Untitled--A Lost Memoir

[Ziona]

Introduction--I Am But A Ghost

Every person has a future. Every future has a fate. Every fate has a beginning and every fate has an end. That is what I have always thought. That is what I have always believed. That is what I have been taught.

My name is Aika Kurisawa and I am currently serving a lifetime of prison sentences, awaiting orders to be executed. I don�t fear death. I don�t fear prison. I don�t fear anything anymore. Prison will do that to you. For all I am concerned, I am already dead. I died long ago, when I was betrayed, taken from my home and thrown into this hell. I am dead to the world and the world is dead to me.

I am but a ghost to the world and this is my story. This is my memoir� A history of a ghost, moving through a world unaffected by my words, my whispers, my heart, my soul, my strength, my pain. I am a ghost and this is a story whispered for deaf ears. I am Aika Kurisawa and I am lost.

[Lord Borg]

Good job! I looked foward to reading more. This is a powerful opener!

[Ziona]

Chapter 1-- Destiny's Greeting

The door swished shut with a lonely sigh that spoke of years and decades of ghosts. For years and decades, lost souls had passed through this portal to another world, leaving behind families, lives, dreams and hopes. For years and decades, ghosts have let out final screams of agony and pain as they were forever extinguished and forgotten in the world.

As of May 21, 2374 another ghost passed through that portal. A ghost that would eventually be stamped out and forgotten in a scream of agony. Her name was Aika Kurisawa. She was thirty years old when she entered that hell. She left behind no family. She left behind no friends. But behind her, she left a trail of pain and suffering.

On May 21, 2374, Aika hesitated for a moment before she stepped across that threshold into a world that would hold her hostage for five years. She wanted to look back, but she couldn�t. She wanted to run, but she knew it would kill her. She wanted to die, yet she knew that she had a purpose yet. It wasn�t her time to die.

Chains held her hands before her, bound tightly. Her hands were numb, her throat was dry, her dark eyes shifted restlessly over her new surroundings. Her heart pounded, her pulse fluttered, her mind raced, turning thoughts upon thoughts over and over. Visions flashed before her eyes� her victims, their families.

�I don�t regret what I�ve done,� Aika whispered. �I don�t regret that I fought for what I believed was right,� She looked at the armed guards to her left and to her right. �I only regret that I was caught.�

With that she stepped forward, over the threshold and the doors closed behind her, shutting her out from the world.

* * *

It rained that night. It rained the next day. It rained for the next five years, the raindrops falling on Aika�s personal dream world. The fog rolled in every morning, numbing Aika�s mind to everything around her. Her dark, obsidian eyes faded to a dull grey. Her once strong body deteriorated to a frail shell, just like every criminal before her. Every one who entered this world became transparent, weak, pale. Anguish turned to hate� hate turned to despair� despair turned to emptiness� emptiness turned to her tomb.

�Even though you�re a criminal, you still have to live,� the guards kept telling her. Aika simply stared into their eyes, her haunting orbs tearing their souls to shreds.

�I die every minute I stay here,� She would whisper. �There is no hope. There is no light. There is only this tomb.�

No one came to visit Aika. No one cared. Her mother remained at a distance, denying her relationship to Aika. Her father was dead, long ago killed in a battle far away on a distant planet. Her only company was the tormented souls of her victims, constantly dancing circles around her at night, reveling in her capture.

Aika spent her nights awake. Aika spent her days half-asleep, in a trance that could not be broken by food, drink or violence. Slowly, day by day, she became less and less a person and more and more a corpse.

�At this rate, she won�t have to be executed,� was the common phrase accompanied by her passing. �She won�t live another month.�

But a month became a year. A year become two� and two become three. Each time, Aika became less and less while her fate drew nearer. The five year came and Destiny finally came, bearing a chance for freedom. And Aika greeted Destiny with the same soul shattering stare that she greeted all her adversaries.

�I have become what my victims have become�a ghost that haunts these corridors,� Aika had told Destiny.

�Then become a ghost and float through these walls� past that door. Something more important than you exists out there. It is your turn to become something more than this corpse that I see,� Destiny had told Aika. �Become what you have always wanted to be and then you will have peace. Then your victims will lie and rest. Then you will sleep soundly forever.�

Aika had simply nodded.

[Lord Borg]

Wow... thats all I can really say. Great work! Keep up the good work

[Ziona]

Chapter 2: Every Destiny Has A Beginning

At age five, Aika had witnessed the beating of her mother by her father. At age five, Aika�s father left, never to return until his death ten years later. Then he returned in a casket. At age five, Aika�s mother tried to drown herself in the ocean outside Sacramento. She did not succeed. At age five, Aika learned to trust no one and to bottle up anger inside.

At age ten, Aika�s mother was jobless and hooked on cocaine. At age ten, Aika dropped out of school to steal food for her mother. At age ten, Aika learned that violence was the only way to survive. At age ten, Aika tried to kill herself for the first time. She failed just like her mother said she would.

At age fifteen, Aika left her home and fled to San Francisco. At age fifteen, Aika met the rogue group that would eventually become her family. At age fifteen, Aika began her training as an assassin. At age fifteen, Aika�s father was killed in battle. She did not attend the funeral. She found out about his death ten years later.

The real story starts here with a fifteen-year-old Aika, living on her own in San Francisco, the base of Starfleet. The real story begins with a strange meeting between Aika and the then twenty-year-old William Martin. The story marks the beginning of the end for Aika Kurisawa.

