Students of Science

[James Knight]

Upon having taken them home to the Fortress they called him, Fort Zimmer-Rothchild, Warren Zimmer had not slept a wink. To be exact he had not had any shuteye or rest as some might call it, at all the previous night. Of course with all the projects he had to do in order to make sure he was ready for what the future might hold, that was to be expected. Most of the night had been spent practicing with a new weapon he had developed because he knew he needed greater firepower. The item in question was an explosive of a sort, that appeared to be like a football and was one of Warren's more formidable weapons, in his opinion anyway  At about 7 AM, Warren was up and in the kitchen. The night before after he had finished the Foot Bomb which was a powerful explosive he had created to add more to his arsenal, Warren had cleaned the entire kitchen from top to bottom. As she was staying with him for an indeterminate amount of time, the least he could do was cook her a breakfast she would enjoy and one that he'd personally enjoy as well anyway. What breakfast would be the ideal one to prepare though? There were many dishes, and he didn't know which ones she'd honestly like the best. A decision was at last made by him. 

A Chicken Karage, and Rice with transforming seasoning had been prepared by him. While it was a dish from another country, both dishes could be enjoyable, and might be a change from whatever food she had enjoyed in the past. At least, if she didn't eat it, his stomach would allow him most certainly to devour it, because he hadn't eaten in days. His bruises from the beating given to him by the Storm Troopers were fading, and probably would be healed soon. At some point they were going to need to upgrade the base they called home. A Garrison of Guards might be useful or several garrisons of guards, perhaps. Some traps outside might be useful as well. 

"Did you sleep well?" asked Warren.

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate slowly found herself walking towards the Library, the place was proving to be where she was going to spend most of her time. The warm comforting feel of the wooden shelves lined with books was just that, a warm comfort. The first of which she had felt in a very very long time. A large ornate chess set sat in the vexy center of the library, two chairs nestled under the single pedastal base of the chess table, the lart table was easicly four feet by four feet, carved in solid black and red granite. It was of a quallity Hecate expected was reserved for only the members of nobility. Each chess peice was seemingly hand carved, despite this there were no flaws in the craftsmanship. Each peice was exquisite, The Rook's were entire castles, each one a notable castle from back, Vestura, Nahl, Cava'tura and Faragut.

Even the knight pieces were unique, On the black side she could see a depiction of herself, and another mage. On the red side she saw a warrior mounted atop a horse, lance held high, and the second, a woman with a longbow and axe. "Elizabeth Laticar." Hecate exclaimed as she looked at the hero of old. "Why must she be on the red side?" she asked herself with a small degree of irritation. But what she saw next drove her to anger. She saw herself once again however settled upon a throne with skulls and what apeared to be blood pooled at the bottom of the throne, the effect was disheartening. "The dark side of me seemd to picture herself as a blood drenched queen." She murmured to herself knowing full well that the biggest source of irritation was that this chess piece was sitting in the queen's position.

Maddend by this Hecate stepped away turning her attnetion to the semi hidden passegeway leading to the underground bath house. The large stone work statues sat waiting to pour water into the massive stone tub. Gripping the orb of omnillium Hecate summoned forth a spring of hot water, The water spilled forth from the urns held by the statues into the bath, filling it up quickly.

Removing her blood and sweatstained uniform she slipped into the hot waters of the bath gasping as it's warmth filled every part of her body with warmth "amazing" was all she could say, never in her life had she immagined such pleasures to exist.

Hecate settled herself inside the massive marble as she allowed the warm waters to slowly seep into her muscles easing the pain and discomfort of the strain of the day. However fatigue seemed to have its own agenda as she felt herself dozing off to sleep in the warm waters.

Getting herself out of the waters she quickly found her orb of Omnillium and used it to create a clean uniform, grabbing it and curling up on the cold stone floor before falling asleep.

Hecate's sleep was one full of unease, as the reoccuring nightmares of her training caused her to scream outloud countless times. Her nightmares vividly filling her mind of the dark stench of death, and human waste, her own cell completly filthy, blood and sweat marred a small corner of the cell where she pushed herself into to find sleep every night. The pain of being awoken at random intervals with unimmaginable pain filled thecell and her mind with terror.

