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 Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 9:35 pm
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Familiar sounds of hushed whispers, muffled footsteps and fingers leafing through parchment floated through the CEOHS Library. Trolls milled about, primarily students placing themselves in the weathered cushions of Chittentown’s academic library as they crammed for classes throughout the night. Some faint specks of dust were illuminated by moonlight, filtering through the many windows of the Library. The tallest shelves of instructional codices broke up the light, and through the dim atmosphere one could just as easily take a nap in the room – and many students did. It was an evening of no particular note. All Bloodfest-related signage had been taken down briefly after the event came to a close, and student clubs were calling halts on events for the season as fewer classes were offered. Amongst the aisles flitted a couple of library-workers, stocking dutifully but with less spirit than usual as time drifted casually on.
The head libarbarian sat at her place behind a desk, flipping through a book with idle satisfaction before she deftly logged some veritable cryptogram into the flickering husktop system. A quick sniff of her pert nose and an unfamiliar figure shuffling through the entrance caught her eye. She looked up over yellow hemotyped reading glasses. A newcomer, and a greenblooded drone at that. A quick pressed smile and nod would suffice – based upon his uniform, he was a military drone. The atmosphere in the room was tightened only a touch by his presence, but as he shifted behind the bookshelves it was clear he was gazing through the spines of the books without reading them – crossing between shelves to look through the cracks at the patrons of the library, and plucking books he simply opened and then closed again to stack on top of an adjacent shelf.
Only Katanari is allowed to post in this thread.
Katanari This growth will take the form of a regular RP, so quote the mule when you would like an NPC reply!
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 3:39 am
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Ephias wandered through the stacks, not looking for anything in particular but simply enjoying the absence of responsibility. The past several months had been marked by turbulence. From the events beneath Chittentown and Wolly's subsequent recovery, to Keionx's duel with Etsali and their recovery, to even Bloodfest—a celebrated event though it was, the games and shenanigans were not quite Ephias' style. Worries stacked one on top of the other, they had left him wound up as tight as a spring. It was a wonder he had not snapped.
Now however, the dust was beginning to settle. Life had resumed as normal and there was little more to worry about than the next time Wolly needed a haircut. Ephias had been sleeping better too. In just the last week, he had slept through almost all daylight hours. It was amazing how refreshed he felt each evening. His mind was sharper, his apathy all but disappeared, and in its place a sense of contentment. Suddenly he found time again to do what he loved; to study the stars and contemplate the worlds beyond. Every night, in the dark hours before dawn, he sat on the cliffs above Chittentown and watched the turning of cosmos through his telescope. For now it did not matter if space travel was impossible. Seeing them was enough.
At the present, it was still too early for star-gazing. The constellations he wanted to observe would not be visible until much later and besides—as long as the moon was out, it's light would obscure his view. Rather than stay back at his hive, Ephias had elected to visit the CEOHS Library. He was in dire need of new reading material and it had been ages since he had checked for new science journals. Not to mention he hoped that maybe he could find something to help him handle the gerbil Etsali had graciously left in his respiteblock without warning.
Hands in his pockets, Ephias perused the shelves, his eyes pausing on the occasional title as it caught his interest. Behind him, Wolly yawned, tongue uncurling over his teeth. There was no response. His ears flicked back. With a hop-skip movement that was foreign to woolbeasts, he pranced around to Ephias' other side. His hooves clicked noisily over the tile. Then he leaned against his charge's leg, sighing.
Ephias flipped through a slender manual, unperturbed. “If you're tired, you can take a nap. No one will mind,” he said, without looking away. Wolly let out a snort. “Or you can head back home. I won't b-be much longer.” Another snort, more indignant than the first. Ephias paused. “Though I guess you wouldn't be able to get inside.”
He returned the book to the shelf, then looked towards Wolly. The sheep met his gaze with a doleful expression. His knees wobbled. Ephias knew what was coming. He rubbed at his face, trying to stay composed. “How about,” he said, “I take a look at the latest research journals, see what I can find on g-gerbils, and then we'll head out? We can go out for ice-cream afterwards if that's what you... Yeah, all right then.”
