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killer shrike
Sat Jan 07, 2006 at 11:52:58 pm EST
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Strong Suit Part Eight
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Strong Suit Part Eight


Previously: Thanks to the machinations of an old enemy, the sentient computer program Hallie has found her technology corrupted and stolen. Stolen in that the supervillain Illusionous is using her holographic designs to begin a murderous crime spree, and corrupted in that the android body she sometimes uses has been infected by a virus, and is now functioning irregularly. In an attempt to adjust to her debilitation, Hallie has turned to Mr. Epitome for aid.



“Keep your elbows perpendicular to your chest,” the Man of Might told the green skinned woman.

“Yeah, yeah,” she grunted back before complying.

Dominic grinned, “Not so easy is it?”

Hallie, who stood on one foot while pressing three eggs together by way of her index fingers, muttered, “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“You’re sweating.”

“Robots don’t sweat,” Hallie retorted reasonably.

“You do,” Epitome reached out with his thumb and traced the bead of perspiration that had trickled down her smooth, emerald-hued neck.

Hallie gave a yelp at the touch, and smashed the eggs into a high caloric mess.

“Jerk,” she labeled the Paragon of Power, shaking her hands in a futile attempt to clean them of the gooey remnants of shell and yolk.

Dominic appeared chastened, “I apologize.”

Stomping over to the pommel horse where she had left her towel, Hallie asked, “Did your evil government masters touch you inappropriately during training?”

“With tasers, yes,” Epitome recalled, “The point was to maintain self-control no matter the situation. And they were neither evil nor my masters.”

His last declaration had a hard edge to it, “I’m sorry,” Hallie said.

“You don’t have to apologize. I needed to apologize. I should have respected your personal space and found another means to catch you off guard.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I would understand if you went to Sir Mumphrey or Yo, if you feel discipline is warranted.”

“What? What for?” Hallie was incredulous.

Dominic’s complexion darkened, “The inappropriate physical contact could be construed as sexual harassment.”

Now it was her turn to blush, “You think- on this team?! With Lisa and CSFB! and Flapjack- you think what you did was sexual harassment?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” the big man reasoned.

“Enough,” Hallie announced firmly, “This entire conversation is ridiculous.”

“Well, you are going to have to forgive my ignorance on the subject what is and isn’t appropriate when it comes to our relationship, because I am getting some very mixed signals,” Epitome protested with an exasperated flap of his arms.

Hallie said nothing. Epitome kept on.

“This is not me. I never ranted like this before. I don’t lose control. I’m not, not-”

“Clueless?” Hallie offered gamely.

“Exactly!” Dominic pointed at her, “This is all very unnatural.”

“Well, that’s the end result when you socialize with a living hologram who knows more about your past when you do, and who also happens to be a bit clueless herself,” she said softly.

Dominic paused a moment to consider what Hallie said, “You’re worth it,” he blurted.

The plaintive, almost vulnerable, expression on his face was what did Hallie in. She rushed into Epitome’s arms and kissed him.

*****


The mansion’s infirmary doors banged open, “I need some help,” Hallie called out as she assisted a hobbling Mr. Epitome to an examination table.

Uhunaluna Amadayla Excelsior! dropped her textbook and hurried over, “What happened?”

“He got hurt,” Hallie stated, “By me.”

The exiled Abhuman stared into Epitome’s pain wracked face, “You? How did you-”

Eyes watering, Epitome wheezed, “She. Hit. A. Soft. Spot.”

After a beat it dawned on Uhuna what he meant, “Oh! Oh,” she turned to Hallie, “On purpose?”

“No!” Hallie nearly shrieked.

“What the-ugh! What kind of question is that?!” Dominic managed to hop up on the table. With a heavy groan he lowered himself to a prone position, “I’m fine. Really. I just need to rest a moment.”

Uhuna nodded. It wasn’t like she could do much to alleviate the pain anyway, as there were very few men on the planet willing to take on that particular injury, “I’ll go get some ice. Do you want me to call Hatman?”

“Hell, no!”

With a sympathetic glance to her friend Uhunaluna exited, leaving Hallie alone with her victim. She gave a nervous chuckle.

“Don’t know my own strength,” she noted, “Sorry.”

“S’alright. I should have been prepared for such a possibility, knowing how your coordination has been affected.”

“Is it really that bad?” Hallie inquired curiously. After all, Epitome had suffered through injuries that would kill an entire platoon of men.

“You have no idea, and unless you get some very exotic accessories to that body, you never will.”

“It’s good you can have a sense of humor about this.”

“Right,” Dominic muttered.

Hallie absently arranged the cotton swabs stored by the table, “Its not going to work, is it?”

“If that’s the case, then I might as well slit my wrists now,” the big man joked, then sighed, “No, I guess its not. That point has been driven home quite forcefully.”

“And it’s just not our parts that aren’t…. compatible. It’s us. It’s how we see the world.”

“What does that mean?” Dominic lifted his head.

The woman took a deep breath and revealed her fear, “I told you why Rikka Ulz Hagan infected my body with the virus. Because she saw it as a limiting factor. Something that would keep me from achieving my potential.”

“She wants you to delete the virus and abandon your robotic form. I know.”

“The thing is, it’s a situation that reminds me of you, and what you’ve gone through. When you were older, I think you saw the flaws in yourself and others as weaknesses to be avoided. You shut yourself off from what made you human, because you had your mission and that was what mattered. And I worry sometimes that you are becoming that person again.”

Hallie closed her eyes, “You could, you can, be so charming. When you want to be. But there are times, like earlier, with Uhuna, when you look at people and they’re like insects to you.”

“I’m not like that. I’m not some elitist,” Dominic objected.

“I know you’re not,” the young woman explained, “But you get frustrated,” she laughed ruefully, “Fleabot had this great analogy: you see people as sheep, and it’s your duty to protect them. But they’re so slow and dumb; if they would only listen to you everyone would be so better off.”

There was a long pause.

“It’s better the way he tells it,” she murmured.

Epitome slowly sat up, “Why are you telling me all this?”

“I can’t live through that again. If you’re going to become the man who… kept me from trying to save Visionary, I can’t follow you down that path. I’ll nag you about it every step of the way, because you’re my friend, but in the end if you make that choice I will stop you.”

Epitome was clearly stunned, “I don’t think things are that bad.”

“That’s part of the problem, Dominic. Before, you were getting ready to go to war with the Legion over a disagreement. You were talking about shutting them down for good.”

“Is that why they had my memory wiped?” Dominic countered angrily.

“Wait. What?”

“The Legion is in some way involved with my age regression.”

“We would never do that. We couldn’t. I can’t believe you would think that we were,” her eyes narrowed, “Is that why you tried to get close to me again? To find out what I knew?”

“Of course not! I did it because you’re smart and funny and beautiful. And because it’s fairly obvious I did something to hurt you before and I want to make things right.”

Tears began to well in the young woman’s eyes, “I wish you could.”

For a long time Dominic was silent, “All right,” he said quietly, “I guess that’s it then.”

She nodded silently, wiping at her face.

“But you still want to be friends?” he checked, “Even though you’re afraid to trust me.”

“Yes. Don’t you?”

Dominic watched Hallie intently. How much of her fear was because of him and what he was capable of, and how much came from her own feelings of incongruity and inadequacy?

It didn’t really matter, in the final analysis.

“Of course I do.”

The woman gave a relieved snuffle and walked over to embrace him. She stopped herself though, “I’ve probably done enough damage for one day, haven’t I?”

“Let’s risk it,” Dominic proposed.

After a short hug the Man of Might asked, “Do you still want my help with the training.”

“Yes. And,” she nervously brushed at her hair, “Maybe with the Illusionous case too?”

“I thought Yuki –“

“Yuki still needs to track down that missing Robo American. It could be weeks before she’s free to help, and I want this over with.”

Epitome nodded, “Understood. It’s just that the timing is a bit…. unorthodox.”

“How so?”

“You and I, in Las Vegas, alone, after we’ve just…” Epitome struggled to explain, “Done whatever it is we’ve done.”

“Are you implying you can’t keep your mind on the job, Mr. Epitome?” Hallie asked facetiously.

“No. I mean to say, yes, I can.”

“Good,” Hallie concentrated and began setting up their itinerary online, “Because I need you.”




Next: As Illusionous stages another performance, Hallie and Epitome travel to Las Vegas to track him down. Expect some sleuthing, supervillains, and sightseeing in the next part. Out soon.

Footnotes:

Hallie/Epitome: this is the end of the romantic subplot for the two characters. Really, such a moment should probably come at the end of the storyline, but I do have something else planned for that moment instead, so it made sense to have this part take place now. I worry that the ending comes off as too contrived, even though the reasons are perfectly valid. I just don’t think my work does a good job showcasing both character’s fear of intimacy and all that other treacle that comes with a good breakup story.

The characters were never meant to be permanently together, for a variety of very good reasons, in story and out. But when Vizh hinted way back when he wanted someone for Hallie to date I mercilessly shoehorned Epitome into that spot. Hopefully that led to some good stories. I certainly liked writing the two of them together (obviously) but now its time for both characters to get out of each other’s way and move on.

Other tidbits: Mr. Epitome kept Hallie from trying to save Visionary from the "Heart of Darkness" back during the "Heart of Darkness" epic when he would not give her vials of her onw blood which could have possibly been used to kill the infection that was in Vizh. Epitome was told by the Hooded Hood that the Legion played a role in his memory loss back earlier in the series. In fact it was Dominic's old enemy/girlfriend the Idiom who is responsible, though an associate of the team, the aforementtioned Fleabot, knows she did it.









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