Blue and Purple
20 Jan 2016Ryan Murdoc
"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." ConfuciusLocation: Carpini Terminal, Qa'Wakana System. I came here due to the fact that this is the System where my former self was executed, so I concluded it must've had some kind of sentimental value to him. Perhaps it was here where he met up with Nova Cassidy.
After the landing, I was supposed to meet up with someone named Lobo. According to the information I gained by scouring the darker recesses of human society (meaning: Criminals) I was told his connection details. We communicated solely via Private Messages, and though I was in doubt that I was probably set up by some mole working for the government or local security, I gave it a try. After all, my past was dead, literally so, and all former transgressions were deleted from my profile.
We were supposed to meet at a local bar, but not long after my arrival someone had set the place on fire (turned out a drunk and angry customer who was kicked out earlier returned with some buddies and started using a Plasma cutter on the highly inflammable drinks and other objects inside. Security showed up rather quickly, and it came to a fight which resulted in the Plasma cutter guy being shot to death, his buddies were injured and taken into custody).So we moved to another location to meet up, a Lounge of sorts where the "cool and wealthy" (or those pretending to be) would hang out, called The Bubble (highly inventive name that, sheesh).
Lobo wrote that I'd have to wear something better than the usual Pilot's suit to be allowed in there, and I started to question if all this was worth it. Then I remembered voice and looks of Nova, and smirked. Oh yeah, she was worth it. Everything....at least I hoped so.
On the way to the aforementioned place, I came across a shop which in size and style was immense in every sense of the word. Bearing the name "Man-Datory", not only it's measurements but also the price tags attached to the rather unspectacular looking suits and dresses for either gender were light years away from what a regular person could afford. The guy that seemed to act as some sort of doorman was judging me with his eyes, and even though his face showed no expression at all, it was clear that it was something in the lines of "Look what the cat dragged in". However, after I made clear that I had sufficient amounts of credits to purchase, the doorman guy and his co-workers made sure I got a complete makeover (didn't help that I still felt like an overdressed buffoon afterwards). The music waving through the place was quite relaxing though, so at least for that they deserve some credit.
In the end, I was sporting a look that would fit everywhere, from business meeting up to a wedding or funeral ceremony, or at least they told me so. Before I fail to correctly describe it, here's a picture (minus the bow tie, mine wasn't as big or "fluffy" as shown).
Also I was informed that the fabric used was near indestructible in means of ripping apart or being exposed to open flame. Also it was water-proof from the outside yet my skin would breathe like it wasn't there, and a few other speeches of the same sort about my new socks and shoes. I asked if they could return my earlier dress to my ship, and they were happy to do so after I added some extra money to the 100,000 Credits they sucked out of me.
As I stepped through the sliding doors and outside again, I was feeling both odd and special. Given enough time I could get used to look like this, but it could get rather expensive. Then again, I am swimming in credits, and there are easy ways to gain more, both legal and illegal. So, why not enjoy life?
My thoughts were disrupted by some loud voices, yelling about. Once my eyes located the source, they saw two obviously drunk guys trying to unsuccessfully convince another person to come with them, with the person in question being out of my view behind their massive appearances. They were dressed like me in a way (from what I could make out from a distance) but definitely didn't have good manners taught by their parents. Since I had to move past the place where they were to get to the Lounge, I decided to get close and watch what would happen. Yeah, I could've helped, but without exactly knowing what your opposition sports as weapons, it's stupid to barge right into a fight. Besides, I left all what could've been used for attack or defense either in my ship or with the goons in the shop to get it back to my ship, so I was rather underdressed in that regard.
I didn't have to wait long for something to happen. Obviously the smaller person being harassed had enough and I saw one foot swinging upwards and connecting with....well, the most precious a man has. I winced by the sheer sight, and the scream of the guy did add to that tenfold. With one opponent obviously occupied, his comrade sought to exact vengeance. But he suffered a likewise fate; as his fist was going forward, the small one was easily evading his swing, and in return landed a crushing kick on the side of his left knee. As he was going down on his right one, screaming at the top of his lungs "Fucking bitch!", he was silenced moments later with the woman's right knee connecting with his jaw. He'd not eat anything solid for a long while to come.
The whole ordeal hadn't taken more than a couple moments, but I still was pretty much in awe of how it went down. And then my eyes focused on the woman, and my breath went out for a moment. Standing there before me was Nova, out of breath and collecting herself, rubbing her knee and finding appropriate words for the two guys squirming about on the floor. The one who probably had been disabled for life to create offspring tried to hold onto one of her ankles as she moved away. Sparing the grim details, let's just say that a female Pilot suit's boots are hard enough to crush bones if the need arises, so he was getting a lasting souvenir from this encounter as well.
Moving forward yet looking back at the two, she came right into my direction. Just a few steps before she would've bumped into me, she focused on the way she was walking, and suddenly halted, taxing me up and down with her eyes. Still breathing heavily, her chest going up and down, but her whole frame frozen in place, we stood there for what seemed forever. Eyes went wide, her brow furrowed, lips forming words yet no sounds audible.
"....Coragon? I've been trying to contact you all week! I read your logs! Where have you been?!" she said, voice still kind of breathless from the previous encounter.
I just stood there, taking in everything, her sight, her voice, the scent of sweat mixed with the trace of a bit of her perfume, skin glistening....if there ever was a woman that could drive a man crazy (or would have the guts and agility to beat him to a bloody pulp) it was her.
Still not moving an inch, she looked back at the 'mess' left on the floor. Whilst people gathered around and the heavy running of Security boots could be heard drawing nearer, I finally overcame being mute as a carp and somehow managed to croak the words "Please come with me, I'll explain..." whilst reaching out to her, trying to hold her hand. She backed off a bit, but after another second nodded and darted off, away from the scene. I went right after, and we ran for a good while until we stopped in a side alley (or whatever it could be called), catching our breath.
"You're nobody to toy around with, I see..." I got out in between gasping for air, leaning my back onto a wall, grimy with some sort of dirt or oil. Not that I'd cared much about the suit, for something infinitely more valuable was there in front of me. Answers.
"No, not really, I know how to handle myself....but you ought to know that by now....assuming you're... you. Are you Coragon?" Nova said, her expressions showing the mixed emotions within, topped off with a healthy dose of confusion as well as being wary of the man in front of her. She had a lot of questions that warranted answers, but I just didn't have the answers to most of them. Not even one as simple at that.
I just continued to look at her, unable to answer her question directly. For the next minute or two, the only things to be heard were her and my breath, aside of the busy hustling of the other people on the main walkways. Eventually, I broke the silence, closing my eyes before speaking. All my plans on how to act when I'd encounter her, what to ask or say to not raise her suspicion that I wouldn't be the man she knew went right out the airlock in that very moment. I know I would never gain what I sought through force, and from her display earlier, I would definitely regret it if I ever tried. So, what was left? The truth...but what was the truth in my particular case?
"I...I don't know if I am the man you knew. The one Coragon you probably met earlier is...dead. And, what or who I am I don't know...but even so, you made such a strong impression on him...your voice, your looks, everything was slowly coming back...actually, I was looking for you because...you’re the only lead I have regarding his and my past…”
Nova's expression changed. The confusion didn't go away - I never expected it to - I didn't understand either. But now there was some hint of frustration on that expressionate face of hers. She probably wanted answers from me I didn't have. I wanted answers from her she might not have had either. Closing my eyes, I awaited either a punch to the face (or other more delicate regions of my body), maybe a laughter, a snort, sounds of disgust or anything at all, yet there was only silence.
My head started hurting all of a sudden, as if someone tried to forcibly ram a set of needles into it. Screaming, I fell to my knees, pressing both palms to my temples, trying to hold together the skull that felt like it was about to erupt in pain. I heard her trying to talk to me, but her words ebbed away as I fell sideways, hitting the floor hard with my head. The smell of dirt and oil greeted me as the rest of my consciousness (and probably sanity, if there was any left to begin with) faded away, and I heard one last "...ragon!" muttered before my lights went out.
To be continued...