Wolly vibrated with excitement. His little tail shook so hard Ephias feared it was at risk of dislocating. No sooner had he finished speaking, than Wolly bounded off. With a sigh that was less exasperated than it was amused, Ephias followed after him.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 11:22 pm
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The yellowblood, who Ephias knew through acquaintance as Miss Xandri Pinake, remained quiet and alert. The quaint interaction between troll and lusus was in the corner of the libarbarian’s eye, but the redblood and his guardian had never caused trouble (rather, she had noticed the spines of books much cleaner after Wolly had waddled through the aisles). Her attention finally started to drift back to her work when the greenblood acted.
After aching minutes of carrying on the façade of browsing, his attention snapped to an aisle far back in the library. He moved with purpose, hand hovering to his ear as though listening into a bud or something speaking into his auricular spongeclots. He was in the scant historical literature section now, then sliding over to non-fiction and even into practical help. His quick pace wasn’t lost on Xandri; she fiddled with a yellow pencil, drawing a series of circular scribbles on a piece of paper.
The drone clutched four books within his grip. He looked around the library once more and straightened his shoulders, jacket falling into place. Now in plain view of the resident libarbarian, he began his passage toward her. It was a sight out of a film, but the scene seemed cold and unromantic. A shifty agent of the government in a closely monitored space spelled trouble. At this point, a couple of library patrons had taken notice. There was a deepening of the library’s hush as he slid the books onto the counter, spreading them apart and crossing slim grey fingers on top a book’s cover. The title read, “Underground Passage: A History of Resilience”. Another, “Dulling the Senses: Minimizing Kinesis”, and another “Fables of the Amber Eyes”. At the very bottom of the stack was a simple browned booklet, untitled and worn, but apparently sealed. Xandri’s eyes opened wide before she regained her senses and looked with hopeful innocence up at the drone in front of her.
“May I help you?” She asked. He laced his fingers together and closed the distance between them further. His tone was rough and low.
“I intend to reclaim subversive literature that has found its way into the system. Your system. I was alerted to these… works… And lo and behold,” with a sharp jab of his pointer finger he pressed a book towards Xandri. “Processed. Not only in your possession, but ready for check-out.”
“N-no!” Xandri’s grip around her pencil tightened, and she clenched her jaw to stay straight and calm. “These books are beloved and necessary for us all in Chittentow—“
“Underground Passage. Treasonous and untrue recollections of warmbloods escaping just punishment through unlawful means,”
“Acquitted members of the lower caste braving harsh climates to return to their lusii and communities!”
“Dulling the Senses, information written by an extremist to remove psychics from the eye of the Alternian government in an attempt to garner secret resistance forces”
“Sir, many psychics in Chittentown feel a great deal of mental pain due to their powers, it’s –“
“And Fables of the Amber Eyes. Orangeblooded heroes, and their yellowblooded companions fight against… What was it? An evil Queen? Fantasy or not, this is no Wiggler’s Tale; this is corrupting propaganda, Miss Pinake.” The greenblood took the three books by the corners and straightened them casually on the counter. His utmost serious couldn’t be broken – this was a troll who believed in the Alternian cause. A frown twitched on his lips. “You are a public servant of Alternia. I could have more troops here to go through these shelves book by book for more evidence against you. With these three books here, assuming you cleared these for the shelves, you’re looking at time in the Punishment Pits.”
He gauged her reflection, which was as unmoving as stone. Meanwhile, Xandri slid her thumb up and down the pencil, digging a nail into the paint enough for it to chip away.
“That leads me to this.” He tapped the brown booklet.
The tension of the room was so precarious that one could nearly feel the stretching tension, and the inevitability of the snap.
Quote: Don't feel pressured to interact directly with NPCs if it feels premature for you!
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:43 am
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Ephias had been browsing through the latest research journals near the front of the library when he picked up on a disturbance. His first clue was not the oppressive hush that fell over the library, or the tense words between the librarian and the drone but something on a visceral level. It was like the room had experienced a drop in temperature. A chill went down his spine and there was a tingling over his arms as his skin turned to gooseflesh. He looked up to see Wolly anxiously prancing in place. Upon making eye contact, the sheep moved a couple paces towards the door. He paused a little ways away, glancing back as though he expected Ephias to follow. Ephias merely blinked, perplexed. “What—?” he began. Then he heard the voice.
