Home Forum Wiki The Rules Newbie Guide Roleplay Guide Plot & Setting Wanted Characters Aedolis Teinar Edanith Libra Cancer Thanatos Inc. Contact Us Copyright Affiliates Advertise Us Advertise You Donate! Playing a Leader

Author Topic: Chasing the past [Theo]  (Read 2548 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Jenny

  • Guest
Chasing the past [Theo]
« on: June 17, 2012, 08:54:02 am »
It hadn't been easy to get here.

Which was fine- After all, Tabea hadn't expected it to be easy. She hadn't been to Teinar in eleven years, since her family had orchestrated her escape in hopes of earning her a better life, and that meant that her plan to go back was not only selfish and ridiculous, it was risky and damn near impossible. People didn't travel freely between Teinar and Aedolis- it just wasn't plausible. Earth's nations were separated sharply by an undrawn and unpatrolled boundary which was invisible but nonetheless firm and understood by all people.

It was dangerous, too. There were those who patrolled the outskirts of Haviah and Aedolis, and likewise for Teinar, but none between and no chartered path to follow. The only advantages she had, which were unique just as her escape from Teinar and her past, were that her brother had been a soldier for both nations, and she had been a soldier of Haviah's once. She had enough knowledge and military experience that she'd been capable of piecing together and mapping out a plan, a route. Luckily, Aedolis and Teinar were close to one another--After all, the land surrounding Teinar was Haviah's personal dumping ground, because Aedolis's respect for Teinar as a nation was nonexistent.

Using what she knew, Tabea strapped up in her old Haviah soldier uniform and began on her journey. It was a miracle that she wasn't caught passing through border security, but no one bothered to follow customs rules or security measures when it came to a soldier with a legitimate ID, and though it was expired, the picture was her's, and they let her pass after a promise that she would renew her ID. (Would they let her back in Haviah, she wondered, and would her higher-ups analyze the list of scanned IDs of soldiers leaving Aedolis and realize she was a retired soldier breaking the law? Would she ever come home?)

Between Aedolis and Teinar, she switched into another disguise of her's- Her brother's Teinar soldier uniform from eleven years ago, when they'd escaped. From there, it was a game of luck and patience. She hid out in the fields surrounding the entrance to Teinar's underground capital for a full day, waiting for a group of above-ground patrol soldiers large enough that she could join in at random and go unnoticed.

The moment came, and though it took longer than she anticipated, Tabea was thankful it had happened at all. They could have gotten rid of above-ground patrol, but luckily, the force was still in place. Tabea joined the group during battle with a beast, when they were most distracted and unlikely to realize her, then followed the squad leader back to the patrol base underground, planning to make her escape into the city from there.

Though... There had been one hitch in the plan, and that was the escaping. As she attempted to sneak out of the facilities, the patrol leader came to her with two other soldiers, bearing words which would surely mean trouble- "Lieutenant Shaw told me he's never heard of a Noelle Vox on the squad..."

And Tabea knew there was only one option left- running. She ran like hell, as long as she could, until she was hardly sure where she was at all, but she was sure that there was no one on her tail.

Bent over at the waist with her hands braced on her thighs, she struggled to catch her breath and clear her mind as she stared at the ground. She was still donning the patrol guard get-up, which would no doubt get attention.. But the soldier uniform was no worse than what she had under: sleek, fashionable clothing from Haviah. And for now, the attention was important. Conversing with strangers, though dangerous, was important to her entire purpose: she was here to find her family, and she would need the help of others to do so.

There was danger in doing so, but she had to. She would use her alias and hope that no one would recognize her as who she truly was. Her name (and her brother's) had probably been dragged through the dirt, becoming one of shame and mild infamy now- The girl that left Teinar and her family. What with the value of loyalty in Teinar, Tabea knew she would be welcomed by no one but her family. But she had to know. The wondering would kill her if she didn't address it.

