The Devil Inside Ch.2 [rated R for language.]
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2003 2:33 am
Author's notes:
Just a quick message. Some of you commented on wanting to see the interaction between Crispin and Sousuke. I don't blame you that's why I'm writing this.
Anyway, I have some bad news. Sousuke doesn't actually make an appearance until Chapter Six, and he doesn't encounter Crispin until Chapter Seven.
There is good news to go with it though. I'm already working on Chapter 13. (yes I have nothing better to do right now) So it won't be too long in coming.
I'm just taking my time on posting each chapter to give them the best proof-reading and revision I can. The worse part is I'm sure I've missed something, but oh well.
Oh and I'll post a glossary of terms later.
Without further ado....
The Devil Inside
Chapter 2
For the first time in over two months, Lance Corporal Crispin Daniels walked through the corridors of the Tuatha de Danaan. He had to admit it was a nice feeling, even if he was flanked by two burly MPs and the back of his left shoulder itched like hell. So what if every person they crossed shot him dark looks? Or if the MPs poked him with their batons if he dragged his feet.
It was great to be alive!
?Hey! How?s it going?? Crispin smiled broadly at his fellow crewmates. ?Good to see you!? He nodded at everyone as the MPs pushed him along. Not once was his smile or nod returned. But that was fine too. At least now they got to be as irritated as he was. "If I got to suffer with this fucking shoulder." He thought sourly. "Then you pricks can suffer my charming company!"
The young AS engineer no longer wore a orange jumpsuit. Instead, he was dressed in his own civilian clothes. Which consisted of a short-sleeved dark purple button-up shirt, simple black slacks (no belt) and a pair of slightly worn-out running shoes.
Despite the change in wardrobe, his life had not really improved. It had only changed into a new level of hell. And at the moment, his greatest source of torment was the pair of handcuffs clapped on his wrists. Not only did they cause his right wrist to throb painfully, in-spite of the thick gauze and tape bandage, but he couldn?t even scratch his SHOULDER!
?Come on guys,? he whined to the MPs. ?Just a quick scratch. Fuck, it?ll only take a minute. It?s not like you?ll get in trouble-?
?Quiet!? The MP behind him barked. He prodded the corporal with the tip of his baton for good measure. ?Suck it up. You got a ride to catch.?
?Geez!? Crispin muttered, ?who pissed in your cheerios??
The AS engineer was shoved hard from behind and nearly fell. The corporal suppressed a growl and regained his balance. This was bullshit! His so-called freedom was an illusion. I?ve gotten squat since I agreed to the Old Man?s plan!
He thought back to the second meeting he had with the Tuatha de Danaan?s Marine CO two days ago?
?This is not a reward, Daniels.? The ?Old Man? had warned him the morning after their first meeting. ?There?s a job to be done, and I expect you to do it.?
?Yeah whatever,? Cpl. Daniels cradled his right hand, which was set in a temporary cast. ?I?ll be your little puppet. Alright Old Man!? It was early in the morning, and he was in too much pain to argue with Kalinin right now.
?See that you do,? Kalinin cautioned, ?and not just for your sake either.?
The AS engineer shot the burly Russian a fierce glare. ?I said I?d do it. So get the fuck off my back!?
?Not the smartest move Daniels.? Crispin sighed as he was marched toward the upper flight deck of the Tuatha de Danaan. He hadn?t spoken with the dear ?Lt. Cmdr.? since. In fact, he?d done a whole lot of nothing, except feel sorry for himself and nurse a broken hand.
This morning everything changed. He was woken up by the guards at 0430 and dragged to the infirmary. There the Flight Surgeon, after a lot of poking and prodding, declared his hand nearly recovered and replaced his cast with a tape and gauze bandage.
Once the Flight Surgeon was finished, he was instructed to strip to the waist and lay on a particular examination table. He spent the next two hours getting something stuck into his left shoulder. It sounded worse than it was. Compared to the ache in his hand, the work on his shoulder had been a cake walk.
