01-22-2019, 05:09 PM
With Lih at his heels, pale and frail, Sage crossed the hallway to the dojo and hurried down to the room, presumably his bedroom. Lih lurked behind him, gazing dubiously at the creeping expanse of rubber mats and machinery approaching like doomsday across the dojo. It was smaller, but no less equipped than their training gym back at the station...
“Lih,” his captain said, turning to his junior “your services on this beat are no longer required.”
“Sir?”
“Look about you, man. The domovoi need every officer than can get. Go to Dorian, listen to him, obey him. You’ve got rank here, Lih. Use it. Give an example to our men and they will follow you. Dorian’s counting on you.”
“Yes, sir.” Lih said. He was shaken. Understandably. What Costa and Lih found there was vile.
“I know you’re young and this is new to you, Lih, but I have faith. You faced down the rougarou last month and lived to tell the tale.”
“Only because Costa saved my bloody life, sir.” Lih groaned.
“It doesn’t matter. You’ve looked death in the eyes, and survived. That’s more than any of these young men can say. That makes you special, tempered, like any fine piece of steel. It almost makes you a veteran. Strength of character, Detective Lih.”
Lih smiled. A total crap storm had broke over his head, but that also meant he was promoted to detective. Lih had already debated with himself at least a dozen possible excuses or reasons for the transfer, none of them satisfactory. But now this had happened, and everything was academic.
“Go report to Dorian Vega right away… oh, and Lih?”
“Yes, sir?"
“I expect to hear your name in the dispatches soon, you hear me?”
“I’m on it, sir!” Lih replied, saluted his captain and ran up the stairs to where Dorian would be convening with the other domovoi officers...
Sage led Lih over to the drawer. He was pulling new lenses out of a long, thin box when Lih blinked at him, bleary-eyed.
“Sorry,” Lih hesitated. “Sorry, I was far away.” The detective was pale with tension, but also enervated. This flashback didn’t scare him, but it left him with an unsettled sensation that fed uncomfortably into his current troubles.
Sage grinned, urging Lih to try on the new pair. Lih sighed. In light of the current situation, he quickly decided there was no point in even asking Sage how he’d gotten these prototypes. It took Lih very little time to make sense of the markers and functions on display.
Lih stared at Sage.
“Impressive, Sage. Very impressive. Easy to use. I like that. I’ve always admired user friendly designs.” Lih smiled back, shaking his head. “But no, I can’t keep your gift …"
Lih’s face darkened as he read Sage Parker’s files.
“All right, Sage. And don’t think I’m not appreciating you making this effort, but I get the feeling there’s something more to it.” Lih said. He paused and saw the look on Sage’s cheerful face. “There’s more, isn’t there? Why won’t… Nox use these? Why are you just giving this to me?"
“Lih,” his captain said, turning to his junior “your services on this beat are no longer required.”
“Sir?”
“Look about you, man. The domovoi need every officer than can get. Go to Dorian, listen to him, obey him. You’ve got rank here, Lih. Use it. Give an example to our men and they will follow you. Dorian’s counting on you.”
“Yes, sir.” Lih said. He was shaken. Understandably. What Costa and Lih found there was vile.
“I know you’re young and this is new to you, Lih, but I have faith. You faced down the rougarou last month and lived to tell the tale.”
“Only because Costa saved my bloody life, sir.” Lih groaned.
“It doesn’t matter. You’ve looked death in the eyes, and survived. That’s more than any of these young men can say. That makes you special, tempered, like any fine piece of steel. It almost makes you a veteran. Strength of character, Detective Lih.”
Lih smiled. A total crap storm had broke over his head, but that also meant he was promoted to detective. Lih had already debated with himself at least a dozen possible excuses or reasons for the transfer, none of them satisfactory. But now this had happened, and everything was academic.
“Go report to Dorian Vega right away… oh, and Lih?”
“Yes, sir?"
“I expect to hear your name in the dispatches soon, you hear me?”
“I’m on it, sir!” Lih replied, saluted his captain and ran up the stairs to where Dorian would be convening with the other domovoi officers...
Sage led Lih over to the drawer. He was pulling new lenses out of a long, thin box when Lih blinked at him, bleary-eyed.
“Sorry,” Lih hesitated. “Sorry, I was far away.” The detective was pale with tension, but also enervated. This flashback didn’t scare him, but it left him with an unsettled sensation that fed uncomfortably into his current troubles.
Sage grinned, urging Lih to try on the new pair. Lih sighed. In light of the current situation, he quickly decided there was no point in even asking Sage how he’d gotten these prototypes. It took Lih very little time to make sense of the markers and functions on display.
Lih stared at Sage.
“Impressive, Sage. Very impressive. Easy to use. I like that. I’ve always admired user friendly designs.” Lih smiled back, shaking his head. “But no, I can’t keep your gift …"
Lih’s face darkened as he read Sage Parker’s files.
“All right, Sage. And don’t think I’m not appreciating you making this effort, but I get the feeling there’s something more to it.” Lih said. He paused and saw the look on Sage’s cheerful face. “There’s more, isn’t there? Why won’t… Nox use these? Why are you just giving this to me?"
Viktor Lih
Officer of CCDPD
Officer of CCDPD