Afina

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Docking Bay Six

Craig made his way down to the docks as the Twins brought in the transport from Earth Tower and waited for the bay doors to open. When they did a rather shocked expression came over his features when he laid eyes on who came out. This was not who he was expecting. He actually didn’t know who to expect but it certainly wasn’t this person. A younger man about Silvias age stepped out carrying several small crates and walked over to Craig, setting them down. He stood a little less than six feet tall and was moderately built with sharp facial features and even sharper eyes, the color of amber. He smiled over to Craig and held out his hand to shake it once the crates were set down safely.

“Hey Craig, where do I need to take these to?” Marx asked quickly as he looked around.

“Um, the infirmary,” he said, stuttering over his words slightly, not sure what was going on.

“You okay?” he asked quickly as he picked up the crates once again.

“Ye…yeah, this the stuff Silvia is waiting for?” Craig asked as he watched the man.

“Yup, she told me to get it to her on the next transport, so here I am,” Marx answered as he started to walk towards the elevator. Not waiting for Craig. Craig looked around quickly and then ran off after him.

“What about the replacement I asked for?” he said as he caught up with Marx as he was entering the elevator.

“I’m it,” he stated bluntly as he waited for Craig to push the correct floor. Craig looked at him even more confused as he pressed the button for the floor of the infirmary.

“But you’re head of security for Earth, how in the hell can Crisin spare you?” he asked as the elevator took off to the designated floor.

“Simple, Silvia is her daughter for lack of a better term. Shit is hitting the fan here. She wanted the person Silvia trusted most here. That’s me,” Marx stated flatly. “Don’t worry, I train security on Earth, my staff is more than capable of taking care of things for me for a bit while I am way,” he said as he waited for the elevator stopped on the floor of the infirmary and waited for the doors to open.

The Infirmary

Silvia made her way into the infirmary with Ailen and moved straight to an operating room without a second glance before she put everything down and motioned to the cold table that was in the middle of the bright room. “Yes, I can see you running a tower when your head isn’t up your ass,” she said quickly as she began to unpack what she needed on the rolling tables that were scattered throughout the room and pulling the monitors over to the operating table before walking over to a long table against the wall and dumping out his broken arm pieces onto it. “Don’t worry about the staff anymore; that is my job. I’ll take care of them the same as I take care of you,” she said as she went through the pieces and started to salvage what she could. “Well I’ll be gentler with them, they haven’t pissed me off yet,” she hissed slightly as she worked.

“Now lay down because I am going to have to pull the port out of that arm and replace it completely,” she said without looking over to him. Hearing the elevator doors open she looked up slightly and leaned back a bit before shouting. “In here Craig!” Looking back at what she was doing she didn’t notice Craig and Marx enter the room and Marx setting the crates down on the floor. “Thanks Craig, you can go, I got this,” she said, still not looking over.

“What? No hello from my Angel?” Marx said as he crossed his arms over his chest and faked a pouty lip like he was hurt emotionally. Silvia froze before dropping what she was doing and looking over to him. He just laughed and she ran over to him. Marx continued to laugh as he held his arms out for her and wrapped them around her waist; Silvia burying her head against him as she hugged him tight. “That’s better,” he joked.

Silvia leaned back and smacked him across the face. “What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped.

“I love you to,” he chuckled as he rubbed his cheek. “Craig needed a replacement for his second in command while he is out of commission. Crisin sent me,” he said with a shrug. Looking over at Ailen he smile and held his hand out to shake it. “Hey, that must be you. Marx, HoS of Earth Tower,” he said in a friendly voice.

Silvia felt her personal com connection go off and turned to check the portable, seeing the message from Ashala she smiled and made a mental note to get back to her as soon as she could but right now she had to take care of Ailen before she could do anything else.

The Sands of Blood (Dead)

Sana slowly looked over to Hugh as she sat there, her arms wrapped around herself in some form of mock comfort. She smiled faintly as she slowly moved over to him and reached for his hand, lacing her fingers with his while resting her other hand over their palms. "Hugh.." she whispered softly as she rested her head against his shoulder. She really didn't know what to say to everything, she hoped he meant it; in her mind there was no reason she shouldn't.

