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 Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:57 pm
Bluefire Dragonz The night was quiet, this far from the busy rush of the city. The quiet was a large reason why Shadeite had chosen here, though it was only one of many. The news from her sources had been displeasing and such was the seriousness of it, the General-Queen had actually roused herself for it. Normally, gathering information was the jobs of the officers under her specific command, a vast network that reported to her everything that was to be known in a steady river of information. What flowed to her, she parsed and doled out actions as needed. This, however... this needed personal attention. With a General-King involved, only another sovereign was acceptable.
It was a bit of a shame, though. Shadeite was not known for her stellar interrogation techniques. That was Guantanomite. She was also not known for her ability to win herself into the confidences of others to suss out secrets. That was Kazenite. She was, however, the one that would be meting out the required action should the suspicions prove true... so in the interest of efficiency, it was best to approach General-King Bischofite herself and see if her intelligence was in fact correct.
Was the General-King's mind straying too far from the path Metallia had laid out for them?
Black boots, neatly worn and polished to a high gloss, clicked on the slatted wood of the foot bridge as Shadeite walked along it, her white gloved hands clasped behind her back. In her plain, dark grey uniform edged in silver and lacking any of the flashy adornments General-Sovereigns were known for, this one appeared as little more than a lieutenant, or captain at best. Were it not for the miasma of her aura that spread like a great, greasy cloud around her, anyway. Her aura was unmistakable for what it was. She had decided to forego her normal cloaking manuever tonight and Naga was safely sleeping his rainbow dreams in the rift. Neither would do her any good at the moment.
Behind her back, her thumb spun the silver ring on her finger idly and she stared ahead of her with impassive blue eyes, waiting patiently for her 'guest' to join her. Aeeth To those lacking the sense of auric energy, the thick splatter of tar often cued Bischofite's entrance. The footbridge knew well his taint, as a thick, crusted portion of it stained the front at its zenith. The corrosion gathered at the rim, slowly crawling toward the sides near the underbelly of the bridge. Often enough it dripped into the river below, a poison to all fish who swam near its touch. On a handful of occasions, while Bischofite meditated at the rushing reflection beneath, he considered fishing in such a manner and eating all that floated to the surface, suffocated with the thick of tar painted across their gills.
Now, his attentions focused on the nondescript officer standing in a place well-marred by his presence. She chose this location specifically - at his behest. In a slow walk accompanied by the drag of tattered cloth, he joined her in leaning over the rails to survey the night unfolding just beyond the city limits. "It is not often zat I am summoned by my peers - and I am certain you are familiar wis' ze reasoning behind such avoidance." Many of his peers and subordinates loathed his unpredictability, as it often posted painful reminders that he found no reservations in attacking his allies. By now, his sordid past in such affairs stood well-documented in the Negaverse databases, with the appropriate warnings attached when dealing with his presence.
Idly Bischofite wondered if their sole common grounds remained in a lack of medals and an allegiance to Metallia. Did she favor this world, in all its contrived civility? Did she know what 'fun' was, and how to seek it? He mulled over a few trite potential answers before abandoning the practice in a fit of boredom.
"Eizer it's somesing pressing or somesing bozzersome. Let's not dally in idle chat; tell me what gaf'e you cause to summon me, Shadeite." The creature rapped his fingers together in a series of stiff clicks while he awaited her response.
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:59 pm
Bluefire Dragonz The aura that drifted over her senses like a dark, wool blanket was the first sign that her guest had arrived. Shadeite liked the feel of wool, most days... and power. Especially power. Tonight, though? Tonight she would prefer her chair in front of the fire and a glass of wine over this aura. Still, work must be done. Turning at the rustle of cloth against wood, Shadeite watched her counterpart approach the railing, his voice drifting to her over the rush of the river beneath their feet.
She had no remark to make at his assertion, her face unchanging and blank, only a cool gaze to return to him. He was correct and he knew it, there was no need to acknowledge it. She appreciated idle chatter as little as he did, she would not fill the air with it. They had many things in common, she suspected, but she was disinclined to explore the extent of their similarities when faced with his habit of choosing his targets without discrimination... a habit that, all too often, got in the way of her own plans, both large and small.
"My information says your mind is lingering too much on your former lover. I am here to assess it myself." Shadeite said without preamble, brutally honest. There was no reason to hide it from him. "Are you swayed by thoughts of him? Does your allegiance to Metallia waver?"
