Mags voice sound through the speaker of the oyster he is using to check the killcopters schematics.
"Andi. Something just dropped in the mail box. You need to read it."
He sits up, reaching for the Oyster.
"What is it?"
The text scrolls into view.

Recipient:	Andi Scl 8a, Squad Misfits, SLA Code 001-2410880-01-12-06-080-001
Message:	> Is the dream thing really that bad? > I mean I've heard rumours, but nothing specific. I suppose it is the price you pay for messing with the universe :) Listen to me little boy, you have no concept of that which you speak of. Caleb came into my room last night to say goodnight. He gave me a hug, which he considers himself to be getting too old to do, and I did not notice he had done so until I remembered it twenty minutes later. I do not even know if I cried when I remembered. It is worst at night, when I am tierd but it comes in the day now too. If I do not choose I will soon be unable to work. I cannot let that happen. > Poetry. It must be getting bad. I'll send over a bottle of Alexi's forgetting juice. this idnt agame andi. iM fucked heer -
Source:	Harlequin, SCL 6D.7, Blue Murder
Reply to:	subject[CE]@sla.net

He speaks as his eyes hit the last line."Shit Maggie, start up the A.P.C....."
"...And plot a course to 'quins house," She echoes him." I'm doing it."
Andi drags himself out from under the killcopter and dashes for the stairs.

Caleb stares at his dad. The man hasn't moved in over an hour. He just sits there staring at the terminal, long since blanked out by the power saving function.
He's scared. He knew his dad was bad. His grandfather had tried to explain last night, but he didn't really understand. And now he can't get him to respond at all.

The knock on the door drags him from his fear and confusion. He stares at it for a few moment, uncertain what to do.
The knock is repeated, more urgent this time.
Caleb hits the intercom. He can see a short human standing outside. Closely cut black hair trimmed to the same length as his beard and moustache, giving the face an over all fuzzy appearance. The man is wearing a black multiple pocketed jacket over a black jump-suit, numerous oil stains mark his hands to a deep brown, contrasting with the rest of the pale skin. A bulge under the jacket probably some fire arm.
He glances almost nervously up and down the long corridor.
Caleb presses the speak button. "Who is it?"
The man out side jumps at the sudden voice. He looks up at the camera.
"It's Andi."
Caleb frowns. "Who?"
"Andi, I'm a mate of 'quins. Well virtually. " He pushes the tac-com he is wearing up to his mouth. "Mags this better be the right address."
Mags. That name is familiar, Dad talked about Mags, and how she would be acting as his answer service or something.
The man out side speaks into the tac com again. "Hang on."
He pulls a chippy lead from his pocket and connects it into the camera socket. The image buzzes briefly and then is replaced by a strangely disembodied head floating over a dark swirling background.
"Caleb. Hi. I'm Maggie. I think your dad mentioned me."
Caleb nods.
"Good. We are here to help him, can you let Andi in?"
Caleb looks over at his father still frozen at the terminal. He know what he said about being careful, especially after dark, but He can't leave him like that. He swallows. Then comes to a decision.

The door opens. Andi slips in side, pulling the chippy lead out of the camera on the way. He glances round the room with a rapid professional check and then turns his attention to the man at the terminal.
"Help me Mags what do I do here."
He pauses briefly, obviously listening to some response then he turns to Caleb.
"Can you get me a coffee. And what ever your dad likes to drink."
Caleb nods wordlessly and heads for the kitchen.

"Ok. He's out of here."
"You have to get his attention. Give him something to focus on. The black screen isn't helping."
"Ok. You're the expert."

Andi moves over to 'Quin spinning the chair round so he is facing him.
The brain waiter is staring straight ahead, amber eyes wide open.
"'Quin. Come on lad, Snap out of it." Andi's voice sound through the room.

The voices start to fade. The cacophony of taunts easing away. The chaotic pattern swirling before his vision, shifting and focusing, turning darker and taking on form. A face. A human, and it is speaking his name.
"'Quin." Then fainter. "I think I'm getting him Mags."
"What?" The word is hard to form, almost as if lost in the taunts of the dream daemons he has forgotten how to speak.
A more familiar face comes into view holding two cups. A boy. His boy. Caleb.
"Caleb?"
"Dad." There is a look of intense relief on the child's face. The expression burns into him. Sending ripples of focus through his mind and driving away the last of the taunting voices.
He holds out his arms.
Caleb runs over, Andi catching the cups on the way past. The young boy embraces his father, Hugging him.
Andi stands up, moving to give the small family more room. He sniffs at the cups, selecting one that smells like coffee and starts to sip it.

Quin looks up at the strange man. "I'm sorry, Do I know you?"
"Virtually at least," The man responds. "I'm Andi." He adds offering the hand with the other cup in it. Quin take the cup and shakes the hand.

Something about the physical contact makes him stop. He stares at the man in front of him. The daemons must still be messing with his mind. There is something very wrong about the human stood before him. No slayers eyes so at least he can relax but.... He blinks. Flux? There is far more flux associated with that body than any human he met before and.... There is almost a stormer like quality about him. Something not natural something Death wake. The conflicting imagery races in his mind.

