→ [Fic] Black Ice 19.0
Black Ice
-19-
“You think she was being serious?”
Torn watched the older elf pace back and forth. The response was well thought out and only came after some moments of silence. It was a general indication that what Ashelin had said couldn’t be completely wrong.
“Torn, you’ve known her longer than I have. The probability of determining how serious she is, is up to you. From what you’ve said, however, it sounds too outlandish for her to have made it up. Ashelin Praxis isn’t the sort of woman who makes up outrageous tales to get her way. Deceptive, oh yes, indeed. Idiotic, not so much.”
Samos had made a very valid point. Ashelin didn’t exactly exaggerate. He hadn’t been taking her seriously at all. Torn deserved to have her pissed at him, as much as he didn’t always like her that way. If she was right up next to him and pissed, then that was fine. He could still see her-real well-and he could sometimes smell her, the combination of hard work and soap. It made for a certain spice that not everyone had.
If she ever knew… She’d hate him, Torn was convinced. The Baron’s daughter. His daughter, for Mar’s fucking sake.
“So she’s being honest then,” Torn seemed to decide. “`m not good at takin’ it without proof. I gotta see what she was talkin’ about, but no one `cept her’s gotta clue what she’s sayin’.”
“It could come back over time,” Samos’ eyebrows rose as he turned back to Torn, “If it truly happened and she says she remembers, then perhaps she’s only just begun to remember. It’s difficult to determine what she’s thinking most of the time. There could be much she isn’t sharing. As much as I would want to question her on it, we’ve not the time or ability.”
Right. The situation of Haven. It’d grown worse. Torn had already thought they were at the bottom of things. They were on the brink of being confined to their homes. It’d been difficult to maneuver through a city where it looked like security outnumbered citizens three-to-one. Luckily, there were barracks in the Underground and they didn’t need to worry about finding a place to sleep at night. Like any other Havenite, however, they were restricted to the base for the most part. Even doing smaller things to complicate life for the KG was becoming less than a possibility. There was no telling how many things they destroyed that Ashelin and her very own patrol had to fix.
All in all, they were pretty stuck.
“After this is all over, we’ll be able to discuss things with her,” Torn agreed. “Even if what she’s sayin’ is the way of it, somethin’ just doesn’t sit right with her trip to the Brink. I’m guessin’ it’s a long shot, but she prob’ly didn’t say anything to you, right?”
Samos shook his head, a bit confused as to the entire Brink topic. Torn paused for a moment and then he nodded, “Right. Some weeks ago she said she went to a place called the Brink. It’s way out there, past the desert and even farther. She didn’t say why except to find answers, dealing with that ship she kept talking about. Maybe she was lookin’ for the real thing.”
To prevent from pacing back and forth, Torn sat down, lifting one arm to rest over one of the gadgets he’d taken from Vin’s little hiding place. He didn’t know exactly what it was for and when he’d asked Vin about it, he’d gotten a complicated answer, which felt the same as not getting an answer period. All of this talking was frustrating. Torn wasn’t big on conversation. It wasn’t one of his strong points and he didn’t have the desire to work on it.
“Don’t know if she found anything,” he reluctantly continued. “`m assumin’ she didn’t. Told the rest of us she got stopped by sky pirates and had to wait for the cruiser to be repaired before she came back to Haven.”
“The Brink…” Samos nodded slowly, thoughtfully. “That is quite far off.”
“You know anything about the place?”
“Can’t say I know much. I’ve never gone, you see, but there are probably some very interesting things out there. Interesting in terms of knowledge for an eco sage. Don’t know what she’d find so fascinating there for herself. Must have been for a good reason.”
“Back to square one,” Torn mumbled.
“If she should go back, we should accompany her. Not as a form of protection, but more like for ourselves. I’ve heard the Brink is very different from Haven. It might be an entirely different world than what we’re used to.”
The former Krimzon Guard leaned back and scowled, “Ashelin won’t let that happen. Years could pass and I still don’t think that part of her would change. She’s just too stubborn. She’ll want to go alone. If that means sneakin’ outta here, then she’ll do it. `m guessin’ that’s how it happened the first time.”
