Who: Caine Wise cainewise, Jupiter Jones queenjupiter, Thea Queen callmespeedy What: Taking the queen to safety. When: May 5, after this discussion Where: Thea's apartment. Rating: Audience Discretion is Advised Warnings: Mentions of violence, flying guys who are sorta slaves, bioengineering, chicks who are badass. Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
~*~
Capable women were what had made The House of Abrasax the wealthiest and most feared of the entitleds. It wasn't a matter of what they were capable of as much as what they had proven capable of in the past. They were only human, the same as all entitled, yet they showed no hesitation in doing whatever was necessary to further their own goals, progress their House's empire, keep Time at their ready disposal.
It had taken murder to kill their matriarch even though she'd already lived ninety thousand years.
Caine would let nothing touch their new leader as Jupiter was better than all the rest of them combined. She would be their salvation whether they wanted it or not. Even if she didn't wish to be kept safe, he'd see that she was all the same. Her life mattered more. Her death would come in due time, yet due time was far, far away from these days or this place. Caine Wise would ensure she was kept safe as was her right as Queen of Earth and he'd use any resources available to him to do it.
Carrying her on his back was easier and harder with wings. She had her own gravboots now. Jupiter was an accomplished flier at this stage, yet he could not let her fly on her own with enemies possibly in the air all around them. She wore no armor, had no weapons. It would be too easy to shoot her right out of the sky if they were capable of airborne defense. His wings beat around her as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She had enabled the surf function of her boots to keep her weight mostly off his wings. It was the best they could manage as he guided them to Thea.
"We have arrived at her location, my queen. Jupiter. I know you do not wish to stay here. I know you have the heart of a soldier. If I thought it safe to bring you into battle with me, I would do so, but you must live. The Earth needs her queen. Thea has offered to guard you. Her speech makes me believe her to be trustworthy. I will know more when I can scent her. Stay behind me until I motion you forward? Please."
He couldn't give her orders, but he could ask her to trust him. It was enough.
Copperstone -where the queen lived- was newer than Hope Springs, yet Thea was there. It had been worth the risk to take Jupiter to someone who seemed trustworthy. Caine also appreciated she'd be in the same housing complex as himself though a part of him balked at his queen sharing quarters with anyone. He had yet to spend any time in the quarters assigned to himself as Jupiter could not be left unguarded. She deserved the finest of everything from guards to lodgings. She was royalty. They had no choice in this time of crisis however, which was why Caine had taken her to the woman who had offered assistance guarding her. Thea's unit was on the second level, unit 105B. She had an alien roommate, race unknown.
As they stood on the balcony, Caine eased Jupiter behind him to raise his fist to knock upon the sliding doors.
"Trust me?"
He could ask. It had to be enough.
~*~
The thing was, Jupiter was reasonably confident that she could handle what came her way, whether it was discovering that the Earth was not alone in inhabiting the universe or having to defend herself against the ruthless, spoiled children her genetic duplicate left behind. Overall, she thought she’d handled it fairly well, considering she and her family made it out alive, Stinger and Caine both had their wings back, and Earth would be safe from the Abrasax spawn for a very long time.
Life at home had been easier after her adventure. There was more to it than all of the negatives she’d been focusing on before. Her family loved her, she had a job, and Caine had sworn to stay with her, to both protect her and explore the growing chemistry between them. He would always be there to catch her, but she wanted it to go both ways. Learning how to handle a weapon and how to fight took time that they just hadn’t been given yet. When the creatures started appearing in the city, Jupiter knew Caine would want to fight them to protect her from harm. What she hadn’t anticipated was his desire to stash her away with a stranger. That was a bitter pill to swallow and Jupiter was still not happy about it.
Still, she held on as he flew from Copperstone to Hope Springs. While a part of her thought it would’ve been easier for Thea to come to her, Jupiter didn’t like the thought of anyone else on his back or in his arms. For as protective as he was toward her, she was possessive of his affections and attentions. The way he soothed her ruffled feathers so easily made her far less cross with him.
“I know that you’re only looking after me,” Jupiter replied softly, letting her hands trail along his arms. They were seriously great arms. “I don’t like this. I’m not going to say I do, when I don’t. But, I do trust you.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face in his neck, pressing a soft kiss against the corded muscle there. He was power and strength, beauty and aggression. Jupiter knew she’d never meet anyone else like him, and she didn’t want to. Between Caine and Stinger, she would always be safe.
She pulled away and stepped behind him the way he wanted. Jupiter didn’t crowd him, but she did stay close. “I trust you more than anyone else,” she whispered softly, before he knocked on the door. Hopefully, she’d get along with Thea.
~*~
This place was so messed up. Thinking about it gave her a constant migraine. She’d be lying if she said she weren’t waiting for the moment when Ollie would come and save her. That was what he did. It was who he was. The Arrow. And the Arrow saved people. He’d saved Thea several times already. He’d save her now. He had to. But in the mean time, she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Malcolm Merlyn might have been a horrible man, and an even worse father but he’d been a good teacher to her in Corto Maltese.
Thea hadn’t met a lot of people here, but she kind of liked Caine. She couldn’t believe the way he’d been treated, what he’d gone through. She was all too happy to help guard his friend, even if she seemed more than capable of taking care of her himself. Thea had a sword loaned to her by Alice, it would help. She could protect them both, if it came down to it.
She opened the door, a smile on her face. Being friendly was important. She knew that from being a public figure. The Queens were famous in her world. Or they had been until they’d lost it all. But that wasn’t something for her to worry about now.
“Hi, I’m Thea.” She greeted them, she stepped out of the way so they could step into the apartment. She didn’t know how long this would last. But she was happy to help until it did. Jupiter was pretty, very pretty. And she seemed young. Maybe just a little bit older than Thea was. She wasn’t sure.
“Can I get you guys anything?”
~*~
Caine gave a bow of his head in acknowledgement to the woman's greeting. His body was tightly drawn, ready to fight rather than surrender his queen. It took effort to relax the muscles in his face. Smiling was a human expression. He was capable of it -being part-Man- yet it was not a natural expression for him. He only hoped he wasn't showing too much teeth to the woman who only meant to help.
"I require only to ensure my queen will be safe. May we enter? I can do a quick assessment. I'm very good at my job. Being a guard dog."
His expression was more amused as he glanced back at Jupiter with the comment. She had shocked him when she'd proclaimed her love of dogs. It had been the single most unusual interaction Caine had ever had with an entitled---including the time he'd removed one's throat with his teeth. No splice could fully understand an entitled, but Caine liked to believe he was trying to learn their ways. He wanted to make the transition to queen as easy as possible on Jupiter. She would need someone on her side if she were to stand against Abrasax for any length of time.
They were the worst of the entitled.
Thea was small for a human female, yet there was an air of capableness to her which he appreciated. She had the look of someone willing to fight. Soldiers were not based on gender among the ranks of The Legion. All members of The Aegis had their own places; none were chosen to represent a role because of their genitalia. That was the kind of barbaric thinking which came from underdeveloped worlds.
Caine was coming to forget Earth was an underdeveloped world the longer he spent with Jupiter. It was strange. He'd known its nature prior to coming to fetch her. She had changed his view of it upon the meeting of her.
"It is good to see you are armed. Would you prefer a gun? My weapons are more advanced than your society's though they do, essentially, work the same way. Point and shoot. I would offer a weapon to the queen, but she is still working out which part comes first."
It was nice to have humor between them. Caine did not know how appropriate it was to mock at things with the Queen of Earth, but Jupiter didn't seem to mind. Her opinion was all which could matter.
~*~
Jupiter put her hand on his back, between his shoulder blades and right above where his wings were, in an effort to calm him. She’d step back if she need to, to stay out of his way, but he was so tense. Of course, Thea seemed like a nice person, probably a couple of years younger than her. That would hopefully relax him, as well as doing an assessment of her apartment.
“You’re hilarious,” she replied with a shake of her head, a smile tugging at her lips. He was hardly a guard dog in Jupiter’s mind, but she knew she saw the world a lot differently than the way a Splice did, or even an Entitled. Stinger and Kiza tried to teach her, but so often, her gut reaction was disbelief. She questioned so much of it, because it honestly made no sense to her. Without their constant guidance, Jupiter knew she would never be able to handle the responsibility and power that came with being Seraphi Abrasax’s recurrence. She’d thought the American government was confusing and ridiculous, but they had nothing on the trials and tribulations she had to go through to get officially recognized as a recurrence.
“It’s not my fault your guns are way fancier than anything they have on tv,” she countered, grumbling just slightly. It was true though, she Jupiter didn’t have a leg to stand on. “But we’ve already agreed you’re going to teach me so that next time, we won’t have to impose on Thea.” Jupiter moved to stand next to Caine, reaching her hand forward to shake Thea’s.
“Let’s just let him do his thing. Do you have some tea?” She gave Thea a warm smile, hoping they weren’t putting her out too much. “Thanks for doing this. He’s just cautious and it’ll give him peace of mind to know that I’m safe while he takes care of those creatures.”
~*~
Thea certainly didn't mind Caine having a look around. She was sure that Oliver would have done the same. In fact, she knew he would. Thea missed her brother terribly, and she knew that protecting Jupiter is something he would do. Oliver wasn't here. So Thea was probably the best they could get for now. She was strong and brave in a way she hadn't been before.
She happily stepped out of the way, so Caine could have his look around. He was sweet and she really liked him. She wanted to kick the shit out of all who had mistreated him. So what if he were different? Thea didn't think that was any reason to hurt someone or treat them like they were less. No way. She wasn't built that way.
All of her training in Corto Maltese never could have prepared her for the threat they now faced. But she absolutely wouldn't be backing down from it either. Malcolm had said she was made of iron. And Thea intended on living up to that.
She thought about whether or not she wanted a gun. She'd used one before, but her weapon of choice was a sword. She guessed she could take a gun too, just in case. "Sure. If you have one to spare." Thea was pretty sure that all of this was just precaution anyway. Jupiter would be safe with her. They would get to know one another and pass the time.
"Yes I think I have tea. I'll make some now."
***
Tea was something Caine should have thought to ask if his queen needed or wanted. Was she staying properly hydrated? His brows drew as he tried and failed to recall when last she'd eaten or drank anything. He was proving to be a very poor caretaker to the Abrasax Queen. Small wonder The Aegis had stepped in to help her reclaim her position as the recurrence. No one had any reason to believe he would be able to care for her on his own. Caine had never been the best at following Court protocols.
Taking a maggun from its holster, he handed it to the woman, Thea, murmuring, "There is no safety. It is set to high voltage. It uses electromagnetic pulse to send a shockwave through an enemy. At present, it will not stun. It will kill. Do not fire unless you're certain you're pointing it at what you wish to hit. Somehow I think you will understand this better than the queen."
He prowled her home as if he were looking for pests. Her scent mingled with some other's in the space. It was not offensive. Caine thought it was a good sign the woman gave him no headaches from her scent. A lot could be told about someone by smell alone from the perspective of a lycantant. Her genetics were clean enough to make her nearly pure by the standards of The Aegis. He wondered if her surname was a reflection on her status. It wouldn't hurt to ask, he decided, after assuring himself all the exits were locked tightly and the windows were fastened down.
"Are you of a royal line at home, Thea? Names are very important where I am from and you do have an incredibly pure genome. I would not be surprised to learn you are a queen. My queen is the recurrence of the head of the House of Abrasax. She is among the most pure in the known universe."
If he sounded proud of her, he was. Caine had never thought to serve under an entitled with Jupiter's demeanor. She was outrageous in her dismissal of protocol. He honestly believed she did not see him as a splice when truthfully it was all he had ever known or would ever know. Jupiter was better than he deserved to serve under. She was certainly better than he deserved to touch though he suppressed that bit of knowledge for himself and his queen.
"You would think I could take better care of her. I haven't even thought of when she last had refreshment. If I'm not careful, I'll wind up letting her die from dehydration and neglect before she's even seen a fraction of her due time. You really should demand more, my queen."
Caine was only partially joking with her. He genuinely believed Jupiter deserved better treatment than she'd been given at his hands. It was times of this kind when he wished he'd been trained for servitude rather than soldiering. His genome wasn't designed for the purpose however so it was as if he were wishing to have been created differently. There was no changing how he'd been fashioned. He would simply have to learn to act accordingly through trial and error. That was all there was to it.
~*~
Jupiter bit her tongue to stop any teasing from passing her lips. The things she wanted to comment on were her kidnapping and his changing her clothes while she was knocked out. Those really weren’t experiences she wanted to tease him about in front of someone they didn’t know. Instead, she settled on, “It’s not my fault it was more fun beating Balem with a steel rod. Plus, you’re always around to shoot the bad guys for me.” Those were both irrefutable truths and that was how she liked to keep things between them. Caine had been treated poorly - or at least not nearly as well as Jupiter would have liked - and that meant she was doing whatever she could to make up for it.
She and Thea moved toward the kitchen, giving Caine plenty of space to scope out the apartment. Jupiter was kind of glad it wasn’t a house or anything, so that he wouldn’t have to waste too much time making sure she was safe before going out to take care of those creatures. She wasn’t worried about him going out to fight. It was what he was created for, as much as she hated that she had to use that particular phrasing to explain it. Caine was excellent at what he did, and now that she was ‘Pack’ to him, Jupiter was also fairly secure in the knowledge that he wasn’t going to take any insanely crazy risks.
His praise, weird though it was to her, made her blush. Still, she didn’t want him thinking he wasn’t taking care of her properly. “Don’t worry. I had my Wheaties this morning,” Jupiter promised. “Cereal,” she added belatedly, unsure if they’d gone over that particular saying before. Seeing that he was done scouting the apartment, she moved back to his side, the back of her hand casually brushing against his just to have that physical reassurance. Being close to Caine had a way of reassuring her more than anything. “You take care of me pretty damn well,” Jupiter insisted. For as much as he might be joking, she didn’t want him to think that he wasn’t doing his job properly. She knew what it meant to him, and she wasn’t going to take that away from him. “You’re just lucky you got stuck with the least fussy, weirdest Entitled around.”
She glanced at Thea. “Entitled are like, way worse than the one percenters in the real world. It’s seriously backwards. I can explain just how ridiculous the whole thing is while he’s having fun. I figure we can break out the vodka once he goes.” Jupiter stage whispered the last part conspiratorially, giving Caine a wink. She’d behave, and make a friend, but she wasn’t going to be bored while he was off being a hero.
~*~
“No.” Thea laughed, shaking her head at his question. “I’m only a Queen in name.” And at that, she probably should have been a Merlyn. The thought made her a bit sick. No, Robert Queen had raised her. He was her father. He was who she had mourned in solitude along with Oliver for the five years she believed her brother was dead. Malcolm Merlyn was a sperm donor and a means to an end. He’d made her strong, but he was also a mass murderer.
She looked at Caine for a moment. “It’s different where I’m from, we have a president and all kinds of representatives that run the country.” The monarchy of England had very little to do with it, because even they had a Prime Minister. But she sensed that whatever Earth they were used to was very different than the one that Thea had come from before she’d ended up here.
Thea couldn’t help but notice that there seemed to be a strong bond between Caine and Jupiter, one that was more than master and whatever he thought he was because he was not human. There was a kindness and a friendship there. She didn’t know exactly what terms they were on, but it made her miss Oliver even more. So many people here at least had someone from home, while Thea had no one. That was beginning to become her theme song.
Shrugging those thoughts aside, she smiled at Jupiter’s words and then set about making them some tea. “Did you want a cup as well?” She asked Caine. He was a guest here, even if he was just dropping off Jupiter. Thea found herself wanting to know more about both of them. She needed friends here, then maybe she wouldn’t feel so alone.
***
The defenses in the home were minimal yet the walls were sturdy enough and he'd rearranged a few pieces of furniture to block the two windows he was most concerned with seeing an enemy utilize to get to his queen. It was hardly the kind of place he wanted to see Jupiter in, yet there was a kindness to Thea which made him trust it more than its lack of opulence. Jupiter came from a simple family. He had a hard time thinking of them as her family given her status as a recurrence. Caine would have to learn to call up the people she lived with on her planet when thinking of her.
Giving Thea a puzzled glance, he muttered, "It is not permitted for me to eat or drink in the presence of humans. Tea also contains caffeine which is a stimulant incompatible with my digestive system. Thank you for the offer…"
These humans were strange. Everything in Test City was strange as far as Caine was concerned. The only thing he could cling to was his understanding of the rules of The Aegis at home as well as his love for his queen. Jupiter. She was his world. He could focus everything down to her safety, contentment, well-being. Those were the most important things for him to consider. The rest could be shrugged aside the way he'd ignore the weapons of enemies out of range to his craft in battle.
Someone else would have to deal with those fighters. They weren't within the scope of his defenses.
"I am confident you will be safe here, my queen. I am taking my leave now. Please ensure you barricade the balcony doors upon my exit and if you are to be imbibing alcohol, remember to drink plenty of water with it so you do not dehydrate or become incapacitated. It is very important to me to see you stay healthy and you survive this threat. We've come too far for this to be our end, yes?"
Caine dared to touch her cheek with tips of his fingers for a brief moment before turning to throw himself off the balcony once more. His powerful wings unfurled to snap hard at the currents, his boots sending out their own reverse thrust to send him up into the air to soar out over the town to see how many of the monsters he could eradicate while Thea cared for his queen. This place would hopefully appreciate his assistance. He would not be a hindrance to its Legion. Caine swore to himself he would do all he could to be a benefit rather than a failure.
He was more than his genetics.
Jupiter, recurrence of the Queen of the House of Abrasax, said so which meant it had to be true.
~*~
Jupiter knew that most people wouldn’t be able to handle knowing the truth about the world, and how Earth was simply a farm for the Entitled to harvest so that they could sell time. Would living thousands of years really lead to good things? Jupiter was of the opinion that changes in leadership every few years was a good thing, a way to keep the people - theoretically - happy. It was entirely possible that Thea's world was a different version of Earth from her's, but all that mattered was that she wouldn't be missing from home. The Abrasax children were monsters, and letting them get their hands on Earth was the last thing Jupiter wanted.
"Plenty of water, promise," she replied, leaning into his touch. It was gone a moment later, as he took his leave, and Jupiter couldn't help the contented sigh that passed her lips.
"I'm never going to get tired of seeing him like that," Jupiter said, more to herself than to Thea. "He's still learning the ropes around here and I'm trying not to push him too much when it comes to Earth customs. Caine still forgets he can call me Jupiter," she explained warmly, obviously fond of the man who marveled at her and the way she viewed the world.
"Thanks for letting me stay here for a bit. It's honestly easier to explain all of this to you than it is to explain to him why it's not exactly necessary. He's coming from a good place, though." Caine hadn't had an easy life, so Jupiter really just wanted him to discover his sense of self - his wants and desires. It was just slow going, especially when they were both trying so hard to be respectful of the other's way of doing things.
~*~
“He’s sweet.” Thea said, when Caine had gone. Jupiter seemed cool too, she didn’t treat Caine like she had to assume most others did, based on what he’d told her. “Seems like he’d do anything to protect you, kind of reminds me of Ollie.” Thea smiled. “That’s my brother, he’s not here. I’m alone.” She tried not to let the sadness into her voice, but it was hard.
'Come on Thea, you’re made of stronger stuff than that.'
She could hear Malcolm’s voice in her head, as she trained with him in Corto Maltese. He’d treated her like she was any other student, and not like she was his daughter. And she was the better for it. But she couldn’t forgive all he’d done. She couldn’t forgive him making her kill Sara under the influence of some drug. How could something like that ever be forgiven?
“We should be safe in here.” Thea said, pouring them both a cup of tea once the kettle whistled. “It’s funny, not that long ago...I would have been all about an iced latte or something. But...tea is a pretty good change sometimes.” That was something else she’d learned in Corto Maltese.
“You can stay as long as you need to.” She said warmly. It was nice to have some company.