Genesis Crisis: Resurgence IC

Aegis

- Lisa -

Lisa glanced between the three women in the holding cell. Ehlana seemed nonchalant, but at this point, her facade was more tansparent than it had once been. One of the others pleaded for a better environment to share their story.

As someone who had been on the other side of that wall, Lisa could identify, but none of them were being directly harmed at the moment. So, she could let a little discomfort slide as a safety measure.

It took her a few seconds to place the third woman, but once she did, her eyes widened. Lisa chanced a glance in Alina's direction to see how the other woman was handling this.

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

Rolling her shoulders back, Alina pressed her hand to the console, opening the door. She didn't invite the women out though. Instead, she stepped inside with them. The temperature in the room dropped rapidly as she made her way towards the three women.

"Ariana Adalia." Her tone was frigid, holding a hard edge of judgement. "You stand accused of both treason and willful insurrection, and you will be tried for these crimes at a later date. However, we are unsure of the involvement of these other two."

"In what manner have these women served in your ploys?"

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- Marcus -

A shiver ran up Marcus' spine as Alina strode into the enclosed space. Over the last few days, he'd seen Alina the woman who loved her friends and country. Now, he was looking at Commander Alina Grey, the woman who once stood on top of the government. It was definitely a different perspective.

"She can't be serious." He muttered, tightening his grip on his own arms. "They look half dead, and she's going to play both judge and jury?"

"No." Lisa put a hand on his arm, shaking her head.

Marcus relaxed his grip, having not even realized that he was causing himself pain a moment before.

"She won't do anything here. That's not her style." Lisa continued, turning her attention back to the confrontation before them.

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Caltha

Keynes raised his eyes to the man striding through the doorway. Jax still seemed to be working on Serena, but that probably wouldn't get him very far. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, after all.

"Got a light?" He mused to Kurik as the man passed the spot where Keynes was sitting with his back to the wall. "They let me keep the cigarettes, but they took the lighter."

"Guess you wouldn't want an old man starting a fire in your shiny new palace, eh?" Keynes chuckled at his own joke.

Ergo Research Lab

- Ehlana -

When James' seemed to verify that something terrible was happening at the palace, Rise felt herself growing sick. Ehlana callously threw out Rise's worst fear, and she turned on the other woman in a fury.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "How can you talk like that? Even though you were against us, some of our friends tried their hardest to keep you safe. And you're going to act like their deaths are some trivial matter?"

"Easy, shortstack," Kokonoe said, pulling Rise back. "We don't know that anyone's been killed. Come on, we're talking about Jax and Raidon and Keynes. Those tough bastards have faced a lot worse than the Old Guard."

Rise frowned and looked away. "Yeah, but..."

No, Kokonoe was right. She couldn't lose hope that easily. Shaking her head, Rise managed a smile at the scientist. "Yeah, you're right. I know they won't go down that easily."

The woman Rise didn't recognize mentioned that the three of them were supposed to meet with Raidon and Alexei. She didn't know the latter name, but Raidon's name, of course, made her eyes widen. Why would Raidon be helping them?

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- Ariana -

When Alina stepped into the holding cell, a chill spread through the room. Ariana got to her feet and shrank back as the cold pressed in on them all.

"Ariana Adalia," Alina said in her frigid, unforgiving voice. "You stand accused of both treason and willful insurrection, and you will be tried for these crimes at a later date."

Ariana winced at the oppressive force being directed at her. But something changed when Alina's focus turned to the other two.

"However, we are unsure of the involvement of these other two. In what manner have these women served in your ploys?"

Ariana turned to the other two women, who shrank back against the cold. Like in the tunnel not long ago, something rose up inside her. She stepped forward, pushing a cold front of her own at Alina.

"Stop it," she said, her voice strained but resolute. "Leave them alone. They saved me from being assassinated by Maxim and his people. They didn't have to... They had no reason to. But they risked their lives to help me."

She looked over at Nadenka, and though her body shook, she pressed forward toward Alina still, her own wave of cold growing stronger and fiercer.

"I don't expect much from you up in your ivory tower," she said, pointing over at Nadenka. "But do you really not recognize your own people? She's from your Army, not the Old Guard. We captured and planned to execute her on suspicion of aiding you and your attack on our headquarters. If anything, you should thank her for never giving up anything on you even then."

Even after the mistreatment she'd endured, Nadenka had still nearly died trying to save her. Ariana couldn't understand it, and it gnawed at her. Maybe she'd gotten something wrong along the way. Instead of someone with a distinguished name, maybe more people needed someone like Nadenka to look up to. Someone who was willing to put others first, no matter what.

She marched up to Alina and stared up at her, tears freezing in the corner of her eyes before they could even run. "I'm tired of being played around like a pawn, and I have nothing left to fight for anyway. If you want to punish me, fine. But stop trying to bully them!"

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Caltha

- Kurik -

Jax gave a derisive laugh as Kurik gave orders to one of his men to prepare cells for them.

"You sure you want to try that? We've had a pretty high turnover of prisoners lately," he shot at Kurik, though the other man made a supreme effort to ignore him and the others.

Instead, he walked over to Durmail and offered him a bottle of water. Durmail shifted uncomfortably, but took the bottle nonetheless.

"No troubles," the minister confirmed. "Though... I must confess to being a bit thrown uncertain as to all this. I had an understanding with Commander Farrington, and now neither he nor High Lady Adalia are here."

He didn't outright state it, but the implication that he wasn't comfortable with either Kurik or Maxim calling the shots was obvious. And as soon as Keynes started to talk to them, Durmail shied away and hurried off somewhere Keynes couldn't look him in the eyes.

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Raidon -

"Where are they?" Alexei questioned after they'd combed the length of the sewer system. "They shouldn't have been that far ahead of us, and now they're completely gone!"

Raidon stared into the darkness, brow furrowed. Was it possible they'd been captured? No, that was unlikely. The Old Guard wouldn't have been able to cut them off from another access point in the current circumstances.

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "But we need to focus on getting outside the range of whatever's jamming our signals. Once we do, we can contact for help."

Alexei gritted his teeth but nodded and followed after Raidon. They moved in silence, Raidon frequently stopping to check his com. Though he knew his first call needed to be for help, he couldn't stop thinking about contacting Arya to make sure she was safe. That... their children were safe.

"You have a woman?" Alexei asked.

Raidon blinked and looked over at him.

"A man only gets that kind of look when he's thinking about his woman," Alexei said, nodding his head.

Raidon smiled wryly. "I don't know if I can refute that logic, since you happen to be right."

"Funny..." Alexei murmured, "How it changes your perspective, having a woman in your life."

Raidon thought of Arya, her beautiful face framed by her rose-colored hair. How she stayed by his side and nursed him back to health. How she saved him in every possible way.

"You have no idea," he sighed.

Ergo Research Lab

- Ehlana -

Ehlana averted her eyes when Rise snapped at her.

"I'm just being realistic," she replied. "No life or death is trivial."

When the former High General Grey stepped in the containment chamber, a wave of cold air entered with her.

Ehlana took a few steps back, trying to put as much distance as possible between them. The temperature in the room dropped considerably and she put her arms around her body.

She wasn't sure what bothered her more, the drop in temperature or the words being exchanged between Alina Grey and Ariana. Sure, the accusations were pretty much correct, at least concerning her own involvement in the whole situation. There was no way Alina Grey hadn't been informed about it though.

What she didn't understand was, why Ariana was trying to defend them. The young girl was visibly upset and with it came even more cold air.

She'd already seen what Ariana could do in the tunnel and they had been warned by Kurik about what Alina Grey could do with her ice magic, but seeing it... New doubts rose in Ehlana, wondering if keeping all these magic abilities around was really doing more good than harm.

Hopefully, the two of them would stope before it got much colder, though judging from the look of it, only the people inside the containment cell appeared to be affected.

- Lenka -

Lenka opened her mouth in astonishment when Alina strode into the cell. She'd had the same thought as Marcus, but thankfully, Lisa could ease some of her fears. Still, it was impressive to see.

"She's definitely very courageous…," Lenka murmured and watched how the situation would unfold.

-------------------------------------

Caltha

- Kurik -

Kurik gave Durmail a thin smile, not surprised when the other man disappeared as soon as he had the chance. He nodded towards one of the guards who followed him.

Typical, that man had no spine. He knew there was a reason he didn't like him.

He turned his attention to Jax and walked over to him. Squatting down in front of him, he gave him a smile.

"Exactly, you had a pretty high turnover rate," he said. "I'll try my best not to make the same mistakes."

"But if it makes you feel better taken care of, I can arrange for some Redcapes to keep you company," he added, sounding more like he was talking to an old friend rather than a prisoner. "I heard you enjoyed that the last time you encountered them."

Giving Jax another look, he stood up and walked over to Keynes.

"Ah you know, I would offer you a lighter, but then I'd have to free your hands…," Kurik mused. "And you'll forgive me, if I don't consider this wise. Smoking is a bad habit anyways, so technically, I'm actually doing you a favor."

"And for the record… I don't care about this palace. It's old and outdated, just like the current regime was. Technology has advanced far beyond what you and I once knew."

Aegis

- Alina -

Alina held her impassive expression in place while she observed Ariana's response. The girl might have been misguided, but she had spirit. Despite everything, her heart might have been in the right place all along.

"Ivory tower?" She let out a harsh laugh as she cut off the cold like a tap. "I would venture to guess from your words that you know better than that. No one rules from an ivory tower. He who wears the crown sits in a castle of glass."

"You'd do well to remember that. It might serve you well someday." Alina searched the girl's eyes for a moment, Jane's eyes, then turned towards the exit.

"You'll all be moved to a housing unit in the complex, where you will be kept under house arrest for your own safety until a few things have been resolved. We have things to discuss regarding the situation at the palace, and I'll expect full cooperation from each of you."

She put her hand to the console, opening the door to let herself out. "Lambda, move them to an empty suite in block four."

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- Lisa -

As Lambda disappeared with the three women, Lisa pushed away from the wall and made her way over to Alina. "That was... Intense."

The other woman simply nodded in response.

"Not ready to talk about it, I guess?" She pressed.

"No. Not quite." Alina visibly slumped, allowing her previously rigid features to relax. "Can you make sure they get something to eat? We need to discuss a game plan before we try to get anything out of them."

"Of course." Lisa wrapped her arms around Alina for a moment, giving her a squeeze.

"Because you looked like you need it." She whispered as Alina returned the embrace. "Now you rally the troops. I'll go see about our guests."

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- Marcus -

"I don't think I actually knew what courageous meant until a few days ago." Marcus said with a pained smile. "But once you've seen courage in action, it's not something you'll easily forget."

He nodded in Alina's direction as she was approaching them. "That woman has carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. You can see it in the way she walks."

Marcus could see it in the way Lenka walked too. It was a different sort of strength though. The knowledge that she was capable of more than she'd ever hoped.

Beautiful.

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Caltha

- Keynes -

"Right. I forgot about the hands." Keynes chuckled again, letting his head fall back against the wall.

"Some friendly advice." He continued speaking without actually looking in Kurik's direction. "Be careful what you assume about your enemy. I may be older, but with age comes wisdom. The speed and strength of youth don't win wars, although they might turn the tide of battle for a short time."

Still chuckling, Keynes glanced in the other man's direction. "But what do I know, eh? I'm just some washed up relic of a bygone age."

Ergo Research Lab
Nadenka

Nadenka held Ariana when they got to different place. "Thanks, but you don't need to carry all the burden." Said Nadenka, "I would gladly carry half of yours. I did after all helped other party involving this matter." Nadenka knew that she did not ask for proper consent from Ariana, but Nadenka could not help herself. Such fragile girl yet trying to be so brave for the stranger like her, the girl only awakened Nadenka's sleeping mother instinct. "I don't know how many adults you have met so far, but not all adults sees you as some kind of tools. I know I don't, so don't give up your life so easily. No one can measure intrinsic value of your life. Remember that, and you could be proud of what you did today. You are a good girl, Ariana." Said Nadenka weeping the frozen tears from Ariana's face.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Luke

"Alex," Luke called out to Alex, "Are we doing the right thing?" He asked; Luke was not so sure with the action they took was the right thing. Couldn't they hear the story of the girl little carefully and in calmer way?

"The girl was speaking in truth, and I don't know, I think I saw old-self in that girl for a minute. She must have went through a lot, something we should not ignore."

Then Luke sighed, Luke was not so sure anymore. Who was the real enemy? Was it truly outsiders? Or was it something inside them created such chaos in the first place?

Ergo Research Lab

- Ariana -

He who wears the crown sits in a caste of glass...

Ariana felt her cold anger ebbing. Alina had lost her place in the world too at the hands of her fickle government. So quickly power comes, and so quickly it vanishes from between your fingertips.

She didn't respond as Alina had them all moved to a different location by the mobile doll they called Lambda. When they arrived, however, Nadenka immediately embraced her. Ariana stared up at her, lips parted in surprise.

"Thank you," Ariana murmured once she recovered her voice, looking away. "But I'm not a good girl."

Farrington's death flashed through her mind, and she winced.

"I wanted to be special. I wanted to belong somewhere," she said. "So I let Farrington fill my head with ideas that I wanted so badly to be true. And because of that, he died, trying to make it all a reality. He died for me. A lot of people have... for a stupid little girl playing make-believe."

After everything that happened, though, the truth was painfully clear. No point trying to avoid it now.

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- Rise -

Aegis

Rise hugged her arms to her body as Lambda took away the prisoners, and Lisa went off to handle them.

"Now what?" she asked, looking up at Alina. "What should we do? Alert the Army?"

Kokonoe sighed and shook her head. "Not wise."

"Why not?" Rise asked, turning to her.

"Cause the last thing any of us need is a repeat performance of Adalia's overthrow," she replied, adjusting her glasses. "The regime and this country are still too fragile. We need to get rid of the Old Guard at the Palace without stirring up a fuss."

Rise bit her lip. Kokonoe had a point, but was honesty or stability more important right now? And if they failed to act quickly, their friends might get hurt. Or worse...

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- Alex -

Alex watched events transpire, silent and still as a statue. Perhaps people still weren't used to him rejoining the group, as he easily disappeared from everyone's notice.

That was fine. He was more focused on thinking than talking right now. Staring at his fingers, he clenched and unclenched them, trying to make up his mind.

"Alex, are we doing the right thing?"

Alex looked up to find Luke watching him. Forcing a strained smile, Alex shook his head. "I don't know..."

Maybe that was why he was here though. Maybe this his chance to make up for the damage he'd caused lately.

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Caltha

- Jax -

Jax snorted and shook his head at Kurik, ignoring his quips. So overconfident already.

"It's a lot easier to overthrow a government than run it," he said. "Believe me, we would know."

Whatever this man and the Old Guard thought they were going to accomplish, they had to know it wouldn't be that easy. Even if they got the rest of their forces to the capital before the Army figured out what was happening, they'd still have a grueling war ahead of them. There'd been a lot of bumps in the road in trying to run this fledgling government, but he was certain that the people weren't eager to return the way things were under Adalia's regime.

Jax watched him walk over to Keynes, and what he heard made his blood flare up.

"Old and outdated?" he exclaimed. "The Old Guard want to reinstate the previous regime and undermine all the progress we've made, and you call us old and outdated?"

Ergo Research Lab

- Ehlana -

She breathed a sigh of relief when the temperature in the room started to rise again. And at least this time she had a few moments to mentally prepare herself for what would happen once Lambda appeared.

It didn't change the fact, that she felt dizzy once they reappeared in what looked like a furnished room. Certainly better than the jail cell she spent the last night in.

Ehlana sat down, waiting for the dizziness to subside.

Ariana and Nadenka were talking, bonding really, but she couldn't bring herself to go over there to join them.


- Lenka -

Lenka nodded. She still had trouble to see the Alina she'd come to know as the same person who had just acted as High General.

"I wouldn't want to be in her shoes at the moment," Lenka admitted.

More so than with Alina, her curiosity lied with Ariana, so she headed over to Lisa.

"Can I give you a hand with the food?" she asked.


- James -

James was as relieved as the others when the situation unfolded without the entire room turning into an ice chamber. He let his eyes wander around and stopped at Alex' slightly pained expression.

"We are doing the right thing," he reassured his old friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

"That's why we are here, right?" he asked, looking at Luke and then at Alex. "Because we care, not just about our own friends, but for the well-being of the entire country. We are here because we have skills and knowledge and we want to help. And if we don't try our best to avert a catastrophe for the regime and the people, who else will?"

---------------------------------

Caltha

- Kurik -

Kurik watched Keynes. He had no intention of underestimating this man, even though the older man tried to downplay his own value and skill. No, even if his file only reflected half of what he was capable of, it was still more than enough to pose a threat in any situation.

Kurik smiled. "Your advice has been noted."

He sat down at a table, looking slightly amused at Jax' outburst.

"You're assuming the Old Guard is still in charge," he said in a low voice. "We moved past that quite a while ago. The Old Guard and their plans were old and outdated as well."

Kurik crossed his arms. He was slightly aware that he was getting carried away.

"The traditional view, that people need to be ruled, that one person should be in charge of everything...it doesn't work. Society has evolved far beyond that. So the government needs to adapt. I admit, the new system was a step in the right direction, but it was still too lethargic and slow."

Aegis

- Lisa -

"Of course." Lisa motioned for Lenka to follow her down the hall, leaving the others behind.

"Let's swing by the cafeteria and see what we can scrounge up for our guests."

She was silent for a moment as they walked, thinking about how the day had progressed so far. "I'll admit, I'm curious to see what they have to say. The one I didn't recognize mentioned Raidon, and that concerns me. Thankfully, I doubt the man is fool enough to get himself killed. Otherwise, I'd have to find his body and kill him again."

Lisa chuckled to herself as they turned the corner into the cafeteria. "So, how are you holding up? Feeling any more comfortable in your own skin now?"

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- Alina -

Alina shook her head at Kokonoe's words. "I don't like it, but you're right. We can't mobilize the army." She glanced at the faces surrounding her in the room. "This group will have to be enough." And once it was over, she would let the cards fall as fate decided...

"Lambda, find out how close you can safely get us to the palace without being detected. We may be going into this blind, but we can at least plan around known entrances and exits."

She turned to James with a grim smile. "Once we're inside, I need someone to disable those jammers. Or, even better, reverse the effect of them to knock out the enemy's tech instead. You're probably the most qualified for the job, and Lisa will stick with you for fire support if you need it. I'd prefer the two of you keep to the shadows as much as possible though."

"I'm going to walk through the front gate and draw attention to myself." Alina continued, her expression dark. "While they're busy with me, Rise will lead the rest of you in freeing what remains of the guards and attacking them from behind their line of defense."

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- Marcus -

"So, you're planning to take on the bulk of them by yourself?" Marcus asked, looking perplexed. "Are you suicidal?"

"That's my decision to make." Alina responded with a piercing stare. "Let me worry about what I can handle, and if you all take care of things on your end, I shouldn't have to entertain them for too long."

Marcus shook his head in confusion, but he didn't reply. This woman was clearly crazy. Well, more crazy than the average woman, anyway...

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Caltha

- Keynes -

"All governing systems are lethargic and slow." Keynes responded, still chuckling. "That's part of the game."

"And I'm afraid you're the one making assumptions." He continued, bringing his uncuffed hands up to rest on the wall behind his head. "Even now, you're taking the time to gloat when you should be preparing your defenses."

"Either you're drastically underestimating Alina Grey, or this Maxim of yours isn't nearly as intelligent as I gave him credit for. Which would be a real shame, since I went to all this effort to get myself a front row seat to the action."

Luke

"So, you are giving us the task to do our best to cause chaos from inside, so you can still save your strength and join us." Said Luke, "...So, freeing hostage is our priority?" Luke asked, just want to clarify the priority of the task that was given by Alina.

__________________________________________________________________________

Nadenka

Nadenka embraced Ariana, gently patting the small back of the girl. "Everyone has a belief, and everyone wants to be a somebody. You are not the only one." The world treated her unfairly too early, and adults who should be protecting her, had used the innocence of this young girl for the politics... It just made Nadenka upset, and disturbed. Perhaps, when this conflict is over, she should search for such children and be their family, and help them to find the dreams they really long for, a dream not tainted by adults.

"Right now, the fact that you are aware about it," Said Nadenka, "make a lot of difference, and it means you can change, and it means you can really think for yourself." Nadenka looked at Ariana, gently smiling at her. "For a start, what do you want to do? Would you like to help these people? Your words still carries weight to those who are old guards, perhaps less bloodshed? I don't know, but I am confident that you can make a difference. Or, You can just stay here, too, and I won't blame you. So, do what you want to do as 'Ariana', not as a figure head, not as someone's political tool, but as 'Ariana' who had seen this conflict from the 'beginning'." She gave another hug, "And know this, Ariana, whatever decision you make, you have my full support."

Ergo Research Lab

- Rise -

It was up to Aegis, once again. Rise swallowed and nodded as Alina began to lay out her plans. Lambda immediately set off for her surveillance, and Alina continued to issue orders.

Lisa and James would be taking care of the enemy's jammers. Rise squeezed James' hand and nodded encouragingly to him. She'd assumed he would get an assignment like this, having such a natural talent with electronics. It made her proud.

When Alina detailed her plans to stroll right in the front gates, however, Rise dropped James' hand in surprise. No, more than that, Alina wanted her to lead them?

Marcus protested Alina's plans, but she refused to budge. If she was that determined, Rise wasn't going to make things more difficult for her.

"Okay," she said, nodding. "Leave it to me. We'll free the others and turn this back around. If we could defeat the Leviathan, we can definitely take these guys down."

She sounded far more confident than she felt, but this wasn't the time for doubts. And, after all, they had Alex again. With the Unified Strain, surely they could take on anything the enemy threw at them.

She turned to look at Alex, but... where had he gone?

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Ariana -

Your word still carries weight...

Ariana bit her lip. Nadenka was right. She might be able to help by convincing the Old Guard to stand down, maybe be able to barter with Alina to get them all pardoned if they all cooperated to fix this situation before it got worse.

Ariana looked over at Ehlana and approached her tentatively.

"Maybe you can help," she said. "You might be able to get some of the Arusians to stand down too. And you might know about Maxim and his plans even better than I do. Maybe there's a chance.... we can all work this out."

She looked back at Nadenka and smiled in gratitude. If after everything that happened Nadenka could look past what she did, then maybe Alina and the others could too.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha

- Alex -

"No."

Everyone in the throne room still conscious gave a start and whirled as Alex suddenly appeared in their midst.

"Alex?" Jax blurted out, staring.

Alex ignored him right now, however, his attention focused on Kurik. Even as several guards rushed in at him, Alex's eyes remained fixed on the man who appeared to be the leader.

"Shibaboo."

With a flick of his hand, all the guards seized up as energy chains bound them in place. Alex took a step closed to Kurik and held out his hands.

"There doesn't need to be any action," he said, trying to keep the situation calm. "There doesn't need to be anyone else hurt. Please, we can end this all now and sort it out."

Alina and the others would rush in before long to fight, and more people would be hurt - either them or the ones they'd been fighting. But Alex had seen enough people hurt for one lifetime. He could stop this now - him and only him. Maybe he could finally use this Unified Strain to do some good.

"Are you the one leading the Old Guard?" Alex asked. "Please, order your men to surrender. There's still time."

Ergo Research Lab

- Lenka -

Lenka looked thoughtfully at Lisa.

"Why do you dislike him so much?" she finally asked.

She was a little unclear on the details. Of course James had told her some of the story, but she felt like he left out a good deal. She also had understood, that Arya, Lisa's older sister, was sort of together with Raidon. However, that didn't quite explain Lisa's behavior...unless she was really jealous.

"Are you jealous?" she decided to outright ask.

They had arrived at the cafeteria and Lenka took a tray to gather some food.

She smiled at Lisa's question. "Yes, I actually feel better," she replied. "And I also wonder what the women have to say…"


- James -

James nodded when he heard Alina's plan. He didn't like it, but rationally, it was the best option they had. He squeezed Rise's hand.

"I'll coordinate with Lisa when she gets back. And I'll also try to keep an open channel with Kokonoe at all times. Once the jammers are down, we should be able to use the video feed to see what exactly is going on and what we're up against."

And hopefully, that would also keep them from walking into any traps.

His eyes darted around when they realized Alex had gone. James sighed. What was that hothead up to now?


- Ehlana -

Ehlana looked up when Ariana approached her.

That girl was so naive.

She gave a bitter laugh.

"You're severely overestimating my value," she said. "Not many of us came to Kaddath in the first place. Alexei is either dead or has already defected and Belo... well he is loyal to the bone. I'm marked as a traitor, there's no way he'll even listen to me."

"And as far as Maxim is concerned… let's just say he's playing his cards very closed to his chest. I can't even begin to guess his end game."

She sighed. "All the information is out there, which makes me basically useless now that the element of surprise is gone."

---------------------------------

Caltha

- Kurik -

Kurik shrugged, not seemingly very surprised when Keynes raised his hands. He snapped his fingers to call over a guard to remedy the situation. It was alright hat Keynes thought he was gloating. After all, he wasn't pulling the strings.

Suddenly someone appeared amidst them.

Kurik spun around and took a second to take in his appearance. He didn't immediately recognize him, but when Jax called out his name, the pieces clicked into place.

When Alex approached him, he took a step back and made no move to take his hand. He'd already been there today and had no inclination to have a repeat experience of what happened with Ehlana.

"It's ironic, how that is coming from someone who also tried to undermine the government," Kurik said, referring to Alex' alter role as Lev. "If I remember correctly, you were calling people to action against this very government not too long ago."

"So you'll understand that I have a hard time believing you changed your mind overnight," Kurik added. "I do appreciate the risk you took in coming in here blindly."

Surely, the others in the surveillance room would have seen what was going on in this room and even without him ordering it, they should take action. So all he had to do was buy time.

Aegis

- Lisa -

"Jealous?" Lisa rolled her eyes in response. "Hardly."

"Let's just say that Raidon and I didn't exactly see eye to eye when we first met. It's not really worth digging up all of our history for a short discussion, but the short and sweet of it is that if my sister didn't love him, I would have killed him."

"Our differences aside, he's good to her though. So, I tolerate his existence, and he's actually beginning to grow on me."

Lisa tapped a couple trays, which floated beside her as she began sliding food onto them. Once she'd gathered a reasonable selection of items, she nodded to herself and turned towards Lenka.

"I'm glad you're feeling better." She said, giving Lenka a smile. "Now, how about we go ask our new friends about their day?"

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

Taking a calming breath, Alina shook her head to clear her mind. Why did new recruits always ask so many questions? Oh right, because they didn't know anything yet.

She pinned both Luke and Marcus with an assessing gaze. "Yes, your priority is freeing hostages and defending one another. Do not split up, and for goodness' sake, don't ask Rise so many questions." She finished with a smirk.

Turning to Rise, her features softened. "I'm not a big fan of dying. So, I'm counting on you guys to cause some mayhem behind enemy lines. If everything goes well, they won't know whether to look up or down."

"We'll discuss any changes once Lambda gets back from her scouting. Until then, go get yourselves something to eat. I need to go entertain our guests."

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

"Has she always been so... like that?" Marcus asked James, gesturing to Alina as she left the room. "I've only known her for a couple days, and I swear, she's like two totally different women. You just have to flip a coin and see which one you'll get."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha

- Keynes -

Keynes' eyes widened as Alex strolled into the room, and he muttered a curse under his breath. This wasn't exactly a situation he'd planned for, and if one thing annoyed him, it was not having a plan.

Still, Kurik seemed equally surprised by the intrusion. So, at least they were still on equal footing there. If the boy had just gone for the throat immediately, maybe he could have done something with this situation, but true to his nature, Alex was trying to talk things out.

Keynes sighed, not moving from his relaxed position just yet. One of the guards that Alex had restrained seemed to have fallen against the wall, knocking him unconscious. If he could just get close enough to borrow the man's comm...

Nadenka

Nadenka stood up and walk to Ehlana, then she slapped her. "Wake up!" Said Nadenka, "Don't you dare put yourself so low, people risked their lives to save you and the reason they did it so, was not because you have something they want, but because you yourself are precious comrade!" Then Nadenka sighed, "Don't play pathetic cards with me, and self-pity won't help you. You got to struggle, and move forward. Stop wasting your life as if it doesn't matter, cause it matters. For crying out loud, yeah, I get that Maxim guy is smart, so what? We already spoiled his plan by bringing you and Ariana here. That guy is a human, too. He could make a miscalculations just like everyone of us. So stop wining and start trying, not as some kind of expandable man power, but as Ehlana who has been rescued by her comrade Alexei, who is out there trying his best to make things right. Stop being a nameless soldier, be you!" Nadenka breathing in and out heavily, she sprout all these words faster than she would; she was angry with Ehlana, but perhaps she was angry at herself for not being able to find Alexei... Whatever the case, Nadenka really had enough with Ehlana downplaying her own life, and Nadenka could not help, but feel that Ehlana was downplaying Alexei's efforts too. "Don't downplay people's effort to save you. You are very important person, and you too have a role to play in this, for better future for Arusia and Kaddath."

__________________________________________________________________________________

Luke

"Gotcha." Said Luke, getting ready for action right away, when Rise asked question about where was Alex, Luke too quickly scanned the area. Alex was not here. Luke was not so sure what to say, but after the training he had with Alex, he was sure Alex was not someone that would go down easily. "Maybe... Just maybe...He went for bathroom break?" But Luke knew that would probably not the case. He just hope Alex was not doing something too dangerous.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Belobog

Belobog blinked his eyes; he could not believe what he was looking at. A young man coming out from no where, restraining several people at once. "You got to be kidding me." Said Belobog, and this time he carried his sniper rifle, loaded with redcape bullet, and he communicated that there's a threat where prisoners are being held.

Belobog rushed in, taking aim at the man. "I have a bullet to turn you into a redcape and you are going to hurt those who you wish to protect. So stand down! Or else I will have you the fun hurting your own friends." Belobog was ready to fire the bullet, unless Alex show any sign of surrender, he was the man who would fire without hesitation. Belobog saw Maxim controlling those creatures and he was sure Maxim could do it again, so it shouldn't be a problem. Belobog stared at his target coldly.

Ergo Research Lab

- Rise -

Rise bit her lip and looked around. Where could Alex have gotten off to? Luke suggested something benign, like slipping off to the bathroom, but something in her gut told her that wasn't the case.

"Five minutes back, and he's already rushing off like a reckless idiot," Kokonoe sighed. "I swear, that kid is a walking migraine. Oh well, maybe we'll get lucky, and he'll finish off everything before we even get there."

Alina, Lisa, and Lenka had gone off to the prisoners. Rise looked helplessly at Marcus, Luke, and James, wondering what to do about Alex. If they even could do anything...

---------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha

- Jax -

Undermine...

Jax looked from Kurik to Alex. What was he talking about?

"Alex?" Jax murmured.

Alex dropped his gaze to the floor. "That wasn't... I didn't mean..."

One of the enemy agents rushed in with a Redcape dart at the ready, but Alex barely registered his presence. Jax's eyes flickered from Belo to Alex

"What's he talking about, Alex?" Jax demanded. He knew who the enemy here was, but he couldn't just ignore that something was wrong with Alex.

"He's talking about Lev."

Everyone turned as Maxim entered the chamber with a slow, casual stride. Alex took a step back, cringing.

"Alex... you didn't," Jax murmured as Alex hung his head.

"He did," Maxim replied. "He was so desperate to find a way to stop magic strains that he went along with whatever I told him. We would create the Redcapes, and he would engineer the crisis to undermine the government. Anything to keep the taint of the Leviathan from growing."

Jax stared at Alex, the betrayal stinging deep, even as Alex refused to meet his gaze. Even so, Jax knew exactly what Maxim was trying to do, and he wasn't going to let it happen.

"So, you manipulated him like you manipulated the Old Guard," he said. "Why am I not surprised?"

Maxim shrugged. "Did I? I gave him what he asked for. Does it really matter if it suited my purposes at the same time?"

Alex looked up at last, his eyes narrowed.

"I must confess, however," Maxim went on, "that I don't share your views, Lev. Or that of many of my countrymen. Magic is a wondrous evolution, and I have no plans to silence it.

"I..." Alex clenched his fists. "I don't feel that way anymore."

"Good," Maxim replied, smiling. "Then allow me to open you up to the full possibilities of your strain. Belo, if you please."

Belo aimed his gun and fired.

"Tetrakarn." Alex flung out a hand, and the bullet smacked into the shield. The next moment, Alex cast the Trafuri spell and crossed the distance between him and Belo in a flash. His hand struck out and knocked the gun away. Quick as a flash, he conjured a myriad of ice needles, all hovered inches from Belo to skewer him. Alex hesitated, his hand shaking.

Then he jerked forward, eyes wide. His hands grasped at his neck, pulling out the dart as Maxim lowered his wrist.

"What kind of Redcape will you make, I wonder?" Maxim murmured as Alex fell to his knees, contorting and writhing as black tendrils began to snake across his skin.

"No, not a Redcape," Maxim murmured. "A Blackcape."

Ergo Research Lab

- James -

James chuckled at Marcus' question.

"Yes," he replied. "But you don't have to flip a coin. Just observe the situation and you'll know what Alina will act like," he said with a smile.

"C'mon, let's get something to eat while we still have the chance."

He took Rise's hand. "There's nothing we can do for Alex right now," he said. "How would we even begin to look for him? If he used a Traesto spell, he could virtually be anywhere…"

- Lenka -

Lenka nodded and followed Lisa towards the prisoners, making a mental note to inquire about her relationship with Raidon some more when all of this was over.

They turned the corner and Lenka's brows furrowed. Why did they all look so upset?

Ehlana was standing against the wall, looking stunned while Nadenka looked flushed, upset.

It appeared the others hadn't noticed their entry.


- Ehlana -

Ehlana looked up, stunned. Anger well up inside her. For a moment her eyes took on a murderous glare. She took a step towards Nadenka and then stopped.

"I don't whine. I don't self-pity," she said very slowly. "I'm a realist."

"And don't you dare talk about Arusia like you know it," her voice reflected just how angry she still was. "You don't know the first thing about it. You live in this world with endless skies and sun and plentiful resources where people have the freedom to choose their own lives."

Ehlana gestured around, a different edge in her voice.

"You've lived like this for over a century. Now humor me and imagine the polar opposite," Ehlana added. "There is no light. Resources are limited. If you don't contribute to the survival of society, you are worthless and you will meet an unfortunate accident. That's the world Alexei and I live in and I'm sorry if you can't understand that a century of living there has made us bitter realists that actually measure the value of a human life by its usefulness to survival!"

"I'm sorry if you can't understand that this kind of attitude just doesn't go away overnight!"


As she kept talking, her voice rose in volume. The anger was gone, but there was a bitterness and frustration in her voice that she herself couldn't explain.

"I didn't just fail my mission. I failed my entire country," she said, still visibly upset. "No one was supposed to know we're here. All we wanted to try was to find a way out for them."

She lowered her voice and closed her eyes. This was as honest as she'd been with them and with herself.

"With everything that we did, murdering people, causing your government to crash, fueling the riots on the streets…" she struggled to continue. "How can the people in Kaddath not label every Arusian a disturber of peace? They will never be free of the prejudices and mistrust we created. And that means they can never be free, even if they were to live in Kaddath…"

It was obvious, she cared a lot more than she'd let on.

Suddenly she realized that Nadenka could be right. She needed to take action. Even if she couldn’t stop Maxim and this fiasco, not trying meant that this image they had created of Arusia and its people would forever be burnt in the mind of the Kaddathians.

She hung her head and balled her fists.

“So for the sake of my people and for not leaving you with this image of Arusians, I will try to do what I can to help you,” she said and looked up, her eyes looking directly at Lisa and Lenka. There was no surprise as she had noticed their entry.



Lenka stood still, watching Ehlana. For some reason the words touched her and she began to feel sorry for her. She remembered what Ehlana and her group had done and the consequences it had. Did that mean they didn't deserve a chance to set things right?

Before her eyes, she replayed the aftermath of their first attack here in this very lab. It was difficult to reconcile the woman before her with the stone-cold assassin from a few days ago.

Could people change that much that quickly? Lenka wanted to believe that they could. Not just for Ehlana's sake, but also for Ariana and maybe even for herself.

"I would like to believe that in this short time you also haven't gotten to know us enough," she said quietly. "Because I hope we are above condemning an entire group of people for the actions of a few."

-------------------------------------

Caltha Palace

- Kurik -

Well it worked better than he'd hoped.

Carefully Kurik watched the interaction between Alex and Jax. Clearly he'd struck a nerve, with both of them, which was an added bonus.

Clearly Jax was struggling with this information. A smile played around Kurik's lips and his eyes darkened. Yes, they needed to know exactly what it felt like to be betrayed by someone you thought you could trust and rely on.

Not a moment too soon, Maxim arrived with Belo in tow. And even though Belo was no match for Alex, the young man lost his focus on who was the real threat.

Kurik took a few steps back towards the wall when he saw the black tendrils envelop Alex, watching with fascination.

Luke

Luke realized he failed miserably in distracting others away from Alex's absence. "Well... Are we going to wait for him?" Luke asked, he was sure Alex was going to help them out, but he was not so sure how he was going to help them when he was not with them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Nadenka

"We should never make a promise that we cannot keep, but give us time. And if we too give the time that Arusia needs, even if its going to take long, Kaddathians and Arusians could definitely form something beautiful."  Said Nadenka, and she too faced Lisa and Lenka.

She smiled at them sadly, and yet warmly. "I hear you. No group of people should go through the consequences that caused by few, but do you think that our society is forgiving and merciful in that area?" Nadenka turned around at the two, "I cannot make a promise for whole Kaddathians, but I know I am going to do my best right now, right here so we all could survive, and bring change. And to bring future for both countries. I don't know how yet, but maybe after all this, I could really give more thoughts about it." Then Nadenka added playfully, "Let's hope it won't take forever though."

Nadenka was sure keeping it strong; she did not share with them, but her mind was at chaos. She was only moving forward, by just believing that Alexei made it out safely and he is looking for her. Alas, she could not help, but ask a question softly. "Any news of Chief Raidon?" She could have asked about Alexei, but when she asked them last time, they do not seem to know him that well, so she asked about someone they might know, Chief Raidon; she hoped she could hear some news about Alexei through them.

________________________________________________________________

Belobog

Belobog was surprised how powerful the man was, and he thought he was definitely a goner. He never seen Strain user reacting so fast nor never seen a strain user who could use strain in such speed. However, the man hesitated, and that caused him to fall.

Interestingly, the man was turning into something else than redcape. Just like Maxim described it had color of black. Perhaps, he would be the only black, as his strain is special. "So he was Alex..." Belobog muttered. "With him gone...." Belobog did not complete his sentence. He was not going to jinx it. For now, with such big threat under their control, it should be easy to thwart Aegis plan in rescuing others.

Aegis

- Lisa -

"Lenka is right." Lisa said, twisting her hand in the air. The trays of food that had been following her down the hallway drifted to the table in the corner of the room. "An entire people cannot be judged for the actions of a few members."

"I'm not saying that you won't stand trial for what you've done." She shrugged, pulling the door shut behind her. [color=#FF9933]"No empty promises and all that, but our leaders strive for justice, not intolerance."

"Why do you think it was so easy for you to cause an uproar?" She continued without waiting for an answer. "The administration was trying to sort out tensions between citizens with magic strains and those without. I wish the answers came more swiftly, but the reason for so much deliberation was because they were seeking out the most fair solution for all parties involved."

With a sigh, she put her hands on her hips and tipped her head towards the table. "Now, how about you ladies have a bite to eat, and when Alina gets here, we can talk about where we go from here."

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

Marcus shook his head and the others filed out of the room. How had things gotten to here? Of course, he'd heard stories of what Aegis had done a couple years ago, but to think he'd shortly be joining them in storming the palace...

He just couldn't wrap his mind around it.

It wasn't just him though. Luke and Lenka would be there too.

One of those, he felt more responsible for than the other. After all, he'd been the one to bring Lenka into this.

No, that wasn't true. She would have been here either way. He'd just provided a convenient way for her to get here that allowed him to watch out for her in the process.

Stubborn woman... He loved that about her though.

Marcus stopped short in the hallway, eyes widening as he mentally digested that last thought.

"Well, hell..." He muttered to himself as he picked up his pace towards the cafeteria.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha

- Keynes -

It was only for an instant that the rest of the room was thrown into an uproar, but that instant was all he needed.

Of course, the outcome was definitely not worth it, considering the writhing mass that had once been Alex expanding across the floor, but at this point, he'd take whatever small victories he could get.

In the palm of his hand, Keynes confirmed that he had an outgoing signal on his comm and then slipped it back into his pocket. As long as the unconscious guard didn't move more than 500 meters away from him or discover the patch Keynes had slapped onto the back of the other man's comm, he was now broadcasting an audio only signal directly to Lambda.

"Check." He muttered under his breath. The next move was Maxim's.

Caltha - Palace

- Kurik -

Maxim took a step forward while the others shrank back, watching in fascination. There was hardly anything to be afraid of. Even while most of the Redcapes were prone to outbursts of aggression, the Blackcape was quite different. It seemed to hunch in on itself, screeching faintly as though whimpering. Was it trying to hold back?

Spoiler:

Placing his hand on the creature's distorted face, Maxim smiled sympathetically.

"Unlike the Redcapes, there's no danger of you burning yourself out," he said. "Don't worry. I'll revert you back from this form, Lev, as soon as things are secure. Consider yourself an... extra security measure."

Belo drew a little closer, murmuring his surprise. "So he was Alex. With him gone...."

"Nothing is certain," Maxim replied, turning to Belo. "But it is a fortunate turn of events. Thank you for playing your part, Belo. I'm not sure I could have managed that alone."

Perhaps all wasn't lost. Even with Ariana missing, they still had the upper hand.

"I don't doubt that your friends will try to save you all," Maxim continued, approaching Keynes, Jax, and the other prisoners. "But I think it's in your best interest to discourage any rescue attempts. We wouldn't want the stress of the Blackcape facing his friends to send him into a berserk rage and tear you all apart. I don't expect you to believe me, but I would prefer a bloodless revolution, if possible. Aegis still carries considerable influence in Kaddath. I would like to think you could use that influence to ensure a smooth transition of power once Arusia relocates here."

Jax shook his head. "What is Arusia anyway? Where are you people from?"

Maxim chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "My apologies. I didn't mean to overlook such a large detail. You see, Kaddath wasn't the only group of people to survive the Leviathan's purge. A small group remained beneath the ground while the survivors in this area took to the surface and built Kaddath. Ours was a more difficult and inhospitable environment, so our rate of growth was significantly slower than yours. Our technological progress, however, outstripped your own. We've been monitoring you for quite some time, determining the best time to make ourselves known. The previous government was too strong and totalitarian. Then the period of insurrection made the region too unstable. Your current government, however..."

"...was ripe for the picking," Jax muttered.

Maxim smiled and shrugged. "Something like that. But don't fear. We have no desire to overturn your way of life. Quite the contrary - we rather admire it. There are some inefficiencies that might need to be pruned, but your beautiful Kaddath will be much as it has been."

"Just with you Arusians on top," Jax shot back.

Maxim's smile strained a bit. He looked away, his gaze distant. "That was the idea... yes. Arusia's idea. But not my idea."

Jax raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Meaning we'd only be fostering another hostile government and set ourselves up for another insurrection," he replied. "The cycle of instability needs to end."

"Glad we agree," Jax said, gritting his teeth.

Maxim smiled sympathetically. "I understand your grudge. But it's for the best. By the time Arusia arrives, Kurik will have taken the throne. He's the only one who can bridge the gap between our nations. He's the key to a united Kaddathian and Arusian nation." Maxim shifted his gaze to Kurik, his expression softening.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha - Sewers

- Raidon -

The daylight was blinding as Raidon and Alexei emerged from beneath the ground. Raidon breathed in the fresh air and sighed. His companion, though silent, seemed to be exuding similar relief.

"You should call your woman," Alexei said, looking away. "Let her know."

Raidon blinked, then nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. He opened his com and found that he had a signal. What a relief. He tapped the screen to connect to Arya, then picked up on another signal. Was that...?

"Lambda!"

Raidon quickly put through a connection to her. In a moment, she appeared before them, smiling at him.

"Chief Raidon," she said. "What a relief."

Her focus turned to Alexei, and her red eye immediately lit up like a laser. Raidon quickly stepped between them, his hands up.

"Lambda, it's all right. He's not a enemy." At least, he didn't seem to be at the moment.

Pacified, Lambda's defenses lowered. "Very well. We should return to Ergo. The others will be waiting for my report."

Raidon barely had enough time to nod before they were swept up in Lambda's light.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Ergo Research Lab

- Rise -

Rise took James hand and allowed him to lead her as though in a trance. It wasn't till he set a tray of food in front of her that she realized they were in the cafeteria.

"If Alex went to the capital..." she murmured. "James, I have a bad feeling. I don't think he's up to facing anyone yet. Maybe we shouldn't have pushed to bring him along already."

She sighed and picked at her food, trying to urge herself to keep her energy up, even if she wasn't hungry. She hadn't had more than a few bites though before Lambda returned, with two people in tow.

"Raidon!" she exclaimed. "And..."

Her eyes widened at the site of Alexei, who picked at his chin as he looked around.

"This place is most like Arusia of any I've been to here," he murmured, looking around the facility.

---------------------------------------------------------------

- Ariana -

Ariana's eyes widened at Ehlana's outburst. Honestly, up until this point, she'd been so focused on getting the throne that she hadn't really considered Arusia's position in all this and what it must have been like for all of them.

Some of the others returned to the room, bringing with them food. Ariana accepted her portion and sat down to try to eat, but a lump kept forming in her throat when she tried to swallow.

"What will standing trial be like?" she asked Lisa, avoiding looking at her.

