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Thread: Wanted

  1. #1

    Wanted

    ((This is Loriah's story so far. None of this is public knowledge, just her side of the story. I hope you enjoy.))

    ~

    Xeavier, it's Ruth. Do you have something for me?’ The woman, whom she believed to be her friend, had really said that. Ruth. Not Aneta. Not Riahan. But Ruth. Where had she heard that name before and why didn’t it surprise her as much as it should have? Her thoughts were interrupted as Ruth approached her and handed her a small device. Her mission was clear. She nodded knowingly and immediately sent off a short message to Eeio. ‘Now’. Next thing she felt was the familiar feeling of being digitized and she reemerged in the grid system safely, along with her new companion. A person she had just met, but for inexplicable reasons, the only one she felt she could trust at this moment. His mission was the same as hers. Keep the device safe until they could hand it over to Ruth.

    Ruth? There was that name again. While travelling through the grid her mind analytically ran through possible places she may have heard that name, and just as she started to feel her body materializing at Harrys, it dawned on her. New Dawn. That’s where she knew the name from.

    ~

    Cathleen had met Riahan only by chance. In a bar of all places. Talking to a couple of omnis. She had been in a good mood that day, having made a considerable about of credits on her last trade, and felt like celebrating a little. A few beers later she had apparently gotten herself mixed up in a search for evidence concerning the death of one Xeavier Humbold of New Dawn. She’d read the news about his death. Seen the reports pointing fingers at Omni-Tek, and at The Sentinels for not helping with the investigation. But she never believed that she could or even would be affected by any of it, other than maybe fewer business opportunities due to the inevitable rise in conflict between the Clans and the Omni-Tek corporation. However there was something genuine about Riahan. Something that made Cathleen trust her intentions to be pure. She felt for the woman, who seemed so desperate to find out why this man had been so brutally murdered, for no apparent reason. Or maybe it was just the beer.

    ~

    She didn’t really feel safe as she sat there with the device in her hands. What was she going to do with this? Should she attempt to access it? It didn’t feel right. The message was not for her. But. If she remembered last night correctly, then it was meant for a dead man. Zora. And maybe if she managed to hear the message, it would give her an idea of what to do next. And she really needed an idea of how to proceed in this.

    As she unhooked the device from her Comm Unit after having replayed the message several times, she sighed deeply. What a cryptic message. A warning. From a caring man, to his enemy. A message that if it had been sent possibly could have saved the lives of many. She did not exactly understand it all. What weapon could possibly be far stronger than the Battle Dish that ultimately claimed the life of the would-be-recipient? And why did a Clan even know about this weapon? Maybe Eeio would understand.

    ~

    A warning?’ Eeio had continually looked over his shoulder during their short meeting. Was he as nervous as she was? ‘Yes, I’ll show you. It’s too hard to explain.’ Cathleen opened the secure comm line Eeio had prepared earlier and showed him the log. [‘Tarkhan, the dish is a trap. The weapon you want to reveal is far weaker than the one already at your back. Do not let her near you. Abandon the project. Save yourself. - Xeavier Humbold.’] She looked at him as he read the message. ‘What do you think it means?’ Oh, how she would have loved to be able to read his mind right now. To see why his face seemed to show a mix of emotions, fear and relaxation. She sighed. ‘It means’, he began. ‘It means that I was right to get involved to begin with.

    Something major is going on in Omni-Tek. Something that threatens all of Rubi-Ka. It’s not just some local powerplay. And Bahirare appears to be the one behind it all. Her and her army of clones or whatever they are.’ Cathleen looked at him nervously while he spoke. It sounded all too familiar. Hadn’t Riahan said she had proof that Bahirae was behind Xeaviers murder? Hadn’t she told her in confidence that Omni-Pol did it under Bahiraes orders? The puzzle pieces were falling into place.

    ‘What you have is the first clear evidence of that. Up until now we have had to rely on rumor and speculation mostly.’ He paused. ‘But this leads me to what I actually wanted to talk to you about.

    My sources tells me that Riahan is not who she claims to be. She is Ruth Montezuma, Leader of New Dawn.

    A smile spread on Cathleen’s face. ‘Oh! I always expected her to be more than she lead on.

    ~

    I don’t know who to trust anymore.’ It was true. Ever since that Sunday in Tir her life had changed to something she’d never ever imagined. She was now a wanted terrorist. Ugh, that word really hurt. She didn’t feel like a terrorist. She was only trying to help a friend. Granted, a friend who had kept certain aspects of her identity secret. But none the less Cathleen still felt there was something there. And that Riahan had turned out to be Ruth Montezuma, didn’t change the fact that that Cathleen had promised to help her. And then again, it wasn’t completely true. She trusted Eeio. She had to. Or she would have no one. Ruth trusted him, and that was good enough for her.

    I am hoping my contact will bring me more details about MAX, she promised.’ Eeio looked hopeful for a change. Really? Cathleen felt how her every instinct fought the possibility of trusting an Omni, and even a high ranking one at that. ‘I don't know. Trust an omni. It doesn't sound right to me. Not a high ranking one at least. You never know.’ Eeio nodded. ‘I’m struggling with the concept too.

    ~

    The Comm Unit lit up as a sign of an incoming message. She didn’t react. Didn’t dare. Her heart beat just a little faster every time that the Comm Unit blinked. Was it good news or bad news? As the light switched off she took a deep breath and read the message left behind.

    [**Initiate the umbral signal. OTM encryption protocols engaged. The door is opened.** Miss Spansgaard? Do you copy? Do not be alarmed. My name is Adam Preston. Perhaps you remember me; I was standing right next to you and Eeio in the Tower of Truth at the climactic moment. It seems the two of you have found yourselves in quite the predicament. I understand how difficult it must be to trust others during this trying time, but rest assured: our interests are aligned. I'd like to help you - both of you - but before I can do that, I must alert you to the truth of the burden you now carry. Should you accept, simply respond on this secure frequency. I'll be waiting.]

    Cathleen did a quick search on the disposable unit she had acquired. ‘Adam Preston. Knows as Phantom. Meta-Physicist. Formerly InternOps.’ Of course. Another omni. But if he was at the Tower with us, then Ruth.. it was still strange to think of Riahan as Ruth.. Ruth must have trusted him to have the right intensions as well. But could she trust him now?

    ~

    ((to be continued))
    Last edited by Loriah; Jul 24th, 2013 at 22:43:55.
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  2. #2
    ~

    Why isn’t he answering? Had they gotten to him already? Cathleen could feel how the pressure was taking its toll on her. Not to mention the constant worry. For herself. For Eeio. For Ruth. But right now it was Eeio she was the most worried about. Especially since she received the grave warning last night. A warning coming from an unlikely ally.. or.. she didn’t even know if he was an ally yet. He seemed to be true enough on the surface. But could she trust him enough to meet with him? To hear his explanation? ‘Oh, why hasn’t Eeio contacted me yet?!

    She didn’t like how much she depended on him now. After all they had really only just met. What would she do if he really had been caught? What could she do? He was the one with connections. He was the one she relied on to help her, to guide her, to keep her safe. She felt lost. Lost and anxious.

    The recent search for news hadn’t shown any news that indicated his capture. But that didn’t mean much. Wouldn’t they hide it until they could get to her too?

    ~

    Cathleen lay in her makeshift bed and tried to calm her senses enough to be able to get a little sleep. It wasn’t working very well. Her mind just wouldn’t give up. Again and again she relived parts of conversations with Ruth.

    I always believed that if you look behind the clan, neutral or omni label you will see real people. And those people can cooperate for common good...’ Ruth had said this on their first meeting in Old Athen. She had always agreed with this. But now.. now that her own life was dependent on it, was she really willing to look past the label? Could she afford not to? Hadn’t Ruth also appealed to both clans, neutrals and omnis to help us? Did that mean it would be okay to work with Adam?

    ~

    A sudden flash of light from her Comm Unit indicated a message was waiting. Could it finally be Eeio getting in touch? She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but picked the Comm Unit up and read the message. It wasn’t Eeio. But another warning. This time from a completely unknown source. Kate. [ ‘He may have good intentions, but he has personal gain in there too. He approached me to try and convince you to fork it over... You watch your back. You need to get that information delivered and he's right about taking it to Eva, but I wouldn't trust him to do it, least not alone. If you need help, you know you have it. Keep safe. - Kate’]. Didn’t he tell her already that he would get something out of it too? Is he hiding something? And why is taking it to Eva the right thing? Eva. Why her? So many questions. So few answers. And she needed answers. Soon. Time was running out.

    ~
    Last edited by Loriah; Jul 25th, 2013 at 22:07:26.
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  3. #3
    ~

    The trees here were tall. Really tall. But that just meant they provided the coverage she sought so desperately. Always looking over her shoulder. Always checking to make sure she was still alone. Paranoia was ever present. And it was really starting to grate on her nerves. She could feel a change coming though. Creeping in slowly, in her mind. A choice. A choice to survive. A choice to fight.

