Plain Jane Ch. 12

"It's her plane Major, she can do what she wants," Rachel said hotly.

Jumping to the ground Jane said, "And this is my property so what right do you have to try and tell me to go somewhere else?" She got into his face and said, "If I were you I would pick a direction and start running Major before I make it home and to the fifty cal."

"You wouldn't shoot me Jane and we both know it."

"She may not but I will," Lisa said as she got out behind Jane.

"Just say the word Mistress," Margaret said getting out with the shotgun. Behind her were Rachel and Carla with the two rifles.

"Come with me," Jane commanded and turned towards the house. She hated the idea of walking barefoot down the runway more than she hated being nude before all the solders. She tried to ignore every time she stepped on a sharp piece of rubble and glass. By the time she passed the car pushed off to one side she knew she was leaving bloody foot prints. "What is the idea closing off my airspace?"

"To keep the press out," he replied.

"Fine but once we identified ourselves you should have shut up. Second question, what the fuck is the army doing here?"

"They are here to repair the house and runway Dr. Brown."

Jane stopped and looked around, "Well they are doing a piss poor job." She looked at the others and said, "Tina, will you explain to this gentleman that I want my jet repaired and runway fixed first. I want a timeline for completion." She looked at him, "We will work on the house ourselves so it and the forge is off limits."

"Jane, I didn't break your dolly so please don't keep kicking me."

"Major, you were in the air and didn't see or be responsible for all this destruction, I was and am. So if I seem a little testy it is because I killed those men by my actions. not you... not the girls... me... don't you understand!" Jane looked at Mary, "I wanted to save lives but look how it ended up..." She looked away, "Fuck me... fuck me twice

Mary saw Jane in a new light then and realized her lover, Mistress, and friend needed her support. Moving forward she said, "Could you give us some time?" The others continued to the house leaving her, the military man, Lisa and Susan behind. She looked at the two younger women and said softly, "Please sisters." They too continued walking to the house. She looked at the man and said softly, "Major, please... five minutes is all I ask."

"Okay," he finally said looking at the woman and then Jane. "If you need me I will be over there," he pointed off to the side where the runway was chewed up.

Nodding Mary took Jane's unresisting hand in hers and led her over to the edge of the runway. "Sister, you must listen to me." She pulled Jane down until they were kneeling and facing each other. "Jane look at me." When the woman met her eyes she saw how broken her Mistress was. Reaching forward she took Janes hands in hers, "Remember at the hospital when you sat at the edge of the bed. You said something to me. Remember?"

"I said I would make it right. If it took me all my life I would make it right," Jane said. "I didn't understand the cost..."

"Knowing the cost, would you have not tried to make it right?" Mary paused a moment and continued. "Jane, I need you to listen to me and understand. "We, each of us have paid a price getting to this point. It is not all your fault as you say. My greed allowed me to turn a blind eye at what was coming. I knew Jack had something going on...I knew he thought there was a terrorist cell in this town. I knew it had to be you, I could have spoken up while we were alone but didn't. So part of the price you paid was my own fault."

When Jane still didn't reply Mary continued, "Look at the man over there. He pulled the trigger, he killed those men. Don't cheapen his love by wallowing in self-pity." Just like she had to do with Sharon when she came home crying because of some boy or snide remark she overheard Mary knew what she had to do. However, knowing and acting are two different things. She let go of one of Jane's hands and slapped her as hard as she could.

The force of Mary's slap knocked her over and Jane looked up at her stunned speechless.

"Jane Brown, you will get over this crap this instant. Your friends and lovers need you to be strong. Do you want this family to fall apart? Well do you?" Mary said harshly.

"No," Jane replied getting up and rubbing her cheek.

"Well then quit whining and get a grip." Mary said.

She dropped her eyes and said, "As you command Mary."

"Oh hell no you did not just say that Jane. I am not your Mistress and damn sure will not ride heard on my sisters for you. You rode this pony not me. I am just a woman who is tired of seeing her Mistress, friend and lover wallow in self-pity instead of trying to see this kind of thing doesn't happen again." Mary stood and looked down at Jane. "When you decide what you want to do let us, your slaves know." She looked towards the man and said, "She's all yours."

Jane watched Mary walk towards the house and then at the man, "Well shit." As he walked over to her she got up and added, "So how do I make it right?"

