And now? Lexx let his fantasies run wild.  The real possibility of being with Chel is as frightening as winning this fragging game! He wanted it.  He wanted it all.  Everything that he had ever allowed himself to dream of was right there.  But there was one little problem.  One little flaw.  He had spent a lot of time dreaming and very little time realizing that it could really happen.  He had spent all his time planning for the game, for winning battles and keeping all of his dice in top form, but none for what he would actually DO when it was all over.

I don’t have a plan! Lexx did have his casual wants of what he wanted to do, but none of them had ever included a girl.  They also hadn’t included Maenae or even the Dice.  They were mostly devoted to a place where Lexx could live … alone … and how he would build it, but he had never really given thought to how he would LIVE.

I plan everything! Lexx turned back around and banged his head against the glass window in resignation that he had made a little mistake.  What am I going to do with a life I’m completely unprepared for?

I didn’t ask, but I wanted it. Lexx smiled.  Selfish desires took hold and he chose to dwell on happier thoughts.  Chel.  And I chose.  I chose her … why? In his mind, he could see her.  She was plain when compared to just about every woman he had ever seen in his short life, but something about her made her rise far above them.  She was real.  There was nothing fake about her.  She was who she said she was and didn’t cover up anything.  Chel didn’t want to trick him or use him for anything.  She just liked him.  Maybe even loved him.

Lexx smiled wistfully.  That had all been unexpected.  He knew why he had chose her.  It was all very simple.  Because I knew I couldn’t have her. It was easy at first, because he didn’t have to act upon his impulses.  She was from a culture completely alien to him.  He never thought she’d actually return the feeling.  Never.  But perhaps somewhere deep inside Lexx had dared to hope and that hope had grown with a simple smile from her.

I’ve put everyone in unnecessary danger … and why? Lexx felt a wave of guilt wash over him.  He felt horrible for what he had done to his Dice.  They depended on him.  He took care of them.  And he had hurt them.  My selfish desires? Even as he thought it, it nagged at him that the Dice wanted Chel back and would do anything to help.  Selfish. He pushed the Dice out of his mind.  It was he who wanted Chel back the most.  He wanted her safe.  Why can’t I have what I want? He wanted her with him.

Why is this happening to me? What did I do? Lexx’s thought pattern degraded into his usual train of thoughts.  What?  Why can’t I just be left alone?

I didn’t ask for any of this. Lexx turned away from the window and leaned back against the cool glass.  I certainly never asked … to be in love. It was becoming easier to admit that fact.  He loved her.  Right now, he ached inside because she was not with him.  She wasn’t safe and even though being with him might be dangerous, he was there to protect her.  What was happening to her right now?  What were they doing to her?  He didn’t allow himself to imagine any further, certain that despite his worst thoughts, they would not harm her.  It wouldn’t look good and the ADC and .. Trasik, were all about appearances.

He did what I told him to do.  He trusted me.  Skate, Stealth, Dash … they all fought without question. Lexx mulled over each of the battles he had fought with his own dice.  They had been short and bloody.  None of them were really a match for Lexx.  They were good for the regular game, but the Master game was on an entirely different level.

They know this could be it.  Trasik might finally have a valid plan and I have –nothing-. Lexx stared out at space and the battle he knew was coming with all its unpredictability.

Kim starts school today (or rather, tomorrow morning since this updated early on Sunday.)  Luckily, these pages were faster than normal… because I didn’t try to do that same method of coloring I was trying out for that last bit.  That … was KILLING me.  It took much longer than I thought it would!  So back to this, which looks quite nice with a few new methods mixed in.

Actual text will update this evening.  Must run a few quick errands and get pencilling done today … and start writing more scripts before I run out!!

- Tiff

PS.  Nevermind, here’s your text.

Hours later, Lexx awoke in his room, by himself.  He stiffly got out of bed and enjoyed a quick, warm shower.  Of course Damian’s ship would have an excellent water reclamation system and perfect temperature control.  Water dripped from the ceiling of a small walk in cleansing room like a warm spring shower and Lexx enjoyed every moment of it.

Lexx found himself far more relaxed and calm than he had been since Chel had been taken.  She was still on his mind.  The urgency of the situation had not faded.  His drive to fight had temporarily faded.  Lexx dressed in a set of clothing that he found had been folded neatly and placed in a chair near the bed.  Someone was nearby, likely watching him.  They had not been there before he took the shower.  Lexx was certain about that.  The bed had also been made.

Lexx walked out into the living area and found Riley waiting for him … with a tray of delicious looking foods set out in front of him.