    She rested her tired body up against a particularly thick tree trunk and closed her eyes for a moment. This life on the run was no life at all. She missed her comfy sofa at home, her fridge filled with fresh food and cold beverages. She missed meeting friendly people, without fearing if they would turn around and stab her in the back. She missed going to the bar after a good trade, to relax with a cold beer and some idle chit chat. She missed her life. But she didn’t regret anything. It was the right thing to do. It was just lucky that Malcom was offworld, at least he was safe. ‘I wonder if he has heard the news..’ She sighed deeply.

    Her Comm Unit suddenly flashed. An incoming message from Mr. Preston. [Miss Spansgaard, it's Adam. Just checking in.] He’d taken it upon himself to warn her about danger earlier. She could feel how her whole body wanted to trust him. But it was difficult.

    Cathleen picked up the Unit and hesitated for a second. The Unit made static noises as she replied. Ugh. She got up and moved out of the safety of the forest. That should help clear the signal.

    ~

    I need to close this connection down. I've been at this place for too long. It’s not safe.’ She cut the connection and went back to the tree to pick up her belongings. The information she had just learned had both shocked her and helped her. She felt how the choice and the importance of her mission were becoming clear. She needed to do something. And soon. But she also needed to convince Eeio.

    ~

    It was nice trusting someone again. To know that someone trusted her. Trusted her to do the right thing. And she was almost certain what that was now. Now if only Eeio would contact her soon. In his absence Kate had offered to fill in for him. He trusted her, so she did too. She had to.

    The latest warning had made up her mind. She was going to meet with him. With or without Eeio. She needed to know. Needed to see her would-be-friend face to face. To hear his plan. She needed answers, and she was not sure she’d have much longer to consider things.

    ~

    A storm was raging as she sat down at the table. She nervously looked around hoping that no one had seen her walk in here. What was she thinking, sitting here alone, unprotected. Had she gone completely insane?

    A lightning struck a nearby tree and she almost jumped up. Almost. Because at the same time she saw two people approaching in a hurry. A male and a female. This was it. She clasped her hands together and tried to calm her nerves, taking deep breaths.

    The woman slowed down. She was smiling. ‘Hey’ She sounded out of breath. Cathleen took a deep breath and looked up. Saw the man sit down on the bench across from her. ‘Hello’ Her voice sounded more confident that she felt. ‘It's good to see you, Loriah.’ He sounded nice. But it was a little unnerving to see him sit there, in his black suit and black helmet. ‘ You too. Both of you.’ She smiled at them.

    When she left the bench and her two new friends an hour later, she knew exactly what she wanted and needed to do. Her first priority now though was to find a new safe location. Then she would contact Eeio again, and hope he would get back to her soon. He really needed to. But her mind was made up no matter what.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  4. #4
    ~

    Waiting together? That was a nice offer. It was getting difficult to be alone so much. Always having to look over her shoulder. And maybe he was right. It would be good to have a little extra security while they were waiting for news from Eeio. At least she would be able to relax for a short amount of time. And she really needed that lately.

    This last week of her life had been a tough one. Tossed her out of her comfort zone. Into chaos. It didn’t feel like just one week. It felt like months. Like years. She was not even the same person anymore. But it had also been an interesting one, if you could look at it that way. She’d seen so much of the terra formed planet. Places she’d never heard of. Sights she would definitely go back to actually enjoy once all this was over. But she’d also met people she would never have met in her old life, people she would never have even looked at as possible friends. Hackers. Powerful Omni-Tek employees.

    The trip through the meta-water wasn’t long, but it was enough to get her pulse up. Not in the usual nervous way. This was excitement. This was the familiar sense of trying to survive an encounter, and coming out of it victorious.

    ~

    She reemerged in Gilthar’s Garden alone, just as he had said she would. Quickly pulling herself together she ran off to find her way back to Rubi-Ka, to a new hiding place. Her destination was clear. Home.

    After having checked that no one saw her enter the abandoned house, she made her way to the back and settled down in a corner. As she slid down on the floor she felt lighter than she had for a while. Less nervous. It’s good with friends. But she still wasn’t safe. No one was. Far from it. Least of all Ruth.

    He’d explained about the Obsidian Army. How Bahirae was deeply connected to them. Though that didn’t scare her as much as the latest information. ‘I hope Simon can keep her safe.’ She sighed and closed her eyes. Just a few minutes of much needed rest.

    ~

    [**You have (1) message in your communications inbox. Sender: "Officer George DeLerre"**]

    Cathleen looked at the Comm Unit for a long time, before finally deciding to read the message. Reading it couldn’t hurt at least. After having read and reread the message a few times she wasn’t sure what to do with it. Was it a ruse to get her to trust them? Did Eva really want her safe? It didn’t make much sense to her. But. This could be a way to get more information. That settled it. She picked up her Comm Unit and typed in a reply. [‘ I am willing to hear you out. I'll try to be there.’]

    A couple of hours later she approached the Guard Outpost nervously and there he was, just as the message said he would be. ‘ What can I get you?’ The chef looked a little agitated as he stood there flipping a Chirop Egg in his pan. She took a deep breath and asked for the agreed upon menu, that would let him know who she was. After she’d paid for her food, he offered to help her walk the calories off and she agreed nervously to follow him.

    When they stopped he turned to look at her. ‘I'm assuming you're you-know-who.’ Cathleen nodded slowly. ‘I guess I am.’ He continued. ’ I've been told to give you the full story from our side.

    ~

    Safehouse? That did sound nice. If it was true. It would definitely mean less worrying. Less looking over her shoulder all the time. And probably more sleep. Oh, how she missed having a good night’s sleep. Her entire body was on the verge of falling apart. She was so tired. But he didn’t trust them. So she would have to find a way to stay safe without the safehouse. At least for now.

    Cathleen had picked up his helmet, while talking him. His veil, his identity he’d called it when he gave it to her as a sign of trust during their first meeting. This was the reason that he was also hiding now, at least that’s what he had said. Yet another person in hiding because of her. Why did she have this effect on people? Why did she have to care so much? She wiped a tear from her cheek and leaned her head back against the wall closing her eyes.

    ~

    Eeio was okay. What a relief! He was much smarter than her when it came to hiding and covering up your tracks. And at not taking unnecessary risks. She almost believed that the Department of Investigation actually were looking out for her in some way, since she hadn’t been even close to capture yet. That she knew of anyway. If that was true, then she was grateful.

    After filling Eeio in on what had happened during his comm silence, Cathleen felt a little more relaxed. At least he had agreed that they were doing the right thing. He had also given her a few pointers of better hiding places, as he didn’t trust the DoI either, not in the long run anyway. And maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t need to hide that much longer. She could almost hear that hot bath and cold Plumbo Beer calling her name.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  5. #5
    ~

    I might not have much time to talk. The doc might come back any minute. Are you okay?’ Ruth sounded worried, or maybe that was just her own worry that made it sound like it. ‘I am for now. I'm doing all I can to get you help.’ She wasn’t sure how it would end up, but she so dearly hoped that she was doing the right thing. That there was help to get. However one thing was certain; it was good to hear she was still fighting.

    It was a short conversation, but one that made Cathleen even more determined to get Ruth the help she needed. Ruth was hurting. Time was running out for her. She said she feared that she would be moved away from Tir soon. That wouldn’t make it any easier to get her out. Something need to happen and soon!

    ~

    He’d shown up out of nowhere. Just as she was trying to buy some food from the local shopkeeper. Oh why did he have to notice her? She felt how her heart started racing, and how her body was fighting to flee. But she remained calm as he approached with a surprised expression on his face. Maybe she could just walk away? As normally as she could, she told the shopkeeper, that she would return later, nodded at the man and turned to walk away. He followed her! ‘Didn't expect to see you here.’ He said. Cathleen took a deep breath and turned to face him. ‘Me? I'm sorry, I don't know you.’ Maybe she could convince him she was no one. ‘Yeah. Sorry. I'm Andrew.’ She didn’t introduce herself. ‘Well..this is awkward!’ he continued, while looking around. ’You don't meet many visitors in this city?’ She smiled. ‘Uh-..no..and..I think I know who you are. May as well have it out now; I ah..work for Eva.’ Game over. She’d known it as soon as she saw him. Yet, at the mention of Eva’s name she suddenly felt very scared. Obviously he noticed, because he took a step back. ‘It is that obvious?’ She felt sick to her stomach. How could she be so careless? This wouldn’t have happened to Eeio. What would Adam say when he heard? So much disappointment, because she had been weak. Though maybe it was better this way. ‘Ah-..no. It's just really important to her that you're kept safe. So, I had some basic records. Are you-...safe?’ She had thought she was, but apparently she was mistaken.

