Futuristic A Final Dawn

[volchan]

There was darkness all around her, so dark that she couldn't even see her hands in front of her face. She could feel the space around her moving as if alive, beginning to close in around her. She tried to scream for help, but her voice was smothered by the thickness of the shadows. She started pounding against the walls, choking from the lack of oxygen. Then, suddenly, screams and cries of pain began to pound into her ears as flashes of violence and death danced across her vision. Even when she felt her eyes close, the visions remained as if being etched into her mind. Falling to her knees, she could feel the sticky, warm sensation of blood coating her skin. Overwhelmed, she huddled there, alone.


Nike's eyes popped open and there was a small thud. Sitting up quickly, she looked around herself to realize that some of the objects in the room had been moved, as if she'd shifted them in her sleep. Curling up for a moment and taking in a few breaths to calm herself, she closed her eyes. Her body was coated in a light sweat and she felt shaky from what she'd just dreamed.


A few minutes later she pulled herself out of bed, feeling a bit weak, and went out into the living area. At the moment she didn't see Octavian, so she decided to make something to eat. She went into the kitchen and pulled out what seemed to be eggs and a pan, warming it up and dropping two eggs into it. As the eggs sizzled and cooked, she stood there looking down at the pan in a mild daze. She wasn't sure if it was the dream she'd had, mental exhaustion, or both...but she felt weary. She'd expected she'd have nightmares after what happened...but that had been something beyond what she'd thought it could be. She'd felt like she was actually being killed. And what about her room? Had she been using her abilities in her sleep? That could end up being a problem.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian shut off the water, moving under the thin vent above the shower entrance as he stepped out, the device drying him instantly. He pulled on the dark green sweat pants, deciding to forgo the to-tight undershorts for now. He ran a hand through his hair, combing it into some semblance of normalcy, then exited the bathroom. The marbled floor of the of the terraced lounge felt cool to Octavian's bare feet as he padded across it. He thought he smelled something coming from the kitchen, and assumed it was Nike making herself breakfast. 


Octavian took a deep breath, trying to calm his misgivings, and walked into the kitchen area. Nike stood in front of a stove, overseeing a pan of cooking eggs and Octavian was startled to see a look of dazed exhaustion on her face. She looked.....defeated. His concern grew as he stepped up behind her. "Hey, are you ok?" He rested a hand on her shoulder as he spoke, the concern evident in his voice. "If it's about last night, I thought that we could-"

 

[volchan]

Nike was still in a dazed sort of state as Octavian approached, and didn't hear him come up behind her. When he suddenly spoke up, putting a hand on her, she jumped and made a startled sound, nearly knocking the pan off the stove.


“Ah!...Sorry...” She said, looking at him, seeming to settle down after a moment.


“It's not that.” She assured as he brought up last night. Honestly she was too disturbed by what had happened in her sleep to care much about Octavian seeing her skinny dipping.


“I...didn't really have a pleasant sleep, and when I woke up I felt almost more tired than I did before going to bed. I think I might have...moved things while I was dreaming.” She explained, hesitantly turning back to the stove.


After a few moments of silence, she spoke up again.


“I'm sorry about last night. I'd thought you would be sleeping for a while, so I thought it would be alright to...well...you know.” She said, carefully flipping the eggs in the pan.


“Are you hungry at all? You must be, right? I mean...you haven't eaten since we woke up, and then you swam and drank.” She said, moving to try and search the cabinets for plates and seasoning.


“I can make you some eggs too...actually I might only be able to eat one of these, if you're interested.” She offered, trying to keep busy. She felt a little unsettled; less because of the awkwardness of last night and more so because of her nightmare and apparent sleep-kinesis.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian pondered Nike's words, brow creasing into a small frown. "Moving things while you slept, hmm." He stared off into the distance, then snapped back to the present when Nike mentioned breakfast.


"Oh, sure. Here, I can help with that." Octavian reached up over Nike and grabbed a couple of spice jars from a cabinet, setting them down on the counter as he brought up another frying pan from underneath the counter. He waved his hand at Nikes suggestion, setting down a number of ingredients on the counter. "No, it's alright, I can help make some more." He dropped some thin pieces of meat into the waiting pan, taking out a tube of dough and forming it into small portions that he sat onto a metal sheet as the meat cooked. He cut up some yellow and red vegetables into thin strips, adding them to the pan with the meat along with some oil. He sprinkled some spices into the pan, then slid the sheet of dough into the oven after coating the balls of dough with some sort of spiced glaze. He turned down the heat on the pan and got out two tall glasses from a cupboard, setting them down on the counter. Octavian removed a metal pitcher from the fridge, sliding open the spout as he poured the contents into the two waiting glasses. He picked one up, looking at the dark green liquid through the glass before taking a sip. 