“Sleep well?”  Riley asked curiously.

“No thanks to you.”  Lexx grumbled taking a seat across from the littan.

“I’d imagine it’s all thanks to me.”  Riley grinned, showing off all his fangs.

“I’ll wait a few hours before taking on another round of dice.”  Lexx picked at the closest plate.

“That’s fine.”  Riley nodded.  “I came by to let you know that I don’t have any news .. and Sirius will not be available for combat.”

“Why is that?  He fought well.  He didn’t hold back.”  Lexx took a bite of a large, pale orange wafer with a delicious looking golden glaze dripping off the edges.

“There was a glitch in one of the healing patches that was applied to Sirius.”  Riley began to explain the situation.  “The nanos stopped functioning after an hour’s work and he broke the holding stitches in several places.  He lost a lot of blood, but we got to him in time to save him from fully reverting … or dying.  You know, sometimes, that can happen.”

Lexx stared at Riley.  He had almost lost Sirius?

“He’s doing ok now, Lexx, but it took a lot out of him.”  Riley continued.  “He should be allowed to rest.”

“I have the others.”  Lexx nodded in agreement.  The food was back on the plate and a growing pit in his stomach had robbed him of his appetite.

“If you don’t want to talk or anything, I’m going back to my quarters.”  Riley stood up.

“That’s fine.”  Lexx mumbled.

“Call me if you need me.”

“I will.”

Riley left with some hesitation.  He wasn’t sure that he should, but after he had meddled so much the evening before, he felt it might be the best thing to do for Lexx.  It wouldn’t do to have Lexx feel like Riley was trying to control everything.

Lexx stared at the food in front of him, picking at another wafer, then thinking better of it and getting up.  He crossed the room to one of the towering window walls that looked out into space.  What am I doing?  Sirius is one of my best dice. Lexx felt bad.  Not just sorry for Sirius, but sick to his stomach.  If that glitch had gone unnoticed, he would have slowly bled to death.  …  I don’t want to hurt them …

“Too bad you’re too big to ride on my shoulder now.”  Keith pointed out with a grin.  He immediately regretted pointing that out.  Fly’s head snapped back in shock and then his expression completely melted into sadness.

“That’s the problem with growing up.”  Keith reached out to scratch Fly’s head and offer him some comfort.

“Tell me about it.”  Fly sighed crumpling down into the grass at Keith’s feet in sadness.  How horrible.  He had to WALK everywhere now.

“Amazing.”  Keith remembered to breathe.

“I look good, don’t I?!”  Fly gave a little bounce toward Keith, shaking out his mane and flipping his tail back and forth excitedly.  His tail was considerably shorter and Keith noted, seemed vertically flat.

Drift hooted his congratulations, settling down into the grass where he was standing.

“Yeah!”  Keith agreed, still amazed at what he had just seen.  The previous conversation with Claudia was completely forgotten, replaced by his fascination with the dice.  Fly bounced up to Keith, his gait somewhat like a ferret.

Fly’s body completely altered before Keith’s eyes.  In the time it took for Fly to hit the grass and turn around and face Keith, he was a completely different creature.  His red fur faded to brown, orange and then gold, lengthening into a thick furry ruff  that extended from between his ears, over his shoulder, down his backbone and melted into his tail.  Fly’s ears lengthened and lightened in color.  His head widened and lengthened, but retained its round plump features behind a longer blunt muzzle.  Fly’s short squat body tripled in size, his legs stretched considerably, but did little in altering his body to leg ratio.  His legs were more slender, but his chest was low to the ground in comparison.  Wing flaps covered in shorter, finer fur than before extended from his forelegs and swung upward, seemingly retracted and folded over Fly’s hips.  The flaps folded further and vanished under Fly’s tail.

Keith stared into the new creature’s eyes.  No, it was the same creature.  The eyes were exactly the same.  The body had just changed drastically.

<hr>

I’m quite pleased with how Fly turned out in this form, which is side 5.

“Claudia is lying, Keith!”  Fly twisted around in Keith’s arms once he was sure Claudia was gone so that his forepaws were resting on Keith’s chest and he could look up into his face.  “Lexx would nev –“  Fly went limp and then shivered.  “Put me down!!”

“What’s going on?!”  Keith let Fly go.  There were funny little dancing lights coming from Fly’s fur that made Keith’s skin prickle at the sight.  Fly made a small jump and went into a glide to the ground.

“Progress!”  Fly chirped over his shoulder as the lights increased in intensity and rippled through the squirrel’s fur.