RADIO | NPC | THE BITE OF A GUARD DOG

[ironrule]

[Yes, you read that right. An NPC has gotten hold of a radio handset, and is broadcasting a message to the Foreigners -- and hopefully only the Foreigners.

Specifically, for anyone in a position to recognise her voice, it's Meisheng, Yunxu's former right-hand who vanished after Milyn's death two months ago. She sounds harried and rushed, but otherwise confident and unafraid.]

Yunxu ordered the hit. Milyn poisoned Shudder. They've both done unconscionable things aside from that, and I've been -- well, keeping quiet for much too long.

[There's a pause.]

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone thought he was innocent.

[And another pause.]

I have twenty minutes. If you want to know more, I'll tell you all I can.

Comments

[redlightgreenlight]

Dardul, is he another victim of your experiments?

[cherrywood]

... Dardul is very special, to me.

[redlightgreenlight]

I'm sure he's very grateful that you didn't abandon him by a river to die like you did Jintou.

[Valdis' voice holds no venom, in fact it is oddly empty, almost tired.]

[cherrywood]

And yet Jintou was found, was he not? And I've been taking care of Dardul all this time.

I don't expect you to understand, Valdis. It's a blind spot that so many of the Foreigners have, and I don't fault you for it, but I wish you'd acknowledge the flaw.

[redlightgreenlight]

I have many flaws, Milyn.

[A sigh]

But you. You are smarter than us and what you think is more important. Look at the things you have done, such wonderful and important things. Things that will help your people. Surely everyone can see the good you are doing despite the sacrifices you have to make.

[cherrywood]

I've never thought I'm smarter or more important, dear, the heart of my interests is simply different than yours.

It's not only my people I've been trying to help. I've always wanted to help the Foreigners, right from the day you first began arriving. It's simply not always been an... unsullied path.

[redlightgreenlight]

Does it matter? An unsullied path is often less efficient, and you have always been efficient. Sacrifices sometimes need to be made in order to progress, isn't that right?

[Her voice is even, but slightly deeper than normal]

Besides, you make up for it best you can. You still take care of Dardul, that is admirable. Some people would have simply thrown him away and forgotten him.

[cherrywood]

[ Milyn smiles, even though it's audio only and unseen. ]

I try to, as best I can, yes.

I would have never. He meant too much to me, as all of you do.

[redlightgreenlight]

Enon was wrong, you know. Wrong to not trust you. The Foreigners are wrong to not trust you.

[A small laugh.]

And Valdis should know better.

--> action

[gistful]

[Anton comes to the broadcast late, and at first doesn't even intend to answer; for his own sake, for one, and to let more investigative heads prevail. But the conversation between Milyn and Valdis has him briskly up the stairs to Valdis's room, where he knocks firmly on the door.]

A leanbh?

[redlightgreenlight]

[There is no movement from beyond the door, but the light visible from the cracks noticeably darkens and a low hiss can be heard.]

[gistful]

[Anton's eyes narrow and he waits no longer before testing the door and, when it doesn't open, using the key to open it and step into the room.]

[redlightgreenlight]

[The shadows retreat slightly when Anton steps into the room. Valdis is sitting cross legged on the bed, holding the radio in one hand. She seems relaxed and she doesn't turn to look at him, but she does lower the radio.]

Go away, old man.

[The sound of her voice is deeper and harsher than normal.]

[gistful]

[Anton had barely caught the tail end of the conversation with Milyn. If he hadn't, he might not have been prepared. As it is, he moves into the room with barely a pause to clear the rest.]

You do not have the right to be here. Leave.

[redlightgreenlight]

[The shadows shiver, but Valdis herself doesn't move]

We were asked.

[Her voice wavers with uncertain undertones.]

Do not interfere.

[gistful]

[It sounds--almost afraid. Anton stops by the bed, looking down at her, ignoring the shadows.]

Valdis would not have asked you to take possession of her. A lack of focus and an excess of uncertainty is not consent. Leave.

[redlightgreenlight]

[The shadows retreat further, allowing the light to brighten again. For a moment, a low hissing filled the air, slowly fading into silence, then Valdis blinked and turned her head to look at him.]

Anton?

[it was a bit disconcerting to have him looming over her, especially considering she hadn't even noticed him enter the room.

What's wrong?

[gistful]

[The change is perceptible, even without the shadows. Anton exhales, and inhales, and exhales again; and then he sits beside her and pulls her into a hug.

[It's one thing to know the Void is there. But he can't remember it having taken her over so easily like that. Or maybe he just hadn't known.]

[redlightgreenlight]

[Valdis' eyes widened. She couldn't remember him initiating a hug like this before, so she sat for several seconds without returning the embrace, too surprised to do anything.]

Anton?

[gistful]

[She didn't even remember. Anton exhaled again.]

The Void possessed you. What do you last remember?

[redlightgreenlight]

[She froze. Every muscle stiffening. The Void wouldn't have, couldn't have...unless she had done something to enable it by accident.]

Milyn mentioned flaws.

[gistful]

It was congratulating her.

[It didn't say it, in so many words, but that was what it amounted to.]

Has this--does this happen often?

[redlightgreenlight]

No.

[The word came quickly, harshly and without much thought behind it.]

I would have told you if I was having memory lapses again.

[She took a breath. But...there were times, before She had had her soul back, when she would let the Void take over her senses in order to judge her prey...but she had always conscious of it. Had she accidentally enabled that because of the situation?]

It was congratulating her?

[gistful]

Not in so many words--but yes, essentially.

[After a moment Anton pulls back and finds his handset to show her the broadcast, and the part of it Valdis had missed.]

[cherrywood]

[ ... and the conversation was going so well, too, that you can almost hear the mental gears screeching to a halt. ]