Breaking Faith
Apr. 4th, 2012 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feredarTitle: Breaking Faith
Year: 980 FY
Characters: Mel Artwick, Kit Artwick, the crew of the Scarlet Eagle, The Murderer
Warnings: The Murderer is in this. Also, blaming oneself for someone else's crime.
Day Two
They were going to be here in Sender for a week and a half, and Mel and some of the others were hanging out in one of the taverns. Kit had had them draw straws after they finished unloading, and had made up the rotating shore leave schedule for that. They were the last group, and determined to enjoy themselves.
"...creepy. The hand was just gone."
Curious, Mel left the others to their carousing and listened in on what the two men down the bar were saying.
"How'd you manage to get in on a police investigation, anyway?"
"They wanted to see if I could tell 'em anything about the knives, based on everything. Said they never did find the hand. Not like that killed him, anyway. The slash would've been enough..."
...Creepy is right, Mel thought, then drifted back to his group. Wasn't much he could do about it, other than keep an eye out the way he always did in port. More than a few of his crewmates had gotten beat up or worse for being drunk strangers and saying the wrong thing. He didn't know anyone who'd died in a fight like that, but...well, it sounded Sender was more violent than most towns. He made a mental note to be extra-careful, then went back to enjoying his leave.
Day Five
Mel was out with Kit, scouting for some supplies they'd need for their next trip. Kit had already handled most of the official trading, but he liked leaving this part 'til last.
He'd wandered off a little to examine some goats for sale, when he heard a commotion a few blocks away. He signaled to Kit that he'd be right back, which was returned with a nonchalant wave, then headed over to see what the fuss was about.
"...know this one," one of the police was saying. "He made a necklace for my wife, just a few days ago. He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
"Shh." The one who seemed to be in charge cut him off with a gesture. "Wait 'til we get back."
Mel quickly pulled back before they realized how much he'd heard. So I'm probably safe, if whoever this is is only lookin' for metal-mages. He twined a few drops of water around his fingers for reassurance, and backtracked to where he'd left his brother.
Day Nine
"Mel, I need you to get me the blue map from my cabin," Kit called. They were leaving tomorrow, Mel had one last shore leave and would much rather just make his way out the door, not shave off a few minutes of his last precious free time for probably at least a month, but Kit was his captain and his big brother, so of course he obeyed.
"Just a sec," he called back, and headed for the cabin.
He found the map with little difficulty, in the blue tube that gave it its nickname. He was about to leave and pass it off so he could go have fun, but then he spotted a box on his brother's bed, with the latch not quite fastened. Juggling the map, he went to fasten it properly. Gods alone knew what sort of treasures his brother kept in it.
That's when he noticed the stains on the lid.
...that looks like...
He set the map down and slowly opened the box.
There were six hands, laid neatly in the box. Two were female, the rest male.
"The hand was just gone."
"Not like that killed him, anyway. The slash would've been enough."
"He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
He saw one of the silver blades leave its sheath, and the ice around him dissolved as something hot slammed into him, knocking him off the ship and down into darkness.
Mel's hand went to the scar on his abdomen.
This can't be real.
"He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
He saw one of the silver blades leave its sheath, and the ice around him dissolved as something hot slammed into him, knocking him off the ship and down into darkness.
Mel started shaking.
He's doing this because of me.
"Mel? I need that map."
He jerked, and slammed the case shut. "C-comin'!" he managed to call back, grabbing the map tube. "Sorry, it was under stuff."
Without looking at K--at the Captain, he pressed the map into his hands. "Headin' off now."
"All right, little brother. Have fun."
You're a butcher and it's all my fault.
Mel's heart was pounding in his ears as he escaped the Eagle, trying to stop his hands from shaking.
Year: 980 FY
Characters: Mel Artwick, Kit Artwick, the crew of the Scarlet Eagle, The Murderer
Warnings: The Murderer is in this. Also, blaming oneself for someone else's crime.
Day Two
They were going to be here in Sender for a week and a half, and Mel and some of the others were hanging out in one of the taverns. Kit had had them draw straws after they finished unloading, and had made up the rotating shore leave schedule for that. They were the last group, and determined to enjoy themselves.
"...creepy. The hand was just gone."
Curious, Mel left the others to their carousing and listened in on what the two men down the bar were saying.
"How'd you manage to get in on a police investigation, anyway?"
"They wanted to see if I could tell 'em anything about the knives, based on everything. Said they never did find the hand. Not like that killed him, anyway. The slash would've been enough..."
...Creepy is right, Mel thought, then drifted back to his group. Wasn't much he could do about it, other than keep an eye out the way he always did in port. More than a few of his crewmates had gotten beat up or worse for being drunk strangers and saying the wrong thing. He didn't know anyone who'd died in a fight like that, but...well, it sounded Sender was more violent than most towns. He made a mental note to be extra-careful, then went back to enjoying his leave.
Day Five
Mel was out with Kit, scouting for some supplies they'd need for their next trip. Kit had already handled most of the official trading, but he liked leaving this part 'til last.
He'd wandered off a little to examine some goats for sale, when he heard a commotion a few blocks away. He signaled to Kit that he'd be right back, which was returned with a nonchalant wave, then headed over to see what the fuss was about.
"...know this one," one of the police was saying. "He made a necklace for my wife, just a few days ago. He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
"Shh." The one who seemed to be in charge cut him off with a gesture. "Wait 'til we get back."
Mel quickly pulled back before they realized how much he'd heard. So I'm probably safe, if whoever this is is only lookin' for metal-mages. He twined a few drops of water around his fingers for reassurance, and backtracked to where he'd left his brother.
Day Nine
"Mel, I need you to get me the blue map from my cabin," Kit called. They were leaving tomorrow, Mel had one last shore leave and would much rather just make his way out the door, not shave off a few minutes of his last precious free time for probably at least a month, but Kit was his captain and his big brother, so of course he obeyed.
"Just a sec," he called back, and headed for the cabin.
He found the map with little difficulty, in the blue tube that gave it its nickname. He was about to leave and pass it off so he could go have fun, but then he spotted a box on his brother's bed, with the latch not quite fastened. Juggling the map, he went to fasten it properly. Gods alone knew what sort of treasures his brother kept in it.
That's when he noticed the stains on the lid.
...that looks like...
He set the map down and slowly opened the box.
There were six hands, laid neatly in the box. Two were female, the rest male.
"The hand was just gone."
"Not like that killed him, anyway. The slash would've been enough."
"He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
He saw one of the silver blades leave its sheath, and the ice around him dissolved as something hot slammed into him, knocking him off the ship and down into darkness.
Mel's hand went to the scar on his abdomen.
This can't be real.
"He's a metal-mage, gutted, and lost his hand, just like..."
He saw one of the silver blades leave its sheath, and the ice around him dissolved as something hot slammed into him, knocking him off the ship and down into darkness.
Mel started shaking.
He's doing this because of me.
"Mel? I need that map."
He jerked, and slammed the case shut. "C-comin'!" he managed to call back, grabbing the map tube. "Sorry, it was under stuff."
Without looking at K--at the Captain, he pressed the map into his hands. "Headin' off now."
"All right, little brother. Have fun."
You're a butcher and it's all my fault.
Mel's heart was pounding in his ears as he escaped the Eagle, trying to stop his hands from shaking.