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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 13:19:16 GMT -8
Being the Voice of the Storm Dragon wasn't that difficult, in Olesya's opinion. It was challenging, certainly, but immensely rewarding to be doing something productive with her time. With the city as prosperous as it was, there was little need for scavenging anymore. Olesya still went outside the walls, but it was more scouting and less of a supply run. Supply runs were done with trucks now, not on foot.
The gates opened and a remodeled motocross bike whirred into the city. It skid to a stop, the rider cutting the engine and pulling the helmet from her head. Stark white hair fell in a bob around her head, random bits sticking up all over the place from being in a helmet. She ran a hand through her hair, disheveling it even more before tossing the helmet to one of the guards. She kicked down the kickstand and got off the bike, striding away from it toward the war room. She had just returned from a meeting with a group of outlanders, gauging the situation and opening up lines of communication.
She entered the war room, her ears catching the words 'earth' and 'dragon' used in conjunction with each other. Olesya's heart skipped a beat, but she held her composure. Was Mathew here? She hadn't seen him since she arrived in Dragon Territory and he'd kicked her ass months ago. Was he still angry with her? Les pushed all these thoughts aside and steadied her mask, her business face.
"Report from the outlander negotiation."
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 14:17:31 GMT -8
Mathew was indeed there, pacing back and forth as he looked through a few papers on reports. All hand written of course, and the paper was mismatched. But it was good to have written records when you could. Just for easy referencing in the future. Several Dragon's sat around the table, various degrees of nervousness painted on their faces.
"Hrmmmm."
Was all he let out as his face twisted in to a scowl. A small shake of his head. Turning the paper over he slammed it on to the table, glaring at the men about the time that Olesya came in. Holding up a finger to tell her to wait he never took his gaze off the men.
"This is what you bring me? That is what you call a full recon scan with tactical analysis? I don't know how David and Leon have been having you do these missions but I'm here to tell you now. And please, make sure this sinks in."
He paused a brief moment to let the anticipation build in with them.
"Daddy is home, and if I get a half assed report like this again you will be getting worse than ten lashes in front of the Peace Cafe."
A beat.
"Now go!"
He pointed toward the doorway and watched as the Dragons began to leave, again in varying degrees of quickness. Then and only then would he turn to face Olesya, his eyes scanning over her as his lips pressed together.
"Well don't just stand there. Report."
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 14:36:22 GMT -8
Multi-colored eyes widened as her gaze fell on Mathew, who was engrossed in discussion with a couple other soldiers. He didn't even look at her meaning she'd recognized him before he'd noticed she was there. He was ranting and raving about the poor quality of the reports in his hands. Depending on who'd put them together, she could sympathize. Jones was about as useful as a wet towel, and she'd told him such at lest once or twice. After their verbal lashing, the soldiers scooted out of the war room as fast as their feet could carry them.
Then Mathew turned his attention to his, his face still set and hard in his militaristic way. Olesya cleared her throat, concealing her own emotions as she faced him. Straight backed, clear headed, much different than the pitiful excuse of a person he'd seen before. Her eyes were now mostly back to their original color, only ice blue on the inside fading to her natural hazel on the outside.
"Negotiations with the outlander Zed clan went as well as could be expected. They don't want charity, nor to join our territory, but are willing to keep communication open. Their leader, who refers to himself as 'Frank the Tank,' said that he will, and I quote 'leave us alone if we leave them alone.' Not an alliance but a neutral regard. No signed agreement."
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 14:46:38 GMT -8
"Uh huh."
Not really the news that he wanted to hear. Not really her fault, but then again she should have gotten the results that they wanted. But since it seemed that everything had been slacking off while he was gone, he felt the need to be extra hard to reinforce the fact that they were supposed to be the best, and that they are supposed to make things work out how they wanted.
"And does he know exactly who he is dealing with? Does he know that the neutral zone is shrinking every day and if it's not us that moves in it very well could be Barker?"
Mathew walked in to a town and claimed it in two hours without raising a fist, and Olesya wasn't able to even get an outlander gang to submit. Not a good show from the Storm Dragon's voice.
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 14:54:18 GMT -8
Olesya sighed, but managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. Mathew was playing the bully, she'd seen it before. Did he really think it was going to work on her as easily as it did on the other soldiers? He was being tough, thorough, nit-picky, but what Olesya saw underneath that was a temper tantrum waiting to happen. He was displeased with their efforts, which was like seeing the Sistine chapel and bitching that the skin tone wasn't the right shade of peach. Dragon Territory had made leaps and bounds from the hovel it had been when they first took ground.
