SouthernRage
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Medusa Subsector - NDC Shard - Sanctuary Star System.
Sirris II, Obsidian CIty - Oaklen Manor
At the university…..
The day was passing like any other, as his classes of students went about their education as he instructed on it. Everything was for the most part normal, but he had a recent odd addition to his collection of students, one who seemed strangely distracted at times behaving in a manner that one might think suggested they had something on their mind. To make matters stranger, there was a strange, yet foreign familiarity about the student in question, something that had led Heinrich to dismiss approaching her about her strange behavior.
She seemed to beat him to the punch, making the distance a mute matter, as she approached him after class. “Professor, your name and looks remind me of someone my grandmother used to talk about, and it’s… been bothering me lately. I’m sorry if I’ve been staring without realizing. Have you always been… one of the locals?”
At first the questions and suggestions seemed strange, but he answered honestly, “No, I was born Hassani. I had a species change to help me and one of my wives trying for children. I was adopted tenish years ago now after I was thawed from cryo storage”.
The woman’s gaze was now more interested with curiosity then before. A hesitant second question seemed to rise to her lips, “Professor, was your previous family name Ferrow by chance?” Heinrich felt a pit in his stomach, finding his own hesitation in readily answering an affirmation to the question. “Why yes… But as far as I know, my family has long been gone… My parents, and my two older siblings… my brother Vincent.. And H- helena my older sister,” he answered once Heinrich found the will to do so again.
“Helena Ferrow is my grandmother, and she used to speak of you both… h-hi… great uncle.”
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At the Oaklen manor….
Sadie looked up at the large manor before her and winced inwardly at the apparent richness her cousin now lived in. “Thought she hated this kinda stuff because of dick head dad” The letter in her hand didn't really help her any, there weren't any room numbers- not like there were numbers on the rooms anyway. The red vaigarin sighed as she looked from room to room, peaking in a few before finding one that had a similar scent, but mixed with that of a male.
Sadie crept into the room that smelled how She remembered Brooke, but that scent of a male clung to every whiff like an aftertaste she couldn't get past.
Most of the staff paid her no mind, accepting the woman as an associate of a member of the household. However, there was a sudden rise in activity that coincided with the sound of the large front doors opening. Perhaps she caught it then, or as she moved closer to investigate, but the same male scent was present from whoever had just arrived. A shuffle present as the man entered the large living room on the ground floor, all but collapsing onto one of the couches in said space.
His face and demeanor seemed rather distraught, shaken almost at that. Something was amiss, or wrong in general surely to have him be in such a state.
Sadie looked at this male and knew him as the Prince of the Duskarians. Her heart ratcheted up a beat as realization sat in, the male that Brooke had described in her letters was him. Her knees went a little weak as she found herself in his path, she panicked a little internally as she fixed her hair and tried to fix her dress and quickly realized she wasn't wearing her best. Surely the prince wouldn't care, he looked like he had enough on his plate to not even bother with her appearance or her in general.
Nevertheless as he got closer she bowed and nodded her head in deference that made her long braid bob. “Good afternoon your grace, my name is Sadie Serwyn, a relative of miss Brooke McIntosh. Would you happen to know her whereabouts?”
Heinrich seemed surprised by her appearance, eyes taking her in for a moment as he tried to place if he knew her, before eventually sat up straight again. “Apologies, not caught me at my best. Brooke is away to check on her business, and handle related matters in travel for the next week or so. I’m sorry for you having come all the way out here to find her, only for her to be out. We have guest rooms if you wish to stay until she returns,” the prince replied, apologetically for her having such a turn out to her trip. “Oh- sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Heinrich Oaklen, welcome to our home Miss Serwyn!”
She raised her head to meet his own haze. “I apologize but I've imposed too much already. I'm just wanted to stop in and see my cousin for a few hours. This week is a rather..it would be inappropriate to call it special but nothing else comes to mind to describe it.” Her smile was like sunshine as her amber eyes burned like flickering coals.
“But it is my pleasure and honor to make your acquaintance Mr. Oaklen. How is Brooke if it's not any trouble to ask.”
“She’s doing well, with her business growing and her books seeing the benefit, Brooke is becoming quite successful. We’ve also spent quite a few weekends with me showing her the sights of the capital,” Heinrich replied, trying to put some energy and happier airs back into his speech and posture. The visit at the very least was a nice distraction from his troubles, and it was nice to meet a relative for once of his partner. “Also it is not at all imposing, you’re family of someone I care very much about, please call me Heinrich. I may be the prince, but I wasn’t born into such a role, I much more prefer casual to stuff formality.”
“Then I'll call you what you like, Heinrich. Tell me what is my cousin to you? She made a brief mention of you in her last letter and about something she was worrying about though she didn't go into much detail.” Sadie's shoulders bobbed as she placed her hands on her wide hips, a trait both hers and Brooke's mother shared as well. “Just a business associate or something else? I’ve never known my cousin to take up residency with anyone but herself after..Baelon.”
She spat the name as if it tasted bad, “of course I mean no offense but you are the prince of the NDC and I'm just puzzled at the relationship. Freckles used to tell me everything and now I hardly get a fraction of what she has going on anymore.”
Heinrich seemed a little surprised by the small details that he caught onto out of all… that. Who was Baelon? Family, a previous lover, a rival or dare say enemy of some sort? Though the thought did pause as he had a small chuckle at the nickname of freckles, yeah that’s an apt one. “To be honest and up front, we’ve been seeing each other, dating for a few months now. I met her during the opening day of her shop, and offered to be a financial supporter, which was originally politically motivated as I plan to be a noble in the future, one who runs a culture based export economy and home of such developments. But we got to talking, and well we started hitting it off, now it’s become a more steady relationship between us. I hope that assuages some concerns possibly,” he asked after explaining things as best he could. “I’m still learning things about her when she feels like opening up about them, and I’ve tried not to pry. I can tell she’s been through a lot though”.
The prince seemed to now show some of his own concern as the previous name bothered him with how she had uttered it with such bitter disdain. “If I may, I can’t help but ask now though. Who is Baelon?”
Sadie's expression seemed to lighten quite a lot as he explained who he was to her and his intentions for her cousin. “Well I'm glad she's found someone who is taking care of her health the way so few have.” Her nose and lips curled back in disgust again as he spoke the one name she hated so much in this world. Baelon. She took a breathe and fixed her features but couldn't wholely get rid of the tinge of hatred.
“Baelon is her father. He owns a textile company back where we came from and he is a terrible man. Utterly the scum of the earth. His employees are slaves in every way except name. They receive coppers on the iron and have no benefits. They live in hovels, more like ruts carved into the mountain. And we haven't even gotten to how he treated Brooke. have you ever seen her back?”
“No actually, the few times…. Well she was mostly clothed for them. So I’ve not seen her body in any great detail…” Heinrich had cleared his throat at first before realizing how much he was about to share, and simply changed to the you know what kind of verbal context. He didn’t know her well enough to be so open with the phrasing just yet. However, the question did send a new wave of unease through him as he could only now surmise what she was getting at. At those thoughts his slits narrowed, even as he tried to remain composed, but the implications had only a sliver of options and none were pleasant.
Heinrich slowly rose from the couch to a standing position, a tension radiating from his body now. “Sadie, am I understanding correctly, in that you’re saying that her father has physically harmed her?”, he asked, the tension now lacing his words despite the calm nature in which they were mostly given.
Sadie nodded. She turned and used her tail to trace a criss cross of scars that she could remember that started just above the base of her tail that stopped just bellow her shoulder blades. “He whipped her on a whim, or to take his anger out on something. See her mother passed away from health complications while Brooke was still very young and Baelon not only blamed Brooke but hated her from the moment she hatched. He was one of those fathers who only wanted sons and daughters were an abomination to him.” She turned back to face the prince and sighed.
“I hate you had to find out this way. She's truly a remarkable woman for this nor effecting her in the ways that it should have.” Though in truth Brooke was still a very broken woman.
“I’ve never heard of such a cruel father, or felt such an urge as to correct such a mistake of man. The only redeemable part of the man is that he graced us with such a loved woman.” Heinrich couldn’t help but let his expression twitch, the calm exterior crack in composure. HIs next words were measured, “I believe I may in fact do so, seeing as Brooke is fast becoming a member of my family, and I will not let such a transgression go unanswered. He may not be hurting her now, but the fact he did, must be made to never be a possibility again if I hopefully do not sound too terribly extreme in such a response.”
The suggestion sounded formal, as if asking Sadie if what he wanted to do was okay, but every instinct screamed that he needed to, had to do it. Never had Heintich wished to commit violence on someone like this since the incident which had pulled him and Asteri together. His rationale didn’t escape the fact it might cause issues or waves among the sirrisians however, and knowing that potentially, the proper steps would need to be taken.
