05-20-2015, 08:03 PM
He at least beleived enough to ask questions. He however had misunderstood part of her explanation. "You are not protected from my power. You are shielded from detection of your emotions. I could easily reach out, touch you and make you relive your worst living memory. It is only through touch that our power works in manipulation. I can delve deep into your emotions with a touch. I have never tried to read Nox through touch while he held the power."
It was something she was now curious about, and if she ever saw her friend again she would have to try. Aria's hands never strayed from the table.
***
With a touch and he would become a slave to her emotional invasion. Merely suggesting the idea conjoured the image that began the path that led to becoming what he became. He was suddenly glad the power was a cloak of privacy. Forcibly sharing something so intimate, so innate to his identity, sickened him with anger, brief as the emotion flared. He was not often prone to anger. "To the Atharim, power over others is evil, and those with potential power are evil incarnate. I see why they fear you. So then, what can you offer that would make me want to spare you? Whatever they say about me, I do not slaughter human beings without reason. Why keep you alive?"
***
Why? Aria wanted to laugh, she honestly had no idea why. Not anything of merit anyway. Aria remembered going to Commander Vellas with a similar tactic, to insight some sort of alliance with the very man she was sitting in front of now. And now she was at a loss for words. "I am virtually no one."
There was little she could provide other than knowledge. "I offer the same thing I extended earlier if not in so many words. Intelligence. Unfetted access to all things Atharim, well with in my paygrade anyway. Known gods dead and living. Atharim hunter identities. Knowledge of the next assassin to come after you."
Aria smiled, "Not that the Regus or my handler will assign another so long as I survive. Other than that I have little to offer a man of your power short of my training. I got what I needed out of our encounter earlier. Everything else is icing on the cake."
***
He hadn't asked her opinion on her usefulness without having an idea already formed. Her offer was legitimate, but he had little need for Atharim intelligence. All these years he didn't care about their activity, so long as they continued to do the job they were best at. He laid his hands on his lap, "I was recruited by Wilhelm Ravid. I do not claim knowledge of the traditions of a Regus progression, but I suspect it was to groom me to be his successor."
He wondered if that surprised her. "You can offer me intelligence on the Atharim, but you can be so much more."
With that, his hands gripped the edge of the table as he leaned forward. "You can be my Sentient. My agent in a world I care more about than the Atharim. You spoke of a handler, you'll have another, now. You'll have targets and operations."
If she enjoyed her power, here was her chance to wield it for the greater good. Or, at least, Nikolai's will. "Therein is your use to me, and if you prove to be what you say you are, you'll live another day as my agent."
***
It was unexpected and yet so very not. It was precisely perfect for her life. An Atharim working against the founding purpose of the Atharim who was also working for the very man who saught to bring an end to the world as the Atharim beleived. Aria smirked, "And how would you like me to prove to you what I am?"
***
Nikolai nodded, pleased with her acceptance. He lifted his voice, speaking to whomever was listening on the other side of the door. "Nicola!"
A moment later, a woman in combat greens entered. "Tell Simon to come in here."
She saluted and turned to carry out her orders. A few minutes later, the agent that escorted Nikolai to the datsan and was the one to witness their encounter, entered. Nikolai stood, moving to the edge of the room. "Disarm yourself."
The agent complied without hesitation, handing his sidearm and a knife to Nicola. The soldier was dismissed and the three were left alone again. Nik motioned that Simon go to Aria, "Uncuff her,"
he added. A thumbprint and passcode opened the locks of her cuffs, which he pocketed afterward. Once she was freed, the Ascendancy locked his gaze upon hers, peering through their shadowy depths. "Now's your chance. Make me believe it."
Even as he said it, Nikolai prepared his own defenses. He wasn't sure what to expect.
(( with Ascendancy ))
Edited by Aria, May 20 2015, 08:04 PM.
It was something she was now curious about, and if she ever saw her friend again she would have to try. Aria's hands never strayed from the table.
***
With a touch and he would become a slave to her emotional invasion. Merely suggesting the idea conjoured the image that began the path that led to becoming what he became. He was suddenly glad the power was a cloak of privacy. Forcibly sharing something so intimate, so innate to his identity, sickened him with anger, brief as the emotion flared. He was not often prone to anger. "To the Atharim, power over others is evil, and those with potential power are evil incarnate. I see why they fear you. So then, what can you offer that would make me want to spare you? Whatever they say about me, I do not slaughter human beings without reason. Why keep you alive?"
***
Why? Aria wanted to laugh, she honestly had no idea why. Not anything of merit anyway. Aria remembered going to Commander Vellas with a similar tactic, to insight some sort of alliance with the very man she was sitting in front of now. And now she was at a loss for words. "I am virtually no one."
There was little she could provide other than knowledge. "I offer the same thing I extended earlier if not in so many words. Intelligence. Unfetted access to all things Atharim, well with in my paygrade anyway. Known gods dead and living. Atharim hunter identities. Knowledge of the next assassin to come after you."
Aria smiled, "Not that the Regus or my handler will assign another so long as I survive. Other than that I have little to offer a man of your power short of my training. I got what I needed out of our encounter earlier. Everything else is icing on the cake."
***
He hadn't asked her opinion on her usefulness without having an idea already formed. Her offer was legitimate, but he had little need for Atharim intelligence. All these years he didn't care about their activity, so long as they continued to do the job they were best at. He laid his hands on his lap, "I was recruited by Wilhelm Ravid. I do not claim knowledge of the traditions of a Regus progression, but I suspect it was to groom me to be his successor."
He wondered if that surprised her. "You can offer me intelligence on the Atharim, but you can be so much more."
With that, his hands gripped the edge of the table as he leaned forward. "You can be my Sentient. My agent in a world I care more about than the Atharim. You spoke of a handler, you'll have another, now. You'll have targets and operations."
If she enjoyed her power, here was her chance to wield it for the greater good. Or, at least, Nikolai's will. "Therein is your use to me, and if you prove to be what you say you are, you'll live another day as my agent."
***
It was unexpected and yet so very not. It was precisely perfect for her life. An Atharim working against the founding purpose of the Atharim who was also working for the very man who saught to bring an end to the world as the Atharim beleived. Aria smirked, "And how would you like me to prove to you what I am?"
***
Nikolai nodded, pleased with her acceptance. He lifted his voice, speaking to whomever was listening on the other side of the door. "Nicola!"
A moment later, a woman in combat greens entered. "Tell Simon to come in here."
She saluted and turned to carry out her orders. A few minutes later, the agent that escorted Nikolai to the datsan and was the one to witness their encounter, entered. Nikolai stood, moving to the edge of the room. "Disarm yourself."
The agent complied without hesitation, handing his sidearm and a knife to Nicola. The soldier was dismissed and the three were left alone again. Nik motioned that Simon go to Aria, "Uncuff her,"
he added. A thumbprint and passcode opened the locks of her cuffs, which he pocketed afterward. Once she was freed, the Ascendancy locked his gaze upon hers, peering through their shadowy depths. "Now's your chance. Make me believe it."
Even as he said it, Nikolai prepared his own defenses. He wasn't sure what to expect.
(( with Ascendancy ))
Edited by Aria, May 20 2015, 08:04 PM.