Despite the silence that had fallen, the voice was quiet, no more than a low murmur. Still, enough words were punctuated with cold emphasis that Ephias could extrapolate what was being said. And what he could not extrapolate with words he could extrapolate with tone. Either way, it did not sound good good.
Peering around the shelf, he saw the libarbarian, Miss Pinake, seated as usual at her desk. Standing across from her was a greenblooded drone. In between them, a small stack of books.
Ephias heard a shuffling sound. Turning to look back over his shoulder, he saw Wolly, front hooves pawing at the floor. The sheep huffed a sigh of relief as Ephias met his gaze. At last he understood. It was dangerous here. Had not Ephias already had his fill of danger? It would be better to leave. They were close enough to the exit. They could slip away and no one would notice. Just twenty feet and they would be safe. They could go out for ice cream, then Wolly could escort Ephias as he went up chart the stars. They could pretend as though nothing had happened and everything would be fine. If only Ephias would come now, through the door...
Ephias never even considered the door, or leaving for that matter. He could be amazingly single-minded like that at times.
Quietly slipping around from behind the book shelf, he made his way towards the information desk. As he passed between shelves, he could not help but glance down the aisles. Where trolls sat at the studying tables, every face was cast down, eyes avoiding the scene. He could tell they were listening though. They were too still, too tense to not be. An orangeblood momentarily met his eyes and he felt his pumpbiscuit skip, startled at the sudden contact. It lasted no more than an instant. Her gaze flickered back to the unopened book in front of her, and she she leaned her head on her hand, so that her fingers obscured her face.
Shutting out his brief flash of unease, Ephias fixed his attention back on Miss Xandri and the drone. The latter had just finished adjusting the books on the counter. He spoke in a manner that was both matter-of-fact and dangerous. No matter how surreal the situation seemed, the threat the drone presented was very, very real. Ephias' mind was in a blur.
Stopping by a shelf close enough to the information desk that he could listen and observe, he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and made himself look unassuming. Though he faced a row of books, he watched the libarbarian and the drone out of this peripheral vision. Miss Pinake's stone-faced countenance. The booklet in the drone's hands. Ephias' jaw tightened ever so slightly. Safely concealed in the pockets of his jacket, his hands were fists.
The situation was wrong. He knew it was. But what could he do?
As his mind raced to catch up to his passion, he stood there unable to move. Near the entrance of the library, Wolly stood similarly paralysed. His eyes were wide with predictions of the future, predictions that locked his hooves to the floor.
Hivestuck I think... yeah. Curious what the book's all about and it felt weird to cut him off in mid-sentence. |
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:41 pm
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“I’ve never—“ Xandri began.
The greenblood whipped a finger down on the booklet, causing a light but stifling snap. He twisted his mouth into a disappointed grimace and barked back at her. “Listen, Miss Pinake…”
She shut her mouth tight. He looked at her at an angle, his lips pursed now in taught response. “This is serious. And let me tell you why.” The drone picked up the booklet and laid it on its bound spine. He traced it up and down. “Confidential information stored in non-descript writing, passed around districts of Chittentown during and after the drought. What does that sound like to you?”
The drone flipped over the book and gestured to the spine. “This spine is marked deceptively; there has been an attempt to throw off the gaze of someone from this book. This has no markings that it belongs to this library. Perhaps it is not a book at all,” He watched her expression carefully for any recognition, but she was still as a statue.
“Now, I mention this to you to make you very aware of what I expect to find. Inside tips following a seizure of treasonous individuals after the Chittentown drought have lead forces to believe that such subversive materials may be contained, even unwittingly, in this library. The materials I have previously uncovered can be damning, but this is the crux. Miss Pinake. Who does this booklet belong to, and what is its purpose?”
The plain brown booklet slid onto the counter between them.
Katanari Will you engage, or stay safe at a distance?
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:54 am
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“She doesn't know.”
Wolly's knees buckled and he nearly fainted. That was exactly what he had been afraid would happen.