"Well first off, tell dead eye dick to quit throwing shit on the internet. Not only does she make you look like a raving lunatic but she is making it worse. The official line is a training exercise that went horribly wrong. Let the PR guys do their thing. At some point you will have to make a statement about your part of the mess but until then keep a low profile." He paused and then added, "You have to come up with something, anything, to placate the powers that be."

"Which powers? DOD? Homeland? That asshole Dr. Mann? Tell me which master holds the leash." Jane countered.

"That asshole has done more to protect you than anyone here. You have no idea the hoops he has had to jump through to keep you free and safe." He said. "While he may have deserved the rant you gave him. He didn't need his life and career flushed down the toilet in the process." Looking towards the house and Lisa walking back holding some clothing he added, "You must come up with something for him to show the ones who want all our scalps that all this was worth killing each other for."

"Okay..." Jane said softly. She looked back up the runway and added, "Can you see about getting my jet fixed in the process? Somehow I think I am going to need it to fly back to Washington."

"Leave everything to me," he replied looking at the jet.

Going to the house she stopped and looked around before entering. Jane stopped in the foyer and said, "I need some shoes before I track blood into the living room. She sat on the floor and pulled a foot towards her to look at it. To her surprise, other than a few small cuts her foot was fine. She looked at her other foot and found other than a little blood, it was fine. "What the fuck?" she asked softly. Returning her attention to the first foot, Jane noticed the cuts were now gone.

"How bad are they Mistress," Susan asked hurrying in.

"Just bloody," Jane replied. "Can you grab some paper towels and Hydrogen peroxide?"

Mary ran in with a pair of her pumps and said, "Here you go Mistress."

"Thank you dear," Jane replied setting them down. She raised her voice and said, "I need Kimmy while the rest of you need to clean up this house."

Kim hurried in and knelt before her, "How may I serve you Mistress?"

When Susan returned with the paper towels and hydrogen peroxide Jane took them and said, "Susan I want you girls properly dressed. See about something for your sisters who don't have yummy latex or corsets to wear." Once she was alone with Kimmy, Jane sprayed the bottom of one bloody foot and wiped it with a paper towel. "Kimmy, look... the cuts healed themselves."

Kim looked at Mistress's foot and then the other one. She cleaned it and like the first it was wound free. "What does it mean Mistress?"

"It means Kimmy needs to get dressed properly and then for you to meet me in the lab." Jane said. She slipped her pumps on and ignoring the blood trail went down to her lab. Sitting on the stool she opened the nanite program to see what she actually programmed the nanites to do.

By the time Kimmy made it down to the lab dressed in a corset stockings and high heels, Jane realized the mistake she had made. She looked at the girl who had pink makeup on, her hair in pigtails and long pink nails and said, "Now my Kimmy looks complete." Turning back to the program she walked the girl through the process of programing the nanites. Then she walked her through what she had done in an attempt to heal herself. Leaning back Jane asked, "Can you see the mistake I made Kimmy?"

She looked at the program and then Jane, "Mistress may I preform an experiment before I commit myself?" At her Mistress's nod she looked around for something sharp and settled on a razor blade. Picking it up she took Jane's hand and made a little cut in her forearm. "Forgive me Mistress," she said as they watched blood well up. In a matter of moments, the wound clotted and before their eyes closed completely. Returning to the computer Kim looked at the programming again.

Finally, after five or so minutes she looked up at Jane, "You left the programming open ending. The nanites are still working." She paused and then asked, "When did you last eat something?"

"I had coffee in the morning before the attack," Jane replied. "Why what are you thinking Kimmy?"

"Mistress, you told the program to fix you. You did not set a stop point or go into detail. My guess the nanites are optimizing your body."

"That's right Kimmy. If you were the chief researcher what would you do at this point?" Jane asked softly.

"If it were anyone else I would let it run its course." Kim replied. She looked at her Mistress and said, "Mistress, we must stop it now."

"No, we let it run Kimmy," Jane said finally. She leaned forward and told the computer to run the simulation to completion. When it was finished she frowned. "Kimberly Ann, not a word to your sisters."

She whimpered and nodded, "Yes Mistress." In a childlike voice she asked, "Jane, what is going to happen to us when..." she couldn't finish the question.

