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Post by { o p a l } on May 4, 2013 8:15:05 GMT -6
"I will explain the technicalities of your membership in the Silence on the way to our main base." Regina kicked the gnome into a sewer drain, its body would decompose quickly. Putting one of her hands into her pocket, she began to stride out of the alleyway.
"You will also learn my full name and title there. But for now, call me ma'am." It was more of a habit than anything, the Chief simply didn't like her name being said where there could be enemies lurking around. She stayed in persona until she was certain that she was in a safehouse if at all possible. "Now come. We have a train to catch."
Pulling her hand out of the coat pocket, she flashed him two tickets: First Class, from the London station closest to them to West Amesbury.
Without waiting for any further questions, she began to walk to the station.
Once they were in the car (with the door closed and Kalyani on scouting duty), she gave him the basic rundown. "You'll get paid basically the same as any agent of Britain. You will start as an intern, get evaluated for your skills, placed into a division which you will be most effective in, and eventually elevated to Agent. It is possible to gain promotions to Officer and Executive from there."
She stared out the window, wishing they were in West Amesbury already. "The Silence is lead by our Chief Executive, who reports directly to the Prime Minister. Remember that operations must be carried out in all possible secrecy, and that you may not inform people of the nature of the Spirit Zodiac or of your employment to our agency."
Regina continued, her voice taking off a bored tone, pointing out the fact that she was simply parroting out a standard greeting for new members. "Please also remember that many things within the Silence are top secret, and that peering around our classified files when you're not supposed to can have serious consequences. If you would like to know more about our operations and our secrets, then get a promotion."
As they pulled into the station at West Amesbury, Regina stood, and in her normal tone, added, "A little warning that some members give out is to forewarn new trainees that our Chief Executive is not afraid to sacrifice one human life for the lives of many."
Disembarking from the train, she turned and looked to Stonehenge. "And that would be our destination."
Her intercom clicked at her. "Ma'am, your chauffeur is here."
"This way." She strode through the crowd, easily dancing and dodging between people to arrive at a sleek black sports car. "Get in back, I'm taking the front."
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Post by Wildsky on May 4, 2013 17:03:07 GMT -6
Vincent followed the woman, curiously. He stayed silent, for the most part, content to simply look and listen. He was glad for the pay, it would help him get a more steady life. Even if that was only £15,000 a year, it would be more than he was making right now. It would be enough to pay for his apartment, food, and a bit more.
The Chief Executive was a bit more of a curiosity. Who was he? Why was he so heartless? Was he really at the top, or did he report to someone himself? There'd be a lot to talk about, once they were in privacy. He seemed more than willing to kill and let people die.
He grinned at the comment of her taking shotgun. "You don't drive?" he asked -- not in a disrespectful or patronizing tone, but to make conversation, in a way. As far as he could tell, 'Victoria' was someone who didn't care about appearances unless they were necessary, but he wasn't sure how much she cared about honest conversation.
They drove to Stonehenge, quickly, and they exited the car. "What is this place?" Vincent asked, cautiously almost. "And why is this important?" Stonehenge was a tourist trap, but there were the occasions when it was empty.
'By the five Zodiacs, I hate cars,' Eyv said. He preferred to stay in his physical form as often as he could, as he knew that his eyes were extremely important to Vincent. 'I can hide on a train, but a car is too small and too fast!'
Vincent laughed telepathically and said, 'I'm with people from the Silence, Eyv. I'll be fine, you can go back to the Spirit Realm for a bit. Honestly.'
'I like being able to keep tabs on you, though!' And he hated that feeling of discomfort when he couldn't see.
'Oh, so now you can't trust me?'
'Nope! I never could, and you know that.'
'...Yeah, I do.' Vincent was visibly grinning at this point. Eyvindr was good company.
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Post by { o p a l } on May 4, 2013 22:09:01 GMT -6
"Of course I don't drive. I am more than able, as an official of the government, to employ a chauffeur on occasion." Regina smirked. "Besides, having a trained racecar driver as my chauffeur does help should I ever happen upon a high-speed chase."
"Here we are, ma'am." The car slid to a halt at the tourist parking lot. Regina stepped out. "That will be all. Come, Vincent."
"Not too many people today, that's nice. It'll be easier to slip down." Kalyani alighted on the pavement and stretched, letting out a yawn.
"This place is Stonehenge, of course. Are you blind?" The Chief set out at a brisk pace up the hill to the landmark, as she had a thousand times before.
