Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 18:32:21 GMT
The Wheel was, as its name suggested, a circular thing; a massive ring nearly two dozen kilometers across, stitched by millions of nanofiliments to the orbital tether which held it stably above the surface of Uth-Rempoor. On a clear night, it was visible to the naked eye from those poor souls living on the planet’s surface; the majority of the planeside inhabitants were involved in mineral mining, and the wages were almost as low as the price of a funeral. Almost. You had to work a tad bit harder than normal to be able to afford it.
But several hundred miles up, the Wheel spun slowly, and ore freighters worth the lives of many thousands of those down below slowly came and went, and from up there cities looked like ants. And ants, Yashimota thought quietly as he finished his tea, tended to be only dangerous when they were organized. Halcyon Dynamics had invested considerable resources on Uth-Rempoor, and was doing its best to prevent unionization of the labour force down there. If it was any consolation, they were also setting up an abundant number of free clinics down there in order to keep the workforce up to par. He wasn’t a monster, after all.
Yashimota set the cup into the digitizer, and leaned back in his chair as he watched dust clouds moving across Uth-Rempoor. His suite aboard the MV Halcyon Endeavour wasn’t the largest-the Endeavour was only one of Halcyon Dynamic’s smaller freighters-but it was a comfortable thing. As he leaned back, he noticed a light built beneath the glass surface of his desk begin to glow, and he reached out and placed a hand on the levitating table.
“Yes?” Yashimota asked softly. The ID tag attached to the signal identified it as coming from the security checkpoint at the entrance to the small sliver of the ring owned by Halcyon Dynamics.
“We have a Mister Wilkes and Miss Booth here, sir. They say they’re here to deliver the flowers, but it seems they’ve misplaced their clearance passes.”
Yashimota nodded slowly.
“I can vouch for them. Are they the cherry blossoms I asked for?” He inquired politely, leading to a moment’s hesitation from the guard. “I’m sorry sir, but I’m not a plant person-“
“Never mind that, they’re clear. If you’d be so kind, please have an aide guide them to my quarters?”
Several long moments passed before the HISS of the opening door revealed two figures in long, featureless dusters. A low hood hid the features of one, Miss Booth by the subtle features of her curves, while the other, Mr. Wilkes, wore a wide-brimmed fedora. The man in question slowly reached up and removed his hat, simultaneously sliding the gruesome metallic armature into place to hide his facial features.
"Yashimota" he said, his voice carrying the slight echo of Nuereus Storm Leggionnaire "It is good to see you are well. So few of our kind are left in this ring of the Galaxy."
Yashimota said nothing for a moment, taking in the man before him. They had met in person before....but that was years ago. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised by the contact: the mental burst that had jolted him from sleep several weeks prior had clearly indicated that someone wanted to talk.
It had been years indeed, and he bowed slightly before speaking softly in Neo-Japanese to the masked newcomer.
“It is well to see you well, old friend.” At least, he assumed it was an old friend. The esper before him had been a valuable piece of a great machine at one point, before the company had bought out the Yakuza. “It is closer to twenty years now then it is ten, is it not?”
"Quite so" Wilkes replied, a smile just barely visible under the rim of his Armature. He handed his Fedora to Miss Booth, who remained silent and close to the door.
"Forgive my appearance" Wilkes went on "but my true face is too well known to risk exposure, even in conditions I assume are well sealed."
He paused, looking hard at Yashimota.
"You have had your old face restored."
Yashimota smiled slightly at this, and nodded. “A benefit of working for Halcyon Dynamics. They take care of their own quite well.” His grin expanded as he realized that they had not been carrying flowers when they entered the room. “You are very sly now, as you were then. Time may have been hard upon our bodies, but certainly not upon your mind!” His face was truly sincere, and his mind was too.
He had not seen many of the old crowd since Halcyon Dynamics had moved into the sector. Those who had refused to be bought out had disappeared, either of their own volition or of the volition of those who had. He would not say that he trusted his guest so much as he respected their time together; Yashimota gestured towards a set of small, low seats around a low bamboo table. “Will you sit with me?”
The comment actually drew a chuckle from Wilkes.
"I do try to keep myself up to spec." he replied. He smiled as he took in the table.
"Ah, yes. Just like old times...ruminating and meditating...and then tea. My old friend, you are making me feel nostalgic."
With a single movement, he swept the duster from his shoulders, revealing a featureless black uniform, with a high mandarin-style collar and trousers tucked into high black boots. Yashimota looked on, in slight surprise. To anyone else, the clothes would have come off as an odd fashion choice.
Though those of his abilities, however....the attire meant something else entirely.
"So...you have joined...them, then." he said, keeping an even tone.
Truth be told, he was not entirely surprised; the man who now answered to the name of Wilkes had been of the variety which, in Yashimota’s mind at least, would have left rather than been bought out. Even then, he could not have imagined him leaving the profession entirely. “I cannot say I have entirely staid, as you said, up to spec. Though it would interest your superior to know,” he said as he bowed slightly towards the silent women with his old comrade in arms, “that this company has invested to a minor degree in extra-sensory perception research.”
He tapped a pair of the many rings on his fingers together softly, and a panel in the wall opened. “Though this is well beyond the Infinite Empire’s areas of jurisdiction. They would not permit such activities in their own domain.” A pale white hoverbot slowly exited the opening in the wall, carrying a tray with tiny teacups and a pot. “Tea?”
Wilkes gestured.
"By all means" he replied "and yes, I am indeed aware of your group’s ongoing research...as well as other actions that your benefactors are involved in."
The hoverbot lowered the tray to the table, before scooting back towards the opening in the wall.
It never arrived.
The bot suddenly froze in midair, as the woman, who had up to this point been nigh-motionless, raised her head, revealing a sinister blue glow that was all too familiar to Yashimota.
“you needn't fear, Artesia" he said calmly "even if we were being spied upon, there have already been seven other means by which I could possess your entire history merely by the trace of your footsteps."
The woman said nothing, but Yashimota could feel a familiar tingling at the back of his mind...an area not often put to use these days. Despite not keeping himself "up to spec" his danger sense had saved him more than once in the years since his last meeting with the woman.
"Lady Despayre, release the machine." Wilkes said, not even turning to look at the bot. silently, without so much as the rustle of fabric, the Woman lowered her head, the blue light dropping out of sight.
The robot jerked forward for a moment, before inertial compensators kicked in and slowed the tiny machine to the necessary speed to safely insert itself back into the wall.
"You will have to forgive her, old friend" Wilkes said "she is not quite as sociable as she was in your last meeting." he took a sip from the teacup Yashimota presented to him "nor does she answer to that name."
He smiled down into the liquid, sloshing a bit of it as he gently shook the cup, staring into the deep sapphire color.
"Blue Hazel. I am surprised: the Spartans raised the primary growing planets to hellpits after the war."
He chuckled softly and nodded. “I keep a few plants back in my suite in the Exceion system; alas I have not been able to return to the system to see if my residence there survived the attack. It was in an urban area though, so I am told my chances are quite reasonable.” They talked for a considerable while about everything but what was on both of their minds; Yashimota explained how he had come to be tasked with managing Halcyon’s operations at Uth-Rempoor. “Truth be told, my friend, it was not the money that convinced me.” He said as he sipped from his cup. “It was this tea set. Over eighty thousand years old. It is a miracle that it survived these many thousands of years. Truth be told, I do not know how they came to own it, but it showed something very special about this company.” He set the cup gently down on the tray, and clasped his hands under his chin.
“This organization will pay almost anything for quality. They will match quality with quality, if it brings them greater quality. Quality is their blood. They do not tolerate anything less.”
Wilkes' smile had yet to waver as he slowly sipped at his tea.
"I can understand that: such a manner of operation was evident even during the time when we were coworkers." he ran a finger slowly along the ancient porcelain "a state of mind that served us well...before the dark times....and the buyout."
Yashimota slowly nodded: the dark days of the past were still vivid in his mind. He had found refuge....and he knew Wilkes had found....something else.
"Your new employers keep you well dressed, I can see" he said. He mentally chided himself for allowing his curiosity to show: he knew some of the significance of Wilkes' attire, but the organization (and learning their name from another of the old comrades had cost him one of the Blue Hazel plants) was only spoken of...in the silent language of those like himself.
Finally, Wilkes' smile changed. despite most of his features being hidden by the Armature, Yashimota felt an imperceptible yet overt chill fill the room as a veneer of calculating calmness replaced the joviality on Wilkes' face.
It was an uncannily familiar look, and while it left him unsettled to no minor degree, he reassured himself with the impeccable code of honour they had abided by when they held ranks with the Yakuza. “I apologize for mentioning it,” he added softly. “It is unbecoming of our friendship to pry into such private matters. Having not seen you in so many years, you can surely sympathize with my inquisitive nature.” He sat up in his chair and glanced towards the woman, who had remained standing rather unmovingly. “Though I do believe that you will take no offense to my asking for the occasion by which you choose to grace me with this honour.”
