straight answer, even if it was to a previous question. “Surname?"
"Not something you need to know."
"Rank?” Genham spat, apparently determined to continue his winning streak and establish his superiority.
"Un-ranked,” he told them. They both just looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I haven't earned a rank yet. I am part of the general rabble. A trainee, I guess. We have no title."
"Wait—if you're un-ranked—and in black uniform—are you Imperial?"
Yes, Therse looked very promising indeed.
"Imperial?” Genham repeated, trying his best not to appear intimidated after learning that the man he was interrogating was part of an elite specialist force. His best wasn't nearly good enough to fool Meitou.
"Don't look so worried, I'm perfectly harmless,” Meitou lied.
"Who said I needed reassuring?"
"Some things you don't have to say out loud."
Meitou found that his voice irritated Genham most when it was rich and honeyed. Genham seemed to fight it as much as he was able, at least figuring out that Meitou was playing him like a fiddle. “So if we're both Lieutenants, that makes us your superior officers,” Genham said.
Meitou allowed himself to show his amusement. “Navy and Imperial ranks are hardly equivalent. Didn't you figure that out from our little altercation in the corridor? Or did I misunderstand your Navy ‘welcoming’ customs?"
Genham ground his teeth, the muscles working in the sides of his face, but he pressed on, appearing to find his stride despite the probes and taunts. “How many more are on your ship?"
"It's just me."
"You're on your own?"
"That's what ‘just me’ means, yes."
He saw Therse stifle a giggle as Genham only grew more irate. Meitou was finding his buttons with increasing ease and regularity. It wouldn't be long before he tipped over.
Therse saw this too and stepped in. “What are you doing here?"
Meitou smiled back at him, fixing Therse's rich brown eyes again. He noticed Genham look at them both in turn. “I'm just stopping on the way to my next post. We decided we'd use your ship and hitch-hike for a bit, seeing as you're headed in the right direction for the most part."
"'We?'” Genham snorted, folding his arms and wincing. “I thought you said it was just you."
"I meant the ship.” Meitou pointed upwards.
"You decide things with your ship?” Genham said, looking over his shoulder at Therse as though he was expected to share in the ridicule. He just stared back at Genham blankly.
"Yes,” Meitou replied, dead-pan. Genham didn't quite know what to do with himself.
And then Therse came out with a question he honestly wasn't expecting; a question that, in Meitou's mind, sealed the man's fate. “Why are we going faster?"
He was impressed, but he didn't let it show. “My ship has made some modifications to the engines of this vessel, so they can run at greater capacity. You should now arrive at your destination at least a week sooner."
"And I take it you'll be with us for most of that time?"
He couldn't see any reason to withhold information they'd come to find out anyway. “It's possible.” He smirked, and added, “Though I make no promises."
An interesting mixture of things passed across Therse's face. Things that would need to be teased out, one by one.
Genham, though, had had enough. “This is bullshit,” he muttered to Therse and turned to leave.
"Gen,” Therse said, trying to catch him by the arm as he went, but it was yanked away. A very intimate gesture, Meitou thought.
That left just the two of them. Therse looked awkward for a second or two, then peered back at him.
"Sorry about him.” He nodded his head in the direction Genham had taken. “Therse Bodan, Navy Lieutenant.” They shook hands. Therse had a good, strong grip. “Shall I show you around?"
* * * *
Meitou was one of those men gifted with a certain presence, Therse decided. The type who could command the attention of a room full of people when he walked in.
"Not something you need to know."
"Rank?” Genham spat, apparently determined to continue his winning streak and establish his superiority.
"Un-ranked,” he told them. They both just looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I haven't earned a rank yet. I am part of the general rabble. A trainee, I guess. We have no title."
"Wait—if you're un-ranked—and in black uniform—are you Imperial?"
Yes, Therse looked very promising indeed.
"Imperial?” Genham repeated, trying his best not to appear intimidated after learning that the man he was interrogating was part of an elite specialist force. His best wasn't nearly good enough to fool Meitou.
"Don't look so worried, I'm perfectly harmless,” Meitou lied.
"Who said I needed reassuring?"
"Some things you don't have to say out loud."
Meitou found that his voice irritated Genham most when it was rich and honeyed. Genham seemed to fight it as much as he was able, at least figuring out that Meitou was playing him like a fiddle. “So if we're both Lieutenants, that makes us your superior officers,” Genham said.
Meitou allowed himself to show his amusement. “Navy and Imperial ranks are hardly equivalent. Didn't you figure that out from our little altercation in the corridor? Or did I misunderstand your Navy ‘welcoming’ customs?"
Genham ground his teeth, the muscles working in the sides of his face, but he pressed on, appearing to find his stride despite the probes and taunts. “How many more are on your ship?"
"It's just me."
"You're on your own?"
"That's what ‘just me’ means, yes."
He saw Therse stifle a giggle as Genham only grew more irate. Meitou was finding his buttons with increasing ease and regularity. It wouldn't be long before he tipped over.
Therse saw this too and stepped in. “What are you doing here?"
Meitou smiled back at him, fixing Therse's rich brown eyes again. He noticed Genham look at them both in turn. “I'm just stopping on the way to my next post. We decided we'd use your ship and hitch-hike for a bit, seeing as you're headed in the right direction for the most part."
"'We?'” Genham snorted, folding his arms and wincing. “I thought you said it was just you."
"I meant the ship.” Meitou pointed upwards.
"You decide things with your ship?” Genham said, looking over his shoulder at Therse as though he was expected to share in the ridicule. He just stared back at Genham blankly.
"Yes,” Meitou replied, dead-pan. Genham didn't quite know what to do with himself.
And then Therse came out with a question he honestly wasn't expecting; a question that, in Meitou's mind, sealed the man's fate. “Why are we going faster?"
He was impressed, but he didn't let it show. “My ship has made some modifications to the engines of this vessel, so they can run at greater capacity. You should now arrive at your destination at least a week sooner."
"And I take it you'll be with us for most of that time?"
He couldn't see any reason to withhold information they'd come to find out anyway. “It's possible.” He smirked, and added, “Though I make no promises."
An interesting mixture of things passed across Therse's face. Things that would need to be teased out, one by one.
Genham, though, had had enough. “This is bullshit,” he muttered to Therse and turned to leave.
"Gen,” Therse said, trying to catch him by the arm as he went, but it was yanked away. A very intimate gesture, Meitou thought.
That left just the two of them. Therse looked awkward for a second or two, then peered back at him.
"Sorry about him.” He nodded his head in the direction Genham had taken. “Therse Bodan, Navy Lieutenant.” They shook hands. Therse had a good, strong grip. “Shall I show you around?"
* * * *
Meitou was one of those men gifted with a certain presence, Therse decided. The type who could command the attention of a room full of people when he walked in.
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