IF Command Online
IF Command Online Bulletin Board Forum (total 54 members)
home
|
login
|
register
|
search
|
today's posts
|
help
Index
/
Old Guard
/
IF Central Command Post
/
Barracks
Reply the topic
Please fill out all required (
*
) fields.
Nickname
*
enter your nickname.
Email
*
enter your email address.
To
Old Guard / IF Central Command Post / Barracks / Level 2, Section A, Room 7
Symbol
Subject
*
write the subject of your new topic.
Message
*
UltraBoard Codes
: on
HTML Tags
: off
Emotions Legend
[quote][b]Kat (Oct 22, 2001 03:50 p.m.):[/b] Four years, one month, two weeks, and six days after Mode was taken away, Kat arrived at the International Fleet's Central Command Post. The shuttle landed in the docking bay with a drop and a shudder, but in the darkness of her room, Kat was still asleep. She'd slept during most of the three day journey; for lack of something better to do, and because excitement did not keep her awake as it did most of the other soldiers onboard. If anything, it made her exhausted, for she didn't want to be there. Her father was at the Command Post, and he was waiting. Kat wished the shuttle would never arrive. Like all transports, this one had to be inspected by officers and a scanning crew before anyone could move on or off, and so a few hours passed before someone knocked quietly at the door to her tiny quarters. Her mind registered the noise, but by the time she opened her eyes, the intruder had already entered and was standing a mere three feet away, watching her. Kat didn't move; she just lay there and stared, unsure of what to do. He wore the uniform of the International Fleet, with silver bars indicating the rank of first lieutenant, and patches on his shoulders that designated him as belonging to a technician division. She didn't know him, but he seemed to recognize her, because he smiled with a friendly air and winked. "Welcome to the big time, kiddo. You ready to go?" Her eyes narrowed, and she was tempted to reach for her dagger. They stared at one another for a minute or so; him with a grin, her with distrust and malice. He broke first, shrugging nonchalantly and reaching into his pocket. Kat tensed, ready to defend herself. But all he did was pull an ID badge out, and taking a step closer, proffered it to her. She sat up, and snatched it from him too quickly to be considered anything but wary of him, and he shook his head. "He said you'd be jumpy, but christ. I'm not going to hurt you, girl." Kat flicked her eyes from the picture on his card to his face, and back again, checking. When she glanced up, a pair of baby-blue eyes were watching her, and he smiled disarmingly as she gave him a glare. "Who?" "Your father. Captain Quistin. I was supposed to meet you here and take you through the registration; he wanted to make sure you got everything you needed." If anything, that made her more wary. He was working for her father, and her father was an enemy. He wanted to rule her. He wanted to tell her what to do, how to act. He wanted her to forget Mode. He wanted too much. Any other order she could have swallowed with distaste and buckled down and done; any order but that. Not that she could have followed it, anyway, even if she'd wanted to. Forgetting Mode was like forgetting Charybdis; impossible. They had both taken her life-- for better, and for worse-- and that was not a thing easily dismissed. So if this man worked for Robert... then that made him an enemy too. She scowled, but handed him back his card, and he took it from her with a look on his face that almost seemed as if he expected her to bite his hand if he held it out for too long. That made her smirk inside, but it didn't reach her face, and as she slid from her bunk he backed up a step. Her duffel lay on the floor, and she picked it up and slung it over her shoulder, brushing the curls from her face as she turned toward the door and nodded. "Fine. Ready." She made him lead the way, so that her back was never to him. He walked her through the bay, past a number of other shuttles docked there, and to a room full of people. Everyone was talking in hushed tones, milling about, and she recognized a few as ones who had come on her same shuttle. No one seemed to be in charge, but the man leaned against a wall in the back of the room, so she followed suit, standing near him and waiting. He wasn't looking at her, instead glancing around at the gathered soldiers, but she was watching him with sharp eyes. He didn't seem much older than her-- midtwenties, she'd guess-- with funny brown hair that stuck in all directions as if he'd just crawled out of bed, and those bright eyes that made her own narrow. She didn't like those eyes. They were too friendly. Eventually an officer entered the room, and the soldiers quieted down, all attention focused on him as he made his way toward the front and began to speak. "Welcome to the International Fleet's Central Command Post. You have completed your training and are now ready to join the ranks of those defending our world from the bugger menace. For the first