A Staging Post on Mindanao, Philipines, Sunday
From: NoAddress@Untraceable.com #14h9cc0/SIGN UP NOW AND STAY ANONYMOUS!
To: Trireme%Salamis@Attica-vs-Sparta.hst
Re: Final decision
Wiggin:
Subj not to be killed. Subj will be transported according to plan 2, route 1. Dep Tue. 0400, checkpoint #3 @ 0600, which is first light. Please be smart enough to remember the international dateline. He is yours if you want him.
If your intelligence outweighs your ambition you will kill him. If vice versa, you will try to use him. You did not ask my advice, but I have seen him in action: Kill him.
True, without an antagonist to frighten the world you will never retrieve the power the office of hegemon once had. It would be the end of your career.
Let him live, and it is the end of your life, and you will leave the world in his power when you die. Who is the monster? Or at least monster #2?
And I have told you how to get him. Am I monster #3? Or merely fool #1?
Your faithful servant in motley.
Peter was not dealing with this Nathan-Natalie situation very well.
By now, he had to admit it: he had spent a week avoiding Nathan in hopes he would magically turn back into his actual Chief of Staff. Then he had spent a week just avoiding Nathan, period, until he'd realized this actually made his work very difficult, and he'd been forced to adapt. The resulting compromise had not come easy. Maybe it was time for Peter to admit that this trip was at least partly about running away from the whole thing.
But only partly. A very small part. The information that had prompted the current mission was far too valuable, exciting and important to be hung on the matter of Adams' genitals. This mission could turn his entire worthless Hegemony around.
Unfortunately, it also meant he had to deal with Bean face to face.
Bean's brooding second-in-command - a strapping, tall Thai by name of Suriyawong - had picked Peter up from the helipad. He and his troops had escorted Peter through the woods and up the mountain for an hour or so now. The man was quiet and frowned a lot; Peter had stopped trying to appeal to him with snarky witticisms a while ago.
At the sight of Bean, however, they all came pouring back.
"Sir," Suriyawong called out.
Bean spun around. He'd gotten a lot taller over the past month, Peter noted. His arms, in particular, were starting to resemble long vines more than anything else. Peter watched as Bean's eyes skipped over Suriyawong, then focused on Peter himself; his expression immediately fell.
"I hope you aren't insane enough to be coming along on this mission," said Bean.
Peter smirked back, because he wasn't about to let the guy's dour mood get to him. "What a cheery greeting," he said. "That is a gun in your pocket, so I guess you aren't happy to see me."
He'd be hurt by Bean's immediate reaction if he hadn't gotten used to getting that level of pointed silence from him. He continued: "Julian Delphiki, there's been a change of plans."
"Let's scrub the mission," said Bean. "Last-minute changes in plan lead to unnecessary losses in battle."
"Actually, this one won't," said Peter. "Because the only change is that you're not going."
"And you're going in my place?" Yeah, yeah, I get it, Bean, you think I'm a joke. But that doesn't matter. This is more important than your disdain will ever be to anyone.
"Suriyawong will command this mission," he said, and handed the envelope full of instructions to Suriyawong. He blankly ignored the way the Thai turned to Bean for immediate confirmation; Bean having the loyalty of his men could only work in Peter's favor in the long run.
"Unless," said Peter, "you don't think Suriyawong is ready to lead the mission."
Okay, so maybe he couldn't resist just the one jab.
"Your Excellency, the troops are yours to command," said Bean. "Suriyawong always leads the men in battle, so nothing important will be different."
Always had to get the last jibe in, don't you, Bean? Peter ignored it. Again. Because he was bigger than that. "Please don't open that until you're airborne," he told Suriyawong.
Suriyawong saluted. "Time to leave," he said.
"This mission," Peter said, "will bring us significantly closer to breaking the back of Chinese expansionism." Don't think I can't see your eyes rolling over there, Bean. Whatever. I brought you something, too.
"Godspeed," said Bean to Suriyawong. At least there wasn't any more snappy commentary.
