Chapter 1:

Abomination in the Glass Bubble

She didn't know where she was but she had been going there every night for the last ten years. It was dark, almost the same color as the ebony colored hair that hung around her face. She tried to call out but her voice didn't work; it never worked in this place. She couldn't move from her spot as a familiar figure appeared out of the black void. A boy around the age of thirteen with blue eyes, only a shade darker than her own icy blue ones, stood before her. His short, golden curls wreathed in radiance, giving him an angelic look as he spoke with innocence, something she herself had lost long ago.

"Why? Why didn't you help me? Why did you let them kill me?" the figure asked in the adolescent voice. With each question, red stains began forming on his torso and, inside her dark place she began to detect the coppery scent of blood. The red substance seemed to pour out of his wounds, the grey color of his hoodie covered by the crimson stains that had begun to spread across the rest of his body. "I was your little brother. You were supposed to protect me. Where were you when I needed you? Why weren't you there?" he continued to question her, taking slow, deliberate steps forward. She couldn't answer his questions, her voice continuing to fail her; nor could she retreat from his advancing steps, or block out the accusing voice that had hardened and become venomous. ?It should have been you, not me!?

"Why did you let him die? Why did you make me lose my youngest child? Why have you shamed me?" Another figure, blurry and unclear, emerged from the darkness, the voice sending a shiver up her spine. "Why did you have to hurt your mother so?" it asked before becoming clear, revealing dark brown eyes framed with burgundy hair. More figures stumbled out of the darkness, covered in blood and wounds that were somehow inflicted by her. Every bullet wound from the gang wars she had started or every heart ripped out of a mother's chest when she got one of their sons killed... she was the cause of all their pain; all their deaths.

As her dark place filled with the figures of the innocent people she had killed or gotten killed, she began to feel suffocated, like she was drowning. She pinched her eyes shut, hoping to replace the figures with the quiet darkness again.

And then she really was drowning.

She opened her eyes in panic. She could see the red liquid of those figures all around her. She tried to swim out of it, but her muscles refused to work, leaving her drowning in the lake of blood. She could feel her heart almost bursting and her instincts took over, her body forcing her to open her mouth so she could breathe. All she got was a mouthful of the metallic tasting liquid that surrounded her.

This was supposed to be the part where she awakened and she waited to be released from the nightmare, where she would wake up sweating and not remembering most of it, but still haunted by it. It never happened. She was still drowning in the pool, struggling to get to the top.

'What's going on? I'm supposed to wake up now!' she thought angrily, hating her mind for keeping her in this personal Hell even longer than usual. That's when she felt something grab her shoulder. She would have screamed if she could but her vocal chords still weren't working. She did find, however, that she was now able to struggle and that's exactly what she did but to no avail. Whatever had grabbed her held fast and started to pull her up. The more she fought, the harder it pulled. Despite her best efforts, she was pulled out of the blood and was set on the ground beside it. She shook her head and looked around, trying to figure out what had just happened as she leaned back on her hands. Through blood encrusted eyes she could see that she was still in the dark place and her shoulders slumped in defeat. Then, something... no, someone, tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around. She found herself gazing into kind green eyes and a soft smile that made her skin tingle.

Breaking her trance from the stranger's blurry face, which somehow felt familiar, she found that the small figure's whole body was surrounded by a light that was serving as a tiny bright spot in her dark place.

"Don't be afraid." the stranger spoke. She felt something on her cheek and found the stranger's hand there, forcing her to look up at it. "I am your light. I will help you find your way out of the darkness... I promise..." it said in a gentle voice. She wanted to say something, anything, but before she could open her mouth, an annoying sound began ringing in her ears and soon the dark place was no more.

Xan Harrington forced her eyes open and sleepily tried to decipher what had caused the interruption in her nightmare. She found the answer when she turned on her side and found her alarm clock blaring throughout the entire room. With a sigh, she switched it off, bringing silence to her living quarters once again. Images from the bad dream replayed in her mind and she wondered how much longer they were going to torment her.

?It?s been at least three years. Haven?t I done enough?? she wondered, already knowing the answer. ?No? A lifetime won?t even be long enough to make up for the things I?ve done.? she answered herself before pulling the navy-blue blankets off and swinging her legs over the side of the large bed. After rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she left the bed and crossed the white-carpeted floor to her bathroom.

She creaked the door open and was immediately greeted by the female electronic voice that greeted her every morning.

?Good morning Miss Harrington. Shall the shower be started?? it asked her. Xan nodded and it wasn?t long before she heard the sound of rushing water coming from the bathing area of her bathroom. Not trusting the computer, she tested the water and found it to her liking. Just to spite the machine, though, she made it a just a little warmer. She couldn?t stand technology. Well, most of it. Xan believed that people should be able to do things on their own. Besides, she?d rather have a living creature taking care of her if she was wounded than some unemotional hunk of metal. She especially couldn?t stand androids but that was more for personal reasons than the fact that they were machines.

?And of course, my new assignment is to watch over some new experiment they?ve created to supposedly ?save the world?.? she thought bitterly as she undressed and climbed into the shower. ?When will they learn that we messed things up all by ourselves and that we should have to fix them ourselves without the help of some? machine.? At this thought, another bitter voice nagged her. ?Just like you?ve been fixing the problems you?ve created?? it spat at her while she shampooed her dark tresses. She sighed, realizing that she was being hypocritical. She had always tried to make up for her horrible past but never had she confronted any of the people she knew she had affected, like her mother, and tried to fix things, or even apologize to them. She was pulled out of her thoughts when shampoo from her bangs began to run into her open eyes and an aggravated snarl escaped her lips as she rinsed them out before rinsing the soapy lather from the rest of her hair. A few minutes later and Xan was standing outside the tub with a black towel wrapped around her tall form, her now clean hair dripping water onto the tile floor.