* * *

�Hey!� A male voice called out, followed by the sound of running feet. Aika turned, her eyes scanning the crowd, a frown furrowing her youthful face. A male, dark haired, green eyed and skinny came running up to her. He stood close to six feet tall. He was much older than Aika. �Hey� I saw you back there.�

�So?� Aika asked, her dark eyes locked with his.

�My name is William Martin,� the boy held out his hand to Aika, who ignored it and continued to stare up at him. �What�s your name?�

�What does it matter?� Aika asked, turning on her heel to leave. William reached out and grabbed her arm.

�I�ve seen you around a lot,� William started. �I know you don�t have anywhere to live.�

�I live on my own,� She pulled away from his grasp. �I can take care of myself. I�ve been doing it for awhile now.�

�But you don�t have to,� He grabbed her arm again. �Just come with me. I think I have something that might interest you.�

Part of Aika was interesting in what it was this man was talking about. Part of Aika knew it was probably a trap and the best thing to do was to leave, as quickly as possible. But something the way the man watched her made her think twice. She hesitated but a few seconds before she nodded.

�Fine.�

William smiled a quick smile that disappeared as quickly as it appeared. He motioned for her to follow him down a dark alleyway. Aika followed cautiously, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. The air was silent, still, dead. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she followed William�s figure down the alleyway.

�I�ve been watching you for awhile,� William�s voice came from the darkness in front of her. �You�re just the type of person we need. You�re quiet, you�re small, you�re nearly undetectable.�

The sound of a door opening was accompanied by a rush of sound. Voices came from the doorway, accompanied by a bright beam of white light that made Aika squint and cover her eyes. William motioned for her to follow him down. Aika followed cautiously, closing the door behind her.

The door led to a basement of sorts. Within the basement were ten or fifteen men and women, dressed in various arrays of clothing. Five men in the corner were dressed in Starfleet uniforms and Aika shied away from the familiar clothing of the authority that she constantly lived in fear of.

�This,� William motioned to all the people in the basement, �is the Armed Liberation Forces.�

All the people in the room turned to stare at Aika and a silence fell over the room. Aika suddenly became aware that her exit was blocked by two tall men standing near the door. She was boxed in.

�Is this the girl you were talking about, Will?� A voice came from a corner of the room.

�Yes,� William kept his green eyes locked on Aika. �I think she will be of some use to us.�

�What if I don�t want to be of use to you?� Aika asked, gathering her wits and assessing her situation.

�You don�t really have a choice, girl,� A gruff voice commented from her left. �See, we�ve got you outnumbered and we�re armed.� Aika suddenly became aware that the men behind her, were, in fact armed with phasers of a type she had never seen before.

�Now,� William addressed her, �I still don�t know your name.� A smile crept across his lips and Aika watched him a moment. Logic began to take over and it seemed most important that she do what they asked her to do.

�Aika� Aika Kurisawa.�

�That wasn�t so hard was it?� William smiled. �Now, Aika. Let us discuss your future with this institution.�

Aika felt the men behind her push her forward, towards William, their weapons aimed and ready. Aika suddenly became aware that there was no way out of this situation. Whatever this Armed Liberation Force was, she was going to suddenly become a member.

[Lord Borg]

Good job. It's nice to see a dark side to the "paradise" earth is suppose to be. I look foward to reading more

[Ziona]

Chapter 3: What Have I Become

It was cold and windy on the roof where Aika was crouched, armed with her weapon and nightvision contacts in her eyes. She saw bodies as they moved through the Japanese style garden below her. She saw her target, stationed between a group of men and woman, all dressed in formal wear. He was wearing a Starfleet uniform. He was an easy target in all white, with the medals shining on his chest and neck.

A few swift movements brought Aika to the edge of the building where she laid on the tiled roof, positioning her old-styled weapon. She loaded the chamber with three bullets. If she missed three times, she would be dead. She didn't plan to miss and she didn't plan to die. Aika quickly popped the nightvision contacts out of her eyes and threw them over the roof. They exploded into two small, noiseless puffs of smoke.

"Are you in position, Eagle?" A voice came to her through her ear and Aika simply nodded, she dare not speak but her confirmation was seen through the scout positioned a few roofs away. "You have three shots and then run, run like hell." Aika nodded again, this time positioning herself to get a clean shot at the Commodore below her. She moved her gun, training it on the Commodore's left temple.

A sigh escaped her lips as she locked onto her target and fired.

* * *

A day later Aika found herself back at headquarters, a smiling Will looking down at her.

"Congradulations on your first assassination, Aika Kurisawa." Will offered her his hand and Aika shook it quickly. "For a few moments there we thought you'd been lost. You took a few shells to your back and head but you seem alright." Aika nodded again and sat up, feeling the sores along her back. "Luckily we have an ace medical team." William smiled. He turned and grabbed two flasks, handing one to Aika. He raised the flask and smiled at Aika. "To your long successful career as one of us, as an assasin."

Aika smiled and nodded before downing the contents of the flask. The alcohol burned down her throat but she didn't mind. It tasted good and it tasted sharp, just like she liked it. This would eventually become her poison, the one thing that could drown out any pain or anguish, any failure or success.

And Aika, through her years had many pains and many anguishes, many failures and many more successes. She would become one of the best, most deadly assasins Starfleet would have to put up with. And eventually she would trump all, take out what she felt was wrong and then find freedom. All this would be done within time and with Destiny's guiding hand. Aika would become what no one had become before... a thorn in Starfleet's side that was silenced by her own hand.