Just One More Thing

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric stood on the landing platform of Bestine's largest private spaceport, his arm was bandaged and in a sling, his jacket was puffed slightly from the bandages beneath his clothes, and he stood with a cane leaning to his left side. Pain still pressed in from his leg and pretty much everywhere else on his body, but he wore a smile anyway.

There was a certain happiness in him, a certain joy.

Things hadn't gone well over the past few days, in fact he would argue they were some of the worst of his life, yet...it was all about to improve. He had been planning this for a few weeks now, had been putting it all together. He talked with his daughters, he had spoken with them and asked them, gained their approval and pushed forward with everything else. Construction had finished and days ago he had retrieved the ring. There had been a slight bump in the road, but now...now things would be improving. The smile turned into a smirk, a slight giddiness erupting in his chest as he saw a VT-Sliver dash across the sky towards the landing pad in front of him.

Alric had retrieved her flight data of course, Bestine's government being more than happy to supply him with anything he needed by now.

They were happy to indulge him in small favors after what he had done for them, and a single flight plan was simple enough.

Of course seeing her ship made him want to reach for the ring in his pocket, check that it was still there. He half forgot that his arm was a sling until the pain lanced through his shoulder, his bandaged hand wiggling slightly as he realized it would be rather hard to retrieve the ring. A frown crossed his lips for half a second as he glanced at his cane. His head shook from side to side. "Will have to improvise."

The words where barely a whisper over the sound of the Sliver touching down in front of him, the heavy repulsors whirring loudly as the ship pressed its metal struts against the landing pad.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

I’m gonna kill him.

The whine down of the engines as the VT-Silver powered down would be mere white-noise to Danger’s rolling ire. The past few days she had been worried sick. Alric told her he’d be gone a couple of days, that he had some work to take care of. All seemingly normal, nothing to be concerned about. At least that’s what she’d been telling herself.

It all started about a month back. Anyone could look at the Tetan and think he was being his normal self, but Danger knew something was up. With a lifetime of dealing with other people, doing business, and reading folk, there was something there. Normally, neither really bothered the other on matters of business, but things were rather open when it dealt with the subject around their home. There had been no real concern about the theft of the other’s company innovative ideas or the like; more than anything Arceneau Trade and Vanir were working closer together for the betterment of the ‘Verse.

So when he started to follow up a call to his comm with a press of his lips to her temple and a quick apology as he took the call elsewhere, things… well.. things just didn’t seem right. It worried her. Worried her something fierce. Any other she’d be keen on taking it to them straight and figure out what was going on, but that man had a way of making her feel vulnerable and bare for some kind of hurting.

It frustrated her at times. Frustrated her as much as she loved hearing him finally say that he loved her. That had been a cherished memory, certainly a time she’d never forget.

But it didn’t quell that naggin thought in the back of her mind that liked to worm at the edges, blackening with doubt. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure if that would ever go away. That fear. At times, one could even say that Danger Arceneau had been under the shade of self preservation for so long, she knew no other way to live. The path that had taken them to this point had been a long, hard, and often riddled the the the woman attempting to pull back and keep her distance only to get drawn back in again.

So when he started acting off, it unsettled her, but she smiled, let it be. Maybe she was walking the line of caution, but she didn’t want to unbalance what she had. Was it self preservation? Yes. Was it an attempt to coast through her fear? Absolutely.

Yet that went to the Nine Hells when he hadn’t given her his usual call or picked up his comm two days later. He wasn’t with Lily nor Rose, the Noghri informed her of that. Nor was he anywhere that she could find. It only got worse when not one of the Saeva counterparts could even tell her where he was.

Needless to say, Kiran didn’t get a cordial Danger on his comm line at all...

I’m going to kill him myself!

A rather blood-thirsty musing, that was for sure, but Danger was wont to go off like Baradium, but when one added the hot mess of worry, well… that was a crate of volatile ordnance ready to explode.

When he finally called, all he had to say was to not ask questions and make it to Bestine as soon as she could. That comm call had been a chaotic cocktail of emotions. She was angry and worried. Concerned and full of relief. A dire desire to hold him close conflicting with the itch to smack him somethin’ fierce. Was he okay? Where did he go? What happened?

The man was tightlipped as ever and she wasn’t to happy about that. So much so her state of dress would make that clear. There was no figure hugging dress. No wide brim hat canted a becoming angle at the top of her head. No flattering high heels to soften her walk. Instead, she she looked like a weathered spacer, such a contrary vision to be exiting down the ramp of the sleek and shiny VT- Silver. Her hair was plaited in a thick ponytail at the nap of her neck, with tendrils of silvered tipped auburn hair feathering the sides of her face. Well worn slacks, a muslin beige button up blouse, and her weathered tan leather jacket that hung unzipped.

Green caught sight of blue, and that anger she felt bubble within dropped into the sea of anxiety and concern. Well maybe Alric should be happy about having his arm in a sling and the other holding a cane. It quelled the immediate desire to line his hide with a few extra holes and instead brought the Queen of Trade over to the Tetan in a rush of distress and alarm. She caught the dark circles under his eyes. His arm in a sling. The weighted stance and the use of the cane. His face was bruised, had several cuts and scrapes that decorated the old. It was as if he'd been dragged through the Nine Hells and back, barely living to survive the tale.

Tears stung her eyes, and all that anger, all her ire and vexation washed away as her arms went wrapping around the Old Tetan to draw him close. All that was left was just utter relief as she asked ,
“Are you alright?!”

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He let out a silent 'oof' as her arm went slipping around him.

The pain shot through him almost instantly, broken ribs screaming out as she pressed and surrounded him, immediately trying to give him comfort and aid. The old man didn't try to wave her off, didn't try to send her away or warn her of the pain he was feeling. He couldn't bare doing that, couldn't make her leave his arms...or rather, couldn't make himself leave hers. He let out a relaxed sigh for a moment, his body slumping against hers. A hiss passed through his teeth, one of pain as his ribs objected to the pressure, yet he didn't care. There was a need to simply hold her, to have her in his arms. His weight left his cane and his arm snaked around her, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"I'm alright." It was a whisper, though clearly there was a lot of emotion behind his voice. "Really, I am."

He was, mostly anyway. There would be a little permanent damage, but at his age he was lucky it was only a little. The shot to his leg had been damaging, very much so. Several of the nerves within his thigh had been utterly burned away and some of the muscles weren't likely to recover for some time. He would likely need a cane for the rest of his life, though he supposed that such a thing had been inevitable as he got older. He didn't mind truthfully, it made him look distinguished. "I'll tell you everything that happened, I promise, but first there's something I want to show you."

He would tell her everything.

Secrets were not their way, though he had been keeping one from her over the last month, and he could bear it no longer.

Alric needed to get that one last secret off of his chest, he needed to show her, then ask her what he had intended for so long. The tightness in his chest began to grow again, nerves beginning to fray slightly. He was unsure, unsure if she would answer yes, if she would go with him. He knew that she had been worried, that she had likely been, but he hoped to make up for that, he hoped to see her smile and maybe even go weak in the knees.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Danger drew back, hearing the hiss of pain streaming from his lips, the strained gruffness in his voice. There was a grimace of pain washing over his angular features, but he just seemed to sink against her. Gentling her embrace, she helped him steady himself. Her green eyes would sweep over him, appraising every cut, bruise, and synth flesh bandage.

The rest of the 'verse was simply in the back of her mind. She didn't even register where they were at. She didn't care. Her only thought was of Alric's wellbeing.

"That can wait," she told him, and the stubborn expression that settled on her face relayed she was making a decision. "We're going home." Where he should be. Where she could look after him.

Then, when she was satisfied he was okay, make some calls. Some very, very irate information gathering calls.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric started shaking his head.

"No." For a moment one might have mistaken the over fifty year old man for a small child. "Nope. No. No way."

Home sounded good, at least partially. Laying in bed would have been a godsend, being lazy for the next month would have been heaven incarnate...but seeing this through, watching her smile, the look in her eyes, it would be better then that. The reality was that he had to do this, it was what had kept him alive, what had pushed him forward and what had allowed him to escape the hell that he had gone through. Alric simply refused to to leave now, not when he was so close. "Afraid not madam. You're coming with me even if I have to carry you."

Childish, yes, but effective.

He wanted to show Danger what he had done, what he had created for her. It was ambitious, grand, and only the beginning set piece in the next part of their story.

Alric knew that, he knew what would happen, what she would answer him with. The tightness in his chest slowly began to fade away, his face grew into a contorted mask of confidence, pride and stubbornness that could turn all the sand on Tatooine to glass. He would see this through, even if he had to hurt himself by carrying her the four blocks.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Inari have mercy!

Well her chin went jutting out, and there was a ferocity in her eyes that flared with the light of the Twin Suns and a stubbornness to match any Corellian native. That slow boiling anger that had quelled in the crash of her concern was starting to simmer again. After all her fretting and all the trouble she went through to find out what in the Nine Hells had happened, he was saying no? Through all her panic, and doubts, and all that hot mess to see him here before hurtin' and lookin' worse for the wear, he was saying no?

"Well doubt you can do much with one arm pinched up tight," she pointed out the sling with terse words, heat rising over her face and tinting her cheeks pink. Freckles stood stark against the tiny fine lines that were scattered over her face and at the corners of her eyes. There was no way he was going to be able to carry her with only one arm, broken and bruised ribs, and what else have you that required a cane for him to walk. She was getting upset, visibly so. Did he not see that he needed rest? Didn't he see that fightin' her tooth and nail for whatever blasted thing was secondary to him getting home?!

Her chest rose, and she shook her head once more.

"We're going home." one titan would crash onto the next, a clash of wills despite the rather cocky expression of confidence on this face. Really? He had her this worried and all he can do is look like the Nexu that drank the cream? There was no gorram reason to be on Bestine, and with every second that ticked past she was feeling her exasperation and frustration rear its ugly head.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He let out a sight, trying to steady himself well enough that he could look into her eyes without having to hunch himself down on the cane.

"Danger." His voice was stern, more serious now. There was a certain vibrance around him, an air of calm, of want, and most importantly of love. He wasn't telling her what to do so much as he was asking, pleading. He wanted this, he wanted this more than anything in the world. "Please."

Alric looked deep into her eyes, his own bright blues turning to nearly the size of saucers. "Just indulge me, just this once. I promise you won't regret it, and if you do, you can keep me in bed for the next two years if you want."

He needed this to happen, he wanted it to happen.

There was no way he was leaving Bestine without showing her, without asking her. It wasn't even an option.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Her shoulders rose as she took a deep breath, a slight tremble running through her body as the adrenaline high of her anger and worry crashed against the cocktail of emotions Alric brought out in her. It was the plea in his cobalt blue eyes. The way his entire body practically thrummed with this singular objective despite her objections. It twisted knives into her heart and seemed to just cut out parts of her soul.

How anyone could have such power over another was enough to make any one question their sanity. Unable to look at him for a moment, she shut her eyes, cinching them tight as both hands rose to rub her face. Maybe it was the climax of it all, the strain she felt from before he left, to the fear in the wake of his disappearance, and just the relief to see that he was okay. Whatever it was, it made her eyes sting hot and honestly, she felt this exasperated desire to scream. If there was anyone who could get her this flabbergasted with frustration and anger, it was Alric Kuhn.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she gave a heavy exhale and her shoulders sank. That fine tremble grew into a visible shake of her hands. Yet nothing was a poignant or damning as when her fingers fell away, and red-rimmed tear filled eyes of Danger fell over the blurry form of the nearly broken Tetan.

"A-lric," her voice cracked, hoarse and thick with the misery she'd felt the past few days. No mask there, not careful bearing of her emotions. No cordial smile nor tantalizing grin. She was just a woman. A woman strung high and tight and barely able to hold it together.

"I-" ... just want to go home.

But there was no budging him. That stifling pressure increased in her chest and something seemed to break. What she said next fell low and hollow.

"Alright."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

It would be worth it. Everything she was feeling now, everything she was thinking, it would be worth it. That was what he had to say to himself, that was what he had to tell himself. In the end she would see, she would know why, that was what he needed. He just needed her to see what he wanted, what this was all about, why this had happened. A slow nod would carry his chin down and softly he would press his lips against her forehead. "It'll be alright."

He loved her with all of his heart, and after today even she wouldn't be able to dispute it.

His hand came up and gently looped around her own for a moment, his cane leaning against his thigh. He gave her palm a gentle squeeze, then let go. Slowly he picked up the piece of wood and began to carry himself towards the nearby speeder. A man stood there, holding the door open. Danger kept her hands on Alric, carefully guiding him as they walked. As exasperated as she was, as tired as she was, she still loved him. Her hands gently slid around him, guiding him to sit down in the open topped speeder.

As soon as both of them were settled the driver took off, his hands guiding the speeder expertly through the streets.

The journey wouldn't take long, no time at all in fact. That had been planned when it had been built, so that the structure wouldn't fall too far away from the spaceport or the main entrances of the city. That way everyone could reach it easily. Alric had wanted it that way because he had known Danger would.

Quickly, within two minutes of their departure the building came into view.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

There was a strange numb feeling. Like when one's arm fell asleep after laying on it the wrong way, pinching nerves and cutting off the circulation of blood so it felt limp as a noodle. Without support.

The strain of the past few days weighted heavy on the woman and the man sitting next to her felt it. The blunt fingers of his hand would tighten along those of her own, offering reassurance while his gaze silently told her to please trust him.

It would be alright.

Far more easier said than done, but she quietly humored him, weary to the bone. Had it none been for the sheer breadth in size of the solarium glasteel building, Danger would have missed it in her emotional wrung out state. However, with the rays of Bestine's sun shinning down and glinting off the polished surface of the glasteel, it was hard to ignore the seemingly fiery glow that reflected off of it and across the water that surrounded it.

So much, that she didn't realize that all this time, Alric had been watching her. Not only because of the reassurance, but due to the desire to see the expression dawn across her face as she first set eyes upon the construct he had so diligently toiled over in secret.

A quizzing scrunch of her brow marred the surface of her forehead, tendrils falling away from her eyes. Confusion came first. This wasn't here before, came the internal muse, puzzled at the wonder. She had recently come to Bestine to open a Kolto underwater facility near Tusken Island. If anything, her time during her stay would have informed her of this particular construct.

As they drove closer, that only became all the more evident as the minute details of the architecture and the sheer magnitude in size of the establishment loomed before them as the speeder took a turn towards it.

What was that?

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The speeder drew closer and closer, closing in on the structure and eventually wrapping around it. The pilot took the vehicle all the way around the building, spinning it around so that Danger could view all of it. Alric himself had only seen it completed once before, shortly before he had gone to retrieve the ring in fact.

He had needed to set something special in place.

The building wasn't open yet, the signs for it's grand reveal were not in place. There was no label on the building, but as they looped around it was clear that the massive Solarium Glasteel structure was indeed their destination. The Speeder looped around once more, then slowly carried them towards the back docks of the massive Archives. Slowly they landed, Alric still watching Danger out of the corner of his eyes to try and gauge her reaction, to try and see what she would say.

The doors slowly folded open.

There was a hint of pride in him as the building loomed over them, rays of them sun striking the sparkling water around then and reflecting off of the building itself. The structure had an odd beauty to it, it's curved lines and massive marble columns were enough to take ones breath away.

For a moment, Alric simply sat there. The pain was still in him, specifically his ribs, but the sight of a breathless and rather confused Danger made him forget about that. He smiled, then gently rubbed his good hand just above her knee. Bright vibrant eyes shot towards him, half in shock and half in confusion. Alric simply smiled, that easy reassuring smile that he had carried whenever he tried to convince her of something. "Come on, there's something you need to see inside."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

She helped him to his feet, stepping out of the speeder and onto the dock. "Careful," she reminded him, caution tinging the low rasp of her voice. Her curiosity, confusion, and his insistence to bring her inside the structure left Danger at a loss. She handed him his cane, felt him draw her close to encourage Danger to keep moving forward.

"What is this place?" She finally would ask, frowning. This much solarium glasteel would warrant a contract. A pretty hefty one at that. Alric didn't answer right away, he only shined her that reassuring smile. If he could do so, he'd have held her hand, but for now he was content. Soon.

They slowly and carefully ambled past the enormous columns. Danger's confusion only multiplied once they arrived inside; while the walls and the craftsmanship of the design of the structure radiated from all directions, it was all seemingly for naught.

The soft tap of Alric's came echoed among marble and glasteel, easing to a halt as they reached the middle of the atrium.

An empty atrium.

"I don't understand." She finally told him, staring at the old Tetan with puzzled eyes. Is an empty building, really where he has wanted to take her?

 

[Alric Kuhn]

A smile carried on his face still, that same smile that was so confident. The atrium was empty, of course, much like the rest of the building. They had passed two large desks on their way in, but beyond that there was nothing. A tall arch pressed against the ceiling just before them and behind that walls and hallways began to stretch to the left and the right. Directly ahead of them was a large set of double doors that were made of solid wood, both inscribed with beautiful floral patterns. Alric tightened his grip on his cane, a bit of vitality returning to him as he began to lead her forward towards a small pedestal in the center of the room. He shifted slightly, touching the pedestal and leaning against it.

"Just wait." His voice was calm, and he offered her the cane.

She took it, albeit slowly, weary of having him fall to the ground.

For a moment Alric fiddled with the the pedestal, a display coming to life on it. He made sure that Danger could not see it, hiding it away from her as he began to tap certain commands and key in certain bits of information. It only took a few seconds, and then the pedestal gave a beep. Alric smiled, swiping the screen so that it would sleep and turn dark. The old Tetan shifted, gently grasping his cane from Danger and leading her into the center of the room.

"Ok." The silence within the hall was deafening, and then suddenly, a whirring could be heard. It was impossibly quiet, and the only reason one could hear it was because Danger and Alric had been absolutely still. "Watch."

In an instant, the room began to change. Hundreds, thousands of holoprojectors, lights, and ambiance machines sprang to life. Color washed through the room, a grand display forging itself. Within a few seconds images and shapes began to form, small biting pixels turned into vines, trees, grass, and even animals. Within half a moment the Atrium was filled to the brim with green, yellow, purple, every color imaginable as the holo-projectors and other machines turned the massive empty space into a huge display of wildlife. Within a breaths time, Alric and Danger stood within the greatest jungle garden that one could ever imagine.

High above them, scrawled with deep green vines that stretched across the massive arch were four words.

"The Arceneau Cultural Archives"

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Emotionally exhausted and confused, Danger wasn't quite sure what this was all about to begin with. It didn't help when he became more animated, driven really, those last few seconds before the room dimmed. Her head gave a tilt, quizzingly staring at the Old Tetan, but his soft encouraging smile amidst a face full of bruises encouraged her to simply wait and watch. What happened next took her breath away in growing wonder.


It was a strange feeling. Surreal to be frank. It brought to mind the holographic gallerias at the Ralltiir National Museum. Only that this... this was on a far grander scale. For a moment, she felt quite small, like a tiny grain of sand strung across a vast beach. Green eyes would widen as awe transformed her face, a sharp inhale relaying her surprise. She was thunderstruck at the vivid holographic representations of various flora surrounding them. Bright, vibrant hues so life-like, and almost tangibly real that it left her stunned.

The redhead was captivated by the intricacies and detail of the verdant jungle garden, "What in..." wonder thickened her husky voice, fading as she took a half step in a turn. Her jaw went slack, and one hand came up to hover just over her lips. All the while, Alric stood there, drinking in the dawning realization that bathed Danger's face, his hand tightening upon the crown of his cane as he simply watched her, mesmerized.

"How..."

There was so much to take in. Far too much than a slow turn panning the breadth and depth of the fully immersible holographic could register. Her right foot took her a step forward, and her eyes went drifting towards the ceiling. Her forehead puckered, and she began to blink rapidly, as if the mere motion would prompt the deep green vines to disappear. When they didn't, comprehension would illuminate in the depths of those emerald eyes.

The exact magnitude of this chamber, this building, the entire complex sent a chill down her spine. The tiny hairs at the nape of her neck rose, and a knot in her throat grew.

"Alric..." her voice was hoarse with emotion, and once again, tears pricked the membrane. What was it with age and emotions? Everything seemed to have a tremendous affect on her, all the more when it dealt with Alric Kuhn.

"...why?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He hadn't expected that question. Danger knew him well enough to know that he did things because he wanted to, because he felt they were right. In the back of her mind she would likely remember the Opera House, remember what she had done or him. This wasn't just about that however, it wasn't about paying her back.

It was so much more.

"Because I love you." It was really the only explanation that he needed. "Because I wanted to show what we've done was worth it."

The Black Codex had made all of this possible, had allowed Alric to build this place. The information taken from the Codex had been invaluable to the Archives and was what had sourced nearly all of the holographic displays. Even this one, the grand jungle, was simply a representation of data on Felucia that the Star Cabal had recovered at some point.

Now people would be able to freely access that data. Millions would be educated and taught for the benefit of all the people in the galaxy. It was a small way to make up for what they had had to do in the past. "But mostly..."

For a moment Alric trailed off, his hand becoming sweaty around his cane. "I needed the right venue."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

It was so strange still to hear him say it. Three tiny words that could bring her such joy and yet tear her apart. Her lower lip began to quiver, and she couldn't help but give a nervous laugh. Years ago, decades even, she had presented him with a similar gift. The reconstruction of a historic Opera House on Empress Teta. There was more to it then than met the eye, it had been one of the few locations that they'd had rendezvous in. The rare moments where a few hours were spent in each others company.

Neither had honestly known what it meant to love then. Each were behind their own carefully crafted walls. Alric had a fear of commitment, a lust for life and to simply enjoy the game. Danger... Danger had carried the previous betrayals and her fear of being hurt again to the point of making it near impossible to truly connect or communicate her wants and desires then. Broken, really, and both understood that.

