[h2][center][color=gold][b]Chapter 1[/b][/color][/center][/h2] [center][color=gold]Jailbreak[/color][/center] [center]The month of Mitra Two days after the New Year[/center] [center][color=lightblue][b]Ephraim Quaid[/b][/color][/center] [color=gray] The general stood in the observation deck of his aerial flagship, the [i]Prestige[/i], and looked over the titanic city. Everywhere he looked, he saw buildings and tramways stretching over the horizon. Smokestacks from tireless factories polluting the air. Zeppelins and other Asgardian warships navigating and policing the skies above. There was a light fog in the air, nothing like smog. The fog was closest Tyberia ever got to experiencing winter's snow, the closest any great city of Yggdrasil ever got. Instead of snow, Tyberia has the displeasure getting blankets of oily sleet. It made catwalks slippery, exposed machinery unreliable, and the pitter-pattering of a soldier's footsteps too loud. What made this sleet inducing fog worse, was that it slowed down the already unwieldy Asgard military to a halt. Ephraim Quaid was a man driven to produce results, and he took up the assignment of conquering the Free East with enthusiasm. But since his departure, things had constantly worked against him. Word of his son disappearing shortly after his deployment was enough of a distraction to make him overlook certain details and make mistakes. And while the invasion of Tyberia had gone smoother than expected, Ephraim couldn't shake off the feeling that he was done with the mighty city. Like something was nagging him to stay. When he had reported his extended occupation of Tyberia to Asgard's senate, they had been displeased. The supply train to his army was suffering, and many senators were beginning to withdraw their support of Ephraim's campaign. So to please the senators, the Emperor, and the Zephyr, Ephraim promised to resume his campaign into the Free East at Mitra's close. That promise was made before winter came, before the oil-sleet that was enveloping Tyberia for three weeks straight, and certainly before he received word of civil unrest taking root far sooner than expected. His campaign wouldn't be resuming by the end of Mitra, it was more likely he would be stuck in Tyberia for at least a few more months, if every went his way, at least. Ephraim took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, he missed Midgar. Tyberia was alike it so many ways, it even smelled the same, but in Midgar, he was heralded as a hero. Even members of the Aesir looked up to Ephraim, and that is an achievement! The Aesir were a cadre of living legends, warriors who were declared as saints that walk among the people. Ephraim was once seen once having lunch with Fera, an elven woman that was a member of the Aesir. Since then, Ephraim was admired by the common people not only by his impressive military record, but because a rumor had caught wind that he was courting one of the world's most venerated heroes. [color=white][i]"If you're about done taking in the view, Ephraim, there's work to be done,"[/i][/color] a man said as he entered the observation room with a handful of papers and two cups of caffeine. The elven general looked over his shoulder, [color=lightblue][b]"Good morning to you too, Voss,"[/b][/color] Ephraim greeted the human and turned his gaze back to Tyberia. [color=lightblue][b]"Do you think he's down there?"[/b][/color] Voss, Ephraim's second in command and most trusted friend, looked up from the papers and raised an eyebrow, [color=white][i]"Who? Your boy? I've got no doubt. But what I do doubt, is that we'll find him any time soon. He knows the sounds of an Asgardian march, he'd be long gone before a patrol ever showed up. This oil-sleet doesn't help many matters either. Speaking of which..."[/i][/color] Ephraim turned from the window and approached the table that Voss had put the papers and coffee. [color=lightblue][b]"It's more bad news, isn't it."[/b][/color] Voss shrugged and took a hearty sip from his warm coffee, [color=white][i]"You told me way back when you first got command of the 5th to drop it on you even you didn't like it. But yes, bad news."[/i][/color] The general sat at the table and sighed, [color=lightblue][b]"Why am I not surprised. Well, lay it on me, Voss."[/b][/color] [color=white][i]"That public speaker you ordered apprehended is apparently some big shot in Tyberia. It would seem arresting him and putting him in a jail cell is part of the reason why Tyberia has gotten so riled up in such a short time."[/i][/color] Ephraim nodded, [color=lightblue][b]"I figured as such. But that doesn't mean he'll be headed anywhere else but the firing line. He spoke against the Zephyr, and while I'm not too keen on the giant bastards, I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut. A shot in the head is a mercy compared to what would happen if one of the Zephyr's zealous Vigilants got their hands on him."[/b][/color] [color=white][i]"Well no matter how you look at it, the city isn't too happy. I could order for more patrols to keep the peace."[/i][/color] Ephraim shook his head, [color=lightblue][b]"That wouldn't help. It'd only remind the people that we [i]conquered[/i] them only a few months ago, then we'd have even more unrest. Let it blow over, as soon as people realize they can live their lives without one man, things will return to normal.Besides, this oil-sleet fog will kill the men long before they could get any work done."[/b][/color] Voss took a breath and nodded, though his facial expression didn't seem to carry much confidence. [color=white][i]"The way I see it, Ephraim. The people are constantly reminded whenever an Asgardian soldier walks down the street with a loaded rifle. Or the shadow of one of our airships casts over an entire city block. I'll only do things on your order, but personally I don't think the way the public views us is going to change any time soon.[/i][/color] Ephraim didn't say anything. But Voss knew what was on his mind, [color=white][i]"And I know you don't care about oil-sleet fog. You're worried more patrols in the streets will send your boy even deeper into hiding."[/i][/color] The general took back some coffee. [/color] [center]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center] [center][color=yellowgreen][b]Kaidan Malcador[/b][/color][/center] [color=gray][color=yellowgreen][b]"Kaidan Malcador. Public Enemy number one. Scourge. Rebel. Wanted dead or alive."[/b][/color] a man of the same identity said out loud. [color=white][i]"It's amazing how that media magnate can spin words, eh? She definitely painted you with some pretty colors."[/i][/color] said Oscar Berrick, a human revolutionary operative, as he wiped black shoe polish over his long knife. He was sitting at a large oak table in the middle of a very large and very clean dining room. Kaidan lowered the newspaper and chuckled, [color=yellowgreen][b]"Well I can't fault her. Ada isn't wrong, and if I'm allowed to be selfish, I think she was complimenting me directly."[/b][/color] Oscar grinned over to Kaidan before kicking his feet up on a polished oak table. [color=white][i]"You and that redhead have quite a complicated relationship, don't you? One of these days, Kaidan, I'm going to get in your head and find out how you managed to get on a first name basis with one of the richest and most beautiful women in all of Tyberia. It's a damned miracle, really."[/i][/color] Kaidan set the paper down on the table and leaned back, putting his hands behind his head, [color=yellowgreen][b]"Ada happens to like schemes. She runs a news outlet after all, the woman takes great pleasure in unraveling things. You just so happen to be talking to a man who has schemes for his schemes."[/b][/color] Before Oscar could reply, a man in thick winter frock stepped in. His hair was groomed back and he carried himself like any other upperclassman of Tyberia. The man was easily in his late thirties, his metabolism definitely slowed enough to give him a pot belly. He tapped his ornate black and gold cane on the marble floor. He looked between the infamous Kaidan and the gruff, scruffy rebel with the impressive knife. They both stared back at him. [color=bisque][i]"Please, don't get up."[/i][/color] the aristocrat managed a nervous chuckle. Oscar shrugged, [color=white][i]"Didn't plan on it."[/i][/color] he went back to depolishing a knife. [color=yellowgreen][b]"Good morning, Lyle. And happy New Year."