She quickly dried off and stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection in the foggy glass. Her face stared back at her and her eyes seemed to carry the burden of more than her twenty-seven years of life. In fact, before she put the mental walls up in her mind, her eyes seemed to speak of enough experiences for an old woman. She would never share these experiences with anyone, of course. She had started a new life to escape her past and pay for her crimes; to set things right. She doubted she?d ever be able to make up for the horrors she had caused but she?d rather be helping people than wasting her life away in some ordinary job and drowning in self pity. No, she had become a Guardian for a reason. Sure, she had to prove to the authorities that she really did mean good and wouldn?t be reverting back to her old ways. Those tests hadn?t been the most pleasant experiences in her life, but they hadn?t been the worst either, and they were worth it. Now she was on her way to making society a better place, little by little. Xan ran a hand through her wet hair before walking away from the mirror and leaving the bathroom.

She crossed her bedroom once again, making her way around the large bed to the closet. Just outside the closet doors were a keypad and a monitor. Xan quickly punched a code into it and the monitor came to life. A three-dimensional display of clothing showed on the screen and she quickly picked out the work outfit that she wanted for the day; a simple black leather vest over a white T-shirt along with black jeans and a pair of white sneakers. The clothing may have looked simple, but it was specially reinforced and usually only the most powerful of weapons could rip through them in a single shot. Within moments the doors of the closet opened and the outfit she had selected was floating inside. She grabbed the articles of clothing while still holding onto the corner of her towel with one hand before walking back over to the mattress. After carelessly tossing the towel onto the unmade bed, she changed into the outfit she had picked out.

Now fully clothed, she dropped to her knees and dug under her bed. After a few moments of searching, she found what she was looking for and stood back up. She now held a leather belt in her hand, complete with a holster for the handgun she carried and an empty sheath. The sheath was meant to carry the honorary Guardian blade she had received that showed her status among her fellow employees. Memories of the circumstances that had led to her receiving the blade flashed through her mind before she wrapped the belt around her and went to get her weapons. The sword was hidden in between her bed and the wooden end table that had her alarm clock on it. The hand gun was underneath the pillow on the empty side of the mattress. She felt a twinge of loneliness when she realized that that side of the bed would most likely always be empty. She shook her head and placed her weapons in the appropriate spots before walking away from the bed, heading for the door on the right side of the room that led to the living room.

Checking the digital clock that was above the television screen, which was actually built right into the wall, Xan decided she had better skip breakfast and head straight to work. She had been putting off leaving, taking longer than usual to go through her morning schedule, and she had actually put herself more off schedule than she had intended to.

?That dream must have put me off.? she thought with a frown as she left her living quarters and headed for the docking bay. There she would repeat the routine of boarding the shuttle that would quickly take her to Guardian Protection Agency headquarters. She would much rather walk there but she was running late. She wouldn?t be walking for the scenery, of course. There wasn?t much to see in the long gray corridors that ran from building to building, forming a spider web of walking paths. It had long become dangerous for civilians to walk about outside the corridors and in fresh air because of the gangs and other unintelligent species that roamed the outdoors. There were still poor civilians that still lived outside though, in the dying cities of the old world, because they couldn?t afford to move into the protected, walled area. Xan knew from first hand experience how hard it was to move up.

Realizing she had arrived at the shuttle stop and the driver was waiting for her to board, Xan walked through the doors and found a seat. Once she was as comfortable as she could make herself on the small, leather seat, the vehicle started up and began shooting through the tunnels to GPA headquarters. The shuttle system always reminded her of the ancient subways that still existed in the old cities that existed in the outside world. They didn?t run anymore, but she remembered playing down in the abandoned trains with her younger brother. Again, the dream from earlier that morning sprang into her mind and she had to shake her head again before looking out the window to get lost in the images that whirred by as the shuttle sped ahead.

Xan hadn?t realized she had dozed off until she heard a deep, masculine voice calling her name, telling her to wake up. Her eyes shot open and she found herself staring into the dark-blue eyes of the man that had helped put her on the path of redemption.

?Hey Henry.? she greeted him dully as she stretched her long limbs out. He frowned and stood up from his crouched position.

?You must not have gotten much sleep last night if you still can?t remember that my name is Henlaricles, not Henry.? he reminded her playfully while staring into her own pale blue eyes, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

?Well, you either need to get a shorter name or get used to me calling you Henry.? she purred in response as she stood up. He smiled at her and shrugged, his sandy brown hair moving with his broad shoulders.

?I guess I?ll just have to put up with it. That?s such an ancient name though?? he decided with a sigh before becoming serious. ?Try to take it easy today, though. You seem a little more tired than you usually do, and that?s saying a lot.? he advised her, clasping a friendly, large hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and shook her head.

?Henry, I?m fine. Besides, I can?t take it easy today. I?m getting assigned to protect the agency?s newest experiment.? Xan told him as they walked off the shuttle and into the hall that led to the lobby of GPA.

?Oh, you got assigned to that too?? Henry asked with a raised eyebrow. ?Ilarius and I just got asked to take that security job last night. We took it, of course. Can?t say no to a little extra money.? he told her as they forced their way through the crowded lobby so they could get to the hall on the other side. Well, Xan forced her way where as Henry simply said ?excuse me? and ?pardon me?. He took a chance to glance over at Xan, wondering just how she was dealing with this. He knew exactly how Xan felt about androids and wondered what the Agency could have been on when they decided to put her on this particular assignment. There was always the chance that the new experiment wasn?t an android but those chances were slim. Over the past decade, the GPA had been shipping out the almost human machines to fight in wars so that human losses weren?t so large; and all the new experiments that the Agency had developed were more advanced versions of the androids that had been shipped out.

?Hm? Well maybe it won?t be an android. Maybe it?ll just be some new type of weapon that doesn?t talk. Why would they need so many Guardians for a machine though?? Xan pondered aloud, breaking through Henry?s thoughts. ?Ah well. At least I won?t have to suffer alone if it is an android.? she mumbled as they turned a corner, nearly running into a man carrying a box full of what Xan considered junk.

?I still don?t get why you haven?t told me what they did to make you hate them so much.? Henry asked with a sigh. The hint wasn?t lost on Xan and the somewhat relaxed look she had on her face moments earlier turned into the uncaring mask that she usually wore to cover her feelings as she stopped in the middle of the corridor.

?Look Henlaricles,? she started off slowly, letting Henry know he was in trouble when she used is real name, ?I have reasons for why I am the way I am and why I hate the things I hate. They?re my reasons and I don?t plan on sharing them. Not with you, not with Ilarius, not with anyone.? she told him, sending a cold glare towards the large man. Henry could only watch as she quickened her pace and walked through the crowded hall, her tall, dark body standing out among the other employees. He almost laughed as he watched her push past his friend Ilarius, leaving an annoyed look on the blonde man?s face.

?What?s her problem?? Ilarius asked when he got to Henry. He had seen his two friends and had been hoping to see if Xan had gotten assigned to the new experiment as well. That idea went out proverbial window when Xan nearly shoved him through the wall.

?What do you think happened? I asked about her past again.? Henry answered the smaller man while running a large hand over his face, trying to erase the memory of the look he received from the dark woman.

?Ah, I see. So I?m guessing she?ll be working with us then? I mean, you only ask about her past when the topic of androids comes up.? he deduced as they followed the same path that Xan had taken.

?Ilarius, you don?t know that the new experiment will even be an android.? Henry reasoned as he rolled up the sleeve of his light brown shirt, revealing his muscular, tanned forearms. ?Besides, you?re getting your hopes up. You just want it to be an android so you can program it to go on a date with you.? he joked, punching Ilarius in the arm.

?Easy Killer! You always seem to forget that I?m only human, not half mountain.? Ilarius complained as he rubbed his arm. Ilarius was no wimp but his taller friend was considerably stronger than him, given his size and parentage. Who knew that the son of the King of Gladiators from planet Ixon would befriend the lowly king of small town earth thieves? ?And you seem to be forgetting that I happen to be the lady?s man of this duo. I mean, I have been on more dates this month than you have this entire year.? he reminded his large friend with a boastful smile, puffing out his chest proudly as he walked.

?Ah, but you seem to be forgetting that at the end of my dates, I haven?t gotten slapped once.? Henry said, matching the stride of his smaller friend.

?Hey, that only happened one or five times!? Ilarius exclaimed. ?And not all of those slaps were my fault. I had no idea that I had dated Alexandria?s sister when I was in training.? he defended himself as they made another turn.

?Yeah yeah, Stud. Let?s just hurry and get to the lab. I?m sure Xan?s already waiting for us there and wondering where we are.? the large man waved him off as he quickened his pace. He heard Ilarius mumbling something about him ?being jealous? and ?using Xan as an excuse to stop the debate? because he was ?too embarrassed to continue it? as he caught up with him.

?Since when does Xan care where we are? Better question: since when does Xan care where anyone is so long as they?re not bothering her?? he asked.

?Ilarius, you know she cares. She just doesn?t show it.? Henry chuckled as they got closer to the door that read ?Lab: Personnel Only?. He stopped the discussion with a raised hand, making his friend cut off in mid-sentence, just as they approached the door. He was sure Xan wouldn?t want to hear them talking about her attitude and way of showing emotions and if she did catch them, he?d just be digging himself a deeper hole to get himself out of later. ?Alright, ready to go see what?s so important it needs the top Guardians to protect it?? he asked his friend. Ilarius shrugged and then nodded before Henry opened the door and they walked into the room.

Xan let out a sigh of relief when the two people she considered to be the closest things she had to friends entered the quiet room. All the machines and beeping noises coming from said machines in the other room were beginning to get on her nerves and she had lost count of how many times she had to tell the male electronic voice that she didn?t want anything to drink. To think that they were only in the waiting room. The room itself was comfortable, a dark green carpet covering the floor making it easy on the eyes, a window with fake scenery just across the room, as if to block out the problems going on outside in the ?real world?, and furniture to wait in until they were called into the actual lab.

?It?s about time you two decided to show up.? she told them as she ran long fingers through the dark tresses that framed her face. Xan had actually been nervous, feeling that if the two guys hadn?t showed up sooner, she?d have to face the android alone; not that she?d ever let anyone know what she was feeling. She wasn?t afraid of them, she was afraid of what she would do to the new experiment if someone wasn?t there to stop her, and Henlaricles and Ilarius were the only two she trusted to even lay a finger on her, and even that trust had taken a long time to earn.

?Sorry, we just thought you might need some space.? Ilarius said, figuring out that she had already forgotten about the earlier incident where she nearly shoved him through the wall. He shoved his hands into the pockets of the blue-jeans he wore before pulling them out again and playing with the hem of his white t-shirt that stuck out just beneath the lavender vest he wore.

