When I awoke, I went straight to my father's office. Like he had said, he was working on it first thing in the morning, despite the box of files on the floor. He muttered to himself about having too many complaints about an incident, presumably the Front Gardens incident. Once he was finished, I grabbed the ticket, tidied myself up, picked up my ID and handgun, made sure I had my knife on me, and went out the door. Luckily enough, Father had gotten Dawn and Dusk notified beforehand.
Dawn still looked the same, sort of, even after years of being away from her; she had light skin with her beige hair tied in a bun and her sun-orange eyes partially covered by sunglasses. Dusk had red skin with short, dull yellow hair and silver-blue eyes; he had a breather on. Both were donned with a normal I5-3MC military patrol uniform without a helmet and with the required equipment for the mission. The two escorted me to the train tunnels outside the walls and we waited for the bullet train. While we waited, we talked.
"So," Dawn began, awkwardly trying to spark conversation with me, "Alice fled away, eh? Our patrols in town found no sight of her. Neither did our gate, border, or facility patrols. She just went up and vanished. We suspect she went through the Rough Plains already if she went in that direction, because our sensors that we just got reports from didn't catch any human life except for that one old hermit lady. Just one sign of a human." Ehhh... don't go looking for a human.
"Or maybe," I slowly suggested, "My sister finally killed someone... just one sign."
"Um."
"It's a joke. She's too incompetent to know how to properly kill."
"Oh... huh..." I could tell she was shifting in her position without looking at her.
"And that was a joke, too. But it's also a fact. Anyways, just to get things clear, I'm not as murderous as people think."
"You stabbed a boy, sir," Dusk commented.
"Indeed, I had stabbed a boy, but that's because I was doing my job as Minor-Major. He was a Union agent. Oh, by the way, is he dead?"
"No, sir. He goes back to island place. He gets executed there."
"Good, good."
"So, uh, sir."
"Yes, Dawn?"
"I heard that you learned Periculum:acriter since you'll eventually be on the frontlines, so could you teach me sometime? It's just, uh, well... I want to fluently talk with Dusk here."
"Hm... I could, but you two ratted me out to my father last evening."
"Oh..."
"Sir! I was nervous. I could not stand chance against Major Master's wrath."
"Major Master?"
"That's what the slaves call him, I think, sir. And it was really because we were both terrified. Please don't blame us." She had a pouting expression.
"Oh, I blame you, but I thank you. Because of you two, I could get done what had to be done."
"Hm. Anyways, sir, why are—" She was interrupted by the sound of the train quickly approaching.
"That's our ride. We can continue discussing in the train."
"Yes, sir."
The train pulled up by our platform and I handed the ticket to the administrator and we took our seats at one of the quad-seats with a table in-between them. I sat on one side while the soldiers sat on the other.
"Sir," Dawn said, catching my attention, "Why are you going to the city? The Major hadn't told us the details."
"I'm going to arrest a man," I answered.
"Couldn't you just fill out some papers to have the man arrested?"
"He's a politic."
"... Oh." That's right. In our society, politics can only be arrested in person (a sort of stupid law, since everything is technology these days in the city), because plenty of people throw false information through messages; there has to be physical evidence in all criminal cases. A witness can suffice. Have more plans for the politic, though. Well, his friends, at least.
"Anyways, you two should be prepared for a firefight. I suspect as much."
"Um... who exactly is this politic, sir?"
"The politic isn't the one that's going to do the shooting. He has allies that will back him; especially against the Corporations."
"Are they from the Union, sir?"
"Not exactly. They support the Union's ideas to the radical case."
"So the politic supports the Union's ideas as well."
"Yes. He doesn't kill for the Union, though. He has murdered, but for different reasons. Maybe personal reasons, or to get high up in politics."
"This politic is basically generic, right? All that's special about him is that he has violent supporters."
"Indeed."
"What's the man's name?"
"Ruko Oohira. From the capital. He's the brother of the Oohira farmer in town."
"Did the farmer rat him out?"
"Not really." Now she's getting a little on the no-no questions side. I can't let anybody know my only evidence.
"Huh. How did you find out the guy's not good, in criminal terms?"
"Cameras."
"Neat. Technology really is amazing. Speaking of which, that mechanic and you go well together. You seem like good friends."
"Friends? ... Sure. She helps me out with problems."
"What kind of problems?"
"Everyday problems. Also helps me fix my air-conditioning machine every month or so."
"That machine really isn't good, is it? You should replace it."
"Joies refuses to sell me another machine. And even if she did, I have a feeling that she would just rig it again."
"Hah, she likes your company, huh." ...
"I'm not really sure."
"Well she seems nice around you enough."
"Yeah..."
"Do you think you fancy her?" #$%@ &8*€ +?!~ and she's older than me!
"What."
"Nevermind, kid."
"Kid? Are you getting informal with me? And aren't my age?"
"I'm not formal with you, and I am your age."
"Wait... Dawn, are you asking me if I fancy Joies because you're... jealous?" She looked at me with a face that says 'really?'.
"... Wow. You're an ass."
"Just like old times, eh?"
"When we were kids. But hey, we shouldn't make Dusk feel awkward here." I forgot all about him. "So, Dusk, do you have anyone you fancy?"
He immediately deadpanned, "Die."
"I guess he's not a people person," I commented.
"Yeah, he's not. Plus, he doesn't know much English. Just as good as all the other slaves."
"Well okay then."
"Oh, God, Aegrov, you still have that habit of saying 'well okay then' when you either want to change the subject or just stop the conversation?"
"What?"
She started speaking slowly. "I said: Do you still have the habit of saying 'well okay then' when you're uncomfortable with the conversation?"
"Yeah, so what of it?"
"It's a bad habit."
"I know."
"Well, hey, we're almost to the city. It's about the second hour now."
"1:59," Dusk confirmed.
"And so the dead man walking speaks. A miracle."
"Shut it, Dawn."
"Well you're not in a mood."
"I am never in good mood."
"Oh, Aegrov! In Periculum:acriter, do they have articles in their language?"
"No," I responded, "They don't use 'the', 'a', or any other articles."
"Neat."
I spoke mockingly, "Oh God, Dawn, you still have that habit of saying 'neat' after someone answered you if you really don't care about the answer?"
"Oh, shut up."
"I'm just saying, you're really annoying."
"Well that's what friends are for, right?"
"Friends?"
"We are still friends, right?"
"Sure." Although I believe you have the truth to that question.
"Well we're here now." With that, we all dispatched from the train. We were greeted by a large city, a maze if you don't know where you're going, especially without a map. I knew that where I would be heading would first be a hotel to stay at. It would have been a long search if Dusk hadn't spoken up.
"I know good hotel here," Dusk informed, "When I was slaved, they took me to good hotel open for all. I took basement, though."
"Thank you," I said, "For that information. Can you take us to it?"
"Of course, sir."
ns 15.158.61.48da2