Hecate awoke, covered once again in sweat, the hot waters of the bath still seemed to be just as hot as they had been the night before. Hecate noted as she submurged herself once more under the rejouvinating waters before quickly getting out. She found her way back to the surface where She found Warren once more, He had made some form of food. Something she had never seen before, but the smell filled her nose like something out of the afterlife. it smelt delicous. "I slept.... about the same as always." she replied before sitting down on the floor with the plate he had offered her. She began to eat. "Its really good." she said "What is this?"

[James Knight]

As she began to enjoy the fruits of the hours he had spent on the recipes, Warren smiled a bit. "The first item is called "Karage" and it is a form of fried chicken of a sort, a japanese form of fried chicken that I like. The other item is an egg dish, called Rice with Transforming seasoning," said Warren as he devoured some of the rice, and the Karage both. Warren then asked her. "So how comfortable would you be with beginning your lessons in science today? I'd like to start some of your lessons as soon as we possibly could," stated Warren to her. Warren then asked her. "Do you want to help me when I try to put a car together? It could be invaluable hands on training for you about science." 

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate finished eating the plate of food, her insides enjoying the flavors of something other than slop. "It reminded me of back when i lived with my family." she commented. "I.... dont know. I feel like I should learn as much as I can, But i also wish to get stronger with my abilities, as i have been unsuccessful so far at recreating any of my attacks." She said, her face slightly contorted with irritation still. "What does putting a car together entail she asked, remembering how he had mentioned it was a animal capable of going even faster than a horse.

[James Knight]

"A lot of engineering, and blacksmithing. A lot of highly advanced science,"  said Warren to her. "So much science in fact, that if I were to try to advise you about it right now, it would give you a headache. It also requires access to a lot of metal, and advanced technology that we don't possess here at present, at least not yet anyway." stated Warren. Warren sighed. Really he wished he had access to more advanced technology because he knew he was going to need it. Building the kind of equipment he wanted practically required a lab of his own. Sadly building the more advanced equipment was something that was not going to be easy for him. It required that he develop technology that was beyond anything he had. Of course doing such was going to cost Omnilium which he didn't have enough of, at present. The substance was not the easiest substance to come by, unfortunately, and that was a problem that he would have to address.

[Hecate Rothchild]

"I know of some engineering as well as some blacksmithing." Hecate replied, as she sized up Warren's interest in science. "We do have many forms of science. however none of them seem to be as complex as what you have been describing." Hecate explained "this place doesn't seem like a place that has a lot of iron to utilize for constructing anything. Though I guess Omnillium can be used to supplement that cant it." Hecate could feel her darker side pushing closer and closer to the surface as she dallied about. "I need to focus my upmost attention on getting stronger, and regaining my lost powers" Hecate explained. "While i cant see a need for myself to have technology that I am not accustomed to at least I can use what you teach me to help counter people who would try to do me harm." She said with a small smile on her blue eyed face

[James Knight]

Warren nodded and then looked at her for a moment. How was he going to begin his first lesson to her on the subject of science? They had just enjoyed a meal. Perhaps he could explain the way he had cooked it, and the science of the tools that he had used to do so? Yes, that was a valid option that would also deny Dark Hecate more ways that she could murder him in his sleep. Thinking about this for a moment, Warren nodded and then smirked a bit, before saying. "First I am going to get properly dressed for the first time in who knows how long, clad in the armor I am most comfortable in, and then we will begin your lesson."  Warren then tapped a button on his NFL-R. As he did so purple light spread over his arms, and down his waist over his legs, slowly forming the gray, purple and black armor that was what he wore as Wild Card. 

While he had not wanted to do this originally being clad in the armor was for the best. Sure it may not provide him any boosts technically, but the armor was something he did like to wear, and that comfort would hopefully be enough for him here.  "Now that I am dressed properly, I have decided on your first lesson of the day in science. Your first lesson is how the food was prepared. You are aware of what a fire is, right?" asked Warren. If she knew what such was, it would be easier for him to explain the sciences that he was about to have to, to her.