"They're aware, sir. However it seems that people react better to peaceful negotiation than they do to brute force. Taking over their land would accomplish nothing but cause tension and dissent. If they don't want to be protected, we can't make them. I made sure that communication was still open and kept our offer on the table in case they change their mind. Chances are when Barker presses in, they'll want nothing more than to flock under our wing but until then we can only be patient."
Something you're not good at.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 14:59:54 GMT -8
"I agree. Which is why Diplomacy has been my first move in every non Barker controlled territory that I've obtained for us."
Along with the firm alliance with the God's and his own ascension to all of their ranks.
"It doesn't matter if you can do it peacefully or not, what matters is results. You say that you have made sure that the lines of communication remain open. That's good. But you do know that should a caravan fall under attack by these people it's your ass."
It would be stupid to attack their caravans, but desperate people could be stupid. And considering the state she was in the last time they spoke he wasn't overflowing with confidence in her like David seemed to be.
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 15:07:28 GMT -8
"They agreed to leave us alone. Any breach in that trust is their doing, and we'd no longer be honor bound to be civil to them. That's Diplomacy 101."
She could tell that he didn't trust her, which judging by their last interaction, he didn't exactly have the reason to. However, that was months ago and she'd come a long way since then. She refused to stand here and let him continue ttear her apart for everything under the sun.
"Lid dra lnyb, Mathew. When are you going to stop blaming me for everything? I know we didn't leave off on the right foot, but ramm you're not even here for five minutes and you're already jumping down my throat."
Hanging around David and the other Dragons exposed her to some of their language, and David had even taught her a few key phrases for the hell of it. Olesya particularly liked the curse words, because she could substitute them around Maddie.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 15:13:27 GMT -8
"Ev oui lyh'd ryhtma sa dnaydehk oui mega yh ytimd E lyh cdub."
He replied back without missing a beat. He wasn't put off by her speaking Dragon tongue. Made sense she would be able to. She wasn't an apprentice sure, but she was a voice. He would teach Bastille, but with her distaste of all things Dragon, he wasn't sure how well she would go for it. Besides, he liked having that over her.
He folded his arms and waited for her response. He had figured she would probably get more upset at him for being a jerk. But he was a jerk, always had been. Always would be in all likelihood. But she was a Dragon, he didn't think he should have to treat her like a delicate snowflake.
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 15:26:39 GMT -8
"Oui yna dnaydehk sa mega E's cdibet."
She kept her gaze on him, hard. He wasn't treating her like an adult, he was treating her like an idiot. He was trying to put her in her place, but that place he wanted to put her was far inferior than was necessary. She wasn't a delicate flower that could be crushed, her survival was testimony to that. She wasn't some knuckle-headed drone who couldn't put her shoes on the right feet either.
"I've made mistakes, we all do. I wasn't stable, and I shouldn't have endangered Maddie, I know this, and that is a regret I will carry the rest of my life. But it made me realize that I wasn't in control of my own mind, I wasn't free from the cred Barker injected in my system..or did you forget that?"
She would never forget the correctional facility, where she faced Mathew for the first time. He was brutal, merciless, and violating. He had been one of Barker's men, one of them. But she'd forgiven him for that, why couldn't he forgive her for something she couldn't control?
"I left, if you hadn't noticed. I went back to the Halfway House to finish my treatment. It might not matter to you, but I'm cured."
Her voice cracked at this, and she did her best to hide her emotions, clearing her throat again.
"The chemicals have done some damage that will never be repaired. I will never be exactly who I once was, but I can be better. The experiments made me strong and fast, but they're no longer ripping away at my mind, my sanity. You can't even begin to understand what I've been through, and yet you stand here and judge me, when you were one of the people enabling my condition in the first place."
Yeah, she would remind him of that. If he was so hell bent on putting her in her place, she would put him in his.
"None of us are perfect."
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 15:36:07 GMT -8
He quirked an eyebrow at her little tirade. How little she knew about him or his own life. She must think his life was nothing but a series of fortunate events. Born with the golden spoon in his mouth. Well, why shouldn't she. By the time she met him he had come in to his own. Many of his own personal demons vanquished. Still, he didn't like how she seemed to think she knew who he was, especially with how wrong she was.
"Oui'na yldehk cdibet."
Because she was.
"You seem to forget that I was locked up just as long as you were. I was tested on just as much as you were. And I didn't exactly sign up for the whole spa treatment myself. The difference between you and me is I found a way to turn the situation in to one that can work for me. You seem hell bent on being a martyr, even now."
He waved his hand to dismiss her words.
"You're cured. That's great. Now get over it. Shit happens, it sucks. But you are hardly the only person to have had a shit life or impossible obstacles to overcome. You don't want me judging you? Tough shit. You judge me to your hearts content."
So she could just deal with that.
"You want me to change my opinion on you, then don't tell me how much better you've gotten. Show me. We all have a sob story. Go ask Kiyr hers. Maybe talk to Levi about his. You could ask the Sudeki clan if they were not all almost wiped out. You could even try to understand mine if you cared to. But in the end it doesn't really matter, you can't change what's happened, only what's going to happen."
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 15:42:08 GMT -8
And again, he was downplaying her. As if her problems and her very existence weren't worth a shit. Did he get high on making other people feel bad? Every time she was around him, with exception to their one date, he always put her down in one way or another. Pushed her away. Shut her out. What the hell was his deal anyway!?
Dr. Twist had said that just because someone's problems may be worse than yours, it didn't make them any less significant.
"I would, but you never let me close enough to try."
She bit back with as much venom as he fed her. He could dismiss her 'sob story' all he wanted, but it didn't deny the fact that any time she tried opening up to him, he snapped and lashed out at her. Even now.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 15:48:57 GMT -8
"Because I don't see the point. It's not like it will change anything. I mean look at the world we live in. Does it really matter if my Mom and Dad were mean to me?"
Mean of course meant horribly physically and emotionally abusive in this context.
"You want to talk and become best friends forever, I'm fine with that. I like you, always have. But I'm not going to treat you differently than anyone else that reports to me. I try very hard to not play favorites. I'm sure you heard about Kiyr's punishment for her betrayal?"
He made sure it was public knowledge, and Kiyr was one of his favorite people in this city. She had been branded as property and sent to walk across God, Neutral, Dragon territory naked and burdened with stone. He showed her mercy because she owned up to her mistake instead of casting blame elsewhere for her choices.
"So. Soldier. Anything else to report?"
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 18:07:48 GMT -8
Olesya narrowed her eyes slightly at the best friends forever comment. She felt like he was still mocking her, but he was more bullheaded than she was, and frankly, she was tired of arguing around in the same cyclical pattern. They could both argue until they were blue in the face, and it still wouldn't change anything. He would see what he wanted to see, and she would see what she wanted to see. Maybe that was why it never worked out between them.
She had opened her mouth to say something in return, but closed it again purposefully when she decided to pull the battle. Let him have his victory, let him be right. He was her superior, he was a Dragon and she only a Voice. She wouldn't have him treat her any differently than any other soldier, but she wished he would show a little compassion as her friend. But maybe they weren't friends in the first place, at least not by her definition of friend. That thought stung a little, but she didn't let it show. In this world she had very few she called a friend. David, Delilah, Jon, and Mathew, all to different varying degrees. She straightened her back and renewed her steady gaze with his.
"No sir."
She replied, her voice having lost it's fire it had moments before, her tone professional and the slightest bit defeated. Because I don't see the point. It's not like it will change anything. If he didn't want to share anything with her, that was his decision. She would need to be more careful not to wear her heart on her sleeve anymore. It surprised her to realize she felt hurt, because it was an emotion she hadn't felt in a very long time. High school Olesya wore her heart on her sleeve, she was passionate and fiery and alive. In the dark days she suppressed every emotion, manipulating every situation to her benefit, feeling nothing. It was so great to be able to feel again, even in situations like this. It was bittersweet, it was a lesson. She didn't wear her emotions where everyone could see them, only those she felt she trusted. Even then, it appeared she should be more guarded.
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Post by Mathew Amtrum on Feb 26, 2013 18:10:54 GMT -8
He nodded and then broke out in to a smile. His right hand coming up and running through his hair. With nothing left to report then that meant he was done with these God forsaken progress reports. He hated this paperwork like duty. He itched to be in the front lines, but he couldn't be reckless as often now that he had kids. So he had to put up with this.
"Good, at ease."
And he relaxed visibly.
"You drink?"
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Post by Your Mom~ on Feb 26, 2013 18:17:02 GMT -8
The smile unnerved her, now that she'd put her mask back on, he took his off. It made no sense to her, none at all. There were no other people in the room, it wasn't like he had anyone to impress. This back and forth only confused her, and though her facial expression remained the same, her eyes showed her confusion. She just didn't understand him.
Even though he ordered her at ease, she kept her careful mask in place. She was still stinging from the argument, and the confusion didn't help. She relaxed her shoulders but kept her guard up, regarding him with a slight eyebrow quirk at his question.
"Yes?"
She was going to need a stiff drink after the day she'd had. That or to run back and grab her bike and go for a long ride. But the sun was setting and she wouldn't be allowed back outside the walls unless it was on business.
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