    ~

    To her surprise he wasn’t going to force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. He even gave her a credit chip with enough credits to get that meal she so needed. As she sat there under the tree eating her dinner, he looked at her patiently. She understood that he had been asked to keep her safe; she almost hoped that he really meant it. And maybe, just maybe he could do something to help Ruth too? After all it wouldn’t hurt to have more people working in the same direction.

    ~

    This was a completely insane move. Why did she even consider it to be okay to do this? Did her own life mean that little to her lately? She wasn’t sure. But when she heard that he had made it his top priority to get Ruth the help she needed, she couldn’t refuse to hear him out. She still felt sick to her stomach though. She was betraying everyone she trusted, and everyone who trusted her. And she didn’t like that. Not at all.

    The captain came, as promised, unarmed and in plain clothes. And alone. ‘Please don't be alarmed. I'm not here to hurt you.’ He smiled as he sat down in front of her. She nodded slowly at him. ‘Please understand that I am risking more than just my career by meeting you here.’ She understood. Completely. After all she too was risking her life by doing this. ‘I came to ask you about two things. The woman called Riahan and the reason for you being on top of the most wanted list.

    She had answered his questions carefully. Not saying too much, but not telling him any direct lies either. He’d explained why he was compelled to help Riahan, explained about the vision that he and a few others had seen. She already knew it. Only one detail surprised her. A detail concerning Riahan.

    When she left Home for probably the last time in a long while, she hoped she had achieved at least a little bit. She genuinely wished that they would stick to their word, and try to find a way to help Ruth. And she would do what she could to find out where she was being held. The importance of this was clear now. By helping Ruth when she doesn’t think she can get help - it could turn out to be a game changer.

    ~

    Paranoia. Everywhere. Why does everyone seem to mistrust everyone else? If she really thought about it, she probably understood. But why did they have to make the lives of each other so difficult? Make her life even more difficult than it already was? The message she just received had rattled her confidence. In her actions. In herself. If people would just show a little trust in each other, then maybe it would be easier to actually make a difference. That’s what she would do. Trust. And she would try to make them trust too. She just hoped that the captain would manage the situation. She wasn’t ready to have more destinies on her conscience.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  6. #6
    ~

    You have friends who want to help, you need to know that.’ She did. If only she would trust her on it. ‘I do?’ Riahan sounded surprised, and confused. ‘That's... unexpected.’ Cathleen smiled a little. She knew she would be surprised. She just hoped that it would give her hope too. Hope and make her fight harder to stay safe. To stay alive. ‘I know. I felt the same, but.. people care about what happens to you.

    ~

    The campfire was flickering in the evening light. All she heard around her was the sound of the flames licking up against the firewood, the wind in the abandoned tents and that of the native wildlife in the nearby area. Cathleen looked at the short message she’d just received and sighed. Another sweep of Old Athen by Omni-AF to find her and Eeio. She hated that innocent people would have to be affected by this because of her. But there wasn’t really anything she could do about it. It didn’t take long before she heard two people approaching. Even though she knew they were coming she couldn’t help but be nervous. She always was these days. But it was important. Ruth needed help, and maybe the woman would be willing and able to assist with it. He’d said she would.

    ~

    That was a close call! The spy camera that was in the area had alerted Omni-AF to come investigate the camp they were at. She was thankful for the warning though. And her emergency escape beacon. It had surely saved her life. This time. They were getting close, too close. Hopefully the others would be okay too.

    The captain did seem to look out for her though. What a strange world this had turned out to be lately. It was nice though, feeling cared about – and not just being hunted down by everyone.

    ~

    Again with the warnings?! Trust no one, no one to trust. Things were so complicated in her life lately. Too complicated really. She wouldn’t even care if things returned to normal, not that she could even remember what normal was lately, as long as they would calm down. Were her friends still okay? Was she even still okay? She didn’t actually know anymore.

    ~

    So why're you hiding in dark alleys? And have the hunted look all over you?’ She’d been listening closely to this girl, while she was talking. Maybe she could be of help as well, in some way. At least she didn’t seem to like Bahirae or Silverstone. And she was clan. But she did seem to have an obsession with the Dust Brigades.. Ugh, so much violence. Cathleen bit her lip nervously while thinking. ‘.. Because.. I am.

    It was remarkably difficult to talk about things. She didn’t want more people risking their life because of her, but that didn’t seem to concern the girl much. Maybe she’d be useful. Later.

    ~

    Did that make three raids on Old Athen now? The Omni-AF seemed to have increased their effort in getting to her. And to Eeio. Eeio. She’d almost forgotten to worry about him lately. So many things had happened since she saw him last. But he was okay. Or she’d definitely have heard something by now. As she sat down and leaned against the rock she found her newly acquired disposable Comm Unit and started searching for news about the raids on Old Athen. Did anyone she know get hurt? She was worried. Very worried.

    She’d entered the city a little earlier, just as the OTAF soldiers had started their sweep. An old friend had made sure she was kept away from them though. But. Cathleen didn’t understand why she had suggested her hiding in that Sentinel Outpost. A Sentinel Outpost!? It’s not exactly the safest place for her right now. She’d left quickly, when she discovered the planned destination. And now, here she was. Granted sanctuary by the redeemed once more.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  7. #7
    ~

    Trapped. The man in the backroom flashed a wicked grin as he pointed his rifle at her. She felt how the blood left her head at the realization of what was happening. ‘Oh no!’ Her face went pale. ‘Hands behind your back. ’ He said and nodded to the other person in the room, who took out a pair of handcuffs. ‘You can't do this. Please! ’ Cathleen’s heart beat very fast, making her dizzy. Why were they doing this to her? Why now? ‘You are under arrest. ’ He continued, still flashing that wicked grin. She took a deep breath. She needed to stall him. Get out of here. But. She couldn’t just run, he’d shoot her. She was sure of it. ‘Under who's authority? ’ She said struggling to keep her voice calm. He looked at her and without hesitation answered her question. She’d already guessed it. She’d seen him before. ‘Omni-Pols. ’ Before putting her hands behind her back as instructed, she quickly tapped her Comm Unit a few times. Sending out a call for help. She could only hope it would be enough.

    ~

    Wow. People had really turned up in numbers. Even people she didn’t ask for help. It warmed Cathleen’s heart, made her feel a little less alone in the world. Just for a moment at least. And he was really on her side too. He was. She felt a little bad for this man, who’d seen it as necessary to lure her into this trap to get to talk to her. He was in as bad a position as she was when it all came to it. But she hoped she had gotten through to him, made him understand that Ruth was the important key. Not her.

    He’d made his conditions for her release clear, and she’d agreed to them. She had to. She didn’t really want to die. Not like this. Outside the apartment the crowd was much smaller than she’d expected, but she did see a familiar face among the new ones. She really just wanted to get away from this place, and fast.

    A girl came up to her, giggling. Her eyes wide with enthusiasm. ‘Ohhhh I know you! You’re on all the pictures! Can I get an autograph? ’ She spoke fast and eagerly. Cathleen looked at her tiredly. ‘Umm.. No. ’ She wasn’t some famous person who gave autographs. She looked over at Kate, with a look pleading for help. ‘Probably should catch her when she has a pen handy.. maybe next time little miss. ’ Kate said winking to Cathleen. ‘Yeah, I just... want to get out of here. ’ Out of here, away from here. Far, far away. She’d already had enough excitement for one lifetime. That didn’t seem to bother the girl. Next thing Cathleen felt was a knife at her neck. ‘Thats ok! I can use this’ The girl pulled her close and started to drag her away from the others, who protested loudly trying to make the girl let her go. To her surprise the girl whispered to her while dragging her towards the Junkyard. ‘When I say go run for the exit. Head to the western island in Old Athens. Go! ’ Cathleen didn’t even consider it twice. She ran. As fast as she could. Out of Newland. But she couldn’t make herself go to Athen. No way. She’d been tricked enough. No more.

    ~

    She was never going to be so careless again. Never ever again. From now on she would just keep to herself and not talk to anyone! Cathleen sighed deeply. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to do that. There were still things that needed to be done. But she had learned her lesson. Trust is dangerous in her current situation. Trust should not be given lightly. The plan now was clear to her though. Lay low. But keep in touch with the few people she did trust.

    ~

    She was so tired lately. It was bad enough to have to move around all the time looking over her shoulder. But people were pulling at her from all directions now too. No, she wouldn’t trust anyone. She couldn’t afford that. All these messages were getting to her. She could hardly even think straight now.

    The shade who had let her go that day in Newland. Trying to lure her out. She wasn’t going to fall for that! To be honest, she scared her. Cathleen had been told that she was stabbing people to get information about her. So much violence. No she would definitely not like to meet her again.

