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"Metaphores" by Sylvia Plath
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I hope to have my next post up tomorrow. Things have been terribly hectic on my side of the computer screen.
I hope to have my next post up tomorrow. Things have been terribly hectic on my side of the computer screen.
Everything going well?
Okay. Hope everything is going well!
One could almost see the drool pooling out of the soldier’s open mouth as he eyed steak. He wasn’t the only one. Out of the corned of her eye she could see both the doctor and the technician openly eying the meal. The mechanic however wrinkled her nose at the red liquid pooling onto the plate. Her father had for, whatever reason, cooked dishes including meats thoroughly. And even though she knew that the red juice running of the captain’s steak knife wasn’t “technically” blood, she wasn’t tempted by his meal. Which was honestly a good thing, since he didn’t look like the type of person who liked sharing.
”Any of you ever heard of a replicator…?”
Ryen didn’t have to look at him to feel that he was judging them and finding them wanting. Red spots bloomed across the technician’s cheeks as she fumbled for the device in her bag and began feverishly typing on it. The doctor shook his head while the solider replied with a quick, ”Nah, but that’s pretty neat.”
Ryen herself shrugged. She should have recognized the machine but she hadn’t. The ship she’d worked on that one summer had had a replicator. But the thing was either too old or poorly made or second-hand. She’d used the thing once or twice and the food had tasted god-awful. Fortunately, the ship didn’t travel great distances and she’d been able to stock up on fresh supplies. From the smell wafting off of Lazlo’s plate, the ship’s replicator was at least ten times better. Even so, she didn’t want to admit her mistake to their captain.
”The crackers were already open when I came in,” she replied aloofly, ”I didn’t see a point just allowing them to go stale.”
”Well,” said the solider, trying to break up the tension heavy in the air around the small table, ”Since we’re all here, why don’t we introduce ourselves.” He paused briefly before saluting ”Gunther Karlstock, at your service.”
”Ellie, I mean, Eleanor Falder” the technician pronounced, her words hardly above whisper. She continued to look down at her device while she spoke. ”You can all me Ellie.”
”I’m Quincy Stertjan” the doctor pronounced.
A single red eyebrow shot up as Ryen let out a snicker. ”Quincy?” What back water planet had that name crawled out of?
”Quincy is a traditional name in my family but it’s Dr. Stertjan to you, young lady.” He tone was patronizing but his eyes still sparkled with humor.
”You all know who I am,” Ryen stated. She had introduced herself earlier although it was possible they’d been too distracted by the raging crowd at her back. ”Ryen Arleth.”
”Arleth?” Karlstock echoed. ”Sounds familiar,”
”Yes.” Ryen nodded a smirk forming across her face, ”It’s a traditional name in my family. My father is the famous inventor Dr. James Arleth. I mentioned that before.”
”As in the Dr. Arleth who was found murdered this morning.” This came from Quincy. It was a statement more than a question.
Ryen felt her blood run cold as panicked thoughts ran through her brain. How had the doctor found out? Most likely the same way she had- he must have heard it on the news flash. A quick survey of the other faces in the room revealed that her companions greeted the news with suspicion or indifference (feigned or otherwise). What should she say to them? Her father had just died and she’d taken the first ship she could find off planet. Guilty was too mild a word for her actions. What if she told them the truth? That someone had broken into her father’s workshop and were most likely the same people who had tried to come after her in her apartment. Ryen thought about her crewmates. Some might try to protect her, true, but others might use the situation to their advantage. The technician and the soldier seemed nice enough but she doubted they’d take her side if push came to shove. She didn’t know about the doctor and as for their captain..? Heck, he might even be tempted to sell her back to the people who broken into her apartment for a tidy profit. In her head, she could still hear the wailing sounds of the injured aliens and the shots fired into the angry crowd. No. It was better if they didn’t know.
Ryen opened her mouth, as her brain tried to come up with a passible lie. If she’d been quicker, she might have been able to feign surprise at the news of her father’s death.
”Yes. I was…” but her confession was thankfully interrupted by an announcement by the ship’s AI.
”Captain. A Syrae patrol ship is pulling up beside us. They are requesting to board.”
”Any of you ever heard of a replicator…?”
Ryen didn’t have to look at him to feel that he was judging them and finding them wanting. Red spots bloomed across the technician’s cheeks as she fumbled for the device in her bag and began feverishly typing on it. The doctor shook his head while the solider replied with a quick, ”Nah, but that’s pretty neat.”
