Destiny Aurora Visarath War-Part 2

By Frank J Zanca

After the events of Destiny Aurora, the crew has a new mission to track down an intergalactic thief, named Trixx We'quor, who has stolen something that will have cataclysmic consequences on the galaxy. Follow the further adventures of Jayce, Rovanna, Flibby, Rolf, and X-473 and immerse yourself in the incredible world of Destiny Aurora.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Destiny Horizons
• Release date: Mar 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781087990163

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Table Of Contents

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CHAPTER 1: The Aftermath

CHAPTER 2: Report To the Princess

CHAPTER 3: Boorlan Territory

CHAPTER 4: The Bombmakers

CHAPTER 5: Consequences

CHAPTER 6: Audience With The Princess

CHAPTER 7: Late Night Visit

CHAPTER 8: Pillow Talk

CHAPTER 9: Coronation Day

CHAPTER 10: Coronation Security

CHAPTER 11: Jayce’s Predicament

CHAPTER 12: Under Rovanna’s Command

CHAPTER 13: The Prisoner of Vixia Vi

CHAPTER 14: Shorr’s Visit

CHAPTER 15: Making New Friends

CHAPTER 16: Rovanna’s Plan

CHAPTER 17: Lights Out

CHAPTER 18: Rovanna’s Plan of Attack

CHAPTER 19: Jail Break

CHAPTER 20: Hurry Flibby

CHAPTER 21: Gas Attack

CHAPTER 22: The Warden’s Gambit

CHAPTER 23: The Escape Plan?

CHAPTER 24: The Threat

CHAPTER 25: The Criminals

CHAPTER 26: Rallying The Fleet

CHAPTER 27: The Coming Threat

CHAPTER 28: The Visarth Strategy

CHAPTER 29: The Trouble With T’sal

CHAPTER 30: Ashfall

CHAPTER 31: So’len’s Dream

CHAPTER 32: Sacrifice

CHAPTER 33: The Prince’s Decree

CHAPTER 34: The Three Commanders

CHAPTER 35: Infiltration

CHAPTER 36: The Engine Room

CHAPTER 37: The Sewers of Visarath

CHAPTER 38: Jayce’s Last Stand

CHAPTER 39: Rovanna In Command

CHAPTER 40: The Clash Continues

CHAPTER 41: Rovanna’s Rescue Attempt

CHAPTER 42: The Kill Order

CHAPTER 43: Battle Royale

CHAPTER 44: The Rogues

CHAPTER 45: A Reynian Funeral

CHAPTER 46: Two Communiques

CHAPTER 47: The Request

CHAPTER 48: Utopien City Investigation

CHAPTER 49: Touchdown On Janorr

CHAPTER 50: The New Captain

About the Author

CHAPTER 1

The Aftermath

Mission Log: Lt. Inspector Jayce Carver: April 16 - 07:28 hours

When I saw the building topple, it was as if time stood still. This can’t be happening. My crewmember is still in that building. I’d been the one who’d sent X in there. The blame for his death would ride entirely on my shoulders and I don’t know if I could live with that. I’ve been the cause of someone’s death before and I can’t experience that kind of guilt again.

Jayce stood confounded for what felt like an eternity. The building swayed, then fell, as if it did so within a fish tank. Jayce perceived every girder, every piece of duracrete, and every shard of shattered glass as the ripple effect sent them exploding outward toward the group of first responders.

The actual event had taken only a split second; a house of cards spilling to the ground. The only sound that burst from his lips was, X! Jayce bellowed the letter as if screaming for the heavens to reveal his lost compatriot and crewmember.

Though X was an android, Jayce considered him a friend. His presence on the ship would be sorely missed, especially by Jayce. Jayce was seeing in tunnel vision. The falling debris caused a gargantuan cloud of smoke to billow in a radius around the building. It swallowed every onlooker situated in the cordoned zones that had been considered a safe distance away.

Jayce’s legs were moving before his mind had consciously commanded them, however his momentum was abruptly halted. His arms were held fast. The smoke disappated to reveal a burly first responder with his fingers tight around Jayce’s right arm while Rovanna was gripping his left.