“Did you forget you’re stubborn, too?” Samos pointedly asked. “If you spent more time using that than letting her push you around, we’d probably know more about the Brink by now.”
Torn eyed him warily. That was probably true, but the thought of fighting with Ashe over something like that rubbed him the wrong way. If he was going to fight her, he wanted to pull on those tightly coiled locks of red and to feel her nails drag against his back. He wanted to bring her to a point where she was raw and separated from that professional outlook.
Actually, that perspective was more of a result from being sexually repressed. He couldn’t just snatch her by the wrist, push the Baron’s daughter up against a wall, and fuck her without mercy and compassion. Even if he could, it’d be a cover and a trap. Afterward when she was too spent to get away, he’d want to lovingly stroke her cheeks, trace her tattoos with an affection that was unknown in Haven, and tell her all of the secretive things he held to himself.
Ashelin would never let him do that, though, and it was just as well. If she did, he’d probably go so far as to say something incredibly stupid. Tell her he loved her or something. It was amusing to imagine the way her face would contort at hearing that. Nope. None of that was ever going to happen. Not in this lifetime, anyway.
“It ain’t my style,” he replied and shook his head. “Might be able t’ convince her to let me come along later. Dunno yet. Depends on how cooperative she can be. There ain’t much hope there.”
“My point stands.”
“Yeah, well…” Torn sighed in disbelief and slumped against the counter.
There was nothing else to add, he guessed. All he really knew was that maybe Ashelin wasn’t as crazy as he’d thought. That, and he knew he had to find a way to get her to let him come along. That was the only way he was getting to the Brink. He’d find out what was so important out there and if it meant getting her eyes on him, maybe he’d just have to get it for her.
-☼-
“The riots have stopped, Baron Praxis.”
The bearded man gave a grin and he nodded slowly, “Good. I knew they could only hold their positions for so long. It’s a waste of time to compromise with worthless imbeciles.”
Erol chuckled, “Your daughter would say that’s subjective.”
“Ah, yes. Strange that she didn’t make a great entrance. She has a tendency to show up at the most inopportune times.” Then he turned to the commander and cocked an eyebrow in interest, “I assume you had something to do with this. What commands did you give her?”
“She’s working on something important,” Erol replied. “In order to teach a soldier responsibility, you give him responsibility. Ashelin is making every effort to ensure the security of this city. Screenings and interrogations, Haven’s ground control supervisor, and naturally, her patrols.”
“You’ve kept her busy, then.”
“That’s right.”
“And she hasn’t objected?”
“Erol’s expression was mug, “She and I arrived at a mutual understanding. Even your daughter can be silenced if you play the right cards.”
Baron Praxis fingered his beard thoughtfully. He was curious, of course, but felt it better not to ask. Mystery was something he wanted to keep in the situation, if he could.
“Interesting,” he said. “And what of the Underground?”
“They remain to be seen or heard from. All is quiet on Haven’s front. No Metal Heads. No Underground. And no untruly daughters.”
It was the best news he could have received. Almost. Haven City rested in his capable hands. A little more pushing and things could stay this way. It was a perfect beginning to his ultimate conquest, however, and the Baron could not pass that up. Now, how to find a way to profit even further. It wasn’t enough. Even with everything he had, it wasn’t enough.
As he looked over to Erol, he realized that it was entirely too possible to take on too much. He could have someone else go in his stead, wherever he decided was the way to go. He could have gone himself, for these desires of expansion, but it would leave Ashelin in charge, and he knew very well that she’d ruin everything for him in his absence. He couldn’t send her out either. She wasn’t trustworthy enough for that.
Erol would have to do, and that wasn’t a bad thing.
“I want you,” the Baron began, “to take over Ashelin’s patrols and to extend yours.”
“…Baron Praxis?” Erol eyed him closely.
“Just do it. Report to me all of your findings.”
“And what exactly is it you want me looking for?”
The Baron gave him a pointed stare and then chuckled, “Our next goal. Soon, those Metal Heads will be regretting their decision to take on Haven. Once we’ve taken care of them, we’ll be able to look at better things. That’s where you come in. Report anything you find of use.”
Erol didn’t ask again. He gave a firm nod and stiffly held himself at attention.
