Neko-laus 2 : Toy Tiger

Grim had used an expression on me once that stuck. It stuck because I didn’t know what he meant. It turned out that it meant a hell of a lot. You could have heard a pin drop... Grim showed me a hand held explosive device that operated by pulling on a ring that released a short term timer. That ring was called a pin. Usually you tossed the explosive then dropped the pin. You hear that pin...well everyone just stops for a heart beat before all hell breaks loose. Normally I prefer killing in a face to face situation but if it’s just buildings or warehouses. I loved blowing shit up.

Right now, the pin had been dropped and I sat in harms way. I stared up at Hydrau. His face was turning an unhealthy shade of red. Mags grabbed me around my biceps and hugged me hard. I think it was more for keeping me from pulling a blade than anything else.

He started laughing. Loudly. I tried to shift but he just tightened his hold.

“You are kidding right, High Commander? A mage. Neko-laus was tested by Militiary Intelligence. He was tested by our own division and he was ranked a Latent by both of them.”

“Then why the hell would this Grim fella be calling him a mage?”

“Neko’s from _____. He’s been in the outskirts of the Fence most of his life. What do they know about magic? They knew he could do some impressive stuff and they called him a mage. Being a mage has more street creds than being a latent.”

The lies that fell so easily out of Mags mouth had me blanking my own expression before I gave us both away. He knew who Grim was. Grim was more than qualified to make an assessment on mage abilities.

Hydrau turned his gaze on Mack. “Did you see him do anything casting?”

Casting. What a simple word to describe the pure beauty a powerful witch or mage’s movements has they worked a spell. It was a smooth movement of hands and arms, a dance of legs and feet. I did not cast. Mom had me learn the motions because I could do exceedingly minor things and they were also a nice stretching routine.

“No, Sir. He just stood there with his hands on the pylon.”

“Really, High Commander, do you think MI would let an unregistered mage go? How many times have they come to you to ask for me for research purposes?”

Hydrau’s face contorted in something close to rage just mentioning that. “You’re speaking the truth about that. Once those bastards get their hooks into something, they never let them go until they use them up.”

I felt his eyes rake over me. “You don’t know how lucky you are, Neko-laus that King Tiger came for you. You disappear into MI, it’s like you never existed.”

Hydrau turned his attention a few degrees to my left. “You really want to take on this responsibility, Magnus? You’re so deep in the hole right now you’re going to be taking ‘priority sides’ for about two years. You take on Neko’s ticket...you’re looking at five years.”

“I’m thinking six months tops.”

“Over confidence was never one of your faults, Magnus.”

“I got a Latent who won’t let me down at the wrong time.”

“So you say. Contact with the other Latents will be limited to one on one and since Neko-laus is a Latent, he should be in grey.” Hydrau turned on his heel but halted when Mags called out to him.

“What is now?”

“About that issue, I brought up to you.”

“Still under advisement. Not looking good when he’s destroying medical equipment and burning out eight decks. You brought him here, King Tiger. Train him. If I see some improvement, maybe. Magnus, my office, five minutes.” Hydrau disappeared out the room and it seemed like everyone’s spines wilted. Not just the grey clad grooms but the white coats too.

I felt Mags drop his head down on the back of my neck. “Nicky, you are going to keep me in the poor house.”

“What the hell. I get jumped and we’re in trouble.”

“Actually, I’m in trouble.”

“Yeah, how the hell did that happen?”

“You’ve been the leader of your gang. Someone does something, you hang them out to dry or you back them up?”

“You’re not much of a leader if you don’t back them up. You don’t air your dirty laundry in public. Internal issues are dealt with in private.”

“And that’s what’s going to be happening here.”

“Huh? Who died and made you leader?”

Mack shook his head. “Ellie did.”

“Nicky. Dirty Laundry.” Magnus let go of me and pushed me to my feet. I was a little light headed but only swayed slightly. I glanced around quickly behind the cover of my bangs and noticed that we were the center of attention. Okay. I got it. We’d finish this back in the quarters.