six months, you will be stationed here in order to receive basic instructions on how we run this battle station, after which time most of you will be reassigned to active duty elsewhere. This is no longer school, and you are no longer children; now we fight as soldiers." Her guide yawned, and Kat restrained a smirk. "You will receive your new uniforms and assignments here, and tomorrow your active duty begins. Please find your rooms and get acquainted with the station. If there are any questions, find a superior officer, or find out for yourself. All those of you who are pilots, please report to engineering bay four at 1900 hours; everyone else is dismissed for the day. Once again, welcome, and best of luck to you all." A hand touched her elbow, and Kat turned her attention from the officer to the man once again and pulled away roughly. She did not like to be touched. Since Mode had gone, the only person who had touched her in anything other than combat had been... had been [i]Wick[/i]. That in itself awakened some unpleasant memories, and when Kat gave him a warning glance, there was more anger in her eyes than might have been warranted. Somehow, though, he didn't seem fazed this time. That irritated her. He pretended not to notice, and nodded toward the registration table. "Let's pick up your papers and belongings, and then get out of here." She didn't have anything to say to that, and so remained silent, and he took it for agreement. When he moved, she followed, and found herself in the front of the line before she realized just what he was doing. "Long time no see, Stewarts. Can we get her gear now? Kind of in a hurry to get her outta here, don't want to keep the captain waiting." The officer smiled at her guide, but when his eyes turned toward her, that smile faded. He looked at the man again. "This Quistin's daughter, Avrey?" The man-- Avrey-- nodded. "Yes. You mind giving me her papers?" Two minutes later, Kat's arms were full of folded and stacked uniforms, and Avrey was carrying a bundle of documents. He grinned at the officer again. "'Preciate it, Stewarts." Then he placed a hand in the small of her back, ignored her furious glare, and shoved her gently in the direction of the exit. "Let's go." They walked in silence. Kat's gaze flicked this way and that, trying to memorize her surroundings and keep watch in case of trouble, all the while still watching her companion with veiled resentment. It occured to her rather belatedly that she didn't even know his full name, and she was suddenly tired of not understanding what was happening. She stopped in the middle of the corridor, forcing several soldiers walking behind to go around her, and Avrey finally realized that she was no longer following him and paused. He turned around to face her, and she stared until his eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?" "I don't know you." Her tone was undeniably hostile, but he laughed. "What, and you're not supposed to talk to strangers?" She didn't reply, and he studied her closely before approaching her. That made her uncomfortable, and she took a step back until he stopped. Kat was trying to figure out how quickly she could drop her packages and get to her dagger when he shook his head. "I'm Avrey. Lieutenant Mark McAvrey. I'm a computer systems technician. I've done work with your father, and he requested that I come collect you for him. So fuck, just be polite." The last line was delivered in a slightly cold monotone, but there was still laughter behind his eyes, and Kat frowned. She waited until it was obvious he wasn't going to say anything further before speaking. "Where's my father?" Avrey pointed in a general direction, as if she knew where he was talking about, and then shrugged. "Mess. But I'm to take you to your quarters first, so that you don't have to carry all that around. You can change if you want." It was Kat's turn to shrug, but the gesture belied the sharp malice in her eyes, and it did not pass him. He eyed her calmly, and then did a smooth about-face, continuing down the hallway as if nothing had happened. She watched him for a moment, licked her canines reflectively, and decided to follow once more. He started to talk. She listened absentmindedly, but most of his rambling speech didn't register consciously. She was too busy glancing around, searching. Several times she spotted older soldiers that she recognized from Command School, but there was no sign of the only person she truly cared to find. [i]He must be here somewh--[/i] His voice interrupted her thoughts. No, not his voice, but his words. "There's the Internal Alliance sector of the post. Need a guide to enter that area, not that you'd want to. Maybe you'll know someone to take you around. Interesting place." She cringed internally at the mention of the Internal Alliance, remembering DeVilleforte from Battleschool, Hentredan from Charybdis, and vonStarnburg from Command School. Avrey was right on one point; she'd certainly never want to go there. Not anywhere near it. "And down that way are the