Except, he thought with growing irritation, for this itch that I can?t do a god-DAMN THING ABOUT!
?Ouff!? Without warning, Crispin slammed into the MP in front of him when the large figure stopped. He grunted as sharp pain shot through his right hand. ?Watch it dumb ass!? He cradled the throbbing hand and glared at the back of the MPs head.
The MP regarded the young man with a tight smile, ?We?re here?dumb ass!? As his partner cackled the MP nodded toward the open flight deck of the Tuatha de Danaan.
Crispin bit back his retort and shook his head, ?Too fucking easy!? Instead he peered around the MP and looked out on the Tuatha de Danaan?s flight deck for the first time in three months.
?Oh yeah! I love that ocean breeze.? The lance corporal groaned as his face was blasted with the scent of the wind and sea. ?Now, that?s more like it. It?s been way too fucking long.?
The MP he bumped into scowled, ?Stop gawking princess and get a move on! The Captain?s waiting.?
Across the flight deck, Crispin could see a Six-Pack, one of Mithril?s six-bladed transport helicopters, already warming up. And waiting off to the side of the bird?s cargo door was none other than Lt. Cmdr Kalinin AND Capt. Testarossa.
?Well gee whiz,? Crispin muttered sarcastically, ?they must really want my ass off this boat to give me this kind of sendoff.?
?Hey Captain, looking good!? The lance corporal called out as they approached the two officers. He grinned when the petite Captain gave a start and looked away in embarrassment. His humor was short lived, however, when a baton slapped him in the torso.
?Watch your mouth!? An MP growled.
?Nice one,? Crispin gasped in pain and rubbed his side. ?Geez, that?s gonna leave a mark!?
The MPs herded the corporal in front of the two senior officers and saluted. ?The prisoner?s present and accounted for as requested Captain.?
Tessa, her poise recovered, returned the salute smartly, ?Thank you Sergeant. Please remove Lance Cpl. Daniels?s bindings. He won?t be needing them anymore.?
?Uh,? the MP looked uncertain at the smirking Daniels and the silver-haired Captain?s cool expression. ?Yes Ma?am.?
Tessa nodded as the bindings were removed from the AS engineer?s wrist. ?Thank you, Sergeant. You?re dismissed.?
?Ahhh!? Crispin sighed in relief as he finally got to scratch his left shoulder. It was awkward using only his left hand, but he didn?t care. ?Soooo good!?
The MPs looked uncertainly between the prisoner and their Captain, ?Yes ma?am!? They saluted, turned and exited the flight deck.
?Cpl. Daniels,? Tessa held out her right hand, ?it?s been a long time.?
?Uh,? Crispin stopped scratching his shoulder and held up his bandaged right hand. ?You?ll forgive me if I don?t shake right Captain?? He quipped.
?Oh no!? Tessa gasped. ?I?m so sorry Cpl. Daniels! Please forgive me.? She stepped back her cheeks slightly flushed.
?Aww, don?t be like that Captain.? He shifted uncomfortably. Captain Testarossa was one of the few people he actually admired on the Tuatha de Danaan. ?I?m the one who should be saying sorry. Now you?re at least two month?s behind schedule on X-7.?
?Oh no,? Tessa turned back toward the young engineer. ?You shouldn?t-?
?Ahem,? Kalinin coughed. ?Madam Captain, we?ll miss our launch window if we delay any longer.?
?Yes, of course Lt. Commander,? the silver-haired girl stammered an apology, ?please continue.?
?Thank you Madam Captain.? The Lt. Cmdr. nodded in thanks.
?Cpl. Daniels,? Kalinin began without preamble, ?I trust you?ve received a clean bill of health from the infirmary.?