Suriyawong jogged to the chopper. Unlike the men, he carried no equipment beyond a small daypack and his sidearm. He had no need of heavy weaponry, because he expected to remain with the choppers during this operation. He bound up into the chopper, helped by the outstretched hand of one of the men.
The door of the chopper closed. The two aircraft rose from the ground in a storm of wind and dust and leaves, flattening the grass below them.
Only then did another figure emerge from the forest. A young woman. Petra.
Bean saw her and immediately erupted with anger.
"What are you thinking?" he shouted at Peter over the diminishing sound of the rising choppers. "Where are her bodyguards? Don't you know she's in danger whenever she leaves the safety of the compound?"
"Actually," said Peter -- and now the choppers were high enough up that normal voices could be heard -- "she's probably never been safer in her life."
"If you think that," said Bean, "you're an idiot."
"Actually, I do think that, and I'm not an idiot." Peter grinned. "You always underestimate me."
"You always overestimate yourself."
Peter didn't get the chance to respond to that, because Petra had come up by his side. He'd picked her up on the way - her safehouse was quite out of the way of the Hegemony complex. "Ho, Bean," she called.
Bean turned to Petra. "Ho, Petra." Bean had been at Petra's safehouse less than a week ago; they weren't going to lapse into teary hellos and how-do-you-dos. At least, that's what Peter was hoping for... "What's this eemo doing to our mission?" Bean asked her.
Petra shrugged. "Haven't you figured it out?"
Bean fell silent for a couple of seconds. Peter could see the thoughts flying through his head as he put the pieces together. Well, good. You managed to put that off until after Suriyawong left, so there's no problem now. Finally, he turned to Peter. "You're as stupid as the German politicians who conspired to bring Hitler to power, thinking they could use him."
"I knew you'd be upset," said Peter calmly.
"Unless the new orders you gave Suriyawong were to kill the prisoner after all."
"You realize that you're way too predictable when it comes to this guy. Just mentioning his name sets you off. It's your Achilles heel. Pardon the jest."
Bean ignored him. Instead he reached out and took Petra's hand. "If you already knew what he was doing, why did you come with him?"
"Because I wouldn't be safe in Brazil anymore," said Petra, "and so I'd rather be with you."
"Both of us together only gives Achilles twice the motivation," said Bean.
"But you're the one who survives no matter what Achilles throws at you," said Petra. "That's where I want to be."
Bean shook his head. "People close to me die."
"On the contrary," said Petra. "People only die when they aren't with you."
Oh, god. When did these two turn into a walking romance movie? It's not as if I don't already have to deal with Natalie's melodrama-- Which was as far as Peter was going to let that thought go. No.
"I'm not leaving your side," said Petra.
"Ever?" asked Bean.
Before she could answer, and before his thoughts could go running off any further (and possibly puking into a trash can to avoid sudden onset diabetes), Peter interrupted. "All this is very touching, but we need to go over what we're doing with Achilles after we get him back."
Petra looked at him as if he were an annoying child. "You really are dim," she said.
Because Peter was going to take crap from someone hellbent on reenacting Gone with the Wind.
"I know he's dangerous," said Peter. "That's why we have to be very careful how we handle this."
"Listen to him," said Petra. "Saying 'we.'"
"There's no 'we,'" said Bean. "Good luck." Still holding Petra's hand, Bean started for the forest. Petra had only a moment to wave cheerily at Peter and then she was beside Bean, jogging toward the trees.
... Seriously?
Seriously?
"You're going to quit?" Peter shouted after them. "Just like that? When we're finally close to being able to get things moving our way?!"
But they didn't stop moving.
"Oh, for the love of god," Peter said, lowering his voice. "Am I the only one here who wasn't reared on sappy romance flicks and drooling hormones? What do they think they're going to do, elope from this 'dark and dangerous world'? Well, they're going to remember we have important work to do soon enough. Bet they'll come running back."
The Thai soldier standing by his side just gave him a look.
"Useless," Peter muttered.
