Evelyn rubbed her hands on her flight suit. She just finished working on basic maintenance for her ship and was now heading home. Among the crowd, she noticed a familiar sight, Mikhail Kadnikov. Would this be a good time? Evelyn always felt a bit uncomfortable knowing he’s around here, at her home.
Or did he leave everything behind like Mr. Farrow did? Mr. Farrow had proved his loyalty to the Clan and she didn’t feel that Cole was here to harm anything. Now Mikhail? Made her way over, she gently approached at his side, not wanting to startle the man.
“Mr. Kadnikov, I have not seen you in a while. Do you have time for a small cup of caf?” Evelyn asked. She had no expression on her face, just a normal calm one.
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Mikhail bristled at being approached, he always did. He never knew if it was a friend coming to chat, a knife about to find itself between his ribs, or a… acquaintance asking to meet for some caf.
Unfortunately it was the later.
He turned his eyes to regard the woman, as if still expecting something else to come of her presence. Sensing nothing else, he nodded once and spoke. “I have time. If you know a place.”
He wouldn’t let her see the dread that crept into his soul, mind alight with reasons he would be approached.
“I do. Thank you, Mr. Kadnikov.” Evelyn tilted her head towards a cafe. When they entered, it’s a quiet one. People minding their own business on their datapad or even reading books. Evelyn ordered her caf and sat down at a table, the one that didn’t have many prying ears and eyes as she waited for Mikhail.
If he had nothing to hide, this would be quick and easy. So she hoped.
Mikhail slid into the seat across the corner booth from Evelyn. He did not know much about the woman, at least not more than she told him to his face the last few times they spoke. Neither of which gave him an impression of her being a problem.
Then again, she was calling him Kadnikov Specifically. Trouble.
While he wanted to wrap his hand around something protective, his cane or even the grip of his slug thrower, he instead curled both hands around the spiced Ice Caf he had ordered, eying the Cream floating like a glacier atop the already sugary drink. He carefully dissected the plastic sleeve around a straw, then stabbed the utensil into his drink, avoiding the cream. His face raised, eyes obscured by the thin glasses he wore as he took a sip, watching the woman and seemingly waiting
Evelyn’s eyes glanced around at the cafe. She seemed to be more relaxed. As if she was people watching in a way. Once Mikhail had settled in, she glanced back towards him, wondering how much should she reveal to him.
First, she wanted him to be comfortable. But she didn’t want to come off as a threat. Which was exactly what happened with Mr. Farrow. A mistake she did not wish to repeat. What should she even ask first? If she asked right away where his loyalties lie, he might get defensive. If she informed him now that she used to work for Kadnikov and slowly figured things out about the family up till the last day, she was concern he may not answer any question of hers.
Even though she hasn’t told anyone. All they knew that she was a pilot for hire with Kadnikov.
“How are you today?” It took everything Evelyn had not to cringe from asking such a question. She never was good for small talk towards strangers.
The Arkanian’s eyebrows furrow, obviously puzzled by the question.
Was this…
He sat up straighter slightly, giving her another worried once over. “I.. am fine.” He let that hang for a moment, before quickly continuing. “And you? You are.. fine hopefully?”
“Yes. No. I am not very good with small talks.” Evelyn sighed.
“Let us just cut to the chase here, Mr. Kadnikov. When I was sixteen, my family did not want anything more to do with me. They did, however, at least had the kindness to get me a ship. So I became a pilot for hire. A year later, I started to work for Kadnikov. Being that young, desperate, and naive, I did not pay attention to anything. Or rather, I did not care. The pay was good. I was not going to betray their trust or break rules. I started to figure out small things about the Kadnikovs the longer I worked for them.”
Evelyn stopped for a moment as she remembered her last day. Then she continued, her dark emerald hues watched him carefuly for body language, “I am now Captain of Siren Squadron. I have proven my loyalty to Arcona time and time again. What I am trying to get, I would like to know where your loyalties lie.” She wishes he would taken off the glasses so she can see his eyes too but this would have to do.
Mikhail sat down after her,his demeanor didn’t change while she spoke, regardless of what she was saying. He watched her, unmoving, seemingly uncaring as he raised his drink to sip from again while she finished.
Her story was far from impossible. Third party ships were commonly used for the Companies more.. important work. However, her question about loyalty was interesting.
He wondered if she truly had no clue, or if she already knew his answer.
After a minute of no reaction, he spoke, his voice starting quite and slowly growing into a more steady tone. “You come to me… call me Kadnikov. Know that I am Kadnikov. And ask me where my loyalties are? Do you think you would know me as Kadnikov, were I not?”
He reaches up to pull his glasses off for a moment, taking. A few seconds to wipe them down with a cleaning cloth he pulled from an inner jacket pocket. In doing so, the bright blue crystal of his eyes were revealed, stark against the dark circles under his eyes. In total, the slight mess that his hair was, the angled crookedness of his collar by just a few degrees, and the tiredness of his eyes, he appeared to have not properly slept for at least a few days.
“If you worked as a private contractor with the company I am sure there are many things you do know about us. Do you think I would advertise my status as a Kadnikov without any sort of loyalty to them?”
He was unsure whether to insulted or worried that she was testing him on their behalf. Were they here? Close? What interest did they have beyond what sparse information he sent back?
The Arkanian’s paranoid mind began working overdrive as he slipped the glasses back on, hiding behind the black glass.
“I really do not know.” Evelyn started as she leaned back in her chair. This was… interesting. Not a respond she had expected. He had mentioned his family name several times. Just exactly what kind of connections does he have with them? This concerned her. Selen was her home and Arcona was her life. If he was here to jeopardize it all… She still remembered that dragon. Even though her team was tough and brilliant, the damage would be astronomical before they can put it down. Though, would the Kadnikov really be that dumb?
No. They were smart. Cunning. They knew where their cards lie. They could easily outsmart her. Mikhail even, she wagered. She held up a hand softly to show that she means no harm or to hurt him.
“If it helps, no one knows that I had been wanting to talk to you. Or that I even worked for them.”
“Worked,” Evelyn reminded him, “I had been away from them for ten years now. I want to make sure it stays that way. Why you are here, I do not know and it might be best that I do not, I just want to make sure-” She stopped and turned her head to glance out of the window before looking back to Mikhail.
“That there are no plans for Selen or Clan Arcona from… Kadnikov’s Trading Company.”
Ten years. And still she fears the Family. Curious. What had she been through?
His face was a blank slate, yet it was obvious he was studying her face and the way she spoke. He was trying to pry any information out of her that he could without vocalizing. It was a few long beats before he moved, slowly stirring his iced drink with his straw.
“You must have been quite spooked, to fear a single Kadnikov as an Omen upon Arcona.” He took a sip. Whatever casual demeanor she’d seen him in prior was gone, replaced with this cold, sheer business persona. Which was real, it was unclear. Perhaps both, as her previous experiences with Kadnikovs would have proven to be fairly similar, especially when discussing potential sensitive matters.
“The Kadnikov Kompany does not bother with sharing its plans with everyone of its employees. That said, I am somewhat enlightened by what Interests the Kadnikovs about Arcona. Specifically, it’s scope. Something I am still trying to figure out.”
“Regardless, we are not anything to be concerned about. Where we operate, we spread wealth and quality of life. If we wanted to spread to selen, we would begin shipping goods to sell, which would only provide the market with affordable, quality options. If we wanted to move any operations here, we would do so over time. Time spent studying the market and its reaction to our products.”
“You could say that.” Evelyn responded honestly. She was never the one to hide her emotions or lie to anyone. If she didn’t want to reveal or answer anything, she wouldn’t. Mikhail started to explain more and she started to relax slightly. Her shoulders dropped and her brows were less furrowed.
“Even then, have to be careful. Selenians are still not…. Well. They are used to us by now but there are still some who wish to see us gone. If we break that thin ice, it may not bode well.” Evelyn knew of the history, considering she’s in the military. She remember being spat on, kicked, her hair pulled, etc. And she couldn’t hate them or blame them. But now… this was an era of peace but they must always tread lightly. She was just glad that Clan Arcona had decided to leave Eldar alone as a collective. There was a moment of silence and pause. He hasn’t completely ease her worries about him, but there was some load of. And that was of course, if he was telling the truth. Regardless.
“Thank you.”
He idly stirred his drink with his straw, eyes focused down on it as she spoke.
It took him a few seconds to speak again, obviously considering his words.
“If that is the case, I would recommend laying water to thicken the ice.” Whether or not she understood his idiom, he didn’t know. But it was a wisdom he’d offer regardless, out of seeming experience.
There was still the matter of what happened to her. If she had been truthful up to now, she knew something about the family. Something that scared her. What was it?
“I recall you saying you served.” The specific military didn’t matter to him. He was curious about something else. With a somber tone, he spoke again, lifting his face to look at her.
“What did you see?”
Before she could answer, his face rose to look at her and he asked what she saw. She closed her jaw quickly and shook her head. She was young and new. She knew there was a lot more going on but to have such a beast-
“You do not care about where or what I serve. I can tell.” She glanced at the caf at her cup. Not much left. She brought the cup to her lips, tilted her head back, and finished it off.
With that, she rose from her seat and glanced down at Mikhail, “That… is something that is going to my grave. Will that be all, Mr. Kadnikov?”
A few moments of silence, interrupted by slight shuffling as the Arkanian adjusted in his seat. He turned towards her, peering at her one last time. Committing her to memory. If she didn’t want to tell her tale, that was fine. But it didn’t lessen his curiosity.
“If you consider yourself lucky, you are correct. For reasons you may not know. I would advise, if ever you meet more Kadnikovs, avoid them. At least do not poke at them like you did me. I can accept “no”. Not all of my ilk share that quality. Keep your history to yourself, and they will not bother asking questions.”