Zathei keeps control...for now...

A quick conversation between Drodan and Zathei. They are walking down a residential street, surrounded by looming, large, rich-looking houses. They are somewhere in the States; if they were in Australia it would be very hard for me to spy. I don't want to hover too long; I don't want my presence detected. I was hoping to catch something about Aninjade, but they are instead in an argument over their young new band member.
Drodan – "We are not going to win, not the way we are now."
Zathei, scoffs - "You’re right we aren’t going to win, because there is nothing to win."
Drodan - "Bullshit. Even getting back home would be a win to you. And, if there's nothing, then let's let him in."
Zathei shakes his head, scuffs his foot on the sidewalk.
Drodan - "Why the hell not?"
Zathei - "There's no reason to."
Drodan, raising his voice - "The boy is glowing! Glowing! He’s been given to us and we shouldn’t let the chance go by. He could lead us...his potential is..."
Zathei, snorts loudly - "He's not a leader! He's a kid who wants to play in a rock band! He wants to get laid and get high. He's charismatic as hell, but not glowing. He doesn't have a drop of vec. He doesn't even know we're anything more than a band."
Drodan -"Yes, exactly. Let's give him vec, let him in on our secret, and get him on the road. He could be the one to lead us all the way."
Zathei, a frustrated tone in his voice - "All the way where? Who the hell wants to go anywhere. Jesus. The only place I want to go is home."
He pauses, breathes deeply, trying to stay calm. Drodan's face is getting red.
Zathei - "I know, I know. Aim high, go for power, all that shit. But we had our chance almost 20 years ago. It's not there for us. I believe that. So let's just do what a band should do, nevermind what is going on around us. And maybe, maybe...before we die, the banishment will be lifted and we'll die old and happy, where we should. Back home."
Drodan, angrily, talking rapidly - "Why the fuck should we wait for Steve and his wonderful powers that be to decide out of the goodness of their hearts that they suppose we deserve to see the place we were born again, but only if we are too old to do any harm? We have a right to be there! Let's just give the boy vec, see how it grows on him, and maybe he'll be powerfull enough to PUT us where we should be. We can go back to our own planet triumphant, in power, and never take shit from Steve again! It's there for us, it's there, we need power to take it. We take it, take power, and reverse the banishment ourselves! This might be our only chance to get back when we are still young enough to enjoy it."
Zathei, stops walking, and yells back - "I'm not going to sacrifice 10 years of good behavior because you can't be patient a little longer! We're almost there! And who the fuck says that boy is going to lead us anyway? I'm the fucking lead here, if you haven't forgotten, and I say go, enjoy what he is bringing the band, it's keeping us busy and making the time go fast. But Jesus Drodan, if you touch that boy with Vec I'll hand you over to Steve so fast you won't know what the fuck happened! Got it!"
Drodan - "Fuck you. You wouldn't dare. You'd never see your precious planet again then. If Steve thought one of us was acting up again he would never trust any of us."
Zathei - "Try me."
Starts walking again.

Coffee house confrontation....

Jason doesn’t want to go in. He can see Matt inside ordering something. He puts his hand on the door and takes a breath. It’s neutral territory, in public, so Matt can’t do anything...no yelling or flying fists this time. He pulls on the door.
Matt turns. Jesus, the eyes on him. Crystal blue.
Matt looks bigger; not really taller, but definitely more bulky. He is losing that teenager thinness. He looks older than Jason, yet by the numbers he is actually younger. He wears jeans and a nice tshirt, everything new and expensive. Gold hangs from his neck and ear; a symbol of some sort but I can’t tell what it is.
Matt nods in greeting and points to a table. Jason ignores him and defiantly goes to the counter to get his own coffee. Er, tea.
Matt doesn’t control him anymore, he is saying, and the gesture works. For a second, Matt narrows his eyes in anger. Already he has had a big enough taste of power that he is not used to being denied.
Matt goes to another table and sits. Jason takes his time.
Finally he joins him, but doesn’t waste any further time.
Jason – “What did you need?” He asks as he sits lightly on the chair, giving every characteristic of a man who only has a minute and is about to get up and leave.
Matt looks….hurt? – “I wanted to see you again, Jay. I wonder about you.” He's defensive.
Jason, tensing – “Don't bullshit. You let out a Call like the devil was after you. So don't sit there now and say," Jason screws up his face and repeats, mockingly, "I just wanted to see you..."
Matt goes to reply, his face controlled, but still angry. Jason raises his hand abruptly to silence him.
Jason - "Let me finish....cause if you don't need anything, then I'm outta here. Cause Matt.....now listen to this closely...I don't want to see you.” He clips each word, and pushes up from the table, grabbing his tea.
Matt - "No no no, really.....hang on then. Jason wait! You want to get to it....alright then."
Jason stops but doesn't really relax. He is mostly standing.
Matt, sighs - "I just thought we could, uh...start with pleasantries. Get to know what each other's been..." He could not resist trying again.
Jason stands, angrily - "'Bye Matt." He heads for the door, ignoring Matt's stammering behind him. I'm amazed; he is really showing Matt that he won't take his shit anymore.
Once outside though, his newfound courage falters. He takes a shaky breath.
Matt yells after him, and he startles, fearful now. He shouldn't have come outside; the public coffee shop offered him some protection, and he shouldn't have left. When Matt yells again, Jason stops. He is trying to stay noticable to the people inside who are sitting at the tables along the windows.
Matt, catches up and approaches Jason with open hands, his voice is quiet, pleading - "Jay, please. I just want to know one thing. If you can do one thing for me. Just one."
Jason shakes his head, but not like he is saying no. More like, he can't believe the great Matt is begging him for something. Humbling himself. Giving Jason power over him.
The pacifist in Jason can't take it; he doesn't want power over anybody, even someone who put him through the wringer like Matt did. He looks at the ground for a long time... and eventually responds exactly how Matt wanted him to.
Jason, quietly - "What?"
Matt stifles a smile in his hand, then spits out - "Teach me how to travel."
Jason sighs - "We've been over this. I can't teach you how I travel, I just do it, Matt. There is no method I'm hiding, no secret, there is nothing..."
Matt interupts - "No no, I know, I know, calm down. I meant, teach me how to travel like people are talking about now. I've heard it a few times now. Some new way. Do you know?"
Jason stands, a look of surprise on his face. It's apparent he knows exactly what Matt is talking about; he's just surprised Matt knows.
Jason, slowly - "You mean the Anikman way?"
Matt nods excitedly - "Yes yes....exactly. Can you show me?"
Jason shakes his head - "I don't know it."
Matt fixes him with an cold stare - "You don't? Ummm....but that's the way you do it, isn't it?" His voice is icy.
Jason quickly shakes his head again - "No it isn't. That's not how I do it."
Matt is gaining the upper hand, slowly taking back his power over Jason. He takes a small, easy step towards him. - "Don't lie to me. It makes sense. You travel undetected, this new way is supposed to be undetected. So don't lie to me about it Jay, I've figured it out. So...just show me how it's done, okay?" His tone is definitely threatening.
And, although obviously fearful, Jason doesn't back down. - "I'm not lying. I don't travel by Light, Matt. Anikmans do. And, let me point out to you since you obviously haven't figured this part out,....I'm not Anikman!"
Angrily, Jason turns and continues down the sidewalk, once again ignoring Matt's frustrated "Jay!".
But Jason is chuckling, and once he is about twenty yards away, he turns back. He is laughing now, and he yells at Matt, who is just standing there, shocked by Jason's laughter.
Jason - "Only an Anikman can show you how, you stupid fuck! And the funny thing is...you're supposed to be the son of....of one of the most powerful Anikmans there ever was!!! You shouldn't need to be shown!"
Matt turns and storms away, with Jason's laughter chasing him, up the sidewalk.

Unauthorized travel.....

Seminole crosses the street. He is in hot pursuit of a lander, an unidentified boy who has just arrived. Something feels wrong to him though; he wants me to follow him. Can’t tell where they are – someplace warm, there is no snow. Smells like recent rain. Streets don’t look wet. Seminole is part of the Florida Five, but this doesn’t seem like Florida.
There is no traffic, and he jogs down the traffic lane.
I don’t see who he is following. Might be only a vec trail right now.
Nope, I’m wrong; there is a flash of movement ahead. Seminole takes off after it like a hound on a scent.
I tell him it’s hard for me to follow when he is moving so fast. He grabs hold of me. It feels weird to be so connected. “Look! Look ahead!” He points, stopping in the street.
Ahead, the boy has stopped too. In front of him is another, a larger man sized blob in the dark. Only then I realize how young the boy is, based on his size.
The boy talks quickly to the man, I can see him gesticulating.
Seminole calls out – “Hey!” And starts to walk towards them. They are on the sidewalk, and there are cars parked along the street, between us and them.
The man pushes the boy behind him, and reaches into the air. I’ve seen these hand movements before. ….
Suddenly there is a burst of light. Seminole hides his face from the bright blast. There is no noise.
They vanish. But not before I get a look at them in the flash of light.
Seminole tells me – “That wasn’t a gate. We told you someone was using something else.”
I say nothing, trying to make sense out of what I just saw.
The boy was small and blond, under ten for sure. Mostly likely Anikman, but wearing jeans.
And the man was Aninjade. I’m sure. Using an old fashioned Anikman method of travel. One that I’m pretty sure my boys can’t track or trace.
Not good. Very much not good. And what ages does he teach again? He is using his pupils for something?
Not good, Aninjade. You keep showing up in the wrong places.

Welcome to the rebirth.

The war is alive and well.