The Ten of Swords (part 3 of 4)

Posted on Tue Nov 16th, 2021 @ 7:47am by Alison Bliss & Kindra Graham
Edited on on Sun Jan 23rd, 2022 @ 1:13pm

Mission: Li Shen's Bazaar
Location: Kindra's Shuttle
Timeline: enroute to Li Shen Bazaar

OOC: after 'Six of Cups'

Alison took a sip of the whiskey from her glass and smiled softly. "I never knew my parents. Biological one." She inhaled and slightly shrugged. "My father is unknown. My mother was a prostitute and she died giving birth. A commune of whores in a brothel on Hera raised me. That was my family. I had many mothers and fathers some enjoyed me calling them like that, others hated it, and so I called them aunts or uncles. There were also couple other kids around as contraception wasn't complete." She giggled. "I knew everything about the sex before I even started read and write and back then wearing clothes was only during Sunday... and I wholeheartedly hated it."

She took another sip of whiskey changing position flexing her legs. "Today it feels so distant. Peaceful." She sighed with melancholy. "I wouldn't say it was normal childhood but I felt loved and I was happy."

"And now you have a new family, on Fortune's Echo," observed Kindra. She was quiet for a time, sipping her whiskey. It was rare for the companion to allow herself to become inebriated – that would be a loss of control. But a pleasant buzz, with a good friend, that she could enjoy. Thinking about the other members of the crew, Kindra gave her friend a sly smile. "It seems you and Jonas have, uh, combined your exercise routines. You're both looking… fit."

Alison laughed before giving Kindra playful touch on the thigh. "Wo De Tian A, I see that since I am not a companion you are trying to get me do a bit kiss-and-tell, huh?" She asked considering if she should tell anything. Jonas seemed to be a person that wouldn't mind. "Yeah we do a bit of exercise routines together." She said with a gleeful smile. "I quite recommend it... but you two seem to know each other already. What's the story here? I mean... did it involve exercising?"

"I did not avail myself of Jonas' skill in that department, although I'm not surprised to hear he's earned your recommendation." Kindra grinned back at Alison, then she got more serious. "I hired him to be my bodyguard. We traveled together for about four weeks, and he saved my life more than once. He's a good man."

"A bodyguard..." Alison eyebrow shot up briefly. She wondered who might be stupid enough to attack a companion. If anything, attacking a companion was one of the few cardinal sins one could make in the Verse. Companions were basically sacred as long as they had protection of the Guild and going after them was one of the best ways to ruin oneself or worse. "I imagine there is a story here." She smiled softly. "Feel like share it?"

"It's a long story that started with Walter's death on Persephone six months ago. I got myself into trouble in Eavesdown Docks, and Jonas stepped in. Then, I needed protection from Margaret and Walter's son – my stepbrother Jim Buccleuch - and Jonas needed a job. And now the short of it is, Walter gave me something to pass along to my biological father, so now I'm looking for him. And it seems my stepbrother wants it and is looking for me."

Kindra took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "I did submit a complaint to the Guild, based on a stipulation in Walter's will, but Jim is influential. If I die under suspicious circumstances, the Guild will have him investigated." She drained her whiskey glass, then crossed the room and opened a decorative box next to the bed. Kindra returned to where Alison lounged on pillows and handed her an old-fashioned palm-sized wooden frame with two photos - her mother and father. "My biological parents."

Alison took the picture frame and glanced at the picture in it. She looked at an unfamiliar woman and the very much familiar man. She didn't hide surprise on her face, mixed with a bit of distant pain and slight steely edge. "Is your biological father by any chance going by the name Kinmont?" She asked looking up at Kindra and her face softened. She held the frame so she could easily glance on the picture now and then.

She saw the recognition on Alison's face, along with her negative reaction. "That's right. His name is Kinmont Armstrong." A bundle of conflicting emotions rose in the Kindra - hope, fear, even jealousy. She sat on a cushion facing Alison and poured herself another dram, then offered the bottle to her friend. "You… know him? Have you seen him recently?"

Alison took the offered bottle and glanced at the picture again for a longer time. She could sense Kindra's emotions almost physically. It was nothing surprising considering the subject. She put the frame gently next to her leg at the angle she could see the picture and poured herself whiskey. Only then, Alison looked at Kindra. Her friend had the right to know. "If by recent mean war then yes. But that was the last time I've seen him. So yes, I know him. I know him very well."

Kindra waited for Alison to continue. The Unification war ended in 2011, six years ago. She had interviewed a few other people, asking them about Kinmont, and one lead had taken her to Santo. When Alison didn't continue, Kindra tried not to sound like she was pleading when she prompted, "I was three years old, last time I saw him. What can you tell me about my father?"

Alison eyes met Kindra's looking suddenly very much focused, warm but at the same time guarded. She knew that Kindra could easily read her and honestly, she didn't want to pretend or lie. It was clearly in Alison’s body language. At the same time though she wasn't sure she could say everything about Kinmont. It wouldn't be right toward him. She slowly sighed and took a big swig of the whiskey before she spoke again. "He was my regular client." She said and let it linger for a moment, long enough for Kindra to swallow it, but not long enough for her to act on the knowledge. "No. Nothing like what you might think. He needed companionship but also a cover. That second bit I learned later and by then I didn't mind. I reached the point I wanted in. I wanted... revenge. We worked together a few times." Alison paused and sighed again. "For the cause. For the freedom. For the justice. For what each of us believed. We... developed a friendship but while he was a charmer, he was a goal-oriented, focused man. The only soft spot he had was for your mother and you... although back then I didn't know you was... you." Alison giggled and changed position. "Jao Gao, that would be awkward, now as I think we could land in bed together."

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