Wilkes' smile softened.
"What, hooking up with an old friend isn't reason enough?" he chuckled. Yashimota smiled, but it was clear that there was more to be told.
"I must be honest with you, old Friend; I do have an ulterior motive for our reunion. You are aware of the growing Galactic crisis, yes? You must be. A man in your position would have access to such information."
Yashimota tilted his head slightly. “These things are not all too secret. Wars loom on the horizon. I take it you have many ears, so I will not insult you by denying it: this ship is carrying one of the members of the executive office to tour operations which may be effected should this conflict escalate.” He poured another cup of tea for his old friend, then himself, as he continued to speak. “He is a very reclusive man. I am the next highest ranking member of the staff aboard this ship; below me is the captain, but above me is a ghost.” His eyes widened ever so slightly in emphasis on the last word. “He has not left his quarters since I came aboard. His meals are brought to him, and he has not honoured me with his presence for tea even once!” He chuckled softly. “He is like…what is the name…Howard Hughes! Yes, Howard Hughes. Very reclusive man.”
Wilkes' smile grew tighter.
"Yes." he said "I am aware of your superiors...manner."
He took a sip of his tea.
"I would like to meet him."
Yashimota laughed and shrugged. “As would I, my friend! He is a strange master, very generous in his gratitude towards my services, but not one for socializing.” He sat the tea cup down and looked attentively at his guest. “I have held this post for eleven years now, and the executive office has conveyed messages to me twice in that time. They do not seem to see a sector director as a very meritous post.
Abruptly, the sound of a gong ringing echoed through the chamber. He rose evenly from the low seat, and moved over to the levitating desk; a light was blinking softly underneath the heavy glass. Yashimota paused for a moment, his profile outlined against the orange and grey shades of Uth-Rempoor.
“We will be departing within a quarter hour.” Yashimota announced apologetically, but a quizzical look came upon him as he looked back at them. “He will see the lady, though. It will be my pleasure to arrange for proper transport for her back to Uth-Rempoor once we arrive at Nova Cornucopia.” A very low moaning sound began to permeate the ship’s deck, and tiny ripples began to form on the surface of the tea in his guest’s cup as the engines began spooling up to power. “You must have done very interesting things to merit an audience with him.”
Wilkes smiled prophetically.
"You cannot begin to imagine." He said, turning to his associate.
"Lady Despayre, it seems you will present our case to these gentlemen."
The hood inclined, indicating a nod.
"You know what is required, be aware and remain focused."
But several hundred miles up, the Wheel spun slowly, and ore freighters worth the lives of many thousands of those down below slowly came and went, and from up there cities looked like ants. And ants, Yashimota thought quietly as he finished his tea, tended to be only dangerous when they were organized. Halcyon Dynamics had invested considerable resources on Uth-Rempoor, and was doing its best to prevent unionization of the labour force down there. If it was any consolation, they were also setting up an abundant number of free clinics down there in order to keep the workforce up to par. He wasn’t a monster, after all.
Yashimota set the cup into the digitizer, and leaned back in his chair as he watched dust clouds moving across Uth-Rempoor. His suite aboard the MV Halcyon Endeavour wasn’t the largest-the Endeavour was only one of Halcyon Dynamic’s smaller freighters-but it was a comfortable thing. As he leaned back, he noticed a light built beneath the glass surface of his desk begin to glow, and he reached out and placed a hand on the levitating table.
“Yes?” Yashimota asked softly. The ID tag attached to the signal identified it as coming from the security checkpoint at the entrance to the small sliver of the ring owned by Halcyon Dynamics.
“We have a Mister Wilkes and Miss Booth here, sir. They say they’re here to deliver the flowers, but it seems they’ve misplaced their clearance passes.”
Yashimota nodded slowly.
“I can vouch for them. Are they the cherry blossoms I asked for?” He inquired politely, leading to a moment’s hesitation from the guard. “I’m sorry sir, but I’m not a plant person-“
“Never mind that, they’re clear. If you’d be so kind, please have an aide guide them to my quarters?”
Several long moments passed before the HISS of the opening door revealed two figures in long, featureless dusters. A low hood hid the features of one, Miss Booth by the subtle features of her curves, while the other, Mr. Wilkes, wore a wide-brimmed fedora. The man in question slowly reached up and removed his hat, simultaneously sliding the gruesome metallic armature into place to hide his facial features.
"Yashimota" he said, his voice carrying the slight echo of Nuereus Storm Leggionnaire "It is good to see you are well. So few of our kind are left in this ring of the Galaxy."