?Yeah,? Crispin scowled at the gray-haired officer, ?they say I?m ready to go.? He glared at Kalinin and scratched his shoulder again, ?What the hell did they do to my shoulder anyway?? The good mood he had been in was gone now. Watching the Captain get all flustered was a hell of a lot better than talking to the ?Old Man.?
?Ah,? Kalinin actually smiled, never a good sign, ?I?m surprised you waited this long to ask.? He chuckled at the young corporal?s glare and explained, ?It?s very simple really. A sub-dermal marker has been placed within your shoulder.?
Pause.
?WHAT?? Crispin all but screamed. ?I?ve been COLLARED?? His rage grew as he yelled, ?You son of a bitch!? He ignored the Captain?s startled gasp and continued his tirade,? You fucking Russky! I should?ve known you?d pull this crap!? He stepped toward Kalinin and raised his good hand, ?I should lay your ass out right here Old Man!?
?You?re welcome to try,? Kalinin grinned wolfishly. ?But I warn you. You won?t get a second chance.?
Crispin pasued in his advance on the burly Russian and frowned. He was far from being in top form. With a injured hand even a geriatric like Kalinin could lay him on his backside if he tried anything right now.
?Yeah, whatever,? he spat and slowly lowered his fist. ?Like I give a shit!?
Tessa repressed a sigh of relief when the young corporal stepped back from the Lt. Cmdr. It saddened her to see the two men almost come to blows. Yet she would have broken them up herself, if necessary. In fact she had been prepared to call on the Six-Pack?s flight crew to stop them.
?As I?ve told you before Cpl. Daniels,? Kalinin continued undaunted by the near confrontation. ?This isn?t a reward. And as far Mithril?s concerned, you?re still a criminal. The sub-dermal marker will allow us to monitor your whereabouts at all times. So I wouldn?t try any funny business if I were you.? He smiled at the glowering teen and continued, ?It will also serve as a communication tool for you on your mission.?
?Say again,? Crispin?s anger was replaced with confusion as he looked between Kalinin and Tessa. ?What? I?m some kind of walking transistor radio now?? He scoffed at the notion.
?Actually, that?s not too far off Cpl. Daniels,? Tessa said. At his scoff she explained, ?The chip implanted in your shoulder is a multi-purpose transceiver that utilizes the bio-electric energies of your body. It will allow us to monitor your condition and location at all times. And, as the Lt. Cmdr. said, by stimulating your central nervous system, the chip will allow you to receive and send very brief messages.? She paused and added apologetically, ?Although, the process is highly uncomfortable.?
?So,? the young man sighed, ?I?m actually a guinea pig. Collared like a dog, and I?ve been turned into some freaking two-way radio?? Upon reflection, it wasn?t really surprising, but Crispin was still upset about it.
The whine of the Six-Pack?s engines warming up brought the conversation to a halt. The crew chief also erased any doubts when he ran up and announced over the engine?s noise, ?I sorry Sir, Ma?am, but we?ve got to get going. There?s a Hawkeye with an ETA of less than ten mikes!?
Kalinin and Tessa nodded.
?Thank you chief!? Kalinin yelled back, ?Your passenger will be boarding now!?
The crew chief gave the Lt. Cmdr. a thumbs up and ran back to inform the pilot.
?Well Cpl. this it!? Kalinin had to lean in and yell over the roar and wind created by the Six-Pack?s powerful rotor-blades. He held out a thick 8-? ? x 11? plain yellow envelope. ?These are your orders! They will explain everything you need to know!?
Crispin squinted his eyes against the howling wind and took the envelope. A sudden thought occurred to him, ?Where?s my gear?? He had to repeat himself twice before Kalinin nodded in understanding.
?Already loaded!? The Russian officer yelled and pointed toward the Six-Pack. A over-stuffed duffel bag was barely visible in the dark interior.
The roar quickly grew to a high-pitched howl and talking was impossible. So the young man nodded in thanks and stepped toward the waiting helicopter. Before he?d taken two steps he turned back toward Tessa.
To both the young woman?s and Kalinin?s surprise, the corporal wrapped the de Danaan?s Captain in a gentle embrace. He leaned forward and whispered an urgent question into her ear. After a long pause, Tessa hesitantly shook her head no.
The young man stepped back with moist eyes and a relieved smile on his face. He quickly wiped his eyes, saluted the silver-haired girl, and dashed for the waiting Six-Pack. As soon as he was inside, the cargo door slammed shut and the helicopter leapt into the air. Less than a minute later its ECS was activated and the Six-Pack vanished from sight.
The two officers stood in silence a moment before exiting the flight deck and heading back into the de Danaan.
?Madam Captain?? Kalinin asked once they?d reentered the submarine?s dark corridors. ?May I inquire what that was all about??
Tessa stopped and regarded her Chief Marine Officer. ?Of course! I don?t mind.? She tilted her head and fiddled with the end of her braid before slowly answering, ?He asked, begged really, if what?d happened to the others had happened to me. I told him no.? A frown crossed her pretty features, ?He was so relieved. But? why was he crying?? The last part she whispered.
?In the race to acquire the secrets of ?Black Technology??.? Kalinin coughed and considered his next words carefully. ?The fate of many Whispered? has not been pleasant.? He squashed the anger he felt as he recalled the images contained within the file he?d shown Cpl. Daniels. ?Knowing that, it?s unsurprising Cpl. Daniels was concerned.?
?Yes, I understand that, but?? Tessa dropped her braid and looked at Kalinin, ?Do you think we?ve done the right thing Lt. Cmdr??
?Yes, Madam Captain,? Kalinin answered without hesitation, ?I think we have. With the exception of you, myself, and Cmdr. Mardukas, Cpl. Daniels is the only one on this ship who understands exactly what?s at stake.?
?I?m glad you think so too, Lt. Cmdr Kalinin.? Tessa confessed with a smile.
?So am I, Madam Captain,? Kalinin returned the smile. ?So am I.?
Just a quick message. Some of you commented on wanting to see the interaction between Crispin and Sousuke. I don't blame you that's why I'm writing this.
Anyway, I have some bad news. Sousuke doesn't actually make an appearance until Chapter Six, and he doesn't encounter Crispin until Chapter Seven.
There is good news to go with it though. I'm already working on Chapter 13. (yes I have nothing better to do right now) So it won't be too long in coming.
I'm just taking my time on posting each chapter to give them the best proof-reading and revision I can. The worse part is I'm sure I've missed something, but oh well.
Oh and I'll post a glossary of terms later.
Without further ado....
The Devil Inside
Chapter 2
For the first time in over two months, Lance Corporal Crispin Daniels walked through the corridors of the Tuatha de Danaan. He had to admit it was a nice feeling, even if he was flanked by two burly MPs and the back of his left shoulder itched like hell. So what if every person they crossed shot him dark looks? Or if the MPs poked him with their batons if he dragged his feet.
It was great to be alive!
?Hey! How?s it going?? Crispin smiled broadly at his fellow crewmates. ?Good to see you!? He nodded at everyone as the MPs pushed him along. Not once was his smile or nod returned. But that was fine too. At least now they got to be as irritated as he was. "If I got to suffer with this fucking shoulder." He thought sourly. "Then you pricks can suffer my charming company!"
The young AS engineer no longer wore a orange jumpsuit. Instead, he was dressed in his own civilian clothes. Which consisted of a short-sleeved dark purple button-up shirt, simple black slacks (no belt) and a pair of slightly worn-out running shoes.
Despite the change in wardrobe, his life had not really improved. It had only changed into a new level of hell. And at the moment, his greatest source of torment was the pair of handcuffs clapped on his wrists. Not only did they cause his right wrist to throb painfully, in-spite of the thick gauze and tape bandage, but he couldn?t even scratch his SHOULDER!
?Come on guys,? he whined to the MPs. ?Just a quick scratch. Fuck, it?ll only take a minute. It?s not like you?ll get in trouble-?
?Quiet!? The MP behind him barked. He prodded the corporal with the tip of his baton for good measure. ?Suck it up. You got a ride to catch.?
?Geez!? Crispin muttered, ?who pissed in your cheerios??
The AS engineer was shoved hard from behind and nearly fell. The corporal suppressed a growl and regained his balance. This was bullshit! His so-called freedom was an illusion. I?ve gotten squat since I agreed to the Old Man?s plan!
He thought back to the second meeting he had with the Tuatha de Danaan?s Marine CO two days ago?
?This is not a reward, Daniels.? The ?Old Man? had warned him the morning after their first meeting. ?There?s a job to be done, and I expect you to do it.?
?Yeah whatever,? Cpl. Daniels cradled his right hand, which was set in a temporary cast. ?I?ll be your little puppet. Alright Old Man!? It was early in the morning, and he was in too much pain to argue with Kalinin right now.
?See that you do,? Kalinin cautioned, ?and not just for your sake either.?
The AS engineer shot the burly Russian a fierce glare. ?I said I?d do it. So get the fuck off my back!?
?Not the smartest move Daniels.? Crispin sighed as he was marched toward the upper flight deck of the Tuatha de Danaan. He hadn?t spoken with the dear ?Lt. Cmdr.? since. In fact, he?d done a whole lot of nothing, except feel sorry for himself and nurse a broken hand.
This morning everything changed. He was woken up by the guards at 0430 and dragged to the infirmary. There the Flight Surgeon, after a lot of poking and prodding, declared his hand nearly recovered and replaced his cast with a tape and gauze bandage.
Once the Flight Surgeon was finished, he was instructed to strip to the waist and lay on a particular examination table. He spent the next two hours getting something stuck into his left shoulder. It sounded worse than it was. Compared to the ache in his hand, the work on his shoulder had been a cake walk.
Except, he thought with growing irritation, for this itch that I can?t do a god-DAMN THING ABOUT!
?Ouff!? Without warning, Crispin slammed into the MP in front of him when the large figure stopped. He grunted as sharp pain shot through his right hand. ?Watch it dumb ass!? He cradled the throbbing hand and glared at the back of the MPs head.
The MP regarded the young man with a tight smile, ?We?re here?dumb ass!? As his partner cackled the MP nodded toward the open flight deck of the Tuatha de Danaan.
Crispin bit back his retort and shook his head, ?Too fucking easy!? Instead he peered around the MP and looked out on the Tuatha de Danaan?s flight deck for the first time in three months.
?Oh yeah! I love that ocean breeze.? The lance corporal groaned as his face was blasted with the scent of the wind and sea. ?Now, that?s more like it. It?s been way too fucking long.?
The MP he bumped into scowled, ?Stop gawking princess and get a move on! The Captain?s waiting.?
Across the flight deck, Crispin could see a Six-Pack, one of Mithril?s six-bladed transport helicopters, already warming up. And waiting off to the side of the bird?s cargo door was none other than Lt. Cmdr Kalinin AND Capt. Testarossa.
?Well gee whiz,? Crispin muttered sarcastically, ?they must really want my ass off this boat to give me this kind of sendoff.?
?Hey Captain, looking good!? The lance corporal called out as they approached the two officers. He grinned when the petite Captain gave a start and looked away in embarrassment. His humor was short lived, however, when a baton slapped him in the torso.
?Watch your mouth!? An MP growled.
?Nice one,? Crispin gasped in pain and rubbed his side. ?Geez, that?s gonna leave a mark!?
The MPs herded the corporal in front of the two senior officers and saluted. ?The prisoner?s present and accounted for as requested Captain.?
Tessa, her poise recovered, returned the salute smartly, ?Thank you Sergeant. Please remove Lance Cpl. Daniels?s bindings. He won?t be needing them anymore.?