[[ and thus we begin OSC's Shadow Puppets! Dialogue and some descriptions taken from that book. I am so, so happy that this time around I can just stick to the Peter bits and not deal with the whole Petra & Bean mess again. open to phone calls and emails! ]]
To: Trireme%Salamis@Attica-vs-Sparta.hst
Re: Final decision
Wiggin:
Subj not to be killed. Subj will be transported according to plan 2, route 1. Dep Tue. 0400, checkpoint #3 @ 0600, which is first light. Please be smart enough to remember the international dateline. He is yours if you want him.
If your intelligence outweighs your ambition you will kill him. If vice versa, you will try to use him. You did not ask my advice, but I have seen him in action: Kill him.
True, without an antagonist to frighten the world you will never retrieve the power the office of hegemon once had. It would be the end of your career.
Let him live, and it is the end of your life, and you will leave the world in his power when you die. Who is the monster? Or at least monster #2?
And I have told you how to get him. Am I monster #3? Or merely fool #1?
Your faithful servant in motley.
Peter was not dealing with this Nathan-Natalie situation very well.
By now, he had to admit it: he had spent a week avoiding Nathan in hopes he would magically turn back into his actual Chief of Staff. Then he had spent a week just avoiding Nathan, period, until he'd realized this actually made his work very difficult, and he'd been forced to adapt. The resulting compromise had not come easy. Maybe it was time for Peter to admit that this trip was at least partly about running away from the whole thing.
But only partly. A very small part. The information that had prompted the current mission was far too valuable, exciting and important to be hung on the matter of Adams' genitals. This mission could turn his entire worthless Hegemony around.
Unfortunately, it also meant he had to deal with Bean face to face.
Bean's brooding second-in-command - a strapping, tall Thai by name of Suriyawong - had picked Peter up from the helipad. He and his troops had escorted Peter through the woods and up the mountain for an hour or so now. The man was quiet and frowned a lot; Peter had stopped trying to appeal to him with snarky witticisms a while ago.
At the sight of Bean, however, they all came pouring back.
"Sir," Suriyawong called out.
Bean spun around. He'd gotten a lot taller over the past month, Peter noted. His arms, in particular, were starting to resemble long vines more than anything else. Peter watched as Bean's eyes skipped over Suriyawong, then focused on Peter himself; his expression immediately fell.
"I hope you aren't insane enough to be coming along on this mission," said Bean.
Peter smirked back, because he wasn't about to let the guy's dour mood get to him. "What a cheery greeting," he said. "That is a gun in your pocket, so I guess you aren't happy to see me."
He'd be hurt by Bean's immediate reaction if he hadn't gotten used to getting that level of pointed silence from him. He continued: "Julian Delphiki, there's been a change of plans."
"Let's scrub the mission," said Bean. "Last-minute changes in plan lead to unnecessary losses in battle."
"Actually, this one won't," said Peter. "Because the only change is that you're not going."
"And you're going in my place?" Yeah, yeah, I get it, Bean, you think I'm a joke. But that doesn't matter. This is more important than your disdain will ever be to anyone.
"Suriyawong will command this mission," he said, and handed the envelope full of instructions to Suriyawong. He blankly ignored the way the Thai turned to Bean for immediate confirmation; Bean having the loyalty of his men could only work in Peter's favor in the long run.
"Unless," said Peter, "you don't think Suriyawong is ready to lead the mission."
Okay, so maybe he couldn't resist just the one jab.
"Your Excellency, the troops are yours to command," said Bean. "Suriyawong always leads the men in battle, so nothing important will be different."
Always had to get the last jibe in, don't you, Bean? Peter ignored it. Again. Because he was bigger than that. "Please don't open that until you're airborne," he told Suriyawong.
Suriyawong saluted. "Time to leave," he said.
"This mission," Peter said, "will bring us significantly closer to breaking the back of Chinese expansionism." Don't think I can't see your eyes rolling over there, Bean. Whatever. I brought you something, too.
"Godspeed," said Bean to Suriyawong. At least there wasn't any more snappy commentary.
Suriyawong jogged to the chopper. Unlike the men, he carried no equipment beyond a small daypack and his sidearm. He had no need of heavy weaponry, because he expected to remain with the choppers during this operation. He bound up into the chopper, helped by the outstretched hand of one of the men.