With that thought, Tabea felt her confidence return to her. She took one last heaving breath before straightening up and looking around carefully. She'd spent fifteen years in Teinar, but she had never seen this place before. It was neither residential nor communal, and it seemed like a brand new section of the city altogether- an expanded area, and no doubt the workers she saw were helping the effort, or perhaps mining for new materials. Tabea was not sure if this was the right place for her purposes, but she'd have to find out.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2012, 09:14:47 am »
Theo sat in one of many watering holes nearby, nursing a drink - a clear glass of water with the barest drips of juice from some sour fruit cultivated underground. The vines were curled tastefully around chandeliers overhead, but he was not here to be classy. The thickness of the walls, the muted conversation, were a welcome break from the din outside, the clashing and clanking of old, mechanical instruments, and that damned racing sport.

Unlike most of the residents here, his stays in his home were sporadic. He frequently disappeared for months at a time, joining mining crews that hired people like him. The work was seasonal, depending on the orbits of nearby comets and meteors that occasionally brought them close to Earth. When that happened, mining recruiters would usually descend on Teinar, snatching up the few would did not mind braving cruel outer space for a few weeks of work and exorbitantly good pay. There wasn't too much difference between working on a comet and ascending the tunnels that made up Teinar. For Theo, the silence in the vacuum of space muffled the roars of his pneumatic drill as he poked holes into the surface of a giant ball of space-ice, to let the mining machines gorge themselves on the precious minerals and metals that lay below.

He often took his pay as a small percentage of materials mined. He was a bit of a special case; multiple times he had blacked out, the last image being of his intestines floating out of a small hole in his suit, the explosive decompression poking a neat hole in his abdomen when a small piece of debris punctured his suit. The companies he worked with usually begrudgingly honoured his request. Every time he woke up in the infirmary, and continued his work. The exotic materials, stashed within the disgusting dirt hole he called him, were an invaluable bartering chip in the underground city of Teinar.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2012, 11:25:16 am by Rastul »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2012, 09:44:36 am »
Tabea scanned the area carefully but quickly, not wanting to waste time standing around and looking suspicious. There were a few options available to her: she could enter the large mining site and speak to one of the many workers, or she could choose to go back, in the direction of the base (unlikely), or forward down the tunnel, which would most likely lead to a more communal area. Then she noticed it- a small path nearby, seemingly opening into a watering hole. There was only so much time to make a decision, and no way of knowing which would be most fruitful, so Tabea left it to chance and headed down the path to the watering hole. If she were lucky, there would be a handful of workers on break to speak to.

As it turned out, she was not lucky. There was but one worker (Or at least, she assumed he was a worker) sitting idly with a glass of water. She felt distinctly like she was intruding, but it would be too strange to enter only to leave. Tabea straightened up, trying to look the part that her uniform suggested. A soldier. But she was still reluctant to speak or move. The worker seemed...unlike the others, primarily due to the fact that he was so overdressed for Teinar's heat. And also because he was alone, and very quiet. In fact, it was silent as death in the watering hole, a sharp silence that suited its elegant, almost cold appearance.

Tabea began to approach him, stopping at a fair distance. "Excuse me. Can I ask you a few questions?" The same cold, clinical voice she used as a doctor. Good. She hoped this guy couldn't somehow sense how nervous she is.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2012, 11:33:58 am »
Click.

Theo winced. His eyes drifted over ..

Clack The sound of the shoes on the ground was almost deafening, after the silence of the place. He had been sitting at a small circular table, both of his arms resting on the top, pushing his khaki cloak away from his chest, like a curtain, to reveal the skin-tight sand suit underneath. One hand fluidly withdrew, the curtains of the cloak closing, only his arm, the one holding the glass of water, sticking out. Rhythmic, switching and popping noises, quiet, flowed from the interior of the cloak.

His eyes wandered over her, almost greedily. They traced the outline of her neck, shoulders, waist ..

He could smell her sweat. It was somewhat sharp, surprisingly acrid. This female was not exactly in a rested state of mind.