You can’t go in there, the first responder insisted, but Jayce only gritted his teeth. Duracrete was the sole thing he could taste. The settling dust burned his eyes and rage kindled within his heart. Jayce’s robotic hand flung the first responder away as if he weighed no more than a child. The responder stood, ready to stop Jayce once more, but his commander, Battalion Chief U’rena Ilen, stayed him with a raised hand.

Jayce turned his burning gaze on Rovanna. Ro, release me right now. I don’t want to hurt you. His voice was even, yet his tone was bone-chilling. Rovanna’s strength more than rivaled his own, but Jayce could tell from the look in her eye that she feared maintaining her grip as much as releasing it.

I can’t let you go in there, Rovanna pleaded.

I’m going in, even if I have to drag you behind me. She looked away and released him with a nod. Liberated from his restraints, Jayce glanced from Rolf to Flibby and then back at Rovanna. The rest of you stay here. That includes you, Ro. The first responder stood before him with a grimace, but instead of detaining him further, he handed Jayce a respirator mask. Donning it, he broke off into a run, the remnants of the billowing dust cloud swirling around him.

Jayce didn’t bother to look over at U’rena, he was already aware of her disapproving glare. It wasn’t just her, he felt all eyes upon him, especially Rovanna’s. Feeling powerless and doing nothing wasn’t in Jayce’s genetic make up. He refused to stand on the sidelines when one of own was in danger.

Climbing over debris and rubble, he finally neared the building’s remains. The crunch of the wreckage beneath the soles of his boots gave off a ting as his ears fought to recover from the thunderous blast. Strained girders creaked above him. He craned his neck to see that the building had not quite completed its demolition.

Time was never on his side and this would be no exception. Doubling his speed, he leapt over boulders of duracrete and kicked panes of glass out of his way. He found his access blocked by a huge section of wall that had become wedged in what remained of the entrance. Rolf would’ve scolded him for his next maneuver, but there was no time to search for an alternative route. Pulling back his robotic fist, Jayce leapt from the piece of debris on which he was standing and let loose a punch that shattered the wall, sending pieces flying in all directions.

Landing on the other side, Jayce took a breath from the respirator and continued onward. What he saw gave him pause. There was no longer a roof on the building. Through the dust cloud, the Visarath sky beckoned with rays of hope. Inspired and determined, Jayce marched toward a stairway. He gripped the emergency handle with his robotic hand, which now showed the dents and scratches from his previous encounter. With sizable effort, he tore the locking mechanism away and sent it crashing to the ground.

The stairs would be of little use to him as they only rose two floors before they terminated in jagged edges. He needed a better perspective. Height would give him a far superior vantage point, rather than remaining down among the rubble.

Ascending the steps, he leapt from the stairwell onto the third-floor landing. The ground fell out from beneath him and Jayce’s fingertips clawed for something to grip. His torso slid slowly along the slab toward oblivion. The three-story drop itself might not kill him, but he would surely be impaled by the various pieces of debris that lay beneath him.

It was then that he spied a bar jutting out from a portion of the demolished floor at his right. Discontinuing his frantic clawing, Jayce swung his body toward it. His legs and arms flailed in mid-air as he desperately reached for the bar. His robot fingers curled around it. The portion of his arm where the robotics were grafted to his skin instantly felt the strain. Screaming in pain, he threw his left hand forward to lessen the exertion.

Sweat poured from his forehead. The pain was excruciating. The graft was not meant to be put to such a test. Sensors in his robotic appendage had been spliced into his nervous system so that he could feel. This had many advantages, but right now, he wished he could shut them off.

Grunts puffed from his lips as he pulled himself onto the landing till he was lying in relief on his back. The respirator fogged from his panting breath while he massaged his forearm. All he wanted to do was lie there for a few moments and regain his composure, but there was no time. With a wince, he stood and surveyed his surroundings. There was still no sign of X and scaling any higher would prove impossible since there wasn’t much more of the building remaining above him that wasn’t a jumble of jagged outcroppings.

It was time to think like X. The android was methodical and forever logical. If he knew the building was coming down and had only seconds to spare, what would he have done? How would he have achieved ground level without either throwing himself out of a ten-story window or using the stairway?

Jayce’s eyes scanned the debris until they fell on the remains of the elevator shaft. It was bent and severed several stories up, and though completely covered by rubble, it seemed to still be in full constitution at the lower levels.