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate watched as Warren changed into what appeared to be a full suit of glossy or enameled armor. It didn't look like anything from her world but yet Hecate wondered why such armor was needed at this time.

A small wrinkle formed on Hecate's brow, her eye's shifted to the pinkish red, the telltale sign of the darker personality of Hecate being in control. In and instant her knife was spun out from it's hiding place and a loud thud could be heard as she plunged the purple blade hilt deep into the table. "Do i know what fire is? Boy! do not presume to confuse me for a fool. Your technology while handy, does not give you permission nor the capability to make a fool of me. Were I of a mind I would drain you of every last drop of your blood for such insolence!" Despite her words coming off as yelling the dark side of Hecate nearly hoped he would draw a weapon. Nigh she hungered for it. "You do not impress me boy. If I so wished I could flay the very skin off of your muscle and spend days keeping you on the very cusp of death. Tell me boy have you ever known such pain that you long for death? Nor the despair of knowing it will not come? I Think not.... Make little of me again boy and I shall ensure that you understand what I mean. very...very well."

With those words Hecate withdrew the knife from the table and stormed off.

Hecate didnt have any idea of where she would go but she now had a lust for blood. someone was going to die, and she didnt well care who....

[James Knight]

"....."  

Dark Hecate had assumed control, and threatened his life. And then she had stormed off. The mere shock of it was enough to leave Warren in a dazed state for several moments as he thought about how best to approach future lessons with her. Warren didn't honestly have a lesson plan in mind when it came to teaching her how to use science, and technology. And he was not sure if he should teach her about technology. Given the dangerous tendencies possessed by the other side of her personality, giving her technology was a risk. It was a risk Warren Zimmer really didn't believe that he should actually do it. Also, he was going to sleep with his door reinforced with a Force Field from now on, just in case the more evil side of her personality assumed control. Warren really wished he could make her someone else's... that was it. There was how he would handle her lack of technological knowledge. A Trial by Fire. He'd throw her into the thick of it. It was a great idea.

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate stormed out of the castle walls, her lust for blood overwhelming her sensed. As if watching from above the normal Hecate could do nothing but watch as her body darted into the woods outside the castle.
Her superior speed seemed to play a role in how fast she seemed to be moving through the tree's though her abilities to track anything were farm from good.

A shimmer of something caught her eye's as she stopped abruptly nearly stumbling over the thick tree roots. She could hear it, the sounds of people. "Perfect." she said as a wicked smile crept up on her features as she heard the sound of axe hitting wood. A small family staking a claim in the woods, what could go wrong? "Hecate stepped into the clearing, her breathing slowed to a chilling pace. inhale...........exhale slow and deliberate she watched each of the four people. one woman with three men all older than she.

Knife in hand she slowly advanced into the campsite or homestead Hecate couldn't tell the difference nor did she care...

"Who are you?" the axe toting man asked cautiously as he raised the axe up to show he was armed. "Too slow" Hecate said as she spun her blade around aiming to catch the man in the throat. Her purple blade bit flesh with a spray of violent crimson as the man's jugular was severed with frightening precision. Terror twisted his features as the wood axe fell to the ground as he gripped at his neck. "Shhhhh let it out...... let it all out." She whispered as she watched his blood flowing through his desperate fingers down his neck and staining his clothes a delightful shade of crimson. "Marvelous" She began to say before a sharp impact hit her in the back of her right leg. a loud bang followed. "What fool wishes to interrupt this!" She yelled out turning her attention towards the second man who was armed with some form of fire arm with a strange contraption atop it. "your next!" Hecate called out as she took a step towards her assailant. a sharp burning sensation filler her leg but she paid it no heed as she closed the distance while the man pulled back something on the weapon and slid it back in. He was slower than her as her blade swung around towards the mans midsection. Her blade met resistance as the blade bit deep ripping and tearing at the only barrier keeping his insides from spilling out. Hecate could feel a warm mist spray her in the face as the man dropped to his knee's wailing loudly.