"Mags picked up your mail as soon as you sent it, we got here as fast as we could." The casual comment drags him from his confusion at the man's appearance. He can sense his genuine concern.
"Thank you." He sips the drink. Then he looks round confused. "How did you....?" His voice fades into confusion. The small pack of white noise is still there.
Andi tilts his head slightly as if listening to some one. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tac com. "Mags want a word with you." He states, handing it to 'Quin. As Quin puts it on he looks down at Caleb.
"Can I talk to you?"
Caleb nods.
Andi leads him to the far side of the room. He drops onto one knee so their heads at at the same height. "Your Dad isn't well."
Caleb nods. "I know."
"But that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you ok." He reaches into his pocket again and pull out yet another Tac com. He holds it out. "Do you know how to use this?"
"Yeah. Dad uses one to read me bed time stories when he was off on BPN's" Caleb responds. "When I was little." He adds hurriedly, obviously feeling 'bed time stories' are a childish thing.
Andi looks at him a curiously wistful look on his face. Then he hands the tac-com to Caleb
The boy takes it and hooks it on with a practised ease. Despite his familiarity with the device it looks large on him.
"Now if your dad gets bad again. Or if you need us, for what ever reason. Just put that on, and Maggie will pick it up Ok?"
The same voice from the intercom sounds in his ear. "Hello Caleb."
"Hello Maggie." He responds.
Andi smiles. "See you got the hang of it already." He ruffles the young boys shock of metallic red hair. Then he looks up past him. 'Quin is leant forward, his forehead resting on his hand, obviously still talking to Maggie down the tac com.
Mags voice sounds in his ear. "Ebb shit, you don't want to know. Distract the boy for me for a while."

Andi looks down at the small child. At least he looks less stressed than he did when they came in.
"Do you know about engines?" Caleb asks nodding at the oil on Andi's hands.
Andi smiles. "A little. Why?"
"I have this project for school It won't work but I can't see why. Dad knows about maths and stuff but not mechanics."
"Ok lets have a look at it."

Quin sits quietly, listening to the relaxing and easy conversation from Mags. He knows all too well what she is doing, but right now he need the support. He lets her psychology flow over him. Eventually, calm enough to thing about it clearly he looks over to the man standing next to his son. The conflicting imagery is still there.
As the question starts forming in his mind. Maggies voice cuts into his thoughts. "It's not the demons messing with your abilities Quin. What you are seeing is genuine. That is how Andi looks. It's what he is."
"How?" Quins starts but she cuts him off again.
"I can't give you details, that is D noticed at SCL 1. " Her electronic voice take on a sense of urgency. "What I can tell you is this. Andi thinks he is human. If the powers that be even remotely suspected that he has had even the slightest idea that he is not just some human SLA op orphan then they will kill him. Instantly. No questions asked. You can't tell him. You can't even hint to him. Understand?"
"Yeah." Quin breaths out softly.
Maggies voice continues, softer and calmer. "He is a genuinely nice bloke who really does give a shit about the people around him. Something of a rarity in this day and age. He is a good friend 'Quin. Until I ended up with Misfits I was just a box. Andi treated me like a person, gave me a name, asks my opinions. You have no idea how much of a difference that makes."

Andi and Caleb work together over the problem, Andi loosing himself in the young boys enthusiasm for his project, Caleb explaining what each bit does and obviously enjoying the informed and interested response.
Eventually Andi sits back. "The design is fine, that's your problem. See that gear system, its lost a tooth. If you replace it will work no problem." He reaches into his pocket pulling out a small plastic cog. "That should fit."
"Don't you need it?"
Andi shrugs. "I'll just grab another one from stores. Alexi orders them by the hundred weight." He drops it into the boys hand.

The shadow in the door way makes him looks up. Quin is standing there, Looking calmer. His face washed. Now the stress has gone the Brain wasters good looks show through. The black and red hair contrasting with his pale skin. The charring around the eyelids emphasising the deep amber colour of his eyes.
Andi stands, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "You Ok?"
"For now." He takes off the tac com and hands it back. Then he smiles at his son. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"
There is a brief 'but dad' protest. Quin moves over and sits down next to his son patting on the bed and holding out his arms. Caleb stands up and sits next to him.
Andi shuffles nervously at the family interaction. "I'll leave you to do stories and stuff." He mumbles and heads for the main room.

A short time later, once he is happy Caleb is reassured and settled, Quin joins Andi in the lounge.
"Thanks."
"It's Ok. You'd do the same for me." A wry smile crosses Andi's face. "'course you won't have to. There are some advantages to living in a mechanical world."
Quin shrugs.
"Look I'm going to get out of here. You need your sleep, and if I don't finish the transmission on the killcopter Rich with kill me." Andi states. "I'll see you around. Look after your self 'Quin, and Caleb," He looks towards the bedroom. "He's a good kid.." He shrugs almost as if he is embarrassed by making to observation.
Quin looks at him curiously, sensing the mans's discomfort. Something about family, or rather the lack of it. "You ok?"
Andi grins, the smile dispelling the feeling. "Yeah, just spotted another hole that's all." And then, without and explanation he is gone.

The above message is an extract from the [CE] section of the SLA mailing list. The FAQ for the list can be found at http://www.stsm.demon.co.uk/SLA/Misc/FAQ.html

'Quin is a character being written by Hex. For more info on him and his son check out his pages
or mail him