Yashimota said nothing for a moment, taking in the man before him. They had met in person before....but that was years ago. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised by the contact: the mental burst that had jolted him from sleep several weeks prior had clearly indicated that someone wanted to talk.
It had been years indeed, and he bowed slightly before speaking softly in Neo-Japanese to the masked newcomer.
“It is well to see you well, old friend.” At least, he assumed it was an old friend. The esper before him had been a valuable piece of a great machine at one point, before the company had bought out the Yakuza. “It is closer to twenty years now then it is ten, is it not?”
"Quite so" Wilkes replied, a smile just barely visible under the rim of his Armature. He handed his Fedora to Miss Booth, who remained silent and close to the door.
"Forgive my appearance" Wilkes went on "but my true face is too well known to risk exposure, even in conditions I assume are well sealed."
He paused, looking hard at Yashimota.
"You have had your old face restored."
Yashimota smiled slightly at this, and nodded. “A benefit of working for Halcyon Dynamics. They take care of their own quite well.” His grin expanded as he realized that they had not been carrying flowers when they entered the room. “You are very sly now, as you were then. Time may have been hard upon our bodies, but certainly not upon your mind!” His face was truly sincere, and his mind was too.
He had not seen many of the old crowd since Halcyon Dynamics had moved into the sector. Those who had refused to be bought out had disappeared, either of their own volition or of the volition of those who had. He would not say that he trusted his guest so much as he respected their time together; Yashimota gestured towards a set of small, low seats around a low bamboo table. “Will you sit with me?”
The comment actually drew a chuckle from Wilkes.
"I do try to keep myself up to spec." he replied. He smiled as he took in the table.
"Ah, yes. Just like old times...ruminating and meditating...and then tea. My old friend, you are making me feel nostalgic."
With a single movement, he swept the duster from his shoulders, revealing a featureless black uniform, with a high mandarin-style collar and trousers tucked into high black boots. Yashimota looked on, in slight surprise. To anyone else, the clothes would have come off as an odd fashion choice.
Though those of his abilities, however....the attire meant something else entirely.
"So...you have joined...them, then." he said, keeping an even tone.
Truth be told, he was not entirely surprised; the man who now answered to the name of Wilkes had been of the variety which, in Yashimota’s mind at least, would have left rather than been bought out. Even then, he could not have imagined him leaving the profession entirely. “I cannot say I have entirely staid, as you said, up to spec. Though it would interest your superior to know,” he said as he bowed slightly towards the silent women with his old comrade in arms, “that this company has invested to a minor degree in extra-sensory perception research.”
He tapped a pair of the many rings on his fingers together softly, and a panel in the wall opened. “Though this is well beyond the Infinite Empire’s areas of jurisdiction. They would not permit such activities in their own domain.” A pale white hoverbot slowly exited the opening in the wall, carrying a tray with tiny teacups and a pot. “Tea?”
Wilkes gestured.
"By all means" he replied "and yes, I am indeed aware of your group’s ongoing research...as well as other actions that your benefactors are involved in."
The hoverbot lowered the tray to the table, before scooting back towards the opening in the wall.
It never arrived.
The bot suddenly froze in midair, as the woman, who had up to this point been nigh-motionless, raised her head, revealing a sinister blue glow that was all too familiar to Yashimota.
“you needn't fear, Artesia" he said calmly "even if we were being spied upon, there have already been seven other means by which I could possess your entire history merely by the trace of your footsteps."
The woman said nothing, but Yashimota could feel a familiar tingling at the back of his mind...an area not often put to use these days. Despite not keeping himself "up to spec" his danger sense had saved him more than once in the years since his last meeting with the woman.
"Lady Despayre, release the machine." Wilkes said, not even turning to look at the bot. silently, without so much as the rustle of fabric, the Woman lowered her head, the blue light dropping out of sight.
The robot jerked forward for a moment, before inertial compensators kicked in and slowed the tiny machine to the necessary speed to safely insert itself back into the wall.
"You will have to forgive her, old friend" Wilkes said "she is not quite as sociable as she was in your last meeting." he took a sip from the teacup Yashimota presented to him "nor does she answer to that name."
He smiled down into the liquid, sloshing a bit of it as he gently shook the cup, staring into the deep sapphire color.
"Blue Hazel. I am surprised: the Spartans raised the primary growing planets to hellpits after the war."
