A/N: Here is a futuristic story of mine that has been sitting on my computer for a little while now. Yeah, I'm in the middle of a large writer's block. I figured posting what I have written would help me slightly. Maybe I'll get input that'll kick start something in my brain. Haha. Okay! Enjoy!

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Shields offline.

“Shit!” Hands quickly zoomed across a row of hologram keys.

Communication link requested.

Reaching forward, the pilot pressed a button on her helmet.

“Heh. You’re out of your league. Let me through.” A smug male voice asked, the visual popped up on the corner of her screen.

“Bite me!” Shutting off the link, the pilot flipped another switch before crossing her arms in front of her. Running one hand down the opposite arm, lights lit along in a line, until her entire hand burned brightly. With a scream, she rushed forward, pushing her damaged machine onward, and towards the barely dented, and much larger machine ahead of her.

Captain, you’re being hailed by the Lieutenant.

No sooner had her system guide informed her then the link open automatically.

“What the hell are you doing! You are supposed to defend the cargo! Not charge across your se-”

“With all due respect Sir, I am protecting my cargo! Cut the line D.R-5!” She screamed as she raced forward and jumped above her opponent. The line was cut. Silence rang throughout the cabin as she landed behind her opponent and drove her energy sword into his machine’s chest. He was fast enough to blow off her arm at the shoulder, but the damage had been done, and he exploded, knocking back the girl and her machine into an asteroid.

Hitting her head hard on the back panel of the cockpit, she groaned and slid to the floor as the world around her dissolved into darkness. Seconds later the lights flicked on and she winced to the bright light.

A door at the far end of the room slid open and a man clad in military uniform walked into the room, “Interesting test. But I’m afraid you don’t pass. You failed to follow orders. You can try next time we recruit.”

“But! That’s not going to be for another six months!” She yelled, getting to her feet and throwing her helmet to the ground.

“Precisely enough time for you to train, besides, you’re too young. I hope to see you when you’re at least another foot taller, you’re dismissed.” He chuckled before leaving the room.

Flashing him a rude gesture, the girl shoved her hands into her pilot pants, “I’m sixteen. I’m not ten.” She grumbled before leaving the room via the way she came in. Through a different door that lead to the main exit. Walking outside the military compound, she gazed up at the cloudy sky, “Rain… again.” Sighing, she walked back to the civilian zone. Ever since this war started, earth had constantly been under attack. The enemy had learned how to manipulate weather patterns via air pollutants that they could produce, thus explaining the grey skies day after day. With the heavy cloud coverage, it made it harder to spot surprise bombings. All they had to do was jam the sky scanners and attack.

Tucking her shaggy black hair under her cap, she glanced behind her. Civilian streets were dangerous, hence the disguise.

Tugging on her worn out coat, she pulled on her ragged gloves and gazed around the semi crowded streets. Worn out posters lay across the concrete walls, empty promises from the military. Passing an auto repair shop, she glanced back to see a man throwing down an empty oil can and cursing.

A drop hit the street beside her. They were being nice tonight. No acid rain. Tugging the collar of her coat upwards, she leaned under a broken balcony and watched people take shelter from the rain quickly. There was no hurry getting home early. There would be no one there when she got home anyways. Her mother died in a bombing a couple years ago, and her brother had rushed off into war less then a year ago, leaving her alone.

Her ears picked up a scuffle making her walk to the entry of an alleyway and glance inside. One large man was mugging a smaller one. The mugger stood a little over six feet, his clothes ripped, his skin littered with scars, his face rugged and gestures mean. He was at least ten years older then the man he was mugging, but he looked like a tough fighter.

The man being mugged was unusually calm. His expression blank, his gaze covered by his dark bangs, his clothes new and crisp. Her heart caught in her throat wondering if he was dead, only to tense when he slowly raised his hand and gripped the wrist of the hand pinning him onto the wall.

A smirk slowly crawled onto his shadowed face as two electric yellow orbs illuminated his eyes beneath his bangs.

“A-An oil sucker….” The man looked shocked before his chest was hit by an empty palm. The blow knocked him into the other wall, where he landed hard with a surprised grunt.

Turning his blue gaze onto the girl, an empty smile formed on his lips as the skin on his hand disintegrated, metal skeletal lay beneath it, twisted wires flowing between the mechanical joints and parts. Rapidly his arm shifted and formed a gun.

Without thinking, the young girl rushed over to the stumbling and wounded man, grabbing his unbroken arm, she hoisted him to his feet.

“Get the hell out of here kid.” He winced as he made to push her away.

“Shut up. I’m not leaving another human to die at the hands of one of them. Two against one, unless you want to chicken out.” Smirking up at the old man she peeled off her jacket.