“Baron.”
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-19-
“You think she was being serious?”
Torn watched the older elf pace back and forth. The response was well thought out and only came after some moments of silence. It was a general indication that what Ashelin had said couldn’t be completely wrong.
“Torn, you’ve known her longer than I have. The probability of determining how serious she is, is up to you. From what you’ve said, however, it sounds too outlandish for her to have made it up. Ashelin Praxis isn’t the sort of woman who makes up outrageous tales to get her way. Deceptive, oh yes, indeed. Idiotic, not so much.”
Samos had made a very valid point. Ashelin didn’t exactly exaggerate. He hadn’t been taking her seriously at all. Torn deserved to have her pissed at him, as much as he didn’t always like her that way. If she was right up next to him and pissed, then that was fine. He could still see her-real well-and he could sometimes smell her, the combination of hard work and soap. It made for a certain spice that not everyone had.
If she ever knew… She’d hate him, Torn was convinced. The Baron’s daughter. His daughter, for Mar’s fucking sake.
“So she’s being honest then,” Torn seemed to decide. “`m not good at takin’ it without proof. I gotta see what she was talkin’ about, but no one `cept her’s gotta clue what she’s sayin’.”
“It could come back over time,” Samos’ eyebrows rose as he turned back to Torn, “If it truly happened and she says she remembers, then perhaps she’s only just begun to remember. It’s difficult to determine what she’s thinking most of the time. There could be much she isn’t sharing. As much as I would want to question her on it, we’ve not the time or ability.”
Right. The situation of Haven. It’d grown worse. Torn had already thought they were at the bottom of things. They were on the brink of being confined to their homes. It’d been difficult to maneuver through a city where it looked like security outnumbered citizens three-to-one. Luckily, there were barracks in the Underground and they didn’t need to worry about finding a place to sleep at night. Like any other Havenite, however, they were restricted to the base for the most part. Even doing smaller things to complicate life for the KG was becoming less than a possibility. There was no telling how many things they destroyed that Ashelin and her very own patrol had to fix.
All in all, they were pretty stuck.
“After this is all over, we’ll be able to discuss things with her,” Torn agreed. “Even if what she’s sayin’ is the way of it, somethin’ just doesn’t sit right with her trip to the Brink. I’m guessin’ it’s a long shot, but she prob’ly didn’t say anything to you, right?”
Samos shook his head, a bit confused as to the entire Brink topic. Torn paused for a moment and then he nodded, “Right. Some weeks ago she said she went to a place called the Brink. It’s way out there, past the desert and even farther. She didn’t say why except to find answers, dealing with that ship she kept talking about. Maybe she was lookin’ for the real thing.”
To prevent from pacing back and forth, Torn sat down, lifting one arm to rest over one of the gadgets he’d taken from Vin’s little hiding place. He didn’t know exactly what it was for and when he’d asked Vin about it, he’d gotten a complicated answer, which felt the same as not getting an answer period. All of this talking was frustrating. Torn wasn’t big on conversation. It wasn’t one of his strong points and he didn’t have the desire to work on it.
“Don’t know if she found anything,” he reluctantly continued. “`m assumin’ she didn’t. Told the rest of us she got stopped by sky pirates and had to wait for the cruiser to be repaired before she came back to Haven.”
“The Brink…” Samos nodded slowly, thoughtfully. “That is quite far off.”
“You know anything about the place?”
“Can’t say I know much. I’ve never gone, you see, but there are probably some very interesting things out there. Interesting in terms of knowledge for an eco sage. Don’t know what she’d find so fascinating there for herself. Must have been for a good reason.”
“Back to square one,” Torn mumbled.
“If she should go back, we should accompany her. Not as a form of protection, but more like for ourselves. I’ve heard the Brink is very different from Haven. It might be an entirely different world than what we’re used to.”
The former Krimzon Guard leaned back and scowled, “Ashelin won’t let that happen. Years could pass and I still don’t think that part of her would change. She’s just too stubborn. She’ll want to go alone. If that means sneakin’ outta here, then she’ll do it. `m guessin’ that’s how it happened the first time.”