The clicks punctuated her words, but they made no impression on her. His restless motions were immaterial. His face, what she could see of it past its mask, was what she watched with a critical eye, searching for deceit or evasion. Aeeth And where had that information come from? I've not confided in my colleagues for quite some time - that includes Schörl and Persephone. I've always been careful to avoid transcribing my thoughts, and no enemy of mine was privy to information of that sort. Aside from Quenton himself spreading the rumor... No - that cannot be.
A deep pause ensued as the creature gazed outward toward the forests over a mile away. He measured his words carefully while he waited, assessed their merit before dispensing them deliberately. Six long years in the Negaverse... All that time is so oft weighed in the moments before punishment. Idly he wondered what time was worth to her, if it still carried meaning due to her wholly human body. He wondered if she knew lovers herself, or loved ones, or cherished activities. Perhaps it was better if she didn't - better soldiers knew only ideal without the taint of want and need.
"Your information is correct. Zere are times I wake from dreams I was certain I left behind years ago. My mind strays to memories over duties. It disturbs me greatly to know zat..." He drew a hissed breath between teeth. "A human could hold sway comparable to her. I do not find much delight in my human side, Shadeite. Were it of benefit to me, I would'f deconstructed ze skin, flesh, and bone from my person to do away wis' ze last of it." Yet humanity begets rank - are there youma among us, whole youma, that sport rank above the lot of our officers? It is not so. Not even Bazzite harbors any command over officers, despite his ability to speak and think coherently. The Negaverse, then, appreciates qualities of humanity in order to have them preside over others? If not, human figureheads serve an indispensable use in blinding the lot of our officers to follow and heel at command.
"Ze question remaining is how to remedy it - destroy ze source of ze problem, or overload my soughts wis' chaos as was done in ze past? I wager ze former is far less costly to ze Negaverse - if memory serves, my body started breaking down shortly after ze... Lobotomy, should we call it?
"If I can find him, I can be rid of him. If we pursue zat route, how many soldiers are you willing to allocate to such a menial task? As you well know, my reputation dictates I haf' no direct subordinates of my own - so if zere are any among our ranks zat stand adept at manhunts, you would know far better zan I."
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:59 pm
Bluefire Dragonz Shadeite waited patiently as the youma-king's eyes stared off into the forests and he stood silent. She didn't fidget, didn't move... perfectly balanced on her feet, she had no need to ease her weight and fidgeting too often betrayed a too active mind. She was glass, a fogged mirror... inscrutable and opaque. She didn't rush him to speak and even when he did, she offered no comment and let him wind through his pedantic discourse without interruption. All too often, if you let someone speak, they came to a close faster than they would if you prompted them with your own thoughts, all on their own. She had no desire to hear him drone on about his... feelings longer than necessary.
At least he seemed to be telling her the truth, though she was not entirely pleased to find her information to be true. Still... he offered a way to remedy the situation. Killing the man had been her obvious choice, hearing his agreement made it a simple matter.
"Numbers are immaterial, as long as the task is completed." She said, her voice bland and unfeeling. "The lower ranks will do as they are told or their power will be revoked to feed Metallia." It really was as simple as that. It was a shame so few of their compatriots could see that. If they held a firmer grip on their subordinates, things would be a lot simpler and more efficient all around.
"I am fully capable of finding and executing him, but your words suggest you have a plan in mind." Aeeth "I do. Simply killing him and informing me of it amounts to abstract information. I will complete ze task myself; if you should require an accompaniment to keep me focused, so be it. Surely you know of my... Track record wis' subordinates - ensure zat you send along someone disposable." Likely the tar will eat them alive before Quenton has a chance to henshin into... Whatever he is. It won't matter, soon enough. If I've met him before, his second ego, then it may provide further closure.
There are more than a few senshi that wormed their ways into my special list regardless.
"I know." She lends and reclaims - it's not a feeding process. We are no different than civilians with lines of credit: we pay in energy when our monthly dividends are due. Those of us with higher credit have an adjusted rate to those with lowest credit - the general-soverigns to the lieutenants. And when we fail to make our payments... Collections is a ruthless process. Metallia always reclaims what is rightfully hers. I only await the day that we harvest this city into the dirt as a means to pay what we owe. How much we gamble to retain life proclaimed precious...
