Disclaimer: Twiknham doesn’t own any rights to Last Exile
Disclaimer: Twiknham
doesn’t own any rights to Last Exile.
Those belong to Geneon, and Chiaki Koichi, Tamioka Katsuhiro, and
Yamashita Tomohiro. I earn nothing,
nada, less than the smallest positive number.
Zero to Infinity.
Chapter 2: Theoretical Territory
Alex was waiting for Vincent when he arrived in the
hanger. “The Silverna will start
monitoring the Grand Stream in three days.
At first sight of a Dissive ship, we will disengage and head in for
repairs. This ship is not part of your
conflict, and we would not presume to make it so.”
Vincent turned towards his carrier. “I understand.” As he started to leave, Alex’s hand shot out and captured his
forearm in a painful grip.
“Leave her alone.
She has difficult enough decisions to make without the added pressure of
your uncharted emotions.” He released
his arm and turned to leave, his black cape flowing behind him like a macabre
shadow.
“That’s a personal first.”
Vincent talked louder as the distance between them continued to
grow. “You’re actually jealous of me.”
Alex froze and turned to look at Vincent, anger clearly
visible in every line of his body. “You
have no ground to stand there and state anything. You know less than nothing about me.”
“I know that you’re so afraid to lose another woman you care
for that you’ll push her away until she leaves you.” Vincent walked up to him, lowering his voice to a threatening
whisper. “And when she does, I’ll be
there to catch her tears.”
Deciding that silence was the better part of valor, Alex
turned and stalked to the elevator shaft, leaving Vincent to hope that he never
had to face Alex across a battlefield.
Shrugging his shoulders and hoping that acting collected brought true
calm, Vincent climbed aboard his craft and returned to the Urbanis.
ssssss
Sophia was back on the bridge when Alex arrived. Without saying a word, he turned towards his
chair, the black cape swirling around his knees before settling. As he started to sit, Sophia had an
instantaneous wish that his cloak would catch and choke him as he sat. He merely slumped against the back of the
chair, knees sprawled wide; and stared at her in assumed boredom. Blushing at the thoughts his pose caused to
run through her mind, she turned back to the helm. “Ship’s rudder, seventeen luft, six fathoms.”
Campbell, as astute as ever, raised an eyebrow at her bark
of an order she’d already given gently.
Without a word, he nodded and pretended to turn the wheel. Alex was glaring so intently at Sophia,
neither of them noticed that the ship did not list and take the turn. As the temperature in the room steadily
climbed, the other members became restless.
Finally Campbell turned and glared at Alex. “For God’s sake, go find a room, you’re distracting the rest of
us.”
Alex stood as if Campbell had shoved a prod in a sensitive
spot and stalked out of the room, his cape waving mockingly as it flicked out
of view. Sophia turned confused eyes on
her Helmsman. “What was that about?”
He grinned, teeth showing in a display of evilness. “Exactly how close DID you and Vincent get
earlier?” He watched as confusion was
slowly replaced by dawning understanding and quickly exchanged for spitfire
anger. As she turned and stomped out
after Alex, Wina Lightning looked at Campbell, who shrugged his shoulders. “Better than a soap opera.”
Sophia stomped down the hall, her boots ringing solidly
against the metal deck. Stopping in
front of his door, she banged twice, not waiting for permission to enter. Alex’s cloak was slung over the back of his
chair, and he was standing at the bookcase putting the crystal stopper back in
a decanter. Not stopping to think about
the possible folly of her actions, Sophia stomped over to him and grabbed him
at the second top button of his jacket.
“Who the hell do you think you are, to make sweeping
assumptions about my private life?”
He raised the single eyebrow that could set her off quicker
than a bottle rocket. “I’ve not said a
word.” He raised the glass to his lips,
but she pulled it away from him before he could take a sip. Turning it up, she swallowed the contents
whole, sputtering as the fire licked down her throat.
Coughing, she released his jacket. Tears welling in her eyes, she looked at him. “What IS this stuff?”
“Rotgut whiskey, Walker makes it himself.” He poured a second glass and took a deep
sip, enjoying the bite.
She coughed again, for effect. “With what, Claudia fuel?”
“Very likely.” He
scowled at her. “Walker’s finest is not
to be chugged like you’re some bar wench.”
Sophia had taken enough from him today. First he accused her of making time with
Vincent, then... Her honor had taken
all the abuse it could stand. Not
caring about the repercussions, she smacked him with every bit of anger
transferred to her open palmed hand.
As his head whipped back under the force of her slap,
something inside of him snapped.
Setting his glass down with a sharp clink; he wrenched her close,
slamming his lips against hers. It was
a furious battle. Her glass dropped
unnoticed onto the floor as Sophia pushed back, trying to break free. However, Alex countered by putting a hand
behind her head, fisting his fingers into her hair as he turned them so their
mouths fit tighter.
Tears running down her face from the pain of having her hair
pulled ever more tightly by his fist, Sophia gasped for breath before driving
her teeth into his lip. At the taste of
copper, she hesitated. As angry as she
was, she had no true desire to hurt Alex.
Sure, he trampled on whatever heart she allowed him access to; but he
did it out of pain, not malice. She was
starting to back away when he reacted.
Realizing she’d drawn first blood, he forcefully inserted
his tongue; making sure she understood exactly whom she was fighting with. He pulled her head back further, robbing her
mouth of leverage and giving him better access. Breathing heavily, he explored the inside of her cheeks and the
ridge of her teeth. Gasping for breath,
he broke away long enough to look at her.
“Fight me back, damn you.”
Seizing her mouth again, he held her immobile while his other hand
worked buttons free on her jacket. As
her tongue rushed in to dual with his, he wedged a knee between her thighs,
wrapping his hand around her back and pulling her tight so that she was riding
his leg.
The feeling of her feet leaving the floor was the trigger
that unclouded her mind. Pushing
furiously, she broke free and fell to the floor, jacket unbuttoned and thighs
exposed by the skirt that had ridden up her legs. Gathering all of her courage, she stood and glared at Alex. “I’m not Yuris. Don’t think to use me as a substitute.” She buttoned her jacket before turning towards the door. “I’m Sophia Forrester.” Running her hands down the outside of her
thighs to straighten her skirt, she stepped out the door, making sure the latch
clicked. As she gathered her wits,
leaning against the wall outside of his quarters, she distinctly heard the
sound of crystal smashing against the door.