Mark Vin stood right in the middle of the grand arena on Earth. The crowds cursed and booed at the man. He stared into the crowds and all he saw were faces of disgust and hatred in return.

"Quiet!" He yelled. His voice boomed across the arena, and it was silent.

"They didn't stop for you." A girl's voice rang behind him. Mark reacted immediately, drawing his pistol as he spun around and was now face to face with a white-haired girl. She had a mischievous smile and a graceful demeanor. "They stopped for me." She continued. The girl raised her fist and the crowd roared with passion, cheering. "This is what power without fear looks like, Vin." Mark Vin frowned to hide his confusion.

"Is this what you do?" He roared back to the crowd. "I made this universe rich! I created order! I am your savior! And this is what you do?" Vin felt a tear run down his pale face.

"Aw, that's so touching." The girl said in sarcasm. He turned to face her, again. "Too bad no one sees it that way." The ruler watched her form a fist and ready herself to strike. Vin pulled the trigger on his gun but only silence filled the air. it was gone, no longer was the cold steel in the comfort of his hands.

"Wait!"  Mark Vin exclaimed before she punched him. "Who are you?" He could hear the fear in his own voice. He didn't recognize himself. The girl smirked devilishly in return and said.

"Your worst nightmare." And struck him across his face.

Everything went black.

•••

Mark Vin awoke in his bed. Terrified of his nightmare. He calmed himself. As he took a deep breath he mentally prepared himself for his day.

"There will be those who won't see your vision. Those who don't understand and those who cannot comprehend." Vin took another breath. "But...in time; they will see." He didn't care for nightmares, but this was different. He tried to push it out of his mind but he couldn't help thinking about it: he saw flashes of the white-haired girl as if she was engraved into his mind's eye.

(Later)

"Sir you have 4 conferences, 3 interviews, and the public needs a definitive word from you on the event in Kantha. I believe we can use these interviews to have everyone see your view and reassure the people." His most trusted servant  X-14.M had briefed him. Vin didn't say anything. He was more at a loss for words. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"It's just that new skin Efman suited you with," Vin admitted. "It's eerily lifelike." He continued to walk down the perfectly lit corridor.

"You picked this out. Would you like me to change?" X-14.M followed.

"No, you just remind me of my wife...almost." Mark sniffed. X-14.M was no longer had the metallic-chrome body of a droid, with wires visible and blipping lights. Now it was fitted with a lifelike brown skin with long brown faux hair. The droid's outfit was simple: a blue long sleeve jacket, with tight black pants, a slanted belt tied the outfit together. But the most notable thing was that it was armed. A holster on its thigh boasted an energy pistol, and a metal band around the droid's wrist contained a hidden blade that could sprout out at her will. This was a strange phenomenon because Vin did not allow anyone or anything to come near him let alone armed with weapons. But X-14.M was special.

"Sir?" The automated voice of the drone dragged Mark out of thought. "Are you alright? Your patterns have changed from its usual format. If you are not feeling well: I could cancel all plans for today."

"No," Vin responded. "My mind was just...preoccupied on something."

X-14.M eyes flashed with code, "I just scheduled a session at a shooting range." You could hear the quiet whirring of the machine in the droid's head.

"Thank you," Vin said as they reached the end of the corridor.

"A customized Ryder, with voltic armor plates and tinted windows, awaits to take you to your first conference call. There are 4 guards, each armed with a 9mm beam energy pistol, the driver carries a hand blaster mark 2. Does this suit your standards, Mr.Vin?"

"Perfect, " Mark said at first. "Actually...take the blaster from the driver and accompany me to the conference."

"Yes, Mr.Vin." The two walked out of the penthouse onto the roof of the skyscraper, it revealed the stunning view of the Osiris skyline. The floating city-sections complimented the horizon.

The awesome planet of Osiris had a ring. To combat the constant hurdle of asteroids: domes have been constructed around mega-cities, connected by a system of tubes for Ryders and other vehicles. Another woe of the planet was its weak gravitational pull, which created flying Islands of land. The people of Osiris adapted by wearing heavy clothes and weights, the result of this: their unbelievable strength. Yet the main part of their culture was politics.

In fact, it was politics that brought Vin to this majestic planet. He knew the media and public image had entangled themselves into politics, so he figured an interview with representatives of an elite political college would be a good base to start off.

"Aye lass! You bloody lost it!" He heard the driver speak. "You think in giving up my weapon, for what?

"Because I said so." Vin's deep voice rang. The driver's eyes lit up in realization, then folded in to fear.

"By the sun! My apologies, mate-I mean sir!" He fumbled for his hand blaster mk. 2, gave it to X-14.M. "I'm sorry, lass."

"Listen to orders, next time."

"Right." He responded. "Can I get your name? I didn't see a woman with your authority on the detail."

"You will refer to me as X." X-14.M was used to this pattern, the droid was a ghost. To Vin; X was a secretary, advisor, bodyguard, emotional supporter, and news source, all in one. To rest of the world, it did not exist. "And it's in your best interest to not ask any further questions."

"Yes, ma'am." the diver nodded. Vin and his droid entered in the back of the Ryder. The 4 guards entered their own Ryders and drifted into the air, following Vin.

[LATER]

As the Ryder glided through the air, Vin contemplated his scenario, he sent unauthorized drones into a stadium during a brawl. As X had suggested he could sway the conversation towards his vision for the galaxy. To promote more of his Ideals. A prosperous galaxy, with the finest education system, police force, and entertainment. He wasn't too fond of the entertainment part but it triggered a memory.

~~~

She stood in the garden. Her brown hair flowed in tune with the wind, the sun touching her light caramel skin. She hummed an exotic tune but her voice made it sound calm and relaxing.

"I still don't understand why you spend so much time here." Vin stood in the garden coming from the house. With his black shirt tucked into his equally black pants, he looked out of place. The woman looked at him and laughed.

"You look so weird out of your armor." Her smile calmed him, it even made him smile as well. After a moment she sat down on the bench overlooking the bright garden, she tapped the empty space next to her. "Come, Adam," she said to Vin. He sat next to her, he muscular figure was hulking compared to her skeletal frame. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You see that?" She asked him.

"What?" Vin stared into the vegetation but saw nothing that caught his eye. "I do not see anything." The woman chuckled.

"The flowers are growing!" She said. "Don't they look amazing, Adam?" Vin gazed at the flowers. There were hues from the entire rainbow. Bright red roses, sharp blue violets, bursting yellow sunflowers.

"I still don't understand... they are just plants," Vin said.

"To you, they might be just plants, Adam, but to me: they are life. They are beautiful, diverse, living creatures. And they make me happy and calm. That's why I asked to move to earth, it's the only planet that can grow such majestic things." As his wife spoke, a butterfly landed on the follower close to them.

"I still don't..." Vin said.

"It's my form of entertainment, to most people it's the Gauntlet but to me its flowers, and I can't have these in some technology riddled city."

"Entertainment? But why?" Vin wanted to get a grasp but couldn't. "I feel like time should be spent on building better protection, and military, entertainment is a waste." He looked into her hazel eyes.

"You can be really stupid sometimes, Adam." she shook her head. "What's the point of having good protection, if you have nothing to protect. We as humans, enjoy things and we cherish the things we have. For example, I want to build a fence around the garden so animals won't trample on it." She explained to the man.

"I would obliterate anything that harms what you care about, Mesa Vin," Mark Said to his wife. In reaction, she laughed and hugged him.

"You're adorable, Adam!" Mesa sighed. "But you prove my point: there's no reason to have protection if there is nothing to protect, entertainment and the things we love are needed to survive as humans and that's what needs protection...do you understand me, Markus Adamos Vin?"

He knew she was serious when she used his full name, so he simply replied, "Yes."

~~~

"Sir," X tore Vin from his memory. "We have almost reached your destination." Vin, still dazed from his daydream, nodded silently. 2 of the 4 security Ryders dived down to the landing zone, and the guards came out with guns in hand, surveying the area for any threats. On the borders of the landing zones were the one and only press. Vin could see the flashes from cameras and he prepared himself as his Ryder descended with the other two guards. As he touched down the driver exited the car.

That was when X-14.M realized something thing was wrong, the droid reacted quickly: X kicked the door off and tackled Mark Vin out of the Ryder as it erupted into flames.

"Are you alright, sir?" X questioned.

"Yes, " Vin replied as he stood. As the crowd of press erupted, 2 of the 4 guards shot down the driver, 3 beams burst from each of their energy pistols. The press reacted with screams at first but then a torrent of flash photography and reporters trying to describe the situation. The 2 remaining guards surrounded Vin keeping their pistols aimed and ready, X was also keeping an eye on the crowd. The 3 led Vin into the sky-building safely as the press took photos, videos and any other forms of recording the event.

The 4 guards and X-14.M surrounded the supreme leader as they went through the building. Vin felt the shock from the event begin to settle in.

"Sir, are you sure your alright?" the droid spoke to him. "My scans show no physical damage has been done to you but your heart rate is rising."

"I said I'm fine, from now on: you will be my diver." He tried to reassure himself more than the droid.

"Yes, sir," X responded. "With the conference in possible jeopardy, I suggest the conference be canceled."

"No, the conference will go on, I believe that was the only move they were able to pull off," Vin said. "I'm not showing any weakness." The man walked down the corridor of the building.

The conference was being held on one of the many floating islands that dotted Osiris's landscape, It was properly named The Jade City due to its plethora of skyscrapers.

Vin arrived at the room of the conference, it was designed for view watching but the furniture was set up for a face to face interview. A grand, quite comfortable looking, onyx chair sat opposite to 3 chairs each filled with a member of Osiris's political college. The self-proclaimed Emperor of the Universe sat in his chair.

"Ah, welcome! My name is Jaque Storm, this is Deloria Swift, and that is Octavian Aniss-Grechet. We are the among the 10 elites of the Osiris Gand Political College, we received your message that you wanted to continue this conference despite the catastrophic event that just took place." A man with a clean-shaven face and midnight hair introduced.