    A cryptic message from an apparent friend who left supplies in Borealis. No one she knew would do such a thing. Most definitely another trap. No, she was not going to fall for that one. No more trust.

    Another curious message by a fellow clanner, who wanted to meet. Maybe. Time will tell. But not now. She didn’t dare take that risk. Not now.

    She’d completely lost it when she received the message from Geers. Accusing her of stealing evidence. What? She wasn’t a petty thief! She only did was Ruth had asked her to do. It wasn’t her fault. And she was most definitely not going to listen to these rude accusations. It was difficult enough as it was.

    The news she didn’t get worried her though. Nothing from Adam. From Eeio. From Ruth.

    However it wasn’t all bad news. She was still alive. The captain was okay. Friends were looking for Ruth.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  8. #8
    ~

    Are you okay?’ Cathleen was worried. Very worried. The news about the Riot Specialist in Omni-Entertainment shooting at Omni-Tek employees if they didn’t pass inspection was bad news. Possibly catastrophic news. He was okay though. That was a relief. ‘We have to end this, Loriah. We need to do it soon.’ He was absolutely right. It needed to end. But what could she really do? It was not something she had immediate control over at this moment. She sighed deeply. ‘Andrew, I'll talk to my friend.’ That was more or less all she could do at this point.

    ~

    The bag with fresh supplies was a delightful surprise. But it didn’t change the fact that Cathleen was tired. So incredibly tired. She couldn’t even remember when she last had actually slept more than just a few hours. It was taking its toll on her. Physically and mentally. Why hadn’t she heard from Adam yet? Were they right? Didn’t he really care? Why did she have to be so weak? And what about Ruth? And Eeio? Was he still okay? So many worries. So much time to worry. ‘I haven't heard from my friend.’ Her eyes started to tear up and she sighed deeply. She was overwhelmed by all the misery, the nerves, the lack of sleep. She couldn’t even pretend to be strong anymore. Broken. She sobbed silently. ‘I.. I.. can't do this much longer. I'm falling apart here. And I'm taking all the risks.. while.. he .. is safe.. It’s not fair...’ It was difficult to speak. ‘...we can still...you know. Eva can keep you safe. If you want. It wouldn't be giving up.’ He held her hand and looked gently at her. Giving up. She felt like giving up. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea. It wasn’t like she could do anything right anyway. What would it matter? She sighed. ‘But it feels like it.. It feels like I'm failing.. I'm so tired I can hardly even think straight anymore. I can't do anything to help Ruth. I can't even seem to do the right thing anymore.. or at all..

    ~

    They had moved Ruth. And worse, someone had tried to kill her. But she was okay. At least she gave her something to go on this time. Something to search for. And Cathleen trusted them all to do what they could to find Ruth. She had to. She couldn’t exactly go look for her on her own.

    ~

    He had walked up to her silently, as she sat against the rock formation resting. This was usually a very quiet place. The redeemed had kept her safe and away from threats here until now. ‘Enjoying the view?’ He said directed at her. She smiled nervously at him. It was always wreaking havoc on her nerves when she was approached lately. She never knew if they were friendly or not. ‘Yes.. sure.. Lovely place this.’ He nodded. ‘Spent a bit of time here myself.’ Cathleen smiled a little. ‘I come here to rest mostly. I don't know.. but it feels safe here.’ He rested his rifle against the rock. ‘It's safe. I'm not really going for "safe", though.

    You're the one they're looking for, aren't you?’ Joshua Kahn said. Cathleen bit her lip nervously and nodded slowly. ‘Typical…’ He laughed quietly to himself. Why was that typical? ‘Have you ever been looking for something you lost? And instead of finding it, you find something else that was lost?

    Why she told him, she didn’t really know. Maybe it was the way he talked about Ruth? Maybe it was because he didn’t expect her to trust him. Maybe she just didn’t think? But she did tell him what she knew. And he hurried off to start his search.

    ~

    ‘Oh my god.. what have I done?!’ Cathleen’s heart beat so fast that she almost fainted. Had she really risked Ruth’s life? This was bad. Very bad. And the news about Adam was horrifying. So many wrong decisions. She had trusted him with her life. With Ruth’s life. Everyone’s life. Did he really do all those things that she was told? And if so, why? A part of her still trusted him. She needed to. He knew what was at stake. No one could really want the future that was envisioned. He wouldn’t sacrifice everything. Everyone. Her, maybe. But not the entire planet. Cathleen felt how her confidence vanished slowly. She couldn’t do anything right. She might as well just run away. For good. Cher was right. She was too trusting, and that had made everything worse. Why hadn’t Ruth just given the device to Eeio? He would have been so much more capable at helping her, and not make all the stupid mistakes she did? All she could do was mess things up.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  9. #9
    ~

    Okay, so it wasn’t the end of the world to have talked to Joshua Kahn. He seemed to be alright after all. That piece of news made Cathleen feel a little relieved. Gave her a little hope back. She’d also remembered that Ruth counted on her, so she couldn’t afford to just give up. There had to be something she could do. She’d continue to message Adam. Maybe, just maybe he’d actually get back to her. She really hoped he would. So she could explain. So she could ask.

    ~

    As soon as she stepped into the ICC square, she pulled her hood up to hide her face. She walked fast towards the entrance to the Sunrise Station. Once inside she would be relatively safe again. Before entering she looked around to make sure she hadn’t been noticed. Phew. It seems she made it. This time.

    It smelled great! A warm meal. Her first real warm meal in ages. This was however the only positive thing about the meeting here. He looked terrible. Worried sick. He explained everything as he saw it now. Why Eva hadn’t received the evidence yet. Why Bahirae hadn’t gotten it either. All the things Adam had done to secure his own position, always in his own interest. It was difficult to listen to his story. It hurt. Not only her, but she could see how much it affected him too. She hated to see people in agony. It did something to her. Especially when she had no clue how to make them feel better.

    I will try to talk to him again. I can only hope that he will actually respond to me though. Only hope that my friendship means something to him, as his has to me.’ She wasn’t sure that would even work. Adam hadn’t responded to her messages in weeks. But she was not willing to give up trying. Not now.

    ~

    Cathleen woke up instantly at the sound of her Comm beeping. She instinctively looked around her, to check if she was still alone. Of course she was. Only once had she seen another person here, and from what she had been told, there was a very good reason for him to be in this place. She sat up and leaned against the rock, brushing leaves out of her hair. That clean feeling from the bath yesterday was already long gone. The Comm beeped again. It was a notification that a mail was waiting for her. Curious. She didn’t expect any mails. Maybe it was Eeio getting in touch? Or Adam? No. They wouldn’t. Not like that.

    ~

    [‘Ω’]

    Confused. What could it mean? Why did he do that? Had something gone wrong? Cathleen sat there for a while looking at the cryptic message with the attached item resting in her hands. It did solve some of her worries. But also meant other worries now appeared. Was he okay? Had something he didn’t anticipate happened? She sighed deeply, and tapped her Comm Unit. All she got in return was static. Oh no!

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  10. #10
    ~

    Cathleen turned the device over in her hands slowly while talking. This was her responsibility now. Again. She needed to make sure that it got into the right hands. But she also needed to make sure that she wasn’t just left to fend for herself after she’d done that. That Ruth would still get the help she so desperately needed. It was very difficult. It hadn’t gone as she was promised the last time she was in this situation. How could she be sure it would be done this time? Even though she trusted him. He’d already proved to her that she could. It was still difficult.

    This is really difficult for me. I'm so scared that it will be the same all over again. And.. I'm not sure I can handle that.’ She looked at him, hoping that he would understand. ‘It's not easy for any of us, but at least I have been trained for such things. A lot has been thrust on you these past weeks and months.’ Had it really only been weeks and months? She sighed. ‘It feels like years.

    She knew he was going to do the right thing. And he promised not to leave her hanging. That would have to be enough. She trusted him. All she could do now was hope that that trust was not going to backfire.

    ~

    What? He's alive? That's great news!’ Ruth sounded almost happy at the news about Joshua Kahn. ‘He looked very much so, yes. He is looking for you too.’ And not in a bad way either. He was there to help, or so she’d been told. ‘Ok, he should know what to do with the doll.’ Ruth said. That was good, this meant there was hope! And Ruth would try to get the trackers twin working, since it seemed it had been disabled. Cathleen hoped she would manage, and not hurt herself too much in the process. And fast.

    ~

    [‘…Kahn will probably be a good bet for finding her location. I hope all is well. -Cathleen.’]

    As she ended the message she hoped that it would help make them trust each other a little more. That she had decided to keep her promise to him. She fully believed that the more people working in the same direction, towards the same goal, the better. And she would do what she could to make sure that they had the details they needed. They were all in the same boat here. Even if some of them still didn’t want to believe it.