“Did you forget you’re stubborn, too?” Samos pointedly asked. “If you spent more time using that than letting her push you around, we’d probably know more about the Brink by now.”
Torn eyed him warily. That was probably true, but the thought of fighting with Ashe over something like that rubbed him the wrong way. If he was going to fight her, he wanted to pull on those tightly coiled locks of red and to feel her nails drag against his back. He wanted to bring her to a point where she was raw and separated from that professional outlook.
Actually, that perspective was more of a result from being sexually repressed. He couldn’t just snatch her by the wrist, push the Baron’s daughter up against a wall, and fuck her without mercy and compassion. Even if he could, it’d be a cover and a trap. Afterward when she was too spent to get away, he’d want to lovingly stroke her cheeks, trace her tattoos with an affection that was unknown in Haven, and tell her all of the secretive things he held to himself.
Ashelin would never let him do that, though, and it was just as well. If she did, he’d probably go so far as to say something incredibly stupid. Tell her he loved her or something. It was amusing to imagine the way her face would contort at hearing that. Nope. None of that was ever going to happen. Not in this lifetime, anyway.
“It ain’t my style,” he replied and shook his head. “Might be able t’ convince her to let me come along later. Dunno yet. Depends on how cooperative she can be. There ain’t much hope there.”
“My point stands.”
“Yeah, well…” Torn sighed in disbelief and slumped against the counter.
There was nothing else to add, he guessed. All he really knew was that maybe Ashelin wasn’t as crazy as he’d thought. That, and he knew he had to find a way to get her to let him come along. That was the only way he was getting to the Brink. He’d find out what was so important out there and if it meant getting her eyes on him, maybe he’d just have to get it for her.
-☼-
“The riots have stopped, Baron Praxis.”
The bearded man gave a grin and he nodded slowly, “Good. I knew they could only hold their positions for so long. It’s a waste of time to compromise with worthless imbeciles.”
Erol chuckled, “Your daughter would say that’s subjective.”
“Ah, yes. Strange that she didn’t make a great entrance. She has a tendency to show up at the most inopportune times.” Then he turned to the commander and cocked an eyebrow in interest, “I assume you had something to do with this. What commands did you give her?”
“She’s working on something important,” Erol replied. “In order to teach a soldier responsibility, you give him responsibility. Ashelin is making every effort to ensure the security of this city. Screenings and interrogations, Haven’s ground control supervisor, and naturally, her patrols.”
“You’ve kept her busy, then.”
“That’s right.”
“And she hasn’t objected?”
“Erol’s expression was mug, “She and I arrived at a mutual understanding. Even your daughter can be silenced if you play the right cards.”
Baron Praxis fingered his beard thoughtfully. He was curious, of course, but felt it better not to ask. Mystery was something he wanted to keep in the situation, if he could.
“Interesting,” he said. “And what of the Underground?”
“They remain to be seen or heard from. All is quiet on Haven’s front. No Metal Heads. No Underground. And no untruly daughters.”
It was the best news he could have received. Almost. Haven City rested in his capable hands. A little more pushing and things could stay this way. It was a perfect beginning to his ultimate conquest, however, and the Baron could not pass that up. Now, how to find a way to profit even further. It wasn’t enough. Even with everything he had, it wasn’t enough.
As he looked over to Erol, he realized that it was entirely too possible to take on too much. He could have someone else go in his stead, wherever he decided was the way to go. He could have gone himself, for these desires of expansion, but it would leave Ashelin in charge, and he knew very well that she’d ruin everything for him in his absence. He couldn’t send her out either. She wasn’t trustworthy enough for that.
Erol would have to do, and that wasn’t a bad thing.
“I want you,” the Baron began, “to take over Ashelin’s patrols and to extend yours.”
“…Baron Praxis?” Erol eyed him closely.
“Just do it. Report to me all of your findings.”
“And what exactly is it you want me looking for?”
The Baron gave him a pointed stare and then chuckled, “Our next goal. Soon, those Metal Heads will be regretting their decision to take on Haven. Once we’ve taken care of them, we’ll be able to look at better things. That’s where you come in. Report anything you find of use.”
Erol didn’t ask again. He gave a firm nod and stiffly held himself at attention.
“Baron.”
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