?Do you have some date tonight, Ilarius? You seem to be a bit fidgety.? Henry asked curiously. Ilarius looked up at him, eyes twinkling. He was a little embarrassed that he had been read so easily but at least it had been called by Henry and not Xan. Knowing Xan, though, she probably did catch it. She just wasn?t the type to be playful and tease her friends, unlike a certain mountain of a man he was friends with.

?Well, I?m glad you asked Henry. I actually--? Ilarius never got finish because just as he was starting to tell about the wonderful woman that he had decided to try to court, a rowdy bunch of teenagers came into the waiting room, talking about their new assignment. Ilarius thought he caught Xan rolling her eyes as she said,

?Great. Now we get to play babysitter and teacher too?? The four that had walked in were obviously new recruits, even to the untrained eye. They were young, maybe in their late teens, and from the volume of their voices, they hadn?t been taught to use their indoor voices when they were? well, indoors. A greasy haired teen that looked to be the oldest of the group looked over at Xan, his green bangs hanging in his face and somewhat covering the shades that hid his eyes.

?Hey lady, you ain?t our babysitter or our teacher. We?re Protectors, aren?t we? We don?t need no teacher.? he told her. Henry caught Ilarius mouthing ?uh-oh? his way and he turned to see the calm look on Xan?s face distort when a small smirk pulled at the corner of her lips.

?I?m not a lady and apparently, you do need a teacher, your vocabulary being the least of things that needs to be enhanced.? she told him. He was about to protest when her hand reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt. ?Now, what?s your name?? she asked him forcefully as she lifted him off the ground, his eyes growing wide as his feet left the floor. He mumbled something and tried to get Xan to put him down. ?I?m sorry, I didn?t hear you. Could you kindly repeat it?? she asked, bringing him higher up and closer to her face.

?Shit lady! The name?s Lawrence! Lawrence Bowers. Now will you put me the fuck down?? he yelled as he squirmed in her grasp. Xan nodded and let go of the teen?s collar, causing him to drop to the carpeted floor with a soft thud. He scrambled to his feet and joined his friends, who had suddenly become quiet and interested in the walls and the floor.

?And remember Lorrie, I?m not a lady.? she scowled at him before a man in powder-blue scrubs emerged from the door that led to the lab. A white mask that would usually cover his bearded chin, mouth, and nose hung from his neck, resting on his chest. He was holding a clip board in his right hand and a pen in the other.

?I?m assuming you are the three Guardians and four Protectors meant to watch over experiment Three-Seven-Two-Delta?? the man asked as he looked around the room at the seven occupants. Henry and Ilarius glanced at each other and then back at the man, nodding.

?I think you assumed right.? Ilarius grinned before crossing his arms over his chest. ?Are we allowed to go in or are we supposed to wait out here?? he asked. Getting the point, the man quickly opened the door and held it open for the seven Guardians and Guardians-to-be that left the room, led by the large Henry and followed up by the intimidating Xan, who snapped at the scientist with her teeth. The scientist shook his head and shut the door behind them as they all entered the room.

The bright light bouncing off the spotless white tile assaulted Xan?s eyes and she found herself closing them just so she?d be able to save herself from being blind for the rest of her life. Thankfully, the lights were shut off not long after they entered the room and her pale blue eyes could peek out from under her eyelids once again. They stood behind a row of computers and in the middle of the room, far away from the computers and the Guardian Agents, was what seemed to be a glass bubble with what looked like a gurney from one of the healing facilities in the middle. Hooked to the gurney was a machine that plugged into an outlet on the floor.

?So? what the hell are we s?possed to be waiting for?? Lawrence asked as he crossed his arms and stared impatiently at the computer screens while the scientists worked. He heard a cough behind him and turned to see the icy eyes of the tall woman from the other room and he bit his tongue. ?I mean uh? isn?t the android s?possed to be ready for us already?? he asked as politely as he could. The head scientist looked back from a large computer screen built into the side wall and shook his head in disgust before walking over to the large group.

?This is no android? young man.? he told the boy with a sneer. ?This is the savior of the earth; the one who will stop the Kryaks before they can obliterate us.? The mention of the Kryaks made Xan wince. They reminded her so much of herself not so long ago. Of course, this was a whole race of her younger self from another planet and she shuddered to think what would become of the universe if they weren?t stopped. She would have been happy just conquering Earth. Who knew when these monsters would stop?

?Who cares what you call it? It?s just a machine.? Xan said boredly with a roll of her eyes. The head scientist glared at her before shaking his head again.

?Ignorant warriors?? he mumbled under his breath before heading back to the computer monitor. He pressed a green button next to the screen and a keyboard popped out of a slot on the wall. Xan listened to the tapping of his fingers as he typed something into the computer, not taking her eyes off the ?bubble? in front of her. She thought she saw something flicker on the machine next the gurney and then she heard more typing, coming not only from the head scientist, but from the scientists at the smaller computers as well. Another flicker and then movement from the pumps on the machine. Xan?s eyes were transfixed as she watched the white tiles of the floor flip over and mechanical arms reach out from the holes that had been left. She couldn?t believe what she was seeing. The mechanical arms were re-creating the skeletal structure of a human being, and it seemed to be a female by the looks of the torso and lower parts.

?Is this how an android is made?? Henry asked curiously as he stared in wonder. He had never seen anything like this before and he found it amazing. He glanced over at Xan and wondered how she was doing. She may not have shown it, but he had a pretty good idea that she was in awe, as well. A glance at Ilarius and he knew exactly how his open-jawed friend was feeling.