    It was a little strange, that he didn’t seem to make the connection. That Townsend had the same source as he did. That some of the information he had been told, in reality came from her. But through the very people he didn’t want to trust. Maybe she should tell him. Maybe it was better this way.

    ~

    She’d agree to see her. Cathleen was worried though, would it be safe? Not as much for herself, as for the Director. But she trusted him to not have asked, if he didn’t think it was safe.

    After having seen Cher input her blood sample into the terminal, she did it too and a moment later she was pulled away from the backroom, only to reemerge in what looked like an office. In front of her she saw 3 people; Cher, Andrew and a tall smiling woman she’d only ever heard about. Director Eva Pourais. ‘Welcome.’ The Director said. Cathleen’s heart beat fast. She wasn’t even sure why, but she was terribly nervous. How Cher managed not to be, or at least not show it, was beyond her. ‘Thank you.’ She managed to say this without her voice breaking. That was at least something.

    Cathleen pulled herself together and said what she came to say, to thank Eva. For wanting to help Ruth. And herself. She was quite sure that had it not been for them, then she would probably have been dead already. ‘I understand you have been through a lot.’ The director said. A lot. That was an understatement. She sighed and nodded. ‘And it’s not over yet I fear.’ She didn’t expect it to be over any time soon. But this was a step in the right direction hopefully. ‘No... it is not. But it may be easier for you. Eva continued. Cathleen could only hope that was true. She shrugged. ‘This may help...’ Eva returned to her desk and connected the Communication device to the console. After she input a few commands she disconnected the device again and walked back to the rest of them. ‘The reason for Mister Humbold's death will soon be known throughout the galaxy. And Ruth Montezuma's testimonial will add further credibility to the reports of a conspiracy within Omni-Tek.’ Cathleen sighed silently. She really hoped it would help. But they needed to get Ruth to safety too. Not just her story.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  11. #11
    ~

    Her comm unit suddenly made a static sound, taking her by surprise. A message was coming through, whether she wanted it to or not.

    [‘Ah, there you are! A clever hiding place Ms.Spansgaard, i'll be seeing you soon. – Geers’]

    She looked around her, checking every angle for possible threats. Had she really been seen? Was Geers just waiting for the right moment to strike? And.. what did she want? Hadn’t she been told to work with Townsend? To leave her alone? Cathleen bit her lip nervously. If only things could change soon.

    ~

    The news was out! The OTPC had released the evidence for all to see. For all to read. And a freelance article too, mentioning her and Eeio. Maybe that would help take some of the pressure off them. Only time would tell. But Cathleen knew she was still not in the clear, not at all. And she dearly hoped that the source couldn’t be traced. For either of the articles. That would be bad, very very bad.

    ~

    It is too obvious. This is good.' He chuckled. It was? How could it be good that the OTPC had been closed? If she really thought it through, then it was a bit obvious that it was closed right after accusing Bahirae of treason. Hopefully the readers would see this too.

    AHAH!’ A girly voice made her look up, and she saw a shade come rushing at her, not armed with knives, but with a huge grin and a notebook. Cathleen knew exactly who it was, what this shade had done. But for some reason she wasn’t even scared. Maybe it was because she was not alone. ‘Autograph please!’ The shade grinned. Cathleen sighed. Again with the autographs? She wasn’t some big shot, some celebrity. She was no one. And she really just wanted to be left alone. But if it would get the shade off her back, then what could it hurt? She took the notebook and pen from the shade and quickly scribbled her name on a blank page, then returned it. The girl smiled in awe and put the book in her pack. But no, it was not going to be that easy. Next she knew the girl had leapt into her lap, and she refused to move.

    The girl seemed to like dolls. Maybe that would be a way out? ‘Please just let go and I can give you my doll. You'll like it.’ Cathleen patted the girl on the head softly. But she didn’t. She cuddled into her lap and clung to her even more. ‘You'll run away again!’ Cathleen sighed. ‘But Marreldo, thats not because of you. I need to be moving, or people will make me be away forever. And that is a very long time.’ It wasn’t even a ruse. The girl would be in terrible danger if she was with her. She wouldn’t do that to anyone, and certainly not someone as young as this girl.

    New tactic. Maybe the girl would help her? She found her wedding ring and showed it to them both, explaining that the bad men shouldn’t get their hands on it. That it meant a lot to her, that it was kept safe. It did. But she was getting desperate. ‘Can't he look after it!’ Marreldo looked at Andrew. Cathleen shook her head. ‘He can't. He is.. one of them.’ She looked at him and smirked. Hopefully he’d play along. He did.

    ~

    Telling her story. Getting the word out. She knew it was important. And it did need to come from more than one source. He was absolutely right about that. But an interview? That was almost as bad as that autograph. But just as she’d done that, she would do this too. She had to.
    She answered the questions as well as she could. Taking time to think before answering. It was nice to tell the story, but it was also difficult. She knew that it would be dangerous. But it needed to be done. People needed to know.

    ~

    It was a strange feeling sitting here talking to this man, who the last time they met had held her at gunpoint. She didn’t feel scared though. He could be trusted, she’d realized that. And he wanted to help Ruth too. ‘May I ask, have you known Ruth for a long time?’He looked at her smiling a little. ‘Actually, I haven't..’ Cathleen looked at him. He raised an eyebrow at this piece of information and grinned. ‘Oh? How come you are the one working closest to her then?’ That was actually a very good question. Why was it that Ruth trusted her to do the right thing? She didn’t even really know her. Maybe it was because she had offered to help, without asking for anything in return? Maybe she was just the first clanner she came in contact with? Maybe she was just desperate.

    ~
    Last edited by Loriah; Aug 28th, 2013 at 15:50:54.
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  12. #12

    Adam

    ~

    Left the planet? Without a word? Cathleen sighed. But at least it meant Adam wasn’t permadead. That was something. She didn’t have to keep worrying about him either. He could definitely take care of himself. She knew that much. That message he sent in the mail though. What was all that about? It must mean something? As she sat there leaning up against the rock, her hand on the helmet he’d given her as a sign of trust during their first meeting, her thoughts were flying through all she’d heard about him. All she knew about him. When it came to it, she didn’t really know him. Not at all. But why had she trusted him then? There must have been something good in him. There had to be.

    She looked down at the helmet and turned it around in her hands so she could see inside it. What was that? There seemed to be a small HUD display inside it. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? Slowly she opened the claps on the sides and tried the helmet on. The HUD display sprang to life as soon as she closed the clasps again.

    [‘Enter Identification Code’]

    Code? Of course. Nothing in this world was ever easy. How could she even begin to guess what kind of code he would use? She sighed. Just as she was about to open the clasps again to remove the helmet a thought struck her. Omega. And as soon as she had thought the word, the display changed.

    [‘Code accepted.’]

    The display changed again, revealing a few different categories. Work. Personal. Archive. Interesting. He hadn’t lied when he said it was his identity. This contained a lot of information about him. His personal logs. His dreams. His deeds. Even a few logs about his new work. Interesting indeed.

    When Cathleen removed the helmet again, she was confused. He had really intended to keep his promise. He hadn’t lied at all. He just.. hadn’t told her what he really wanted for himself. And she could easily imagine why. She also kind of understood why he had tried it. The knowledge he sought would be difficult to find in a single lifetime. But she didn’t like that he had put other people in danger to keep her safe. Omni-Pol. Townsend. His ways had been filled with much deception, but she felt she knew him better than ever now. Understood his motivation. His drive.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  13. #13
    ~

    Cathleen looked absentmindedly at the scenery in front of her. The trees swaying gently in the wind, the stream flowing quietly. This was a strange, yet nice feeling. Sitting there knowing that she had friends. Friends that would do what they could to help Ruth. It was also strange to know, that the news was out, she really hoped that people would understand what it really meant. It was a little bit scary though that Bahirae had apparently closed down the OTPC, and replaced it with her own news service. That meant it would be difficult to get the word out to more people. At least the IRRK was still operational.

    She got pulled out of her daze by her Comm Unit beeping. It was Ruth. Cathleen filled her in as well as she could. It was the least she could do for her. But there were also things she needed to know now, to be able to help her. ‘Umm.. How is it going with that beacon of yours?’ Ruth answered quickly. ‘Oh, the beacon should be working now. The signal may be very weak, but Joshua should manage.’ That was very good news! Cathleen smiled to herself. ‘I hope so. I'll try to make sure he knows then.

    After she’s closed the connection to Ruth down, she immediately sent off a message to two allies. One who needed to know that Ruth trusted him. Another who could possibly help get the word to Joshua. She hoped that would be enough.

    ~

    This stranger had started to message her again. It had been a while since he did that last. It was a little concerning though, what did he want now? Last they’d talked briefly he’d talked about New Dawn and their movements, wanting to contact Ruth. But was that just a ruse? She didn’t know.