Sadie was a bit taken back by this declaration but something also stirred in her, a long festered and dimmed rage that had died til only coals remained. Her amber eyes flashed with the response of her soul at finally having a chance to bring that bastard to his knees.
“No sir I think you're warranted. It's been forty years passed but I've always read about cold cases being brought back up and the criminal charged years after the fact. Just tell me where I can help and my services are yours.” She smirked with grim determination.
“I’m going to need to establish a meeting with the vaigarin elders, to gather information and thoughts on NDC operations on their soil. There’s, also a recent family matter I need to attend to unexpectedly… my biological one.” Heinrich seemed assured now, the list of things he needed to prepare already being compiled in the back of his mind, but with what was to come… his situation he had been ruminating on re-came to mind. It caused his demeanor to soften back to baseline, but at least he was not distraught like before.
The prince wondered how to bring it up or explain properly, especially to one who wasn’t likely fully aware of the NDC’s history prior to starting in earnest on this world. “I don’t know how much you know of our history sadie, but a shadow of then has recently come about again for me, and given me a confusing conundrum of sorts. I teach history at the university as my day job, well in astronomical irony, a student of mine approached me and asked about my birth name. She learning it, claimed to be the grandaughter of my older sister…”
After that fact hung for a few seconds, he clarified something finally, “My older sister as far as I previously knew, has been dead since the war. I was certain she and my family died during the bombing of our city those centuries ago.”
“I'm afraid I'm not too learned on NDC history, but I know the vast majority of the fighting took place long before I was born.” She placed a sympathetic hand on his arm and smiled softly. “If you need anything from me I'd be glad to help since you're doing this Brooke.” The warmth of her smile radiated as she withdrew her hand and returned to a respectable distance from him.
“As for the elders I can already tell you they don't like him for as many reasons as there are stars in the sky. My elder will stand with your actions, of that I can assure you.” She chuckled darkly. “I can't wait to stick it to that asshole.”
“He’ll get what’s coming to him, be certain of that. For now, I need to handle a matter of closure. The part that has been a struggle in this recent turn of things, is that said grandmother is currently on her deathbed. My older sister, if it is true…. And my last chance to say goodbye.” It was the thing that had left him so distraught before, to have a sliver of hope, only for it to still be too late for anything more then losing them again. Heinrich had been struggling to find the will to go, to see her again, even if it was for the last time yet again. He was already certain after some research that the claim was true…
The prince looked to Sadie, a silent plea in his eyes, “I don’t know if I have the strength to lose her again, even if this time I can properly say goodbye. All the wives are busy, and it feels inappropriate to bring just anyone with me. I need someone to be my crutch in this of emotional weakness, so I can do what I need to.”
Sadie needed no prompting as she took the prince by the hand and held it tight in her own. An air of knowing passed between them as she smiled that bitter-sweet smile. “No need to ask Heinrich. We may be as different as Vaigarin and Tumnisians but we all go through loss. If there's a chance you can see your sibling again then you should take it, say what it is your heart is crying out to say before it's too late. I'll be with you every step of the way for as long as you need someone to hold the pieces together.”
Such an immediate response brought a well of tears from his eyes, “Thank you” being all he could manage to say at first as he choked up a bit. After a few moments to compose himself, Heinrich could finally wipe his eyes to at least be mostly dry. “I hope it won’t be too much of a problem, but we will have to travel. It won’t be a long trip, but we’ll need to book a shuttle up to one of the moons, where the rest of the capital population lives.”
“One of the moons..” For a moment Sadie completely forgot about the interstellar travel that the NDC had brought with them. It had a certain allure she found, she wasn’t as afraid as one might expect a Vaigarin to be with the prospect of leaving Sirrus II. “Then do what you must, the quicker we make the arrangements then the quicker you can see your sister.” Her red tail flicked as she urged Heinrich towards the door. “Let’s get going, precious time is a’wastin”
“Well first off, we need to get you a travel visa first. I can get it sorted while we’re on the way, but I’m going to need you to fill out some paperwork on the drive over. Also can you stand straight and look at me for a sec, I need to get a still of your face for the card they’ll give you.” Heinrich tried to get her to slow down, knowing part of that needed to be set in motion before they had even gotten in the car. As he turned around and looked at her, eyes focusing on her face specifically, he had gently placed his hands on her shoulders to stay still. His irises began to glow briefly with intensity, then blinked a couple times as he then put the image through some processing. “Here, take this and fill the questions out on it, then hit send,” the prince hurriedly directed as he handed her a computer tablet as they continued shuffling to the car.
Sadie blankly stared at the tablet and then back at Heinrich. “Is this like a piece of paper? If so, where's the pen?” She turned it this way and that looking for whatever it was she was supposed to be writing with. Heinrich may have overestimated her exposure to technology.
Oh fuck, this must be culture clash…. With a confused look for a moment, more on how to explain, Heinrich shifted around to lean against her shoulder where he could have equal reach on the device. Reaching around the top lip, he slid a small plastic thing out that vaguely looked like a writing tool. The prince placed a finger tip on the right edge of the screen, and slid it up and down to show she could scroll the page with it, before doing so to the top and writing his name in the guarantor field of the sheet. “It’s not paper, but an electric replacement that gives you infinite ways to write and read all in this, as well as being able to play sound and moving images. I know it sounds crazy, and it’s hard to explain, but treat this like a pen and move your finger there as if moving the long sheet of paper along like you’re looking at it through a picture frame?”
It only just occurred to him in that moment as well now, in his frantic rush to explain in some way, that he’d gotten very close. Faintly reddening, he took the end of the explanation to move away again, and open the car for them. I’m getting too comfortable just getting close to women in general thanks to Gale’s influence. Might get me in trouble one of these days.
Well thankfully for him Sadie was used to close touch and didn't find it at all off putting or flustering. What crept across her face was purely for the fact of what he was to her cousin. “So..this is like a piece of parchment and this a charcoal pen?” She looked at the lines of information required and put pen to pad in an elegant swirl of writing. She had good penmanship for sure, it begged The question what her writing looked like with a quill and ink.
After a while she slotted the pen back where she had seen Heinrich pull it, although not flush as it should have been and gave it back to the prince. “I hope that should suffice.”
Sadie Serwyn
Female
Age: 73
Race: Vaigarin
Yada Yada Yada
“It's all my basic information, unless you might need more.”
“Nope, that all looks good, they should have the visa and ID card ready by the time we get to the starport. An acquaintance should be dropping it by, so we can skip the government office thankfully,” Heinrich answered after briefly scanning over the sheet to see it fully filled in. At least for everything that could apply, but measures were already in place for someone of her people filling it out. “Off we go, just hop in here, think of it as a more advanced version of your steam powered carriages,” he added, directing her to climb into the passenger seat of his vehicle.
It was just a jeep, but to her, it was probably fairly foreign even if the concept was somewhat similar. Perhaps she would find it more surprising, in just how much more comfortable it was inside compared to one of said carriages.
“Internal combustion if I’m not mistaken. I’ve heard bits about the new technologies being slowly drip fed to us. Likely it will become a more efficient alternative to our steam locomotives, how I will miss them though as their presence has become somewhat…cherished.” She mused as she slid into the seat of the Jeep and tucked her tail as comfortably as she could.
“Sort of… It’s actually electric in that it uses a hyd- erm, well… It runs on water to put simply,” Heinrich began to answer, his slightly nerdier tendencies jumping the gun before he realized the difference in understanding. Mentally he kicked himself as he started the vehicle, the engine starting up with a low but growing soft whine, sounding as if it was spinning up with even softer vibrations. Heading out and down the long driveway to the manor, brought them to the main road for the greenzone as the duskerians called it, before turning towards the city.
It was almost a leisurely ride, one that took them about twenty minutes to clear, as they reached the shore and the large massive bridge connecting the floating city to it. It stretched onwards to the looming walls, which even appeared quite massive from five kilometers away where they were. It was going to be another twenty to cross the bridge, so the two would have some time. Whether it be to chat, at least one of them to take in the views, or feel their own personal anxieties for various reasons.
Sadie looked around at the city approaching, she had seen and been around other large Vaigarin cities but never had she seen a city as quite as large as the capital. “It’s so much different seeing something like this from the ground. Flying really messes with the sense of scale when you're flying at high altitudes.” Undoubtedly her idea of high altitudes paled in comparison to the heights Heinrich was sure to have experienced.
“What do you plan to say to your sister when you see her?” An honest question, perhaps a tad on the nose and perhaps rude in the right eyes, but she just wanted to help him figure out what he wanted to say.
“To be honest… I have no idea, I haven’t seen her in ten… well many years. I’ve changed so much, lived quite a different life, have new family. I almost fear she’ll think I left her behind, or that maybe I forgot about her, or chose to not loo..” Heinrich stopped himself, the car even slowing a tad as he tried to put the breaks on his rush of anxiety at the thought. His mind worried about the worst scenarios, the only positive outcome seeming like a fairytale in his mind. He had found her again by some miracle, knowing he was about to lose her all over again, and it left a bitter and heavy pull on his stomach.