Mounting the hill, Regina smiled at the familiarity of the standing circle, feeling them thrum with the energy of the Zodiac, a barely palpable pulse just below one's consciousness. The stones were bound with ancient wards and enchantments, some of which even the Silence hadn't fully unraveled yet.
The Chief hummed to herself as she meandered her way up to the headstone.
"Welcome back to base, Chief Executive. A waygate will be opening to you presently. The new recruit has been attuned as well. Proceed at your leisure, ma'am." With that, the communications agent cut off contact.
"Here, you want to walk underneath one of the headstones? They're pretty amazing." Regina grinned and beckoned to Vincent.
She strode up to the stone gateway ahead of her, feeling the energies attuned to only her an Vincent. With a quick glance around, she stepped through.
Regina appeared in the modern courtyard of Stonehenge, the waygate behind her swirling with energy. She chuckled and turned around to watch Vincent come through, walking backwards across the pristine white marble floor. She glanced at the grand sight around her, curved windows looking out from upper-level offices to the great milling of agents below.
"Welcome to Stonehenge, the main base of the Silence."
Kalyani leaped up onto her shoulders, licking a paw and rubbing her whiskers. The feline vibrated with purred amusement. "The new ones' faces are always the best."
An officer bustled over. "Chief Executive!"
Regina stopped and turned to him. "Yes?"
He handed her a file. "This is the research that you requested."
"Very well. Send over an administrations officer, we've got a man in need of registration."
The officer glanced at Vincent and grinned. "Fresh meat, eh? I'll see to it."
She watched her subordinate go. "He's one of the more useful ones." Turning back to Vincent, she smirked. "We'll have you registered and filed away in no time. Then you can get your first assignment, don't worry."
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Post by Wildsky on May 6, 2013 2:31:44 GMT -6
Vincent raised a brow as Victoria asked him to step through the gate. She then briskly walked ahead of him and seemingly faded away -- not in a flash of energy, but very subtly. Grinning, he stepped through as well. The feeling was unexpected, but he simply seemed mildly interested in it. "Oh, my. I have quite the bit of studying to do," he muttered to himself.
Eyvindr decided to simply fade through via the Spirit Realm -- it would be easier for him than to fight his way through the waygate. He appeared just behind Vincent, awkwardly sitting as a rather large bat. He looked around the room, curious and anxious to see all that he could.
Vincent glanced at the man; he seemed able enough, though his mind was distracted by this research. Not risking being caught, he didn't try to glance over to the papers intentionally, but instead simply looked at Victoria. "I'd like an assignment -- can't say the same for registration, however. Paperwork's never fun, is it?"
'Nice place they have here, Vincent. Pretty spacious, but not wasteful. Though it's clear that there's an element of segments to it: even though this is the courtyard, there are limited number of large exits from here to go elsewhere. Well planned.'
'Make a note to tell me about this later, when I can listen and not stress about learning other stuff, 'kay Eyv?'
The spirit animal merely grunted telepathically, not liking being shut down. Though, he slowly warmed up to the idea. He had to look out for Vincent, too, in a way. And, he'd be much more attentive later.
Victoria was also seemingly the Chief Executive. Still, he forced himself to keep his calm and brood on this on his own. What she was saying before, was that to intimidate him when he found out? Or to brag? She didn't seem like someone to boast; she wasn't insecure. But it seemed too obvious to try to have him be intimidated. Regardless, he would make a note to comment on it, yet seem indifferent.
"Victoria, though I hate to ask, the question still might pertain to my situation: are there dormitories or places to stay inside the base itself? It'd be a lot easier if I could have that docked from my pay instead of having to commute daily." In part, he also wanted to be able to train and get a better feeling for the base itself.
((I'm also wanting the dormitories/apartments/something so Kiz has an opening. :3 But, yes! Hi. MAKE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. /FLAIL))
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Post by { o p a l } on May 6, 2013 5:52:58 GMT -6
The Chief smirked at Vincent's reaction as he entered the base. "I'll admit it, Kalyani, it's interesting to see their reactions."
"And by interesting you mean hilarious."
Regina opened the file and flipped through papers, her gaze dancing up and down the page. With a sigh, she shook her head and made a little "tsk tsk" noise. "Some people don't know when to stop prodding. Newly created gangs have decided it's a good idea to poke at us. I'm not sure if they're just that stupid or don't know we're a government organization."