Clenching and unclenching his fist, Jayce tested his robotic hand to make certain it remained fully functional. Pain ran up and down his arm every time he moved his wrist. The surgeons had done almost too good a job replicating natural sensations. Taking a deep breath, he got to work on removing the debris.

The building continued to creak and yawn. It was very possible that the worst was still to come. Rovanna would find a way to kill him a second time if he died in here. Chunk after chunk, Jayce removed shards of the building until his efforts afforded him a small passageway toward the elevator door. His arms felt like jelly and his strength was waning.

Edging his fingers into the seam between the doors, Jayce pulled as hard as he could. His face contorted from the strain. His teeth clenched and he let out a moan that fogged his face-shield. Finally, the sensor triggered and the doors slid apart, revealing a perilous drop of several stories into the subbasements. Darkness shrouded the bottom of the shaft along with layers of floating dust.

Removing his mask, Jayce called out, X! The dust immediately filled his lungs and he let out a choking cough. X! Answer me, dammit! Concern was apparent in his voice. Just a single shape, a single movement, that’s all he hoped to discern. Something, anything, and he would find a way to get down there. Again, there was no reply.

Looking around the vast area of destruction, Jayce found himself out of ideas. It would take days and dozens of people to sift through this debris, and if X were somehow still alive beneath it, his power cells would not remain so for long.

Inspector. The sound was faint, but there was little doubt that it was X’s voice. Jayce smiled and let out a sigh of relief. I apologize for not following protocol.

Jayce rolled his eyes. This is what the android was most worried about? Going against procedure? How badly are you damaged? Jayce called back.

My left leg and right shoulder are at fifty percent mobility. I was partially shut down to initiate repairs, but diagnostics indicate that I do not possess all of the required supplies.

It was then that Jayce heard another voice and his brow furrowed. Is there someone down there with you?

Yes, and he is indeed a very brave lad, X called back.

A child? Jayce said more to himself than to X. The building emitted another yawn. This convulsion was siginificant enough to require Jayce to grip the side of the elevator shaft to steady himself. He needed to act fast. X, how many floors down are you?

We are located on subbasement number three.

Is there a door?

Yes, X called back. Several meters above us. Possibly to an underground parking structure or utility area. My sensors are not functioning well.

All right. I’m coming down.

Please, proceed with caution, Inspector. X didn’t suggest leaving him behind, which he surely would have done if the child weren’t with him. The android was either programmed to, or otherwise inherently understood, the value of life.

Jayce slowly lowered himself down from the doorway and into the shaft. His feet instinctively kicked around, searching for a foothold. In spite of his screaming muscles, along with the cybernetic splice feeling as if it was going tear asunder, Jayce continued to lower himself onto a small ledge.

There are several routes by which your descent would be secure, Inspector, X instructed.

Thanks, X, I think I’ve got it. Taking a deep breath, Jayce crouched and sprung forward, leaping to the opposite end of the shaft. Barely able to maintain his footing, he snatched at the wall, finally obtaining some sense of balance.

He repeated the procedure and then took a final leap, landing on the floor of the shaft. Shards of duracrete rained down from the upper levels. Jayce watched as X shielded the boy with his own body. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been surprised, yet seeing the selfless act filled him with pride. X was a hero. Whether he was programmed that way or not was irrelevant. In the end, we were all programmed in some way or another.

All right, time to go, Jayce said while lifting the android to his feet. The sound of damaged servos whirring and clacking resounded through the small space. Can you walk?

Not optimally, Inspector.

Do your best. Jayce handed X the mask. Put this on the kid.

X attempted to gingerly wrap it around the boy’s head, but the child stopped him. You promised to get my mommy and daddy. Can we go get them now? X turned toward Jayce. Even without a face to project an expression, Jayce knew that X was communicating that the boy’s family was dead.

Jayce gritted his teeth. He felt for the boy, but there was no time to deal with this issue in a delicate manner. The remainder of the building would be coming down. He had no idea how much longer they had, but he surmised it couldn’t be more than a matter of minutes.

Kneeling before the boy, he took the child’s tiny hands within his own. What’s your name?

My name’s Pre’al. I’m four years old. Jayce’s heart broke.

You’re very brave, Pre’al. Your parents would want you to be brave for just a little bit longer. Can you do that?

I guess so, the boy shrugged innocently.

Good, because we have to get out of this building very quickly. I’m going to carry you. Pre’al’s eyes dropped to Jayce’s robotic hand.

Does it hurt? Even as young as he was, the boy recognized that the hand was not Jayce’s own.

Sometimes. Jayce forced a smile and stroked the boy’s cheek, eliciting a cocked head from X. Saying nothing more, Jayce hopped up to the ledge that served as the frame of the door and wedged his fingers between them. Once again, his arm felt like it was ablaze. He let out an effort-filled scream as he yanked the doors apart.

Winded, he turned to wave X forward. Always thinking of others first, he handed Jayce the boy, who he placed as gingerly as possible on the landing. Gripping X’s hand, Jayce pulled with all the might he could muster. Calling X heavy was an understatement. Only with X’s assistance was Jayce able to hoist the android onto the ledge.

They found themselves in a parking structure with a shattered ceiling. Cave-ins had blocked off several of their escape routes. Another shift in the building forced them to brace themselves. Jayce scooped Pre’al into his arms and affixed the mask over the child’s face. He could tell that the boy didn’t appreciate the way it felt since he clawed at it. Jayce simply pushed the boy’s hand away, silently communicating that it must stay in place.

I need an exit, X. Can you give me a quick scan?

I will attempt it. The android swiveled his head back and forth and then upward. All exits on this level are blocked, we will have to ascend to the next level.

Jayce sighed, blinking away the dust that had collected in his eyes. They were reddening from irritation. Seeing the opening they needed, Jayce jogged forward while tightly holding onto Pre’al. When X saw his commanding officer’s destination, he quickened his pace as best he could. A portion of the ceiling had fallen, but a chunk of it still clung to the floor above, making a ramp of sorts. The incline was steep, so they would need a running start. This would be difficult for X in his damaged condition.

Pulling the boy tightly to his chest, Jayce ran up the duracrete as fast as he possibly could. His feet slipped along the sheer surface, but he continued to scramble until he reached the summit and grabbed hold of a piece of rebar. Pulling himself up, he set Pre’al down, who immediately ripped the mask from his face.

This is making my face scratchy, the child said. Jayce merely shook his head and glanced down at X. Then android hobbled toward the ramp and returned Jayce’s gaze. He knew exactly what was going through X’s processors.

I’m not leaving you behind, X, so don’t even say it.

A tremor rocked the building’s foundation. The sound of debris crashing down echoed from the floors above. I cannot traverse that distance. You must get the boy to safety. That is the correct course of action.

Listen to me very closely, Corporal. You will leap up here without excuse. I am giving you an order and you will follow it.

X nodded. I will attempt it.

No, Corporal, Jayce’s voice boomed, taking Pre’al by surprise. "You will not attempt it. You will do it without excuse. You are a Coalition officer, now act like one."

X bent his shuddering legs and bounded upward. The jump would have normally been easy for him, but not this time, not with the damage inflicted during his fall down the shaft. His feet hit the top portion of the incline, but nowhere near the landing. Without achieving any semblance of balance, X began his decent backward.

Jayce’s robotic hand wrapped around X’s wrist at the last moment. His body teetered on the precipice. The android’s feet began to slip. If he fell, the damage would be too severe to attempt the climb again. With a groan, Jayce twisted his body to the right, pulling X with him.

They both toppled to the ground. Good job, Corporal, Jayce said between pants.

Then it began. The end. Rumbling came wave after wave. The structure’s integrity had been reduced to absolute zero and was falling in upon itself.

The door. He could see it. It was only meters away, but it might as well have been a kilometer if the cave in blocked their path. I’m going to need you to run now, X. Jayce retrieved Pre’al, lifting him from the ground like a fumbled football.

A shockwave was trailing them. The ceiling was giving way just behind them. Jayce was running as fast as humanly possible while occasionally glancing back at X. The android was moving quickly despite dragging his left leg.

Smacking the release button, Jayce waited for the door to slide open. Over his shoulder he watched the ceiling crash down, flattening hundreds of vehicles in its wake. Jayce smacked the button repeatedly. Still nothing. Grimacing, he clenched his robotic fist and punched the button. Sparks shot from the panel and the door slid away.

Before it completely opened, Jayce and X squeezed through, just as the entire building smashed down behind them. Shrouded in plumes of dust and exhausted beyond words, they thudded to the ground.