?Like I told the grease ball, this isn?t an android. This is a re-creation from a strand of DNA of a creature from the dead planet Solarius. We?ve never tried recreating anything before and we?re hoping this will be a success. If this fails, Earth and perhaps the rest of the universe is doomed.? the head scientist explained as the mechanical arms placed muscle tissue over the bones and began to add the organs and veins to the creation. ?So far, we?re doing just fine?? he mused. ?Knock on wood.? he thought as he crossed his fingers.

?Well, it?s still not a real being. It?s man-made and unnatural.? Xan growled as she watched the skin begin to cover the insides. A scowl appeared on the head scientists face and he glared at the tall Guardian as he wondered just what the Agency was thinking by sending someone like her down here.

?That may be true but it?s our last chance.? he argued before turning to see how things were progressing.

?IT?S A WOMAN!? Ilarius and the head scientist exclaimed as the skin finished covering the skull and hair began to grow from the scalp, Ilarius sounding excited and the head scientist sounding disgusted. Xan smirked at the expression on the scientist?s face.

?Someone hasn?t jumped on the ?woman equality? bandwagon.? she thought sarcastically as she returned her attention to the ?woman? lying down in the glass bubble. Reddish blonde hair had grown past the girl?s shoulders and just barely covered her breasts, sadly cutting off Ilarius? view. ?Poor guy. Probably thought he was getting a free show.? she smirked as she looked at Ilarius? crestfallen look of disappointment. A cough interrupted the stares of everyone in the room.

?Perhaps some clothing should be er? provided before we er? bring her to the land of the living?? Henry suggested once he had everyone?s attention. It took a moment but the head scientist finally nodded dumbly and typed something into the computer. Not long after, the mechanical arms dove back into their holes and re-emerged with different articles of clothing. A free pair of arms began lifting the strawberry-blonde up and everyone in the room turned to give the ?woman? some privacy. Of course, Henry had to yank on Ilarius? arm before he turned around but he did, eventually, turn. When they turned around again, the woman was in a large, white t-shirt and a loose pair of elastic black and red shorts.

?Well that?s a nice fashion statement.? one of the teenaged girls stated sarcastically before she began chewing on her gum again. It had lost its flavor hours ago but as long as she was chewing gum, she wasn?t smoking another cigarette. Xan smirked, knowing she?d rather be in an outfit similar to what the android was wearing than what she had on now.

A whirring sound brought her attention away from the pink-haired girl that had been chewing the gum and back to the glass bubble that held the woman inside it. It sounded as if the machines were doing something to the body of the now clothed female and sparks could be seen running along the edges of the metal gurney. A bright light flashed inside the dome, temporarily blinding the occupants of the lab. Little black dots floated in Xan?s vision for a few moments as she tried to focus again. Not even five seconds after her vision had returned, another flash of bright light filled the room and a muffled screaming noise was heard. Her vision returning, the dark-haired guardian tried to decipher what had made the tortured noise. She had to look around a few minutes before her eyes focused on the dome again and she found herself staring into deep emerald pools of green that seemed to be pleading with her. A shock of familiarity coursed through her body and she realized she was staring into the eyes of someone she should remember but she couldn?t quite place the angelic face and wheat colored hair. Memories of her nightmare began to flood her mind but she pushed them away so she could continue to be entranced by the emerald eyes of the? android! How could she be so stupid to forget what this woman was?

?I?m such an idiot!? she scolded herself mentally, her eyes narrowing at the blonde in her eyesight. ?Lonnie would be so ashamed if he knew how close I came to wanting to befriend that? abomination!? she berated herself while her cold mask passed over her face and she glared at the woman in the glass bubble. She would never allow anything that hadn?t been brought into the world the natural way, child birth or hatching from an egg, to befriend her. Man-made beings had gone into off-limits territory a long time ago and she didn?t plan on changing that just because she thought her new assignment was cute. ?I didn?t just think that, did I?? she asked herself before shaking herself mentally. ?No? no I didn?t. I do not think she?s cute. In fact, she?s the most hideous thing I?ve ever seen.? she convinced herself as she watched the actions of the abomination in the glass bubble.

****

Xan watched the blonde carefully, taking in every move. She seemed confused and just a little lost and Xan had to wonder if she had any idea what she supposedly meant to the universe. She glanced at Henry and Ilarius who were both watching as well, Ilarius more closely than Henry, and then at the four Protectors that they?d be training on this mission. They too were watching and their mouths were hanging open in awe.

?We?re obviously not the only ones who were surprised with today?s demonstration.? she thought with a smirk. The smirk disappeared when she returned her gaze to the woman in the glass bubble. She saw the blonde feeling around the glass clumsily and then watched as she began pounding on it. ?Hey, what?s it doing?? she asked the head scientist in a hushed whisper.

?I don?t think she?s ever seen glass before and she?s trying to figure out what it is that?s keeping her from us.? he explained as they watched her slide to the floor, head hung low in defeat. Xan could tell it had taken a toll on the young woman just to walk across the floor and beat on the glass; she couldn?t help but wonder if this was the best they had to defend Earth. The scientist must have read her thoughts because the next thing he said shed a lot of light onto the mystery of the girl?s fatigue. ?Her people were wiped out centuries ago; she?s been asleep for a very long time. Her body is still weak from all those years of being, well, dead. It will take some time for her to recover.? he explained. ?On top of that, she has to learn our language if she doesn?t know it yet so that she?ll be able to communicate with us and she must also learn what she has to do to save us.?

?How do you know it?ll even want to save us?? Xan asked with a raised eyebrow. This was a dangerous business and Xan had a pretty good idea that if she had been revived from a multi-century sleep, she wouldn?t want to help the ones that had given her the rough wake up call.