“I’m scared… Of what she’ll think of me, of everything I’ve changed since becoming a man, knowing I grew up elsewhere from that teenager she used to know,” the prince admitted truthfully, eyes seeming to fall to the road and no further for a few moments. Looking back up, he watched wordlessly as the skyline of the wall eclipsed over the view of the sky from the front windshield.
Sadie pursed her lips a moment and laid a hand on his arm. “You made it didn’t you? You survived to be able to find her didn’t you? I’m a sister myself to many and most I have a good relationship with. We Vaigarin live for centuries, Heinrich. It could be hundreds of years before I see any of them again. As a sister I hope I get to see them again. And I don’t think yours will be upset with you. Her life may be coming to its natural close, but maybe just maybe by doing this you will be giving her some closure on some questions she has had about you.”
“I hope you’re right, and one way or another… There will be closure,” Heinrich offered back, the vehicle coming to a slow as they approached the base of the armored wall, a great set of blast doors with a checkpoint. Automated guards stood watch on the center strip and booths, all regarding the jeep as it came to a stop. The one standing on the center strip approached as Heinrich rolled down the window, the smooth almost opaque glass like face plate lowered into view through the window. Scanning lines crossed the faceplate for a moment before being replaced by a green circle with a checkmark.
The humanoid machine Paused before a synthetic yet soothingly tuned voice spoke, “Welcome milord Oaklen, access verified, enjoy your visit to the capital…. Parse. Additional notice…. Documentation requests are finalizing, and will be available for retrieval at starport terminal. Archduke Oaklen has been notified, and wishes for safe transit. End Notice.”
As it backed away from the vehicle, and the gates hissed to life with a welcoming chime, Heinrich leaned over slightly as the gates parted to reveal the city of metal towers before them. “They’re machines, made to do simple thinking and jobs, we use them for security and high risk work,” the prince offered in explanation, before starting to get the vehicle moving again. “Sounds like your visa will be ready too when we get to the port.”
Sadie looked at the automatons with no small amount of amazement that they had created a form of artificial life, no matter how limited. “Were they a more recent invention or one that your people carried with them when they came here?” She also took a moment to notice more about some of the city seen through the now open gate. “How long did it actually take to build the city?”
“Those we brought with us, though we have newer sentient races as well. As for the city… I woke up after it was done, but I believe it took 5 years give or take?,” Heinrich answered as he recalled the documents he had studied on the founding. Perhaps it was his passionate nature as a history professor and teacher, but he seemed to automatically continue on about it as they drove into the city. “ A lot of machinery we brought on the exodus was modified towards fast fabrication, and having a stock of pre-built building sections more or less. Now the moons helped a lot honestly, as most of the city sections were built there then brought down and put together.”
As they entered, the city was made of rows of tall metal structures, neat and utilitarian at face value that reached far above. On their right were not rows of buildings instead, but a large massive complex that military oriented vehicles could be spotted moving about within. Even tall metal figures who strode in formations, at this distance, were quite giant when considering the scale. Despite the seemingly bleak style, there were some holographic signs here and there, suspended images of light. Of the opposite extreme, there were planted trees and plants in sections of the pedestrian walking areas and paths, a stark contrast to the artificial constructs they were grown at the feet of, though most of said plants would actually be foreign to vaigarin eyes.
“While it's stunning how much your people have accomplished in such a short amount of time, I do have to admit I have yet to see the beauty of the spartan style of which you choose to build.” She sat and pondered on it a minute trying to choose her words more carefully. “It doesn't seem like there's much color or expression from what I've seen so far.”
Heinrich seemed surprised for a moment at the comment, almost as if he’d forgotten something important. “Oh, one sec,” the prince said simply before pulling over on the side of the street, then leaning over to pop open the glove compartment. It was the usual rummage save for a pair of what looked like sunglasses inside. Picking them up and closing it, he handed her the shades, “Put these on. I forget sometimes that not everyone has a Geist.”
Not explaining much more on that note, he urged Sadie to try them on, “You’ll see what I see. They’re spartan to the naked eye, but I promise you, with technology there’s an unseen world of color waiting for you.”
Sadie hesitantly took the glasses and slipped them over her eyes. As she looked around her mouth hung slightly agape at the holo adverts hanging over the road, on buildings, and on signs between the lanes. “what is a..Geist? Is that what you called it?”
“So a Geist, is an implant at the base of the neck, which is connected to the nervous system, brain, and eyes by adapting existing nerves. It connects us to the information network the ndc uses for processing and information sharing. It does have some basic standalone features on its own though, basically giving a computer to use with our thoughts. Now not everyone has one, either due to personal choice, medical reasons, or availability of it when it comes to being out in the colonies.” Heinrich felt like he had to take a breath after that, even though he realized not all of it might make sense. “Glasses like those and some versions of the geist you can wear, are for those additional people who can’t or won’t use the normal implant,” he added after a moment, having begun to start up the car again to get going.
Driving as he either waited for other questions, or just to let her enjoy the new sights the glasses offered, slowly pulled them back into lane. The explanation to him was simple, but he’d grown with it, however it was only the tip of the list of all the things linked to it. Not to mention the myriad of other technologies that the Geist interfaced with on the whole.
She was quiet for a long while, thinking the information through and making sure she grasped the concept. “So the computers I've seen being used by some of the NDC agriculture teams are something like what's on your neck? And it uses your nervous system to augment reality using your eyes instead of wearing something like these glasses? Do I have that right?”
Heinrich seemed to light up with momentary pride, “Right on the money in fact, it takes them apart and rebuilds them to be part of you, becoming just another organ of the body essentially. There’s all sorts of complimentary stuff that goes with it too, but that is too much, and not enough hours in the day to go through.” Despite the momentary giddy burst of getting to share these things with an outsider, in a way that one might mistake him for being a bit out there, the nervous tap of his finger on the wheel remained. The vehicle made good on its journey through the city, even as the entered the massive rounding road that circled the outside of the great circular central park.
It was a foreign wooded area, with grass and floral arrangements originating from Hassan, with even a few local inclusions that had been found to play nice with them. It was open between the swaths of trees, a few places of monuments peaking out in places, nestled in the expanse of the park. The roads here were flowing and busier, being the central hub of the city itself. The prince seemed to grumble to himself quietly for a moment, “In the haste, maybe taking the tram system would have been faster then going through….”
Sadie gave him a cock eyed stare. “You are now vaigarin now too are you not? If you have a way to secure the vehicle then why not fly the rest of the way?” She leaned forward and a lair of red leathery wings unfurled from her back and only half spread as much as the interior of the Jeep would allow. “If not I can carry you, it would be no trouble at all.”
“Well a few reasons, being… I didn’t bring a change of clothes, and I’m not about to strip down on the sidewalk. Secondly, we have flying vehicles, so it wouldn’t be safe, or legal to risk traffic control of the airways. The capital is a vaigarin no fly zone for that reason,” Heinrich explained, a small grimace given as he did so. He didn’t want to burst her bubble, but they were in his world now essentially, where the rules and risks were different, but he never considered warning or explaining them before. They were just mundane matters to him, always there, unstated but unforgettable for normal Duskerians.
“I see.” She said a bit deflated but her wings disappeared and she leaned back against the seat. She looked around at some of the other cars and furrowed her eyebrows. “Well here's a dumb question, aren't there side streets we could dart down to avoid the worst of this pile up?” She leaned out the door and twisted her head this way and that, and leaving Heinrich with an unimpeded view of her glorious heart shaped ass.
He had prepared to say something, but paused at the view as either his heart or brain, decided to skip a beat in the process. “Oh uh, There are other main streets, but no side ones per say. There are tight alleys, but those are reserved primarily for service and maintenance units. If it wasn’t a traffic hour, I’d check the rear view.. Mirror, to see if we could back up and switch streets. Otherwise we wait for a spot to pull over, and head to the nearest tram station. They ring the park with the central station being underneath it.”
I can see that very attractive feature runs in the family, my her ch- I really should be focusing on other things here, this is a family situation. Maybe it was his mind seeking distractions, or just latching onto opportunities to derail him even just for a minute.
“Well I guess we just have to hurry up and wait then.” She plopped back in the seat and this time her top half bounced once..twice..before jiggling back to rest. “I guess there's no good way or getting through this traffic.” She huffed and looked around trying to see any of the holo adverts she might like. “Whats..a Triple X intensifier for men?”
Distraction was quickly replaced with being mystified, an almost cold sweat dotting his brow at the question. “It’s.. a program that does… similar to, an aphrodisiac. It makes the experience more intense in bed,” Heinrich replied, trying to play off the answer casually but honestly. She was an adult, so he didn’t think he needed to make it overly vague, but it wasn’t any less awkward especially given the thoughts her shapely rear had in his mind moments ago. “Probably something sold at my step mother’s shop from the sounds of it, she runs an… adult accessories, clothes, and supplements store chain.”
“Sounds absolutely indecent.” She raised an eyebrow as she squeezed her thighs tightly together. “I have no experience with males at any rate so it would do me no good. And yes before you ask I have never mated and don't have any children.” A bit if a touchy subject for her then, yikes. “Brooke has two..were taken from here as eggs but she has children somewhere in the world..”
“Well, that definitely sums her up, she is a succubus. Though, hasn’t she ever tried to search for them? Unless there was some sort of agreement involved?,” Heinrich offered back seeing as they had ample time to talk with the traffic, and did want to learn more. He did however, try to play off her reaction as if it hadn’t happened, as he in fact hadn’t asked and it was her business. Part of him felt guilty, regretting his previous thoughts just a bit, as she seemed far from interested in men given her reaction in question. “Like, she mentioned having been with other men in the past, and that doesn’t bother me any. Hel, Gale was working as a prostitute for a while as a hobby, we just had the understanding that she made sure she used protection settings to avoid pregnancies. Unless it was something she by chance wanted from them, and we had discussed it”.
Sadie sighed through her nose. “She did for a time, until one day she just gave up and never spoke of them again. The male she bore children for was a close friend and associate For a long time and I guess she took it for a slight on their friendship.” She looked at her nails but couldn't stop the fist of anger from balling up. “Sorry..I didn't mean to spill on you like that.” She smiled softly but sadly, “that wasn't fair of me.”
“It’s fine, we all have things we probably begrudge unfortunately in our lives, or things we don’t want to remember. I consider myself lucky, at least in the regards of relationships, but I guess that could be said about my life past waking up for the second time as well.” He tried to reassure her that it didn’t bother him, that he on some level understood to a similar degree. While he couldn’t say his experiences were the same, the root feelings they left were close enough to understand. “In a way, you could say I’ve been sheltered for a lot of my second life. Everything I’ve hated and regretted, were from before, save for that bastard to deal with now, but it was bound to give me new obstacles sooner or later,” Heinrich added, feeling that he had indeed been shielded from much so far.
But also going back to the matter of luck, even based around what they had already shared back and forth so far. If anything, he had done the same to her at the start of their meeting at the manor. He’d never lost a relationship, known poverty for a second time, and in all honesty had been spoiled with an opulent backing by his new family. A lot of what he did was done to almost give some of it an air of being normal, but that royal blood was still there at the end of the day carrying him to his goals. He just had to make sure to use it responsibly, and put in as much work as he used it shortcut, and share those rewards with his family he’d built now.
“All my children know their parents, will always know them and their siblings, and I’ll make sure they all. With my wonderful wives included, get the best I can give them. They make me happy, fulfilled, and a goal to always do better, to do the same for them. My family is my purpose now, and I’ll give everything for them, whatever that may require.”
She nodded, her own heart aching a bit from the longing of something similar to what he had shared. “Most of my siblings have gone off and done their own things, most have their own families or even died. Myself? I’m blessed to just be living, and have fulfilling work as a teacher, though I guess by your standards it is a pitiful education.” She took both hands and slapped both sides of her face. “You're quite lucky and admirable for your commitment to your wives and your children. I hope someday I could find someone as good as you to marry someday.”
“I don’t find it pitiful at all, it’s simply a difference in progress, and still learning. That never stops for anyone, people or person, even the NDC is still learning things. As for finding somebody, I wish you luck, and know that you’ll make someone happy. You’re a wonderful and attractive woman with an open heart that’s deeply endearing.” His voice had nothing but praise and humility in his tone, never claiming to be any sort of expert or far better then anyone. “A life is a journey of mistakes and breakthroughs, we learn and seek to progress ourselves. Trust yourself and I know you’ll make the right choice.”
Offering her a warm smile, Heinrich finally managed to find a spot where they pull over out of traffic. “Finally! We can reach the tram station from the stairway going down over there,” he offered, pointing to the transit station entrance as mentioned.
She reddened a shade at his praise, but took it in stride with a smile. “Thank you, that's very sweet of you to say.” She saw the opening in traffic too and her tail might have even wagged a little. “Yeah! We should hurry, in this congestion it's likely to be much faster than the route we are taking currently.”
She was quick in hopping out and squeaked when some asshole cat called her and may have slapped her ass on the way by. She held her ass and walked over to the street side of the car and rubbed the Sting out of her backside. “Asshole..that was so uncalled for.”
“I swear, some people have no respect for a lady,” Heinrich grumbled, before lacing his arm with her’s as a guide. Leading them to the tram station nexus under the park, inadvertently holding her close to keep from bumping into the crowd with their two tails. “Things look busy today, so it may be a squeeze on the tram, I hope you aren’t claustrophobic?”
The trams were just like the buildings, sleek and efficient, thankfully fast in their travel between stations. As expected, the place was rather busy, the only exception to the flow of commuters were the humanoid security drones like that at the gate. They were more commercially designed, lacking the rifles like the prior group, instead only carrying sidearms safely locked into their hips. It wasn’t hard to get aboard the tram, finding seats however was, with only one found which the prince offered to Sadie.
Sadie winced and nodded at the Prince's question. “While I can survive the feeling I don't actually like being in small spaces. Makes me feel anxious. So I guess I am claustrophobic.” She was all too aware of his closeness and something in her biology was screaming at her to do something. Though the instinct wasn't entirely clear.
Upon witnessing the tram system she couldn't help but stop and inspect them if only for a moment. The shiny seemingly stainless steel they were constructed out of vaguely reflected her image through the scratches. When they were inside and he offered her the seat she bucked and shook Her head. “You are the royalty, you take the seat.”
“No no no, I could never respect myself to use that as an excuse to take a seat from a lady who deserves it. So it’s yours, and the only way I will, is if you take my lap and I doubt that will happen,” Heinrich joked as he encouraged her to take the available seat instead. He wasn’t even sure what compelled him to even make the ultimatum, even if not seriously meaning it.
She blushed and nodded. “No offense, Heinrich, but It wouldn’t be decent to sit in your lap for a number of reasons.” She reluctantly took the seat, plopping down with a satisfying jiggle of her breasts that had a few other patrons inside the tram staring at the red haired Vaigarin lady. She placed her hands in her lap and smiled up at Heinrich. “Thank you for the seat, you keep showing me reasons why Brooke might have fallen in love with you.”
“Mama raised a young man who knew how to treat women right and with respect, though I don’t think she ever would have expected my marriage life, ever being what it is. I’d love to say It’s charm, but I think she just did too well of a job teaching those lessons,” Heinrich said, cracking a small smile despite their crowded surroundings. Having her around to bounce off of, was doing wonders for his focus, not that the past hadn’t beaten a morbid sort of patiences and calm into him. “As for appropriate lap etiquette, it may not be, but it gets the point across.”
“Then your mother did a fine job raising such a courteous and thoughtful male. She would be very proud of you, no doubt.” She smiled up at him and took a small package from her belt pack. It was something round wrapped in a linen cloth, with pretty red embroidery around its edges. “Here, I’d like you to have these. I hope they're as good as my mother makes them.” Inside the linen hankey were what looked to be three sugar cookies, but they were so much more. They tasted sweet, but not overly, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg on the back side.
“These almost seem sentimental, or important wrapped like that. Do you keep cookies for any good boy,” Heinrich chuckled at the last bit, but still asked at least the first question sincerely. With their passenger arrangement, he was practically looming over her unintentionally, the crowd was kind of crowding him as their name suggested. He hadn’t wanted to be this close, and he was happy to have stowed his wings, which would have only been to the detriment of this arrangement.
Having been handed the cookies, he was close in how far apart their eyes met from, considering the fine elegant cloth that wrapped them. The locomotion of the tram only brought a small sway to it, the ride at least a smooth one. “I don’t have anything to put these in, so I hope you don’t mind me having it at least for a while?”
She shook her head and smiled. “I don’t mind at all. Though please return it to me at some point if you don’t mind. The cookies were going to be for Brooke, a taste of home so to speak.” She looked at his chest for a moment and sighed through her nose. “But to answer you more directly, no I usually don’t keep them on me for good little boys such as yourself. Not unless they earn them.”
“Well I’m flattered at the high praise then, and I’ll make sure to apologize to her later for absconding with her snacks,” Heinrich replied as the tram PA system announced arrival at their stop soon. It caused the sway to become a slight shuffle among the passengers, as those stopping here moved to a better position to depart. “I’ll bring you both something reminiscent of my home if I can find it. Seems only fair after all. Now if you will milady, we have a boat to catch.” With the prince's words, the tram had already begun to rapidly yet smoothly lose speed, coming to slide into the station.
