(Authors Note: Special thanks to D.X for his edit. This is it for the numbered chapters, there is wrap up epilogue to come, I’m not sure if it will be one big epilogue, or a few smaller ones. I began this story late 2013, and now it has come to a close. Thank you everyone for reading, and enjoy the end!)

“Well? Well!? Who bloody won?!” Niall screamed, sitting on the edge of his seat, Nonah’s grip on his shirt collar the only thing keeping him from plummeting off the side table where they sat.

“I…don’t know!” Loona responded in turn, on the floor, on her knees, watching the broadcast in stunned silence.

“Whaddya mean you don’t know! How can you not know!?” Niall shouted, looking to Loona and then to the screen with inpatient angst.

“It appears the Diatiti are deliberating. It will come down to them.” Kymie said, sitting back against the couch. Next to her was Naskia, who was half way through a rather large glass of something pink and fruitty smelling.

Naskia swallowed a mouth full of her drink then motioned to the projector with her hand. “Well, they’re both dead it looks like…will there be a round six? Can you tie break a tie breaker?”

Niall and Loona both looked to Naskia with murderous intent, then began to both dismiss her with vigor.

“Surely you can’t be serious pedal, such a thing, why even the notion of it is just ridiculous!” Niall began, while Loona was busy citing the Tol Bot players hand book and the official Grand Tribute Charter word for word.

Naskia sunk into her seat and filled her mouth with her drink, she hid behind the tall glass and squeaked. “Okay, just asking…carry on.”

Nonah tugged on Niall’s shirt hard, sending him tumbling backwards. “You dope, I should let you fall.” Nonah grumbled indignant and sighed. “It’s clear who won anyhow.”

“Nonah’s right, there can be only one, and it’s clear who won.” Loona nodded, her bottom resting on her feet.

“I’m in agreement with the general consensus, there was a clear victor in my opinion,” Kymie added, adjusting her glasses.

“Yup, it was Marionette.” Niall said, while at almost the same time Loona cut in with…

“Iron Maiden….”

“Marionette.” Kymie said in unison with them both.

“Uh…hello…totally Iron Maiden…severing your spine from your neck makes you deader than a gut stab!” Nonah argued.

“Dead is dead, he killed her first!” Niall shot back quickly.

“Well, I don’t think deader is actually a thing Nonah, but all things considered Marionette could be awarded victory based on timing,” Kymie ever so timidly supported her employer.

“Nope, dead is dead. If it had been a killing blow Iron Maiden wouldn’t have been able to land her hit. Marionette only wounded her, a wound that would prove fatal, but not before her strike killed Marionette, hence she won.” Loona said, with confidence and calm.

“Well if they are both dead how can anyone win?” Naskia asked timidly.

“Because!” everyone responded in unison.

“Okay…okay…don’t hurt me!” Naskia sat back again. “Stupid confusing game…I wanted to watch the vashana show you know…nobody ever wants to watch what I like…”

***

Eyrn stood with Darren crouched on her palm, she had looked him over for damage and doted over him endlessly; he was mildly flattered, but more so just wanted a long full night’s rest and a sound resolution to what had become the equivalent of a few days’ ordeal for him.

“That was some kind of awesome Sarge.” Eyrn said, smiling softly down at Darren.

“Thanks.” Darren looked over his shoulder and grinned right back at Eyrn. Through thick and thin she had stuck by him. Through all the verbal abuse he put her through, he couldn’t have asked for a better friend to find himself stranded with on an alien world.

“Even if you don’t…I mean if they decide…well you know…don’t feel like you let anyone down. You did fantastic.” Eyrn fumbled to maintain eye contact, she wasn’t any good at this mushy sappy stuff, and it showed.

“Heh, yea.” Darren wasn’t willing to throw in the towel just yet, in typical titan fashion the powers that be were taking far too long to come to an official ruling. The crowd, which had been gathered in Vorsha Grand Arena for well over 48 titan hours showed no sign of tiring, but were just as eager for a final call as he and Iron Maiden seemed.

Darren looked across the vastness of the arena to where Iron Maiden stood on her player’s platform. She had thrown all she had at him, and he her. While he’d never seen her face, he felt as if he knew her well. She had by far respected him more than almost any titan he had come across on this world. The very fact that she threw her all at him made Darren feel like a man again, not a pet, not an insignificant cog on the wheels of an unjust universe, but a man, a man with purpose and merit. For that, he had to thank her.

The sound of a familiar chime woke Darren and Eyrn from their silence. As the audience began to flood back to their seats, and viewers across the galaxy tuned back in to their broadcasts, Darren narrowed his eyes as Grand Diatiti Minokus himself took the center stage.

“Your Imperial Majesties,” Minokus nodded in respect to the Emperor and Empress, “honored guests,” he then nodded to the other high ranking officials in the arena, “and last but not least, gentlefolk of all species! It is never easy to choose between two phenomenal players. However, after a thorough review of the game footage, AI data, and all gathered material, a decision has been reached!”

The crowd went silent; a needle drop could have been heard from the far side of the Empire. “The victor and undisputed champion of the 2102 Grand Imperial Tribute…The Iron Maiden!

“This is bullshit, Sarge.” Eyrn muttered under her breath, as she tried to look indignant while standing next to Iron Maiden as the award for first place was given.