?That?s just a bridge we?ll have to cross when we get to it, Warrior Babe. Right now there just like, isn?t enough time and we need to get Sweet Pea over there rested and educated so we can like, get to that bridge faster.? a sad but valley-girlish voice answered her. Inwardly, Xan groaned, but on the outside, she made no indication of how annoyed she was at the head of GPA?s sudden appearance. She hated the nickname she had been given but now she was glad that she hadn?t been stuck with Sweet Pea. She turned around, deciding she?d have to face her sooner or later, and found herself face-to-face with a smiling woman, a small gap between her two front teeth, that had a combination of wavy and curly blonde hair. ?And guess where all of you will be staying while she rests up?? Aphrodite asked playfully, her voice taking on the bubbly tone it usually had once again. All seven of the Guardians looked at each other and back at their boss. ?Xan?s place!? Aphrodite exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together repeatedly in excitement.

?WHAT?!? they all yelled simultaneously in an incredulous tone. Xan shook her head, trying to figure out if she had heard her ditzy boss clearly. Behind her, Ilarius mouthed ?uh-oh? to Henry once again, realizing a ?Xan Storm? was on the rise. They both shrank back, hoping that Xan wouldn?t get herself fired. She had worked so hard to get this career and start her life over and they didn?t want her to ruin it by blowing up at the boss; they also didn?t want to get in the way of Xan when her temper was high.

?Did? did I hear you right?? she stammered, staring at Aphrodite?s twinkling eyes that were dancing with mischief. Her boss simply nodded, the blonde curls bobbing up and down with her head. ?Aphrodite, I can?t? no one?s been in my place but me and I had planned on keeping it that way.? she explained.

?Like, now?s a good time to change your plans Warrior Babe. Sweet Pea needs you and you need her.?

?I don?t need her, the Earth does. I don?t need, or even want, the help of some unnatural? object? so let her rot with something that does.? she argued, trying to stop her boss from making her bring the man-made creature into her living quarters.

?You need Sweet Pea more than you know.? the blonde whispered before snapping her fingers. Air that Xan hadn?t noticed had stopped began moving again and the sound of the other Guardian?s breathing entered her ears.

?That was weird?? she thought with a shake of her head. She sighed inwardly and turned around to face her new roommates. ?I guess I?ll see you all at my place later tonight.? she told them, feeling defeated by her boss who had just seemed to disappear. She turned back to the head scientist and told him that he?d have to bring the android back to her place on his own because there was no way she?d be seen with it.

?Fine.? he told her with a glare as he took the card she offered, which told him where she lived and how to get there. It also served as a pass to pay for the trip there and back on the shuttle. Xan saw Henry run a hand through his hair, a sign that he was nervous and unsure of what to do next.

?I guess we should all go pack then. I don?t think we?ll be going back to our homes any time soon. ? he finally said. Xan looked over at the teenagers and winced inwardly at their appearance.

?Look here Grease Balls. We believe in showering daily where I come from. I expect you to do the same.? she told them. Her only response was a few grumbles, the loudest coming from the greasy, green haired teen, and four nodding heads. ?Good. Now go.? she ordered them sternly and they reluctantly did as they were told. She turned to Henry and Ilarius, who both had their arms crossed across their chest. ?Well don?t give me that look. I am not having them sleeping under the same roof as me with that kind of personal hygiene!? she justified herself. The two friends shook their heads and smiled to themselves before walking around her so they could head to their own living quarters to pack their things, leaving Xan behind with her thoughts.

She quietly stared at the blonde in the glass bubble, who now lay on the floor, barely conscious and still trying to beat the glass so she could get out.

?Persistent little thing, isn?t she?? a bubbly voice said in her mind. Xan groaned and couldn?t help but wonder what her boss was doing in her head; it was bad enough when she was face-to-face with her. The voice didn?t say anything more, however, and Xan was able to leave the room, almost feeling sorry for the abomination in the glass bubble. Almost, but not quite.

The sun was setting when Xan heard the final buzz that announced the arrival of her last house guest. The one she had been dreading entering her home in the first place. Henry and Ilarius had both arrived a few hours earlier and the four teenagers had arrived a little while after that, clean and smelling?bearable. Xan knew her quarters had been picked because they were the biggest, aside from Henry?s, but Henry?s was too cluttered with all the stuff he owned. Xan hardly had anything and she liked it that way.

Ilarius had been amazed at all the space his friend had and he wondered why she never allowed anyone over. Four guest rooms, a bathroom in each, a large kitchen filled with food for him to enjoy, a bedroom for herself, a living room, and a den. He wouldn?t believe that anyone had a larger establishment if he hadn?t been to Henry?s so many times already. All that space and hardly anything in it either. It felt like a waste to him but it was his friend?s place, not his.

Xan mentally prepared herself as she walked towards the door and reached her hand out, her finger hovering above the button by the surveillance screen that told her who was there. Without giving herself to think any longer, she pushed the red button, making it turn green, and the metal doors quickly slid open. The scientist didn?t waste any time, pulling a sleepy strawberry-blonde, who barely had a hold of the suitcase in her hand, behind him into the apartment.

?Well, I see you have enough space to keep her here. Aphrodite instructed me not to interfere with her teachings and recovery unless asked so? I guess I?ll be going.? he said nervously before quickly exiting the living room, leaving a speechless Xan and tired blonde standing together in an uncomfortably silent room. Xan turned to the smaller girl standing next to her and glared down at the top of the blonde head. She must of have felt Xan?s eyes on her, because she looked up at the taller woman and smiled. It was a remarkable smile, even if it was a dazed and confused one, and before she knew it, Xan was thinking she wanted to see more of that smile.

