Posted by Elias “Eli” Trenor (Medic) in Creating Threads

Posted by Vashkilu (Infiltrator) in Creating Threads

Posted by Elias “Eli” Trenor (Medic) in Creating Threads
Posted by… suppressed (32) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Vash shook her head, “No, your, our people may need it. I’m not taking extra from you that could go to them.” She tapped a couple of keys and saved the contract, making sure she and Eli both had a copy. She would have to give one to Noril and file one officially. She could do that later. “I need to contact my father. Thogel’s attack doesn’t bode well. We got away, but if what he said was true, it won’t be my father I have to pay off, it will be Thogel. And he won’t sell me.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli looked at her his face serious, “Contact your father” Eli was prepared to kill the man, if he had too but no sense bring that up now. Would not be the first person in the syndicate he had ended, likely would not be the last.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

He wasn’t really her father. Vash knew that now after being on the Albatross for two years. “I’ll see if I can get through. Come on. I’ll try to call from my quarters.” She always called from there. She didn’t want her father to get any glimpses of the rest of the ship. She wasn’t too worried about him specifically, but whomever else might be watching.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Ok, well Thogel is the problem, isn’t what he did in violation to the twins contract?” he asked not completely sure what he had tried to pull, “Want me to come with you. I’ll stand off screen I’ll be good” he said.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash nodded, “It is. But if he were to take over my father’s position, he would get control of everything. He has the right to halt all current contracts to review and cancel or renegotiate within a certain amount of time. He would have to pay the twins a heft sum to cancel completely, but I don’t think that bothers him.” Vash looked up at him and nodded, “Yes, come with me.”

In her quarters, she put in the call to her father, Mezerc. She waited for the connection.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

The video signal flickered to life, her father on the other end, smiling from ear to ear. “My spring flower as graced me with her time, are the twins holding up their end of the contract?” Mezerc seemed to be fishing for something.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“Tahedri, I contact you frequently.” The Orion word for father, or quite literally ‘patriarch’. It was meant to remind the speaker if his position. She smiled looking relaxed and pleased. “Captains Zoi always keep their end of the contract. What are you fishing for?” She knew Mezerc and was never one to beat around the bush.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He Looked at her, “I heard you had a run in with Thongl, but I see you are in good health so the information I had received must be false.” he did not look happy that he had been given poor information. “Tell me, what is new with you, have you good news for me?” he asked

Mezerc

Vash leveled a stare at Mezerc. “You heard correctly, and I am in good health now. Thogel attempted to take what you have given in contract. He had several hired hands. Not Syndicate. He was working with the Korda. The Korda promised him me if he helped them. He said I would be his either way, that he was taking your clan.” She didn’t bother to tell him how hurt she had been. She honestly didn’t think he would care except for the cost in value.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

She could tell he was furious, even though Eli could not. Eli a secondary feed that was one way. “They will be delt with” he said calmly. He shifted a little on screen. He sat looking at the screen waiting for her to continue

Mezerc

“This contract has been quite lucrative for me, Tahedri. Which I am sure you are aware. I send you your cut regularly.” It was a decent sum. “I want to negotiate my price.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Mezerc thought a moment then looked at her with a smile, “Is the arrangement you have now not working out I felt it was fair and gave you the freedom you desired.” he searched her more.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash raised her elegant bald brows. “Of course it is everything I desired. I drafted the contract. It is exactly what I desire, Tahedri. This particular run in with Thogel has brought to my attention, a certain precariousness of my position. I wish to rectify that. I wish to stay where I am, even should something happen to the twins, or when something does happen to you. I wish to be able to make my own contracts without approval, keeps my earnings without giving multiple percentages. I have no intention of returning back to some lacky of yours to be controlled. I wish to negotiate the price of my freedom.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Mezerc’s eyes narrowed but only for a moment. “My spring flower nothing will every happen to me at least not for a long time, this surely can wait?” he said noticing her resolved he continued. “And what do you think is a fare price for this freedom you seek?” he asked her.

Mezerc

Vashkilu shook her head. “That is fairytale, Tehedri.” She softened her voice, coaxing, almost loving, but Eli knew the difference. Mezerc did not. “If not for the twins bringing you news of betrayal, you would be dead now. That is why you trusted them with my contract. I cannot live on the possibility if a fairytale. I would no longer be treated as your delicate spring flower, your princess. Certainly not by Thogel, who has betrayed the Syndicate and broken contractual law.”

She let that hang. He tried to hide things from her, which was stupid because she was far too smart. “An Orion woman of my skill, training, and experience. 6 bricks. But I am only half Orion.” She let disappointment leak in, resigned to her sub par fate. That note of almost despair always got her what she wanted. “So 2 bricks.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

She could see he was about to protest but something registered what she was not sure. “Two bricks” the laughter rung out loud over the speaker. “My name alone warrants no less that Five even if your not a full Orion you are still mine” he said she brought in steady income even if it was lower.
Mezeric

If only he knew how much more she could bring in. She wouldn’t tell him though. “You are correct. Your name carries value. But I am not paying for your name. I will always carry your name. I want to buy myself, not be sold to someone else.” She knew her father would not give her up without a hefty sum. “5 bricks then. 2 for my value and 3 to retain your name as my progenitor.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He assumed she was far off from such a goal and smiled. “Excellent my spring flower, I will look forward to the day you can set your self free! We have a deal, I assume you will send me a copy of the contract and I will review and let you know of any adjustments?” he asked as mile on his face.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“It’s already sent to you.” It had only required the input of the sum. And having Noril and Sisnil on board meant that the communications array was excellent, even if the rest of the ship was older. “I would like to conclude and make this contract official before we sign off.” If it was already signed and official, it gave her some leeway and control if someone took over her father’s family.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

He almost let a frown across his face, she noticed it but no one else would have not even Eli, “I need time to review the contract, it should not take more than a week or two” he said his smile cracking from one ear to the other.

Mezeric

“You taught me all about contracts, Tahedri. It does not take you that long to review one. You are thorough and ruthless,” she complimented. “And you taught me how to write a contract. 3 days.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator
“Younhave it right, three days ,but know there .ay be revisions” he said, ” is there anything else my spring flower needs?”

Mezeric

“I look forward to the negotiation.” Vash smiled sweetly at him. “Only to know you are alive and well, Tahedri.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator
“Is there anything else my spring flower needs?” He asked

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“No, Tahedri. There is nothing else I need. I am quite satisfied with the contract.” Vash knew he was fishing for something. Perhaps he wanted her to say she missed him or wanted to come home. But the problem was, if she said so, to appease him, he would send a ship for her. She didn’t want to leave.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“Very well my Spring flower, I will contact you in a few days with the contract revisions” he gave a small nod and the screen went black.

Eli looked at her, “Well that went well?” he said with a little question in his voice.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash turned to him and shook her head. “He enjoys the negotiation. He would prefer it in person. But he also likes to win. We’ll see when he sends the revision. We agreed on a price, but that is just the monetary part. It is uncertain if it is going well, yet.” Vash stood, “Well, now we wait, Papa.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, placed his head against hers, took a large breath in and exhaled. “Wait, and we will see you free daughter” he said

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash pressed her forehead against his. Firm but gentle. She matched his breath, sensing this was important. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. They both understood. But for the first time, Vash felt the chains tighten around her. Not pretty baubles her father showered her in, but hooks that weighed her down.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

“You will have your freedom” he said in a serious whisper. “I swear it” his hug was firm and loving, his head rested atop of hers his beard scratching the top of her head. He could feel his heart, as it’s rhythm sent the truth of it into her ears.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

For a moment, Vash was angry. Angry at Sisnil and Noril for agreeing to take her. For rescuing her from her father’s house and the pain she’d endured. She hadn’t known better. They changed everything. She couldn’t go back now and be content. She couldn’t go back knowing things were meant to be different. But the steady rhythm of Papa’s heart beat beat the fear away (something Vash had never truly experienced until after being with the twins for awhile). She didn’t really hate them. She never could, and she wouldn’t change anything either.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli’s breath was steady and warm on the top of her head, “How much to free you from the syndicate do you think?” he knew they were brutal with the way the calculated debt.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

“I don’t know. It could be more, could be less. They will look at every cost I’ve incurred and debt I owe. I’ve been very careful to not have any debt. It drove Sisnil and Noril mad that I wanted to pay them for having you help me. They didn’t understand then how important it was for my goals.”

“My father thinks it will be years before I can pay him. On Orion, there is no point in wealth if you do not spend it. No one saves. He can not fathom that I have saved every slip and not pampered myself endlessly. Most slaves pay a little each time they earn money because they know they will spend it all on frivolities. I don’t. So when I do spend, I do not make debt. But they will judge every meal, every medical scan, every gift.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli listened too her, “Maybe I should hold on to your birthday gifts?” he asked wondering if it was too late, the neckless was priceless. “Had I known I would have not given it. I kept the Matriarch jewel but the chains are still worth a small fortune.”

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash nodded. “I’ll return them for safe keeping. It’s why I never wear them off the ship and never when anyone from the Syndicate is around. I love each of them, but as long as I don’t wear them often, I can claim that it was a special adornment I was requested to wear for your whim or Sisnil’s or Noril’s. That they do not belong to me.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli sighed a big sigh. “I want you free of this nonsense” he said “My daughter can’t rule if she’s under the thumb of some criminal” he said kissing then rubbing her head.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

The gesture made Vash giggle. Papa’s beard tickled the top of her head, and it was comforting. “Your daughter can’t rule if she doesn’t know who and what she is ruling either.” The truth was, once her father was paid off, it would be simpler for someone else to buy her from the Syndicate. They would simply make sure she had no outstanding debts to the Syndicate. Those could either be paid off, or be taken on by whomever bought her. Then that person would pay her cost. The Syndicate didn’t care what debts they owed or to whom. Once she paid her father and had confirmation, Sisnil, Noril, Eli, anyone really, could buy her as long as she agreed. She wasn’t going to let Eli pay all that though.

Vashkilu, Infiltrator

Eli was happy that she was interested in the clan, but she needed to talk to the Regent, true was he did not understand the female traditions very well and would not want her to learn incorrectly. “I’ll find a woman to teach you about your people” he noted.

Elias “Eli” Trenor
Medic

Vash looked up at him and rolled her eyes. “I want to learn from you. I know,” before he could say something, “there are female traditions that you know nothing about. But I want you to teach me.”

Vashkilu, Infiltrator