Even though it had been in the fridge, the liquid felt warm on his tongue as he drank. It tasted slightly sweet, with a richer aftertaste that belied its clear look. It hinted at a dozen spices, but with a prevalent spiciness underlying it. He could almost feel his headache start to recede, and he motioned for Nike to try some. "Go ahead, you might like it. And if not, well, it will wake you up at least."   

 

[volchan]

Nike seemed relieved that Octavian was willing to help her, especially since her shortness made it difficult for her to reach high places. She did, however, feel herself blush a teeny bit as he reached over her to get some things from the cabinet above. Somehow it was easier to ignore their height difference when he wasn't towering over her.


The eggs she was cooking were finished, so she set them aside and watched Octavian as he threw his own dishes together. She wasn't completely certain what all of it was, but it didn't seem too dissimilar to things she'd eaten on earth.


“Do you tend to cook a lot?” She asked as he slid the pan into the oven. She watched him get a couple glasses and pull something out of the fridge. The dark green liquid was a mystery to her, and she watched curiously as Octavian drank it. She was assuming it wasn't like the stuff he'd drank last night, but she figured it would be wise to see how he handled it first.


“Okay....it's not drugs though, is it?” She asked, gingerly picking up her own glass and taking a cautious sip. The warmth of it on her tongue was a bit startling, and she blinked. It had a sweetness to it that melted into a strange sort of spiciness. Something about it made her senses a little more aware; almost similar to the feeling of a strong cup of coffee.


“What is this?” She asked, looking at the liquid again in confusion.


“It's...pretty good actually, but I can't figure out how to describe it.”

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


"It's an extract from the roots of the Alacer plant. They mix in some other ingredients and ferment the mixture for a couple of days." Octavian took another sip from his glass, stirring the simmer pan of meat and vegetables before turning off the heat. "Yeah, sometimes," he continued, replying to Nike's earlier question. "I got pretty good at it when I was holed-up in my apartment at the Imperial Palace. Didn't really want to go out, so I ended up cooking for myself." He removed the metal sheet from the oven and sat it down on the counter, grabbing two plates and portioning off the various dishes onto each. He grabbed one and sat down at one of the tall stools on the other side of the counter, spearing one of the pastry balls with a fork and popping it into his mouth. It tasted savory, with a sharp smokey tang.  


"So, what are your plans for today? If you're interested or curious about anything, just ask."

 

[volchan]

“Oh...I'm not sure what an 'Alacer' plant is, but it tastes good.” She replied, taking another small sip of the liquid. It made her feel a little less worn down, which was refreshing after having woken in such a tired state. She watched as Octavian finished up the cooking and filled their plates, assisting when possible. She went and sat next to him, trying little bits of each food item. They tasted different from what their appearance would suggest, which surprised her, but they weren't bad. She wasn't certain what kind of meat Octavian had cooked, but it had a sort of salty sweetness to it that paired well with the eggs she'd made.


“Thank you for helping me cook.” She said, looking over at him.


“I'm used to doing it by myself...but some of these ingredients seemed a bit daunting to me.”


She took a bit of time to take a few more bites, chewing thoughtfully. There was something kind of nice about sitting and eating with someone.


“You know, I've been living alone for a few years now....it's kind of nice to have someone to eat with.” She said before taking another drink of the green liquid in her cup. She felt a little embarrassed saying it, but she really did like having Octavian around, at least as he was now. She'd been pretty nervous around him when they'd first met, but he'd seemed to become a lot calmer in the last few days.


When Octavian asked her what her plans were, she shrugged.


“I'm not sure...I don't really know what there is to do.” She said before looking towards the windows. She stared at them for a few moments, a thoughtful look on her face.


“Do you think....would it be okay to go outside the ship?”

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian flipped a forkful of food over on his plate, stirring it absently as he listened to Nike talk. Her voice was....soothing, and Octavian didn't really know why that was. In fact, he seemed to grow more relaxed whenever she was around, aside from the occasional unclothed mishap that was. He smiled to himself, taking another drink from his glass, refocusing back to Nike as she mentioned her idea.