“Magnus.” Mack’s soft call held warning. I turned in the direction he was watching and found the damaged latent girl trying to walk towards me. Her groomer had her by the forearm and was pulling back on it trying to stop her. I reached up for a blade out of my harness and found Mags plastered across my back and his larger hand was closed over mine to prevent me from doing it. If he really wanted to stop me, this wasn’t the way. It wouldn’t take much to send him sailing over my hip.

“She’s like a child, Nicky.” He whispered in my ear.

That child was still the strongest of the Latents here on the ship. Mom had never said anything about Dad running into another Latent. The talent just wasn’t that common a thing. It seemed to be the opposite here in the Empire. More Latents than mages. Maybe that’s why they were burning through them so quickly.

She lifted her arm and tried to touch me. My hand closed on the handle of the blade as I pulled my bloodied face back out of her reach. Mags felt my move and swung me out of the way placing himself slightly in front of me as we now sprawled on the floor. I felt like I was a feral mutt being introduced to the purebred dog and nobody was sure what the hell was going to happen. At least Mags was trying to keep a muzzle on me. Maybe at another time Mags actions would be appreciated but right now I had, had enough. She reached out again and this time Mack got between us. Her hand landed on Mack’s shoulder.

“Mackie.”

“Yes, Sharon.”

“Touch kitty.” Her voice was younger than her appearance.

“No, Sharon. Neko-laus is hurt and has to go back to his quarters.”

“I want touch kitty.”

You already touched kitty. I thought angrily. I didn’t come down here for a fight but I wasn’t going to back away from it. I put them down once. I could do it again. “Let her go.”

“Nicky.” Mags voice was full of misgivings.

“She plays nice. I’ll play nice.”

He nodded to Mack but didn’t unwrap himself from me. Sharon was maybe about as old as I judging by the lines around her face and mouth. Her eyes were dull but there was a hint of what they once were before she ‘zoning’ out of existence. Right now, there was a deceiving innocence to her face.

“...kitty...” Sharon raised her hand and held it up between us, palm facing me.

I had no clue what she was doing.

Mack gestured toward me with that soft spoken voice that all the Groomers used. “She wants you to put your palm against hers.”

I shot him a look of annoyance then wiggled to get one arm free. We were going to have a talk Mack and me. I don’t need to be handled. Sharon tensed as I lifted my hand up to hers but she kept it out stretched. There wasn’t a power jump this time. No crackling or sparking...at least until we made physical contact.

It was lucky my mouth was closed otherwise I might have bitten off my tongue as my body went into a spasm as her energy poured into me. The desperation that had been like a rising tide when all of them at me in mass washed over me and just like before I wasn’t ready for it. I didn’t know Latents could do this – project mental anguish with such intensity.

Help me. Help us!

I forced my eyes open. There was an aura overlay on the Sharon standing before me. This was a rose energy and it was full of light and joy. The face was one of mischievousness and her eyes snapped with sharp intelligence. It only highlighted how much had been lost from the physical form.

I don’t know how to help you. You’re hurting me...pull back.

The intensity dropped at least by half. I could feel my body begin to relax slightly. You’re not fading...King Tiger has pulled on you, your colors have been altered but your not fading.

I don’t understand.

You do something different. Show us. Teach us. I don’t want to fade away. None of us want to fade away but we can’t stop it.

You going to gang up on me again?

No...we didn’t mean to scare you.

Who was scared? I was getting a little pissed.

We didn’t mean to break your nose. Everyone was just so happy to see you. We have felt you on the ship but we couldn’t find you. We just knew you were there, Nicholas.

You know my real name?

There is power in a true name. Magnus is right in hiding it. The other Mages who don’t have a Latent are plotting to get you.

Well fuck that. Sharon blinked in shock. Sorry, I do have manners, ma’am.