“Quiet.” Darren hissed from his perch on the palm of her outstretched hand.

“A draw is a draw, two dead combatants’ means nobody won.” Eyrn whispered once more. The roar of the crowd was covering her words from reaching anyone else’s ears.

“It’s over, she won, drop it.” It had come down to style over fatality, since both players had been reduced to zero health. Iron Maiden had scored a slightly higher score than Darren, giving her the victory by the skin of her teeth. Darren was disappointed, but in good spirits about it.

He had given it his all, gone toe to toe with the best they had to throw at him, and with very little previous experience he had proven he was the second best Tol-Bot Player in the known universe. Tol-Bot, their sport, and he was better than every Titan in the known universe save one.

By land, sea, air, in the cold depth of the vacuum of outer space, and in fair combat where size was taken off the table, he was good enough to press their champion to the outer limits of her skills. Darren was proud, he had accomplished all he had set out to do, and felt damn good about it.

“I still think it’s bull.” Eyrn huffed.

“Can it, Eyrn.” Darren smiled diplomatically as the announcer lifted Iron Maiden’s arm up, and a roar of cheers and acclaim erupted throughout the arena once more.

The mood in the arena suddenly went quiet, as the bright hot lights that were baking Darren, Eyrn and Iron Maiden shifted from them to a small entrance generally reserved for the players themselves. Loud trumpets sounded, drums began to beat and all who were still standing rose to their feet.

There was no procession, no red carpet, just two titans walking slowly out from the grand gate. His Imperial Majesty Tiernan ColVanos, fourth of that name, Emperor of Archavia and All Its Possessions; and his wife, Her Imperial Majesty Rajenlif ColVanos XVI, High Dronung and Queen of Juntueim, made their way to the center arena, in the customary tradition, to congratulate the champion on her victory.

As the Emperor and Empress passed, everyone in the arena began to fall to their knees in respect. The announcer, even Iron Maiden bowed to one knee when Tiernan and Rajenlif stood before her.
“Eyrn…kneel you fool!” Darren muttered quietly, to the defiant human raised Titan who was the only one in the arena left standing.

“Why, what good have they done? Why should I bow to the people responsible for enslaving all of humanity?” Eyrn whispered quietly to Darren.

“I will kick your ass I swear to God, kneel!” Darren insisted, already on one knee himself. “When the ruler of the known galaxy stands before you, it’s customary to kneel!”

As Darren and Eyrn quietly argued, Tiernan and Rajenlif in turn congratulated Iron Maiden on her record breaking sixth title, Tiernan himself pinned the golden crest on Iron Maiden’s armor. There were few words spoken between them of course, as even in victory Iron Maiden remained strictly in character.

“Citizens of the Empire, I present to you your champion!” Tiernan shouted, and the solemn crowd roared once more in acclaim.

Eyrn, had still refused to bow, however all eyes were on Iron Maiden, so few took notice.

When the cheering had died down and silence had once again. In an unexpected turn of events, Tiernan himself turned to face the runner up, who was standing on a lower platform off to the side as Iron Maiden, and approached the defiant young Titan.

“I’ve never much been a fan of formalities myself you know.” the tall, imposing man said in a friendly voice.

Eyrn felt a great deal different now that the Emperor himself was standing before her, focused on her, looking at her, speaking to her. She struggled for something to say, her words however abandoned her, so all she could manage was a dopey half smile and a bit of a shrug.

“You played an amazing game young man.” Tiernan turned to Darren, he made direct eye contact with him when he spoke. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a game as much as this. I hope this is not the end of your Tol-Bot Career?”

Darren was taken aback by the directness of the Emperor’s words, it almost seemed unreal, like a personal handshake from the President of the United States, only The Emperor of the known universe was a great deal more powerful.

“That all depends on the powers that be, your majesty.” Darren responded, respectfully.

Tiernan chuckled softly and nodded. “You worry about training for next year, I’ll worry about making sure next year happens, how about that?”

Darren grinned. “Sounds like a plan, sir!” Darren saluted, as he would his own commander-in-chief.

He was rather surprised when Tiernan ColVanos, Ruler of Archavia and all of its Possessions, saluted back.

“Congratulations, you fought with honor.” Empress Rajnlif, who had been standing beside her husband the whole time spoke once Tiernan was finished, and in an equally unexpected move, she leaned in close, and kissed Darren; a kiss on the cheek is a sign of respect among the Jotunn people, and not something that is given away freely.

“Why thank you ma’am.” Darren muttered sheepishly, and bowed.

***

The Award ceremony was as long and drawn out as both Darren and Eyrn could have expected. Both the human and titan halves of team Puppet Master haven’t felt much like sticking around to hear the crowd cheer on the victor. However tradition was tradition and Darren insisted on keeping up a strong front.

To say Eyrn was pleased to get back to the seclusion of her dressing room then was an understatement. “I just can’t wait to get out of this monkey suit for the last time Sarge!” The minuscule titan whined as they approached the door just past the media restricted zone.

“Last time?” Darren said with a stiff laugh. “calling it quits on me already?”

“Well its not like you ‘need’ me! Besides, everyone knows you are the power behind the throne now, what use is keeping up appearances?” Eyrn grumbled, eagerly tugging at her tightly up done hair.

“Well, I still need someone’s name on the application, or didcha forget?” Darren chuckled.

“Yea but why me? You can almost dress anyone up like this and get away with it. Doesn’t need to be me right?” Eyrn tugged at a few pins as they approached their dressing room.

“Well, I s’ppose it don’t.” Darren said offhandedly.

“You could ask Bedra, or Korie, or Loona!” Eyrn said with a grin.

“Right, the lady’d sabotage me first chance she got…that’s IF we could stop her from harassing the players! No, none of them would do.” Darren said with a grumble.

“I’m surprised you even wanna do this again, after that loaded gun of a match they handed Iron’Bitch, this whole organization is fixed.” Eyrn huffed.

“I dunknow…I had fun. Sides, don’t think…well…” Darren mumbled the next part.

“Sorry, didn’t catch that?” Eyrn asked as she pulled out another pin.

“I said…” Darren mumbled again, keeping his eyes downcast.

“Speak up, what’s a matter, cat gotcher tongue?” Eyrn laughed.

“Danget I said I wouldn’t want anyone else on my team but you! Gat-damn but you’re deaf, ya big dummie!” Darren cursed, crossing his arms tight and snorting for the preservation of his manhood.

Eyrn stopped dead in her tracks, partly because she has in fact arrived at her destination outside the dressing room, but also because there was no way she could ever pass up an opportunity to rib Darren for being sentimental.

“Awwwww! You’re so cute when you’re trying to be manly and serious!” Eyrn cooed.

“Quiet you!” Darren demanded with a huff.

“You appreciate me, that’s really nice to hear! Keep sweet talking me like this and I just might agree to do this next year!” Eyrn teased, with just enough sincerity to show she was in fact touched, though with just enough witt to keep Darren rightly annoyed.

“Second thought, you can be replaced ya know!” Darren huffed.

“Nope! You said it yourself? I am indispensable, and you couldn’t imagine ever teaming up with anyone else! Admit it, I’m awesome.”

“Suppose that Naskia girl’s got a nice rack, she’d be a sweet piece of eye candy. Bet the crowd would love her.” Darren mused.

“Oh right! She’s about as war ready as a scared kitten!” Eyrn laughed.

“Lezah Maris could be scary if she needed to be. Red hair like that…maybe Tol Bot runs in her fanily?” Darren teased.

Eyrn narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying Naskia Bass and Lezah Maris are more attractive than me!?”

Darren laughed and elbowed Eyrn in the neck. “Maybe, maybe not, but I bet they whine less!”

“Hey!” Eyrn yelped. “If you love the Maris sisters so much you can go live with them Mister!”

“Lezah does bake a mean pie…” Darren pondered.

“Jerk!” Eyrn belted, as she stepped into her dressing room.

“You stay,” the armor clad Iron Maiden ordered, and pointed to Darren. “You, out!” she ordered next, and dismissed Eyrn with a hand wave.

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, you know that lady!” Eyrn made a beeline for the reclining champion, whose visor even after the action was over masked any emotions that may have lay underneath, and left only the most intimidating, blank robotic stare in reply.

“Eyrn….” Darren said quickly, still sitting precariously on Eyrn’s shoulder, but the furious little titan woman did not appear to hear a word he said.

“You have the nerve to show up here after that bushwa you pulled? How did you get in here anyhow eh? I thought this was supposed to be a private area!? If you think I’m gonna leave you alone with him you’ve got another….”

Eyrn paused for a moment, as the Iron Maiden stood up, carefully, slowly, making no sudden movements, though the fluidity of her actions suggested she wasn’t exactly walking on egg shells. Silently she crossed her arms and angled her helmet down, watching the barely breast-height woman begin to back away.

“Oh…well…you are a tall one, aren’t you?” Eyrn, feeling suddenly far less braze, toned herself down, and instinctively reached for Darren, who like it or not was now in the relative safety of Eyrn’s palm.

“Eyrn….” he tried to protest, but even the Empire’s smallest titan was easily able to palm him completely.

“Look, the match is over okay, we don’t want any trouble.” Eyrn, feeling a more diplomatic approach was in order, kept the door in the corner of her eye as the Iron Maiden simply stood where she was.

“I’m not looking for trouble, I just want to speak with the Marionette.” The Maiden said, in what was likely the longest sentence either of them had ever heard out of her.

“How do I even know you’re the real Iron Maiden? I can’t just leave you alone with him, do you know how stupid that would be? Even if you are Iron Maiden, after what I just say lady, you’re the last one on Ear…in the universe I’d want to leave my friend here alone with!” Eyrn defended, gathering back a bit of her courage.

“Eyrn!” Darren shouted this time, his calm façade ebbing away.

“I’m not sure that choice is you’re to make, actually.” Replied Iron Maiden.

“Anything you can say in front of Marionette you can say in front of….”

“Eyrn Fitzgerald! Gat’damn-it don’t make me use your real name!” Darren bellowed, far louder than a human ever should be able to shout, then for good measure, bit Eyrn in the tender area between her thumb and forefinger.

“Hey!” Eyrn looked down suddenly, having felt Darren’s assault just enough to gather her attention where his shouting had failed to do.

“Go chase yourself!” Darren sighed as he wiggled in her protective grip.