?Stupid! What kind of thoughts are those? She?s just another form of an android, Xan. Don?t let the soft skin and life-like eyes fool you!? she chastised herself as she found herself becoming attracted to the young woman. ?Alright then, Abomination, follow me.? she ordered as she walked towards the stairs. She was half way up when she realized the girl wasn?t following her. She growled slightly before heading back down. ?I said, ?Follow me?.? she repeated in a snarl, grabbing the girl around the upper part of her arm and practically dragging her up the stairs. By the time they reached the top, the young blonde was panting and trying to regain her breath. ?See what a couple hundred years of sleep will do to you?? Xan asked even though she knew the girl couldn?t understand her.

After a few moments of waiting for her to regain her breath, Xan grabbed the girl by the upper arm and yanked on her again, repeating the word ?Follow? and leading her to a room down the hall. She?d be the only one besides Xan without a roommate, giving the girl the privacy she most likely needed. She opened the door to the room and revealed the interior. It was smaller than the other rooms of the house, but that didn?t make it tiny. There was plenty of space to move around and personal items could be set on top of the old fashioned, six drawer dresser that could also hold any clothing the girl had managed to get from the scientists. The dark haired owner of the home turned to her small, blonde charge.

?You?ll be staying here.? she told her, first pointing to the girl and then waving her arms, indicating the room. ?Clothes go in the dresser.? she explained, pointing to the girl?s suitcase and then the dresser. The blonde cocked her head to the side for a moment before nodding in understanding. ?Alright, I guess we?ll need to be knowing each other?s names if we?re going to be living with each other?? Xan thought aloud. The blank look on the blonde?s face told her that her companion hadn?t understood her. She ran a hand through her dark hair and stared at the girl before pointing to herself and saying her name. She then pointed to the girl. When she remained quiet, Xan let out a frustrated breath. ?Your name. I need to know your name. I?m Xan.? she explained slowly, once again pointing to herself. The girl seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before she opened her mouth to talk. All that came out was a harsh, raspy sound. The girl swallowed and tried again.

?Samnervinalindana Elewynda.? the strawberry blonde introduced herself. Xan stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out if the girl was joking or being serious. From the look on her face, she was telling the truth.

?Well? I think we?ll just call you Sam.? she decided, enjoying the smile on the girl?s face at the sound of her new nickname. She noticed the smaller girl try to stifle a yawn and sighed. ?I guess this will be the first night of your recovery and education.? Xan said. ?Alright, go to sleep.? she ordered the girl as she went to leave the bedroom. Before she shut the door, she realized that the android still stood in the middle of the room, blinking in confusion as to why the other person had left her. Xan shook her head and walked back over to the confused girl. ?You need to go to sleep.? she explained slowly. Still seeing the look of confusion, she groaned inwardly. This was going to be harder than she thought. ?You know? sleeeeep.? she drawled out as she pointed to the bed and then rested her head on her hands, pretending they were a pillow. The girl?s eyes lit up with understanding and she was soon rushing for the bed, not bothering to let go of the suitcase or change.

Xan watched as the girl crawled under the blankets, clothing and all, and hugged the suitcase close to her chest. Again, she almost felt sorry for the lonely android but she pushed the feelings away. Without another word, she left the girl?s room and headed back downstairs to the den where Henry and Ilarius were.

****

Sam stared up at the high ceiling of the room as she lay underneath the covers on the large bed, clutching the suitcase against her chest and holding onto it for dear life. She was so tired, but at the same time, she was afraid. She couldn?t understand the beings around her and she didn?t know why she had been brought to this planet, although she had a feeling that it was something important and that she should already know the reason. She had managed to find out where she was though. At first, she thought she was among her own race and that had put some of the loneliness she felt at ease. Then she realized that, although these beings looked like her, they didn?t bear the Solarian mark on the side of their necks as she did. A hand unconsciously found its way to the right side of her neck and felt the area that the blue, crescent shaped mark covered. Once she realized that these weren?t other Solarians, she had a pretty good idea she was on Earth.

She had learned about Earth on Solarius. Earthlings were the only race that so closely resembled Solarians, the Solarian mark on the side of the neck the only difference in their physical make up. Mentally, however, Solarians had abilities that Earthlings could only dream of. When she had been in the room, she had seen the large sandy haired man and guessed that he wasn?t from earth, his size giving it away. She found herself wondering where he was from and wished that she had learned to speak Earthling when she had learned about the planet so she could ask him. As she thought of the bright room she had been in, she found her thoughts drifting to the blue-eyed woman.

Sam had felt so at peace when she looked into those eyes and she thought for a moment that she was home again, the secure feeling putting her at ease. Then those eyes changed and a shiver had traveled up her spine, the cold glare piercing her heart, and just maybe her soul as well. She sighed as she remembered the feeling of loss that had tugged at her heart. She rolled onto her side and pulled the suitcase closer to her chest, trying to think of anything but the dark haired woman.

Her mind drifted until her thoughts focused on the events that had happened. From waking up so abruptly to the strange ride to Xan?s home, her mind buzzed with the excitement of seeing things she had never even dreamed about and learning about the items in this world. Sam had felt just like a child again, discovering everything around her for the first time once again. There had been a few familiar objects that she had had back home but this world was filled with things she had never seen or heard of before.

He had been talking to her the entire time he led her but Sam just couldn?t understand what he was saying as he dug through a large wooden chest, an object in his free hand shining light into the chest so he could see. He had shut the lid on the chest before shoving a small, rectangular object into her arms, which she later learned was called a suitcase, and leading her to another room.

Sam smiled when she thought of the large room the strange man had led her too, remembering all the books filling the shelves and the strange whirring machines with the magic windows attached to them that she had managed to learn were called computers.

She could still remember the surprise she felt when the metal object?s side opened up and people began walking inside.

Her natural curiosity had gotten the better of her and she happily followed the others inside, suitcase in tow. She had jumped at the ?whooshing? noise the metal object made when its side closed again.

Sam smiled when she remembered how the sudden movement of the metal box had nearly made her fall over.

?<That was amazing.>? she thought as she clutched the suitcase even closer, feeling as if it was her only lifeline and that if she let go, she would disappear from the new and exciting world she found herself in. ?<If only I had a friend to share this place with.>? The sad thought brought a crestfallen look upon the small woman?s face. Once again she was feeling utterly alone. A large yawn interrupted any other thoughts she was having and she found herself fighting a losing battle with her heavy eyelids. Soon she was sleeping fitfully, her last thoughts being of pale, blue eyes framed by ebony colored hair.

****

Henry and Ilarius had laughed when Xan told them about getting their new charge settled in and they nearly fell out of their recliners when she tried to pronounce the young woman?s name.

?Samnorvinlipthiumandra or something like that.? she tried with a shrug. ?I told her we?d just call her Sam, so you two don?t have to worry about making idiots out of yourselves when you try to say her name.? she told them while shooting a cold glare in their direction, immediately cutting off the laughter. The two friends managed to nod their heads in thanks before turning the conversation to a more important topic.

?So, how exactly is this?thing? supposed to save Earth from the Kryaks?? the blonde man asked while scratching under his chin, mentally reminding himself to shave in the morning. Xan rested one of her long legs on the thigh of the other leg and thought for a moment.

?I have no idea? I doubt it will work anyways.? she finally answered him, shaking her head at the last part. She put little faith into machines, no matter how close they were to passing as the real thing.

?What makes you say that?? a quiet, male voice asked. Xan turned her head in the direction the new voice had come from and found a short-haired blonde teenager standing in the doorway of the den. Xan had learned earlier from the others that the spectacled spiky haired teenager was called Ace. She hadn?t bothered to ask why everybody called him that or what his real name was.

?For one thing, we don?t even know if it even wants help us. Think about it: it was probably in its own little paradise before we pulled it back into our world. I know I wouldn?t want to help the people that yanked me out of Paradise and placed me in this mess.? Xan explained, scoffing at the idea of her getting into Paradise.

?Oh really, Xan? I thought it was just the lack of trust you have for androids.? Ace asked, crossing his lanky arms. Xan glared at the Protector and wondered if her hatred of androids was really that well known to those in the Agency. ?Seeing how she was created may make her seem like less of a living creature but I assure you, she is very much alive. Just like you.? The glazed look in Ace?s eyes and the deafening silence in the room raised the alarms in Xan?s mind and she looked to Henry and Ilarius to see if they had noticed it as well. When she turned, though, she saw her friends frozen in place, not making a sound.

?I see the Gods have decided to interfere in my life?? she thought angrily as a scowl appeared on her face and she turned back to face ?Ace?. ?What do I owe this pleasure, to be visited by the Gods?? she asked with feigned sincerity as she looked over now possessed body. The teenager smirked and casually leaned in the doorway.

?I?m just a messenger, sent to warn you. Xan, in the next year your life will come to a crossroads.? he answered her. She raised an eyebrow, her interest starting to grow. ?You?re going to have to make a choice, Xan. One will be the road to salvation and redemption. The other will only lead you to destruction and pain.? Xan waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to continue but all he did was blankly stare at her with Ace?s pinkish eyes.

?Well are you going to tell me what I?m supposed to do or what?? she finally asked when it was clear he wasn?t going to say anything else. She crossed her arms and stared at the messenger god speaking through Ace?s body, waiting for an answer.

?All I can tell you now is to listen to your heart for once and make the right choice. A piece of advice: leave your hate behind. It will simply drag you down. I believe that Sam will help you, as well as the world, if you give her a chance, but you must also help her. You both need each other to truly survive.? Ace said before leaving the doorway, stopping anymore questions that Xan had. As soon as the teenage figure left the doorway, time resumed as it was and the Guardian was left with her thoughts and what the messenger had just told her. Henry and Ilarius stared at her for a few moments, wondering what had caused the distant look in their friend?s eyes.

?You alright, Xan?? Henry asked, concerned eyes focused on the dark-haired woman.

?I?m fine.? she simply said before standing up from the chair. She looked around for a moment before leaving the scarcely furnished den and her two friends behind in silence, convincing herself that she needed to get some sleep.

After checking in on the teenagers to make sure they hadn?t broken anything and then seeing if the charge was asleep, Xan went to her own room. After making a selection from the closet like she had done in the morning, she pulled a simple blue nightgown out of the dark void. She quickly changed into the soft fabric and threw her dirty clothes into the closet before walking over to her bed and climbing under the covers. She thought about what the messenger had said for a moment before pushing his words away.

?I don?t need the help of an android. I have good reason for my hatred and nothing is going to change the way I feel about them.? she thought angrily before she rolled onto her stomach and placed her arms under her pillow. ?Besides, I probably just imagined it all anyways.? she convinced herself as she tried to relax. She closed her eyes and began to will herself to sleep so the next day would come faster. The faster she got this assignment over with, the sooner she would have her life back the way it had been- android free. Her mind finally began to drift as she was pulled into sleep, her last coherent thoughts being of the blonde abomination that had come from the glass bubble.