"Kimmy, do you trust me?" Jane asked

"You know I do."

She looked at the robot spinning slowly on the computer screen. Turning back, she looked at Kim, "Kim I don't know how it will end up. I don't know if I will lose me, my humanity. I know I will protect you girls until the ends of time. It will all work out baby girl." Jane pulled the girl into a long and loving embrace. "Now to the next problem. I had an idea about personal armor. What if we programmed the nanites to link in chains and weave themselves like cloth?"

"That might work..." Kim replied getting a faraway look in her eyes.

"Let's see how well you learned my lecture. Set it up," Jane said. She gestured for Kim to take the seat before the computer. As the girl worked Jane looked at her hands. They looked and felt real but other than that she didn't know. Suddenly she had a thought. She looked at her hands once more and pictured them with fire engine red nail polish. Slowly the nails changed into the color she had in her mind. "You're further along than I thought," she said softly.

"Thank you, Mistress. It's easy now that I understand." Kim replied not looking back at Jane. She typed in a few more commands and then asked, "How do I test it for impact damage?"

Jane moved up and said, "I never taught it about impacts. How about you go make us a couple sandwiches, tell Lisa I need her and Susan then come back. They should also know about..." Jane gestured towards the computer.

Kimmy nodded and with a little sob, ran from the lab. Turning to the computer Jane began teaching it how test for impact damage. She was lucky in that she only needed to worry about size, kinetic energy, speed and weight of the projectile at the moment of impact. Not turning she said, "Get up off the floor you two."

"You wanted to see us Mistress?" Susan asked.

She turned and looked at the pair. "What I have to say stays here. Understand?"

"Yes Jane," Lisa said. She knew something bad was coming by Kimmy's red eyes.

"Yes Mistress," Susan added after a look at Lisa.

"Lisa remember when it was only one vial? Kimmy and I figured out why and why I am still here." Jane said. She looked away, "I said for it to fix me. That's what it did and is still doing." She looked around and grabbed the blade Kim had used before. Not worrying about cleaning it she drew it across her arm before their eyes. Before she had finished the cut the far end was in the process of closing with just a hint of redness.

She turned away and said, "We don't dare stop it for fear of what it has already done. It would be like turning off a computer." She paused and then said, "It will kill me in the end...that much we know. I thought you two should know. So, when it happens you two can help your other sisters cope."

"Jane," Lisa said moving forward and turning her Mistress to face her. "When a pilot has an issue with the aircraft she doesn't keep it from everyone. She makes an announcement to the passengers so they can prepare for it in their own way."

"Yea panic," Susan replied dryly. "However I agree with Lisa, you owe it to the rest to tell them too. Or you could let us follow you down this path." She paused and then closed her eyes, "Where you go, we follow Dr. Brown." Opening them she held out her arm, "Do it Jane. Or I will on my own."

"Even if I say no?" Jane asked softly.

"Even if you said hell no," Kimmy replied holding a tray with two plates and glasses of milk. She came forward, "Mistress, I'll not stay behind."

"Lisa?" Jane asked.

"Mistress punish me because I would do the same the moment your back is turned." Lisa finally said looking down.

"Fine but after Kimmy and I eat. I need to know the weight, speed and kinetic energy delivered by each of the various weapons we own. The fifty with would be nice to start with." Jane looked at Kim, "If we can stop a fifty round anything lower would be stopped." As they turned to go Jane said, "You know you are asking me to kill each of you as much as putting a bullet in your head."

"Mistress... Dr. Brown, lay the facts out and then the choice is ours, not yours. If you rather you can go visit Tommy while we handle it." Susan said.

"Kimmy will come get you after we eat." Jane looked at Kim and smiled. Once they were alone and eating she asked, "Would you really do it on your own after I said no Kimmy?"

"Mistress, it would kill me inside to disobey you but yes I would." Kim replied looking down.

Jane shook her head and continued eating. After a moment she said softly, "That's what I would do in your place love."

It felt as if a load was lifted from her heart. While she talked big, Kim didn't think she could have really gone on with it. Now she had her Mistress's blessing. When they finished she asked, "Should I tell them to come down now?"