What he sent through to make sure she was safe; the way he held her while she slept. He made her feel safe, something that she had never felt; she didn't want to loose that. Drawing a deep sigh her free hand reached up and caressed his neck lightly. "Yes, you could lose me. I could lose you. In a peaceful village or in the middle of a war," she said as she tilted her head back to gaze up at him, a caring sweeping her features. "One day we all die, if I have to I'd rather die protecting what is worth living for in this world than tucked away turning a blind eye to it," she said softly.

Sliding over into his lap she rested her brow against his and signed gently before she spoke again. "You, this is worth it to me," she whispered quietly before brushing her lips against his. "Mine," she said against his lips before slowly deepening the kiss as she pulled herself closer to him.

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Silvia nodded as she kept examining him. "Yup you did and yes you are," she agreed flatly; leaning back and looking up at him. Raising a brow at his question to why she liked him and just shrugged as she got up off the couch and started packing her bag back up, placing the pieces of his broken artificial arm in it as well before slinging it over her shoulder.

"Why does it matter? Can't you just accept that I was attracted to you just for being yourself?" she asked rhetorically before looking down at her t-shirt. "It's just blood, it'll wash," she said as she took a step and grabbed her com, opening a channel to Craig. "Next catch is from Earth there will be a package, grab it and meet me in the infirmary," she said quickly before cutting the com instead of waiting for an answer.

"That's Marx, head of security for Earth Tower," she said matter of factly before making her way over to the door. "He's called me that for years," she added as she waited for him to join her. "Come on, let's get you down to the infirmary and prep you," she said as she waited for the elevator doors to open. "And ass or not, you're a person in pain. Personal animosity aside, I am simply doing what is right," she finished before making her way into the elevator, holding the door open for him.

Up in the Mor, Craig put the same woman on charge and headed down to the docks to await the ship's arrival. He hoped who ever Crisin was sending would be arriving as well. He didn't know what was going on but he had a feeling it had to do with Ailen and if Silvia was having something sent from Earth to help him he would be damned if he left its safety up to anyone else.

The Forests of Death (Dead)

Regalia

As Inyata jumped down she spun around on her horse and her eyes went wide. “Be careful!” she shouted as she saw what the young corsair was up to. Leaping down she placed her hand on the hilt of her blade and stepped forward carefully, eyeing the were in front of her. She had known Were’s in her past, some were her best friends, while others she knew could be deadly and ruthless. Like all races out there. Taking a few steps forward and coming up next to Inyata she tilted her head to the side. Why was this creature out here like this instead in a cave somewhere? It didn’t make any sense to her. She held her ground waiting for what ever happened next.

Ramara

Ramara smirked slightly as Wade asked her how a gypsy becomes an assassin. She shrugged slightly to the question. “Life has a lot of twists and turns,” she said before she spun around as she heard Inyata and leapt off her horse, drawing her crossed blades from her back. “Like this one,” she muttered as she stepped closer and came up to the other side of Inyata, flanking her with Regalia at this point. What in the hell was this girl thinking? That this thing was a pet? It wasn’t exactly the type of stray you took home to mom and dad to ask if you could please please keep it. It was the type you slaughtered while it slept and kept walking.

Raising her head slightly she began looking around. “If there is one, chances are there is a pack, be on the lookout,” she said to no one in particular as her gripe tightened on her short swords. It was apparent if anyone had known another Rawn that drawing and waiting to see what happened next seemed to be a running trend with them. Regalia on the other hand was standing there cautious but she had yet to draw. Ramara wondered if the old woman could actually move fast enough to draw if the thing decided to go for her throat.

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Mor Of The Altenia Tower

Craig rose the com to Earth and there was Crisin, the Earth Tower Lead, staring him right in the face. He gulped slightly. Crisin was not the easiest woman to get along with but at least she wasn’t as bad as Tristan and looking back on things he had to admit she couldn’t be that bad to have been the one to raise a woman like Silvia; taking a deep breath before he began. “Afternoon Tower Lead Crisin, I have an urgent request.”

“And just what may that be Craig? I am busy here since you all took my back up T-1,” she said referring to Silvia.

“I know but trust me, she has done more good here in since she arrived than this tower has seen in a decade,” he said quickly.

“I have heard, word gets around quickly but I am not surprised. Silvia has always been good at running a tower, why her ass should be here taking care of things!”

“I, um, yes. Listen, our second in command is out due to injury. Silvia helped but he is going to need time to recover. We are short staffed here, is there anyway you could send someone over on the next transport as a substitute until the he is healed? It, I am hoping will only be a few days,” Craig asked, slightly begging. “I don’t want to go to another Tower, I know Silvia trusts the people in your Tower and with everything going on I feel it would be safest if someone she knew were our temp.”

Crisin leaned back in her seat and thought for a moment. She really didn’t have a lot of free staff right now but Silvia was like a daughter to her, she raised her. Crisin didn’t want with everything going on for someone that might be under Tristans or the Bast’I’s influence to be watching over Silvia. “Very well, a replacement will be there on the next transport,” she said before cutting the com.

“Who?” he tried to ask but the screen had gone blank. “Well shit.”

Silvias Private Quarters

Silvia looked over to Ailen and snapped, striking him upside the back of the head with an open palm. “Stop it! Just stop it!” she snapped as she rested back on the couch. “What the hell has gotten into you? And don’t say me,” she growled as she looked over to him. “The healing didn’t do shit to me, the T&C did,” she said as she looked away. “It’s a mini worm hole. Creating one is no issue for a Lead, going through one is no problem for a passenger but when you have to toss, catch and go through instantaneously is when issues arise. Your mind gets ripped because it is working on the catch while you are in the worm hole. That’s why the blood. I lacerated my frontal lobe you dolt,” she hissed before looking away from him for a minute.

“And no I don’t, you really think I was transferred here because of my attitude?” she asked as she raised a brow. “That it was just a coincidence that I had a camera on my suit when I arrived to catch Tristan attack me?” she asked with a slow growing smirk on her lips. “This has been in the works for years,” she said before turning her attention over to his arm port. “And I know about the Twins, trust me I am prepared for them. I don’t know what they will do or when but something will happen, a lot is going to happen before things get better,” she said as she sighed. “So brace yourself because the shit has yet to hit the fan,” she added before turning to her com and opening a secure frequency with Earth. "And I don't need a body guard, I can take care of myself."

“Angel!” Marx said as it linked in. “Wow, what the hell happened to him?” Marx asked as she panned the com over to Ailens arm port.

“Long story, listen I need you to send on the next transport a base kit with auto attachments, crystal drive and an emergency field install kit. We don’t have that shit here, this arm is the best they had,” she said as she turned the com back over to herself to talk with Marx.

“Sure thing Angel, anything for you, be there shortly, have someone waiting at the docks,” he said before ending the transmission.

“Okay, we’re going to get you fixed up,” she said looking back over to him before reaching into her bag and pulling out a crystal harmonizing tool kit. It wasn’t exactly what she needed but it would have to do for the removal of his current pieces. “We can do this here or in the infirmary. Which do you prefer?”

The Sands of Blood (Dead)

Sana sat there thinking back on the days at home when she was growing up, what she had been taught and what she had refused to learn. Taking a deep breath she looked over to Hugh as he began to speak to her about secrets. Just what was he trying to get at she wondered as he seemed to go around in circles about the whole thing. Then she froze as dropped the wife bomb, not exactly knowing how to respond to that. He was so blunt about it,”all burned,” he had said to matter-of-factly. Her eyes widened somewhat, almost in disbelief, mouth agape. How was she supposed to react to that? Part of her was shocked, that much was obvious. Another part of her felt sorrow for him, no one should ever go through that.

Then the irrational woman side of her kicked in and she felt jealously. That he had had someone else he was close to before her. Sadly that part took over right then. Any other time it may not have but after all the talk of her sister, of leaving to keep from being a courtesan, all of it was a bit much for her right then and Sana had never really been one to keep her emotions in check. Looking away slowly she just stared off into nothingness. Slowly it dawning on her that if his family hadn’t died he would most likely still be living a peaceful and happy life where they had been. She never would have met him, he wouldn’t have been there to rage out and break out of the cage to save her. She would most likely be dead if they hadn’t already died.

She didn’t know how to process all of this, it was beyond her. Then the memory of his face during her dance flooded her mind. Part of it he looked sad, almost in pain. Had her dance made him think of another woman? Of his wife? If so, what did that make her? Sana drew a horrible conclusion as she swallowed hard. She was the other woman...And the words of an old fortune teller rang in her mind. One often meets her destiny on the road she takes to avoid it. Closing her eyes slowly she groaned slightly and took another long breath before her eyes opened but unable to look over into Hughs direction. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” was all she could manage to say.

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Silvias Private Quarters

On the sofa, Silvia laid curled up in a ball with her com in her lap having dozed off to sleep. It had been a long day already and little did she know it was about to get a lot longer. Slowly she was roused by a series of complaints and curses coming from the main door of her quarters. Rubbing her eyes slightly, thinking she may have just been dreaming before she realized that it wasn’t the sleep talking, it was Ailen. He was the last person she wanted to deal with right then; rising from her place and stretching slightly as she prepared to lay into fully this time until she heard that he needed help. Sighing deeply she began to walk over to the door, hearing what he had to say groaning inwardly at his words. She pushed the panel and the door slid open, she looked down at him and rolled her eyes.

“Seriously man?” she snapped before leaning down and taking a look at the mess he was in. “Okay, I’ll help you but you are going to shut up and listen,” she said as sat down on her knees to take a closer look. “One, shut up with your rabble. I don’t know what the hell you think you feel but if it is pushing you to lie to someone that shit ain’t love,” she snapped as she examined his nose for a moment before placing her hands on either side and snapping it back into place, not bothering to be gentle. “Tilt your head back,” she said quickly as she turned to look into her quarters and one of her bags moved over to her and landed next to her.

“So lay off the wounded soldier bullshit and stop feeling sorry for yourself,” she added as she grabbed a medic kit she kept with her from the bag, opening it up and pulling out a small splint for his nose before taping it into place. She could have healed him to a point but right now she felt no sympathy for him. She was angry, she was hurt and she had already pushed herself too far helping him earlier. For all she knew this was another ruse to get her attention. He wanted attention, he was going to get it but it wasn’t going to be the warm and fuzzy type. If he wanted her to trust him again it was going to take a lot more than some sappy apology. Silvia was quick to give trust, but once someone broke it, it took moving heaven and hell for her to let it be repaired.

“Come on twinkle toes, get inside,” she said as she began to pick up the pieces of his arm and her bag before walking into the room and tossing the pieces like they were junk down on the table in front of the couch. Sitting down she began to look over the pieces and perked a brow. “This thing is way out dated; I am surprised it lasted as long as it has. Even the tech we have on Earth is way more advanced than this,” she said taking on a less angered voice and one that was more work related. “Let me guess, you haven’t adapted to it yet have you?” she said as she looked over to him and motioned for him to come over to her. “Come here, I need to check your link up port in your shoulder,” she said as she patted the couch next to her.

Mor Of The Altenia Tower

Craig had heard what Ailen had said and made a mental note of it. He didn’t like the twins either. They were better than Tristan but there were too many unexplained black outs in the security cams around Tristans quarters for him not to have come to the conclusion that they were sneaking him to see him from time to time. There were rumors of some relationship between the Twins and Tristan but it was mostly joked about since no one believed that anyone, even two as demented as the Twins, could be involved with an ass like Tristan.

As he made his way back into the Mor he eyed them and they suddenly froze, like they had been discussing something, before going back to work; the woman who had taken over lead security while Craig was away stepped away from the monitor. She had kept others away so she had been the only one to see Ailens break down outside of Silvias room and her coming out to help him. She decided to keep it to herself and just erase the data. She felt he had been through enough that evening, it was already all through the tower about the kiss and the accident. She felt it was not something that needed to be on record. It served no purpose other than embarrassment. It seemed thankful for Ailen that she was all business.

Craig took a seat and sat back in the chair, rubbing his face slightly. That man needs to get his shit together, he thought to himself before going back to taking care of what he was actually paid to do. Running through the logs he needed to find another second in command of security on the temp until Ailen was back in the game. There was no one on Altenia that could do the job, so he reached out to Earth since it was Silvias home planet, hoping they had someone they could spare for a few days and could get out there this evening on the next transport.

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Mor of Alentia Tower

Craig looked over to the monitor as he worked, seeing Ailen out and about from his quarters. Reaching over he flipped a switch and sent the audio to his personal ear piece so he could listen. Fucking hell, the man is trying to kill himself. Emotionally and physically, he thought to himself before the com came in from Ailen about his meds. "Right, they're on their way down Ailen," he said rising from his place as he ended the com and make a few quick changes in the computer terminal. Then he grabbed the bottle and made his way towards the elevator.

"You," he said pointing to the next highest rank security officer in the room. "Com me if something comes up, I have an urgent matter to attend to," he said quickly before entering the elevator. The woman nodded and took position as security lead for the time being.

Heading first to the commissary and grabbing some food supplies before making his way to Ailens quarters. He didn't bother knocking, just using his override to make the door open. Stepping in the door closed behind him and he looked around for Alien. When he spotted him he set the food down and the pills on a table before leaning against a wall and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Now, I wonder if you really want to die or if I just need to pull your head out of your ass," he said as he looked his second in command over. "You're off duty until further notice, I'll write it up and blame it on the incident in the repair docks but until you can get your head back in the game you're a danger to yourself and others," Craig said in a rather uncharacteristic stern tone. Rubbing his face for a minute before he decided to continue.

"And if you have something to say to Silvia, you at least owe it to her after the stunt you pulled to say it to her face," he added before turning to leave. "Now eat your damn food, Silvia already had all food supplies replaced earlier, so there is no shortage in the tower. It was one of the first things she took care of," he said as looked back over to Ailen.

"If you won't do it for you, you could at least do it for the Tower, hell do it for her," he finished before walking out and heading back up to the Mor.

Up in the Mor the Twins worked catching all the supplies Silvia had requisitioned. It was a lot and they both knew by the time their shift ended.

"Think we should?" one asked the other telepathically.

"Not yet," the other replied.

"Wait for the best moment?"Gemini asked.

"Exactly."

Silvia made her way from the Mor and back to her quarters. She didn't bother speaking to anyone on her way down and once the door slid closed behind her she went quickly to change out of her uniform and into something comfortable; opting for a loose cotton like grey tank top and some black fitted yoga style pants. Curling up on her couch she pulled her portable com into her lap and started going over what needed to be taken care of tomorrow.

She groaned slightly as she saw Ailen had been pulled from duty and added herself in as the escort to the crystal mines tomorrow, then extended the twins shift so she would have time. It wasn't a big deal, shifts could last days. Leaning back against the couch she tucked her legs under herself and rubbed her eyes. Fatigue was setting in, at least the bleeding had stopped.

Shattering The Crystal Silence - Closed

Silvias Private Quarters

”You weren’t a distraction, you were a focal point,” Silvia thought telepathically to Ailen. "And it wasn't a tease, it was genuine. I don't play with peoples emotions Ailen. That's something Tristan would do. I hoped you thought I wasn't like him. I guess I was wrong. I guess to you I am just like all the others," she added before closing her mind off to him.

To her he wasn’t a distraction or someone to tease, he was a focal point, something she could hold onto when the Talent took over, something that brought her back out of the trance like state she would be sent into when she needed her abilities the most. That state that some Talents had been locked in, after they faced the worst situations, for the rest of their lives. Silvia may have been a powerful talent but it came with its drawbacks, self-injury risked during extreme situations was common and was why so many high level talents kept themselves distanced from others. Not having a focal point made them more vulnerable and for a T-1 that wasn’t acceptable but a T-1 needed another T-1 to be a focal point and they needed to be close.

That never happened because they were never stationed together; one per tower, that was how it was. Ailen was unique. Though that had not been what drew Silvia to him. She thought he was different, not coming on to her and with what he had said in the elevator. Rubbing her hands slightly she shook her head. I guess he isn’t so different from the rest after all, she thought to herself as she stared at the floor. Sighing deeply she rose from her place and made her way into her bathroom; stripping out of her clothing and taking a quick shower to wash the dirt, grim and blood away. Wrapping a towel around herself she made her way back into her bathroom and changed into a clean uniform; this time not a common uniform meant for hard labor but one befitting a Tower Lead. Looking at herself in the mirror she groaned. “I guess this is what I am now,” she said to herself before turning and walking out of her room and making her way to the Mor after she picked up the crystal drive.

When she arrived Craig looked over to her he cringed slightly. He didn’t know what happened but he had seen Ailen leave quickly after arriving and now she was dressed as a T-1. Whatever had occurred couldn’t have been good. Silvia said not a word and made her way over to a terminal and began entering in the incident down at the docks; about how the cables had snapped because they were worn, that they hadn’t been replaced because Tristan had not done his job as tower lead, about Ailen getting injured. She left out the rest, not wanting to blemish Ailens record. Leaning back in the seat she opened a com with Earth main and entered the crystal drive into the system.

“Marx, you there?” Silvia asked as she waited for the monitor to open the com fully.

“Hey angel! What’s…” he began as he appeared on the monitor and then saw her face. “Silvia… What’s wrong?” he asked concerned when he saw the look on her face.

“A lot but I need a favor right now,” she said before she uploaded the drive and sent it over to Marx in Earth Tower. Marx took a quick scan over the files when the upload was complete, his eyes widening before nodding and transferring them to a personal drive and pocketing it.

“I understand,” he said quickly before deleting the upload. Silvia removed the original drive and pocketed it for when she would contact GTC itself. “Seems a lot has happened. Is there anything else?” he asked, knowing she was holding something back. Silvia wanted to talk to him but now was not the time. Taking a deep breath she shook her head and Marx let it go. He knew she would tell him when the time was right. “Okay Angel, if you need anything let me know.”

Silvia nodded and ended the com. Craig looked over to her and stepped closer. “Anything I can do for you?” he asked as he moved in front of her.

“Yes, assign Ailen to the Twins shift for security. You will be working with me,” she said before rising from her place and leaving the Mor without another word. Sighing deeply Craig nodded to her order and went to change the scheduling around, sending a copy of it to Ailens com in his room.

The Forests of Death (Dead)

Regalia

Regalia perked a brow as Ishmael moved over to Ramara for a moment before moving over to her. Listening to him speak she simply nodded slightly as a smile came to her lips and a slight chuckle escaped. “Simple, with age comes patience,” she said as she looked over to him and winked. “A long time ago a friend of mine and I came across an orphaned young girl. She was a mess. More hyper than this one,” she said motioning to Inyata. “And far more naïve than that one,” motioning over to Daniel. “Add to that she was a complete klutz. I swear most of the gray hairs on my head were caused by her,” she said with a laugh.

“She was born with tremendous speed and agility, she learned to fight quickly and was amazing in battle but if she wasn’t specifically dealing with something along those terms she couldn’t take two steps without tripping and falling on her face,” Regalia groaned slightly as she thought back to her days helping to raise Kyd. “But she had a good heart and just needed direction. Granted I wasn’t this patient when she first came along. I would blow up, even wanted to pull my hair out but over time she calmed and so did I,” she said with a proud smile on her lips. “She grew up to be an amazing woman and is as far as I am concerned just as much my own child had I birthed her myself.”

Looking over to Ishmael she winked. “It’s okay, with as much as you have to teach him, he has just as much to teach you. You’ll see in time,” she said before looking back in front of her. “If I could give you one piece of advice paladin; if you teach him nothing else, teach him compassion. It is truly the greatest gift one can receive.”

Ramara

When Ishmael approached Ramara she did not look at him, simply keeping her eyes forward and her expression blank as she always did. Hearing his apology she perked a thin brow slightly and nodded in acceptance of his apology. Perhaps he was listening, she thought to herself as she sat there. She hoped he was, the child needed direction and the people of the group needed a leader not a commander. It seemed that all there had experience in the field, except perhaps the scribe and the squire. What was his deal she wondered to herself, he didn’t look like the intellectual type, his body was more built for war than word.

Shrugging to herself she listened to Wade and thought there was much more than he was not telling. What he had told wasn’t a secret per say, it was more a resume. As he asked who she was she turned to look at him, figuring since he was not being annoying or acting in a drunken manner right then it was appropriate. “Ramara Rawn, The Assassin Gypsy,” she said before turning back around and looking off into the direction they were traveling.