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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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 Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:45 am
Setting:
Van has taken it upon herself to run one last independent operation, unknown to everyone but the Seiryuu of the East. Asking Roa's blessing is simply a formality, but she never expects that he'll deny her.
NPC:
Roa Shingo
Seiryuu of the East, Roa is one of the four generals who serve the Emperor and lead the Legion. He's a clever, cunning man underneath his easy, laid-back attitude and incredibly slow way of speaking. It's hard to feel angered or offended by him due to his cordial and light-hearted nature but in truth, Roa's passion and strength lays above the rest and even among the great four, he is seen as a leader. He appears to have a weak spot for Nia, however…
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:33 am
It was early, as early as anyone in the office ever bothered to arrive, but Van felt as if she’d been awake for days. The idea itself was new to her, but not novel. Still, it was easily capable of occupying her mind, consuming it to the point of obsession, if she didn’t act on it. The violet-eyed captain had already decided what she was going to do about it, and seeing the General of the East was not so much about asking permission than it was about informing him of her decision. With Roa’s approval, no one, not even her family, could hold this against her.
Au Thanh Long had once been under Roa’s command. It was only natural to go to the one who’d be most likely to see justice in the unorthodox hit that Van had planned. Additionally, Roa was rumored to be more mild-tempered than the rest. Honestly though, she didn’t think any of the generals would have needed much convincing. Treason was not taken lightly in the emperor’s court, and now, he’d made an attempt on a Legionnaire captain’s life—Van’s. Perhaps she’d come to understand just how much the generals valued her, today.
“I’m here to see General Shingo,” Van stated, addressing the mousy secretary sitting just outside his door. She watched the young woman rack her brain for an excuse—Van couldn’t show up without an appointment, could she?—but it was clear to anyone that the general was quite unoccupied. After all, they were the only ones here. The secretary excused herself.
Van rested a hand on her hip, seeming impatient, but in reality it was more a show of nerves. She’d never reported to the generals at the very top, before. She’d only seen them when she’d been appointed captain, and that had been in a room full of other captains, colonels, and generals. Van would have to be careful not to step out of line, or risk losing more than just her job. When the secretary appeared again, to show her the way into the room, the Legionnaire captain quietly strode after her, suddenly uncertain.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:03 pm
The general leaned back in his chair, sitting idly, though he knew that any moment now he’d have to start working. With the way things in the Imperial City had unfolded recently, it was actually rare to find him in the office; Roa was always out and about, taking names, consulting with his colonels and captains, the like. Pretending to be as unconcerned as he seemed was quite the feat, and something he prided himself on—even if Nia and Goro would have him act otherwise. In his mind, it didn’t matter so long as things got done. And under his watch, they always did.
His secretary’s distinct knock on the door interrupted his train of thought, and he swiveled around to greet her just as she shuffled in. The woman answered his inquisitive glance nervously, as if she thought she was in trouble, but Roa simply waved it off, an easy smile flashing across his face briefly. “I’ll see the captain.”
He hadn’t been expecting Captain Au, of course—exchanging information face to face wasn’t in the constraints of his current mission, but if something had gone wrong, then he was more than prepared to defend his captain. Au Thanh Long had more than earned his trust.
If he was surprised when a woman passed through the door instead, it didn’t show on his face. Somewhere in the back of his mind he recalled that Vinh Hung did have another child, but he had never heard much about her. Now that he looked more closely, past her swelling curves and lithe form, there was an unmistakable family resemblance in their jet black hair and sculpted faces. He smiled secretly.
“Ah, Captain...” the general paused, regarding the woman with ochre eyes as she bowed neatly at the waist. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:24 am
The captain took her time in straightening up, running through the words she had planned in her head. No matter how she’d rehearsed them during the night before, there was no hiding that the mission she’d decided to take up wasn’t purely a pragmatic one, but a personal assignment. Van was sure, of course, that informing Roa was just a formality, a way of covering her tracks. As high up as they were in the ranks, though, he couldn’t be too happy to realize that she was being driven by a vindictive streak.
Emotion, for a captain, was weakness. It blinded even the most intelligent officers to the best, logical course of action, and was self-serving when there were entire companies depending on their best decision. But Van had already considered this—it was why she was planning on taking the mission alone.
“General,” she began, the syllable cutting through the air between them. It was a stark contrast with the warm drawl with which he’d addressed her. “My sincere apologies for showing up unexpectedly. I have a request to make of you.” It wasn’t a request though, not really. She’d already decided to go through with it, as soon as the idea had bloomed in her head while coming down from the mountains the previous week. The days in between had only served to convince her in her decision. All she needed now was Roa’s permission. With the way she’d managed to justify it in her mind, though, she was sure he’d approve, perhaps even sending an elite squad to go with her.
Still, she couldn’t anticipate too much. Unsure of what to expect, Van kept her face purposefully blank as she waited for the general’s acknowledgment.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:49 am
Roa shifted in his chair, leaning against one armrest and pushing the bottom of his face into his open hand. He was careful not to show too much interest, but it could not be helped. What could the young captain possibly want that would warrant showing up unannounced in his office, first thing in the morning? She didn’t seem the sort to make rash decisions, judging from the serious way with which she’d answered him.
Must be something that runs in the family, he mused, reflecting on the personalities of Au Thanh Long and the Major General who was his father. Roa soon realized that she was waiting on his permission to continue, and a small smile split his face. She certainly trod carefully. “Sure. You have my attention.” Neither of them was going anywhere, after all. She was lucky that he was patient—had the woman decided to go to Goro, or Nia instead, they would have bitten her head off already for wasting their time.
Smart girl. Now it only boiled down to what she wanted. He wasn’t particularly predisposed to granting or rejecting favors like some of his colleagues, even if they came from beautiful women like the one standing before him. And she was lovely, though not lovelier than a few whom he could think of. It was no secret among the higher offices that Nia was the apple of his eye, even if it seemed one-sided at times.
For Captain Au, then, he could only promise one thing. “If it seems reasonable, I’ll be more than happy to assist you.”
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:54 am
Van didn’t trust the general’s pleasant tone for a minute, knowing fully well that he meant to put her at ease and lower her guard. It was a tactic she herself employed often enough on missions, and she’d do it here too. Allowing the corners of her lips to curve up slightly in response to his words, she nodded her head once. General Shingo wasn’t her enemy, at least not right now, and it wouldn’t do to insult the man by being overly guarded. There was a time and place for paranoia, and it was not here. She cleared her throat.
The moment to speak was now, and even though she knew what she wanted, Van still found the words slow to come forth. “This is a matter concerning my brother, the former Legion Captain Au Thanh Long. I’m sure you recall his defection several years ago, General.” Her eyes flashed indignantly at the word brother—they might have been related by blood, but he was no brother of hers anymore. “I request permission to seek him out and terminate him. “
The silence that followed was unnerving, to say the least, until she realized that he was waiting for her to explain herself. Unable to hold his golden gaze, Van inclined her head carefully, hiding the beginnings of a frown from view. She’d expected immediate approval from the man, not this silence. “Normally, our clan considers disownment and exile to be sufficient. However, he has begun to make attempts on the lives of the remaining officers in the family. I’m sure you hold the lives of our colonels and captains in high regard, General.”
She was obviously talking about herself, the way she unconsciously raised a hand to touch her newly healed shoulder, but her tone remained neutral. This mission couldn’t seem more personal than it already was.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:24 am
For a while Roa said nothing, content with stroking his chin thoughtfully as he tried to appear deep in thought, as if he’d never considered what the woman was proposing before. The general was well aware of the fact that this was making her nervous, but that was part of his intent, even as he acted happily oblivious.
That the Au clan continued not to know about the circumstances of Thanh Long’s defection meant the secrecy aspect of the mission was going well. Roa hadn’t asked the captain to go as far as to maintain secrecy by trying to kill his sister, though—that had been his prerogative. And objectively, if he thought about it, assassination attempts were a particularly messed up way of ensuring that no one would pry too much... not that that had stopped the Au captain standing in front of him now. He’d wonder about the nature of the relationship between these siblings later, but for now it was important to ensure that Thanh Long’s assignment went undisturbed. The man’s usefulness had not yet run out.
Finally, General Shingo widened his arms, showing his palms in a mildly apologetic manner. “I’m afraid I cannot let you do that, Captain Au…?” He trailed off briefly, waiting for her to supply her name. “Van.” The smile that spread across his face now was characteristically disarming, even though he knew it would fall short of allaying Van’s disappointment.
“Do not misunderstand me, of course—your service has been extremely valuable to us.” As had been Thanh Long’s. Now, he couldn’t have the two of them take each other out before they’d exhausted their usefulness.
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:20 pm
Van kept her head down, still avoiding the man’s gaze which she was sure was fixed on her, watching her thoughtfully for ulterior motives. In the first few seconds of silence, the woman considered amending her request, or attaching more details, but it soon became apparent that Roa was not expecting her to do either and that he was simply thinking. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least, and when the seconds stretched into minutes she realized that there was nothing further she could do.
So when his voice cut through their silence, rejecting her request, it sounded like a sentencing. It took all of Van’s professionality not to stand up and demand that he reconsider at once, the way she might have done with a colleague or a lesser-ranking comrade. This hadn’t been in her plans. How was it that he could treat such a serious proposition with such levity? His lazy tone, formerly endearing, was now nothing more than insulting. She did, however, peer upwards sharply when she realized he was waiting for her name, murmuring the syllables through her teeth.
If he was taken aback at the barely restrained indignation in her tone, he didn’t show it, so Van took the opportunity to venture a question. He certainly owed her that much—she wouldn’t stand for it if he kept his own reasons hidden. ”General Shingo, If I may...” she began, testing her voice for solidity, “I’d like to inquire as to the reason for this refusal.”
The question remained as to whether she’d obey him, or take matters into her own hands—being a captain of the Legion was only a cover for the fact that Van abided by her own rules. Right now, though, it was in her best interest to listen when he spoke to her.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:02 am
Roa remained silent again, his smile fixed in place as he ran through a list of lies he could tell the younger sister of one of his best captains. It was surprising that he hadn’t had to use any of them before, given how large and well-connected the Au clan was Legionside. The members of that family took betrayal seriously, clearly, and Roa had always assumed that they’d taken care of the matter privately, independent of Imperial law. That was the irking thing about such military families; after a while they started to build their own little kingdoms.
If the four generals weren’t careful, such families would eventually realize just how much power they had. Like with Van, who was attempting to take things into her own hands a little too literally.
Timing his response just right—too much longer and she’d know he was lying for sure—Roa simply shook his head, a sad expression painting his handsome features. “I’ve already overseen several operations trying to flush him out, my dear, to little success. Trust me when I tell you I’m after him just as much as you are.” he said, his voice wickedly imploring even though there wasn’t an ounce of truth to his words, “Since those days, as you well know, our numbers have dwindled significantly. I can’t afford to send more men to their deaths chasing him.”
He sniffed, appraising the younger woman’s expression with a rueful look in his eyes. “Especially not you, Captain. It would be a waste of your talents to send you on a cold case like that. Please understand.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:52 am
That operations had been going on to catch her brother for the past six years was news to the captain. More discouraging, still, was the fact that the Legion had still come up emptyhanded. Van blinked, surprise evident in her features as she processed the information—top-secret, most likely—that had just been thrown at her. In the wake of this revelation, however, came more questions that could not be answered so easily.
She wanted to ask why the clan had been left in the dark about such proceedings, when one of their own was involved, when another captain and a major general were so intimately involved. She deserved to know by right of blood, didn’t she? Further complicating the situation was the fact that so many had been killed on such operations. Van might have responded to a different general under a different division, but not a day had passed that she didn’t keep an ear fin to the ground for anything that might lead back to Thanh Long. It was natural to her, being a head of the intelligence departments under Goro. The habit kept her poring over new mission reports day in and day out—she would have noticed if something was amiss, right?
Flattery, even coming from one of the great generals, meant nothing if it was simply that. What talents he praised couldn’t amount to much if she couldn’t even catch her own sibling. A small frown set her features in a displeased cast. She wanted to demand papers, proof, and the only thing preventing her from doing so was once again the difference in their ranks.
So she inclined her head, excusing herself if only for the time being. “I understand.” Van would have to go back and redouble her efforts, searching underneath the underneath for things she had missed. A nagging sensation in her gut told her she was missing more than what had apparently gone on under her nose in the past years. It was something simpler, more obvious, but Van couldn’t put a finger on what exactly it was, yet. Either way, it was clear that the Seiryuu of the East wasn’t going to be of any help to her.
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