------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Dirty Pair (and Company) in R E U N I O N S by Larry Mann and Ryan Mathews ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright (c) 1995 Larry Mann & Ryan Mathews ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've grown accustomed to your deception Comes the rule with no exception And I've been dragged across the river running far and wide Come and see how I feel inside -- SUGAR, "Changes" --------------------------- S T A G E F O U R T E E N --------------------------- [The shockwave hits every part of the complex. Inside the vault, Shasti, Andrew, and Yuri are tossed around like dolls. Darryn holds onto the communications console for dear life. Kei frantically tries to wake an unconscious Rumiko.] KEI Rumiko! RUMIKO!! RUMIKO Huh? What the hell is going on? KEI I don't know, but I think it's time to think about getting out of here. RUMIKO I left a small transmitter in Shasti's shuttle. KEI Great! [She touches an earring.] Mughi! Are you okay? MUGHI (voice) Mrowl! KEI Good! I want you to home in on the following frequency... ------ [Shasti picks herself up, testing her limbs.] SHASTI Damn it. Damn you bitches. You always manage to do something STUPID that I can't predict! YURI So sorry to inconvenience you. SHASTI Are you okay, Andy? ANDREW Yeah, I'm fine. I dinged my head pretty good, but it's nothing serious. [Shasti checks out the assimiliation field generator.] SHASTI Well, that's a stroke of luck. It's still in working order. Now, on to the problem of getting out of here. [The floor begins to vibrate.] What the hell?! [Everything begins to shake violently once more. All are thrown off their feet.] SHASTI What is this? An aftershock?! [As Andrew falls, his glasses fall off. He dives for them, just as a stack of gold ingots collapses.] SHASTI ANDY!!!!! [She pulls him to safety a split-second before the metal comes crashing down.] [Yuri is thrown against the vault door, which opens just long enough to let her fall through.] SHASTI Hell. I'd better check the generator again. I wonder how many more of these shocks we can expect? LORD ROBIN Oh, lots more. Lots, lots, lots, lots, LOTS! [Shasti turns around to see the Lord Robin hologram in the vault with them.] SHASTI What? Where's Yuri?! LORD ROBIN Safe. She's safe, and you're trapped *inside* a safe. See how nicely that works out? SHASTI You said you couldn't operate the door. LORD ROBIN I lied. Hey, I *said* I was a dick, didn't I? You weren't paying attention. [The floor begins vibrating again.] Ooooh! Here comes another one! [More stacks of ingots collapse, but Andrew stays safely out of the way. With effort, Shasti manages to remain standing.] LORD ROBIN Yeah! Shasti the surfin' queen! That's the nice thing about being a hologram. I don't have to worry about my balance. [His image flickers.] Of course, there are other disadvantages... SHASTI What's going on?! These aren't ordinary aftershocks, are they?! LORD ROBIN Sorry, that's two questions. SHASTI DAMN YOU! LORD ROBIN Sheeze! Temper, temper! See, it's stopping. [The shaking comes to a halt.] 'Course, it won't stay that way. SHASTI It's something to do with this planet, isn't it? The nuclear war must have rendered it tectonically unstable. LORD ROBIN Close, but no cigar. It's not the planet, it's the mountain. It's not your standard, run-of-the-mill mountain, you see. [Shasti goes pale.] SHASTI You built inside an inactive volcano. LORD ROBIN Well, it was inactive when I built it. But not anymooooore! Yup, I give this place maybe a hour before it goes sky-high. SHASTI Then you won't have anything to protect. So you have no reason to keep us here. LORD ROBIN Sure there is. I don't like you. [Shasti glares.] And besides, the only way I can be certain that you won't take anything is to keep you here until the bitter end. Hey, tell ya what, though. I'll make you a deal. Strip nude and dance a jig and I'll open the door. SHASTI Very funny. LORD ROBIN Who's joking? SHASTI You'll let me out if I humiliate myself in front of you?! LORD ROBIN My, you *do* have an advanced brain, don't you? SHASTI Forget it. You've told us nothing but lies up to this point. ANDREW Believe him. SHASTI Andy? ANDREW Look, this isn't your ordinary security system. It seems to have a personality, and it must realize that there's no point in protecting something that's about to be destroyed anyway. All he wants is to get the better of you. Do he what he wants, and he'll be satisfied. [Shasti thinks it over. Suddenly the vault begins to shake again.] LORD ROBIN Oh, dear. Looks like I'm not going to be able to do anything after all. [His image flickers, wavers, then blinks out.] SHASTI Robin? Lord Robin!! Damn you, come back! Shit! ------ [Yuri and Kei find each other.] YURI KEI!! [They hug.] KEI Oh, man, am I glad to see you! YURI Same here! For a moment there, I was having trouble tracking your signal. And this place is like a maze anyway... KEI How'd you get loose? YURI I think... [Another tremor hits.] I think we'd better save the talking for later!! KEI No kidding! C'mon, the others are waiting for us at the shuttle! ------ [Shasti is jacked into some circuitry behind a panel she's torn loose. When the tremor hits, she is thrown backwards, tearing her loose.] SHASTI OW! *DAMN*-IT! ANDREW Are you okay? SHASTI I'm fine! Everything is just *fucking* fine! I can't seem to interface with this system. It makes no sense! ANDREW Maybe it's not supposed to. SHASTI I will *not* be outsmarted by some grinning, lunatic buffoon! Especially not by a dead one! [She jacks herself back in.] [There is a horrendous creaking noise from behind them. Andrew watches as the floor begins to give way, stacks of ingots disappearing, one by one.] ANDREW Uhhhh, SHASTI?! [Shasti looks.] SHASTI Oh, shit. Oh, damn it. [She concentrates, but the door refuses to move. The collapse continues, as the weight of the metal pushes the edge of the hole closer.] SHIT! [She pulls the cords from her sockets and attempts to open the door with her bare hands.] NNNGGGHH! [No luck.] ANDREW Have you tried pressing the switch? SHASTI Of course! ANDREW I mean, since he left?! SHASTI No! But--! [Andrew presses the switch. The door opens a few centimeters, then slams shut.] SHASTI Do it again! [He hits the switch. Shasti slips her hands in to force the door open, but the door slams shut on them.] AAAAGGGGHH! [Andy hits the switch again. Shasti gets her hands out and puts them in her mouth.] Just what we need. Another sick joke. ANDREW Joke. He said something about having a sense of humor... [Andrew taps out "Shave and a Haircut" on the switch. As he hits the last beat, the door slams open and stays open.] I'll be damned! [Shasti and Andrew run through just as the rest of the vault collapses. Shasti watches in despair as all the gold and platinum fall into a river of molten lava.] ------ [LaCombe gloats.] LACOMBE Well well well. Look where we are. Square one. It's all gone, Shasti. Everything's gone. I brought you this close to ultimate freedom, and you blew it. Now, are you going to listen to me, or do you want to see if you can fall farther? DEIRDRE Don't listen to him! He--! [The Central Mind holds up a hand to silence her.] ------ ANDREW I'm surprised that worked. I guess I'm a better psychologist than I thought I was. SHASTI You are. You really helped me out. Which just makes this all the more harder. [Slowly, she draws her gun and levels it and Andrew.] ANDREW Shasti? ------ [The Central Mind appears to hold the gun, aiming it at Andrew, unseen.] DEIRDRE What are you doing? SOCIAL You can't! LACOMBE Do it! It's your only chance! CENTRAL SHUT UP! All of you!! ------ SHASTI I've lost everything, Andy. I've got nothing now. I have to get out of here, and I have to start over from the bottom. I can't drag you around, and I can't let you help them to find me again. ANDREW Shasti, I... SHASTI I'm sorry. ------ [The Central Mind keeps the gun steady, but doesn't fire.] LACOMBE WELL??! CENTRAL I said shut up, okay?! Just, just give me a moment. ------ SHASTI Why aren't you running? ANDREW Why aren't you firing? SHASTI Dammit, Andy, do you *want* to die?! ANDREW No. But I promised I'd stay with you, and this time I'm keeping my promise. Even if it means dying at your side. [Shasti eyes begin to fill with tears. She lowers the gun.] ------ CENTRAL I can't do it. LACOMBE You *have* to! You told him the truth! He's excess baggage! CENTRAL But I *love* him! I've lost everything else. I don't want to lose him too. SOCIAL That's right! I'm so glad you understand! ------ SHASTI Andy, I... ------ LACOMBE I'm sorry, Shasti, but this is for your own good. WARRIOR! TAKE OVER! [The Central Mind and the Warrior switch places, so that Warrior now holds the gun. The Central Mind is speechless with surprise.] Kill him. WARRIOR (enthusiastically) Yes, SIR! ------ [Shasti's expression becomes ice cold. She levels the guns again and tenses. Andrew gasps.] ------ [The Central Mind screams.] CENTRAL (enraged) NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOO!! [All stop to look at her.] PUT!! THE GUN!! DOWN!!! [The Warrior swallows and does as she's told.] WARRIOR I--! I'm sorry! I was just--! I was told--! I thought you--! CENTRAL Get out! WARRIOR Y-y-yes, ma'am! [The Warrior and the Central Mind switch places once more.] ------ [Shasti's expression softens, and she lowers the gun.] ANDREW Shasti? SHASTI Andy... [He approaches her, cautiously. She drops the gun and rushes into his arms, weeping.] SHASTI I almost... I almost... ANDREW But you didn't. And that's all that matters. ------ LACOMBE God, what a revolting scene. Fine, have it your way. We can always get rid of him later. [The Central Mind whirls to face him, furious.] Hey, calm down, alright? No need to-- [The Central Mind's "clothing" changes, becoming a 3WA trouble consultant uniform.] Hey, what are you doing?! CENTRAL What I should have done five years ago. [The floor begins to engulf LaCombe. His feet are trapped, then his legs.] LACOMBE You can't do this! You-- you need me! We need each other! We're a *team*, damn it! [The metal covers his hips, then his arms and torso.] Please! Stop it! Look, I'm sure we could fit Andrew into the plan somehow! Give me a chance! [The metal begins to creep over his head.] Please! I'm begging you! Don't do this to me! Oh my God! NOOOOOOOO--! [All that remains of LaCombe is a metal statue.] CENTRAL I did it. I really did it! [Deirdre and the Social Personality hug her.] DEIRDRE I am so *proud* of you! SOCIAL Yeah, me too! ------ ANDREW Shasti, are you sure you're alright? [She smiles at him.] SHASTI I've never been better. [They kiss.] [Someone applauds sarcastically. They turn to see Paul.] PAUL Oh, how *touching*. Pardon me while I vomit. ------ [Kei and Yuri run for the shuttle bay. As they reach the entrance, Kei gets a call on her earring.] RUMIKO Kei? This is Rumiko. KEI Go ahead. RUMIKO Bad news. The radiation level's pretty nasty in here. I figured they had good reason to wear those suits. KEI Understood! Yuri, we got a lot of rads between us and the shuttle. Feel up to a sprint? YURI Sure. Nothing like the threat of glowing in the dark to put life in your legs. Let's go! [Kei opens the door, and the two girls bolt ahead as fast as their legs can carry them.] ------ [Shasti reaches for her gun, only to remember how she dropped it. Paul holds it up.] PAUL Looking for this? [He tosses it casually into the air, then strikes out with two fingers.] KAI--!! [The gun shatters into tiny fragments which spray out in all directions.] SHASTI Oh, Christ. You're wearing the JONIN package... [Paul smiles and turns around, displaying the band of metal traversing the back of his head between the interface sockets behind his ears.] PAUL Like it? I think it's quite stylish. SHASTI It's going to kill you if you don't take it off immediately. PAUL I don't think so. I have some business to take care of. SHASTI Revenge? I never thought you were the type. PAUL And I never thought you were the type to dump me for a weakling in glasses. Just goes to show, we're all capable of surprises. SHASTI "Dump you"? You make it sound like I was your girlfriend. Paul, are you trying to tell me... PAUL That I loved you? Don't be ridiculous. SHASTI Then...? PAUL I haven't accomplished