--and, it is in light of such revelations that we must ask ourselves the sort of uncomfortable questions which the men and women behind cameras and podiums do not wish for us to ask ourselves. We must ask ourselves questions surrounding the so-called justice our legal system dealt to Allie Tailor, a woman who, before her arrest and torture, had only committed the crime of theft. Theft from those who possess much more than they could ever need. Theft from those who would seek to patent and commodify a life saving, revolutionary medical treatment, making it affordable only to the ultra-wealthy. 

Could anyone other than the most reactionary and spiteful of us argue that being constantly kept just above the brink of death by exposure in a freezing cell was a just response to her crimes? Is this the sort of treatment any and all delta-humans could expect should they step too far out of line? Men in suits will sell the lie that Allie Tailor and Elaine Norton were unhinged radical terrorists who killed two of the finest heroes to ever live in cold blood. They will ignore eyewitness reports which confirm time and time again that the lethal wound which ended Siren’s life was inflicted by none other than Kraken, in a redirected attack initially intended for a disoriented, defenseless Ms. Tailor. 

Are we to make the argument, then, that a delta-human has the ultimate authority to take a life without due process or a direct threat to their own wellbeing so long as said delta operates on the side of lawfulness? Does that same logic apply too, then, if the victim or “criminal” in question is not even a fellow delta human? And what law is it that allows for anyone, let alone a member of several marginalized communities, to be treated so inhumanely, then be punished for resistance to said treatment with death? 

Ms. Tailor was faced with a long, painful life of torture and unethical experimentation. A life that countless others likely already face within the opaque walls of maximum security delta-prisons. To escape a fate worse than death she fought back with the assistance of Ms. Norton. In retaliation to protecting themselves from that fate, from those who would inflict said fate upon them, both were killed. They, like each and every other individual in those prisons were human beings. 

Allie was a transgender lesbian woman of color who faced parental abuse and suffering from the very onset of her life. A woman with an older sister who loved her dearly, now left behind to grieve her passing. Elaine was a hero, one of the so-called paragons of our city, if a lesser known one, until her disenfranchisement with the injustice of her duty grew too great. Why is it that she is seen the worse judge of character than Siren or Kraken? All three were heroes, were they not? Elaine only became a “villain” with her decision to split from their rules. With her decision to protect a life from those who would take it. 

What, pray tell, would public opinion have been if it were not little-known Slipspace who protected Ms. Tailor, but beloved Sentinel? Would people have doubted her judgment, have cheered for her execution? Let us not forget that Ms. Tailor and Ms. Norton were not reported to have been committing any sort of violent crime on the night that police and guild-deltas surrounded the two women and killed them. Is it the case then that the right to act as judge, jury and executioner is a popularity contest? That these two unknowns were simply incapable of being correct compared to the famous Siren and Kraken? Perhaps in part. Still we cannot ignore that this injustice is compounded by the reality that Ms. Tailor and Ms. Norton’s efforts stood in stark contrast to the aspirations and motives of those very same people who wield millions to tell us the two so called terrorists were wrong--

Lexi huffed, tearing her eyes away from the article. The more she read the more a single thought stood out in Lexi’s mind: This girl knows too much. It was curious, the writer seemed fairly firmly on the side of their cause, but the sheer volume of information she’d managed to dig up was unsettling. This was especially so given the concerted effort by herself and her cohort to bury everything they could on Allie and Elaine’s personal lives. Yet, somehow this woman knew that Allie was trans. That she had an older sister. That she had faced abuse at the hands of her parents. Did this journalist know exactly who said older sister was? How good was she, to have potentially tracked down one of Lexi’s most closely kept secrets? 

Her suspicion peaking, Lexi scrolled to the top of the webpage, “Izabel Williams. Just who exactly are you? Definitely not one of ours.” She mused, her tone a mix of contemplation, fascination and protective instinct. Clicking Izabel’s profile, Lexi quickly scanned her bio. Some kind of independent journalist, then. That was unideal. Having a reporter sticking her nose in Lexi’s plans would cause trouble, even if this Izabel person was well meaning. 

Lexi rose from her desk, beginning to pace, deep in thought the matter of Izabel and her inquisitiveness. She and her associates had remained in the shadows for a reason, the fact that this Izabel woman knew the existence of an older sister alone, and just published it for all to see, was a threat. If Allie were somehow linked back to Dr. DeLEXIous it could prove very problematic. And what else could this woman discover given time? Was she a delta? Possibly, information based powers would certainly be a huge bonus in any sort of investigation. She paused in thought for a moment, considering her options, then decided it was time to make a phone call on the matter. It rang twice on the other end, connected. There was silence on the other end.