Sparing no time Hecate kicked the man's weapon away from him. turning her attention to the two remaining people. The woman while older than her could not have been more than twenty five years old. The last man was an older man clearly not suited for the task of attacking her. "Please... spare us" The woman's meek voice called out with terror

Hecate said nothing as she walked towards the woman. The burning sensation in her leg turned to a mild gnawing pain. The woman realizing she was next took off running into the woods behind her. Hecate glanced at the elderly man before opting to leave him alive "The man has no time left anyways" she said with her wicked grin as she took off after the woman.

"Where oh where did you go?" Hecate called out, the blood from her first victems was already drying on her turning from the shade of crimson into a rust color. "The longer it takes the worse it will be for you!" Hecate called out as she walked between the tree's looking for even the slightest sign of movement. Almost as if ordained she could see the blond hair of the woman hiding in a bush not far from where Hecate stood.

"There you are." Hecate said, with her large sick smile, as she gripped the woman's long gold hair yanking her to her feet. The woman struggled against Hecate's arms kicking and swinging with wild abandon. "No... I cant have this." Hecate whispered sweetly to the woman as the now bloody knife slid in between the bones of the woman's lower spinal column with a sickening "Shink" Despair filled the woman as she cried out "My legs! I cant feel my legs!"

Hecate moved the knife a few inches higher before whispering to the woman almost like a lover "Do you want to lose the use of your arms too?"

Dejected the woman's arms stopped flailing as she was scooped up by Hecate who began making her way back towards the woman's campsite. "Please dont kill me." the woman pleaded. Hecate payed no heed to the woman's words, instead focused on the long pointed ears of the girl "What are you?" She asked thinking back to the day prior when she saw the guards at the gate way to this lush forest. "Are you an elf?" She asked with mind curiosity.

"I am." the woman conceded seeming to have given into fear, her limp legs flailed around matching Hecate's steps. she nearly slipped on a rock as her boots lost traction on the surface forcing her to look down at her right leg, blood oozed from a small hole in her leg. "A musket did this?" Hecate asked aloud, her experience with the lead balls fired by muskets was that they would go in the body of the target and stay there, but her wound had allowed the ball to pierce all the way through her thigh. Taking not of the wound she rubbed the bottom of her boot in the dirt to smear some of it off before continuing on.

The camp was a mess, the elderly man had left by the time Hecate and her prey arrived back. The body of the second man she had slain was laying in a puddle of blood and vicera unmoving. His weapon was still laying in the dirt where she had kicked it. gripping the musket she slowly turned her attention to the direction from whence she had come.

Traveling with a second person on her was proving to be far more tiring than when she lad left the castle, Though when she could see the towering walls between the trees she smiled. "Why am I so tired." She wondered as she stepped into the courtyard of the castle before collapsing under the weight of the partially paralyzed woman.

[James Knight]

When Hecate had stormed off to sate her bloodlust, Warren had occupied himself with other things. In fact, those other things were what he was currently doing back at the place they both called home, Fort Zimmer Rothcild. Specifically, the Quarterback of Chaos was in the kitchen of the place that they called home and was once more cooking. This time however, he was cooking something more than he had ever done before. Rice boiled in a pot of water. Eggs were being cooked in a microwave, as well. Once he had prepared the meal that he had been working on for the past few hours,  egg fried rice and some shrimp as well Warren Zimmer smiled for a moment. When Hecate returned, proximity sensors that had been installed by Warren during the past few hours went off, signaling Warren Zimmer. 

"What now?" growled Warren Zimmer. Really, he didn't want to leave the meal that he was working on. Thinking about it for a moment, Warren decided he was going to deal with the problem himself. Going out to deal with the problem, Warren groaned. Really the humidity of the place was one of the reasons that he didn't like the Tangled Green. However, the Tangled Green did have something that the world Coruscant didn't. Or rather, it lacked something that the world Coruscant had. Specifically, it lacked the presence of the Empire in terms of the numbers possessed by that world which to Warren Zimmer was a relief. There were many reasons it was a relied. For one, he didn't have to worry about being beat up by white armor clad Storm Troopers and not being allowed to protect himself. 

