Board Thread:The Mech Bay Bar'n'Grill/@comment-24930445-20140526230330/@comment-24930445-20140602005139

A Family Divided

When it came, it came on her own terms. She spent the last week considering how she would deal with the betrayal of the Raiders and her own feelings towards them. Yes, she would have been much happier never laying eyes on them ever again, but as she had been reminded repeatedly, she wasn’t a runner.

She had Tarin draw up formal commands for each one of the Raiders to attend a meeting in the captain’s conference room aboard the Vextis. She wanted them off balance and on her own turf.

When they entered, they found several key members of the Vextis crew around the far end of the conference table with Kat at its head and Ryax leaning against the wall behind her and to one side. This was her show and everyone knew it.

Travers had known they were in deep when he had received the command. Kat had never taken on the formal role of commander and she despised the title with a vengeance. Now, not only had that specific title been added to the orders the Raiders had been sent, but her designation as co-owner of the Company had also been thrown in for good measure. This was not going to go well.

Wisely, he kept it formal, saluting as he enter, then requesting permission to sit. The Raiders had followed his lead and soon, everyone but Jack was seated at the other end of the conference table. Jack had been the last to enter.

“Hello Kat.”  As he stood watching her, he saw her folded hands tense, her knuckles portraying the elevated stress level at his appearance.

She did not acknowledge his greeting, simply nodding to an empty chair next to his brother. “If y’ll be seated, we kin begin.”

Jack sighed and took the seat. He knew he had been at fault here, but he couldn’t help but bristle at her tone. He still felt his decision to remain dead to her had been the right one. She obviously didn’t share those feelings.

“I will start by sayin yer commissions are still in tact. Th’ Krita is still yers and still under th’ Company’s charter. Y’will maintain yer positions wi’in the company and things will continue as they hae been including yer commissions an’ profit share.”  Travers blinked. He hadn’t considered the possibility of her being so angry she’d fire them all, though by rights, she could.

“Thank you, Ma’am. You’ll not be sorry.”

“Yer wrong, Captain Travers. I am sorry, verra sorry. I’m sorry ye an yer team felt the need t’wi’hold vital information from me. I’m sorry y’felt th’ need ta betray m’trust in yer... honor. I’m sorry y’ felt y’couldnae trust me enough t’tell me… “  She broke off, flexing her fingers. “As ye kin see, there is much I am sorry fer.”  They all noticed her use of the the words “your team” and the implications behind it.

Joke growled. “Now listen here, Kat.”

Her eye narrowed and her voice went cold  “NO, Mr. Michaels. Ye listen here. Y’were m’family once. Y’were all I had and y’taught me tha’ there were no other who could b’ trusted more wi’ yer life… an’ yer heart…  than family. Luckily, I hae nae let yer betrayal wipe tha’ trainin from m’heart, but, because o’yer decisions, m’family is n’longer as large as it once was.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Joke had gone white at her use of his name. In all their years, she had never called him anything but Joke. She had made her point.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Jack sighed softly, pulling her anger towards himself. “It wasn’t their fault, Katrylle. I thought it would be better in the long run if you would be able to just go on with your life.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Tell me, Mr. Morghan. Did ye hold a gun to their heads? Threaten their families? Kill their puppies an’ hold their kittens hostage an’ warn them o’ th’ fall of civilization ifin they breathed a word t’me tha’ y’ had lived? Nae? Then m’ words still stand.”  She tilted her head at him as if remembering something. “I believe twas ye who taught me day after day tha’ ye nae lie ta friends an’ family. Marks were marks, but those who love ye are protected.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">He slowly nodded, her words hitting home. He began to realize what a huge error he had perpetrated. He knew there would be nothing he could say to ease her pain now, so he simply sat back in his chair and remained quiet.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">She too remained quite, simply watching him for a long moment before returning her attention to Travers. “Now, I b’lieve y’hae some information on Jos?”

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);white-space:pre-wrap;">The stress level reduced greatly as they began to discuss discoveries and plans. She even reverted to calling those around her by the less formal versions of their name, Joke included. By the end of the meeting, things had mostly returned to normal, though the Raiders couldn’t help but feel the chasm that had opened between themselves and the woman who had once been a daughter, friend and lover.