Deception: The lesser part of Valour – Heartless: Part 1
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
ON:
Something was wrong.
Isha raised her head from her document unable to pinpoint what it was at first, the low thrum of the engines that resonated throughout the small ship seemed to be diminishing. She hit her communicator, “Selaenen (pilot), are we losing power?” she asked laying her padd on the table.
“Selaenen?” she asked again as the engines died, a ringing silence filled the void.
Slowly Isha scraped back the little metal chair and stepped towards the door, “Selaenen?” she tried for one last time but there was no response.
Even before she reached the door it opened and she stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open in surprise as she recognised the black clad figure who filled the doorway, disruptor drawn and held low, a look of grim satisfaction on his face.
“Raedheol!” Isha exclaimed as she backed into the room putting the table between them. “Why are you here?” she asked as he laid the weapon on the table opposite where Isha had been sitting. It told her that he was not afraid of her, and what ever it was he wanted it was not to kill her.
“Can't you guess?” Raedheol replied, flexing his fingers.
The movement drew Isha's gaze; strong fingers that could bruise as easily as they could caress. Isha knew that, for he had been a generous lover, but not careful, not like her husband Nveid who was both gentle and strong, but then Nveid sought to protect and encourage her, not like Raedheol who sought to dominate and control.
Slowly Isha raised her eyes to his.
“Your pilot didn't put up much of a fight, someone should have a word with that husband of yours, if you were mine I wouldn't allow you to travel alone. You never know who is out there just waiting for an opportunity,” Raedheol said casually.
Isha laughed uncomfortably, “So you really are Tal'Shiar,” she remarked, “I was never sure if that was just something you had implied to try and impress me. Is this business? If so, it can wait, I have an appointment and Latasalaem insisted I make this journey alone. You’re not really welcome, you see,” the tension that stiffened her body reflected in her clipped tone.
Raedheol sighed, “What a shame! That really complicates matters, I had hoped I'd be able to take my time over you.”
Isha bit her lower lip, staring at him. So it was vengeance. “He doesn't know you are here?”she said.
Raedheol smiled thinly and shook his head, “I got tired of waiting, Isha. Ten very long years have passed and with that husband of yours keeping you so closely guarded I may never get another chance to do this. I kept my old rank in your honour, you know, the perpetual Arrain, that's the one that I held when you had me expelled from the Galae. Its a conceit, I know, but it reminds me every day of just how dangerous you are, that you tried to destroy me, Isha, and that you failed. Its a good thing, too, because I could almost believe that you really are trembling now, that those eyes that are pleading wounded innocence are telling me the truth, that this isn't all part of your act!”
“What are you going to do?” Isha asked, her throat tight.
Raedheol scratched his chin as though considering the question, “I haven't decided yet,” he said eventually, “I could kill you now and get you out of my skull forever, but I don't think that's enough, not after the injury you did me. Perhaps I'll break that pretty face of yours and send you back to your husband, or maybe I'll return you in pieces.”
In a sudden movement he kicked the little chair aside sending it spinning and crashing into a console. Isha flinched, her gaze following its movement right until it came to rest near her feet.
As Raedheol approached her Isha backed into the wall; she had nowhere else to go.
“You are afraid,” he observed taking her hands and pressing his palms to hers, raising them to be level with her head as he pushed them flat to the wall, “you should be.”
Isha shuddered at the press of his body against hers, conflicted between fear and the growing tension in the pit of her stomach. She felt her skin flush and knew that she was responding to him, that her own eyes, like his were darkening, nothing could prevent that chemical reaction between them.
“You're hurting me, rhe'hwy,” Isha gasped, as he increased the pressure on her hands.
“You don't know what pain is,” he snarled, crushing her fingers in his fists until she cried out. “What's it to be, d'Ishaal? You're the expert on propriety. What do you think is the most suitable revenge?” he released her suddenly, watching as her arms fell to her sides. “I don't think I'm getting through to you,” Raedheol said a finger jabbing under her nose in emphasis, “You still think I'm going to go away, don't you?” he turned aside, chuckling mirthlessly.
In the second that Raedheol's back was turned Isha made her move. She might not have the strength to fight him, but she had speed and she seized the opportunity to dash past him, her eyes on the table. She knew he was close behind her as she snatched up the disruptor and turned, levelling it at Raedheol with both hands.
“And what do you plan to do with that, d'Ishaal?” he asked stepping closer, hands raised and open. “I told you it wasn't over. You tried to destroy me, so now I am going to destroy you. That's fair, isn't it?” he stopped a meter away, an easy target. “You knew this day would come, I'm just a little sorry you made it so easy for me.”
“Please go,” Isha begged, trying to keep her hands steady, “Don't do this, walk away, no-one need know you were here.”
“It doesn't work that way,” he stepped forward again, to within an arms length, “I know you, Isha, you can't kill me, or else you'd have done it the moment you had the chance. And you can't do it because you know I'm right, you know that you deserve everything that's coming to you.” He paused, his face splitting into a lopsided smile, “You know what? The first thing I'm going to do is make you admit that to me.”
With that he wrenched the weapon from her grip and shoved her back into the wall as he turned it on her, “You're not really fair game, Isha so I gave you a chance; you missed it. That was your only way out,” he said.
“Please,” Isha said as her gaze slipped between the disruptor and Raedheol, “if you ever loved me.”
“aaith veruul,” he said, poor fool, “Did you really think I'd let you kill me? Its on the lowest setting, Isha, but I guess it will still hurt.” He paused, “You can tell me when you wake up, can't you?”
“urru Areinnye!” Isha spat as the beam hit her; go to hell.
“I probably will,” he said as she crumpled to the floor.
Raedheol closed his eyes, he had expected her to shoot him, without hesitation and to escape, his need for revenge would be diminished, if not quite sated and both would have maintained face; he had not expected her hands to tremble and her bright sad eyes to fill with tears.
Crouching beside Isha, Raedheol brushed her hair back from her face, and wiped the tears from beneath her eyes with his thumb.
“Jol-ao au (I love you), d'Ishaal, always,” he whispered, “I'm so sorry you made this necessary.”
OFF:
Ihhei Isha e-Khellian i-Ramnau t’Illialhlae
&
'Arrain' Rh'varuek Raedheol (NPC)
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | Heartless: Part 1 | |
| Mission | Deception: The lesser part of Valour | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Tue Nov 18, 2008 @ 6:25pm | |
| Location | Shuttle D'elon en route from ch'Rihan to an undisclosed destination | |
| Timeline | 2355 - ancient, but pertinent history |
Something was wrong.
Isha raised her head from her document unable to pinpoint what it was at first, the low thrum of the engines that resonated throughout the small ship seemed to be diminishing. She hit her communicator, “Selaenen (pilot), are we losing power?” she asked laying her padd on the table.
“Selaenen?” she asked again as the engines died, a ringing silence filled the void.
Slowly Isha scraped back the little metal chair and stepped towards the door, “Selaenen?” she tried for one last time but there was no response.
Even before she reached the door it opened and she stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open in surprise as she recognised the black clad figure who filled the doorway, disruptor drawn and held low, a look of grim satisfaction on his face.
“Raedheol!” Isha exclaimed as she backed into the room putting the table between them. “Why are you here?” she asked as he laid the weapon on the table opposite where Isha had been sitting. It told her that he was not afraid of her, and what ever it was he wanted it was not to kill her.
“Can't you guess?” Raedheol replied, flexing his fingers.
The movement drew Isha's gaze; strong fingers that could bruise as easily as they could caress. Isha knew that, for he had been a generous lover, but not careful, not like her husband Nveid who was both gentle and strong, but then Nveid sought to protect and encourage her, not like Raedheol who sought to dominate and control.
Slowly Isha raised her eyes to his.
“Your pilot didn't put up much of a fight, someone should have a word with that husband of yours, if you were mine I wouldn't allow you to travel alone. You never know who is out there just waiting for an opportunity,” Raedheol said casually.
Isha laughed uncomfortably, “So you really are Tal'Shiar,” she remarked, “I was never sure if that was just something you had implied to try and impress me. Is this business? If so, it can wait, I have an appointment and Latasalaem insisted I make this journey alone. You’re not really welcome, you see,” the tension that stiffened her body reflected in her clipped tone.
Raedheol sighed, “What a shame! That really complicates matters, I had hoped I'd be able to take my time over you.”
Isha bit her lower lip, staring at him. So it was vengeance. “He doesn't know you are here?”she said.