[/b][/color] Kaidan smirked to him, [color=yellowgreen][b]"I hope we haven't crashed an early morning engagement."[/b][/color] Lyle cleared his throat and loosened his bow tie. He turned his back to them and spoke to somebody out of sight from the dining room, [color=bisque][i]"Forgive me, Patricia, but it would seem business has followed me home. I hope you understand. How about I take you to a play tonight, eh? To up for this... Unforeseen..."[/i][/color] he grumbled as he looked for a word, [color=bisque][i]"Thing... My butler, Malcolm, will show you to the door, we'll talk soon, yes?"[/i][/color] There was an awkward silence in the dining room, Oscar was just grinning to Kaidan the entire time. When Lyle stepped into the room and hung up his coat, he straighten out his double breasted vest and removed his bow tie entirely, [color=bisque][i]"You both are taking an awful risk coming to my estate in broad daylight. And without proper warning, what if I were sharing my morning tea time with an Asgardian official, eh?"[/i][/color] Oscar chuckled, [color=white][i]"Simple. We'd kill him."[/i][/color] Kaidan shook his head, [color=yellowgreen][b]"Well we would, in all honesty. But I knew you weren't talking with the enemy today. At least, not now."[/b][/color] Lyle raises a brow at that, [color=bisque][i]"You did? You're having me followed or something? So I don't run off with your money, is that it? Rest assured, Mr. Malcador, your deposits in the erm... 'Moving Forward' account are secure."[/i][/color] Kaidan laughed, [color=yellowgreen][b]"I had to be sure. It's a sensitive account, afterall."[/b][/color] Lyle sighed and at the table across from Kaidan, [color=bisque][i]"So, what brings Tyberia's most wanted man to my [b]personal[/b] estate?"[/i][/color] Kaidan slid the newspaper over to him, [color=yellowgreen][b]"We have an opportunity. One that could start this revolution in kind. I'm waiting on a few of my contacts to show up before I get down to the meat of it."[/b][/color] Lyle read the newspaper in a whisper, [color=bisque][i]"Leon Powell has been arrested for blaspheming the Zephyr... He is believed to be in league with Kaidan Malcador. Public Enemy number one. Scourge. Rebel. Wanted dead or alive."[/i][/color] he glanced up from the paper, [color=bisque][i]"I think Miss Maas is trying to flatter you, Kaidan."[/i][/color] Kaidan grinned over to Oscar. [color=bisque][i]"Hold on. This paper says its publishing date is... Tomorrow? How did you get this?"[/i][/color] [color=yellowgreen][b]"It's as you said. Miss Maas is trying to flatter me."[/b][/color] Another person stepped into the dining room, an elven woman this time. Her short hair was raven black, though Kaiden knew she never stuck with a hair color for long. The lithe elf was wearing a slender black dress with a split leg, definitely risque by Tyberian standards. [color=lightseagreen][i]"Sorry I'm late. Some aristocrat was trying to shove me out of his home on the account of 'sudden business'."[/i][/color] Lyle's view snapped over his shoulder, his eyes wide, [color=bisque][i]"Patricia?!"[/i][/color] Lyle's butler hurried into the room, [color=firebrick][i]"I'm sorry, sir! She just helped herself back in!"[/i][/color] Seeing the company, the butler pieced things together and quietly left the room. Kaidan and Oscar ensured the butler's loyalty, so there was no need in chasing him down. Oscar started to laugh out loud, [color=white][i]"My, Selene! That dress is quite revealing! Appealing to Lyle's taste in women, eh?"[/i][/color] Lyle looked over to Oscar hurriedly, [color=bisque][i]"Selene?!"[/i][/color] The elf winked at Lyle, [color=lightseagreen][i]"If it still means anything, I'd like to see that play tonight. And shove a sock in your mouth, Oscar."[/i][/color] Selene was Kaidan's eyes and ears around Tyberia. She had once been a Tan'Raga spy, and she was 'gifted' to Kaidan along with the unreleased newspaper in Lyle's hands. Lyle looked back to Kaidan, [color=bisque][i]"Are there any more surprises coming to me this morning, Mr. Malcador?"[/i][/color] Kaidan nodded, [color=yellowgreen][b]"About four more, yes."[/b][/color] [/color]