The door of the chopper closed. The two aircraft rose from the ground in a storm of wind and dust and leaves, flattening the grass below them.
Only then did another figure emerge from the forest. A young woman. Petra.
Bean saw her and immediately erupted with anger.
"What are you thinking?" he shouted at Peter over the diminishing sound of the rising choppers. "Where are her bodyguards? Don't you know she's in danger whenever she leaves the safety of the compound?"
"Actually," said Peter -- and now the choppers were high enough up that normal voices could be heard -- "she's probably never been safer in her life."
"If you think that," said Bean, "you're an idiot."
"Actually, I do think that, and I'm not an idiot." Peter grinned. "You always underestimate me."
"You always overestimate yourself."
Peter didn't get the chance to respond to that, because Petra had come up by his side. He'd picked her up on the way - her safehouse was quite out of the way of the Hegemony complex. "Ho, Bean," she called.
Bean turned to Petra. "Ho, Petra." Bean had been at Petra's safehouse less than a week ago; they weren't going to lapse into teary hellos and how-do-you-dos. At least, that's what Peter was hoping for... "What's this eemo doing to our mission?" Bean asked her.
Petra shrugged. "Haven't you figured it out?"
Bean fell silent for a couple of seconds. Peter could see the thoughts flying through his head as he put the pieces together. Well, good. You managed to put that off until after Suriyawong left, so there's no problem now. Finally, he turned to Peter. "You're as stupid as the German politicians who conspired to bring Hitler to power, thinking they could use him."
"I knew you'd be upset," said Peter calmly.
"Unless the new orders you gave Suriyawong were to kill the prisoner after all."
"You realize that you're way too predictable when it comes to this guy. Just mentioning his name sets you off. It's your Achilles heel. Pardon the jest."
Bean ignored him. Instead he reached out and took Petra's hand. "If you already knew what he was doing, why did you come with him?"
"Because I wouldn't be safe in Brazil anymore," said Petra, "and so I'd rather be with you."
"Both of us together only gives Achilles twice the motivation," said Bean.
"But you're the one who survives no matter what Achilles throws at you," said Petra. "That's where I want to be."
Bean shook his head. "People close to me die."
"On the contrary," said Petra. "People only die when they aren't with you."
Oh, god. When did these two turn into a walking romance movie? It's not as if I don't already have to deal with Natalie's melodrama-- Which was as far as Peter was going to let that thought go. No.
"I'm not leaving your side," said Petra.
"Ever?" asked Bean.
Before she could answer, and before his thoughts could go running off any further (and possibly puking into a trash can to avoid sudden onset diabetes), Peter interrupted. "All this is very touching, but we need to go over what we're doing with Achilles after we get him back."
Petra looked at him as if he were an annoying child. "You really are dim," she said.
Because Peter was going to take crap from someone hellbent on reenacting Gone with the Wind.
"I know he's dangerous," said Peter. "That's why we have to be very careful how we handle this."
"Listen to him," said Petra. "Saying 'we.'"
"There's no 'we,'" said Bean. "Good luck." Still holding Petra's hand, Bean started for the forest. Petra had only a moment to wave cheerily at Peter and then she was beside Bean, jogging toward the trees.
... Seriously?
Seriously?
"You're going to quit?" Peter shouted after them. "Just like that? When we're finally close to being able to get things moving our way?!"
But they didn't stop moving.
"Oh, for the love of god," Peter said, lowering his voice. "Am I the only one here who wasn't reared on sappy romance flicks and drooling hormones? What do they think they're going to do, elope from this 'dark and dangerous world'? Well, they're going to remember we have important work to do soon enough. Bet they'll come running back."
The Thai soldier standing by his side just gave him a look.
"Useless," Peter muttered.
[[ and thus we begin OSC's Shadow Puppets! Dialogue and some descriptions taken from that book. I am so, so happy that this time around I can just stick to the Peter bits and not deal with the whole Petra & Bean mess again. open to phone calls and emails! ]]