Anika Jereldsen (fly_baby) wrote in kobols_legacies, @ 2008-05-11 11:17:00 |
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Current location: | Anika's cabin at night |
Current mood: | stressed |
In the dark of the night...
(Mun note: Part of the exposition of Anika's nightmares and what caused them. The only pups who would know anything about the causes at all would be Bethany and Dani currently. And even they don't know all of it...)
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The face stared back at her, haggard, eyes sunken and dull. She jerked away from its stare but no matter where she looked, there it was looking back at her. Staring.
For three months Bryn had been working on ‘a job’ that he said had him between a rock and a hard place if things went sour. A large, family-run cartel on Scorpia had been identified as the hub of the gun smuggling operation. It was thought to have become such because a large fleet supply base, located on Scorpia was the main depot for weapons and ammunition in the region, and where old, or damaged munitions were taken for disposal. There was a mole there who’d uncovered the evidence that someone at the supply depot was in league with the cartel, facilitating the supply and keeping them tipped as to all military movements in the area. Their identity hadn’t been made when the mole went silent, never to be heard of again. That was when Bryn was brought in, his job being to identify the crooked officer and bust the cartel open by getting inside the family’s workings while the other ends were followed up further.Anika hadn’t seen him for almost two months. As usual they went to their favourite place, the rock pool. “When will you be back?” she asked as she leaned back against the rock at the edge that was warm from the sun. Her tone was light and almost nonchalant, knowing he hated it when she showed any sign of worrying. More than once he’d told her that if he’d wanted someone to mother him, and worry about what he was doing where, he’d be in love with her twin, not her!
He shook the water from his face, droplets spraying out from his head and his hair sticking up in all directions, completely unruly and with a mind of its own, just like him. “The sooner the better babe, cuz I’m gonna miss you something fierce!” With that he’d dragged her into the water, their afternoon turning into one that had been more than just memorable.
The two men sat opposite her. When they finished telling her about Bryn she stared at them. Disbelief steered her features and on more than one occasion she had sat with her mouth hanging down staring at the two men seated across from her.
“All intel we’re getting out is pointing to the same thing, Anika, we’re sorry.” The apologetic voice hesitated as her eyes flickered across to meet his, not really engaging him, but apparently recognizing the source of his voice.
“If it’s any consolation he did manage to identify the officer, the information is already with the brass and they’re taking care of that even as we speak,” the Taurean colonel told her. His voice dropped to a soft growl as he continued. “And if we find out he had anything to do with what happened to Bryn…” He didn’t finish the sentence, the other officer nodding slowly, his fingers tightening on the brim of his hat.
Six months later the same hat, with fingers still toying with it was back, the picture now with more pieces, but still with some big holes meaning they hadn’t been able to put Anika’s ghosts to rest. The crooked officer, a Major Tewes, had been very clever, his take from the cartel enough that he’d set up and escape plan that was executed perfectly when he knew his time was approaching. Gone before the sting was pulled he’d left behind very little in the way of traceable information, his operation having been very streamlined and slick.
“We still can’t prove it was him that hung Bryn out to dry, but we know it was, and his running has proven that. We just have to find the evidence and he’ll be wishing he was deader’n …” He’d stopped, realising what he was about to say, and finished his sentence with “…dead.”
Finally she had a name for the anonymous face, the man who’d killed Bryn as surely as if he’d pulled the trigger himself. Major Tewes. Why didn’t it surprise her? Just as Bryn had predicted that last time, a crooked guy on the inside. “They’re more bloody dangerous than the family, babe, because the family? They don’t hide behind a uniform. But those crooked bastards? They’re the worst scum of the earth. Snivelling around and pretending they’re heroes, when all they are is backstabbing frakkin’ cowards…” She'd become almost devoid of emotion for a long time after Bryn was gone. Her twin sister had tried to find the key to unlock the strange blinkers that Anika now appeared to be wearing but even she realised that she was starting to wear her sister's patience thing. So instead she just focused on getting Anika back to 'normal', to what she'd been like before the devestating loss of Bryn. She even suggested that Anika move to Shangri-La, telling her they had one of the best mechanics she'd ever know who was sure to be ab le to take care of Sting like only their father would want...
“Come on shortcake, you said you wanted to try it, so now’s y’ chance!” Fingers fumbled with clothing, harsh breaths burning her skin but she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t push the fear, or bodies away…
There was no mistaking it. She stared at the mirror, not even recognising the face staring back at her any more. It was the final straw, the decision made, none other possible, and again she wasn't even able to tell the one person she wanted to...
And then it would start again, the fear, the anger, the loss, the emptiness, the invasion, the death, the wondering what was it all about… an endless cycle that was now mocked and scorned by a savage bitch in a uniform, her twisted face spitting venom and nastiness, then laughing a victorious sound of derision…