At Vincent's question, she glanced up. "Hmm? Dormitories? Oh, yes. We do have quarters within Stonehenge, of course. If you'd like, you can get the keys to a standard-issue room. We can fit two people per room, and certainly do try to. Officers and other officials get private quarters, of course."
As the officer who had come by earlier returned with an administrative person, the Chief Executive closed the file. "I'll continue to look over these, but I want the leaders watched and the gangs infiltrated. We need to ensure there are no fae spurring them on."
He nodded. "Of course, ma'am. And if there aren't?"
"We'll let them have their fun, then, as long as they don't keep bothering us." As she spoke, the administrative agent strode over to Vincent.
She paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Hmm. I think I rather like him. Give him a position as my personal assistant and the vacant quarters by my office."
"Of course, Chief Executive. Shall I send him up once he's registered?"
"That would be prudent. Situations are always popping up."
The officer cleared his throat. "And if the gangs are being prodded on by fae, should I...?"
Regina raised and eyebrow. "Why, kill them, of course. Humans, fae- whatever tries to resist." Kalyani leaped down from her shoulders to prowl by her feet as the Chief strode towards the elevator to her office. "I want them taken care of, officer."
"I will see to it, Chief Executive."
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Post by Wildsky on May 6, 2013 9:43:57 GMT -6
Vincent took a breath. Personal assistant? That was a step up from intern -- not officially, but what he could do with it. Could he learn? Could he achieve more? As an intern, he'd have to fight his way to the top, but as the Chief Executive's personal assistant, he'd be there, connected to the top all the time. Was it worth it? Was it something he wanted?
He smiled and graciously accepted the offer. Taking the risk was less risky than being safe. A thought slipped into his mind, oh, the thoughts he could think. Victoria, the Chief Executive Officer, had absolutely no qualms about killing, but she wouldn't kill needlessly.
She killed for a reason. That's what killing should be. Still, she seemed too willing to kill. There's a difference, quite a large one, between killing for a reason and killing from doubt. He was worried that Victoria might not know the difference. Or worse, might not care.
Still, he continued on with his nonchalant and expressionless behaviour. Until he found something to respond to, he wouldn't respond. As Victoria stepped off, he turned to the officer in question and gave a small smirk, his eyes suddenly charming. His affect was different, not coming onto him, but rather seeming a bit dangerous. Getting it over with, hopefully.
He didn't mind conversation, but he hated waiting. He decided to prod around a bit with the officer, asking him general questions about what was going on, how stuff worked, etc. He was given very normal answers, nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary. He decided to ask about the gangs.
"Sir, if I may, the Chief Executive seems so relentless with killing. Are you okay with killing them?" Vincent asked, earnestly -- for the most part.
The man shrugged in response and said, "Not something I like, but it's part of the job. We could let one go, and let a thousand die. That's why the Chief Executive is in charge -- she makes those tough calls." A fair answer.
After he was finished up with his registration, which took far too long in his mind, he was told to go into the northwest wing, and his room was E17. The walk there wasn't particularly hard -- the place was designed as a military structure, not as an architectural statement. People who lost themselves here were fools, in his mind.
He caught up quickly and opened the door. Quite nice, indeed. The "living area" was slightly separated from the rest of the room. The living area seemed more for meetings and pretenses than anything else. He had a desk space, plenty of study and work room. A table for eating, that was extended from the wall. He turned around the wall and saw the bathroom, which was, while small, still quite nice as it was private. There was built in wardrobe in the wall, and bookshelves (mostly empty, though a few standard books were in a few of them) lined the wall. And then a standard bed was in the corner.
Better than his flat that he had.
'I like it. Nice stuff for me to hang from.' Eyv always spotted the important stuff.
'Glad you'll be comfortable.'
'You should be glad. You know how much I'd moan if I wasn't.'
Vincent laughed at how true this was. He sat down on the bed and leaned back, resting his back. "I'm really in the Silence," he murmured. He was trying to keep his excitement contained in front of the Chief Executive (he thought he should stop calling her Victoria), but now he could be excited. "It was worth it. All of it."
He sat up and decided to continue his appearances. He could rest tonight. He told Eyv to stay here (which he did, though with some protest) and poked around, looking for the Chief Executive's Office (he assumed that her room was next to the office, and he didn't want to intrude). He found it without much difficulty and lightly knocked, saying, "It's Vincent, ma'am."
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Post by { o p a l } on May 6, 2013 15:48:55 GMT -6
Regina wasn't in any particular hurry. She hummed to herself as she strode through the familiar halls, coming at last to the heavy chestnut doors that lead to her office (and from there to her quarters). A black and gold plaque on the wood declared it the "Office of the Chief Executive".