Nicholas... I watched as Sharon looked down at Mags and a small smile came to her face. Magnus cares for us. We are more than just a replaceable power source to him. When Ellie began to fade, he was inconsolable. When she died out on the battlefield, I thought Magnus would follow her. Mackie was the only thing that kept him here in this world. He has not been the same since but he is shining again. He shines for you.

I don’t want him shining for me.

You have strong control over your power?
It does what I want it to so yeah I guess you can say that.

Then you put that Mage Mark on his chest, or are you saying that you don’t have that control?
Energy Sharon raised an eyebrow and she smirked at me. The physical Sharon was just a blank expression. This hammered home how damaged these Latents were and it was rather sad.

Maybe we can learn from each other.

Maybe.

Sharon pulled her hand back and broke the link we had forged. I blinked through my bangs. She was still there within the body. The others were too then. How did they get like that?

“Nicky...” Mags voice sent shivers down my spine. “Nicky?”

I cleared my throat. “I’m reading you loud and clear.”

Mags laughed then shoved at my back. “Good, get up. I have to go and get chewed out by the High Commander. Mack will bring you back to our quarters.”

I climbed to my feet. Sharon was a small woman. She only came up to my shoulder. She gave me a sweet empty smile then turned at the urging of her Groomer and headed back across the room. “I know where the quarters are. I don’t need an escort.” I was damned if I was going to say ‘our’ quarters.

“Until the High Commander says differently, one or the other of us will be at your side.”

I turned on my heel and craned my head to get a look at Mags’ blue eyes. “You are kidding me, right? I did nothing wrong. I got attacked, mistakenly but still attacked, and because I survived you are being punished?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, little neko, you’ll be getting punished too.” He lifted an eyebrow then turned on his heel and left the Latent’s training room.

“What the fuck!”

Mother apparently wasn’t burnt out as I had hoped. “Neko-laus language must be improved. You are a high status Latent. You must set the example of proper behaviour. You have been awarded three demerit points bringing your current total to ten demerit points. Play time has been cancelled.”

Play time? What the hell was play time? I opened my mouth but Mack shook his head frantically. I noticed the other groomers were warning me as well.

Mother continued scolding me. “Neko-laus acknowledge your penalty.”

I felt my lips turn into a snarl. Grim would have laughed and said that” I did not respond well to authority.” He found that out with a dagger stuck in his forearm. I found out authority mostly wins when he knocked me flying and stabbed me with my own blade, in the same forearm I stabbed him. We decided to call I truce that day. He doesn’t order me around. I don’t stab him. It was a profitable arrangement. However, this bundle of circuits and cords and I have not settled on an accord.

“Oh, please don’t provoke Mother.” Mack whispered lowly. He looked done in. Actually he looked like crap. He had acted as a conduit for my back blast to break the Latent hold on me. I’m surprised he’s still standing. I decided to back off on my authority stance, for now.

“Uh, I forfeit play time.”

Mother’s electronic voice returned to something a little calmer, nicer if you will. Which was strange because it was just a computer. “Neko-laus you will return to your assigned quarters with Groomer Mackenzie. You will remain there until next meal assignment.”

“Er…Okay.”

The training room was quiet until we left the area then voices broke out. Mack held a hand to his head and grimaced. “You sure are a popular guy, Neko.”

Mack wavered and I caught him around the waist. “You need to see the white coats?”

“I like going to them about as much as you do.” Mack gave a pain filled weak chuckle.

“Well that’s something in common. Come on. Let’s get moving before you fall down.”

“What happened when Sharon touched you? You went rigid.”

I glanced down at the white tiles that were lighting up leading us back off of this pale grey nursery level. “Neko?”

“Well, Mackie. I’m not positive but I think I’ve just been appointed leader of the gang of Latents.”

“Latents are not a gang.”

The elevator swished open and I half dragged Mack through. I was never so relieved to have the elevator doors close on that grey world.

“Oh, they will be. They will be.” Because there was no way in hell I was ending up trapped like Sharon.


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