Sirris II, Obsidian CIty - Oaklen Manor
At the university…..
The day was passing like any other, as his classes of students went about their education as he instructed on it. Everything was for the most part normal, but he had a recent odd addition to his collection of students, one who seemed strangely distracted at times behaving in a manner that one might think suggested they had something on their mind. To make matters stranger, there was a strange, yet foreign familiarity about the student in question, something that had led Heinrich to dismiss approaching her about her strange behavior.
She seemed to beat him to the punch, making the distance a mute matter, as she approached him after class. “Professor, your name and looks remind me of someone my grandmother used to talk about, and it’s… been bothering me lately. I’m sorry if I’ve been staring without realizing. Have you always been… one of the locals?”
At first the questions and suggestions seemed strange, but he answered honestly, “No, I was born Hassani. I had a species change to help me and one of my wives trying for children. I was adopted tenish years ago now after I was thawed from cryo storage”.
The woman’s gaze was now more interested with curiosity then before. A hesitant second question seemed to rise to her lips, “Professor, was your previous family name Ferrow by chance?” Heinrich felt a pit in his stomach, finding his own hesitation in readily answering an affirmation to the question. “Why yes… But as far as I know, my family has long been gone… My parents, and my two older siblings… my brother Vincent.. And H- helena my older sister,” he answered once Heinrich found the will to do so again.
“Helena Ferrow is my grandmother, and she used to speak of you both… h-hi… great uncle.”
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At the Oaklen manor….
Sadie looked up at the large manor before her and winced inwardly at the apparent richness her cousin now lived in. “Thought she hated this kinda stuff because of dick head dad” The letter in her hand didn't really help her any, there weren't any room numbers- not like there were numbers on the rooms anyway. The red vaigarin sighed as she looked from room to room, peaking in a few before finding one that had a similar scent, but mixed with that of a male.
Sadie crept into the room that smelled how She remembered Brooke, but that scent of a male clung to every whiff like an aftertaste she couldn't get past.
Most of the staff paid her no mind, accepting the woman as an associate of a member of the household. However, there was a sudden rise in activity that coincided with the sound of the large front doors opening. Perhaps she caught it then, or as she moved closer to investigate, but the same male scent was present from whoever had just arrived. A shuffle present as the man entered the large living room on the ground floor, all but collapsing onto one of the couches in said space.
His face and demeanor seemed rather distraught, shaken almost at that. Something was amiss, or wrong in general surely to have him be in such a state.
Sadie looked at this male and knew him as the Prince of the Duskarians. Her heart ratcheted up a beat as realization sat in, the male that Brooke had described in her letters was him. Her knees went a little weak as she found herself in his path, she panicked a little internally as she fixed her hair and tried to fix her dress and quickly realized she wasn't wearing her best. Surely the prince wouldn't care, he looked like he had enough on his plate to not even bother with her appearance or her in general.
Nevertheless as he got closer she bowed and nodded her head in deference that made her long braid bob. “Good afternoon your grace, my name is Sadie Serwyn, a relative of miss Brooke McIntosh. Would you happen to know her whereabouts?”
Heinrich seemed surprised by her appearance, eyes taking her in for a moment as he tried to place if he knew her, before eventually sat up straight again. “Apologies, not caught me at my best. Brooke is away to check on her business, and handle related matters in travel for the next week or so. I’m sorry for you having come all the way out here to find her, only for her to be out. We have guest rooms if you wish to stay until she returns,” the prince replied, apologetically for her having such a turn out to her trip. “Oh- sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Heinrich Oaklen, welcome to our home Miss Serwyn!”
She raised her head to meet his own haze. “I apologize but I've imposed too much already. I'm just wanted to stop in and see my cousin for a few hours. This week is a rather..it would be inappropriate to call it special but nothing else comes to mind to describe it.” Her smile was like sunshine as her amber eyes burned like flickering coals.
“But it is my pleasure and honor to make your acquaintance Mr. Oaklen. How is Brooke if it's not any trouble to ask.”
“She’s doing well, with her business growing and her books seeing the benefit, Brooke is becoming quite successful. We’ve also spent quite a few weekends with me showing her the sights of the capital,” Heinrich replied, trying to put some energy and happier airs back into his speech and posture. The visit at the very least was a nice distraction from his troubles, and it was nice to meet a relative for once of his partner. “Also it is not at all imposing, you’re family of someone I care very much about, please call me Heinrich. I may be the prince, but I wasn’t born into such a role, I much more prefer casual to stuff formality.”
“Then I'll call you what you like, Heinrich. Tell me what is my cousin to you? She made a brief mention of you in her last letter and about something she was worrying about though she didn't go into much detail.” Sadie's shoulders bobbed as she placed her hands on her wide hips, a trait both hers and Brooke's mother shared as well. “Just a business associate or something else? I’ve never known my cousin to take up residency with anyone but herself after..Baelon.”
She spat the name as if it tasted bad, “of course I mean no offense but you are the prince of the NDC and I'm just puzzled at the relationship. Freckles used to tell me everything and now I hardly get a fraction of what she has going on anymore.”
Heinrich seemed a little surprised by the small details that he caught onto out of all… that. Who was Baelon? Family, a previous lover, a rival or dare say enemy of some sort? Though the thought did pause as he had a small chuckle at the nickname of freckles, yeah that’s an apt one. “To be honest and up front, we’ve been seeing each other, dating for a few months now. I met her during the opening day of her shop, and offered to be a financial supporter, which was originally politically motivated as I plan to be a noble in the future, one who runs a culture based export economy and home of such developments. But we got to talking, and well we started hitting it off, now it’s become a more steady relationship between us. I hope that assuages some concerns possibly,” he asked after explaining things as best he could. “I’m still learning things about her when she feels like opening up about them, and I’ve tried not to pry. I can tell she’s been through a lot though”.
The prince seemed to now show some of his own concern as the previous name bothered him with how she had uttered it with such bitter disdain. “If I may, I can’t help but ask now though. Who is Baelon?”
Sadie's expression seemed to lighten quite a lot as he explained who he was to her and his intentions for her cousin. “Well I'm glad she's found someone who is taking care of her health the way so few have.” Her nose and lips curled back in disgust again as he spoke the one name she hated so much in this world. Baelon. She took a breathe and fixed her features but couldn't wholely get rid of the tinge of hatred.
“Baelon is her father. He owns a textile company back where we came from and he is a terrible man. Utterly the scum of the earth. His employees are slaves in every way except name. They receive coppers on the iron and have no benefits. They live in hovels, more like ruts carved into the mountain. And we haven't even gotten to how he treated Brooke. have you ever seen her back?”
“No actually, the few times…. Well she was mostly clothed for them. So I’ve not seen her body in any great detail…” Heinrich had cleared his throat at first before realizing how much he was about to share, and simply changed to the you know what kind of verbal context. He didn’t know her well enough to be so open with the phrasing just yet. However, the question did send a new wave of unease through him as he could only now surmise what she was getting at. At those thoughts his slits narrowed, even as he tried to remain composed, but the implications had only a sliver of options and none were pleasant.
Heinrich slowly rose from the couch to a standing position, a tension radiating from his body now. “Sadie, am I understanding correctly, in that you’re saying that her father has physically harmed her?”, he asked, the tension now lacing his words despite the calm nature in which they were mostly given.
Sadie nodded. She turned and used her tail to trace a criss cross of scars that she could remember that started just above the base of her tail that stopped just bellow her shoulder blades. “He whipped her on a whim, or to take his anger out on something. See her mother passed away from health complications while Brooke was still very young and Baelon not only blamed Brooke but hated her from the moment she hatched. He was one of those fathers who only wanted sons and daughters were an abomination to him.” She turned back to face the prince and sighed.
“I hate you had to find out this way. She's truly a remarkable woman for this nor effecting her in the ways that it should have.” Though in truth Brooke was still a very broken woman.
“I’ve never heard of such a cruel father, or felt such an urge as to correct such a mistake of man. The only redeemable part of the man is that he graced us with such a loved woman.” Heinrich couldn’t help but let his expression twitch, the calm exterior crack in composure. HIs next words were measured, “I believe I may in fact do so, seeing as Brooke is fast becoming a member of my family, and I will not let such a transgression go unanswered. He may not be hurting her now, but the fact he did, must be made to never be a possibility again if I hopefully do not sound too terribly extreme in such a response.”
The suggestion sounded formal, as if asking Sadie if what he wanted to do was okay, but every instinct screamed that he needed to, had to do it. Never had Heintich wished to commit violence on someone like this since the incident which had pulled him and Asteri together. His rationale didn’t escape the fact it might cause issues or waves among the sirrisians however, and knowing that potentially, the proper steps would need to be taken.