"Tell Susan and Lisa that I want the info first. Then see Carol, I want our two guests settled in their house while I talk to your sisters. This will be a family only meeting." Jane paused and then added, "Well family plus Mary and Joanna. Please grab your laptop so we can run the simulation of what happens in the end."

"As you command Mistress," Kim replied.

Just as she walked out Lisa came back with the numbers Jane wanted, "Mistress, here is what you wanted."

What she really wanted to do was go have a good cry. Instead Jane nodded, "Thank you Lisa."

"Jane, what can I do to make you feel better?" she suddenly asked.

"I'm fine dear," Jane smiled as she gave her a little smile. "How is the cleanup coming and how bad is the outside damaged?"

"Upstairs is cleaned and just a few holes here and there. The blacksmith shop is mostly charred." Lisa paused and came over to kneel with lowered head. She looked at the dried blood on the floor before her and sobbed softly.

"You and me both pet," Jane said softly. "While you and your sisters can cry, I must be strong." She paused and then as she inputted the information added, "It sucks to be the boss."

All she could do was sob softly. She wanted to tell her Mistress that it would be okay, but she knew better. She wanted to tell Jane that it would all work out but that also was false and finally she wanted to tell her she loved her but that would sound trite. So, instead Lisa kept quiet.

Ignoring Lisa crying on the floor Jane ran the first round. To stop a fifty, it would take a half inch thick mass of nanites. "Well shit," Jane said. "What if I shrunk the weave and added layers." She began working down and testing it. Finally, she found that if she made the weave like that of nylon cloth and rotated each layer by ten percent she could stop a fifty cal bullet with one eighth inch thickness total. "Lisa you need to get a grip on yourself. Go get me a nylon leotard and a large plastic trash bag."

She fought back her sniffles as she hurried out. When she returned Kimmy was talking to their Mistress excitedly. Lisa thought to herself, "At least something good is coming out of this mess." Aloud she said, "I have everything you asked for Mistress."

"Thank you Lisa," Jane replied. She turned back to Kimmy and said, "If your sisters are ready and the other two are distracted, I want to meet them down here while the test is running."

"As you command," Kimmy replied and hurried out with a big smile.

"Good news Mistress?" Lisa asked.

"Very good but not the type you are thinking of." Jane continued as she cleared a space on one of the counters and laid out the plastic bag and leotard. "We have a light weight, one eighth inch thick armor that will stop a fifty cal bullet." She looked at Lisa, "Kimmy and I already know how the other will end. Science doesn't lie Lisa."

"No Mistress," Lisa said feeling her heart break all over again.

Jane started the program to start creating the nanites and turned to the simulation she had set up to show what would happen to her. When she ran it showed the same metal woman as before but the metal disappeared and she showed up again. "What the fuck?" she asked aloud. She typed quickly and slowed down as it became clear to her. Had she been alone she would have told the others she made a mistake. "I don't suppose this can be our secret."

"No Mistress, I'm sorry."

"Even if I ordered you to?" Jane asked.

"The woman I fell in love with would never order me to do that. Have you gone that far away from humanity yet Jane?"

"Ouch..." Jane replied.

"Ouch what?" Susan asked coming in with Kimmy and the others.

"I stubbed my toe on an unmoving object." Jane replied. She waited until they were all kneeling she sat in front of them. "As you know I was gut shot in the process of retrieving a hard drive I foolishly buried in the sand." She looked at Joanna and said, "Of all the wounds you can receive being shot in the belly is the worst because the bullet tears through your bowl and fills your belly with everything you ate and the digestive enzymes. It throws you into septic shock and that is what kills you. I was dead and I knew it, even if I had been on an operating table five minutes later the odds against living are slim and none." Jane paused and looked at Tina, "That's why I told you to leave me."

"Instead of leaving me, I was carried back inside and dumped in the kitchen as the fight raged on." Jane paused and closed her eyes, "I had a foolish thought that the nanite program would save me. I hurt too much and knew I was dying so I just said fix me." Opening them she looked at her girls, "As you see it fixed me." She gave a short bark of laughter, "It fixed me good. With Kimmy's help we figured out how it fixed me. Let me show you." She ran the animation to its end and said. "There is an old saying in programing. It goes, garbage in, garbage out. The computer programmed the nanites to quote fix me unquote. Just those two words. If you were a machine, a very smart machine what would you do?" When no one answered Jane said, "Susan?"