Caltha - Palace

- Kurik -

Kurik also took a few steps closer to Maxim and the Blackcape once it was clear that it was not a ravaging monster like the others.

Fascinated he looked at it until his attention was drawn to the conversation between Maxim and Jax.

He smiled. At first he wasn't sure if he was comfortable with Maxim's plans, but after all they had been through, he understood that he was the only person who fully live in both worlds. So if he really was the only one who could somewhat create a country where both nations could exist, he would certainly try.

When he got a notice on his com, he stepped up to Maxim.

"The prison has been cleared," he said quietly. "Do you want to keep them here, or have them transported in their cells?"

--------------------------------------------

Ergo Research Lab - Containment Suite

- Ehlana -

Ehlana looked up. Maybe there was still hope for the rest of Arusia. Maybe they wouldn't have to spend the rest of their lives underground.

The others offered words of comfort and sincerity, but they were still words. She wanted to believe it, but she also knew neither Lisa nor the other girl were the ones to decide their fate.

Ehlana walked over to the trays and looked at the food. She wasn't hungry anymore, but she needed to eat, trying to remember when she supplied her body the last time with energy. It seemed like an eternity ago.

Picking up a plate with steamed vegetable and a chunk of bread, she moved to the far end of the table. She wasn't in the mood for platonic conversation.

--------------------------------------------

Ergo Research Lab - Cafeteria

- James -

James took Rise by her shoulders and looked at her. He could see the conflict of emotions on her face.

"I know, I know, Rise" he said, his voice soft. "Believe me, I feel guilty as hell. But what was the option? Do you think if he hadn't come along he would not have acted at all?"

Before he could say anything else, suddenly Lambda appeared with Raidon and Alexei in tow.

Shocked he stood up. However after a second he realized that Alexei didn't display the same hostile attitude as before. Clearly some things had happened.

He touched his com.

"Kokonoe, Lambda returned, she brought Raidon to the cafeteria. And he brought a guest," he said. "Alert the others, please."

Even though right now Alexei wasn't a threat, he'd feel much more comfortable if Lambda stayed with them until the situation was explained.

"You have no idea how happy we are to see you alive," he said. "We were beginning to fear the worst…"

Aegis

- Lisa -

What will standing trial be like?

Lisa was silent for several moments, looking for the right words. Despite everything, this was still a child she was talking to, and for a moment, she had forgotten that.

"I can't say for sure." She spoke softly, fighting the urge to place a hand on Ariana's shoulder, to comfort the girl in some way. "My experience with the former administration's idea of justice didn't involve a trial, just a jail cell and in interrogation."

"Thankfully, things have improved since then." Lisa's attention turned to the doorway, where Alina now stood.

------------------------------------------------------------------

- Alina -

After taking a moment to survey the room, Alina stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "I understand that you've all had a long day." She continued, taking a seat at the table with the three women.

"Unfortunately, it's been just as long for us." She gestured to Lisa and Lenka.

"So, in the interest of saving all of our time, I'll try to make this brief." She glanced around the table, ensuring she had everyone's attention before continuing.

"My country, which I have dedicated the larger portion of my life to, is under siege. My friends are being held hostage in my place of work. My man has been attacked on no less than two occasions in the last week, and I currently have no idea where he is or whether he's safe."

"It should go without saying that my patience is wearing pretty thin right now."

"So, this is how things are going to work." She gestured to the table as a whole. "If you tell me everything you know, I'll ensure that the administration is lenient with the charges raised against you when this is all over."

------------------------------------------------------------------

- Marcus -

Marcus immediately focused in on Alexei. More of the still images from the fight with the Redcape flashed through his mind. This man was an enemy.

A loud snap rang echoed through the cafeteria, but it wasn't until the pain set in that he realized where it had come from. Grimacing, he slowly released his grip on his fork, which he'd broken in half.

Blood trickled down his fingers from where it had cut his palm, and Marcus closed his fist to stem the flow. Thankfully, the surprise of it had momentarily stopped him from seeing red, but he still assessed Alexei with a wary gaze.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Caltha

- Keynes -

"A puppet king?" Keynes asked, giving Kurik an appraising glance. His words were directed at Maxim though.

"Yes, he'd fit the bill nicely." Crossing one leg over the other, he leaned back, somehow managing to look nonchalant, despite the situation. "Tough demeanor, firm jawline."

A grin pulled at his lips as Kurik mentioned the prison. "Takes orders well." Keynes chuckled. Maxim's words were a lot to take in, but it wasn't the first time that life outside the walls had crossed Keynes' mind. The world had much been a much larger place, and one of his jobs as a general had been to prepare for a threat such at this. Unfortunately, old age must have been catching up with him. He hadn't seen this coming.

His eyes drifted momentarily to the writhing mess that had become of Alex. This smug bastard would pay for doing that to the kid.

"Another word of advice," Keynes directed his attention to Kurik now, "Betrayal if impartial. Don't let yourself get comfortable."

Aegis
Luke Jaron

Luke was glad that they had allies, but it surprised him when he saw the bear-man appearing together with the expected ally.

Everyone looked somewhat wary of him; then again, who wouldn't?

Luke came to the bear-man with a form of handshake, "I think we started really off, and I don't really know your name." Said Luke, smiling gently. "Let's try this again, my name is Luke Jaron. Nice to meet you."

____________________________________________________________________________

Nadenka

"So is this going to be another give and take?" Said Nadenka, "The government would not take any blame for this at all? I must know your opinion, High General Alina Grey, are you suggesting that term with the belief that there was no fault with the current administration? Or are you going to accept that there was a fault, and you are suggesting such term so that they could be part of our society to make a better future?"

Nadenka sighed, "I really don't have much to share just like what Ariana had said, but I am willing to face trial with her. I did help Arusians and did not fulfill my duty as a soldier of Kaddath."

__________________________________________________________________________________

Caltha
Belobog

Belobog was not so sure how to accept what he had heard. Did he hear Maxim right? Or was he hearing things?

Belobog kept his lips closed, pondering silently. Was he Maxim's man, or Arusia's soldier? Did Ehlana and Alexei realized this?....

Belobog just silently ready himself to follow the next order; however, his mind was at war with doubts and questions. He also had this feeling, feeling of some what... some what betrayed....

He was not so sure of his own emotion, but he made it sure it wasn't displayed outside.

Caltha - Palace

- Maxim -

Maxim pondered Kurik's question, his eyes drifting to Belobog. Belo had been oddly silent for a while now. Had the near attack of the Blackcape shaken him? Or was it something else?

"Our escapees haven't been located yet," he said, shaking his head. "There's a chance they're mounting a counteroffensive as we speak. Until we can be sure our position is entirely secure, it's best to keep our hostages in reach."

He turned to leave when Keynes spoke up. The words "puppet king" echoed through the chamber - and Maxim's mind.

Maxim turned back as Keynes spoke again. "Yes, he'd fit the bill nicely." Crossing one leg over the other, he leaned back, somehow managing to look nonchalant, despite the situation. "Tough demeanor, firm jawline."

It was nearly impossible to resist a glance at Kurik's profile, but he dragged his gaze back to Keynes.

"Takes orders well." Keynes chuckled.

"You seem to be mistaken," Maxim replied, taking a step forward. "Leadership has never been something I've desired. If anything, it's I who've been a tool in his service. Once Kurik is safely on the throne, I intend to fade back into my previous obscurity."

Maxim had operated in the shadows of society his whole life. The limelight didn't suit him. Kurik, however, was destined to shine.

And shadows don't stay in light for long.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Ergo Research Lab - Containment Suite

- Lisa -

Ariana couldn't help but find Lisa's statement a touch ironic after having been immediately placed into a containment cell and interrogated... but she couldn't really point fingers about that. She'd done the same thing herself before.

When Alina stepped into the room, Ariana shrank back a few steps, eyeing her warily. Something had happened during their encounter before, auras of cold clashing and seeping into her in a way she couldn't describe. Just being in proximity brought a familiar, tingling chill in her blood.

Alina laid out her current status, and it wasn't hard to see why she was on edge."So, this is how things are going to work." She gestured to the table as a whole. "If you tell me everything you know, I'll ensure that the administration is lenient with the charges raised against you when this is all over."

Nadenka made some attempt at protesting how much each side was to blame, but Ariana didn't think it likely Alina or any of the others would see any blame with their side. That was the nature of conflicts - demonizing one side was the best way to boost your own side's morale.

But... demonizing. It made her wonder.

"What about the Old Guard?" she asked. "All the soldiers who've followed me? What will you do to them?"

She couldn't agree to anything until she knew that first. Yes, they'd been used by her and Maxim for their plans, but at the same time, they'd come willingly and pledged themselves to her. Taking a deal to help herself without consideration to them... that would be a complete betrayal to their loyalty.

"And Arusia," she added, glancing at Ehlana. "What are your plan for them?"

Just then, an alert came through to Alina, Lisa, and Lenka.

"Hey, just got word," Kokonoe's voice said. "Raidon's returned. He's also got one of those guys who attacked the lab before with him."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Ergo Research Lab - Cafeteria

- Raidon -

Lambda stepped back to give Raidon and Alexei some room to join the others, though she kept a close eye on Alexei. Circumstances had changed, it was true, but she didn't forget easily. For now, Alexei was still a potential threat as far as she was concerned.

Apparently, Luke didn't share her reservations. He strode up to the hulking man and offered him a handshake. "I think we started really off, and I don't really know your name," said Luke, smiling gently. "Let's try this again, my name is Luke Jaron. Nice to meet you."

Alexei blinked in surprise, as did most of the others. After a moment, however, he chuckled and squeezed Luke's hand in a crushing grip. "Heh, you're a funny kid. I like that. Alexei Stanislav."

Raidon shook his head, just as amused but far better at hiding it.

"You have no idea how happy we are to see you alive," James said. "We were beginning to fear the worst…"

Raidon offered him a weary smile. "So was I. Tell me, did a group make it back here before us? It should have been three women - one of which was Ariana Adalia."

"They're here," Rise said, nodding.

"Nadenka, she's here?" Alexei interrupted, forcing his way into the conversation - and their circle. "Where?"

Raidon held up a hand. "Easy. I think there's going to be some negotiation before things are smoothed over enough for a reunion."

Alexei glowered at him, and that previous intimidation seemed to come out for a moment before he sighed and shrugged his thick shoulders. "Fair enough."[/color]

Aegis

- Alina -

"I'm not High anything." Alina responded to Nadenka with a cold smile. "Your young compatriot here made sure of that." She nodded in Ariana's direction. "You're dealing with good old, get things done, Commander Alina Grey."

She had to admire Ariana's sense of camaraderie. If not for the stain this would probably make on the young lady's reputation, she might have made an excellent leader someday. Before she could respond to Ariana's questions, Kokonoe chimed in though, and that had to be addressed first.

"Lisa, would you go fetch your favorite special investigator and his guest? I think they might have something to contribute to this discussion."

"Of course." Lisa glanced in Lenka's direction, confirming if she was planning to stay or go before slipping out the door and into the hallway.

Turning her attention back to the table, Alina sighed. "I can't make any decisions about the Old Guard or the Arusians that participated in all of this. The administration doesn't exactly take orders from me anymore." She shot Ariana a flat look that clearly said 'your fault, not mine'.

"However, I will ensure that whatever happens, they will be treated fairly. We're not savages. The remaining Arusians are another matter entirely. So, I suspect that will involve some level of diplomacy, now that we're aware of their existence."

Leaning forward, Alina rested her elbows on the table and tented her fingers. "While I admit the administration did a less than stellar job in how they handled the current situation," she directed to Nadenka, "we are in no way at fault for creating that situation. No government can cater to the needs of every citizen while still maintaining any semblance of order. It's a systematic flaw for which there is no solution."

Caltha - Palace

- Kurik -

Kurik nodded. “I will have them double patrols and put mor effort into combing through the palace.”

He stepped out of earshot from their hostages to talk to Lorrin and Annabelle at the other end of his com.

Unfortunately they had no positive news. Neither Raidon, nor Alexei or any of the women had been located. Kurik’s brows narrowed. If they didn’t find them soon, they had to assume they managed to escape. In turn they would warn the others.

With that in mind, he prepared Lorrin and Annabelle for that possibility and instructed them to prepare for that outcome.

When he returned, he could see Keynes’ gaze firmly on him.

He smiled, a dangerous smile. “Mpf, I know what betrayal feels like. I won’t make that mistake again,” he replied coldly.

“Now keep all your advice to yourself. I don’t care for it because I don’t trust you and no one else wants to hear it.”

———————————————————

Ergo Research Lab - Containment Suite

- Lenka -

Lenka lightly shook her head when Lisa asked her if she wanted to go with her. No way she would leave now.

Fascinated she followed the conversation.

- Ehlana -

She looked up startled when Alina entered the room. Hopefully there wouldn’t be a repeat of what happened between her and Ariana earlier.

Thankfully both of them were just talking. Ehlana listened. Sure she could somewhat relate to what Alina said, after all they were in similar situations, but her blatant request for all the information they had...well that was very unspecific.

Also what was the little girl still doing here? As far as Ehlana could tell, she had no important role to fill...

Lost in her own thoughts for a moment, she snapped back into the present when the news came through that Raidon and Alexei had safely made it here.

Inexplicably that instantly made her feel safer and more relaxed than anything Alina had said.

“I believe that you’re at least trying even though you’re in no position to make any promises,” she finally said when both Alina and Ariana ceased to talk. “That seems to be the case with everyone who is asking us to help them...”

She crossed her arms. “Still I said, I’d help so if you want to know something you’ll have to be a lot more specific.”

Ehlana paused for a second as something occurred to her. “Also what about Kurik? He’s not Arusian and he’s not officially with the Old Guard. What will happen to him?” she mused.

———————————————————

Ergo Research Lab - Cafeteria

- James -

He managed to stop himself from backing away when Alexei suddenly stepped up to them as he heard the news of Nadenka. Even though he seemed cooperative... it was difficult to be sure.

A few moments later, Lisa arrived to escort Raidon and Alexei down to the containment suite.

Lenka he thought, but he knew they couldn’t all go down there. He trusted Lisa, Alina and Raidon to keep his sister safe.

“Lambda, go with them please,” he murmured as they left.

He pulled out his tablet to see if there was any information on Alexei, but of course there was none.

“This day just keeps getting crazier,” he said to Rise and the others. “At least now we have hope that Jax and Keynes are still alive...”

Ergo Research Lab

- Ariana -

Ariana bit her lip and looked away. What Alina was saying was probably the best she could expect out of all this - for her and the Old Guard. As Alina talked the current government, however, Ariana couldn't help but frown at her. She knew it would sound bad, knew it sounded petulant, but she couldn't help but voice it.

"Why was it okay when you did?" she murmured, tugging at her sleeve. "When you overthrew the government?"

The doors opened and Raidon strolled through, nodding to Alina and even managing a worn smile. Alexei followed in his wake. When he saw Nadenka, he broke into a grin and crossed over to her before anyone could stop him.

"You're okay," he said, assuring himself more than her as he cupped her head with his large hand.

Lambda entered last and stood in the doorway, surveying things. Kokonoe strolled up from the hallway and took up a spot next to her, trying to look calm.

"Anything from Keynes?" she asked, not quite looking at Lambda.

Lambda shook her head. "I did pick up a transmission, however. I believe it might have been broadcast by him. He's... very resourceful, you know."

Kokonoe blinked at the affection in Lamda's tone, then smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, he is."