The words slipped out before Ephias could so much as re-evaluate. Suddenly he found himself pulling away from the safety of the shelves to meet the drone. His jaw was tight and his heartbeat quick. It had been an impulsive, thoughtless thing to say, he realised. His anger had bubbled to the surface and it had allowed him to react recklessly. Maybe that was for the better though. It was the push he needed to act on the present. There was no over-thinking it. Now he only needed to channel his fury into something he could use.
Keeping his hands in his pockets, Ephias faced down the greenblood. “The library is a-a public space, with as many as a couple hundred p-patrons visiting every night. Especially considering the book isn't m-marked, it could have been slipped in at any time.” Not good enough. He was only working off the hypothetical. Yet he could not afford to gamble on its contents. Besides, there were still the other materials to contend with. Somehow he had to convince the drone that they were harmless, or at the very least that they were the only ones of their kind. The gravity of the situation was not lost on him. Miss Pinake was not the only one in danger.
Ephias forced himself to stay calm and maintain eye contact. His expression was as unfathomable as it always was and his body language non-assertive. Even so, he stood a little straighter than usual and his eyes had acquired a steely focus. “Unless you have evidence, your accusation won't hold.” he said evenly.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 1:34 pm
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The greenblood was less taken aback, and more intrigued. His stern expression deepened as a newcomer entered the tense stand-off. Ephias didn’t look the part of one who would stand up to authority, and his stutter was disarming. Perhaps he could be reasoned with, shed some light where the yellow-blooded libarbarian had closed up. A level expression and the greenblood placed his spread fingers on the booklet, still firm.
“Your insubordination is unwelcome, redblood, and I would disagree with your conclusion,” he droned. He took a look back at the books on the counter and returned Ephias’ glance with a skeptical look. “With these other controversial books on the shelves it would lead anyone to believe that Miss Pinake has an appreciation for subversion. Unfortunately for her, this is evidence enough in Alternian court.”
“B-but!” Xandri spoke up, emboldened by Ephias’ intervention. She looked at him for support. This greenblood was a gofer of the military, but at least he wasn’t the bloodthirsty kind. Xandri had time to think. She pored over her knowledge, helped by the time Ephias had given her. She straightened her back. “I can contend these books’ harmlessness. See here…!”
She flipped over the Amber Eyes novel and gestured to its back page. An image of a tealblood met the greenblood’s gaze: a portrait of the author. “Zakkar Turich, supporter of the arts and author. There is actually… Look here on page one-hundred and twelve. The protagonist and his lusus go to meet with the Good Queen of the main island – the original ruler who went to space and who was usurped by an up-start, who is the ‘evil queen’ you refer to. Hardly anti-government at all, I think you’ll see if you were to read it,” she offered.
The greenblood seemed put off. His instructions were simple and clear, and he was sure he had not received misinformation. Three books to be collected of a certain identification number, detailing treasonous ideals, and the potential discovery of an unmarked piece of seditious materials. This redblood was throwing a kink in a quick arrest. The interpretation of literature was not helping his case, but he would not be made a fool. There had to be some punishment.
“Well… Whether or not you consider the content of the book to be dubious is moot. The content of these other books still stands, in addition to this pamphlet. What do you have to say about that? She doesn’t know, so are you claiming responsibility? Hm? The more information provided means the less severe the punishment can be. Clean and simple.”
Xandri looked at Ephias pleadingly. If she knew anything, she couldn’t give it away with the drone standing right there. She looked between Ephias and the book and took a breath, calming herself. Solidarity meant the world at that moment. She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at him expectantly.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 4:13 am
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The drone had the advantage of the hemospectrum and he not only knew it but made sure that Ephias and Xandri were aware of it as well. Ephias had to fight to keep from clenching his teeth as the greenblood dismissed Xandri's analysis. Her defence of the fairy tale was sound, but because of her yellow blood, it came to nothing. Logic and reason were only as powerful as those who employed them.
The drone's following accusation struck Ephias like a slap to the face and he was momentarily stunned. He had to remind himself that it was just an intimidation tactic. The threat was real enough, but unless he stuck his neck out and said something stupid, the drone was unlikely to take action. After all, he had more than the two choices he was presented.