administrative offices, some of the strategical planning decks and a few tech rooms. Nothing too exciting. But we're going this way." Avrey palmed a pad on the wall, and a door opened suddenly, allowing him access. Kat peeked inside curiously before entering. Elevator. He hit a button and she concentrated on standing as far away from him as possible in the small space. Even a few feet of proximity made her nervous, and she felt exactly as she had when Mode had first taken her around Command School. She felt newly uncaged. His eyes fastened on her, and she followed his gaze with her own, looking down to see that the cuff of her uniform sleeve had pulled away, revealing the scar upon her wrist. Her stomach did a twist, and she didn't notice him reaching out to touch her until his fingers brushed the wound. She hissed in shock and dropped her folded uniforms to the floor, going into a crouch as her hand shot down to touch the sheath on her calf. Her eyes narrowed and she snarled at him, her canines bared. Avrey only blinked and held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry." He grinned apologetically, but it didn't last long as he glanced down at her. "Don't pull that out on me. I know you're wearing it. Pick up your things and at least try to be civil." Kat stood, but she didn't retrieve any of the scattered clothing. Avrey eventually sighed and kneeled, gathering everything up into one big bundle. She looked longingly at his back, right where her dagger blade could slide home between his ribs. "And don't even think about [i]that[/i]." This time Kat stared at him in surprise. [i]How did he...?[/i] He lifted the now-folded uniforms, but didn't give them back to her. Those alarmingly blue eyes focused on her with something akin to calculation, and she blinked before the lines of her face settled back into harsh wariness. He did not seem at all perturbed by her reaction, and that unnerved her. He should have been. He should have been afraid. [i]Losing your touch,[/i] a voice mocked, and she bit her tongue to silence it. Avrey smiled quietly. "Surprised? Please. I wouldn't come to meet any daughter of Quistin's without doing a little research first. Would you?" She raised an eyebrow, and her face darkened, but she didn't reply. She wondered what this man had discovered, and the thought was disquieting. It made her expression shift further, and he lost his smile. "Now stop acting like I'm going to hurt you. I'm not that type." He tilted his head, and frowned. "I knew you were going to be an antisocial little psychopath, but I didn't expect [i]this[/i]." "Fuck you," she muttered, but she couldn't keep the smirk from tugging briefly at the corners of her lips. This was almost... almost [i]normal[/i]. He noticed, and began to laugh, the sound uninhibited and sincere enough that she smiled at him a bit more, the slight grin rusty from lack of use. Still, even hesitant and unsure, there was a hint of predatory amusement behind it that spurned more laughter. He was still laughing when the door slid open, and this time she walked out first, her eyes glinting serpentine as he moved past her, arms cradling the bundle of clothes. A pair of passing officers gave him nearly incredulous looks, and having lost a touch of her reticence around him, she made a clumsy attempt at banter. "You look... ridiculous." "No more than you," Avrey said loftily. "You're short and bitchy and your uniform's filthy. Robert will have a fit if he sees you like this." Kat tried not to react, but her lips downturned at the corners, and she blinked as if she'd been hit. Her guide caught the meaning behind her expression and slowed his pace to match hers. "Look, I'll be honest with you. I think Robert is a demanding, unlikeable asshole, and ever since we got your graduation notice he's been more so. I only work for him because he pays me, not for any other reason." "What do you do for him?" He gave her a slight smirk. "That I can't tell you, unless you pay me more than he does." She eyed him flatly, but he wasn't trying to be sarcastic or mocking. It was the truth. She nodded. "So you're an information mercenary." He laughed again. "I guess you could say that. Now here's your room. Go get ready before he shoots me for getting you to him late." Kat didn't smile this time; just took the clothes and papers from him, and stalked into her room. It was bare, like all the barracks she'd ever lived in, and its smallness reminded her of the cells at Charybdis. The comparison made her frown to herself, but there was no one to see the pain that flickered brightly behind her eyes. So empty. She dropped her burden onto the bed and sat down heavily beside it, her feet swinging over the edge as she rested her elbows on her knees and propped her chin in her hands. [i]So alone... so tired...[/i] She'd forced herself to remain alive for so many years, and the effort was beginning to take its toll. At first, it was merely a matter of vengeance, all towards the end goal of bloody retribution... that was how she made it through Charybdis. But since Mode had gone, her strength of will had been failing. For the first time, she struggled just to [i]survive[/i]. She had to live to see him again, but it was so hard, so... It was like chasing a ghost, following something she wasn't even sure existed. She buried her face into her hands, and her eyes were beginning to burn with unshed tears when there came a pounding on her door, and Avrey's voice filtered through. The distraction gave her enough time to shove all emotion back down, into the depths where it could remain chained until she was alone once more, and Kat pushed up from the bed. It only took a minute for her to change, and when she was finished, she stepped back out into the hallway to nod listlessly at Avrey. "Hey, not bad." He flicked his fingertip against the weapons division patch on her shoulder and grinned. "Tomorrow when you report for duty, they'll give you the guns to match the job." He waited for her smile, but it never came. Kat just looked at him and then began to walk down the corridor. She was relieved when he dropped the friendly act and instead led her silently through the station. He didn't speak to her the rest of the way, and when they finally arrived at the mess hall, all he did was nod as Robert approached from across the room to greet them. Her father's happiness to see her was evident, but there was a trace of some darker emotion behind his smile that made her wonder what was happening. He held out his arms, as if expecting to embrace her, and she obliged with reluctance. She did not want to be here, especially with him as her new master. Groomed during her years at Command School to join his department here at the Post, Kat certainly had wished for any other fate, even one that placed her on Earth. Anything was better than being under the rule of Robert P. Quistin. [i]So long[/i], she thought, for not the last time. [i]So many years wishing for freedom, and I still do not have it. Everything I've done, and I am still not my own master. But someday. Eventually. And I will find him.[/i] "Katera..." he almost cooed as he hugged her tightly, and she tried not to flinch. "I've been anxious to see you. How was your trip?" Kat shrugged. Nothing to say, so remain silent. Perhaps it would work. But Robert was not one to be so easily disregarded. He held her arm and led her toward a table, and Avrey gave them a wave before departing. Kat paid him no attention. They sat, and she clenched her nails into the palms of her hands under the table as her father looked at her, and got right to business. "You'll stay here only a fraction of those six months, to undergo basic training. After that time, I've asked that we be transferred to a journey position. We won't be sent to battle, but we won't be here much, either." It wasn't necessarily his words, but his tone of voice, that suddenly bothered her. That [i]we[/i] he spoke so casually, but so forcefully, as if he had decided and she had to obey. Maybe she didn't want to leave. Maybe she didn't want to be his slave. She knew that if she left the Post, her chances of finding Mode again would be significantly less... even nonexistent. Despite her growing apathy, that was not a situation she would allow. "Perhaps I would like to stay [i]here[/i]," she intoned as politely as she could, but the steel that slipped into her voice was unmistakeable. Robert's eyes narrowed slightly, but hers turned to ice, and he could not stare her down. His next words, however, plucked her from disobedient smugness, and she hissed quietly between her teeth. "If you think by staying here you're going to find Terrence, then you are mistaken, Kat. He's dead by now, somewhere. You're just wasting your time." [i]It's only a waste of time for me to stay alive if he no longer is, father. But you wouldn't understand.[/i] Kat felt the sting in her palms as her nails drew blood, smiled knowingly, and demurred. "I'm sorry you feel that way. But I won't go." She may have held her temper, but her father could not, and his face darkened angrily. Kat was not afraid of him any longer. Years of withdrawn meditation after Mode had been taken from her had left her impervious to any other sort of emotional pain, and where once his disapproval or rage might have intimidated her, now she was virtually oblivious to it. Robert must have realized that, and unable to defeat her in a battle of will, he raised a hand to resort to the only sort of conflict he was still able to win. "Don't," she whispered, and he paused before striking her. He couldn't hit her here, not in public, not in the mess hall full of people. A group of soldiers walked nearby, and Robert dropped his hand, glaring at her furiously as she lowered her gaze to the tabletop in front of her. Saved. Not that it made any difference. He would most likely just hit her later, when there were no other eyes watching. With that thought in mind, she was not prepared for what came next. "[i]Kitten[/i]," he rasped, and the hoarse tone to his voice made her glance up to meet his eyes. They were as cold as hers, acidic green laced with phosphoric yellow, and the pain inside mirrored her own. It was a different pain, however, and trying to compare them was useless. He hurt because she'd been hurt. She hurt because she wanted to die and couldn't. He spoke again. "It'll be just you and me, kitty, like it used to be. No Jax and no Mode. We can go wherever we want, do whatever we want... you wouldn't have to worry about anything again." He was pleading now, and it disturbed her. Her father was never like this. "Wouldn't you like that?" Her first instinct had been right. Something was wrong. Something was [i]very[/i] wrong. [i]He's hiding something from me. Why? Why does he want to leave? And why should I care?