Decades later, here they were. Older, experienced, at the peak of their accomplishments and perhaps wizened to what had once been taken for granted or held back in fear. Rubbing her fingers into a small fist, Danger nervously chewed upon the fullness of her lower lip.

... Because I wanted to show what we've done was worth it...

So much history. So much that had occurred between she and he. The Star Cabal, the Black Codex, Corellia, Tatooine... then what came after. His withdraw, her broken trust, and then the silence two decades splintered between them.

"Well, reckon you win this round if we are comparing venues." it was a reference to the Opera House, one that finally managed to quirk a ghost of amusement over her lips. Her head would pan, turning to scan the holograms floating around them. She heard the faint clipping sound of his cane as he took a step closer, ambient sounds of the jungle barely heard from the advanced speakers.

A bright canary yellow holographic flower lightly swayed within a ghostly wind, and Danger's hand fell from her mouth down to hover over it.

"You used the Codex." she said simply, awareness and realization coming to her. That is how this was even possible.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled down at her, stopping right behind her as she tried to touch the flower.

"I did." His voice was barely a whisper. "It took time, but the data was sorted, sifted through. Millions of petabytes, all of it stored here. Thousands of rooms, most smaller than this but all capable of the same thing. It can all be accessed, all the sorted information. Places, people, battles, historically important events, everything the Star Cabal was present for, everything they'd recorded. The people who come here can see it all."

The word sorted would clue Danger in that this was all safe, that he hadn't released some great galactic secrets or dangerous notions. She would be smart enough to know that Alric would never do that. No, the information that was within the Archives was safe. Knowledge was always dangerous, but Alric had taken careful steps this time around.

The Tetan leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I need you to do something else for me."

His words where a whisper, his heart thumped in his chest, his head began to spin.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

It was truly a wonder. A magnificent testimony of something good that came out of that wretched chapter of their life. It fit. It wouldn't make up for all that they'd done, the blood in their hands. But it was a start. It was enough to relax her shoulders and take an easy breath to.

No wonder he had been so insistent. Alric always was when it came to giving presents. Giddy like a youngling, ever anxious to show that which he had placed a depth of thoughtfulness into. It calmed the woman a bit, made her aware on why he had stubbornly asked for her to join him on Bestine. It did not, however, tell her what had occurred for him to require an arm sling and a cane.

She felt the press of his lips at the crown of her head, the barest shift of her hair as he asked for her aide. Turning towards him, she let her gaze settle over his bruised features, noticing the slight strain drift across his angular features. Concern rose, furrowing her brow, and she took a step closer.

"Alric, it's wonderful really," she confessed, genuine in her appreciation. "Thank you."...but we should go.

"Do you need help walking?" she asked, then immediately continued with a chide. "I told you we should just go home." she reminded him, moving to attempt to help him walk back from where they came. The structure, the holograms, really, everything was enough to leave her breathless and in awe, but it didn't hold any level of importance as Alric's well being.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He shook his head. "No, not that."

His voice was soft, but strained with nerves. As she attempted to move him Alric instead stood in place, motioning her with a slight nuzzle of his nose against the top of her head. For a moment he didn't say anything, his voice caught in his throat, his words stuck there. He wasn't quite sure how to do this, how to say it. The difficulty was that he couldn't use both of his hands, that getting to his knee would be near impossible.

"I need you to get something for me." His lips started moving without his command. "In my inner right jacket pocket."

Part of him wanted to collapse right there, nerves fraying as he continued to speak. "Take it out, but don't open it yet."

Inside of the pocket Danger would find a small velvet box, black and neatly flattened.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger felt herself getting frustrated again. A scowl of disapproval would mar her brow, and she found herself taking a deep exasperated breath. What else was there? Common sense would lead one to believe that perhaps what he meant for her to pluck out was some sort of controller. Seeing as how they were standing in the middle of the largest holographic chamber that would rival the late Hologram Fun World, that made the most sense.

"And then can we go home?" she asked, bringing her hands up to part his jacket with her fingers. The rustle of fabric and the slip of skin against the soft steel grey lining came next. All the while, Danger gave a shake of her head. How he could frustrate her so!

However, instead of finding warm metal, her fingertips would brush a thin, flat leather box. She gave a small frown, curling her fingers around it and pulling it from the inner jacket pocket. The holographic lights around them would fall upon a thin flat box, almost the same size as the platinum cigarrillo case she owned. Her brow furrowed further in puzzlement.

Did he really want a smoke now?

"This?" she would query to confirm, holding it out in front of him quizzingly.