"Yes, I wish to continue, not only to show strength against the terrorists that attacked me but to show the people my views, and what I currently have planned," Vin responded.

"That is good to hear," Deloria Swift gave a smirk. She had a full head of blue hair tied up into a braided ponytail that spilled over her shoulder. Her Ocean blue eyes were veiled behind her thick glasses, she held a holographic tablet in her hands.

"You wouldn't mind if my guards occupied us?"

"Not at all," Jaque allowed. "In fact, the Osiris Grand Political College is planning to preorder your next line of drones as soon as possible."

"Shall we begin?" Octavian offered.

"Of course." Vin nodded as The Droid X-14.M and 1 guard entered. The 4 cameras around them started recording.

"Its no secret that you were just attacked about 15 minutes ago, Mr.Vin, would you care to explain to us as to what had happened?" Octavian questioned, It started abruptly, no pleasantries or introductions.

"As I arrived at this tower, the diver of my Ryder jumped out and ran which triggered an explosive, one of my guards were able to get me out of there quickly." Vin began. "I had a bad feeling about the driver the second I saw him, as you can tell by my armor: I'm incredibly paranoid, I had his weapon taken away. But I wasn't expecting this."

"It is true that there has been resistance against your reign for about 5 years now." Deloria entered. "They have made 4 attempts to take you down as a ruler, what do you think they are trying to accomplish?"

"I believe they want the days of time before I arrived. When all the planets were free to do as they please with no official entity keeping them together and in check." Vin answered. "They most likely went to the extent of assassination because of the event that happened a few days ago."

"Ah but that would leave a power vacuum." Jaque finally joined. "I believe they thought this through, maybe they have someone in mind to replace you."

"It would be insane but not undo-able, Vin was able to have control of the system within months," Deloria agreed. "We should move on to the reason why you are here."

"I actually think this topic ties in with the event." Octavian Said. "Mr.Vin, You Boast a rather a gigantic drone force, Although you do not have absolute freedom to do with them as you please because you need to get authorization from the police force of every planet and moon you want to place them on. Who is to say that you won't abuse your power? Instead, you say 'screw the police force' and just send them down to do your bidding."

"Careful with your tone, Octavian." Jaque shot him a look. "Remember to hold up-most respect when speaking to company."

"No, it's alright," Vin said. "Continue with your point, Mr. Aniss-Grechet."

"It could be possible that this circumstance is what the rebels are afraid of." He continued. "And it troubled them that said circumstance became a reality."

"I see your argument." Vin nodded, his brow furrowed as he thought to chose his next words. "Do you know what happened at that event?"

"Yes," Deloria began to explain. "A massive brawl opened up at a tackle ball stadium."

"Yes, I just happened to be in the orbit of Kantha at the time and was I saw disgusted me, " The flash of passion in the ruler's eyes gave the trio goosebumps. "People from Mars and Osiris brawling like savage animals, I could not stand it. We are supposed to be a united people, people that are supposed to be there for each other and those people and those bonds need to be protected somehow, especially against those who are the enemy of unity. Am I wrong for believing that? Am I the enemy because I saw injustice and tried to stop it? Yes, I admit, the drones were not authorized to operate on Kantha but there were people that needed protection...from themselves and I had the power to do that."

"You are not wrong, " Jaque Storm answered." But...you tread on a very thin line, Mr. Vin. In fact, I believe if this continues that line will begin to blur and you will be in dangerous territory."

"Is that so?" Mark never pondered on that idea. "And where does the line blur, Mr.Storm?"

"When you believe you are protecting people but in truth, you are the one putting them in danger," Octavian responded. Jaque shot him another look but he kept a stern gaze on Vin.

"I see..." The man said.

"What do you think of Aero Void?" Deloria broke the minute-long silence.

"Who?" Vin cocked an eyebrow.

"The gauntlet contestant?" She tried to lead him on, but the man was still clueless. "Aero Void is a Brax-Delta Gauntlet Contestant, she single-handedly took down one of your new droids that was about to assault an innocent woman." Jaque summoned a holographic display.

It demonstrated droids crashing through the roof of the stadium, the man recording ran for his life, as he ran you could see the droids begin to arrest the drunken brawlers, then the man stopped in his track when he saw one of the droids about to take down a woman before a girl with white hair defend the woman and her child.

Vin felt his hairs rise. The white-haired girl in his dream. She was real.

"Mr.Vin?" Deloria ripped him from his thoughts.

"Uh yes..." He responded.

"I asked about your opinion on Aero Void." She said.

"She...she seems to be an adequate fighter and no fear..." Vin stumbled. He suddenly felt out of balance. This girl took down one of the new drones? Was it possible? Did Efman weaken them somehow? These questions filled his head before he could collect himself and ask a question.

"What did you say her name was again?"

"Aero Void," Deloria answered.

Vin felt a sensation he couldn't understand when he heard the name. "Aero Void."