Ryen herself shrugged. She should have recognized the machine but she hadn’t. The ship she’d worked on that one summer had had a replicator. But the thing was either too old or poorly made or second-hand. She’d used the thing once or twice and the food had tasted god-awful. Fortunately, the ship didn’t travel great distances and she’d been able to stock up on fresh supplies. From the smell wafting off of Lazlo’s plate, the ship’s replicator was at least ten times better. Even so, she didn’t want to admit her mistake to their captain.
”The crackers were already open when I came in,” she replied aloofly, ”I didn’t see a point just allowing them to go stale.”
”Well,” said the solider, trying to break up the tension heavy in the air around the small table, ”Since we’re all here, why don’t we introduce ourselves.” He paused briefly before saluting ”Gunther Karlstock, at your service.”
”Ellie, I mean, Eleanor Falder” the technician pronounced, her words hardly above whisper. She continued to look down at her device while she spoke. ”You can all me Ellie.”
”I’m Quincy Stertjan” the doctor pronounced.
A single red eyebrow shot up as Ryen let out a snicker. ”Quincy?” What back water planet had that name crawled out of?
”Quincy is a traditional name in my family but it’s Dr. Stertjan to you, young lady.” He tone was patronizing but his eyes still sparkled with humor.
”You all know who I am,” Ryen stated. She had introduced herself earlier although it was possible they’d been too distracted by the raging crowd at her back. ”Ryen Arleth.”
”Arleth?” Karlstock echoed. ”Sounds familiar,”
”Yes.” Ryen nodded a smirk forming across her face, ”It’s a traditional name in my family. My father is the famous inventor Dr. James Arleth. I mentioned that before.”
”As in the Dr. Arleth who was found murdered this morning.” This came from Quincy. It was a statement more than a question.
Ryen felt her blood run cold as panicked thoughts ran through her brain. How had the doctor found out? Most likely the same way she had- he must have heard it on the news flash. A quick survey of the other faces in the room revealed that her companions greeted the news with suspicion or indifference (feigned or otherwise). What should she say to them? Her father had just died and she’d taken the first ship she could find off planet. Guilty was too mild a word for her actions. What if she told them the truth? That someone had broken into her father’s workshop and were most likely the same people who had tried to come after her in her apartment. Ryen thought about her crewmates. Some might try to protect her, true, but others might use the situation to their advantage. The technician and the soldier seemed nice enough but she doubted they’d take her side if push came to shove. She didn’t know about the doctor and as for their captain..? Heck, he might even be tempted to sell her back to the people who broken into her apartment for a tidy profit. In her head, she could still hear the wailing sounds of the injured aliens and the shots fired into the angry crowd. No. It was better if they didn’t know.
Ryen opened her mouth, as her brain tried to come up with a passible lie. If she’d been quicker, she might have been able to feign surprise at the news of her father’s death.
”Yes. I was…” but her confession was thankfully interrupted by an announcement by the ship’s AI.
”Captain. A Syrae patrol ship is pulling up beside us. They are requesting to board.”
Lol. Okay.
1) What is a replicator??
2) Should my character know about it?
Also, I love Lazlo's journal entry. In my head his voice sounds slightly crazed.
1) What is a replicator??
2) Should my character know about it?
Also, I love Lazlo's journal entry. In my head his voice sounds slightly crazed.
Would Eleanor Falder know about a replicator? ...And if she did, would she confess to knowing?
These things happen. I would like to continue. :)
Kaitlyn wasn’t sure how she managed to make her way two floors up to the medical ward, but she had. Every inhale seemed to be more draining, her breath coming in larges gasps which she knew had nothing to do with the spiraled staircases she’d just climbed.
The large wooden door of the medical ward was already opened. Kaitlyn stumbled inside, startling the occupants of the room including a young who hurriedly stepped out of the way. Even the three Tranquil assigned to the room seemed to be in a hurry to rush to her side.
”Take the second bed,” someone said, their voice void of affect and emotion. In the effort to get her to the correct place, someone’s hand clamped down on her wounded arm. Kaitlyn let out a guttural yell as the world around her blurred and spun. Only the strong hands of the three Tranquil kept her from falling to the floor.
”Keep it down … how’s anyone… act’s like they’re…” the gruff female voice carried over from behind one of the dozens of book and reagent shelves in the room.
Kaitlyn ignored the words as she laid back into the straw bedding. Cool hands, light as feathers helped loosen her chest plate and arm straps. The Templar turned her head to watch as a sharp knife cut away at the sleeve of her shirt until it sliced all the way up to her neck. Underneath the bandage Thea had placed on her arm over the salve had turned, not rust the color of dried blood, but a sickening grey of the variety that seemed to suck up all the candlelight. Kaitlyn knew what to expect even before the bandage was peeled off. From shoulder to wrist her skin took on the pale pallor of a corpse. Inky veins puckered up through the skin originating from a nasty gash right above her elbow.
A heavy sigh escaped Kaitlyn’s lips. ”Is there… anything that I can do?” In her heart she knew there wasn’t but she still asked.
Voices seemed to erupt all over the room. Faces, those of the Tranquil and the young mage and even some of the occupants had come closer to see what the commotion was about. Some gasped. One person screamed in horror. Intermixed were comments like, ”I’ve never seen a case this advance.” and ”I can’t believe she lasted this…” and ”Kill her quick, she’ll…” Before a child-like figure barreled in and pushed most of the onlookers back.
Kaitlyn blinked a few times, clearing her vision of tears. The child, it turned out was a ruddy-faced female dwarf with copper colored hair and a scar that ran from the base of her nose to just above her lip. ”Fascinating.” she said, running a finger under her chin.
”I’m glad you find me interesting,” Kaitlyn replied, her brain too foggy to even wonder what a dwarf was doing in the White Tower.
”Well currently you aren’t good for much else.” she replied, a grim smile forming on her lips. Fishing in the large saddle back strapped across her chest, the dwarf produced a small pink crystalline vial. Either way it looked expensive. ”Here.”
Gently, the dwarf dribbled a few drops of amber liquid into the Templar’s mouth. The taste was sweet if not a little bitter. Kaitlyn waved her away when she made to tip more into her mouth. ”Thank you but it’s pointless.”
”Are you so eager to die?” Her words stung.
”You think I have another option.” It was a statement, not a question. Kaitlyn knew there wasn’t. Grey Wardens were said to be able to fight off the darkspawn taint but that was different. And besides, it was just a rumor.
The dwarf looked at her and Kaitlyn felt she was being appraised akin to a granite statue. She would have been offended by the action, if Kaitlyn still had the will to care. Then the other female spoke up, her words coming slowly as if even she wasn’t sure. ”What if there was?”
”Make it quick, some of us don’t have all day, especially you.” Despite Kaitlyn and the dwarf reaching an agreement, Dagna’s tone wasn’t any softer than before.
The medicine she’d dribbled on her lips was made of a rare white flower found in the Kanari Wilds far to the east. It dulled the pain significantly and hopefully would slow the spread of the taint, at least until other more drastic measures could be taken. A grey woolen cloak hung over Kaitlyn’s arm, concealing the festering limb beneath.
”This is highly irregular.” this protest came directly from the First Enchanter.
Dagna shrugged nonchalantly. ”Most things dealing with Wardens can hardly be called regular ”
Tension surged between the two women. The Knight-Commander was smart enough to stay out of our way.
”Then it is good that the Wardens serve a special purpose, if not, I doubt they would be so tolerated.”
”Funny, I was thinking the same thing about mages.”
Kaitlyn eyed them both warily and couldn’t help but wonder if the hostility would have been lessened if Dagna hadn’t been born a dwarf. If not for the lyrium trade, she doubted if the mages and the miners would have communicated at all.
Kaitlyn stepped forward towards the female Knight-Commander standing guard. Thea lying prone on the alter, a shimmering summoning circle dancing in the air around her body.
”Has she been inside long?”
The other woman only offered a grunt in response a fingered the sword on her belt.
”Like I said, we still don’t have all day.” The dwarf had chosen to only take a few steps inside the chamber, and her words echoes through the high ceilings.
”I know.” Kaitlyn turned back to Thea. It almost looked like the mage was sleeping, only she didn’t appear restful or peaceful. Surely Thea could handle herself. There was no way that she’d managed to live out of the Circle for so long without knowing how to deal with the demons in The Fade. ”It won’t take long. And… it’s important to me. I don’t want to leave without explaining why.”
”A simple note could explain why,” Dagna suggested. Kaitlyn just shook her head and continued to watch Thea. Beside her, the Knight-Commander began to shift back and forth between both legs. She was getting wrestles. Just then a movement caught the Templar’s eye.
The large wooden door of the medical ward was already opened. Kaitlyn stumbled inside, startling the occupants of the room including a young who hurriedly stepped out of the way. Even the three Tranquil assigned to the room seemed to be in a hurry to rush to her side.
”Take the second bed,” someone said, their voice void of affect and emotion. In the effort to get her to the correct place, someone’s hand clamped down on her wounded arm. Kaitlyn let out a guttural yell as the world around her blurred and spun. Only the strong hands of the three Tranquil kept her from falling to the floor.
”Keep it down … how’s anyone… act’s like they’re…” the gruff female voice carried over from behind one of the dozens of book and reagent shelves in the room.
Kaitlyn ignored the words as she laid back into the straw bedding. Cool hands, light as feathers helped loosen her chest plate and arm straps. The Templar turned her head to watch as a sharp knife cut away at the sleeve of her shirt until it sliced all the way up to her neck. Underneath the bandage Thea had placed on her arm over the salve had turned, not rust the color of dried blood, but a sickening grey of the variety that seemed to suck up all the candlelight. Kaitlyn knew what to expect even before the bandage was peeled off. From shoulder to wrist her skin took on the pale pallor of a corpse. Inky veins puckered up through the skin originating from a nasty gash right above her elbow.
A heavy sigh escaped Kaitlyn’s lips. ”Is there… anything that I can do?” In her heart she knew there wasn’t but she still asked.
Voices seemed to erupt all over the room. Faces, those of the Tranquil and the young mage and even some of the occupants had come closer to see what the commotion was about. Some gasped. One person screamed in horror. Intermixed were comments like, ”I’ve never seen a case this advance.” and ”I can’t believe she lasted this…” and ”Kill her quick, she’ll…” Before a child-like figure barreled in and pushed most of the onlookers back.
Kaitlyn blinked a few times, clearing her vision of tears. The child, it turned out was a ruddy-faced female dwarf with copper colored hair and a scar that ran from the base of her nose to just above her lip. ”Fascinating.” she said, running a finger under her chin.
”I’m glad you find me interesting,” Kaitlyn replied, her brain too foggy to even wonder what a dwarf was doing in the White Tower.
”Well currently you aren’t good for much else.” she replied, a grim smile forming on her lips. Fishing in the large saddle back strapped across her chest, the dwarf produced a small pink crystalline vial. Either way it looked expensive. ”Here.”
Gently, the dwarf dribbled a few drops of amber liquid into the Templar’s mouth. The taste was sweet if not a little bitter. Kaitlyn waved her away when she made to tip more into her mouth. ”Thank you but it’s pointless.”
”Are you so eager to die?” Her words stung.
”You think I have another option.” It was a statement, not a question. Kaitlyn knew there wasn’t. Grey Wardens were said to be able to fight off the darkspawn taint but that was different. And besides, it was just a rumor.
The dwarf looked at her and Kaitlyn felt she was being appraised akin to a granite statue. She would have been offended by the action, if Kaitlyn still had the will to care. Then the other female spoke up, her words coming slowly as if even she wasn’t sure. ”What if there was?”
”Make it quick, some of us don’t have all day, especially you.” Despite Kaitlyn and the dwarf reaching an agreement, Dagna’s tone wasn’t any softer than before.
The medicine she’d dribbled on her lips was made of a rare white flower found in the Kanari Wilds far to the east. It dulled the pain significantly and hopefully would slow the spread of the taint, at least until other more drastic measures could be taken. A grey woolen cloak hung over Kaitlyn’s arm, concealing the festering limb beneath.
”This is highly irregular.” this protest came directly from the First Enchanter.
Dagna shrugged nonchalantly. ”Most things dealing with Wardens can hardly be called regular ”
Tension surged between the two women. The Knight-Commander was smart enough to stay out of our way.
”Then it is good that the Wardens serve a special purpose, if not, I doubt they would be so tolerated.”
”Funny, I was thinking the same thing about mages.”
Kaitlyn eyed them both warily and couldn’t help but wonder if the hostility would have been lessened if Dagna hadn’t been born a dwarf. If not for the lyrium trade, she doubted if the mages and the miners would have communicated at all.
Kaitlyn stepped forward towards the female Knight-Commander standing guard. Thea lying prone on the alter, a shimmering summoning circle dancing in the air around her body.
”Has she been inside long?”
The other woman only offered a grunt in response a fingered the sword on her belt.
”Like I said, we still don’t have all day.” The dwarf had chosen to only take a few steps inside the chamber, and her words echoes through the high ceilings.
”I know.” Kaitlyn turned back to Thea. It almost looked like the mage was sleeping, only she didn’t appear restful or peaceful. Surely Thea could handle herself. There was no way that she’d managed to live out of the Circle for so long without knowing how to deal with the demons in The Fade. ”It won’t take long. And… it’s important to me. I don’t want to leave without explaining why.”
”A simple note could explain why,” Dagna suggested. Kaitlyn just shook her head and continued to watch Thea. Beside her, the Knight-Commander began to shift back and forth between both legs. She was getting wrestles. Just then a movement caught the Templar’s eye.
icicle said
... I'm going to need a week to get a response out due to school.
I understand completely. Trust me. :)
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