“I-I'm not. But her innocence is... is not reliant on my guilt. Nor anyone else's.” And you know that. Ephias took a shaky breath. Somehow, he needed to get this drone on his side. “Even if you were to interrogate everyone in the... in the library presently, you would still run the risk of losing your culprit. Because if that really is subversive material that was p-planted as you say, then I imagine whoever placed it here would not stick around to be s-s-suspected.”
“Anyway,” he continued. “Dangerous materials should be removed from the public as... as quickly and discreetly as possible, right? Unless...” He chewed on the inside of his lip. “You're required to make an arrest?”
Hivestuck Ended up rewriting everything in case you saw it unfinished. Oops. |
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 2:52 pm
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The drone frowned. The redblood had a point. In the grand scheme of things, eliminating the libarbarian would leave her station open to any other subversive group member, and in the first place if she had little to do with the books other than poor taste and questionable thoughts about the hemospectrum he would be missing the point entirely.
He spread his fingers out on the book and furrowed his brow in thought, looking between both trolls with steely resolve. This was a chance to make a difference. He would seem a fool to defer to a troll amongst the lowest caste, but if he could use him… Yes. Two birds, one stone. Utilize the redblood’s knowledge of Chittentown, and get closer to the real culprit. If he brought down some sort of rebel coalition instead of a single lowly libarbarian, the results would be massive. Accolades and change would follow if he simply swallowed his pride. A slight tinge of desperation grew inside of him – no arrest and no information gleaned from this mission would look badly on him. If all he had was wiggler’s books and a wibbling yellowblood, what was he? His frustration grew. Alternia needed results. The greenblood allowed himself to raise an eyebrow, but his guard was still up.
“I cannot disclose the motives of the Empire in reference to my assignments, but I’ll tell you this, redblood – you’re no simple man. I appreciate that,” he admitted. The drone pursed his lips and procured a small switchblade from his pocket. “Miss Pinake, I will be taking you in to determine the consequences of these materials. The likelihood will be registration of each book within this library and recall, as well as a significant fine or detainment. Any complications, and you’re looking at the Punishment Pits,” he snipped. With a quick glance up at Ephias, it was clear that this was a softening of his original intentions. “I’ll need to take your name down, as witness to this arrest,”
And with that, he was a suspect in the arrest as well. The softening could only go so far. The drone cleared his throat. “Additionally, I am requesting your word as an inside source to the contents of this booklet. Considering the fault of security in this building as to the culprit, we have to work overtime to find the source.” He flipped open his blade and began to cut down the side of the booklet, to open it up. The contents of the booklet could very well be damning, and this was quite the test. He looked for a reaction intently. Worst case scenario, he’d glean a hunch from the trolls. Best case, he’d catch a criminal. The greenblood’s lip twitched as he carefully extracted the materials.
Newspaper clippings, leading to the desert from the WACKY debacle, the acquisition of a cure for the Mother Grub, and stories concerning the Fluid Redistribution Center and the Chittentown Drought. A pamphlet for a Chittentown Codex club, with dates and times circled in yellow. Short journals, seemingly frivolous in nature: Spent time at the beach resort before we were kicked out by yuppies – ugh! They’re taking over. At least the docks and our mansion are still free of the rabble. Shall we go to the mall and the pleasure district later with the girls? Or maybe meet at the club or Restaurant Blu? Up to you. There’s me and 11 others waiting at the rail station right now. Lots of hustle and bustle. Talk to you later. XOXOXO. Keep Vigilance, Totally Bangin’ One. 2, 3
“What does this mean?” The drone muttered through a tightly drawn jaw. There was no damning evidence here – only cryptic public information; it read like someone’s diary no less. He narrowed his eyes and scowled dangerously. There had to be something here. There had to be.
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 5:18 pm
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Ephias cast a quick glance in Xandri's direction. He hoped that was enough. It was only a small victory—a compromise more than anything—but when he had been uncertain if he could influence anything at all, he was willing to accept even the slightest change in the outcome. At least for now, he would settle with what he had.