Raedheol smiled thinly and shook his head, “I got tired of waiting, Isha. Ten very long years have passed and with that husband of yours keeping you so closely guarded I may never get another chance to do this. I kept my old rank in your honour, you know, the perpetual Arrain, that's the one that I held when you had me expelled from the Galae. Its a conceit, I know, but it reminds me every day of just how dangerous you are, that you tried to destroy me, Isha, and that you failed. Its a good thing, too, because I could almost believe that you really are trembling now, that those eyes that are pleading wounded innocence are telling me the truth, that this isn't all part of your act!”
“What are you going to do?” Isha asked, her throat tight.
Raedheol scratched his chin as though considering the question, “I haven't decided yet,” he said eventually, “I could kill you now and get you out of my skull forever, but I don't think that's enough, not after the injury you did me. Perhaps I'll break that pretty face of yours and send you back to your husband, or maybe I'll return you in pieces.”
In a sudden movement he kicked the little chair aside sending it spinning and crashing into a console. Isha flinched, her gaze following its movement right until it came to rest near her feet.
As Raedheol approached her Isha backed into the wall; she had nowhere else to go.
“You are afraid,” he observed taking her hands and pressing his palms to hers, raising them to be level with her head as he pushed them flat to the wall, “you should be.”
Isha shuddered at the press of his body against hers, conflicted between fear and the growing tension in the pit of her stomach. She felt her skin flush and knew that she was responding to him, that her own eyes, like his were darkening, nothing could prevent that chemical reaction between them.
“You're hurting me, rhe'hwy,” Isha gasped, as he increased the pressure on her hands.
“You don't know what pain is,” he snarled, crushing her fingers in his fists until she cried out. “What's it to be, d'Ishaal? You're the expert on propriety. What do you think is the most suitable revenge?” he released her suddenly, watching as her arms fell to her sides. “I don't think I'm getting through to you,” Raedheol said a finger jabbing under her nose in emphasis, “You still think I'm going to go away, don't you?” he turned aside, chuckling mirthlessly.
In the second that Raedheol's back was turned Isha made her move. She might not have the strength to fight him, but she had speed and she seized the opportunity to dash past him, her eyes on the table. She knew he was close behind her as she snatched up the disruptor and turned, levelling it at Raedheol with both hands.
“And what do you plan to do with that, d'Ishaal?” he asked stepping closer, hands raised and open. “I told you it wasn't over. You tried to destroy me, so now I am going to destroy you. That's fair, isn't it?” he stopped a meter away, an easy target. “You knew this day would come, I'm just a little sorry you made it so easy for me.”
“Please go,” Isha begged, trying to keep her hands steady, “Don't do this, walk away, no-one need know you were here.”
“It doesn't work that way,” he stepped forward again, to within an arms length, “I know you, Isha, you can't kill me, or else you'd have done it the moment you had the chance. And you can't do it because you know I'm right, you know that you deserve everything that's coming to you.” He paused, his face splitting into a lopsided smile, “You know what? The first thing I'm going to do is make you admit that to me.”
With that he wrenched the weapon from her grip and shoved her back into the wall as he turned it on her, “You're not really fair game, Isha so I gave you a chance; you missed it. That was your only way out,” he said.
“Please,” Isha said as her gaze slipped between the disruptor and Raedheol, “if you ever loved me.”
“aaith veruul,” he said, poor fool, “Did you really think I'd let you kill me? Its on the lowest setting, Isha, but I guess it will still hurt.” He paused, “You can tell me when you wake up, can't you?”
“urru Areinnye!” Isha spat as the beam hit her; go to hell.
“I probably will,” he said as she crumpled to the floor.
Raedheol closed his eyes, he had expected her to shoot him, without hesitation and to escape, his need for revenge would be diminished, if not quite sated and both would have maintained face; he had not expected her hands to tremble and her bright sad eyes to fill with tears.
Crouching beside Isha, Raedheol brushed her hair back from her face, and wiped the tears from beneath her eyes with his thumb.
“Jol-ao au (I love you), d'Ishaal, always,” he whispered, “I'm so sorry you made this necessary.”
OFF:
Ihhei Isha e-Khellian i-Ramnau t’Illialhlae
&
'Arrain' Rh'varuek Raedheol (NPC)