That said, a lot of lieutenants, and even some captains, slipped through some cavernous cracks in the current system. A system Leucite hoped would change as the Lieutenants he trained rose to positions of greater authority.
Feeling the small blip of a lieutenant flare to life on his mental radar, he turned quickly took to the rooftops, using the full breadth of his speed to cover the ground. He could teleport of course - but that gave the lieutenant no warming, and Leucite saw no reason to surprise them.
- - - - -
Titanite was looking forward to another boring night on the job; she was thinking she would go pay a visit to some of her favorite people tonight. Free energy for a few of her other talents was not the kind of deal that a lieutenant like Titanite was going to turn her nose up at. She never brought home any starseeds, after all, and for all that one of her instinctive reactions was violence, she would much rather get high with a person than punch them.
It was just more advantageous for everybody. No aggression, no blame, no risk, none if the mortal enemy bullcrap that for people killed and all starseed eaten and s**t. No thank you, she would happily go one more year without killing another person in the name of Chaos.
It was just about at that time, however, that she felt the buffering power of a General. Clearly, the Negaverse could now read minds and she was absolutely ********. And not in the nice, fun way, involving a joint and a little friendly action somewhere that wasn't a dumpster. Titanite had avoided Generals since Marthozite died. They were, as some Americans said, ‘Bad News Bears.’
- - - - -
Contrary to what the Lieutenant thought, Leucite was not aware of her plans, or the overall malaise that had gripped her. Had he, he would not have laid the blame on her, but instead the lack of oversight on her activities after the death of her CO. Such a thing caused scars that needed to be tended to with great care.
Leucite was learning very quickly how extraordinarily different some people’s motivations for being a part of the Negaverse. Which meant each person needed to be handled differently. Still at the end of the day, they were still people, and he would ensure their needs were met.
Landing near the Lieutenant, Leucite cleared his throat and bowed his head. “Good evening, Lieutenant.” He said in a polite tone. “How fares your hunt?”
- - - - -
It did not take as long as Titanite may have wished for the owner of the aura to come into view, military boots, dark hair, And solid bearing lending additional authority to the aura of power which permeated him. It was not terribly unpleasant, but it was hardly comfortable.
Titanite pulled herself up to her full height, almost 6’ in her uniform heels, and considered the general in front of her. Taller and broader than she was, likely with a good 30-50 lbs on her. She wouldn't be able to escape him, in any case.
“General,” she drawled politely, “I am only now about to be started on my hunt. I was just considering where I wanted to spend my evening.” and who with. “I am, of course, open to suggestions.”
- - - - -
Leucite looked the Lieutenant over, taking in her stance, the height and the way she carried herself. You could tell a lot about a person by how they carried themselves - he had learned that as both an artist and as a fighter. He was finding that his critical eye was serving him even more in his generalship. All the same, he returned her polite drawl with a small nod, and then with a motion of his hand, he chuckled.
“Walk with me,” He said, slightly bemused to be able to even use that line in the first place.
With that, he turned, and leaped up to the roof, walking slowly toward the center of the roof, waiting for the Lieutenant to join him. His plan was a simple one. Talking, learning about this Lieutenant and what made her tick.
- - - - -
Walk with me, he told her, and Titanite was on no place to try and argue the command. Quite the opposite; and as much as obedience grated on her- nothing against him, just against the simple concept of it- she found her feet obeying, self-preservation winning out over anything else in the Game.
She hopped up to the roof and made her way after him, walking and moving with the casual confidence that spoke to her training. A different sort than his; Shahar was built for a different kind of combat. Adjusting her gloves, Titanite paced to the man’s side, falling into line.
She could have asked a question, but what to ask? He would tell her what he wanted to know, and she would do as she was expected to do, and obey. Not exactly great fun, but it was, as always, better than any possible alternative.
- - - - -
“What is your name, Lieutenant?” Leucite asked, turning his attention to her fully, his stance an easy, practiced parade rest, hands behind his back, feet perfectly shoulder width apart. His eyes moved over her, taking in her build, her gloves and her uniform, measuring and weighing things as he debated internally on questions to ask and answers to expect.
“I am General Leucite, head of the Negaverse Training Corps, a small project of my own creation that operates in the General Operations Branch. You may or may not have seen the lovely posters of Queen Laurelite advertising its existence about Negaspace.” He added with a small grin. He and Stibnite had plastered Negaspace with hundreds if not thousands of the things - perhaps it was time to do another run, the classes at the Training Corps had gotten quite small as of late and perhaps it was time to bring in some fresh students.
Still. “Are you in need of anything?” He continued, his voice taking on a more parental tone now, like that of a caring, doting father. “Money, housing, physical or mental care?”
Leucite was not one to leave agents - especially Lieutenants - out in the cold.
- - - - -
The General turned to her, military in stance and far too comfortable for the damnable chill that came with winter in Destiny City. Titanite gave a shudder, deciding after a moment of watching him that this was not going to be her death. Probably. His stance was military, precise, and she was the opposite, spreading into space and claiming it as her own with casual intent.
“I am Titanite,” she told him, her accent growing even more pronounced as she said her name. “I may have seen one of your posters here or there.” Shahar avoided Negaspace like the plague, however, electing to go there as little as possible. There were precious few things that would get her to approach it.
His question regarding her physical, emotional, and mental comforts was… startling, and she paused, considering him for a moment. “I did not know the Negaverse kept psychiatrists on staff,” she said after a moment, voice light and droll. “But my physical needs are seen to by my civilian life. Unless you want to buy me a drink, General.”
- - - - -
“Would you like one?” Leucite chuckled softly, bowing his head. “A friendly drink between comrades is nothing untoward. As to psychiatric care… We may not have them on staff per say, but I’m not above ensuring that everyone in the Negaverse is given the care and upkeep they deserve, if that means finding someone who is a master in the field of psychoanalysis, then so be it.”
To that, he pulled a hand from behind his back with a nod. “Who is your commanding officer, or rather, do you have a commanding officer?” He asked, plainly. “Part of the reason I founded the Training Corps is far too many of our soldiers are left to their own devices, given barely any guidance once they are recruited, and are expected to function as fully functional members of an organization they know little to nothing of.”
The tone of his voice made his opinion of that way of operation and thinking VERY clear.
“So to that end, I wish to extend my hand to you in an offer of mentorship, guidance, and above all else, the complete assurance that if you need anything - anything at all - I will find a way to procure it for you.” He said with a nod. “I know times have been difficult and morale is low, so I am trying to do my part to bolster it as best I can. Tonight it is with you.”
- - - - -
“I always want a drink, General. It makes my work more palatable.” her smile was terse, but she said nothing more regarding her personal feelings on what the Negaverse expected her to do for them. She had never much liked it, but she made do with it. She had for many years.
Who is your commanding officer, Leucite inquired, and her eyes tightened still further, lips thinning. “I had one,” she said simply, and her accent grew more pronounced. “I came to this place along with a General-King who was summoned many years ago. They-”
Emotion choked her, however brief the luxury of it. “أنها أكلت روحه,” she said simply, not knowing or caring if he spoke her native tongue. “I served under him for some time, and he came to this town, and was used as fodder.” She brushed a lock of sea-blue hair from her face. “He was a good enough leader.”
Her eyes flicked to his own, a difference in height negligible, as tall as they were. “Your offer is kind, General. And it is one that I shall keep in mind. But for now, I think I am… floating by.” if clearly troubled, Titanite was not in the habit of opening herself up to others.
- - - - -
“We call cope in different ways,” Lecuite said with a small nod. “Some find this work difficult, and I cannot fault them that. Fighting a war is difficult, and resource appropriation of this kind is hardly palatable for some, and again, I cannot fault them that thought. It is a necessary evil.”
Her story though, and the break into her native tongue gave him pause. He did not speak Arabic, he knew a few people who had learned enough to get by, for various reasons, but he had never picked the language up himself. Nor did he really recognize the tongue, having thankfully been fairly insulated for the actual wars in which the nation had fought in that area of the world due to being the son of a military man, and not a military man himself.