“But….”

“Go on, me and Iron-Thighs over here have a few things to discuss.” Darren looked straight into the soulless visor that was watching their exchange, then back up to Eyrn’s wide, confused chocolate brown eyes.

“But…I can’t just….”

“Eyrn, this isn’t your call to make!” Darren said harshly.

Eyrn searched for something to say, she thought about perhaps taking offense to what Darren was suggesting, she almost wanted to plead with him to reconsider, she even pondered strong arming him and flat out refusing his request, but rather than all that, Eyrn did something that took far more courage. “I’m sorry…you’re right, you’re absolutely right.” Eyrn nodded, and gently placed Darren on the vanity.

“I’ll be nearby if you need me.” Eyrn said softly, looking down at her feet. Though as she passed Iron Maiden, she looked up at the silent black and green visor, and with narrowed eyes she grumbled. “Don’t take any wooden nickels, lay a hand on him and…well let’s just say I hope you like hospital food.” Eyrn smiled, a bitter and malicious one at that, then made a slow but respectful exit.

The room was quiet for a moment, Darren watched Eyrn leave, he swallowed the lump in his throat, and turned to his uninvited guest. “Well, you and me again eh bright eyes? So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

Iron Maiden was quiet, she took a seat in the comfortable looking chair that was normally reserved for the player, and leaned in resting both elbows on the table where the Marionette stood. She seemed to be watching him, studying him, that same blank, unreadable, soulless stare that had made her famous.

“Heh, you don’t entertain much do ya sweetheart?” Darren chuckled and shook his head.

“Your friend is very…spirited.” She said at last. Though Darren had picked up since she had begun talking when they entered the room, her voice had lost its robotic tin sound – well, most of it – and was slightly deeper now, though still feminine, in what he would call a contralto voice had she been human, and a bit smaller.

“Don’t mind her, she’s got a thing against your people.” Darren shrugged.

“My people?” Maiden asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Yea, well, I assume you’re a Titan under that tin-man suit.” Darren stated, and motioned to her, while fishing around in his clown suit pocket for something.

Iron Maiden nodded in acknowledgment, or perhaps in agreement, Darren wasn’t sure.

“Why?” Maiden asked next.

“I dunknow, something about the enslavement and torture of the race that raised her. I mean, I’m no shrink lady, she may have other issues too, but that’s gotta be a big part of it.” Darren shrugged, though only for dramatic effect.

Iron Maiden nodded.

“Look, I gotta be honest Galatea, I’m normally good at reading people, but you’re closed tight as a can’a sardines. So what’s the deal? I’m sure you didn’t come to talk about the kid, and you don’t seem like the sort who likes idle prattle either.” Darren pulled a long, thick cigar out of his pocket, bit off the end, spat it on the table, and searched his other pocket for a lighter. “What’s your deal?”

Predictably, Iron Maiden said nothing. Carefully the masked titan stood. Darren lit his cigar and took a long drag, keeping his eyes on Iron Maiden, as she reached up to her neck, and in a move that surprised Darren absolutely and completely, she removed her helmet.

Darren eyed the face that appeared under the mask and shifted his cigar to the corner of his mouth, like a chimney he exhaled a waft of smoke and narrowed his eyes in curiosity.

The first thing Darren took notice of was the long thick braids of black hair that came pouring out of the helmet, each braid woven tightly together right down to the scalp. Her eyes were a pale green, and she had surprisingly soft pink skin. She carried a neat rounded chin, slightly bushy eyebrows, and thick full red lips, in the center of her face was a modest, if not a bit pointed nose, but nothing overly comical that stood our or drew attention. All in all, under the mask, Iron Maiden was in fact both a titan, and a female, and even though her hair was wet and her braids were slightly frizzy from the helmet, and she looked as if she could use a nap and a shower, she was all things considered, quite attractive.

“Well I’ll be, so I guess you ain’t no robot after all!”

The titan placed her helmet on the table, a short distance from Darren, and sat back down in order to lessen the alarming height disparity between them as best she could. “I don’t even remember when they started calling me that, it was long before I added the voice. It is amazing how these things take on a life of their own.”

Darren was more interested in the helmet than the woman, at least for a brief moment. It was a strange sensation, but as he looked at the helmet on the table beside him, it was almost as if the Iron Maiden was there, lifeless beside him, and the woman who sat before him a whole new entity, strange, unknown and as mysterious the Maiden had been before. The sullen, soulless gaze of the helmet was more familiar to him than whomever it was talking to him now.

“I s’ppose.” Darren eyed her still, as if attempting to read the now vulnerable woman, something he had wanted to do since the moment he lay eyes on her from across the arena.

“Sorry, I guess I should introduce myself?” The titan nodded formally, but her smile leavened the motion. “My name’s Rixie Tam, and I came here, if you haven’t guessed already, because I wanted to meet you…in person…masks off.” Rixie said, with what actually appeared to be a hint of nervousness; Darren himself was mildly amazed considering the stern, cold-hearted persona she had given off in the ring.

“Trixie, heh…that’s a new one.” Darren grinned. “Darren Avery, pleasure to see the soldier behind the mask.”

“Soldier?” Rixie asked, with a curious tilt of her head. “I’m sorry, why would you assume I am a soldier?”

Darren chuckled softly and exhaled a steady stream of smoke. “We can always recognize our own, no gat’dang civilian fights like that, I knew you were something serious the first time I watched you play. You ain’t like the rest, you play for keeps. You’re a soldier or I’ll eat my hat, with or without Barbecue sauce too!”

“Well, today’s your lucky day, no hat on the menu for you.” Rixie laughed, and sat back in the chair, allowing it to spin just a little.

“The machine can laugh too, Christ I don’t know my heart can take any more of these surprises Trixie!”

The titan sighed and sunk into her chair just a little, she shielded her eyes with her hand, as if trying to block out the sun, and shook her head slowly. “I wish I could take credit for half of what Iron Maiden has become, but the truth of the matter is most of what she is today just sort of happened!”

Darren sent Rixie a skeptical look and crossed his arms. “Are you trying to tell me the champ herself was an accident?”

“I didn’t say that!” Rixie shot back defensively, but with a sliver of humor as well. “I just…okay well it happened like this…by the way none of this leaves this room, understood?”

Darren nodded, “Scouts honor, I’ll take it to my grave.”

“Not even your friend, nobody.”

“To my last breath and beyond.” Darren chuckled.

“I was never any good at coming up with this ‘player persona’ thing. I tried a few things before Maiden, and it never worked out.” Rixie shrugged and shook her head hopelessly. “Numbers, logistics, strategy, warfare, that all makes sense to me. But drama? Theatrics, pandering to the crowd?” Rixie’s face twisted into a confused look and she shook her head.

“Might as well be Greek?” Darren asked.

“Eh?”

“Never mind, go on.”

“Well, as I was saying, I tried a few different things before Maiden, but I could never get off the ground. Everything felt goofy, forced or just awkward. So one day I just decided to put on the AMBO issued combat armor, and made that my ‘costume’. With the mask on, nobody could read my face, I didn’t have to worry about all those eyes on me, I was free to focus on the game. In fact, it helped focus me more than I could have hoped.” Rixie smiled a little, then leaned in a little looking to Darren.

“So, all that heartless bitch stuff just sortta happened?” Asked Darren.

“Heh, honestly yes. People started calling me, ‘the Metal Woman’, then that somehow became Iron Lady, and eventually Iron Maiden. When you have no facial expressions, people naturally assume the worst, and my early suites had poor acoustics so nobody would ever head a gorram thing I said, not my fault they assumed the worst.” Rixie shrugged.

“A helpless victim of circumstance eh?” Darren said sarcastically.

“Well, okay I admit I didn’t do anything to debunk the rumors…eventually I started enjoying the mystique that came with Iron Maiden, so yeah I played along.”

Darren took a while to digest Rixie’s story, or perhaps just to enjoy his well-earned cigar. Either way it was a while before he looked up with a response to the green eyed titan’s story.

“I’ll believe it.” Darren said at last with a shrug. “Still don’t explain why you were so eager to meet me though. Figured you’d’a had enough of me in the ring.”

Rixie shook her head and sat back on the chair once again, she postured herself in a bit of a relaxed position and watched the little Sergeant as he studied her. “Why does that surprise you?”

“Dunknow, just does. You’re forgetting, all I know is the mask, all this is new to me. Can’t blame me for getting the wrong impression, right?”

“I suppose not.” Rixie admitted, nodding. “Look, I get a little competitive in the ring, I suppose you could have taken that as a slight against you, truth is it’s quite the opposite in fact.”

“Is it now?” Darren shifted his weight, his voice rose just a little and his lips curled into an amused grin.

“Yes, really. I get very…well let’s called it tunnel vision, when I’m in the ring. It sometimes feels like I’m alone, just me and my opponent, I don’t hear the crowd, I don’t see the Diatiti, I don’t hear the droning of the AI, I just see me, and my opponent. I’ve been known to get a little…fierce when pressed to the line, but Sargent Avery that’s just the thing…I don’t get pressed to the line very often…if ever.” Rixie sat up and crossed her arms on the table, resting her chin on them to get a closer look at the small human before her.

“Sergeant Avery, you had me on the ropes…I’ve never been so…so…angry…so…vengeful…so…absolutely exhilarated, I’ve never felt so in the moment in all my career. I’m sorry, maybe I acted a little unprofessional, but that’s only because you put up such a fight, that for a moment I forgot it was only a game.” Rixie sat back and smile. “I can’t remember the last time that happened.”

“And you’re surprised that a human, of all the species in the galaxy was the one to do it?” Darren asked, though he may have had all the reason in the world to do so with ire, in truth he did so with earnest curiosity.

“Not at all, I know you’ve not much reason to believe anyone when they say this, but your species never came into the picture, at least not for me. Look, I’ll get into why later, let’s just say I’ve had my eyes opened a while back.” Rixie chuckled, now was not the time to bring up her past, though she was sure Darren would love to hear about it.

“Eh, at this point in the game sweet-heart I’ll believe just about anything. But put a tag on this ‘cuz something tells me you got some answers a couple people I know back home have been after for a few years now, namely about a couple disappearances of a classified nature.” Darren laughed; an ironic half laugh really, even if he now knew the answer, there was nobody he could tell.

“Right, well, as I was saying…competitiveness is not the only reason I pushed a fifth round.”