As she pushed open the doors, Kalyani darted between her legs, so much like a normal housecat that it almost made her laugh.
The room was furnished with a desk of dark oak and an expensive chair behind it. On the desk rested stacks of paper, gadgets, pens, pencils, and a small stand-up plaque with the words "Chief Executive Regina Elysia Nocturne" on it. About half of the desk was clear: the very middle to serve as a work space, as well as a spot on one side that seemed to be ocelot-sized and another that had an intercom embedded in it. Several cabinets and drawers were underneath the surface of the desk. Screens were arrayed across the walls, displaying several security feeds from around the base as well as cameras that appeared to be attached to agents in the field. Spaced between them were small wooden targets, indented with many impacts. Behind the desk was a curved glass window with a panoramic view of the main Courtyard of Stonehenge.
Flopping down into her comfortable black leather chair, she leaned over to the intercom and pressed the nearby button.
"French toast, vanilla cream, berries on top, and a small pitcher of warm maple syrup."
"Of course, Chief Executive."
Releasing the button, she leaned back, only realizing after a few moments that Kalyani was glaring at her from her perch on a cat tree across the room. "I don't care if it's midday. I want toast."
The ocelot hissed out a sigh. "That's not what I'm upset about." She leaped down and trotted over, hopping onto the desk and picking her way through stacks of paper and an assortment of writing utensils (as well as various other miscellaneous items) to the intercom, pressing down the button with a paw. "As well as a smoked salmon."
"It will be delivered promptly, Kalyani."
With a satisfied purr, the cat released the button and made her way back over to her resting place. With a sigh, Regina leaned back and placed her booted feet on the oak desk's surface.
"I was surprised. I didn't expect that," the ocelot commented.
Regina looked up from the files she was scanning through. "What?"
Her spirit animal groaned. "Why, that you'd take a personal assistant, of course! Especially that one."
"Oh." Regina paused. "Well. With Titania getting closer to freeing herself and all, I'll probably need another hand around. Besides, he had potential, as well as a remarkably Nocturne-like ethic."
"Ah, I see. Keeping your enemies closer, then."
"Exactly. Well, potential enemies at this state, anyway. If I can twist him the right way, he should be a nice little pet."
A knock at the door heralded the arrival of food. The cook's assistant poked his head in and pushed in a cart.
"Ah! Wondrous. You are dismissed." Regina brought down her feet and hopped into a standing position, hurrying over to greet the glorious aroma coming from her food.
"Send our regards for the food," Kalyani added from her perch.
"I will, thank you." With that, the assistant exited.
The Chief grabbed Kalyani's plate and walked over to her spirit animal, who licked her lips hungrily at the sight of the salmon. With a chuckle, Regina reached underneath the cat's platform and released a small shelf built exactly the right size for the plate, placing her ocelot's meal on it. With a purr, Kalyani dug in.
Next grabbing her food, Regina flopped back down in her chair and dug in.
Once they were done, the assistant returned to take their dishes. Kalyani thanked him once again, and the two sat in the happy silence of satiation for a moment before there was another knock at the door.
"It's Vincent, ma'am."
"Come in." Regina stood, turning to look out of her window.
Once he was inside, she began. "Tell me how much you know of the Silence and the Spirit Zodiac." Glancing up at Kalyani, she gave a barely visible nod.
The cat turned, and with a press of her paw, activated a button on the wall next to her platform. The window flared to life- acting as a clear screen. The symbol of the Silence brightened into being on it, the rest of the glass darkening like sunglasses as it appeared to load.
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Post by Wildsky on May 7, 2013 6:03:46 GMT -6
Vincent took a breath and opened the door. He stepped inside and cautiously looked around and then sat at the chair opposite to the desk. The Chief Executive asked a question -- one that wasn't easily answered. Still, he'd try his best.
"About the Silence, I know relatively little. They truly are silent, but I know that they keep the peace between the Fae and the rest of us. They're powerful, and obviously people who can use magic come into the organization.
"As for the Spirit Zodiac, I know more -- slightly. My specific spirit patron is Night, but my magic is limited. Eyvindr, my spirit animal, has taught me a lot -- most of what I know, in fact. He taught me how to reach into the spirit realm and use what I can. I've been trying that to hone a slight skill of mine, something that helps me be more resistant to modern technologies. It's very basic right now, but I've been practicing it.