“Ephias Sagine,” he answered. Around the shoulder of the drone, he saw Wolly, still standing by the entrance, give a jolt. He ignored him, and turned his attention back to the greenblood. He said nothing, in response to his request. While he would not offer resistance, nor would he give anything that could be used against him.
As the drone cut open the side of the booklet, Ephias kept his expression blank and his gaze forward. The first part was easy; emoting usually required a conscious effort on his part. It was a little harder to keep his eyes on the drone though. His attention naturally drifted towards Xandri, and it was all he could to not to look at her.
Watching as the drone's face went from cold and impassive to tense, Ephias felt his own body stiffen. He regarded the notes in the drone's hand. From the back, he could make out very little. “Something other than what you expected?” Ephias ventured.
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:05 pm
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Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 3:52 am
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As the greenblood began to elicit signs of increased aggression, Ephias' anxiety receded. Now that the impassive demeanour had cracked and he was able to see into the other's mental state, he felt as though he some grasp on the situation. The enforcers of Alternian law were not faceless, nor was the justice they carried absolute.
With the papers spread out over the desk, Ephias leaned in to examine them. He paged through a few of the newspaper clippings, reading the headlines and skimming the articles. Most were front page news type stories, but aside from that there seemed to be no connection. Looking a bit further revealed a photo of Chittentown from after the drought. He paused. The military had recruited from the public for that particular venture—for Old Hemisect as well. Maybe there were other times as well. His gaze flickered back to the article on the WACKY device. A glory hunter perhaps? Conscious of the drone over his shoulder he kept digging.
The pamphlet for the Codex Club did not hold anything meaningful, but the journal entries proved interesting. His eyes drifted drifted to the numbers written in red at the end. They were clearly important. Coordinates. He read back over the entry, slower. Judging from the locational clues, the writer had been in Civisect City. Ephias scratched the side of his cheek, thoughtful. Civisect... or Old Hemisect. Scanning the page for a date, he tried to remember when the battle for Old Hemisect had occurred. If it matched the time of these writings then...
Suddenly his attention shifted to Xandri as she tucked her pencil into her hand. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to make eye contact with her. His brow furrowed. He got the distinct impression that there was something he was missing, something he should have picked up on. Cursing his ineptitude, Ephias tried to mentally replay the scenario. The accusation, the objection, time in the punishment pits, his own intervention, the reduced punishment... Yet she still seemed so anxious. Was that normal? Glancing back at the spread of papers, Ephias considered them. Anything seemed possible but nothing was certain and he was running out of time to think. It would be better to assume the worst.
Stuffing his hands back in his pockets, he looked up at the drone and shrugged. “Doesn't seem especially suspicious to me. I mean, look at these articles.” He nodded towards them. “They seem like the sort of thing a g-glory hound would collect, don't they?” Grabbing one at random, he moved it so that sat on top of the stack, hiding the journal entries. “But... since we're looking at this with the idea that some-someone was deliberately trying to hide something... then maybe the contents of this booklet are a false trail, meant to d-distract from the real message. If this was back in the stacks, it could have easily signified a m-m-message using the books next to it.”
Ephias was uncertain if there was any danger in the clippings and journal entries, but if there was he needed to minimize the amount of scrutiny they received.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:55 am
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The drone tapped on the desk and looked back and forth between the shelves and the two lowbloods before him. He tried hard to calm himself down from his breaking point, but his impatience was clearly taking hold. Slamming his fist down on the desk, he cursed his luck and gave the two a deadly glare. “Alright. Xandri, you’re coming with me to look,” he mumbled, spitting each syllable out. The drone collected all of the materials in no particular order, crumpling them up a bit as he left. Pinake hid a white slip into her palm and walked around her station. She slipped it carefully to Ephias as she did, giving him a firm nod. The two walked off and out of sight behind one of the many bookshelves.
It was a piece of paper that must have been obscured by her sleeve. The writing on it was a hasty scrawl, filling up the entire page.
“vremea everai founder of the codex club libarbarian @ chittentown library. if you seek answers. tell my lusus ill be ok – in quiet section.”