Upon coming outside, the first thing Warren Zimmer saw was Hecate. She was pinned by a woman who was badly hurt for some reason. It looked like the woman was unable to move her legs. After further examination of the woman, Warren noticed something. She was not human. Perhaps she was an elf, or something? Warren didn't know. As he thought about it, Warren decided that they needed medical care, the both of them. It was going to be a later upgrade to his base, but he was going to build a medical lab to it. 

"What happened?" asked the stunned Quarterback of Chaos. Injuries like the ones the Woman had were not natural. Were they the work of Dark Hecate perhaps?

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate groaned under the weight of her captive as she rolled the girl off her body. She drew one of the long blades from he side and held the blade against the hole on the outside of her leg, a small layer of ice built up on it before she removed it and placed it on the other side repeating the prossess. The numbing sensation was comforting as it helped stop the flow of blood from her wounds.

The Elf girl used her arms to begin crawling away, her useless legs dragging along the cobbled stones of the courtyard. her muffled sobbing was one of pure survival instinct as she finaly spoke, not asking for safty, or freedom but rather "Why are you doing this!" She demanded to know, the fire of her anger seemed to ignite a spark inside Hecate as she looked at the woman with her cold glare. Warren's voice turned her attention to him for a moment as he asked her "what happened?" Hecate looked at him then back at the elf girl. "This is on him." She said as she plunged the long blade of her sword deep into the elf girl's back. slowly pushing and pushing until the white blade burst through her midsection.

Still the wound was iced over, blood did not flow freely and the wound itself was not targeting any vital organs. "Beg for her life boy....Anything from this point on is on you!" she said cruelly.

[James Knight]

Warren was about to pull out the NFL Laser, and shoot at her but he stopped himself from doing that. While it would bruise his pride if he were able to save the life of this woman it would mean that he had something more than people saw inside him. It would prove he was not a heartless bastard like some of the people back home likely thought of him. Really, a lot would change, and this was simply the first step. Doing this was not going to be easy, and not just because he could feel how much it would hurt his pride. His body tensed up, every muscle on edge as he deliberated in his head on how he was going to say this. Finally he decided the easiest way was to get out with it. Begging was not something he was accustom to, nor did he want to become accustom to such in all honesty. Warren thought about it, and finally dropped to one knee. 

"Please... spare her."  Really, inwardly he loathed what he was doing right now. Yet, it was the only option that he could see. Primes could regenerate likely and that meant, were he to do things the other way, he'd have to run from her. And Warren really, really, didn't want to deal with that, at any time in the future. "I'm begging you."

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate's face betrayed shock. Her sadistic smile turned into a frown of disappointment. She had not expected him to actually beg to spare the girl's life.

The normal Hecate watched as Warren begged, proud of him "Good job not giving in to her." she thought

The dark Hecate however did not share the other's joy.

"Thank you sir... Thank you so much!" the elf girl said as she rolled to the side using her arms to drag her broken body towards Warren. Hecate drew the blade out of the woman's abdomen with frightening speed and slid the weapon home in it's scabbard. in the blink of an eye her purple knife was in her hand and plunging downwards into the woman's back. Her mouth opened wide agape as the purple energy blade pierced her heart and her insides slowly began to fill with blood. Shaking she looked at warren one last time with reverence as the life left her eye's.

Dark Hecate retreated back into the depths of her mind as the normal Hecate who looked down at the knife buried hilt deep in the woman's chest. "No..." was all she said as she stood up leaving the weapon. There she stood unmoving.