“Hey, Phee.” Lexi kept her tone cool, collected. Every one of her conversations with this particular associate inevitably devolved into mental sparring, and Lexi was not in the mood to play games.

“I told you not to call me that, DeLEXIous.” The annoyance in her tone was palpable, but Lexi knew right away that using her actual name would put Mind’s Eye on the backfoot.

“My apologies, I needed your attention. Have you read a certain article published today by one Izabel Williams?” Lexi asked.

“Can’t say I have. Is there a problem?” Phee was playing coy, the possibility of her missing any sort of viral article regarding Allie and Elaine’s death was practically non-existent. 

“The seeds of one. She knows a bit too much about a certain pair of recently deceased deltas. I was hoping you might keep an eye on her.” Lexi paused, waiting for the inevitable response. She knew this song and dance well, now came the part where Phee tried to argue.

“My work doesn’t come free, Lexi. I’ve already given you a lot.” Her tone was cool, level, that of a veteran negotiator. But Lexi knew a performance when she saw one.

“And neither does my protection. I appreciate the work you did with those Slipspace and Arcadia illusions. But unless you would rather I stop doing your dirty work for you I suggest you cooperate. There are a lot of people interested in you Phee, and I’m sure if even one of them got close enough to deduce your powerset half the world would want a piece. So unless you want me to stop cracking heads on your behalf.” She trailed off, letting the threat breath in the silence that followed it. Though it didn’t last long, Mind’s Eye was quick to reply.

“You are compromising my neutrality.” She hissed. Lexi rolled her eyes at the naivety. Or perhaps it was simply weak denial.

“Your neutrality is a relic. You think the powers that be will care about your ideals if they catch wind that you can watch anyone anywhere from the comfort of your home? The delta community has been abuzz about Mind’s Eye for years. One day people will find out about you and you’ll need friends on our side.” This time the silence on the other end lingered. Lexi knew she had Phee cornered, it would be only a matter of time before she relented.

“Fine, what do you need?” She murmured quietly into the phone.

“Just keep an eye on her. Find out what she knows and why, where her loyalties lie. How she’s able to acquire such sensitive information. Be the fly on the wall I need you to be. And don’t hurt her.” Lexi asserted an air of finality, Phee got the message. 

“Done.” Without another word the line went dead. Lexi couldn’t blame her, Phee’s paranoia was more than justified, and even with the layers upon layers of security they’d established for that direct line, she was reluctant to have anything but the briefest of conversations lest they be traced. And yes, at times Mind’s Eye could be even more inscrutable than herself, but she was an incalculable asset. Her services were more than worth having to do her dirty work from time to time, and it wasn’t as though they lacked common enemies. 

Lexi exhaled long and slow, then sat heavily. Keeping Phee safe from outside eyes was often dubious work at best, but it was worth it. For Allie, for Elaine, too, she supposed. Truth be told, the ex-heroine had grown on Lexi quite a bit since her initial transgression. Their candor was something Lexi inevitably grew accustomed to and amused by. Elaine’s played a good ‘straight-man’ to Lexi’s flamboyance. And that was to say nothing about the benefit she had on Allie. Though their lovey-dovey attitudes toward one another had brought many an eyeroll, there really was nothing quite like the look of happiness Lexi saw on her little sister’s face when Elaine was with her. That being said, having to cohabitate with the couple had become irksome in certain ways. The two were very much in the thick of their honeymoon phase, and seeing them fawn over one another brought certain feelings Lexi had hoped to keep buried for the time being to focus on change.

Sometimes when she closed her eyes and thought hard enough, Lexi could almost taste Maddie’s lips, feel her silky skin, her perfect breasts. Lexi yearned. Each and every day she pined for that touch once more. For the sound of Maddie’s voice crying out in passion, for the blush that flooded her face as Lexi stripped her armor away piece by piece to take her in wholly. It had been such a frightening and beautiful evening. The fear of capture, of injury, of what might befall her loved ones compounding into such tense anxiety which bubbled into unbridled need within her. A restlessness that only Maddie could sate. And that passion still burned bright within her. 

Lexi longed for those halcyon days where she could simply slap on her form-over-function armor and cook up some hairbrained scheme to lure and tease her so-called nemesis. Was it too late to live that life again in the midst of the world around her? Perhaps, perhaps not. In theory more noise in the city to distract resources away from the riots and fighting was never a bad thing. But she could not let such endeavors interfere with her own role in the movement. Still, it couldn’t hurt to consider. Lexi sat heavily, leaning in her chair, and let plans crystalize in her mind.