The hand that was clutching the glass of water raised itself and pulled the cloak down from his face, which he had instinctively raised upon the entrance of another patron. His face, rough and sandblasted, was slightly paler than the stripe of tan around his eyes; a rather unfortunate fashion choice given his usual habit of cover his nose and mouth, but not his eyes, in the desert world above. Although his mouth was set in a bit of a grimace, his silence and lack of rejection telegraphed his intention to answer her questions.. if they were the right ones.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2012, 12:05:03 pm »
Tabea watched the man cautiously, surprise settling in beside her slight nervousness. Shouldn't he do something more than stare, like answer her-- be nervous, perhaps, to be addressed by a soldier? Soldiers only entered the city in garb when there was a problem, a monster outbreak or something on par with it that required an organized and armed effort. She tensed. Maybe she had been too casual, not stern enough. But she didn't want to wield a sword of false authority too heavy-handedly, lest she make too strong an impression. Then she wouldn't last long. People would talk, and real soldiers would find her.

"Senior Officer Vox, I'm a patrol soldier. I-" she paused. No, not she. The military. "We're looking for someone. They're not in trouble, so if you know them personally, don't be alarmed. Fiona Grey." Her mother. Though she doubted this man would know her, he didn't seem the socializing type. But maybe he'd heard of her. When she was younger, her mother ran a clinic. She was known of, at least by people who'd been injured often. Suddenly it struck her as it hadn't yet- What if she was dead? Her father? "Have you heard of her or seen her?"
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2012, 12:24:11 pm »
"Officer Voxxxx." Theo dragged out the last syllable, his lips pulled back, teeth gritted as he enunciated the 'x'.

He swirled the water, took a sip, and placed it delicately back on the table, in the same motion standing up and moving to position the piece of furniture between him and the female.

"There have been no subterranean creature invasions lately." His words hung in the air, an implied accusation. Both of his hands had fallen inside his cloak, and it hung loosely around his body. It obscured any fighting stance, if any, he was in, and gave no hint of any concealed weapons of the sort. More than anything, it simply conveyed distrust. It was somewhat ironic of him to do so, and he felt like it was his duty to tell her what he knew: he did not feel like he had the authority, as somewhat of an outsider himself, to withhold information from her.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2012, 12:59:07 pm »
Tabea kept her expression controlled and calm even as the other man reacted so strangely to her, repeating her name before swiftly standing and moving away. For a moment she wondered if he was going to attempt an escape. His posture seemed to imply it. Was he some kind of criminal who thought she was trying to trick him before arresting him? God, this was getting more complicated than she'd anticipated. And to top it off, if she let him run away without pursuit, she would blow her cover. She'd just have to play this carefully, pretending to be unfazed but on guard, like a soldier.

His words only made him seem more suspicious. Of her. Tabea frowned, lips in a tight line. "That's right," she agreed. "But we need Grey's expertise in a certain situation." She took a few steps closer to him, maintaining a stern expression that hopefully might make an impression.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2012, 01:09:16 pm »
Her .. advances pushed him back in turn, him making sure to keep a comfortable distance between the two. Unfortunately, there was only a small distance he could back up until he was against the wall. He glared, pensive, intense, his eyes boring into hers as he played with the children's toy in his cloak. They were two magnetic spheres with their domains randomly dispersed on the surface. When brought together, they would spin wildly and attempt to fly off in any direction possible. The goal was to keep them together, and it took a fair amount of reflexes and intuition to do so.

It was an admirable distraction from the way her lips parted when she spoke, the sheen of saliva that remained on the --

"I think you're lying." Perhaps a touch too aggressive, and he almost barked out his accusation. The way Teinar worked, organizations, relationships, and authority were organic, with little formal structure. There was little reason to believe the words of someone who tried to use authority to ask for his obedience.

"But I'll take you there anyways." It was not in his nature to inquire closely about other people.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2012, 01:30:15 pm »
Tabea's composure finally snapped when, following his backing up into the wall, the man sharply accused her of lying. Her lips parted in surprise, eyebrows arched, before drawing together in an expression of slight anger, her mouth snapping shut. There was no right way to play this man.. But then maybe that's where the trick was. Maybe if she stopped with the games... Tabea was determined to get what she wanted, but not stubborn. She would not cling foolishly to her idea of pretending to be a soldier if it would only make things more difficult and lead her astray from her goal.

Though the man said he would take her regardless, Tabea sighed, already defeated. If this man was a criminal he'd respect her more as one. If not, well, he didn't seem the type to care. "I did lie." she admitted, stepping back as she tore off her soldier headpiece and letting her hair down. "But I need to find her," Tabea said sharply, though relieved that she no longer had to deceive. "It is important."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2012, 01:39:19 pm »
He cast his glance sharply down to the floor to avoid looking at her figure, and his aggressive posture slightly slumped, muted as the situation diffused itself. He pulled at his right side burn, rubbing the long, bunched together strand of hair through his fingers before briskly striding to the exit. He seemed to appreciate this more direct method, and the clanking noises ceased to emanate from underneath his cloak.

"Not from around here?" It was almost a rhetorical question, seeing as she had acted just like someone from Aedolis; lording over others with rank. As he exited his sanctuary, he automatically stuffed plugs into his ears to mute the general noises of life that echoed in the tunnels. It was warmer in the tunnels, and he was forced to tie his cloak back, to allow the stale breeze to wash over his sand-suit. It was lucky for him, that the suit absorbed his perspiration and prevented the pheromones from diffusing into the air.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2012, 02:04:29 pm »
Giving up the disguise seemed to ease the situation, as the man relaxed slightly in posture. He didn't even question why she had lied, just asked her if she was from around the area. Tabea frowned, holding the headpiece close to her side as she followed the man. "Yes, and... No," she answered vaguely, not desiring to explain much further than that. If he was really familiar with the lesser stories and rumors of Teinar, then that answer had potential to give her away altogether. Did it matter anyway? There was little left to protect, though, and this would need to stay hidden.

"So you know where she is?" Tabea asked, falling into step beside the man.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2012, 02:15:48 pm »
"I knew where she was."

He didn't bother to explain that. Given the nature of his work, he paradoxically spent less time at home than in the great spaceports of Aedolis or some forsaken meteor hurtling past Earth. Although he was aware of where their residence was, he knew nothing about their profession. In fact, they did not seem very high key, nor particularly well known, which was what had set him off in the first place. He continued walking along the path in his memory.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2012, 02:31:58 pm »
Tabea quirked a brow at the man's strange reply, but accepted it nonetheless. "Very well," she replied, remaining at his side as they walked through the tunnels of Teinar. "My real name is Tabea, by the way," she offered, picking up on the fact that this man didn't seem to know much about who he was looking for or what her answer had meant. He probably hadn't heard the story of her- the girl who had escaped from Teinar to live in Haviah. The people of Teinar typically hated Aedolians. She didn't blame them. "You don't have to give me your's, if you don't want to. But thank you for showing me the way. It has been a long time..." She looked around pensively, taking in the sights which were familiar and yet strangely foreign. It seemed like much had changed, but she knew that the only difference was her vision of the place. It was no longer exciting and fun, it no longer felt like home. It was dismal and almost barbaric. Thinking that, Tabea realized how much she had changed.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2012, 02:37:01 pm »
"The people here speak of community and trust, but people often come and go."

Theo arrived at the place where he last remembered the Greys residing. He glanced up at the small homestead, carved into the side of the tunnel. It was a section of the city that had been near the subterranean uprisings. Claw marks, bullet holes, and scratches from spears and daggers adorned the walls and the door of the dwelling, and continued on far into the deeper portions of the tunnel, where the sheer depth seemed to mute the bioluminescence of the vines. Teinar was a haunt for survivors and not much else.

He would have answered her with his name, but the state of the house made him forget. Somberly, he stepped widely around her (upwind of the draft, to avoid the maddening sweetness of her perspiration), and gestured for her to enter, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2012, 03:31:07 pm »
Tabea followed the man quietly as he led them further down the tunnel, not bothering to reply. His words had hit a little too close to home. Tabea hadn't wanted to leave, but her family and Sigur had forced her to go. Still, she felt like a traitor. Did that make her parents traitors as well? For wanting a better life for her? She frowned without meaning to, eyes downcast as they walked. She still had too many unaddressed feelings about her past. Perhaps she had come here too much on a whim. Perhaps it would have been better if she'd stayed in Haviah and come to terms with her thoughts independently rather than chasing the answer.