“Well well well, a wanna be pilot eh? Don’t you think that outfit’s a little big for you?” The man asked, his gaze smiling. The sound of a blaster charging caused them to split apart as a shot of energy hit the wall where they had been standing. The alleyway lit up brilliantly as the wall exploded.

“Giving your position away in enemy territory hm? Not a smart idea.” The man laughed as he dodged another energy shot.

“It is when your militia is preoccupied human.” The attacker laughed before turning his gun to the girl, who was rushing up on him.

Falling to the ground, she rolled forward and hit the attacker hard behind the legs, screaming between gritted teeth as she did so as flesh hit metal. None the less, it did its job and the surprised mechanical monster fell forward. The elder pulled a combat knife from his belt and quickly drove it between the shoulders of the machine.

The exterior hologram flickered before dissolving as it landed hard onto the ground.

The elder glanced down at the girl and ripped out his blade before kicking the machine over onto its back. The gaze dimmed to black and he sheathed his knife, “Older model. Figures…” Glancing back at the girl he smiled, “Hey kiddo. You did a good job… your leg all right?”

With a grunt she got to her feet, “I’ve had worse, but it’s going to bruise.” With a groan, she touched the tender spot.

“…you hungry?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow in question.

“Oh, so we’re skipping out on the exchange of names and going to the first date? Tsk-tsk-tsk.” Shaking her head she held out a hand, “Logan.”

The man gazed at it before slapping his hand into her smaller one and shaking it, “Charles. You got family?”

“My big brother is fighting, Mom died a couple years ago. So…” With a shrug, she pulled her hand away and crossed them.

“Well. As interesting as that sounds I think-” A loud explosion cut Charles off, it came from the military’s compound.

“Yeah. I think so too. Let’s get inside. Sounds like a bombings going to happen tonight.” Logan warily gazed back at the compound that was less then a mile away, “You have roommates?”

“Actually I have a ship.” Charles scratched his chin as Logan pulled on her coat.

“A ship? What the hell are you doing mugging people?!” Logan barked in surprise. If he had a ship, he could go anywhere.

“I had to drop something off, and I needed supplies… and no, you can’t come with.” Charles frowned, “I don’t need some bratty kid on my ship.”

“Bratty kid my left… slightly wounded… leg!” Glaring at him when a bomber dropped from the sky blowing up the streets not that far from them, “I’ll pay for your damn supplies. I need off this forsaken planet!”

Charles raised his eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak only to nod and quickly turn, running away from the bombings, “We’ll discuss it after dinner.”

--

Where Charles had managed to nab this multi story ship, it was Logan’s best guess. But this man had connections.

“So, let me get this straight kid. You want to be a pilot… to seek revenge?” Charles asked, before shoveling noodles into his mouth.

“Right. I got into the eighth quarter of the exams before I was dismissed.” Logan frowned before copying him.

He looked slightly impressed, before his features shifted to a frown, “Doesn’t matter. It only counts if you pass it… about this money of yours. How much you got kid?”

Rolling her eyes she grumbled, “Pirate” before frowning, “My mother saved up enough to almost buy a ship. But I’ve been eating into it just to survive. It’ll probably fix what needs to be fixed.”

“How much.” Charles frowned, gaze narrowing.

“Depends on how much you need.” Logan returned the narrowed gaze.

“Captain. We got the main thrusters back at twenty percent, and the engine is fifty percent restored…” Trailing off, the oil covered man blinked at Logan, “Whose the skinny thing?” He asked, pointing a mechanical arm at Logan.

“Logan, this is my mechanic. He knows the price.” Charles leaned back into the seat and finished sipping his hot beverage.

Logan glanced up at the messy man, who looked like he was in his late twenties and frowned, “Which will cost.”

“Charles, why is the skinny thing asking for a price? You know I don’t like kids.” The grease monkey with a mane glared at Charles, who simple smiled.

“What’s the price of the damage?” Charles asked, crossing his arms.

“About three hundred thousand credits. You got that kid?” He turned his gaze to Logan, who crossed her arms in front of her and let a smile slowly melt across her face.

“If I pay for that, I want permanent passage on this ship unless I want to get off. Got it?” She raised an eyebrow.

“What?! No! Kid, there is no way you have that much-”

Charles cut off the mechanic, “Deal.”

Clapping her hands together, Logan laughed, “All right. Give me a port and I’ll transfer the credits.”

Charles glanced around the table that was littered with various items, wrappers, and parts before clearing it off with a sweep of his muscular arm. The table had a wireless port in it.

“Nice….” Logan dusted off the scanner and placed her hand on it. Info popped up and she quickly scrolled to the bottom by dragging her finger across the table and a hologram number pad appeared beneath her fingers. Quickly imputing the data, she transferred the credits over before dusting off the table and leaning back against the couch.

Both Charles and the mechanic rushed over to check their main account and stared at her in pure shock when there was three hundred thousand extra credits inside their almost empty account.

“Shit boy.” Charles and the mechanic both gapped before quickly discussing things in whispers.

‘BOY?!’ Glancing down at herself she nodded and rolled her eyes, ‘Of course. I’m still in disguise. I’m not that flat chested… I’m just really skinny!! Whatever. I’ll just keep wearing my hat. I could care less what they think I am, as long as I get off this planet.”

“Make nice Laine.” Charles glanced up at the mechanic to glared at him. Extending a robot arm he smirked down at Logan who returned the gesture and slapped her hand into his mechanical one. It tightened in a manner that told her that if he applied an little more pressure, he’d shatter the bones in her hand. He wasn’t a happy camper at all. What did she care though! She got residence on a ship! Even if it was a shitty ship… it could still fly! …hopefully…

“Laine, take S. U. 5 out to help you… and Muns.” Charles ordered as he stood and turned off the screen.

Laine nodded and quickly let go of Logan’s hand before walking up some stairs to the long corridor to find them.

“So kid. Guess you’re staying here for a while. Just so you know, I’m not fond of the military, and they’re not really fond of me.” Charles frowned down at her.

“Just as long as you don’t get the ship blown up while I’m on board I really don’t give a damn what you do.” Logan glared up at him as she stood, flexing her hand absentmindedly, “How many crew members do you have?”

“…a handful, but they all pull their weight around. And I expect you to do the same.” Charles nodded as he scratched his chin.

“What. A couple hundred thousand credits isn’t enough?” Logan growled.

“That was just the price of a ticket to get on here kid. You’re the new scrubs boy. Your room is the last one down that hall next to the supply room. Have fun scrubbing out all the grease.” He smiled before walking over to a ladder and climbing up, leaving her all alone.

“Shit. That’s one pricey ticket.” Sighing, Logan kicked an empty cartoon across the room and blinked when she heard a tiny squawk. Quickly walking over to the corner, she blinked down to see a small creature that looked rather alien to her, “Oh, geesh, I’m sorry little guy…” Reaching down to the blue and white looking bird, she scooped him up and held him close to her, “What are you doing down here?”

“Peeeep!” He chimed happily as he flapped his wings… or ears. He looked like a giant head with floppy puppy ears. And two fat feet stuck where his neck was supposed to be. He was the ugliest, cutest thing Logan had ever seen. It was those huge eyes that leashed onto her. He had her at ‘Peeeep!’

“Do you have a name?” Logan asked.

“No. We just call him Peep.” A male voice squeaked from above her. Logan glanced up to see a boy that looked a year older then her hang down so he was eye level with her. His shaggy brown hair hung down as he reached up and plucked Peep from her arms, “And I found him on the ice rings of-”

Logan reached forward and pulled his goggles from his eyes with a frown, “Don’t scare me like that.” With that being said, she let go of the goggles and walked away, causing the guy to scream, drop Peep, and then land on him.

“Son of a bitc-Omigawd! Peep!!” He screamed as he jumped up, looking for Peep. He couldn’t find him. Looking up, he saw his pet flapping across the room to land on Logan’s shoulders as she climbed the last step to the corridor.

“Aw, look what I found.” Scratching Peep behind the ear… wing, she smirked back at the freak, “You know what they say about people who find things. Finders keepers.” With a smile, she stuck her tongue out at him before walking down to her room. Slightly hoping that he would follow. She felt like kicking someone’s butt right now. She was a maid now. Oh well, she didn’t have to clean right now.

Walking into the room, she glanced around at the empty walls and stripped bed. With a huff, she turned on the lights that flickered before dimly lighting the room. Rolling her eyes, she made to walk in but paused when she felt someone behind her. Turning around she looked up to see an alien staring down at her with dark blue orbs, “I was informed you had an injury.”

Logan blinked up at him before stepping aside so he could enter the horribly bare room, “Just a bruise.” She frowned as she crossed her arms, “You the doctor?”

“You could say that.” He smiled as he lowered himself and held out his hand. She pulled up her pants leg and placed her leg in his cool hands. A burning cold heat trailed up her leg, penetrating her bone and making her wince. After a moment, her leg was given back to her and she moved it, it no longer hurt.

Logan thanked him quickly as he stood up and gazed at her with a semi amused expression. Silently asking him what was so funny with a tilt of her head, she received silent nothing via a shake of his head. With a small frown, she watched him leave. She decided he was a very weird doctor.

Turning around, she put Peep on the bare pillow as she curled onto the bed with a huff. She was exhausted from the training routines. Even though she hadn’t made the cut, she came so close. She had come so close to getting somewhere she might be able to see her brother. They had fallen out of contact since he left. Too tired to wipe the tears from her cheeks, she smiled as Peep patted her cheeks dry with his fluffy ear/wings. With a sniffle, she fell asleep.

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A/N: Reviews are much appreciated. Thanks for reading!