Rovanna was suddenly standing over them wearing an expression that was both concerned and angered. Relieving Jayce of Pre’al, she took the boy in her arms. Jayce had never seen this motherly side before. While holding the child in her arms, there seemed to be something natural about it. Her face was difficult to read. In spite of the hair covering her Kraysorian half, he had always been able to tell what she was thinking. Presently, however, he couldn’t tell if she was mad, pleased, or feeling downright murderous. To top it all off, she remained completely silent.

Jayce suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap round him and squeeze. That was when he realized how bruised he was. Flibby’s fur felt incredibly soft as her cheek pressed against his.

L.T., I’m so glad you’re not dead. Between Flibby and Rolf, Jayce couldn’t decide which of them had less of a filter connecting their brains and their mouths.

Thanks, Flibby, Jayce replied with a smile.

You might want to talk to Ro, Flibby whispered in his ear. She wouldn’t stop pacing and biting her nails the entire time you were in there.

And cursing me the entire time as well, I’m sure.

Yeah, that too, Flibby confirmed. She was really worried. Flibby drew back from him and he gave her a quick nod.

When X and Jayce finally stood, they were greeted with a round of applause from the Visaraths, who had gathered outside the cordon line. Even Ilen sent a warm expression his way.

Pre’al was soon reunited with his brother and sister, and Jayce was grateful that it wasn’t he who had to explain the fate of his parents. Those children’s lives would never be the same. In a flash, they had become orphans.

Good job, Inspector. If you’re ever looking to change careers, let me know, Ilen said while patting him on the shoulder.

Will do, but your line of work seems a bit too dangerous for my taste, he quipped with his signature smirk.

Oh, brother. You’ve messed up just about every servo in your entire body, dummy. Jayce didn’t have to turn around to know who was speaking. I bet you expect me to just drop everything to fix you up, Rolf chided.

That would be appreciated, Mr. Rolf, X replied. My mobility is not at optimal levels.

That’s for sure. Look at your left leg. It’s practically bent outward from the knee down. Do you know how much time this is going to take to put you back to ‘optimal levels?’ Rolf chided, making quotes in the air and then popping the cigar back into his mouth.

Approximately four point three hours.

Every bit of it and then some, and that was a rhetorical question, dummy.

All right, can you bring it down a notch or two, Rolf? X has had a rough day, Jayce intervened.

You will be pleased to know, Inspector, that I retrieved something in the rubble that will assist in our investigation, X shared, finally finding a moment to convey this important news.

CHAPTER 2

Report To the Princess

Mission Log: Lt. Inspector Jayce Carver : April 16 - 07:52 hours

My team is whole again. I’ve come to see my crew as my family and I couldn’t bear to see one of them hurt...and yes, that even includes Rolf. As much as he complains, I know that seeing X hurt pained him as much as it did the rest of us. Rolf is already tending to him, which means he’ll be fully functional in no time flat.

Jayce, Flibby, and Rovanna were escorted down the ornate hallway of the Visarath palace. The soles of their boots clacked against the marble tile, or whatever mimicked marble on Visarath Prime; Jayce had never bothered reading up on Visarath architecture. Their footfalls made small echoes that resounded off the walls, which were lined with etched moldings along the arch of the ceiling. Crystals of various lusters and hues were inset into the corridor, giving it a heavenly sparkle.

The guards that escorted them were led by a man named T’Sal. As denoted by the crystals on his uniform, he was a general and quite possibly the highest-ranking officer in Xea’lana’s army. Jayce wasn’t getting a warm and fuzzy vibe from him. T’Sal didn’t seem to trust Jayce’s team or even want them there. A scowl was stamped on the general’s face every time he glanced over his shoulder.

Jayce, of course, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to taunt him. He returned the scowl with a broad false grin. This caused T’Sal’s grimace to transform into a sneer and elicited a quick elbow jab to Jayce’s ribs by Rovanna. The Inspector merely shrugged, feigning innocence. Rovanna shook her head and rolled her eyes in silent reply.

The guards stopped abruptly when they reached a set of doors that towered a good five meters high. They stamped their feet in unison, causing a thunderous beat to pulse the corridor. They spun and pressed their backs against the walls in perfect synchronization, all but T’Sal, who waited patiently with his hands cupped behind his back.

With a series of clanks, the doors slid apart, revealing the immense throne room beyond. Suits of armor from different eras lined the walls, telling the Visarath’s long and sordid history. Only Xea’lana’s father had been able to bring peace to the warring worlds of the Visarath Empire. Now decades later, with support for the throne divided, civil war might once again plunge these worlds into upheaval.

Jayce, Flibby, and Rovanna followed T’Sal into the throne room and along the violet carpet that ran in a single strip between the doors and the throne. A small set of steps elevated the jewel-encrusted throne above the floor, and sitting upon it was the magnificent-looking princess herself.

Unlike Jayce’s uniform, which was still covered in soot, Xea’lana’s gown glistened in the sunlight. Jayce took notice of a huge stained-glass window situated above the doors leading to the balcony. The ceiling appeared to be no less than twelve meters high. The gargantuan size of the room made Jayce feel incredibly small.

With a snap of her golden fingers, one of the guards bowed and the doors shut with an ominous thud. T’Sal bowed as well, followed by a gesture toward Jayce and his crew. The Coalition officers, as you commanded, Your Highness.

Xea’lana turned her gaze upon Jayce, who almost neglected to bow. Luckily, Rovanna saved him the humiliation by taking a knee. He had known Xea’lana for so many years that he instinctively treated her like a friend, rather than royalty.

Taking Rovanna’s cue, he and Flibby genuflected. Jayce was about to speak when Xea’lana beat him to it. Rise, brave soldiers. She looked baffled. Where is your android? I was told he single-handedly rescued a dozen people, including several children. Their families were quite grateful.

The trio rose to their feet as the Princess had instructed. Taking a step forward, Jayce replied, He was badly damaged. My engineer is tending to him.

That is unfortunate. I hope that he is repaired soon. I would like to personally thank him.

I’m certain he would appreciate that. Jayce adopted a stern expression. We would like to discuss something that we found at the scene.

You found something that could lead us to the bomber? Xea’lana asked, practically rising from her seat.

Rovanna handed Jayce a small metal object, which he proffered to Xea’lana. She waved him forward and he ascended the steps under the extreme scrutiny of T’Sal. After taking the small cylindrical piece of metal from the Inspector, she examined it with a furrowed brow. I can’t discern the significance. What is it that you see?

It’s not the metal itself that’s of interest, but the smell, Jayce pointed out. The Princess sniffed it, but shook her head, still not grasping the significance. It’s Kaldroxide. Our android detected traces of it at several points inside the building.

Enlighten me, Inspector Carver. What is the import of Kaldroxide? Jayce had thought that the Princess would have known all about the origin of the substance and where it came from.

It means the bomb-maker is using Boorlan materials. Boorl was a smaller system that lay just beyond the Visarath border. In essence, they were Visarath’s neighbor, and incidentally, it was where they had picked up their first clue that lead to Trixx’s whereabouts. Kaldroxide would have no other use on Visarath, Jayce continued, besides making explosives. It’s a liquid that becomes volatile when mixed with other naturally occurring chemicals. Considering it would have been shuttled in, it shouldn’t be too difficult to track down.

The capital does have a small community of Boorlans. The Princess stood and studied Jayce. I think I can assist in your investigation. Please accompany me.

T’Sal must have known exactly what Xea’lana intended to show them since he immediately barred her path. Your Highness, I must protest...

He didn’t get a chance to complete his sentence as Xea’lana stepped leisurely around him. These are our allies, General. They should have access to every tool at our disposal.

The large doors slid aside with another thunderclap. The royal guard took their positions both in front and behind the Princess as they marched down the corridor. Jayce took the opportunity to discuss another pressing matter. It was one that worried him more than an alleged Boorlan terrorist. The real mastermind behind this attack is So’len Frae. You do realize that, right?

The Zurathi? Xea’lana asked incredulously. I hate to disagree with you, Inspector, but the Zurathi is simply a pawn.

Frae is no one’s pawn. Passion filled Jayce’s words. The animosity he felt for So’len was starting to get the better of him. Mark my words. He is responsible for these attacks.

Suddenly, Xea’lana halted in her tracks, causing the guards to do the same. She spun on her heel to face Jayce. Embers of anger sparked in her eyes; it was like nothing Jayce had ever seen