    ~

    Cher brought a pack full of much needed supplies, and other nice things. It made Cathleen feel good. And she did feel good right now, better than she had for weeks. Not as tired as she had been, or at least she was able to handle it better lately. It was almost like her body had gotten used to the lack of regular sleep and food. To being outside so much. To being alert and on edge all the time. But she also knew what it meant to Cher. That helped too. It was very nice to be able to sit here listening to her story, and not just listen to her own thoughts running in circles.

    Cher was visibly touched by the story she was telling, and Cathleen easily understood why. It was a tragic story. But she wasn’t sorry that she had asked her to tell it. Telling a story as tragic as that is important. Part of recovering. But she was a strong woman. She’d survive. She’d been through tragedy before, and managed to move on. Cathleen was sure she’d manage it again. And she hoped that she could do something to help her too. If nothing else then just listen.

    It was worrisome that neither of them had heard from Kahn though. They, more so Cher than her, had to find him. He needed to know about Ruth’s beacon, and get the delivery.

    ~

    There will be fewer guards on Saturday evening. Around 20:00 or so... I was hoping to tell Joshua that but I haven't been able to contact him.’ Was that a little bit of hope she could hear in Ruth’s voice? It was definitely what they needed right now. And she would do what she could to make contact to Joshua, she’d even try something she’d never done before, and she wasn’t sure it would work either. But Ruth was right, maybe it would be easier if more people were trying to contact him. ‘Okay, I'll get the word out Ruth! I promise.

    As soon as Ruth had disconnected on her end, Cathleen sent off a message to Joshua Kahn.

    ['Hello Joshua. I have some important news for you regarding Ruth. Its important that you hear it, she thinks there will be an opportunity very soon to help her. Please, she needs your help. -Cathleen']

    But she wouldn't rely on that one message. He might not see it in time. So she set off and ran for the Shadowlands. For Adonis, since she had heard that Joshua was known to the Sipius there.

    Cathleen entered Gilthar's Sanctuary just as she had multiple times in the past month, but this time not on a mission to find safety for herself. She walked up to Sipius Gil Cama-Bela and bowed her head in respect.

    'Sipius, I want to thank you for keeping me safe from my pursuers here. I have long relied on your help, and hope that I can repay that in the future. But right now I need to ask for your help in a different matter. A friend of mine is in dire need of help. Help from a common acquaintance of ours, Joshua Kahn, and it is imperative that he gets the message that I have for him. I have tried to contact him, and so have more of my friends, but to no avail. If you have some way to contact him, I would be eternally grateful.'

    The next thing Cathleen did was send the news out to Ruth’s allies. They needed to know. To prepare. It was better to be prepared, and hope that Joshua would contact them before it was too late. He had to!

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  14. #14
    ~

    As Cathleen stepped into the outpost she looked around to find a good place to wait. The tents here could easily provide what she was looking for, cover and shade while waiting for her visitor. She didn’t have to wait long before she saw the girl come walking towards her, she smiled. Cathleen wondered what she wanted though. ‘Girl stuff’ could be anything really. When the girl came close her expression changed, she quickly cast a nano program at the other new arrival, transforming him into a leet, and pulled out her guns pointing them at him. It was obvious the girl didn’t expect to see him here. Cathleen looked at Alyssa. ‘Hey hey! No need to bring those out’. The girl looked back at her, her attention still on the leet. ‘No...Need?’ Cathleen smiled. There was no need. He was there because she’d asked him to be.

    I wanted to see you, as I suspected you have people helping you. And I need some help as well. I have a very bad feeling with the Sentinels and I believe they're turning into a dictator Clan’ Alyssa looked very serious. ‘And I need to expose them. But in order to do so I need some distraction. At least in TIR city.’ The Sentinels turning into a dictator clan, hadn’t they always been? Rash? Violent? Vindictive? Unwilling to listen to reason? Didn’t people already know this about them? Under all circumstances there wasn’t much she could do to help, and the people helping her was really not helping her, but helping Ruth. And currently that had priority, top priority. Cathleen explained the rumors she’d heard about Bahiare’s connection to the Sentinels, and why it was important to get Ruth to safety. Maybe Alyssa would see reason and want to help save her. The more people on their side, the better. She wasn’t sure Alyssa understood the importance though. ‘I think personally, that we can probably use all the help we can get to help set Ruth free.. And someone..’ Cathleen looked pointedly at Andrew ‘doesn't want me to help with it..’ She did understand why, and she almost agreed with it too. It was just difficult.

    ~

    Joshua, there are a lot of people who is willing to help get her free. They're all relying on your guidance to find her.’ She’d been so worried that he wouldn’t get Ruth’s message in time. That the opportunity would pass before they could do something to help her. But he seemed to have a plan, and Cathleen would pass the word along to the people she knew wanted to help. That was all she could do now. And then she’d wait.

    ~

    Perhaps. Is this Kahn’s idea?’ Cathleen felt her stomach turn, she didn’t really want to put people in danger. And a distraction in Tir was a dangerous task, but it could prove to be helpful in getting Ruth free. They were a good group of officers though, they’d managed a lot in the past, so maybe they could do this too, without too much trouble. ‘He said it would be good not to draw attention to where we're headed. Alyssa suggested something along those lines earlier, Kate too, and I think it's a pretty good plan.’ She’d ask at least, but she wasn’t sure he’d listen. They’d have to accept his answer though. It wasn’t something she would press for, she trusted him to know what the right thing was for him and his group.

    ~

    It was nice hearing Kate’s voice again. Cathleen felt a little bad for not managing to keep in touch with her as much as she wanted to. But these were difficult times for all of them, and she was sure Kate understood.

    Have you heard from Eeio?’ He had been working with her before, so Cathleen hoped that maybe she’d heard something. She didn’t like that he’d been silent for so long. ‘Not a peep. He's gone long undergrid so far as I can tell. None of the fixers that work with me have seen him at the Smokers Lounge either.’ He had to be okay. She needed him to be. But when it came to it, there wasn’t much she could do for him if he wasn’t. ‘You aware of the shenanigans coming down the pike tomorrow?’ She definitely was. And she still wasn’t happy that she wouldn’t be there for it. But after all, they were right. It wouldn’t really be safe or a good plan to risk both her life and theirs.

    ~

    The stranger had kept up his efforts in contacting her. It sounded important though, maybe she should risk meeting with him? But none of them had even heard about him, which could mean two things really – either he was up to no good, or he was really good at keeping a low profile. Cathleen didn’t like that he tried to lure her to the broken down bar in Hope either. That place was not a place for her. She’d learned the hard way that meeting with people at their chosen location could potentially be a bad decision. And with the rescue mission coming ever closer, she didn’t want to risk too much.

    ~

    Cathleen sat on one of the bunks in the room the Knight had led her to. They had been very welcoming, even before she mentioned Kahn’s name to them. Her thoughts were with the people assembled in ICC, with Kahn, with Ruth. They were taking a huge risk to set Ruth free, and all she could do was sit here and wait for news about the rescue mission. It was difficult, but Cathleen knew that this was the right thing to do. That if things went wrong, she would still be able to continue to fight.

    A beep from her Comm brought her back to Camelot, to the small room she was currently sitting in. It was a recording from the stranger from earlier.

    [<begin transmission> Cathleen, I apologize for contacting you under such conditions, and not being able to disclose information to your friend, but I am under duress. I must speak with you in person. I know that there is no reason for you to trust me but there is something that I must personally hand to you. I have taken refuge at the Rising Sun, in the company of Dodga Demercel. When you are ready, please come find me. I shall be here until then. <end transmission>]

    She sighed. It was difficult to just trust someone new, but for some reason she had a feeling that it was important to meet with this stranger, to see if he was an ally or an enemy. But not until she knew that Ruth was safe. Until then she couldn’t risk him being an enemy.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  15. #15
    ~

    We found her.

    Ruth is outside. We got her. Heading to Camelot.

    The messages brought Cathleen to her feet. She felt lightheaded. They had really done it. Ruth was out safely, freshly insured and on her way here. She set off, almost running. This was the best news she’d had in months, and she was eager to see Ruth for herself. See that she was still alive. It wasn’t really real until she’d seen her with her own two eyes.

    In the dining room she met a familiar face. Alyssa. She’d apparently been convinced enough to help Ruth. Cathleen smiled at the thought of that. People did care. But she indicated that some of the people, who had helped Ruth today, might not be people Cathleen wanted to meet. ‘Two boys from Armed Forces. Are we on the same side with them?’ Cathleen sighed. That did sound a little bit strange. But if they had helped Ruth today, then shouldn’t they at least have the same goal? It would be safe enough when the rest of them arrived, she was sure of that. But until then she’d be careful, so she left Alyssa and went to wait at the Knights’ Table. She didn’t have to wait long though. Shortly after settling down next to a column she received word that they were in the main hall by the Galahad statue. She pushed herself up from the ground and headed down the stairs.

