01-16-2018, 01:26 AM
For once it was not a chore to work with Nikolai Brandon. Whatever the arrogant man was, he was far better than this fool of a Secretary.
The man put his faith in smoke and mist. Illusions, all of them. He did not have either the intelligence or the experience to understand the scope of the changes that would come. It seemed he relied on the inspiring - although ultimately futile, despite his good intentions - vision of this Trano fellow.
Even more surprising than the current lack of hatred for Nikolai, it seemed that Michael had actually done something right in the eyes of their benevolent overlord.. The Secretary looked angry. He did well to hide it, but Michael knew rage intimately. He wondered if Nikolai had brought him here actually hoping that he would anger the man; throw him off balance.
His thoughts were cut short as yet another group entered the room. As Nikolai introduced them, Michael's gaze passed over the two women briefly. More women, no doubt likely to caues me trouble, he thought as he was reminded of Torri, Teyha, Aria and that blasted Victoria Wolff.
"A pleasure,I am sure,"
he said with a nod and as pleasant and welcoming a tone as one could make with a voice of icy calm.
He settled back and allowed Nikolai to do what he did best until the damned Secretary decided to poke his nose into Custody business further. Americans... he thought with scathing vitriol. Ever arrogant, blustering blindly into their own graves.
Michael did not fail to notice Nikolai's abrupt change in demeanour. Perhaps I should heed my own words.
Anger built inside the wall of glacial calm that surrounded his heart. Of all the things to talk about, the man chose this.
Cursed bureaucrats, they will bring the world to ruin.
He glanced at Nikolai momentarily. Now was not the time for anger. Whether he liked it or not, he had to play their games.
He would simply add a few extra touches of his own.
Michael leaned forward, his blue eyes fixed on the Secretary. "Indeed, I call them my Ascendants. I am a military man and an Ascendant who has survived against all odds. If the Ascendants do not die from the Sickness, they die in accidents because they do not know how to control their power. Or they are butchered by men who fear us because we are different."
He carefully avoided mention of the Atharim, not knowing what Nikolai had told these people.
"Before I found my way to Moscow, I had nobody. I was pursued by mobs of ignorant men who thought I was a monster. Would you like to see the scars - at least the physical ones?"
he pressed.
"Yet I survived. The Ascendancy found me,"
Michael said, not wishing to go into the details of that incident. "He gave me the task of training Ascendants. My men do not die of the Sickness. They are not hunted. They do not die attempting to control their powers."
"I am a Commander who serves the Ascendancy. I have saved these men the pain that I had to endure. So yes, they are my brothers. My comrades. I care for them, just as a Captain cares for his men,"
the intensity in his voice reached it's zenith.
"I have no time to play word games. They are family and we serve the one who gave me the opportunity. The Ascendancy."
After he settled back in his seat, Michael was surprised at his own words. Defending the authority of Nikolai, the self-absorbed egotist...
Stranger things had happened; but not many.
Edited by Michael Vellas, Jan 16 2018, 01:28 AM.
The man put his faith in smoke and mist. Illusions, all of them. He did not have either the intelligence or the experience to understand the scope of the changes that would come. It seemed he relied on the inspiring - although ultimately futile, despite his good intentions - vision of this Trano fellow.
Even more surprising than the current lack of hatred for Nikolai, it seemed that Michael had actually done something right in the eyes of their benevolent overlord.. The Secretary looked angry. He did well to hide it, but Michael knew rage intimately. He wondered if Nikolai had brought him here actually hoping that he would anger the man; throw him off balance.
His thoughts were cut short as yet another group entered the room. As Nikolai introduced them, Michael's gaze passed over the two women briefly. More women, no doubt likely to caues me trouble, he thought as he was reminded of Torri, Teyha, Aria and that blasted Victoria Wolff.
"A pleasure,I am sure,"
he said with a nod and as pleasant and welcoming a tone as one could make with a voice of icy calm.
He settled back and allowed Nikolai to do what he did best until the damned Secretary decided to poke his nose into Custody business further. Americans... he thought with scathing vitriol. Ever arrogant, blustering blindly into their own graves.
Michael did not fail to notice Nikolai's abrupt change in demeanour. Perhaps I should heed my own words.
Anger built inside the wall of glacial calm that surrounded his heart. Of all the things to talk about, the man chose this.
Cursed bureaucrats, they will bring the world to ruin.
He glanced at Nikolai momentarily. Now was not the time for anger. Whether he liked it or not, he had to play their games.
He would simply add a few extra touches of his own.
Michael leaned forward, his blue eyes fixed on the Secretary. "Indeed, I call them my Ascendants. I am a military man and an Ascendant who has survived against all odds. If the Ascendants do not die from the Sickness, they die in accidents because they do not know how to control their power. Or they are butchered by men who fear us because we are different."
He carefully avoided mention of the Atharim, not knowing what Nikolai had told these people.
"Before I found my way to Moscow, I had nobody. I was pursued by mobs of ignorant men who thought I was a monster. Would you like to see the scars - at least the physical ones?"
he pressed.
"Yet I survived. The Ascendancy found me,"
Michael said, not wishing to go into the details of that incident. "He gave me the task of training Ascendants. My men do not die of the Sickness. They are not hunted. They do not die attempting to control their powers."
"I am a Commander who serves the Ascendancy. I have saved these men the pain that I had to endure. So yes, they are my brothers. My comrades. I care for them, just as a Captain cares for his men,"
the intensity in his voice reached it's zenith.
"I have no time to play word games. They are family and we serve the one who gave me the opportunity. The Ascendancy."
After he settled back in his seat, Michael was surprised at his own words. Defending the authority of Nikolai, the self-absorbed egotist...
Stranger things had happened; but not many.
Edited by Michael Vellas, Jan 16 2018, 01:28 AM.
"She saw a flaring halo around his head, radiant in gold and blue. It shouted of glory and power to come"
"No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."