"Outside of the ship? If you wanted we can go up top onto the outside observation deck, hell of a view there. But, if you mean outside on the surface." Octavian paused for a moment, thinking. "Well, it all depends on where you'd want to go. I can probably get clearance for the whole planet, and as long as we land in official Imperial administrative zones, and keep a relatively low profile, I don't see any problems with it." Octavian turned to her, eyebrow raised, a grin on his face. "Or........We can go Outside." He pointed a finger up in the air, and by extension, the void of space miles above.  

 

[volchan]

Nike's eyes widened a little bit in realization as Octavian mentioned the possibility of going anywhere on earth. She hadn't thought about that when she'd mentioned it...but the idea of being able to go anywhere in the world awakened the adventurous spirit deep down inside of her. She paused in her thoughts of traveling the world for a moment as Octavian also mentioned the possibility of going into space. She looked upward for a second, pondering her many options. The idea of going into space sounded exciting...but she figured she'd probably end up spending a lot of time out in space in the future. It was probably better to walk on earth a bit more...just in case she ended up being sent off somewhere far away.


“I think I'd like to walk on earth for now.” She answered, mindlessly poking at her egg a little with her fork. She didn't want to mention it, but she was feeling homesick. It was probably more so from the fighting she'd just been through than the fact she wanted to be back on earth, but either way she found herself wanting to be somewhere more familiar.


“You know....I haven't really traveled much outside of America.” She said thoughtfully before looking at Octavian.


“We could go to Europe. I bet you'd find Italy especially interesting.” She suggested.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian smiled to himself as he watched Nikes reaction to his suggestion. It never got old seeing someone's eyes light up like that with the prospect of seeing new and far-away places. She reminded Octavian of himself back when everything in the galaxy held wondrous potential and excitement. Back before he learned the true brutal nature of the universe.  


He nodded his head, finishing his drink and dropping his dishes into the cleaning receptacle. "Very well, I'm sure that could be arranged. Did you want to leave today? Or would you rather wait till tomorrow morning." Octavian thought that he could probably get clearance and a ship ready to go in a few hours, but it might be better to wait a bit and prepare a bit more. Either way, he would need to go down and secure transport, which would bring up some interesting possibilities, all depending on how much the Praetor would let him get away with.  

 

[volchan]

“Hmm...I guess it depends on how long we'd be able to stay.” She replied before taking another bite of food. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, pouring over their options in her head.


“I guess if we can only stay for a day, it would be better to leave tomorrow and give ourselves more time. If we could stay longer though, I'd prefer to leave today.” She said, taking her glass and drinking the rest of the liquid inside.


After a few more minutes of eating, she cleared her own place like she saw Octavian do.


“Is there anything you'd want to do? I guess you probably didn't see a lot on earth...or was there something else you were interested in trying?”


As much as she wanted to go explore other countries, she realized that this was Octavian's vacation too. She wasn't certain, but she assumed he didn't get them often...and after that gruesome fighting they'd just been through they both deserved to enjoy themselves.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian drummed his fingers on the countertop as he went over their options. He mentally counted down the days they had been in stasis, estimating how many days they had left until....well, until things got complicated again. They would have about three days at the max to spend on the surface, assuming that they left today. He glanced over at Nike, wondering if he should let her know about what was to come. He decided against it however, as he didn't want burden her with the knowledge. She might hate him later for it, but Octavian was willing to accept that outcome.


"I think we can probably leave today if you want, that would give us about three days on the surface. I'll go get dressed and see about getting things set up for the trip. If you want to freshen up and put together anything you want to take with you while I'm gone, feel free to help yourself to anything here."

 

[volchan]

Nike's eyes brightened at the news as a new rush of excitement came over her. She knew that there were still a lot of issues going on not only with her, but with everyone below...but the thought of being able to see sights she'd only been able to dream about before was really making her happy. She wasn't certain what would happen once they came back to the ship, but she wanted to have memories stored up just in case she couldn't visit earth again for a while.


“Alright.” She replied with a note of thrill in her tone. She was trying not to be too giddy about it, but she was just so happy to be able to set foot on the ground again...especially when that ground was Europe. She scurried off without another word to try and sort through whatever clothes she could find.


