Time Killer (Tag Setsuna)

[Jacob Marconi]

Jacob had left his sidearm in front of Setsuna as he rose and left the Galley. She would know where to find him if she wanted to continue the conversation. This was not going to be finished in front of their troops. They would get off to assigned duties. Annika or Jallia would make the announcement. He rode the lift quietly and decided that they needed the day off and they deserved it. He stepped off the lift and entered his office.

“Jallia, please leave my door open.”

She complied and left the door open. She didn’t understand why he left it open some days and closed others. She just left it.

“Annika what time do the Tangs want to meet?”

She appeared and brought up a galactic calendar. She smiled at him.

“In fourteen standard hours.”

He nodded and knew that the dropship was not ready but his personal ship was and he knew who he was taking with him.

“Alright when Chi is done in the Medbay, William and Hayate get to the hanger have them ready my ship. Have Chi fuel it and Hayate conduct prelaunch.”

He looked up to stare out into space at the nothing of the black holes.

[Setsuna Meioh]

Setsuna had stared at the firearm which was left by the captain. Her breathing was even as she debated what she wanted to do. It felt like a calling card to join him. She sighed as she picked a little bit of fruit still on the plate. She knew the previous conversation was far from finished. It only pushed back her routine. She cancelled the training session for the morning as a deep frown came across her face.

She picked up the pistol, holding it far from her body as she returned the plate. She made her way up to the lift to the office which she dreaded. She wondered how badly this conversation would be.

She walked into the room as she placed the pistol on his desk with a small metal clang. She stepped back as her arms crossed over her chest as she waited for him to talk. She enjoyed looking out into deep space when she got a moment to breath. It was oddly calming and beautiful despite what always happened here.

[Jacob Marconi]

He wasn't surprised when she entered without bothering to knock and set the sidearm on his desk. He waited a bit longer while she seemed to examine the things within his office. He opened his desk drawer removed a web belt and thigh holster for her and put it on the desk. He waited a moment longer and then motioned for her to take the items he produced.

"You want to be part of this team then you will start to act like part of this team. That is the route to command. You have to show them you are willing undergo the hardships they have went through with training and working out with us. You will earn their respect. That is all I have to say on that subject. Plus if you would like me to get you something specific or need to give me information you can do so personally. I know that you have been using Annika to do so but there is no need for this subterfuge any longer."

He stood and didn't wait for her to put the belt on and encircled her waist with it, took it back, resized it and then fitted to her waist again, after he had it snug he then attached the thigh holster for her and then put the belt and secured the thigh holster to her thigh. He seated the sidearm and smiled at her as he retook his seat.

"I know you have been using he marksmanship programs and with that said you carry a sidearm now. We have a meeting with the Tang Family in fourteen hours. You will be attending as part of your XO duties now. So get a set of inconspicuous and draw a rifle from the armory."

He left it at that for her to take in. She would have something to say and he would listen he had said his piece.

[Setsuna Meioh]

The air felt thick as she waited to see what would come of this meeting. Her eyes following his every movement when turned around. She found it interesting that he pulled out a belt and holster. Was he going to dare suggest what she thought he was? As he spoke, it was going over what was beginning to be discussed after the fight. He talked of earning respect of everyone. She gave a slow blink as her breath came out in a heavy sigh.

What surprised her the most was when he placed the belt on her before she could give her answer. She stepped back when he approached with those items in his hands. He would feel every muscle in her lean body tense as he strapped things on. He would smell a strange mixture of sand, decay, and fog. Her face held the neutrality when he smiled at her before sitting back down.

She glanced down at the pistol that was strapped to her side. It was foreign and highly unnecessary. Weapons of war had no place on her body. They kept alive the cycle of destruction which madmen and critics feed on. She bore witness to it time and time again. She would face the Death Corps as she always had with every other enemy.

"Small steps, Captain, small steps. How do you think they would react if I suddenly showed up at more things? I fear rather hostile. I am a better use to all if I am at a distance. I did agree to the mandatory fun as it seems my training as been interrupted this morning."

She took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes for a moment. The pistol still feeling odd to have as it unsettled her being. She unstrapped it as she let time around her slow down to where Jacob could only tell that she was debating. She walked across the room and set it back on his desk. She stood against the side as time resumed normally again.

"I appreciate the message of the pistol. To me, it is overkill. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep myself and others safe. You may not believe in magic mambo jumbo, I process it. I can use it to help us strike quicker at times.

"As for Annika, I will admit to using her to pass along messages. It was easier to have her relay messages of supplies and information I collected. You, I am sure, have many questions about how I get it. The answer is one you would hardly believed if you heard. Which is fine, I wouldn't blame you. One might think you almost want to have me come around a little more often."

She walked over to the window as she paused in her statements. She let a heartbeat pass as she looked into the vastness of space. "I will admit that I use those programs to hone my skills. It would be foolish of me to think that I can help defeat an enemy if I am rusty. It is my way of showing my dedication to winning back their home. I, at least, owe them that. I am sure you have a few pointers on improving my aim should you ever decide to give it. I have not decided if my presence at the meeting would be beneficial. Signs have been unclear as to what will happen with so many different outcomes."

She turned back to him, "Are you requesting all of this? Or do you feel as if you are better than I, do to the fact that this is your station and you have trained the children, so you demand these things? I would advise you to consider carefully."

[Jacob Marconi]

Jacob figure that she would give a little push back but when she utterly destroyed what he was suggesting. He always found her scent interesting but right now he was focused on her and when she finished tending he tightened it down. It would be snug and but bearable. When she stepped away and asked her question he held up a hand.