I remember cherishing it once.
"Quenton is quite adept in his ability to disappear. I do not know if he will stop into stores to make purchases, as he is notorious for his ability to learn; he may haf' already developed a means to lif' off ze land. Surveying store footage will be of some use - anywhere zat sells food or medical supplies. At ze least, he will be somewhat easy to spot wis' a jagged scar crossing his mous'. Unfortunately, I haf' no photos to provide." None that I would share, at least.
"His cousin, Schörl, and I suspect him to be a senshi or knight. Likely I'll encounter somesing of a battle, but my rank precludes much challenge. I expect it will be a fairly straightforward endeavor - what is matched in wit will be overcome wis' strengs'."
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Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 9:00 pm
Bluefire Dragonz "I will accompany you on this venture to ensure it reaches the desired end." Shadeite said as she watched him impassively. "If you fail at the critical moment, no one of lesser rank would be able to remedy the situation."
It was hard to tell if he had been trying to conceal a plan to pretend to hunt his lover and then turn aside at the last moment... but whatever his true intentions, she would not tolerate divergence from the path they set. Who better than a General-Queen to take into battle? Lesser ranks posed a risk of failure and Shadeite preferred to stack the deck for success. She would be able to finish anything he left undone, and more if need be. If he betrayed them all, she would end him and leave his corpse beside his lover's.
It would even solve a lot of problems if she did... her own plans would move far more smoothly forward without his interference.
If this Quenton was a terrorist, then finding him could be more problematic than she had first anticipated. Their head quarters remained frustratingly illusive.
"If we can't track him to his nest, we must set a snare and draw him to it. The terrorists have been making forays into the city despite the travel restrictions, it shouldn't be hard to feed them information. I can set the trap, but you will have to bait it as you are more informed of what will draw him than I am." Once the jaws snapped shut around the terrorist, she had no doubts of finding success... she would pour as much of her resources into this as was needed. Perhaps he would bring others with him and allow them to take an even bigger bite out of Order's forces... bonus, if they were of higher ranks.
This was shaping up to be a far more productive night than she had anticipated. Though her face remained blank, there was a spread of what could pass for excitement in the General-Queen, the laser focus that always came when a course of action was decided. She was a ruthless machine for the Negaverse, for Metallia... but it was a means to an end that transcended both. This would be one more thing to check off her list, one more step along her path.
Shadeite liked to cross things off lists. Aeeth "Conversely, zough, you're piling all your eggs into one basket. What if zey were to spring a proper trap on ze pair of us at an integral moment? Wis' bos' of us dead, ze Negaverse takes a crippling blow - not in total energy, but in ze majority of functioning mental capabilities. Few exist now zat haf' ze propensity to commit ze acts we are capable of in an effectif' manner - hence ze request for lower officers.
"If you deem zis risk appropriate for your attendance, zen consider my words only encouragement toward cautionary approach. If not... It's time to find warm bodies." A last rapping on the railing and he pushed away just enough to stand of his own accord, half-turned to face his peer. The wind picked up, tugging at their clothes with more freedom in his attire than her appropriately smoothed and buttoned uniform. A forgettable thing it was, in standing so near one of the tattered remains of a former human. He offered no comment on the matter.
"Quenton... Is difficult to find. He always has been, in my attempts to locate him. Ultimately we must wait for him to leaf' some scrap of his presence behind, but likely ze act alone precludes a trap. He is far too careful to make tawdry mistakes. Anysing zat seems... too easy must be regarded wis' caution. I don't know how closely he works wis' ze resistance, but I expect some measure of his duties are in support of zeir cause - it may be zat we face zem in pursuit. Ultimately we cannot set a trap for him unless in a hastened and cunning manner - he will not allow us ze time or careful construction. He never has.
"Keep in contact wis' me if you, by rare chance, discover anysing. Likewise, Persephone will update you accordingly if she suspects my wis'holding information, and I will feed you what I know." Betrayal still sits as a reminder at the back of my thoughts. Why must he worm his way about so incessantly, while I cut away so many infections for the sake of Chaos? It matters little; I will know the truth of his existence, and i will know his death.
"We will know his ashes soon enough." With a smirk and the beginnings of a laugh, the creature vanished altogether from the tar-laden footbridge.
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