?Uh,? the MP looked uncertain at the smirking Daniels and the silver-haired Captain?s cool expression. ?Yes Ma?am.?
Tessa nodded as the bindings were removed from the AS engineer?s wrist. ?Thank you, Sergeant. You?re dismissed.?
?Ahhh!? Crispin sighed in relief as he finally got to scratch his left shoulder. It was awkward using only his left hand, but he didn?t care. ?Soooo good!?
The MPs looked uncertainly between the prisoner and their Captain, ?Yes ma?am!? They saluted, turned and exited the flight deck.
?Cpl. Daniels,? Tessa held out her right hand, ?it?s been a long time.?
?Uh,? Crispin stopped scratching his shoulder and held up his bandaged right hand. ?You?ll forgive me if I don?t shake right Captain?? He quipped.
?Oh no!? Tessa gasped. ?I?m so sorry Cpl. Daniels! Please forgive me.? She stepped back her cheeks slightly flushed.
?Aww, don?t be like that Captain.? He shifted uncomfortably. Captain Testarossa was one of the few people he actually admired on the Tuatha de Danaan. ?I?m the one who should be saying sorry. Now you?re at least two month?s behind schedule on X-7.?
?Oh no,? Tessa turned back toward the young engineer. ?You shouldn?t-?
?Ahem,? Kalinin coughed. ?Madam Captain, we?ll miss our launch window if we delay any longer.?
?Yes, of course Lt. Commander,? the silver-haired girl stammered an apology, ?please continue.?
?Thank you Madam Captain.? The Lt. Cmdr. nodded in thanks.
?Cpl. Daniels,? Kalinin began without preamble, ?I trust you?ve received a clean bill of health from the infirmary.?
?Yeah,? Crispin scowled at the gray-haired officer, ?they say I?m ready to go.? He glared at Kalinin and scratched his shoulder again, ?What the hell did they do to my shoulder anyway?? The good mood he had been in was gone now. Watching the Captain get all flustered was a hell of a lot better than talking to the ?Old Man.?
?Ah,? Kalinin actually smiled, never a good sign, ?I?m surprised you waited this long to ask.? He chuckled at the young corporal?s glare and explained, ?It?s very simple really. A sub-dermal marker has been placed within your shoulder.?
Pause.
?WHAT?? Crispin all but screamed. ?I?ve been COLLARED?? His rage grew as he yelled, ?You son of a bitch!? He ignored the Captain?s startled gasp and continued his tirade,? You fucking Russky! I should?ve known you?d pull this crap!? He stepped toward Kalinin and raised his good hand, ?I should lay your ass out right here Old Man!?
?You?re welcome to try,? Kalinin grinned wolfishly. ?But I warn you. You won?t get a second chance.?
Crispin pasued in his advance on the burly Russian and frowned. He was far from being in top form. With a injured hand even a geriatric like Kalinin could lay him on his backside if he tried anything right now.
?Yeah, whatever,? he spat and slowly lowered his fist. ?Like I give a shit!?
Tessa repressed a sigh of relief when the young corporal stepped back from the Lt. Cmdr. It saddened her to see the two men almost come to blows. Yet she would have broken them up herself, if necessary. In fact she had been prepared to call on the Six-Pack?s flight crew to stop them.
?As I?ve told you before Cpl. Daniels,? Kalinin continued undaunted by the near confrontation. ?This isn?t a reward. And as far Mithril?s concerned, you?re still a criminal. The sub-dermal marker will allow us to monitor your whereabouts at all times. So I wouldn?t try any funny business if I were you.? He smiled at the glowering teen and continued, ?It will also serve as a communication tool for you on your mission.?
?Say again,? Crispin?s anger was replaced with confusion as he looked between Kalinin and Tessa. ?What? I?m some kind of walking transistor radio now?? He scoffed at the notion.