“That is unfortunate…” He finally said. “The whole ordeal. He deserved better than that, and I for one, apologize on the behalf of the Negaverse for what was done.” He said, bowing slightly at the waist, one hand over his chest. “It is… a paltry apology, but we are better than that, I think.” He said slowly rising to his full height again.
“My offer stands, and shall stand. My door is open... “ He said, reaching into his jacket pocket, and pulling out one of the posters (for he still carried many of them around) and a sharpie, he flipped it over and wrote his civilian name and number on the back. Rolling it up he handed it to her.
“Should you need anything… Anything at all… Call me.” He said, plainly. “We are a team - a family, even - and we should act like one.” He said, giving her small smile. “And that only works if we’re willing to help each other.”
- - - - -
It is a necessary evil, the General said, and Shahar felt her lips quirk wryly. He was not the first to have told her such a thing, and she could not imagine that it was anything other than generic propaganda provided from the very top of the ranks. She could remember what it was like back before they gathered energy so comfortably. When her job was properly murder, and there was not… this alternative.
Unfortunate was a mild term to put to her anger, and the apology Leucite gave on behalf of the Negaverse gave her pause, her eyes flickering before she pressed two fingers to the bridge of her nose. “It has been many years, General. Almost six.” She had arrived in Destiny City in April 2011. And here she had mostly stayed, unless family obligations called her away.
Her discomfort was likely clear as she reached out to take the poster from his fingers, unrolling to see what he had written. “Mathias,” she read quietly, her tongue tripping over the word. There were so many ways it could be pronounces. Math, like the subject? A silent H? Matt-ias? It didn’t matter. What were the chances she would reach out and call him? “You should, perhaps, invest in actual cards. Little posters are inconvenient to carry.” Titanite said it without rancor.
Family- she had 14 siblings of her own, between halves and wholes, and it was interesting to have him promote the Negaverse as such. Everywhere she looked, different people had different opinions on the institution. Such as it was, anyways. “Should I need anything,” Titanite said instead of agreeing to anything, “I will consider calling.”
- - - - -
Not so much propaganda as an honest belief on Leucite’s part. But the morality of their energy gathering and starseed pulling was not the purpose of the evening, or the goal of his outing. His goal was to ensure that Titanite felt that she could come to him - and that much he had done it seemed. She was at least willing to consider coming to him should she need something, and that was all he could really hope for at the end of the day. The statement that it had been almost six years since the death of her commanding officer however, gave Lecuite serious pause. He decided that if it was not too much trouble, to dig into the files of the earlier days, and see what he could find out about the matter.
“Then my apology was long overdue,” Leucite said plainly, obviously sounding quite upset by the whole thing. “I also understand if you don’t find it in your heart to accept my paltry request for forgiveness after so long a time.” He said, this time legitimately bowing low at the waist, head dipping well below the necessary threshold for decorum and entering the earnest and sincere.
“I had thought about it, if I can convert the posters to a smaller format, then perhaps I shall. I hate to sound overconfident but I feel that piece is some of my best work. Queen Laurelite was quite kind to humor me, and allowing me to paint her likeness for the use of the Training Corps.” He said with a small smile.
“But please, should you need anything, call me, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are provided with it.” He said at last, before turning to look out at the city.
“I have kept you long enough, you are welcome to join me for the rest of your hunt if you like, but I will not keep you here any longer, Titanite. It was quite nice to meet you.” He added with a small smile and a glance over his shoulder. “You are free to go as you will.”
- - - - -
He was quite earnest, and Titanite made note of that with a small nod. but there was little she could say- she was not... in a position to accept or decline an apology, really, so she could only acknowledge the action.
"It is quite well-done," she agreed awkwardly, shifting in her position. "And should I find myself in need, I will... remember the offer." And she would. She would not throw it away, like she might have.
"Have a good evening, General," she murmured, and made her escape once given leave.
Torvil
