Syber flinched as Razr brought the stone to his face once again.

"Hold still! I'm almost done." She said.

Syber closed his eyes as she dabbed away at the remaining plasma. He could hear the cores of the other three thrumming in the distance as they slept.

"I think I've got the worst of it cleaned up. You...you have a very handsomely forged face, Syber." Razr said.

At that, Syber felt his core jolt in surprise. His face grew hot with embarrassment as he gazed into her blazing yellow eyes.

"H..how old are you?" he blurted out, wishing to take it back as soon as he had said it.

Razr stopped for a moment and tilted her head, intently studying his face. The glow of the light crystal in the cave illuminated her sharply chiseled frame.

"I'm sorry it was a stupid question." Syber muttered.

"What?!...Oh!" Razr replied. "No, you're fine. I was just making sure there weren't any dents left. That is...Sixteen cycles. Me! I mean..."

"Oh..." Syber said. "I'm thirteen...Cycles I mean. Um...well...see, you ah...looked a little younger?..."

"I get that alot. I'm a scout, runner class. We're forged a little on the small side to give us the tactical advantage of speed."

Syber nodded, feeling the plasma rushing to his face. He tried to cover it with his hands so she wouldn't see the glow.

"Oh by Art'at I'm a mess." Syber said. "GACK! My...my mother told me I shouldn't swear like that."

"Well who says your mother is here to stop you?" Razr said with an impish grin. "And besides," She continued, "You look just fine to me."     

Syber swallowed hard and glanced over at the sleeping frames of Butch, Wicket, and Geist. He then sheepishly looked back at Razr and asked, "When does your shift on the watch end?"

"Hm? I don't know. Usually it ends when I get tired of hearing Wicket talking in his sleep. That way he's too tired by morning to cause too much trouble. It's unfortunate that we alternate shifts and I don't always get to be the one to wake him. It's always funny to see the look on his face when he realizes it's his turn." she replied.

"I haven't heard er..Wicket talking in his sleep yet. But I hope it will be awhile before you wake him up. So uh...why are you with these guys?" Syber said.

Razr narrowed her eyes. "I don't have a choice. I'd be helpless on my own. Everything was much better before... But now everything we worked so hard to build for ourselves has just...shattered beneath our feet. And it won't be long until the meat head starts dreaming. Then you can't do anything to shut him up without waking him up."

"What happened, before? I mean..." Syber started.

"The only one of us who'd be willing to explain is Geist, except he can't! He can't, because of what happened to him. The only reason Butch let Wicket come crawling back after that was because we had no choice. If the enemy teams snatched him up first, he'd spill anything just to spare his own plasma." Razr snapped.

Syber reached out a hand in an attempt to console her, but she swatted it away. Looking him in the eyes she said, "It doesn't work that way here. I am strong enough to handle this on my own. Don't you try and take this burden from me. The pain is all I have left of him, and I revel in it."

"Look, I just wanted to..."

"I don't need your help! What do you know, you're barely a child!"

"I'm sorry!" Syber whimpered, covering his face with his hands to block any potential blows.

"How would you know anything about us. You're just an underdweller. None of it matters anyway. I'm done here. You should get some sleep." She coldly replied.

"I...I didn't mean to upset you." Syber stated.

Razr narrowed her eyes. "Oh right, like you care. What would a scrap like you know of our ways up here. What even brought you to this cold, cruel dimension of reality of ours? Why leave the cushy underworld to bleed and die and suffer in pain while others laugh at your failures?"

"Razr..I..."

"Don't. You're too soft. If you're going to be one of us you have to toughen up. I suppose now is as good as any time to start your training if you insist on being such an imbecile. Lesson number one is we don't talk about our feelings. The real hurts that matter are the ones that can get you killed, like what Wicket did to your face. Focus on preventing those injuries verses worrying about upsetting someone. We all skib each other off at times. But we can't let that get in the way of being a semi-functional team." she replied.

"I'm sorry."

Razr glared at him. "What did I just tell you?"

"I'm sorry...I mean um...uh..." Syber stammered.

"Stand up and see if you can hit me." Razr said.

"But why?"

"This is your training. You do want to learn how to fight, now don't you?"

Syber awkwardly pulled himself up and shrugged. "Well, yeah. But why do I have to hit you? Aren't we on the same side?"

"The enemy isn't, and you can't hesitate like this. Now hit me." Razr said.

"Um... okay?" he said, half heartedly throwing out his left arm and aiming for her shoulder. She ducked, caught his hand, and used his weight to throw him to the ground.

"Ow! That hurt!" Syber yelped, picking himself up.

"Lesson number one, Syber. NEVER hold back." she snapped. "Now try again."

Syber widened his stance, bent his knees, and analyzed every inch of her position. The glow of the light crystal accentuated her frame and he was distracted for a moment by how unabashedly stunning she looked. She was so delicately forged it made him wonder how she had survived this long. He hesitated a moment, lowering his gaze and softening his stance. He didn't really want to hit her, after the kindness she had showed him by rescuing him from the others. And here she was, a model of perfection chiseled at its finest.

"I...You're beaut...I don't want to hit you!" Syber said.

"Look me in the eyes when you speak to me, soldier." she groaned.

"Can...can I not...I don't want to damage!..."

"You couldn't put a scratch on me if you tried. What's your problem?"

Syber swallowed hard. "I'd rather not spill your plasma here, because, well... would there be enough left for the forge?" He clamped his hands over his mouth just as he said it.

At that, Razr smacked him across the face.

"I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean to be so...well, you look so...um!..."

"Let me be very clear with you, Syber. You do NOT talk to your ranking superiors like that." she said, all friendliness long gone from her eyes. "Now get some sleep. Your training resumes tomorrow."

"But Wicket isn't talking in his sleep yet!" Syber protested.

"Pffft! What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well...you said you'd end your watch shift once you got tired of him talking in his sleep. And he hasn't even started yet. Why don't you...er...we...er you!...um..." he said.

"I'm going to sleep right now regardless of who takes the watch. And you aren't experienced enough. However, I'm sure Wicket would more than enjoy your company." she tersely shot back.

"Oh..."

Razr rolled her eyes. She then turned her back to him and leaned over Wicket's sleeping frame.

"Um Razr? I have a question." Syber said, lightly tapping her on the shoulder.

"What?!" She snapped in annoyance.

"Well, uh...um,... Why did Wicket try to kill me? I mean, It's not like I asked for it."

"You asked for it simply by being smaller and weaker than him. Which is why I'm trying to train you how to kick his carcass. Except you're not exactly warrior material." she said.

Syber lowered his eyes. "I'm not exactly underdweller material either. They think I'm too violent."

"Violent?" She chuckled. "If anything I'd say you were the least violent thing I've ever seen. You won't even hit a female two thirds your size."

Syber made an incoherent whimpering noise.

"Aw, you innocent little thing. We'll make an insurgent out of you yet." she said, stepping back towards him.

He smiled and his chest swelled with pride at her words. "I'll try my best, I suppose. If only for you."

"You have a long way to go." Razr said with an exasperated sigh.