" Vegeta growled at her, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"And I'm the bloody Princess of Saiyans, your freaking fiancée once upon a time. So don't tell me what I can and can't do. Do I have to show you once again, little boy, who is stronger?" Nemesis growled back at him.
To say that many of the Z Fighters as well as the Scouts were shocked was the understatement of the year. For those that had paid attention and remembered, they wondered if marrying Bulma was the betrayal Nemesis was talking about earlier.
"Princess!" Pluto scolded.
Nemesis waved her off. "This has to be settled now. Too long has he forgotten the ways. You aren't even the man I had grown to care for once upon a time, the man who I had looked up to. The man who I knew had my back and was there for me whenever I needed him, no matter what side I was on. You have broken too many Rules Vegeta. What is Rule One?"
Vegeta's rage went straight down after this. "Rule One: Never let your emotions gain control of you. A Saiyan always can control his emotions even in his weakest state."
"Rule Two." Nemesis stated.
"Rule Two: Never grow attached to someone that isn't your partner. Never let that go too far either. If you are in battle, you can't be worrying about someone else."
"So did you care for his human more than your partner?" Nemesis asked.
Vegeta looked straight into her eyes. "My partner left me long ago. She left me to Frieza."
Nemesis nodded. "Yes, I left you. And I will never tell you why. For that burden I will bear alone, I will not bring it on you. You deserve more than that. I left you…I don't know how many years ago, since somehow you de-aged, but I don't care about that. I'm probably still younger than you now. But tell me, would you whether your partner be paired with you, or the woman who killed your human wife? I don't think there is much of a choice do you?"
Pluto's eyes softened as she took her friends arm. "Princess…Reni. You know that keeping all this in will destroy you?"
Nemesis laughed at her. "Death doesn't matter to me anymore. I died on the day I was betrayed by my family. My mother sent me to live alone for eternity on a God forsaken planet, just because she was a shamed of my birth. My sister betrayed me with the human I thought I loved. Her four Scouts betrayed her as well as our Kingdom by forsaking their Princess to play with the Knights. Yes, death is welcome."
Pluto slapped her. "You have us. We have never betrayed you, so don't think you're alone. We will always be there for you. We are your Court, your Servants, your Scouts, your friends. We are yours."
Nemesis laughed. "My Dead Rose, you are always my anchor. But it doesn't change anything. Even the strongest can only take so much. Now, go stand with the weak Prince of Saiyans. I have two other assignments to give."
She turned around and walked to Jupiter, her eyes were normal, so was her voice. Her mask was up…again.
"Jupiter, you will be guarding Dende, the Guardian of this world. I pick you, because you are high in the sky. Your lightening will be an asset to you, as well as your other skills. Goku." She waved him forward. "I will not assign you to one of my Scouts. I want you to guard your wife, in case it goes after yours as it did with Vegeta's. But I doubt it will. **Chaos** is making a statement. If I'm not mistaken, it's sending me a message. It knows my past and it won't be afraid to use it against me. It knows I am here. It knows it will die. I won't be stupid like my sister was last time she fought it. I will not save its host. I will destroy it body and soul."
Nemesis de-transformed. Her hair became blonde like Moon's. But it was free. Her eyes green like before. Her clothes black as could be. Her skirt was shorter than in her Sailor form, her boots the same length. She had no gloves on, but her finger nails were purple. Her shirt was black as night, but it was weird.
It was strapless and dipped down her back. Leaving most of her skin showing, but it covered her front side well. She turned around to walk away before she said something.
"My name in this form is Konton. Ko for short. You will need to know each other, so get to know your partner. But don't get attached. We will leave once **Chaos** is taken care of. Since there is no one left, I will not take a partner—" She was cut off by Trunks.
"You didn't assign me to a Scout."
Konton whirred around and locked her eyes with Trunks. She blinked. This kid had Vegeta's power and aura, yet he looked like the human. But his aura wasn't all Saiyan. He smelled different, his power was different. Just like Goku's two kids…
"You're a half Saiyan…" Konton murmured. _And the woman I ordered Pluto to kill, he was her kid. Great two great pairs. The woman who killed the wife is paired with the husband. And the woman who ordered the death is paired with the son…great._
Trunks nodded. "Are you a full blooded Saiyan?"
Konton paused. "In this form I am, but as a Sailor Scout, or as a Princess I am a full blooded member of the Silver Millennium."
Vegeta paused. "I know I heard that before. It was in the History Archives. The Silver Millennium was destroyed thousands of years ago, yet you grew up as a child with me."
Konton snorted. "That didn't stop you from betraying me did it? I have every power every Scout of mine has. Pluto is the Guardian of the Time and Space. I can use the same because it is in my blood."
Moon was shocked. "But I don't have that in my blood…do I?"
Pluto shook her head. "My Princess gets it from her Father's side. We are cousins. Our Fathers had the same Father. So just like me, she has the power of Time and Space inside her veins allowing her to control the Doors."
"She's right. I was bored, my Mother never let me go off, and I always had to hide. She was ashamed that I was a half breed. I wasn't pure Moon or whatever they called it. The Dark Kingdom was part of the Silver Millennium, though no one said it out loud. My Father was the King. But that doesn't have to do with anything does it, Vegeta?" she bore her eyes into his.
"What does it matter that I am thousands of years old? That I manipulated Time and Space to grow up as a Saiyan in a body of a Saiyan? In all purposes I am a Saiyan in this form. But that didn't stop you did it?"
Vegeta was growing mad. She always talked about the Rules, but she never followed them herself. And he told her that.
"Do you follow the Rules yourself? We knew as soon as we were declared fiancés that it was never going to happen. What did it matter that I was with someone else?"
Konton closed her eyes; she wasn't going to let herself have an attack in front of him of all people. She took a few deep breaths, trying to get rid of the anger, the hurt. When she opened her eyes, Vegeta saw the girl he never wanted to see again, at least directed at him.
"You were the only one who knew me Vegeta. You knew what would make or break me. Did you not think we I felt those emotions in your mind I wouldn't come running? Or those thoughts? I thought someone was killing you!" She screamed at him.
She couldn't control her anger; she wouldn't be able to stop the attack now.
"How was I to know you were there? You told me you were leaving and wouldn't be back for another week! What should it matter anyway? Why should I have cared? This shouldn't have mattered in the first place!" he yelled back at her.
Konton gave a bitter laugh. "Yes, watching someone who I was supposed to marry fucking another girl…yeah that shouldn't matter to me, should it? And you wonder why I left you to Frieza, you deserved it." She spat at the ground toward him. "You could have waited till the betrothal was broken. It only would have lasted a few more days, yet you shamed me. You basically said I wasn't worth it. Do you know what that did to me? The only person, who mattered to me in that whole freaking World, just told me I was worth nothing. Do you know how I felt?"
Vegeta couldn't say much to that. "I felt what you felt; you weren't guarding yourself that night."
Konton paused in her rant, her breathing was getting slower. She only prayed that no one read the signs. This fight was working to her advantage. If only Vegeta didn't say anything, if only he wouldn't notice anything.
But her luck wasn't that good. He had seen her in this situation before.
He quickly walked toward her. "Are you having an attack?"
She blinked a few times. How did he know? It didn't take him long to cross that ten feet. Before she knew it, he was right in front of her and was looking into her eyes, trying to figure out if she was having an attack.
She jumped back and started to fly. She was wobbly at first, but she quickly got the hang of it.
"Don't you dare do that! You don't care remember? If I was having one, you have no right to touch me, to help me. You, Vegeta messed the rest of my life up! You were the first to betray me."
Uranus growled at Vegeta and was about to attack him, had Drake held her back.
"You're the reason she was so broken when she came back. You're the reason she didn't talk for two hundred years! You're the reason why she shut herself up. Why she hated everyone!"
Neptune put a hand on Uranus' shoulder. "That is all the past. It was more than him that made her broken. Something she will never tell us. If it was just him, she would have never sealed this World away from us…no that's a lie. She never sealed this World away from _us_, it was from _her_. Something happened after that, which was what had destroyed her."
Konton was taking deep breaths now. She couldn't breathe.
"Princess! Screw it, you're having an attack!" Saturn almost yelled at her.
Konton threw an annoyed glance at her. "It won't be the first one I had without help. Leave me alone. Get with your pairs. We have to figure out what **Chaos** had thrown to the minion before she turned around and faced us."
With that she flew higher in the air and soon disappeared.
Goku looked to Jupiter. "I will take you to Dende."
Trunks looked after where Nemesis had flown away. He wanted to go after her. He wanted to her to trust people…no, he wanted her to trust him. For the life of him he had a crush on this broken woman. One his Father had known long ago. One his Father had cared for and she for him.
He had seen her strength, her will, her brokenness, and her felt far more than he let on. He knew by her words she was a psychic. And somehow during the time they had spent together, he didn't understand how, but he now how a bond with her.
_How is that? I don't even know this woman. Yet I can understand how she feels just a tiny bit. Everyone I loved was destroyed by the Androids. And I just watched. She watched the destruction of her people at the hands of the other half of her blood. All of the betrayals she felt, that I can't understand. _
The more he had thought about her, the more he wanted to understand, the more he wanted to help her.
Vegeta's voice sliced through his thoughts. "You heard her boy. She said get with your pair, you are her pair."
Trunks nodded, and started to fly away but stopped when Vegeta called out to him.
"Hurt her and I will beat you, son or not."
Trunks nodded. He didn't need to be told that. He didn't want to hurt her. That was the opposite of what he wanted. He wanted her; he wanted her to care for him. He wanted her to love him. He wanted her to feel for him what he felt for her.
Hurting her wasn't in the plan. Hurting her would destroy what he wanted.
But he had so many barriers between her and him. One was his Father. Would she see him as Vegeta? Or would she see him as Trunks?
There was a barrier that would be trouble. It was that he technically was two different people at the same time. He was the Future Trunks who was saved, but only his mind. Dende had kept him alive while they waited for the Dragon Balls. They waited until little Trunks had become twelve, four years after the Boo thing. For six years he has gotten used to and adjusted to being two different people.
What was even weirder was that his dad and a few other Z Fighters were younger than they should be. Krillin had been joking around when they were doing wishes—when the older Trunks and the younger one became one—and wanted just a few of them to be younger and it worked. So they now were just a few years older than him and Bulma was really annoyed.
Bulma.
Would the biggest barrier be the death of his mother? One he didn't want himself to think about. Yes, she was possessed. He believed Nemesis when she said they couldn't save her. But she had ordered her death…would he have done the same?
That was one of the reasons he never wanted to be a leader. They had to make hard decisions like that all the time. Who could be saved and who could be not. Should he hate her for doing her duty? For protecting his World, when he could not? Was his mother even his mother anymore?
Trunks remembered that for the past few days she had been acting weird. Playing with a device, he thought was a Dragon Ball detector…
No…that wouldn't be what she had thrown would it?
He started to go over the memory and Trunks was afraid…it was in fact the detector.
Trunks, for the first time but not—he hoped— the last, found that bond in his head. He followed it and tried to find out where she was. She was by a lake…he knew where that was. He had been there before. But before he could get out of her mind, she had noticed him.
He was afraid she was going to kick him out, but she didn't. She opened her mind further, and let him in more.
That surprised him, but what surprised him even more was that she was talking to him.
_What is making you so worried, my lad? What makes you so scared that you want to run to _me_?_
He didn't care that they were talking in their minds. _I know what my mother threw to the minion. It means big trouble._
_To be continued..._
6. Chapter 6
**MOON SAYS: **Editing, editing, this is a short chap!
**WORDS**: 2, 260
**PAGES**: 5
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 6**
"Little boy, are you one hundred percent sure that was what she was handing off to the fake mini Scout?" Ko asked calmly as if what was being said didn't matter to her.
Trunks glared at her. "I am not a little boy!"
Ko looked amused. "You are a child compared to me. You are your father's child…and I am supposed to be the same age as him. In my Sailor form I am centuries older than you. Compared to me Trunks, you are a child and you always will be one."
Trunks didn't like where this was going. He didn't like that she thought of him as a child. He knew he liked her, but it didn't help that she saw and treated him like a child. It was just another barrier between them. It was just his luck, countless barriers between him and the one he wanted.
"I have ran for my life for years. I have fought countless battles. I have been in more than my share of life and death battles. I have died. I don't think that makes me a child. Look at your name, it itself means child." Trunks retorted.
Ko smirked, it almost made Trunks flinch. It looked just like his dad's before he killed you.
"My full name is Konton; do you know what that means? Chaos. I was born from the most powerful Light and Dark Rulers in my Galaxy. I lived more than twenty years as a full blooded Saiyan in their prime. I was there when Planet Vegeta was destroyed by Frieza. I watched it happened. I had Saiyans and others alike fearing my name. I destroyed entire planets with just my power alone. That is just my life in your Galaxy."
Ko turned away from him and walked toward the lake. She always loved Water, but she had always loved the rain much more. The rain always washed away the blood that covered her body. She knelt down and took off her shoes. When they were off she started walking into the water. She closed her eyes, the Water felt so good, especially to the body that almost had an attack. It cooled her inflamed body down a few degrees.
"I was always hidden from my people. I never knew who I was until _everyone_ and _everything_ was destroyed. I was used from the moment I could walk, the moment I could use my powers. The humans had the gall to demand my use. They never knew who I was though. They just thought I was a Sailor Scout that shouldn't exist. They never knew how right they were. They never knew my true birth, but neither did I." she let out a bitter laugh.
"I live with the fact I could have saved so many people. I could have stopped the destruction of Planet Vegeta, but I just watched it. It was the same with the Silver Millennium. My mother didn't want me to be tempted so she made up so ridiculous excuse to send me away. I watched everything I had ever known go up in smoke. It hurt that I actually helped my enemies destroy my home—if it could ever be called that."
She turned around and faced Trunks. "But the past is the past, and one cannot live in it." she rolled her eyes. "I could, but that is a different story. The past is over with, you can't change it."
Trunks gave her a bemused look. "Are we going to assume that we can't go back in time?"
Ko would have thrown something at him if she had it…but she did have something. Ko got a mysterious evil grin on her face, which made Trunks back up in response.
She lowered herself into the Water, but she was in the shallow end, so she had to back up first. Once she was waist deep in the Water she raised her right hand and pointed toward Trunks. In the same instant her hand was raised Water shot out at him.
Trunks, who was not prepared for the sudden Water attack she sent at him, couldn't dodge. So he got soaked.
"That wasn't fair! No using your powers!" The purple haired Saiyan growled at her.
The blonde Saiyan grinned. "All natural baby." She raised her arms and pointed to herself.
Ko turned around and walked deeper into the water. She totally missed the blush that was taking over his face.
When she stopped she was chest deep in Water. She then sighed contently. It had been so long since she had just relaxed. She just stood there, not moving for minutes.
After five minutes of staring at her, Trunks took of his orange boots. After getting fused with his younger and future self, he had opted for wearing his future clothes. He debated for a brief second whether to take his pants off or not, but decided in the end to leave them on. They were already wet.
The purple haired teen slowly walked into the Water after her.
The blonde teen felt the movement of Water. She knew he was coming in after her, but she realized she didn't care. It made her wonder why.
She was tired of standing still anyway. So the blonde woman tilted the upper half of her body down, and the bottom half up. She was now floating on her back with her eyes still closed.
It didn't take long for Trunks to come in after her. It didn't take him long to reach her either. He just watched her float as if she was dead. Silence ensued between them for what seemed like forever, but was really only half an hour.
That was when Vegeta's son couldn't take the silence anymore.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked carefully.
"Nothing until you said something." She chuckled. "What were you thinking about?"
Trunks hesitated for a moment, "You."
Ko wasn't surprised. "I did tell everyone to get to know who they were paired with, did I not?"
"You did." Trunks replied. "So are we going to listen to you?"
Ko opened her left eye to look at him. "I don't care. Do what you want." After she spoke she closed her eye again.
Trunks didn't know whether to be insulted or glad. He ended up shrugging it off.
"What's your favorite color?" he asked.
The floating blonde woman thought for a second. "Do you want truth or lies?"
The purple haired teen gave her an odd look. "Truth of course."
Ko had expected this. This boy was something. He was too innocent.
"Dark colors, for they describe me most. Dark pink, dark blue, dark purple, black…" she hesitated for a second, "Dark red, the color of blood."
Trunks kind of expected that. Her life wasn't all flowers and happiness after all. He liked the purple though.
"Yours, little one?" Ko asked as she let out a breath.
Trunks ignored her last two words. "Blue mostly I think, though I have to say I like purple."
"You do not get tired of it?" she asked. "Your eyes and your hair are purple. You see it more than once every day. I get tired of gold and black."
"In the future I never cared about favorite colors or anything like that. I never cared for anything accept staying alive and protecting my mother. With the androids running around destroying everyone's lives, nothing else really matter. Would you worry about your clothes, what color your hair was like, when you were running for your life?" Trunks asked her.
She didn't respond for a minute, what was she to say to his question? They both knew the answer. Instead, she asked her own. "Can you float?"
Trunks almost face faulted in the Water, but caught himself. Instead of answering he moved into the position to float just like her.
"What is your real hair color?"
Ko laughed. "It's sad but I don't have one, just like you don't. When I am Sailor Nemesis and Princess Nemesis my hair is black and gold. When I am Princess Serenity it is silver. My human or Saiyan form is blonde; thought when I get mad it goes black."
Trunks just chuckled. "We saw today, with the Scouts, they had different attacks then ours. Theirs were basically Elemental. What Element is yours?"
The blonde Saiyan thought about it. "I don't really have one. The Inner Scouts have Elements. Mercury can control all phrases of Water, whether she wants Ice, bubbles, or just plain old Water. Venus uses a mixture of Love and Light. Sailor Moon can use Moonlight, Light and she is a great Healer. Sailor Mars can manipulate Fire, as well as being a psychic. Sailor Jupiter can use different aspects of Nature, but mostly Lightning and Wood."
Ko stopped for a moment as she thought about her Scouts. "My Scouts are a little different though. Sailor Saturn is one of the most powerful of all the Scouts. Her powers lie in Silence and Destruction. She is the only Scout—besides me—who can wipe out entire Planets. Don't worry; she will not unless she is forced too. She is a good healer though. Sailor Uranus is one of my Elemental Scouts; she can control Air and Wind. That is my favorite Element. Sailor Neptune can control the Ocean. Sailor Pluto doesn't necessary, like a few others, have an Element. She can manipulate Time, and has little control over the Underworld."
"Wow," was all Trunks could say.
"I know, but Sailors Saturn, Venus, Pluto, Moon, and I do not have Elements. You know like: Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind, the four Elements. We have something else. I don't really have an Element either as a Scout, but I do control the Elements. They love me; they haven chosen me as their Guardian. I don't know why, but I don't care either. What's done is done."
Trunks turned his head to look at her. "You can control all of the Elements?"
Ko nodded. "No matter what form I am in either. When I was on Planet Vegeta very few had the gifts of the Elements. I think Vegeta had one, but I never found it out what it was. Everyone has a little Wind in them, but it isn't enough. It only lets them fly."
"Wow….okay onto the next question. Did you ever get to Super Saiyan?"
Ko blinked. "Super Saiyan, isn't that a Legend?"
Trunks smirked. "It isn't, every half blooded and full blooded Saiyan on Earth has gotten to at least Super Saiyan Two. Goku and my father have gotten past at least SS Four or Five I think. I have gotten to Three and stopped."
"Sugoi," Ko said. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen." Trunks replied.
"So young," she murmured. "How old are the rest of the Z Fighters?"
Trunks pretended he didn't hear what she first said. "Goten is same age as me. Gohan is twenty one. Adrian and Adam are twenty three. Krillin, Yamucha and my dad are in their middle to late twenty's, no one really knows though."
Ko turned her head toward him. "What? Isn't he supposed to be like forty or fifty?"
Trunks nodded. "But they had to make two other wishes when I got…fused. So Krillin, joking around, thought it would be funny if he and a few others became younger. The Dragon accepted that wish and only chose two others. My mom was so mad. She already didn't like it that dad and Goku didn't age because they were Saiyans, but they got younger?" he stopped when he realized he was talking about his mom.
She was dead.
They sat in silence for a while.
"What did you mean, you got fused? Are you not Trunks?"
Trunks chuckled. "You don't know, do you? When the androids first came my future self appeared in a Time Machine my mother created and I was sent back to save Goku—who was going to die from some illness that didn't have a cure yet. I thought if he was alive then we would win. But my coming back changed things. Cell came into play. After the big fight I got injured so badly I died. But when they brought back everyone that Cell and the androids killed, I was brought back too. But they waited till my infant self was twelve and fused us together. So I am now like two people, with two sets of memories."
"But at least you're the same person with basically the same powers. My two selves—the Scout and the Saiyan—are completely differently. One fights with fists and legs and the other uses her powers. We couldn't be any more different." Ko told him.
After that they just sat in silence for a while.
_Princess, will you come back to us?_
Ko, who was totally into the silence, and wasn't thinking at all, had let her guard down. She wasn't expecting one of her Scouts to contact her. So she jumped and stopped floating. She crashed into the Water and got Trunks and herself completely and fully wet.
Trunks stopped floating on his back as well. He stood back up and watched her almost panic.
_Do I have a choice?_
Her Scout sent her a laugh. _No you do not. Come back or I will find you and kick your butt, and then drag you back._
Ko laughed out loud, confusing Trunks. _Fine my Golden Sky, I will come back to you all._
_To be continued..._
7. Chapter 7
**MOON SAYS: **More editing...it gets tiresome I know. Soon a new chap will be out!
7-19-10: I realized that my separate-ers were not loading with the chapters, so I went back and added them.
**Words**: 2, 288
**PAGES**: 6
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 7**
With Trunks and Ko flying back toward the others it didn't take long to get there.
As soon as Ko landed her four Scouts surrounded her and began to fuss over her. The main topic was how wet and cold she was. Something she didn't care about.
Trunks and Vegeta could see how irritating this was for her, but were impressed by how well she took it. Vegeta, if he had known about this before hand, would have bet that Ko would have blown up and destroyed something, if not someone.
Ko did however have enough of the fussing. "Girls! I know I am your Princess, but please, enough is enough! Now, what did you call—" Ko cut herself off by emitting a gasp.
She collapsed a second later and started shaking. It wasn't from the cold. She held her eyes shut, while she waited it out.
"Is it an attack?" Trunks asked worriedly as he watched his partner shake.
Vegeta shook his head. "Something else is wrong. If she was having an attack, she would be bleeding right now."
Those two weren't the only ones concerned about the elder Princess. Worry was etched on everyone's faces.
No one spoke until Ko had gotten her bearings. There was too much confusion.
She spoke before she even tried to get up. "The next person has been possessed."
There were a few seconds of shock before all hell broke loose. Pluto quieted them down with a few choice threats. Uranus and Neptune helped Ko up and steadied her.
"None of you will be asking me why or how I know this." Ko told them calmly, but firmly. "For I do not know the answer myself, it could be because I am a Guardian, but I doubt it. We should not be standing here trying to get answers out of me. We should be going out and finding the possessed. That is," she looked them in the eyes, "If you want to save whoever it is."
Every Z Fighter's face took on a look of determination she had not seen in years. It caused her to chuckle softly.
"Right, now, pair of with your partner. I want you by two's." she informed them. "Mercury and Mars will be together, Venus and Jupiter are in another group. Pluto and Neptune will be one, while Uranus and Saturn will pair up. Little sis you are with me. Now let's go!"
**~LG~**
"Ok," Mars turned her head and body so that she could look at her partner, after they had gotten at least fifty miles away. "Where are we going?"
Yamucha did a double take. "You're asking me?"
Mercury sighed. "Is she looking at you or the bird that is on the tree?"
"Whoa, whoa, there ladies," Adam said as he held up his hands. "We don't have to be sarcastic and ill."
The two Scouts shared a look and rolled their eyes, but a faint amusement bubbled through them.
"Aren't you girls supposed to know like where they are and everything?" Mars' partner asked.
Mars glared. "Do I look like a **Chaos** detector? If you want one go and find Nemesis."
Mercury reached over and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Calm down Rei, he doesn't know anything or understand anything."
"I know that," Mars sighed. "I just don't want to see anyone else die because we were too weak or too late to save them. What if we hadn't been there first when the Starlights found the Phages? They would have died."
Mercury nodded. "I understand, but that doesn't mean we have to take it out on them."
Adam took a sudden likening to his partner. She may have come off as sarcastic at first, but when her friend needed her she was all into it. That was something that he respected.
"Okay, how about this? There is a town near here. Would your **Chaos** want to destroy a town?"
Mercury shook her head. "What we need to know is what the enemy is after. Once we know that, we know what the enemy is after and we can predict where they are going."
Mars nodded. "Is there anything in this world that your enemies would want?"
Yamucha thought about it before his eyes grew big. He remembered what every one of his enemies had been after.
_Dragon Balls._
"The Dragon Balls."
Adam's eyes widened. "Oh crap."
The two Scouts looked confused. "What are those?"
"Dragon Balls are seven yellow-orange balls that can summon the Eternal Dragon. Once summoned the summoner gets three wishes. Those three wished can be anything in the Dragon's Power he will grant." Mars' Partner told them.
"Oh 'shit' is right." Mercury said as she switched on her visor. Within two minutes she had imputed what she needed and nodded.
"What have you got Mercury?" Mars asked.
"We need to go about twenty miles West and then seventy miles North and we are where the enemy is." Was the reply Mercury gave as they started running toward the possessed and for the coordinates.
"Will we make it by the time they get there?" Mars asked.
Mercury shook her head at Mars, "Not unless we teleport, but we can't without the others."
Yamucha and Adam shared a look before they grinned. "Girls, we can fly."
**~LG~**
It didn't take long before they got there, via flying.
Yamucha did a double take. "Guys, I think we're getting near Korin's Tower."
"Who is Korin?" Mars asked as they touched the ground.
"He is the little Cat that is really old and gives us Senzu Beans." Yamucha replied as they walked some more with Mercury leading the way.
"I don't want to know anymore until later," Mercury said. "Were closing in, fifty feet…thirty…thirteen…ten and none."
They looked up and saw Yajirobe bending over picking up a Dragon Ball.
It was before the two Z Fighters could think that Mars and Mercury attacked.
_"MARS FLAME SNIPER_!" Mars yelled as the Fire arrow shot the possessed human in the back.
Mercury used her powers to set up a perimeter.
"Mars keep it busy! I need to check and see if can be saved! I'm calling Sailor Moon and Sailor Nemesis."
Mars nodded and set up her own barrier. This one was a Fire one.
"Let's play big boy."
**~LG~**
_Moon? Moon can you hear me?_
"Sailor Mercury, what is it? Have you found **Chaos**?" Moon asked in reply.
_"We have."_
_"Slow down you stupid fat man! Keep still so I can hit you!"_
"Is Mars having trouble with a fat man?" Moon asked with a grin on her face.
"Who is the one possessed?" Gohan asked.
Moon couldn't ask before she heard something else, a man's voice this time.
_"Come one Yajirobe, snap out of it!"_
"Apparently someone named Yajirobe." Moon said.
_"Nemesis, how do we tell if they are too far gone?"_
Nemesis thought for a moment before something flashed in her mind. "Look at his forehead. What do you see?"
**~LG~**
Mercury heard what Nemesis said and quickly turned to the possessed man. She couldn't get a glimpse of his forehead because they were moving too much.
"MARS! Get him still so I can see his forehead! Or tell me what it looks like!" Mercury yelled to her friend who was in the middle of her fight.
Mars heard Mercury and quickly scanned her opponent's face.
"There is a black outlined circle; it's filled in with gold." Mars informed Mercury while shooting another arrow.
**~LG~**
_"A circle outlined in black and filled in with gold."_
Nemesis' face hardened. "You wasted too much time. Kill him now before he gets even stronger. When the symbol on his head is complete we won't be able to stop him."
**~LG~**
Mercury had her orders, even if she didn't like them. But took comfort in the fact that every time she didn't follow Nemesis' orders, or listen to her after the fact, that she regretted her actions. She wanted to save everyone she could…but even she knew when to give in. after all, wasn't there a saying about killing one to have thousands?
Quickly she told Mars to shut down her Fire barrier and went in for the kill. Sailor Neptune had showed her years ago how to make a sword with her element.
With a heavy heart Mercury carried out her order.
_"MERCURY WATER SWORD!"_
The fat man laughed, his voice sounding like **Chaos'** voice. "Kill my pawns all you want, but you won't win. Already the very thing you tried to keep me from doing, I have done it. The Ball is already getting near my next possessed."
A few coughs of blood later, he was dead.
**~LG~**
"So you were right, little one. **Chaos** is after the Dragon Balls." Nemesis mused as she paced back and forth between the two groups.
"You knew and you didn't say anything?" someone demanded, but Nemesis waved them aside.
"We got distracted by the possession." Nemesis said as an excuse as she was trying to think.
"So far, the targets have been those who you know and have played some important part in your past. Those who were chosen knew about the Dragon Balls. Why do I have a feeling that the Dragon Balls do not go to the next target?" Nemesis asked herself.
Vegeta groaned after he heard her question. "Don't tell me this is like Quantos."
Nemesis' eyes snapped to him. "That's it!" Nemesis snorted. "Of course, brilliant plan, real brilliant **Chaos**."
Moon looked confused, so did everyone else. "Quantos?"
Nemesis nodded. "It was a mission Vegeta and I went on when we were what? Nine? Ten? Anyway, it was a pretty hard mission too. It ended up with the Leader using different pawns to get them to steal the items he wanted. We had thought the pawns were just giving them to the next on, but that wasn't the case in the end."
"Actually the Leader had one place where he made them keep all of them. It wasn't kept with one person, to be honest, no one stayed in that spot and guarded it. That was what threw us off." Vegeta continued.
"So, all we need to know is who the next target is, follow them to the stash and steal them all." Gohan said, his three friends backing him up.
Vegeta and Nemesis both gave him a long look.
"So you want to sacrifice someone?" Nemesis asked softly.
Gohan looked horrified. "No! We can save them before they get completely possessed."
Nemesis gave him a look of pity. "Sweetie, if we wait for the next target to take us back to where the Dragon Balls are being kept, he will be most likely completely possessed and we won't be able to kill him."
Gohan sighed and closed his eyes. He looked so tired. "So what do we do then?"
"Just wait for one to be possessed, steal the Dragon Ball, and save them." Moon said confidently.
Nemesis shook her head. "More than likely when they find the Dragon Ball they will have the circle on the heads. We need to find them right after they get possessed or they will die."
"What if they do have the circle? Can we still save them?" Krillin asked defiantly.
Nemesis rubbed her head as if it was aching. It was. All these hard headed stubborn idiots want to save people.
"In war, you stupid bakas, people die. Lives are sacrificed. To end the war, many will do anything. If it has been going on for years, everyone will do anything just to end it all. How long does this have to go on before you see what I see? How many have to die before you understand what needs to be done?" Nemesis demanded.
Vegeta shook his head at her. "Don't waste your breath on them. None of them understand what it is like to be in war, or they wouldn't ask such stupid questions."
"Just because we aren't cold blooded killers like you two, doesn't mean that we don't' know what war is!" Krillin replied hotly.
"Krillin, you have never been in a war. Dad's right." Trunks said quietly. "Running for your life day after day, trying to kill those who you can't, no matter how hard you try. So many dying around you every day; some right in front of your eyes. If someone asked you that the war would end, no more would die, if only a handful lost their lives. You would gladly agree."
Most couldn't believe what they were hearing. How could Trunks agree with them?
"We have been in a war." Jupiter countered. "And we didn't feel that way."
Nemesis snorted. "Girl, you weren't in that war long enough to know what death was. You died," Nemesis emphasized the last word making lots of people flinch. "Before the real war started."
"You weren't there either, remember? You ran," Venus countered.
"I started that war Venus, so don't be quick to open that mouth and shoot it off. That is something you Inners need to work on, stop thinking with your pride and heart, when you need to be thinking with your mind." The Eldest Princess told them.
"Remember Scouts, didn't sister say that she lived in this Universe for a while?" Moon reminded everyone softly. "If Vegeta was in a war, then so was she. Sister knows what she is taking about. Listen and obey her, more so then you would me. We only have one chance to do this. We should be grateful that we have Nemesis; she is more qualified and knows what to do. So please, stop this needless arguing. "
Nemesis took a step back. Did her sister just defend her to her own Scouts? Had Hell really frozen over?
She quickly looked to Pluto, who shook her head, her own eyes widened in shock.
"Now, what do we do next?" Vegeta asked, successfully breaking the tension the ten minute silence had created.
Nemesis looked into his eyes. "We rest for now. I doubt anyone has slept in the past twenty-four hours. After that all we can do is wait until **Chaos** strikes again."
_To be continued..._
8. Chapter 8
**MOON SAYS:** Okay guys, sorry for the long wait! This is chapter 8, sigh so many more to go. Well, hope you enjoy!
**WORDS**: 2, 872
**PAGES**: 7
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 8**
A thought never entered her head about her husband cheating on her. None at all. Why should it? She was beyond gorgeous; she was made to be after all. They even had a daughter!
Even though she knew deep down that there was no way that he would cheat on her, the green monster took control of her.
She shouldn't have decided to check up on him. If she didn't she wouldn't have seen him holding a woman.
A pretty one, who she didn't want to admit, was as pretty or prettier than herself.
It should have made a defense that they were flying; but she couldn't lie to herself. It didn't matter, not at all; if anything it made it worse.
Suddenly, an urge she hadn't felt since she was awakened years ago, she wanted to kill this girl. Yes, that was exactly what she was going to do.
As she walked by a mirror, she couldn't help but noticing how her blue eyes were now black.
**~LG~**
"So…do we just sit around till _girly_ over there says she senses another possession?" Yamucha muttered to Goten and Gohan's friends.
Goten chuckled while the other three did nothing. It wasn't funny because it was true.
"If you have something to say, _little boy_, then say it. Otherwise shut up." Ko said loudly and bluntly.
Yamucha had enough to sense to blush; but it didn't save him from getting wacked over the head by Rei.
"OW! Woman, why did you just hit me?" Yamucha cried as he rubbed his head at the spot she hit him.
"Because," she said coldly, "She is my Princess and if you insult her, you insult all of us. Just be glad it was me who hit you. Uranus and Jupiter would have kicked your ass."
His eyes went from her to the two Scouts mentioned and he gulped. They were glaring at him and popping their knuckles.
A chuckle interrupted them, it was Ko. "His words remind me of the first time we met, Vegeta."
The King of Saiyans growled and glared at her in response.
She shook her head and walked out of the living room that they all were packed into. The living room was in Vegeta's house. It had two sofas, two loveseats, and a few one seated chairs.
The room was in a circle shape, with the sofas were facing each other in the middle with the loveseats on the other side, the seats made a square shape. The one seated chairs had two in only two corners: the back two. The loveseats were in the left corner in the front.
Yamucha and the four sitting around him were taking up the two sofas. The Inner Scouts were sitting on the loveseats. Krillin was sitting on a one seated chair next to Gohan. The Outers were standing against the wall near the Inners. It was also where their Princess was standing before she left. Vegeta was standing on the right side near the door.
"Where are you going?" Krillin asked suddenly.
Ko didn't even turn around when she answered. "Do I really have to tell you?"
"Not him, but you have to tell me." Vegeta said calmly and neutrally.
She paused for a few seconds before she decided to answer him. "I'm going for a run; is that alright with you?"
Ko didn't wait for his answer and left the room. Without a further thought, she took off her skirt and shirt and dropped them on the table next to the door before leaving the house. She was left in a tank top that stopped inches above her waist; and shorts, that were indeed, short.
Her head seriously needed clearing. There was so much that she didn't know; that she knew she should know. Why did she know why she reacted to the possessions? Why did she agree to come back to this planet? Why, right after Yajirobe died, did she react to it as well?
Most importantly: why was Trunks going passed her walls? Even Vegeta hadn't got through them so quickly; and he was the one (besides her scouts who didn't have to) who had gotten through all of them quickly too.
Was it because she was so used to Vegeta, that as his son she was just reacted to Vegeta? Was it because she was thinking that he was Vegeta and letting him through? She should have thrown him out the moment she found him in her mind. She should have killed him! God knew that if anyone found out Trunks would have been dead. Vegeta would have been furious.
Who was the next victim going to be? Was it someone she knew? Or was it another attempt to throw the fact that **Chaos** knew too much about her in her face?
She had so many questions, but she couldn't answer any of them at all. But that wasn't what she should have been doing while running.
When running she was supposed to free herself from all thought whatsoever. All she was supposed to be thinking about was running and the Wind.
And Haruka, who was running beside her; that more than anything got her back on track. Until they stopped running a few hours later and noticed that they were in front of Vegeta's house…right where they started.
"You might want to go and take a shower." Gohan advised as he leaned up against the wall next to the front door. "We have no idea when the enemy will show up."
Ko did nothing for a few minute, but stare at him. There was something about him. Something that made her want to hurt him. And it had something to do with her sister. She knew all it took to figure it out was read his mind, but something stopped her; she didn't know what though.
Instead, she nodded. "After we get through, how about we all go do a round of scouting?"
He nodded as well and headed inside toward the living room to inform everyone of what was going to happen.
Haruka and Ko headed to their rooms and thankfully the rich people had a shower per room. The Outers were split into two rooms. One room had three beds and another had two. Haruka and Setsuna were sleeping in the same room, while Hotaru and Michiru slept with Ko in the other one.
The Inner's actually had a room that would fit four, but they didn't want to sleep in it without Makoto. No, she was paired off with the Guardian of Earth, Dende, and slept on the Lookout Tower. In the end, Bunny slept in the room with them.
When Haruka and Ko finished their showers and got dressed once again; this time Ko was wearing pants and a tank top while Haruka wore the same. Once they reached the living room they noticed that Makoto was in the room, with her partner Dende.
"Aren't you two supposed to be on Lookout Tower?" then she paused as she remembered something that didn't make sense that she didn't notice before. "Why did you abandon your partner two days when we were searching?"
Makoto sighed. "Dende told me to go meet up with everyone else and before I knew it we were off searching."
Ko nodded, accepting her answer; then she focused on everyone else. "Okay everyone, were off on another search. Get with who you were paired with before. No doubt as soon as we start searching another possession will happen."
After everyone knew what was going on, they slip up and left.
"I really hope that we don't end up finding the one who gets possessed next." Krillin told the other in his group as they flew southward away from Vegeta's house.
"Why?" Venus asked curiously as she held on tight to him. She wasn't afraid of flying, at least not when she and the Scouts where using their powers to do so; but when someone else was flying and she couldn't do anything…she may have been a little afraid.
Krillin shuddered. "I like fighting and all, but not when it comes to things like this."
"Aw, is Krillin scared?" Jupiter asked teasingly.
Venus laughed and Krillin blushed.
"I'm not scared!" Krillin protested. "I've fought tons of scary guys before. I even fought 18."
"18?" Jupiter and Venus asked as one.
"She used to be an Android created by Dr. Gero. That was the enemy before last we fought. Last one was Majin Buu. See, the Androids were made to kill Goku because of something he did when he was a kid." Dende explained as he shifted his partner in his arms.
"We: Goku, Bluma," Krillin took on a sad look, "and I took on the Red Ribbon Army when we were little. So, wanting revenge, Gero spied on us—to figure out our powers—and created the Androids to kill him."
"Did you kill her?" Venus asked carefully, trying to get her partner's mind of Bluma.
"No," Krillin laughed. "I married her."
The two Scouts took on very focused looks before Krillin decided to explain.
"See, at first we didn't even know the Androids were coming; but since Trunks traveled back in time…"
**~LG~**
Trunks sneezed and a chorus of bless you's, followed him.
"Thank you." Trunks said as he wrinkled his nose.
"Someone's talking about you," Nemesis said, "must be some old girlfriend of yours."
Gohan laughed while Trunks looked flustered.
"He's never had a girlfriend," Gohan told them while Moon and Nemesis rose an eyebrow. "The only girl that has ever liked him and he actually gave her the time of day, has moved on."
"Who?" Moon asked in curiosity.
"My sister Pan, but she grew out of her childhood crush thankfully." Gohan told her as he shifted her in his arms to make her more comfortable.
"Hush," Nemesis told Trunks as he was about to protest and give Gohan hell. "I'm quite surprised."
"Why?" Gohan and Trunks chimed together.
"Your father was, in fact, quite the lady's man. Though it was only because he was a prince; but you seem more down to earth. Haven't found that right girl yet?" Nemesis teased her partner as they sped up.
Trunks choked on air for a few seconds before he gave her a look of disbelief.
"Shut up and let's drop the subject okay?" Trunks said as Nemesis fell to the ground.
She caught herself before she hit it, with Trunks and Gohan right on her tail.
"Another possession," Gohan breathed.
All Nemesis could do was nod as she turned South. The image that she saw in her mind was not something that she would wish on anyone. One death before the eyes of the spouse was enough, but another? She just prayed, even though she knew it was useless, that she was wrong about the one possessed.
"Moon, tell Venus and Jupiter to get ready."
**~LG~**
_"Guys, can you hear me? Venus, Jupiter, can you hear me?"_
"Yes Moon, we can hear you loud and clear. What's wrong?" Venus asked calmly. "Is it over? Has someone already recovered the Dragon Ball?"
_"No, unfortunately, but I have been told the possession has happened."_
Seconds past and the two Scouts caught the words not said.
"It's our way, is it not?" Jupiter said trying to postpone the answer she knew was coming.
_"Yeah, were coming that way now. Hopefully we will be there before you find them."_
**_~LG~_**
No reply came for minutes and Moon became very worried.
"What's going on? Shouldn't they have answered me by now?" Moon asked anyone and everyone.
Those she asked stayed quiet; no one wanted to answer her. Even Moon knew the answer to the questions she asked.
"Why wouldn't they answer, even if they are fighting? Mercury and Mars did…" Moon trailed off.
Instead of answering Nemesis flew faster with Trunks and Gohan following suit.
**~LG~**
"Eighteen! Stop! What the hell is wrong with you?" Krillin asked a second before an energy blast was sent his way; he quickly dodged it and tried to get an answer out of her. ""Please, Eighteen, tell me what's wrong and stop attacking!"
Eighteen stopped and glared at Krillin. She diluted herself before and she knew it; there was no way that he was going to cheat on her. And here she caught that blonde bitch in his arms hugging him closely.
_That shank! _Eighteen yelled in her mind as she charged up her _Power Blitz_ technique and fired it at Venus.
Venus, quickly thinking, shouted, "_Venus Crystal Power_!" and created a barrier between her and the attack coming at her.
Venus knew that using her Crystal like that was going to drain her like it did Sailor Moon when she used the Silver Crystal. Before she felt the drain she steadied herself and gathered her power and attacked Eighteen.
"_Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"_ Venus cried as she sent all her power at Eighteen.
Krillin just reacted. He threw himself in front of 18 and shoved his own attacked to block Venus'.
"Venus! What the hell are you doing?" Krillin yelled at his partner. "She's our ally!"
Venus wanted to scream in frustration. "Look at her forehead you imbecile."
Krillin immediately saw between the lines of her words. She was saying that his wife was possessed.
"You can't be serious Venus! She is my wife!" Krillin cried in shock.
Venus narrowed her eyes. "Remember about Bulma? She was Vegeta's wife, and she was possessed. Don't be blinded by your love of who she _was_! She is no longer your wife!"
**~LG~**
"_Remember Bulma? She was Vegeta's wife, and she was possessed. Don't be blinded by your love of who she _was_! She is no longer your wife!"_
Every Scout heard that through their communicators. Vegeta, Trunks, and others that were close to Bulma froze with shock that the bluntness of the Scout. Not only that, but someone else was about to lose their wife.
"_Eighteen tell her that you're not possessed."_
"_Of course I'm not honey; I'm just a little jealous that she was in your arms and you didn't tell me about her."_
"_If you're thinking I'm cheating on you, you're dead wrong."_
"_That's a good boy, Krillin, now hold still."_
Something was wrong and everyone knew it. They especially knew it when he screamed two seconds later.
"_Krillin!"_ Many voices over the communicator yelled.
"_You bitch! I'm so going to kill you!"_
"Venus Light Arrow."
"Jupiter Lightening Bolt."
"_NO, YOU STUPID SCOUTS! Eighteen! GET OFF OF ME!"_
**~LG~**
Nemesis group came seconds before Jupiter and Venus finished the possessed off. They got there just in time so Gohan and Trunks grabbed Krillin so he didn't get in the way.
In less than five minutes everyone was on the battle sight.
Nemesis was crouched by the brunt body. There was something that she was missing; something so important that it was slowly driving her insane not being able to figure it out.
"If you were anymore insane, we would all be doomed." Neptune teased her Princess as she walked over to her and the body. "Do you see anything that could jog your memory?"
Nemesis thought hard on that question. "It isn't about me anymore," she said as she kicked the body and the ashes (that were in the shape of the body) crumpled and wilted.
"You bitch! How could you just kick her like that?" Krillin screamed as he moved too fast for anyone to stop him. He pulled his arm back and hit Nemesis hard enough to knock her back a few feet. "How dare you have her killed like this?"
When she got her body balanced and under control she noticed that everyone was waiting for her reaction. If glares could kill Krillin would have been butchered.
"If you want to blame someone blame yourself. You should have found her right after I assigned you your partner, who you didn't complain about, and told her. But you didn't, instead she saw you and went mad with jealousy becoming an easy target for **Chaos**." She spat blood at him. "Don't go off on me for your incompetence; hit me again and I will kill you. This hit I will give you because you are grieving."
Silence consumed the group other than Krillin's sobbing.
"What was it you said before?" Kari asked as the knowledge of her words before Krillin assaulted her began to take effect.
Nemesis wanted to smile. "At least someone is thinking with the correct part of their body. After this possession I realized something. **Chaos** just sent us message. I had assumed that Chaos was playing me by going after those who had something to do with me. I had a connection with Bulma through Vegeta. But that was proved wrong when she went after the fat one; but no longer do I think this."
Vegeta read through her words. "Is **Chaos** making a play at all of us?"
Nemesis nodded. ""I am certain that **Chaos** is attacking all of us; Vegeta and Trunks the first time, Yamucha the second, and now Krillin. I have a feeling the first one wasn't about me. So…it seems that it's showing all of us it can get to us, by means of those we love. I wonder whose next?"
_To be continued..._
9. Chapter 9
**MOON SAYS: **Sorry about the late update! Finals are over and the winter break is here! After a long day (mainly cleaning my room) I give you this chapter! That is not edited...as always.
_IMPORTANT NOTE_: At the end, there is a reason why I named Nem a certain name, and it is explained at the end of the chapter.
**Words**: 2,888
**Pages**: 7
ENJOT!
**Let Go**
**Chapter 9**
The groups came back to the not yet named, official headquarters: Vegeta and Trunks' house.
Gohan was holding Krillin up, giving him emotional as well as physical support. The younger fighter took the short older man up to a room to lie down; and hopefully recover.
Once he was out of sight, Yamucha rounded on Ko. His anger and fury was clearly evident and visible on his face and the air around him.
"You broke him. You killed a little girl's mother. Another man's wife," he accused bitterly. "Have you no shame?"
Ko did nothing, except stare at him—all of five seconds before she responded.
"If we were on Planet Vegeta, you would have been killed for insulting me. Vegeta, if not me, would have killed you himself. But, alas, that is not where we are at this moment. Another one of my homes destroyed by people wanting more power than they already have," her face took on a look of sorrow for a moment and then it was gone.
"I will not say this again, so listen well. Once the symbol starts to form on their heads, it is hopeless and impossible to save those that are possessed. There will be no salvation for them. **Chaos** controls them—the person that you knew and loved, died the moment they gave themselves over to Chaos." Ko glared at all of them in turn and they saw how cold her eyes were.
"Stop being so weak! Your job is to save your world. And that means killing those taken over, then so be it. If you cannot do this, get out of my sight and do not come back!"
Ko looked at Yamucha once more and glared, if only glares could kill, he would have been dead and out of her hair. "Weak fool, love will not conquer everything. Love doesn't always win."
_If it did then _she_ would still be by my side._
"Love and loyalty have always aided us and helped us win our battles." Gohan countered quietly. "Has it not yours?"
This statement made Ko pause. "For my fool of a sister, who relies heavily on it, maybe, but me? Sorry, reality has won my _heart_."
Ko decided that this was the time to leave. If she didn't, she would only be dragged into more arguments and debates, and that was something that she truly did not want. Ever.
To avoid the inevitable conversations—that she would have if she did not leave—she grabbed Uranus' hand and pulled her to toward their rooms.
Trunks, on the other hand, didn't share her view. Well, it wasn't that he didn't agree with it, it was more along the lines of he didn't like what her words _did_ to him. They made his heart want to lose hope.
But something deep inside of him—the voice that always told him to keep going, even when he wanted to give up—told him that he should never lose hope. Never.
**~LG~**
A week passed before Ko even thought about searching for the next possessed. She knew she had been harsh by just throwing them into battle after battle. And on top of that, she didn't give them enough time to mourn? It wasn't good and didn't help at all.
Brooding didn't help either.
Lucky for her, Haruka spotted the brooding and remedied it before it got out of hand. The Scout of Wind made her Princess get out of her room and onto the training field.
When one of them were upset, bored, or something was bothering them in the past, they always trained. Training was fun and took their minds off what was upsetting or bothering them.
Ko was only clad in shorts and a tank top that was tight. Her hair pulled back into a pony-tail. Haruka mimicked her Princess in clothes.
"Ready?" Haruka asked as Ko tossed one of her swords to her fellow blonde teammate.
"You're asking that to the wrong person, my love." Ko grinned and launched herself at her friend without warning.
For two straight hours they used their bodies to make the other give up. Cuts and bruises would show up tomorrow, if they hadn't healed by then, but in all honestly, the two Scouts didn't care. They loved every second, minute, and hour of those two hours that they fought.
When they stopped—by mutual agreement, for no one had won—they found everyone watching them. Haruka smirked, while Ko looked annoyed.
The Wind and Chaos Scout were all hot and sweaty, but their bodies didn't hurt that much from working them continuously, no resting, for two hours. Both were used to more intense and longer work outs.
Ko tilted her head at her friend and Haruka nodded.
Ko, with a wave of her hand, made their swords disappear and she walked over to her fellow Scout.
"Ready?" Haruka asked for the second time that day; though this time she had a smirk on her face. She knew something, but she wasn't giving away what she knew.
Ko shook her, amused that her would ask when she knew the answer. Instead she addressed the other Scouts.
"Anyone want to come?"
Minato nodded at the Princess and shrugged out of her pants—to the shock of all the males watching. Once the pants were off, it showed the shorts that were underneath. She proceeded then, to take off her T-Shirt, which revealed the green tank top underneath.
Makoto, Rei, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru all followed Minato's lead and did the same. Within seconds of stripping, Ko nodded to Haruka.
"Now I'm ready."
Without waiting for a reply, she took off in a sprint; followed by seven Scouts, who were intent on running with her.
**~LG~**
Showers were a must after an hour of running.
When Ko got out she put on a large T-Shirt—white—that she found laid out on her bed. At the sight of the shirt a smile graced her lips. Vegeta remembered that after their workouts she would shower and relax in a large T-Shirt. Most of the time, it was one of his shirts that she wore.
After the shower she was in a good mood, so she decided to thank Vegeta. She knew he was in the Living Room. Thinking that all the others had left, she didn't bother to check if anyone else was in there. Instead she went to the Living Room and leaned up against the door way and spoke.
"Thanks 'geta," she said but stopped from saying anything more. The Z Fighters plus Dende were all in the Living Room. Now, they were looking at her with wide eyes.
She then remembered that she was only wearing a T-Shirt and it stopped at a few inches above her knees.
She had no bra on, just the white T-Shirt and a white pair of panties.
"Oh," she blinked. "Hello. I thought everyone had left…oh well."
The Blonde Princess was about to walk into the room when Haruka grabbed her and pulled her from the male's sight by hiding her Princess behind her.
"Princess! You are in a room full of _men_. Why wear only _that_?" Ko looked at herself again.
"There is something wrong with the way I am dressed?" her voice held some confusion.
Vegeta laughed. "You are smart, violent has hell, yet so dense and naïve like always. I'm glad to see some things have not changed."
Ko scowled as he put her hands on Haruka's hips and poked her head around the right side of her Scout's body.
No one noticed the eyes of the males—save Vegeta—become wider at what Ko did.
"Naïve? Naïve? I was the one who gave you the sex talk, thank you very much!"
The coughs and shocked cries were ignored.
Vegeta chuckled at her words and the other's shocked faces. "And you sucked at it pretty bad, might I add."
Ko growled and pushed Haruka aside as she walked toward Vegeta—who was leaning up against the back wall.
The anger radiating off her took everyone's mind off her attire—except one; of course Vegeta could still detect the humor laying underneath it.
Vegeta continued to smirk until Ko pulled back her fist and slammed it into the wall where his head was a second ago.
When she pulled her fist back, there was a hole bigger than her head.
"Watch where you're throwing that fist, woman," Vegeta scowled, but it quickly turned into a smirk. "Though, I have to admit, it was pretty slow."
Ko's eyes lit up with something close to fury and it suddenly became hard to breath in the room. If there was one thing that Vegeta always praised her on, was her speed. It was something, that at times, kept her going on fighting instead of giving up. And he knew that; so why would he tarnish something like that?
Reason left her as her eyes flashed to cold hard black and then stayed the green once she kneed Vegeta in the stomach.
"Slow," she smirked back; the humor back in her voice.
Ko then turned around and left the room, while dragging Haruka with her.
Vegeta got the wind knocked out of him, when she thrusted her knee into his stomach. But it didn't hurt; in fact she had in the past, done a lot more damage to him.
Trunks—who was standing five feet to the right of his father—had seen her eyes changing colors. He prayed with everything in him, that she wouldn't be the next one possessed.
Yamucha, who never learned when to keep his mouth shut, asked something that caused death glares to be sent his way.
"Um…she's not gay is she? Because, I think, I'm totally getting that vibe off her now." Then a smirk took over his face. "Vegeta...don't tell me you turned her into a Lesbian?"
Not even a second later, the air was filled with a loud groan of pain.
**~LG~**
As the Scouts and Z Fighters stood in Vegeta's Training ground, Nemesis go a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. It increased greatly when she looked at Saturn.
A second before Goten grabbed Saturn, Nemesis called out to her.
Everyone turned their attention to her. Nem took a deep breath and banished the feeling that wanted to consume her.
"Princess?" Did you see something?" Saturn asked as she went to her Princess quickly, and put a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
She knew some of the things her Princess saw, were not pretty, and she wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy.
"No, I just had a bad feeling, that is all. You will be going with Uranus and Neptune for patrol. Pluto, you are with me today."
'A bad feeling' was not good when it came to Nem having them. She only prayed that her little one would be protected by Wind and Ocean.
**~LG~**
"You know, now that I think about it, I'm worried about Tien." Goten told the group he was with.
"You mean that bald guy with the eye in the middle of his forehead?" Uranus' partner, Drake, questioned the younger boy.
Goten nodded and then told the girls and their partners about Tien and his past with Goku.
"Since Goku, my dad, turned him straight, he has been helping us with those evil people trying to take over the world. But ever since Buu was defeated, he took an interest and me and trained me."
Saturn listened to his story and tried to keep the bad premonition feeling away.
_Was this the reason why Nemesis paired me with Uranus and Neptune? To be double sure that the mission would be carried out?_
Saturn couldn't help but feel close to her partner. She remembered her Princess' words about not getting attached. She couldn't help but care for him; he just seemed to grow on her since she had traveled to his world.
But, honestly, she didn't want to watch as he went through so much pain from losing someone he cared about deeply. Saturn could tell that Goten loved Tien with an older brother hero worship. It was Itachi and Sasuke all over again; she could just see it happening.
It didn't help that she was a Goddess of Death, or so some called her. The Scout of Destruction could feel Death coming closer and closer to her partner. She knew deep down that he would lose something today.
"Saturn, are you okay? You kind of spaced out." Goten told her, worry laced through his voice.
She shook her head. "I am alright."
Uranus and Neptune saw the look on their charge's face. They knew that Death was creeper closer and Saturn was feeling it.
_I will miss his Innocence; _Saturn couldn't help but think as they sped up toward the West.
**~LG~**
A giant Fire Ball and a giant Earth Ball connected with Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and their partners, sending them to the ground harshly.
Uranus and Neptune used their Elements to lessen their fall, while Drake and Kari did the same; but Saturn and Goten didn't have that option. They hit the ground with a few thuds and cracks.
"Damage!" Uranus and Neptune called out to their fellow Scout as she got up.
Saturn examined herself and her partner before she called back, "Left ankle fractured no doubt, left wrist broken, and Goten's right arm is completely broken. His right wrist is moveable, but it pains him; the same with his knee. We both hit our heads pretty hard; I believe we are dizzy."
"Always so precise, that's our girl." Neptune giggled.
Uranus shook her head with a smile on her face. "Yep, that she is."
Drake shoved Uranus done and covered her while another Fire Ball passed by right where Uranus was a second ago. Kari did the same thing with Neptune.
An Earth Ball was sent a Saturn and Goten, but neither could get out of the way quick enough.
"_Silent Wall._" Saturn called out as a barrier encased her and her partner. Smoke, dust, and gravel took their sight away.
"So, everyone's here, eh?" a man said. "Let's get the party started!"
Saturn felt Goten freeze and she knew who it was, even without the smoke clearing and their sight restored. She knew what needed to be done and she charge.
"Neptune and Kari take out the Fire Minions; and Uranus and Drake take out the Earth Minions. I've got the one possessed." Saturn ordered before she reached down and touched Goten's forehead.
"What are you doing?" Goten asked, his thoughts distracted and not focused on the enemy.
"I'm placing a barrier around you." Saturn replied.
Goten caught on pretty quickly. "You're leaving me while you fight _him_, aren't you?" his voice calm, but held a trace of sadness.
She paused, she couldn't lie to him. "Yes, you can't move because of your knee. Don't tell me that it only hurts; I know it's fractured, maybe broken."
As she turned around and walked away she whispered to him. "Hopefully, this will be over before the smoke clears. Maybe then you won't see it."
Goten smiled a strained and pained smile.
**~LG~**
Nemesis stopped flying and closed her eyes; a tear falling down her cheek. The confliction in her Dark Destruction was enough to make her want to cry. She felt the tear fall down her cheek. No, the emotions _made_ her cry.
"Princess?" her Dead Rose asked, hesitation coursing through her voice.
Nemesis opened her eyes and a look of helplessness crossed her face. Her group didn't know what to do.
"I feel…horrible. Death is gleefully running around us in circles, just waiting, knowing we will send more to him. I have no problem killing, and some others do not. Yet, that is not what is making me feel so weak and downright evil." She confessed. "It's what is happening to those that are left alive. We're doing what needs to be done, yet, it still hurts."
Sailor Moon smiled softly at her sister and with a shake of her head, Gohan let go of her. She brought her wings out and tested them before she went and gathered her sister in her arms.
"You are doing what needs to be done; and it's the only way. Even I can see that. The fact that you feel this regret and anguish over their deaths and the effect it has, shows that you have a heart; that you can _feel_." Moon told her sister. "Remember, the fact that you feel remorse, shows that you are different then the enemy."
"Does it make me better than them, just because I can feel these things that make me weak?" Nemesis countered softly.
Moon frowned for a second, but stopped herself from responded to that bit about being weak. When would her sister know that feeling and embracing your emotions—mostly love—was not a weakness, but a strength?
"I believe that it does, Onee-chan, because without a heart, how can you save others? Those without hearts, are the ones that need saving. That is why there are always those like us, who fight for the Light. It's because of our Love, that our powers are able to save others."
_Princess? The deed is done; the possessed has been given to and accepted by Death. He says: "Thanks again, my Samael."_
_To be continued…_
**IMPORTANT NOTE**: about _**Samael**__**:**_ according to Christian tradition and demonology, Samael was both a good Angel and an evil Angel. In Jewish Lore, one of Samael's greatest roles was the position of Angel of Death. Also, it says that Samael was a Fallen Angel, but also one of the Lord's servants as well. Samael is considered in legend both a member of the heavenly host (with often grim and destructive duties).
I believe that Nemesis, in some ways, is like Samael.
10. Chapter 10
_**7-19-10: EDITED! **_I also went back and found out that my dividers weren't showing up; so I had to add those back in._**
**_
**MOON SAYS**: Well, it has been awhile hasn't it? I feel bad...I keep getting distracted. This thing took me a couple of weeks to do. Sigh, sorry guys! I should be studying for an AP test for tomrorow...but noes! I just couldn't get this out of my head! Well, I can't say I don't know when the next chapter will come; BUT BE WARNED! Some parts of this chapter is from Her Destiny, which is kind of a side series to this. If you've read it, well, you already know major plot endings!
**Words**: 7, 358
**Pages**: 15
ENJOY!
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 10**
She was bored; beyond relief really. It had been two weeks since the last attack and everyone was on pins and needles. Ko was not a happy camper when she was bored; with a sigh she looked out the window. She saw the other Scouts in the yard, some talking, and some were training.
For some old reason, every Z fighter was out there, either mixing with the Scouts (talking or training); or by themselves, huddled up and maybe gossiping. She didn't really know, nor did she care. The ones that mattered to her weren't there. Where were the Saiyans?
Then she saw them: they were coming out of the house with the two Elders in the lead. The sons were in the back, maybe they were gossiping as well.
With a sudden thought, a wicked grin spread across her face. _This was going to be fun! _she thought before she ran from her room, down the stairs, expertly maneuvered through the house and to the side door that her Saiyans had used in just a few seconds. The blonde exited the house and Trunks turned around swiftly and his widened his eyes at what he saw.
Ko was in a tank top, with shorts that went halfway between her knees and her waist. But the thing that caught his attention was that she just tripped over something and she was following into his arms.
"You tripped," Trunks observed, trying to hold in his laughter; even more so when she scowled at him.
She righted herself, and then turned around to see what she tripped over. Ko remembered that toy, it was a truck, one that Uranus had kicked out of the window last night in anger.
"I'm going to kill that girl," she murmured before she dusted herself off and shrugged at Trunks. "I'm a blonde, says it all doesn't it? Plus, I am related to the clumsiest person ever to exist…and will ever exist." She said the last as an afterthought.
Trunks just chuckled. "What were you trying to get out of the house so fast for?"
Ko's eyes lit up and her evil grin came back to her face. She took a step and almost fell again, Trunks caught her again.
"Did you hurt your foot?" he asked, concern filling his voice.
Ko groaned as she pressed various spots on her left foot. "It's a sprain, damn!" then she paused as something just dawned on her. "It'll heal in a half hour at the most."
Before he could respond to Ko's statement, her mind went back to why she had run in the first place. Ko's evil grin took over her face and she rose in the air. Ko had forgotten she could fly. Being away from this world for so long had made her forget all the powers that she once had as a Saiyan.
Quickly, her mind adjusted, and she flew straight toward the only full blooded Saiyan's left. Who didn't even see her coming until it was too late. Vegeta, though, turned around fast enough so that when she crashed into him, he was the one taking the fall.
Their eyes locked; her hands ended up folding and she rested her chin on it. His arms instinctively were around her. This wasn't the first time she had crashed into him. Vegeta looked a little amused, and Ko had a smile on her face…others were shocked. Two were jealous…no, she didn't need to think about that. She didn't need to think that one of her Scouts was disobeying her orders.
"Is there a reason why you are on top of me? I _knew_ you couldn't keep your hands off me!" Vegeta smirked and Ko rolled her eyes.
"You _so_ wish that were true." Ko mocked, shaking her head at the same time. Vegeta was an idiot then, and he would always be one.
Vegeta let out a booming laugh. "Why would I want your clumsy, weak, ugly ass self?"
Ko growled and the amused atmosphere changed. "Ugly? Weak? Who was the one begging for my help on Sakipami?"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed and a split second before he attacked she had moved. She threw herself to the right, her right foot hit the ground after the spin and she pushed herself away. Not even a second after, Vegeta had punched a crater in the ground. That was how it was for the next few minutes; Ko would be like a dancer and always dance out of harm.
"You can't run forever Pixie!" Vegeta snarled and fired up an energy blast and shot at her.
She ended up standing in front of her sister, if Ko moved, Bunny would be hit. If she stayed where she was, Bunny would get an after blast. So Ko did the only thing she could do. She met it head on.
The energy whipped around and inside of her. When the dust cloud disappeared, they saw her kneeling on the ground, breathing hard. Her hair was suspiciously moving like the Saiyan's did before they powered up.
"Sister!" Bunny cried before she tried to run to her; but Setsuna held her back.
Vegeta had a pale look on his face. "You shouldn't have run into that. You could have stopped the blast…" he whispered, only Trunks—who was nearest—heard him.
Ko tried to stand up, putting weight on the ankle that was already hurt, and she collapsed. She closed her eyes and steeled herself. Two seconds later she was up and walking toward her little sister.
Vegeta then groaned. "Woman, stop being a martyr! Get off your damn foot, and stop trying to tough."
Ko ignored him and stopped, three feet from her sister. She held out her hand. There was a light crazed look in her eye. It was one that Setsuna in addicts, not heavy ones that lived and breathed it, but the ones that were just getting into the drug.
Bunny gave her a confused look, "what do you want?"
Ko gave a frustrated sigh. "Give me the Crystal."
Bunny didn't know how to react, but the look on Ko's face told her that she needed to give her the Crystal fast, before her sister snapped. Bunny had a weird feeling that if she didn't give it to her, or questioned her about it, she would be the one hurt.
The youngest Moon Princess took her brooch off of her shirt, opened it and before she could summon it out; it was already in Ko's hands. Her sister's face became so peaceful; you would have never known it was her.
"Oh my precious, I'm sorry you've been away from me so long." Ko whispered softly as she looked at the Crystal lovingly. It had been so long…as if a part of herself had been missing.
Ko bent down, a held the Crystal near her ankle. Some of her life force left her and went into her foot. The energy didn't stop there, it moved up her body until a soft glow encased it.
Hotaru snapped her out of her daze. "If you don't stop Princess, it will encase you in Crystal! It won't let you leave it ever again!"
The urgency in her voice snapped Ko out of her daze and Ko dropped the Crystal. Instead of following to the ground, it was absorbed inside of her. Ko groaned and started pulling at her hair.
"Great! This is exactly what the hell I need."
Bunny didn't know what to think, her Crystal was gone, inside of her sister like it was inside of her. Suddenly she felt a little empty. She needed the Crystal back; it had become a part of her since it had left her body through a tear.
"Ko, I need the Crystal back."
Ko whirred around on her. "It isn't yours sister dear. Just because you _think_ something is yours, doesn't mean it actually is. Of course, you do have _experience_ with wanting things that belong to me, do you not, little sister?"
Bunny grew angry. "Endymion was never yours! He is a person, not an object."
Ko laughed, her eyes and smile become cold. "Of course, but I had his love first. Until you stole it away, that is. The Prince of Earth little sister, was my love months before you even stepped foot on that planet."
A few gasps were heard from the Z Fighters but the two sisters weren't paying attention.
"If he loved you so much, he wouldn't have gotten us confused!" Bunny cried. "Not to mention I saw you with his Knights. You got onto my Scouts for getting with them, yet I know you were with them almost every day."
Ko looked thoughtful. "I knew you were spying on me; but I had thought it stopped after you stole him from me."
"Princess…can you just leave Endymion alone? Why do you need him, you have—" Michiru was cut off Haruka who elbowed her.
Ko saw a flash in her mind, of a man that had a few traits of Endymion, but he was completely different. He was hot, compassionate, way smarter; and he knew how to fight with a sword. He had longer hair and…he felt like he cared.
Ko's eyes became confused. "What?"
"Princess, do not worry about it, she doesn't know what she's talking about." Haruka hurried; but Michiru glared.
"She is going to have to find out someday. No doubt the Prince will come looking for her once he realizes she is awake. He still loves her after all these years."
The older Princess was speechless. "Who are you talking about? Prince? Endymion doesn't even know I exist, and Kunzite isn't the Prince of the Dark Kingdom…I would know; seeing as I am Queen."
Bunny shot her a betrayed, but furious look. "Queen? QUEEN OF THE DARK KINGDOM? They destroyed the Silver Millennium! They are evil! Look at Beryl and Metaria." Then she snorted. "Of course you know Kunzite; you condemned him to the Darkness of the Dark Kingdom."
Ko waved her sister off about the Queen stuff. "Yes I did that to Kunzite, and the others, but only because they were failing to do their duty. To protect you and their prince; I think I punished your Scouts well enough that it doesn't happen again." Her tone got dark toward the end and everyone held their breath. They knew that they were disobeying her; they had started becoming comfortable with their partners. They were starting to care for them.
