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Chapter 27: The Shocking Truth

 
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Kalanna Rai
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:55 pm    Post subject: Chapter 27: The Shocking Truth Reply with quote

Okay it took me a while to map out how I wanted this one to go, what I wanted to expose. Enjoy!
WARNING: This chapter contains mature content not suited to all ages. Reader discretion is advised.
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Shocking Truth

Cobalt stared up into merciless eyes and for the first time since she'd set events in motion, she found herself without an escape option. Her mind scrambled blankly for a way out, anything, her pretty mouth opening but only gasping for another breath. The sering pain of the moment Angelo had taken her eye seemed to blossom again, stealing any attempt at rational thought she might have made. "Please." she managed to choke out.

"Oh I don't think so. Maybe I'd be more willing to consider other options if you hadn't shot me. It's time to repay me my pound of flesh Cobalt." the pirate said in a cold voice, and true pain exploded behind her eyes. She couldn't describe the sensation as a vast, alien presence crammed itself into her skull. My what a tiny, ugly, little mind you have Cobalt. Reminds me of my own with more clutter and less space.

Searing fingers of fire pulled at her memories, dragging her along on a kaleidoscopic journey through things she'd much rather have forgotten. Such as how Tabor had used her until she screamed, his hunger for one of his own kind and natural need to dominate forcing her into humiliating acts. And Mange, with his fetishes and lust for new things. She remembered beatings that came hand in hand with passion, and passion that created and cost innocent lives.
----------------------

Angelo went with her, surveying these moments dispassionately, his feelings as cold and hard as steel. He was professional, keeping himself separate from her. He was in her memories but, unlike certain armatures, not part of them. He was interested only in what she saw, what she heard, and what she'd thought. What she'd felt, physically, was none of his concern. He paused her memories, sometimes at points he knew were cruel, to better study some bit of information that captured his attention.

He rewound portions, like a cheap, seedy holofilm, to listen to certain phrases muttered by men caught off guard. He could feel Cobalt, the current version, battering at him. But it was the anger of a butterfly against a behemoth. Useless. He was completely aware of the rest of the crew standing around, gathered close but unwilling to touch the pair locked in the past. He could feel their emotions so much clearer now, as he worked, his minds fetters loosened enough to expand. Ambrois, cold and logical. Saul, worried and curious. Donovan, slightly sickened. Cherry, enjoying every minute. Jade, secretly pleased. And a flicker of something, someone?, else that was gone as soon as he'd felt it.

He was wholly unprepared for his first sight of Mange. He'd expected his own emotions for the man to be subdued, but coming so close to the man who'd murdered Angelo's best friend and stolen his ship had stirred a dark and sickened anger in him. He'd made a vow to let blood avenge it's own, but it was hard. Jasper would have been up to the task but was Jade? He put the thoughts aside, concentrating on the mutinous Canin as he waved the battered copy of Angelo's brothers diary around.

He listened, as Cobalt had listened, to Mange read aloud from those few pages he could understand. His blood ran cold at the secrets that were almost prised free, blessing the stupidity of his foe that so many of the clues were left unconnected. Including several that would have revealed Angelo's own identity. Finally, as cracks appeared in Cobalt's mind, he turned himself to the subject of her trustworthiness.

He delved into her her plots and plans, nodding occasionally as her deviousness in certain situations mirrored what he himself might have done in the same position. He was certainly a little surprised to find that she had meant her message to Saul and that she had truly seen service to Angelo as far preferable to that which she had been occupied by. He felt her fear for him, her nigh instinctive terror. Felt the lust that tempered it. In all her many encounters, Cobalt had never been able to do more than casually touch an Arcex. Her natural curiosity was killing her.

To satisfy his own curiosity, Angelo traveled back to that day when she'd blown up his ship and nearly taken his life. If he'd been angry at his first sight of Mange, it was nothing compared to what he felt now. Cobalt hadn't been lying when she'd said she'd not been aiming to kill him, but then Angelo had known that. She'd been aiming to kill Ambrois. To put him down. She'd felt that, if she could destroy Ambrois, Angelo would destroy himself and spare her the task. Her pain, her fury at being doubly scorned and half-blinded, her drive to show Angelo who was boss...she hadn't even considered any alternatives.

Not till much later, when she'd seen a taste of true and casual cruelty.

He pulled back, ripping his mind free of the twisted maze of her memory with all the finesse of a man yanking barbed wire through a bramble thicket. And causing just as much damage. As he blinked, coming wholly back to himself, he dropped the limp rag doll Cobalt had become. He casually wiped the blue blood off his hands, where it had run from her ears and down her neck. "She's no longer a threat." he said quietly, turning and heading for his cabin.

Saul looked up from where he knelt next to Cobalt's prone form, eyes slightly hard. "Did you have to be such a bastard about it? I'm sure you had the skill to accomplish the same thing gently."

He stopped, looking over his shoulder at the young man and the crew that gathered around in slight support. "Am I supposed to care Saul? She put a bullet in me, she would have done worse if I'd given her time, left her her eye. She's a scheming, conniving, little bitch who would have sold me, you, and everyone on this ship if she thought she had a chance of walking away smelling like a rose. Your affection is misplaced even if your lust is not."

"But you've done damage Angelo! You may have left her a permanent veggie! Don't you feel anything?"

Angelo chuckled as he reached the hatch. "I'm a pirate mate. I'm over it." And with that he vanished below, leaving the crew to their own devices. He needed time to plot, to prepare. These were his last few days, possibly hours, of anonymity...they needed to count for the most.
--------------------------

Ambrois knew Jade was troubled as they lay together in the darkness later that night. He could almost hear the gears of her mind turning as her fingers absently twisted a lock of his hair together with hers. He sighed, tracing a finger along her ribs. "What?"

"Humm, oh nothing. Just thinking about things."

"And I suppose they have to do with Angelo?"

She twisted, green eyes locking with his own blue pair. "You've got to admit he's nothing like you Ambrois. You barely share any features, you can't compare your attitudes, and for having a father as Gifted as Angelo seems to be, you don't have much of a Gift yourself Ambrois."

"So what, you think I'm not his kid? That he's got the wrong person?"

Her eyes dropped and she shook her head. "No. That's wishful thinking. If you weren't his son that would have been exposed by now. I can almost feel a deeper connection between you two in my bones. And that's what frightens me. We're about to go before a major portion of the pirates that sail the Universe and I've got the feeling that he's going to reveal the truth to them. About him. About you." She looked back up at him. "And where will that leave us Ambrois?"

"I don't understand Jade. If Angelo admits who he is, the pirates are going to be in total awe of him. Terrified that he's his sire reincarnate. I'm sure some of that will trickle down and protect me."

"Not if they think he's an impostor, or if they decide to use you to keep him in line." She shivered. "And then they'll use me against you if any of them find out. I don't want that happening Ambrois. I don't want anyone to think I'm helpless, to try and make me helpless so that they can control you. I don't want you or anyone else running to my rescue."

He looked at her thoughtfully for a long time. "Have you been thinking about this long or did it just occur to you?"

"No, not long. Only for a couple of days now. I...I don't know Ambrois. I just don't want you to think that you've got to protect me. If I get stuck, I'll get unstuck."

He sighed and ruffled her hair. "Will it make you feel any better if I promise I won't go treating you like a fair and helpless maiden? Because I know you can handle yourself Jade."

She snuggled closer to him. "Yes Ambrois, it would."

"Well then I promise." he whispered sincerely. Soon enough her soft snores told him that she'd drifted off and he wrapped his wings around them, trying to follow suit. But his mind kept turning restless circles, wondering what had made Jade think of such things. He loved her, but was level-headed enough to know when his charging off after her would only make things worse. Neither of them were foolishly romantic like that.

With his thoughts churning, he at last succumbed to slumber.
----------------------------------

Angelo had mapped out much of what he'd wanted to do, to say. He'd planned how he'd execute every action. He'd made predictions on how each Lord would react, how many notable Captains would as well. But it all came down to what happened when the shock wore off. They would obey, or they would cry for blood. It made the placement of his crew all the more important.

Obviously light bulbs would go off in more than a few heads when people saw Ambrois. No matter how different they were, speculation would bridge the gap. But if Angelo made any attempt to show his son favoritism, it would only confirm what were sure to be rumors. Saul would work best near the back of the crowd, by the door, where he could fleece sailors mostly unnoticed and be in a good position for a favorable trip in the right place. Cherry and Donovan worked so well side by side that they needed to be up front, close to Angelo himself.

Cobalt was not an issue, he doubted she'd be awake for some days yet. But he didn't feel like leaving her on the ship alone. Jade, he'd assign Jade to stay behind and watch her, taking some of the pressure off Ambrois who he'd put near Donovan and Cherry.

Thinking about his crew made him recall the almost touch he'd felt earlier. It had been an odd sensation and his mind idly tried to find something to compare it with. He was drowsing, comfortably drunk, when he finally came up with a match that sobered him instantly. He locked it down, keeping it to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was let Cele know...she'd go and let it slip to Ambrois. Who, if he didn't know already, obviously wasn't supposed to.

Angelo shook his head, he might be jumping to conclusions. But to figure out if he was right or wrong, he'd have to test his theory. And he doubted he could get the long period of time the casual way required... "How do I get myself into these messes?"

Tapping a non-steel finger against his lips, he plotted a diversion that would leave Jade in a very awkward situation. Alone with him...
-----------------------------

So, what does Angelo come up with. Hilarious ideas much appreciated!
-----------------------------

There it is, a brand new chapter for you lucky few! Hope you liked!
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Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:43 am; edited 5 times in total
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Difficult one. The simplest idea that comes to mind is to drug everyone except Jade. So they're the only two who are awake.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

how's about telling everyone that they get to watch a movie, and then sending jade for some popcorn, also realizing just after her departure that angelo is out of booze, and therefore allowing himself time alone with jade?
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

.....You know you really spoiled this part rai. It would have been nice not to know exactly what was gonna happen..Grr you better make it interesting
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Kalanna Rai
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*laughs* I actually havn't decided Reck...just couldn't resist showing you a 'might be'.

And remind me to give you a cookie.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Slip Jade a lil something to give her an upset stomach, not enough to make her deathly il but enough incapacitate her while Angelo sends the rest of the crew out for "supplies"? Leaving him to "look after" Jade.

Oh and Rai.... *smiles* Check your PMs.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*laughs* Not even close Lils....
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

POLL! VOTE!!!
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Caught up, and voted!

It seems you have a tie.
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