His perfect lips curved in the smallest smile."You are… Sashen, yes?"
Right.What a meet-cute.I nodded, putting on a smile – one for clients, not the one reserved for just the two of us."You'll need to remind me of your name.It was a lot to take in at once."
"I am Araxis of Creche Thiel."He dipped his head, and then the skin around his eyes tightened thoughtfully."I would say it's nice to meet you, but I think we've met before."
I let my eyebrows inch upwards, and tried to think of anything except the sudden rush of images of how we'd come to know each other: his body curled against mine in bed, his hand on my cock, my eager mouth drinking every inch of him in.I sucked in the edge of my bottom lip, unbidden; Araxis's eyelids flared as he tracked the movement, and the silver flush creeping up his cheeks?That was real, I was sure; that was him, responding to me.We were still here, we were still connected, even if we were playing our own parts.
"Would it embarrass you if I said where we might have met?"I asked, flicking my gaze upwards to the camera drones that were circling like vultures.
He fluted out a sound, somewhere between amusement and resignation."You're a dancer at a marn den.I wasn't certain when you were introduced but now that I have seen you move…" He trailed off, his stare flicking down to my lips, then to my neck where he'd once marked me.
A sharp pulse of desire twisted low in my stomach, my skin prickling pleasantly with heat.I leaned in a little closer."I'm sure I'd remember if we had any… private time."
He trilled and the silvering of his cheeks deepened."I only saw you dance.You're very good, especially with your swords.Though I will admit that I haven't often gone to dens, I am certain I have never seen anyone move quite like you.It was… revelatory."
It was my turn to blush, my cheeks suddenly warm.I glanced away because I was sure that if I looked at him for too long, I'd give it all away.Revelatory, huh?"You're too kind," I murmured.
"I am not," he assured me."I merely recognize skill when I am witness to it.I should leave you to your evening.Though if you have time, or interest, perhaps we could meet tomorrow in the training rooms.I would be most curious to see how your dancing translates to voltaar combat sequences.If that's not too presumptuous of me."
My throat was dry, as if this were real.I grinned and shrugged."I could make time.My handler has a very specific schedule for me, but I don't mind doing a bit of meddling.I owe you for making sure I didn't throw a punch and end up blowing my chance."
He tilted his head, close to a bow."You owe me nothing, Sashen Solar."And then Araxis turned and slipped away, and I stared after his retreating back for as long as I could, one hand drifting idly to my lips.
I could guess what I looked like: utterly charmed, and more than a little shaken.I swallowed down my smile and made a circuit, stopping to chat with a few of the other dancers and to compliment them on their form.I dumped the remainder of my drink in one of the potted plants nestled around the room and waited until the crowd got louder, the music throbbier, before making a retreat back to the quiet of my apartment.
I needed time to think.Because it was one thing to have another human here, competing; it was one thing to know he was with Seraphim in some capacity.
What I really needed to know, though, was how the fuck he knew my name and what exactly it was he had to tell me.
Inclusion #31
Transcript, excerpt of unedited footage of Day 1 interview with Grigor Spade
Interviewer, ketaari Sky Pebble (see addendum 078.56 for signed agreement for use of public moniker in judiciary files)
Transcriptionist's Note: Grigor Spade (GS in transcript) uses a translation chip in order to understand and respond in Standard.As such, he pauses frequently throughout the interview.These pauses have been noted in the transcript.
SP: Have you met Sashen Solar previously?
GS: [Protracted pause while listening and before speaking] No.But I have heard of him.
SP: Oh, interesting!I had a look back at the footage from the mixer and I couldn't tell if you knew him or if you'd gotten him mixed up with someone else.
GS: [Protracted pause] No, he is the right person.He – [Protracted pause] uses a new name.His name from Seraphim is Alikander Lane.
SP: And why –
GS: He ran – [speaks over interviewer due to delay in translation; GS stops speaking; he makes a gesture at the interviewer, as if telling him to speak]
SP: [Sound indicating amusement] Those chips are something else.I'll give you more time to respond moving forward.I wanted to ask why you wanted to speak with Sashen.You said – and I think our translation is correct – that you didn't approve of his dancing and you had something to tell him.That's a bit unusual.It’s been some years since we’ve had a competitor attend with the intent of speaking with another competitor, though perhaps you’re here for other reasons as well.Could you tell me a little morewhy you spoke with Sashen?
GS: [Protracted pause] He left Seraphim without an exit permit.He left his mother on her own.Seraphim would like him to come back, for cultural reasons.[Pause] Alikander –Sashen– behaves in a way that is heresy in our culture.If he was voltaari, he would have been made to go to his priest.We want him to come back and speak withourpriests.
SP: I see.I'll have to ask him about that later – and maybe chat with one of the voltaari competitors to see if they can explain it a little more comprehensively.Ketaari don't have the cultural concept ofheresy, but it is quite interesting.So, Grigor, why areyouhere?There must be something that's drawn you to compete.It can’t be just to speak with Sashen Solar.Am I right that your translation chip is new?
GS: [Protracted pause] The chip is new.
SP: I had wondered.The response time does improve over a few months, on the nicer models anyway.Andyou'rehere because…
