Through the Looking Glass: Chapter Two

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As soon as Kaylr rolled over, Merith pounced again, going to bash his head with a swift kick from the side.

"Let me see the lock." Sara said, looking up at James expectantly.

James guessed what she wanted him to do, and knelt down and held out his hand so she could use him as a sort of elevator. "I wonder if a hairpin would work. It's a shame my hair is too short for hairpins."

Saraphine thanked him as she was lifted up into the air. She inspected the lock from the outside, squinting a bit, before suddenly she stuck her tiny, lanky arm in there. With one eye shut tightly in concentration, she began to pick the lock, literally by hand. Slow but steady clicks assured them of her progress.

Kaylr was way too distracted to hear any clicks, he pinned Kay into a corner, blade raised.

Kay tried to look stoic, tried very hard not to show his fear. He had no real way out.
He closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and waited. They needed a distraction, HE was it. He just hoped the others had some kind of plan, he and Starr really hadn't thought this one through.

Stellan noticed Merith and moved to his bedding, carefully extracting the keys and moving silently to his door to unlock it.

Kaylr could barely contain his excitement as he grabbed Kay's arm, pulled it toward himself and drove the blade down across his palm.

Kay hissed in pain, he kept his teeth gritted and refused to look.

The blade was blunt, it took a lot of force to draw blood but even before it did, the blisters were forming. It looked like a chemical burn, red, agonizing. Kay tried so hard not to show the pain, but his whole arm was shaking.

Kaylr cackled in glee.

"Oh, now that's a useful skill," James told Sara admiringly. "Days like this, I sorta wish I wasn't so huge."

There was a loud chink as Merith cuffs fell from his wrists. The man calmly stood up, but his eyes were cold, and murderous.

~~~~~~

Saraphine kept slowly lockpicking. "Yeah, well. "Let me say jars and bins are not fun, and yet you big people seem to make a habit of using them."

James nodded gravely. "There are multiple universes full of bad people, who will jump at any excuse to do horrible things to you. But hey, you can pick locks by hand, and jump super high, and I don't need to sleep. They're just jealous."

Kaylr heard that, and looked around. "Oh.. hey, come to join in?" He held the flat of the blade across Kay's wrist, enjoying the hissing sound Kay made.

Kay had had enough too.

Stellan's cell door clicked open, and he set to work on Esk's.

Kay glared at his duplicate and punched him with his uninjured hand, closing the other around that blade and yanking it from Kaylr's grasp.

Oh it hurt, it hurt a lot. He threw the thing aside.

Gier didn't need to be told, he was already backing out of the cell to join Stellan and Esk.

"Kaylr, enough is enough!" Gier sounded frightened, watching Merith warily and stepping between him and both Kays.
"Don't kill him, please don't kill him."

"Stockholm syndrome." Esk spoke up.

"Shut up." Gier snapped.

Meanwhile, Kaylr, laughing like the lunatic he was was trying to grab Kay in a headlock, punching him a few times in the face as he struggled.

Merith suddenly grabbed Kaylr with telekinesis, wrenching him away from Kay and sending him flying across the room. Merith paused, his body suddenly swaying as he momentarily held his head as something hissed. He shook his head fervently as if to clear his thoughts, and set his murderous eyes on Kaylr. "And why shouldn't I kill him? It's put him out of his misery in carrying the burden of insanity... unless you're okay with him hurting more people."

~~~~~~

There was a clicking noise and James' door opened. She pulled her arm out and shook it about to loosen the muscles. "There we go."

"Beautifully done!" James told her happily. "You planning to stick with me for a while, or do you have others to rescue? I must say, I like the company."

Kaylr hit a wall with a loud thud and a crack, and slumped to the floor dazed.

Kay looked to Merith. run, before security show up. It's our only shot at getting back to the others. I can hold him off. Get my brother and his duplicate and Gier to safety, please Merith. Run.

Gier rushed to Kaylr's side to help him.

Esk rolled his eyes "Pathetic. Let's get out of here."

Stellan nodded "We have... about 3 minutes before a security detail comes by this way. they turn left... we should go right."

"Damn I wish I had my gun." Esk muttered.

Go Kay urged. Find Starr and the others.