Sadie was a bit taken back by this declaration but something also stirred in her, a long festered and dimmed rage that had died til only coals remained. Her amber eyes flashed with the response of her soul at finally having a chance to bring that bastard to his knees.
“No sir I think you're warranted. It's been forty years passed but I've always read about cold cases being brought back up and the criminal charged years after the fact. Just tell me where I can help and my services are yours.” She smirked with grim determination.
“I’m going to need to establish a meeting with the vaigarin elders, to gather information and thoughts on NDC operations on their soil. There’s, also a recent family matter I need to attend to unexpectedly… my biological one.” Heinrich seemed assured now, the list of things he needed to prepare already being compiled in the back of his mind, but with what was to come… his situation he had been ruminating on re-came to mind. It caused his demeanor to soften back to baseline, but at least he was not distraught like before.
The prince wondered how to bring it up or explain properly, especially to one who wasn’t likely fully aware of the NDC’s history prior to starting in earnest on this world. “I don’t know how much you know of our history sadie, but a shadow of then has recently come about again for me, and given me a confusing conundrum of sorts. I teach history at the university as my day job, well in astronomical irony, a student of mine approached me and asked about my birth name. She learning it, claimed to be the grandaughter of my older sister…”
After that fact hung for a few seconds, he clarified something finally, “My older sister as far as I previously knew, has been dead since the war. I was certain she and my family died during the bombing of our city those centuries ago.”
“I'm afraid I'm not too learned on NDC history, but I know the vast majority of the fighting took place long before I was born.” She placed a sympathetic hand on his arm and smiled softly. “If you need anything from me I'd be glad to help since you're doing this Brooke.” The warmth of her smile radiated as she withdrew her hand and returned to a respectable distance from him.
“As for the elders I can already tell you they don't like him for as many reasons as there are stars in the sky. My elder will stand with your actions, of that I can assure you.” She chuckled darkly. “I can't wait to stick it to that asshole.”
“He’ll get what’s coming to him, be certain of that. For now, I need to handle a matter of closure. The part that has been a struggle in this recent turn of things, is that said grandmother is currently on her deathbed. My older sister, if it is true…. And my last chance to say goodbye.” It was the thing that had left him so distraught before, to have a sliver of hope, only for it to still be too late for anything more then losing them again. Heinrich had been struggling to find the will to go, to see her again, even if it was for the last time yet again. He was already certain after some research that the claim was true…
The prince looked to Sadie, a silent plea in his eyes, “I don’t know if I have the strength to lose her again, even if this time I can properly say goodbye. All the wives are busy, and it feels inappropriate to bring just anyone with me. I need someone to be my crutch in this of emotional weakness, so I can do what I need to.”
Sadie needed no prompting as she took the prince by the hand and held it tight in her own. An air of knowing passed between them as she smiled that bitter-sweet smile. “No need to ask Heinrich. We may be as different as Vaigarin and Tumnisians but we all go through loss. If there's a chance you can see your sibling again then you should take it, say what it is your heart is crying out to say before it's too late. I'll be with you every step of the way for as long as you need someone to hold the pieces together.”
Such an immediate response brought a well of tears from his eyes, “Thank you” being all he could manage to say at first as he choked up a bit. After a few moments to compose himself, Heinrich could finally wipe his eyes to at least be mostly dry. “I hope it won’t be too much of a problem, but we will have to travel. It won’t be a long trip, but we’ll need to book a shuttle up to one of the moons, where the rest of the capital population lives.”
“One of the moons..” For a moment Sadie completely forgot about the interstellar travel that the NDC had brought with them. It had a certain allure she found, she wasn’t as afraid as one might expect a Vaigarin to be with the prospect of leaving Sirrus II. “Then do what you must, the quicker we make the arrangements then the quicker you can see your sister.” Her red tail flicked as she urged Heinrich towards the door. “Let’s get going, precious time is a’wastin”
“Well first off, we need to get you a travel visa first. I can get it sorted while we’re on the way, but I’m going to need you to fill out some paperwork on the drive over. Also can you stand straight and look at me for a sec, I need to get a still of your face for the card they’ll give you.” Heinrich tried to get her to slow down, knowing part of that needed to be set in motion before they had even gotten in the car. As he turned around and looked at her, eyes focusing on her face specifically, he had gently placed his hands on her shoulders to stay still. His irises began to glow briefly with intensity, then blinked a couple times as he then put the image through some processing. “Here, take this and fill the questions out on it, then hit send,” the prince hurriedly directed as he handed her a computer tablet as they continued shuffling to the car.
Sadie blankly stared at the tablet and then back at Heinrich. “Is this like a piece of paper? If so, where's the pen?” She turned it this way and that looking for whatever it was she was supposed to be writing with. Heinrich may have overestimated her exposure to technology.
Oh fuck, this must be culture clash…. With a confused look for a moment, more on how to explain, Heinrich shifted around to lean against her shoulder where he could have equal reach on the device. Reaching around the top lip, he slid a small plastic thing out that vaguely looked like a writing tool. The prince placed a finger tip on the right edge of the screen, and slid it up and down to show she could scroll the page with it, before doing so to the top and writing his name in the guarantor field of the sheet. “It’s not paper, but an electric replacement that gives you infinite ways to write and read all in this, as well as being able to play sound and moving images. I know it sounds crazy, and it’s hard to explain, but treat this like a pen and move your finger there as if moving the long sheet of paper along like you’re looking at it through a picture frame?”
It only just occurred to him in that moment as well now, in his frantic rush to explain in some way, that he’d gotten very close. Faintly reddening, he took the end of the explanation to move away again, and open the car for them. I’m getting too comfortable just getting close to women in general thanks to Gale’s influence. Might get me in trouble one of these days.
Well thankfully for him Sadie was used to close touch and didn't find it at all off putting or flustering. What crept across her face was purely for the fact of what he was to her cousin. “So..this is like a piece of parchment and this a charcoal pen?” She looked at the lines of information required and put pen to pad in an elegant swirl of writing. She had good penmanship for sure, it begged The question what her writing looked like with a quill and ink.
After a while she slotted the pen back where she had seen Heinrich pull it, although not flush as it should have been and gave it back to the prince. “I hope that should suffice.”
Sadie Serwyn
Female
Age: 73
Race: Vaigarin
Yada Yada Yada
“It's all my basic information, unless you might need more.”
“Nope, that all looks good, they should have the visa and ID card ready by the time we get to the starport. An acquaintance should be dropping it by, so we can skip the government office thankfully,” Heinrich answered after briefly scanning over the sheet to see it fully filled in. At least for everything that could apply, but measures were already in place for someone of her people filling it out. “Off we go, just hop in here, think of it as a more advanced version of your steam powered carriages,” he added, directing her to climb into the passenger seat of his vehicle.
It was just a jeep, but to her, it was probably fairly foreign even if the concept was somewhat similar. Perhaps she would find it more surprising, in just how much more comfortable it was inside compared to one of said carriages.
“Internal combustion if I’m not mistaken. I’ve heard bits about the new technologies being slowly drip fed to us. Likely it will become a more efficient alternative to our steam locomotives, how I will miss them though as their presence has become somewhat…cherished.” She mused as she slid into the seat of the Jeep and tucked her tail as comfortably as she could.
“Sort of… It’s actually electric in that it uses a hyd- erm, well… It runs on water to put simply,” Heinrich began to answer, his slightly nerdier tendencies jumping the gun before he realized the difference in understanding. Mentally he kicked himself as he started the vehicle, the engine starting up with a low but growing soft whine, sounding as if it was spinning up with even softer vibrations. Heading out and down the long driveway to the manor, brought them to the main road for the greenzone as the duskerians called it, before turning towards the city.
It was almost a leisurely ride, one that took them about twenty minutes to clear, as they reached the shore and the large massive bridge connecting the floating city to it. It stretched onwards to the looming walls, which even appeared quite massive from five kilometers away where they were. It was going to be another twenty to cross the bridge, so the two would have some time. Whether it be to chat, at least one of them to take in the views, or feel their own personal anxieties for various reasons.
Sadie looked around at the city approaching, she had seen and been around other large Vaigarin cities but never had she seen a city as quite as large as the capital. “It’s so much different seeing something like this from the ground. Flying really messes with the sense of scale when you're flying at high altitudes.” Undoubtedly her idea of high altitudes paled in comparison to the heights Heinrich was sure to have experienced.
“What do you plan to say to your sister when you see her?” An honest question, perhaps a tad on the nose and perhaps rude in the right eyes, but she just wanted to help him figure out what he wanted to say.
“To be honest… I have no idea, I haven’t seen her in ten… well many years. I’ve changed so much, lived quite a different life, have new family. I almost fear she’ll think I left her behind, or that maybe I forgot about her, or chose to not loo..” Heinrich stopped himself, the car even slowing a tad as he tried to put the breaks on his rush of anxiety at the thought. His mind worried about the worst scenarios, the only positive outcome seeming like a fairytale in his mind. He had found her again by some miracle, knowing he was about to lose her all over again, and it left a bitter and heavy pull on his stomach.
“I’m scared… Of what she’ll think of me, of everything I’ve changed since becoming a man, knowing I grew up elsewhere from that teenager she used to know,” the prince admitted truthfully, eyes seeming to fall to the road and no further for a few moments. Looking back up, he watched wordlessly as the skyline of the wall eclipsed over the view of the sky from the front windshield.
Sadie pursed her lips a moment and laid a hand on his arm. “You made it didn’t you? You survived to be able to find her didn’t you? I’m a sister myself to many and most I have a good relationship with. We Vaigarin live for centuries, Heinrich. It could be hundreds of years before I see any of them again. As a sister I hope I get to see them again. And I don’t think yours will be upset with you. Her life may be coming to its natural close, but maybe just maybe by doing this you will be giving her some closure on some questions she has had about you.”
“I hope you’re right, and one way or another… There will be closure,” Heinrich offered back, the vehicle coming to a slow as they approached the base of the armored wall, a great set of blast doors with a checkpoint. Automated guards stood watch on the center strip and booths, all regarding the jeep as it came to a stop. The one standing on the center strip approached as Heinrich rolled down the window, the smooth almost opaque glass like face plate lowered into view through the window. Scanning lines crossed the faceplate for a moment before being replaced by a green circle with a checkmark.
The humanoid machine Paused before a synthetic yet soothingly tuned voice spoke, “Welcome milord Oaklen, access verified, enjoy your visit to the capital…. Parse. Additional notice…. Documentation requests are finalizing, and will be available for retrieval at starport terminal. Archduke Oaklen has been notified, and wishes for safe transit. End Notice.”
As it backed away from the vehicle, and the gates hissed to life with a welcoming chime, Heinrich leaned over slightly as the gates parted to reveal the city of metal towers before them. “They’re machines, made to do simple thinking and jobs, we use them for security and high risk work,” the prince offered in explanation, before starting to get the vehicle moving again. “Sounds like your visa will be ready too when we get to the port.”
Sadie looked at the automatons with no small amount of amazement that they had created a form of artificial life, no matter how limited. “Were they a more recent invention or one that your people carried with them when they came here?” She also took a moment to notice more about some of the city seen through the now open gate. “How long did it actually take to build the city?”
“Those we brought with us, though we have newer sentient races as well. As for the city… I woke up after it was done, but I believe it took 5 years give or take?,” Heinrich answered as he recalled the documents he had studied on the founding. Perhaps it was his passionate nature as a history professor and teacher, but he seemed to automatically continue on about it as they drove into the city. “ A lot of machinery we brought on the exodus was modified towards fast fabrication, and having a stock of pre-built building sections more or less. Now the moons helped a lot honestly, as most of the city sections were built there then brought down and put together.”
As they entered, the city was made of rows of tall metal structures, neat and utilitarian at face value that reached far above. On their right were not rows of buildings instead, but a large massive complex that military oriented vehicles could be spotted moving about within. Even tall metal figures who strode in formations, at this distance, were quite giant when considering the scale. Despite the seemingly bleak style, there were some holographic signs here and there, suspended images of light. Of the opposite extreme, there were planted trees and plants in sections of the pedestrian walking areas and paths, a stark contrast to the artificial constructs they were grown at the feet of, though most of said plants would actually be foreign to vaigarin eyes.
“While it's stunning how much your people have accomplished in such a short amount of time, I do have to admit I have yet to see the beauty of the spartan style of which you choose to build.” She sat and pondered on it a minute trying to choose her words more carefully. “It doesn't seem like there's much color or expression from what I've seen so far.”
Heinrich seemed surprised for a moment at the comment, almost as if he’d forgotten something important. “Oh, one sec,” the prince said simply before pulling over on the side of the street, then leaning over to pop open the glove compartment. It was the usual rummage save for a pair of what looked like sunglasses inside. Picking them up and closing it, he handed her the shades, “Put these on. I forget sometimes that not everyone has a Geist.”
Not explaining much more on that note, he urged Sadie to try them on, “You’ll see what I see. They’re spartan to the naked eye, but I promise you, with technology there’s an unseen world of color waiting for you.”
Sadie hesitantly took the glasses and slipped them over her eyes. As she looked around her mouth hung slightly agape at the holo adverts hanging over the road, on buildings, and on signs between the lanes. “what is a..Geist? Is that what you called it?”
“So a Geist, is an implant at the base of the neck, which is connected to the nervous system, brain, and eyes by adapting existing nerves. It connects us to the information network the ndc uses for processing and information sharing. It does have some basic standalone features on its own though, basically giving a computer to use with our thoughts. Now not everyone has one, either due to personal choice, medical reasons, or availability of it when it comes to being out in the colonies.” Heinrich felt like he had to take a breath after that, even though he realized not all of it might make sense. “Glasses like those and some versions of the geist you can wear, are for those additional people who can’t or won’t use the normal implant,” he added after a moment, having begun to start up the car again to get going.
Driving as he either waited for other questions, or just to let her enjoy the new sights the glasses offered, slowly pulled them back into lane. The explanation to him was simple, but he’d grown with it, however it was only the tip of the list of all the things linked to it. Not to mention the myriad of other technologies that the Geist interfaced with on the whole.
She was quiet for a long while, thinking the information through and making sure she grasped the concept. “So the computers I've seen being used by some of the NDC agriculture teams are something like what's on your neck? And it uses your nervous system to augment reality using your eyes instead of wearing something like these glasses? Do I have that right?”
Heinrich seemed to light up with momentary pride, “Right on the money in fact, it takes them apart and rebuilds them to be part of you, becoming just another organ of the body essentially. There’s all sorts of complimentary stuff that goes with it too, but that is too much, and not enough hours in the day to go through.” Despite the momentary giddy burst of getting to share these things with an outsider, in a way that one might mistake him for being a bit out there, the nervous tap of his finger on the wheel remained. The vehicle made good on its journey through the city, even as the entered the massive rounding road that circled the outside of the great circular central park.
It was a foreign wooded area, with grass and floral arrangements originating from Hassan, with even a few local inclusions that had been found to play nice with them. It was open between the swaths of trees, a few places of monuments peaking out in places, nestled in the expanse of the park. The roads here were flowing and busier, being the central hub of the city itself. The prince seemed to grumble to himself quietly for a moment, “In the haste, maybe taking the tram system would have been faster then going through….”
Sadie gave him a cock eyed stare. “You are now vaigarin now too are you not? If you have a way to secure the vehicle then why not fly the rest of the way?” She leaned forward and a lair of red leathery wings unfurled from her back and only half spread as much as the interior of the Jeep would allow. “If not I can carry you, it would be no trouble at all.”
“Well a few reasons, being… I didn’t bring a change of clothes, and I’m not about to strip down on the sidewalk. Secondly, we have flying vehicles, so it wouldn’t be safe, or legal to risk traffic control of the airways. The capital is a vaigarin no fly zone for that reason,” Heinrich explained, a small grimace given as he did so. He didn’t want to burst her bubble, but they were in his world now essentially, where the rules and risks were different, but he never considered warning or explaining them before. They were just mundane matters to him, always there, unstated but unforgettable for normal Duskerians.
“I see.” She said a bit deflated but her wings disappeared and she leaned back against the seat. She looked around at some of the other cars and furrowed her eyebrows. “Well here's a dumb question, aren't there side streets we could dart down to avoid the worst of this pile up?” She leaned out the door and twisted her head this way and that, and leaving Heinrich with an unimpeded view of her glorious heart shaped ass.
He had prepared to say something, but paused at the view as either his heart or brain, decided to skip a beat in the process. “Oh uh, There are other main streets, but no side ones per say. There are tight alleys, but those are reserved primarily for service and maintenance units. If it wasn’t a traffic hour, I’d check the rear view.. Mirror, to see if we could back up and switch streets. Otherwise we wait for a spot to pull over, and head to the nearest tram station. They ring the park with the central station being underneath it.”
I can see that very attractive feature runs in the family, my her ch- I really should be focusing on other things here, this is a family situation. Maybe it was his mind seeking distractions, or just latching onto opportunities to derail him even just for a minute.
“Well I guess we just have to hurry up and wait then.” She plopped back in the seat and this time her top half bounced once..twice..before jiggling back to rest. “I guess there's no good way or getting through this traffic.” She huffed and looked around trying to see any of the holo adverts she might like. “Whats..a Triple X intensifier for men?”
Distraction was quickly replaced with being mystified, an almost cold sweat dotting his brow at the question. “It’s.. a program that does… similar to, an aphrodisiac. It makes the experience more intense in bed,” Heinrich replied, trying to play off the answer casually but honestly. She was an adult, so he didn’t think he needed to make it overly vague, but it wasn’t any less awkward especially given the thoughts her shapely rear had in his mind moments ago. “Probably something sold at my step mother’s shop from the sounds of it, she runs an… adult accessories, clothes, and supplements store chain.”