    Ushered into the small room at the end of the hallway Cathleen felt her heart jump nervously. She walked in slowly smiling as she saw friends and strangers stand and sit around the room. She heard Ruth’s voice, but didn’t really recognize the woman it came from, she looked very different from the last time she saw her. But it didn’t matter. Not now. Ruth turned to look at her. ‘Loriah!’ She got up from the bunk and walked over to Cathleen and hugged her. Cathleen smiled warmly and hugged her back tightly. ‘Ruth! So good to see you safe!’ She felt better than she had in months. Seeing Ruth here, alive and among allies. It looked better already. But she did realize that neither of them were really safe yet. And it might still take some time before that could happen, if it would happen at all. However right now was not a time to think negative thoughts, right now she would just be happy about the progress they’ve made. Happy that Ruth’s situation had changed for the better. She sat down on one of the empty bunks, and listened to the conversations going on. Andrew followed and sat down next to her.

    Whatever the motives, you've saved my life today. You all did, especially the gentleman there.’ Ruth nodded at Andrew. Cathleen turned to look at him. Why did Ruth say that? Did something happen? ‘Oh?’ She bit her lip nervously. Did she actually want to know? He smiled gently to Ruth and dipped his head. ‘There was another assassin today. She had the face of Bahirae Serugiusu...’ Nope, she really didn’t want to know that. That was the second attempt on her life while in Sentinel custody. Good thing that they made it there in time. ‘Also, she said something interesting before she attacked me... She said something like "I know your friends are coming to rescue you but they will be too late to save you"’ Ruth looked concerned. And with good reason, how would they know a rescue operation was taking place right then and there, if not for someone to have told on them?

    The next few hours or so a lot of topics were covered. Mostly concerning Bahiare, the Sentinels and trying to find common ground in this conflict; one that goes beyond faction. Omni, neutral, clan. It didn’t really matter right now.

    ~

    She was waiting in the library, sitting on the floor with her back against one of the bookcases. She looked tired. But that was understandable. When it came to it Cathleen was too, very tired. But the rush of seeing Ruth here, alive and relatively safe, was still running through her veins. And they had things to discuss, or at least fill Ruth in on. Plans about getting the message out to the corporate galatic space now that Bahirae was in control of all communications satellites. It seemed that he and Cher had been talking about this for a while. It was all news to her though. But it seemed like some good ideas, she only hoped that somehow they’d manage.

    When Andrew had left Ruth looked at Cathleen, her features filled with worry. ‘I'm worried we may have a rat. Someone reporting to Bahirae.’ Cathleen sighed. It did sound like a possibility. And that could be very bad. ‘Between the people we saw today? Ruth shrugged. ‘Maybe. Someone who knew about the attempt today. The assassin seemed to know.’ She sighed. ‘But I don't know... Maybe I'm just paranoid’ Paranoia was a common feeling lately. But it was su****ious that someone on the inside knew about the rescue attempt. Very su****ious. Cathleen bit her lip nervously. She really hoped that it wasn’t her that had done something wrong again.. it wouldn’t have been the first time that she had messed up during this. ‘hmm.. I hope it wasn't something I did.. I've been a terrible judge of character lately..’ Though she didn’t want to think that she could have done something to cause this, it was a very distinct possibility.

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  16. #16
    ~

    This could be very bad, Cathleen... Why are you doing this!?’ The question was to herself, and she didn’t really have a good answer, other than it felt important. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and walked towards the center of the outpost, where she knew he was waiting. And sure enough there he was. She smiled nervously at him. ‘Hello? You wanted to talk to me?’ He returned her smile, a warm and friendly expression on his face. ‘Hello. Please, come take a walk with me.’ The fixer motioned for Cathleen to follow him. Her heart beat faster. She’d been in a similar situation before, and that was not one she wanted to experience again. When he stopped in a secluded corner of the outpost and turned to look at her he smiled warmly. ‘It is good to finally meet you in person. Thank you for coming.’ Cathleen tried to relax and returned his smile. ‘It wasn't an easy decision to make.. But I'm here now.

    She hadn’t needed to worry so much about him, for not trusting his intensions. He was most definitely on her side, on their side. And he was there representing more people, who would call themselves allies.

    Let me get straight to it then, since time is of the essence and your safety is still at stake. Are you familiar with KI?’ She wasn’t really, as she rarely dealt with companies in her work, mostly private contractors. Well she used to, back when she was actually able to do her job. She briefly wondered if she’d even have clients to return to when all this was over. He explained about ‘Kinetic Industries’ and their line of work, it did sound a bit familiar to her after all. He looked at her with concern in his eyes. ‘What I am about to say might seem somewhat technical, so please bear with me and listen closely.’ Cathleen nodded. She’d try her best to keep up.

    The sensitive information package he handed her could very well be an important piece of the puzzle in the fight against Bahirae and the Riot Specialists. He had even suggested that it could be useful to a number of people and that she could use it as leverage to get out of a sticky situation. She was not quite sure she understood all the technicalities of the information, but Cathleen would do her best to make sure that it got to people, who could be trusted with its secrets, and make good use of it. Who that was, she wasn’t quite sure of yet. But she’d find out.

    Do you have any questions?’ She nodded. ‘Just one.. Can I contact you again, if I need to?’ She had a feeling she might. ‘After this, I will need to go underground for some time. But if you wish, you may send a transmission. But I cannot guarantee a response.’ Cathleen understood perfectly, men in his line of work needed to not bring attention to themselves. ‘I will work to setup a secure channel so that you can communicate with me. When it’s done I will give you the details. ’ She smirked at bit. ‘I understand. Thank you… Fixers are good at those. Eeio made one for us too.

    Before he digitized them both into the grid, he smiled warmly at Cathleen. ‘Thank you for making the effort to see me in person, Cathleen.’ She appreciated that, a lot. But she also felt a little embarrassed for not trusting him. ‘Thank you for not stopping your attempts to contact me. I'm sorry for all the mistrust.’ He seemed to understand though. Trust no one.

    ~

    She’d let him know that Ruth was out safely, and that she had hoped to see him after the rescue mission. She didn’t quite understand why he hadn’t been there.

    It was strange sitting here talking to Ruth again, face to face. All this time she’d hoped that she would get to see her again, hoped – but never really dared believe that it would or could happen. And yet, here she was. It almost felt like a new beginning. But that might have something to do with the fact that Cathleen had slept last night. All night. Something she hadn’t done since before that fatal day in Tir. Knowing that Ruth’s situation had changed for the better, even if her own hadn’t changed that much.

    You need to know something. I think I owe you my honesty.’ Ruth looked tired, but determined. ‘My goal isn't to overthrow Bahirae.’ That sounded strange to Cathleen. ‘Oh? Then what is it?’ ‘To clear New Dawn's name and demand reparations from ICC. For that to happen Bahirae has to go.’ Cathleen nodded and smiled. That made perfect sense. ‘I understand. You have been falsely accused and punished for that. But yes, she does need to go for that to happen.’ Maybe not the exact same, but it was close enough. ‘I also want your and Eeio's names to be cleared.’ Cathleen sighed. Yes, that would be nice. And hopefully something that could happen along the way as well. But for now she’d endure and still try to help with what little she could.

    She tapped at her Comm Unit and frowned. He’d completely misunderstood the intention of the suggestion the other day. But when it came to it, she understood why. And maybe he was right. Maybe they were using her. She’d been a little wary about asking him in the first place, and now that backfired. But as long as he would still trust Ruth that was what mattered. She didn’t want either of them hurt.

    ~

    It had been a quiet few days. Cathleen spent a lot of time in the castle library reading, passing time. It was nice not having to worry too much about The Sentinels and Bahirae’s goons, since it was unlikely that they would come here and disturb the peace. And if they did, then the Knights would be there to keep her safe. There was a downside to it too though. She had way too much time with her own thoughts. Time to worry about Eeio. To think about Malcom. To go over what had happened in her life these last months. The people she’d met. The people who had suffered. The choices and the effects of those. Cathleen really felt they all overestimated how much she had done during all this. She’d been helpless. Had to rely on others for things to happen. Trusted people she probably shouldn’t have. Made many mistakes along the way.
    She couldn’t stay at the castle all the time though, she needed air. After having been on her own for what felt like an eternity, it was slightly unnerving to be around people all day. So when Ruth messaged her, she took the opportunity to get some fresh air. To go enjoy the sunset over Newland Lake.