"He also speaks of this place in a strange tone, as if it's something that exists differently than our world. I don't know how it works, but I have tried to see what I can. It's very difficult, establishing a true connection to the realm, but I have had extremely limited success in seeing better at night. Very passive effects, usually -- things that require a more in depth connection to the realm are too difficult as of now. I've heard that I can do things like control the shadows and fade into the night, but those are mere myths to me right now. Seemingly impossible, not without training."
He took a breath and paused. He knew more, bits and pieces, but none of that was confirmed. He wanted to explore and to understand before he spoke of it. Secretive, yes. But it was how he preferred to learn: with the knowledge of himself and Eyvindr.
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Post by { o p a l } on May 7, 2013 7:32:31 GMT -6
"Your knowledge of the Spirit Zodiac, while limited, is more or less accurate. By harnessing the hidden power of your zodiac, you can do such spectacular things as you have already mentioned."
Behind her, the screen changed, now showing a ring split into five different sectors, each with a different colored dragon curled around it: the Zodiac.
"There are five Zodiacs, each embodied in the dragon spirit that is known as a Patron. We have Flora, Fang of the Earth; Rime, Fang of the Tundra Wind; Summer, Fang of the Sun; Night, Fang of the Shadows, your Patron; and lastly my patron, Tempest, Fang of the Maelstrom."
Kalyani leaped down from her perch. "She also means to say that her nametag is right there on the desk if you were wondering." The ocelot nodded and then assumed a position on the desk.
Regina glowered. "We're getting off topic. The Spirit Zodiac exists as a world parallel to our own, that with sufficient energy, concentration, and training one can access. There, you can use its magic yourself, creating such effects as you described, as well as summon additional spirits to aid you in transportation or in battle. It's also where your spirit companions originate from."
She paused, turning to the screen and tapping it, manipulating it to pull up the coat of arms of the Silence on the far left and Vincent's own file on the main part.
"Your knowledge of our organization is less satisfactory than what I would have expected. Do remember to perform better in the future." She stepped to the side, allowing him to see his own credentials.
"The Silence is a government organization that has been around for ages. Our goal is not to separate the fae from the populace, but to prevent them from escaping, and destroy them if at all possible." A map of Britain appeared, with several red areas showing high fae activity. "This is done in an elaborate shadow war- my family has always preferred it that way, and the Prime Ministers have also decided that it would be best for all to keep the fighting as quiet as possible. Normally we do not interfere in the petty bickering of the rest of the underworld, but should the gangs come under the influence of the fae, they are quickly obliterated. Theirs is simply a sacrifice to keep the fae from corrupting the rest of the populace and creating cults. We have enough of a problem with those already." She sighed, rolling her eyes slightly.
"Besides, every so often we just make a little show of it, and then they all steer clear of the fae for a long time.
"As for your other information about us, you are correct. The Silence does use magic and the power of the Zodiac to combat the fae. It also gives us resistance to technology. We'll be going to the training grounds so that you can work your way up, but right now..." She went over to the desk and rummaged around in a drawer, pulling out a simple six-shot revolver. She tossed it to Vincent. "Here. Shoot me." She came out from behind the desk, going around him so that any bullets would be embedded in the door instead of a screen or other technology. "Try and not hit the door."
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Post by Wildsky on May 7, 2013 8:02:38 GMT -6
As Vincent listened, he grew more confident. What he knew was mostly right, though that comment about his knowledge of Silence was a bit funny to him. "Maybe I should've been told to do my homework and study for the tests, too," he said with a grin. "Then again, if I knew everything, I wouldn't have to be here, would I?" A sour hint bit at his words, but it was mostly simply how he spoke in general -- also on the edge, always so careless.
He listened closely, though. And they were smart, to make a show every now and then. People so frequently left with a sense of security that they forgot that appearances could mean everything. They were a lot more important than most people realized -- it's why politicians were on the edge of being people we trusted and people who were lying scumbags.
Then Chief Executive Regina (he glanced at the nametag, and was secretly grateful that her spirit animal mentioned it) handed him a six-barreled revolver. He had never shot a gun in his life, but at such close range he wasn't worried about accuracy, but rather the recoil. And he wasn't worried in the slightest about the Chief Executive -- she wanted to see something. Or show him something.
He aimed the weapon approximately at her chest and pulled the trigger. The recoil was a lot less than he expected, but it was still -loud-. He flinched at the noise, but wasn't surprised in the least when the Chief Executive wasn't injured. That was the point, wasn't it?
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