He chuckled softly and nodded. “I keep a few plants back in my suite in the Exceion system; alas I have not been able to return to the system to see if my residence there survived the attack. It was in an urban area though, so I am told my chances are quite reasonable.” They talked for a considerable while about everything but what was on both of their minds; Yashimota explained how he had come to be tasked with managing Halcyon’s operations at Uth-Rempoor. “Truth be told, my friend, it was not the money that convinced me.” He said as he sipped from his cup. “It was this tea set. Over eighty thousand years old. It is a miracle that it survived these many thousands of years. Truth be told, I do not know how they came to own it, but it showed something very special about this company.” He set the cup gently down on the tray, and clasped his hands under his chin.
“This organization will pay almost anything for quality. They will match quality with quality, if it brings them greater quality. Quality is their blood. They do not tolerate anything less.”
Wilkes' smile had yet to waver as he slowly sipped at his tea.
"I can understand that: such a manner of operation was evident even during the time when we were coworkers." he ran a finger slowly along the ancient porcelain "a state of mind that served us well...before the dark times....and the buyout."
Yashimota slowly nodded: the dark days of the past were still vivid in his mind. He had found refuge....and he knew Wilkes had found....something else.
"Your new employers keep you well dressed, I can see" he said. He mentally chided himself for allowing his curiosity to show: he knew some of the significance of Wilkes' attire, but the organization (and learning their name from another of the old comrades had cost him one of the Blue Hazel plants) was only spoken of...in the silent language of those like himself.
Finally, Wilkes' smile changed. despite most of his features being hidden by the Armature, Yashimota felt an imperceptible yet overt chill fill the room as a veneer of calculating calmness replaced the joviality on Wilkes' face.
It was an uncannily familiar look, and while it left him unsettled to no minor degree, he reassured himself with the impeccable code of honour they had abided by when they held ranks with the Yakuza. “I apologize for mentioning it,” he added softly. “It is unbecoming of our friendship to pry into such private matters. Having not seen you in so many years, you can surely sympathize with my inquisitive nature.” He sat up in his chair and glanced towards the woman, who had remained standing rather unmovingly. “Though I do believe that you will take no offense to my asking for the occasion by which you choose to grace me with this honour.”
Wilkes' smile softened.
"What, hooking up with an old friend isn't reason enough?" he chuckled. Yashimota smiled, but it was clear that there was more to be told.
"I must be honest with you, old Friend; I do have an ulterior motive for our reunion. You are aware of the growing Galactic crisis, yes? You must be. A man in your position would have access to such information."
Yashimota tilted his head slightly. “These things are not all too secret. Wars loom on the horizon. I take it you have many ears, so I will not insult you by denying it: this ship is carrying one of the members of the executive office to tour operations which may be effected should this conflict escalate.” He poured another cup of tea for his old friend, then himself, as he continued to speak. “He is a very reclusive man. I am the next highest ranking member of the staff aboard this ship; below me is the captain, but above me is a ghost.” His eyes widened ever so slightly in emphasis on the last word. “He has not left his quarters since I came aboard. His meals are brought to him, and he has not honoured me with his presence for tea even once!” He chuckled softly. “He is like…what is the name…Howard Hughes! Yes, Howard Hughes. Very reclusive man.”
Wilkes' smile grew tighter.
"Yes." he said "I am aware of your superiors...manner."
He took a sip of his tea.
"I would like to meet him."
Yashimota laughed and shrugged. “As would I, my friend! He is a strange master, very generous in his gratitude towards my services, but not one for socializing.” He sat the tea cup down and looked attentively at his guest. “I have held this post for eleven years now, and the executive office has conveyed messages to me twice in that time. They do not seem to see a sector director as a very meritous post.
Abruptly, the sound of a gong ringing echoed through the chamber. He rose evenly from the low seat, and moved over to the levitating desk; a light was blinking softly underneath the heavy glass. Yashimota paused for a moment, his profile outlined against the orange and grey shades of Uth-Rempoor.
“We will be departing within a quarter hour.” Yashimota announced apologetically, but a quizzical look came upon him as he looked back at them. “He will see the lady, though. It will be my pleasure to arrange for proper transport for her back to Uth-Rempoor once we arrive at Nova Cornucopia.” A very low moaning sound began to permeate the ship’s deck, and tiny ripples began to form on the surface of the tea in his guest’s cup as the engines began spooling up to power. “You must have done very interesting things to merit an audience with him.”
Wilkes smiled prophetically.
"You cannot begin to imagine." He said, turning to his associate.
"Lady Despayre, it seems you will present our case to these gentlemen."
The hood inclined, indicating a nod.
"You know what is required, be aware and remain focused."