“Oh?” Darren was pulled out of his train of thought and looked suddenly with renewed interest.

“I knew more than anyone that match was stacked in my favor, I didn’t see a scenario where I could have won had I been in your shoes, and no offence intended, there wasn’t one you could have pulled off either. Had I won, it would have been unfair, a slaughter really. So I made it look as real as I could, I deliberated, I held back, threw just as much at you to make it look like I had you on the ropes.” Rixie’s tone turned bitter, her eyes narrowed, it was as though she was talking to the match officials themselves, even though they were not present. “I played their game…gave the people a show that would knock them off their feet.”

“Heh, so you were playing me as bad as they were eh?” Darren sighed, it almost seemed too good to be true, to believe he had accomplished something.

“Well, it may seem like that, but no. We needed a fifth round. Something to put us on a level field, something not even AMBO could use to their advantage….”

“But, you knew if we squared off, you’d flatten me like a Mexican roach.” Darren said, unsure what she was getting at.

“Well….” Rixie’s scowl turned to a grin and she re adjusted herself in the chair.

“You knew…”

“Knew? Sergeant Avery, it was my idea to begin with.” Rixie said with a wink – which was not an especially common move for a Titan.

“Clever, gat gang but…wait…you’d of needed a hell of a big connection to pull that off…who’d you have on your side that AMBO didn’t?” Asked Darren, the cogs in his head racing to figure it out before she told him.

“You’ve met my employer; she has the means to acquire things other’s don’t. I only needed her influence, and a little bit of her money, I’m not letting her take credit for this one, so don’t you go running off singing her praises! This one was all me!”

“Ok, lemme see if I got this all, you knew the match was fixed…even though it was supposed to be a randomly generated do-hicky…had the foreknowledge to set all this up, then KNEW I wouldn’t be able’t win, even though you had no idea what the cards would be, just so you could face off against me one on one?”

“I didn’t have to have inside connections to know AMBO would never play by the rules. Don’t get me wrong, I hoped, but…there are a lot of good people on that board, unfortunately there are also a lot of scum too…I was willing to bet my life savings they would pull something like that, and I wasn’t wrong.” Rixie said.

“How’d you know I wouldn’t come about and school you in combat?” Darren asked with a narrowed brow.

“I didn’t.”

“So, you gave up a sure win, for a chance at square odds?”

Rixie nodded.

“Heh.” Darren shook his head and sighed. “I wonder if I was better not knowing…was simpler then.”

“I had no idea you’d do so well with all the odds against you. I was prepared for a much easier win in the cataclysm, in fact I was a little worried how I would pull off a tie to be honest…I don’t think you understand what happened back there Sergeant Avery. Had they even leveled the field by just a little, you would have won. I’ve won games that seemed impossible, I’ve come back from near loss, but I’ve never pulled off what you did back there. I was prepared to hand you a tie, but you fought for it…with more ferocity than anyone I’ve seen in all my years.”

“So, that explains the table flip kamikaze hissie fit?” Darren asked, with a chuckle.

Rixie grinned. “Like I said before, I don’t remember the last time anyone was able to get to me like that. I don’t lose my composure very often Sergeant Avery…so take that as a compliment.”

Darren cleaned the end of his cigar and butted out the heat before tucking it back into the pocket of his clown suit. He had hoped it would have been his victory celebration, all things considered he had won significantly more than he had lost going in to the tournament, still not nearly as much as he had hoped, and not nearly as much as he had lost upon choosing to company Eyrn on this wild adventure into the unknown in the first place. Still, earning the respect of so many, who had previously thought him nothing more than a pet, was nothing to scoff at. He wouldn’t change every mind, maybe not all the ones that mattered, but there would be a few, and in the end a small keystone sometimes had a much larger effect in the bigger picture.

“So, I assume your ’employer’ told ya all about me?” Darren motioned up to Rixie. “You seem’t know a lot more about me than I do about you.”

Rixie shook her head. “Actually my employer hardly breathed a word about you, she has had a lot on her plate as of late. She asked me for some analysis of you based on your play, and I was able to add to that a bit; I’m pretty sure I’ve heard everything there is to tell from a friend of yours aboard the Gyfjon.” Rixie said with a smile. “She had quite a lot to say actually, truthfully I feel like I’ve known you for years thanks to Corporal Ibanez.”

Darren out right laughed and slapped his knee. “Gat’dang, Izzy never could keep her mouth shut! Not surprised she’s got her nose in this somehow; if there’s anything can be said about Ibanez it’s that she can’t keep her nose outta everyone else’s business! Ha, small universe indeed. How the hell’d you come across her anyhow?”

***
Eyrn walked down the corridor to the players’ lounge, of course it was empty at this point, most of the players had gone home, unmasked and joined the audience, or just vanished into the night, never to appear until the next Tol-Bot season began. Everyone was now off living their normal lives, as office clerks, shuttle pilots, sanitation engineers, from the center of the universe back to the mundane shuffle of everyday life.

There however was no career for Eyrn to go back to, no job offers lined up, and now that Darren had been revealed as the true player, very little for her to do but bend back in to what she had left behind, which wasn’t a whole lot.