[James Knight]

At the murder done by Dark Hecate, Warren was completely immobilized. For several seconds, he was like a statue. It was like a basilisk or a gorgon had turned him to stone, but that was fortunately not the case. Several moments passed, and Warren finally recovered. She was not a woman of her word and couldn't be trusted. She was a sadist, and enjoyed the pain of others. Really, he didn't feel safe around her anymore and was at his first opportunity relocating himself somewhere her ice powers wouldn't do her much good. Warren went over to the body of the elf girl and reached out a hand, closing her eyes, and then saying.  "You deserved more than she gave you, but sadly I cannot help. I may have been unable to save you, but I can bury you. I can at least do that much."  Hot saline liquid interfered with Warren's eyesight, and gushed out of his eyes, like a geyser that was shooting downwards from them. It prevented him from seeing anything for a while. While he may have been a villain, Warren did not like to murder people. It was one of the rules he had enforced on himself back home. Dark Hecate was too dangerous to be around, he knew that now. Sadly, he didn't have anywhere else to go. 

Once the body had been reduced to ashes, Warren winced at the pungent smell of the burnt body. The ashes were collected by him into an urn he had made out of Omnilium, and Warren looked at Hecate. "I am going on a trip for a few days. You have free reign of this place, and I've left food in the kitchen for a month," stated Warren to her, as he made his way towards the gate. Above all, he was getting away from Dark Hecate as quickly as he possibly could, because she was the kind of crazy he couldn't stand. Summoning the replicas he had made of Hecate's blades before he left, he showed them to her.  "Science allowed me to create these replicas of your weapon, that are every bit as powerful." 

[Hecate Rothchild]

Hecate stood unmoving as she watched the woman's body get reduced to nothing more than ashes. She felt something.... "Sorrow? perhaps anger?" she couldent tell, but sheknew her dark side had done something that could not be undone.

She watched warren walking towards the main gate. "Did I do this?" she found herself asking herself, inable to fully comprehend the sevarity of what had just transpired. When warren drew dual blades similar in shape size and color to her own she felt sickend, not at him, but at the fact she had been unable to stop her other self from killing the woman. "Go.....It's safer if you leave for now." she muttered just barely loud enough for warren to hear her.

She didnt know what she could do but she needed to find a way to control, or at least harness her dark side to prevent anything like this from happening again.

[James Knight]

Warren sadly nodded at her. For she was right. He could not stay here any longer. It was not safe for him to be here when Dark Hecate had even a chance of coming out to play. Okay, he wasn't just scared of Dark Hecate. No, scared was not an adequate word to describe how he felt at the moment, nor did it even come close in reality to what he was feeling. Was this feeling anger? Was it misery? Whatever it was,  Warren knew he couldn't deal with the problem here. What he needed was space from Hecate, until she could control herself more. And he needed to learn how he could get Dark Hecate separated from her at some future date. In addition Warren also knew that he needed to grow stronger. Perhaps there was some sort of relic in one of the Verses he could use that could split Hecate and Dark Hecate from each other. If it were possible he planned to use it for himself. And if he did gain that ability, he'd also be able to do something else that normally he would not even consider as a possibility.

However, Warren was the type of villain who believed that a man's word should be something that they lived by, an unbreakable pact when they made a promise. And yet, Hecate's dark side had spurned the word she had stated.  She had murdered that woman when he had humbled himself. To make a long story short, Warren was not sure if he could ever trust Hecate again. Even if she did get her dark side under control, she could have lapses. Lapses that could result in Warren, or someone else getting severe bodily harm from her dark side. Really, the dark side needed to be removed entirely somehow. At the present, he had no clue as to how to do that. It was going to require a lot of research on his part. So bothered by what Dark Hecate had done was Warren, that he did not even bother swatting insects. Stung many times by the mosquitoes, Warren was emotionally numb. Normally he hated the bugs, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The shock of the murder she had done had yet to wear off on him. Really, if it was this bad, Warren now knew why he didn't kill anyone. 

Trekking at his maximum speed, Warren was irritated about the entire mess. His first goal he decided was to find somewhere that her ice powers would not give Dark Hecate an advantage, and make a base there. Once he had done that, Warren was not sure what he'd do with himself, but he knew he had to have a smart plan about it. Yet, he was emotionally numb, and couldn't think. Really, what he needed was something to snap him out of the funk he was in. When he finally went through the gate, he simply went through it.