"Punished them? What did you do?" Krillin asked curiously.
Ko looked him dead in the eyes. "Kunzite was in love with Venus," he flinched.
"Nephrite was in love with Jupiter," Ko saw the green man took a turn flinching himself.
"Zoicite, one of my favorites, was in love with Mercury," Adam recoiled as if he had been slapped.
"And last but not least, poor little gullible loving Jadeite was in love with Mars," Yamucha didn't flinch or recoil, he downright cringed.
The guys turned to the female partner's and saw the sorrow, guilt, and pain etched on their faces. Not even five minutes ago would they say the girls could feel something like that? The girls were happy as anyone could be.
"Course, the curse was that they would love them forever, but never able to be with them. Poor Knights ended up being bound to the Dark Kingdom—it's sad, but they were used by Beryl, the disgusting bitch." Ko spat her name."I hate the both of them."
Bunny recovered enough to ask how she was Queen; it seemed that the new revelation had blocked memories off.
Ko looked a little surprised. "I guess mother didn't tell you, not that she told me shit either. My father was the King; he died more than three hundred years before you were born. Metaria killed him because he 'cheated' on her," Ko rolled her eyes. "They weren't even married."
Minato, still sore about what her elder Princess did to her and the others had to jab a knife in a wound. "So, what's this about another Prince? You string him along like you did our past loves? Don't think we don't know about that. They told us that you meet them almost every day, fighting with them. Pretending to love them."
Ko still looked confused at the first part. "I know no other Prince; as for your other statement you lie. I loved them, but they were brothers, best friends to me. They helped train me how to fight…with a sword…" Ko trailed off as images, memories assaulted her mind.
_Immense pain erupted through her, as she saw herself inside of hollow hole inside of a tree, completely soaked from the constant rain that poured down. She looked horrible, her eyes looked hollow themselves…it was as if no one home, as if the girl had lost the will to live._
Ko wasn't the only one to see this, it seemed that she projected this to everyone outside.
"No thinking, thinking hurt, pain, betrayal_._"_ She mumbled as she felt the pain once again. _"Days went by, no moving."
_Time shifted and someone was coming toward her, a figure, a male. He got up close, close enough where she could see him…he was beautiful, but she didn't notice. His eyes looked pained just seeing her; they flashed from red to black to blue._
_He stared into her eyes, and a staring contest ensued._
"I don't care, go away, I'm broken can't you see? I don't want to feel anything, but numbness…"
_Then he stopped playing and held out his hand. She didn't take it, she just stared; then lightning flashed and she saw him._
"So wet…why is he not seeking cover and dryness? Why here? Why me?"
_That made her decision. She took that leap of faith and took his hand. _
_The scene shifted to the woods, this time there was no rain; things had changed. Serenity felt herself get pulled in the body of her memory, instead of just watching like before._
_"So, you decided to get here after all." A deep male voice said._
_She turned around and smiled as she ran into the man's out stretched arms._
_"Come on, Kunzite, I'm just a little late." Serenity said as she backed out of the hug. "Moonie kept me a little late."_
_Another voice chuckled, she turned. "So, are you ready to take us all on? Or has all Moonie's training been for naught?"_
_Serenity scowled. "I can take you all on at once! So when I kick your butt, Nephrite, don't be crawling to me for mercy."_
_Another voice laughed. "I want to see that happen. He needs to be knocked down a peg or two."_
_Serenity nodded. "I totally agree Zoicite, so, where is Jadeite? I missed him last time." Serenity said as she looked around for him._
_She didn't see or sense him coming up behind her. His arms encircled her waist, picked her up and spun her around._
_She squealed. "Jadeite put me down! I mean it, don't make me make you." She threatened, but when he tickled her she lost her mean voice and laughed._
_He put her down. "Oh, you will, will you?"_
_Serenity growled and pulled out her two swords, spun them around in her hands and launched herself at Kunzite, who wasn't expecting it._
_As she threw her weight and strength into the swords she noticed that he wouldn't win this struggle, he hadn't been ready enough._
_"Never let your guard down, even among friends." She told them wisely._
_"Oh that is from a girl who just got picked up and tickled?" Zoicite asked as he sent a kick her way._
_"Yep!" was her reply as matched his kick with hers and they flew back a little, she twisted and launched herself at Kunzite again with one sword while she flipped her sword and knocked Nephrite out._
_She jumped back from Kunzite and stopped. The other three Knights surrounded her, but didn't move._
_"It seems he needs to pay attention, and not think someone can only focus and fight with one person at a time. He needs to multi-task. Oh wait," she smirked. "Guys can't."_
_Jadeite growled at her. "Let's see if you can fight two people at the same time, Zocite, back."_
_She gave him an evil grin. "Bring it on lover boy."_
_He blushed a second before he controlled himself. She launched at her right side, while Zoicite got her left. She didn't move, didn't raise her sword. Instead she rolled forward. The two Knights' swords clashed._
_Serenity then jumped backwards, over then and kicked them in the head, left foot connected with Zoicite, while her left got Jadeite._
_They stumbled, but it was enough. Serenity knocked their swords away; she put up hers, and launched into a fist fight with them._
_Zoicite, in a flash, kicked Serenity on her right side._
_"Zo, please, you can kick better than that." Serenity said as she held her side. "I thought I showed you how to do a real kick a second ago?"_
_Jadeite thought this was a great opening, so he went for it. He punched at her head, but she ducked, twisted around dashed under his legs—which shocked everyone and froze Jadeite—she twisted again, now she was facing him. She laid down and kicked at his back, all within a few seconds. Jadeite went flying into a tree, head first, knocking him out._
_Then she turned to Zoicite and Kunzite, and jumped into the trees. They shook off their emotions and focused on their hearing and sight._
_But they couldn't tell where she was. It was as if she was born in the forest and knew how to use it to her advantage._
_Zoicite didn't see it coming when Serenity jumped down onto his shoulders and pressed a few fingers into his neck. He collapsed and she jumped off of him._
_Serenity faced Kunzite. They started to circle each other, while she got out her swords._
_"I am impressed my Lady. You have improved greatly since you first started training with the Prince." He said before he did a right jab with his sword, one she twisted to the right to avoid._
_"Yes, I have come a long way in this last year. I can't believe it's been so long since Moonie kicked me so hard I flew—what?—thirty feet? I thought it was fifty. And my scream grabbed your attention and you caught me. A dress was not something to train in."_
_Now she had tight black pants, with a tight fitting black shirt as well. There were two sword sheaths at her waist, one on each side, and a place on her back for a bow. Her boots were black. Most Knights had capes, but her; no she had a black leather jacket that went down to her feet. She didn't have it now, because Moonie was messing with it. He did cut it earlier today._
_"What I have on now, is so much better." Serenity said before she went down and dove for his knees._
_He jumped back, but didn't expect her to jerk herself back, her feet hitting the ground and she launched her after him._
_For five minutes all that could be heard was metal clashing. No one got nicked—this time—but it took awhile to get around the others tight knit guard. By then Nephrite had awaken and was watching the fight interest._
_Finally, Serenity grew tired with fighting she did a nice front dash toward him, knowing it wouldn't work._
_But she tripped and with a strangled cry fell to the ground. Her swords dropped to the ground, while her left hand, close enough to grab it, was holding her left ankle._
_"Princess! Did you sprain it?" Kunzite asked as he put away his sword and knelt down next to her._
_A split second and her swords were crossed at his neck._
_"I win." She smirked._
_Nephrite busted out laughing. "Oh that was good, that was a great trick to get his guard down."_
_Serenity groaned as she dropped her swords, her left hand went to her ankle. "No, that wasn't actually a trick. I actually did something to the dang thing. The whole me wining thing was a bonus."_
_She leaned against her right side and tried to get up, but as soon as she put weight on her left, she almost fell._
_Kunzite grabbed her. "Watch it; you are as clumsy as that sister of yours."_
_Serenity gave him a death glare, and turned away from him. She jerked her head at Nephrite and he came to her._
_"Pick those up will you?" she asked, closing her eyes._
_She heard when he had finished held out her hands and put them away, all without opening them._
_"Should we help her back?" Nephrite whispered to Kunzite. "She looks as if she's about to fall."_
_"_She_ don't need your help." Serenity gritted out. "And _she_ can clearly hear you."_
_"Kunzite? Nephrite? Zoicite? Jadeite? Where are you guys?" a voice called._
_Serenity snapped her head toward the sound. Her eyes had gone wide. She didn't want to meet Endymion, she didn't want to see, or talk to him at all._
_When she looked back at Kunzite her eyes were desperate. They all knew what had happened before. That was one of their reasons for help training her, another was being her friends. They were drawn to her anyway, without knowing the pain she went through. Every time someone mentioned the Prince her eyes showed the pain, but her face did not, and it was gone before they saw it again._
The vision ended and Ko had her eyes closed. Her emotions were all over the place; Bunny tried to calm her down, reminding her that her emotions controlled the Crystal.
But Ko couldn't control her emotions, she couldn't breathe. So Vegeta decided to help her—by kicking her ten feet into the air and twenty feet away from where she stood moments ago.
She fell to the ground and rolled; maybe two foot before she stopped, she was on her left side, her back to everyone. Slowly she got up, and turned to face Vegeta, who had come closer to her.
She launched herself at him, pushing Vegeta back a couple feet, until they were close to where Trunks was standing. They both saw her eyes flash back and forth between black, until she just closed them and jumped away from them.
Setsuna was in front of her in an instant. "Princess, you have to calm down; they don't understand what's going on."
The elder Princess in front of the Scout of Time opened her eyes slightly; they had a gold tint to them. "I haven't seen you since I went to sleep. How has it been? Have you enjoyed being put back on Guard Duty?" her voice was calm, but there was this irry tone to it that screamed Darkness.
Haruka was in front of her as well. "Princess, you shouldn't be out. Your other side is not ready yet."
Her Princess scoffed at her. "I'm out aren't I? I wouldn't be here and in control of this body if not for the fact that she isn't ready to be here. So, I'm taking over for a little bit." A small evil smile played on her lips.
Vegeta eyes narrowed as he realized what was going on. "So, you've come back. The Darkness side of Serenity."
Bunny looked at her sister and back at Vegeta. "What?"
Hotaru walked toward them. "Your sister is the daughter of the King of Darkness; obviously, she has Darkness inside of her. She was raised in the Light, in a place that held no Darkness, so to protect herself, she created another personality. This is the Serenity that is deadly, and can fully use her powers as both a Princess of the Light and Darkness. She was the one doing the dirty work of the Silver Millennium for over two hundred years."
Ko's body nodded. "I was the one who erased all the memories of the humans on Earth so they forgot they had two Princes. Stupid human royalty, giving up their children to long dead orders," she snorted as she shook her head.
"Why are you here?" Trunks spoke for the first time in what seemed like ages.
"Because my Light side just remembered how broken she was and who healed her. The brother of the one who made her like that in the first place; not only that, but her memoires were being hid from her. It's going to take a few more minutes for the shock to stop. She's quite strong, but there is a limit to what people can take." She mused lightly.
Then, in a split second everything changed. Ko looked shocked at first, her eyes widening, then she doubled over in pain. Her mind snapping back in place as her eyes flashed black once more, before it was green again.
"Oh no, damn it! Another possession…just when I thought nothing could get any worse…" Ko moaned as her Scouts helped her stand.
"Do you know who it is?" Uranus' partner asked quickly, trying to distract everyone from what they had just seen. He knew that his partner was hurting from it, and so was most of the others. Today had just not been a good day at all.
"No…" she closed her eyes. "But I hear whispers…"
Hotaru locked eyes with her Princess, when the latter opened them. Death was warning her, that he was near, that he would strike again. This time, using her.
Ko shook of everything else that had been weighing her down; she slipped out of her emotions and came back the warrior.
"Get in your teams now! You need to leave _now_," she stressed and the Z Fighters grabbed their partners and headed off.
Bunny took one look at her sister, grabbed her hand and transformed. She drew on the power within her sister's body, the Silver Imperial Crystal. After she did that, Ko summoned the Silver Crystal out of her body and handed it to her sister, who put it back in her brooch.
She turned to Trunks, "let's go."
**~LG~**
It wasn't ten minutes later before Sailor Moon confronted her sister. "Nemesis...are you..." she trailed off, not knowing how to say it.
Gohan understood his partner, but it seemed Trunks' didn't.
"Am I what?" Nemesis said in a tired voice. "I have no times for games, Moon; we have a mission that needs to be complete. So, get on with it."
Moon nodded and gathered her courage. "Are you back to normal?"
Nemesis made Trunks stop; as a result Gohan stopped flying as well. In her Sailor Form, she couldn't use any of her Saiyan powers, because she wasn't a Saiyan; she was her other self, the one who was a Princess of the Moon Kingdom. So she, like the rest of the Scouts—besides Uranus, sometimes—couldn't fly.
"Trunks put me down..." she stopped when she saw the look on his face and she chuckled."I'm going to stand on your toes."
It was then that he got it. He pulled his right arm from under her knees, and made sure both of his arms were around her waist before he slightly picked her up and twisted her body just a tad; so that her back was up against his chest.
Trunks had never tried to control himself more than in that moment. Gohan mimicked their positions and did the same with Moon.
"Am I back to normal? Sister, you are going to have to elaborate. I have no idea what you are talking about."
Moon looked confused at her sister. "So you are yourself again...what happed to the Darkness?"
Just the mention of the Darkness side had Nemesis shivering, but she didn't realize it was that, she thought it was something else.
Trunks tightened his hold on her, "what's wrong?"
Nemesis could hear the whispering again...something was calling to her again. She knew this voice as well as her own. It was Death...
_"Princess...you hear him calling, do you not?"_
Nemesis nodded, her eyes still closed. "He is trying to tell me something Saturn...but I can't hear him that well."
_"Death is warning you, dear Princess. Death is telling you that he will visit you today."_
Nemesis snapped to attention and pushed out of Trunk's arms. She had to get away from. Death was clinging to close to her; she couldn't risk them catching his eye. Though she didn't understand why she cared; why should she care if they died? She was alone, she would always be alone; they would die and she would continue to exist. That was her curse, to forever be alone. She had to pay for her crimes, _all _of her crimes. Even the ones that weren't done as Serenity; she knew she had to pay for something that was done a long time ago, so long ago that she couldn't even remember when that was or what she had done.
Whatever it was, it was bad enough that she was punished in her next life.
Karma, sometimes, was a bitch.
**~LG~**
Moon screamed, Gohan did everything he could to keep her still, and in place. He couldn't have her following to her death too.
Trunks…his heart stopped when she pushed away from him. He watched her fall for a few moments then he rushed out after her. He couldn't let her die, not after everything they had been through, not after everything that had happened. Trunks wasn't sure he couldn't take anymore of this death; but if she wasn't at his side? He definitely couldn't survive.
The purple haired man had grown attached to his partner. They all knew what she had advised in the beginning, but he couldn't help but let himself fall for her. Her strength to do her duty, even if it slowly killed her inside; her power…not to mention her will.
She was an empath; everyone's grief had to hit her hard. But she put on a brave face and let them grieve, even if it hurt her. She knew everyone's emotions, she felt them. Yet, she didn't block them like he knew she could. Instead, she embraced them, as if they were her punishment for causing it.
But she still stayed strong; even if she tried to ignore everything else.
And now she was throwing herself away from him…that hit home with Trunks. Did she really not want him? Did she hate him that much? No, he wouldn't let himself believe that. He couldn't.
Vegeta's son tried to go into her mind, but he was immediately pushed out. She didn't, her emotions did. He caught a glimpse of what she was hiding; the pain was staggering. If he was standing, it would have brought him to his knees. She was afraid _for_ them; that and something about crimes and being alone.
She wasn't alone…didn't she know that already? They had all stuck by her even after everything she had said and done. The Z Fighters knew she was trying to protect them all; and at one of their meetings Adam had said that he got the feeling that if Nem could, she would always be the one to kill. In a way, she was always trying to protect them. Yet, most of the time she didn't know how, she didn't know how to comfort them. But she wanted to. Even though she looked like an evil bitch, she wasn't. She had experienced deep pain and trauma, and subconsciously she was trying to make sure no one else followed her path.
Now, it was Trunk's turn to be there for her. The half Saiyan would save her.
Maneuvering his body, he tried to get more speed, but she was just too far from him. With a burst of power, he tried to make himself go faster, but she was still too far. He only had one option: Super Saiyan. Without any more thought, he transformed and flew straight to her.
**~LG~**
Nemesis felt his power flexing; she didn't want him near her! Why couldn't he understand? She growled, took her staff and sent different Elemental Attacks at him. First Water…he was still coming after her. Next she used Fire, and he didn't stop. In twenty seconds she knew they would be close enough for her to use Earth, but not yet. With a passing thought she summoned Wind to her, it increased her speed and she shot off. He was no match for her when she used Wind. No one was.
Five seconds and she would land. He called to her.
Four seconds until she was away from him. He cried her name.
Three until she was clear of all nuisances. He shouted to get her attention.
Two until she could go find **Chaos** herself. His voice roared with force, trying to get her to look at him.
One until she was free. He screamed with everything in him, trying to make her hear or see him.
Nemesis landed on the ground, she tried to land smoothly, but it didn't happen. Her foot slipped and she rolled more than twenty feet. Earth tried to catch her and cushion her landing. It would have worked if she didn't run into something.
She groaned and tried to stand up, but before she could try to move her body, something yanked her up. After she was up, and her senses were back, she noticed it was an Earth minion that had stopped her from rolling, such irony.
Trunks was right behind her, well thirty feet away really. Gohan and Moon would land in moments.
"So…this time I find you first." A deep voice observed, it made Gohan and Trunks flinch.
Nemesis found the owner of said voice and narrowed her eyes. His skin was green, just like Dende. If she didn't know any better, she'd say it was Piccolo. One look at the two Z Fighters in her group confirmed her suspicions.
Well, they had found them; it was up to them to dispatch them. She brought her knee to her chest, and then shoved it back into the chest of the minion that thought it could hold her. This cured the others of their momentarily paralysis and launched into the fight.
Within seconds, all thirty or so minions were dead. Nemesis turned to the green alien in front of her.
All he did was looked amused. "Well, just jumping into the fight, eh? It seems you have changed. Before you would wait and see what was happening first, before launching in. Most of the time…the other times you would just let someone else do the dirty work for you. You just couldn't be bothered with Death; it was as if you didn't want to get dirty."
His words didn't reflect her life as a Saiyan or the one she lived on the Moon. Yet, his words were true. It seemed to match with her thoughts not even ten minutes ago; the one with the crimes. The ones that she couldn't remember…it were as if she was another person. One that had more than just her in it; she looked deeper and got the feeling that she was only half of that person.
Her eyes connected with his. "You know who I am, don't you?"
Piccolo smirked. "I know more than you will ever know." He stopped as he thought through his words. "Well, you will know them soon. Soon you will join me." He whispered the last sentence, only she heard it.
Nemesis's eyes changed to black and her anger was getting out of control. "Never." she growled through clenched teeth.
Piccolo just laughed at her and shrugged. "You'll see soon enough. You will come to me running, pleading, and begging me."
Nemesis didn't let him continue. She was on him in a flash. Piccolo was constantly defending; she never gave him a chance to attack. He would fire offensive attacks just to save himself, but it would never be to actually hurt her. If it did, well, it was a bonus. She wasn't perfect, some of his defense attacks came through, but she was kicking his ass.
The others had come because Moon had called them. Vegeta was the last to arrive, seeing as his group was the furthest away.
As he watched he just chuckled. The others looked at her weirdly. He just shrugged, "I hadn't seen her this worked up since that stupid intern said something about her morals…or was it her hair?" he mused the last part before his eyes grew wide.
"Oh shit, he wouldn't…"
Nemesis had did a full body flip backwards, and Piccolo sent a slicing energy attack at her. Her feet were up in the air; he didn't expect her to stay that way. As a result, her hair got cut.
She fell straight to the ground, as if she was Samson. A huge crater formed, dust blowing everywhere. Trunks and her sister went to run to her, but Vegeta stopped them.
"If you don't want to die, stay back." His voice was dead serious, his face looked strained.
When it cleared she was in the hole with her hair scattered around her. Her beautiful long dark blond hair had now become short, stopping just a tiny bit above her shoulders.
"Do you know what long hair means to those of the Moon?" Nemesis asked ever so softly, but her voice was void of any emotion. "It shows our status, as rulers, as Queen and Princess, we are the only ones with have long hair like that. Without it, you are no longer royalty in a way. We aren't a pack of Shape Shifting Wolves who cut their hair for shorter coats; ours is to show our status, our place in the rulers of the Silver Millennium. That is what the twin circles are on our head for. And you just took it all away."
Piccolo was silent. "So? The Silver Millennium is dead, as is the Moon Kingdom; not to mention all the other Planets. Your culture and way of life is dead…so why should it matter about your hair anyway? You look much better with shorter hair."
In that moment Nemesis de-transformed and her head snapped up, and she screamed. Power rippled around her, coating her like a blanket. Her hair turned black and spiked. The front spiked down, while the top of the back spiked up, but the rest went down.
Before anyone could blink, she was Piccolo like bread to butter. She was lightning fast, and fighting with her body; not Sailor Attacks like before. It was as if she was just like the Z Fighters.
"Is she…" Goten started to ask, but couldn't, awe consuming his voice.
Gohan was stunned and couldn't speak; Trunks' eyes were wide, "it's like she's a Super Saiyan, but we weren't that powerful…or that fast."
Ko was throwing regular, powered up, energy attacks as if she had been doing it for years.
"This, everyone," Vegeta explained with nothing in his voice. "Is what Serenity was as a Saiyan, cold, heartless, not to mention ruthless. She was our best fighter, evil as some would put it, but there were times were she was the kindest person I ever met. Right now, she is in one of her modes."
Trunks couldn't take his eyes off the powerful, menacing, deadly woman in the sky. "Is she a Super Saiyan, dad?"
Vegeta gave a snort. "No, she isn't a Super Saiyan. She's past that; she's skipped most of them, now she is Super Saiyan Four. Don't you see the black hair? Kakarrot and I had to fuse to be able to achieve that. Her emotions must have been so strong, that it pushed through all the others. Don't you see the tail?"
Now that he pointed it out, they saw it. Only after Piccolo had backhanded her and sent her crashing into the ground ten feet from them.
Trunks moved to help her, but Vegeta held him back. "She isn't there; she's only using instincts right now. There isn't any thinking going on, she is only reacting."
Trunks didn't want to just stand there, but he knew what his dad was saying. If he went to help her, she would attack him.
Gohan was amazed. "Since when has Piccolo been able to stand up and fight on even ground with a Super Saiyan Four?"
"He has **Chaos** controlling him," Pluto answered. "That means that he is faster, stronger, and in general more powerful. **Chaos** has been around since the beginning of Time. No doubt **Chaos** can fight."
They watched until Ko grew frustrated and back flipped in the air away from him.
"Running will get you nowhere," Piccolo told her with a sneer in his voice.
She growled in animal fashion and held her right arm above her head. She spun it in a circle over and over, faster and faster, until she stopped and black energy ball was spinning at an impossible speed above her hand.
Vegeta panicked and made everyone get back; though he had no need.
"There is a barrier around them." Saturn told him. "As soon as the battle started and she lost control, she had it up. She didn't want anyone interfering when she killed him."
Everyone winced then, except Vegeta. He never cared about the green guy.
Ko's attack became bigger and bigger until it was the size of her head combined with both of her fists. She grinned wildly and shoved her hands forward.
"_WHIRLWIND BLAST_!"
The big ball of energy that was spinning twisted more and was sent directly at Piccolo, who barely dodged it. The crater it made was more than fifty feet wide.
Ko grinned darkly. "Oh, don't run away, it'll get you nowhere." She said, repeating his words in a voice that was barely recognized as hers.
"Come back!" she called. "I want to play! Payback is a bitch green man."
Vegeta groaned and turned around. "She's going to torture him now."
And she did; between overpowered energy blasts that always seemed to get a little bit of him and her swords, Piccolo was extremely wounded.
"DAMN IT! JUST KILL ME!" Piccolo screamed as she cut off his leg, just to watch how it painfully grew back.
Ko just giggled as she sat crossed legged in the air, watching his pain; "but it so much fun, just watching your pain."
Trunks turned to his dad; he couldn't stand to see her like this. "Do something!"
Vegeta scoffed. "What am I supposed to do? That's how we became known as the most dangerous race in the Universe; by throwing out reason and following our instincts. Once she gets like that, the only way to stop her is for her to kill him. And she won't until she isn't having fun anymore."
Saturn walked up to the edge of the barrier and knocked. A long resounding echo sounded and drew her Mistress' attention.
"He wants him; he says you can quit playing." Saturn's voice was as cold as Death's; making Ko start to descend toward the ground.
"He can't be patient can he?" she muttered as she landed and walked toward her shortest Scout. "How does he want him? I know he likes it when I slice and dice them;" she giggled, "much more pain putting them back together."
Saturn sighed. "No slicing and dicing; he doesn't like that and you know it."
Ko rolled her eyes as she turned to look at Piccolo growing the latest limb that she cut off. "It annoys him, and he is impatient…" her voice trailed off as she snapped her fingers.
Piccolo didn't even have time to scream before his body was cut into tiny pieces.
Saturn just sighed again. "He isn't going to like this."
Ko just shrugged as her hair went back to dark blonde. They saw her eyes; they were black in the middle with red rims. If they didn't know any better, they would have said she was possessed.
"I don't…" before she finished her body collapsed two feet from the barrier.
Almost everyone ran to her; praying that she was okay. If they didn't have her, how could they hope to defeat **Chaos**?
_To be continued..._
11. Chapter 11
_**~~~~~~~8-4-10 EDITED!~~~~~~~**_
**MOON SAYS:** Sorry it's taken a few months to get this out...My head has been caught up with reading lately, not writing. I just looked over the outline again and cut down the chapter numbers again! Also, I took a back look at the previous chapters and put the dividers...stupid fanfic for not adding them!
**Words: **2, 929**
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**Pages: **6**
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**ENJOY!**
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 11**
Pluto told everyone to shut up a second after her Princess fell to the ground. She calmed her body and mind; then she surrounded herself with her power. She walked right through the barrier and then ran the few feet to her Mistress.
She knelt down on the ground, where she was facing those beyond the barrier. She pulled the short haired woman into her arms and laid her Princess' head in her lap. Just looking at her made her heart ache. No matter how mature, how much experience her Princess had or what she had seen, the girl in front of her was still very much a child.
A child that had been turned into a living weapon; no matter how grown up she looked or acted, Pluto saw the child that she could never get rid of. How could one get rid of a child that never had the chance to grow up?
That was why she was always irrational with her grudges and betrayals. A mixture of an adult and child would have a hard time letting go.
Pluto took off her glove and touched her Princess. The pain and agony that was coming off of her made the Scout of Time and Space do something she hadn't ever done; even when the Silver Millennium was destroyed in front of her eyes.
She cried.
The barrier dropped and the Outers raced to sit by their Princess.
The other's slowly followed and heard the dark Scout's words.
"How can someone live with so much pain? My heart will forever be broken just by feeling some of her pain."
Saturn nodded and gave a small smile. "For the rest of eternity Serenity will have to deal with the consequences of _all_ of her actions. Whether the actions had taken place in this life or before. But it will get better; _he _promises that she will understand. Once she understands, then it will be alright."
Uranus looked into Saturn's eyes. "Who?"
Saturn chuckled darkly. "Someone we have and will continue to bow down to, for the rest of eternity."
"You're talking about Death aren't you?" Trunks shivered.
Saturn nodded as she looked at her Princess. "She has always been a favorite of his; even before she was our Princess."
Pluto narrowed her eyes at her fellow Scout. "You know something about her past don't you? Is it how she is connected to **Chaos**?"
Saturn closed her eyes and let out a huge sigh, her form almost closing in on itself. "I don't know. All I do know is little hints Death keeps dropping. None of the pieces fit together when I try to connect and make sense of it all."
Pluto nodded and stood up with Serenity in her arms. "I have a bad feeling that the next possession will give us the information we want to know."
Vegeta's heart squeezed, it was like someone had their hand around it and was crushing it. He knew part of him would always love the girl he grew up with—as a sister, a best friend. But was his heart almost breaking because of the pain she was going through or his partner? He had tried to deny the emotions that tried to take control of him whenever he was with her or thought about her. The Saiyan King tried to distract himself by focusing on the one that needed him more than she knew.
Btu nothing helped.
Her words were like a sword that ran him through.
"Will it be the last fight?"
Pluto froze, she had forgotten about him. She always tried to forget about him. The man who reminded her so much of her beloved Princess; how could she forget about him? The love she had for her Princess ran too deep for her to ignore or forget anyone who was like her.
For years she thought that she was like Uranus, that she loved her Princess like a lover. The more she got to know this haunted man, the more she knew that wasn't the case.
But she knew the words of her Princess were spoken with truth and a promise that would be fulfilled.
She could not allow herself to care for this man; for she would leave this world and never come back.
And yet…she couldn't stop herself.
"I sense a closure to this nightmare," Pluto ended up responded. Her dark eyes fell to the woman in her arms that meant much to many who stood around her. "And my heart breaks thinking how much more pain this nightmare will give her."
**~LG~**
Two weeks it took for Ko to wake up. Two weeks no one could sit down; either in worry and concern for the woman in so much pain that her mind was protecting her or nervousness at the next possession.
"How do we know there hasn't been a possession?" Krillin asked softly as he paced the training yard, stopping every few minutes to watch a few of the Scouts going at it.
"My Princess would be jolted awake or at the least Death would speak to me." Hotaru snapped before she decided that she couldn't stand anyone waiting or the constant question. To make sure that she didn't kill the next person who asked, she left the training yard.
Bunny sighed. "Will everyone stop asking that same question? Hotaru has answered it the last hundred or so times you asked."
Rei nodded and looked up at the sky. "Can we continue with you teaching us to fly?"
Yamucha grinned like the idiot he was. Of course he wanted to spend time with a beautiful woman. He conveniently forgot Nemesis' words of warning…but they all did. Mostly because they had suffered so much and this was the only bit of Light they had right now.
**~LG~**
Ko had the most awful dreams; and all of them ended in the same way: betrayal.
Her left hand was warm and numb; her left side was a tad bit warmer than her right as well. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw why her hand was so warm.
Trunks was sitting in a chair on the left side of her bed, his hand holding hers and his head resting next to it.
He was asleep.
The same thoughts that ran through her Scout and Vegeta's head played around in hers.
He looked so young, so innocent, so right…and yet she was the opposite. She was old, tainted and wrong in every way.
She should wake him up and break his heart. She knew the feelings that had developed toward her, as well as all the feelings that surrounded her. She knew and yet she did nothing to stop it.
How could she? This child was everything that she wanted; and the saying goes: you always want what you cannot have.
She should wake him; but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him—in any way at all.
Soon it would come all crashing down and she knew everyone was going to get hurt, not just her this time.
Instead, her salvation came in the form of a Scout. One who knew every struggle she ever had. The Scout that knew her inside out and the one who had followed her every step of them way; she was the one who felt the same.
"Go back to sleep; I will get him out of here and then we can leave. You need to relax, my love."
Ko nodded and for once, let the darkness of sleep overtake her.
~**LG**~
She woke a few hours later to the sight all her Scouts. As she threw the covers off, Michiru handed her clothes and she changed quickly. Once she was done she stepped out of the room and went to locate the rest of the Scouts.
The time for advice was over; they had no heeded her warning and now she was going destroy the little peace that they had left.
_It's their own damn faults…no one to blame but themselves…_
When she got outside on the training ground, her girls were taking a break.
Ko spoke before they saw her. "We have slacked off since I have slept. No more; girls get ready, those who cannot fly will be carried by those who are able to. Now my Scouts, follow me."
She was already in the air by the time she finished telling them. It seemed that all the Scouts had learned to fly.
"Good, you know how to fly." Ko then caught Vegeta's eye. "We will meet back here in the course of two or so hours."
He raised an eyebrow and she shrugged. "Scout business," was her reason and no one questioned it.
**~LG~**
It almost an hour to get the place Ko wanted to relax at. It was a waterfall, somewhere on the side of a mountain.
She approached the water and looked for a branch or something of the sort. She found a log that was leaning up against the mountain, parallel to the waterfall on the right.
Within seconds she started stripping. She laid her clothing out on it and went into the water.
She didn't speak a word and washed everything off of her. She scrubbed herself raw.
"What are you trying to wash off?" one of the Scouts asked her.
Ko finished in a second and sat down with her back to the waterfall.
"Everything," she told them; but they didn't get it. "All of you disobeyed me, ignored my advice."
Every Scout looked ashamed, they didn't hide it. How could you hide feelings from an empath? Though said empath did everything in her power to stop her empath abilities.
When she finished washing off the soap off, she started on her hair. Once it was finished, she turned back to her Scouts.
"And do you know what is going to happen?" she asked quietly, with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Minato nodded and spoke for the group. "We're all screwed; and we accept it."
Ko chuckled for a moment before her face went back to being blank.
"I warned you when this started to not get attached, and yet you did. I do not blame any of you for what you have done." Every Scout looked surprised, but they controlled themselves. "It hurts me deeply to separate those who feel for each other."
She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "When I cursed the Generals and you, my Inner Scouts, I felt everything you felt: all the pain, agony, and love. It tore me apart; but my anger over ruled me. I wasn't in control of myself. My emotions were chaotic and they ruled me, when we all know that they shouldn't have. I was being irrational and jealous. Here I was destroying myself for duty, and here you were, forsaking your duty and it make you happy to do so."
The Inner Scouts and Bunny looked like they were about to cry. They had never tried to understand her side before; they just blamed her for the unnecessary pain that she caused them.
"I hated myself then…for years I prided myself on my emotionless state, my level of control. And yet I couldn't control those emotions when it mattered most. We both were at fault; more so mine, because I bottled everything up."
Bunny stepped forward and was about to say something but Ko shook her head and continued on.
"I knew that keeping my memories and emotions blocked and restrained would come to bite me in the ass one day. And I hate myself that it hurt others, not just me. Back then I was angry at everyone even if they had done something small or nothing at all."
Rei stepped away from the group and went into the Water. She went behind Ko and hugged her, her arms going around the neck and dangled a few inches above her chest.
"Before I met Jadeite I had sworn off of love and vowed only to protect my Princess." Rei let her head rest against the top of Ko's head. "But Love is a wonderful thing; even if it is a double edge sword. We knew going in this that we would never see this world again after we destroyed **Chaos**. If our hearts truly belong to them, then we can bare another heartache."
The Scout of Fire let go of the older Princess and before she left the water she said something again. "We need to finally grow up and take responsibility for our actions. If this is how we do it; then so be it."
Rei joined the other Scouts and they nodded their heads and voiced their agreement.
Ko nodded. "So mote it be."
With that she watched them leave, gone back to the ones they only had a little time left with. She sighed and left the Water.
"You know," she started. "I don't like people spying on me as I bathed."
She heard a deep chuckle. "It's not like I haven't seen it before."
Ko rolled her eyes and rested her back on the piece of rock next to the log, raising an eyebrow in the process, but shrugged in the end. "Did you bring me a towel?"
More chuckling was heard as a short black haired man walked from the bushes. "I know you my midget; whenever you need to think you always like to find a Waterfall. Then you forget a change of clothes and a towel."
When he got to her he handed her the towel and turned away. He may have seen her naked body before, but that didn't mean that he wanted to look at it again. It was like looking at his sister naked. Utterly wrong.
She dried herself off and then wrapped it around her body.
"Vegeta," she sighed as she hugged him from behind. His arms automatically held hers. Her head rested against his back.
"Are you sure your doing the right thing, little love?" he asked softly, but one could hear how gentle his tone was, and how much love filled it. "Letting them love someone and then making them leave like that?"
Ko shook. "I don't know what to do 'geta! I warned them not to care for their partners, not to fall in love; yet they did it anyway. You heard Rei; they knew when they let it happen that they would leave this World forever."
Silence ensued for a few minutes before he responded. "Did you ever think that you can't help who you fall in love with?" he asked as he turned around her arms and raised her chin up so he could meet her eyes.
"Do you remember your mother?" Ko whispered. "How she wasn't even a fighter until her father was killed; after that she swore to avenge his death by killing his murderer."
Vegeta nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. "She ended up befriending the Prince while trying to locate his killer; they grew close until he confessed his love for her. After he told her, he wouldn't let her say it back to him until he told her the truth. That he had killed her father."
"And yet, she still loved him and ended up marrying him." Ko finished. She let her head fall against his chest and closed her eyes. "Shit happens."
Vegeta laughed and just held her close. A few more minutes passed. "You're still going to leave. Why must you leave me again? Don't you remember what **Chaos** possessed Piccolo said?"
Ko sighed. "I've never belonged in this world of yours Vegeta. Even if **Chaos** is right; my World is forever destroyed. But my Galaxy needs me; I can't abandon my duty just because I fell in love."
**~LG~**
He didn't want it to be true; he thought he had finally gotten to her, that she finally loved him back. And if she loved him, she wouldn't leave him. That meant that everyone could stay and be happy.
He had followed and listened the entire time. At first he was confused, he didn't hear her say anything about her loving someone, just them. He was going to make himself known and talk to her, to convince her to stay and be his when…his heart broke.
His own father; that bastard knew he loved her! And here he is, not only seeing her naked—when that clearly is not the right thing to do—but he was holding her in nothing but a towel! People only do that when there is trust between them. Sometimes family, but the way they were acting and had been acting, he wasn't the only one who thought they were lovers.
Trunks didn't want to believe that his father would do this to him; not when he had seen the looks he gave a certain someone else.
But his heart wasn't completely broke, he still had hope. Close friends, ones who had lived through life and death situations together and those who grew up together had that level of trust and love for each other.
If he could just talk with her…then she would stay.
But his heart finally and completely broke when she heard her words and saw the position they were in. His own father was going to kiss the woman he loved.
_Oh isn't that some fucked up shit. Well, you know there is only one thing you can do to make this better, right?_
_To be continued...
_
12. Chapter 12
_**~~~~~8-4-10 EDITED!~~~~~**_
**MOON SAYS:** One more chapter, I was going to do it today, and I may finish it later, but I just don't feel like it right I will promise you this! This story will be complete either today or tomorrow! Finally! It will be over! Here is the next chapter, I hope you like! Tell me what you think; I need to know if it's okay...
**Pages**: 6
**Words: **2, **737
**
**Enjoy!**
**Let Go**
**Chapter 12**
"You know, I have no clothes…" Ko trailed off as she stepped away from Vegeta after her revelation.
Vegeta let her go, and laughed. "I didn't bring you clothes, and I think your Scouts are a tad bit too busy to bring you more. What happened to the ones you were wearing?"
They turned to the log that held her clothes to find that they were gone.
"What the hell?" Vegeta said, shocked to his core.
Ko just laughed. "It seemed while we were having our heart to heart, my clothes were stolen by some animal."
Vegeta chuckled and shook his head. "It only happens to you."
Ko shrugged and gripped the towel close to her and flew into the air. "Let's go."
**~LG~**
Now, the Z Fighters and the Scouts had seen a lot of things. But Ko, only clothed in a towel, and Vegeta flying toward them was something they didn't expect.
"Princess?" the Scouts asked, confusion running through their voice.
Ko shared look with Vegeta and then busted out laughing; but not before she got a major shot of jealousy hit toward her. She ignored it.
"It seems that some little animal liked my clothes and stole them." Ko told them, laughing on a little then.
Vegeta rolled his eyes, but a small smile was on his face.
"Wait a minute," Haruka said. "You mean like when you were on Earth and that fat animal smelled you on the clothes and ate them?"
Ko blinked a few times before she shook her head. "No, that was a Hippo. It didn't eat my clothes, it _killed_ my clothes. Hippo's are the only known man killers in the world. If they see you, they kill you on sight. So, if you want to live, don't go near one."
Vegeta and the Z Fighters busted out laughing. "You were almost killed by a Hippo?"
"I'd bet you'd get eaten by a Hippo too!" Bunny cut in. "I've seen those things! Their teeth are huge! And they are really fat!"
After the laughs were out Ko glared and turned away from the idiots and took herself upstairs. When she tried to figure out what clothes she should wear she knew that in mere hours she would be fighting to the death. She could practically feel the battle that was coming.
She decided to dress in her war clothes. Quickly putting on a robe, she stuck her head out the window and called to Vegeta.
"You got my stuff?"
It took a moment for the Saiyan King to figure out what was going on. His expression and emotions sobered and went sour immediately.
"Yeah, you know where they are."
Ko blinked. "I do not! This isn't your room in the Palace; I don't know where you put my stuff."
Vegeta shook his head. "It's in the same spot I assume you have my stuff in your room. No matter where we go, love, old habits die hard. Your stuff is where it always is in my room."
Ko closed her eyes for a second before she got herself under control. "Got it, if you want your stuff you've got to get to my room on Nemesis. Dende can get you in there."
Then she walked to Vegeta's room like she was off to a funeral.
_Someone is going to die, but I don't know who. I just pray no more hearts are broken._
She put her hand on the wall and it opened for her. Inside were all the things she needed. It even held the locket he had gotten her.
She quickly pulled the clothes out. She had to choose between the skort and the pants. The skort looked cute, but pants gave more protection.
Her hair was much shorter now; so she didn't need to tie it up. She got out pants and a shirt that were similar to Vegeta's Saiyan uniform. It wasn't blue, but black. Her gloves were gold and so were her boots. Unlike the armor her comrade wore, hers wasn't a vest. It was a coat, a duster really.
The shirt went passed her waist, but the front stopped a few inches below the start of her pants. The sides and back of the shirt went five inches below the point where the front of the shirt stopped.
She grabbed her weapons, ones she hadn't seen in a long, long time.
She pulled out knives, mini swords, swords, and a few bombs that were loaded with power. She'd give those to Vegeta, he liked them.
When she was done, she closed the hole in the wall and disappeared. She reappeared in the court yard at the exact moment Vegeta did. He was wearing the same thing she was; only his clothes were blue and white like the uniform he came to Earth in.
Ko turned to her minions. "Alright everyone, I expect to be hit with the possession any minute now. The final battle is here and now. There is only one Dragonball left. No doubt Chaos will lead its next victim to the Dragonball then possess them."
"Why?" Adam asked. "Would it be better to have them under their control before it gets the Dragonball?"
Ko shook her head. "Chaos wants those Dragonball's and Chaos knows just as much as I do, this is the final fight. So, it is only logical that Chaos wants the upper hand. And to get that upper hand is to get the Dragonball before I sense the possession."
"Why would Chaos do something like that? Why wouldn't it just continue with the way it has been doing things?" Krillin observed.
Ko gave him a sad look. "Because that is what I would do. I would give you hope and snatch it back every time just to fuck with you. Then, when it is so close, I'd have everything ready before I'd take my last pawn. Then, I'd wait for you to get there and then shove it in your face. Then I would laugh as you all realized there was nothing you could do to stop me."
Vegeta could see something, like Ko's words were clicking somewhere but his brain wasn't catching up.
Ko snapped her head and body to do a one eighty. Four minions were racing toward them. Ko wanted to cry, but she didn't. She knew what this meant; but no one else did. She steeled herself and met them.
"Follow us, Mistress."
It took twenty minutes for everyone to get to the site, a clearing.
There in front of them, where thousands of minions. But she didn't care, the only thing she cared about was seeing who was the one possessed.
It was then that she saw a figure in the back, one she would know anywhere.
Ko quickly turned around and searched her warriors.
"Damn it all to hell!" she screamed in frustration as she realized what had happened.
"You know, ladies shouldn't have such a dirty mouth." The deep voice told her as its body came into view.
She couldn't turn around, she closed her eyes tightly, wishing, hoping that her mind was playing tricks on her.
"No matter how much you wish it; how tightly you close your eyes; it won't change the fact that I have him, my heart."
Ko let out a strangled gasp and slowly turned around. Her heart broke when she saw the purple hair and eyes of the man that wouldn't ever leave her mind.
Well, at least she didn't have to worry about leaving him while she went back to her world.
She knew that Vegeta was on his knees beside her; the poor bastard, he lost his wife and now he was going to lose his son. Ko did the only thing she could do, she cut off her emotions.
"Oh, I see you've come to terms with this already. A pity," the possessed Trunks observed. "Well, before we start fighting, sit back and enjoy the show!"
He disappeared and then a second later he was on top of this hill thirty foot back. The Dragonablls were at his feet. Then he uttered the words to summon the Dragon.
"**What is your wish?"**
Before **Chaos** Trunks could utter a word Ko spoke up.
"I'm calling in that favor, Shenron."
Ko's eyes were hard and power clung to her in waves.
"**What is your wish, then, little one?"**
"One, whatever you do, do not grant his wishes!"
"**Next?"**
**Chaos** Trunks laughed darkly. "I know what your second wish will be! You want to bring _her_ back don't you? You can't seem to get over the fact that you killed her! I mean seriously, you have killed thousands, upon millions of people and it's this one death that is slowly killing you? The guilt must be too much to bear."
Ko flinched and looked at the ground. "It wasn't my fault!"
"Of course it was," **Chaos** Trunks said. "You could have controlled your power more and not lost her in the Gate."
Pluto's eyes grew big. "Princess, you didn't! You know it is forbidden for anyone to travel though the Gates of Time and Space! Anyone who does will suffer death."
**Chaos** Trunks laughed again. "Oh, she didn't care. She was trying to do a good deed. She wanted to make up for all the lives that she took. But instead, she just added to the number."
Ko covered her ears, her face had become pale and her body trembled and shook violently. "NO, NO, NO!"
No she couldn't hear this! She had spent years, centuries even, trying to forget what she did and now **Chaos** was laying it all out there.
"And the real kicker was that it was a _baby_, an innocent child."
Ko screamed in agony as the memories came back, she couldn't block them anymore. "I tried to save her, I really did." Tears ran freely down her face. "But the storm inside of the Gate was too much. I couldn't hold on to her, I was already weak."
Uranus covered her mouth with her hand. "This was why you didn't want to come back. You couldn't live with yourself after you killed a baby like that."
The Z fighters didn't understand. "What's the difference between that and blowing up planets?"
Saturn shook her head. "You don't understand. When someone dies, they are reborn in a later life or they go to Heaven or Hell. If you get lost in the Gates of Time and Space you are forever lost. There is no death for you, no chance of peace, or anything."
Ko's eyes became vacant. "I wish for her back."
"**Granted, what is your last wish?"**
Suddenly there was a baby in her arms. Ko actually managed a small smile. "I wish that she be sent back in Saiyan time."
"**Granted."**
Then the Eternal Dragon was gone and Ko raised her head and she let everything go. The only thing that mattered right now was defeating **Chaos** once and for all.
"So it's time to fight?" **Chaos** Trunks asked before he launched himself at Ko, not really waiting for her to answer. She returned the favor and met him half way.
As they fought, the Scouts and Z Fighters took on the minions.
Ko tried her damnest to not think. If she let herself think, she would stop attacking and be killed. If she let herself think, then she would stop the battle and help the others, protect them. But she couldn't. If there was even a chance for them to get out alive, then she had to kill Trunks.
No! She wasn't going to go there. If she thought about killing him, her mind would take over and she would stop. But that couldn't happen! Not if she wanted anyone to live.
If she wasn't at her full strength, how could she beat him? She was powerful, yes, but someone could still defeat her.
And she was so distracted by her inner turmoil that he almost did.
**Chaos** Trunks waited until she was close to him, then he stuck a Seal on her body. Ko screamed in agony and fell to the ground.
As she tried to sit up, she noticed things that she didn't want to.
Krillin was crying over Venus' body, which lay on the ground.
Mars and her partner were lying on top of each other, not moving.
Mercury was inside of a bubble, holding a body while tears flowed down her cheeks.
Ko looked for Jupiter, but knew that she was somewhere safe with Dende.
Saturn and Pluto were the only Scouts of hers that were still alive. Neptune and Uranus were dead; while their partners were fighting with mortal wounds. Seconds later, they were dead as well.
Sailor Moon wasn't dead, but she was on her knees, totally defeated. Gohan was by her side, trying to protect her.
Vegeta and Goten were fighting with Saturn and Pluto, but it looked like Goten was going to fall any second now. Vegeta seemed like the only one not really hurt.
All Ko could do for minutes was watch, one by one her friends died. By the time she looked up at **Chaos** Trunks, Krillin, Mercury, Goten were dead. Pluto and Gohan were hanging on by a thread.
"Why?" Ko whispered. "Why must you always torment me? What have I done to you?"
**Chaos** Trunks frowned. "You have never acknowledged me."
At that moment Ko didn't know who was talking, Trunks or **Chaos**. But it made sense now, if it was Trunks talking. In that moment Ko realized something. She had felt anguish, hopelessness, anger, but most of all jealously, before she left that Waterfall with Vegeta.
"You were watching," she said. "You though Vegeta and I…no, he loves another like that. I may love Vegeta, but it is a friend, almost family, love. I have never once loved Vegeta like a lover."
**Chaos** Trunks looked like someone had just slapped him then stabbed him in the back. He didn't know what to do.
Ko tried to stand, but she slipped. She was breathing hard. When she tried to stand again, she did stand; but she knew something was off. She felt weak, like a human.
She gasped; fury in her eyes. "You sealed my powers away!"
**Chaos** Trunks chuckled. "Now you won't win. Not when I go Super Saiyan. After we fought last time with the Green man, I knew I'd have to have me a Saiyan."
Ko watched with anger in her eyes as **Chaos** Trunks went to Super Saiyan Four. Then her sites darted to her sister, who screamed. Gohan had gone down, but she healed him…though it looked like he was still in pain. Her sister…that's it! She wasn't just a Saiyan.
Ko smirked at Chaos Trunks. "You're not the only one who can transform."
Not even five seconds later where they were fighting, once again, to the death. But this time there was no holding back. All the minions were dead by then, so the remaining Z Fighters and Scouts watched the only fight going on.
Nemesis used everything she had. She had been fighting longer in her body than **Chaos** had possessed Trunks; so she knew exactly how to use it to her advantages. Both were expert fighters, but **Chaos** was not used to a male body that wasn't a Scouts.
Nemesis ended up beating Trunks' body to where he couldn't move. Nem, who now using Swords, kicked **Chaos'** away and sat on top of Trunks' body—which was unable to move on the ground. Her thighs pinned him down and her swords were at his neck.
"Kill me!" **Chaos** egged Nemesis on. "Do it! You know it is the only way. If you want to win, _you_ will have to kill me in this body."
Nemesis froze, could she do it? Could she kill Trunks?
The Chaos Scout stared into the black eyes, once purple.
She couldn't bring herself to deal the final blow.
Why?
She had killed millions in the past, so why couldn't she kill this one boy?
Nemesis dropped her weapons, which disappeared, and jumped off of Trunks' body. Her body was trembling; she couldn't understand.
"Why? I defeated you! So why can't I kill you?" Nemesis yelled at **Chaos**.
Chaos just laughed. "You have let yourself become weak, little one. You have fallen in love!"
_To be continued..._
13. Chapter 13
_**~~~~~NOT EDITED~~~~~**_
**MOON SAYS**: Now this is the last chapter my peeps! Gosh, it's been so long. None of my stories had taken this long to finish, but I'm glad it's finally done! It even turned out different than i had planned it. But that is what happens when you write! Sorry it took a few weeks longer than it should have.
**WORDS:**
**PAGES:**
**ENJOY!**
**~Let Go~**
**Chapter 13**
Everyone froze at **Chaos'** words. It seemed impossible, Nemesis wouldn't, no couldn't, be in love; not after everything she had said and done. And the look on her face…the horror etched on it perfectly. But they also so the realization.
"So you see it now do you?" **Chaos** Trunks asked with a mocking tone. "You love this boy that I possess. You also know that you drove him to me. He loved you and you threw it back in his face by making him believe that you were in love with his father. Quite classic, really."
Nemesis gritted her teeth. "Why must you always hate me? I wouldn't have done anything for you!" she cried in a voice not like hers. "I love you and you hate me; must we continue this circle for the rest of eternity? Hasn't it been long enough already?"
**Chaos's** eyes grew wide. "You've come back to me! Do you finally remember my heart?"
Nemesis closed her eyes and let out a whimper of pain, before her hands found her head. "It hurts, my love, it hurts us."
**Chaos'** eyes narrowed. "What is hurting us, my heart?"
Nemesis screamed and looked around frantically, before her eyes settled on Chaos. "Are you trying to take over my body?"
Chaos's face took on a sad look. "So, you will continue to not acknowledge me. It isn't my fault we are like this!" **Chaos** grew angry now. "It is their fault! I have told you for centuries, millenniums, to let us kill them, but you have refused me each and every time. Do you not want to avenge us? Will you choose them over us?"
Now everyone was confused, even Nemesis. Nothing was making sense anymore. They all knew something was going on here that didn't start here.
Saturn's eyes lit up. "Oh no, please tell me this isn't right. Please tell me I'm wrong, PRINCESS!" she screamed as she realized the truth behind her beloved Princess.
**Chaos** tilted its head and gave Saturn a curious look. "It seems the young one knows our secret, my heart. I sense that she is older than she looks."
Nemesis' eyes connected with Saturn's. "You do not think that she is a part of Sailor Neutrality, do you?"
**Chaos** hummed. "I wonder if she is a mixture. Obviously she is Destruction and Death reborn, but she knows more than she should. Was she there? And if so, who was she?"
"We have all changed since then, my love." Nemesis reminded **Chaos**. "She could me a mixture of many of the old Scouts that followed us. But right now I sense it has more to do with Death, and the hints he has given her."
**Chaos** looked thoughtful. "Should we pay him a visit and tell him to mind his own business?"
Nemesis laughed. "We are his business!"
Saturn trembled and fell to the ground. "You were split for a reason, Princess please do not make another mistake."
Nemesis and **Chaos'** eyes narrowed at the Scout. "It seems that Death has his own plans."
Nemesis grabbed her head again. More pain shot through her body and before she knew it she was on the ground trying to get control back.
'Why are you fighting it, my heart? It only brings you more pain." **Chaos'** voice sounded concerned. After Nemesis screamed, **Chaos** was by her side in a flash. "Stop fighting please! You're hurting us! I can't stand to see us in pain."
Nemesis looked right in Chaos' eyes. "I'm fighting because people depend on me. You took so many lives, and I have to stop that!"
**Chaos'** face went neutral. "I only did that because I needed to draw you to me. I came here because I knew you would follow. I took, _him_, because I knew you would do anything to save him."
Then it all clicked for Nemesis and **Chaos'** face lit up. "So you finally understand what is going on."
"Now I know why I felt pain and betrayal every time you possessed someone. It makes so much sense now," Nemesis nodded and added as an afterthought. "Will you give _him_ back?"
**Chaos'** smiled and raised its hand to caress Nemesis's cheek. "Anything for you, my heart."
Nemesis took a look around the battle field; she saw that her minions were dead. All were dead but five. She felt their pain at the loses; she felt her own pain at it.
"I will erase your pain, my heart, like always."
Nemesis nodded, the only thing left was to accept herself, accept who she was. All her life she hated her dual nature. Because of it she was an outsider, she fit in nowhere. But now, it all made sense. She wasn't meant to fit in there, she had her own place. And now, she was going to take it.
Nemesis raised her hand and connected it with Chaos' and power burst and exploded from the both of them. Trunks' body was thrown—because of the explosion—toward the survivors. Said survivors just kept their eyes clothes because one second it would be completely dark, and the other they would be blinded by Light.
When it stopped, Vegeta picked up his son's body and forced him to chew a Sensu Bean; on second thought, he gave the others one as well. By the time five of them were gone, he put the bag away just for someone else to ask for one.
"Dude! Throw me one over here."
Vegeta wasn't usually taken by surprise; but when someone he thought was dead just called to him without a wish being granted…then that was cause for him to be quite startled and surprised.
Moon and the other Scouts helped pass out the magic beans to the others. Once every Scout and Z Fighter had one; they shakily stood to survey the damage.
Remember the hill that Trunks stood on when he was possessed? Well, that damn thing was gone! All that was left was a crater. The minion's bodies were gone, usually you saw their element on the ground where they died at, but there was nothing around them that indicated they had fought minions.
They heard a scream and everyone turned to Saturn. She was crying so hard, Goten was holding her and trying to get her to calm down but it wasn't working.
"Calm down? Calm down? How the hell can I calm down when my Princess is gone? Dead! My Princess doesn't exist anymore."
Before her words could actually register in the other's brains, a voice, female, spoke.
"She isn't dead, young one, she never existed. At least not by herself."
Everyone looked up to find Nemesis in front of them; though it wasn't Nemesis anymore. In a way she looked the same, but the power that surrounded her, was far from the same.
The powerful being in front of them was different in power and looks from Nemesis. She had long hair that flowed behind her, the color interchanged between black and gold, as well as mixing together as one.
Her boots where black with a symbol at the top, it was different then Nemesis. The symbol circled around her boot and was a three sixty design. The top was black and the bottom was gold, but the black crescent was outlined in purple, while the gold crescent was outlined in silver. Her gloves were gold, with the ends (toward the elbow) were black. The skirt was black and so was the top, but the bow was gold. In the middle of the bow, a crystal none of them had seen before.
The Crystal was like it had been two different ones before it came together as one. Half was the darkest black any of they had seen, and the other side was gold.
The symbol on her head was the same as on her boots. It was a dark crescent moon on top, while on the bottom was the gold crescent Moon. Her eyes did the same as her hair.
Pluto gasped and was on her knees in a split second.
"My lady, forgive my fellow Scouts and I. They do not know who you are."
The 'lady' chuckled. "It is alright Scout of Time, it seems that your memory comes and goes, just like Time."
"Forgive me for being so bold, but if you are awakened, where are your counterparts. If memory serves me still, they were always never far behind."
"Well I be damned," a male voice cursed. "It seems that I was wrong. I just thought Nemesis was a Guardian, not the power itself."
All eyes turned to him and the four men around him.
The Inner Scouts stopped breathing.
"I had thought that your Brotherhood died out," the lady commented.
The male nodded. "It did, it seemed Princess Serenity's dual power acted like a poison."
Neptune was frozen. "Prince Endymoon? What are you doing here?"
"I came to stop our girl from going on a power rampage." was his reply as he joined the Scouts. "The General's are here to keep their Queen in line. Though…I loved to see how that plays out."
Each General shared a look with a certain Inner Scout.
"Oh now isn't this precious. The Knights and the Scouts are reunited. It's so sweet that I wanted to kill something."
Kunzite just chuckled. "Now, now, My Queen, play nice. It isn't their fault they still love us."
Jadeite laughed and ignored his Scout as he went to kneel in front of his Queen. "You could be nice and lift your curse, but where would the fun be in that?"
The other Knights kneeled in front of her as well.
Zoicite snorted. "Jadeite just likes having someone in love with him. It's not like he can get another girl."
Nephrite, who was kneeling next to Zoicite, smacked in the back of the head. "Be a good boy, or Zero will punish you."
The Knight just laughed and smirked. "Maybe I want him to punish me."
The Lady just rolled her eyes at them. "None of you ever change. Oh my Generals, it has been too long since we were properly reunited. When we were reborn, we were not all there. But now, we are. So, I ask once more, will you stand by my side, and keep the balance?"
They nodded and said as one. "Of course Lady Chaos."
"Scout of Time, have you located my brother?" Lady Chaos asked softly.
"No need, sister dear, I am here." a man with hair as black as night appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist said.
The Knights blinked. "Zero is Lord Darkness?"
Lady Chaos nodded. "He is also the Scout of Darkness, though I always found it funny he was the only male Scout." She turned her head and looked at the Prince. "It seems brother dear; your right hand man is already here."
Her brother laughed. "That was why I sent him to you, sister mine. You needed balance since you had hidden away your Darkness. Now, on a different note, can we find our sister before you enter your sleep?"
Lady Chaos shook her head. "It isn't her time to awaken; once I have woken from my sleep we will separate, but still whole."
He paused for a moment. "You mean you will continue both lives? You do know we still have to clean up; the universe is still paying for our mistakes. No one has taken our roles since Sister and I banished you and split you apart. Which reminds me, are you still mad at me?"
Lady Chaos laughed. "I am not mad, the both of you were afraid I was going to take over the universe and make everyone my slaves. I have to admit I was actually considering it, since you two pissed me off. And I can't say I wasn't going to do it, because I was actually thinking about it. No, you did what you had to do. I wasn't in a right state of mind."
Lord Darkness rested his head on hers and sighed. "I will miss you sister mine, until you wake up, I guess."
With those words she collapsed in his arms and her power went inside of her body. If one just looked at her, she would seem human, with no power at all.
Lord Darkness caught his sister and held her bridal style and walked toward Vegeta. "You are my sister's contact in this world, yes?"
Vegeta nodded, but didn't take his eyes off the girl.
"Good, she will need some place to rest until she wakes up. Somewhere safe that no one will attack her."
"Of course, she can stay where she has been staying since she arrived here. How long will she be asleep?"
Lord Darkness shrugged, "It could be years, but a year at the minimum."
"Shall I take her then?" Vegeta asked and took her in his arms before Lord Darkness and the others that came with him disappeared.
**~LG~**
Vegeta set Ko down gently onto her bed. Then he left the room and went downstairs into the 'meeting room' or so it had been newly dubbed.
When he entered he turned to Setsuna. "What the hell is going on?"
The Scout looked uncomfortable; "I'm not supposed to tell anyone. It's one of those things I have to keep secret."
Bunny nodded. "Like the whole future thing?"
"Yes, I couldn't tell you that you ended up being Queen of Crystal Tokyo with Small Lady as your daughter; but of course that didn't stop King Endymion from telling you." Setsuna huffed.
"King Endymion?" Gohan asked confused.
Bunny looked anywhere but him. "He was the Prince of Earth during the last days of the Silver Millennium; and we found out when Rini came to the Past—to help save the Future—that he was the King of Crystal Tokyo and Rini's father. But, according to my sister, he really isn't her dad."
Gohan and the others just blinked. A part of Gohan wanted to die when Bunny told him that she had a King and a daughter, but then he was totally confused.
Hotaru just waved a hand. "It doesn't matter; the Future is never set in stone. That was what the Future would have been if Nephrenia and Galaxia hadn't attacked. But things have changed; and Setsuna is right, she cannot tell you anything. She is bound by the laws. The punishment would be worse than when she stopped Time."
"NO!" Bunny cried. "I'm not going to let you die again."
"Wait a minute, if she stops Time she dies?" Adrian asked. "Has she done it before?"
Minato nodded. "When we went to the Future we ended up with two Silver Crystals, the Past and the Future. Prince Diamond had both—after he stole it from Moon—and was able to bring them together. If they were to touch, then everything would be destroyed. So, Pluto stopped time, though she had broken another rule by leaving the Door in the first place. By stopping time she destroyed herself, or so Queen Serenity had said."
Setsuna snorted. "If I didn't leave Small Lady would still be Black Lady and everyone would be dead."
Haruka waved her hand. "Enough, I want to know what is happening with the Princess now and if you can't tell me, who can?"
"I can."
In the far corner, sitting on the ground up against the wall, was Trunks. "While I was being possessed by **Chaos**, I got the story from her. In the beginning there were three beings created to balance out the Universe. You had Lady Light, Lord Darkness and Lady Chaos. Sailor Scouts were created by the three beings to protect the worlds."
Trunks looked up and saw everyone was paying attention to him. "There was peace between the worlds; but like always Light and Darkness are going to fight for control. The Scouts of Light fought with the Scouts of Darkness. Lady Chaos never really interfered in those battles. But her brother and sister did something, in one of their stupid battles to piss her off so much that she was thinking of killing both and taking over the Universe.
"When Lady Light and Lord Darkness found out they set out on a crusade to stop their sister and ended up destroying Generals as well as her own Scouts. The three beings fought and they defeated Lady Chaos, split her two halves apart and gave them to Sailor Cauldron."
"What pissed off Lady Chaos enough to want to take over the Universe?" Drake asked. "She didn't interfere at all up until then, so why?"
Trunks shrugged, "She either didn't remember or didn't want to remember."
"She didn't want to remember." Bunny spoke up. "She had fallen in love with a warrior, a Saiyan I believe; they had one of those Epic loves. But her lover got caught in the crossfire and it tore her apart. So she vowed revenge and started trying to destroy her brother and sister. Lady Chaos had no need to take over the Universe; that was just an out for the other two. They couldn't very well tell people that they killed someone she loved; because then it would have been okay for her revenge. Lady Light and Lord Darkness couldn't upset the balance, so they took her apart. Of course they didn't realize that once they did that, Sailor Cauldron would throw them into the Cauldron as well."
Rei looked at Bunny with curiosity in her eyes and voice. "How do you know that?"
Bunny smiled. "I was the one who thought to split my sister into two halves so it would take her a while to come back into power."
**~LG~**
That whole year was the best and worst year of their lives. They were able to spend more time with their newly found loves. But Trunks was in agony, because he was alone. His love was the one who couldn't wake up. At first he despised his friends, they all looked sad because his love was the way she was; but they had their happy ever after.
As the year went on, Trunks started having strange dreams. Dreams that revolved around his love; but he couldn't place them.
It was only until after she woke up that he realized what they were.
A little over a year had passed, with Trunks always by her bedside.
The dream that overtook him was one filled with agony; and when he woke up he still felt some of it. But as soon as he looked at the sleeping woman on the bed, the pain disappeared.
That was when it all connected. There was a reason why he was drawn to her; it was because of the past. He wasn't drawn to her, but his soul was. It had taken him thousands upon thousands of years to find her again, but he did.
When Trunks remembered his past life and felt the pull he leaned down and kissed her. It was a chaste quick kiss. When he pulled back he whispered. "I found you, lover."
And when she opened her eyes he wasn't surprised at all. She stared deep into his eyes. "So you have. Now, what are you going to do about it, lover?"
_Fin_
End file.
| fanfiction |
recent discoveries at rhic point to the inadequacy of using a weakly coupled plasma description for the deconfined phase of qcd ( see for example @xcite and references therein ) . instead , properties of collective flow , can be described very well with ideal hydrodynamics , which suggests that the phase is in fact strongly interacting .
related to these are theoretical studies in the framework of lattice qcd , which found signs of these strong interactions .
these include a large deficit in thermodynamical bulk properties , such as pressure , entropy , and energy density , with respect to their free gas values , up to temperatures of a few times the transition temperature @xmath4 @xcite . @xcite . ]
these deficits were found in the pure @xmath2 gauge theory , as well as with different types of fermions .
the deficit in all these cases is quite similar , and is hard to reproduce with standard perturbation theory .
this is in contrast to the fermionic addition to the pressure at a small , nonzero , chemical potential , which is explained very well by perturbation theory ( for example @xcite and references thererin ) .
the analytical approaches used to study this phenomenon include quasi - particle models , polyakov loop models , variants of perturbation theory , models of loosely bound states , gravity dual models , and also perturbative small volume calculations of the large-@xmath3 gauge theory . some of these approaches simplify or even become soluble at the
t hooft limit of large-@xmath3 , which is a free theory in the confined phase ( at least in the mesonic sector ) , and consists of only planar diagrams in a perturbative expansion of the deconfined phase .
an additional important point here is that , provided the chiral limit is taken after the large-@xmath3 limit , the planar pure gauge theory is effectively quenched ( for example see @xcite ) .
this makes any calculation in the pure gauge case relevant for the physical case , that includes fermions .
the simplifications of the planar limit , together with the possibility that the pressure deficit is ` hidden ' in the gluonic sector , and the need to check and constraint the analytical explanations , lead us to study bulk thermodynamical properties of @xmath5 , and @xmath6 pure lattice gauge theories and compare to the study by boyd et al . of @xmath2 @xcite .
recent calculations of various properties of @xmath0 gauge theories @xcite@xcite have demonstrated that @xmath7 is very close to @xmath8 for most purposes .
these also provide information on the transition coupling for various lattice sizes and @xmath3 .
thus our calculations should provide us with an accurate picture of what happens to bulk thermodynamics at @xmath8 . for a more detailed version of this work , which was conducted with dr .
m. teper , we refer to @xcite .
we define the gauge theory on a discretised periodic euclidean four dimensional space - time with @xmath9 sites , and perform monte - carlo simulations of a simple wilson action .
we use the kennedy - pendelton heat bath algorithm for the link updates , followed by five over - relaxations of all the @xmath10 subgroups of @xmath0 . to evaluate bulk thermodynamics
there are several approaches one can use .
the `` differential method '' was used in the past , and is known to produce the unphysical result of a negative pressure close to @xmath4 .
the reason for that is the use of a perturbative beta function in a regime where the coupling is not small . in our case ,
larger values of @xmath3 drive us to smaller values of @xmath11 , and therefore to a lattice spacing of @xmath12- too coarse for the differential method .
an additional possibility is the use of a direct evaluation of the density of states .
unfortunately , modern methods like the wang - landau algorithm did not converge for the case of @xmath6 .
this leaves us with the `` integral method '' ( see for example @xcite ) in which the pressure @xmath13 and interaction measure @xmath14 are @xmath15 here @xmath16 is the plaquette average on a @xmath17 lattice with @xmath18 , while @xmath19 is measured on a lattice with relatively large @xmath20 .
let us mention that in the expression for the pressure in we dropped the pressure at temperature @xmath21 corresponding to @xmath22 . to justify this one usually takes @xmath22 much lower than the transition coupling @xmath23 , which means that the systematic error will be very small .
we performed calculations of @xmath24 in @xmath5 on @xmath25 lattices and in @xmath6 on @xmath26 lattices for a range of @xmath27 values corresponding to @xmath28 $ ] for @xmath5 , and to @xmath29 $ ] for @xmath6 .
since we use @xmath11 , while the data for @xmath2 in @xcite is for @xmath30 , we also performed simulations for @xmath2 on @xmath31 lattices with @xmath32 $ ] .
the measured plaquette averages are presented in @xcite .
we performed the ` @xmath33 ' calculations of @xmath34 on @xmath35 lattices for su(3 ) , and on @xmath36 lattices for su(4 ) , which are known to be effectively at @xmath33 @xcite for the couplings involved . for su(8 ) however , using @xmath37 lattices would not be adequate for the largest @xmath27-values , and we take instead the su(8 ) calculations on larger lattices in @xcite , and interpolate between the values of @xmath27 used there with the ansatz @xmath38 where @xmath39 is the lattice perturbative result to @xmath40 from @xcite and @xmath7 .
our best fit has @xmath41 with @xmath42 , and the best fit parameters are @xmath43 , @xmath44 , and a gluon condensate of @xmath45 .
for @xmath1 , one is able to use lattice volumes much smaller than what one needs for @xmath2 ( like those in @xcite ) as the longest correlation length decreases rapidly with @xmath3 @xcite .
this is also theoretically expected , much more generally , as @xmath46 ( see for example @xcite ) .
the main remaining concern has to do with tunneling configurations , which occur only at @xmath4 when @xmath47 . on our finite volumes , this is no longer true , and we minimise finite-@xmath48 corrections by calculating the average plaquettes only in field configurations that are confining , for @xmath49 , or deconfining , for @xmath50 . for su(3 ) , where the phase transition is only weakly first order , it is not practical to attempt to separate phases . this will smear the apparent variation of the pressure across @xmath4 in the case of su(3 ) . to confirm that our finite volume effects are under control
we have compared the su(8 ) value of @xmath51 as measured in the deconfined phase of the our @xmath52 lattice with other @xmath53 results from other studies @xcite , and find that the results are consistent at the @xmath54 sigma level . we perform a similar check for the confined phase on the same lattices , and again find that finite volume effects are small , mostly on a one sigma level .
a similar check for the confined phase on @xmath55 lattices leads to conclude that a size @xmath56 in su(8 ) is not large enough , as we find that the plaquette average has a significant change ( on a @xmath57 sigma level ) from @xmath56 to @xmath58 for our largest value of @xmath27 .
by contrast , for @xmath5 the finite volume effects seem not to be large on the @xmath36 lattice as we checked for our largest value of @xmath59 .
there the value of the plaquette on a @xmath35 lattice is consistent within @xmath60 sigma with the value on a @xmath36 lattice .
the data supporting these checks , together with the checks related to the next paragraph , is presented in @xcite .
to evaluate the scaling of the temperature @xmath61 with the coupling @xmath62 , and the derivative in , we use calculations of the string tension , @xmath63 , in lattice units ( e.g. @xcite ) . a more natural scale here is the transition temperature @xmath4 .
however this involves a calculation of the transition coupling @xmath23 for many values of @xmath64 , and for several values of @xmath65 , which is a very large scale project . also the difference between this scale fixing and the one according to @xmath63 comes from the @xmath66 corrections of @xmath67 .
a check of the latter for @xmath68 shows that @xmath67 for @xmath69 , are the same within the errors .
indeed when we compare @xmath70 from @xcite , and as determined here for @xmath71 , we find that they fall on top of each other .
this is not the case for @xmath5 , but there the @xmath72 difference in @xmath67 of @xmath11 , and @xmath73 is only at the level of @xmath74 . as a result we may slightly overestimate @xmath75 when it is @xmath76 for this @xmath77 . finally the value of @xmath78 for the different gauge groups and @xmath11 in taken from @xcite . in presenting our results for the pressure , we shall normalize to the lattice stephan - boltzmann result given by @xmath79 here @xmath80 includes the effects of discretization errors in the integral method @xcite . the same normalisation is applied for the interaction measure @xmath14 , and for the energy density @xmath81 , and entropy density @xmath82 . to check that we understand the systematics of finite lattice spacing corrections when presenting the normalized results , we compare @xmath83 for @xmath2 with @xmath84 from @xcite , @xmath11 from the current study ( in both these cases @xmath61
was increased by increasing @xmath27 ) , and @xmath85 from @xcite ( where @xmath61 was increased by decreasing @xmath64 ) .
the result of the comparison is presented in the left panel of fig .
[ fig1 ] , where one indeed sees that the normalization by the stephan - boltzmann free gas shows a systematic increase of @xmath14 towards the continuum limit . for @xmath71 ( on the left ) , and @xmath86 ( on the right ) normalized to the lattice stephan - boltzmann pressure , including the full discretization errors given by @xmath80 .
the lines are the @xmath2 results and @xmath84 from @xcite.,title="fig:",width=226 ] for @xmath71 ( on the left ) , and @xmath86 ( on the right ) normalized to the lattice stephan - boltzmann pressure , including the full discretization errors given by @xmath80 .
the lines are the @xmath2 results and @xmath84 from @xcite.,title="fig:",width=226 ] -0.5 cm
before we present our results for the bulk thermodynamical quantities , let us note that as the ideas of reduction at large-@xmath3 ( for example see the recent systematic studies in @xcite ) have an interesting realization here . by relabeling the axes , the authors of @xcite have argued that at @xmath8 wilson loops should not change as a function of @xmath61 for @xmath49 .
this will be reflected in our case in a @xmath87 which is very similar to @xmath88 .
indeed when we compare the two we find that the difference is on a @xmath89 level for @xmath90 , while from the data of @xcite it is on the @xmath91 level for @xmath2 .
this also means that the systematic error , ignored in is very small for the larger values of @xmath3 .
all the results we present are as a function of @xmath75 .
it is therefore important to note that the dependence of @xmath4 on @xmath3 is very weak , indeed like many other quantities in the pure gauge theory @xcite .
we present our @xmath77 and @xmath7 results for @xmath83 in the right panel of fig .
[ fig1 ] , and on fig .
[ fig2 ] . in the former we change @xmath64
so to increase @xmath61 up to @xmath92 , while in the latter @xmath61 is increased by changing @xmath27 . in both cases
we find modest / small changes between the different groups .
nonetheless in the vicinity of @xmath4 , the differences are large , presumably because the transition in @xmath2 is only weakly first order .
normalized to the lattice stephan - boltzmann pressure , including the full discretization errors given by @xmath80 , for @xmath86 .
the line are the @xmath2 results and @xmath93 from @xcite , width=268 ] .
[ fig2 ] -0.5 cm the plot of @xmath94 is presented in the left panel of fig .
we also show our calculations of the @xmath2 pressure for @xmath11 , as well as the @xmath93 calculations from @xcite . in the right panel of fig .
[ fig3 ] we present results for the normalized energy density @xmath95 , and normalized entropy density @xmath96 .
the lines are the @xmath2 result of @xcite with @xmath93 .
again we see very little dependence on the gauge group , implying very similar curves for @xmath8 . .
in the pressure plot , the symbols vertical sizes are representing the largest error bars ( which are received for the highest temperature ) .
the lines are the @xmath2 results and @xmath93 from @xcite.,title="fig:",width=268 ] . in the pressure plot
, the symbols vertical sizes are representing the largest error bars ( which are received for the highest temperature ) .
the lines are the @xmath2 results and @xmath93 from @xcite.,title="fig:",width=268 ] -0.5 cm one can clearly infer that the pressure in the @xmath5 and @xmath6 cases is remarkably close to that in @xmath2 and hence that the well - known pressure deficit observed in su(3 ) is in fact a property of the large-@xmath3 planar theory .
this implies that the dynamics that drives the deconfined system far from its noninteracting gluon gas limit , must remain equally important in the @xmath8 planar theory .
this is encouraging since this limit is simpler to approach analytically , for example using gravity duals , and also because it can serve to constraint and point to important ingredients of analytical approaches .
for example , in perturbation theory , it tells us that the important contributions must be planar , and although the current calculated contributions are indeed all planar , this is not guaranteed at @xmath97 @xcite . in models focusing on resonances and bound states , it must be that the dominant states are coloured , since the contribution of colour singlets will vanish as @xmath46
. models using ` quasi - particles ' should place these in colour representations that do not exclude their presence at @xmath8 , and in fact give them @xmath61-dependent properties which depend weakly on @xmath3 .
also , topological fluctuations should play no role in this deficit since the evidence is that there are no topological fluctuations of any size in the deconfined phase at large-@xmath3 @xcite .
we are thankful to j. engels for discussions on the discretisation errors , @xmath80 , of the free lattice gas pressure , and for giving us the numerical routines to calculate them .
we also thank the workshop organizers for the opportunity to present these work .
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j. engels , private communications ( 2005 ) | arxiv |
Which solvent is good for using SU-8 particle in Optical tweezers?
I'm studying Optical tweezers. I've used Polystyrene for samples. Nowadays, I've got SU-8 pillar. I wanna use that for sample, but its density is heavier than water. I can't use that. So I wanna know some liquid for replacing water.
I've done some experiments recently with SU-8 and polistirene and figured it out, that SU-8 solvent melts polistirene. Just wanna say, that this won't work out well.
But to use something instead of water: why not using alcohol (ETOH) or isopropyl. I use the last as much as possible since it's not leaving any stains on stuff I do.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
In equilibrium, if bonds are constantly being created and broken, where does the energy that does so come from?
I'm a student who recently learned about equilibrium and how it is not a state where nothing is made, but rather, a state where the product is decomposing at the same rate as the reactants are combining. If breaking and creating bonds takes energy, where does this energy come from? Does it have to be added to the system? Also, if a closed system, say, a glass jar, reaches equilibrium, and heat slowly leeches out of the jar, does the balance of equilibrium shift, or does the reaction slow down but stay in equilibrium?
The energy comes from the molecules themselves. See, they have certain energy of thermal motion. You might have heard of the [${3\over2}kT$ thing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermodynamic_temperature#The_nature_of_kinetic_energy.2C_translational_motion.2C_and_temperature), but that's only an average value. Molecules have different energies, described by the so-called [Maxwell distribution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%E2%80%93Boltzmann_distribution). Those with higher energy might take part in some reactions which are not possible for the entire bulk.
As for your second question, it's option 1: the equilibrium typically will shift. (Though the reaction might slow down a bit, too.)
Recall that the molecules have a certain total energy, split into kinetic, vibrational and rotational energy. A molecule's chemical bonds can vibrate and the whole molecule can rotate as can groups within it, such as around single bonds. The total energy is determined by the temperature and energy can move from one form to another in collisions, e.g. vibration to translation. But as mentioned by @Ivan Neretin there is not a single energy but a distribution of these (with the average $3k\_BT/2$). The higher the energy a molecule has, the fewer there will be with this energy.
Now to go from reactants to products the molecule has to 'wait around' until by random collisions with other molecules in the gas or in solution it acquires enough energy to surmount the activation barrier between reactants and products. [You realise that there must be an energy barrier here otherwise everything would react instantly and we could not exist ]. By a similar argument, products have to wait to get enough energy to return to reactants and so the equilibrium is established. The *rate constants* of forward and back reaction will be different.
In you second question, the equilibrium will shift, the lower energy species, could be reactant or product, will start to dominate. Conversely if you were to add lots of heat then the amounts of product & reactants will become more similar as there is more energy to cross the barrier both ways.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
the dimension of a set of points was first explored by hausdorff @xcite , who showed that there exist sets of points with fractional dimension , now termed _
fractals_. infinite sequences drawn from a finite alphabet can be viewed as points on the unit interval .
lutz @xcite showed that the hausdorff dimension of a set of infinite sequences could be characterized by the rate at which money could be taken away from a gambler that is trying to make unbounded money by betting on all the sequences in the set .
in other words , the higher the dimension of a set , the more random and unpredictable are its elements , and so the more difficult it is to make money betting on its elements .
( a precise definition follows in later sections ) . though all singleton sets of sequences
i.e. all individual points have hausdorff dimension 0 , by restricting the computational power of the gambler , individual sequences can be assigned a non - zero dimension .
resource - bounded dimension ( constructive dimension @xcite , pushdown dimension @xcite , finite - state dimension @xcite , etc . ) is a measure of the density of information or randomness in a sequence as it appears to a gambler whose computational power is limited by the resource bound .
accordingly , the finite - state dimension of a sequence @xcite is the degree to which the sequence appears random to a finite automaton , and the pushdown dimension of a sequence @xcite is the degree to which the sequence appears random to a pushdown automaton .
a finite - state gambler is a finite automaton that bets money on the next character according to its current state .
a pushdown gambler is a finite - state gambler augmented with an infinite stack memory , and it is allowed to vary its state transition and its bet at each state depending on the character appearing at the top of the stack .
since any finite - state gambler can be simulated exactly by a pushdown gambler that makes no use of its stack , pushdown gamblers are at least as powerful as finite - state gamblers , and hence @xmath3 for all sequences @xmath4 .
we show that there exist sequences with a pushdown dimension strictly less than their finite - state dimension .
specifically , for every rational @xmath0 , there exists a sequence @xmath4 with @xmath5 such that @xmath6 .
it is well known @xcite that the class of languages decided by a pushdown automaton is a strict superset of the class of languages recognized by a finite automaton .
the result presented here thus gives a quantitative , information - theoretic estimate of the extra power of a pushdown automaton over a finite automaton .
weighted finite automata , of which finite - state gamblers are a special case , have also been studied in other contexts @xcite .
section [ prelim ] establishes preliminaries and notation , section [ dimension ] defines dimension , finite - state dimension , and pushdown dimension , section [ fs - v - pd ] establishes the separation of finite - state and pushdown dimension , and section [ conclusion ] concludes and states open questions .
the appendix contains proofs .
we write @xmath7 for the set of all rational numbers , @xmath8 for the set of all integers , @xmath9 for the set of all natural numbers , @xmath10 for the set of all positive integers .
let @xmath11 .
let @xmath12 be a finite alphabet of characters .
@xmath13 is the set of all finite strings drawn from @xmath12 .
the length of a string @xmath14 is denoted by @xmath15 .
@xmath16 denotes the empty string . for @xmath17
, @xmath18 denotes the set of all strings @xmath14 such that @xmath19 .
@xmath20 denotes the reverse of @xmath21 . for @xmath22
, @xmath23 denotes the concatenation of @xmath21 and @xmath24 . for @xmath25
, @xmath26 denotes the string @xmath27 .
@xmath28 is the set of all infinite sequences drawn from @xmath12 . for @xmath29 or @xmath13 and @xmath30
, we write @xmath31 $ ] to denote the @xmath32th character of @xmath4 , with @xmath33 $ ] being the leftmost character , and we write @xmath34 $ ] to denote the substring consisting of the @xmath32th through @xmath35th characters of @xmath4 , with @xmath34 = \lambda$ ] if @xmath36 .
we write @xmath37 to denote @xmath38 $ ] , the @xmath39th prefix of @xmath4 . if @xmath40 . for @xmath29 , we write @xmath41 $ ] to denote @xmath4 without its first @xmath42 characters ; i.e. @xmath43 = s$ ] .
let @xmath44 , @xmath45 and @xmath29 .
we write @xmath46 to denote the number of times @xmath21 appears as a substring of @xmath37 .
let the _ frequency of @xmath21 in @xmath37 _ be defined @xmath47 let the _ frequency of @xmath21 in @xmath4 _ be defined @xmath48 when this limit exists .
we state the following obvious lemma without proof , which states that adding a finite prefix to a sequence can not alter the limiting frequency of any substring .
let @xmath29 and @xmath49 . then
, if @xmath50 is defined , @xmath51 [ lem - prefix ] a sequence @xmath29 is _ normal _ if , for every @xmath14 , @xmath52 in other words , @xmath4 is normal if , for every string length @xmath53 , all strings of length @xmath53 occur with the same frequency . note that given @xmath37 and @xmath54 , @xmath55 defines a probability measure on the set @xmath18 .
accordingly , we can speak of the entropy of this probability distribution .
@xmath53th normalized entropy of @xmath4 _ be denoted @xmath56 note that this exists even if @xmath50 does not , since the @xmath57 is being used .
this is the limiting entropy of the distribution of strings of length @xmath53 in @xmath4 , normalized by the term @xmath58 to fall between 0 and 1 .
thus , the more uniformly distributed are the strings of length @xmath53 in @xmath4 , the closer @xmath59 is to 1 .
let the _ normalized entropy rate of @xmath4 _ be denoted @xmath60 likewise , the closer @xmath61 is to 1 , the closer @xmath4 is to normal , and @xmath62 is normal .
the definition of dimension depends on the concept of martingales , which are strategies for gambling on character sequences , and @xmath63-gales ( see @xcite ) , which are martingales in which some fraction of the winnings are removed after each bet .
let @xmath12 be an alphabet .
( @xmath63-gale and martingale ) 1 .
an _ @xmath63-gale _ is a function @xmath64 that satisfies @xmath65 2 .
a _ martingale _ is a 1-gale , denoted @xmath66 . intuitively , a martingale is a strategy for betting in the following game .
the gambler starts with some initial amount of money ( usually 1 ) , termed _
capital _ , and it reads a sequence @xmath4 of characters drawn from alphabet @xmath12 . at each step , the gambler bets some fraction of its capital on each character in @xmath12 .
all of its money must be bet .
whichever character actually comes next in the sequence , it loses all the capital it bet on the other characters , and the fraction of its capital that was bet on the character that appeared is multiplied by @xmath67 .
the only restriction on a martingale is that the bet it makes on character @xmath31 $ ] of the sequence @xmath4 should be a deterministic function only of the string @xmath68 , the characters that have appeared so far .
the objective of a martingale is to make a lot of money , and it will make more money on a sequence if a larger fraction of capital is placed on the characters that actually occur in the sequence .
all of the gambler s money must be bet , but it can `` bet nothing '' by betting @xmath69 of its capital on each character in @xmath12 . in this way ,
no matter what character comes next , its capital will not change .
an @xmath63-gale is a martingale in which the amount of money the gambler bet on the character that occurred is multiplied by @xmath70 , as opposed to simply @xmath67 , after each character .
note that @xmath71 constitutes the original martingale condition .
since we will consider @xmath72 , this will always constitute a reduction in capital from the capital the martingale makes . the lower the value of @xmath63
, the faster money is taken away .
note that if a gambler s martingale for a string @xmath21 is @xmath66 , then its @xmath63-gale is given by @xmath73 .
let @xmath74 .
@xmath75 is a _ prefix set _ if no string in @xmath75 is a proper prefix of any other string .
note that for any @xmath76 , @xmath18 is a prefix set .
the following generalization of the kraft inequality was given in @xcite : let @xmath77 . if @xmath78 is an @xmath63-gale and @xmath79 is a prefix set , then for all @xmath80 , @xmath81 [ lem - kraft ] let @xmath77 . if @xmath78 is an @xmath63-gale and @xmath79 is a prefix set , then @xmath82 [ cor - kraft ] ( @xmath63-success ) let @xmath29 .
we say that a gambler _
@xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 _ if the gambler s @xmath63-gale @xmath78 satisfies @xmath83 if the gambler 1-succeeds on @xmath4 , we say it _ succeeds _ on @xmath4 .
so a gambler @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 if it makes an unbounded amount of money betting on @xmath4 , even with money taken away at rate @xmath63 .
( dimension of a set ) let @xmath84 .
then the _ hausdorff dimension _ of @xmath85 is @xmath86 finite - state dimension is defined in analogy to hausdorff dimension , where the gamblers implementing the @xmath63-gales are restricted to have finite - state computational power . in order to define finite - state dimension ,
then , we must first define finite - state gamblers , which were first studied by feder @xcite .
finite - state gamblers can be thought of as weighted finite automata @xcite , where the weight on each state represents a percentage of money to bet on the next character .
let @xmath12 be an alphabet .
let @xmath87 be the set of all rational probability measures over @xmath12 .
( finite - state gambler @xcite ) a _ finite - state gambler _
( fsg ) is a 5-tuple @xmath88 where * @xmath89 is a finite set of _ states _ , * @xmath12 is the finite _ input alphabet _ , * @xmath90 is the _ transition function _
, * @xmath91 is the _ betting function _ , * @xmath92 is the _ start state_. we write @xmath93 to mean the set of all finite - state gamblers . if @xmath94 , for some @xmath95 and @xmath96 , then that transition is undefined .
we extend @xmath97 to take strings as input with the function @xmath98 defined by @xmath99 for all @xmath100 , and @xmath96 .
@xmath101 is then abbreviated @xmath97 and @xmath102 is abbreviated @xmath103 .
intuitively , this allows us to identify @xmath103 as `` the state @xmath104 is in after reading string @xmath21 . ''
( finite - state @xmath63-gale )
let @xmath105 be a finite - state gambler .
@xmath63-gale for @xmath104 _ is the function @xmath106 defined by @xmath107 for all @xmath77 , @xmath14 , and @xmath96 .
intuitively , the @xmath63-gale for an fsg @xmath104 is determined as follows .
an fsg @xmath108 starts in state @xmath109 with initial capital 1 . assuming that after some time @xmath104 has capital @xmath110 and is in state @xmath111 , the bet it makes on each character @xmath96 is given by @xmath112 . assuming the character @xmath113 appears next in the sequence , @xmath104 then transitions to state @xmath114 , and its capital becomes @xmath115 .
let @xmath108 be an fsg .
for @xmath95 , let @xmath116 be the @xmath63-gale for @xmath104 if @xmath104 is started in state @xmath111 instead of @xmath109 .
( finite - state dimension ) let @xmath29 .
the _ finite - state dimension of @xmath4 _ is @xmath117 thus , if @xmath118 , then there is a finite - state gambler @xmath104 that @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 , meaning @xmath104 can make unlimited money betting on @xmath4 , even if its winnings are multiplied by @xmath119 after every character .
let @xmath120 , and let @xmath29 .
let @xmath121 be the finite - state dimension of @xmath4 when considered as a sequence drawn from alphabet @xmath122 , even though it is really drawn from @xmath12 .
let @xmath29 , and let @xmath120
. then @xmath123 [ lem - add - chars - dim ] pushdown dimension @xcite will be defined almost exactly as finite - state dimension , but the gamblers will have an infinite stack memory , which will allow them to alter both their state transitions and their bets based on the symbol currently on top of the stack .
( pushdown gambler ) a pushdown gambler ( pdg ) is a 7-tuple @xmath124 where * @xmath89 is a finite set of _ states _ , * @xmath12 is the finite _ input alphabet _ , * @xmath125 is the finite _ stack alphabet _ , *
@xmath126 is the _ transition function _ , * @xmath127 is the _ betting function _ , * @xmath92 is the _
start state _
, * @xmath128 is the _ stack start symbol_. we write @xmath129 to mean the set of all pushdown gamblers .
note that the transition function @xmath97 outputs a next state and a string @xmath130 .
the top character is always popped and replaced with @xmath21 .
if @xmath131 is the symbol currently on top of the stack , and @xmath75 needs to add a character @xmath113 to the top , it pushes the string @xmath132 .
if it needs to leave the stack alone , it pushes the string @xmath131 .
if it needs to pop a character , it pushes the string @xmath16 . note that the strings are pushed in reverse order ; the last character of the string is pushed first . note also that the transition function @xmath97 accepts @xmath16 as an input character in addition to elements of @xmath12 .
@xmath75 has the option not to read an input character and instead to alter the stack . to enforce determinism , we require at least one of the following hold for all @xmath95 and all @xmath133 : * @xmath134 , * @xmath135 for all @xmath136 .
the determinism condition requires that the pdg ca nt have the choice to read 0 or 1 characters ; the number of characters read is entirely a function of the state and the character at the top of the stack .
we must also handle the special case that the stack start symbol gets popped .
since this represents the bottom of the stack , we restrict @xmath97 so that @xmath137 can not be removed from the bottom .
we restrict @xmath97 so that , for every @xmath95 and @xmath138 , either @xmath139 , or @xmath140 , where @xmath141 and @xmath142 . as before , if @xmath143 for some @xmath144 , and @xmath145 , then that transition is undefined .
we extend @xmath97 to the transition function @xmath146 defined for all @xmath147 , and @xmath136 as follows : @xmath148 where @xmath149 .
@xmath101 is then abbreviated as @xmath97 .
we then use the extended transition function @xmath150 in analogy to that used with finite - state gamblers , defined for all @xmath151 , and @xmath136 by @xmath152 we then abbreviate @xmath153 to @xmath97 , and @xmath154 to @xmath103 .
informally , this allows us to use @xmath103 as shorthand for `` the state and contents of the stack of the gambler @xmath75 after reading string @xmath21 '' .
we also extend @xmath155 for convenience to the function @xmath156 defined for all @xmath95 , @xmath133 , and @xmath142 by @xmath157 @xmath158 is then abbreviated @xmath155 .
@xmath159 means , informally , `` the amount bet on character @xmath113 when in state q , when the string @xmath160 is on the stack . '' note that only the top character @xmath131 of @xmath160 can affect any single bet , but for the purpose of examining multiple steps of the gambler , it may be necessary to keep track of what the entire contents of the stack are , since they may change from step to step .
pushdown @xmath63-gales and dimension are defined exactly as their finite - state versions .
( pushdown @xmath63-gale ) let @xmath161 be a pushdown gambler .
@xmath63-gale for @xmath75 _ is the function @xmath162 defined by @xmath163 for all @xmath77 , @xmath14 , and @xmath96 .
intuitively , the @xmath63-gale for a pdg @xmath75 is determined as follows .
a pdg @xmath164 starts in state @xmath109 with initial capital 1 . assuming that after some time @xmath75 has capital @xmath110 , is in state @xmath111 , and the character on the top of the stack is @xmath165 , the bet it makes on each character @xmath96 is given by @xmath166 . assuming the character @xmath113 appears next in the sequence , if @xmath167 @xmath104 then transitions to state @xmath168 , pops the top character off of the stack and replaces it with the string @xmath21 , and its capital becomes @xmath169 .
( pushdown dimension ) let @xmath29 .
the _ pushdown dimension of @xmath4 _ is @xmath170 thus , if @xmath171 , then there is a pushdown gambler @xmath75 that @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 , meaning @xmath75 can make unlimited money betting on @xmath4 , even if its winnings are multiplied by @xmath119 after every character .
pushdown gamblers are then nothing more than finite - state gamblers that make use of an unbounded stack memory , the top character of which can be used to inform the transition and betting functions .
additionally , pdg s are allowed to delay reading the next character of the input they read @xmath16 from the input in order to alter the contents of their stack . during such a @xmath16-transition ,
the gambler s capital remains unchanged .
this section establishes that adding marker characters to a sequence , where the marker is not in the alphabet of the sequence , does not alter the finite - state dimension of the sequence , as long as the markers are spaced far enough apart .
in other words , the addition of the markers can not significantly hurt or help a finite - state gambler .
recall that , for @xmath29 , @xmath172 let @xmath173 lempel and ziv @xcite showed that @xmath174 where @xmath175 is the optimal compression ratio achievable by any finite - state compressor ( see @xcite or @xcite for a more complete description ) .
dai , et al .
@xcite showed that @xmath176 is identical to a slightly modified form of @xmath175 . a straightforward modification of the proof of lempel and ziv , combined with the result of dai , et al .
, yields the following lemma relating finite - state dimension to entropy .
. then @xmath177 [ lem - dim - h - eq ] let @xmath29 .
then @xmath178 [ cor - dim - normal ] let @xmath12 be an alphabet .
let @xmath179 , where @xmath180 is a _ marker character_. recall that @xmath181 is the finite - state dimension of @xmath4 when considered as a sequence drawn from alphabet @xmath182 , even if it is really drawn from @xmath183 .
let @xmath29 .
let @xmath184 be constructed from @xmath4 by inserting the character @xmath185 immediately after the positions @xmath186 in @xmath4 such that the function @xmath187 is nondecreasing and unbounded
. then @xmath188 [ lem - dim - same ] in this section , we will interpret bitstrings of length @xmath53 to be characters , the alphabet of the sequence will be a subset of @xmath189 , and the marker `` character '' will be @xmath190 .
an infinite binary sequence @xmath191 will then be simultaneously interpreted as an infinite sequence @xmath192 , where @xmath193 . in other words ,
every @xmath53 bits of @xmath4 will constitute 1 character from @xmath194 .
we interpret @xmath195 to be the finite - state dimension of @xmath4 when viewed as an infinite binary sequence , and we interpret @xmath196 to be the finite - state dimension of @xmath4 when viewed as an infinite sequence drawn from @xmath194 . note that this interpretation of @xmath196 is different from the meaning of @xmath196 when @xmath197 ( i.e. in the sense of lemma [ lem - add - chars - dim ] ) . in the current case ,
the boundaries between characters actually change when moving from alphabet @xmath198 to alphabet @xmath194 , in that a string of @xmath53 bits is required to constitute one character of @xmath194 . in the former case , for @xmath120 and @xmath29 , @xmath121 treats each character @xmath96 in @xmath4 as a character from @xmath122 .
we rely on context to distinguish these two scenarios .
the following theorem establishes the relationship between the finite - state dimension of a binary sequence and its finite - state dimension when viewed as a sequence drawn from @xmath199 .
let @xmath76 and @xmath200 .
then , for all @xmath192 , @xmath201 [ thm - a ] this section presents two variations on the champernowne sequence @xcite and shows them to be normal .
first we need the following lemma , which establishes that splicing two normal sequences together results in a normal sequence , as long as the splicing takes increasingly longer substrings from each sequence .
let @xmath202 be normal over the alphabet @xmath12 .
let @xmath203 t[1 \twodots i_1 ] s[i_1 + 1 \twodots i_2 ] t[i_1 + 1 \twodots i_2 ] s[i_2 + 1 \twodots i_3 ] t[i_2 + 1 \twodots i_3 ] \ldots\ ] ] such that the function @xmath187 is nondecreasing and unbounded .
then @xmath204 is normal over the alphabet @xmath12 .
[ lem - splice ] let @xmath205 .
since @xmath1 is rational , @xmath206 for some @xmath207 . since @xmath208 , @xmath209 .
since @xmath210 , @xmath211 .
let @xmath212 and let @xmath213 such that @xmath214 .
note that @xmath215 , and that since @xmath211 , @xmath216 .
let @xmath217 be the string consisting of all strings of length @xmath32 over the alphabet @xmath194 , concatenated in lexicographical ordering .
let @xmath218 .
define the sequences @xmath219 note that @xmath220 .
champernowne @xcite and merkel and reimann @xcite showed that the sequence @xmath221 is normal over the alphabet @xmath194 .
let @xmath222 then @xmath223 is normal over alphabet @xmath12 .
[ lem - rev - normal ] @xmath224 is normal over the alphabet @xmath12 .
[ lem - c - normal ] note , however , that @xmath224 and @xmath225 are not normal to base 2 , because no more than @xmath226 1 s appear consecutively in either sequence .
in fact , they have dimension equal to @xmath1 , as established by the following lemma . @xmath227 [ lem - dim - fs ] the sequence @xmath225 presented in section [ sec - champ ] has pushdown dimension bounded above by half of its finite state dimension . @xmath228 .
[ lem - dim - pd ] the main theorem of the paper follows and establishes that the pushdown dimension of @xmath225 is bounded above by half of its finite - state dimension . @xmath229 .
[ thm - main ] recall that @xmath205 .
therefore theorem [ thm - main ] implies that for every rational @xmath0 , there exists a sequence @xmath225 with finite - state dimension @xmath1 such that @xmath230 .
we have shown that there exist sequences with pushdown dimension strictly less than their finite - state dimension .
this was done by the addition of special marker strings that are placed increasingly far apart in the sequence . because these marker strings do not occur in other parts of the sequence , the sequence is not normal , and this prevents our proof from showing that any normal sequence has pushdown dimension less than 1 .
the marker strings are needed for our proof , but it is not known whether they are essential to bound the pushdown dimension .
it is possible that the original sequence , without the markers , has the same pushdown dimension .
nichols @xcite has shown that there is a normal sequence @xmath4 such that a pushdown gambler can succeed on @xmath4 , whereas the normality of @xmath4 establishes that no finite - state gambler can succeed on @xmath4 .
however , the pushdown gambler fails to show that @xmath231 , since the gambler makes money so slowly that it fails on @xmath4 if any money is taken away at each step ( i.e. if @xmath232 ) .
is there a normal sequence @xmath4 such that @xmath231 ?
we have shown that there exist sequences @xmath225 such that @xmath230 .
the factor @xmath233 seems artificial , and in our proof , it is an artifact of the particular pushdown gambler we designed .
it is an open question whether this could be strengthened to show a larger separation between pushdown and finite - state dimension .
is there a sequence @xmath4 such that @xmath234 ?
it is known that the dimension of an individual sequence with respect to some complexity classes can be equivalently expressed in terms of asymptotic compression ratios @xcite and logarithmic - loss prediction @xcite .
furthermore , finite - state dimension can be equivalently characterized in terms of entropy rates @xcite , and constructive dimension can be characterized in terms of constructive entropy rates @xcite .
it would be useful to find other such alternative characterizations of the resource - bounded dimensions of sequences .
the authors thank jack lutz , jim lathrop , and giora slutzki for their help and for useful discussions .
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we first show that @xmath236 . : : let @xmath237
. then there exists an fsg @xmath108 that @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 .
construct the fsg @xmath238 as follows + * @xmath239 , * @xmath240 , * @xmath241 , * @xmath242 .
+ since @xmath4 contains no characters from @xmath243 , for all @xmath244 , @xmath245 let @xmath246 . then @xmath247 + thus @xmath248 @xmath165-succeeds on @xmath4 , since @xmath104 @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 . since this holds for every @xmath237 , @xmath236
: : we next show that @xmath249 .
+ let @xmath250 .
then there exists an fsg @xmath251 that @xmath165-succeeds on @xmath4 .
since @xmath4 contains no characters from @xmath243 , assume without loss of generality that @xmath252 for all @xmath95 and all @xmath253 .
this assumption can be made for the following reason .
if a gambler does bet non - zero capital on @xmath253 , we can always construct a gambler that takes the capital @xmath104 bets on @xmath131 and uniformly distributes it to the remaining characters in @xmath12 .
since @xmath131 does not appear in @xmath4 , this new gambler will make strictly more money than the old , and hence will @xmath63-succeed whenever the old gambler does
. + then a straightforward reversal of the previous direction of the proof suffices to show that there is a gambler @xmath254 that @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4 , where @xmath255 .
this establishes that @xmath249 .
let there be @xmath258 insertions of the marker character @xmath185 in @xmath37 ( i.e. the insertion indices satisfy @xmath259 ) .
then @xmath260 is the prefix of @xmath256 `` corresponding '' to @xmath37 .
note that @xmath261 . since @xmath262 is non - decreasing and unbounded , @xmath263 such that all markers after position @xmath264 are at least @xmath265 characters apart .
hence @xmath266 ) \leq \frac{1}{p}$ ] . by lemma [ lem - prefix ] , @xmath267 . since this holds for all @xmath268 , @xmath269 .
since @xmath261 , then @xmath270 ; @xmath258 grows strictly slower than @xmath39 . since there are @xmath258 occurrences of @xmath185 in @xmath260 , there are @xmath271 substrings of length @xmath53 in @xmath37 that could have been changed by having an @xmath185 inserted into them . in the worst case ,
every one of these substrings was our chosen string @xmath21 .
thus @xmath272 since @xmath45 , it does not contain an @xmath185 .
adding @xmath185 s to @xmath4 can not add more @xmath21 s to @xmath4 .
thus @xmath273 recall that @xmath270 .
thus @xmath274 and @xmath275 thus @xmath276 this establishes that @xmath55 and @xmath277 approach each other as @xmath278 , for all @xmath45 .
let @xmath279 .
then @xmath280 for all @xmath39 , since no @xmath185 s appear in @xmath4 .
since @xmath281 , @xmath282 where the inequality follows from the fact that for each @xmath185 that appears in @xmath283 , at most @xmath53 substrings of length @xmath53 in @xmath283 could have that @xmath185 in them , and hence belong to @xmath284 . by the non - negativity of @xmath285 , implying @xmath286 for all @xmath279 .
hence , @xmath287 thus @xmath288 : : we first show that @xmath291 . + this holds trivially if @xmath292 , so assume @xmath216 .
let @xmath293 such that @xmath118 .
+ by our choice of @xmath63 , there exists an fsg @xmath294 such that @xmath104 @xmath295succeeds on @xmath4 .
construct and fsg @xmath238 as follows : + * @xmath239 .
* @xmath296 .
* for all @xmath297 and @xmath298 , @xmath299 * for all @xmath297 and @xmath298 , @xmath300 where @xmath301)\ ] ] and @xmath302 * @xmath242
. + note that for all @xmath297 , @xmath303 is a martingale , and that @xmath199 is a prefix set .
. then @xmath304 ) \\ & = & \sum_{w \in a } d_{g',q}(w ) \\ & \leq & 1 . \
\ \ \ \text{by corollary \ref{cor - kraft}}\end{aligned}\ ] ] + so @xmath305 + for all @xmath297 .
+ let @xmath298 and let @xmath297 .
then @xmath306 ) \\&= & d_{g , q}(w).\end{aligned}\ ] ] + so by induction , for all @xmath307 , @xmath308 + let @xmath307 and @xmath298 , and let @xmath309 .
then @xmath310 and so @xmath311
so by induction @xmath312 + let @xmath313 .
then @xmath314
thus @xmath248 @xmath165-succeeds whenever @xmath104 @xmath63-succeeds .
this establishes that @xmath315 : : we next show that @xmath316 .
+ let @xmath293 such that @xmath317 , and let @xmath318 .
then it suffices to show that @xmath319 . by our choice of @xmath63
, there exists an fsg @xmath320 such that @xmath104 @xmath63-succeeds on @xmath4
. + let @xmath321 be the set of all proper prefixes of the strings in @xmath194 .
construct the fsg @xmath238 as follows : + * @xmath322 .
* @xmath323 .
* for all @xmath297 , @xmath324 , and @xmath325 . @xmath326 * for all @xmath297 , @xmath324 , and @xmath325 , @xmath327 where @xmath328 and @xmath329 * @xmath330 . + in the non - degenerate case ( where @xmath331 ) @xmath332 for all @xmath324 , @xmath333 is the disjoint union of @xmath334 and @xmath335 .
so @xmath336 .
therefore @xmath337 .
+ note that for all @xmath95 , @xmath338 for all @xmath339 .
this follows from the fact that @xmath340 maximizes @xmath341 .
@xmath342 , by the constraint that @xmath343 is a probability measure over @xmath194 . + intuitively , @xmath248 s martingale bets @xmath53 times every @xmath53 bits , in such a way that the @xmath53 bets made will telescope to simulate the bet made once every @xmath53 bits by @xmath104 .
+ let @xmath307 , @xmath298 , and @xmath309 . then @xmath344 ) \\ & = & 2^l d_{g'}(z ) \prod_{i=1}^l \frac { \widetilde{b}(q , w_i ) } { \widetilde{b}(q , w_{i-1 } ) } \\ & = & 2^l d_{g'}(z ) \frac { \widetilde{b}(q , w ) } { \widetilde{b}(q,\lambda ) } \\ & \geq & 2^l d_{g'}(z ) \widetilde{b}(q , w ) \\ & = & 2^l d_{g'}(z ) \beta(q)(w),\end{aligned}\ ] ] and @xmath345 so by induction @xmath346 and @xmath347 so @xmath348 thus @xmath349 therefore @xmath248 @xmath165-succeeds when @xmath104 @xmath63-succeeds .
this establishes that @xmath350 let @xmath351 , for some @xmath352 .
let @xmath353 .
intuitively , @xmath258 is the number of splices taken from @xmath37 and @xmath354 apiece to form @xmath355 . since @xmath356 is nondecreasing and unbounded , @xmath357 .
let @xmath76 , and let @xmath45 .
. because there are only @xmath258 places in @xmath37 at which it was `` broken '' to be spliced into @xmath354 , at most @xmath271 instances of @xmath21 in @xmath37 could have been disrupted by the splicing and hence not appear in @xmath355 .
the same argument applies to instances of @xmath21 in @xmath354 .
thus @xmath359 therefore latexmath:[\ ] ] thus , for all @xmath387 , @xmath408 and , for @xmath409 @xmath410 recall that @xmath388 , and that @xmath75 makes the same capital ( @xmath386 ) on each `` character '' @xmath387 . @xmath411 and @xmath412 thus ,
@xmath413 let @xmath414 .
then @xmath415 recall that @xmath390 .
then the term in the parentheses , @xmath416 | arxiv |
Energy lost in a do-nothing machine
I recently came across this large (and very cool) do-nothing machine:
[do-nothing machine (video)](https://i.imgur.com/hPhZEcc.mp4)
Commentators on the internet have mentioned that the machine wastes energy, and therefore doesn't "do nothing", but I'm not so sure.
The machine takes an input, in the form of electrical energy, and has no visible output. Parts move, but they don't go anywhere. The only outlet for energy I can think of is friction, which would cause energy to be "lost as heat". But modern climate controlled buildings make a point of spending energy to produce heat (at least when it's cold), so all this energy would be applied to a useful purpose.
Now, it clearly requires a fairly powerful electrical motor to run this machine, and it doesn't intuitively feel like the machine would put out very much heat. As a result, it does not feel like it would be possible to heat a building entirely with a bunch of these machines, let alone using less or equal energy then a heating system would.
But if that's the case, then where is the energy going? If 100% of the energy input in this machine is lost as heat, how could it be less efficient at heating a room than a heater using the same energy?
To distill the question two ways:
1) Is there any way for energy to escape this system other than being lost as heat?
2) If no to No.1, could a climate controlled building run one (or many) of these machines "for free", saving exactly as much energy as they dump into them?
It will be exactly as efficient as a resistive heater. Nearly every joule of energy which goes into it will be turned into heat (some energy will be spent on abrading the gears, which could put a small amount of energy into them instead of heating the room.
Now there *are* more efficient ways of pushing heat around. Heat pumps can actually move heat from outside to inside more efficiently than a simple resistive element could have provided that heat.
That being said, its worth noting that when Bitcoin was at its highest, there were a large number of bitcoin miners setting up shop in places like Iceland. Rather than having to invest in expensive HVAC equiment to cool the racks of processors, they relied on the ability to heat up the surrounding area when it was cold.
In the end, a lack of a net change in energy is not the same as any one component being "free." If your environment changes, the rules change. Personally, I live in a very hot climate. We pay dearly to remove that kind of heat from our houses!
1) The machine has no connection to the outside world other than thermal contact with the air surrounding it. So, it can't affect the world in any way other than to heat it up. The machine could do useful work if, say, you hooked up a wheel to one of the rotating gears and then putting that wheel in contact with the ground. Then the machine could drag itself across the ground, which would be actual work. But, all this machine does is heat up the air around it.
2) The machine does heat up the inside of the building, but it does so in an inefficient way. Heat pump air conditioning systems move heat from outside to inside instead of directly generating heat. So, in order to add 1 Joule of energy to the room, the machine has to use 1 Joule of energy. A head pump air conditioner would use less than 1 Joule. So, the machine is useless even as a heater since it uses more energy than required.
| stackexchange/physics |
Boat trips from Split to the Blue cave - 5 things you need to know!
Boat trips from Split to the Blue cave – 5 things you need to know!
When it comes to Croatia, it is well known that it offers so much in the sightseeing department.
But let us focus on Middle Dalmatia and the islands. The Croatian coast of the Adriatic sea is stunning. Croatia has more than 700 islands, countless bays and beaches.
Therefor, it is not a bold statement to say that Croatia is on the top of the list for boating lovers.
And all those amazing photos of Croatian islands, they're real. Well, most of them.
In this article we will go trough everything that you need to know about boat trips from Split to the islands.
Even though a lot of travel agencies and boat charters offer a really thorough itinerary (boat trip schedule), no one actually mentions the ride itself.
Vis island is the furthest inhabited island in Croatia (40 nautical miles!). The only way to complete this boat trip in one day is via speed boat. Take note that The Blue Cave (Blue Grotto) is located on the island of Bisevo. Island Bisevo is a small island in the Vis island archipelago. It is another 5 nautical miles away from Komiza town. It is a long way to go. Speed boats are expensive, consume a lot of fuel and require a professional skipper. And since the skipper is responsible for the expensive boat and for the lives of the passengers, it is only natural that they get paid well.
But how does the actual boat ride looks?
Well, sometimes pretty, joyful, enjoyable.. Just as described on the websites and flyers.
But sometimes.. Not so much.
Adriatic sea can be quite tricky. No, it is not like an ocean and it does not generate large tidal waves.
However, due to strong winds that can come from any direction, the sea can get quite choppy.
This makes the ride quite wet and unpleasant. Especially for those that are not used to being on the boat. The first ride in the early morning is the one to get straight to the Blue cave. It usually takes between 1:30 up to 2 hours to reach the Blue cave, depending on the boat and the weather.
The point is, it could be good, it could be bad, but the ride is long either way.
The blue cave is the highlight of the boat trip. It is usually the first destination you visit.
Even though the ride to the Blue cave is quite long, the wait can be even longer.
Due to the rising popularity, there are hundreds of other agencies and boats racing each other in the morning to reach the Blue Cave.
Once you reach the Blue Cave in the morning, the skipper will drop you to the bay called the Mezzoport. Over there, the skipper(or the sailor) will get you the tickets to get inside the cave.
And that is when the wait starts and your patience is tested.
Let me provide you a little bit more info about the Blue Grotto, just in case you haven't investigated it already.
The only original and natural entrance for the Blue cave was the underwater entrance from the south, south-east side. Therefor, the cave was only accessible by diving below the sea level.
This is also an explanation for the color of the cave. The sun shines trough the natural underwater entrance, striking the white lime stones on the bottom of the cave and reflect the blue color all over the cave.
Based on the suggestion of Baron von Ransonet, an artificial entrance was created in the 1884.
This is the entrance that is used today. It is big enough only for the small boats. Therefor, no matter which company you decide to book for your Blue cave boat trip, no boat will be able to get inside the Blue cave.
Instead, you have to buy the tickets to get onto the small boats that will take you inside the Blue cave. Since the cave receives more than 10 000 tourist visits every day, it is always crowded on the island of Bisevo. Meaning, you HAVE TO wait.
For the season 2018, the staff of the Nautical center Komiza had thought a lot about how to resolve this issue. So the rumors are that for the season 2018 the tourist agencies will be able to buy the tickets online in advance. Also, the online counter for the number of the ticket which is next in the line will be set on their website.
This should resolve the issue of waiting at least a little bit, because the skippers will be able to take you swimming or sightseeing while you wait for your turn to get into the Blue cave, instead of waiting in the line, roasting on the sun. This is a huge plus! Congratulations on the idea to the staff of the Nautical center Komiza.
3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW? DON'T BE TRICKED!
Due to rising popularity of The blue cave and Croatia in general, more and more tourist agencies come to the market each day, street sellers, etc.
Beware of the false promises. Some bookers would do anything to get you on the boat for the Blue cave. Promises of dolphins on the way, lunch offers, the length of the boat trip, how long will you stay inside the Blue cave, swimming in the blue cave..
1. Dolphins are wild animals. You might run into them, you might not. They do live in the Adriatic sea, but will you actually see them or not depends on the luck, not on the expertise of the agency. If you are told otherwise, you're being lied to.
2.The trip to reach the Blue cave can be exhausting and hard. That is a fact.
3. No matter which agency you choose, you will not be able to spend more than 5 minutes (or less) in the Blue cave. Especially in the high season when you are treated only as a number. Not as valuable tourist. The Blue cave is under the juridstiction of the nautical center Komiza. They get to decide when the cave is going to be opened and how long can you stay inside.
4. NO SWIMMING IN THE BLUE CAVE.
Yes. No matter what the agency told you, you will not be allowed to swim in the Blue cave. The commissionaires simply don't allow it.
5. SWIMMING IN THE GREEN CAVE IS CHARGED 10€.
The agency will take you in front of the Green cave entrance. Even though the green cave is big enough for your speed boat to enter it, it is restricted area.
This has been decided during the season of 2017 due to safety issues. Unless you swim inside and pay 10€, you will not get to see the beauties of the Green cave.
6. Lunch is not included in the price. Unless you book a special boat tour, the extra expenses are on you.
The boat trip includes a boat ride, water on the boat, tickets for the blue cave and insurance for the passengers. Everything else is extra.
Therefor, be sure to check the reviews before you book your boat tour. Websites like Get Your Guide or TripAdvisor will tell you everything you need to know.
4. MORE DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN MORE. MORE CAN BE LESS.
Don't allow yourself to get tricked. Due to rising popularity of this boat trip, the countless agencies and charters that offer this boat trip want to differentiate themselves from the others.
Therefore, they add additional destinations and promises.
The idea of the name for the 5 islands boat tour is great. Great marketing skills.
But 6 islands boat tour or 7 islands boat tour sounds even better. Right?
Well, not so much. Just think about it this way. The boat tour is usually between 10 to 11 hours long.
And more destinations and places you squish into this time schedule, the less time you spend enjoying the destinations. Less sightseeing, less swimming, less relaxing.
More time riding in the boat. Which is exhausting.
5. WHERE TO BOOK IT?
Depends on your budget, goals and how many friends or family members you have for the boat trip.
In case you want to have a boat only for yourself, we recommend booking the private boat tour.
This is much better way to do it than the shared boat tour.
It is personalized for you. You can decide how long you want to stay on the desired destination. You don't have to follow the routine. And you don't have people you've never met squishing next to you.
Also, shared boat tours use fast RIB boats that provide no sun covers, meaning there is no shade.
Private boat tours use charter speed boats that have all the luxury equipment, including bimini top.
In case you are on the budget and you are only two persons traveling together, then we recommend you to book a shared boat tour. For example, price per person for 2018 is 125€.
For two persons it is total of 250€. Where the private boat tour will cost the same for 2, for 5 or for 7 people. So, in case you are a group of 5 friends and book a private boat tour, it would be total of 500 – 600€, but you have a private boat tour and a flexible itinerary. The same price as for the shared boat tour, except you have a boat for yourself.
In case you decide to book a shared boat tour, we recommend using the TripAdvisor to chose to company. The bigger the company, the better.
However, for the private boat tours we recommend using smaller companies. As the guests on the trip will be treated flawlessly.
"The local boy" who fell in love with boating. I have been living in Trogir, Croatia my whole life.
Get the latest news about Croatia. | slim_pajama |
using the light to perform computations is an exciting idea whose applications can be already seen on the market .
an important step was made by intel researchers who have developed the first continuous wave all - silicon laser using a physical property called the raman effect @xcite .
the device could lead to such practical applications as optical amplifiers , lasers , wavelength converters , and new kinds of lossless optical devices .
another solution comes from lenslet @xcite which has created a very fast processor for vector - matrix multiplications . this processor can perform up to 8000 giga multiple - accumulate instructions per second .
lenslet technology has already been applied to data analysis using k - mean algorithm @xcite and video compression . in this paper
we suggest a new way of performing computations by using some properties of light waves . the idea may be used within a special device for solving the hamiltonian path problem .
we are not taking into account the quantum properties of light which have been used for solving the traveling salesman problem @xcite .
the paper is organized as follows : the hamiltonian path problem is briefly described in section [ hp ] .
the proposed device is presented in section [ proposed ] .
mathematical background of the labeling system is described in section [ math ] .
the way in which the proposed device works is given in section [ howorks ] .
a list of components required by the proposed device is given in section [ hard ] .
complexity is discussed in section [ complexity ] .
suggestions for improving the device are given in sections [ speed_reduce ] and [ particular_graphs ] .
further work directions are suggested in section [ further ] .
the description of the hamiltonian path ( hp ) problem for a direct graph is the following : given a directed graph @xmath0 with @xmath1 nodes and a start node ( @xmath2 ) and a stop node ( @xmath3 ) , the problem asks to compute is there is a simple path , beginning with node @xmath2 and ending with node @xmath3 , containing all nodes exactly once .
the output for this decision problem is either yes or no depending on whether the hamiltonian path does exist or not .
the hamiltonian path problem arises in many real - word applications @xcite .
the problem belongs to the class of np - complete problems @xcite .
no polynomial time algorithm is known for it .
a small instance of this problem was also the first problem solved using a dna computer @xcite .
our idea is based on two properties of light : * the speed of light has a limit .
the value of the limit is not very important at this stage of explanation .
what is important is the fact that we can delay the ray by forcing it to pass through an optical fiber cable of a certain length . *
the ray can be easily divided into multiple rays of smaller intensity / power . initially a light ray is sent to the start node . generally speaking two operations
must be performed when a ray passes through a node : * the light ray is marked uniquely so that we know that it has passed through that node . * the ray is divided into a number of rays equal to the external degree of that node . each obtained ray is directed toward one of the nodes connected to the current node . at the destination node we will search only for particular rays that have passed only once through each node .
this section deeply describes the proposed system .
first step is to find a way to mark the signals which passes through nodes such that the interesting signals can be easily identified at the destination node .
the mathematical background required for this operation is described in section [ math ] and the hardware implementation of the labeling system is described in section [ hard ] . at the destination node
we will wait for a particular ray which has passed through all nodes of the graph exactly once .
this is why we need to find a way to label that particular ray so that it could be easily identified .
actually we are interested in marking all rays which pass through a particular node with a unique label , such that hamiltonian path is uniquely identified at the destination node ( @xmath3 ) . in the solution proposed in this paper ,
the rays passing through a node are marked by delaying them with a certain amount of time .
this delay can be easily obtained by forcing the rays to pass through an optical fiber of a certain length .
roughly speaking , we will know if a certain ray has traversed a hamiltonian path only if its delay ( at the destination node ) is equal to the sum of delays of all nodes in that graph
. we will also know the particular moment when the expected ray ( the one which has completed a hamiltonian path ) will arrive . in this case
the only thing that we have to do is to `` listen '' if there is a fluctuation in the intensity of the signal at that particular moment . due to the special properties of the proposed system we know that no other ray will arrive , at the destination node , at the moment when the hamiltonian path ray has arrived .
the delays , which are introduced by each node , can not take any values . if we would put random values for delays we might have different rays ( which are not hamiltonian paths ) arriving , at the destination node , in the same time with a ray representing a hamiltonian path .
we need only the ray , which has traversed a hamiltonian path , to arrive in the destination node at the moment equal to the sum of delays of each node ( the moment when the ray has entered in the start node is considered moment 0 ) .
thus , the delaying system must have the following property : + * property of the delaying system * let us denote by @xmath4 , @xmath5 , ... , @xmath6 the delays introduced by each node of the graph .
a correct set of values for this system must satisfy the condition : @xmath7 , where @xmath8 ( @xmath9 ) are natural numbers and can not be all 1 in the same time .
if a given value @xmath8 is strictly greater than 1 it means that the ray has passed at least twice through node 1 . finding the appropriate labeling system was two steps process .
first of all we have written a computer program which generates this numbers by using a backtracking procedure @xcite .
we also wanted to generate numbers such that the highest number in a system is the smallest possible .
this will ensure that the network is constructed in an efficient way .
the labeling systems generated by our computer programs are given in table [ tab_labeling_system ] .
p50ptp100pt n & labels ( delays ) + 1 & 1 + 2 & 2 , 3 + 3 & 4 , 6 , 7 + 4 & 8 , 12 , 14 , 15 + 5 & 16 , 24 , 28 , 30 , 31 + 6 & 32 , 48 , 56 , 60 , 62 , 63 + from table [ tab_labeling_system ] it can easily seen these numbers follow a general rule : for a graph with @xmath10 nodes one of the possible labeling systems is : + @xmath11 , @xmath12 , @xmath13 , ... , @xmath14 .
+ as the second step we have to prove that the property of delaying system ( see section [ labeling ] ) holds for this sequence of numbers .
actually we have to prove that the equality : + @xmath15 + is not possible unless all @xmath8 are equal to 1 . + the left part of the equality is : + @xmath16 + @xmath17 + @xmath18 + @xmath19 + first of all we have to see that the equality does not hold if all @xmath8 numbers are at least 1 and at least one number is strictly greater than 1 .
if this happens the @xmath20 term will be represented at least @xmath10 times .
but , it must be represented only @xmath21 times ( see above ) .
thus , if at least one number @xmath8 is strictly greater than 1 , it means that other numbers @xmath22 must be 0 .
we will prove that the equality ( 1 ) does not hold in this case too .
as discussed above , if one of the coefficients is 0 , at least one of the other coefficients must be strictly greater than 1 .
for instance , if @xmath23 is set to 0 , it means that @xmath24 must be set to 3 in order to compensate the missing @xmath25 term .
this is a direct consequence of the fact that @xmath26 .
of course , we also have to take into account that @xmath27 must be represented once .
this is why we have to set @xmath24 to value 3 .
if @xmath24 is also 0 we have to set @xmath28 to value 7 ( we need @xmath29 in order to compensate the missing term @xmath25 , we also need @xmath30 to compensate the missing term @xmath27 and , of course , the term @xmath31 must be represented 1 time ) . as a general idea : if a particular term ( @xmath32 ) is missing ( the corresponding coefficient @xmath22 is set to 0 ) , it can be compensate by setting one of the next coefficients to a value of at least 3 .
but , a coefficient set to 0 means that the term @xmath20 is missing once , and by setting another coefficient to at least 3 we will get at least 2 extra representations for @xmath20 .
this will mean that right part of the equation ( 1 ) will be at least @xmath33 .
but , the left part of the equation is only @xmath34 .
with this we have shown that all @xmath35 must be 1 in order to have equality in equation ( 1 ) .
for any other values of @xmath8 the equality ( 1 ) does not hold .
an important question is whether this system is the minimal possible ( the biggest number is the minimal possible ) .
a partial answer to this question is given in section [ complexity ] .
an schematic example of a graph - like system is given in figure [ graph_fig ] .
in the graph depicted in figure [ graph_fig ] the light will enter in node 1 .
it will be delayed with a certain amount of time and then it will be divided into 2 rays which will be sent to the nodes 3 and 5 . in node 3
the ray will be delayed ( with the amount of time corresponding to node 3 ) and then it will be sent to node 4 . however
, this is not a hamiltonian path because it has visited only the nodes 1 , 3 and 4 .
the other ray which was sent to node 5 ( from node 1 ) can generate a hamiltonian path by following the route 1 , 5 , 2 , 3 4 .
note that there is also a cycle in the graph : 1 , 5 , 2 .
the cycle will make that some particular rays to be trapped within the system .
the rays which have passed once through the previously described cycle are not considered hamiltonian paths because the moments when they arrive at the destination node are greater than the sum of delays introduced by each node .
the partial paths traversed by rays are given below : + 1 1 , 3 1 , 3 , 4 1 , 5 1 , 5 , 2 1 , 5 , 2 , 1 ............. \{paths starting with 1 , 5 , 2 , 1 } 1 , 5 , 2 , 3 1 , 5 , 2 , 3 , 4 1 , 5 , 2 , 4 for implementing the proposed device we need the following components : * a source of light ( laser ) , * several beam - splitters for dividing light rays into multiple subrays .
a standard beam - splitter is designed using a half - silvered mirror . for dividing a ray into @xmath36 subrays
we need @xmath37 beam - splitters . * a high speed photodiode for converting light rays into electrical power .
the photodiode is placed in the destination node . * a tool for detecting fluctuations in the intensity of electric power generated by the photodiode ( oscilloscope ) , * a set of optical fiber cables having certain lengths .
these cables are used for connecting nodes and for delaying the signals within nodes .
the length of the cables must obey the rules described in section [ labeling ] .
a practical example is given in section [ psize ] .
this section answers a very important question : _ why the proposed approach is not a polynomial - time solution for the hp problem ? _ at the first sight one may be tempted to say that the proposed approach provides a solution in polynomial time to any instance of the hp problem .
the reason behind such claim is given by the ability of the proposed device to provide output to any instance by traversing only once all nodes ( o(@xmath10 ) complexity ) .
this could mean that we have found a polynomial - time algorithm for the hp problem .
a direct consequence is obtaining solutions , in polynomial time , for all other np - complete problems - since there is a polynomial reduction between them @xcite .
however , this is not our case .
as can be seen from table [ tab_labeling_system ] the delay time increases exponentially with the number of nodes . even if the ray has to traverse only @xmath10 nodes ( resulting a complexity of o(@xmath10 ) ) , the total time required by the ray to reach the destination node increases exponentially with the number of nodes .
there are two direct consequences which are derived from here : * the length of the optical fibers , used for delaying the signals , increases exponentially with the number of nodes , * the intensity of the signal decreases exponentially with the number of nodes that are traversed .
these two issues are discussed in sections [ psize ] and [ amplify ] .
we are interested in computing the size of the cables required to solve a certain instance of the problem in a small amount of time
. this will give as a rough indication on the size of the graphs that can be solved using our system in reasonable time .
this size heavily depends on the accuracy of the measurement tools .
the rise - time of the best oscilloscope available on the market is in the range of picoseconds ( @xmath38 seconds ) .
this means that we should not have two signals that arrive at 2 consecutive moments at a difference smaller than @xmath38 seconds . knowing that the speed of light is @xmath39 we can easily compute the minimal cable length that should be traversed by the ray in order to be delayed with @xmath38 seconds
this is obviously 0.0003 meters .
this value is the minimal delay that should be introduced by a node in order to ensure that the difference between the moments when two consecutive signals arrive at the destination node is greater or equal to the measurable unit of @xmath38 seconds .
this will also ensure that we will be able to correctly identify whether the signal has arrived in the destination node at a moment equal to the sum of delays introduced by each node .
no other signals will arrive within a range of @xmath38 seconds around that particular moment .
once we have the length for that minimal delay is quite easy to compute the length of the other cables that are used in order to induce a certain delay .
recall from section [ math ] , table [ tab_labeling_system ] that a graph with 5 nodes has the following delaying system : + 16 , 24 , 28 , 30 , 31 .
+ from the previous reasoning line we have deduced that the smaller indivisible unit is 0.0003 .
so , we have to multiply these numbers by 0.0003 .
we obtain : + 0.00048 , 0.00072 , 0.00084 , 0.0009 , 0.00093 .
+ these numbers represent the length of the cables that must be used in graph s nodes in order to induce a certain delay .
note that the delay introduced by the cables connecting the nodes was not taken into account in this example .
this is not a limitation of our system .
the cables connecting nodes can be set to have some length which must obey the property of delaying system ( see section [ labeling ] ) .
note that all cables must have the same length . in this case
if we have a graph with 4 nodes the length of every cable connecting the nodes must be set to 16 units ( the shortest possible - in order to reduce the costs ) .
the length of cables within the nodes should be 24 , 28 , 30 and 31 units .
the largest length in this sequence is 0.00093 meters .
this length is not very big , but for larger graphs the length of the cables within nodes can be a problem .
once we have the length for that minimal delay is quite easy to compute the maximal number of nodes that a graph can have in order to find the hamiltonian path in one second .
we know the facts : * the largest delay has the form @xmath40 ( see equation [ eq1 ] ) , * the distance traversed by light in 1 second is @xmath41 meters , * the shortest delay possible is 0.0003 meters .
we simply have to solve the equation : @xmath42 this number is about 40 nodes .
however , the length of the optic fibers used for inducing the largest delay for this graph is huge : about @xmath43 meters . we can not expect to have such long cables for our experiments .
however , shorter cables ( of several hundreds of kilometers ) are already available in the internet networks .
they can be easily used for our purpose . assuming that the longest cable that we have is about 300 kilometers we may solve instances with about 26 nodes .
the amount of time required to obtain a solution is about @xmath44 seconds .
note that the maximal number of nodes can be increased when the precision of our measurement instruments ( oscilloscope and photodiode ) is increased . also note that this difficulty is not specific to our system only .
other major unconventional computation paradigms , trying to solve np - complete problems share the same fate .
for instance , a quantity of dna equal to the mass of earth is required to solve hp instances of 200 cities using dna computers @xcite .
beam splitters are used in our approach for dividing a ray in two or more subrays .
because of that , the intensity of the signal is decreasing . in the worst case
we have an exponential decrease of the intensity .
for instance , in a graph with @xmath10 nodes , each signal is divided ( within each node ) into @xmath45 signals .
roughly speaking , the intensity of the signal will decrease @xmath46 times .
this means that , at the destination node , we have to be able to detect very small fluctuations in the intensity of the signal .
for this purpose we will use a photomultiplier @xcite which is an extremely sensitive detector of light in the ultraviolet , visible and near infrared range .
this detector multiplies the signal produced by incident light by as much as @xmath47 , from which even single photons can be detected .
the speed of the light in optic fibers is an important parameter in our device .
the problem is that the light is too fast for our measurement tools .
we have either to increase the precision of our measurement tools or to decrease the speed of light .
it is known that the speed of light traversing a cable is significantly smaller than the speed of light in the void space .
commercially available cables have limit the speed of the ray wave up to @xmath48 from the original speed of light .
this means that we can obtain the same delay by using a shorter cable .
however , this method for reducing the speed of light is not enough .
the order of magnitude is still the same .
this is why we have the search for other methods for reducing that speed .
a very interesting solution was proposed in @xcite which is able to reduce the speed of light by 7 orders of magnitude .
this could help our mechanism significantly .
however , is still a question how to use this idea for our device because of the complex equipment involved in those experiments @xcite . by reducing the speed of light by 7 orders of magnitude we can reduce the size of the involved cables by a similar order
this will help us to solve larger instances of the problem .
the labeling system proposed in section [ labeling ] is a general one .
it can be used for any kind of graph ( with any number of nodes and arcs ) .
we have shown that this system has a big problem : the value of the involved numbers increase exponentially with the number of nodes in the graph being solved .
but , for particular graphs we can find other labeling systems which are not exponential . for example , the linear graph ( see figure [ fig_linear_graph ] can be solved by our device by using virtually no delays . in this case the moment when the signal arrives in the destination node is equal to sum of delays introduced by the cables connecting the nodes .
finding the optimal labeling system for a particular graph is an interesting problem which will be investigated in the near future .
there are many technical challenges that must be solved when implementing the proposed device .
some of them are : * cutting the optic fibers to an exact length with high precision . failing to accomplish
this task can lead to errors in detecting a ray which has passed through each node once . * finding a high precision oscilloscope .
this is an essential step for solving larger instances of the problem ( see section [ psize ] ) , * finding cables long enough so that larger instances of the problem could be solve .
this problem might have a simple solution : the internet networks connecting the world cities .
it is easy to find cables of hundreds of kilometers connecting distant cities .
this will help us to solve instance of more than 10 nodes .
however , this solution introduces a difficulty too : cables of certain lengths must be found or the system must be rescaled in order to fit the existing lengths .
the way in which light can be used for performing useful computations has been suggested in this paper .
the techniques are based on the massive parallelism of the light ray .
it has been shown the way in which a light - based device can be used for solving the hamiltonian path problem . using the today technology we can build a light - based device which can solve small and medium size instances in several seconds . * implementing the proposed hardware , * finding optimal labeling systems for particular graphs .
this will reduce the length of the involved cables significantly , * finding other non - trivial problems which can be solved by using the proposed device , * finding other ways to introduce delays in the system .
the current solution requires cables that are too long and too expensive , * using other type of signals instead of light .
a possible candidate would be electric power , * finding other ways to implement the system of marking the signals which pass through a particular node .
this will be very useful because the currently suggested system , based on delays , is too time consuming .
macqueen , j. : some methods for classification and analysis of multivariate observations , in lecam , l. m. , neyman , j. , ( eds . ) proceedings of the fifth berkeley symposium on mathematical statistics and probability .
university of california press , berkeley , ( 1967 ) 281 - 297 | arxiv |
stepie ( 2002 ) has shown that magnetic fields can spin up early type stars in the pms phase .
it acts through mass - accretion and magnetic - disc locking , where the efficiency of the interaction can differ according to the content of metals in the star and circumstellar environments .
be stars rotate at @xmath0 ( frmat et al .
it is then expected that the efficiency of magnetic fields at establishing high initial stellar surface rotations can be different according to the metallic content of the medium where they are formed .
we study whether there is some incidence of the metallicity on setting the be phenomenon up by analyzing the age / mass distribution of be stars situated towards the galactic center and in the anti - center direction .
the work is based on spectroscopic data obtained with feros spectrograph at eso / la silla ( chile ) and with the coud spectrograph at the 1.60 m telescope of mct / lna ( brazil ) .
the fundamental parameter determination uses models of rotating stellar interiors and atmospheres according to methods developed in levenhagen ( 2004 ) , frmat et al .
( 2005 ) and zorec et al .
figure 1a shows the distribution of fractional ages ( @xmath1 = age / time spent in the ms ) against the stellar mass .
although most of the studied stars lay in the second half of the ms strip , a non negligible number of them is still in the first half of the ms evolutionary phase .
a lack of stars below @xmath2 0.2 is noticeable .
stars with masses @xmath3 approach the tams limit .
this may be due to the fast evolution of massive stars and to the lack of massive be stars at ages @xmath4 0.5 because of their rapid loss of angular through high mass - loss rates , which convert them into low rotators and disable them to display the be phenomenon .
figure 1b shows samples of be stars divided into galactic - center " and anti - center " groups .
the center " group outnumbers the anti - center " one , which is at odds with the announced expectancy . however , the distinction done here is based on the number of be stars , while the result would be more reliable if we could obtain differences in the fractions of be / b - type objects in the studied space volumes .
frmat , y. , zorec , j. , a.m. hubert et al .
2005 , a&a , 440 , 305 levenhagen , r.s .
2004 , phd thesis , univ .
sao paulo , brazil stepien , k. 2002 , a&a , 383 , 218 zorec , j. , frmat , y. , cidale , l. 2005 , a&a in press and stro - ph/0509119 | arxiv |
I drink city water, city has lead pipe, how is this safe?
6 years ago, I needed to replace the main water shut off valve to my house. This required the city to turn off the water at the street. Incompetent city employee drives key through water pipe. Plumbers fix pipe, I realize that pipe is lead.
Yearly, the city (90% of which was built before 1950) sends out a water quality report, which reports undetectable amounts of lead. That is interesting since probably 90% of the city has lead pipe.
Several questions :
1. How is lead pipe safe from leaching lead into water?
2. Do cities usually treat the water to prevent lead from leaching into the water?
3. What is the form of harmful lead (e.g. is it in aqueous solution, lead oxide, or forming ligands with some other molecule)?
In light of the recent events in Flint Michigan, this issue has come to the forefront (see [this](http://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i7/Lead-Ended-Flints-Tap-Water.html) article from the American Chemical Society's Chemical & Engineering News and see [this](http://www.compoundchem.com/2016/01/25/flint-water/) article). To summarize:
Active Measures to prevent lead corrosion:
1. Maintain high pH. This makes lead carbonates less soluble in water.
2. Add orthophosphates which create relatively insoluble layer on the inside of the pipes.
Without these treatments, the addition of chloride disinfectants aggravates the corrosion problem by forming lead (II) chlorides (which is water soluble).
As mentioned by Jaroslav, the time that water sits in the system also plays a factor.
Lead pips are a common problem. Usually, it is safe to drink water from it.
>
> So long as water is flowing, there will not be unsafe (or even detectable) levels of lead in the water. - True remark by @Some\_Guy.
>
>
>
The problems accrue when the pipeline is not used for longer time. The lead concentration arises and can reach harmful levels. There is a possibility to install filters to remove lead from the water. This [site](http://www.unitedutilities.com/reduce-lead-intake.aspx) is quite useful and provide more information.
1. Lead is contaminating water if the pipeline is made of lead.
2. I am not aware of any method that can prevent lead leaching.
3. Over longer time oxides can be formed:
$\ce{2Pb(s) + O2(g) + 2H2O(l) -> 2 Pb(OH)2(s)}$
and other:
$\ce{PbCO3}$ or $\ce{Pb(CO3)2^2-}$
Elementary lead does not dissolve in water under normal conditions.
Lead compounds are generally soluble in soft, slightly acidic water.
Lead binds to sulphur ($\ce{S2-}$), or to phosphor ($\ce{PO4^3-}$).
Reference [here](http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/water/lead/lead-and-water.htm).
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Pyotr Kuzmich Pakhtusov 1800 in Kronstadt November 19, 1835 in Arkhangelsk was a Russian surveyor and Arctic explorer. He is credited with the first thorough survey of Novaya Zemlya.
Between 1832 and 1835 Pakhtusov undertook two exploratory journeys to Novaya Zemlya. He wintered on the island on the two occasions and took detailed meteorological observations.
Pakhtusov carefully surveyed the southern and eastern parts of Novaya Zemlya along with fellow explorer and cartographer Avgust Tsivolko during the last two years of the expedition. Thanks to their work the first reliable maps of Novaya Zemlya's southern shores and part of the northern island's coastline, were published.
A small island in the eastern shore of Novaya Zemlya and a group of islands in the Nordenskiöld Archipelago are named after Pyotr Kuzmich Pakhtusov.
His feat as a scientist and researcher was immortalized in 1886. Colleagues of Pakhtusov and expedition members had initiated the creation of this monument in Kronstadt.
References
& Russian Arctic Exploration
Novaya Zemlya, a Russian Arctic Land
Picture of a monument to Pakhtusov
History of the Northern Sea Route
Eulogy of Russia's pioneering Arctic explorers
Category:1800 births
Category:1835 deaths
Category:Explorers of the Arctic
Category:Russian and Soviet polar explorers
Category:Imperial Russian explorers
Category:Year of birth unknown
Category:Year of death unknown
Category:19th-century Russian people
Category:19th-century explorers | wikipedia |
Is it possible to re-identify a particular electron? are there identity conditions for electrons?
I think that being able to formulate a clear identity criterion for the objects it deals with is important for any theory.
For example, set theory starts by the extensionality axiom telling that
```
set A is identical to set B iff A and B have exactly the same elements.
```
[ In the same way, arithmetics says that number *a* and number *b* are equal (i.e. are exactly the same number) iff
```
a-b = 0 ]
```
Consequently, I'm led to ask the question: what are the identity conditions for electrons?
In which case and under which conditions (sufficient and necessary) can I say that this electron *e2* that I observe now is the same electron as electron *e1* I observed previously?
All electrons, like all elementary particles, are completely [identical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identical_particles) and thus indistinguishable. They can be in different quantum *states*, but you cannot be sure which electron is in which state.
The reason that all electrons are identical is that they are all quanta of *one* [quantum field](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_field_theory) describing electrons and positrons that extends throughout the universe. There is just one quantum field for each kind of elementary particle/antiparticle. Physics is not about the $10^{80}$ particles in (the observable part of) our universe; it is about the 17 (by one way of counting, in today’s Standard Model) quantum fields in our universe.
The identicality of fermions such as electrons is the basis for the [Pauli exclusion principle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauli_exclusion_principle). Without it, chemistry and biology as we know them would not be possible because atoms would have all of their electrons in the ground state. The identicality of bosons such as photons is the basis for technology such as lasers.
Subatomic particles are in principle indistinguishable. The quantum mechanical mathematics used to describe them in interactions explicitly contains that fundamental indistinguishability and provides a testable and falsifiable account of reality at the quantum level. That account is in stunningly accurate agreement with experiment; examples of such results can be found in Richard Feynman's popular book about *QED* (quantum electrodynamics).
This illustrates at least one fundamental difference between philosophy and physics.
| stackexchange/physics |
EXECUTIVE DECISIONWritten byJIM THOMAS & JOHN THOMASApril 1991 Draft
FOR EDUCATIONALPURPOSES ONLY EXECUTIVE DECISIONFADE IN:TITLE SEQUENCE.OVER BLACK. On the main title "EXECUTIVE DECISION," weFLARE OUT TO WHITE and INTO a blazing sun, situated inthe intense blue sky of the Mediterranean.1OMITTED1thruthru131314EXT. HOTEL COURTYARD (NICOSIA, CYPRUS) - LATE AFTERNOON14FROM the sun we SLOWLY TILT DOWN INTO the courtyard, theMOVE ENDING as an explosion of white doves, flutteringinto the air, revealing a Muslim wedding party, theguests gathered around the bride and groom, both early20s. The attendants are all well-dressed, affluentArabs, most in western attire.SUBTITLES: NICOSIA, CYPRUSCautiously, the bride looks up, toward a balcony... Wherefour men, strategically positioned, watch the proceedingsbelow. The men, all Arabs in casual western attire, arefocused not on the wedding party but the balconies andwindows around them. Deep in the shadows, a fifth man,wearing dark glasses, is barely visible.15EXT. BALCONY - LATE AFTERNOON15The fifth man emerges, removing his dark glasses: theterrorist ABD SA'UD JAFFA, a name synonymous with death.of medium height, late 50s, he imparts an instant, chill-ing presence: skin soft and paunchy, dark circles offlesh beneath his eyes -- heartless, cold as ice, be-speaking evil and treachery. As we study his face thefollowing SUBTITLES APPEAR:Abd Sa'ud Jaffa, once the mostnotorious and feared terrorist inthe world, now a desperate, huntedman, his sanctuaries nearlyexhausted, betrayed by even his ownpeople.(CONTINUED)2.15CONTINUED:15Beside him is his chief of staff, ALI NAGI HASSAN, early30s, a complex, highly-intelligent man, responsible forJaffa's security and middle man to outside organizations.A man of considerable power but exercised only on behalfand at the behest of Jaffa -- an man who never dictatespolicy, only carrying it out. At the moment, he isextremely anxious at this careless exposure of a mancarrying death warrants even from his own people. Aliglances at his watch.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)Jaffa, we must go. We have stayedtoo long. There are many on thisisland who would betray you.Jaffa turns, holding up his hand in a gesture ofrestraint. He focuses on his beautiful daughter below,radiant in this moment. He motions to her, indicating anadjoining courtyard below. She excuses herself from theparty, Jaffa turning to descend a staircase. Ali isupset by this recklessness but dogged in his determina-tion to maintain security. He turns to one of theguards.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)Check the street, then bring upthe cars.16EXT. COURTYARD - DAY16Elegant, a stone fountain as the centerpiece. Jaffa ex-tends his hands to his daughter who complies, obediently,she too in awe of this powerful, dangerous man, a man shehas rarely seen. Jaffa embraces her and then pressessomething into her hand, a small gilded box. He speakssoftly to her.Suddenly Ali is there. He nods differentially to thedaughter and then whispers anxiously to Jaffa.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)The plane cannot wait any longer.We must go, please.Jaffa bids a final farewell to his daughter and thenturns, nodding quickly to Ali.JAFFA(subtitles)We go.(CONTINUED)3.16CONTINUED:16He replaces his glasses and ascends the stairs, Aliquickly following, signalling to one of the guards at thetop of the stairs. Ali keys a tiny hand radio.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)Go.16AINT. HOTEL - HALLWAY OF UPPER FLOOR - LATE AFTERNOON16AJaffa, Ali and a bodyguard enter. Emerging from a roomare three men, one of whom is dressed identically toJaffa, his body type and face, very similar to Jaffa.The double makes momentary eye contact with Jaffa andAli. Jaffa nods his approval. The man puts on darkglasses and the decoy team heads rapidly down the hall.16BINT. NICOSIA HOTEL - LOBBY - LATE AFTERNOON16BThe decoy team descends the stairs, moving through thelobby, few of the patrons or employees paying attentionto their presence.16CEXT. NICOSIA HOTEL - LATE AFTERNOON16CSmall but elegant. The decoy team leaves the hotel,entering a waiting Mercedes sedan. The car pullssmoothly away from the curb.16DINT. MERCEDES SEDAN - LATE AFTERNOON16DOne of the bodyguards looks out the rear window, thehotel receding in the b.g. He keys his hand radio.BODYGUARD(subtitles)We're clear.16EINT. HALLWAY - UPPER FLOOR - LATE AFTERNOON16EAli lowers his RADIO, nodding to Jaffa who quicklyremoves his necktie and replaces his business suit coatwith a sports jacket, a man always in hiding.ALI(subtitles)I must phone the airfield. I willbe in the other car. Go with God.Jaffa briefly touches Ali on the shoulder, a quick nodfrom Ali and Jaffa leaves, escorted by three bodyguards.4.17EXT. NICOSIA HOTEL - LATE AFTERNOON17Now parked in the curved driveway is a Fiat sedan, adriver behind the wheel.Another car is parked in front of the Fiat, its driverunloading baggage for an Orthodox Greek priest who standswaiting on the sidewalk, eyes half-closed, feeling theheat of the sun on his upturned face.From the hotel lobby, two of Jaffa's guards emerge, onestanding lookout, the other walking quickly to the Fiat.Looking cautiously about he leans into the driver, givinginstructions. The driver starts the car but before hecan back up, a taxi whips in behind, trapping it betweenthe two cars.Three men, obviously drunk, stumble from the cab andhead for the lobby, arm-in-arm, talking loudly in German.The terrorist beside the Fiat moves towards the cab,shouting at the driver to back up. The taxi driveremerges, shouting back at the terrorist. They meet atthe rear of the car, arguing. Suddenly the taxi driverreaches to his back, whipping free a silenced .22 Berettaautomatic. In a flash, the gun is under the chin of thebodyguard, a soft THUMP as the GUN is FIRED.The driver lays the dead bodyguard in the street, swing-ing out and around the car, leveling, FIRING TWICE, thedriver in the Fiat slumping down in the seat.At the same moment, the three drunken men reach the lobbydoors, one of them pulling a silenced pistol, pressing itinto the lookout's stomach, FIRING. As he sits the deadman into the base of a potted tree, the other two pushthrough the doors.18INT. LOBBY - DAY18As Jaffa and the remaining guard descend the stairs, aBUSINESSMAN, seated at a couch folds a paper and pickingup a briefcase, follows in behind them.The two boisterous drunks spill through the doors but asthey approach Jaffa and his bodyguard, pull their pistolsas the Businessman moves in from behind, shoving a pistolinto the bodyguard's back, a quick spin, another softTHUMP and the bodyguard drops to the floor.As the stunned patrons and employees look on, Jaffa ismoved quickly toward the doors, the Businessman speakinginto a lapel mike on his suit.AGENT (BUSINESSMAN)(in English)We have number one. Move.(CONTINUED)5.18CONTINUED:18The three men push Jaffa out the door and down thestairs.19EXT. HOTEL - DAY19A late-model MERCEDES SQUEALS INTO VIEW, the back doorflying open as more agents leap out. Jaffa is shovedinto the back seat.Just then, Jaffa's backup car pulls around the corner andinto the driveway. The three terrorists inside realizewhat is happening, the doors fling open, their weaponsdrawn.At this moment, the Greek priest, who has been backingaway in mock horror at the kidnapping, clears a MACH TENMACHINE GUN from his robes, his driver pulling a similarweapon from the trunk. The two OPEN FIRE, the terroristsin the backup car disappearing in a hail of EXPLODINGGLASS and ruptured metal. The priest and driver jumpinto their car, pulling out.As the MERCEDES PEELS OUT behind the priest's car, thebusinessman leaps into the taxi, hiking out the windowand over the roof, FIRING several rounds into the tiresand radiator of the Fiat with a SILENCED PISTOL. A secondlater, one of the priest's suitcases on the sidewalkEXPLODES, a dense cloud of C.S. gas enveloping the area,providing cover.20INT. HOTEL - UPPER BALCONY - DAY20Ali Hassan, hearing the faint but distinctive SILENCEDSHOTS, rushes from the room, a machine pistol in hishand. Seeing the abduction below he leaps from thebalcony onto the roof, running across the tiles towardsthe street.He sights in on the Businessman, hiked out over the cab,but stops short, seeing the silhouette of Jaffa, framedin the back seat, too dangerous a shot for a machine gun.Unwilling to risk hitting him, Ali throws out his arms,screaming a cry of defiance and revenge, his eyes wildwith anger and hatred.As the car whips its way through the narrow streets, wehear the following VOICE OVER as we view the series ofnews reports of terrorist activities including the bomb-ing of a disco; aircraft wreckage; bombing of a militaryhospital, etc:(CONTINUED)6.20CONTINUED:20BBC REPORTER (V.O.)(filtered)... In a bizarre development, theterrorist Abd Sa'ud Jaffa wasabducted in Nicosia, Cyprus lateyesterday afternoon by a group ofunidentified mercenaries. Jaffawas apparently delivered by hisabductors to the commander of anAmerican warship, at sea in theMediterranean.20AEXT. MILITARY BASE - BBC REPORTER20Astanding outside a chain link fence, a military base inthe b.g.BBC REPORTERJaffa was then flown here, toLakenheath Air Force Base, 75miles northeast of London,arriving only moments ago.20BTELEPHOTO LIVE VIDEO 20Bof Jaffa being taken from a helicopter and placed insidea waiting van.BBC REPORTER (V.O.)Both the U.S. and U.K. haveclaimed no involvement in theabduction, the mercenariesapparently motivated by a rewardof two million pounds offered forinformation leading to Jaffa'sarrest.20CEXT. MILITARY BASE - REPORTER20CBBC REPORTERCyprus, claiming a violation ofits territorial sovereignty, haslodged an emergency protest withthe U.N. Security Council, haltingthe extradition. Until thiscomplicated issue is resolved, AbdSa'ud Jaffa, apparently willremain in U.S. custody atLakenheath...END TITLE SEQUENCE and...LONG DISSOLVE INTO:7.21EXT. AIRPORT RUNWAY - DAY21A shimmering collage of heat-waves and OUT-OF-FOCUSimages.SUBTITLES: ATHENS, GREECE -- 1 MONTH LATER.Appearing mid-point in this silent, shimmering field,a black dot slowly expands into an amorphous sphere, twounattached, horizontal bands appearing on either side,growing towards the center. Suspended in mid-air,slowly drifting forward, the gigantic object resolves,revealing a Boeing 747, the monarch of the air, descend-ing directly towards us.As if defying gravity, the mammoth airship seems sus-pended as it settles towards the earth. The runway ap-pears, the 747 FILLING the SCREEN as it passes silentlyoverhead... shattering the silence as three-quarters ofa million pounds of modern-age miracle return to earth:an ear-splitting SCREAM and erupting smoke as tiressmash into the tarmac, followed by the THUDDING GROANof the suspension as it absorbs the awesome weight ofthe plane. The 230 feet of hurtling mass ROARS down thetarmac towards the terminal buildings in the b.g.22INT. PASSENGER TERMINAL - DAY22Where a variety of international travelers pass throughthe security and X-ray control area, several traveling ingroups, their tour leaders dealing with last minuteproblems and questions.Among the passengers is a man, late 40s, European,carrying a small, laptop computer which is being checkedby X-ray and a bomb analyzer, a device searching for thescent of plastic explosives. Collecting his computerfrom the inspection, he lights up a cigarette, lookingnervously about him as he does.Behind him, a dark-complected MAN, late 20s, handsome,Mediterranean, dressed in sporty, but expensive outdoorclothing, is insisting that his two heavily-ladenedcamera bags be hand inspected by the agent.23INT. BAGGAGE SORTING AREA - DAY23As baggage from the terminal is carried along conveyorbelts and loaded into aluminum baggage containers,security men and dogs move against the flow, the dogseagerly sniffing for the tell-tale scent of drugs orexplosives.8.24INT. 747 CARGO COMPARTMENT - DAY24The food carts are rolled down floor tracks and into thetwo lower galleys where the meals will be prepared. Aspanels are lowered, isolating the galley from the restof the hold, the baggage containers are rolled and lockedinto place.25EXT. 747 LOADING AREA - DAY25The massive fuel lines, pumping thousands of pounds ofkerosene into the airframe are pulled aside as mechanicsperform last minute checks on tires, landing gear andengines, using ladders and lifts to gain access to thebelly and wings, ten feet above the ground.26INT. FIRST CLASS CABIN AREA - DAY26Where twelve flight attendants are being briefed by theCHIEF STEW reading to them from a computer manifest.Among the attendants is FRAN, 32. Aside from being physi-cally striking, she possesses an easy, relaxed manner andconfident bearing.CHIEF STEWOur Captain today is Brad Stewart,based in New York. We've got a fullload, 406 passengers. Also aFederal air marshal, in 13-B andhe's carrying. Otherwise you knowyour assignments so let's get readyfor pre-check.The attendants move to their stations to prepare for thelong flight. GO WITH Fran and another attendant, JUDY,28, black. By their smiles and animated conversation, weunderstand they are close friends.In a moment, the first of the 406 passengers begin filingon board, looking for their seats, stowing their luggage,assisted by the attendants.The PHOTOJOURNALIST is having some difficulty placinghis two camera bags into the overhead. Fran appears.FRANSir, I can check those for you.He turns, somewhat startled and then smiles. He is avery handsome, exotic-looking man and the effect on Franis not unnoticed.(CONTINUED)9.26CONTINUED:26PHOTOJOURNALIST (MAN)No, I'd feel more comfortable withthem here. They're quite valuable,you see...Fran smiles, moving to help place them in the overhead.FRANLet me see what I can do.With a little expert arranging, she slides the bags intothe compartment.PHOTOJOURNALISTThank you...FRAN(smiling)Fran. Have a nice flight.She walks away towards the forward compartment.An American family, husband and wife and two children,boy and girl, take their seats. The children are seatedseparately at window seats, tended to by their mother,storing toys into the upper compartment, the kids, DAVIDand KAREN, playing with their latest Nintendo game.A priest and two Greek orphans, boys, seven and eight,take their seats in the center section, directly acrossfrom the two American children. The children study eachother closely, the orphans dressed in shorts and kneesocks, the Americans in Reeboks, baggy pants andT-shirts. The little girl seems totally mesmerized bythe two. She smiles warmly at them.27INT. MID-SECTION GALLEY AREA - DAY27Judy is putting on an apron. Fran appears, continuingher conversation as she checks the area for supplies.Fran nudges her playfully.FRANSo, how does it feel, now thatit's really happening?JUDYCan't get out of it now. He'salready paid for the hotel, thechurch, and...(MORE)(CONTINUED)10.27CONTINUED:27JUDY (CONT'D)(holds up diamond ring)... the ring. But the big questionis, have you filed for that leaveof absence?FRANNot yet. Still got the car to payoff, helping my brother out, theusual... I'll get around to it.JUDYFran, you take care of everybody,except yourself. When we get toNew York, you and me are havin' agirl to girl. You've helped meout of more shit than I can name.Now it's pay back.FRAN(laughing)Okay, we'll talk.JUDYYou bet your sweet ass we will.(opens elevator)Meanwhile, back to the 'pit.'Judy laughs, enters the elevator and descends from sight.28INT. MID-SECTION CABIN AREA - DAY28The man seen earlier with the computer, boards and takeshis seat. Moments later, a heavy-set WOMAN finds herseat alongside him.As she attempts to stow some of her luggage in the over-head, several souvenirs slide from a bag, hitting thesmall computer, resting on the man's lap. Startled, hegrabs the computer, looking up angrily at the Woman. Hethen stows the machine beneath his seat.WOMAN(defensive)Well I'm sorry. I didn't do it onpurpose.The man ignores her, the woman, still mumbling, settlesuncomfortably into her seat, making sure to avoid anyfurther contact with him.11.29EXT. 747 TAXI AND TAKE-OFF SEQUENCE - DAY29The massive aircraft taxis into position and holds. Wehear the RADIO CHATTER between the cockpit and the con-trol tower as final run-up tests are performed.When the final clearance has been given, the ENGINES arepushed to near red-line, the exhaust obscuring the run-way in a shimmering wall of heat. Within two miles, theplane is nearing 150 mph and beginning to lift asmillions of pounds of air are sucked into the SCREAMINGENGINES. A moment later the plane clears the runway,pulling magnificently into the sky.30INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY30As the plane banks, turning into its outward course, wehear the final course assignments and weather conditionsfrom the TOWER. A sense of calm settles over the cockpit,the crew adjusting for the long flight.31INT. 747 FORWARD CABIN AREA - DAY31The "fasten seatbelt" sign winks off, the attendants andpassengers settling into their in-flight routines. Mo-ments later a man leaves his seat and we follow his legsas he walks down the aisle, stopping at a seat, thePhotojournalist casually looking up before returning tohis magazine. The man, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, hairand mustache salt and pepper gray, skin slightly clay-like, looks like a conservative businessman or professor.He opens the overhead, removing one of the camera bags.The man moves on, towards the mid-cabin bathrooms.32INT. BATHROOM - DAY32The grey-haired man stares into the mirror before remov-ing his glasses, pulling free his wig, revealing black,slicked-back hair. Using a towel he wipes the makeupfrom his face, looking back at himself in the mirror:Ali Hassan.He removes from the camera bag two 6x7 reflex cameras.Turning them over, he tears away the bases, an expertlymolded and painted section of plaster, revealing theslides of two automatic pistols. He then removes twocamera pistol grips, pulling each away from its unit,exposing firing pin and hammer mechanisms. He unscrews a500mm mirror lens. Behind a dummy photo of the iris, aresecreted bullets in a long roll of lead foil. He contin-ues to assemble the weapons...12.33INT. FORWARD CABIN AREA - DAY33Ali leaves the bathroom. He passes another Arab in theaisle, handing him one of the weapons, secreted in amagazine. This man walks to the front of the plane andascends the staircase.At the same time, a third Arab leaves his seat, walkingto the forward galley area. He waits until the atten-dant leaves her station and then slips into the elevator.34INT. LOWER FORWARD GALLEY AREA - DAY34The door to the elevator bursts open as the third terror-ist storms into the galley, slamming Judy across thechest, knocking her unconscious against the bulkhead,her head striking the counter with a sickening THUD asshe falls.The terrorist begins tearing into the food carts scat-tering several of the trays to the floor. A moment laterhe finds what he is looking for, several automaticweapons and two grenades, hidden among the rows of foodtrays.35INT. UPPER DECK - BUSINESS CLASS - COCKPIT AREA - DAY35The Terrorist approaches the cockpit door, an ATTENDANT,working in business class seeing him.ATTENDANTSir, the bathroom is to the right.He nods. As she turns back to her work, the Terroristpulls from his pocket a small wedge of plastic explo-sive with a fuse attached. Pressing the plastic intothe seam by the door latch and pulling the igniter, hecalmly steps back, revealing his handgun.A sharp EXPLOSION blasts the door free from the lock.As the startled passengers watch in shock, the Terroristrushes inside, brutally pistol-whipping the flightengineer as he stands, then pressing the muzzle intothe pilot's neck.Expertly the Terrorist reaches up, turning off severaloverhead switches, and then turns to the navigator'sstation, shutting down the radio and radar. He handsthe captain a sheet of paper.TERRORISTYour new course, Captain. Careful,I am a pilot. No tricks.13.36INT. LOWER PASSENGER LEVEL - DAY36The passengers reacting in confusion to the sound of theexplosion. Ali walks past a U.S. Navy serviceman, nowstarting to rise to his feet. Ali turns, FIRING TWICE,point-blank into the man's chest, the high-caliber bul-lets ripping through the seat, also killing a woman sit-ting behind the sailor.Behind him there is a CRASH. Ali spins, raising hisweapon, stopping as he sees an attendant, NANCY, backinginto the partition, holding her hands over her face, hereyes wide with fear and horror. Ali studies her, calmly,appraisinlgy and then dismissing her, hands the weapon toKahlil, the photojournalist. As if his point has beenmade, Ali walks swiftly down the aisle, not bothering tolook at another passenger.Somewhere in the main cabin, a hand gripping a .357Magnum, partially removed from a belt holster, hesitatesbefore returning the revolver. Carefully, the man'shand unsnaps the holster, sliding it and the gun downto his feet where it is secreted in a dress boot, pantsleg covering it. Next his Federal I.D. wallet is slippedbetween the seats.A wave of fear rolls through the passengers as they con-front the horrible reality -- hijacked. In a SERIES OFSHOTS, we see passengers quickly hiding jewelry, watches,Star of David medallions, passports, diamond rings.37INT. MID-SECTION WORK STATION - DAY37As a terrorist, shouting in Arabic, pushes Fran andNancy into the station, shoving them roughly into theirjump seats. As Fran sits, she looks up, seeing thepassenger manifest, hanging from the wall. Her eyes goto a name: Edward Strickler, 13-B, United States Fed-eral Air Marshal.As the terrorist turns his back, she pulls the manifestfrom the clipboard, slipping it into a trash receptacle.She looks up, just as Ali steps into the space. Heremoves his suit coat, hanging it over some work apronson the bulkhead. Lifting the intercom handset from thewall, he speaks calmly, in perfect English.ALI HASSANMy name is 'Al Iqab.' In a fewhours we will return to London,refuel and then travel to theMiddle East. You are to remain inyour seats and do as you are told.Anyone disobeying my orders willbe shot.(CONTINUED)14.37CONTINUED:37He hangs up as Kahlil appears.KAHLILI will start separating the menand collect the passports.Ali considers this a moment and then answers in English,catching Fran's stare, looking into his cold, calculatingeyes as he does.ALIThere is no need for that. Keepthem seated and maintain security.I'm going to the cockpit.He stares at Fran a moment and then turns away fromKahlil, leaving the area, Fran seeing an expression ofconfusion on Kahlil's face.38EXT. AMERICAN EMBASSY (LONDON) - MORNING38ESTABLISHING SHOT of the embassy, Grosvenor Square.39INT. AMERICAN EMBASSY - MAIN RECEPTION DESK - MORNING39Where a young ASSISTANT answers a RINGING TELEPHONE.ASSISTANTGood morning, American Embassy.40INT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY40Piccadilly Square visible in the b.g. A gloved handplaces a mini tape recorder next to the handset, a fingerpressing the play button.ALI HASSAN (V.O.)(filtered)This is Al Iqab. In fifteenminutes a clear message of myconvictions will be delivered tothe satanic American president.41EXT. FINANCIAL DISTRICT (LONDON) - DAY41Alive with mid-morning activity. We FOCUS ON a posh,glass walled restaurant.15.42INT. LONDON RESTAURANT - DAY42Businessmen and ladies tailored in Saville Row fashionswait patiently to be seated. A dark-complected man,early 20s, wearing a shabby overcoat, pushes through thepatrons, past the MAITRE D' and into the main dining area,oblivious to the indignant stares and murmured comments.The Maitre d', offended at this incursion follows afterhim.MAITRE D'(indignant)Excuse me, sir, but may I help you?The man reaches the center of the restaurant.MAITRE D'Do you have a reservation...The man turns, the Maitre d' staring into the glazed eyesof death. In that frozen moment, the Maitre d' noticesthe man is sweating heavily, his breathing shallow.The man slowly opens his coat, revealing a canvas vest towhich are taped a dozen blocks of plastic explosive,fused and wired together in series. He holds out hisarm, revealing a detonator switch, crudely taped to hispalm, two wires running up his sleeve.A frozen moment of hesitation and then the man, liftinghis face, eyes rolling upward, screams something inArabic and presses the detonator...43EXT. RESTAURANT - AERIAL VIEW - DAY43A fireball flashes through the atrium, a tidal wave offlame and GLASS erupting into the street, followed bythe deafening THUNDERCLAP of the EXPLOSION.43AINT. BEDROOM - NIGHT43AThe silence shattered by the RINGING of a TELEPHONE. Abedlamp is switched on, a hand groping for the phone.A bedside clock indicates 3:30 A.M.SUBTITLES: GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, D.C. 3:30 AMAnswering is DAVID GRANT, 32, intelligent, introspective,and by the way he forces his mind into activity, notunaccustomed to awakenings in the dead of night.(CONTINUED)16.43ACONTINUED: 43AGRANTHello... Yes?(listens)When? Just a second...(begins to jot down items on a pad)I'm on my way.He hangs up, shaking the sleep from his brain. He thinksa moment and then picks up the phone, punching in anumber.44OMITTED44&&454545AEXT. VIRGINIA BEACH - NIGHT (FIRST LIGHT)45AA man dressed in gray sweats is running hard, pushinghimself down the hardpacked sand, sprinting the lastquarter mile.SUBTITLES: VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA 5:30 AMIN CLOSE we meet COLONEL AUSTIN TRAVIS, leader of anelite special forces commando team, early 50s, grayinghair, still hard and lean, a man of incredible driveand endurance.Reaching a set of stairs he stops, checking his watch.Satisfied he heads up the stairs ascending a grassybluff, taking the steps three at a time.46OMITTED46&&474747AINT. TRAVIS' BEDROOM - NIGHT (FIRST LIGHT)47ATastefully furnished, French windows opening onto a deckoverlooking the beach and the sweeping hillside below.Travis enters and sits down on a multi-station fitnessmachine, grasping an overhead bar and beginning a seriesof gut crunches coupled with pull-ups.From the bathroom a woman's voice calls out, cheerful,playfully.(CONTINUED)17.47ACONTINUED: 47AVOICE (O.S.)(mock-scolding)Uh, uh, Colonel. You don't havetime for that. Shower's free,hurry up.TRAVIS(grunting)For what?From the door LYNN TRAVIS, late 40's, athletic, shortbobbed hair, in tennis togs, appears.LYNN TRAVISWe've got doubles with Tom andKaren at seven. Breakfast at theclub and then the house in LittleCreek, which you've been puttingoff seeing for a week. Now getin here.She throws a towel at him. Overhead we hear the faintTHUMPING sound of a HELICOPTER passing by. Travislistens, judging the distance and type of aircraft byhabit. He returns to Lynn, smiling.TRAVIS(teasing)Hell, I thought that was tomorrow.I already made plans to run intoD.C., drop by the Pent...LYNN TRAVISOh, no. As of 0:600 this morning,you are on leave, mister, thirtydays, in preparation forreassignment to staff headquarters.(beat)Just where I want you, a nine tofiver, like it or not. And thenext thirty days are going to bedevoted exclusively to me...The sound of the HELICOPTER has increased. Through thecurtains Travis sees a blurred movement over the beach,an army 500C helicopter feathering out, settlingto earth.Lynn stares at the helicopter, face stricken, hands movingdefensively to her breast. An officer in camouflagefatigues runs towards the house, a briefcase under hisarm. Travis turns, looking at Lynn, seeing once again thelook of betrayal, resignation, he has seen from her somany times before. Unable to speak she breaks away,entering the bathroom.18.48INT. PENTAGON - HALLWAY - NIGHT48Travis and his Staff Officer hurrying down the hallway,Travis reading from a top secret briefing.TRAVISHas Delta been alerted?STAFF OFFICERYes, sir. Warning order in force,they should be on the tarmac atFort Bragg by 0:800.TRAVISThen let's go see what the hellthis is all about.49INT. ANTEROOM - NIGHT49Outside the Joint Chiefs Operations Center, where PETERCAHILL, early forties, intellectual, slightly hyper, wear-ing a crumpled corduroy suit and yesterday's shirt, isgulping coffee from a large paper cup. He looks as ifroused from sleep, only minutes ago. A portable computerrests at his feet.Travis and his Staff Officer appear, Cahill looking up.The two men stare at each other and then Cahill rises.CAHILLColonel Travis?Travis studies him, remembering. He nods.TRAVISCahill. The Jules Verne kid fromAdvanced Projects Research. Twoyears ago, right? That screwballexperimental airplane you weretrying to justify to theAppropriations Committee. Whatthe hell was it called, 'Ramona?'CAHILL(quietly)Ramora.TRAVISRamora. Right.(looks at him hard; puzzled)What the hell are you doinghere?19.49AINT. PENTAGON - WAITING ROOM - NIGHT49ASpartan but tastefully furnished. In the center of theroom three men are conversing in hushed tones.GENERAL MIKE SARLOW, head of ISA, the army's CIA, isspeaking while CAPTAIN DAVID GRANT, now dressed in anarmy uniform, studies carefully the reactions of anARAB DIPLOMAT, late 50's, compassionate but penetratingeyes, wearing an expensively tailored English suit.SARLOWThere must be some way to contactthem. Someone he will listen to.ARAB DIPLOMAT(cautious)Jaffa is a pariah to the Arabcommunity, a total threat to anyhope we have of peace in theMiddle East. No one will haveanything to do with him publicly.SARLOWI realize that, but we must try.ARAB DIPLOMATI will do everything possible.But there is no one politicallyto deal with except Ali Hassan.And he is a true believer. Hewill be difficult to deal with.A very dangerous man.Sarlow looks at Grant for his assessment, receiving asolemn nod of agreement.49BINT. PENTAGON - ANTEROOM - NIGHT49BSome distance down the hallway, a door opens and Sarlow,Grant and the Arab Diplomat emerge. Travis watches asthey briefly shake hands, the diplomat leaving, escortedby a waiting Pentagon official. Sarlow and Grant turnand walk towards the anteroom. As they approach, Travisappraises them carefully just as the door to theoperations center swings open, a CIA OFFICER appearing.CIA OFFICERGentlemen.50INT. OPERATIONS CENTER - NIGHT50The emergency operations center of the Joint Chiefs,five stories underground, a huge oval-shaped room ontwo levels.(CONTINUED)20.50CONTINUED: 50The lower level is devoted to a massive communicationscenter, an intricate collection of telephones, computers,and printers manned by military operators. On the wallsare a bank of television sets, flanked by huge screensonto which maps, computer data and video images may beprojected.The President's crisis-management team stands before oneof the overhead screens on which we see a map of Europe,indicating the location of the 747, enroute to London.Leading the team is GEORGE KAPLAN, the President'sNational Security Advisor. With him is DIRECTOR NELSON,head of the CIA (DCI); MAJOR ERWIN PRICE, and ADMIRALCHESTER LEWIS of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Along withSarlow, Travis and Grant, they listen to another taperecording by Ali Hassan.ALI HASSAN (V.O.)(hard; clipped)You have witnessed the convictionof Al Iqab. My instructions willbe given once; no theater, nonegotiation. Jaffa will be takento Gatwick Airport, a long-rangeprivate jet provided. With Jaffa'srelease, Flight 343 will divert toWashington, D.C. where half theprisoners will be exchanged forfuel and fifteen million in goldbullion.(beat)Jaffa must be airborne by threeP.M., G.M.T., or a second, moreconvincing message will bedelivered. All communicationwill cease after this message.Kaplan turns to Travis, studying him, carefully choosinghis words before he speaks.KAPLANColonel Travis, as you know, thePresident is out of the country,scheduled to meet with the SovietPremiere tomorrow. We're inconstant communication with him.He's been apprised of everythingI am about to tell you.Kaplan glances at Sarlow and Grant.(CONTINUED)21.50CONTINUED: (2)50KAPLANIn the past hour, some new, ratherdisturbing elements have surfaced,possibly calling for someextraordinary measures. That'swhy you're here.Travis looks around at the sober faces staring at him.He seems to be the center of attention -- as if he'sthe last to be brought in on something. He turnsback to Kaplan.KAPLANThe immediate situation is this.The Prime Minister is demandingJaffa's release or he'll takeaction on his own. We're goingto comply, to gain some time, atleast.(to Sarlow)General Sarlow?GENERAL SARLOWA number of Arab factions arewilling to attempt negotiationswith Jaffa's group, but unlessthe highjackers elect to makecontact, our options areseverely limited.(looks at Grant)I'm going to ask Captain Grant tocontinue. He's the best expertwe have on Arab terrorists, andhe's been on the highjacking sincewe first learned of it.Grant addresses the group but focuses on Travis, againas if this is for his benefit. Grant refers to aseries of documents taken from his briefcase.GRANTBased upon a voice print, I'mcertain 'Al Iqab' is Ali Hassan,Jaffa's second in command. Forsuch a high-ranking member toactually be in charge is highlyunusual.He pauses, Travis cautiously acknowledging.TRAVISYes, highly unusual.(CONTINUED)22.50CONTINUED: (3)50GRANTThen I'm sure you would also agree,Colonel, that taking hostages tospring Jaffa makes sense, but notcoming here. They can secure hisrelease and never leave Europe.Again, Travis stares coolly at Grant.TRAVISObviously Hassan is up to something.GRANTJaffa knew his effectiveness as aterrorist was over and was in theprocess of portraying himself amoderate, another Arafat. But Alihas always represented the hardline, fundamental position.(beat)Rather then take a Mossad bullet inthe head he would rather go outstriking a blow at the Great Satan.The Sword of God's Will.(beat)His nom de guerre, 'Al Iqab,' isdeeply rooted in Arabic culture,associated with suicidal vengeance.It means: "The Punishment.'TRAVISSo, what's the punch line?Grant refers to an open folder before him.GRANTLess than a week ago, a smallRussian army convoy was ambushedoutside of Ashkhabad, near theIranian border. Ten men werekilled, a truck hijacked.He places several satellite photographs on the table,showing the burned wreckage of several Jeeps and soldierslying on the road.GRANTRecent intelligence gives us strongreason to believe Jaffa's groupwas responsible.(beat)The cargo of that truck consistedof 42 canisters of DZ-5, beingrelocated to a secret storagefacility.(CONTINUED)23.50CONTINUED: (4)50Travis stiffens slightly at the mention of the word.GRANTDZ-5 is the latest generation of abiogenic nerve toxin, far morelethal than any chemical weaponwe've ever seen...He places several photographs on the table showing MiddleEastern tribesmen and soldiers, lying in contorted andmisshapen heaps; one photograph showing a Kurdish tribes-woman clutching a baby, their faces frozen masks ofagony, gasping for their last breath of life.TRAVIS(sober)I'm aware of its capabilities,Captain.Grant stops, his briefing finished for the moment.He looks to Director Nelson, the DCI, who picks upa computer printout.DCIA cross-check of the passengerand cargo manifests, Colonel,indicates a shipment of 'artobjects,' leaded pottery, 250kilos in weight, on boardFlight 343...(beat)The point of origin, finaldestination and the person assignedto that shipment are all non-existent.Kaplan now resumes, but Travis clearly understandsthe situation, Grant carefully studying his reaction.KAPLANWe have to consider, ColonelTravis, the strong possibility thatgaining the release of Jaffa isonly the first phase of a largerplan...TRAVIS(grave)A major strike against the U.S.Again Grant speaks up, referring to his notes. He isobviously well prepared for this briefing.(CONTINUED)24.50CONTINUED: (5)50GRANTAssuming only 10 canisters,airburst over Washington... wecould expect between 50,000 to100,000 deaths. Anything insidea hundred miles of the coastlinewould be disastrous.A frozen moment and then Kaplan looks directly atTravis.KAPLAN(gravely)Meaning, Colonel Travis, if thisscenario is true, the Presidentwould have no other choice but toorder the plane destroyed.TRAVIS(confused)Yes, sir, no other choice. But I'mat a loss, Mr. Kaplan. If thisis all true, where does my team fitin?Kaplan glances at Grant, then to the DCI.KAPLANBecause, we've been told we mayhave another option, Colonel.Which does concern you.(to Nelson)Let's get on with it, gentlemen.Nelson nods to one of his aides who leaves the room.DCIIt's a wild card, Colonel, butunder the circumstances, it's allwe've got. You've already met, Ithink, Peter Cahill, anaeronautical engineer at DARPA, apioneer in stealth technology...51OMITTED51thru thru535325.54INT. OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY54CLOSE ON a video screen where a computerized blueprint isdisplayed, a drawing of a double-walled, ovoid cylinder,at the top of which is an inner and outer o-ring device:a series of circular, sucker-like cups, attached to acollection of pneumatic pumps.The image changes, an engineer's drawing, showing thecylinder, similar to a submarine's conning tower,attached to the top of a radically designed executive-style jet with stealth characteristics, featuringswept-back wings and a horizontal, rather than vertical,tail.Another drawing shows the cylinder telescoped upward,several times its original size, the delivery plane nowpositioned beneath and mated with an aircraft many timesits size, a giant XB-70 bomber.Suddenly Travis gets the picture, understanding where hefits into the loop.TRAVISJesus H. Christ...All eyes are on Travis.TRAVISExcuse me, Mr. Kaplan, but I seewhere you're going with this. Myteam is thoroughly versed incarrying out assaults on hijackedaircraft. But on the ground, notfive miles above the earth.(beat)I informed Mr. Cahill two yearsago that we had little use forthis 'aircraft' in Special Ops.This thing was designed totransfer flight crews to and fromstrategic bombers, requiringspecial adaptation to the aircraft.(looks at Cahill)Its application with a civilianaircraft was dismissed as posingtoo great a risk to thepassengers. A hijacked aircrafteventually has to land somehwerewhere we can deal with it...Travis realizes the irony of his last statement, evenbefore Kaplan speaks up.(CONTINUED)26.54CONTINUED:54KAPLANThis does appear to be theexception to the rule.(beat)We said this was a wild card,Colonel. But if your team canboard that airplane, determine ifthere is a bomb and take controlof the situation, we at least havea fighting chance. Otherwise,four hundred and six passengerswill have to be sacrificed.(sober; intense)The President does not want toshoot down that plane, Colonel...but he will. He cannot risk50,000 American lives.(beat)In his words this is a Hail Marypass. He has no other options.Kaplan continues to look at Travis.TRAVISHow much time?Grant speaks up.GRANTYou have to be airborne within thehour.Travis thinks a moment and then nods, the soldier'sacceptance of duty. He looks at Cahill.TRAVISOne question. You have enoughconfidence in this gadget to stakeyour life on it, under thesecircumstances?CAHILLIt's been modified... the pump'smuch stronger... Even without themating collar there is anappropriate hatch on the 747 andthe wide surface area of theaircraft should be sufficient fora link-up...(beat)I'd have to say I have extremeconfidence in its application,even under the less than optimumcircumstances.(CONTINUED)27.54CONTINUED: (2)54TRAVISWell, good. Because I want you togo along. I don't want anythingleft to chance.Cahill is stunned. He starts to speak but a witheringlook from the DCI shuts him up. Cahill looks sick.Kaplan speaks up, dealing his last card.KAPLANI think one addition to the teamis called for, Colonel. An expertin Arabic dialects, someone whohas made a careful study of Ali'slife, who knows how he thinks, howhe operates...Travis turns and looks at Grant, their eyes locking.This was unanticipated by Grant and his face shows it.The Major-General, Travis's boss speaks up.MAJOR-GENERALI see absolutely no need forCaptain Grant's involvement in theactual operation. He canaccomplish an advisory role rightfrom here in Operations.KAPLANOn the contrary, General, I thinkhis actual presence could provecrucial. Captain Grant might beable to forecast something Ali isgoing to do, before he does it.MAJOR-GENERALMr. Kaplan, it's going to bedifficult enough for the Coloneland his men...Travis speaks out.TRAVISExcuse me, General. I'll takehim. He could prove useful.He fixes Grant with a look that says, "Okay, let's seehow you handle the real thing."54AEXT. AIRFORCE BASE - OPEN JEEP - DAWN54AMoving swiftly across the flight line, passing hangarsand military aircraft.(CONTINUED)28.54ACONTINUED:54ATravis's Special Forces driver is at the wheel, Travisin the front seat, Grant in the rear. Grant, windblownand chilled, seems uncomfortable and nervous, a markedchange from his confident bearing at the Pentagon.Travis turns in his seat.TRAVISCurious why I didn't vote againstyour coming, Captain?Grant is curious but remains silent.TRAVISBecause this whole operation wasyour idea, wasn't it? Your littlebrainstorm.The look on Grant's face says it all.GRANTThat's what I get paid for,Colonel.TRAVISAnd my boys get paid for puttingit on the line. I'm not faultingyour ideas, Captain. Like Kaplansaid, under the circumstances it'sa brilliant plan. And crazyenough that it just might work.(beat)Except we know we shouldn't bedoing it in the first place, don'twe?GRANT(uncomfortable)I'm not sure I follow you, sir.TRAVISThen I'll enlighten you. Whereyou intel boys fucked up wascooking up this hare-brainedscheme to put Jaffa on trial inthe first place.GRANTYou're mistaken, Colonel. We hadnothing to do with Jaffa'sabduction...(CONTINUED)29.54ACONTINUED: (2)54ATRAVISOh, horse shit. I know a hell ofa lot more about what goes on inyour world than you think. It wasa C.I.A. op, an executive decisionfrom the beginning. We both playfor the same team, Captain. Theonly difference is, you don't haveto pull the trigger.GRANTI had no involvement with thatoperation, Colonel.(beat)But I agree with it in principle.Jafa is an international criminaland had to be brought to justice.Men like that have to know they'renot beyond the reach of the law.TRAVISLaw? The only law animals likeJaffa and Ali understand comesfrom the end of a gun.(beat)You should have killed them allwhen you had the chance.Grant reflects on this.GRANTWell, that's all a moot point,isn't it? No matter what, Jaffais home free.A cold look from Travis.TRAVISDon't count on it, Captain.The Jeep pulls to a halt beside a massive hangar, just asa CH-46 HELICOPTER ROARS INTO VIEW over the top, quicklysettling to the tarmac, Travis and Grant turning to avoidthe prop wash.Emerging from the helicopter are seven men, wearing watchcaps, dark green pullovers, black cargo-pocketed pants,and light weight, crepe-soled boots. Quickly they unloaddark duffel bags and ABS plastic suitcases.Travis swings from the Jeep, leaving Grant behind, makinghis way to the team. They cluster momentarily, Traviswarmly greeting them.(CONTINUED)30.54ACONTINUED: (3)54AGrant sees a very close-knit, highly motivated andbonded team, but he sees as well the fear in their eyes,the adrenaline rush, and as they glance towards him, theautomatic distrust of outsiders.TRAVIS(shouting)Outstanding, gentlemen. Anyproblems?One of the men, BAKER, good-natured, wide beaming facespeaks up.BAKER(shouting)Almost missed Cappy. Caught himin his driveway, pole in his hand,headed for the Keys.Travis looks across at CAPPY, 48, black, lean, chiseled,intelligent features, wearing in contrast to the others ablack insulated jumpsuit, covered with dozens of pocketsand pouches. On his head is a floppy fatigue hat, severaltrout flies in the brim.CAPPY(shouting)Damn near made it, too.Several of the men look up, seeing Grant as heapproaches. Travis turns, looking at Grant.TRAVISBoys, this is Captain Grant, I.S.A.He's along in case we get into anyserious trouble. Let's go. We'llbrief in flight.The men pick up their gear, walking towards the hangar.Another of the men, a wiry, intense Chicano, nicknamed"RAT" for his expertise in surreptitious entry, looksaround him, searching for something.RATColonel, I don't see the supportvan. Are we takin' it?TRAVISNot this time, Rat. We'retraveling light.The huge doors begin to part...31.55INT. HANGAR (AIR FORCE BASE) - DAY55As the DOORS RUMBLE open, the men walk forward, castinglong backlit shadows before them as they step through thehangar doors.They stop, staring at something inside the cavernous hangar.BAKERWhat the hell is that?CHARLIE(pilot's drawl)Well, it ain't made the cover ofPopular Mechanics.55AREVERSE ANGLE55Awe see a hawk-like aircraft of black, anodized titanium,so rakish and streamlined it looks almost in flight justsitting on the ground. A flight crew, finishing lastminute services and checks on the high-tech bird, removetheir service equipment, the pilots entering the craft.As the team approaches the plane, Cahill appears frominside. He calls out to Travis, gesturing towards the men.CAHILL(shouting)Too much weight! Never designed forthis many -- never get off the ground!(beat)And we're running late. For everyminute we're here, we have to makeup ten in the air. Got to go!Travis turns to the men, pointing to the equipment.TRAVIS(shouting)Cut it down! Close-quarterweapons, bomb kit, detection andsurveillance gear, and the sleepagent. Dump the rest! Let's go!Immediately the team begins digging through the equip-ment, taking only the essential items, leaving the reston the hangar floor. As Travis and Grant stand next toeach other, Travis's Driver appears.DRIVERSir, I have your call to S.A.Scommand in London. 'Cousin Reggie'is on the scrambler.Grant seems very curious as Travis takes the call on aSAT-COM briefcase unit, but Travis's words are drownedout as the powerful ENGINES on the jet begin to POWER UP.32.56EXT. RUNWAY - DAY56The delivery plane has taxied into position and held,ENGINES WHINING. The plane pivots hard, aiming down therunway, the ENGINE REVVING to FULL BURNER, heat wavesOBSCURING FRAME as the jet accelerates...57OMITTED5757AINT. MILITARY BASE (ENGLAND) - PRISON CELL - DAY57AWhere in the dim light of the cold cell, Jaffa sits onhis bunk, dressed in gray overalls. Suddenly the heavysteel door swings open and several American MPs enter,pulling Jaffa to his feet, putting him in handcuffs. Asthe startled Jaffa is led from his cell, he sees anAmerican diplomat, staring at him coldly from thehallway. As he's ushered down the hall, Jaffa realizessomething significant has taken place.58EXT. ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE (NEAR LONDON) - DAY58A convoy of U.S. and British military vehicles fliespast on a country highway, the access roads blocked bymilitary police. A sign reading: "LONDON 150km" isseen in the f.g.In the third vehicle from the lead, Jaffa sits in anarmored Range Rover, surrounded by soldiers, the diplo-mat seated beside him.59INT. DELIVERY PLANE - DAY59We PULL BACK to reveal the interior, spartan but func-tional. Fold-down jump seats accommodate the team, therear of the jet devoted to racks of miniaturized elec-tronic and navigational gear. The predominant featureof the jet, however, is the dome-like appendage swellingfrom the ceiling near the cockpit. A pressurized hatchis located in the center of the dome, surrounded by aseries of gauges, levers and switches.The ship is intermittently buffeted by turbulence,obviously not the best of flying conditions. The menare intense and highly focused as they listen toTravis' briefing of the bizarre mission they are aboutto undertake. Grant is obviously the outsider, sittingnear the rear of the aircraft.(CONTINUED)33.59CONTINUED:59TRAVISThe stakes are high on this one,gentlemen, the most importantmission we've ever been handed.This assault is untested andcarries more than the usual elementof chance, but under thecircumstances, it's the only chancethose people on board have.A quick look to Grant, then to Cahill.TRAVISOtherwise, it's a standardsuppression op, just as if we hadboarded on the ground.(beat)All right, let's go through it.Baker.Baker turns to a video screen, part of a portable high-tech communication and tracking system. He plots asimulated course, showing an intercept point of the 747and the delivery plane over the Atlantic.BAKERThe 747's transponder and radaris off, but the E2 now has a fixon them. Our intercept should beabout here, roughly an hour out ofLondon.(beat)That gives us four hours on boardbefore she reaches the hundredmile limit.TRAVISGive me that schematic.Baker snaps an exploded-view cell, showing the 747 inintricate detail, into a light box. The team studiesthe glowing, back-lit schematic.TRAVISGrant, you're up after Baker, finda hole and sit tight while Bakersets up the intercom link with thePentagon. Sleep-agent is next.Rat, five bottles on the portmanifold, Charlie, five onstarboard.Grant's voice breaks in, drawing several annoyed looksfrom the men.(CONTINUED)34.59CONTINUED: (2)59GRANTExcuse me, Colonel... You'reusing sodium chloral-hydrate?TRAVIS(surprised)You've done your homework. Anyproblems with that?GRANTIn the tests of S.C.H. I've beenbriefed on, the effects on mostsubjects was a gradual drowsinessfor about thirty seconds beforeunconsciousness.TRAVIS(curious)Correct. What's your point?GRANTThirty seconds may be too long.Ali is highly intelligent, actsinstinctually, by nature suspiciousof everything. The slightestindication his mission has beencomprised could result in adisastrous reaction on his part.Travis considers this.TRAVISGood point. Baker?BAKERI can increase the saturation.It'll put 'em out instantly butit's pretty risky. We could losesomeone before we cycle the gasout.Travis looks at Grant.TRAVISIncrease it. We'll take the chance.Catman, you ready to fly it?CATMAN, smooth, confident, a pilot's manual for a 747open on his lap, looks up.(CONTINUED)35.59CONTINUED: (3)59CATMANOnce we clear the flight crew fromthe cockpit, no problem. Shouldbe on auto pilot but even if itisn't, plane pretty well fliesitself.TRAVISOnce we've got control, Rat, youand Cappy start the sweep throughthe forward baggage compartment.If we find a bomb we divert.Baker.CATMAN(checking his map)S.A.C. base at McNeil, Greenlandis our best bet.RATAnd if this bitch has a short fuse?Cappy, resolved, opens a folding, three-sectioned softcase containing a fantastic array of miniature bomb tools.He looks up.CAPPYWell then, I guess your asses areall mine.A sober moment passes through the group.TRAVISAll right. That's it. See toyour equipment.Grant looks over at Cahill, busily at work on a small,calculator-like device.GRANTLast minute calculations?CAHILL(sheepishly)No. Three-dimensional chess. Idon't do well with flying. Haveto keep distracted.The Pilot's voice breaks in, heard OVER SPEAKERS in thecabin.(CONTINUED)36.59CONTINUED: (4)59PILOT (V.O.)The E-2 is vectoring us into anintercept with the 747 now.Estimating contact in thirty-eightminutes.Anxious faces look up and then the team returns topacking and preparing equipment.Travis, near the cockpit, is busily typing on a satellitetransceiver unit, a high-tech computer phone unit, housedinside a black aluminum case. He enters a command and asmall plastic strip, a magnetic code key, emerges from aslot. He closes the case, motioning for Grant.TRAVISYou'll run the intel-board, mikes,microwave scanners and videoprobes. Things run to plan,you're just along for the ride.He gives Grant the mag-key, matter of factly.TRAVISHang on to this. Access key for ascrambled transmission I'mexpecting. Little arrangement withCousin Reggie in England. You'llneed this to patch me through.Code name is 'Executive Decision.'Grant nods, putting the code-key deep inside his shirtpocket. Travis looks at him, studying him. He grins.TRAVISBy the way, good call on the sleepagent.(beat)You're the expert on Ali. Tell me,aside from freeing Jaffa andkilling a lot of innocent Americans,what does he hope to gain from allthis?GRANTIf the attack on Washington weresuccessful, sometime in theaftermath, with Americans at thepeak of their outrage, no doubtcertain undeniable informationwould be leaked to the West.TRAVISLeaked?(CONTINUED)37.59CONTINUED: (5)59GRANTBy Ali. Set up before his suicide.Information implicating the countrywho supplied Ali the nerve gas, thebomb, the diplomatic support neededto get the highjackers on board.So damning, so...TRAVISThat the U.S. would be forced toretaliate.GRANTIn Ali's mind, hopefully so swiftlyand devastatingly, maybe evennuclear, that a Pan-Arabic warwould result, the focus at the onlyplausible target in the region,Israel.TRAVISAnd restoring Jaffa as a leadingpower in the region as well. Veryclever.GRANTInspiration born of desperation.TRAVISSounds familiar, doesn't it?They look at each other, a new level of respect for theirsituation passing between them.60EXT. 747 - DAY60The huge plane moves majestically onward on its courseacross the Atlantic.61INT. 747 CABIN AREA - DAY61Silent as a tomb. Terrorists armed with automaticweapons are stationed at various locations on the plane.All of the window shades have been pulled down.A terrorist armed with an automatic weapon, pistol andgrenade, moves slowly down the long corridor, his eyesglaring at the passengers, who sit terrified, unable tomove or speak.(CONTINUED)38.61CONTINUED:61He passes the mid-cabin area where Ali Hassan and twoothers have set up a monitoring station, adapted to theplane's gutted telephone system, consisting of a SHORT-WAVE RADIO, over which can be heard a NEWS BROADCAST,and alongside it, a military field radio.As the guard nears the front of the plane, he walkspast a terrorist, dragging the two murdered passengers,now covered in blood-stained blankets, into one of theforward bathrooms.We FOCUS ON the PARENTS of Karen and DAVID, whisperingto each other in urgent voices.WIFEI want them here, with us.HUSBANDNo. They're insane. They'vealready killed two people. We'regoing to sit here...WIFEAnd do what?The terrorist guard passes by them, then past Karen andDavid. As he does, Karen looks across at the two Greekboys, silent, terrified, the priest beside them deep inprayer, eyes closed, prayer beads moving through hisfingers. One of the boys notices her, staring back ather with frightened eyes. Suddenly, on impulse, Karenstands, moving into the aisle. Her brother reacts,startled.DAVID(under his breath)Karen! What are you doing! Getback here!But Karen stands in the aisle, holding out to the Greekboy a Nintendo game, the boy remaining frozen, staringat her.Two rows back, Karen's mother looks up, seeing Karen inthe aisle, starts to rise when her husband's hand comesdown firmly on her arm.HUSBAND(stern whisper)No! Don't move.Slowly they lean out, trying to get Karen's attentionwithout alerting the guard.(CONTINUED)39.61CONTINUED: (2)61As Karen holds out the game, the Greek boy reaches outto accept it... A gun barrel flashes INTO VIEW, the gamesnatched from her hand. Terrified faces freeze in place,priest, children, parents, passengers, as the terroristguard stares at the game. Angrily he shoves Karen aside,shouting at her in Arabic. As Karen begins to cry, herfather, unable to restrain himself, lunges from his chair.FATHERYou son of a...The terrorist spins, slamming the butt of his rifle intothe father's chest, driving him back into his seat.Instantly the barrel of the rifle is pressed hard intohis windpipe, cutting off his air, the father beginningto choke. His wife reaches out, desperately, pleading...WIFEPlease, you're choking him...Please stop it!But the terrorist presses harder, an angry sneer acrosshis face, a very ugly situation about to get worse...Suddenly a hand reaches out, grasping the gun barrel.Startled the terrorist looks up into Ali's face. Alipulls the gun away, carefully backing the guard into theaisle, speaking softly to him in Arabic. The terroristsettles but glares back in anger at the father.Ali kneels to the floor, picking up the game. Heexamines it and then hands it to the Greek boy.He helps Karen into her seat, speaking to her in English.ALIYou must stay in your seat.He gently roughs her hair, looking up into the frozenfaces of her parents, and then into the faces of adozen other passengers, all staring at him, humbled withfear. As Ali looks from face to face he sees, perhapsfor the first time, the people, the human souls, who aredestined to die with him in his desperate statement tothe West. He grows agitated and then speaks out, almostas a parent to a child explaining why the child must bepunished.ALII am not your enemy.(beat)You have been betrayed by your ownleaders... The supporters andinstigators of the Zionist occupationof my homeland.(MORE)(CONTINUED)40.61CONTINUED: (3)61ALI (CONT'D)(beat)I am but an instrument of God, amessenger of his will. In my handhe has placed the Sword of Islamand commanded me...He stares into the frozen faces, paralyzed in fear.He relaxes, smiles slightly.ALIBut you have nothing to fear. God'smercy is bestowed upon the innocentand the righteous.With a last look he turns and moves down the aisle.62INT. FORWARD GALLEY AREA - DAY62Fran, Nancy and two other attendants, sit in their jumpseats. Fran warily eyes the terrorist as he passes by,the others averting him altogether. Fran turns to Nancy,sitting next to her, obviously still deeply shaken by themurders she witnessed earlier.FRAN(whispering)Judy's been down there for fourhours. They wouldn't have lefther there alone. Something'swrong.NANCY(whispering; terrified)Oh God, Fran, be quiet. They'recrazy...Sensing someone's presence, Nancy looks up, the wordsfreezing in her throat as she looks into Ali's face.ALI HASSANYou will bring food for my men.Now.Nancy, frozen with panic, closes her eyes, unable tomove or speak. Ali leans in closer.ALII said, bring food for my men...But then Ali looks up, seeing the empty clipboard thatonce held the passenger manifest.(CONTINUED)41.62CONTINUED:62He removes the clipboard, studying it, Fran's eyesmomentarily going to the trash bin where she hid themanifest.ALI(to Nancy)The passenger manifest. Where isit?Startled, Nancy looks up. She has no idea where it is.Ali leans in closer, his face inches from Nancy, nowtrembling in fear.ALI(menacing)I will not ask you again. Whereis the manifest?Fran's voince breaks the tension.FRAN (O.S.)I destroyed it.Ali stands back, scrutinizing Fran.ALI(bemused)Destroyed. How?FRANThe toilet...ALII see. And why?Fran hesitates a moment.FRANTo protect the passengers.ALI(smiles)To protect the Jews.He moves closer, scrutinizing her, his eyes deeplypenetrating hers.ALI(quietly)Or, someone else...Fran is terrified out of her wits but holds her ground.Slowly, Ali backs away, eyes still probing her for theslightest betrayal.(CONTINUED)42.62CONTINUED: (2)62ALIBrave, but a very stupid, foolishthing to do.(stares at her)And totally unnecessary.He replaces the clipboard. He gestures to Fran.ALIYou will bring food for my men.FRAN(calmly)What about the passengers? They'vehad nothing to eat or drink...ALI HASSAN(smiles)No food, only drink.(beat)And, they may use the rear bathrooms,accompanied by a guard. Anysuspicious movement, they will beshot.(beat)See, I am a generous man. You arefree to move about the cabin. But,no more mistakes. Understood?FRAN(softly)Yes. Thank you. I'll have to usethe elevator.Carefully she turns and opens the elevator door. As shesteps inside, Ali stops her, motioning for one of theterrorist guards to accompany her.ALINo more mistakes.63INT. 747 LOWER GALLEY - DAY63The elevator door opens and Fran emerges, followed bythe guard. Immediately her eyes go to the limp formof Judy, lying against the food carts. She starts tomove to her side, but the guard stops her with thebarrel of his weapon. Slowly she pushes it aside.FRAN(quietly weeping)Do what you want, I'm going tocover her body.(CONTINUED)43.63CONTINUED:63She turns away from him, taking a blanket from anoverhead storage compartment. She kneels, a last look ather friend before covering the body. As she stands andturns toward the food carts we see that her eyes, filledwith tears, also blaze with anger and hatred.64INT. DELIVERY PLANE - DAY64Rat attaches a pressure valve to a small stainless steelcylinder, labeled: "GAS AGENT: SODIUM CHLORAL-HYDRATE."He re-locks the valve, replacing the cylinder into acircular, foam-filled nylon carrying case.Beside him, Charlie opens an aluminum case, marked witha wide red stripe. Enmeshed in foam is an array ofhighly specialized weapons: a four-shot, high-poweredtaser unit, equipped with Teflon barbs; lethal-lookinghand shotguns mounted on heavy pistol grips; a short-barreled impact cannon with several rubber-tipped shells.Cahill, studying the team, turns to Travis, eyeing the.22 Beretta automatic strapped to his chest.CAHILLWhy all the guns?TRAVISHope for the best, plan for theworst, Cahill.RATDon't sweat it, they're allhigh-impact, close-quarterweapons.A warning light flashes on, announced by a BUZZER. Thepilot's voice is heard.PILOT (V.O.)Target acquisition, twenty-fivemiles and closing. Initiatingapproach system. Stand by.The men quickly stow their equipment, putting on theirclosed-circuit communications units, consisting ofheadsets and microphones. Cahill nervously motions toTravis, and Grant to approach the cockpit.CAHILLOnce the tunnel is pressurized,I'll open the hatch to the 747.When you're inside, I'll go backup and lock it.(CONTINUED)44.64CONTINUED:64Travis interrupts.TRAVISAs soon as the hatch to the 747 isopen, an alarm will activate in thecockpit. We have to lock off thatswitch within seconds or run therisk of being discovered. Justexplain the procedure to Baker...CAHILL(adamant)You don't understand. Opening thefinal hatch is complicated, everyphase critical. I can't just tellsomeone how to do it. Unless Ican ascertain that the seal is atthe proper vacuum, you may not haveany mission left to accomplish.Travis considers this, Grant carefully studying him.TRAVISOkay, Cahill. You make yourinspection and open the hatches.But Baker is going to be rightthere behind you. As soon as the747 is open, you haul ass insideso Baker can lock off that switch.CAHILLBut...TRAVISThen, when we're on board, you canclimb back down and close thehatch.Cahill is obviously not pleased with the idea of going onboard the 747, even for a few minutes, but Travis has thefinal word.CAHILL(hesitant)All right, but while the pressurelocks are open, both planes arevulnerable to explosivedecompression. Move fast. Thiswas designed to be carried outwith both planes on automaticpilot.TRAVISAdd it to the list.(CONTINUED)45.64CONTINUED: (2)64The pilot's voice breaks in.PILOT (V.O.)Target sighted, initiating approachon infra-red.They move forward into the cockpit.65INT. COCKPIT DELIVERY PLANE - DAY65Through the windshield can be seen the 747 as thedelivery plane approaches from the rear.The CO-PILOT pulls down a transparent screen, coveringthe mid-section of the windshield. He activates aninfra-red viewing field, revealing the wind-foil patternsflowing over the wings and along the body of the 747,leaving streaming contrails in its wake, the enginesglowing red-black.CAHILLAn infra-red imaging device. Theair flow of heated molecularparticles, surrounding the plane.Suddenly the plane pitches and rocks, encountering apattern of turbulence as they enter the wake of the 747.Moments later, as if through parting clouds, we see achannel appear, a clear spot underneath the belly of theplane.CAHILLThere, the 'sweet-spot.' A valleyof dead air, like the eye of ahurricane.They stare in awe as the tiny plane is slowly engulfedby the huge mass of the 747 above it.66EXT. 747 - NOSE - DAY66MOVING DOWN the cockpit of the massive hull, seeing thecrew inside, PANNING ACROSS the nose of the plane andbelow.Slowly, appearing from below, the delivery plane, dwarfedby the huge 747, RISES INTO VIEW, moving forward.46.66AINT. COCKPIT - 747 - DAY66AThe flight crew quietly monitoring the aircraft's con-trols and instruments as the craft is buffeted by tur-bulence, the terroist guard seated directly behind thecaptain on a jump seat. The plane is on automatic pilot,the crew totally unaware of the delivery plane'spresence.67EXT. 747 - BELLY SIDEVIEW - DAY67The delivery plane pulls forward into position,approaching the nose area. Suddenly, the two planes arehit by turbulence, the 747 surging downward, the deliveryplane darting quickly away.67AINT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE67AThe pilot and co-pilot maneuver the tiny plane into posi-tion beneath the 747. Despite their obvious skill withthe aircraft, they are both incredibly tense, the opera-tion requiring dead on, precision flying.68INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY68As it is hit by turbulence, the PARTITIONS, CABINETSRATTLING with the shock. Ali Hassan looks around him,a worried look on his face. Suddenly the plane is hitagain, Ali buckling at the knees, nearly falling. Hegrabs a cabin phone, beads of sweat forming on his face.