It took her a while to find a bag large enough to stuff clothes and personal items into. She packed a few different sets of clothing, some more casual and others a little more expensive looking. There wasn't really any way of knowing what they'd be doing down there, so it was best to be prepared for any situation. She shoved everything down with a grunt, zipping up the bag and slinging the long strap across her shoulder. The bag looked similar to a gym bag, and with it being so stuffed it almost looked like it would tilt her over. Even so, she carried it out of the bedroom and into the living room, dropping it near the door with a huff. Now that packing was done, she took a moment to look at herself. She was still in what she'd worn to bed, so it was probably best to change. She took a set of clothes into the bathroom and got ready. It didn't take her too long, thankfully. She wasn't one to put on a lot of make up, and most days she was usually dressed fairly casually. She came out of the bathroom in a pair of black jeans, a long-sleeved off-white shirt, and a peach colored jacket that resembled a bomber jacket. Now that she was fully ready, she plopped down on the short sofa in the living area and curled up. Her eyes still felt a little heavy, but she was way too excited to sleep. She was just as interested in seeing Octavian's reaction to their trip as she was to going on it. She hoped he'd enjoy it; maybe he'd learn a little more about her planet in the process.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian quickly threw on a spare uniform from the closet, then left the suite through the wide front doors. The two soldiers on duty saluted as he passed, and Octavian nodded to them, snapping off a quick return salute as he stepped into the turbolift.


He rode the turbolift down to the lower hangers, going over some checklists and ordinance requests on his HUD. Octavian smiled as he saw a flashing icon pop up, telling him that his acquisition request had been granted. Cog, you never fail to impress. He strode into the hanger glancing about in order to locate the hanger berth where the ship was stationed. It slowly came into view, and was bigger then he expected, the hulking shape taking up most of the landing pad in which it sat, venting steam and gaseous vapor.

Spoiler

"Might be slightly overkill, but I'll take it." Octavian muttered to himself as he walked up to the waiting ship, flashing his security clearance at the waiting flight technician. "Is all fueled up an' ready tah go Centurion," the man spoke in a lazy drawl, putting him as a native Halmari.


Octavian nodded, folding both hands behind him as he looked up at the ship. "And all my, additional requirements, were followed?" The man nodded, swiping a few things on his datapad. "Jus' as ya requested sir." 


"Very well then, I shall be returning shortly to take her out, make sure she's all cleared to go." The technician saluted as Octavian turned back the way he came, motioning for a pair of nearby engineers to finish take-off preparations. 


Octavian retraced his steps back to their borrowed luxury suite, walking over to find Nike curled up on a sofa in the lounge. "Well, everything's all cleared and ready to go. You need anything else before hand?"

 

[volchan]

Nike had been resting her eyes when Octavian returned, but perked up as he spoke.


“I hope not. I...might have overdone it a little...” She said, sheepishly motioning to the bag she'd packed. She stood up, giving a quick little stretch before snatching up her shoes and pulling them on.


“Is there anything else we need before we go?” She asked, though her expression said she was ready to zip right out the door. Nike had never had a very strong poker face.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian picked up Nikes bag and slung it over his shoulder, smiling at her comment. "I think we should be covered as far as necessities go." He paused for a moment, looking around at the opulent room, a low frown on his face. Octavian shook his head and motioned for Nike to follow him as he started walking towards the doors. "Let's get going then."


They soon reached the lower hangers, Nike evidently eager to embark on the trip. The landing platform was mostly empty by the time they stepped up onto it, most of the attending flight techs and engineers moving on to other craft, leaving Octavian in charge of starting the launch procedures. A thin control column rose up out of the deck as Octavian came up to it, a touch panel coming to life as Octavian entered a quick string of commands. A boarding ramp suddenly began to descend from the front of the hulking ship, and a number of hazard lights on the edge of the platform began to flash as the take-off procedure was initiated. Fuel lines and docking clamps swung away from the ship as Octavian walked up the boarding ramp, glancing back over his shoulder to scan the hanger for.....something. He caressed one of the steel struts in the airlock with one hand for luck as he entered the ship, an almost automatic gesture at this point. Dropping off Nikes bag in the crew quarters, Octavian climbed into the ships cockpit, hands moving over the various flashing control panels as he prepared the ship for take-off. 


He flipped the ignition, opening up the throttle slightly as the ships twin engines purred to life, filling the cabin with deep rumble that tapered off to a low vibration. Octavian stared up at the overhead monitor, waiting for the go-ahead. He strapped into the pilots seat as he saw the all-clear, the flight controls rising up and folding in front of his hands. "Copilots seat or passenger, you pick." Octavian gestured over at the ladder leading down to the copilots chair below and in front of the pilots console, then jerking a thumb back to where the passenger cabin was located. He was pretty sure what seat Nike would pick, but he always thought it best to give someone options.  


He waited till Nike was seated, then took hold of the flight controls, muttering a terse "hold on" before thumbing the throttle and engaging the landing flaps. The ship roared to life and started to lift up off the pad, the landing gear retracting into their respective compartments.


Octavian maneuvered the ship out of the landing bay and into the main hanger corridor, angling the bow of the ship towards the shimmering blue hanger opening. He waited a few seconds, lining up the projected trajectories on-screen, then punched the throttle.


The ship rocketed out of the hanger in a burst of speed, pushing Octavian into his seat with the familiar feeling of excessive G-forces. They exited out into the afternoon sky, the winter sun casting long rays onto the snow-dappled landscape as they flew. Octavian scanned the nav-screen, punching in some corrections until he was satisfied with their flight path, then released the restraining straps and stood up out of the chair, the flight controls lowering down into the armrests. 


"I'm going to go down and check on the cargo, feel free to look around the ship, but stay out of engineering." 

 

[volchan]

“Oh! You don't have to carry that for me...” She said as Octavian grabbed up her bag. She was certain it wasn't too heavy for him, but it did make her feel a little guilty since she'd stuffed so much into it. Octavian didn't seem to mind though, and she noticed a strange sort of look cross his face for a moment as he scanned over the room. She didn't know what he was thinking, and by the time she really began trying to read into it he'd turned and called her along. She stood there for a moment and then hurried along after him, feeling the strange sensation lift off of her as she walked.


Soon enough they'd reached the hanger bay and Nike could feel the excitement returning at the sight and sound of ships taking off and landing. Taking in their ship, her eyes widened a little. It was like a sleek, black behemoth shrouded in fog. For a moment she forgot where she was or why she was there, and just stared at it in awe. It was strange...but ever since she'd woken from that cryotube things had felt different. The last day or so had felt...good. She wasn't certain why; it wasn't like her situation had really changed. She was still, in some way or another, a captive on the ship. It wasn't like she was now magically allowed to make all her own decisions or remain on earth if she really wanted to. Maybe it was because she'd fought alongside them...but she felt a little closer to the people here. Or perhaps it was just Octavian. They hadn't just fought and lived through that terrifying experience together, they'd also shared some pretty personal stories...things she'd never told anyone. She hoped that, having gone through all that, she'd be seen as more than some strange outsider. At the very least, it seemed Octavian was more warm towards her. That was good enough for now.


Octavian entered some commands onto a pad and the ship began to come to life. Hoses and clamps detached from the ship as lights began to flash and the ramp lowered to allow them inside. Nike walked into the belly of the ship along with Octavian, too absorbed in the environment to notice him looking back or his gesture of good fortune.


“This is a lot bigger than the last one.” She commented, taking in the large amount of space. The last ship hadn't been super small either, but somehow this one felt more open. In some ways it almost looked bigger on the inside than on the outside, which was saying something.


Octavian headed for the cockpit and Nike followed, taking in what she could as they walked. She stood as he sat down and turned on the engines. As the ship began to hum and vibrate, Nike could feel her blood beginning to pump a little faster with adrenaline. He directed her to pick a seat, and she debated for a brief moment. Their last flight had been a little terrifying...but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't enjoyed it a little. She didn't want to miss the view, so she mustered a bit of courage and climbed down the ladder to the copilots seat, strapping herself in.


She heard Octavian above her and then felt the ship as it began to lift off the ground and prepare for takeoff. She felt her fingers dig into the armrests a little as they began to move towards the hangar opening, anticipating a burst in speed. She could feel the ship churning with energy as it prepared to take off, then suddenly all that energy was released as they shot out of the hangar and out into the sky. For a moment Nike was petrified, but then as the ship began to level out and the speed became more normalized she felt herself relax a little and started to pay more attention to what lay outside. She leaned forward a little bit to look at the ground far below, seeing the distant glint of snow as it reflected the sunlight. The sky was a brilliant blue and even though she knew it was bitter cold, it made her feel warm. Just seeing the sun was making her happy.


A few minutes passed by before she heard Octavian stand and call to her. She unstrapped herself and climbed up a little on the ladder, poking her head out to look at him.


“Okay.” She said...though she wasn't certain where engineering was. She assumed it would be labeled. It was slightly disconcerting to know that Octavian wasn't at the controls, but she figured that the Imperium probably had pretty advanced autopilot technology.


Climbing all the way out, she took another brief look out the window before slowly wandering through the ship. There seemed to be multiple beds, a couple of bathroom/shower areas, a kitchen of sorts, and some other spaces she wasn't quite as familiar with. She stopped at the crew quarters and sat down on the bed that Octavian had set her bag on. She didn't really want to go snooping too much, lest she push something she shouldn't or, heaven forbid, break something. She wasn't certain how long the trip would take; she assumed it wouldn't be long considering how fast they were going.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


The lights flickered on as Octavian climbed down the ladder into the cargo-hold, casting their illumination over the stacked crates and metal containers. He flipped open the clasps of one crate, lifting up the lid and gazing down at the contents with a grim frown. 


A row of long rods made of some dark material lay nestled in protective padding, a spongy material that held them firmly in place. The dark rods seemed to absorb all light near them, giving the inside of the crate a shimmering pallor. He slammed the crate shut, eyes blinking quickly as he shook himself. Don't look too long.


Octavian re-did the clasps and continued to move through the cargo hold, checking to see everything was accounted for, finally stopping in front of a heavily-armored door set into the back of the cargo hold. The giant locking mechanism ratcheted back with a clang as Octavian activated the door, ducking under as the door lifted up and outward to reveal the cramped room beyond. It was more a long corridor then a room, with metal racks lining each side, chains and machinery embedded within in a complicated latticework. To an untrained eye it might have looked confusing, but to Octavian, it was the familiar sight of a heavy-bomber weapons bay. The racks on either side contained rows upon rows of sleek missiles, noses painted red or white as they waited to be lowered into firing position by the surrounding machinery. The unusual part was that a number of the munitions were lying open, the warhead empty and bare, as if waiting for something to fill them. Octavian slid one hand over the cold outer casing of one of those agents of destruction, mind going back to an earlier conversation with Titianus.


"Venus you say."


"That's what they call it anyway. Quite ironic really." Titianus gazed out at the surrounding vista, the setting sun casting a deep red glare into the room.


"And we are sure that it is there?" Octavian replied with a slight hesitation in his voice.


"Yes, our scouts that have made it back have had their reports confirmed with the intel our questioners were able to get out of the few captured rebel traitors." Titianus turned back to face Octavian, lips pressed into a thin line. "I- I'm sorry Octavian. I have no one else I can trust with this, not after what happened with the 9th."


Octavian nodded slowly, eyes hard. "I get it, you need this to be taken care of as soon as possible. Getting rid of a potential political opponent is just a bonus. Mars damn you, I should have taken that promotion." 


"Don't!" Titianus pointed a finger at him, voice rising in anger. "Don't try and put me in the same category as those sniveling bastards in the Capitol. I'm doing this to save the Imperium, and if sending you to your death will accomplish that, then so be it." She grew silent and seemed to calm down, walking over and pouring herself a glass of some dark liquid before draining it in one go. "I'm sorry about the girl, I've heard you two have become, close."


"It's not like that."


"Whatever the case my be, I can give you a few more days until we move, you can use that time however you like, but I expect you to be in position when the time comes." She raised another full glass to her lips as she turned back to face the wide viewing window. "And if it's any consolation Octavian, I'll make sure the girl is taken care of. I'll keep her out of the legions if that's your wish." 


"I- I think that would be for the best," Octavian replied, a cold feeling settling in his stomach. 


"You are dismissed."






Octavian climbed back up the cargo hold ladder, boots ringing against the metal rungs. He locked the hatch behind him with a swipe of his palm, looking around to see if Nike was nearby. Finding her absent he decided to check on the crew quarters, as that seemed to most likely location for her to be. 


"So, how you holding up. Feel sick at all?" Octavian leaned against one of the doorways leading into the crew quarters not far from where Nike was sitting, arms folded in front of him.  

 

[volchan]

Nike had laid back onto the bed and was humming under her breath when she heard Octavian approach. When he spoke up, she opened her eyes and looked over at him.


“Actually...” she started, pulling herself back up into an upright position “...I'm feeling a lot better than I did last time we flew. The flight feels smoother...if I didn't know any better I'd think we were on solid ground.” She smiled.


“Did you ever used to get sick? Back when you were first starting out?” She asked, watching him. She hadn't necessarily been ill the last time, but with all the emotion she'd been dealing with, and with it being her first time flying, she'd been pretty high strung.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


"No." Octavian replied, voice wooden as he gazed over at Nike. "Flying never bothered me, it was the long bouts of stasis that messed me up." He straightened  up and walked over to sit on the bunk next to Nike, forearms resting on his thighs and hands clasped in front of him.


"So...." Octavian let the statement hang for a moment, as if unsure how to continue. "What are your plans when we land? I'm unfamiliar with this place, so I have no idea what local attractions or activities would be interesting." He glanced over at Nike, trying to relax and not brood on his most recent flashback. What was done was done, and what was going to happen would happen. Octavian just hoped the Fates would allow him to spare Nike any undue anguish in that regard. 

 

[volchan]

Nike's expression fell slightly as she observed Octavian. There was something...off...about him, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. His mood had been a bit strange ever since he'd returned from getting them permission to land. Had something happened? She wanted to ask...but she felt awkward. Maybe he'd get upset if she spoke up about it...it would probably be best to remain quiet and let him tell her if something was wrong.


“Oh...um...” she started, pulled out of her concerns by his question “...I guess I was mostly thinking about seeing some of the historical sites. There are a ton of them. I think you'll be especially impressed by the Colosseum.” She answered, her smile returning a bit as she looked at him.


“You mentioned wine before, back when we were drinking. Some of the best wine in the world is made there...so maybe we could try some of that too.” She suggested.


“I mean, there are a few things that would be nice to do, but I was keeping things open in case there was something you'd find interesting.” She explained. She'd never been in Italy before, so it would be a new experience for both of them.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian nodded his head in agreement, then gave a dark laugh. "Maybe this time I won't get raging drunk and make a fool of myself." He stood up and stretched, popping one shoulder as he rolled it. "Well, I look forward to it anyway, more so then usual actually. We should be landing in a few hours, I'll be up in the cockpit if you need me." With that, Octavian turned on his heel and left, pushing down the urge to say more and hopefully avoiding any further 'complications.' He climbed into the pilots chair with a sigh, going over the flight panels and making sure everything was normal. Seeing that it was, Octavian leaned back in the chair and stared out at the blue sky, eyes unfocused as he pondered various scenarios in his head. Most pertained to the impending mission, a fact that weighed heavily on his mind, but some were of a more 'recreational' nature and Octavian could feel his face heat up at the prospect of some of them, before shaking his head to clear the wayward thoughts.   

 

[volchan]

Nike blinked in confusion as Octavian laughed and commented on his previous behavior while drunk. Was he embarrassed by how he'd acted? Had he not meant any of the things he'd said...? Nike didn't know what to say, and she ended up just sitting and watching as he got up and left. What was going on with Octavian? Something wasn't right, but what could she do about it? Was he beating himself up for how he'd spoken the night before? She really didn't know how to make him feel better....she wasn't even certain she understood what was going on inside his head.


She sat there for a while, pondering, before glancing at her bag. With a sigh, she opened it up and rooted around in the mass of clothes and hygiene products until she pulled out a couple of bottles of liquor.


“I guess I shouldn't have brought these...” She mumbled to herself, staring down at them. She wanted to have fun with Octavian...she was certain he needed some fun just as much, if not more, than she did. He seemed so serious sometimes....moody, even. She just wanted him to smile.


'What am I thinking???' She thought, feeling her face go a little red. She'd caught herself in the middle of a very strange train of thought and wasn't certain how to handle it. She'd known she had feelings for Octavian...but she hadn't been certain how deep those feelings went. Even if they did run deep, how would Octavian respond? Things had been a lot better between them compared to the beginning...but...was she just a job to him? She supposed that job had ended once he'd brought her on board the ship, but somehow she worried that he saw her as some lost sheep. Maybe he felt bad for her, and that was why he was spending so much time around her.


She sighed again. These kinds of thoughts were no fun at all, and in the end she just felt more uncertain of what he thought of her. Not wanting to dwell on the uncomfortable ideas in her head, she popped off the top of one of the bottles and took a few gulps, feeling the warmth swell in her mouth and slip down the back of her throat. She leaned back against the wall, drawing her legs up onto the bed and closing her eyes. The glass rim of the bottle pressed against her lips again and she took another drink, feeling her thoughts begin to slip as the warmth moved up into her brain.


About two hours later the sound of shattering glass came from the crew quarters.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


The absence of gunfire was off-putting, a void in Octavians head that put him on-edge. Where was he? Fuzzy memories of a torn battlefield from a never-ending campaign tried to crawl their way to the surface of his mind, but they slipped away like sand through limp fingers. He was laying on something soft, surprisingly so, and he tried to sit up, blinking his eyes in the darkness. "Where-"


"Hush," a familiar voice whispered softly, a warm palm pressing against his bare chest, pushing him back down against the soft fabric. "It's alright, it's just me." A faint glow seemed to touch the room and Octavian felt the sensation of a warm body pressed against him. A familiar form. And that voice. "Septima? What- what are you doing here?" He gave a slight shudder as he felt her curves slide against him. Then her mouth was over his, the soft sensation of her lips seeming to burn with their intensity. 


"What do you mean 'what am I doing here'?" She broke the kiss with gasp, pulling away from him, a slight smile at the corners of her mouth as she replied. "You are very odd sometimes Octavian. Must be all that brain damage from so many implants." She gave a small laugh at her quip, but then grew silent as she saw Octavians face. "What's the matter?"


Octavians face bore a horrified expression as he stared up at Septima. "But, you- you shouldn't..."


Dark mist seemed creep into the corners of his vision, the screeching sound of emergency sirens filling his ears as the silhouetted form of Septima began to grow distant. He reached out to her, but was pulled away, as if he was falling down into a dark tunnel. "Octavian!" Her voice seemed to come from all directions, the screeching of tearing metal and a sharp impact followed by screams of agony surrounding him. 


Octavians eyes snapped open, chest heaving as he bolted upright. He lifted his shaking hands in front of him, as if to reassure himself that they were still there. He took a deep breath, falling back into the chair. "Just a dream. Just a harmless dream. Must have dozed off." 


He sat there staring silently into the void, trying to forget, and remember, parts of the dream. Why now? It's been ages since I dreamt of her. His introspection was interrupted by the distant sound of breaking glass. He craned his neck, trying to pinpoint the location of the noise, then got up.


He walked down the dark corridor leading from the cockpit, entering the crew quarters soon after. The source of the noise was evident, a bottle having fallen to the floor and shattered, what remained of its contents creating a dark puddle on the floor. Nike was bent over the glittering pile, attempting to undo the mess. The scent of alcohol wafted over Octavian as he moved to help clean up, crouching down opposite of Nike. Her movements seemed extra attentive to the task, but slow, as if she was deliberating over every motion.. Has she been drinking? 


Octavian glanced up from wiping up a patch of liquid, then grew still as he saw Nike looking at him, their eyes meeting. 


"What?" 

 

[volchan]

Nike had drifted off at some point, and was woken by the sharp sound of shattering glass. As her eyes opened she got the sense that she'd been having a dream, but any memory of it was shied away by the startling noise and bright lights of the crew quarters. She sat up groggily, looking confused for a moment as she tried to pinpoint what it was that had woken her. After a few moments, she came to realize that one of the bottles had fallen to the floor and broken. Shards of glass and a puddle of golden brown liquid lay spread across the floor.


“...Wonderful.” She said to herself, still feeling warm from what she'd drank before. She could feel the heat in her face, ears, fingers and toes as she carefully moved off the bed and crouched down to start picking up the larger pieces of glass. She was so focused on what she was doing she didn't notice Octavian there with her until she happened to see his hands also reaching out to pick up the glass.


She stared at him for a few moments almost as if she were still dazed, large pieces of glass held in her left hand. When he noticed her looking at him and spoke up, she came back to realization a little and quickly averted her eyes.


“Uh-! Nothing...” She said, not paying attention as she reached down to pick up more glass. She made a sharp hiss as she felt one of the shards cut her, and instinctively jerked her hand back. There was some blood on her fingers, and without thinking she stuck them into her mouth. The coppery taste of her blood caused her to gag for a moment, and it wasn't long before she took her fingers back out of her mouth.


“Ugh....I guess this is what I get for drinking...” She said, her voice a bit heavy.


“...I'm...sorry. I must have fallen asleep and...well...” She trailed off, as if forgetting what it was she was trying to say. She didn't look at Octavian. She was somewhat out of it, but even so she felt a pit of guilt germinating within her.


“You don't have to help. I can get this.” She said, ignoring her fingers for the moment to pick up another piece of glass.