* * *

After days of living in a windowless room, only allowed outside during the night while under masks, there really was no feeling quite like sunshine. With their deaths official, Elaine and Allie spent their first free morning cuddling and napping in the little garden Lexi kept behind her lair. The earth around them was warm, and Elaine felt no shivering on the part of her lover. The city had been plunged into disarray, and there would be no end in sight for some time, but for the moment Elaine allowed herself to feel untethered optimism. There was a fight to be won, a fight she and Allie would throw themselves into. And with that fight they would win a world where two deltas could nap in the sun, with no obligations to governments or guilds or corporate masters. Content to simply be in the presence of one another, Elaine and Allie lingered there for hours, until Elaine’s skin began to tingle and pinken, causing an inevitable retreat back indoors, hand in hand. 

They were greeted at the sight of Lexi, tapping away at her tablet, sprawled on her favorite couch, feet in the air and head nearly upside down, staring at whatever project she happened to be lost in. 

“Okay there’s no way you’re comfortable like that.” Allie giggled.

“On the contrary, my dear sister, this is one of my many thinking poses,” Lexi replied, not bothering to shift her gaze.

“I’ve never seen her sit like that,” Elaine murmured in Allie’s ear.

“I heard that. Hush, you. You haven’t known me nearly long enough to even broach the full extent of my many thinking poses.” Of all the odd things Lexi could have chosen to brag about, this may have taken the cake.

“Right, well. We’ll be in our room, I guess?” Elaine gently pulled her lover along, turning away.

“Hey, wait.” Lexi called.

“Oh?” Allie turned her head, tugging on Elaine’s arm lightly.

“I was wondering, what are your thoughts on giant robots?”  Confused silence followed.

“Not many. I don’t watch a lot of anime.” Allie shrugged, glancing between Lexi and Elaine, who offered little help.

“Ugh, no. I’m talking about in real life. What if I built a giant robot?” Lexi dropped the tablet on the cushion and flipped into a more normal position, sitting upward and gazing expectantly at her guests.

“For what purpose?” If Elaine didn’t know any better she’d almost be scared.

“To kidnap me, of course. It would ‘rampage’ through the city, not actually causing anyone bodily harm --just, y’know buildings and stuff-- with me as captive. Then Sentinel would come and save me from it. After which, of course. I throw myself into her arms. Bam. Date.” As if to demonstrate, Lexi flew her arms wide and feigned a ‘my hero’ swoon.

“We’re back on this then? Have you considered just asking her out like a normal person?” Elaine’s reply caused Lexi to deflate like an old balloon, she sank forward, pouting.

“What’s the fun in that?” Lexi whined.

“I dunno, we’re enjoying what came of it.” Allie leaned in close to Elaine, squeezing her girlfriend’s hand gently.

“Well certainly but you can’t expect me to just go up to her and say ‘hey, Sentinel, wanna go on a date?’ She’ll think I’m fucking with her.” Lexi spoke as though her sister were an absolute fool for even suggesting that alternative.

“Well you did quite literally fuck with her not that long ago so I think you’ll be able to get through to her.” Allie giggled that adorable little giggle Elaine loves so much, then, in a softer and gentler tone, she spoke again. “And, sis? It’s nice to see you caring about something other than the fighting for once. I was getting worried about you.” Having said her peace, Lexi gently shooed the two away, and Elaine and Allie stole off to their room together. Their clothes were discarded, their lips were acquainted, and it wasn’t long before both women were very grateful for Lexi’s high quality sound-insulation. There was far too much to be done. Far too much change to be made, people to fight for, to fight against. Those days would come for Elaine and Allie. They would face them with courage, passion and villainy. For the time being, however, they would enjoy one another. 

SapphicSounds

Hello my lovely readers! Long time no see, I'm back though. And I've got content. If you're enjoying these new chapters, and want even more Restraints/Redemptions then I have news for you! There is more, a lot more. In fact, there is approximately 20,000 more words of brand  new content that is not on Scribblehub and, sadly, will not be. It was a tough decision to come to, but I've realized that right now my patrons don't have a ton of exclusive content. As such, I have published a full version of Restraints/Redemptions onto my patreon, as well as onto kindle books. This version contains 7 brand new chapters, as well as some extensive additions to two already existing chapters (namely, the chapter in which Elaine goes to confront Arcadia and Dr. DeLEXIous, and the following chapter between Elaine and Allie). It's available to all of my patrons, so for as little as $2 a month you can pick it up here. Hell, if you want, you can even pay the two dollars for the content, and then immediately stop being my patron, I won't tell anyone. 

That being said, I would really appreciate if you could join my patreon at as high a tier as you feel comfortable joining, and, or, if you can afford it (and are willing to give Amazon your money which, I wouldn't recommend), I would appreciate and sales of the E-Book version found here. If you really, genuinely do not have $2 to spare or otherwise genuinely cannot make the payment, and would still really like to read the new content, feel free to pm me and we can work something out. That's all for now, thank you for reading!