“Sounds absolutely indecent.” She raised an eyebrow as she squeezed her thighs tightly together. “I have no experience with males at any rate so it would do me no good. And yes before you ask I have never mated and don't have any children.” A bit if a touchy subject for her then, yikes. “Brooke has two..were taken from here as eggs but she has children somewhere in the world..”
“Well, that definitely sums her up, she is a succubus. Though, hasn’t she ever tried to search for them? Unless there was some sort of agreement involved?,” Heinrich offered back seeing as they had ample time to talk with the traffic, and did want to learn more. He did however, try to play off her reaction as if it hadn’t happened, as he in fact hadn’t asked and it was her business. Part of him felt guilty, regretting his previous thoughts just a bit, as she seemed far from interested in men given her reaction in question. “Like, she mentioned having been with other men in the past, and that doesn’t bother me any. Hel, Gale was working as a prostitute for a while as a hobby, we just had the understanding that she made sure she used protection settings to avoid pregnancies. Unless it was something she by chance wanted from them, and we had discussed it”.
Sadie sighed through her nose. “She did for a time, until one day she just gave up and never spoke of them again. The male she bore children for was a close friend and associate For a long time and I guess she took it for a slight on their friendship.” She looked at her nails but couldn't stop the fist of anger from balling up. “Sorry..I didn't mean to spill on you like that.” She smiled softly but sadly, “that wasn't fair of me.”
“It’s fine, we all have things we probably begrudge unfortunately in our lives, or things we don’t want to remember. I consider myself lucky, at least in the regards of relationships, but I guess that could be said about my life past waking up for the second time as well.” He tried to reassure her that it didn’t bother him, that he on some level understood to a similar degree. While he couldn’t say his experiences were the same, the root feelings they left were close enough to understand. “In a way, you could say I’ve been sheltered for a lot of my second life. Everything I’ve hated and regretted, were from before, save for that bastard to deal with now, but it was bound to give me new obstacles sooner or later,” Heinrich added, feeling that he had indeed been shielded from much so far.
But also going back to the matter of luck, even based around what they had already shared back and forth so far. If anything, he had done the same to her at the start of their meeting at the manor. He’d never lost a relationship, known poverty for a second time, and in all honesty had been spoiled with an opulent backing by his new family. A lot of what he did was done to almost give some of it an air of being normal, but that royal blood was still there at the end of the day carrying him to his goals. He just had to make sure to use it responsibly, and put in as much work as he used it shortcut, and share those rewards with his family he’d built now.
“All my children know their parents, will always know them and their siblings, and I’ll make sure they all. With my wonderful wives included, get the best I can give them. They make me happy, fulfilled, and a goal to always do better, to do the same for them. My family is my purpose now, and I’ll give everything for them, whatever that may require.”
She nodded, her own heart aching a bit from the longing of something similar to what he had shared. “Most of my siblings have gone off and done their own things, most have their own families or even died. Myself? I’m blessed to just be living, and have fulfilling work as a teacher, though I guess by your standards it is a pitiful education.” She took both hands and slapped both sides of her face. “You're quite lucky and admirable for your commitment to your wives and your children. I hope someday I could find someone as good as you to marry someday.”
“I don’t find it pitiful at all, it’s simply a difference in progress, and still learning. That never stops for anyone, people or person, even the NDC is still learning things. As for finding somebody, I wish you luck, and know that you’ll make someone happy. You’re a wonderful and attractive woman with an open heart that’s deeply endearing.” His voice had nothing but praise and humility in his tone, never claiming to be any sort of expert or far better then anyone. “A life is a journey of mistakes and breakthroughs, we learn and seek to progress ourselves. Trust yourself and I know you’ll make the right choice.”
Offering her a warm smile, Heinrich finally managed to find a spot where they pull over out of traffic. “Finally! We can reach the tram station from the stairway going down over there,” he offered, pointing to the transit station entrance as mentioned.
She reddened a shade at his praise, but took it in stride with a smile. “Thank you, that's very sweet of you to say.” She saw the opening in traffic too and her tail might have even wagged a little. “Yeah! We should hurry, in this congestion it's likely to be much faster than the route we are taking currently.”
She was quick in hopping out and squeaked when some asshole cat called her and may have slapped her ass on the way by. She held her ass and walked over to the street side of the car and rubbed the Sting out of her backside. “Asshole..that was so uncalled for.”
“I swear, some people have no respect for a lady,” Heinrich grumbled, before lacing his arm with her’s as a guide. Leading them to the tram station nexus under the park, inadvertently holding her close to keep from bumping into the crowd with their two tails. “Things look busy today, so it may be a squeeze on the tram, I hope you aren’t claustrophobic?”
The trams were just like the buildings, sleek and efficient, thankfully fast in their travel between stations. As expected, the place was rather busy, the only exception to the flow of commuters were the humanoid security drones like that at the gate. They were more commercially designed, lacking the rifles like the prior group, instead only carrying sidearms safely locked into their hips. It wasn’t hard to get aboard the tram, finding seats however was, with only one found which the prince offered to Sadie.
Sadie winced and nodded at the Prince's question. “While I can survive the feeling I don't actually like being in small spaces. Makes me feel anxious. So I guess I am claustrophobic.” She was all too aware of his closeness and something in her biology was screaming at her to do something. Though the instinct wasn't entirely clear.
Upon witnessing the tram system she couldn't help but stop and inspect them if only for a moment. The shiny seemingly stainless steel they were constructed out of vaguely reflected her image through the scratches. When they were inside and he offered her the seat she bucked and shook Her head. “You are the royalty, you take the seat.”
“No no no, I could never respect myself to use that as an excuse to take a seat from a lady who deserves it. So it’s yours, and the only way I will, is if you take my lap and I doubt that will happen,” Heinrich joked as he encouraged her to take the available seat instead. He wasn’t even sure what compelled him to even make the ultimatum, even if not seriously meaning it.
She blushed and nodded. “No offense, Heinrich, but It wouldn’t be decent to sit in your lap for a number of reasons.” She reluctantly took the seat, plopping down with a satisfying jiggle of her breasts that had a few other patrons inside the tram staring at the red haired Vaigarin lady. She placed her hands in her lap and smiled up at Heinrich. “Thank you for the seat, you keep showing me reasons why Brooke might have fallen in love with you.”
“Mama raised a young man who knew how to treat women right and with respect, though I don’t think she ever would have expected my marriage life, ever being what it is. I’d love to say It’s charm, but I think she just did too well of a job teaching those lessons,” Heinrich said, cracking a small smile despite their crowded surroundings. Having her around to bounce off of, was doing wonders for his focus, not that the past hadn’t beaten a morbid sort of patiences and calm into him. “As for appropriate lap etiquette, it may not be, but it gets the point across.”
“Then your mother did a fine job raising such a courteous and thoughtful male. She would be very proud of you, no doubt.” She smiled up at him and took a small package from her belt pack. It was something round wrapped in a linen cloth, with pretty red embroidery around its edges. “Here, I’d like you to have these. I hope they're as good as my mother makes them.” Inside the linen hankey were what looked to be three sugar cookies, but they were so much more. They tasted sweet, but not overly, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg on the back side.
“These almost seem sentimental, or important wrapped like that. Do you keep cookies for any good boy,” Heinrich chuckled at the last bit, but still asked at least the first question sincerely. With their passenger arrangement, he was practically looming over her unintentionally, the crowd was kind of crowding him as their name suggested. He hadn’t wanted to be this close, and he was happy to have stowed his wings, which would have only been to the detriment of this arrangement.
Having been handed the cookies, he was close in how far apart their eyes met from, considering the fine elegant cloth that wrapped them. The locomotion of the tram only brought a small sway to it, the ride at least a smooth one. “I don’t have anything to put these in, so I hope you don’t mind me having it at least for a while?”
She shook her head and smiled. “I don’t mind at all. Though please return it to me at some point if you don’t mind. The cookies were going to be for Brooke, a taste of home so to speak.” She looked at his chest for a moment and sighed through her nose. “But to answer you more directly, no I usually don’t keep them on me for good little boys such as yourself. Not unless they earn them.”
“Well I’m flattered at the high praise then, and I’ll make sure to apologize to her later for absconding with her snacks,” Heinrich replied as the tram PA system announced arrival at their stop soon. It caused the sway to become a slight shuffle among the passengers, as those stopping here moved to a better position to depart. “I’ll bring you both something reminiscent of my home if I can find it. Seems only fair after all. Now if you will milady, we have a boat to catch.” With the prince's words, the tram had already begun to rapidly yet smoothly lose speed, coming to slide into the station.