Issue 1 Downtime

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 12:43 pm**

"So, um, how has Sara been doing lately?" Alyson asked as they got the the restaurant, having run out of possible topics for conversation.

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 12:50 pm**

"She's fine," Onyx says, "Very stressed out about the wedding and the pregnancy though."

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 12:51 pm**

"Is everything going ok with the pregnancy?"

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 12:52 pm**

"Everything is going wonderfully," Onyx says with a smile, "....Do you ever want to have children?"

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 12:59 pm**

"Yeah, eventually." Alyson said "But I've got time, and I'm not in any big hurry. And, well, it isn't something I need to worry about happening by accident."

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:00 pm**

"That's good," Onyx says, smiling brightly at Alyson.

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:03 pm**

"Yeah, it is an advantage, in some ways." Alyson replied "Are you going to be helping Sara with her baby?"

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:08 pm**

"As much as I can," Onyx says, "I have some experience. I'm hoping she'll find it useful."

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:10 pm**

"So, you were trained to be an assassin and a nanny." Alyson said as they walked in "What other skills do you have?"

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:14 pm**

"Bodyguard, burglary, cooking, cleaning, general housework," Onyx says, "Oh, and sex."

"It's a strange mix, but my more useful abilities didn't show up until I was older," Onyx says, "In the beginning, they thought I was useless so they just trained me as a pleasure slave."

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:33 pm**

"Don't those idiots realize that most mutations don't manifest until puberty?" Alyson asked, disgusted.

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 1:41 pm**

"Yes, but they have to begin training very young," Onyx says, "They can not simply wait for useful abilities to emerge. Instead there are monthly evaluations where they checked to see if we needed to be moved into another program."

Posted: **Mon May 17, 2010 2:02 pm**

"I see." Alyson said, managing to pack a paragraph worth of disgust into those two words.

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:10 am**

"It was very difficult," Onyx says, "I was moved into the training very late. I was constantly at the bottom of the pack."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:18 am**

"And let me guess, everyone picked on you because of it."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:29 am**

Onyx looks surprised at the idea, "No, of course not. The others helped me improve. We trained together in our spare time. We were all very close. We had to be."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:36 am**

"Well, thats something at least." Alyson said "I would have assumed that they'd play you off each other."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:38 am**

"Why? It wouldn't profit them to have us hurt each other."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:49 am**

"You could have started to plot an escape." Alyson said "Or developed loyalties that would be undesirable later on. I'm sure that not all of the slaves were as content with their fate as you were."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:52 am**

"No," Onyx says a bit coldly, "They weren't."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:56 am**

"Good." Alyson said, half to herself "Um, what kind of pancakes are good here?" she said, quickly changing the subject again.

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 12:58 am**

"I'm getting the pancakes with berry compote and mascarpone," Onyx says, "They are delicious."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:04 am**

"I think I'll get the crepes with Neutella and bananas." Alyson said "Um, did anyone try to get away?"

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:09 am**

"Yes," Onyx says, "Two people. A boy and a girl."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:20 am**

"What happened to them" Alyson asked, fairly certain she wouldn't like the answer.

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:23 am**

Onyx is quiet for a moment. She looks hesitant. When she finally speaks, her voice is quiet and small.

"We were lead into one of the training rooms. They were chained to the floor," Onyx says, "Guards lined the room, holding guns."

"They handed each of us a truncheon. And they told us that we were to execute them or we would all be exterminated as a failed batch."

"We did not hesitate."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:30 am**

"Oh God." Alyson said, closing her eyes "Onyx, I'm so sorry. Thats.....I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:32 am**

"It was not your fault," Onyx says, "I just hope you are not disgusted with me."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 1:44 am**

"Of course not." Alyson said "You were put in an impossible situation, and you did what you had to, to stay alive." she sighed "What I don't understand is how you could go back to that."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 5:17 pm**

"I had no where else to go."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 7:50 pm**

"I thought that Victoria was giving you a place to live, after her mother died."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 8:07 pm**

"A place by myself," Onyx says, "Alone."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 8:12 pm**

"Being on your own for the first time is always hard." Alyson said "But, I mean, couldn't you have gotten a room-mate or something?"

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 8:17 pm**

"I had no one to serve," Onyx says, "Ms. Valentine wanted me to take care of myself. I did not know what to do."

"I panicked."

Posted: **Tue May 18, 2010 8:54 pm**

"Obviously." Alyson replied "Still, it all worked out in the end."

Posted: **Wed May 19, 2010 12:02 am**

"Yes, I suppose it did."

Posted: **Wed May 19, 2010 12:09 am**

"Just....please, promise me that you won't go back there again."

Posted: **Wed May 19, 2010 12:11 am**

"I...it's not up to me," Onyx says, "If my Mistress discharges me without buying out my contract, I have to return."

Posted: **Wed May 19, 2010 12:19 am**

"Yes." Alyson said firmly "It is up to you. You have no obligation to go back there."

Posted: **Wed May 19, 2010 12:26 am**

"They own me."

Issue 1 Downtime

Breakfast, the most awkward meal of the day.

Breakfast, the most awkward meal of the day.

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