Bedra had her job, Degu had the tribe, Darren had next season to train for, even Tapp had her new friends, dresses, shirts and designs to sew. Aisell had the tribe, her sisters, and her insatiable wanderlust. Eyrn only seemed to have bits and pieces of everyone else life, but nothing to call her own.

She flopped down on a large round cough that was in the center of the players’ lounge. Her and Darren had often avoided this room during the heat of the tournament, for different reasons of course. It was a loud place, where masked competitors sized one another up, now just an empty room.

“Care for a drink?” A voice startled Eyrn, nearly causing her to fall off the couch she had perched herself on.

“Oh…sorry…I didn’t know anyone else was here!” Eyrn smiled sweetly, after gathering her composure once more. There was a man behind the bar, who looked to be cleaning up as he was packing a few things away in a crate.

“I’ve most of the good stuff packed, but I always like to keep a little something open, just in case.” The aging man said with a ring in his voice, and pulled a funny looking blue bottle out from behind the counter.

“Actually, I could use a drink.” Eyrn said, releasing her pent of frustrations in the form of a long exasperated sigh, and a warm smile.

“You did well out there you know.” The man said as he searched for a glass. He had a gravelly voice, thin willowy features and a warm gentleness to him.

“I appreciate that, but I think you mean The Marionette did well out there.” Eyrn corrected the man, and closed the gap between them, taking a seat by the bar.

“Hmmm….is that what I said?” The man stopped for a moment and pondered to himself, tapping his chin with his finger. “Could of sworn it was you I was referring to young lady.” The old man smiled, then went back to hunting for a glass.

“Heh, not sure that I did much to merit a congratulations, but thanks, I guess.” Eyrn rolled her eyes, then crossed her arms over the counter and let her head rest on them like a pillow.

“Don’t count yourself short.” The old man said, with not so much as the slightest inclination that what he had said was meant to be taken as a pun or not. After finding a glass, the man poured a thick fizzy blue liquid into it and slid it towards the Puppet Master, who’s hair was a mess, but still looked enough like her persona to be recognizable.

“Thanks.” Eyrn smiled halfheartedly and rose the glass in a quick cheer motion.

“Far as I see it, there isn’t many folks around today who would make a stand like you did. Standing against an entire institution, an old foggy bunch like this, set in their ways? Took courage to pull that off you know.” The old man went back to packing up his belongings, though keeping an ear to Eyrn.

“Again, I believe that was the Marionette who did all that…revolution…bravery…revolutionary stuff…I was just a platform for him to stand on so people could see him.” Eyrn smiled weakly and took another drink.

“Marionette had to do what he did; there wasn’t any choice for him. That does take bravery, but what else did he have to choose from? Live or die, submit or rebel? You came from a position of comfort, security, and safety and opened yourself up to ridicule, and criticism. That takes gumption, to stand against an entire empire?”

“I hardly think I stood against an entire EMPIRE, I just helped my friend play a game he otherwise wouldn’t have been able to play because of some stupid ass idea that his entire species are a bunch of dancing circus monkeys. It isn’t revolutionary thinking it’s just logic.” Eyrn shrugged, then finished what was in her glass.

The old man was silent for a while; he put a few things away, then lifted the crate and placed it on the floor. “Just because a majority of people believe something is a certain way, doesn’t make it true. Your friend is lucky to have someone like you in his life. He could have all the talent in the universe at his disposal, and he just might at that, but without you he could never of made any of this happen. Now, I don’t know the man like you do, but I bet he’s mighty thankful, and I’m sure he recognizes all you’ve done for him, even if you don’t.”

Eyrn kept quiet, there wasn’t much she could say in response to that.

“So, what next? Got a job to go back to? Studying for something? Gonna be nice with no spotlights on you for a bit eh?” The man chuckled as he slid the crate across the room towards what appeared to be a storage pantry.

Eyrn huffed and shook her head. “Nope…I wish…but no, got a few little things going on, but nothing definite. Might take a few more courses here and there, but honestly, this is a lot more…universe than I am use to, and a whole lot more choices. I’m not used to having endless possibilities.” Eyrn shrugged and idly eyed her empty glass.

“Well, what do you like to do?” The man asked from the other room.

“Heh, I’ve never been asked that before, you know.” Eyrn laughed. “Never put much thought into it I guess.”

“Well, no time like the present.”

“I guess, I’ve always wanted to travel.” Eyrn said, wistfully.

“There you go, lots to see. The crystal caves of Fribbulus Xax, the submarine volcanoes of The Great Ocean, the subterranean jungle temples of Home-World-of-the-Avartle, the snow-capped mountains of Jutuneim.” The man came out of the pantry, and wiped his hands on his pants, then leaned over the bar and motioned to Eyrn. “Have you never been to any of these places?”

Eyrn shook her head.

“Well, it’s a good place to start!” The man laughed.

Eyrn smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Traveling costs money.”

The old man nodded. “That is true. Smart, talented, energetic young woman like you has to have the job offers lined up at her door!”

Eyrn laughed and shook her head. “Hardly!” She thought for a moment, then shrugged once more. “Well there are a lot of people hounding me for interviews, and one very persistent publishing company interested in my life story. I’ve never given it much thought though.”

The man nodded sagely. “You must have lived an interesting life so far if people want to write a book about it!”

“Heh, you’ve no idea.” Eyrn laughed.

“Well, why not?”

Eyrn opened her mouth to answer, then stopped and took a moment to think. Until now she had turned everyone away, ignored calls, and barricaded herself in everyone else world. Darren’s problems, Aisell’s problems, Bedra’s problems. It felt natural, the more she focused on everyone else’ lives the less she had to worry about her own. “I suppose I do have a lot to say, I’m sure I could fill a few pages at least eh?”

The man nodded. “With what you’ve experienced here at the Tribute at least, and who knows what secrets you’re holding on to from before that!”

Eyrn thought about it for a moment, the nodded. “I should get back to Marionette, god knows I can’t leave that man alone for ten minutes without him getting himself in to a whole heap of trouble!” Eyrn stood, and slid the glass back to the bar keep. “Thank you!”

The old man nodded and caught the glass. “Good luck young lady, and I hope to see you back here next year!”

Eyrn shrugged. “I don’t know who else he’s gonna get to stand on! At least no one as adorable as me!”

***
Darren and Rixie found they had no shortage of things to talk about, they in fact had a lot in common; both as soldiers, Tol-Bot players and the company the surrounded themselves in. When the conversation had come round once gain to Tol-Bot, and what they both had planned for next year, Darren was more than a little disappointed to learn that Iron Maiden would be retiring after her sixth Tribute Champion. Try as he may, there didn’t seem to be any way he could talk her out of it. This was a disappointment, because now Darren didn’t see much of a way he could swing back and school her properly in a fair match. Though she assured him many times, her retirement form the Grand Tribute and AMBO sponsored matches did not mean this would be the last time Iron Maiden stepped into a ring.

“As long as I get to square things with you, I suppose I can endorse this retirement.” Darren chuckled, shaking his head in disappointment.

“I’m stretched thin as it is Sargent Avery. With everything happening as it is, I think my priorities have shifted to bigger things.” Rixie reached down for her helmet, and held it under her arm. “And Iron Maiden can always make an appearance at the Champions’ Tourney, or a side match. I’d like to see her match up with the Marionette in a level match.”

Darren thought over her words, truthfully he had a few things he had to prioritize as well, he hadn’t even given Pryvani Tarsus’s offer a moment of thought with the excitement of the Tribute and all; though now that things were calming down, it had come back to the front of his mind.

“I hope you’ll take Pryvani’s offer to heart. I know it seems daunting, but you won’t be alone.” Rixie looked down, her look softened a little, and her eyes hid a dire sense of conviction.

Darren actually looked surprised for a moment, though the idea that people spoke behind his back was nothing new, on earth or Archavia. “She told you eh?”

“Told me? Heh, again Sergeant Avery, it was my idea.” Rixie frowned. “Why? Did she say it was hers? Oh gorram she always does this!” Rixie rolled her eyes; she seemed more annoyed than upset. “I am the one who insisted she consider you for the job, I had been thinking about it when I met Corporal Ibanez, she turned me down for the freedom to explore the galaxy, something about, ‘boldly going where no woman has gone before’?” Rixie shrugged.

Darren laughed, Izzy always did love Star Trek. “That’s Izzy for ya.” Darren shook his head. “I don’t know if I should be offended or not that you considered Ibanez before me.”

“I had wanted the two of you, if that helps.”

Darren nodded. “Well I didn’t have an answer for your boss and I don’t got one for you. I dunknow Trix, I’m a working man, I ain’t no politician, and I don’t know if G.I.Joe-ing in to save the day is my cup-o-tea.”

“Darren, by all means take as much time as you need. We are not asking for a decision right away. But, well, what we’ve done…to Avalon, to Earth, to the whole human race is not something any one titan can absolve themselves of…well…perhaps all but one. It is something my people will have to live with for as long as we are around as a species. We can never truly atone for what we’ve done, but…some of us want to help try.” Rixie looked at her helmet and then back to Darren. “It would be an honor to have you on my team for this, Sarge, I’ve fought you in the ring…I know how fierce you can be.”

Darren didn’t give Rixie much of an answer, there was a lot to think about, more was at stake than just his pride or even his future alone. “What is it you’re all hoping to accomplish with this colony anyway? I don’t get it, what are you even hoping to do?”

“Nothing but give them a back a piece of the life we took from them. We can’t change the past, but we can help change their future.”

Darren nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

Rixie nodded and flipped her helmet around so she could put it on. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

Darren watched Rixie put her helmet back on, and transform once again into the soulless automaton that was the Iron Maiden. As he watched her slip out of the room, Eyrn wasted no time in rushing over as soon as Iron Maiden was out and gone.

She wanted to know everything, she assaulted him with question after question, but Darren heard none of that. All he could think about was Avalon and Pryvani Tarsus offer. A chance to live among human beings once more, on a world built for him, in a city with buildings that were to scale, under normal gravity, surrounded by imperfect, flawed, human beings. Somewhere he would have purpose, the offer, while dangerous and not exactly glamorous, was extremely tempting.

“So? What does she look like!? Hello? Are you even listening!?” Eyrn said, almost shaking Darren when she leaned on the table.

Darren shook himself out of his trance and met Eyrn’s chocolate brown eyes. “Like a working gal, with a lot on her mind.” Darren grinned. “Come on Twat, let’s go home.”