Sara shook her head. "I know where Princess Starr's lab is, and where Kaylr's lab is." She paused, frowned, and shuddered. "I'm still looking for everyone else."

~~~~~~

Merith hesitated. He began to leave, "You better know what you're doing, Kay."

"Let's look for them together, then," James said with a grin. "Hmm, I should find something less conspicuous to wear first." He unpinned his badge and tucked it in his pocket, then started looking around to see if there were any spare lab tech uniforms here.

Kay nodded. I hope so...

Stellan and Esk followed Merith hastily, Stellan grabbed one of the knives from the desk as he passed by.

Kay moved to cover them, in case Kaylr regained his senses.

Gier, leave him. We have to go. He told the doctor.

Gier shook his head. "Funny... I haven't been called that in years. " He patted Kaylr's face a few times, trying to rouse him. "I can't leave him. Go, please.. just go."

Kay shook his head. I'm not leaving you here with this lunatic, he'll kill you.

Gier shook his head. "No he won't. I know he's crazy and... I know you guys can't see it but... under it all, I know he cares about me. "

You're delusional Gier. Get up and come with me. please.

"I know you all think i'm stupid, staying with him after all he's done, but... you don't see him when he's not indulging that side of himself. He's.. he's not always so violent. "

Kay shook his head again, grabbing Gier by the hand and trying to yank him along.

Kaylr stirred.

Gier... please. Kay looked frightened.

Kaylr woke up, growling deeply. "You let them ESCAPE!" He yelled at Gier.

Gier cringed away. "I couldn't stop them, i'm sorry, i'm so sorry."

Kay grabbed Gier and dragged him out of the room.

Kaylr roared after them "Vestia! SECURITY procedures! LOCK DOWN! NOW!"

Kooshie wrote:"Yes Ma'am," Vestia said. She summoned some programmers to Starr's lab.

"Do I have to go in a cell?" mirror Asher complained. "That's degrading."

Prime Asher did his best to remain expressionless.

"Just go" Starr said, turning to walk again "And stop pulling him, he will come on his own, he's obedient like that, now isn't he?"

"He has no Laws, and can't be trusted," mirror Asher said sulkily, yanking on Asher's arm again in rebellion.

~~
"SECURITY LOCKDOWN ENGAGING. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. PLEASE STEP OUT OF ALL BLAST DOORWAYS WITHIN FIVE SECONDS... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE."

All throughout Vestia, blast doors slammed shut with terrifying thuds. Anything in their path was crushed by the massive force as they closed.
Lights in the halls dimmed, and a siren sounded.

Vestia was under lockdown.

Starr turned to Asher again, stopping whatever she was going to say when the security engaged. She sighed and shook her head "Vestia, get us up to my lab." She said then gave her security code to override the lock down at least for her and those with her. "This day just keeps getting longer." She had to hold her temper until they reached the lab, then she could shut the mirror Asher off.

Vestia allowed Starr through, opening each blast door for her, and slamming it shut after she and the androids passed.

The androids followed Starr closely, neither one wanting to be crushed by the doors.

Esk swore under his breath as doors came down around them and sirens blared.

Stellan looked around, wincing at the sound. "T.. the doors will only open for staff, security protocols... 7 dash.. 3.. 3 ... 7.. dash 4." He sputtered.

Esk stared at him. "You memorized the security codes?"

Stellan nodded. "I told you, I've been planning my escape for years. I wouldn't get very far if I didn't know the codes. The guards will start crawling this floor very soon, trying to find the escapees... us. We.. we must get to another floor, fast, as far from here as possible."

---

Kay halted rapidly as a blast door rammed shut just inches from his face, Gier looked absolutely terrified.

"Now you've done it, he's going to find us.. and he's going to hurt us."

Kay shook his head. There's got to be another way out. We're not standing around waiting for him to come get us alright?

Gier frowned.

Gierhart... look at me. We're going to get out of this okay? We're going to get away, away from him, away from this ship, i'm not going to let him hurt you. Trust me, please. The others are waiting for us in Starr's lab, we need to find a way to get there. Do you know of any?

Gier frowned. "They never... trusted me with the codes, but... if we can find Stellan... he's got this.. crazy memory for these kinds of things, he can tell you exactly where any of the guards are at any one time, I bet he knows the codes. Either we find him, or we find a member of security and force them to help us."

Kay nodded. Alright, let's put as much space between us and the lab as possible, it's going to be okay Gier, I promise.

After they made it up to the lab, Starr turned and looked at the two Ashers, going to the mirror one and grabbing his arm to shut him off quickly. "Grab him son" She said softly, looking to her Asher, yeah, not the best idea to look at him. Thanks Kay.

Asher grabbed mirror Asher, preventing him from crashing to the ground, and starting with surprise at the feeling that he assumed to be weight. He looked at Starr uncertainly. "How...?" he asked. He had thought maybe Kay was tricking the princess earlier, but if she was calling him 'son', then she must be Starr.