?Actually, that?s not too far off Cpl. Daniels,? Tessa said. At his scoff she explained, ?The chip implanted in your shoulder is a multi-purpose transceiver that utilizes the bio-electric energies of your body. It will allow us to monitor your condition and location at all times. And, as the Lt. Cmdr. said, by stimulating your central nervous system, the chip will allow you to receive and send very brief messages.? She paused and added apologetically, ?Although, the process is highly uncomfortable.?
?So,? the young man sighed, ?I?m actually a guinea pig. Collared like a dog, and I?ve been turned into some freaking two-way radio?? Upon reflection, it wasn?t really surprising, but Crispin was still upset about it.
The whine of the Six-Pack?s engines warming up brought the conversation to a halt. The crew chief also erased any doubts when he ran up and announced over the engine?s noise, ?I sorry Sir, Ma?am, but we?ve got to get going. There?s a Hawkeye with an ETA of less than ten mikes!?
Kalinin and Tessa nodded.
?Thank you chief!? Kalinin yelled back, ?Your passenger will be boarding now!?
The crew chief gave the Lt. Cmdr. a thumbs up and ran back to inform the pilot.
?Well Cpl. this it!? Kalinin had to lean in and yell over the roar and wind created by the Six-Pack?s powerful rotor-blades. He held out a thick 8-? ? x 11? plain yellow envelope. ?These are your orders! They will explain everything you need to know!?
Crispin squinted his eyes against the howling wind and took the envelope. A sudden thought occurred to him, ?Where?s my gear?? He had to repeat himself twice before Kalinin nodded in understanding.
?Already loaded!? The Russian officer yelled and pointed toward the Six-Pack. A over-stuffed duffel bag was barely visible in the dark interior.
The roar quickly grew to a high-pitched howl and talking was impossible. So the young man nodded in thanks and stepped toward the waiting helicopter. Before he?d taken two steps he turned back toward Tessa.
To both the young woman?s and Kalinin?s surprise, the corporal wrapped the de Danaan?s Captain in a gentle embrace. He leaned forward and whispered an urgent question into her ear. After a long pause, Tessa hesitantly shook her head no.
The young man stepped back with moist eyes and a relieved smile on his face. He quickly wiped his eyes, saluted the silver-haired girl, and dashed for the waiting Six-Pack. As soon as he was inside, the cargo door slammed shut and the helicopter leapt into the air. Less than a minute later its ECS was activated and the Six-Pack vanished from sight.
The two officers stood in silence a moment before exiting the flight deck and heading back into the de Danaan.
?Madam Captain?? Kalinin asked once they?d reentered the submarine?s dark corridors. ?May I inquire what that was all about??
Tessa stopped and regarded her Chief Marine Officer. ?Of course! I don?t mind.? She tilted her head and fiddled with the end of her braid before slowly answering, ?He asked, begged really, if what?d happened to the others had happened to me. I told him no.? A frown crossed her pretty features, ?He was so relieved. But? why was he crying?? The last part she whispered.
?In the race to acquire the secrets of ?Black Technology??.? Kalinin coughed and considered his next words carefully. ?The fate of many Whispered? has not been pleasant.? He squashed the anger he felt as he recalled the images contained within the file he?d shown Cpl. Daniels. ?Knowing that, it?s unsurprising Cpl. Daniels was concerned.?
?Yes, I understand that, but?? Tessa dropped her braid and looked at Kalinin, ?Do you think we?ve done the right thing Lt. Cmdr??
?Yes, Madam Captain,? Kalinin answered without hesitation, ?I think we have. With the exception of you, myself, and Cmdr. Mardukas, Cpl. Daniels is the only one on this ship who understands exactly what?s at stake.?
?I?m glad you think so too, Lt. Cmdr Kalinin.? Tessa confessed with a smile.
?So am I, Madam Captain,? Kalinin returned the smile. ?So am I.?
