A Second Glance

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"Artemis, Jade....you have to come down here....it's Plisken" Alex's voice emanated from the grill. Artemis didn't like the tone in Alex's voice. Deep down inside he knew what was happening, but he tried to convince himself that he was wrong....he had to be wrong. Artemis helped Jade up and the pair started down to stasis, leaving Evelina sitting over Jaxx....
<SNIP>

Evelina cried herself to sleep on top of Jaxx’s out cold body. The sounds of the life support equipment were the only sounds in the background. As Evelina slept she slipped in to a dream, well more like a flashback. Evelina was wearing a summer dress and she walked into a room full of doors. After looking around she noticed she was alone so she opened the first door to see she back on the planet Fernandos. She watched the events like they were from an old mute black and white movie. Evelina’s past self had just met past Jaxx in the water. Evelina began to tremble as she remembered seeing Jaxx for the first time. He had just recovered from a massive memory loss but was in good spirits regardless. Evelina watched as the two from the past continued to avoid the Haruk by going into the water. Evelina had to choke back her tears as she saw the past Jaxx & Evelina sharing his air through a kiss. Suddenly the movie ended and Evelina went to the next door to open it.

Evelina opened the door to see a past Jaxx and past Evelina during their first movie marathon. Evelina watched as the past Jaxx seemed very nervous for some reason as her past self was getting the snacks and movies programmed. It was then that Evelina saw that the past Jaxx was hiding his excitement down below by covering up his Speedo with a blanket. Evelina covered up her mouth in embarrassment as she realized Jaxx had the hots for her back then but kept it to himself. As the past Jaxx and Evelina watched the movies all night long, Evelina noticed that past Jaxx would smile every time he looked at her past self from the corner of his eye. This went on for a while before the movie ended and Evelina went to the next door to open it.

As Evelina opened the door she saw her past self and past Jaxx in a torture chamber. Horrible memories flooded her mind as she recalled this experience. Past Jaxx refused to let past Evelina drown so he struggled till he ripped his chains from the ceiling and fell onto the pressure pad to drain the water before swimming to her to share his air again. Evelina covered her mouth in pain as she watched past Jaxx loosing blood fast in the water as he held her past self in a loving embrace. After the water drained Evelina watched as her past self begin to cry as the past Jaxx was dying. Evelina begin to cry as she remembered how hard he struggled to stay alive for her after promising he wouldn’t die. She remembered the fear in his eyes when she was told he was a monster. Evelina let her tears run down her face as she saw relief in his eyes when she accepted him regardless. Shortly after past Evelina received a med pack from a wounded past Jade and was able to give Jaxx his MACO juice and some blood packs to bring him back to health. Evelina trembled as she watched past Jaxx endure such horrible pain to keep his promise. Then the movie went black and Evelina went to the next door.

After opening the next-door Evelina saw her past adventures in Jaxx’s lab and collecting gear for the next mission. Evelina watched as past Jaxx was afraid to wear his armor again but gave in since the mission was going to be dangerous. Then Evelina was shocked as she saw past Jaxx take a quick peep as her past self was putting on a spare set of MACO armor. Then she giggled as past Jaxx quickly turned red with embarrassment and turned away. After a few laughs at the past Jaxx and Evelina having fun the movie changed to edited parts of the past Jaxx and Evelina in MACO armor fighting various enemies such as evil clowns, Roo and robots. After the movie ended and Evelina went to the next door to open it.

The next door contained a movie of past Jaxx pretending to be mediator from the Shark God Dakuwaqa to work an alliance with the sun God Ra. Past Jaxx was in a room with past Evelina and they seem to be waiting. Past Evelina seemed to be recovering from having a device removed from her arm. Evelina watched as past Jaxx held past Evelina for quite some time. Evelina felt her tears welling up again as she missed him so much. The movie was then edited to Ra’s party where past Evelina was pretending to be past Jaxx’s servant and had to kiss him to make a guard go away. Evelina rubbed her fingers across her lips as she remembered how nice his lips felt. Then the edit moved to the fight scene with the Retributers. Past Jaxx was hit hard and was hurt bad as he looked around to see his precious past Evelina and then at his wounds before double dosing on MACO juice. Evelina watched in horror as she saw past Jaxx in severe pain as he continued to fight despite his body’s limits. Evelina then realized that Jaxx deliberately endured pain and suffering in order to protect her as much as possible. Then the movie went black and Evelina closed the door.

The next door contained a movie of past Jaxx in his lab soaking in his tank while getting repairs. Past Evelina took this time to take some silly pictures of her goofing off in the lab for later. Evelina giggled as the fond memories came flooding back to how much fun she had with Jaxx. Evelina realized no matter how bad things got for Jaxx he always was happy to see her. Evelina thought to herself, “When he come back to me I need to tell him how I feel.”

Suddenly the movie stopped and Evelina went to the last door only to find she was watching past herself at the end when past Jaxx was talking to her in the recent VR mission, but she couldn’t hear him. Evelina read his lips and realized past Jaxx said, “I’m sorry Eve babe I did something stupid again. I’ll find a way to make it up to you.” Then he dropped to his knees. After past Evelina made her way to past Jaxx’s side she watched him talk without sound again. Evelina read past Jaxx’s lips again as he said, “Looks like I failed your boyfriend test huh Eve babe? Please don’t cry Eve babe I promise I won’t die. I will totally find a way back because I luv ya.”
Evelina put her hands over her mouth in disbelieve. She could not believe she missed what Jaxx’s had said before. Evelina thought to herself, “I can’t believe it the one time he told me that I missed it.” Suddenly past Evelina was interrupted by past Tregurad as past Jaxx was fading off. Evelina was fighting back her tears again as she watched her last moments with Jaxx. Only this time when the light took her past self away she saw past Jaxx’s light moved sideways through a wall. Evelina looked puzzled as the light continued to move till it went through a computer console and it exploded. Evelina tried to get a closer look but then woke up in a cold sweat on top of an out cold Jaxx. As Evelina tried to make sense of her dream she laid back down on Jaxx and watched him sleep. It didn’t take long for her tears to well up again.

Meanwhile Skutter 86 managed to make it way out of Hanger 13 and was still struggling to roll straight. At the current pace it would take Skutter 86 several hours to till it could reach the promenade. Every now and then a few sparks would pop from the holes on the Skutter’s plating. Slowly but surely Skutter 86 kept moving despite needing some serious repairs.

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