This would have been confusing even on the best of days, but it was worse with how complicated today had been.

Gier lead the way, after all, he knew this ship better than Kay did. Everything wasn't where it should be as far as Kay was concerned, it was disorienting.

They came face to face with yet another closed door. Gier sighed.

“This way.” They headed down another corridor.

After a while of walking in silence he finally asked. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

Like what? Kay asked, he knew exactly what Gier meant, he just was hoping to not have to explain.

“It's like, this sad forlorn expression. Not the usual contempt, not the pity i'm used to getting. It's something else.“ Gier shook his head. “What's going on?”

Kay lowered his head, frowning deeply It's nothing.

“Please don't lie to me. It's got something to do with the other me right? I mean, if there's you and you brother, and all those other duplicates... I must have one too right? So what happened? Where is he?”

Kay exhaled deeply.
He paused, unsure he really could get into all this right now.
Gier stopped walking as well, watching his expectantly.

Kay nodded. He's dead. He explained simply.

“oh.” Gier managed. Then added “h.. how?”

Kay shook his head He got sick. . he looked pained.

Sick? Kay was infected wasn't he? Which meant... Gier frowned, then nodded slowly.  “What was he like?” He asked as they started to move again.

Kay smiled softly at the memory He was sweet, and kind... and a complete moron at times. He was so serious when we were in class, but outside of there, he was ridiculous and funny and.. he never took much that seriously. He was full of mad schemes, he liked to tell me that one day we'd run away together, out into the stars, and never come back. That we'd go on these great galactic adventures like in the schlocky pulp novels he used to read. I thought it was funny, and cute.

He shook his head. Gier urged him to go on.


He told me I thought too much, was too worried all the time and needed to just let go every once in a while. He didn't have much fear, he didn't really care what people thought of him either. I admired that. He pissed off his family, he was this... rich military brat and they didn't like how much he flaunted his sexuality. He hated it. It really annoyed him, but if we wanted to get jobs, if we wanted to be accepted, we had to hide it, had to conceal our relationship. He understood that, but it didn't mean he was happy about it.  That's part of the reason he wanted to run off into the great unknown, somewhere we didn't have to hide. I.. I got here.. but.. he didn't. He looked guilty, and looked away.

Gier patted him on the shoulder. “I'm sure he loved you very much, and is glad at least one of you made it out into the stars.”

Kay nodded grimly I hope so. I just, I miss him. I feel like that's wrong, because I have Asher and I love him so deeply, but I still miss Gier. I never... I never got to say goodbye, I ran instead, like a coward. The least I could have done was say goodbye.

“I'm sure you had your reasons.” Gier told him.

Kay shook his head. You're far too understanding. Just like him. He frowned. Why do you stay with him? My double that is, he seems nothing but cruel to you.

Gier sighed. “It's a long story.”

Kay looked around, they'd come to yet another dead end. I think we have time They turned and continued down another corridor.

“yeah...” Gier frowned, and launched into his own tale, keeping his voice low.

Matt rushed over to Asher... and asher... and Starr.

"Where are the others? There's like.. crazy alarms blaring and something about lockdown on the lower floors? What happened!??" He looked seriously worried.

"I took her place" Starr said then motioned to the other end of the lab "Everyone except those Kylar has are free. We need to get you fixed and find James and Sara and free Esk and Kay and Merith." She looked back to Asher's mirror self and sighed "What can we do with him? Do you think you can make him help us? Change his owner files or anything?" She asked Asher.

flying_purple_monkfish wrote:Matt rushed over to Asher... and asher... and Starr.

"Where are the others? There's like.. crazy alarms blaring and something about lockdown on the lower floors? What happened!??" He looked seriously worried.

Starr looked at Matt when he came over, a little glad of the distraction. "Apparently Kay and the others are breaking out already" She said then got an idea "Where is Shane?"

Shane came over and Starr smiled at him, reaching over to touch him to make his human form look like his double and give him the security codes and such. "Vestia, call Shane up here now, please"

"And what happens to the ones who are with Kaylr?" Asher asked worriedly. "Do they have a means of escape? Kay didn't look like he had a weapon, and Merith was pretty well shackled." He shook his head, "This guy hates me a lot right now, I doubt we can talk him into joining us. And changing his owner files seems... cruel."
He dragged mirror Asher out of the way and set him down, shuddering as his shirt shifted again.

~~
Vestia would summon Shane.

"I gave Merith a lock-pick and Kay chose to go." Starr said, frowning at his expression "Is it cruel to free him from being owned by Kylar? I doubt Kylar will survive this day. No matter what else, we need to fix whatever they did to you"

~~
Shane frowned at the summons and shook his head then headed for a lift to go to the lab. He couldn't ignore a summons.