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)Ahmed. Order the pilot to climbout of this turbulence, immediately.69INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY69The TERRORIST hangs up the phone, turning to the Captain.TERRORISTBegin an ascent to thirty-sixthousand feet.The Captain turns to the FLIGHT ENGINEER.CAPTAINTurn on the radar.TERRORISTNo, no radar. Just climb.(CONTINUED)47.69CONTINUED:69CAPTAINTo do that, we'll need radar.TERRORISTNo radar!CAPTAINI'm still the captain of thisplane and the safety of thesepassengers is my first concern.I'm not climbing into another aircorridor without radar.TERRORIST(shouting)You will obey!The Terrorist COCKS his PISTOL, leveling it at thepilot's head.CAPTAINThen you'd better shoot.(beat)Better yet, you know all aboutthis plane, you do it.The Terrorist hesitates, staring at the pilot.70INT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY70Recovering from the turbulent air, the PILOT begins yetanother approach. The delivery plane eases toward thebelly of the 757, filling the windshield. Suddenly the747 drops, the Pilot jerking hard on the yoke, dartingthe agile craft away from the plunging mass above them.PILOTMay have enough fuel for one morepass. We should break off, findthe tanker and refuel. Your call,Colonel, but make it quick.Travis looks back at Baker who consults his tac-board.He shakes his head, no. Travis turns back to the Pilot.TRAVISStick it.PILOTAll right, hold on.71EXT. 747 - DAY71The delivery plane pulls back into position.48.72INT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY72The Pilot holding steady, the belly of the 747 fillingthe windshield.PILOTExtend the sleeve.Cahill, now seated at his work station beside the hatch,activates a lever, the SOUND of HISSING AIR as thehydraulic pumps are switched on.73EXT. 747 - DAY73The docking tower begins to rise from the deliveryplane, extending toward the belly of the 747, a laser-beam sighting device scanning along the skin of the plane.74INT. CABIN - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY74Cahill, at his station, is looking through a viewer whilegrasping a control-stick in one hand.74APOV - BELLY OF 747 SEEN THROUGH VIEWER74APowerful lights play along the hull as the delivery planemoves forward. A small hatch appears in the viewer. Asthe hatch is centered, a red-targeting grid appears overthe hatch. A BEEP is heard.CAHILL (V.O.)Steady... steady. You're righton it... activated!75INT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY75On the screen in the dashboard a target-image appears, aread-out at the edges indicating closing speed anddistance.PILOTI have the target. Prepare forlink-up and lock.ON the screen, the target grows closer as the Pilot'lands' the plane into the belly of the 747.The PILOT'S VOICE cracks over the speaker.PILOT (V.O.)Engage! Auto-pilot on.Cahill instantly pulls a lever, the SOUND of powerfulSUCTION-PUMPS being activated, filling the cabin.49.76EXT. TOWER - DAY76As the pumps are engaged, the thick, neoprene collardraws down tight against the skin of the 747.77INT. 747 MAIN CABIN - DAY77As another wave of turbulence hits, Ali again grabs thephone. He is obviously very worried about something.ALI HASSAN(subtitles)Why are we not climbing!He listens, his face incensed at what he hears. He slamsdown the phone, moving towards the front, passengersreacting with new alarm to the heavy buffeting the planeis receiving at times.78INT. CABIN AREA - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY78Cahill quickly reads a series of gauges on the tower,indicating pressure lock at 5,000 HG IN. A HISS of AIRas he throws a switch, pressurizing the tunnel.CAHILLPrimary tunnel is pressurized andstable. I'm going up.Travis motions to Baker who moves up behind Cahill,Baker holding a stainless steel clip in his hand.TRAVIS(to Cahill)As soon as that final hatch isopen, get the hell out of the way.Cahill nods, then cautiously releases the locking deviceon the hatch. He pushes it upward, securing it, exposingthe interior of the tunnel.79INT. DOCKING TUNNEL - DAY79Cahill climbs up the interior ladder. At the top of thetunnel is a second pressure hatch, isolating the outsidecollar and the skin of the 747. This section as well asthe hatch is made of clear, plastic, enabling Cahill tophysically examine the suction pumps outside.Cahill studies a series of pressure and vacuum gauges andthen using a flashlight, inspects the suction pumps,verifying that there is a complete seal with the skin ofthe 747.(CONTINUED)50.79CONTINUED:79Just below him, Baker clings to the ladder, poised, readyto move.CAHILL(tense)Seal looks good. I'm equalizingthe outer chamber.Carefully he opens a bleed valve, a HISS of AIR as thefinal link is pressurized. Cahill studies the gauges,consulting his watch. Taking a deep breath, he gentlyopens the final hatch, swinging it down into the chamber.CAHILLI'm opening the hatch...He opens the hatch, revealing the belly of the 747 andthe avionics hatch, surrounded by the heavy neoprenevacuum-collar. Cahill releases the locking device onthe 747 hatch, lowering it into the tunnel. Quickly,urged by Baker, he scrambles up the ladder and insidethe 747 as Baker follows, quickly placing the steel clipover a switch, closing it.80INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY80A flashing yellow light on the dash winks off. TheFirst Officer thumps it with his finger.FIRST OFFICERShort.81INT. 747 AVIONICS ROOM - DAY81Running crosswise to the plane, the nerve-center of theaircraft housing the flight recorder, transmitters,receivers and the main electrical connectors. Cahillclimbs into the room, reaching down to grab a bag.Below, Travis stands at the ladder, directing theboarding. Grant follows Baker, who has already begunattaching a series of electrical leads to the ship'spower supply in preparation for his equipment. Secondslater, Rat scrambles into the room, followed by Charlie.But as Charlie enters the hatch, his pack catches on theclip securing the warning switch, the clip falling unseeninto the door frame.82INT. 747 - FORWARD SECTION - DAY82Hassan walks towards first class and the stairway.51.83INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY83The light on the dash winks on again, catching theattention of the Captain and First Officer. TheTerrorist guard, standing behind them, still holdinga gun on the pilot, also notices the light.TERRORISTWhat is that light?The First Officer thumps it with his finger.FIRST OFFICERWarning light, indicating an openhatch in the avionics room.CAPTAINWhich is impossible with the planepressurized. Must be a short.TERRORISTWhere is this room?FIRST OFFICERAbout ten feet below us.84INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY84Rat grabs a case from the tunnel, swinging it inside.As he turns back he sees the open switch on the hatch.Frantically he searches for the clip, finding it in thedoorframe. Digging it out with his fingers, he replacesit over the switch. He looks up at the ceiling as if inanticipation...85OMITTED85thruthru878788INT. COCKPIT - DAY88The yellow light on the dash winks off again.CAPTAINOff again. Got to be a short.Just then the plane is buffeted by turbulence, Alistumbling into the room. He seems highly agitated.ALIWhy are we not climbing?!52.89INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY89The team waits a moment for the buffeting to cease andthen Charlie reaches down into the tunnel, pulling up oneof the electronics cases.Cappy has just cleared the hatch and is starting to riseto his feet, both hands on equipment bags, when the PLANEis HIT by windshear, a sudden and VIOLENT SHOCK as theplane falls several hundred feet before it bottoms outon solid air.With the impact, Rat is thrown off balance, his bodyslamming into Cappy, sending him airborne across thenarrow room.89ACAPPY'S POV OF ROOM89AA DIZZYING RAPID DOLLY TOWARDS an electrical panel con-taining the high voltage bus bars and circuit breakersfor the aircraft's heavy electrical system.89BBACK TO SCENE89BCappy, arms forward, smashes into panel, his right handsplintering a plastic safety cover protecting a huge,high voltage fuse, a blinding EXPLOSION of sparks andflames as his hand hits the fuse. Instantly, Cappy isblown backwards, the back of his neck slamming into thecorner of a steel equipment rack. He falls to the floor,his hand smoking, his sleeve on fire.Baker leaps on Cappy, smothering the fire with his body,Cappy's face in contorted, agonizing pain, barely resist-ing the primitive urge to scream.90INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY90As the Flight Engineer throws a series of switches, pro-viding backup power to the cabin lights, blown by thefuse.PILOTWhat the hell...FLIGHT ENGINEERDamned if I know. We blewsomething big.90AINT. DELIVERY PLANE - CARGO AREA - DAY90AA MASSIVE SHOCK hits the plane, knocking Catman, andDoc to the floor. Travis looks up into the tunnel, be-ginning to climb.53.90BINT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY90BThe Captain is arguing with Ali Hassan.CAPTAIN... I'm telling you, without radarI can't climb into another corridorfilled with east-bound traffic.But if we hit another pocket ofwindsheer, we could fall ten,twenty thousand feet...As another wave of TURBULENCE HITS, Hassan looks aroundhim, at the airframe and then to the pilots.ALI HASSANClimb. Turn the radar on.Suddenly the other Terrorist interjects.TERRORIST(subtitles)Ali. It's a trick. We turn onthe radar, they can find us.They'll discover us when we turnback. The plan was not to...ALI HASSAN(to Captain)Climb. Now. Turn on the radar.The Flight Engineer switches on the radar. Ali's lieu-tenant is obviously enraged at this infringement of theirplans.CAPTAINStand-by, we're climbing...He begins to pull back on the controls...91INT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY91As a WARNING BUZZER SOUNDS. The Pilot checks hisinstruments.PILOTLoad on the sleeve increasing...Jesus, they're climbing!He grabs the stick...54.91AINT. TUNNEL - DAY91ATravis, nearing the top of the tunnel when the PLANE isHIT by a sudden buffeting, knocking him from the ladder,just as two of the heavy equipment cases fall from above,wedging in the tunnel just above him.92OMITTED9293INT. COCKPIT - DELIVERY PLANE - DAY93A SHRILL ALARM sounds as the plane pitches violently tostarboard.CO-PILOTWe're losing pressure on numbersix pump. Go with him, keepclimbing!94EXT. 747 - DAY94The delivery plane sags sharply to starboard, STRESSINGthe sleeve and the docking seal. The PLANE begins toBUFFET and CHATTER wildly.95INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY95Grant, nearest the tunnel, struggles to pull the casesfrom the tunnel when there is a LOUD HISSING of AIR asone of the pumps begins to fail. Cahill pushes his wayINTO the SCENE, looking down into the tunnel.CAHILL(panic)We're losing the seal! Hurry!With a combined effort, Charlie, Rat and Grant, pullthe gear from the tunnel and onto the floor, as Cahillstares into the tunnel, frozen, listening to the increas-ed VOLUME of HISSING.Grant frees the last of the gear, seeing Travis, fightingto climb up the ladder. Grant extends his arm.GRANTColonel!The HISSING INCREASES, the seal threatening to go. Travislooks up, realizing...TRAVISClose the hatch!(CONTINUED)55.95CONTINUED:95Grant hesitates, still extending his arm.TRAVISWe're losing it! Close thegod-damned hatch...With the SCREAM of the failing SEAL increasing by thesecond, Travis scrambles down the tunnel...96INT. CABIN DELIVERY PLANE - DAY96Travis at the bottom of the tunnel, grabs for the hatchwhen ANOTHER BUFFETING knocks him aside. He recovers,grabbing the release. As he does he looks up, eyeslocking with Grant's, a frozen moment, a look from Travisas if he were entrusting the rest of the mission to Grant.And then...TRAVISClose the hatch!!!Hesitant but obeying, Grant reaches down, closing thehatch to the 747...But as Travis pulls the lower hatched closed, the deliveryplane pulls free from the 747.The escaping pressure turns into a SCREAM of AIR, followedby a THUNDEROUS EXPLOSION that rips through the plane.As the tower tears loose, the implosion sucks Travisthrough the tower as if a leaf in a gale.97EXT. DELIVERY PLANE - DAY97Pulls violently away from the 747 and begins to tumbleout-of-control as it falls a thousand feet, the TOWERRIPPING apart, followed by one of the wings. An instantlater, the plane disintegrates.98EXT. E2-HAWKEYE RADAR PLANE - DAY98Flying on station, tracking the 747 and the deliveryplane. We GO IN ON the revolving radar dish.99INT. E2-HAWKEYE RADAR CENTER - DAY99An OPERATOR sits in front of a radar screen, surroundedby a complex array of radar equipment. On the screenwe see the strong, steady blip of the 747, and the fadingblip of the delivery plane.(CONTINUED)56.99CONTINUED:99OPERATORThey're gone.100INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY100The crisis team is fixated on the overhead screen,plotting the course of the two planes, the course of thedelivery plane fading, dropping away. In a moment itblinks from the screen.A RADIO TRANSMISSION from the E2 breaks the stunnedsilence.E2-OPERATOR (V.O.)Castle Rock, this is Big Eye-6.We have lost all contact with HailMary.The Major-General picks up the microphone.GENERALBig Eye-6, this is Castle Rock.Was delivery accomplished?E2-OPERATOR (V.O.)Castle Rock, I can't say. HailMary was attempting delivery whencontact was lost.A moment of silence, broken by the Director's voice.DCI(quietly)Something must have failed withthe airlock and they depressurized.Kaplan turns away from the overhead screen, his eyescold and hard. He addresses the Admiral.KAPLANWhere is the Task Force, Admiral?The Admiral points to a location on the situation board.ADMIRALCarrier Task Force Six has beendiverted and is heading towardsan intercept point in the Atlantic.PRESIDENTGo to Red Alert. Contact thePresident.He looks up at the situation board, at the flashing dot,advancing steadily onward towards the United States.57.100AINT. 747 AVIONICS ROOM - DAY100ACappy is lying on the floor, his face covered in sweat,writhing in pain as Baker carefully sprays antisepticover Cappy's burned hand and forearm, wrapping the areawith gauze bandages.BAKERBest I can do for now. I've gotsome morphine, take care of thatpain.CAPPYNo... Might need me... Got to stayawake...But as Baker moves Cappy's arm across his chest toisolate it, Cappy inhales sharply in pain.CAPPYBaker... My neck. Whole leftsife... burns like acid.(moves fingers of left hand)All down my arm...Alarmed, Baker carefully feels behind Cappy's neck,gingerly palpitating down his neck, stopping at a pointnear the shoulder blades. Cappy again winces, nearlyfainting from the pain.BAKERThere's a depression, a deformityof C-7...(looks up)He's got a fractured vertebrae.We've got to immobilize him.100BINT. 747 - COCKPIT - DAY100BThe Flight Engineer is patiently trying to explain toAli his need to go into the avionics room.FLIGHT ENGINEERWe don't know what happened. ButI've got to go down there, checkit out. We could have a fire,anything.ALIWhere is this room?The Engineer points to a hatch on the floor near therear of the cockpit.(CONTINUED)58.100BCONTINUED:100BFLIGHT ENGINEERAbout ten feet below us.ALIGo ahead.The Engineer opens the hatch, peering down the narrowten foot shaft, leading through the stairwell bulkheadand into the avionics room.100CINT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY100CWith the hatch above them open, light streaming downfrom above, the men move rapidly for cover, Cappy leftwhere he lays, hidden in the shadows. Anxious looks fromthe men as they draw their weapons.100DINT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY100DThe Flight Engineer descends into the tunnel, Alistanding over him, a flashlight in his hand, theTerrorist Guard pointing a gun at him. The Engineerlooks at the gun.FLIGHT ENGINEERRelax. I'm not going anywhere.100EINT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY100EThe Engineer enters the darkened, cramped room, movingtowards the electrical panel. He shines a tiny flash-light on the broken fuse cover, examining the destructionwith a puzzled look. Suddenly he grows wary, slowlyturning, looking down at the floor, into the shadows andCappy's sweating, pain-racked face. He's about to speakwhen he looks up, directly into Rat's face, a pistolpointed at him. Dumbstruck the Engineer watches as Ratindicates silence, then points to the small American Flagon his shoulder.The Engineer looks around, seeing other faces, staringat him, weapons pointed.Rat gestures to the panel, then upwards towards the cock-pit, as if to say, "Hurry up."The Engineer turns back, throwing a switch, replaces thefuse, then restores the power to the fuse. Again, Ratgestures for silence, offering the "okay" sign. TheEngineer numbly nods his understanding and moves back tothe ladder. He looks up into the cockpit, Ali standingabove, shining a flashlight on him. The Engineer climbsthe ladder.59.100FINT. 747 - COCKPIT - DAY100FThe Engineer enters the room, closing the hatch. ThePilot turns.PILOTEverything okay down there?FLIGHT ENGINEERHuh? Oh, yeah. Just a blown fuse.Must have been the turbulence.The Pilot seems puzzled by this but the Engineer turnsand sits at his station, staring at his instruments, stillin shock at what he has just seen below.101INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY101Cappy has been strapped to a blackboard made from a bulk-head panel. Cahill, looking pale and stunned, watcheswith Grant as Rat and Charlie hold Cappy's head as Bakerplaces a makeshift cervical collar of foam insulationaround Cappy's neck. Baker then carefully tapes Cappy'shead and shoulders to the blackboard. Cappy closes hiseyes, resting.A silence descends on the tiny room.CHARLIE(quietly)What about Travis, the others?CAHILL(numb)The plane depressurized. At thisaltitude,, the airframe wouldhave collapsed, like an egg shell.They couldn't have...The team is silent, stunned by the reality of theirsituation.BAKERNow what? We've got no radio,half the equipment...CHARLIEWe're fucked, that's what.Cahill suddenly panics.CAHILLThey don't know we're here.Think we're all dead...(MORE)(CONTINUED)60.101CONTINUED:101CAHILL (CONT'D)(realizes)They're going to blow us out ofthe sky!Cahill turns to them, panic filling his face.CAHILLWe have to negotiate with them.Tell them they know about theirplot, they'll never let them reachthe United States. It's our onlychance.Rat, assessing their situation, speaks up.RATI'm in charge, Cahill. Sit downand shut up.(beat)There's only one thing we can do.Take over the plane, let them knowwe're in command and then land itsome place safe. As planned.CAHILLLook at you. There's nothingleft. You've got no chance.We're the only ones who knowthey aren't going to make it.They have to listen...Rat reaches out, grabbing Cahill by the shirt, yankinghim forward, nose to nose.RAT(coolly)Get a grip, Cahill.(beat)We're all in the this together,so just hang with us and do whatyou're told. Now sit your assdown and stay put.Stunned but under control, Cahill nods, Rat releasinghim.Silence settles over the room, the men now realizingthere is but one choice facing them.RATAll right. We need to know howmany, where they are, how they'rearmed.(CONTINUED)61.101CONTINUED: (2)101BAKERWe should set up the probes,mikes.(nods to Grant)Let the Captain here have alisten. Could be a dozen of them,we don't know.RATOkay. What's left of the gear?BAKERNot much. No radio, scanners,sleep agent, only half the weapons.We've got fiber optic probes andmikes, infra-red goggles, bombkit. That's it.RATAnd no one to fly the plane.What's our time frame?Baker consults a Plexiglass card, three analog watchesindicating elapsed time; time on board; time to failsafe, the sweep hands moving at steady, unstoppablespeed.BAKERUnless a change in speed andcourse, we've got three hoursand forty-eight minutes.RATAll right. We figure out wherethey are, how to hit 'em.He points to the power control boxes on the bulkheads.RATPower for lights, everything isright here. We blow the lights,use infra-red to hit 'em hardwhile they're still surprised.(beat)Let's get started.Again, Grant's cautious warning sounds out.GRANTYou're forgetting something.RATWhat's that?(CONTINUED)62.101CONTINUED: (3)101GRANTThe bomb.RATWe'll worry about that after wetake the plane. We can't sparethe time to look for it.GRANTI don't think you can afford notto...RAT(irritated)Let's get one thing straight,Captain. You're still along asan advisor. Stick with theinterpreting. When I need youropinion, you'll know it.GRANTIt's more complicated than chainof command. Finding that bombis just as important, maybe more,than taking over this plane.Think about it.From his stretcher, Cappy calls out.CAPPYHe's right. Got to know ifthere's a bomb.(beat)Could be a pressure switch, timer.Try to land the plane, changealtitude, anything could set itoff. Don't know what you'redealing with. Got to find it.The men look to Rat for a decision. Rat looks at Cappy,then to Grant. He nods.RATWe'll look for it while we'resetting up. Charlie, tools andbomb kit. Get started.102EXT. 747 - DAY102Moves silently above the clouds, 36,000 feet above theAtlantic.63.103INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY103The Flight Engineer is staring at the hatch on the floor,leading to the Avionics Room. He looks up at theterrorist guard in the doorway and then to the pilots, alook of frustration on his face. He's dying to tell them.104INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY104Rat, reaching the bulkhead leading to the forward galley,uses a pair of hydraulically powered shears to cutthrough the wall.105INT. FORWARD GALLEY - DAY105Carefully pushing aside the bulkhead, Rat, gun in hand,enters the galley. Seeing the blanket on the floor, hepulls it back, finding the dead attendant. He replacesthe blanket, going to the elevator door, carefullyopening it. Seeing that the lift is above him on themain cabin level, he begins to cut the rivet heads fromthe floor using his shears.106INT. NOSE OF PLANE - BELOW FIRST CLASS - DAY106Where Baker, using a heavily padded, nearly silentELECTRIC DRILL, bores a tiny hole into the ceiling.107INT. FIRST CLASS CABIN - NOSE SECTION - DAY107CLOSE ON a section of carpet as the ceramic tip of thedrill silently emerges at a forward angle. As we PULLBACK, we realize that the drill has just missed the bootof one of the terrorist guards. An inch in the otherdirection...108INT. NOSE OF PLANE - BELOW FIRST CLASS - DAY108Removing the ceramic bit, Baker inserts into one of thetwo holes he has drilled a spike microphone and into theother, a fiber-optic probe. He plugs the microphone intohis com-unit.On the viewscope he sees two huge boots, grosslydistorted by the wide-angle lens.BAKER(under his breath)Shit.(CONTINUED)64.108CONTINUED:108A moment later, the boots move forward, the form of theterrorist revealed as he walks past the passengers,pausing at the work station by the staircase leading tothe upper level.BAKER(to mike)Got one. First class cabin. W.Z.63 machine gun, grenade, and 9mmpistol.As he continues to watch, the terrorist from the cockpit,descends the staircase to talk. Baker switches on a tinybug mike and we faintly hear the CONVERSATION in ARABIC...109INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY109Grant is seated before a fold-out, portable control panel,a series of lights and switches indicating the variouslocations of the highly sensitive spike mikes. Grantwrites: "First Class" on a piece of tape, sticking it onthe board. He listens to the conversation in Arabic.GRANT(to headset)Sounds like one more on guard inthe upstairs cockpit and businessclass area.110INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY (MINUTES LATER)110Where Rat, suspended upside-down, attached to a specialharness to a thin cable, strung the entire length of theplane, pulls himself along on silent rollers, a humangondola. The air temperature is cold enough to fog thebreath.RAT(to headset)Okay, I'll check it out. I'm atmid-cabin. Hold on...He stops, twisting to his side, pushing the viewscopeprobe and mike through a joint in one of the ceilingpanels.110ARAT'S POV OF THE CABIN BELOW110ASeen through the wide-angle lens, the rows of passengersdirectly below him. The probe moves, revealing moresections of the cabin, holding on the mid-section galleyarea where four terrorists, including Ali Hassan, aregathered, listening to the SHORT-WAVE and MILITARY RADIOS.65.110BBACK TO SCENE110BRAT(to headset)Four in the main cabin, listeningto a radio. Two others, in theaisles. Machine guns, side arms,grenades.111AVIONICS ROOM - DAY111Grant is now listening to the conversations in Arabicfrom the mid-cabin area.GRANT(to headset)They're waiting for a report onJaffa's takeoff from London.Sounds like they'll contact themon their own frequency.112OMITTED112thruthru116116116AINT. MID-CABIN WORK STATION - DAY116AFran enters and begins preparing coffee. She removes apacket of coffee from a drawer, dumping the old coffeefilter in the trash. She searches for a new filter, andfinding none, reaches to an overhead cabinet, opening it.As she does, Ali's coat, hung over the aprons, falls tothe floor. As she bends to pick it up, a folded map fallsto the floor. Fran can see that it is an aeronauticalnavigation map, part of the Washington, D.C. area exposed.Cautiously Fran opens the map, seeing an air corridorapproaching the Washington airport where the White Houseand other government buildings are located, heavilycircled in red marker, the notation: "2,000 feet," inhandwriting.She studies the map and then carefully refolds it,replacing it in the inside pocket. As she stands, Aliwalks into the room. Fran looks at the coat.FRANI'm sorry. It fell when I openedthe cabinet.(gestures to open cabinet)I was getting some coffee filters.(CONTINUED)66.116ACONTINUED:116AHe reaches out, taking the coat. He checks inside,seeing the tip of the map in the inside pocket. Hereaches to his waistband, his hand closing on the handleof his pistol, the move hidden by the coat.ALIHow are the passengers? Are theycomfortable?FRANThey're... very scared, but underthe circumstances doing well.Ali's eyes, probing, searching.ALIIt's important they remain calm.Is there anything they need?FRANNo. They just want this to beover with.ALISoon enough. A few more hours. Iwill share something with you, butit must remain between us.(studying her)When we land... in London. Wewill be releasing the women andchildren.Fran stares at him, knowing this is a lie.FRANThat would be very kind.He studies at her a long moment, then removes his handfrom the gun, folding the coat.ALII'm keeping you from your work.He turns and leaves. Fran stares ahead, her handstrembling. She knows something horrible is going tohappen with this highjacking and she has to do something.But what? She sees the empty clipboard where the manifesthad been, thinks, and then removes from her apron herballpoint pen.117INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY117The air temperature also cold enough to fog the breath.(CONTINUED)67.117CONTINUED:117Charlie, using a sophisticated array of bomb detectionequipment to locate the presence of explosives andmagnetic and electrical fields, makes his way over thetops of the baggage containers. He stops, carefullymoving one of the probes over a container. He adjuststhe sensitivity of the instrument and then keys his mike.CHARLIE(to headset)Rat. Forward baggage compartment.Got something.RAT (V.O.)(filtered)I'm on my way.117AINT. MAIN CABIN - DAY117AFran walks down the aisle, stopping at a seat. For amoment, all we see are the brown leather boots of theAir Marshal.FRANI believe you're next, sir.The AIR MARSHAL, early 30s, mustache, dark hair, looksup, puzzled.FRANThe bathrooms. You're next.Something in her eyes.AIR MARSHALThank you.As he rises she moves away, face close to his, whisper-ing, barely audible.FRAN(whispering)Razor blades...She turns to the passenger across the aisle, leaving theMarshal bewildered over her phrase as he heads down theaisle.118EXT. 747 - DAY118As we TRACK ALONGSIDE the massive airframe, HOLDING ONthe section just aft of the wing juncture.68.119INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY119We MOVE ACROSS the tops of baggage containers, barely twofeet of clearance overhead. Tiny lights have beenclipped to the ceiling, illuminating the darkened roomwith red light.We ARRIVE at a container, opened up like a soup can,baggage strewn everywhere. Overhead lights illuminatethe open container as if it were the crater at Tycho in2001. Inside is Rat and Charlie. Charlie examines some-thing in the container with his detector.CHARLIEAlmost missed it. Reading wasless than one part in two million.Inside we see a dismantled wooden packing crate, revealinga three-tiered object, at the bottom of which are tworows of double-ended bottles, two feet long, six inchesin diameter, stacked two deep, a total of 12 bottles.The surface of the bottles is a shiny, metallic material,like mirrored sunglasses. Strapped to the canisterswith stainless steel bands, is a black metal box, twofeet high.RATWhatever it is, it's sittin' onenough Semtex to fuck up yourwhole day.CHARLIE(nervously)Let's do it.Using a hand-powered drill, Rat carefully drills a tinyhole into the case. He attaches a fiber-optic probe,peering through the eyepiece. He looks up.RATTake a look.Charlie uses the probe to examine the container. Helooks up, confused.CHARLIEWay out of my league.Rat studies the interior again, thinks a moment and thenkeys his mike.RAT(to mike)Captain, you know anything aboutbombs?69.120INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY120Grant at the com-board, listening to Rat.GRANTA lot of theory.RAT (V.O.)There's something I want you tolook at -- forward baggagecompartment.120AINT. REAR OF PLANE - DAY120AThe Air Marshal waits near the bathrooms, a Terroriston guard. A passenger leaves one of the bathrooms, theGuard gesturing to the Marshal to enter.GUARDThirty seconds.The Marshal enters, attempting to close the door, theGuard shoving his foot INTO the FRAME.GUARDLeave it open.120BINT. BATHROOM - DAY120BLeaving the door slightly ajar, the Marshal faces thetoilet, eyes searching the room, focusing on the tinysign near the sink: "DISPOSE OF RAZOR BLADES HERE."Still facing the toilet he opens the tiny disposal box,removing a folded slip of paper. He reads: "Plane going to Wash. D.C. Target White House. Do something."Behind him the DOOR EXPLODES OPEN, the Marshal droppingthe paper into the toilet...TERRORISTToo long! Back to your seat!The Marshal bends to flush, the note stuck to the bowlnear the top. He FLUSHES, the water flowing over thenote, still stuck. He FLUSHES AGAIN...TERRORISTOut!The Terrorist yanks the Marshal around, just as thewater catches the paper, swirling it down the toilet.70.121INT. BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY121Grant eases into the pit, replacing Charlie. He takesthe probe from Rat, studying the interior of the bomb amoment before standing. He looks puzzled, very worried.GRANT(quietly)You'd better get Cappy.RATWe can't move him.GRANTI don't think you've got any otherchoice.Rat considers this and then nods to Charlie.122INT. PENTAGON WAITING ROOM - DAY122The Arab Diplomat and an Assistant are in the room. TheSecretary of State, the DCI and Kaplan enter the room.The Diplomat hands a document to Kaplan who grimly readsits contents.ARAB DIPLOMATThe man who designed the bomb ismost probably Jean-Paul Demou.That's a recent photograph. He'sFrench, nuclear engineer, onceassigned to a reactor plant inDamascus, Syria. His wife, aSyrian national, was killed duringan Israeli attack on the plant,three years ago.Kaplan hands the document to the DCI then offers hishand to the Arab.KAPLANThank you for your help. Pleaseexcuse me.He takes the two men aside.KAPLANIt's confirmed.DCITwelve canisters and at leastfifteen pounds of plasticexplosives. We're dealing with apotential kill-factor of a low-yield nuclear weapon.(CONTINUED)71.122CONTINUED:122SECRETARY OF STATEThen we have no other choice.KAPLANAs per the orders of the President,instruct Admiral Crosby to go tofull alert. When he's in range,he's to launch his strike aircraft.Authorize the press release forthe B.B.C. as per Ali'sinstructions.SECRETARY OF STATEIf we have to shoot down the 747,why release Jaffa at all?DCIWe have to take Ali's word thatthere will be more bombings inLondon if he's not airborne bythree.KAPLANContact Ambassador Hennings inLondon. I want to deliver amessage to Jaffa. I want him tonegotiate with Ali Hassan. Tellhim we know of Ali's plot, thatwe will exchange the lives of thepassengers for Ali's, if he willdivert to an isolated airbase.Jaffa's the only one who knows thefrequencies to contact Ali.(beat)I'm not giving up on those fourhundred Americans. That madman isour last avenue of hope. We'vegot to try.123INT. AIRCRAFT CARRIER - HANGAR DECK - DAY123Somewhere in the Atlantic. Several F-14's are beingreadied for flight, deadly Sidewinder missiles fittedto their racks, magazines of .20MM cannon rounds loadedinto place.124INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY124Baker, Charlie, Rat and Cahill carefully move themakeshift stretcher with Cappy strapped in place, overthe tops of the baggage containers.(CONTINUED)72.124CONTINUED:124Working on hands and knees, they lift, move and pass thestretcher along, straining and sweating in the closeconfinement. The stretcher is placed alongside the opencontainer, Cappy grimacing in pain from the movement.RATSorry to do this to you, Cappy.But we've got a bad one here.GRANTIt's some form of computercontrolled triggering device, verysophisticated.CAPPY(in pain)Let me have a look.Baker attaches a second eyepiece to the unit, holdingone to Cappy's eye as he squeezes the trigger. Grantobserves the interior along with Cappy.124ACAPPY'S POV - INT. BOMB124AIn the eerie illumination of the probe is revealed aforest of printed circuit boards, and in one section, arotating laser-disc-like mechanism, connected through aseries of relays and wires to a thick floor of darkorange material at the base of the computer, sittingdirectly atop the nerve gas.124BRETURN TO SCENE124BCappy studying the bomb.CAPPYMicro-processor, dedicated fixeddrive, least 40 megabytes... couldbe running a dozen programs...Cappy now sees the guts of the bomb, the lens movingaround, showing the relays and probes, pressed into theplastic explosive at the base.CAPPYTake me in a little closer...As the lens zooms in and moves around the interior,Cappy grows more concerned and focused by the second.(CONTINUED)73.124BCONTINUED:124BCAPPYSweet Jesus... nerve gas, binarycanisters... Plastic in two poundblocks, sixteen pounds more orless, enough to atomize this plane...Guy doesn't fuck around. Thisain't no pipe-bomb and a six voltbattery.(beat)This is major-league talent.The lens plays across a glass tube with several elementsinside.CAPPYNow what is this? Stop. Go inon that. Right there.(beat)Now that's something I do recognize.Barometric pressure switch.Activated on take-off, probablyset to air-burst during landing.(beat)Could be the way in. Looks likean isolated trigger. If I can...if you can disable that switch,it might buy you some time.Grant stands, looking into the faces of the men groupedaround him. Rat ponders the situation.RATOkay, we go as planned. We shutthis thing down, take over theplane and get it to someplace safe.CHARLIEWho gets to fuck with the mousetrap?They're stumped on this one. Grant speaks up.GRANTCahill.RAT(stunned)Cahill?GRANTHe's the best qualified and theonly one you can spare.(looks at bomb)He's a design engineer. He buildsstuff like this all the time.(CONTINUED)74.124BCONTINUED: (2)124BRATExcept it doesn't go boom if youfuck up.(thinks)What the hell. All right, it'syour baby. The rest of us, let'sget in position. Charlie, mid-cabin. Baker, rear compartments.I'll take the cockpit, businessclass. Keep your units on. Let'sgo.The commandos depart leaving Grant and Cappy behind.Grant turns to Cappy.GRANTSo what do you think?CAPPYHonestly?GRANTHonestly.CAPPYWe're all lookin' up the ass endof a dead dog.124CINT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY124COff to one side, Grant is talking to Cahill, who staresat him, dumbfounded.CAHILLJesus. I don't know anythingabout bombs. I can't do it. Whyme? Why not you?GRANTI'm the only one who can monitortheir conversations. You're allwe've got left.(beat)Look at it this way, you've builtcomputers before, haven't you?CAHILL(puzzled)Yes, but what does that have...GRANTNow you're going to take one apart.(CONTINUED)75.124CCONTINUED: 124CCAHILLBut what if I...GRANTMake a mistake? Don't worry aboutit, Cahill, you'll never know it.(beat)You can do it, Cahill. Now let'sget going, I've got work to do.Grant pats Cahill on the shoulder. He moves over thecargo containers towards the bomb where Cappy lies,Cahill reluctantly following.GRANTAll right, Cappy. Walk himthrough it. Call me if you needany help.Grant leaves.CAPPYDon't worry, Cahill, this is justlike playing with Leggos, but moreexciting. Bring that bomb kitover here and let's get started.Cahill slides the bomb kit into position.CAPPYFirst things first. Looks likethat black cover is just a leadshield. See if you can lift itoff... But, Cahill, everythingreal easy, okay?Grant carefully releases the four spring-latches at thebase of the cover. He removes the fiber-optic probe andthen gently lifts the cover, revealing the bomb in itsentirety.125INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY125With the Terrorist Guard now downstairs, the FlightEngineer is trying to tell the disbelieving pilotswhat he witnessed earlier.FLIGHT ENGINEER(urgent; whispering)I'm telling you, I saw them.Americans...He hears the GUARD ASCENDING the stairs and APPROACHINGthe cockpit. He turns back to his work station.76.125AINT. MAIN CABIN - DAY125AWhere the Marshal ponders his dilemma, carefullystudying the positions of the Terrorists, trying toformulate a plan.125BINT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY125BGrant is on the com-board, headset on, monitoring thevarious microphones and serving as the link to the team.He keys a switch labeled "CAHILL."GRANTCahill. How you doing?126INT. BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY126Cahill is huddled over the bomb, Cappy's bomb-kit openbeside him, an electronic detector attached to the wiresnear the barometric switch.A mirror, taken from a vanity case, has been attachedto Cappy's stretcher by an aluminum pole, somewhat likea rear-view mirror. From his position, Cappy cansupervise Cahill's work on the bomb.CAHILL(to mike)Uh, okay, I guess. We're ready tostart.(to Cappy)Cappy. The meter indicates 15 oms.CAPPYOkay, that's good. Looks like it'sin parallel and isolated. Go aheadand complete the by-pass.Cahill attaches the end of an alligator clip to the rightside of the switch, completing a by-pass loop of the unit.127INT. ELEVATOR - COACH LEVEL - DAY127FROM ABOVE, we see the floor of the elevator pushedupward, revealing Rat in the lower galley. With theskill of a gymnast he carefully wedges his way upwardinto the elevator, holding his body against the wall ashe closes the floor panel.Holding tight to the wall, he carefully peers out theelevator window, seeing Fran, her back to him, working atthe galley.77.128INT. MID-CABIN WORK STATION - DAY128Fran catches sight of a movement, reflected in thepolished surface of the stainless steel wall. Startled,she turns and before Rat can duck, their eyes meet, alook of total shock registering on her face. The flag isvisible on Rat's shoulder as he puts his finger to hislips.Suddenly Fran hears SOMEONE APPROACHING from behind, Aliappearing. A moment's hesitation and then she turns,grabbing a coffee urn and a cup. Putting her back to theelevator window, she offers Ali a cup of coffee. Hestares at her suspiciously and then accepts the coffee.129INT. ELEVATOR - DAY129Rat rapidly turns his attention to the overhead panel.Pulling the panel downward, he pulls himself into theupper section, reaching down to close the panel.130INT. WORK STATION - DAY130Ali sips the coffee, studying Fran. He's very uneasyabout something but he can't put his finger on it.Finally he moves on.Fran looks around her, and then cautiously shoots aglance inside the elevator. It's empty. We FOLLOW hergaze UPWARDS to the overhead panels.131INT. 747 OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY131Above the coach section, the longest open space of theplane, consisting of support struts and ribs for theceiling structure; air conditioning units; ducting,wiring and hydraulic lines. Rat is crouched on one knee,closing the top panel to the elevator shaft.RAT(to mike)Shit, I was made. Attendant sawme in the elevator.(beat)Grant, you copy this?131AINT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY131AGRANTI copy. Describe her.(CONTINUED)78.131ACONTINUED:131ARAT (V.O.)(urgent)She's working the mid-cabin.Short blonde hair, five six.GRANTOkay. I'll have Baker keep aneye on her. All we can do iswatch, hope she can keep a secret.(switches)Baker...131BINT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY131BRat continues on, spider-walking along the support beams,reaching up to clip in to the trolley cable when his foothits a patch of grease, his foot flying out from under him.In one cat-like movement, Rat flips his position, catchinghimself spread-eagled over the lower support beams,directly over the plastic ceiling panels for the maincabin. Sweat drips from his face as he carefully regainshis position.132INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY132Fran studies the ceiling, half-expecting the commandoseen earlier to come crashing through to the floor. Shelooks at Ali, some distance behind her, watching her,unaware of the disturbance she has just heard.133INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY133As Rat, moving down the cable, approaching the forward-most section of the plane, Charlie's voice cuts in.CHARLIE (V.O.)(filtered)I'm in position, mid-cabin.They're all over the place. I cantake two, maybe three. I'm good,but I ain't that good. We needanother gun.RATOkay, stand by. I'm at theforward section. Let's see howbad it is up there.He moves on, pulling himself along the cable towards theforward section.79.134INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY134Grant wipes the sweat from his brow and taking a pair ofclippers from Cahill, moves his hand into the heart ofthe bomb.CAPPYCahill, could you adjust themirror? I want to take a betterlook at this thing.(Cahill adjusts mirror)That's better. Now, clip thewires on either side. Don'ttouch anything else.Cahill places the cutter around the wire. He hesitatesand then, clips the wire, watching the om meter, theneedle darting slightly and then holding on: 15 oms.Relieved, he clips the second wire.CAPPYGood work. That should do it.Relieved, Cahill sits back, keying his com-unit.CAHILL(to mike)We've isolated the pressure switch.134AINT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY134AGrant switches from Cahill on the "B" channel to the "A"channel.GRANTRat, this is Grant. They'veisolated the switch.RAT (V.O.)Thanks. All right, everyone infinal positions. Captain, I needto see you in the forward galley,right away.Grant seems puzzled by this.135EXT. GATWICK AIRFIELD (LONDON) - DAY135A light mist is falling on the tarmac where a Lear jetis being serviced by a flight crew. Long range, wing-tipfuel tanks are being installed.(CONTINUED)80.135CONTINUED:135A Mercedes sedan, darkened windows, pulls alongside,accompanied by a military escort. Three Arabs emergefrom the car, two obviously pilots, carrying flight bags,the other, a grim-faced MAN dressed in a tailored suit.From the plane, a MECHANIC emerges, descending the stairs,the name on his coveralls reading: Reggie. He addressesthe three men in a heavy Cockney accent.MECHANIC(grinning)She's all yours, China-plate.The Mechanic moves on, the grim-faced Man turning to thepilots, speaking in Arabic.MAN(subtitles)Search it. Everything.The pilots enter the plane.136INT. GATWICK AIRPORT - VIP LOUNGE - DAY136Inside a commercial aviation building, now serving as aheavily guarded holding room for Jaffa. Soldiers andsecurity men are everywhere. Seated on a couch, in adarkened side of the room, is Jaffa, wearing a belly-chain and handcuffs. The U.S. AMBASSADOR to Englandis speaking to Jaffa, two marine guards standingnearby.AMBASSADOR... If they will divert to GanderAir Force Base, Newfoundland, theUnited States will guarantee thesafe passage of Ali and his menback to the Middle East.(beat)Otherwise, he will never be allowedto reach the shores of the UnitedStates.Jaffa studies the Ambassador appraisingly. He may be inchains but beginning to relish the power attending hisnew found importance. He smiles, assuming a diplomaticair.JAFFAAli is an impassioned man, but inthe interests of peace, I will domy best.AMBASSADORI am sure you will.81.137INT. 747 FORWARD GALLEY - DAY137Rat and Grant are conferring off to one side of theelevator, just below the emergency escape hatch, leadingto the main cabin aisle above. Rat hands Grant a handshotgun, the size of a flare gun.RATThere's just too many of them,Captain. We need another gun.Grant looks at the weapon.GRANTIt's been years since I evenhandled a gun...RATDon't worry, with this you can'tmiss. One guy on station justabove us. I'll cue you, you'llhave the element of surprise.Rat grabs the escape handle to the hatch in one hand,holding the weapon tight to his chest in the other.RATHold it tight, like this. Pushup hard, two steps up the ladder,aim straight at his chest and fire.Don't think, just shoot.138EXT. AIRCRAFT CARRIER (MID-ATLANTIC) - DAY138As the squadron of F-14's are launched from the catapults,SCREAMING upward, silver messengers of death.139INT. 747 BUSINESS CLASS CLOSET STORAGE AREA - DAY139Directly behind business class. Rat emerges from aservice hatch, easing to the floor inside the closet.Cautiously he parts the two doors, looking into thebusiness class compartment and the cockpit just beyond.RAT(to mike)In the business class closet. I'llbe set in about thirty seconds.140INT. UPPER SECTION - DAY140Baker, suspended upside down, moves quickly and silentlydown the cable, heading toward the rear of the plane,passing Charlie as he goes.82.141INT. FORWARD GALLEY - DAY141Grant moves into position, under the emergency escapehatch, leading to the aisle of the coach section. Hegrasps the overhead handle which will push the door up.He stares at the weapon in his hand.RAT (V.O.)(filtered)I'll take the man in the cockpitfirst, then down the stairs forthe second. You all move tenseconds later. Baker, Charlie...142INT. UPPER SECTION - TAIL AREA - DAY142Baker is positioned over the floor, holding open a panel,looking down into the rear-most cluster of bathrooms.BAKER(to mike)I'm in position. Rear bathrooms.Baker eases down into the room, taking up position atthe door.143INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY143Where Charlie has placed a circle of detonation cord onthe floor. He's positioned on a support beam above theceiling panel, holding the detonating switch in his hand.He looks prepared to jump after he blows the floor.CHARLIE(to mike)Charlie. Ready to blow theceiling.144INT. BUSINESS CLASS CLOSET - DAY144Rat, his hand on the doors, is holding a silenced .22automatic pistol. Through a crack in the door he cansee the Terrorist standing several feet away, his backto him.RAT(whisper)Okay, dude is right in my sights.Here we go...83.145INT. FORWARD GALLEY - DAY145Grant releases the safety on the deadly-looking handshotgun, his hand trembling. He nervously double-checksthe unfamiliar weapon, making sure it is cocked. Hecloses his eyes, blinking away the sweat.146INT. COACH - WORK STATION - DAY146Where the four Terrorists are grouped, listening to theradios. A NEWS BROADCAST is underway on the SHORTWAVE.147INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY147Cahill sitting beside the bomb as Cappy studies itthrough his mirror. Suddenly a series of red lightsflash in sequence on a unit in the center of the bomb.CAPPYWhat the hell was that?CAHILL(startled)I don't know. Looked like somekind of...The lights flash again.CAPPYJesus Murphy. Stop them, Cahill.Stop the hit!CAHILLWhat?!CAPPY(in pain)Use the radio. Tell them to stopthe hit. Now!Cahill fumbles for the channel switch on the com-unit.148INT. BUSINESS CLASS CLOSET - DAY148Rat pushes the door open further, lowering his pistol,sighting down on the head of the Terrorist, a few feetaway. His finger starts to squeeze the trigger...Suddenly Cahill's frantic voice breaks in.(CONTINUED)84.148CONTINUED:148CAHILL (V.O.)(filtered)Stop! Stop the attack! Stop theattack!As the Terrorist starts to turn, Rat pulls back inside,silently closing the door. He wipes the sweat from hisface.RAT(under his breath)Jesus!149INT. FORWARD GALLEY - DAY149Grant closes the escape hatch, collapsing to the floor.RAT (V.O.)(filtered)Cahill, what the fuck is going on?!CAHILL (V.O.)(filtered)He said to stop. Cappy. He saidto stop you.RAT (V.O.)(filtered)Cappy. What is it?150INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY150Cahill is holding the com-unit to Cappy's head.CAPPY(urgent)You see any terrorist with anythinglooks like a transmitter, box,wires, anything?RAT (V.O.)(filtered)No. Just weapons.CAPPYWell, someone just ran a programtest on the bomb. Whoever he is,he's holding an override switch,and he's got his finger right onthe god-damned trigger...Cahill closes his eyes.CAHILLChrist...85.151INT. COACH - MID-SECTION - CLOSE ON SMALL, COMPUTER-LIKE151DEVICEA hand touches a key and a series of green lights flashin series.152EXT. F-14'S REFUELING SEQUENCE - DAY152Flying in formation, waiting their turn to top offtheir fuel tanks from a carrier launched A-6 Tanker.153INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY153Kaplan and his entourage enter the room, Kaplan staringat the overhead screens and the situation board showingthe 747's flight path across the Atlantic.The Secretary of State approaches.SECRETARY OF STATEWe have less than five minutes tomake the release.KAPLANAuthorize it. Notify the press.He turns to the Major-General.KAPLANGeneral.MAJOR-GENERALThey'll reach our air space in anhour and a half.KAPLANIt's up to Jaffa.154EXT. AIRPORT (LONDON) - DAY154As a LEAR EXECUTIVE JET SCREAMS down the runway, liftingoff into the sky.155INT. EXECUTIVE JET - DAY155Jaffa sits in one of the plush cabin seats. The Arabin the tailored suit humbly approaches, speaking quietlyin Arabic.MAN(subtitles)We have contact with Ali.(CONTINUED)86.155CONTINUED:155He pulls a telephone from its cradle and hands it toJaffa. We hear STATIC FAINTLY over the line, then avoice.ALI HASSAN (V.O.)(filtered)I rejoice in your freedom. Allahhas blessed us. A great destinyawaits us both.156INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY156The crisis team are grouped around the communicationcenter, listening to the conversation as the NSA'sscanners keep track of the radio transmission.JAFFA (V.O.)(filtered)Listen carefully, the Americanshave a message...(beat)They are preparing to meet yourdemands in Washington. They willgive you fuel and gold for thehostages. But do not trust them.Continue radio silence, make noattempt to contact them.(beat)A glorious victory. You have donewell.157INT. 747 - COACH SECTION - DAY157Ali Hassan is listening on the field radio to Jaffa.ALI HASSANIn a few hours, you will see howtruly glorious my victory will be...JAFFA (V.O.)(interrupting)We cannot talk now. They must notlocate this frequency.158INT. EXECUTIVE JET - DAY158Jaffa terminates the call, hears the STATIC as theconnection is severed. He returns the telephone to itscradle, a cold, menacing look as he turns to the window.(CONTINUED)87.158CONTINUED:158JAFFAGo with God.He jots down several items on a tablet and turns to hisnew charge de affairs.JAFFAYou will prepare an anonymous newsrelease. In several hours, aC.S.A. 747 will be destroyed as itapproaches the United States.(hands over the paper)This is the Arab countryresponsible for the highjackingand destruction of the plane.The necessary proof will beprovided shortly.(thinks)Then contact General Hammad. Tellhim I have a proposition to make.He sits back, a cold smile forming on his lips.JAFFAI taught you well, Ali.159INT. 747 - COACH SECTION - DAY159Ali Hassan turns OFF the RADIO shouting a revolutionaryslogan, the other Terrorists taking up the cry.At this, terror sweeps through the plane. Ali Hassan isnow truly a man possessed with carrying out his destiny,and with it, the lives of thousands of innocent people.Hassan turns and looks at someone in the seats beforehim, a passenger, someone unseen to us. He gives aslight nod and then moves on, shouting another cry ofrevenge.We HOLD ON Fran as she looks from the frightened facesof the passengers to the overhead panels, aware thatsome inescapable collision between these madmen and someunseen force infiltrating the airplane is about to happen.But who are they, how did they get here, when will theystrike?160INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY160Kaplan turns angrily away from the center.(CONTINUED)88.160CONTINUED:160DCI(stunned)He didn't even make the attempt.He wants him to die.KAPLANHe's forcing the President todestroy the plane, hoping we'llretaliate.SECRETARY OF STATEAgainst whom?KAPLANWhomever he chooses to implicate.SECRETARY OF STATEI say we shoot the bastard down.KAPLANIf only we could. They'll stickto civilian air corridors, and wecould never violate the foreignairspace anyway. It would be anact of war.Kaplan turns away, staring at the situation board, show-ing the 747 growing closer to the fail-safe line everysecond.KAPLANTell Admiral Crosby to interceptthe 747. Then contact thePresident. From this point on itsan executive decision.161INT. COCKPIT - DAY161Over the INTERCOM, the news of Jaffa's release has beenbroadcast to the terrorist guard. As he takes up thecry, the Flight Engineer looks down at the hatch leadingto the avionics room.FLIGHT ENGINEER(to himself)Any time, guys.162EXT. 747 - DAY162The giant plane flies on over the Atlantic.89.163INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY163Where Rat, Grant, Charlie and Baker sit in the nosesection, assessing their situation in urgent, whisperedvoices. Grant is monitoring the activities in the cabinarea via one of the microphones left in place. He islistening to a CONVERSATION in ARABIC.GRANTQuiet... sounds like somethingbig's going on.Grant continues to listen.GRANT(puzzled)One of our boys is challengingAli. Wants to know why they'renot returning to London, now thatJaffa's been released.BAKERLondon?164INT. COACH SECTION - DAY164Kahlil is arguing with Ali in Arabic.KAHLIL(subtitles)This was not the plan! WithJaffa's release, we were to returnto London. This is insane. Wemust turn back...Suddenly Ali flies into a rage, brutally whipping Kahlilwith his pistol, blow after blow, driving him to thefloor, killing him. Ali looks up, madness raging in hiseyes. Several other terrorists look at him in total fear.ALI HASSANTraitor!165INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY165Grant puts down the headset, looks at the others.GRANTI think he just killed one of hisown men. The others don't knowabout the bomb.(realizes)Of course. The trigger man is oneof the passengers. A sleeper.It could be anyone.(CONTINUED)90.165CONTINUED:165BAKERFour hundred passengers. Neverfind him. We're as good as dead.A long moment as this new reality settles in.CHARLIEThen I say we go out slingin'some lead. Get some fuckin'payback.RATThat's not what we came here todo.CHARLIEShit, man, they're gonna blow usout of the sky. At least we canhave the pleasure of doin' thesebastards before we all buy it.(beat)Hell, we might even get lucky.Rat looks at the men, confused as to what the next planof attack should be, realizing he has nothing left tooffer. He's out of ideas, sinking into the utter hope-lessness of their situation. He looks at Grant, whostares at the floor, deep in thought.RATCaptain.(as Grant looks up)Any ideas?Grant looks at his watch. Thinks a moment.GRANTWe might still have some time.And there just might be a way tofind the sleeper.(beat)But we've got to keep dismantlingthe bomb. If we can neutralizeit, then finding the sleeper won'tmatter. But we can't risk it.Have to do both.CHARLIEAnd how do we find this sleeper?GRANTBaker, what about the videoequipment, what do you have?(CONTINUED)91.165CONTINUED: (2)165BAKERWide angle probe, hard-line cablebut no camera, monitor, relay...GRANTWe've got to monitor that cabin.I need to hear everything, see asmuch as I can. Anything we canuse from the plane?Baker thinks, slowly nodding his head.166INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY166Baker and Charlie have opened up another of the baggagecontainers. Charlie hands up an aluminum suitcase toBaker, who opens it, studying the contents.BAKERThis will do.167INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY167Rat carefully drills a tiny hole by hand through one ofthe bulkheads. He attaches a long cable to the twoelectrical leads on the end of a six-inch long lens, thediameter of a pencil. Carefully he begins to push thelens into the hole.168INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - MID-SECTION - DAY168Near the flight attendant's work station. Above thecenter bulkhead we MOVE IN on a tiny hole, seeing a slightreflector of light as the wide angle lens of the videoprobe is pushed into position.169INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY169Grant is talking to Cappy, Cahill sitting alongside themat the bomb site.GRANTHow bad is it?CAPPYShort strokes -- it's amasterpiece. Set up on threestages; several back-ups. Pressureswitch was designed to trigger asthe plane landed.(MORE)(CONTINUED)92.169CONTINUED:169CAPPY (CONT'D)If that failed, there's a timeroperated by the fixed disc.Probably the flight time plus anhour or two.GRANTCan we disable it? Cut the power?CAPPYHe's way ahead of you. Two powersources, one protects the other.Tamper-proof. Cut one, the secondone sets off the bomb.GRANTCappy, how are we going to beatthis god-damned thing?CAPPYThis guy's good, real good... butI'm better. Won't be easy, butthere's a way.Grant turns to Cahill.GRANTWe're going to do everything wecan to find the sleeper, but itmay all come down to you. You'regoing to have to go the distance.CAHILL(numb)As if I had a chance.CAPPYDon't worry about my man, Cahill,he's got what it takes.(beat)Besides, he fucks up, I'll killhim.Grant pats Cahill on the shoulder. He moves over thecontainers towards the Avionics Room, leaving Cahill tostare at the bomb.170INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY170Baker is working on a home video Minicam, the aluminumsuitcase open beside him. He has opened up the cameraand is wiring in a small electrical harness.(CONTINUED)93.170CONTINUED:170He closes up the camera, taping it together. He hasremoved the eyepiece, exposing the tiny viewscreen inside.Rat appears, trailing out the hard-wire video feed,attached to the probe above.RATRan the cable down the back sideof the elevator shaft. They'llnever see it.Baker takes the cable, twisting the wires into thoseleading from the camera. He switches on the camera.On the tiny view screen of the camera, we see the wideangle, black and white image of the main cable. Randomstatic crosses the picture.BAKERNot much resolution, but it works.Grant pats him on the shoulder.GRANTNow we've got eyes and ears.171INT. WORK STATION - DAY171Fran is preparing several trays of juice and water forthe passengers.172INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY172Grant, Rat and Baker are watching Fran on the tiny screen.GRANTWhat do you think?BAKERShe's on a short leash, but hasthe freedom to move around thecabin...Grant looks to Rat for approval of his plan.RATAll right. Try it.Baker hands Grant a switch, wired into the electricalsystem of the plane.(CONTINUED)94.172CONTINUED:172BAKERI've by-passed the buzzer.GRANTLet's hope she sees it.Grant activates the switch. On the video monitor we seethat a light on the telephone is flashing a code. Amoment later, Fran notices the light, but stares at it,unmoving.GRANTPick it up... pick it up.173INT. WORK STATION - DAY173Fran staring at the flashing light. She looks around,seeing one of the Terrorist Guards standing nearby. Shelooks at the flashing light... and then picks up thephone.GRANTJust listen. I'm watching you ona video. Behind you, above thebulkhead.Disbelieving she turns, eyes searching, focusing on thetiny probe, barely visible in the bulkhead.GRANTWe're Americans. You've seen oneof us. There is a bomb on thisplane. One of the passengers isin direct control of it. We haveto find him and we need your help.You're looking for someone withan electronic device, a radio...Suddenly the phone is ripped from her hand, Ali roughlyspinning her around.ALIWhat are you doing?Ali places the phone to his ear and listens. The line isdead.FRANI... thought the phone rang. I'msorry. It's just habit.He stares at her and then hangs up the phone.(CONTINUED)95.173CONTINUED:173ALIYou always have an explanation.Ali leaves. Fran is overwhelmed by this new development.Suddenly she remembers, the Air Marshal. She looks backdown the aisle, making eye contact with him. She turnsback, horrified. She has to warn him, but how?FRAN(to herself)Think...She looks around her, focusing on a rack of magazines.We HOLD ON Fran's face.174INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY174Grant and Baker watching the tiny screen, watching as shemoves around the work station.BAKERShe looks pretty shaken. I don'tthink she'll do it.GRANTShe's got to.They continue to watch as Fran picks up a stack ofmagazines and turns towards them. A moment's hesitationand then she looks up, directly into the lens, a look ofstrength and determination on her face, she nods. Grantturns to Baker.BAKERShe's with us. Lady's a player.A momentary look from Rat, a nod of acceptance. Grant isnow in charge.RATGood move, Captain. I'll getupstairs, watch her. If shefingers someone, we'll have tomove fast.Rat leaves via the flap leading to the baggage compart-ment. Baker looks at his tac-board. We PUSH IN ON thewatches, the elapsed timer running down to forty-fiveminutes remaining.BAKERWe reach U.S. airspace in forty-five minutes.96.175INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY175Fran is moving down the aisle, carefully scrutinizing anyvisible carry-on luggage, bags and seat pockets for somesign of a suspicious device, all the while pretendingto look after the needs of the passengers, offering themmagazines to read. Behind her, a Terrorist Guard keepsa close watch.176INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DAY176PULLING BACK FROM the situation map, showing the 747'sposition, now approaching the U.S. The Major-Generalhangs up a telephone and addresses the Kaplan.MAJOR-GENERALThe F-14's should be interceptingthe 747 in approximately fifteenminutes. Should be coming onthe board any second.On the screen we see, four small points of light,approaching the 747 from a converging angle, their originsomewhere near Florida.177INT. MAIN CABIN SECTION - DAY177Fran approaches the Air Marshal, who looks up briefly.She reaches his seat, casually handing him a magazine.What the quard can't see is her expression as she taps thecover of the magazine. The Marshal looks down seeing:A Newsweek, a cover shot of a group of U.S. soldiers incamouflage, weapons, the banner-line reading: "HOW MUCHLONGER."The Marshal looks up, Fran looking hard at the pictureand then mouthing the words: "They're here."She moves on, leaving the Marshal to stare at the picturein bewilderment. They're here?Fran continues to search for some sign of suspiciousbehavior, an electronic device, something. There seemsto be nothing but row upon row of frightened, innocent-looking passengers.178INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - CLOSEUP - DAY178view of the bomb FOCUSES on a wiring harness of varyingcolors. The tiny, pinpoint beam of a laser appears onone of the wires.(CONTINUED)97.178CONTINUED:178CAPPYLow-power, number one. Just touchthe wire for a heartbeat.In Cahill's hand is a laser-knife, the size of a fountainpen, a wire leading to a power box on the floor besidehim. Cahill touches the trigger and the beam changesintensity, the wire suddenly vaporizing, leaving the barewire underneath exposed.CAPPYThat's good. Now clip in.Cahill wipes the sweat from his brow, his shirt soaked inperspiration. At his side is a small black box, takenfrom the bomb kit. At one end of the box are a seriesof ports for electrical connections. Several wires leadfrom the ports to the bomb, clipped in to wires invarious components.CAHILLHere goes...With trembling hands, he attaches another wire to a relayin the bomb, plugging the other end into the black box.CAPPYOutstanding. You've got the majorsensors by-passed. Mr X willstill think the bomb's intact.(beat)Kick the power up to three and cutthe wires to that first relay.That's a load-fluctuator, a fail-safe against an electromagneticburst.Cahill turns up the power and begins to move the laser-knife towards the bomb. But his hand begins to trembleuncontrollably. He stops.CAHILL(verge of panic; anger)I can't do it. My hand's shakingtoo much. I can't breathe.CAPPYSettle down, Cahill. You're doingfine. You know anything aboutfishing?(CONTINUED)98.178CONTINUED: (2)178CAHILL(numb)No... I hate fish. Hate theoutdoors.CAPPYDoesn't matter. Shut the fuck upand listen.(beat)Take a deep breath. Relax.Close your eyes.(beat)You're sitting at your desk...it's in the middle of a pineforest. Wind cool and light, thesun shining down through thetrees. You're beside a stream,water rollin' over the rocks intothe most beautiful pool of deep,green water you've ever seen...Cahill's breathing slows, his face beginning to relax.Cappy closes his eyes.CAPPY... You get up from your desk andwalk to the pool, your fly rod inyour hand, royal coachman tied on,your can't miss fly. At the backof that pool is Bad Leroy Brown,fifteen pound German trout, juststartin' to rise from beneath atangle of logs. Now, all you gotto do is pull back, float yourline out, lay that fly down likea feather, right in front of oldLeroy's nose...Cahill opens his eyes. His hand has stopped shaking. Hemoves forward, cutting through the wires with the laser.CAHILL(relieved)I did it.He turns, looking at Cappy's face, reflected in themirror. Cappy nods, closing his eyes in relief.179INT. COACH SECTION - DAY179Fran is moving down the aisle, the Terrorist Guardstrolling close behind.(CONTINUED)99.179CONTINUED:179As she passes a seat, a hand reaches out, tugging on herapron. Startled, Fran turns. It's the heavy-set Womanseen earlier. The Woman is perspiring and seems short ofbreath.WOMANMiss, may I have some water? Ihave to take my medication.Diabetes.The Woman holds out a prescription pill vial.FRAN(distracted)Of course. I'll get you somewater.The Woman fumbles with the vial, her hands trembling.WOMANThese things are always so hardto open...The vial slips from her hands, falling to the floor.FRANI'll get it.Fran kneels to the floor to help. The Guard moves in,prodding her with his weapon.FRAN(calmly)It's all right. I'm just gettingher pills.Fran kneels, searching the floor for the vial, finding itnext to the Woman's feet. She is about to rise when hereyes freeze on the underseat storage space of the windowseat, where the Laptop Computer, seen earlier, sits,nearly obscured from view.Fran stares at the computer, slowly looking up into thealarmed eyes of the dark-complected man at the window.The Guard pulls Fran to her feet, examining the pill vial,before giving it to the Woman.FRANI'll be right back with yourwater.The man at the window follows their movement and thencarefully removes the computer, hiding it between hisbody and the window bulkhead.100.180INT. MID-SECTION WORK STATION - DAY180Fran, with her BACK TO US, a terrorist standing nearby,appears to be replenishing her drink tray, pulling downpaper cups from an overhead bin and working on somethingbefore her. But as we move alongside her, we see thatbetween movements, she hurriedly scribbles something onthe back of the tray with a lipstick.181INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY181CLOSE ON the TV monitor, showing Fran just inside thegalley. As one of the Terrorist Guards passes by, sheturns back to her station, busying herself with some-thing. She turns back, and while looking at the probe,brushes her ear several times, looking around her.BAKERCaptain, take a look at this.Grant studies the monitor as Fran again brushes her ear.GRANTShe's signaling.On the monitor we see a Terrorist Guard as he slowlymoves through the galley, crossing behind Fran. Liftingthe tray off the counter, Fran turns towards the camera,flipping the bottom upwards as she does. On the bottomof the tray, written in red lipstick, we see: 148-B.182INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY182Grant and Baker studying a schematic of the passengersection of the plane. Baker circles a section, Grantkeying his mike.GRANTRat, we've got something. 148-B.Window seat, mid-section.RAT (V.O.)(filtered)I got it.183EXT. F-14'S - IN FLIGHT - DUSK183Somewhere over the Atlantic, flying in tight formation.184INT. F-14 LEADER - COCKPIT - DUSK184The NAVIGATOR plotting a course on his radar screen.(CONTINUED)101.184CONTINUED:184NAVIGATORHave target acquisition at threehundred miles, vector zero-six-zero for contact.PILOTRoger. Formation this is Bulldog.We have radar contact, turningzero-six-zero for contact.Initiate weapons systems checknow. Notify me on visual contact.185INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DUSK185Rat, using the fiber-optic viewscope, is lying on hisstomach, observing something below. He is wedged into animpossibly tight position, under an air-conditioningvent.CLOSE ON the monitor as the fiber-optic probe pans acrossthe heavy-set Woman's legs, zooming in on small computer,tucked against the leg and the seat of the man in 148-B.RATCould be a small computer, betweenhis leg and the seat. Looks likehe's hiding it. All I can seeis his legs. Air conditioningunit, right in the way. But thecomputer is definitely suspicious.It has to be him.CHARLIE (V.O.)(filtered)Can you get a hit on him?Rat looks away from the fiber-optic probe, staring at thebulkhead, inches from his face.RATCan't move up here, barely breathe,no hope for a shot. Charlie, whatabout you?186INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY186Charlie is positioned near the mid-section restrooms inthe crawl-space above the doorways. Lying on his sidehe is able to peer through the fresh air vents, providinga view of passengers. Although he can see the man in148-B, he is barely visible behind a passenger sittingin front of him.(CONTINUED)102.186CONTINUED:186Towards the rear, another terrorist is plainly visible.Charlie's pistol is at his side.CHARLIENo chance. Blocked by the seats,passengers all around him.187INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY187Cahill has isolated the wires leading to a major relay ofthe bomb, a harness of wires, situated near the fixeddisc, the disc rotating silently behind the glass obser-vation window. Cahill approaches the wires with the laserbeam. Cappy is watching Cahill's movement through themirror.CAPPYWe're almost home. Next stop isa little tougher. Relax. Just dowhat I tell you.(beat)The red one on top, first. Then,separate the wires with thespreader, cut the yellow oneunderneath. Just kiss that redone like a feather. Don't touchthe other wires.(beat)Take your time. Slow and steady.As the laser-knife begins to glow, Cahill slowly lowersit to the first wire, beginning to cut.188INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY188CLOSE ON hands as they open the computer-like device.Fingers touch the keyboard...189INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY189Suddenly, on the bomb, there is a metallic CLATTER asa series of electical relays open and close, the lightson the testing unit flashing in series...Cahill's hand jumps, slicing through half of the harness.His face goes rigid with fear as we CRASH ZOOM to therotation disc as it abruptly halts.Cahill inhales sharply...(CONTINUED)103.189CONTINUED:189Cappy staring wide-eyed into the mirror, sweat pouringdown his face, waiting for the bomb to explode. But thefrozen disc, Cahill's trembling hand, remain fixed inthe mirror.Cappy's mind is racing. He exhales sharply.CAPPY(under his breath)Decoy. A fuckin' decoy.(louder)The whole thing's a fake. Hesnookered us.TIGHT ON Cahill's sweating face.CAHILL(near hysteria)What?! What's happening?! Whatthe hell's happening?CAPPYA decoy, to waste our time. Thereal works must be below, underthe plate.190INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY190Barry and Grant, listening to Cappy's devastating news.CAPPY (V.O.)(filtered)Real cute, this guy. Built adecoy into the system. Time youfinish fiddle-fucking around, thetimer would have gone off.Cahill's screw-up probably savedus a lot of time.GRANT(agitated)Just give it to me straight.191OMITTED191192INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY192Cahill is staring at the bomb as he listens to theexchange between Grant and Cappy.