In no time at all, the sound of the two’s voices re-emerged. The drone’s voice had lost its vigor, while Pinake’s had gained some confidence.
“I’m terribly sorry,”
“There must be a reason for this!”
“You may flip through the other codices as many times as you would like, sir, if that will help the investigation,”
The drone stalked back to the libarbarian’s desk, unwilling to leave Ephias alone for too long. The two were carrying a handful of books. Books about scrapbooking and journaling, no less. The lines in the greenblood’s forehead were more obvious than ever. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Xandri spoke up, “With the hiveless population we often get poor trolls storing notes to themselves,” she offered. “Perhaps they were merely keeping their materials in one place with their reference? If I dig perhaps I can find their scrapbo--”
“No. No. That… No,” The drone grumbled. All of this for a news enthusiast who wanted to store some personal notes and newspaper clippings. He snarled. If anything, the greenblood had realized that he simply couldn’t think straight. He needed to process everything again. Then, he’d really find some answers. “You’re coming with me. I’m taking this back to the Chittentown military base. Let’s go, Miss Pinake. And you,”
He snarled and turned to Ephias. “Stay out of trouble, Mr. Sagine. I’ll be following up.”
The drone whirled and stalked away with the yellowblood in tow. The dust had been kicked up by his departure. It floated down in motes, graceful moths landing back on the uppermost shelves of the interrupted sanctum.
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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:17 pm
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As soon as the drone and Xandri disappeared behind the stacks, Ephias looked down at the slip pressed into his hand; a mysterious note from Xandri. His eyes passed over the paper several times, confirming what was written there. So, she was involved in something. His gaze paused on the Codex Club. There had been a pamphlet included in the materials gathered by the drone. He had dismissed it at the time, but perhaps those dates and times indicated something more.
Suddenly he felt a warm pressure against his elbow. Ephias stiffened. As he looked to the side, he felt the tension leave him.It was just Wolly. He shoved the paper into his pant pocket and turned to acknowledge the sheep. Speaking in a low voice, he said, “It's okay.”
Wolly was indignant and borderline hysterical. No, it was not okay. Did Ephias have any idea the danger he was in? He could wind up in the Punishment Pits and then where would he be?
“The Punishment Pits,” Ephias responded, without sass.
Exactly! And there was nothing that Wolly could do for him there, not even if...
He was abruptly cut off by the sound of Xandri and the drone returning. Wolly wasted no time in darting around Ephias' legs to hide. Pressed up against him, Ephias could feel the sheep shaking through his wool. Maintaining a neutral expression, he looked towards the two adults, expectant. The drone was livid, but Xandri handled him courteously and professionally.
While the two went back and forth, Ephias kept quiet. With the situation under control, or at least more manageable than before, he was hesitant to interrupt. He bit his lip, suddenly self-conscious. Was he exercising caution or was he truly satisfied with this result? Supposing he was, did that make him a coward, settling for less? That particular thought troubled him. Not insomuch the quality of his character, but the idea that perhaps he had not done as much as he could.
The drone startled him from his musings. Ephias blinked twice in quick succession, the only sign he had been disturbed. “Of course, s-sir,” he replied. When the drone turned his back, Ephias nodded towards Xandri. His hand tightened around the note in his pocket. He understood.
Even as he watched her go however, Ephias felt a shadow of doubt pass over his pumpbiscuit. His brief moment of introspection had raised all kinds of concerns and brought into question his actions. What if he had intervened sooner? What if he had argued further for Xandri's benefit? What if he had claimed responsibility? What if...?
Ephias paused.
What if... That was a dangerous train of thought. In the moment, it was impossible to tell what would lead to the best outcome. He could only select what looked like the likeliest path and hope that he had made the right decision. And if it turned out that he had been wrong there was no point in berating himself. No one had ever gained anything by spending their whole life looking backwards after all. He just had to trust in his instincts and have faith in the ability of others.
Ephias pulled the note out of his pocket. Xandri had trusted him for whatever reason. It was time to return the favour. “Come on, Wolly,” Ephias said, ruffling the sheep's ears. “We'll be quick.” Then, before Wolly could object, he turned and disappeared into the stacks.
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