Finally they arrived- It was her childhood home, but different, worse. The claw marks, the superficial markings from weapons... She saw it for what it was now. Tabea stared intently, her heart aching painfully as she moved quickly towards the entrance, feeling as though her heart were being tugged fiercely. She pushed the door open and, as she had feared, the place was empty. Barren. The furniture had remained in place but now covered with a film of dust. There was no sign of life. Tabea picked up a frame which sat abandoned on the stand closest to the door. It was her and Sigur the year they'd left. The pain in her heart intensified, her stomach dropped. They were dead, weren't they? Had been dead.

Tabea hurried out, unable to bear facing this reality, hating her arrogant decision to come to Teinar. Seeing the man again, she stopped herself from running and instead slid to a crouch, holding the picture tightly in her hands. "They're dead. They must be. When was the last time you--" she looked up at him, wishing she wasn't showing so much vulnerability right now but unable to help it.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2012, 03:47:17 pm »
Theo raised one leg to place his foot against the wall. He glanced down the corridor.

"Things come up often, but we usually push them back without deaths. It may not be what you think." Even to him, the words sounded a bit hollow and shallow, lacking in comfort or consolation.

"I was last here about three months ago."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2012, 03:58:18 pm »
Though his words lacked warmth and though they were not comforting, they served their purpose. Tabea realized that she was jumping to conclusions. There was a chance they were still alive, and her emotions had gotten the best of her for a moment. She pocketed the picture and stood straight, facing the man. "You're right.." she folded her arms across her chest. "Sorry, I feel like I'm dragging you into something that has nothing to do with you, but.. There's no point in keeping it quiet, I've all but given myself away as is. I'm looking for my parents."
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2012, 04:05:33 pm »
"I figured." That much was obvious from the beginning, if she was not Officer Vox looking for Mrs. Grey.

"I don't have much to do until the next mining pass occurs." That was the truth. These days it seemed his only purpose for existing was to go and dig up precious ores frozen into the great icy comets as they blazed past earth. His time back in Teinar was almost filled with complete boredom, and mental torture as he resisted the one thing that this entire society, in fact this entire world, had to come to embrace: casual sex.

He took his foot off the wall and walked up to the door, pulling down the cloak from his nose to take a long, measured sniff of the area. The dust started a sneezing fit, but he thought there was a lingering something in the air ..
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Jenny

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2012, 04:25:48 pm »
Tabea was surprised that the man figured her out so effortlessly, and not just that, but implied that he was willing to help her. She frowned at him, not unkindly but out of the forcefulness of her own mannerisms, because she felt that she was imposing greatly. Yet, she needed someone to help her and guide her. She would be blind on her own.

That being said Tabea was ready to speak but lost her train of thought when the man sniffed the air and sneezed. Seeing him do this, Tabea had a sudden rush of curiosity, wanting to know more about this man. It was most likely a defense mechanism- he knew more about her than vice versa. "You're not human?" she questioned, approaching him.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

Rastul

  • Guest
Re: Chasing the past [Theo]
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2012, 04:34:39 pm »
After the bout of sneezing, Theo snorted, preparing himself for another breath, but the confounding sweetness prevented him from otherwise getting another one. The endless dodging was becoming tiresome, as well. He stifled a sigh as he pulled the cloak back up over his face, his hands once again reaching for the pair of magnetic balls inside his cloak.

"I don't know much about the area, but maybe I can hel -- ghk!" He was turning and speaking at the same time, and was surprised by her proximity and question.

"A-am I not human??" His nervousness was offset by his curiosity. It was a peculiar question to ask of him. When he first took up residence here, he was not questioned for his appearance, and based on his observations, his physical form was rather in line with the majority of Teinar's residents.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 pm by Guest »

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal