02-20-2020, 09:51 PM
Samantha Collinsgate rarely had any spare time. Between studying for her PhD and working as a receptionist in Hennepin Banking in Little Upham River, Zamastan, she rarely had time to think never mind check her communications from Kerlile. She dreaded activation, knowing what her mission would be - assassinations. It would likely be a suicide mission, and Samantha rather enjoyed being alive. Her fear of activation made her rather obsessive in checking for messages from the Matriarchy.
On Sunday, she reluctantly checked, with her fingers crossed. She was alone in her house, and she checked the door was locked, her general procedure when doing anything to do with her job as an Aurora. Then she went upstairs and brought out the little phone she used to contact Kerlile. A message. Her heart rate increased a little as she paused before reading, but upon reading she was elated.
“Hell yes!” she shouted aloud, jubilantly, doing a little dance of joy. She went to the kitchen and pulled open the alcohol cupboard, pouring herself a glass of celebratory wine. She flopped down on the couch and switched on some music and relaxed.
Thank the Goddess, she thought to herself and chuckled a little. She wouldn’t have to deal with the conflict after all! For Samantha was one of a select group of Auroras, who had secrets beyond the others. Secrets which meant that if she’d been activated, she would have had to make a very difficult choice over which set of conflicting orders to follow. The thought that she wouldn’t need to do that now made her very happy. It also meant, she thought, that her other mission, the doubly-secret one, would likely be carried out soon. And that filled her with great joy too.
She was unhurried in leaving Zamastan. Rushing would only draw more suspicion if any already existed, and she was confident she could get out of any trap set for her. She booked a flight for Thursday to Gardavasque, from where she’d fly to Kerlile. It was a long, roundabout, back-and-forth trip, but it would reduce the chances of someone knowing what she was up to. She’d only booked the first flight, and she was quite happy as she headed to the airport.
In the airport, she had a little drink, bought a nice perfume in duty-free and an assortment of tea towels, table mats and trinkets with maps of Zamastan and other souvenirs which would make rather amusing gifts for anyone she reunited with from training. Given the rather hostile relationship between Kerlile and Zamastan, she doubted any of them would pass this way soon, even from her little secret sub-faction of Auroras. Samantha boarded her flight with a heavy bag and a light heart, looking to the future.
*
Ingeburg Simons knew she wouldn’t be able to follow the order. Not that she didn’t want to; it would be quite a relief to get home safely. But she lived on a Shuellian military base and it would be impossible for her to leave alive. She knew that, and it hurt her. It was very likely that she would be captured and tortured. The thought was unpleasant. Death was a marginally better option, not that either was good, but she couldn’t bring herself to end her life. So she resolved to try and run, and hope that if she couldn’t escape, they’d kill her in the attempt - even though it was very, very unlikely they wouldn’t try to take her alive.
She left in daylight. They’d be far more suspicious of someone in the dark, and she could at least walk part of the way without trouble if it was day. They’d be able to track her anyway, given the ID chip. The night before, she’d stood in front of the mirror, fingering the back of her neck and smiling sadly at what could have been. She was proud to be an Aurora, to serve the Matriarchy in this important way, but she would have preferred to live.
Ingeburg knew where the cameras and patrols were. If there was a gap in security, she’d have known, but inconveniently, there was none. Her best bet was to try and get through the gate somehow, but she had already been worried they were suspicious of her. She’d spent the last few weeks convinced she was being watched, and when she saw two soldiers whispering and looking at her, one pointing, she panicked, and ran.
They shouted after her as she continued, running in zig-zags and dodging around obstacles. She could hear the sounds of pursuit, and at 47 she wasn’t as fit as she’d once been. They were gaining on her. Adrenaline rushed through her body and kept her going, as she rounded a corner and spotted the gate, open to let a delivery vehicle through. She headed for it, knowing she wouldn’t make it but feeling the need to try. She sped up, but they were pointing rifles at her and she just had to hope they’d shoot to kill, despite the unlikeliness.
She felt a pain in her leg and fell, unable to run or keep standing. Her momentum carried her forwards and she bashed her head off the road, and scraped her arms as she rolled over. She was still conscious, and blinked, her body full of pain. Ingeburg looked down at the blood seeping out of her leg. She would survive the injury, she knew. She looked up at the sky, and watched in despair until the blackness took her.
On Sunday, she reluctantly checked, with her fingers crossed. She was alone in her house, and she checked the door was locked, her general procedure when doing anything to do with her job as an Aurora. Then she went upstairs and brought out the little phone she used to contact Kerlile. A message. Her heart rate increased a little as she paused before reading, but upon reading she was elated.
“Hell yes!” she shouted aloud, jubilantly, doing a little dance of joy. She went to the kitchen and pulled open the alcohol cupboard, pouring herself a glass of celebratory wine. She flopped down on the couch and switched on some music and relaxed.
Thank the Goddess, she thought to herself and chuckled a little. She wouldn’t have to deal with the conflict after all! For Samantha was one of a select group of Auroras, who had secrets beyond the others. Secrets which meant that if she’d been activated, she would have had to make a very difficult choice over which set of conflicting orders to follow. The thought that she wouldn’t need to do that now made her very happy. It also meant, she thought, that her other mission, the doubly-secret one, would likely be carried out soon. And that filled her with great joy too.
She was unhurried in leaving Zamastan. Rushing would only draw more suspicion if any already existed, and she was confident she could get out of any trap set for her. She booked a flight for Thursday to Gardavasque, from where she’d fly to Kerlile. It was a long, roundabout, back-and-forth trip, but it would reduce the chances of someone knowing what she was up to. She’d only booked the first flight, and she was quite happy as she headed to the airport.
In the airport, she had a little drink, bought a nice perfume in duty-free and an assortment of tea towels, table mats and trinkets with maps of Zamastan and other souvenirs which would make rather amusing gifts for anyone she reunited with from training. Given the rather hostile relationship between Kerlile and Zamastan, she doubted any of them would pass this way soon, even from her little secret sub-faction of Auroras. Samantha boarded her flight with a heavy bag and a light heart, looking to the future.
*
Ingeburg Simons knew she wouldn’t be able to follow the order. Not that she didn’t want to; it would be quite a relief to get home safely. But she lived on a Shuellian military base and it would be impossible for her to leave alive. She knew that, and it hurt her. It was very likely that she would be captured and tortured. The thought was unpleasant. Death was a marginally better option, not that either was good, but she couldn’t bring herself to end her life. So she resolved to try and run, and hope that if she couldn’t escape, they’d kill her in the attempt - even though it was very, very unlikely they wouldn’t try to take her alive.
She left in daylight. They’d be far more suspicious of someone in the dark, and she could at least walk part of the way without trouble if it was day. They’d be able to track her anyway, given the ID chip. The night before, she’d stood in front of the mirror, fingering the back of her neck and smiling sadly at what could have been. She was proud to be an Aurora, to serve the Matriarchy in this important way, but she would have preferred to live.
Ingeburg knew where the cameras and patrols were. If there was a gap in security, she’d have known, but inconveniently, there was none. Her best bet was to try and get through the gate somehow, but she had already been worried they were suspicious of her. She’d spent the last few weeks convinced she was being watched, and when she saw two soldiers whispering and looking at her, one pointing, she panicked, and ran.
They shouted after her as she continued, running in zig-zags and dodging around obstacles. She could hear the sounds of pursuit, and at 47 she wasn’t as fit as she’d once been. They were gaining on her. Adrenaline rushed through her body and kept her going, as she rounded a corner and spotted the gate, open to let a delivery vehicle through. She headed for it, knowing she wouldn’t make it but feeling the need to try. She sped up, but they were pointing rifles at her and she just had to hope they’d shoot to kill, despite the unlikeliness.
She felt a pain in her leg and fell, unable to run or keep standing. Her momentum carried her forwards and she bashed her head off the road, and scraped her arms as she rolled over. She was still conscious, and blinked, her body full of pain. Ingeburg looked down at the blood seeping out of her leg. She would survive the injury, she knew. She looked up at the sky, and watched in despair until the blackness took her.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax