Alric Kuhn
Handsome K'lor'slug
“Is it ready?”
His voice thrummed out, tainted with a tinge of depression at its very end. Gone was the arrogance, gone was the cockiness, gone was the permeating sound of charm and flow. His eyes were weary, black circles lining beneath them, heavy lids folded over them. His beard looked disheveled and his hair looked as though it hadn't been cut in weeks. His clothes were all but rags, dirty and with small tears in them.
“Yes sir.”
A voice echoed behind him, and Alric nodded.
“Good.” Slowly his eyelids folded open, bright blue eyes rimmed with red stared out into the scenery before him, watching smog roll between high rises and huge expansive buildings. His lips thinned, and slowly he turned away from the window and wandered towards the center of the room. “Kiran made all of the arrangements?”
He already knew the answer to that. Kiran wouldn't let him down, not now, not with what had happened and with everything at stake. There was no question about the Zeltrons reliability, and they both had everything to gain, and everything to lose if this went wrong.
With slow deliberate steps he made his way over towards the center of the room, there, a chair sat. It was an barbers chair, comfortable and cushioned, its plush leather backing colored a deep black. Alric reached out and touched it, grasping the top of the chair and driving his thumb into its comforting grasp. He smiled ruefully, then looked to the man behind the chair.
“Yes, Sir. He's made all the arrangements.”
Alric nodded.
There had never been any doubt in his mind to it, but it was still good to ask. Within the world of business checking something only once was a mistake that not many people could get away with, in fact it was what caused most corporations to fail, what caused most corporations to simply fold and die. He had learned that early on, though perhaps it had never really gotten through to him.
A small, sad, smile crossed his lips, and slowly he turned back towards the giant window. “What do you think, Frederick? Am I making a mistake?”
The man behind the chair shifted slightly, then stepped to Alric's side.
He was a lean man, rail thin almost. His hair was blonde, slicked back and clinging to his head by some sort of gel. He had no facial hair to speak of, and his eyes denoted the gaze of a sort of predatory hawk. He looked as though he was about ready to jump and kill anyone that came close. His clothes, unlike those of Alric, were pristine.
A black suite perfectly placed upon his shoulders. It seemed to cling to him almost too perfectly, as though the fine cottons and silks were part of his skin.
“That's not for me to say, Sir.”
Alric looked at the man, that same small smile creeping on his face. It wasn't something that had been there often as of late, not since...his head shook from side to side, and slowly Alric shifted his eyes back towards the window. The smog seemed to be getting thinner, and more and more of the city in front of them began to be revealed.
“Please take a seat, Sir.”
The former Titan looked back at the chair, then nodded.
Alric took a step back, then turned to the chair. Slowly, almost as if every bone in his body was causing him immense pain, Alric sat himself down. The plush leather gave way to him, shifting slightly beneath his bulk. The chair creaked as he settled himself.
“Come now, Frederick.” Alric intoned, those notes still playing through his voice. “I asked you a question. I know we haven't known one another for long, but I trust you, and I trust you'll give me your honest opinion.”
Frederick shifted slightly, looking at Alric for a moment before simply wandering off.
The rail of a man seemed to disappear into the blackness of the room, the skin like black suite hiding him well within the darkness as he moved through the unlit chamber. A moment later he returned, in his hands he carried a small folded table. Silently he undid the clasp upon it, unlocking the stands and placing the table just behind Alric before disappearing once again.
A minute passed, and again Frederick reappeared, this time a black suitcase within his hands.
He placed the box upon the table, the sound of locks could be heard opening. Alric tensed for half a second, then the sound of a lid opening could be heard.
“You loved her.”
The words stung for some reason, like a wasp pressing its jaws into his neck. The former Titan shifted again, moving in the chair as the sound of snapping cloth could be heard. A black silk sheet made an appearance in Fredericks hands, as though he had conjured it out of thin air. For a moment it hung before him as he inspected it, then slowly he draped it over Alric.
The sheet settled itself into place, and the sound of knots being tied scraped at Alrics ears. He shifted his neck slightly, his hand grasping at one of the chairs armrests as he resisted the temptation to scratch the area the knots rested upon.
“Sometimes, we must accept that those we love leave us. Whether it is by forces we control, or ones that we cannot.”
Succinct words, ones that hit home.
“Speaking from experience?” It sounded like a jab, but there was no hint of anger or jealousy or rage upon Alric's face.
Frederick didn't react, or rather, his face did not change and his hands continued upon their path. One palm reached into the box, pulling a comb from the confines of the black container. The other retrieved a small bottle with a spray nozzle attached to its top.
“Yes.”
The man again answered in that same neutral tone of his. He shifted about Alric, slowly beginning to spray the contents of the bottle onto Alric's hair. The comb came next, etching out knots of hair and pulling free black locks.
“You didn't answer my question, Frederick.” Alric said with a small smile on his face.
The comb pulled with the same motions as it had before. Again the other man did not react, simply doing his work. Slowly the tangled mess upon Alrics Head began to unfold, forming and shifting to its more flattened state.
“No I didn't, Sir.”
Frederick answered evenly, walking around to Alrics front and continuing his work with the most meticulous of hands. He seemed to flow and shift like water, his hands graceful, and his body blending seamlessly with every action that he took. Everything he did, every move of his palms or twitch of his finger seemed to be meticulously planned and calculated, as though it were thought about hours ago.
“Please do.” Alric said calmly, his voice still tinged with dread.
“No. You are not making a mistake, Sir.”
Alric looked at the man as he shifted and moved around to Alric's back.
“Please keep still, Sir.”
Chided, the former Titan slowly looked back towards the window, watching as the smog thinned more and more, drifting between massive sky scrapper and scratching at the streets below.
For a moment he remained silent, letting Frederick comb out each and every knot within his hair, letting the man pull free the matted mess of weeks of no care. He didn't move, he didn't shift or try to scratch, he didn't even flinch with minor pain as Frederick pulled free a particularly strong knot within his raven black hair, now speckled with gray.
“Why?” Alric said finally as a gust of wind pressed and bent the transparisteel. “Why do you think so?”
His voice was desperate, as if he was speaking to a figure of authority, as if Frederick somehow held some sort of answers for him. Again the man did not speak, instead he pulled free the last of the knots within Alric's hair, letting out a slight click of his tongue as he finally combed down the last wet wrinkle. For a moment, silence hung in the air.
The comforting noise of the spray bottle was gone, the work of the comb had stopped, and as he placed the objects down back into the case Frederick made no noise at all.
“You do what you are doing out of love, Sir.”
Those words caused Alric to shift, his eyes moving to look at the man.
“You left because of love. You knew that she would not last, you knew that you wouldn't. You knew that the two of you, given the pressure of the galaxy, would end in blood. Not by each others hands, but by those around you.”
As he spoke Frederick prepared something within the box. The scraping of metal could be heard as he placed two pieces of perfectly cut durasteel against one another, sliding a small pin screw into place and threading it through the metal.
There was a small clicking noises as the metal piece latched into place.
“You left because you loved her, and you are coming back because you love them.”
Alric took in a deep breath. It shuttered through him, causing his entire body to shake. Tears welled within his eyes for half a moment, before he quickly blinked them away, burying them deep within himself. “What if they won't have me back?”
The scrapping of metal against metal could be heard as Frederick tested the scissors that he had crafted. Over and over again he folded them closed before opening them again. The scraping scratches echoed within the empty room until finally the man was satisfied. He pulled the tool free, taking them in one hand a different comb in the other.
The metal bristles of the comb gently scraped against Alrics skull causing goosebumps to form against the cold metal and shoot down his spine. He shivered against, his fingers tightening against the armrest that they held.
“They will.”
Frederick intoned in the same neutral tone that he had held this entire time. Alric fought the urge to look at him, to see that confidence within his eyes. The scraping of metal against metal could be heard again, and he felt the first few bristles of hair fall down against his neck, brushing him as they fell to the floor and gathered there.
“It might take time, but they'll forgive you.”
For a moment Alric closed his eyes.
“They are your daughters, Sir.”
Alric listened carefully as the overtones of Fredericks speech seemed to coincide almost perfectly with the touch of metal against metal. The scissors seemed to slice at precise moments, cutting to punctuate and perfectly enunciate every single thing that the man said.
“There will be anger.”
His words again were punctuated by the slicing of the scissors.
“There will be rage, despair, and perhaps even depression. But you return to them out of love. Not because you need it, but because they will.”
Was that true? Alric wondered. Within the darkest nights, within those deep welling hours of despair, when he had first learned, when he had first been told...he had wondered if he needed his daughters more than they needed him. His selfishness had gotten the better of him, and he had wondered if he would break without them.
Though the truth was he was already broken.
His eyes opened, bright blue glaciers almost immediately locking on to the fixture of flowing smog before him. He watched as it twirled and swam around the high rise buildings, cutting and biting through the air as though it were nothing but the wind itself.
Alric released the armchair, a breath finally filling his lungs.
Perhaps Frederick was right, or perhaps his daughters would send him away. He supposed it no longer mattered, he knew that either way he would be there for them. That no matter what they said he would always be there, would always stand for them.
“In the end, Sir, you will come to realize that no matter if you made a mistake or not, you wont care.”
Alric scoffed. “I didn't realize you could tell the future, Frederick.”
The loud snip of the scissors echoed for a moment as Frederick slice through a thicket of Alric's hair. The man shifted slightly, stopping what he was doing to look at the former Titan within the reflection of the window.
“I can not, Sir.”
“I see.” Alric retorted. “So then I should take your statement as nothing but conjecture?”
A small smile crept upon Frederick's lips, the tinniest hint of joy. It was the only emotion that Alric had ever seen him display, the only thing that he ever got out of the man. Though it was true Alric hadn't been one for laughs as of late.
“No, Sir.”
Alric perked an eyebrow.
He wrapped his fingers around the armrest and made a noise of annoyance. Frederick had a habit of talking in circles, of avoiding what he did not want to say, and dancing around the topic of conversation until everything was exactly the way he wanted it to be for what he was about to say. Honestly it was impressive, and it was one of the reason why he had hired the man.
Yet when it was being used against him, when Frederick decided that such a thing was necessary, most often it ended with Alric yelling at him. His temper as of late had been short, and right now especially he was in no mood for games or the bandying of words. All he wanted was to know the mans thoughts, to know his opinions and ideas.
“I know you, Sir.”
The man spoke as if he truly was clairvoyant.
“The love you bear is unconditional. Whether it was towards you wife, your friends, or your daughters. I see you at night, I see you staring at that picture, I see you watching the holo-displays. I see you stand alone and the pain surrounding you crushes you into little pieces. I see how you are broken, fractured.”
Every word the man spoke was like a punch to the gut.
Perhaps he had lost his edge, perhaps he could no longer hide who he was or what he was thinking. Maybe he was just getting old. His eyes closed again, and his head shook slightly. Alric didn't even notice that Frederick had placed the scissors back in the box, having finished his work only a few minutes ago but still speaking in that neutral hypnotic tone.
“They are pieces of you.”
For a moment Frederick stopped working, choosing instead to look at Alric within the relfection once more.
“They will not make you whole. I do not know if you will ever be whole again, Sir.”
Again that stabbing truth. It was hard to admit, but every word that Frederick said was true, and every time he said something knew Alric felt as though it had been pulled from his own thoughts.
“But they will make you better.”
The stabbing pain went away, and Alric opened his eyes. For the briefest moment he saw them, for the briefest moment an image of Lily and Rose flashed across the pane of glass. Frederick was replaced, and in his stead stood twin redheads, both smiling, both a hand on his shoulders. He smiled back at the reflection, watching as it slowly faded away.
A small tear ran down his cheek, stopping at his disheveled beard. The sound of scraping metal could be heard once more and Frederick slowly wound his towards the front of Alric, obscuring the reflection that the former Titan had been watching so closely.
“Not a mistake then.” Alric said quietly, the same small sad smile cutting across his lips.
“Not a mistake, Sir.”
Frederick echoed him, squatting down and slowly using a metal comb to cut through Alric's rough beard. Within moments the sound of scraping scissors could be heard again, and quickly the rambling growth upon Alric's face was cut back.
There was no speaking this time, no bandying words, no little remarks or great conjectures. Alric simply let Frederick do his work, he simply allowed the man to cut and comb. It went quickly, and throughout it Alric closed his eyes. He thought about the past, the present, but most importantly the future. He thought about what was coming, what was going to happen, and how he would react.
This was not dejarik, this was not a game, the game was gone.
The final slice of the scissors could be heard. The scraping snip of metal echoed within Alric's ears, and then suddenly the clack of Frederick's shoes hitting against the marble floor could be heard.
The former Titan opened his eyes, looking up at the reflection once more. “Will you be coming with me, Frederick?”
The man did not answer. Instead he replaced his tools within the black box, slowly and meticulously putting them away. The scrape of metal echoed again and the pin that held the scissors together clanged as it fell into its spot within the box. A hand swept forward, a small brush placed neatly within it. The rough bristles bit into the soft silk sheets, and slowly Frederick swept away the hairs that had gathered upon Alric.
“No, Sir.”
The brush swept over Alric again and again, pushing away the snipped hairs and tossing them to the floor.
“Shame.” Alric said quietly. “I know a woman that would love to meet you.”
The same small smile crept across Fredericks face as he replaced the brush within the box. It was a knowing smile, a small smirk, but it didn't go further than that. The man was emotionless, almost completely neutral. It was amazing really, playing sabbac with the man would have been absolutely infuriating.
“I'm sure she's quite lovely, Sir, but I'm afraid the company of others does not suite me.”
Alric looked back at the man for half a second, frowning, then looked back at the glass reflection in front of him. The scraping of silk against itself could be heard as the knot at his back was slowly untied. The sheet that had been draped over him slid free seamlessly, moving as though it were flowing atop a river.
He was freed, but still he didn't move.
Alric waited as Frederick folded the sheet, moving it to the side and shaking it free of hair with one loud clap of cloth. The silk was then folded into a triangle, expertly organized and replaced within the black box.
“Odd.” Alric said quietly. “You've kept my company quite well.”
Frederick stopped.
He had a smaller brush within his hands, it was filled with tiny smooth bristles and its handle was carved from some sort of ivory. He looked at it, his hands, then at the reflection which featured Alric so well. His eyes shifted for half a second.
“Perhaps, Sir, I simply believe in helping those who need it.”
For a moment Alric closed his eyes again. It was a kind and compassionate thing to say. Was it the truth? He didn't know. He knew that he trusted Frederick, he knew that the man would never lie to him, would never betray him. Yet it seemed foolish to let him go, it seemed foolish not to bring him with. His lips thinned for a moment, and his head shook from side to side.
The soft bristles touched his neck, and slowly the last follicles of hair were pushed away.
“Then I'll return alone.” Alric said quietly. “Kiran will have everything ready. Vanir Technologies will be ready, Saeva will be prepared, everything will be in place.”
Frederick simply nodded, removing the brush from Alric and placing the tool back into the box. He shifted and tapped Alric on the shoulder, signaling that everything was ready. For a moment the old man simply lingered, his hand coming up to brush against his now closely cropped beard before running through his hair.
Slowly he stood from the chair.
“I've done this before, Frederick.” Alric said as he wandered away from the chair and towards the window, his steps deliberate and careful. “I've played this game so many times. I thought I was done with it, I thought I was finished.”
Frederick listened, though he slowly cleaned the area around him as he did so. Diligently and quickly the man seemed to remove every shred of evidence of the task that had been performed only moments before. It was like watching a ghost work.
“Perhaps it will be easier this time, Sir.”
Alric shifted and looked at the man, his hands clasping behind his back. For a moment he didn't say anything, he simply looked at Frederick considerably. He watched him sweep, piling the hair in place before carefully scooping it up. It was oddly hypnotic, oddly practiced and smooth. The former Titan shifted in place, turning back towards the window as his lips thinned.
The smog rolled around in front of him, pushed and pulled by wind. His words rang out, tinged with that same taint as before. “I doubt it.”
His voice thrummed out, tainted with a tinge of depression at its very end. Gone was the arrogance, gone was the cockiness, gone was the permeating sound of charm and flow. His eyes were weary, black circles lining beneath them, heavy lids folded over them. His beard looked disheveled and his hair looked as though it hadn't been cut in weeks. His clothes were all but rags, dirty and with small tears in them.
“Yes sir.”
A voice echoed behind him, and Alric nodded.
“Good.” Slowly his eyelids folded open, bright blue eyes rimmed with red stared out into the scenery before him, watching smog roll between high rises and huge expansive buildings. His lips thinned, and slowly he turned away from the window and wandered towards the center of the room. “Kiran made all of the arrangements?”
He already knew the answer to that. Kiran wouldn't let him down, not now, not with what had happened and with everything at stake. There was no question about the Zeltrons reliability, and they both had everything to gain, and everything to lose if this went wrong.
With slow deliberate steps he made his way over towards the center of the room, there, a chair sat. It was an barbers chair, comfortable and cushioned, its plush leather backing colored a deep black. Alric reached out and touched it, grasping the top of the chair and driving his thumb into its comforting grasp. He smiled ruefully, then looked to the man behind the chair.
“Yes, Sir. He's made all the arrangements.”
Alric nodded.
There had never been any doubt in his mind to it, but it was still good to ask. Within the world of business checking something only once was a mistake that not many people could get away with, in fact it was what caused most corporations to fail, what caused most corporations to simply fold and die. He had learned that early on, though perhaps it had never really gotten through to him.
A small, sad, smile crossed his lips, and slowly he turned back towards the giant window. “What do you think, Frederick? Am I making a mistake?”
The man behind the chair shifted slightly, then stepped to Alric's side.
He was a lean man, rail thin almost. His hair was blonde, slicked back and clinging to his head by some sort of gel. He had no facial hair to speak of, and his eyes denoted the gaze of a sort of predatory hawk. He looked as though he was about ready to jump and kill anyone that came close. His clothes, unlike those of Alric, were pristine.
A black suite perfectly placed upon his shoulders. It seemed to cling to him almost too perfectly, as though the fine cottons and silks were part of his skin.
“That's not for me to say, Sir.”
Alric looked at the man, that same small smile creeping on his face. It wasn't something that had been there often as of late, not since...his head shook from side to side, and slowly Alric shifted his eyes back towards the window. The smog seemed to be getting thinner, and more and more of the city in front of them began to be revealed.
“Please take a seat, Sir.”
The former Titan looked back at the chair, then nodded.
Alric took a step back, then turned to the chair. Slowly, almost as if every bone in his body was causing him immense pain, Alric sat himself down. The plush leather gave way to him, shifting slightly beneath his bulk. The chair creaked as he settled himself.
“Come now, Frederick.” Alric intoned, those notes still playing through his voice. “I asked you a question. I know we haven't known one another for long, but I trust you, and I trust you'll give me your honest opinion.”
Frederick shifted slightly, looking at Alric for a moment before simply wandering off.
The rail of a man seemed to disappear into the blackness of the room, the skin like black suite hiding him well within the darkness as he moved through the unlit chamber. A moment later he returned, in his hands he carried a small folded table. Silently he undid the clasp upon it, unlocking the stands and placing the table just behind Alric before disappearing once again.
A minute passed, and again Frederick reappeared, this time a black suitcase within his hands.
He placed the box upon the table, the sound of locks could be heard opening. Alric tensed for half a second, then the sound of a lid opening could be heard.
“You loved her.”
The words stung for some reason, like a wasp pressing its jaws into his neck. The former Titan shifted again, moving in the chair as the sound of snapping cloth could be heard. A black silk sheet made an appearance in Fredericks hands, as though he had conjured it out of thin air. For a moment it hung before him as he inspected it, then slowly he draped it over Alric.
The sheet settled itself into place, and the sound of knots being tied scraped at Alrics ears. He shifted his neck slightly, his hand grasping at one of the chairs armrests as he resisted the temptation to scratch the area the knots rested upon.
“Sometimes, we must accept that those we love leave us. Whether it is by forces we control, or ones that we cannot.”
Succinct words, ones that hit home.
“Speaking from experience?” It sounded like a jab, but there was no hint of anger or jealousy or rage upon Alric's face.
Frederick didn't react, or rather, his face did not change and his hands continued upon their path. One palm reached into the box, pulling a comb from the confines of the black container. The other retrieved a small bottle with a spray nozzle attached to its top.
“Yes.”
The man again answered in that same neutral tone of his. He shifted about Alric, slowly beginning to spray the contents of the bottle onto Alric's hair. The comb came next, etching out knots of hair and pulling free black locks.
“You didn't answer my question, Frederick.” Alric said with a small smile on his face.
The comb pulled with the same motions as it had before. Again the other man did not react, simply doing his work. Slowly the tangled mess upon Alrics Head began to unfold, forming and shifting to its more flattened state.
“No I didn't, Sir.”
Frederick answered evenly, walking around to Alrics front and continuing his work with the most meticulous of hands. He seemed to flow and shift like water, his hands graceful, and his body blending seamlessly with every action that he took. Everything he did, every move of his palms or twitch of his finger seemed to be meticulously planned and calculated, as though it were thought about hours ago.
“Please do.” Alric said calmly, his voice still tinged with dread.
“No. You are not making a mistake, Sir.”
Alric looked at the man as he shifted and moved around to Alric's back.
“Please keep still, Sir.”
Chided, the former Titan slowly looked back towards the window, watching as the smog thinned more and more, drifting between massive sky scrapper and scratching at the streets below.
For a moment he remained silent, letting Frederick comb out each and every knot within his hair, letting the man pull free the matted mess of weeks of no care. He didn't move, he didn't shift or try to scratch, he didn't even flinch with minor pain as Frederick pulled free a particularly strong knot within his raven black hair, now speckled with gray.
“Why?” Alric said finally as a gust of wind pressed and bent the transparisteel. “Why do you think so?”
His voice was desperate, as if he was speaking to a figure of authority, as if Frederick somehow held some sort of answers for him. Again the man did not speak, instead he pulled free the last of the knots within Alric's hair, letting out a slight click of his tongue as he finally combed down the last wet wrinkle. For a moment, silence hung in the air.
The comforting noise of the spray bottle was gone, the work of the comb had stopped, and as he placed the objects down back into the case Frederick made no noise at all.
“You do what you are doing out of love, Sir.”
Those words caused Alric to shift, his eyes moving to look at the man.
“You left because of love. You knew that she would not last, you knew that you wouldn't. You knew that the two of you, given the pressure of the galaxy, would end in blood. Not by each others hands, but by those around you.”
As he spoke Frederick prepared something within the box. The scraping of metal could be heard as he placed two pieces of perfectly cut durasteel against one another, sliding a small pin screw into place and threading it through the metal.
There was a small clicking noises as the metal piece latched into place.
“You left because you loved her, and you are coming back because you love them.”
Alric took in a deep breath. It shuttered through him, causing his entire body to shake. Tears welled within his eyes for half a moment, before he quickly blinked them away, burying them deep within himself. “What if they won't have me back?”
The scrapping of metal against metal could be heard as Frederick tested the scissors that he had crafted. Over and over again he folded them closed before opening them again. The scraping scratches echoed within the empty room until finally the man was satisfied. He pulled the tool free, taking them in one hand a different comb in the other.
The metal bristles of the comb gently scraped against Alrics skull causing goosebumps to form against the cold metal and shoot down his spine. He shivered against, his fingers tightening against the armrest that they held.
“They will.”
Frederick intoned in the same neutral tone that he had held this entire time. Alric fought the urge to look at him, to see that confidence within his eyes. The scraping of metal against metal could be heard again, and he felt the first few bristles of hair fall down against his neck, brushing him as they fell to the floor and gathered there.
“It might take time, but they'll forgive you.”
For a moment Alric closed his eyes.
“They are your daughters, Sir.”
Alric listened carefully as the overtones of Fredericks speech seemed to coincide almost perfectly with the touch of metal against metal. The scissors seemed to slice at precise moments, cutting to punctuate and perfectly enunciate every single thing that the man said.
“There will be anger.”
His words again were punctuated by the slicing of the scissors.
“There will be rage, despair, and perhaps even depression. But you return to them out of love. Not because you need it, but because they will.”
Was that true? Alric wondered. Within the darkest nights, within those deep welling hours of despair, when he had first learned, when he had first been told...he had wondered if he needed his daughters more than they needed him. His selfishness had gotten the better of him, and he had wondered if he would break without them.
Though the truth was he was already broken.
His eyes opened, bright blue glaciers almost immediately locking on to the fixture of flowing smog before him. He watched as it twirled and swam around the high rise buildings, cutting and biting through the air as though it were nothing but the wind itself.
Alric released the armchair, a breath finally filling his lungs.
Perhaps Frederick was right, or perhaps his daughters would send him away. He supposed it no longer mattered, he knew that either way he would be there for them. That no matter what they said he would always be there, would always stand for them.
“In the end, Sir, you will come to realize that no matter if you made a mistake or not, you wont care.”
Alric scoffed. “I didn't realize you could tell the future, Frederick.”
The loud snip of the scissors echoed for a moment as Frederick slice through a thicket of Alric's hair. The man shifted slightly, stopping what he was doing to look at the former Titan within the reflection of the window.
“I can not, Sir.”
“I see.” Alric retorted. “So then I should take your statement as nothing but conjecture?”
A small smile crept upon Frederick's lips, the tinniest hint of joy. It was the only emotion that Alric had ever seen him display, the only thing that he ever got out of the man. Though it was true Alric hadn't been one for laughs as of late.
“No, Sir.”
Alric perked an eyebrow.
He wrapped his fingers around the armrest and made a noise of annoyance. Frederick had a habit of talking in circles, of avoiding what he did not want to say, and dancing around the topic of conversation until everything was exactly the way he wanted it to be for what he was about to say. Honestly it was impressive, and it was one of the reason why he had hired the man.
Yet when it was being used against him, when Frederick decided that such a thing was necessary, most often it ended with Alric yelling at him. His temper as of late had been short, and right now especially he was in no mood for games or the bandying of words. All he wanted was to know the mans thoughts, to know his opinions and ideas.
“I know you, Sir.”
The man spoke as if he truly was clairvoyant.
“The love you bear is unconditional. Whether it was towards you wife, your friends, or your daughters. I see you at night, I see you staring at that picture, I see you watching the holo-displays. I see you stand alone and the pain surrounding you crushes you into little pieces. I see how you are broken, fractured.”
Every word the man spoke was like a punch to the gut.
Perhaps he had lost his edge, perhaps he could no longer hide who he was or what he was thinking. Maybe he was just getting old. His eyes closed again, and his head shook slightly. Alric didn't even notice that Frederick had placed the scissors back in the box, having finished his work only a few minutes ago but still speaking in that neutral hypnotic tone.
“They are pieces of you.”
For a moment Frederick stopped working, choosing instead to look at Alric within the relfection once more.
“They will not make you whole. I do not know if you will ever be whole again, Sir.”
Again that stabbing truth. It was hard to admit, but every word that Frederick said was true, and every time he said something knew Alric felt as though it had been pulled from his own thoughts.
“But they will make you better.”
The stabbing pain went away, and Alric opened his eyes. For the briefest moment he saw them, for the briefest moment an image of Lily and Rose flashed across the pane of glass. Frederick was replaced, and in his stead stood twin redheads, both smiling, both a hand on his shoulders. He smiled back at the reflection, watching as it slowly faded away.
A small tear ran down his cheek, stopping at his disheveled beard. The sound of scraping metal could be heard once more and Frederick slowly wound his towards the front of Alric, obscuring the reflection that the former Titan had been watching so closely.
“Not a mistake then.” Alric said quietly, the same small sad smile cutting across his lips.
“Not a mistake, Sir.”
Frederick echoed him, squatting down and slowly using a metal comb to cut through Alric's rough beard. Within moments the sound of scraping scissors could be heard again, and quickly the rambling growth upon Alric's face was cut back.
There was no speaking this time, no bandying words, no little remarks or great conjectures. Alric simply let Frederick do his work, he simply allowed the man to cut and comb. It went quickly, and throughout it Alric closed his eyes. He thought about the past, the present, but most importantly the future. He thought about what was coming, what was going to happen, and how he would react.
This was not dejarik, this was not a game, the game was gone.
The final slice of the scissors could be heard. The scraping snip of metal echoed within Alric's ears, and then suddenly the clack of Frederick's shoes hitting against the marble floor could be heard.
The former Titan opened his eyes, looking up at the reflection once more. “Will you be coming with me, Frederick?”
The man did not answer. Instead he replaced his tools within the black box, slowly and meticulously putting them away. The scrape of metal echoed again and the pin that held the scissors together clanged as it fell into its spot within the box. A hand swept forward, a small brush placed neatly within it. The rough bristles bit into the soft silk sheets, and slowly Frederick swept away the hairs that had gathered upon Alric.
“No, Sir.”
The brush swept over Alric again and again, pushing away the snipped hairs and tossing them to the floor.
“Shame.” Alric said quietly. “I know a woman that would love to meet you.”
The same small smile crept across Fredericks face as he replaced the brush within the box. It was a knowing smile, a small smirk, but it didn't go further than that. The man was emotionless, almost completely neutral. It was amazing really, playing sabbac with the man would have been absolutely infuriating.
“I'm sure she's quite lovely, Sir, but I'm afraid the company of others does not suite me.”
Alric looked back at the man for half a second, frowning, then looked back at the glass reflection in front of him. The scraping of silk against itself could be heard as the knot at his back was slowly untied. The sheet that had been draped over him slid free seamlessly, moving as though it were flowing atop a river.
He was freed, but still he didn't move.
Alric waited as Frederick folded the sheet, moving it to the side and shaking it free of hair with one loud clap of cloth. The silk was then folded into a triangle, expertly organized and replaced within the black box.
“Odd.” Alric said quietly. “You've kept my company quite well.”
Frederick stopped.
He had a smaller brush within his hands, it was filled with tiny smooth bristles and its handle was carved from some sort of ivory. He looked at it, his hands, then at the reflection which featured Alric so well. His eyes shifted for half a second.
“Perhaps, Sir, I simply believe in helping those who need it.”
For a moment Alric closed his eyes again. It was a kind and compassionate thing to say. Was it the truth? He didn't know. He knew that he trusted Frederick, he knew that the man would never lie to him, would never betray him. Yet it seemed foolish to let him go, it seemed foolish not to bring him with. His lips thinned for a moment, and his head shook from side to side.
The soft bristles touched his neck, and slowly the last follicles of hair were pushed away.
“Then I'll return alone.” Alric said quietly. “Kiran will have everything ready. Vanir Technologies will be ready, Saeva will be prepared, everything will be in place.”
Frederick simply nodded, removing the brush from Alric and placing the tool back into the box. He shifted and tapped Alric on the shoulder, signaling that everything was ready. For a moment the old man simply lingered, his hand coming up to brush against his now closely cropped beard before running through his hair.
Slowly he stood from the chair.
“I've done this before, Frederick.” Alric said as he wandered away from the chair and towards the window, his steps deliberate and careful. “I've played this game so many times. I thought I was done with it, I thought I was finished.”
Frederick listened, though he slowly cleaned the area around him as he did so. Diligently and quickly the man seemed to remove every shred of evidence of the task that had been performed only moments before. It was like watching a ghost work.
“Perhaps it will be easier this time, Sir.”
Alric shifted and looked at the man, his hands clasping behind his back. For a moment he didn't say anything, he simply looked at Frederick considerably. He watched him sweep, piling the hair in place before carefully scooping it up. It was oddly hypnotic, oddly practiced and smooth. The former Titan shifted in place, turning back towards the window as his lips thinned.
The smog rolled around in front of him, pushed and pulled by wind. His words rang out, tinged with that same taint as before. “I doubt it.”