    Seems people expect me to do something grand...’ Ruth chuckled lightly. It definitely sounded like it. With the prophecy and how people seemed to rely on her to be the key in defeating Bahirae. Cathleen had to admit to herself that she too had been guided by that prophecy after hearing about it, but she kept telling herself that the reason she was here now was that she just wanted to help Ruth. However if the prophecy was guiding people to help Ruth then so be it. As long as she got the help she needed. ‘But Ruth, you're just one person.. We can't forget that.. But you're not alone, and that might make a difference.’ She smiled. Ruth sighed and nodded. ‘That's why I think I'll contact some... people. They might help.’ She too was hoping to make contact to some allies soon, but didn’t really have a way to contact them yet. But hopefully she would hear back from him soon. ‘I guess spreading the word and trying to gather allies is the way... ’ Ruth sighed. Cathleen bit her lip and chuckled nervously. ‘Or maybe it would be useful if we knew of any weaknesses in Bahirae's defense.. If something like that even exists.’ She looked at Ruth to see how she reacted. ‘If I knew of any I'd tell everyone about it...’ Cathleen smiled and told Ruth about her meeting with the fixer, and what he had offered. What she had in her possession. But it was not easy to explain. When it came to it she didn’t really understand much of it, just enough to know that it could help immensely. If only Eeio was around. He’d probably understand. However she could think of others who might as well. Now if only she could catch him for a short meeting, that would be helpful.

    I'm going to try to contact the groups that usually slip everyone's notice, Bahirae's notice too.’ Gathering people was important. Faction didn’t matter. We were far beyond that now. ‘Rubi-Ka is Fighting! Send the word, I want these words to be on everyone's lips.’ Ruth smiled to Cathleen.

    ~

    Rubi-Ka is Fighting!

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

  17. #17
    ~

    Cathleen was starting to feel impatient. Why didn’t he contact her again? It had been at least a week since they met. But maybe it would take more time to find a safe way to contact her again. She sighed and tabbed her Comm Unit. If he wouldn’t contact her, then she would at least let him know that she was waiting to hear from him. That she had things she wanted to discuss.

    ~

    It was strange how easy it was to walk around in public places lately. For some reason she didn’t feel as confined as she had before Ruth was rescued. Less concerned with the possibility of capture. She hadn’t had any trouble or any close encounters lately; that certainly helped. She did realize that she wasn’t still entirely safe, however that didn’t concern her as much as it probably should. So when Kotts messaged her to let her know that they were meeting with Ruth, she jumped up and headed their way. She needed to talk to him anyway.

    After the door had closed behind her she removed her hood and combed through her hair before walking into the main room of the bar. Here she saw three familiar faces smiling at her. ‘Having a party without me?’ She giggled and sat down on a chair next to Ruth. ‘We just got here, join up!’ Cher chuckled. It was nice being able to relax in the company of others. She almost felt like her old self again. Almost. ‘How are you?’ Ruth smiled at her. ‘I'm doing okay, I guess. How about you all?’ Cathleen looked around at them. They looked better than she had seen them in a while at least. She really hoped that was the case too. ‘Doing much, much better. Both of us. And from your faces, I'd bet the same about you two.’ Cher nodded at Ruth and Cathleen. So it wasn’t just her who felt less troubled. That was good to hear. ‘Still under the hospitality of our favorite knight?’ She continued. They both nodded. ‘Yes, though I haven't met him yet.’ Ruth answered. Hmm. She hadn’t either, but hadn’t thought much about it. ‘Last time I saw him was in Tir.’ Kotts frowned. Was he worried? ‘He traded his sword for lives.’ Cher added. Right, she had actually read about how the OTAF and Townsend.. that was a little worrisome.. had searched through Tir and Sir Tristam had come to aid The Sentinels. Ruth chuckled. ‘Guess he's healing his wounded ego now.

    When Cathleen left a good while later, she felt a little more optimistic about the whole situation. At least there were multiple directions they were working in to get the message out from the planet and hopefully at least one of them would prove to be successful. But she hadn’t had a chance to talk to him, and she really didn’t see who else could help. Eeio was nowhere to be found, and he would have been her first choice. So when she was safely back within the castle walls, she sent him a message to let him know.

    ~

    Just as she entered the city she noticed something was wrong. Very wrong. High in the air she saw what looked like a dropship, and on the streets many OTAF soldiers. The Dropship PAs orders came through clearly. ‘Surrender Ruth Montezuma immediately to OTAF personnel.’ Why she did what she did, she wasn’t sure. But she did it. They wouldn’t get their hands on Ruth. They shouldn’t! She stopped by the whompa to Bliss and shouted as loud as she could. ‘You will not get your hands on Ruth Montezuma! Rubi-Ka is Fighting!’ Cathleen then hurried out of the city, away from the OTAF soldiers. It would be a stupid move to stay there.
    A few moments later her Comm Unit beeped. It was Ruth. ‘Ruth! They're raiding Old Athen looking for you! I hope you're okay!’ She was. That was a relief. Cathleen headed towards The Last Ditch, towards Ruth. To keep her company.

    I think OTPC are very important now to be kept safe and well supplied… That's why I asked you about Townsend.’ Ruth had helped them get set up and able to broadcast again. Cathleen nodded. It was important to have a way to get news to the people of the planet, news not colored too heavily by Bahirae. Definitely. ‘Like I said, he hasn't given me a reason not to trust him.’ She smiled to Ruth. ‘It's settled then. I'll try to send him a message. I trust your judgement.

    While they talked a third person came walking into the room. A nicely dressed shade. Cathleen almost didn’t recognize her. She was so different from the other times she’d met her. More calm and collected. Not at all like the Marreldo she knew. Very confusing person this one. She went off to get a refreshment. ‘She is a little confusing.. not at all like last I saw her..’ Cathleen chuckled. Ruth smiled. ‘Yeah, I just take her as she is and try not to think about it.’ Cathleen told Ruth that the shade was actually in possession of her wedding ring. So when Marreldo returned Ruth looked at her and smiled. ‘Are you a collector?’ The shade looked confused. ‘A collector?’ Ruth nodded ‘You seem to have other people's stuff...’ Marreldo didn’t seem to understand. ‘A doll, Loriah's wedding ring... I'd give you something of mine for your collection, but I don't have anything really...’ Ruth smiled. ‘Oh is that what this is?’ Marreldo showed them a small golden ring. Cathleen smiled and nodded. It was good to see that she had indeed kept it safe. ‘It looks very much like the one I gave you a few weeks ago, yes. For safe keeping.’ She chuckled. Marreldo looked at her. ‘Hmm sounds familiar, would you like it back?’ Cathleen had almost given up the thought of getting it back. So this was a pleasant surprise. ‘I would. It really means a lot to me.

    ~

    The care packages she’d received over the last few weeks was a nice thought. She liked the scones, and the thought behind them. But it really wasn’t necessary. It was nice that he was trying to make sure she wasn’t missing anything, but she wished that he would be more concerned about his own safety. However he was probably right, he’d manage because he was trained for dealing with situations like this. It was still strange not to have talked to him for a while. In fact when it came to it, she hadn’t really talked to anyone in a while. Where was everyone? Were they okay? She hadn’t even seen Ruth around the Castle.

    ~

    They were already sitting at The Cup talking when she arrived. It was really good to see both of them again, safe and well. She updated them about her meeting with the fixer, tried as well as she could to explain what he had told her. But she knew that the one person who really needed to see the information wasn’t one of them, and though she trusted both of them she would prefer to be the one talking to him. Cathleen needed to feel that she contributed, and not just being a “damsel in distress”. A feeling that she’d definitely had a lot lately.

    I know Ruth is waiting on word from some .. people.. that might be of help as well in the fight we're facing. So a few more days before we get a look at this, shouldn't be too much of an issue. At least I don't hope it will be.’ She looked at Andrew and decided to change the subject. ‘Speaking of that.. Have you heard anything at all about Eva?’ He hadn’t. And there were others none of them hadn’t heard from in quite a while. Leileena, Eeio, The Flying Crazies as Cher put it. She sighed. ‘Where has everyone gone?

    The time flew past while they were talking. It was good getting back into the habit of talking about their goal. Their motivation. Enemies. Allies. She had missed that.

    ~

    Her Comm Unit beeped. It was Shadyn. At least he was still around, and from what he said doing well. But she couldn’t help worry a little. He seemed to think it would be over soon. It sounded a little too good to be true, she didn’t even dare hope. He was confident though. Hopefully he’d be safe enough, alongside the rest of them.

    Don't contact Cora, she's yelling about assisting clan citizens in any way is against corporate law.’ She couldn’t help but laugh a little. She’d never contact her; she didn’t even want to meet her. No. Cora was most definitely not someone Cathleen had any desire to ever meet. Even if people said it was healthy to face your fears, in this case that might not be true.

    ~

    He had finally gotten back to her. Well, sort of. Cathleen looked at the message and frowned. It was a jumble of letters, and not making any sense at all to her. Great. She’d have to find a way to decode that now. But where could she possibly find anything about decoding encrypted messages?

    ~
    Cathleen 'Loriah' Spansgaard
    The Red Brotherhood

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