(CONTINUED)104.192CONTINUED:192CAPPYWe'll have to start over.Cahill, leans back, his head bumping the wall of thecontainer.CAHILL(exhaling)Jesus.193INT. OVERHEAD SECTION - DAY193TIGHT ON Rat's watch. In anger, Rat slams his fist intohis hand. He seems near the breaking point.RATJesus, we've got less than fifteenminutes.CAPPY (V.O.)(filtered)I'm sorry, that's all we can do.I can't say what we'll find.RATThen we go now, blow the lights,take our chances.GRANT (V.O.)(urgent)No. He just ran another test.He's got direct access to the thing.It's got to be by total surpriseor you're fucked.Rat leans back against the bulkhead, closing his eyes.RATWe're not going to make it.194INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY194Grant looks around him, at Baker, at his face, tired andhaggard. He looks defeated.Slowly a new energy and resolve begins to show on Grant'sface.GRANTHe's not going to beat us. We'vecome too far.(CONTINUED)105.194CONTINUED:194He keys the mike to his head set.GRANT(determined)Get into your attack positions.Cappy, stay with it. We're takingthis thing to the wire.RAT (V.O.)What about the sleeper?GRANTI'll take care of the sleeper.195INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY195Cahill, wide-eyed with concentration and fear, is liftingthe top panel of the bomb containing the false circuitry.CAPPYEasy. Not too fast. Now hold it,don't move.Cahill holds the panel just inches above the top frame-work of the bomb.CAPPYKnowing how this fucker thinks, Iexpect he's got a surprise for us.Check under the panel with yourlight. Look for somethingconnecting the two panels, a trip-wire maybe.Holding the panel steady, Cahill lowers his head, usingthe light on his head gear to scan between the two levels,the second level consisting of a series of relays and asoftball-sized stainless steel sphere. He scans the area,seeing a hair-fine wire, attached to the top panel andbelow, to a micro-switch.CAHILL(trembling)You're right. There's a wire...hooked to a switch.CAPPYThat's it. Now just reach in withyour nippers and clip that wire.Cahill, holding the panel with one hand, fumbles for thenippers in the tool kit. Moving them into position hecuts the wire.106.196INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY196Grant and Baker are intently studying the monitor, trainedon the mid-cabin work station. Through the wide-anglelens, we can see Fran, slowly moving down the aisletowards the station.GRANTCome on, keep coming...In his hand he nervously holds the makeshift switchconnected to the cabin phone.197EXT. CLOUD FILLED SKY - DUSK197As four F-14's descend from the clouds, dropping in behindthe 747. They pull alongside, two in front, two in therear.198EXT. F-14 LEADER - DAY198The PILOT and his NAVIGATOR are clearly seen as they looktowards the 747.PILOT (V.O.)(filtered)CSA Flight 343. This is flightleader, U. S. Navy aircraft. Youare approaching United States airspace. You are to divertimmediately to three-seven-zeroNorth for Gander Air Force Base.If you do not comply, we areordered to open fire...199INT. 747 AVIONICS ROOM - DAY199Grant and Baker respond in shock as they listen to thislate development over the monitor they have installed tothe ship's radio receiver.BAKERCaptain...GRANTI know, we're in deep shit. We'vegot to stop them.(thinks)I need a schematic of the plane.Baker turns, digging through one of their satchels. Heremoves a complicated schematic of the 747, showing thehundreds of miles of electrical wiring, hydraulic linesand servos. Grant desperately begins tracking somethingon the schematic.107.200INT. 747 COCKPIT - DAY200The crew and the Terrorist Guard listen in stunnedsilence as the F-14's demands are repeated.PILOT (V.O.)(filtered)... Repeat, you must divert to0370 immediately, or we will openfire. Squawk 433 foracknowledgement.PILOTJesus Christ. What the hell arethey doing? They can't mean that.He turns to the Terrorist.PILOTWe have to respond. You heardwhat they said.The Terrorist points his pistol at the Pilot.TERRORISTYou will say nothing. You willstay on course.The Terrorist picks up a phone, pressing the buzzer. Hespeaks in Arabic.TERRORIST(subtitles)Ali. Fighter planes. They saythey will shoot if we do not turnaway.201INT. COACH SECTION - DAY201Ali Hassan is listening to the Terrorist's report. Heslams down the phone and moves towards the forwardsection, a look of wild rage and anger on his face. WeGO WITH him as he moves towards the forward section,HOLDING ON the Air Marshal, who, seeing the disturbedlook on Ali's face, carefully reaches down, removing hisrevolver from his boot, hiding it under his thigh. Byhis expression we can see he is trying to formulate somekind of attack.202INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY202Grant at the electronics bulkhead, removing severalpanels. He pulls out a massive wiring harness, searchingthrough the multi-colored wires.108.203INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY203Cahill is removing the last of several screws from acircular inspection plate on the side of the steel sphere.CAPPYNow, attach the grip.Cahill unfolds a small tripod, supporting a shaft with asuction cup at one end. He places the tripod over thesphere gently pressing the suction cup over the cover.CAPPYNow back off, just a hair. Justenough to see if it's friendly.Cahill swallows hard, takes a deep breath and turns thereverse-screw mechanism at the top of the tripod, liftingthe cover a fraction of an inch. He stops, using a tinypenlight and a dentist's mirror to examine the edges andthe back side of the plate.CAHILLCan't see anything.CAPPYOkay, back it off a little more.Cahill slowly removes the cover, revealing the interiorof the hollow sphere, at the bottom of which is a tinybrass armature situated above a steel contact point,similar to that in an automobile distributor.CAPPYDon't touch anything. Let me seethose points.Cahill adjusts the mirror, holding a magnifying glassover the sphere, focusing it for Cappy.CAPPYLooks clear. Don't think Mr. Xexpected us to get this far. Butyou need something thin and non-metallic to slip between thosepoints.Cahill searches through the kit but can't find anythingplastic. He reaches into his pocket, pulling out ahandful of cocktail napkins, paper, etc. He finds aplastic coffee straw. Slitting the straw with a knife heholds it out, ready to insert it between the points.Cahill turns back to the sphere with the plastic strip,taking a deep breath. But suddenly he stops. Cahilllooks up at Cappy in the mirror.(CONTINUED)109.203CONTINUED:203CAHILLBut what if he did, Cappy? Whatif he did expect us to get thisfar. Why quit now?Cappy smiles.CAPPYGood call. You're starting tothink like me.(beat)In the kit, there should be a pairof infra-red goggles. Find 'em.Cahill searches through the tool kit, putting on a pairof infra-red goggles, plugging a power cable into thebattery unit. He lowers the goggles into place,switching them on.CAHILL(whispered)Jesus.CAPPYThat bad, huh?203ACAHILL'S POV OF INTERIOR OF SPHERE203AThrough the infra-red spectrum, we see that the points areprotected by a spider-web maze of hair-fine photo-electriclight beams.CAHILLThat bad.204INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DUSK204Grant and Baker are hearing the TRANSMISSION from thecockpit, Grant still frantically working away at wiringharness, his face dripping with sweat. He has ten ortwelve wires bunched in his hand.205INT. 747 COCKPIT - DUSK205Ali Hassan is on the radio-phone, talking to Washington.ALI HASSAN... Why we are being threatened?our terms are absolute. Therelease of Jaffa for half thehostages. No compromises. Notricks.110.206INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - OPERATIONS CENTER - DUSK206Kaplan and his crisis team are seated at the massivetable, listening in rapt silence to the demands of AliHassan. Kaplan is on the phone.KAPLANWe have already met your firstcondition and are willing tocomply with the rest of yourdemands. But for security reasons,we must insist that the exchangetake place...ALI HASSAN (V.O.)(filtered)You will insist nothing! Tellyour President he will comply orsuffer the blood of many Americanson this plane. Beginning now.The President looks to the Major-General.MAJOR-GENERALThis may have been a mistake.KAPLANWe just can't shoot them downwithout a warning.207INT. 747 - COCKPIT - DAY207Ali Hassan leaves the cockpit, entering the businessclass. He grabs a male PASSENGER, pushing him into thecockpit. He forces the man to his knees, holding thepistol to his head. With his other hand he holds theradio-phone to the man's face.ALI HASSANTalk to your President. Beg himfor your life. Tell him who youare. Speak!PASSENGER(terrified)Please... My name is StanleyFisher... I have a wife and threechildren.(chokes)He's holding a gun to my head.Please, do what they want...111.208INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DUSK208Kaplan and his team sit transfixed in horror as theylisten to the man's desperate pleadings.PASSENGER (V.O.)(filtered)Please... I don't want to die...Suddenly, two SHOTS are heard OVER the SPEAKERS. A longpause and then...PILOT (V.O.)My, God, no...ALI HASSAN (V.O.)(filtered)This plane is to continue on asplanned or I will kill anotherpassenger every minute.KAPLANWe've got to end this. Order theattack.209INT. F-14 FLIGHT LEADER - COCKPIT - DUSK209The Navigator is talking to his Pilot, his eyes intense.NAVIGATORBull, we can't do this. Warningthem off is one thing... that's acivilian aircraft, full ofAmericans.PILOTIt's a Presidential order, Spider,there must be a damned good reasonfor it.NAVIGATORI sure hope to hell there is.Jesus.PILOTFormation, this is Bulldog. I'massuming attack position, everyoneelse back off and stand clear.Climb to thirty-five thousand.210EXT. F-14'S - DUSK210As they peel off, three of the jets climb to higherelevation while the lead jet falls in behind the 747.112.211INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DUSK211Grant is tearing open an electrical panel, exposing asea of wires. He stares at the wires, wipes the sweatfrom his eyes and makes a move.212INT. F-14 LEADER COCKPIT - DUSK212Now trailing two miles behind the 747. On the controlpanel we see the heads-up display of the 747 as thetargeting sight swings into position and centers. ASHRILL TONE is heard, indicating missile lock.PILOTNav Com, this is Bulldog. I havemissile lock. Request finalconfirmation of orders, over.NAV COM (V.O.)Bulldog, this is Nav Com. Proceedas ordered.PILOTRoger, Nav Com. Stand by.CLOSE ON PILOT'S HANDas he flips the firing selector to missile. His fingerbegins to close on the trigger...CLOSE ON COCKPIT DISPLAYthe target center holding on the 747...Suddenly, the navigation lights on the dark 747 flash onand hold.PILOTThe nav-lights just came on.Suddenly the lights begin to flash, on and off, on andoff, in a steady sequence.213INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DUSK213Grant has cut the bundle of wires leading to the nav-lights and is now touching them together, apart, together.214INT. COCKPIT F-14 LEADER - DUSK214The F-14 growing closer to the 747, the nav-lights stillflashing.(CONTINUED)113.214CONTINUED:214PILOTSpider, is that what I think itis?NAVIGATORYou damned right.215INT. PENTAGON - OPERATIONS CENTER - DUSK215Kaplan and the crisis team are staring at the overheadscreen, awaiting the word of the 747's destruction. Theroom is dead silent. A voice breaks in over the speakers,startling them.PILOT (V.O.)(filtered)Nav Com, this is Bulldog. We havean unusual communication from thetarget.NAV COM (V.O.)(filtered)Bulldog, this is Nav Com. Specifytransmission. Over.PILOT (V.O.)(filtered)Bulldog. Seems to be Morse codecoming from the navigation lights.Message as follows: 'Hail Mary...Ten minutes.' Message repeats.Over.Stunned, Kaplan drops into his seat.PRESIDENTThey made it...MAJOR-GENERALI'll be a son-of-a-bitch.DCIBut it's too late. They'vealready crossed the line, they'reinto U.S. airspace. With everyminute...PRESIDENTThey made it this far, and by-GodI'm going to give them another tenminutes. General, get on thephone.MAJOR-GENERALYes, sir.114.216INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DUSK216Grant is still sending his coded message, sparks flyingfrom the bus bar. Over the 747's radio we hear the F-14Pilot's voice.F-14 PILOT (V.O.)(filtered)Flight 343, this is Navy flightleader. We are to provide youwith an escort to DullesInternational.Grant stops his signalling.GRANTWe've got ten minutes.217INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DAY217Grant turns to Baker.GRANTGet in position. We're going infive minutes.BAKERWhat about the sleeper?GRANTTime we got acquainted.218INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DUSK218Through the infra-red spectrum, Cahill is attempting toweave the plastic straw through the first of the lightbeams. He stops, withdraws the straw and wipes the sweatfrom his face.He picks up the straw and placing a bend in it, beginsto maneuver it through and around the light beams.219INT. AVIONICS ROOM - DUSK219Grant is now alone, watching the monitor of the mid-cabinarea work station.GRANTCome on...Fran and two other attendants are sitting in their jumpseats, a Terrorist standing guard in the entrance, hisback to them.(CONTINUED)115.219CONTINUED:219Grant is pressing a switch, the flasher on the phone inthe work station responding. Fran looks up, seeing thelight. But she obviously doesn't know what to do. Thelight continues to flash.220INT. WORK STATION - DUSK220The flashing light on the phone is becoming more urgent.Quietly, Fran rises and lifts the phone from its cradle,the Terrorist Guard still with his back to her. Her crewmates stare at her in disbelief.GRANT (V.O.)(filtered; urgent)I need your help. The lower galley.Do exactly as I say. Turn aroundand enter the elevator. The livesof everyone on this plane dependupon what you do. Right now.She quietly hangs up the phone and turns, looking intothe eyes of her frightened crew mates. She looks at theelevator a few steps away.With a determined look she moves forward, opening thedoor and stepping inside.221INT. ELEVATOR - DUSK221Fran carefully closes the door. She turns, staring at theoverhead control buttons. Her finger touches the downswitch.The elevator activates, MOTORS WHINING as it descendsinto the lower galley.222INT. WORK STATION - DUSK222Hearing the sound of the ELEVATOR, Ali turns, seeing thatFran is gone. He looks at the red light over theelevator. He gestures to the elevator.ALI(subtitles)Kill her.223INT. LOWER GALLEY - DUSK223Fran emerges from the elevator. Suddenly, Grant isbehind her, his hand over her mouth. He turns her around,their eyes meeting.(CONTINUED)116.223CONTINUED:223The ELEVATOR ACTIVATES, lifting up to the main floor.GRANTNo sound. Sit over there, putyour head down, like you're crying.Do it, now.She moves to the opposite bulkhead, pulling down thejumpseat.The MOTORS WHINE again as the elevator begins to lower.The door opens and the Terrorist emerges. Seeing Fransitting across from him, he raises his weapon to fire.A voice from behind calls out:GRANT (O.S.)Hey!Startled, the Terrorist turns, facing Grant, aiming a .22silenced pistol at him. The Terrorist starts to move andGrant FIRES, TWICE, two tiny red holes appearing in theTerrorist's head. He falls to the floor in a heap. Grantis stunned, momentarily overcome by what he has just done.Fran stares back at him, realizing this is not a cold-blooded killer. He looks at her as if asking for helpand then kneels, stripping the Terrorist of his clothes.He looks at Fran.GRANTThe man in 148... we're going tostop him.FRANWhat do you want me to do?He stares at her, fear in his eyes.GRANTHelp me get close enough to killhim.Grant continues to strip the clothes from the Terrorist.224INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - CLOSE ON INTERIOR224OF SPHERE - DUSKas Cahill continues, painfully, inch by inch, to move theplastic strip towards the armature.117.225INT. LOWER GALLEY - DUSK225Grant, now dressed in the terrorist's clothing, is speak-ing on his headset.GRANTWe're ready...CHARLIE (V.O.)Here's how it goes: soon as youhit the sleeper, it's lights outand we go. We're on infra-red.The plane's system will kick thelights back on in six seconds,that's all the surprise we've got.Make it count.Grant lays down the headset, pulling Fran into theelevator.226INT. OPERATIONS CENTER - CONFERENCE ROOM - DUSK226Kaplan and his team are watching the situation map, show-ing the 747's position, relative to the U.S. coast-line,the F-14's tracking the jet, and a flashing, fail-safeline, indicating that the 747 has already crossed thepoint where it was determined it must be destroyed. Theelapsed time clock indicates six minutes remaining on theadditional ten minutes.MAJOR-GENERALThey'll be starting their descentin about ten minutes.DCIAt thirty-five thousand feet ourloses would be minimal. Everythousand feet of descent, thedeath toll from fallout willincrease dramatically.(beat)I pray you've made the rightdecision.Kaplan continues to stare at the situation map.As he does, we PAN DOWN TO the table, to the open folder,the one previously given to Kaplan by the Arab diplomat.We SLOWLY PUSH IN ON a photograph of a man, early fifties,fair complextion, balding, with cold, intense eyes. Itis a face we have never seen before, certainly not theman in 148-B.118.227INT. 747 - MID-CABIN - DUSK227The dark-complected man in 148-B looks cautiously aroundhim pushing his computer deeper into the seat.228INT. MID-CABIN WORK STATION - DUSK228Grant emerges from the elevator, pushing Fran as if shewere his prisoner. Holding the automatic weapon in hisleft hand as a shield across his face, we see that inhis right hand he is holding the .22 Beretta, flatagainst her back.GRANT(whisper)Just keep walking. Eyes straightahead. When I push you, hit thefloor and stay down.Fran moves forward, her face frozen with fear. Theyenter the aisle, moving towards the man at the window,his head barely visible some ten rows away. On theother side of the cabin, the Terrorist Guard sees them,but as he can only view Grant from the rear, he continueson his patrol.Grant focuses his attention on the man, now seven rowsaway. But he fails to see the Terrorist on patrol inthe next section aft, moving AWAY FROM us and towardsthe work station.229INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DUSK229With the intensity of a jeweler about to cut the HopeDiamond, Cahill guides the plastic straw close to theopen points, through the deadly, complicated maze oflight beams.CAHILL(to himself)Little more, little more... lightas a feather. Come on up, Leroy,you're all mine... easy now.In CLOSEUP we see that Cahill is almost to the pointswith the plastic strip.230INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY230Grant is now only three rows away. As he takes the laststep he pushes Fran aside, spins around, leveling thepistol directly at the man's face.(CONTINUED)119.230CONTINUED:230We RACK FOCUS OVER the gunsights of the pistol INTO theparalyzed face of the man in 148-B. Grant's fingertouches the trigger and then, stops...Grant stares at the man, seeing him for the first time,focusing on his eyes, the trembling lip and the unmistak-able fear and utter confusion of an innocent man.Grant spins back to the aisle, meeting Fran's stunnedexpression.GRANTIt's not him...Grant reaches across the seats, grabbing the computer,yanking it towards him. As he does, the computer smashesinto the seat back, the battery pack splitting open, aflood of glittering diamonds, cascading over Grant's legand onto the floor.Grant drops the computer, his eyes whipping across thesea of faces before him -- who is it?231INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAY231Cahill inching closer to the points with the plasticstrip.232INT. MAIN CABIN AREA - DAY232In the next section aft, alerted by the commotion, theTerrorist Guard has moved through the work station andseeing Grant's face in profile, raises his weapon to fire,Grant still unaware of his presence.Suddenly, the Air Marshal springs like a jack-in-the-boxfrom his seat, a .357 revolver held in combat stance.Grant reacts, raising his weapon...AIR MARSHAL(shouting)Behind you!The Marshal FIRES, the terrorist guard ripped off hisfeet, slammed into the seats, but FIRING back as he falls,the Marshal hit, spinning, dropping. Chaos spreadsthrough the passengers, Grant still probing, searching thefaces before him. Suddenly his eyes make contact and lockonto a face, a man seated in an aisle seat on the oppositeside of the plane and several rows forward...(CONTINUED)120.232CONTINUED:232We CRASH ZOOM IN ON the face, the face of the man on thephotograph! Grant has found his man. He points hisweapon, shouting...GRANTFreeze!Suddenly, like a flushed quail, the man panics, reachingfor something wedged between his jacket and the seat. Buthis fingers fumble the object, which falls to the floor.GRANTEverybody, down!As the man lurches to the floor, Grant FIRES, the BULLETEXPLODING into the headrest. Grant plants his foot onan armrest and in a wild, crawling scramble across thecenter section seats, races desperately to beat the manto the detonator.On the floor, the sleeper, with trembling hands, flipsopen the lid to a six-inch square calculator-like device,rapidly punching in a four-digit code.Grant, in a last desperate lunge, goes airborne in SLOWMOTION, twisting and FIRING as he clears the last row ofseats, delivering a fatal head shot to the sleeper, justas the sleeper's finger touches the detonation switch!233INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - CLOSEUP DETAIL -233MACRO SHOT - ARMATURE - (SLOW MOTION) - DUSKROARING down towards the contact point, crushing down onthe very tip of the plastic straw.Cahill's face in total shock.234INT. MAIN CABIN - DUSK234The lights trip off as the circuit breaker is blown,leaving everything in semi-darkness. Passengers scream.235INT. FIRST CLASS SECTION - DUSK235Baker kicks open the storage doors in the nose, burstinginto the room.235ABAKER'S POV - IN INFRA-RED235Aas he races towards the startled Terrorist. Baker FIREShis TASER UNIT, the deadly barb hurtling towards theTerrorist's chest...121.235BBACK TO SCENE235BThe Terrorist throws up his hands, reacting in anelectrical spasm as he is hit by the taser, his bodysurrounded by a blue-white glow of static-electricity.236INT. MID-CABIN AREA - DUSK236The ceiling panels disintegrate as they are blown apart,a powerful flash illuminating the cabin.237INT. BUSINESS CLASS - DUSK237As Rat kicks through the sleeper doors behind thebusiness class seats.237ARAT'S POV - IN INFRA-RED237Aas Ali Hassan and his partner turn in shock. Rat FIRESthe STUN-GUN, the projectile mushrooming into a pancake-sized disc which slams into Ali Hassan's chest, drivinghim backwards into the cockpit. With his other hand, RatFIRES a TASER UNIT into the chest of the other Terrorist,electrocuting him.238INT. MAIN CABIN - DUSK238Charlie drops through the hole in the ceiling insilhouette, landing in a crouch as the lights flash backon.Charlie recovers and stands, FIRING his hand SHOTGUN,point-blank at the Terrorist in the aisleway, spinningto take out another with his pistol. The Terrorist isknocked sideways against the seats, his finger closingon the trigger of his AUTOMATIC WEAPON, letting loose aBURST which rakes across the cabin, SHATTERING TWOWINDOWS.An incredible EXPLOSION RIPS THROUGH the PLANE as theaircraft depressurizes, a portion of the hull is rippedaway like paper, in an instant two rows of seats vanishingin a gaping hole...Oxygen masks drop as overhead bins erupt, the cabinbecoming a hurricane of RUSHING WIND, the plane plummet-ing into a steep dive, the air filled with paper, debris,blankets, food trays, luggage and other flying objects.Charlie is sucked off his feet and slammed against thewall near the gaping hole where the windows used to be.Several passengers grab him, preventing him from goingout the window.(CONTINUED)122.238CONTINUED:238Baker, racing down the aisle is also ripped off his feetby the implosion, hurling him over several seats andinto the wall. He falls, clinging to the seats.Grant, moving towards the Terrorist in the rear is knockedto the floor by the blast of air rushing past him. Ashe falls, he is hit by a briefcase, knocking the pistolfrom his hand.239INT. BUSINESS CLASS SECTION - DUSK239Rat is sucked off his feet and pulled down the stairwellamid a whirlpool of rushing air and debris.240INT. COCKPIT - DUSK240The Captain grabs the yokes as the plane noses over intoa steep dive.CAPTAINWe're losing control!The Pilot and First Officer frantically fight to regaincontrol of the plunging airplane.241EXT. 747 - DUSK241Lurches into a radical dive, SCREAMING towards the oceanbelow.242INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DUSK242Cahill is thrown from the baggage container, across theroom, an avalanche of baggage covering him, Cappy'sstretcher plunging backwards into the container at a nearforty-five, Cappy's head coming to rest, inches from thebomb, his good arm pinned beneath his body. Cappy looksup at the bomb as we:ZOOM IN CLOSE ON the bomb, the plastic straw, stilltrapped between the points by a mere millimeter beginningto vibrate.243INT. BUSINESS CLASS - DUSK243Ali Hassan struggles to his feet. Although bleedingseverely from the mouth and suffering severe internalinjuries from the stun-gun, he struggles on, crazed andunstoppable. He moves to the stairwell.(CONTINUED)123.243CONTINUED:243Rat is fighting to pull himself back up the railing whenhe looks up, seeing Ali Hassan above him. Before he canreact, Ali Hassan FIRES his 9mm HANDGUN, the impact ofthe bullet knocking Rat down the stairs. Ali Hassanfollows.244INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DUSK244Inches from Cappy's eyes the plastic straw vibratingout-of-control. Another second...Sweat pouring from his face, Cappy strains to free hisbandaged arm from the tape holding it to his chest. Hemoves the clumsy bandage towards the strib. Three inchesaway, it seems like a mile. Cappy struggles, wide-eyed,his hand moving a fraction of an inch further, but shakingso hard he's in danger of knocking the strip from thepoints.He moves closer. Unable to grasp the strip, Cappy linesup his bandaged hand, aiming at the strip. With the lastof his strength he lunges, pushing the strip between thepoints. Cappy collapses.245INT. REAR OF PLANE - DUSK245Grant, crawling over the seats, pulling himself along,nearly swimming over the passengers, trying to get to theTerrorist in the rear of the plane.The Terrorist gets to his feet, seeing Grant. He levelshis weapon but Grant leaps, grabbing the Terrorist, astruggle ensuing for control of the weapon.246INT. MID-SECTION - DUSK246The pressure is now beginning to stabilize as Bakerfights his way to his feet. He makes his way to Charlie,lying in the aisle, nearly unconscious.Baker moves through the work station heading for the rearof the plane, but as he steps into the aisle, Ali Hassansmashes Baker across the face with his pistol, knockinghim to the floor.In the rear of the plane, Ali Hassan can see the fight inprogress between Grant and the Terrorist.124.247INT. REAR OF PLANE - DUSK247Grant, struggling to tear the weapon from the Terrorist'shands. As they spin around, the WEAPON FIRES, a burstripping through the ceiling.With a final effort, Grant knees the Terrorist in thegroin, twice, ripping the weapon free, using it tobludgeon the Terrorist to the floor. Grant falls as well,the weapon flying from his hands, lodging under a seat.Grant, exhausted, nearly sick, struggles to his feet andturns. Facing him is Ali Hassan, his face wild andcrazed. He raises his weapon, leveling it at Grant...But his eyes go wide in shock as several SHOTS RING OUT.Blood spurts from Hassan's mouth as he turns and falls,face down.Standing behind him is Fran, Grant's .22 automatic inher hand. She looks at the gun, her hand beginning totremble.Grant takes the weapon, bending to pick up Ali Hassan'sweapon as well. As Grant rolls over the body...Ali laughs, a grenade in his hand. He pulls the pin.Instinctively, Grant lunges, his hand grabbing Ali's,holding it and the grenade handle closed.A desperate struggle ensues, Ali fighting to release thegrenade, Grant to keep control of Ali's hand while tryingto subdue him. As they slam against the outer bulkhead,Grant looks up, seeing an emergency exit door. Wrestlinghimself into position, Grant kicks upward with all of hisstrength, the release handle for the door flying, thedoor pivoting outward as the emergency slide, in anexplosion of air, extends...Grant breaks free, shoving Ali backwards. As Ali fliesout the door, making a desperate grab for the slide, hedrops the grenade, spoon flying, the grenade wedging inthe doorway.Ali, arms entangled in a safety line, is ripped to theend of the slide, flapping wildly in the wind.Grant kicks the grenade, dislodging it from the doorframe,the grenade skittering down the slide. Ali screams...ALI'S POV OF SLIDEThe 747 in the b.g., the grenade bounding towards him...125.248EXT. 747 - DAY248The yellow slide, Ali clinging to the end like a tail ona kite, disappears in a FIERY EXPLOSION.249INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DUSK249Cahill, battered and bruised, climbs INTO VIEW, seeingCappy, uypside down, the plastic strip in place.Carefully he crawls into the container, and with a pairof wire cutters, clips through the wires at the bottomof the sphere, leading to the points. He finds the com-unit, keying the mike.CAHILL(to mike; shaking)This is Cahill. The bomb'sdismantled. We're safe.Cahill moves alongside Cappy, struggling to push thestretcher out of the container. Gasping, he puts his armacross Cappy's chest, grabbing his hand.CAHILL(exhausted)Cappy, you did it, you did it.CAPPY(smiling)We did it, Cahill.250INT. COCKPIT - DUSK250The Captain, still fighting the controls, begins to pullthe plane out of its dive. The altimeter reads 3,000feet as the plane begins to level out.251EXT. 747 - DUSK251Begins to nose upward.252INT. OPERATIONS CENTER - DUSK252Kaplan and his team watching the overhead situationboard, indicating the path of the 747 as it begins togain altitude.TECHNICIANThey're leveling out... gainingaltitude, five thousand feet.(CONTINUED)126.252CONTINUED:252OVER the SPEAKERS, a voice breaks the tension.GRANT (V.O.)(filtered)Castle Rock, this is Grant. We'rein control of the airplane. Thebomb has been defused. We need aplace to land.Hugging, back-slapping pandemonium spreads through theroom like wildfire.MAJOR-GENERAL(shouting)Congratulations, Captain. We'rediverting you now to Carson AirForce Base. The F-14's willescort you.253EXT. AIR FORCE BASE - DUSK (SUNSET)253Where an isolated runway is lined with crash trucks andother emergency vehicles. The trucks spraying the fieldwith fire-retardant foam are just completing their workand are leaving the field.All eyes look to the sky. Waiting. OVER the RADIO onone of the Jeeps, we hear the final report from the AirTraffic Control Center.TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (V.O.)Flight 343, now on final approach.Emergency crews stand-by.Someone points to the horizon. In the red glow of thesetting sun, we see the familiar sight of the crippled747, drifting closer to earth.Moments later, the airborne monster touches down onceagain, plowing through the foam as the crash trucksclose in behind, following it down the runway.254INT. 747 - DAY254As the PLANE THUNDERS through the foam, its wheels onsolid ground, an incredible, deafening cheer explodes fromevery man, woman, and child, the incredible nightmareordeal, finally at an end.127.255EXT. RUNWAY - TARMAC - NIGHT255The 747 sits illuminated by powerful floodlights, attachedto special cranes. The area is heavily guarded and sur-rounded by squads of fire trucks, ambulances, militaryvehicles and a huge, bomb-disposal rig, from which demo-lition experts are unloading with a forklift a huge steelbox, into which the bomb will be placed.The cargo doors to the 747 are open and men in EVA suitsare entering the plane. The terrorists' bodies, now inbody bags are being placed in the bed of a large truck.256INT. 747 MAIN CABIN - NIGHT256Rat, an I.V. attached to his arm, is carried down theaisle by medics. Behind, Cappy is gently moved on hisstretcher, Cahill still at his side.As the Air Marshal is lifted INTO VIEW on a stretcher,Grant appears at his side, shaking his hand. The Marshallooks up at Fran.AIR MARSHAL(groggy, sedated)The magazine. Didn't know whatyou were getting at until I sawhis face.GRANT(puzzled)Well, whatever you're talkingabout, you did the right thing.Tell these guys to take good careof you.The stretcher is removed, Grant turning to Fran.GRANTThank you...FRANFran. By the way, you've got ahell of a lot of explaining to do.GRANTLet's just say, we came along forthe ride. Rest is... classified.An Army CORPORAL appears, handing Grant a black, aluminumsuitcase.(CONTINUED)128.256CONTINUED:256CORPORALCaptain Grant. They're patchingMr. Kaplan through.(beat)There's also an 'eyes only' messagefor Colonel Travis.He looks at Fran, shrugging.FRANI'll be up front.Grant accepts the case, dropping into a seat. He opensit to reveal a Satellite Communications Unit, containinga scrambler telephone, computer keyboard and screen.Grant turns it on, typing in an access code. On thescreen a message appears: EXECUTIVE DECISION.Grant, remembering, reaches in his pocket, retrieving themag-code strip. He inserts it into the computer. A newmessage appears:Have prepared bon voyage for Jaffa.Cousin Reggie.Grant hits the enter key, the following appearing:EXECUTIVE DECISION READY. CODE KEY ACCESS:04973/WILDFIRE-1.Beside him, the gentle BLEEP of the TELEPHONE is heard.He lifts the handset from the black case.GRANTCaptain Grant. Yes, go ahead.(line crackles)Yes, Mr. Kaplan.257INT. PENTAGON - STUDY - NIGHT257Kaplan is sitting in an easy chair, a drink at his side.He looks nearly as weary as Grant.KAPLANI think I can say, Captain, thisis a day either of us won't soonforget.(beat)How are the men?(CONTINUED)129.257CONTINUED:257GRANT (V.O.)(faint)One wounded, one pretty shaken butthey're both going to make it.KAPLANThe President personally sendshis deepest thanks. I'm sure hewill want to meet with you whenhe returns. We all owe you agreat debt, Captain Grant. Thankyou.258INT. 747 - CABIN AREA - NIGHT258Grant listening to Kaplan.GRANTThank you, sir.KAPLAN (V.O.)We have accomplished a tremendousvictory, but our satelliteintelligence reports indicate thatJaffa is just now touching down inNorth Africa. I hate to see thatbastard get away.Grant places the black case on his lap and begins to entersomething on the keyboard as he talks. On the screen wesee:CODE KEY ACCESS: 04973/WILDFIRECODE KEY APPROVED/SECURE LINE READY FOR TRANSMIT.Grant types in:SAT-COM UPLINK/ABLE 666 WILDFIRE-1The screen flashes with the data as it is processed.GRANTYes, sir, I agree. I hate to seethe bastard get away.The screen flashes with new information:SAT-COM UPLINK ESTABLISHED. WILDFIRE-1READY TO TRANSMIT.Grant types in:ACTIVATE: EXECUTIVE DECISION.(CONTINUED)130.258CONTINUED:258The screen flashes:READY TO ACTIVATE: EXECUTIVE DECISION.259EXT. NORTH AFRICA - DESERT LANDING STRIP - DAWN259The executive jet is taxiing into position on a tarmac.In the distance we see that an escort of a dozen vehiclesis approaching.The plane rolls to a stop, the cabin door opening.260INT. 747 - CABIN AREA - NIGHT260Grant is staring at the screen, the words "READY TOACTIVATE: EXECUTIVE DECISION" holding steady. We HOLDON his eyes, remembering...He types in: ACTIVATE.GRANTThe Arabs have a saying, 'Thosewho would bare the torch of thedevil, shall be consumed in itsflames.'His finger holds over the ENTER key, pausing, a slighttremble of hesitation...261EXT. NORTH AFRICA - DESERT LANDING STRIP - DAWN261Jaffa appears in the doorway. Seeing the arrivingescort, he holds up his arms in a gesture of victory.262EXT. RUNWAY - DAWN262As the approaching escort draws nearer, we see Jaffa inthe doorway of the jet, his arms raised. In the leadJeep, a man dressed in desert fatigues stands and raiseshis arms.263INT. EXECUTIVE JET - BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - DAWN263Where attached to the airframe are a dozen sticks of C-4plastic explosive, wired to an electronic transfer box.A tag reads: "Happy Landings, Love and Kisses, Reggie."A RELAY on the box CLICKS...131.264EXT. RUNWAY - DAWN264Suddenly the jet erupts into a gigantic fireball, whichlights up the desert sky for miles.265EXT. AERIAL VIEW OF DESERT LANDING STRIP - DAWN265As if seen from a satellite, the expanding fireball racingacross the runway, the escort vehicles turning desperatelyaway.266INT. 747 - NIGHT266CLOSE ON Grant's finger as he releases the computer key,the audible CLICK intensified. We GO TO Grant's face.He breathes deeply, the first relaxed breath in manyhours. He closes the case and puts his head back, closinghis eyes. The mission is over.He gets to his feet, walking down the now empty aircraft.Reaching the doorway, he steps outside, inhaling deeplythe cold night air. At the bottom of the ramp, Fran iswaiting.267EXT. 747 - NIGHT267Grant descends the ramp. He looks back at the towering747, still majestic despite the gaping holes in its side.He turns to Fran.GRANTLet's get out of here.END CREDITS ROLL and we:FADE OUT. THE END | screenplays |
Srednicki's QFT: Why $\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle$ in the interacting theory is Lorentz invariant?
I am reading Srednicki's QFT and I have met a problem. In its section 5, (5.18) , after deducing the LSZ formula, in order to check whether his supposition "that the creation operators of free field theory would work comparably in the interacting theory" is reasonable, the author considered the number
$\langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle$, where $|p\rangle$is the one-particle state of momentum $p$ and $\phi$ is a field operator in the interacting theory. Using the unitary representation of translation we get $$\langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle=\langle p|e^{-iPx}\phi(0)e^{iPx}|0\rangle=\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle e^{-ipx},$$then the author states that since $\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle$ is a Lorentz invariant number, and the only Lorentz invariant number that we can construct from $p$ is $p^2=-m^2$,so we can devide $\phi$ by a constant number to get the same normalization for one-particle momentum state as free field.
My question is, how can we know that $\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle$ is a Lorentz invariant number?
I guess (not sure) maybe that's because under a Lorentz tranformation $\Lambda$, $\phi(x)$ becomes $U(\Lambda)^{-1}\phi (x)U(\Lambda)$=$\phi(\Lambda^{-1}x)$ and $\Lambda^{-1}0=0$ so $\phi(0)$ does not change,thus $\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle$ does not change. However, I met a contradiction. Since both $\langle p|\phi(0)|0\rangle$ and $e^{-ipx}$
are Lorentz invariant, $\langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle$ should be Lorentz invariant ,too. But under the transformation, $\langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle$ becomes $\langle p|\phi(\Lambda^{-1}x)|0\rangle \neq \langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle$, I don't understand where I made a mistake. How do we represent Lorentz transformation in quantum theory's formulation in Heisenberg picture? Should the state vector $|p\rangle$ change under transformation?
A function is Lorentz invariant if $f(p) = f(\Lambda p)$. Consider the function
$$
f(p) = \langle p| \phi(0) | 0 \rangle = \langle p| U(\Lambda)^{-1} U(\Lambda) \phi(0) U(\Lambda)^{-1} U(\Lambda) | 0 \rangle
$$
where in the last equality, we simply introduced factors of $1= U(\Lambda)^{-1} U(\Lambda)$. We now use the fact that $| 0 \rangle $ is Lorentz invariant, $U(\Lambda) | 0 \rangle = | 0 \rangle $ and $\langle p| $ transforms as
$$
U(\Lambda) | p \rangle = | \Lambda p \rangle \quad \implies \quad \langle p |U(\Lambda)^{-1} = \langle \Lambda p | .
$$
Finally $\phi(x)$ is a scalar field so
$$
U(\Lambda) \phi(x) U(\Lambda)^{-1} = \phi(\Lambda x) \quad \implies \quad U(\Lambda) \phi(0) U(\Lambda)^{-1} = \phi(0) .
$$
Using all of this, we find
$$
f(p) = \langle \Lambda p| \phi(0) | 0 \rangle = f(\Lambda p)
$$
Consequently, $f(p)$ is a Lorentz invariant function.
This is why we use the LIPS (Lorentz Invariant Phase Space) normalization
$$
\langle {\bf p}|{\bf p}'\rangle = (2\pi)^3 2E\_{\bf p}\delta^3({\bf p}-{\bf p}')
$$
for the single particle states. Without the $2E\_{\bf p}$ matrix elements such as $\langle p|\phi(x)|0\rangle= e^{ipx}$ would *not* be Lorentz invariant.
| stackexchange/physics |
Faraday's Law applied to an airplane [closed]
[Homework-like questions](https://physics.meta.stackexchange.com/q/714) and [check-my-work questions](https://physics.meta.stackexchange.com/q/6093) are considered off-topic here, particularly when asking about specific computations instead of underlying physics concepts. Homework questions can be on-topic when they are useful to a broader audience. Note that answers to homework questions with complete solutions may be deleted!
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Closed 1 year ago.
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Consider an airplane flying from west to east. A question I'm working on says that the top of the right wing is most likely to develop a positive electrical charge. I get why it would be the top of the wing, not bottom, but I do not understand why it is the right wing that is most likely to develop a positive electrical charge.
Here is my logic for why it would be the top of the wing: Earth's magnetic field lines go from the geographical south pole to the north pole, and viewing the airplane from the south pole, the field lines go into the page. The airplane is moving from left to right. Using the right hand rule for $q \vec{v} \times \vec{B}$, the force on a free electron is down the page, leaving a relatively positive top end of the wing.
I just do not see the logic behind why the right wing will develop a positive electrical charge. I am a high school student and this question is aimed at high school students, so I do not think I am missing any fundamental concepts, but I just can't work this out.
Let us assume that the plane wings are parallel with the ground. Since the plane is in the southern hemisphere, the Earth's magnetic field lines are not parallel with the ground (this is only a good approximation at the equator).
Your answer implicitly assumes that the B-field is parallel with the wings. If you drop that assumption, you should be able to work it out.
| stackexchange/physics |
Ratu Naiqama Tawake Lalabalavu born 23 December 1953 is a Fijian Paramount Chief and Member of Parliament. He is President of the Social Democratic Liberal Party.
Tui Cakau
In 1999, Lalabalavu succeeded his late father, Ratu Glanville Lalabalavu, as the Tui Cakau, or Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove and of the Tovata Confederacy, one of three confederacies to which all Fijian tribes belong. He was challenged in court by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, son of former Fijian President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau who had himself held the Tui Cakau title prior to his death in 1993, but in 2001, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Lalabalavu.
He is a convert to Roman Catholicism.
Lalabalavu is the father of SODELPA candidate Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu.
Political career
Lalabalavu was elected to represent the Lau-Taveuni-Rotuma Open Constituency in the House of Representatives in 1999 as a candidate of the ruling Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei SVT, one of only 8 SVT candidates to win seats. He defeated his chiefly rival, Ratu Epeli Ganilau of the Christian Democratic Alliance, by a margin of 58 percent to 32 percent.
Lalabalavu was appointed Minister for Finian Affairs by George Speight during the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.
By the time the 2001 election was held to restore democracy, some major political realignments had taken place. Now a leading member of the Conservative Alliance, a nationalistic party which included many supporters and associates of George Speight, the chief instigator of the 2000 coup, Lalabalavu won the Cakaudrove East Fijian Communal Constituency, one of 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians in the House of Representatives. In the coalition government that was subsequently formed, Lalabalavu was appointed Minister of Lands and Mineral Resources. The appointment was later harshly criticized by Senator Adi Koila Nailatikau, daughter of former President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who had been deposed in the coup. She accused him of having ordered the burning of the Matailakeba Cane Farm in Seaqaqa owned by Ratu Mara in the midst of an army mutiny at Sukanaivalu Barracks in Labasa on July 29, 2000.
On 6 April 2003, it was reported that Lalabalavu had called for an overhaul of the country's constitutional institutions. Political authority, he said, should be returned to Fiji's chiefs. He said that as it was the chiefs who ceded the islands to the United Kingdom in 1874, paramount authority should have been returned to them when independence was granted in 1970. As a first step, he proposed the abolition of the Senate, the functions of which could be taken over by the Great Council of Chiefs, he said. He opined that restoring the authority of the chiefs would lead to a breaking down of Fiji's race barriers, as the chiefs would then be the leaders not only of the indigenous people, but of all races. His proposal was rejected by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, who was then the Chairman of the Great Council.
He was the Minister for Lands and Minister for Mineral Resources in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, but was forced to resign after being convicted of unlawful assembly and jailed for his actions during the coup. He was subsequently released under a compulsory supervision order, having served only 11 days of his eight month sentence.
The Fiji Village news service reported on 23 February 2006 that some chiefs wished to nominate Lalabalavu for the office of President or Vice-President at the 2006 presidential election. When Great Council of Chiefs met on 8 March, however, it reelected unopposed Ratu Josefa Iloilo and Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi as President and Vice-President, respectively.
Following the parliamentary election held on 613 May 2006, he became Minister for Fijian Affairs again, as well as Minister for Lands and Provincial Development. He was deposed in December 2006 by the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.
Post-coup career
Lalabalavu ran as a candidate for the Social Democratic Liberal Party in the 2014 election, winning 6668 votes, the 6th highest-polling candidate. Following the election he was appointed Shadow Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources.
In May 2015 Lalabalavu was referred to the privileges committee for making derogatory comments about Speaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni at a constituency meeting. He was suspended from Parliament for two years. On July 15, 2015, Ratu Naiqama launched a constitutional challenge, heard by Chief Justice Anthony Gates, against Speaker Jiko Luveni and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum for his suspension. The case was argued in September 2015, but the suspension expired before a decision was made.
In June 2015 Lalabalavu was elected as SODELPA president. He was re-elected in June 2017.
Lalabalavu had planned to retire from politics, but changed his mind and stood for re-election in the 2018 elections. He was elected, winning 2,165 votes.
References
Category:Living people
Category:Ai Sokula
Category:Fijian chiefs
Category:I-Taukei Fijian members of the House of Representatives Fiji
Category:Tui Cakau
Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism
Category:Fijian Roman Catholics
Category:I-Taukei Fijian members of the Parliament of Fiji
Category:Social Democratic Liberal Party politicians
Category:Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua politicians
Category:Conservative Alliance-Matanitu Vanua politicians
Category:Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei politicians
Category:Government ministers of Fiji
Category:1953 births
Category:Politicians from Taveuni | wikipedia |
Yauli é um distrito do Peru, departamento de Junín, localizada na província de Yauli.
Transporte
O distrito de Yauli é servido pela seguinte rodovia:
PE-22, que liga o distrito de Ate (Província de Lima) à cidade de La Oroya (Região de Junín)
JU-102, que liga o distrito à cidade de La Oroya
Distritos da província de Yauli | slim_pajama |
Phenolia is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are about nine described species in Phenolia.
Species
These nine species belong to the genus Phenolia:
Phenolia amplificator Hisamatsu, 1956
Phenolia angustitibialis Kirejtshuk & Kurochkin, 2010
Phenolia attenuata Reitter, 1879
Phenolia caucasicus Kirejtshuk, 1990
Phenolia costipennis Boheman, 1851
Phenolia grossa Fabricius, 1801
Phenolia limbata Fabricius, 1781
Phenolia oviformis Kirejtshuk, 2002
Phenolia robusta Kirejtshuk, 2002
References
Further reading
External links
Category:Nitidulidae
Category:Articles created by Qbugbot | wikipedia |
DA's office studies Greenspot Road report
By Andrew Edwards | [email protected] | Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
February 28, 2006 at 12:00 a.m.
HIGHLAND – The county district attorney's office is in the process of deciding if criminal charges will be filed in the aftermath of a fatal crash that led the victim?s parents to call for increased safety measures at the intersection where the collision occurred.
District attorney?s office spokeswoman Susan Mickey said it could take about two weeks for prosecutors to decide whether charges are justified.
County Sheriff?s deputies have investigated the crash, but sheriff?s Capt. Bobby Phillips said he can?t release details about the deputies? report until prosecutors finish their review. That means the debate over whether Highland officials should go forward with new safety measures will likely remain in a holding pattern as long as the accident report is in prosecutors' hands.
Highland Mayor Ross Jones, who sits on the city's public-safety subcommittee, has said the report is a vital piece of evidence city officials must consider before future talks about whether a traffic signal or other measure is necessary to preserve safety.
However, some close to 20-year-old Ashlee Marron, who died of injuries she sustained in the Jan. 8 crash at the intersection of Greenspot Road and Weaver Street, are convinced speeding motorists on that street pose an immediate threat to other drivers.
"All I want is to slow them down. I don?t want to see anybody else get killed," said Don Houghtaling, a friend of the Marron family.
Jeff Marron, Ashlee?s father, called Houghtaling his "personal PR man for the City Council."
Since the collision, Houghtaling has gone to City Council meetings to vigorously express both his opinion that a signal is needed at Greenspot and Weaver streets and his frustration that Highland officials are not moving quickly to install one.
Besides Houghtaling, Jeff Marron said he is relying on Santa Ana-based attorney Sarah Serpa, who he has recently retained.
Serpa is also representing the family of Jennifer Lyne Brooks. Brooks, a county prosecutor, was killed in a 2005 crash on a different stretch of Greenspot Road.
"They are basically going to take care of everything," Jeff Marron said, referring to Serpa?s law firm. Ashlee?s mother, Kelly Marron said that so far, any organized demand for a traffic signal is limited to her, Jeff Marron and Don Houghtaling.
Currently, city plans call for a traffic signal to be set up at Greenspot and Weaver in the 2009-10 fiscal year. Since January, Jones has maintained the city cannot install a traffic signal solely on the basis of residents? concerns. He said the city does not have the data on hand to prove traffic patterns at Greenspot and Weaver justify a traffic signal.
Ernie Wong, Highland public-works director, said city staff have not yet done their own study to find out if traffic flows at Greenspot and Weaver warrant a traffic signal. Kelly Marron wants city officials to conduct that research now.
"They need to do the study. It?s time to do the study," Kelly Marron said.
Decisions on signals, Jones said, must be based on a set of generally accepted engineering guidelines that are contained in the traffic manual used by the California Department of Transportation. He said not following those rules could expose the city to legal problems if a traffic signal is installed without proper review.
"If we put that stoplight up there without the proper warrants to do so, we stand to be sued for everything that happens at that stoplight," Jones said.
The Caltrans traffic manual lists conditions for 11 scenarios in which a traffic signal may be needed, Caltrans traffic operations deputy Syed Raza said.
Raza said he could only speak about Caltrans? policies for roads under the state?s jurisdiction, and his agency would not install a signal if the proper traffic conditions were not met. He echoed Jones in saying that not following the warrant system could expose Caltrans to lawsuits.
"It might result in something not good happening and then we?ll be dragged into court," Raza said.
Signals, Raza said, are not used by Caltrans to slow drivers, but to regulate traffic flow. If a signal is being considered to reduce the risk of crashes, an intersection must have five crashes in a 12-month period that could have been prevented with a signal.
Data obtained from the California Highway Patrol show there were two crashes recorded at the intersection of Greenspot and Weaver between 2000 and July 31. Statistics for more recent crashes were not available.
Since 2000, there have been three deadly crashes on Greenspot Road.
Jones said that in addition to the accident report, he needs to see a recent speed survey taken by Sheriff?s deputies that monitored how fast motorists were traveling on Greenspot Road. Taken together, Jones said those reports can be used to find out if action should be taken to enhance safety on Greenspot Road.DA?s office studies Greenspot Road report
Andrew Edwards | reporter
Andrew Edwards is part of the Southern California News Group's business team and focuses on housing stories for the Inland Empire. He's based at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and has also worked for publications including the Long Beach Press-Telegram and The San Bernardino Sun. He graduated from UCLA in 2003 after studying political science and history.
[email protected]
Follow Andrew Edwards @AndrewEdwardsIE | slim_pajama |
Elder Scroll series Invidia
Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim, Bethesda does. Those guys are awesome.
A/N: Wrote this for the kmeme and figured I would post it here, because why not? Just your typical PWP with a little jealousy thrown in, featuring my favorite werewolf twin. Enjoy! NSFW
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Invidia
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"This is taking too long," she complained to Farkas one day.
"What is?" he asked back, not even breathing hard, the _bastard_. Merrill took another swing at the Nord, dismayed when he easily batted her blade away.
"_This,_" she panted, wiggling her sword and sweeping her other arm out to give him a better idea. He looked at her, puzzled; it shouldn't have surprised her. "Training. I don't have the time for it; I need to be a better warrior _now_."
He grunted a laugh, then took a couple steps toward her and brought his axe down against her raised shield. By the nine, that _hurt_, at least the parts she could feel; she was numb from her fingers up to her elbow.
Disgusted, Merrill dropped her shield, trying to shake some sensation back into her hand. Farkas chuckled again and lowered his axe, watching with amusement as she threw her own weapon next to the shield and gingerly pulled her gauntlet off. She gave him a glare for good measure, which only made him smile wider.
"Can't say I know a better way, new blood. You are learning pretty slow, though."
"Fuck you," she muttered, then, louder, "I'm an _elf_, we're not exactly known for our brawny physiques. It's not my fault you Nords grow muscle twice as fast as the rest of Tamriel."
"If you think I'm handsome, you can just tell me, Merrill." Farkas' smile was getting infectious, his good mood helping to ease her exasperation. She ducked her head to hide a grin at his joke. "I might have an idea, though."
This caught her attention, the rarity of Farkas using his brain notwithstanding; she would do _anything_ to get stronger quicker, to be able to spar with one of the Companions without getting bruises that lasted for weeks on end. Merrill raised her head to find her Shield Brother looking almost contemplative; for a second she could believe it was his twin standing in front of her.
_Oh wait,_ she thought, _Vilkas hates me, and would rather pull out his teeth than help me. How could I forget?_
"Alright, what's this brilliant plan of yours?"
"You ever heard of the Guardian Stones?"
"Umm… I feel like I should know what those are…."
Farkas laughed again and started toward Jorrvaskr, motioning for her to follow him. She quickly grabbed her things and scrambled to catch up, taking three steps for every one of his.
"There are several standing across Skyrim. If you find one, you can offer a prayer and it will grant you aid. Different stones give different help, depending on what constellation they represent."
They were standing in the mead hall now, and Merrill gave a quick glance around the room, relieved to find that Vilkas wasn't present. The man was more trouble than she wanted to deal with right now, and he always seemed to seek her out just to pick a fight. One she could never win. She set her stuff on a chair and reached for a sweetroll, shoving the whole thing into her mouth and swallowing.
"That all sounds very interesting, Farkas, but when do we start talking about how it will make me a better fighter?"
"I'm getting there, whelp, don't get your panties in a bunch." Merrill didn't rise to the bait, just crossed her arms and stared at him. He paused a few seconds, as if to make sure she didn't want to start a wrestling match. "The warrior stone," he said finally, "it helps you, y'know, become a better warrior. I know where it is; we could travel there together and offer a prayer."
She beamed at him, hopeful for the first time in weeks. "That's brilliant! When can we leave?"
"Uh, well – "
"Tonight would be _perfect_, I'll go pack some things. Thanks, Farkas!" She threw her arms around the fighter and squeezed for all she was worth, hearing him mutter something about an uppity whelp, but he hugged her back so she figured he was game. Ducking out of the embrace, Merrill scooped her sword and shield back up and rushed toward the dorms, snatching up a wedge of cheese on her way.
They set out not two hours later, Merrill chattering and animated, Farkas looking amused. Vilkas watched them leave, and was discontent.
* * *
The girl had been gone for over a week, and Vilkas was ready to put a hole in the wall of Jorrvaskr with his bare fist. That annoying elf with her glossy hair and dark eyes had occupied too many of his thoughts, he _needed_ to find a distraction. It was bad enough when she was flitting around Jorrvaskr, all slender curves and smelling of pine, and cozying up with everyone but him. He hadn't been able to stop himself from goading her, just to see a blush rise in her cheeks or get her pretty lips to fall open in outrage.
Vilkas couldn't say whether he liked the Bosmer or not, but by the gods he _wanted_ her. Then she had disappeared – with his brother, no less – and he'd slowly driven himself insane over the past few days thinking of the two of them together.
He slammed his hand on the table in frustration, then surged to his feet, deciding to go hunt something, _anything_, instead of sulking around Whiterun. He was reaching to push the door when it swung open toward him instead, revealing the object of his obsession. She was laughing over her shoulder to someone behind her, her whole body relaxed and open, and not looking where she was going.
Merrill walked straight into Vilkas, her breath leaving her with a little _oof_, and before he knew it his hands were wrapped around her arms, squeezing with entirely too much force.
"V-Vilkas," she gasped, and the fear in her voice tugged on something dark inside him. He _liked_ hearing her say his name like that. He glared at her, silent, unwilling to let her go now that he'd caught her. There was that blush, crawling up her neck and staining her cheeks; Vilkas fought the urge to smile.
"Brother?" Farkas sounded confused and a little wary, hovering just outside of the hall.
"So good you've returned, my brother, and with the new blood still in one piece," he answered, without taking his eyes from Merrill. "Now, if you will excuse us, I have something pressing to discuss with her."
Farkas sidled into the hall, shifting his gaze between the two of them, and quietly asked, "Merrill? You will be alright?"
She slid her eyes away from Vilkas and he instantly lost patience with his twin. Turning his head, he nearly roared at Farkas.
"I said leave!"
Farkas raised both his hands in a placating gesture and turned toward the stairs. He and the girl both watched him retreat, until the hall was empty of anyone but them.
He looked back to her first and was mesmerized by the pulse of her blood pumping through her neck, considered laying his tongue over it. Then she whipped her head back around, her whole face transformed with anger.
"What the _hell_ do you want, Vilkas?"
_You_, he thought, but chose not to answer, hoping to aggravate her even more. It worked, Merrill began to struggle against his grasp, bringing her hands up to push at his chest and tossing her hair. He shook her a little, almost playfully, and reached with one hand to knock her helmet off. The armor hit the floor with an awful clatter, making her jump and frown up at him again before she wrenched her other arm away. Vilkas let her go willingly, thinking to give chase.
But she only took a few steps away, and then stood her ground, rubbing at where he had dug his fingers and looking expectant.
"Well?" she asked again.
"Where did you go with my brother?" he growled, trying to keep his voice low.
"That's none of your fucking concern!" she snapped back, tossing her head again.
"It damned well is! He is _my_ twin and you are _my _shield sister, when the two of you disappear like that I have _every_ right to know why!"
Her eyes flashed with defiance, the look shooting straight to his loins. For an instant he thought she would take a swing at him, and was almost disappointed when she didn't.
"That's too bad, Vilkas, because I'm not telling you a single fucking thing." She lowered her voice to a purr, "and that part about being a shield sister was almost funny. You have done _nothing_ for me the entire time I've been a companion except try to piss me off, and I'm fucking sick of it. Make your peace with me or stay out of my way, either way I owe you _nothing_."
If Vilkas had been in a more stable frame of mind he might have listened to her words, understood the implied offer, but at that moment he was nothing but lust and fury and envy; her refusal to cooperate only spurred him on more.
"Just tell me!" he roared.
"NO!" she shouted back and turned her back on him to leave.
He was on her in an instant, shoving her bodily up against the door with his arms caged around her and his nose buried in her hair. Vilkas growled, immediately furious at the armor they were both wearing. She was trembling and panting, making little helpless noises that made him crowd closer.
"Vilkas, please – " she whispered. _Gods_, his knees went weak with pleasure at the sound.
"I can smell him on you," he groaned, barely able to form coherent words. Her whole body stiffened in response.
"Who?"
_My brother_ was the obvious answer, but he didn't bother saying it. All he could think about was the softness of her curves pressed against him and his brother with his hands on her, _knowing_ her, every inch of her skin. His jealousy was overwhelming.
"You mean Farkas?" Merrill asked, all but mumbling to herself. "But that doesn't make sense, we didn't… And why do you even _care_, I don't – ah!"
Vilkas had sunk his teeth into her neck, not quite deep enough to draw blood, but _close_. Her reaction was immediate and unexpected. She became boneless against him, throwing her head back and gasping, and the smell of her arousal was suddenly flooding his senses. He wrapped his arms around her torso to hold her up and released his jaw to lick at the bite, then dragged her up a little higher and bit her again.
Merrill cried out, an incredibly gratifying sound, and he couldn't keep from grinding his hips against her, seeking friction. He soothed her with his tongue and then trailed his mouth over her neck, a string of almost kisses, until he found the lobe of her ear and took it into his mouth.
"Wait, Vilkas, wait I don't…" Was she talking again? All he cared about was the taste of her skin and the marks he'd left on her shoulder. He shifted a hand up to her face and forced a finger into her mouth, desperate to have any part of him inside of her. He nearly came when she began to suckle on it.
Merrill took advantage of the moment and twisted in his arms to face him, the armor scraping and snagging. Bracing her hands on his chest, she wrestled a few inches of space between their upper body, Vilkas paid her back by nudging one of his thighs between her legs.
She looked _beautiful_, her hair trailing over her shoulders and her lips and cheeks flushed and her pupils dilated. She was breathing almost as hard as him, and he could picture the way her breasts would rise with each inhale. He dipped his head to kiss her but she twisted her fingers into his hair and yanked him back; Vilkas didn't know until exactly then how much he liked pain.
"_Wait,_" she said, her breath warm on his mouth, "when did this _happen_? For how long?"
"Always," he groaned, struggling to make human sounds, "from the beginning. I've just needed – " He overpowered her grip and slammed his lips against hers, wrapping his hand around her neck to hold her still as he dipped his tongue into her mouth over and over, groaning at the heat and the sweetness of her.
He didn't understand what her hands and fingers were doing until he felt his chest plate begin to loosen around him, then he was flooded with exultation. He lifted his head to hiss a "_Yes_" to her and then covered her mouth again, quickly working to remove her armor.
As soon as he'd pulled her chest plate off, he palmed her breasts through the thin shift underneath, running his thumbs over the stiff peaks. She made some helpless noise and arched into his touch, halting her own progress with his apparel.
"Did he touch you here?" he asked, unable to keep his jealousy in check. Merrill whimpered into his mouth. He drew back from her to stare at her for a second before grasping the cloth and yanking it over her head. Her breasts were perfect, high and round with dusky tips. Dropping to his knees, Vilkas took one nipple into his mouth, suckling for a second before biting her the same way he did her neck.
She shrieked, writhing against him and fisting her hands into his hair, only she was forcing him closer instead of trying to push him away. It took him several seconds to realize she was saying something again.
"No," she panted, "no, no."
He tried to move to her other breast, but she wedged a knee up against him and yanked on his hair until he looked up at her.
"This," she pointed at his armor, "off."
Fingers flew and his chest was bare in moments; _finally_ he could press his skin against hers. Vilkas made short work of her greaves and boots, shoving her smallclothes past her knees and over her ankles before cupping her sex. She was _dripping_.
"Are you wet for me?" He growled, his question dragging another wordless sound out of her.
Still kneeling, he reached his other hand up to grip the nape of her neck and bend her head down toward his, not quite close enough to kiss her.
"Are you?" he asked again, grinding his palm between her legs. She tried to nod. "Say it, say 'I'm wet for you, Vilkas.'" He slid a couple fingers past the folds, delving and stroking until he found the spot that made her hips jerk and stomach quiver.
"_Say it_."
"I'm wet for you, V – " she whispered, "Vilkas." Any shred of control he had left vanished as he shot back to his feet and clawed at his breeches, getting them open and down just far enough. Lifting Merrill, he pulled her legs around his hips and braced her back against the door.
"Look at me," he growled, needing to see her face. She tipped her head back and he held her eyes as he pushed into her, trying to see every grimace and quirk. He was utterly shocked when he met a barrier after only a few inches. The revelation cooled his blood ever so slightly.
"Are you a…?" he tried to ask, his brows pulling together.
"Just do it," Merrill said, lifting her chin to brush her lips briefly against his.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, and did as she asked, using one strong thrust to tear her maidenhead and hilt himself fully inside her.
Merrill screamed with real pain this time, shaking and clawing at him, and he did his best to hold still and calm her, tracing one hand down the side of her face and kissing her over and over. When she started kissing him back he couldn't wait any longer and began moving, small and uneven at first but steadily stronger and faster as she met him with her hips. He settled his forehead against hers, with one hand wrapped around her back and the other bracing her hip, and studied her face each time he thrust.
It would be over far too soon, he knew, the culmination of weeks of wanting her and claiming her before any other man putting him almost immediately at the threshold. Vilkas bent to her neck again, sank his teeth in as he felt his climax begin to build, trying to go as deep into her as he could. Merrill arched against him, keening.
"Vilkas, gods," she cried, and it toppled him completely.
He shouted as he came, muffled against her skin, and fought to get as close to her as possible while pleasure burned through him, making him see spots. It felt decisive, like ownership, her maiden's blood mixing with his seed and the mark of his teeth on her body. Euphoria blanketed him for a few seconds and a fine tremor passed over his muscles before he lifted his head to look at Merrill.
She was frowning, looking frustrated and slightly out of her depth. He understood. Again, he pressed their brows together and carefully shifted one hand to the cleft between her legs. He brought her while he was still buried inside her, the clenching of her womb around him almost painful but still _perfect. _The noises she made were even better. The knowledge that no one else had ever felt her come around them was fucking paradise.
Vilkas waited a few moments more while her breathing returned to normal, loath to separate.
Finally, he asked, "Can you stand?"
She nodded against his shoulder and moved one shaky leg off his hips. He slid out of her and guided her feet to the ground, keeping a hold on her hips until he was sure she was stable. Quickly, he laced up his pants and shoved all their armor and clothing into a pile, leaving it on the floor. Let them see, he thought, let them know that he has had her, that she is his.
He picked her shift out of the pile and threaded it over her head and arms, gently tugged it down, and then lifted her in both arms, cradling her against his chest.
When they made it to his room he set her on the bed and crawled in behind her, and then arranged their limbs until she was completely nestled against him, languid and warm.
"You are mine, now," he whispered into her hair before falling into the deepest sleep he'd had in months.
* * *
Merrill woke a couple hours later feeling sore and heavy and hot. And confused. It took her a moment to remember whose room she was in, until she glanced down at the pale arm draped over her hip and noticed the heavy breathing in her ear.
_Vilkas_. Holy shit, Vilkas, fucking Vilkas, as in Vilkas fucking _her_ against a door after nearly tearing her throat out for no damned reason, _that_ fucking Vilkas.
Her mind descended into a whirlwind of incoherence for a second as she recalled each detail of the previous night. This was not okay, she decided, once she could think again. Definitely not okay. Right? Because she hated Vilkas and he hated her and people who hated each other shouldn't be making them _come_, right?
Wrong, she guessed, since that was exactly what she and Vilkas did. Each other. As in they did each other. Gah, she couldn't wrap her head around it. Her memory and her body weren't lying though, as if the fact the he was currently glued to her backside wasn't proof enough. Fuck. The exasperated kind, not the kind that she did with Vilkas and why did she keep _thinking_ that way?
A temporary solution emerged from her addled head, struggling past memories and endless questions and general shock. _Get out._
That she could do, at least. Or she thought she could. After gently removing his arm and untangling her legs, she moved to sit up only to be dragged back against his chest again with crushing strength. Merrill jumped – or tried to, she was pinned pretty securely – and twisted her head around to see Vilkas staring accusingly at her.
_Fuck_. No, wait, the scared kind not the other kind which could totally happen again _right now_. A slow heat spread through her limbs, making her feel loose and slow, malleable. Vilkas' eyes narrowed and nostrils flared, and he tugged her a little closer, making the air leave her chest in a rush.
"Where were you going?" he asked, his voice a little deeper with sleep, "Were you trying to leave me?"
"I.." Why couldn't she think properly when he looked at her like that?
"You can't," he groused as he threw a leg over hers and twisted their bodies until he was halfway on top of her. "You belong to me now."
Already he was reaching a hand down to tug her shift out of the way, and damn if she wasn't wet from just thinking about it.
"I, wait, I don't _belong_ to anyone, what makes you think – " He chose that moment to slide his fingers between her legs, immediately finding the place that made her insane with need. Vilkas kissed her, forcing her mouth open to swallow the noises she made. Soon she was _close_, shifting and trembling with her hand wrapped around his, holding him to her, when he stopped and grabbed both of her wrists to slam them into the pillow above her head.
In an instant he was cradled between her thighs, his hips spreading her wide, and then he shoved into her, completely inside in one powerful thrust. They groaned in unison, and he waited a second for her, watching her, to let her adjust to his size. Then he was _fucking_ her again. That kind. The best kind.
He wasn't frantic like last night, but slow and methodical, each thrust nearly overpowering her. She wanted to cling to him, pierce his skin with her nails in return for piercing her, but he wouldn't allow it, keeping a firm hold on her hands. All she could do was try to meet his hips with hers and stare at him, the way his eyes and mouth winced, the way he huffed each time he pushed as far as he could go.
Gods, she was going to come, she was seriously going to die if he didn't move just a little faster. Whining, she tried to shift underneath him, digging her heels into his ass to get the message across.
"Please," she choked. He frowned and slowly bent to kiss her, and then raised his head again, still fucking her at that relentless, maddening pace.
"I know what you want," he whispered, his next thrust a little harder, making her back bow, "and I can give it to you, but you have to tell me. Tell me you're mine, that you belong to me. Tell me, or I'll fuck it out of you, I swear by the nine."
Merrill shook her head, defying him for reasons she couldn't comprehend because the _only_ thing she wanted at the moment was to come.
"No," she gasped, just speaking the word ratcheting up her need a little more. "No, I won't say it, you can go fuck yourself."
He snarled in her ear, the sound crawling down her spine and settling at the bottom, building into an incredible orgasm. She arched off the bed, throwing her head back and exposing her neck to Vilkas in hopes that he would bite her again.
"Say it!" he yelled, but he was already losing control, moving faster, making her moan into his ear.
"Vilkas, please!" she cried at some point, lost in all of it, not entirely sure what she was asking for. He snarled again and latched his mouth onto her neck before hilting into her one last time, not moving except to grind against her. It was just enough, _exactly_ what she needed, and she climaxed, convulsing and mewling.
He collapsed onto her for a small time, and she found she didn't mind until she started losing her vision from lack of oxygen. Luckily, he interpreted her wriggling correctly and shifted away. Torpor weighed her limbs down, and when Vilkas scooted close to her again, saying something she didn't really bother trying to catch, Merrill didn't fight. She simply sank into sleep again.
* * *
It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the relative gloom of Jorrvaskr after coming from Skyrim's bright midday sun. Merrill didn't realize someone was approaching her until they stood barely a half foot away. She breathed a tiny sigh of relief when old Tilma's face materialized.
Merrill had sort of been avoiding Whiterun and its resident Companions like the plague. Cowardly, she knew, but then again she felt she had plenty of reasons to be terrified. _Vilkas _for one, and... well that was it. But he was more than enough. When she had woken to an empty bed after their second, uh, tryst, she'd taken his absence for the gift that it was, rounded up her armor, and fled.
She'd chased wild geese for Farengar instead, which involved musty cairns and even mustier monsters that had the generosity to promptly turn to dust whenever she chopped at them. A boring looking stone and some ehxuastion-induced chanting in her ears were her boon, and since neither filled her stomach she had been forced to return much sooner than she liked. Hunger trumped humiliation, it couldn't be helped.
There was only one obstacle between Merrill and food, and Tilma was currently frowning down at her (Merrill was short, even for a Bosmer) with both wrinkled fists digging into her hips.
"Uh... could I just-" Merrill waved toward the bountiful table just a few feet away and tried to shuffle around the woman. Lightning fast, Tilma planted one sharp finger in the middle of Merrill's armor, freezing the elf to the spot, and narrowed her eyes even more.
"I've been tending to the warriors of Jorrvaskr for as along as I can remember," the normally benign comment was now spoken almost threateningly, "I see everything, hear everything, _know_ everything."
Definitely a threat, Merrill decided, as her face started burning furiously. She'd never figured Tilma the Haggard for a blackmailer.
Farkas chose that precise moment (she would later speculate on whether he had somehow _planned_ the whole thing) to stroll by and offer his opinion.
"Honestly, Tilma, we all know you get your jollies from watching. You don't have to brag about it."
Empty stomach forgotten, it would be _months _before Merrill stuck her head back into that cursed mead hall again.
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A/N: Couldn't help throwing in that last bit, because there have to be some repercussions for smutting so_ publicly, _and Tilma does seem like the lurking type.
End file.
| fanfiction |
By DONMEGA. Discovered by Player FM and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Player FM, and audio streamed directly from their servers.
Welcome to Am I On The Air? This is your weekly source of all your entertainment news. We discuss the latest in TV, Music, Movie News and also provide all the latest Movie Reviews. If you wanna know what's the latest News in Hollywood, then look no further then Am I On The Air!
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in resource - rich settings , treatment guidelines are consistent in recommending the immediate initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy ( cart ) in all hiv - positive individuals with a cd4 count of less than 350 cells / mm ; in this group , the benefits of cart clearly outweigh its disadvantages
. however , there is inconsistency between the guideline committees as to whether asymptomatic individuals with cd4 counts equal to or greater than 350 cells / mm should begin cart .
for example , whilst the 2009 us department of health and human services guidelines and the international aids society - usa panel recommend treatment for all patients with a cd4 count of 350 - 500 cells / mm , neither the european aids clinical society nor the british hiv association recommends treatment at this level unless specific comorbidities are present .
this inconsistency largely results from the limited evidence base ; as only limited data are available from randomized trials on the benefits or risks of earlier cart , guideline committees have based their recommendations on evidence from observational studies and expert clinical opinion . until recently , the main arguments for delaying cart related to the toxicities and inconvenience of the drugs , as well as the concern that patients would be unable to maintain the high levels of adherence necessary to ensure sustained virological suppression .
little was felt to be gained from initiating cart in individuals with cd4 counts of greater than 350 cells / mm in whom the risk of aids and consequent mortality was low .
however , antiretroviral drugs are now more potent , have fewer toxicities , and are more forgiving to lapses in adherence .
furthermore , death rates in hiv - positive individuals remain elevated compared to those in the general population and it is believed that hiv may play a role in the development of several serious non - aids conditions [ 8 - 10 ] .
thus , cart may have a greater positive impact on the health of hiv - positive individuals than anticipated , which may now justify its earlier use .
this review briefly summarises the latest evidence on the topic ; recent reviews discuss some of the issues in more detail .
however , an individual who is not diagnosed with hiv until his / her cd4 count has fallen to a low level could not have received treatment at a higher cd4 count ( as s / he had not been diagnosed ) but must have survived long enough to be diagnosed at the lower cd4 count . failure to take account of this
lead - time may result in biased estimates of the benefits of early treatment .
conclusions from early studies that used appropriate methodology to remove the effect of lead - time bias were inconsistent regarding the initiation of cart at a cd4 count of greater than 350 cells / mm .
however , these studies were relatively small , and the methods may not have been optimal .
investigators from the north american aids cohort collaboration on research and design ( na - accord ) study identified individuals who had experienced a cd4 count of either 351 - 500 cells / mm or greater than 500 cells / mm ; these groups were then divided again into those who initiated cart immediately and those who deferred its use .
the authors used inverse probability weighting methods to control for biases resulting from informative censoring ( which may arise if patients who dropped out of the analysis at any stage had different characteristics to those who did not ) and known confounders .
of the 67,527 patients in the study , 8362 had a cd4 count of 351 - 500 cells / mm ( 2084 initiated cart immediately ) and 9155 a cd4 count of greater than 500 cells / mm ( 2220 initiated cart immediately ) .
death rates were increased by 69% and 94% , respectively , among those who deferred therapy in each group compared to those who started cart immediately .
investigators from the when to start consortium considered progression to aids and/or death in 24,444 antiretroviral - naive individuals starting cart . using information from 21,247
patients followed in the pre - cart era , the authors estimated the distribution of lead - times , which was then incorporated into the analysis .
deferred initiation of cart was generally associated with more rapid progression rates than immediate initiation , although the difference was not statistically significant at cd4 counts of greater than 350 cells / mm .
directly estimated the optimal cd4 count at which to initiate cart . using a similar method to the na - accord group
, they concluded that the optimal cd4 count depended on whether the ultimate aim of cart was to improve the patient 's health ( defined by an increase in the cd4 count or reduction in the occurrence of new aids events or death ) , in which case the threshold was between 489 and 554 cells / mm , or to improve quality - of - life , in which case the threshold was between 337 and 475 cells / mm .
most recently , jonsson funk et al . presented data from the cascade collaboration suggesting that whilst the initiation of cart at a cd4 count of 350 - 500 cells / mm may reduce the risk of clinical progression , the low absolute risk of progression meant that 34 patients would need to be treated to prevent one new case of aids or death ( or 71 patients for death only ) over a three - year period . as an alternative approach ,
estimated that initiation of cart at a cd4 count of greater than 350 cells / mm would result in longer quality - adjusted survival compared to starting cart at lower cd4 counts .
. demonstrated that treatment at a cd4 count of 500 cells / mm resulted in gains in quality - adjusted life - years at all ages , even assuming that patients may not be fully adherent to cart .
the validity of results from modelling studies does , however , rely strongly on the assumption that the model accurately describes disease progression .
whilst the accruing evidence would suggest that earlier initiation of cart may be beneficial , one limitation of all observational studies is that of unmeasured confounding . under most treatment guidelines ,
few patients initiate cart at high cd4 counts and those who do may differ from those who do not in terms of their likely long - term outcomes , regardless of cart use .
it is unlikely that any observational study will be able to fully control for these differences . even if shown to be beneficial , the full
at least one randomised trial of earlier versus deferred cart is underway and it would be prudent to wait for the results of this before changing guidelines . finally , whilst the decision to initiate cart is predominantly based on an individual 's cd4 count , other biomarkers [ 25 - 27 ] may also provide information about an individual 's risk of clinical events ; incorporation of these biomarkers into the decision - making process may further optimise the timing of cart in individual patients .
the author reports that several colleagues are actively involved in the design and management of the strategic timing of antiretroviral treatment ( start ) trial . | pubmed |
Dragon Ball Z Dimensions of Love
~Dec. 30, 2000~
My second songfic. It changes point-of-views a lot but hopefully it's not *too* confusing. Possible OOC ness. Song credits at the end.
Warning: This deals with yaoi (or male/male relationships). In fact, it's a Goku/Veggie-chan ficcy.
* * *
**Dimensions of Love**
When the cherry blossom starts to bloom
Meet me here in my lonely room
We'll find a passion filled fantasy
And this time you will stay with me
The humans say that spring is the season for romance. Well, there isn't any in my life. There hasn't been even a trace of such a thing since Bulma died quite a few years ago.
I tried to fill the void her passing had created with many things. None of them were good enough. The children tried to help me, but they just did not understand.
All the misery we knew before
Stays away when you are at my door
My heart will sing at every tender touch
And oh, you will want me twice as much
He doesn't understand. He shares my similar heartache and depression and doesn't understand!
My pain at ChiChi's recent passing had been great but nothing compares to be have something just out of your reach. The pain I feel for this is different. ChiChi was a good friend, she was loved.
But she was not my soul mate.
I can't help but wonder sometimes if I have a soul mate. Is someone special out there for me? I want to doubt their existence but then I see evidence of it around me in others. Gohan and Videl each share that special bond with someone.
Why can't I as well?
A new dimension of love
A bold adventure waiting for you
The true dimension of love
A soaring flight. A dazzling view
Why must I stare at him so? He has not changed at all since the time I met him so many years ago under very different circumstances. He is still the happy-go-lucky, carefree baka that tends to drive me insane with just a word.
But if he is exactly the same, what is so different?
Maybe I see him in a new light. Maybe it is I who has changed.
But whatever the answer, the question is driving me almost as crazy as he does.
Why is that not a bad thing?
We're gonna take it all the way
We'll make the dream so totally real
See greater wonders by the day
Then tell the stars what glorious rapture we feel
I don't have to see him visually to know that something's wrong. I can tell by the erratic way that he's sparring. Hn. I can't say a word. I'm faltering too.
Perhaps he shares my thoughts?
He gives me that look he's spent years in perfecting. The trademark glares don't affect me at all. At least not in the way he intends them to. Quite the opposite really.
We both pause briefly, at almost the same instant. Beads of perspiration gleam brightly on the skin of his cheek. It takes all of my will power not to gently brush away the glistening drop. A few seconds more, and the fight resumes as if just taken from pause.
But I can tell that his heart is not in it.
Soon, with the start of Spring
We will know our hearts are changing
Leave the hurt behind
I'll be true and kind
Be the best that you'll ever find
The endless game goes on and on. Will this charade ever end?
I know that I'm not entirely sure of what I am feeling, but I grow weary of cat and mouse. Sure, we can pretend as if all things are normal between us but we both know different. I can sense it in his ki. A slight difference whenever I am in the same area as he. Slight, but noticeable.
But then again, why would he ever want a person like me? My soul is shadowed by the things I have done in the past and he is an angel descended from Heaven. Demons and angels just don't mix.
We don't ever have to cry or fight
Something tells me we can make it right
Enough of wandering far and wide
I just can't forget you, though I've tried
We've been friends this long, why not take it further?
I still don't understand why I feel at peace when he is around me. He sets my soul at ease. Others may not believe it, but I too have worries.
I worry about whether the peace will last long. Whether my grandchildren or great-grandchildren will have to grow up fighting for their lives as we did. Fight for the right to existence. But despite that I don't regret any day of my life.
I just wish that some things could have been done differently.
But he takes away all of that when he is around. I cease to worry about the future. I only worry about the present and whether he will be in it long.
That's just the kind of effect he has on me.
This is destiny so why pretend
Close your eyes, kiss me once again
I'll always be the only one you need
So go where your deepest longing leads
It seems I will have to be the institutor. He is hesitant it seems but then again, so I am. I've never felt this way before.
Bulma had a hand in the melting process of my heart but then again, so did my children. I feel guilty at leading her on for so many years but she never did make feel the way he does.
And he doesn't even have to be around.
A new dimension of love
A bold adventure waiting for you
The true dimension of love
A soaring flight. A dazzling view
We're gonna take it all the way
We'll make the dream so totally real
See greater wonders by the day
Then tell the stars what glorious rapture we feel
I think of this as an adventure. A new challenge to give variety to life. Actually, I think that about all new things.
And boy do I love challenges.
He has been calmed by years on Chikyuu. I don't know if he realizes it or not, but it's true.
But even so, he will never ever be completely tamed.
I know the way he looks at me. He worships me like a god.
When will he realize that I am mortal like he?
Soon, in the April breeze
We will bring alive the memories
Yes I'm sure we will
Bring back every thrill
Make them all lovelier still
I can't take this torture any longer. I will not put up with it! If he wants to make me insane, he's doing a damn good job of it.
I wonder how the others will react? I know that shouldn't matter at all, but I do have a reputation to protect. I can't be seen melting into a puddle every time he smiles at me.
Why do I always want things I can't have?
When the cherry blossom starts to bloom
Meet me here in my lonely room
We'll find a passion filled fantasy
And this time you will stay with me
It has been months since this has began. I guess I've never really noticed him in that way before, since my mind was so preoccupied in either keeping ChiChi happy or saving the world from destruction. ChiChi....
She deserved much better.
ChiChi, despite everything others would say, deserved someone that could commit himself fully to her; heart and soul. Unfortunately, even after trying my best, I still could not submit myself. I could be dutiful and keep up the pretense of a loving husband but I know in my heart it could never be actually true.
The sad thing was, I think she knew it as well.
All the misery we knew before
Stays away when you're at my door
My heart will sing at every tender touch
And you will want me twice as much
I intend to make my move today. The time for games has passed, the moment for hesitance is long over. He feels it, I feel it. I believe the whole world can feel it. But yet, something holds each of us back.
Then he asks me if I believe in soul mates. I didn't want to do it, but I am not known for my tact.
So I said no.
The pain that resulted in seeing his face fall was heart wrenching. I want to die right now for ever having a hand in making him look that way. So I did the first thing that came to mind.
I apologized.
We don't ever have to cry or fight
Something tells me we can make it right
Enough of wandering far and wide
I can't forget you though I've tried
I should have known his answer but it didn't hurt to try. I couldn't even prevent the disappointed look that came across my face. But something happened then. As I noticed the distress look it caused, for some irrational reason it gave me hope.
"Kakarott? I apologize."
I smile. Half in disbelief that he could feel that way but at the same time, half knowing that he could.
"You don't have to."
He smiles, a gesture that warms my heart. "I must because I have lied."
He takes my hand.
"I do believe. Because I have found my own. You are the other half of my being. I've just never realized it before."
My heart fills with complete and utter joy. There are no more tears. No more battles.
"You know what Vegeta? So have I."
This is destiny so why pretend.
Close your eyes, kiss me once again.
I'll always be the only one you need
So go where your deepest longing leads
~Owari~
* * *
So, what did everyone think? I hoped my words went well with the mood the lyrics created but I may have been a little off.
Song credits: Dimension of Love (english version) from Tenchi Universe, episode number 23: No Need for a Conclusion. Ryoko's love song.
Important note: The Fanfic Contest is up and running again. Come to [http://gokugirl.com][1] for more information.
[1]: http://www.gokugirl.com
End file.
| fanfiction |
Does it make physical sense to assign an entropy to a microstate?
In physics, the entropy is related to the volume of microstates associated with a macrostate. So entropy is a property of a macrostate.
However, does it make sense to assign an entropy to a microstate? More importantly, is there any physical significance?
For example, a state in which all the atoms in a gas are distributed in a grid within a box seems a lot more orderly than a distribution in which atoms are distributed randomly. Both distributions can belong the same macrostate (say one defined by the energy) or different macrostates, depending on how you define the macrostate. Each state is equally probable, but the first is easier to describe. There's an analogy in the world of passwords. The password "aaaa" has a lower entropy than the password "ahytr".
When being strict the answer is "no": The entropy is *always* a property of the ensemble not of the microstates and *by definition* all microstates in a microcanonical ensemble have the same probability.
The same holds for your password example – a password chosen uniformly from the set of $n$-letter sequences means all passwords are to be equally likely.
If you preclude strings like "aaaa" from your password selection method, you actually make your passwords weaker – because the entropy of your password distribution is reduced. Of course, this does not hold in the real world, because in the real world the attacker will always try a dictionary attack first and "aaaa" will be in the dictionary. (Nevertheless, doing similar things broke encryption algorithms in the past, e.g. the Enigma machine never maps a character to itself under encryption, which massively helped its cryptanalysis).
---
What you think of as the entropy of a specific microstate or of a string can, however, be made a strict concept, which is called [Kolmogorov complexity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolmogorov_complexity). Instead of supplying the entropy of the ensemble/distribution you can quantify the "amount of information" by determining the length $K\_L(s)$ of the shortest program in a Turing complete language $L$ required to generate the specific string $s$.
This of course depends on the language chosen to encode the string, however, one can prove that given to encoding languages $L\_1$ and $L\_2$ there exists a constant $c$ only dependent on the languages that bounds the difference of the Kolmogorov complexities of any string with respect to $L\_1$ and $L\_2$:
An important result about Kolmogorov complexity is, that a string generated by a Markov source, will have almost certainly a Kolmogorov complexity that is equal to the source entropy (as the string length goes to infinity). (In other words, the strings compressible beyond entropy coding are a negligible set among all strings.)
The Kolmogorov complexity, however, is not computable and thus not very useful besides its theoretical implications.
---
Other than thinking about Kolmogorov complexity, you can also think about the entropy of a specific "microstate" by subdividing your system into smaller, weakly-interacting, equvialent subsystems and re-interpret your system as an ensemble of these subsystems. (This kind of thinking is commonly employed when connecting statistical physics to the thermodynamics of macroscopic systems.)
I would like to add a complement to the excellent Sebastian Riese's answer.
*Entropy* is an overloaded term. Speaking about entropy without specifying *which entropy* one is using is the best way to introduce misunderstandings and apparent contradictions.
Let me list a few facts about entropy (or, better, entropies) with an eye to the original question.
* There is the original thermodynamic (Clausius) entropy. There is no room for microstates in such a case (classical Thermodynamics).
* Statistical Mechanics introduces a general form for the equilibrium entropy (the generalized Gibbs entropy), valid in each ensemble characterized by a probability distribution of the microstates ($P\_i$):
$$
S\_{Gibbs} = - k\_B \sum\_i P\_i \log P\_i. \tag{1}
$$
Gibbs' entropy can be considered as the application to the Statistical Mechanics ensembles of the Shannon formula for the *Information Theory entropy.* By using the expression for $P\_i$ relevant for each ensemble, it is a simple exercise to recover the correct expression for the entropy of that ensemble. There are a few observations about Gibbs' expression. Firstly, it is based on *the probabilities* of microstates and a sum over all the microstates. Therefore it is a property of the macrostate in the specific ensemble. Even worst, the *entropy* corresponding to formula $(1)$ usually lacks some essential properties of the Thermodynamic entropy (extensiveness, convexity, presence of points non-analyticity corresponding to phase transitions). We can recover such essential properties of the thermodynamic entropy only by taking the so-called Thermodynamic Limit (TL). That is fine, but we face the additional problem that we lose even an analytic expression for the probabilities of the microstates.
* The only way to assign an entropy to a single microstate is by using the concept of [Kolmogorov entropy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolmogorov_complexity) (also known as algorithmic complexity, Solomonoff–Kolmogorov–Chaitin complexity, program-size complexity, descriptive complexity, or algorithmic entropy). If we could evaluate the algorithmic complexity of each microstate, its average would give us the Shannon-Gibbs entropy.
Unfortunately, as noticed by Sebastian Riese, such a concept corresponds to a non-computable function. Moreover, even if it could be evaluated, its value for a single microstate could be quite different from the average value. Said in another way, the algorithmic complexity of one configuration alone would not provide helpful information for the thermodynamic entropy of the macrostate.
>
> For example, a state in which all the atoms in a gas are distributed in a grid within a box seems a lot more orderly than a distribution in which atoms are distributed randomly. Both distributions can belong the same macrostate (say one defined by the energy) or different macrostates, depending on how you define the macrostate. Each state is equally probable, but the first is easier to describe. There's an analogy in the world of passwords. The password "aaaa" has a lower entropy than the password "ahytr".
>
>
>
To take in a slightly different direction: the preferred "orderly" configurations play important role in the theory of critical phenomena ([phase transitions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_transition)). Thus, in *disordered phase* the "orderly" and "disorderly" configurations can be equally possible microstates, belonging to the same macrostate; however in the *ordered phase* only the "orderly configuartions are possible. There is typically [an entropy change associated with the transition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_transition). A related notion is that of the [entropy-driven order](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy_(order_and_disorder)#Entropy-driven_order).
In this context it is worth mentioning correlation functions, which are more convenient for characterizing ordered and disordered phases (e.g., the probability that two spin separated by distance $r$ are aligned in the same direction in [Ising model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ising_model).) In this sense one speak of *long-range order* or absence thereof.
Finally, there is also use of entropy for disordered systems, although in this case it is more *information/Shannon* entropy than a thermodynamic one: [see here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy#Order_and_disorder).
| stackexchange/physics |
Buffet Junction is proud to announce they have catered for Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) at The City of Coventry Stadium (Ricoh Arena) during the Olympic Games.
On the 12 days that Buffet Junction provided food for the OBS team we catered for an average of 60 people per day. After 12 months of planning and organisation everything came together on 21st July. Over the 12 months we had perfected a menu that catered for every taste. Each day we served a wide variety of food and as some members of OBS commented "where do you start, it all looks so delicious". There were no kitchen facilities on site, not even a sink, but our professional team rose to the challenge with our usual positive attitude. Even though our time at the City of Coventry Stadium was extremely busy, Buffet Junction managed to take couple of personal photos, providing a little insight into our special time spent at the City of Coventry Stadium.
"Just when you think you have had the best food ever, the next day arrives with even more! Fantastic food and staff."
"I normally only put weight on at Christmas, but having four courses a day of your tasty food changed that!!!!!!!"
"Friendly staff and lovely food"
"Well done Clare and team, very good."
"Simply brilliant, keep up the good work we could not manage without you."
"Great cheese board, day in day out, I like this!"
"The food was absolutely first class, much appreciated."
"In keeping with the Olympic spirit, I would definitely award you a GOLD medal, excellent."
"Very good catering, thank you. Great food, lovely staff couldn't have wished for better."
"Well done, really enjoyed the food. It can't have been easy without a kitchen on site!"
"Excellent food and service, many thanks."
"Delicious, what a fantastic variety of food each day. Friendly staff, nothing too much trouble."
"Whatever I asked for you had, even the vegetarian sausages on the last day!!!"
"Fantastic girls, always helpful and smiling, great food too, very well done, Thank you."
Broadcast logistics manager: "Wonderful caterer- very happy crew. The meals have been brilliant and the catering staff so friendly and helpful. Couldn't recommend them highly enough, Thank you."
Buffet Junction is honoured to have taken part and received such positive feedback from the OBS team. We can't wait to see what's next! | slim_pajama |
the observed 3d clustering of galaxies provides a wealth of cosmological information : the comoving clustering pattern was encoded in the early universe and thus depends on the physical energy densities ( e.g. @xcite ) , while the bias on large - scales encodes primordial non - gaussianity @xcite .
secondary measurements can be made from the observed projection of this clustering , including using baryon acoustic oscillations ( bao ) as a standard ruler @xcite or by comparing clustering along and across the line - of - sight @xcite . in this paper
we focus on a third type of measurement that can be made , called redshift - space distortions ( rsd ; @xcite ) .
rsd arise because redshifts include both the hubble expansion , and the peculiar velocity of any galaxy .
the component of the peculiar velocity due to structure growth is coherent with the structure itself , leading to an enhanced clustering signal along the line - of - sight .
the enhancement to the overdensity is additive , with the extra component dependent on the amplitude of the velocity field , which is commonly parameterised on large - scales by @xmath5 , where @xmath11 is the logarithmic derivative of the growth factor with respect to the scale factor and @xmath12 is the linear matter variance in a spherical shell of radius @xmath13 .
together these parameterise the amplitude of the velocity power spectrum .
the largest spectroscopic galaxy survey undertaken to - date is the sloan digital sky survey ( sdss ) , which has observed multiple samples over its lifetime .
the sdss - i and sdss - ii @xcite observed two samples of galaxies : the @xmath14-band selected main galaxy sample @xcite , and a sample of luminous red galaxies ( lrgs ; @xcite ) to higher redshifts .
the baryon oscillation spectroscopic survey ( boss ; @xcite ) , part of sdss - iii @xcite extended the lrg sample to higher redshifts with a sample at @xmath15 called cmass , and a sample at @xmath16 called lowz that subsumed the sdss - ii lrg sample .
sdss - iv will extend the lrg sample to even higher redshifts , while simultaneously observing a sample of quasars and emission line galaxies ( elgs ) . in this paper
we revisit the sdss - ii main - galaxy sample , herein denoted mgs , applying the latest analysis techniques .
we have sub - sampled this catalogue to select high - bias galaxies at @xmath17 ( details can be found in our companion paper @xcite , paper i , which also presents bao - scale measurements made from these data ) .
this sampling positions the galaxies redshift between boss lowz , and the 6-degree field galaxy survey ( 6dfgs ; @xcite ) , filling in a gap in the chain of measurements at different redshifts . selecting high - bias galaxies means that we can easily simulate the sample . in this paper
we present rsd measurements made using the mgs data .
recent analyses of boss have emphasised the importance of accurate mock catalogues @xcite ; these provide both a mechanism to test analysis pipelines and to determine covariances for the measurements made . for the mgs data , we create 1000 new mock catalogues using a fast n - body code based on a new parallelisation of the cola algorithm @xcite , designed to quickly create approximate evolved dark matter fields .
haloes are then selected using a friends - of - friends algorithm , and a halo - occupation distribution based method is used to populate the haloes with galaxies . the algorithms and methods behind picola
can be found in howlett et .
( in prep . )
. our paper is outlined as follows : in section 2 we describe the properties of the mgs data . in section 3
we summarise how we create dark matter halo simulations using picola . in section 4 , we describe how we calculate clustering statistics , determine the halo occupation distribution we apply to mock galaxies to match the observed clustering , and test for systematic effects . in section 5 , we describe how we model the redshift space correlation function using the gaussian streaming / convolved lagrangian perturbation theory ( clpt ) model of @xcite . in section 6 ,
we describe how we fit the mgs clustering in the range @xmath18 , test our method and validate our choice of fitting parameters and priors using the mock catalogues . in section 7
we present the results from fitting to the mgs data and present our constraints on @xmath5 . in section 8 , we compare our measurements to rsd measurements at other redshifts , including results from @xcite and @xcite , and test for consistency with general relativity .
we conclude in section 9 .
where appropriate , we assume a fiducial cosmology given by @xmath19 , @xmath20 , @xmath21 , @xmath22 , and @xmath23 .
we use the same sdss dr7 mgs data as analysed in paper i , which is drawn from the completed data set of sdss - i and sdss - ii .
these surveys obtained wide - field ccd photometry ( @xcite ) in five passbands ( @xmath24 ; @xcite ) , amassing a total footprint of 11,663 deg@xmath2 , internally calibrated using the ` uber - calibration ' process described in @xcite , and with a 50% completeness limit of point sources at @xmath25 ( @xcite ) . from these imaging data , the main galaxy sample ( mgs ; @xcite )
was selected for spectroscopic follow - up , which to good approximation , consists of all galaxies with @xmath26 , where @xmath27 is the extinction - corrected @xmath14-band petrosian magnitude , within a footprint of 9,380 deg@xmath2 @xcite . .
the red area shows the same geometry , after a 180@xmath28 rotation .
this illustrates how we produce two mock galaxy samples from every full - sky dark matter halo catalog.,width=317 ] for our analysis , we start with the sdss mgs value - added galaxy catalog ` safe0 ' hosted by nyu ( nyu - vagc ) , which was created following the methods described in @xcite .
the catalog includes @xmath29-corrected absolute magnitudes , determined using the methods of @xcite , and detailed information on the mask .
we only use the contiguous area in the north galactic cap and only areas where the completeness is greater than 0.9 , yielding a footprint of 6,813 deg@xmath2 , compared to the original 7,356 deg@xmath2 .
we create the mask describing this footprint from the window given by the nyu - vagc , which provides the completeness in every mask region , and the mangle software @xcite .
we also use the mangle software to obtain angular positions of unclustered random points , distributed matching the completeness in every mask region .
the angular footprint of our sample is displayed in blue in fig .
[ fig : foot ] . the red patch in fig .
[ fig : foot ] shows the angular footprint of our galaxy sample after rotating the coordinates via @xmath30 , @xmath31 and once again applying the mask . as described in section [ sec : sim ] , we choose to create full - sky simulations , and in doing so , we can use the mask to create two mock galaxy catalogues that match our footprint , reducing the noise in our estimates of the covariance matrix at almost no extra cost replicates of our survey footprint in each full - sky simulation without overlap , though not , perhaps , without significant cross - correlation between patches taken from the same realisation . in practice
we simply generate two survey patches from each simulation . ] .
we make further cuts on the nyu vagc safe0 sample based on colour , magnitude , and redshift .
these are @xmath32 , @xmath33 and @xmath34 , where @xmath35 is the @xmath14-band absolute magnitude provided by the nyu - vagc .
these cuts produce a sample of moderately high bias ( @xmath36 ) , with a nearly constant number density that is independent of boss and 6dfgs samples .
the resulting sample contains 63,163 galaxies . the redshift distribution is shown in fig .
[ nzmock ] .
the effective redshift of our sample is @xmath37 , calculated as described in paper i , where further details on the sample selection criteria can be found .
[ nzmock ] also shows ( solid line ) the average number density of the mock galaxy catalogues described in section [ sec : sim ] .
we determine the @xmath38 that we apply to the mocks by fitting to a model with two linear relationships and a transition redshift .
the best - fit is given by @xmath39 we see that the mock galaxy catalogues agree with the data very well , with @xmath40 for @xmath41 degrees of freedom ( 26 redshift bins and 4 independent fitting parameters ) .
the errors come from the standard deviation in number density across the set of mock catalogues .
simulations of our mgs data are vital in order to accurately estimate the covariance matrix of our clustering measurements and to perform systematic tests on our bao and rsd fitting procedures . of order 1000 mock galaxy catalogues ( mocks ) are necessary to ensure noise in the covariance matrix does not add significant noise to our measurements @xcite . for boss galaxies ,
such mocks were created using the methods described in @xcite .
the galaxies in our sample have lower bias than those of boss , and we therefore require a method of producing dark matter halos at higher resolution than used in boss , yet in such a way that we can still create a large number of realisations in a timely fashion . for this we have created the code picola , a highly - developed , planar - parallel implementation of the cola method of @xcite ; this implementation is described in howlett et .
( in prep . ) , and a user guide that will be included with the public release of the code .
it should be noted that a similar method has also recently been used to create mock catalogues for the wigglez survey @xcite , though the codes were developed independently . in this section ,
we describe how we use picola to produce dark matter fields and then halo catalogues , and how we apply a halo occupation distribution ( hod , @xcite ) prescription to these halo catalogues to produce mock galaxy catalogues .
we expect that the methods we use to generate these halo catalogues will be generally applicable to any future galaxy survey analyses . in section [
sec : clus ] , we describe how we specifically fit an hod model to the measured clustering of the mgs to produce mocks that simulate our mgs data .
these mocks are used in the rsd analyses we present and the bao analysis of paper i. we generate 500 dark matter snapshot realisations using our fiducial cosmology , which we convert into 1000 mock galaxy catalogues . although our code is capable of generating lightcones ` on the fly ' without sacrificing speed , we stick with snapshots for simplicity in later stages and because we expect the inaccuracies arising from using snapshots to be small due to the low redshift of our sample . for each simulation
we evolve @xmath42 particles , with a mesh size equal to the mean particle separation , in a box of edge length @xmath43 .
we choose this volume as it is large enough to cover the full sky out to the maximum comoving distance of our sample at @xmath44 ( for our fiducial cosmology this is @xmath45 ) .
we evolve our simulation from @xmath46 to @xmath4 , using 10 timesteps equally spaced in @xmath47 , the scale factor .
this results in a mass resolution of @xmath48 , a factor of @xmath49 smaller than that used for the boss lowz mock catalogues .
each simulation takes around 20 minutes ( including halo - finding ) on 256 cores . in terms of the actual computing time
used , our picola run took @xmath50 cpu - hours compared to @xmath51 cpu - hours for the gadget-2 run described below .
however , it should be noted that the actual ( wall)time taken for the gadget-2 run was not 1000 times that of the picola run , rather the memory requirements of gadget-2 are also larger than those of picola , requiring more processors to run ( 384 in this case ) .
[ pkpicola ] shows the power spectrum of the dark matter fields for one of our picola simulations and for a tree - pm n - body simulation performed using gadget-2 @xcite .
both simulations use the same initial conditions and the same mesh resolution .
we can see that the power spectra agree to within 2 percent across all scales of interest to bao measurements and the agreement continues to within 10 percent to @xmath52 .
we generate halos for our picola dark matter simulations using the friends - of - friends algorithm ( fof ; @xcite ) with linking length equal to the commonly used value of @xmath53 , in units of the mean particle separation .
we average over all of the constituent particles of each halo to calculate the position and velocity of the centre - of - mass .
the halo mass , @xmath54 , is given by the individual particle mass multiplied by the number of constituent particles that make up the halo .
the virial radius is then estimated as @xmath55 where @xmath56 is the critical density , and we use a value @xmath57 ( e.g. @xcite ) .
the clustering of the dark matter particles is recovered well by picola .
it is slightly under - represented on small scales , but we do not need to modify the linking length in order to recover our halos ( unlike , for example , in @xcite ) .
[ halomass ] shows the level of agreement between halo mass functions recovered from our matched parameter picola and gadget-2 runs .
the difference in halo number density for low - mass halos is a direct consequence of the mesh resolution of our simulations . as picola does not calculate additional contributions to the inter - particle forces ( i.e. , via a tree - level particle - particle summation ) on scales smaller than the mesh , using instead the approximate , interpolated forces from the nearest mesh points , we do not produce the correct structure on the order of a few mesh cells or smaller .
this results in slightly ` puffy ' halos .
this is shown in figure [ picoladensity ] , where for halos within a given mass range we plot the normalised number of dark matter particles in that halo as a function of their separation from the centre of mass , normalised by the halo virial radius .
for the halo mass range in question we see that the constituent particles of the picola halos are located at slightly larger radii than their gadget counterparts .
this difference is reduced as we go to higher mass halos where the overall properties of the halo are still captured .
however , it does mean that we miss some of the outlying particles of the larger halos , and some smaller halos altogether , as the dark matter particles have not collapsed sufficiently to be grouped together by the fof algorithm .
regardless of this , the effect is small enough over the halo mass range of interest for the mgs that we find no correction is necessary before we apply our hod model .
in addition , as described in section [ sec : phod ] , we determine the hod parameters directly by populating mock dark matter halos .
the deficit of lower mass halos is thus compensated for by assigning more galaxies to lower mass halos .
it should also be noted that although other halo - finding techniques may produce better results , we retain the fof algorithm in the interest of speed .
we populate our halos in a very similar way to that of @xcite using the hod model @xcite . within this framework
we assign galaxies to halos based solely on the mass of the halo , splitting the galaxies into central and satellite types .
we define two mass - dependent functions , @xmath58 and @xmath59 , where @xmath58 denotes the probability that a halo of mass @xmath54 contains a central galaxy and @xmath59 is the mean of the poisson distribution from which we randomly generate the number of satellite galaxies .
these functions are themselves modelled with parameters estimated from a fit to the mgs data , as described in section [ sec : phod ] .
central galaxies are placed at the centre of mass of the halo , and satellites at radii @xmath60 with probability derived from the nfw profile @xcite @xmath61 where @xmath62 is the characteristic radius , at which the slope of the density profile is -2 , and @xmath63 is the density at this radius .
@xmath64 is the concentration parameter , which we calculate for a halo of mass @xmath54 using the fitting formulae of @xcite . on top of this
we add a dispersion to the mass - concentration relation using a lognormal distribution with mean equal to that evaluated from the fitting functions and variance @xmath65 .
this is the same value as that used in @xcite and is a typical value , as measured from fitting nfw profiles to halos recovered from simulations @xcite .
both central and satellite galaxies are given the velocity of the centre of mass of the halo .
satellite galaxies are then assigned an extra peculiar velocity contribution drawn from a gaussian , with the velocity dispersion calculated from the virial theorem @xmath66 for an nfw profile , the mass inside a radius @xmath14 is @xmath67,\ ] ] and hence the velocity dispersion for a halo of mass @xmath54 is @xmath68 in order to assign the additional satellite velocities in each direction we use a gaussian distribution with zero mean and variance @xmath69 . to simulate the effects of redshift - space distortions we displace each galaxy along the line - of - sight by @xmath70 given @xmath71 and a galaxy s true position , we determine angles and redshifts using our fiducial cosmology , placing the observer at the centre of each simulation box .
although we obtain our cosmological constraints from measuring the correlation function and not the data power spectrum , we do use the monopole moment of the power spectrum to determine the hod model used for the mocks , as it is faster to compute than its configuration - space analogue .
we estimate the monopole of the power spectrum , which we denote @xmath72 , using the fourier - based method of @xcite .
we convert each galaxy s redshift space coordinates to a cartesian basis using our fiducial cosmology .
we then compute the overdensity on a grid containing @xmath73 cells in a box of edge length @xmath74 .
this provides ample room to zero pad the galaxies to improve the frequency sampling and results in a nyquist frequency of @xmath75 , much larger than the largest frequency of interest .
we use the random catalogue to estimate the expected density at each grid point .
galaxies and randoms are weighted based on the number density as a function of redshift , @xmath76 where we set @xmath77 , which is close to the measured amplitude at @xmath78 .
this corresponds to physical scales @xmath79 , which are well within our fitting range , and , in any case , the efficiency of this weighting system has only a very weak scale - dependence .
after fourier transforming the overdensity grid we calculate the spherically - averaged power spectrum in bins of @xmath80 , correcting for gridding effects and shot - noise .
the power spectrum of the mgs data is displayed as points in fig .
[ pkmock ] .
the smooth curve and error - bars display the mean of the mock @xmath72 and their standard deviation .
we match the measured @xmath72 of the mgs and the average from 10 halo catalogues in order to determine the hod model that we then apply to all of the mock catalogues . in this way
, we do not need to correct our halo mass function at the low - mass end , as the lack of low - mass halos will be compensated via the population of lower - mass halos .
we use the five parameter functional form of @xcite for the number of central and satellite galaxies , @xmath81 , \notag\\[9pt ] \langle n_{sat}(m)\rangle & = \langle n_{cen}\rangle \left ( \dfrac{m - m_{cut}}{m_{1}}\right ) ^\alpha.\end{aligned}\ ] ] for a halo of @xmath82 we set @xmath83 and in the case where we assign satellite galaxies but no central galaxy to a halo , we remove one of the potential satellite galaxies and replace it with a central .
we set the values of the five free parameters by iterating over the following steps : 1 . populate a subset of the mocks using a given set of hod parameters , 2 .
mask the mock galaxies so that they match the data , 3 .
subsample the mock galaxies to match our idealised @xmath38 , 4 .
calculate the average power spectrum of our populated mocks and compare to the data .
we use 10 mocks to fit our hod , populating and masking them individually , but reproducing the radial selection function by sub - sampling based on the ratio between the analytic fit to the data @xmath38 and the average number density of the 10 mocks .
the fit is performed using a downhill simplex minimisation of the @xmath84 difference between the average , 10-mock power spectrum and the data power spectrum in the range @xmath85 .
the fit is performed twice , first using analytic errors on the power spectrum from @xcite ( equations 4 and 5 therein ) , and then using the covariance matrix from the first fit to generate our final best fit model . ) between these up to @xmath86 except on large scales ( small @xmath87 ) where the window function introduces additional covariance between different k - bins.,width=317 ] our best fit hod model has the parameters @xmath88 where @xmath89 is dependent on the five other parameters .
the best fit hod parameters are in good agreement with the hod parameters reported by @xcite for another sdss galaxy sample with similar number density and magnitude limit .
[ pkmockdiff ] shows the percentage difference between the average mock power spectrum and the power spectrum of the data .
the errors come from the covariance estimated from the full mock sample .
we can see that the amplitude of the power spectra matches well on all scales , with @xmath90 agreement up to @xmath91 , except on the largest scales where the window function has a large effect .
the fit is good , as we find @xmath92 for @xmath93 degrees of freedom ( 37 @xmath87-bins and 5 free parameters ) .
[ hodnumber ] shows the expected number of galaxies in our mock halos for our best fit hod model .
this highlights how we are able to recover the clustering properties of the data even though we lack the correct number of low mass halos .
all of the satellite galaxies exist in halos with @xmath94 , which are recovered quite well by our simulations .
below this mass , where our simulations lack sufficient number density , the probability of finding any galaxies within a halo also drops rapidly , such that even though these halos are more abundant in general , the contribution to the total clustering from these halos is small in comparison to the larger mass halos .
there exists significant degeneracy between the five free hod parameters , which can not be broken completely by just the one - dimensional , two - point clustering statistics .
three - point statistics could be used to break this degeneracy @xcite , however this would be prohibitively time - consuming and potentially very noise dominated .
another possibility is to use the quadrupole or hexadecapole moments of the power spectrum , as these contain additional information about the position and velocity distribution of the satellite galaxies within their host halos @xcite .
again , however , in our case these statistics will almost certainly be noise dominated , and are consequently not important for our current implementation of the method . as such
we leave these as future improvements for our mock catalogue production process .
we base our cosmological fits on configuration - space clustering measurements , calculating the correlation function for both mocks and data as a function of both the redshift space separation @xmath95 , and the cosine of the angle to the line of sight @xmath96 , using the same coordinate transformation as for the power spectrum .
we use the minimum variance estimator of @xcite , with galaxy and random weights as given in eq .
( [ weights ] ) , to calculate the correlation function from the normalised galaxy - galaxy , galaxy - random and random - random pair counts for @xmath97 and @xmath98 in bins of @xmath99 and @xmath100 .
from there we perform a multipole expansion of the two - dimensional correlation function via the riemann sum @xmath101 where @xmath102 and @xmath103 are the legendre polynomials of order @xmath104 .
we generate the monopole and quadrupole for different bin widths by re - summing the pair counts before applying eq .
( [ moments ] ) . figs .
[ xi0mock ] and [ xi2mock ] show the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function for the average of the mocks and for the data for the 24 measurements in the range @xmath105mpc .
the mean of the mock @xmath106 and @xmath107 do not match the data within the error - bars at many scales .
however , we only plot the diagonal elements of the covariance matrix and the off - diagonal elements represent a significant component ( see fig . [ covar ] ) .
a more proper comparison is the @xmath108 between the mean of the mocks and the data , using the full covariance matrix . for both @xmath106 and @xmath107
the @xmath108/d.o.f is slightly less than one , implying the anisotropic clustering in the mock samples is a good representation of the data , even at 10@xmath109mpc scales ( and hence ` @xmath110 by eye ' is a bad idea ) .
+ we use our sample of mock galaxy catalogues to estimate the covariance matrix for both the power spectrum and correlation function in the standard way , and invert to give an estimate of the inverse matrix .
we remove the bias in the inverse covariance matrix by rescaling by a factor that depends on the number of mocks and measurement bins ( e.g. @xcite ) .
[ covar ] shows the correlation matrix , @xmath111 , for the power spectrum and the monopole and quadrupole moments of the correlation function using our fiducial binning scheme .
we can see that there is significant off - diagonal covariance in the correlation function and non - negligible cross - covariance between the monopole and quadrupole , however the power spectrum covariance matrix is much more diagonal . to fit to the correlation function moments , we assume that the binned monopole and quadrupole are drawn from a multi - variate gaussian distribution , and assume the standard gaussian likelihood , @xmath112
. the validity of this assumption , for both our fits and the bao fits to the power spectrum found in paper i , is tested in the following section .
there are additional factors that one must apply to uncertainties determined using a covariance matrix that is constructed from a finite number of realisations and to standard deviations determined from those realisations @xcite . in this work
we multiply the inverse covariance matrix estimate by a further factor given by @xmath113 in equation 18 of @xcite , such that the errors derived from the shape of the likelihood are automatically corrected for this bias .
we have the number of mocks @xmath114 , the number of bins @xmath115 and the number of parameters fitted @xmath116 , giving only a small correction to the inverse covariance matrix of @xmath117 .
the coordinate transformation that allows us to create two distinct mocks from each dark matter realisation puts the two patches as far apart as possible to minimise the covariance between mocks based on the same dark matter cube .
the minimum possible distance between two objects in different patches is @xmath118 .
whilst this is within the range of scales we are interested in , the total cross - correlation between patches is very small .
we number our mocks such that pairs of mocks ( e.g. 1 & 2 , or 3 & 4 ) were drawn from the same dark matter cube .
thus we expect the set of @xmath119 even numbered mocks and the set of @xmath119 odd numbered mocks to be independent of any correlations caused by the sampling , and any cross correlation to be due to noise .
the cross correlation coefficient , @xmath120 for both the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function , and for the power spectrum , calculated from the 500 pairs of mocks drawn from the same dark matter cube is shown in fig .
[ crosscoeff ] .
the dashed lines in fig . [ crosscoeff ] indicate the maximum and minimum correlation coefficient ( at any scale considered ) between 500 pairs of independent mocks ( i.e. taking pairs where both mocks have even or odd numbers ) .
the fact that the cross correlation between pairs drawn from the same dark matter cube is almost entirely within these bounds indicates that there is no cross correlation above the level of noise in our combined covariance matrix , even on scales where the pairs of mocks could , theoretically , be covariant .
we also test the effect of assigning redshifts to our random data points from randomly chosen galaxies as opposed to simply generating them by sampling a smooth fit to the number density . in fig .
[ reshuffled ] we present the differences in the measured correlation function monopole and quadrupole moments of the mgs data , when they are calculated either using random data points that are assigned redshifts from the corresponding galaxy catalogue ( ` shuffled ' ) , or when they are given redshifts sampled from the fitted number density described in section [ sec : data ] .
we may expect ` shuffling ' to reduce the clustering , especially on scales below @xmath121 , because spherically averaged features in the galaxy field are removed in the shuffled approach .
the power removed is predominantly along the line of sight , and hence the quadrupole is affected more than the monopole . from fig . [
reshuffled ] we see that for both monopole and quadrupole , the difference in clustering between the two methods is well below the level of the noise .
we adopt the shuffling approach as we do not know the true radial distribution for the data , and this approach allows for all features caused by the galaxy selection , at the expense of a small reduction in the monopole and quadrupole moments .
further , @xcite found that the shuffling approach is less biased than fitting to a smooth @xmath38 when both methods were tested on boss mocks ( with a known @xmath38 ) , and the differences we find are consistent with those of @xcite .
such differences are so small that we do not need to account for this in our model fitting .
our final test is on the assumption that the measured correlation function and power spectrum are drawn from an underlying multivariate gaussian distribution .
this assumption is the basis of the likelihood calculations made in both the bao fits of paper i and the rsd fits presented in this paper .
we perform a kolmogorovsmirnov test on the log of the power spectrum ( which is used in the bao fits of paper i ) and monopole and quadrupole of our mock catalogues , using the cumulative distribution function ( cdf ) of the normalised differences between the two - point statistics measured from each mock realisation and the average over all the mock catalogues . following the standard method of the kolmogorovsmirnov test
we define the parameter @xmath122 as the maximum difference between our cdf and the cdf of the distribution we wish to test against , in this case a gaussian . the p - value for this test , which indicates the probability that the observed value of @xmath122 would be a large as it is if our underlying distribution _ were _ gaussian , is then given by a simple rescaling of the parameter d , @xmath123 and the the approximate expression @xmath124 here
, @xmath125 is the number of bins in our measured cdf .
as elsewhere , we use bins of width @xmath126 for the power spectrum and @xmath127 for the correlation function .
[ kstest ] shows the kolmogorovsmirnov test p - value for the two - point statistics as a function of scale .
we can see that there is no trend with scale and across all scales of interest the p - value indicates a high probability that both the power spectrum and correlation function are drawn from a gaussian distribution .
the log of the power spectrum has a particularly high probability of being drawn from a gaussian distribution , which is why we use this rather than the power spectrum itself when fitting the bao feature in paper i. based on the p - values we obtain , we find that even for those bins in the correlation function where the difference between our measured cdf and a gaussian cdf is largest , we could expect a greater difference at least 20% of the time if our measured clustering statistics were drawn from an underlying gaussian distribution .
to model our redshift space monopole and quadrupole we use the combined gaussian streaming / convolved lagrangian perturbation theory ( clpt ) model of @xcite .
the clustering of galaxies in redshift space can be written as a function of their real space correlation and their full pairwise velocity dispersion @xcite . in the gaussian streaming model , introduced by @xcite ,
the pairwise velocity dispersion is approximated as a gaussian , which allows one to write the two - dimensional redshift space correlation function , @xmath128 , as a function of the real - space correlation function , @xmath129 , and the mean infall velocity and velocity dispersions betweens pairs of galaxies , @xmath130 and @xmath131 respectively , @xmath132^{1/2}}[1+\xi(r ) ] \\ & \times \text{exp } \left\ { -\frac{[s_{||}-r_{||}-\mu v_{12}(r)]^{2}}{2\sigma_{12}^{2}(r,\mu ) } \right\}. \label{eq : gs } \end{aligned}\ ] ] here @xmath133 and @xmath134 denote redshift space separations transverse and parallel to the line of sight , @xmath135 denotes the real space separation parallel to the line of sight , such that @xmath136 , and @xmath137 is as defined previously .
@xcite evaluate @xmath130 and @xmath131 using a standard perturbation theory expansion of a linearly biased tracer density field , however this does not accurately replicate the velocity statistics of the tracer field on small scales , nor the smoothing of the bao feature .
this was improved upon by @xcite in their analysis of the boss cmass galaxy sample by using lagrangian perturbation theory to generate the real - space correlation function above scales of @xmath138 .
this proved effective for the boss cmass sample , although @xcite note that the boss cmass galaxy sample has a second order bias close to zero , the point at which the accuracy of the standard perturbation theory evaluation of @xmath130 and its derivative is greatest .
@xcite and @xcite further improve the modelling of the correlation function by computing the real - space correlation function using convolved lagrangian perturbation theory and evaluating @xmath130 and @xmath131 in the same framework .
this formulation relies on a perturbative expansion of the lagrangian overdensity and displacement which in turn allows us to write the correlation function and velocity statistics as a series of integrals over powers of the linear power spectrum . for biased tracers
the model assumes a local real - space lagrangian bias function , @xmath139 , and solutions up to @xmath140 reveal a dependence on both the first and second derivatives of the bias function , @xmath141 and @xmath142 , and combinations thereof .
furthermore , as would be expected , the velocity statistics have a dependency on the growth rate of structure , @xmath143 , via the multiplicative factor , @xmath144 .
from @xcite we can easily relate the linear galaxy bias , @xmath145 , to the first derivative of the lagrangian bias function by @xmath146 .
the model is calculated as follows . for a vector @xmath147 in real space and vector @xmath148 in langrangian space
, we can define three functions that depend on the lagrangian bias , growth rate and linear power spectrum : @xmath149 , @xmath150 and @xmath151 .
@xmath152 is a scalar function , whilst @xmath153 and @xmath154 are vector and tensor functions along cartesian directions @xmath155 and @xmath156 .
the exact form of the functions @xmath152 , @xmath153 , and @xmath154 are given in @xcite we can then calculate @xmath129 and @xmath130 by projecting the scalar and vector functions along the pair separation vector and integrating with respect to the lagrangian separation , @xmath157^{-1}\int d^{3}q m_{1,n}(\boldsymbol{r},\boldsymbol{q})\hat{r}_{n}.\end{aligned}\ ] ] we split the velocity dispersion @xmath131 into components perpendicular and parallel to the pair separation vector and evaluate these separately by projecting and integrating the tensor function , @xmath158 where @xmath159^{-1}\int d^{3}q m_{2,nm}(\boldsymbol{r},\boldsymbol{q})\hat{r}_{n}\hat{r}_{m } , \\
\sigma_{\perp}^{2}(r ) & = \frac{[1+\xi(r)]^{-1}}{2}\int d^{3}q m_{2,nm}(\boldsymbol{r},\boldsymbol{q})\delta_{nm}^{k } - \frac{\sigma_{||}^{2}}{2}\end{aligned}\ ] ] and @xmath160 is the kronecker delta . hence , for a given cosmological model parameterised by @xmath161 and @xmath143 , we can calculate , for any scale of interest , a unique set of @xmath129 , @xmath130 and @xmath131
entering these into eq .
( [ eq : gs ] ) allows us to generate our two - dimensional redshift space correlation function and from there we can generate a model monopole and quadrupole .
these models are fitted to the measurements from data and mocks as described later to constrain a given set of cosmological parameters . in calculating the correlation function of our data
we have to assume a ( fiducial ) cosmological model to calculate the physical separations between galaxies parallel and transverse to the line of sight .
specifically , to calculate the separation along the line of sight we require the hubble parameter , @xmath162 , and the galaxy redshifts , whilst the transverse separation requires knowledge of the angular diameter distance , @xmath163 , and the angular separation of the galaxy pair .
any difference between the relative values of these parameters in the fiducial cosmology and the true cosmology will manifest as anisotropic clustering , that is , a difference in the clustering of galaxies parallel and perpendicular to the line of sight .
if an observable such as the bao feature is expected to be statistically isotropic , then any measured anisotropy can also be used to constrain the true cosmology of our universe .
this is the alcock - paczynski ( ap ) test @xcite .
anisotropy is also being added by redshift space distortions . as such
, the ap effect and rsd are degenerate and we need a way to disentangle these effects . following @xcite , we introduce two scale parameters , @xmath164 and @xmath165 .
@xmath164 denotes the stretching of all scales and hence encapsulates the isotropic shift whilst @xmath165 parameterises the ap effect .
measuring these two parameters allows us to constrain the angular diameter distance and hubble expansion independently , @xmath166 where a subscript ` fid ' denotes our fiducial model and @xmath167 is the measured bao peak position .
values @xmath168 and @xmath169 would indicate that our fiducial cosmology is the true cosmology of the measured correlation function . in terms of our model correlation function the @xmath164 and @xmath165 parameters modify the scales at which we measure a given value for the correlation function , @xmath170 during our fits we apply the values of @xmath164 and @xmath165 directly to alter the scales at which we calculate the two - dimensional redshift space correlation function ( given by eq .
( [ eq : gs ] ) ) , calculating the necessary correction to the parallel and perpendicular separations , @xmath134 and @xmath171 , before using these to calculate the corresponding values of @xmath172 and @xmath96 required by the integrand .
we subsequently integrate the 2d model for the correlation function to estimate monopole and quadrupole moments . finally , we must account for the way we bin our data when calculating our model . rather than evaluating our model at the centre of those bins
, we take into account variations in the model correlation function across each bin , and instead take the weighted average of our model within each bin . for a bin from @xmath173 to @xmath174
centred at @xmath95 , our model is @xmath175 where @xmath176 is the normalisation for the weighted mean , @xmath177 for all the fits detailed in this paper we calculate our model in bins of width @xmath178 between @xmath179 , before calculating eq .
( [ eq : bincentre ] ) , using a cubic spline interpolation method to interpolate the value of the monopole and quadrupole at any point required for the integration .
for our analysis , we consider the shape of the linear power spectrum to be parameterised by the cold dark matter and baryonic matter densities , @xmath180 and @xmath181 , and the scalar index , @xmath182 , whilst the amplitude of the power spectrum is quantified using @xmath12 . on top of this
we add the growth rate of structure , @xmath143 , which we wish to measure via the rsd signal , galaxy bias parameters @xmath145 and @xmath142 , and bao dilation parameters @xmath164 and @xmath165 , which we measure independently of the power spectrum shape . in theory , the dependence of the clpt model on @xmath183 , @xmath145 , @xmath143 , @xmath142 and @xmath12 is such that , combined with the other dependencies , all of the above parameters can be independently measured if the data has no noise . in practice however , the parameters @xmath143 , @xmath145 and @xmath12 are strongly degenerate at the linear level and we are unable to constrain these independently .
in addition , we can provide no constraints on the shape of the linear power spectrum beyond those , already tight , constraints given by the planck collaboration s analysis of the cosmic microwave background radiation . in lieu of this we fix @xmath180 , @xmath181 and @xmath182 to the fiducial values used to create our mock catalogues , which correspond closely to the planck best - fit values , and assume that any variation in these parameters can be captured by departures from @xmath184 and @xmath185 .
overall , then , we explore a combination of cosmological parameters @xmath186 . here
we treat @xmath12 as containing two separate contributions , linear and non - linear .
the former of these is contained in the @xmath187 and @xmath5 parameters which are our parameters of interest and are responsible for the overall amplitude of the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function .
the latter , @xmath188 , is only effective at the smallest scales we fit against and as such is largely unconstrained and degenerate with the second order bias parameter @xmath142 . in all fits
we do not allow @xmath5 to vary in such way that we choose unphysical values of @xmath189 or @xmath190 , and we apply uniform priors of @xmath191 and @xmath192 , as for the bao fits of paper i. we include priors on @xmath164 and @xmath188 as described and tested in section [ sec : priors ] .
we marginalise over two nuisance parameters while fitting the correlation function , which we denote @xmath193 and @xmath194 .
the first of these corresponds to an additive correction to @xmath195 in the gaussian streaming model .
this compensates for two different effects that both manifest at the same point in the model .
the first is the clpt model s inability to fully recover the large scale halo velocity dispersion . whilst the scale - dependence of both the @xmath196 and @xmath197 parts of @xmath195
is well recovered by the clpt , there is a mass - dependent , constant amplitude shift across all scales .
this systematic offset in the halo velocity dispersion offset is identified in @xcite and further explored in @xcite , who go on to suggest that it stems from gravitational evolution on the smallest scales , which can not be accurately predicted by perturbation theory and hence can not be separated from the overall scale - dependence of @xmath195 . rather than calibrate the corrective factor required to shift the amplitude of the velocity dispersion using , for example , n - body simulations we simply treat this as a free parameter , and part of the @xmath193 nuisance parameter .
the second component of @xmath193 is the additional velocity dispersion along the line of sight due to the so called , ` fingers - of - god ' , resulting from peculiar motions of the galaxies within their host halos .
this effect is expected to be small on our scales of interest and in the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function .
we apply a very broad , flat prior of @xmath198 .
this range is similar to that used in @xcite , where they allow the fingers - of - god intra - halo velocity dispersion to vary from @xmath199 to @xmath200 , providing a detailed set of tests to validate this prior .
we additionally allow this term to go negative over the same range to account for the fact that , as mentioned in @xcite , the perturbation theory calculation of @xmath195 overestimates the amplitude of the positive offset required to bring linear theory in line with the measurements from n - body simulations , hence resulting in a @xmath195 which is larger than would be measured .
our second nuisance term is the integral constraint , which takes the form of an additional constant added to the correlation function monopole .
this accounts for incorrect clustering on the largest scales due to the finite volume of our survey .
whilst , given a model , this can be calculated analytically from the properties of our survey , we include it as a free parameter to also account for additional uncertainties in the modelling of the monopole and potential observational systematic effects , which tend to add nearly scale - independent clustering @xcite . under the assumption that the integral constraint is independent of the angle to the los , this vanishes for the quadrupole and so we only apply a nuisance parameter of this form to the monopole .
we test the model and our fitting methodology by fitting the average monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function recovered from the 1000 mocks .
we use the joint covariance matrix appropriate for a single realisation , including the cross - covariance between the monopole and quadrupole : thus the errors recovered should match those from a single realisation . to perform the fit , we perform a mcmc sampling over models using the publicly available emcee python routine @xcite . for each parameter
we quote the best - fit value of the marginalised likelihood , with @xmath201 errors defined by the @xmath202 regions around this point .
our fiducial fitting choices are as follows : we use @xmath203 as our fiducial bin width , and keep only those bins with centres @xmath18 .
we apply a prior on @xmath164 based on the results of paper i , and we apply priors on @xmath165 and @xmath188 based on results using data from the planck satellite @xcite .
our fiducial range of scales is chosen based on the facts that including larger scales adds little extra information and the accuracy of the clpt model starts to decrease below @xmath204 for the range of halo masses where galaxies in our sample are found @xcite .
we will motivate our other choices and demonstrate that our @xmath5 measurements are largely independent of these choices in the following sections .
llccc & * average of mocks : * + no . & case & @xmath205 & @xmath187 + 1 & full fit & @xmath206 & @xmath207 + 2 & prior on @xmath164 & @xmath208 & @xmath209 + 3 & prior on @xmath188 & @xmath210 & @xmath211 + 4 & @xmath212 & @xmath213 & @xmath214 + 5 & @xmath215 & @xmath216 & @xmath217 + 6 & @xmath218 & @xmath219 & @xmath220 + 7 & @xmath221 & @xmath222 & @xmath223 + 8 & @xmath224 , @xmath185 & @xmath222 & @xmath225 + 9 & @xmath226 , @xmath185 & @xmath227 & @xmath228 + 10 & linear fit & @xmath229 & @xmath230 + [ tab : mockrsd ] and @xmath187 values and one - sigma errors from fitting to the mean of the mocks for the 10 cases listed in table [ tab : mockrsd ] .
the dashed line indicates the expected growth rate assuming our fiducial @xmath8cdm cosmology .
the shaded band indicates the expected linear galaxy bias as measured from our hod fits to the mgs sample , we use a band rather than a line to account for the fact that the calculated value depends slightly on the range of scales used . , width=317 ]
the best fit values for all of our fitting cases are collated in table [ tab : mockrsd ] .
[ mockrsdplot ] shows the best - fit values for the cases listed in the table along with the @xmath8cdm prediction of @xmath5 , which closely matches that used in the production of the mock catalogues , and the expected galaxy bias assuming linear theory @xcite . for our fiducial
@xmath8cdm cosmology , and assuming gr , we have @xmath231 and @xmath232 , and from our hod fits to the mgs we have @xmath233 depending on the exact scales used to estimate the linear galaxy bias . and @xmath188 .
the errors are derived from the covariance matrix and are the errors on a single realisation .
the clpt model does a fantastic job of reproducing the measured clustering on all scales of interest.,width=317 ] in fig .
[ rsdmcmock ] we plot the best - fitting model monopole and quadrupole for our fiducial fit alongside that measured from the average of mocks .
we can see that the clpt model does remarkably well in modelling the monopole and quadrupole across all the scales we fit against , with only small inaccuracies at the smallest scales and around @xmath234 .
the inaccuracies are clearly well below the expected level of noise in our measurements .
we include a prior on @xmath164 , motivated by the expected improvement in the bao peak position after reconstruction , in our fiducial @xmath5 measurements , and we test the effect of including this for mock results in this section .
much of the information on @xmath164 comes from the bao feature , however in our data , as may be inferred from fig .
[ xi0mock ] , the bao feature in the monopole is very noisy .
reconstruction provides a means for us to recover more of the information within the bao feature and hence can improve our constraints on @xmath164 , as was done in paper i. during reconstruction we assume a linear rsd model to convert the galaxy overdensity in redshift space to a lagrangian displacement for each galaxy .
it is common , but not necessary , to also scale the displacements to remove the linear rsd and simplify the bao constraints by making the amplitude of the signal isotropic when analysed in the true cosmology .
the effect of this process on the quadrupole of the correlation function is not well understood and so post - reconstruction measurements can not currently be used for rsd constraints . however , as a result of the bao fits in paper i , we still have a greater knowledge of @xmath164 than is apparent in the pre - reconstruction monopole .
we encapsulate this using a gaussian prior on @xmath164 , centred on the recovered post - reconstruction best - fit values from paper i , and with a variance calculated from the difference between pre- and post - reconstruction fits to the bao feature ( the pre - reconstruction uncertainty is a factor 2.5 times greater than the post - reconstruction result ) . in other words
, we expect the inclusion of the @xmath164 prior to recover the same uncertainty on @xmath164 as found in paper i. reconstruction also shifts the position of the bao peak due to the removal of coupling between different k - modes on the scale of the bao feature .
paper i fits the post - reconstruction ( hence no mode - coupling ) correlation function with a model that does not include mode - coupling , whereas we fit the pre - reconstruction correlation function with a non - linear model that does include mode - coupling and hence the expected values of @xmath164 returned by both methods should be the same .
we find that including such a prior has only a small effect on the recovered values and errors for @xmath5 and @xmath187 , slightly decreasing the error range for both .
the recovered best - fit values only change by a small amount compared to the statistical error on the measurements .
this indicates that such a process introduces no bias into our results , which is not surprising , as the @xmath164 prior comes from the comparison of the data itself before and after reconstruction , and we expect systematic effects entering during the reconstruction process to be very small .
the reduction in the error range comes from the improvement in the alcock - paczynski measurement when the bao position is known , and not from double counting as we have carefully only included the extra information recovered post - reconstruction .
the clpt model s dependency on @xmath188 in the non - linear regime is weak enough that our data provides no constraints on this except through the first order measurements of @xmath187 and @xmath5 .
the remaining non - linear contribution is largely unconstrained .
we therefore consider a planck+wp+highl prior on @xmath188 ( planck collaboration et al .
2013 ) , which takes the form of a gaussian with mean @xmath235 and variance 0.012 , so that the second order corrections to the model do not stray into unphysical regions of parameter space , where the model itself is not expected to be accurate
. for our baseline fits , we adopt this prior , which we consider not to be introducing any additional information to our measurements , but simply forcing us to only consider physical solutions for the clpt model .
when we include this prior there is a small change in the recovered mean values of @xmath5 and @xmath187 . for the average of the mocks we can see that the value of @xmath5 decreases slightly from 0.49 to 0.45
this shift actually brings the values of @xmath5 closer to that expected based on the cosmology used to generate the mocks and is well within the expected statistical deviation of the measurement . additionally , adding in the @xmath188 prior increases the value of @xmath187 and
tightens our constraints , bringing them closer to the expected value .
this is because the prior allows us place constraints on the second order contribution to the galaxy bias , which , in the clpt model , enters as additional small scale clustering proportional to @xmath236 . when this contribution is completely unconstrained , large values force the linear galaxy bias to be lower than it should be to fit the smallest scales . due to the strong degeneracy between @xmath187 and @xmath5
it is actually this stronger constraint on @xmath187 that has a knock - on effect of reducing the value of @xmath5 we obtain .
we perform several robustness tests using the @xmath164 and planck prior measurement , looking at the effects of changing both the bin width of our measurements and the fitting range .
when we change the fitting range to @xmath237 we see a slight increase in @xmath5 , and corresponding decrease in @xmath187 , though these shifts are well within the statistical uncertainty .
the reason for this shift stems from the higher order lagrangian bias contributions : when we remove the small scale data , our constraints on @xmath142 become much weaker and it is harder to decouple from @xmath141 .
we can also see that the errors on @xmath5 and @xmath187 increase when we reduce our fitting range , consistent with the loss of information , particularly at small scales .
the results in table [ tab : mockrsd ] and figure [ mockrsdplot ] also show that our choice of bin width has negligible effect on the results we obtain . in cases 5 and 6
we perform fits using our fiducial fitting range and priors but using a correlation function and covariance matrix that has been binned using @xmath238 and @xmath239 respectively .
we find that the results are fully consistent with each other and our fiducial bin width case , with only small , statistically driven deviations in the mean and @xmath201 marginalised values of @xmath5 and @xmath187 .
we also look at models where we do not vary the values of @xmath164 and @xmath165 , as in several previous studies @xcite .
this carries the implicit assumption that our fiducial cosmology is the true cosmology .
figure [ planckap ] shows the expected deviation of these parameters , assuming @xmath8cdm , at our effective redshift based on the cosmological results from planck @xcitecdm base - planck - lowl - lowlike - highl chains which , at the time of writing , are publicly available for download from the planck legacy archive at http://pla.esac.esa.int/pla/aio/planckproducts.html . ] , which is the basis for our fiducial cosmology . and @xmath165 at @xmath4 based on planck @xmath8cdm cosmological constraints .
ellipses show the 1 , 2 and 3@xmath240 regions , whilst dashed lines show the mean and @xmath201 errors of the marginalised distributions.,width=317 ] we see that @xmath165 , which is related to the ap parameter f as in eq .
( 21 ) , is very well defined at the effective redshift of our sample , with only a 1% deviation from @xmath169 allowed to within 5@xmath240 .
even relatively large deviations from our fiducial cosmology manifest as only small changes in @xmath165 away from zero . as a majority of the information on @xmath165 comes from the quadrupole , which is also where we obtain most of the information on @xmath5
, we can conclude that the actual ap signal we expect to measure as part of our fitting is also small .
however , from figure [ planckap ] we can also see that fixing alpha to our fiducial value is not supported by the planck data , where even large deviations from @xmath168 can be found to within 5@xmath240 .
it is mainly the monopole of the correlation function that constrains @xmath164 , but the large degeneracies between @xmath164 and @xmath187 , and @xmath187 and @xmath5 means that fixing this value could have a knock - on effect on our @xmath5 constraints . as such we hypothesise that though the expected degeneracy between the ap and rsd signals is small , not allowing @xmath164 to vary could bias our constraints on @xmath187 and @xmath5 . finally , it also important to note that figure [ planckap ] is only true when we assume a @xmath8cdm cosmology . allowing for @xmath241 , a time - dependent equation of state for
dark energy , or other non - standard cosmological models could allow for a much greater variation in @xmath164 and @xmath165 from their fiducial values . as these phenomena are only emergent at late times they would be largely unconstrained by planck , rendering any apparent planck priors on @xmath164 and @xmath165 moot .
to test this we perform additional fits to the average of the mocks : first fixing @xmath169 and allowing alpha to vary , then fixing @xmath165 and @xmath164 .
we fix @xmath164 to two different values : @xmath184 , which is what we expect for the mean of the mocks , and @xmath242 which is the value recovered from the bao - only fits to the mgs data in paper i. from table [ tab : mockrsd ] and figure [ mockrsdplot ] we can see the recovered values of @xmath5 and @xmath187 when fixing @xmath165 do shift slightly , but are still in very good agreement with the expected values for the mocks .
this indicates that we are not introducing any bias into our results .
the uncertainty on @xmath5 is also reduced substantially , with the lower bound especially reduced by a factor of 2 .
this is because confining our model to only those regions of parameter space that are in agreement with the planck-@xmath8cdm predictions greatly reduces the degeneracy between @xmath5 and @xmath165 , improving our constraints .
it should be noted however that this result would also be recovered if we were to take the case where we vary @xmath164 and @xmath165 and simply combined with planck data at a later stage , as the constraints from planck are tight enough to effectively fix @xmath165 .
the benefit to allowing @xmath165 to vary is that the subsequent @xmath5 results are more general and can be combined with any additional models , not just those that agree with the planck-@xmath8cdm constraints .
when fixing @xmath164 to different values we do see a small change in the recovered best fit values of @xmath187 and @xmath5 , whilst the uncertainties therein remain unchanged .
however this is not much beyond that seen when fixing @xmath165 to the value expected from the mocks .
we will reiterate , however , that fixing @xmath164 is not supported by the planck-@xmath8cdm predictions and so this should be allowed to vary .
lastly , we investigate the case where we perform a simple linear model fit as per @xcite . in table [ tab : mockrsd ] and figure [ mockrsdplot ] we show the results when fitting using a linear model .
here we still keep our reconstruction - motivated prior on @xmath164 , and vary @xmath243 and @xmath194 . in this case
we find that the error budget for both @xmath5 and @xmath187 is significantly reduced in comparison to our fiducial fit , and to a greater extent than when we use our perturbation theory model but fix @xmath164 and @xmath165 .
a simple linear model neglects the contributions from higher order bias corrections which for our sample are non - negligible and have been shown to affect our estimation of @xmath187 and , by way of the strong degeneracy therein , @xmath5 .
however , we find that there is no significant bias in the recovered best - fit values themselves when using a linear model and that any differences between the observed rsd signal and the prediction from linear theory are largely hidden by noise .
.the mean values and one - sigma errors on @xmath5 and @xmath187 from fitting to the data monopole and quadrupole , when different priors are applied and certain parameter combinations are fixed . from @xmath8cdm and
gr we expect @xmath244 and from our hod fits to the mgs data we expect @xmath245 .
[ cols="<,<,^,^,^ " , ] and @xmath187 values and one - sigma errors from fitting to the data for the 10 cases listed in table [ tab : datarsd ] . as for fig .
[ mockrsdplot ] , the dashed line indicates the expected growth rate assuming our fiducial @xmath8cdm cosmology .
the shaded band indicates the expected linear galaxy bias as measured from our hod fits to the mgs sample , we use a band rather than a line to account for the fact that the calculated value depends slightly on the range of scales used . , width=317 ]
@xmath187 and @xmath5 likelihood contours and respective 1d marginalised likelihoods for the mgs galaxy sample using our fits to the monopole and quadrupole in the range @xmath246 with bins of width @xmath203 and priors on @xmath164 and @xmath188.,width=317 ] in this section we present our constraints on @xmath5 and @xmath187 from fitting to the mgs data using the method detailed and tested in the previous section .
we have shown that our fitting method is independent of our choice of priors , fitting range and bin size , but in the interest of completeness we perform a range of fits equal to those performed on the average of the mocks .
for equivalent fits to both data and mocks we use the same covariance matrix , so any differences stem from noise in the data or , of course , differences between our fiducial cosmology and the true cosmology .
the marginalised mean values and @xmath201 constraints on @xmath5 and @xmath187 for all of our fits are given in table [ tab : datarsd ] with the minimum @xmath108 values , and shown in the corresponding fig .
[ datarsdplot ] . as for the results fitting the average of the mocks
, we can see that adding a prior on @xmath164 introduces no noticeable bias to our best fit @xmath5 and @xmath187 values and only a slight reduction in the errors .
when fitting to the data , the best fit @xmath84 increases slightly from @xmath247 to @xmath248 for 26 degrees of freedom ( 34 bins and 8 free parameters ) when we introduce our prior on @xmath164 .
such an increase is to be expected as the prior forces our best - fit model away from the overall maximum likelihood model , however the difference is very small indicating no strong preference for models outside our prior range .
when we add in the planck prior on @xmath188 we find a larger difference in the @xmath5 and @xmath187 constraints than for the mocks , though the value of @xmath5 does not shift by more than we would expect based on the statistical errors , and as we do not believe this prior to be adding in any bias to our results from our tests on the mocks , this change is purely statistically driven . before adding in the @xmath249 prior the measured values of @xmath187 are lower than we would expect , but this value increases by @xmath250 when this prior is included .
it is this change in the mean recovered value of @xmath187 which causes the slight change in @xmath5 .
the reason for the underestimation of @xmath187 is as mentioned previously ; without this prior helping to constrain @xmath188 we overestimate @xmath142 and hence underestimate @xmath187 . for this
prior we find @xmath251 , which is again a slight increase compared to the fits with only the @xmath164 prior , however for all three cases with different priors the recovered @xmath84 values for our model are very reasonable .
our fiducial fitting case including both @xmath164 and @xmath188 priors is shown in fig .
[ rsdmc2d ] , where we plot the 2-d redshift space correlation function of our data along with the maximum likelihood model . in fig .
[ rsdmccontour ] , we also plot the recovered @xmath187@xmath5 contour for our fiducial fitting case , alongside the marginalised 1d histograms for these parameters . here
we can see the strong degeneracy between @xmath5 and @xmath187 that drives the small variations we see in our mean values when fitting to both the data and the average of the mocks .
when we change the fitting range or the bin size , we see similar results as for our fiducial case , and as with the average of the mocks there is no indication that our fitting choices are creating biased results . as for the average of the mocks removing the smallest scales from our fits reduces our recovered @xmath187 value and increases the error , but the mean @xmath5 remains almost unchanged . for all of our tests of bin width and fitting range
, we find @xmath84 values that are in agreement with our fiducial case and which indicate that all of our fits are good .
the largest @xmath84/dof belongs to the case where we modify our fitting range , where we find @xmath252 for 20 degrees of freedom .
however , this value is still very good and we would expect a worse @xmath253 of the time . for all our fits to the data it is worth noting that we do seem to fit a slightly lower value for @xmath187 than we would expect based on our hod fits to the mgs data . looking back to fig .
[ xi0mock ] we can see why .
the amplitude of the monopole on the scales @xmath254 , where most of our information on the linear bias comes from , seems to be slightly lower for the data than for our hod fit applied to mocks , though when we include scales above and below this range the mock amplitude is well matched . in our fitting
we are not including scales below @xmath255 , where the mocks and data are in better agreement , and so it is not surprising the data prefers slightly smaller values of @xmath187 . the final set of fits we perform , fixing @xmath164 and @xmath165 and using a simpler linear model , corroborate our results when fitting to the average of the mocks .
we see that making use of the reasonable assumption that @xmath169 tightens our constraints on @xmath187 and @xmath5 without adding any notable change in the best fit results .
the upper and lower bounds on @xmath5 reduce from @xmath256 and @xmath256 to @xmath257 to @xmath258 respectively .
fixing @xmath164 to different values does change the best fit results slightly too , as was seen in the fits to the mean of the mocks , whilst keeping the errors almost unchanged compared to the fixed @xmath165 case .
this is not a substantial change , though as we do not have strong planck constraints on @xmath164 , as we do for @xmath165 , we conclude that fixing @xmath164 could lead to biased results .
overall , the @xmath84 values we find when fixing @xmath164 and @xmath165 or using a linear model are similar in comparison to using the clpt model and allowing @xmath164 and @xmath165 to vary .
the data is not powerful enough to discriminate between these different models , however from @xcite we do know that we can not expect that a linear model to fully reproduce the rsd signal on the smallest scales that we fit against , where non - linear effects start to dominate , and that when fitting the rsd signal on these small scales the clpt model is a more reliable choice .
we have performed several fits to the mgs data assuming different values for @xmath164 and @xmath165 . here
we provide an overview of those that we quote , those that should be used for further cosmological studies and those that should not . by fitting the full - shape of the correlation function monopole and quadrupole , and varying @xmath164 and @xmath165
, we find best - fit values of @xmath259 and @xmath260 .
these values make no assumption on the underlying , late - time , cosmology and so we recommend the usage of these for future cosmological constraints . in the following section we will use these results to constrain the growth index , @xmath7 , and
compare this to the prediction from general relativity .
as the 1-d @xmath5 and 3-d @xmath261 and @xmath165 likelihoods can not be well approximated by a gaussian we use the likelihoods themselves to achieve this , rather than just the quoted numbers . for future analyses making use of our results the prepared mcmc samples for this fit
will be made publicly available upon acceptance .
if we assume a @xmath8cdm cosmology , we are able to improve our constraints by fixing @xmath169 yet still allowing @xmath164 to vary . here
we find @xmath262 and @xmath263 .
this is well motivated by the planck data , where we find that , unless we have a late time dark energy model quite different from those commonly assumed , we would expect to detect no deviation from @xmath169 .
as such this measurement is presented as our quoted , fiducial results and should be used for comparison with other @xmath5 results under the @xmath8cdm framework . however
, this result should not be combined with planck data as that would result in effectively double counting the planck constraints .
rather , from figure [ planckap ] , we can see that combining our publicly available chains with planck data will effectively fix @xmath165 and recover the fiducial results .
from the same figure though we would we not recommend the usage of our results where @xmath164 is not allowed to vary .
in fact , as @xmath164 dilates the whole correlation function , not just the bao peak , and captures the late - time cosmological dependence of the shape of the correlation even on small scales , we would recommend that @xmath164 be allowed to vary for any measurements of the growth of structure .
in this section we compare our measurements of @xmath5 to those from a range of different galaxy surveys and perform a simple consistency test against the prediction of the growth rate from general relativity ( gr ) using the commonly used @xmath7 parameterisation of the growth rate , where @xmath264 is approximated as @xmath265 for gr we have @xmath10 @xcite .
measurements of @xmath5 have been made up to @xmath266 using data from the 2-degree field galaxy redshift ( 2dfgrs ; @xcite ) , 6-degree field galaxy ( 6dfgs ; @xcite ) , sdss - ii luminous red galaxy @xcite , boss @xcite , vvds @xcite and wigglez @xcite surveys among others .
although these measurements were all made using different models of varying complexity and different fitting methods to either the correlation function or power spectrum , they can be roughly grouped into two distinct categories : those that were made assuming a fixed fiducial cosmological model and those that fit the full shape of the galaxy clustering statistics .
the latter simultaneously measures both the rsd and bao signals and as such includes the degeneracy between @xmath5 , @xmath187 and @xmath164 highlighted in section [ sec : fixedepsilon ] we plot these two sets of measurements separately in fig .
[ fsigma8plot ] . the @xmath267 boss and
four wigglez measurements were calculated with and without the inclusion of the ap effect and we can see that they too find a large difference in the constraints when incorporating this degeneracy into their measurements . alongside these measurements
we also plot the planck-@xmath8cdm predictions for @xmath5 assuming different values for the @xmath7 parameter .
we can see that the majority of the measurements , including our mgs measurements , are in good agreement with the gr prediction . as a more quantitative consistency test of gr we use the likelihood recovered from our full - fit mcmc analysis to put constraints on @xmath7 itself .
we use our data in combination with the publicly available planck likelihood chains , subsampling these to enforce a prior on @xmath268 .
we importance - sample the planck chain by randomly choosing a value @xmath269 for each point in the chain and evaluating the likelihood for that parameter combination . one caveat , however , is that we have to correct the value of @xmath12 to account for the fact that this also depends on @xmath7 . for each point in the planck chains we have
@xmath270 and @xmath271 , where the later is derived from the cmb power spectrum amplitude assuming gr .
the correct value of @xmath5 is then evaluated by scaling back @xmath12 to a suitably high redshift ( for simplicity we use the redshift of recombination , @xmath272 ) and then scaling both @xmath12 and @xmath268 to our effective redshift using the correct value of @xmath7 .
i.e. , for scale factor @xmath273 , @xmath274 where , @xmath275 @xmath276 @xmath277\ ] ] and @xmath278 and @xmath268 from the combination of our marginalised @xmath5 and planck likelihoods .
contours correspond to the @xmath201 and @xmath279 confidence intervals of the recovered posterior distribution .
we additionally look at the case where we include the boss - dr11 cmass measurement of the growth rate @xcite . in both cases
we find good agreement with the prediction from gr ( dotted line).,width=317 ] even though our fiducial @xmath5 measurements use a prior to better constraint @xmath188 and stop the non - linear aspects of the clpt model from straying into non - physical regions of our cosmological parameter space , all of the information on @xmath5 , @xmath164 and @xmath165 comes solely from the amplitude and bao features of the monopole and quadrupole . as such we are able to combine our results with planck data for this consistency test without the risk of double counting the planck measurements .
our subsequent constraints on @xmath7 and @xmath268 are shown in fig .
[ gamma1d ] . here
we also show the joint constraints when including the measurements of @xmath5 from the boss - dr11 cmass sample @xcite . for our simple consistency check
we only include the cmass measurement as the method used to make this measurement is very similar to that used in this work . on top of this
, the boss - dr11 lowz and wigglez measurements do overlap partially in terms of area and redshift distribution with both our measurement and the cmass measurement , so to properly include these would require an accurate computation of the cross correlation between these measurements which is beyond the scope of this work . when combining the mgs result with our planck prior we recover @xmath280 , consistent with gr . with the addition of the cmass measurement we recover @xmath281 , which is also consistent with gr to within @xmath201 .
however it should be noted that in both cases we do find a slight preference for higher values of @xmath7 than would be expected from gr . and
@xmath268 from the combination of our 3-dimensional , marginalised @xmath5 , @xmath164 and @xmath165 likelihood with the planck likelihood .
contours correspond to the @xmath201 and @xmath279 confidence intervals of the recovered posterior distribution . in both cases
we find good agreement with the prediction from gr ( dotted line ) and a reduction in the uncertainty on @xmath7 , compared to fig .
[ gamma1d ] , when we include the anisotropic bao information from the cmass and mgs measurements.,width=317 ] we take this one step further and include bao information from our measurement and from the boss - dr11 cmass results as the inclusion of anisotropic distance information helps to better constrain @xmath268 and hence can reduce the uncertainty on our @xmath7 constraints .
we use the 3d @xmath261 and @xmath165 likelihood from our fiducial fits as well as the equivalent constraints from the cmass sample .
the results of this are shown in fig .
[ gamma3d ] where we find @xmath282 with , and @xmath283 without , the inclusion of the cmass measurement
. both of these measurements are consistent with gr to within @xmath201 .
the addition of our mgs @xmath261 and @xmath165 measurements improves the constraints on @xmath7 by @xmath284 compared to the constraints we get on @xmath7 using the cmass measurement alone .
the growth index has also been measured by @xcite , @xcite and @xcite from the combination of boss cmass and planck data .
additionally @xcite use boss lowz data to produce their constraints . in fig .
[ gamma_compare ] we plot our mgs+planck constraint on @xmath7 alongside these other measurements .
we see good consistency between all measurements , even though the methods used to measure the growth rate and anisotropic bao information are very different . in all cases
we also see a slight preference for higher values of @xmath7 , which corresponds to models where gravitational interactions are weaker .
constraints from several independent measurements of the growth rate using combinations of boss cmass ( and in the case of @xcite , boss lowz ) and planck data . for consistency
we plot our mgs+planck only measurement alongside .
we can see good agreement between all independent probes and a somewhat consistent favour for higher values of @xmath7 than would be predicted by gr ( dashed line).,width=317 ] there exists significant tension ( @xmath285 ) between the @xcite boss cmass measurement of the growth index and the prediction from gr .
an interesting question to ask is whether the addition of our measurements at low redshift helps to alleviate this tension and how this combination of measurements compares to the result presented previously when we combine the mgs and @xcite boss cmass measurements .
the results from these two combinations are also presented in fig .
[ gamma_compare ] , where we find that our measurement brings both combinations towards better agreement with the gr prediction , however there is still a @xmath279 tension between this prediction and the value of @xmath7 recovered when combining our measurements with the @xcite cmass results .
in this paper we have presented measurements of the growth rate of structure at an effective redshift of @xmath4 from fits to the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function of the sdss data release 7 main galaxy sample ( mgs ) . we have also described the creation of a large ensemble of 1000 simulated galaxy catalogues which enabled both this measurement and the isotropic bao measurements made in paper i , where the sample itself is detailed .
our main results can be summarised as follows : * we have used a newly developed code picola to generate 500 unique dark matter realisations .
we use the friends - of - friends algorithm to create halos and populate these halos using a hod model fitted to the power spectrum of the mgs .
we find that the resultant 1000 galaxy catalogues are highly accurate , reproducing the observed clustering down to scales less than @xmath286 .
full details of our code picola can be found in howlett et .
( in prep . )
* using these mock catalogues we construct covariance matrices for our two - point clustering measurements and test some of the assumptions made in the bao fits presented in paper i. we find : negligible cross - correlation between mock galaxy catalogues generated from the same dark matter field ; that the method used to generate our random data points introduces no significant systematic effects ; and that we can assume our errors on the power spectrum and correlation function are drawn from an underlying multivariate gaussian distribution .
* we use the clpt model @xcite to fit the monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function .
we use our mock catalogues to test the model for systematic effects and find excellent agreement between the model and the average monopole and quadrupole of the correlation function .
we also perform a series of robustness tests of our method , looking at our choice of priors , fitting range and binsize . in all cases
we see no evidence that our results are biased in any way , with all methods recovering the expected value of @xmath5 for our mock catalogues . * fitting to the mgs data we measure @xmath287 when fitting to the full shape of the correlation function and @xmath288 when assuming no ap effect and fixing @xmath289 .
this assumption is validated by the fact that we expect to detect @xmath289 for any commonly assumed model of the expansion history based on the planck-@xmath8cdm results .
however , we have also shown that even at the low effective redshift of our measurement , and assuming @xmath8cdm , @xmath164 can be expected to vary substantially from that expected for our fiducial cosmology . as such , fixing this to a specific value is not recomended for measurements of the growth of structure . * using our fiducial results to fit the growth index , @xmath7 , we find @xmath280 when including planck data and @xmath281 when also including boss - dr11 cmass measurements of the growth rate .
when we include the additional anisotropic bao from the full fits to the shape of the correlation function our constraints tighten to @xmath290 and @xmath9 respectively , the latter of which is a @xmath291 improvements on the constraints from the cmass and planck measurements alone .
all of our results are fully consistent with the predictions of general relativity , @xmath10 , and the constraints from other measurements at different redshifts .
the mcmc chains used for this analysis will be made publicly available upon acceptance .
ch is grateful for funding from the united kingdom science & technology facilities council ( uk stfc ) .
ajr is thankful for support from university of portsmouth research infrastructure funding .
ls is grateful to the european research council for funding .
wjp acknowledges support from the uk stfc through the consolidated grant st / k0090x/1 , and from the european research council through grants mdepugs , and _
darksurvey_. mock catalog generation , correlation function and power spectrum calculations , and fitting made use of the facilities and staff of the uk sciama high performance computing cluster supported by the icg , sepnet and the university of portsmouth .
funding for the creation and distribution of the sdss archive has been provided by the alfred p. sloan foundation , the participating institutions , the national aeronautics and space administration , the national science foundation , the u.s .
department of energy , the japanese monbukagakusho , and the max planck society .
the sdss web site is http://www.sdss.org/. the sdss i and ii is managed by the astrophysical research consortium ( arc ) for the participating institutions .
the participating institutions are the university of chicago , fermilab , the institute for advanced study , the japan participationgroup , johns hopkins university , the korean scientist group , los alamos national laboratory , the max planck institute for astronomy ( mpia ) , the max planck institute for astrophysics ( mpa ) , new mexico state university , the university of pittsburgh , the university of portsmouth , princeton university , the united states naval observatory , and the university of washington . | arxiv |
Is the universal state always a pure state?
If I have $n$ quantum systems and nothing else, can I always write the joint state of all the $n$ quantum systems as a pure state? I know that the $n$ systems have no correlations with any external system. However, is there a possibility that their joint state can only be written as a mixed state and not as a pure state. If it can be either, can you please tell me under what conditions is it a pure or mixed state?
A simple answer is to consider how one would prepare a mixed state. We prepare a pure state $ |\psi\_i >$ with probability $p\_i$ and then forget what pure state we had. It is this forgetting process that makes it impossible to have a system with both a pure state representation and a mixed state representation. This is because whether or not it is either depends on what amount of knowledge we have. If we have everything about the system then we have a pure state. But if we lose information then we do not know everything about our system and so we use a mixed state. This is why mixed state are used to describe closed systems interacting with the environment. The environment is by definition something we do not have control over and takes with it information after it entangles with our system.
| stackexchange/physics |
voiding urosonography ( vus ) is a novel technique in the evaluation of vesico - ureteric reflux ( vur ) .
the availability of second generation ultrasound contrast agent ( uca ) and higher quality ultrasound machine has allowed the application of vus without subjecting the child to ionizing radiation .
we report a pilot study in two children with hydronephrosis , in whom we have utilized this technique to look for vur .
a 1-year - old boy , previously diagnosed to have left - sided grade 5 vur on vcug at birth [ figure 1a ] , was evaluated for resolution of vur .
we elected to perform vus using stabilized aqueous suspension of sulfur hexafluoride ( sf6 ) microbubbles with a phospholipid shell ( sonovue imaging products india private limited ) as uca . under antibiotic
. sixty ml of normal saline along with 0.5 ml of uca was filled slowly while imaging with a low mechanical index contrast - enhanced ultrasound ( aplio 400 toshiba medical corporation ) .
parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode was enabled and video capture of filling and voiding phases were recorded .
vus revealed prompt reflux of contrast in to the dilated left ureter and pelvi - calyceal system [ figure 1b and c ] .
( a ) vcug reveals left - sided grade 5 vur ( b ) vus in same patient with parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode .
dotted arrow points to reflux of uca in to dilated left ureter ( c ) corresponding images of left kidney .
block arrow points to contrast filling dilated left pelvi - calyceal system demonstrating vur a 5-day - old boy , antenatally diagnosed with bilateral mild hydronephrosis , was confirmed to have the same findings on post - natal ultrasound .
the technique was exactly similar to the previous case with 0.5 ml of uca and 30 ml of normal saline .
uca could be demonstrated in the bladder , but no reflux was noted on vus in to the ureter or pelvi - calyceal system on vus [ figure 2b and c ] .
( a ) vcug reveals normal study with no vur ( b ) vus in same patient with parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode .
arrow points to presence of uca in full bladder ( c ) corresponding images of kidney shows no contrast in pelvi - calyceal system demonstrating absence of reflux
a 1-year - old boy , previously diagnosed to have left - sided grade 5 vur on vcug at birth [ figure 1a ] , was evaluated for resolution of vur .
we elected to perform vus using stabilized aqueous suspension of sulfur hexafluoride ( sf6 ) microbubbles with a phospholipid shell ( sonovue imaging products india private limited ) as uca . under antibiotic
. sixty ml of normal saline along with 0.5 ml of uca was filled slowly while imaging with a low mechanical index contrast - enhanced ultrasound ( aplio 400 toshiba medical corporation ) .
parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode was enabled and video capture of filling and voiding phases were recorded .
vus revealed prompt reflux of contrast in to the dilated left ureter and pelvi - calyceal system [ figure 1b and c ] .
( a ) vcug reveals left - sided grade 5 vur ( b ) vus in same patient with parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode .
dotted arrow points to reflux of uca in to dilated left ureter ( c ) corresponding images of left kidney .
a 5-day - old boy , antenatally diagnosed with bilateral mild hydronephrosis , was confirmed to have the same findings on post - natal ultrasound .
the technique was exactly similar to the previous case with 0.5 ml of uca and 30 ml of normal saline .
uca could be demonstrated in the bladder , but no reflux was noted on vus in to the ureter or pelvi - calyceal system on vus [ figure 2b and c ] .
( a ) vcug reveals normal study with no vur ( b ) vus in same patient with parallel viewing of contrast mode and normal ultrasound mode .
arrow points to presence of uca in full bladder ( c ) corresponding images of kidney shows no contrast in pelvi - calyceal system demonstrating absence of reflux
the modalities available for diagnosing vur at present include vcug , radio nuclide cystogram ( rnc ) , and vus .
rnc although highly sensitive , with less radiation exposure , lacks the anatomic resolution of vcug . the main advantage of vus over the other two is the fact that it does not expose the child to ionizing radiation .
furthermore , vus is a real time imaging compared to vcug , which often gives only a snapshot of the procedure .
kis et al . reported vus to be more sensitive than vcug since it has the potential to detect intermittent vur .
one disadvantage of vus is limited visualization of urethra , although others have suggested that adequate imaging of urethra is possible with vus .
sulfur hexafluoride ( sonovue ) can be injected as an intravenous contrast agent also to identify enhancement on ultrasound in vascular lesions .
the contrast agent has a good shelf life of 6 - 12 hours after reconstitution . for vus , 0.5 ml with appropriate volume of normal saline
as it comes as 5 ml pack , it can be used for up to ten children , thereby reducing the cost .
darge proposed classification of vur using vus : grade i microbubbles only in the ureter ; grade ii microbubbles in the renal pelvis ; no significant renal pelvic dilatation ; grade iii microbubbles in the renal pelvis + significant renal pelvic dilatation + moderate calyceal dilatation ; grade iv microbubbles in the renal pelvis + significant renal pelvic dilatation + significant calyceal dilatation ; grade v microbubbles in the renal pelvis + significant renal pelvic dilatation and calyceal dilatation + loss of renal pelvis contour + dilated tortuous ureters . in our pilot study of two cases
, we found that presence or absence of vur could be correctly diagnosed with the help of vus . with wider availability of uca and high - end ultrasound machines ,
vus is likely to become a popular tool to rule out vur in children with uti and look for resolution in those previously diagnosed with vur . with no radiation exposure , it may also become an acceptable tool to screen siblings of children with vur .
further larger studies are warranted to establish sensitivity and specificity of this new diagnostic test . | pubmed |
hard x - ray spectroscopies are powerful
tools for probing the electronic and geometric structure of molecules
in complex or disordered systems and have
been particularly useful for studying molecules in the solution phase .
unlike uv , vis , or ir spectroscopic techniques they are element specific ,
sensitive to the electronic structure and the local arrangements of
surrounding atoms of the element being selectively probed .
additionally ,
in contrast to soft x - ray techniques , they readily penetrate matter
and do not require ultrahigh vacuum conditions making in situ or operando measurements feasible .
when combined in a pump probe scheme with ultrafast lasers ,
x - ray spectroscopies can be used to track the evolution of structural
changes that occur after photoexcitation .
x - ray absorption spectroscopy ( xas ) has been employed for
laser pump x - ray probe studies . here
the incident
x - ray energy is tuned across an inner shell of an element of interest
within a molecule , and the transmission , or for dilute samples total
fluorescence yield , is measured .
close to the edge energy , in the
x - ray absorption near edge structure ( xanes ) region , the formal valence
state and coordination geometry contribute to the spectral shape ,
and when compared with theoretical models or spectra of reference
compounds xanes can provide insight into the chemical environment
of the absorbing atom . below the core
ionization threshold , in the pre - edge xanes region ,
resonances due
to transitions from inner shell orbitals to unoccupied valence orbitals
reveal important insights about the electronic structure of the absorbing
atom . above the edge , in the extended x - ray absorption fine structure
( exafs ) region , scattering of the outgoing photoelectron on neighboring
atoms
leads to modulations of the absorption which can be analyzed
to yield information on the number , type , and distances of coordinating
atoms .
x - ray emission spectroscopy ( xes ) has only recently been
used in pump probe experiments . in nonresonant xes the incident
x - ray energy is tuned above an inner shell edge , and the fluorescence
emitted as an electron decays from an occupied higher - lying orbital
to the core hole is spectrally resolved .
the shapes of the different
emission lines can yield information about the occupied orbitals , complementing information gained from xas about
unoccupied orbitals .
the need for a wavelength - dispersive spectrometer
and a smaller detected signal makes xes more challenging than xas
to incorporate into a pump probe experiment , and consequently
it has been implemented only in the past few years .
laser - pump , x - ray - probe
xes experiments have so far focused on studies of transition metal
coordination complexes , measuring the core - to - core emission lines
k due to 2p 1s transitions and the k1,3 and its satellite , k , due to 3p 1s transitions .
these spectra are sensitive to the unpaired electrons in the metal
3d orbitals , those that determine spin state , through means of the
intra - atomic exchange interaction between the unpaired electron in
the 2p ( for k ) or 3p ( for k ) core - hole final state and
the unpaired metal 3d valence electrons .
other details
of the metal ion s chemical environment often do not have an
appreciable impact on the core - to - core xes lineshapes , which makes
k and k spectroscopy a very powerful probe of spin state .
in most cases a quantitative value for the total spin momentum of
the transition metal ion
exceptions are where strong covalency or charge transfer additionally
modify the line shape . the first laser - pump , x - ray - probe
xes experiment measured the iron k1 core - to - core emission line to study laser - induced spin - state
switching in the [ fe(bpy)3 ] molecule in an
aqueous solution .
the laser excitation induced a spin transition of
the central iron ion , from low spin ( singlet ) to high spin ( quintet ) ,
that was detected as a broadening of the fe k line shape , in
agreement with static reference spectra and theoretical simulations .
subsequent experiments improved dramatically on the data quality by
using a high - repetition - rate pump probe scheme that used more
of the available synchrotron x - ray flux . in this way the weaker iron k1,3 spectrum , which
shows more conspicuous sensitivity to spin state , was also obtained with good signal - to - noise as well as 1s2p resonant x - ray emission ( rxes )
spectra .
the [ fe(bpy)3 ] molecule was investigated with finer time resolution at
the linac coherent light source ( lcls ) where by comparison of the transient core - to - core k spectra
with those from statically measured reference samples it was found
that the complex passed through a triplet state before reaching the
quintet .
core - to - core k measurements have also been carried
out at the lcls to follow changes in the valence electron pairing
of manganese in photosystem ii , which in this case correspond to oxidation
state changes . on the high energy
tail of the transition metal core - to - core k1,3 line
lies the valence - to - core ( vtc ) region which contains the k2,5 and k lines .
this region has not yet been
utilized in a pump probe experiment although it has potential
to reveal a great deal of additional information about molecular structure ,
complementing that obtained from xas and core - to - core xes .
the intensity
of the features are several tens of times weaker than those of the
core - to - core k lines , making this region a challenge to measure .
the valence - to - core region has recently sparked a good amount of interest , reflecting an awareness of the potential utility of this region
and progress in the availability of theoretical calculations .
the
vtc xes features of transition metal complexes have been shown to
be dominated by dipole transitions to the metal 1s orbital from valence
molecular orbitals that are predominantly ligand s or p in character
but that contain sufficient metal p mixing to make the cross section
appreciable . in this way vtc xes probes directly valence molecular
orbitals , those that undergo photoinitiated dynamics .
this is in contrast
to core - to - core xes which probes the changes that take place in valence
orbitals indirectly .
vtc xes has been shown to overcome a limitation
that is present in exafs spectroscopy , specifically discrimination
of ligands containing the light atoms c , n , or o , which is of importance in areas such as catalysis .
additionally vtc xes has sensitivity to detect
chemical changes in the ligands ( e.g. , protonation ) .
a tremendous strength of vtc xes is that the spectral features
can be sufficiently modeled considering only one - electron transitions
within ground - state density functional theory ( dft ) , without the need
for the inclusion of multiplet structure , core hole , or multielectron
excitations that are necessary to model core - to - core xes or l- and
m - edge xanes spectra .
this has aided experimentalists in extracting useful
information about molecular orbitals from measured spectra , especially
since it has been implemented in a user - friendly quantum chemistry
software package , orca .
additionally ,
this relative ease of modeling has particular utility for time - resolved
measurements as it could help to identify transient species formed
after photoexcitation . the transient spectrum measured in a laser - pump ,
x - ray - probe experiment is a mixture of the spectra from the ground - state
molecule and one or more photoproducts .
in order to extract structural
information about the transient photoproducts the signal from each
component needs to be separated . the fingerprinting
or linear combination fitting ( lcf ) approach
in xanes spectroscopy , where linear combinations of reference spectra
are fit to an unknown spectrum to determine the fraction of each species
present , has long been used to determine the composition of mixed
samples . yet
a challenge for studying laser - initiated chemical reactions
is the lack of knowledge about the spectral shapes of the often short - lived
photoproducts that are generated as the reaction proceeds .
calculated xanes spectra can be used
in place of measured reference spectra , but the complexity of the
xanes edge shape , being dependent on a combination of electronic and
geometric factors which may not be precisely known , can lead to ambiguity .
in the pre - edge region , the spectral features reflect 3d electronic
structure and can be an important means to identify particular products ;
yet , often resonances can be quite small when due predominantly to
quadrupolar transitions , and they fall within the tail of the k - edge
making them somewhat difficult to precisely resolve experimentally ,
particularly when masked by the signals of other species . calculated
vtc spectra , which have been shown to exhibit substantial spectral
variation for different species , like xanes , compared with experimental
spectra could provide additional feedback that when used in conjunction
with xanes and core - to - core xes could produce the desired species
identification and perhaps even the fractions of each species . to our knowledge
no laser pump , x - ray probe vtc xes studies have
been reported .
a major hurdle is the fact that vtc emission lines
are hundreds of time weaker than the strongest xes lines , the ks .
however , mhz pump probe methods developed now at several synchrotrons
are enabling flux demanding techniques by utilizing a larger fraction
of the available x - rays . in this paper
, we demonstrate the feasibility of vtc xes using synchrotron
x - rays , presenting measurements of a well - known , symmetric , and very
stable transition metal complex in a water solution after laser excitation .
the molecule chosen was ferrocyanide , [ fe(cn)6 ] , which is known to undergo two common photoinitiated
reactions : photooxidation and photoaquation . at the laser excitation used , 266 nm , the dominant reaction is photooxidation .
here a photon promotes an electron into a charge - transfer - to - solvent
( ctts ) manifold that yields an ejected electron along with the oxidized
parent ion , ferricyanide [ fe(cn)6 ] . in the photoaquation reaction
the light excites the iron ion to
the lowest singlet ligand field state , t1 g ,
which eventually leads to detachment of a cn ligand
and substitution by h2o producing [ fe(cn)5h2o ] .
previous x - ray measurements
of ferrocyanide have used xas to study its ground - state structureand in laser - pump , x - ray - probe studies to understand its photoexcited
dynamics . in this paper
time - resolved core - to - core xes spectra
of laser - excited [ fe(cn)6 ] are presented and compared to a statically measured spectrum of
[ fe(cn)6 ] , the photooxidation
photoproduct which is expected to be the primary photoproduct contributing
to the time - resolved spectra .
calculated valence - to - core spectra of
ground - state [ fe(cn)6 ] and of [ fe(cn)5no ] are compared to
statically measured spectra demonstrating the ability of theory to
capture experimental details and to highlight the potential use as
fingerprints to aid identification of and quantify amounts of transient
species present after photoexcitation , even when such species differ
only by one ligand . measured vtc xes spectra of [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] are presented along with our first measurement
of time - resolved vtc xes of laser - excited [ fe(cn)6 ] . finally we discuss technical developments
that will enable full utilization of this technique .
measurements were carried out at
beamline 7id - d at the advanced photon source .
the setup includes a high - repetition - rate laser and x - ray microprobe
and is similar to that used in previous experiments .
x - rays and laser are spatially
overlapped at a fast - flowing liquid jet .
the jet is 100 m thick ,
6 mm wide , and produced by circulating fluid with a gear pump
through a sapphire nozzle .
the x - ray spot
size ( 7 m fwhm 4 m fwhm ) was smaller than the
laser spot size ( 30 m fwhm 25 m fwhm ) in order
to probe only the volume with the highest excitation fraction .
the
hybrid singlet storage ring mode was used , where a single electron
bunch with 16 ma circulates the ring at 271.6 khz , separated by 1.594 s
on each side from a train of close - spaced bunches containing 86 ma .
the signal from the detector was electronically gated to isolate the
singlet pulse signal from that due to the other bunches .
the singlet
provided 3 10 photons / s at 7.5 kev , the x - ray
energy used , and its pulse duration of 120 ps fwhm determined the
temporal resolution of the measurement .
for the static measurements ,
all bunches were used corresponding to a flux of 2 10 photons / s .
the laser repetition rate was 135.8 khz so that the laser
pulses overlapped every other x - ray singlet pulse .
counts from the
laser - overlapped x - ray pulses ( laser - on ) and nonoverlapped
x - ray pulses ( laser - off ) were tallied independently
but simultaneously in the same experimental scan .
the detected signals
were normalized to a measure of the incident x - ray flux .
the laser
wavelength was 266 nm , and the pulse duration was 10 ps .
the incident
power on the sample was 275 mw corresponding to a laser pulse energy
of 2 j and fluence of 130 mj / cm .
the flow
speed of the jet was set so that an area defined by the laser fwhm
was cleared in the 3.7 s between x - ray pulses .
this ensured
that the laser - off counts were due to a fresh ground - state
sample rather than contaminated by longer lived photoproducts .
the emission spectrometer consisted of a spherically bent si(531 )
analyzer crystal , positioned relative to the sample on a 1 m rowland
circle .
the analyzer crystal was rotated , while the detector was translated
to record an emission spectrum at a fixed incident x - ray energy .
the
energy resolution was determined by scanning the elastic scattering
at 7060 and 7108 ev . at both energies
aqueous solutions were prepared by
dissolving high purity k4[fe(cn)6]3h2o and k3[fe(cn)6 ] , purchased from sigma - aldrich ,
in distilled water .
the concentration was 0.05 m for all time - resolved
measurements and 0.4 m for the static measurements .
a volume of 750
ml was circulated through the liquid jet and was replaced with a fresh
volume periodically to prevent contamination of the signal from irreversible
photoproducts .
the static measurement on na2[fe(cn)5no]2h2o was obtained with a similar rowland - circle
spectrometer at the inelastic scattering ( id16 ) beamline of the european
synchrotron radiation facility .
as the sample degraded in the x - ray
beam , sets of consecutive x - ray absorption spectra were taken to determine
the time scale of the decay .
for the emission scans the flat pellet
sample was moved along its face , orthogonal to the beam during the
data collection at a speed sufficient to avoid effects of decay in
the spectra .
the calculations of the vtc xes spectra were carried
out with the orca 3.0.0 quantum chemistry program package .
the structures of the [ fe(cn)6 ] , [ fe(cn)6 ] , [ fe(cn)5(no ) ] , and [ fe(cn)5(h2o ) ] complexes were optimized using the standard b3lyp / tzvp dft method .
modifications of the electronic
structure due to the solvent were approximated with the conductor - like
screening model ( cosmo ) which treats
the solvent as a dielectric continuum that surrounds a molecular cavity
containing the solute . in the present case with water being the solvent
the relative permittivity used was r = 80.4 .
the
vtc x - ray emission spectra were computed in a quasi - one - electron approach ; this includes the calculation of transition
energies as the differences of core and valence orbital energies ( e = val core ) as well as the determination of the emission oscillator strengths , f , of the electric dipole transitions utilizing the formula1 here i and
f are the initial and final electronic states involved
in the emission process , respectively , and d is the electric dipole moment operator .
the numerical integration accuracy was set to
7.0 for the fe atom in order to achieve a more accurate description .
a pseudo - voigt profile broadening was applied to account for the lorentzian
core - hole lifetime broadening and the gaussian experimental broadening .
the widths , 1.4 ev for the lorentzian and 1.5 ev for the gaussian ,
were chosen to best match the experimental spectrum .
measurements of iron core - to - core ( 3p 1s ) k emission
spectra of aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] are shown in figure 1 . the spectra consist
of a main peak , k1,3 , and a small and broad shoulder
to lower energy , k. if unpaired 3d electrons are present
in the ion , the intra - atomic exchange interaction between the unpaired
3p core electron in the xes final state and the unpaired 3d valence
electrons transfers intensity into the k region .
a higher spin state , and therefore stronger exchange
interaction , produces more intensity in the k shoulder
and a shift of the k1,3 peak to higher energy .
this higher energy shift can
be seen in the spectra of the [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] reference samples in figure 1(a ) .
the [ fe(cn)6 ] k1,3 main - line peak at 7057 ev shifts to 7058 ev in the
[ fe(cn)6 ] spectrum , reflecting
the change of spin state from s = 0 to s = 1/2 . additionally , a subtle increase in the k shoulder
is observed .
being highly covalent compounds , the k lineshapes
of [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] are somewhat more
complex than described here .
however , details such
as the effects of back - bonding on the core - to - core lines are beyond
the scope of this paper .
our time - resolved k measurement
of ferrocyanide is shown in figure 1(b ) .
the
laser - on curve is collected at a delay of 120 ps after excitation
with 266 nm light .
120 ps is the delay between laser pump and x - ray
probe where maximum changes between the laser - on and laser - off spectra
were observed .
this time delay corresponds to the pulse duration of
the x - ray singlet pulses in the hybrid singlet operating mode and
indicates the limit of our temporal resolution . on this time scale
excitation to the ligand field states and subsequent cn dissociation or hydrated electron formation are too fast to be resolved .
our measured transient signals are due to the presence of the photoproducts
that result from these initial dynamics .
the difference between laser - on
and laser - off is small but clearly observed given the small statistical
uncertainties .
we compare the transient difference to the difference
between the [ fe(cn)6 ] and
[ fe(cn)6 ] reference samples
and find the agreement is consistent with our expectation that [ fe(cn)6 ] would be the dominant
photoproduct formed .
however , such an observation does not exclude
the possibility that other photoproducts are contributing to the transient
signal .
the core - to - core k s insensitivity to details
of the absorbing ion s chemical environment except for the
number of unpaired electrons makes it a powerful probe of spin state
but also means that the spectra of different chemical species with
the same or close spin momentum on the transition metal ion will look
very similar . in the present case photoaquation
is known to occur
alongside the photo - oxidation reaction although with a much smaller
quantum yield .
the photoaquated product [ fe(cn)5h2o ] , while
not expected to undergo a spin change , could contribute to the difference
signal to some extent due to changes in the metal ligand covalency .
additionally , the presence of an intermediate
species such as [ fe(cn)5 ] which may have a different spin state from [ fe(cn)6 ] could also contribute to the difference
signal but is not distinguishable .
separating contributions from multiple
photoproducts in core - to - core k emission spectra is a challenge
and makes obtaining useful spin - state information for products involved
in photoinduced chemical reactions difficult .
measured iron core - to - core
( 3p 1s ) k emission spectra .
static measurements on
0.4 m aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] ( blue ) and [ fe(cn)6 ] ( red ) reference samples are shown in the top panel along with the
difference between these spectra .
the time - resolved spectrum on 0.05
m aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] pumped
with 266 nm light , measured 120 ps after laser excitation is shown
in the bottom panel .
the difference between laser - on and laser - off
is compared to the scaled difference between the reference samples
in the top panel .
roughly 50 ev to higher
energy , on the tail of the core - to - core k1,3 spectrum ,
is the vtc region which exhibits more sensitivity to the chemical
environment of the absorbing metal ion and hence more spectral variation
for different chemical species than core - to - core k. measured
and calculated vtc spectra of aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] are shown in the top panel of figure 2 .
the intensity is considerably weaker than that
for the core - to - core k1,3 fluorescence , with a peak
count rate of 130 counts per second as compared to 4200 counts per
second .
the features of the k2,5 spectrum are due
to dipole transitions to the fe 1s core from molecular orbitals that
are primarily ligand 2p in character but mixed with some fe 4p and ,
for molecules lacking inversion symmetry , fe 3d .
the intensity of the spectral features is related to the
amount of fe np mixing with the ligand valence orbitals .
a greater amount of fe np character leads to stronger
lines .
the calculated spectrum reproduces
the experimental features well . the energy and intensity of the main
transitions contributing along with representations of the molecular
orbitals involved
it can be seen that the
molecular orbitals that are probed are those concentrated on the ligands
and that have dominantly p character . for comparison , and
to
demonstrate this region s sensitivity to ligand environment ,
measured and calculated vtc spectra of sodium nitroprusside are shown
in the bottom panel of figure 2 .
[ fe(cn)5(no ) ] is very similar to [ fe(cn)6 ] , being low spin and having an iron oxidation
state of + 2 , but differs in that it has a no ligand in
place of a cn ligand .
this difference can be seen
to have a dramatic impact on the vtc spectrum . in particular , a distinct
peak at 7098 ev is present .
k satellite peaks , such
as this , have been shown to be due to transitions from ligand 2s orbitals .
this can be seen to be the case here from the calculation which
indicates that the peak involves a molecular orbital concentrated
on the n donor atom of the ligand with s character .
the energy of
the satellite peak depends on the ligand s 2s binding energy
and can be used to identify the type of ligand .
ligand distance ,
this peak is large in the [ fe(cn)5(no ) ] because of the short fe
the
spectrum of [ fe(cn)6 ] has a k
satellite peak as well , but it is very small and broad , therefore
not as apparent above the background in our data .
the [ fe(cn)5(no ) ] k2,5 region is
shifted to higher energy relative to the [ fe(cn)6 ] spectrum .
as demonstrated in ref ( 23 ) the vtc spectrum is sensitive
to the effective nuclear charge on the metal , decreasing in energy
upon reduction . here
the negatively charged cn ligand has been replaced
by a positively charged no ligand leading to an effective charge difference
of + 2 and a corresponding shift of the vtc spectrum to higher energy .
our first measurement of time - resolved vtc xes is shown in the
top panel of figure 3 .
these four data points
are the difference between laser - on and laser - off 120 ps after 266
nm excitation of 50 mm aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] .
the emission spectrometer was cycled through the four emission energies
sitting at each for 2 min at a time .
these points are compared to
the difference between static measurements of 0.4 m aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] . as the dominant photoproduct
is expected to be [ fe(cn)6 ] it is encouraging that the time - resolved points lie close to this
difference signal .
however , the photoaquated product [ fe(cn)5h2o ] is also expected
to be present .
this complex is unstable and difficult to measure alone
in a static measurement , so to determine its vtc spectrum we turn
to calculations .
the lower panel of figure 3 shows calculated spectra for [ fe(cn)6 ] , [ fe(cn)6 ] , and [ fe(cn)5h2o ] .
the [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] spectra are in excellent
agreement with the experimental spectra .
the [ fe(cn)6 ] spectrum is shifted to higher energy
with respect to the [ fe(cn)6 ] spectrum due here also to the change in the effective nuclear charge
on the metal .
the calculated [ fe(cn)5h2o ] spectrum is very similar to the [ fe(cn)6 ] spectrum , exhibiting
only a loss of signal amplitude .
this stems from the fact that the
fe o distance is rather large in the [ fe(cn)5h2o ] complex ( 2.19 as
opposed to 1.92 for the fe c distance in the fe
cn
bonds ) , leading to little overlap of the o 2s and 2p orbitals with
the fe center and therefore negligible contribution to the signal .
in effect
the spectrum is due to five cn ligands as opposed to six ,
and therefore the intensity of the signal is less .
the symmetry of
[ fe(cn)5h2o ] is distorted relative to [ fe(cn)6 ] , and this difference in geometrical arrangement of the cn ligands
around the fe center does not appear to influence the shape of the
spectra , similar to findings in ref ( 23 ) .
the difference spectra shown in the lower
panel of figure 3 are the difference between
[ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] , to be compared to
the measured difference signal in the top panel , and the differences
assuming both [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)5h2o ] are present . for the latter the relative amounts of [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)5h2o ]
this
has been estimated from literature values for the quantum yields for
the two reactions : = 0.52 for the photoaquation reaction at
266 nm as reported by shirom and stein and
0.19 for the photoaquation reaction which is our estimated
extrapolation from the quantum yield reported at 254 nm .
detection of the presence of the [ fe(cn)5h2o ] product based
on this valence - to - core measurement alone is difficult due to the
similarity of its spectral shape to that of the ground state molecule .
the xanes spectra of [ fe(cn)6 ] , [ fe(cn)6 ] , and [ fe(cn)5h2o ] will
differ due to their different geometries , valence states , and 3d electronic
structure .
because the spectral shape is known from static measurements ,
the fraction of [ fe(cn)6 ] present can be directly determined from the xanes measurement . given
this fraction , the contribution of [ fe(cn)6 ] to the measured valence - to - core difference
signal can be removed and the remaining signal amplitude will yield
the fraction of [ fe(cn)5h2o ] .
the fractions obtained from these techniques can
then be used as valuable input for exafs or x - ray diffuse scattering
analysis . to be able to extract
meaningful information more time - resolved data points are obviously
needed .
we estimate that a factor of 5 to 25 times more points ( with
improved statistics ) could constitute a definitive time - resolved vtc
spectrum
. this would be 20 to 100 points which in the present case
would correspond to 10.2 ev per point , the latter being more
than enough resolution to distinguish features similar to those of
figure 2 .
straightforward improvements to increase
the fluorescence detection efficiency along with the incident x - ray
flux will make collection of such time - resolved vtc spectra possible .
the spectrometer used for our measurements consists of one 10 cm diameter
crystal analyzer .
the reflective portion is 8.6 cm in diameter which
subtends a small solid angle of 0.006 sr , or 0.05% of 4. detection
efficiency can be improved simply by adding crystal analyzers .
such
multicrystal spectrometers have been implemented at , for example ,
the esrf , the swiss light source , the aps , the stanford synchrotron
radiation lightsource , and the lcls . however , as the number of analyzers increases ,
so does the complexity and size of the setup , and care must be taken
to not add too much to an already technically challenging experiment .
more substantial gain can be made by increasing the incident x - ray
flux .
our measurements were carried out with a monochromatic beam ,
with 0.005% bandwidth ( corresponding to 0.35 ev centered at
7 kev ) and 10 photons / pulse , but monochromaticity
is not necessary for emission spectroscopy .
the x - ray photon energy
only need be a few hundred electronvolts above the absorption edge
which makes vtc xes compatible with pink beam .
such broad bandwidth
beams , with bandwidths on the order of 1% , are provided by many synchrotron
beamlines , including sector 7 at the aps , as well as by the self - amplified
spontaneous emission ( sase ) radiation from x - ray free electron lasers
( xfels ) . at sector 7 pink beam operation
could provide approximately
2 orders of magnitude more photons / pulse at a mhz repetition rate .
comparably , at the lcls , 10 photons / pulse in a 70 ev
bandwidth at 7 kev is available , but at a lower repetition rate of
120 hz , leading to a similar number of photons per second .
as the
fluorescence scales directly with incident flux , incorporating pink
beam at sector 7 could lead to a 100 times increase in signal .
( top )
measured vtc xes of 0.4 m aqueous [ fe(cn)6 ] and the calculated spectrum for the same ion .
( bottom ) spectrum
of sodium nitroprusside , in solid form , and calculations for the [ fe(cn)5(no ) ] ion .
valence - to - core emission spectra of [ fe(cn)6 ] ( blue ) and [ fe(cn)6 ] ( red ) .
measured spectra of the compounds in
aqueous solution are shown in the top panel .
dft calculated spectra
are shown in the bottom panel along with a third possible species ,
the photoaquated product [ fe(cn)5h2o ] .
the differences between the [ fe(cn)6 ] and [ fe(cn)6 ] spectra are shown in green .
the red
data points are the difference between laser - on and laser - off , 120
ps after 266 nm laser excitation of [ fe(cn)6 ] .
the amplitude of the points has been scaled
to show the agreement with the reference difference signal .
lastly , an increase in flux can
be achieved by increasing the repetition rate of the pump
the 135.8 khz
repetition rate used in this work was dictated by the hybrid singlet
operating mode and the need to have a fresh sample for each laser - pump ,
x - ray - probe cycle .
the laser - on and laser - off data collected at this
rate are a result of only 15% of the available x - ray flux .
the maximum
rate to ensure sample refresh is dependent on our laser and x - ray
spot sizes as well as the flow speed of the liquid jet . in 24 bunch
mode
our laser system is already
capable of matching the repetition rate of the aps x - rays so it is
this rate that limits the efficient use of x - ray flux .
however , developments
in faster flowing , stable , liquid jets could enable higher repetition
rate experiments .
a factor of 5 in flow speed already brings measurements
into the mhz regime .
jets capable of 30 m / s flow speeds are presently
in use for soft x - ray experiments . in total
, it can
be seen that the increase in signal needed to make time - resolved valence - to - core
spectroscopy feasible is well within reach with technical improvements
that are already available .
valence - to - core xes promises
to be a powerful addition to the x - ray toolbox for understanding the
geometrical and electronic structures of intermediates produced as
a solution - phase chemical reaction occurs .
the decreased signal strength
compared to xas or core - to - core xes makes it challenging , but we argue
that the technical capabilities to make it a practical time - resolved
technique are available .
the information that can be supplied by valence - to - core
xes with the use of straightforward theoretical models is complementary
to that of xanes , exafs , and core - to - core xes and can , for instance ,
help identify the presence of photoproducts and quantify their amounts ,
disentangle the contributions to the xanes spectra , and provide the
photoproduct fraction needed for exafs analysis . | pubmed |
High school student Münevver Karabulut was murdered by Cem Garipoğlu on 3 March 2009. The news of the murder attracted the attention of the people and brought about many responses by the public. The suspect Cem Garipoğlu was surrendered 197 days after the murder. The trial ended on 18 November 2011 with the conviction of Garipoğlu. On 10 October 2014, Garipoğlu committed suicide by hanging himself in the L Type Closed Prison No. 5 in Silivri, where he was serving his sentence.
Life
Münevver Karabulut was born in Istanbul on 7 March 1991 as the first child of a family from Bolu Mengen. Her father Süreyya Karabulut was a cook, and her mother Nagihan Karabulut was a housewife. Karabulut, who was a senior at Beşiktaş Bingül Erdem High School, was also attending university preparatory classes. She met Cem Garipoğlu during these classes and their friendship began there.
Murder
On the evening of 3 March 2009, Münevver Karabulut's lifeless body was found torn by a garbage collector in a garbage container. As a result of forensic examination, it was determined that the head was injured by knife strokes, which resulted in the victim's death, and then the head was cut off from the body.
Investigation process
The main suspect, Cem Garipoğl, was a fugitive for about six months and the inability of the authorities in arresting him gave rise to criticism from members of the public. Protests took place in many places in Istanbul to ask the authorities to arrest the suspect as soon as possible. A special team was established by the Istanbul Police Department to arrest the suspect. Outside Turkey, Interpol issued a red notice to seek the arrest of Garipoğl. The minister of the interior at the time, Beşir Atalay, ordered the Istanbul Police to arrest the suspect. After Celalettin Cerrah's controversial remarks that the incident wouldn't have happened If [the parents] took care of their daughter, he was replaced as the Istanbul Police Chief by Hüseyin Çapkın who promised that the suspect was to be found very soon. As the investigation into the murder continued, the autopsy report prepared by the Forensic Medicine Institute turned out to be inaccurate. During the autopsy, it was found out that DNA samples of other bodies were mixed with that of the victim and a second autopsy report was prepared. Meanwhile, rumors that the suspect had escaped Turkey were denied by the minister of the interior Beşir Atalay. On 12 September 2009, many newspapers reported on the allegations about Garipoğlu's possible arrest in Armenia, though these claims turned out to be unfounded. The investigation process was also followed by the TBMM Human Rights Investigation Commission. According to the report submitted to the commission, police carried out operations at 106 addresses in 16 provinces to arrest the suspect. On 17 September 2009, 197 days after the murder, Cem Garipoğlu was surrendered in Istanbul.
Legal process
After the investigation was completed in November 2009, it was decided that Cem Garipoğlu be tried together with his father under one case, and the trial for the two merged cases started on 26 February 2010. In the case, Münevver Karabulut's mother, father and brother were the complainants, and 7 suspects were tried: Cem Garipoğlu and his father Nida Garipoğlu who were on trial for committing the crime, Cem's mother Makbule Garipoğlu who faced allegations that she had destroyed the evidence of crime, Cem Garipoğlu's uncle Hayyam Garipoğlu who was suspected of hiding Cem, and finally Habib Kurt, Mehmet Karakayalı, and Ahmet Batur who were alleged to have helped with protecting Cem.
After the incident, Garipoğlu's father Nida Garipoğlu had been arrested on charges of helping the murderer, but was eventually released on the grounds that there was enough evidence which proved he was at a certain place while the crime was being committed. Later on 27 April 2009, Cem Garipoğlu's parents were arrested and his father was detained per curiam. He was released 2 days later at the second hearing of the case.
In their law suite, Münevver Karabulut's mother, father and brother demanded a 2 million compensation from Cem Garipoğlu's family.
On 16 April 2011, Karabulut family challenged the verdict of a case, in which Hayyam Gariboğlu had been acquitted of fraudulent bankruptcy 16 years ago. Chief judge Mevlüt Bayraktaroğlu's request to withdraw from the case was accepted by the upper court.
Verdict
Cem Garipoğlu was sentenced to 24 years in prison. His mother and uncle were each sentenced to 3 years in prison. His father was acquitted.
Another lawsuit was filed for negligence in the work of the forensic medicine institution and three forensic officers, two doctors and one autopsy technician, were tried. The autopsy technician was sentenced to 5 months imprisonment for neglecting in his duties while doctors were acquitted.
Claim for damages
Following the conclusion of the main case, the Karabulut family's lawsuit against Cem Garipoğlu's family for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages concluded on 8 October 2013. At the end of the case, it was decided that the Garipoğlu family would pay the Karabulut family 37,500 for pecuniary damages and 1,250,000 for non-pecuniary damages.
References
Category:Deaths by person
Category:Murdered children
Category:2009 in Turkey
Category:2009 murders in Europe
Category:People murdered in Turkey | wikipedia |
Fermion operators: why $\rm SU(2)$ symmetry and not $\rm U(2)$ symmetry?
Let us consider operators $c\_{\uparrow}$ and $c\_{\downarrow}$ which destroy a fermion with spin up and a fermion with spin down, respectively. These operators can be found, for example, in the [Hubbard Hamiltonian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubbard_model):
$$
H = -\sum\_{\langle ij \rangle\sigma} (c\_{i\sigma}^{\dagger}c\_{j\sigma} + H.c.) + U\sum\_i n\_{i\uparrow}n\_{i\downarrow}
$$
where
$$
n\_{i\uparrow}=c\_{i\uparrow}^\dagger c\_{i\uparrow},
$$
$$
n\_{i\downarrow}=c\_{i\downarrow}^\dagger c\_{i\downarrow}.
$$
It is clear that these fermion operators satisfy anticommutation relations (I drop, for simplicity, the site index $i$):
$$
\{c\_\uparrow,\, c\_\uparrow^\dagger \}=1,
$$
$$
\{c\_\downarrow,\, c\_\downarrow^\dagger \}=1.
$$
One can then write the spinor
$$
\Psi= \begin{align}
\begin{pmatrix}
c\_{\uparrow} \\
c\_{\downarrow}
\end{pmatrix}
\end{align}.
$$
One can then apply an unitary transformation, i.e. enact a change of basis of the type:
$$
\Psi^\prime=\mathbb{M}\Psi
$$
where $\mathbb{M}$ is a $2\times 2$ *unitary* matrix, i.e. a matrix belonging to the group $U(2)$. For example, matrix $\mathbb{M}$ can be chosen as
$$
\mathbb{M}= \left( {\begin{array}{cc}
e^{i\varphi\_1} & 0 \\
0 & e^{i\varphi\_2} \\
\end{array} } \right).
$$
Choosing a diagonal matrix simply allows one not to mix $c\_\uparrow$ and $c\_\downarrow$. So it seems that one is free to "rotate" the operator $c\_\uparrow$ of angle $\varphi\_1$ and "rotate" the operator $c\_{\downarrow}$ of angle $\varphi\_2$. The two "rotations", $\varphi\_1$ and $\varphi\_2$ look completely independent.
At this point, one has to take into account that the symmetry group of the Hubbard Hamiltonian and, more in general, the symmetry group of rotations in spin space, is $SU(2)$ and not $U(2)$. This circumstance immeditaely introduces a *constraint* on the possible values of $\varphi\_1$ and $\varphi\_2$. More specifically, matrix $\mathbb{M}$ is an element of the group $SU(2)$ provided that
$$
\varphi\_1=-\varphi\_2.
$$
In conclusion, due to the fact that spin rotations are known to have $SU(2)$ symmetry (and not the $U(2)$ symmetry!) one cannot "rotate" the two components of the spinor, $c\_\uparrow$ and $c\_\downarrow$, in an *independent* way.
My questions are:
* Why do spin rotations have $SU(2)$ symmetry and not $U(2)$ symmetry?
* Which is the physical meaning/origin of the constraint $\varphi\_2=-\varphi\_1$, which reduces the symmetry from $U(2)$ to $SU(2)$?
* Why do textbooks usually say that the Hubbard Hamiltonian has $SU(2)$ symmetry and not $U(2)$ symmetry? It seems that authors usually factor out a global $U(1)$ phase factor.
I think the model you are talking about does have a
$$ U(2) = U(1)\times SU(2)$$
symmetry. The $U(1)$ part is just a global phase and responsible for particle number conservation (essentially you only have $c^\dagger c + c c^\dagger$ type terms and no $cc + c^\dagger c^\dagger$). The $SU(2)$ symmetry is spin-rotation symmetry and implies that your energy eigenstates form representations of $SU(2)$ (and can therefore have degeneracies).
So I think that you have the full $U(2)$ symmetry, it's just more meaningful to talk about the $U(1)$ and $SU(2)$ parts separately as they have different physical meaning.
In the matrix above you can reparametrize the phases as $\phi\_1=\phi+\psi$ and $\phi\_2=\phi-\psi$ to decouple the global $U(1)$ rotation related to charge and the $SU(2)$ spin-rotation component:
$$
M = e^{i \phi}\begin{pmatrix}
e^{i \psi} & 0\\
0 & e^{-i \psi}\\
\end{pmatrix}
$$
So you do have both, it's just physically more meaningful to separate these.
If your question is more deeper about why $SU(2)$ is associated to spin (in general, not just in this model) and not $U(2)$. Then you need to study the induced representation theory of the Poincare group (see [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigner%27s_classification)). For massive particles there is a so-called 'little group' from which representations of the Poincare group can be constructed from, this group is $SO(3)$. Since we are interested in projective representations in quantum physics (Wigner's theorem), we need to use the universal cover which is $SU(2)$ which is the relativistic origins of spin. But this is a whole story by itself.
Spinors, unlike vectors, need to pick up a negative sign when the coordinate system (continuously) undergoes a full $2\pi$ rotation. They are meant to transform, roughly, like the square-root of a vector. They became important to physicists after Dirac was looking for (what’s now called) the formal square root of a Laplacian.
The unitary group clearly doesn’t accomplish this, but yes there is a $U(1)$ global phase factor on *states* in, for fermions, the alternating algebra of a (separable) Hilbert space.
Spin$(n)$ is the group of transformations that captures the two topologically distinct classes (homotopy classes) of paths on the space that spinors “notice” and vectors don’t. As an example, Spin$(3)$ is isomorphic to $SU(2)$; from these, there exists a surjective 2:1 homomorphism to $SO(3)$. The 2:1 cover is essential and while $U(n)$, with its norm-preserving goodness, is important, it doesn’t capture how spinors transform under rotation.
| stackexchange/physics |
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