[/i] Kat restrained a sigh. "No, Daddy." Her voice was quiet, almost resigned, and Robert shook his head angrily. Compassion, apparently, didn't last long. She hadn't really expected it to. "Very well. When we get our orders, you'll have no choice. Your boy is gone, Katera. I don't care what happened--" [i]Liar. If you didn't care, you wouldn't be trying to take me away.[/i] "--but when the time comes, you'll go. Do you understand me?" "Clearly." She didn't mean it, and he knew it. But it was just as clear that he knew further arguing was useless. He made as if to speak again, but Kat decided she wanted none of it. This was going nowhere, and sitting here passively and trying to ignore his tempting offers was beginning to wear thin. [i]Patience,[/i] she reminded herself sternly. [i]You've made it four years. You can't give up now. That would just be [b]weak[/b]. You can't afford to be weak[/i]. She put her hands on the tabletop and had just pushed herself standing when he reached out and grabbed her wrist, his fingers tightening over the scar. A little sound of injured disbelief escaped her before she could stop it, and he tugged her roughly toward him, making her stumble. His face was shadowed, and he growled when she tried to pull away. "You'd better learn to listen to me, Katera. You're [i]here[/i] now; not where I can't watch you. I know you understand that." She hissed, and he let her go this time when she yanked against his hold on her. Anger flickered behind her own mask, and her words were cold. "Leave me alone, Daddy." Then she turned and left him. He didn't follow her, and she didn't know where to go without someone to guide her. The station was enormous, and she hadn't paid as much attention to where Avrey had been taking her as she should have. Soldiers were everywhere, but lacking the nerve-- or, more correctly, the ability-- to approach one and politely ask for directions, Kat began to wander aimlessly. For hours she walked, without any destination in mind. She didn't care; going back to her room now would only mean solitude, and she did not want to be alone with her thoughts. No one paid any attention to her, and safe in anonymity, she walked and walked until something caught her gaze, and she looked up. She was standing at the entrance to the Internal Alliance sector. A little voice was screaming [i]Run, you fool, run![/i], and she almost did, but her feet refused to move. She stood and stared at the door for a long moment, until function returned, and she moved away as quickly as possible, ignoring that her speedy departure was anything but usual. She didn't care. If there hadn't been so many people in the corridors, she would have sprinted. This part of the station she recognized, and she found a wall elevator near the one Avrey had guided her through and selected the proper floor, barely managing to keep her composure in front of the few other soldiers in the lift with her. The moment the door opened, however, she shoved her way through, and ran down the hallway until she found her room. When the portal slid shut behind her, she gasped and sank to the floor. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and she began to shake. [i]I don't know why I'm here...[/i] She hugged her knees to her chest and leaned against the wall, fighting for calm. When her vision began to waver, and she imagined fingers tangled in her curls and lips pressed to her throat, she knew it would be a long time coming. [i]Where are you...[/i] The automatic lights began to dim much later, and she uncurled herself and kicked off her boots, stripping down to her undershirt. The air was cold, and she shivered even once she was stretched beneath the blankets. Icy metal brushed against her calf, and she reached down to pull the dagger from its sheath. In the gloom, the only light to reflect off that piece of steel was the hurt in her gaze, and a pair of emerald eyes blinked at her until she could look no longer, and clutched the weapon to her. Eventually those eyes fell shut, and her breathing slowed... and as Kat fell asleep, her hand rested lightly on the empty space beside her, where Mode would have been. [i]Mode...[/i][/quote]
write your message here.
Preview your post and/or attach a file?
Powered by
UltraBoard
2000 Standard Edition,
Copyright ©
UltraScripts.com, Inc.
1999-2000.
Sign our Visitor's Log!