“They would be confused at first but it would become commonplace soon enough.”

He looked at her and waited while she continued to complain about her day and how it wasn’t going according to her plan. Well his days rarely went according to plan. The only plan was then one where you were alive and sitting with the people that mattered at the end of the day.

“Well if every day had went according to plan we’d be in Sol, the kids would be magically powered, and I’d be gone from your lives. You’re going to have to adjust.”

When the sidearm was back on his desk he looked at her and decided he might as well tell her what she was missing. She isolated herself so much that everyone took it as a sign she didn’t believe in them. She had missed the intent of the conversation and what that sidearm represent to them. What he had told her was the truth. The day would come when she had to train them and they wouldn’t listen to her. It would be a disaster. He could enlighten her and help her but she yet again threw it back at him. How fucking many clues did a person have to give another before they got it.

“You know for a woman who can control time, read the ebb and flow of time, and most of all see every possible outcome you are very obtuse.”

He was a bit irritated and looked at her. She didn’t understand symbols and what they meant and how they could motivate people. It was nearly laughable.

“You say you understand many outcomes and the causality of time and what changing it would do? Yet you don’t understand basic things based in the present. Now this isn’t a request. You pick that belt and holster up, despite your view of it being overkill, you will wear it. It will be noticed and as you attend more training with us they will respect you making your job easier.”

Well she knew how to hit a nail directly on the head. He did want her around more and while she might see it something he wanted it wasn’t for him fully. It was for morale.

“Yes I do want you around more as with anything you provide for us I take it with s grain of salt and small amount of faith. I don’t question it I use and do what I was ordered by a monarch who stopped believing in. You just don’t get it do you?”

He rose and took an award down off the wall. It was in a flowing Venusian script she would recognize quite clearly. The office spoke of service to others. This one was from Queen Minako of Venus. Commander of the Sol military and a friend of hers. It read on this Jacob Marconi has earned the title of First Sword of Venus. His valorous conduct is with holding the highest traditions and standards of the Sol military and an officer.

“That I earned. This...” he motioned around him, “....was fought for and is used to do as I was ordered. I don’t do because I believe in those order. I don’t do it because I feel beholden to you or some dead woman. I do it because I have honor and will not allow some creature deny those nine people who have placed their faith and trust in me down. You can say whatever you want but I have their trust and to a certain degree their respect. Can you say the same.”

Her asking if it was a request nearly caused him to lose his temper. He didn’t he maintained his demeanor and stood again. This time though he walked around the desk and decided she could stay in the office.

“You know I thought we were making head way and then the arrogant cold bitch surfaces again. Don’t do anything you don’t wish to do. Occupy space here and continue to isolate yourself from everyone and continue to be aloof. I’m done. Keep the office I’ll clear my shit out later today and set up in the hanger.”

He walked toward the door done with her mystic bullshit attitude.

[Setsuna Meioh]

Setsuna let him rant. It made no sense to cut him off while he was on a rampage. It would seem they had lost what the other was trying to say. She had known full well of his deeds. She remembered the day in which her friend had given him his sword. Each of the queens had been requested to come. It was an honor held by few to have a sword such as that.

She let out a heavy sigh as she turned toward space again. Her cool voice flowed as he was almost out the door. Her story was one that would most likely never be told to his or the children's ears. She knew what honor and sacrifice meant more than most.

"I don't question your honor or what you have done. None of this is what we had planned or wanted. You have done well in your place where many would have failed long ago.

"It is funny to think that we actually made some sort of headway. I would call it civil from some of the conversations we have had. You can keep this space for you have earned that right, Captain."

She closed her eyes as she spoke this next part. "We can still meet half way. I will take the holster, if that will ease your mind about my having a symbol. I will keep my word about this afternoon as well as not using poor Annika as a messenger. The Tangs, I still can not say. I will be there should it favor our side. Hopefully that is a start of something agreeable."

She knew somewhere he was trying to break her out of the cold that had seeped in. What he was not aware of was that it was always there. Isolation was more of a comfort than most could imagine. The bait would not make her rise in this instance.

"As you have nicely put it, this conversation has concluded. I shall relieve you of my presence."

It was that she called forth her power once again. She let time slow to a crawl as she walked past him, down the lift. She had known what he reaction would be, more angry words with lots of swearing. He would never know it was all for the best.

[Jacob Marconi]

Jacob nearly lost his shit. Nearly as he took a deep and let her speak. Yes she was there but he was professional and polished at that time. When she got him mad like this he usually had leave but her voice so calm and cool stopped him. He sighed and stepped back in.

“You know you question everything. If you actually participated more with us instead of the cryptic messages and how you do things you might actually find a bit of happiness here instead of wallowing in whatever your wallowing in.”

He stopped as she said she didn’t know about the Tangs. Well they were grade A scumbags that would have sold him out long ago if they didn’t owe him for some of the work he did and hadn’t collected. They knew he could have really put a kink in their operations. Her saying she’d take the holster and sidearm would be a good start.

“You don’t have come with me if you don’t want to. Yes do keep the holster and sidearm. It’ll be a good sign for the kids.”

Her coming this afternoon would be good and that meant she would be seen and that would be great for everyone. He hoped she would further follow his advice and attending physical training and combat training sessions.

“It’s only over because you don’t wish to continue. I’ll listen to anything you have to say. If it had merit then we will pursue it.”

He didn’t realize she was gone by then and really hated when she did that. He shrugged and decided to wait a moment.

“Jallia send word to Sakuya. She’s going with me.”