much in my life, Shasti. I've always been a schemer, and I've pulled off more than a few decent capers, but nothing that would set me up for more than a year. No, my only real accomplishment, the only thing I could really be proud of, was you. [Shasti blinks in surprise.] "Shasti". The name inspires fear and wonder in the underworld, even among those who've never even seen you. She's brilliant, they say. Brilliant, beautiful, and deadly. She's mysterious, because no one has ever lived long enough to spread any information about her. And I could say, "Shasti? Yeah, I've heard of her. She's my partner. We work together. We sleep together." [He begins to approach her. Shasti motions Andrew to stay behind her.] No, I never loved you. But I wanted you. I still want you. And I'll be damned if you're going to take the one thing that meant anything to me and give it to some pathetic little shit like him! SHASTI You don't have to do this, Paul. Take the brainware off and we'll talk. PAUL No. I've never been much for talk. Besides, the brain damage is probably irreversable by now. SHASTI You don't know that! Listen--! PAUL SHUT UP AND DIE!! [Paul lashes out. Shasti dodges, and the wall behind her shatters as if it had been struck.] ------ [The Angels get inside the shuttle, out of breath. Rumiko closes the hatch behind them.] RUMIKO How long were you exposed? YURI About (puff) about fifteen seconds... RUMIKO That shouldn't be a problem. [The shuttle shudders.] Good! Darryn's taking off. Let's get to the bridge! ------ [Paul toys with Shasti, baiting her in with supposedly easy openings, then moving so fast he appears to teleport and sending her reeling across the floor.] PAUL Come on, bitch! This the best you can do? All that 3WA programming and those hard-wired reflexes don't seem to be amounting to much! [Shasti moves around him slowly. She tries a feint, moving as if to kick, then striking out with a straight-arm. Her blow strikes his chin, which doesn't move a millimeter. She stumbles backward, howling and clutching her arm.] PAUL Broken? Good. [A fist strikes out like lightning. Shasti flies through the air and strikes the wall, cracking it.] SHASTI (weakly) Andy, run. ANDREW What? SHASTI He'll kill you. You have to--AAAH! [Paul's fist punctures the wall next to Shasti's head.] PAUL PAY ATTENTION! [Shasti quickly rolls to the side and sweeps Paul's legs out from under him. Before he can react, she gets behind him and gets him in a headlock. She tries to squeeze his windpipe shut, but Paul just smiles.] SHASTI Oh, sh-shit... [Paul stands up, whirls and sends her flying screaming through the air to impact the opposite wall.] PAUL AuuuuuuggggUGH! [A quick spray of blood fires out his nose.] Not... much time. Better finish this... [He begins to gesture, making a low growl. The air in front of him begins to ripple as if from an extreme heat source.] [Shasti tries to get up, but finds she can't. She looks up in helpless terror as Paul prepares his coup de grace.] [Andrew, ignored, begins to approach Paul from behind. A minute change in Shasti's expression gives him away, however, and the moment he touches Paul, he flies backward, repelled.] PAUL GrrrrrrrRRRRRRAAAAAAGGGHHH! [The ground begins to tremble. But not because of Paul.] ------ [On the bridge of the shuttle, Darryn feels it coming.] DARRYN Oh, hell, here comes another one! HOLD ON! [The shuttle tries to take off, but the tremor causes the ground to come up and meet it. The passengers are bounced around, holding onto their seats for dear life.] ------ [Paul wobbles, momentarily losing his balance. Suddenly, Shasti is free, and she charges, knocking him down. She gets her hand around the back of ] his head and pulls the brainware off.] PAUL GNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH--! [Every muscle in Paul's body tenses, and he dies, frozen, his jaws clenched and his eyes bulging.] SHASTI Aw, no. I didn't think that would kill him... ------ [The shuttle heads for the exit to the landing bay. The immense steel doors are closed.] RUMIKO Do you know how to get these things to open? DARRYN No, but then we don't have to be as subtle as Shasti was. Kei, if you'll do the honors? KEI My pleasure! [Kei hits a few switches, and the shuttle's laser cannons come to life, blasting a hole in the door. The shuttle flies through to safety. Darryn, Rumiko, and Kei cheer, but Yuri looks worried.] DARRYN Alright! Let's get as much distance from this mountain as we can before it blows! KEI Hey, Yuri, what's wrong? Shasti's about to get blown to smithereens and you're all mopey. YURI Something's wrong. I can't put my finger on it. ------ [Shasti looks sadly at Paul's corpse.] SHASTI Oh, Paul. What a way to end a life. ANDREW Shasti? SHASTI If he'd just told me... ANDREW It would have been the end of your relationship, and you know it. Come on! SHASTI I was scared. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I was in a life-and-death struggle, and I was *scared*! ANDREW SHASTI! [He shakes her.] Look, I know this is taking some getting used to, but I need the Trouble Consultant Shasti back. We're in grave danger, and you're the only one who knows what to do! SHASTI I'm sorry, Andy. Give me a moment. [She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them, she looks much like her old self again.] Okay, let's go. Follow me! ANDREW Where to? SHASTI Lord Robin's private shuttle bay. There was a symbol on the map for it, but Nance didn't know what it meant. It was the way I intended to escape after I'd ditched the rest of my gang. There should be at least one warp-capable shuttle there. ANDREW How are we going to get past the 3WA? Their ships must be swarming out there. SHASTI Believe me, the 3WA is not going to be a problem. Shit... ANDREW What's wrong? SHASTI Nothing. Just a little guilt. It's tough having your conscience return after it's too late to change your mind... ------ [The battle between the _Artemis_ and the 3WA forces continues, with neither side gaining much of an advantage. Suddenly, the _Artemis_ explodes, the immense fireball destroying the forces on both sides.] ------ [The trouble consultants watch from down below.] RUMIKO Whoa. Must've been a lucky shot. KEI Stupid shot, if you ask me. They blew themselves up along with 'em. YURI No. No! [All turn to look at Yuri.] This makes perfect sense. What was Shasti's prime rule? Never leave any loose ends! She killed each and every one of her accomplices during the _Lyra_ caper! DARRYN Well, how was she planning to get away? This shuttle doesn't have a warp generator. [Yuri goes pale and stands up.] YURI She wasn't going to use the shuttle. *That's* what she said. She was laughing at Nance for using the shuttle to escape! The shuttle must be rigged! RUMIKO My god. I'll bet she's right. YURI I'm going to take a look at the engine. KEI I'll help! ------ [Shasti and Andrew enter the shuttle bay to find a single shuttle waiting for them.] SHASTI There it is. Freedom! ANDREW Let's not waste any time! [Another tremor hits, bigger than any of the others. The two are unable to stand and are tossed around on the floor. The shuttle bay begins to collapse, showering them with debris. Finally, the tremor passes.] ANDREW We'd better get out of here. How much time do you think we have? [Shasti doesn't reply.] Shasti? [Shasti is pinned from the chest down under a large chunk of metal.] ANDREW Ohmigod! Shasti! Are you okay?! Can you breathe?! SHASTI Y-yes. Barely. But I can't move. ANDREW Use your strength! Try to push yourself free! SHASTI I've tried. UNNNNNF! [She pushes.] It won't move more than a few centimeters. ANDREW Well, you have to keep trying! This place is going to blow sky-high in a minute or two! I'll help. SHASTI No. Go. ANDREW Shasti, I-- SHASTI Go! There's no sense in both of us dying. I don't think there's a lock on the shuttle. It's already in a secure place. If there is a lock, I'm sure you can figure it out. ANDREW I'm not going without you. SHASTI You moron! Do you *want* to die? ANDREW No. But I made a promise to stay by your side, and goddammit, this time I'm keeping it. [Shasti's eyes get moist.] SHASTI You sweet little idiot... ------ [Yuri looks at the engine through some panels she removed in the back of the shuttle. She finds a small device attached to the main power conduits.] KEI Oh, shit! YURI Ah. You recognize it, too. RUMIKO What is it? [Kei walks back to the bridge.] KEI Yuri found a power transmitter attached to the engine. It's a tricky device. It's hooked into the navigational computers. Ideally, after we've traveled a certain distance, it shoves three times as much power as the engines can handle through the conduit, and we explode. But... Just in case we become unpredictable, if we try to remove it, it goes off. If we try to land, it goes off. If we shut off the computers, it-- DARRYN I get the picture. What do we do? KEI Yuri's had some experience disarming these guys. Basically, you have to get at the nanoprocessor and make some very exact cuts with a nanobeam laser. DARRYN I'll, um, try to keep the shuttle as steady as possible. YURI I'd appreciate that! [Yuri removes from her belt a small device similar to a jeweler's glass and puts it on. She draws her gun, fiddles with the setting, and aims at the device. No beam can be seen, but a small square of plastic falls away, revealing the nanoprocessor chip casing. Another cut, and the casing falls away. Beads of sweat roll down Yuri's face as she works. The rest of the crew looks on in apprehension.] RUMIKO How will we know if she's successful? DARRYN We won't die. YURI Please! Quiet. [Yuri continues to hold the laser. Suddenly, the device emits a loud beeping noise and the indicators go crazy. Everyone yells in terror, but a second later, it falls dead.] ------ [As the world tears itself to pieces around them, Andrew attempts to help Shasti escape. He pushes from the side as Shasti pushes from underneath.] ANDREW COME ON! HEAVE! SHASTI NNNNNNGGGHH!! ------ [Yuri gets the device loose.] YURI NOW!! GO!!! [Darryn opens the throttle, and the shuttle zooms away, just as the entire mountain blows itself off the face of the planet in a titanic eruption. Lava, dust, and debris are thrown kilometers into the air, falling once more to add to the desolation of the surface.] * * * * * **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** *************************** E P I L O G U E ****************************** **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** > A.D. 214303.25 @ 15:35:00 > Planet Elenore, Caledonia Space Station [Scene: a large WWWA space station orbiting Elenore. Inside, the Lovely Angels and NightRiders enjoy a drink at a table with a panoramic view of the planet and stars.] KEI Boy, am I glad this is over. I don't think I've ever been on a more frustrating case. YURI Same here. Shasti. I tell you, I've never been more relieved to see someone die. KEI Hey, don't get ahead of yourself! They never found a body! YURI And they're never going to! She's buried under how many tons of rock? A thousand? Two thousand? DARRYN Come on, folks! This is supposed to be a celebration! It's not everyone who can boast of beating Shasti. RUMIKO We can't. There's still a gag order on Shasti's existence, remember? DARRYN I meant rhetorically. I propose a toast. To us. We faced the best cybernetics and genetic engineering had to offer, and we beat her. [They touch glasses and drink.] YURI One more toast. To a pair of young women, without whose sacrifice, we never could have beaten Shasti. To Daphne and Nene, the Lonely Hearts. ALL The Lonely Hearts. [They drink.] RUMIKO So where are you headed on your vacation? Darryn and I are headed to our favorite spot on New Japan. YURI I've never understood how you can spend your vacations at that monastery. DARRYN It's good for the spirit. RUMIKO Not to mention incredibly romantic. You should try it. YURI No thanks. Kei and I would be pulling our hair out by the third day. Isn't that right, Kei? [Kei doesn't respond. Something has her attention.] Kei? KEI Ohhhhh... baby! YURI (excited) What is it? Did you find a cute guy?! Where?! GASP! [Yuri sees what Kei saw, and her jaw drops in astonishment. Gliding past the window is a long, sleek, silver and black spaceship with four swept- back wings. Emblazoned on the side, in large crimson letters, is the legend "LOVELY ANGEL".] YURI WwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwWOW! That's our new ship?! Kei, let's go check it out! Kei? [Kei is already running toward the docking area as fast her legs can carry her.] Kei, wait! Wait! Wait for me! [She runs after her.] RUMIKO Well, that's just great. The Angels blow their ship to atoms, and they get a top-of-the-line brand new one. [She brightens up.] Say! I've got an idea! DARRYN Don't even *think* it! [On the bridge of the new _Lovely_Angel_, Kei sits in the pilot's seat and excitedly checks everything out.] KEI (gasp) Cobalt thrusters! (gasp) Multi-phase pulse cannons! (gasp) Short-warp manuevering processor! Ooooooooooooooooooh, I'm in LOVE!! [Yuri runs onto the bridge.] YURI Kei did you see the quarters they're so LARGE and there's a kilometer of closet space and it's a little drab but there's lots of places to hang pictures and there's a pool and a jacuzzi and personal massage booths and a little bitty movie theater and... [Kei snuggles against the console.] KEI Oh, my precious lovely one, you're mine all MINE! YURI Hey! What's this "mine" stuff? KEI Don't listen to her. She can't possibly love you like I can! [Darryn and Rumiko join them.] DARRYN I have to admit, I'm impressed. RUMIKO The 3WA must really be grateful. Hope some of that gratitude comes our way. [A technician joins them.] TECHNICIAN Since you didn't need a ship, I'd look in your paychecks. You guys did real good. You're the talk of the agency. You seem to have things well in hand, so I'll be on my way. [He turns to leave, then stops.] Oh! Almost forgot. You've got a message waiting for you. KEI A message? TECHNICIAN Yeah, it came in on the 3WA's Ship-To-Ship network. I'm sure they were sending it to your old ship. This one has the same address. Anyway, it was coded "personal" so I just left it in the ship computer. Have fun! [He leaves.] YURI Who would send us a Ship-To-Ship? DARRYN Probably just a congratulations. Play it, Kei. [Kei hits a few buttons. The words "AUDIO ONLY" appear on the comm screen, and Deirdre's voice is heard.] DEIRDRE (voice) Hi, guys! Like, what's up? Yup, this is Deirdre! You're probably going, like, "How is that possible?" Well, I've been part of Shasti's mind now for the past week or so. I helped you as much as I could. I really hope you're okay. As I record this I don't, like, really know whether you made it out okay or not. But if you're listening, you must've, so I'll pretend that I know for sure. I know what you're thinking, or at least, I, like, think I know. You're thinking "If Deirdre's alive, then so is Shasti," and that makes you, like, really bummed. Well, don't worry, because I've, like, turned her around, see? It really wasn't her fault, y'know? It was that crazy guy they like, shoved into her head, you know, LaCombe? He's not a problem now. Shasti's shut him up for good, and she's gonna go to this guy she knows who can remove him permanently. Anyway, I'm happy here. Shasti's personalities have accepted me as one of the gang. Shasti and Andy are, like, soooo happy. We're all excited, because the Detective has deduced that he's getting up the nerve to pop the question. Shasti's already decided that she's gonna say "yes". Like, even the Warrior likes him! She says he's got "balls". So, like, that's about it. I can't promise that Shasti's gonna be a good girl, but, I can promise she won't kill anyone except in, like, self-defense or something. It was really nice of Shasti to let me record this message, because, I'm, like, never gonna see any of you ever again. I'm really gonna miss you. So, um, goodbye. [The message ends.] [All four are silent for a moment.] KEI So, what do we do about this? [Darryn leans forward and hits "delete".] DARRYN That's what we do. Unless you'd rather go after her again. [Kei, Yuri, and Rumiko all shake their heads "no".] Didn't think so. Hey, Kei, how 'bout we see what this baby can do? KEI You got it! Strap yourselves in guys! [The _Lovely_Angel_ pulls away from the station and shoots forward into the stars.] T H E E N D