Alycia feels a chill run down her back. Her brain checks her first reaction, rejecting the assertion outright, to consider it rationally (but quickly, as the others are looking at her, waiting for her reaction).
Initial analysis:
First, it is not impossible that Achilles Chin had another child. The circumstances of her own conception were never described or explained except, by her father, as something he regretted deeply. (In this rare instance, she had not interpreted that as an attack on herself, but something about whatever relationship he had with her mother.)
Second, and alternately, her father never hinted at another child. It seems just the sort of thing he might have done to goad her to greater achievement.
Though, there was a time, the very first day she met him. After he had set a spider-bot on her, as a test …
“I needed to see if you were worthy of being my daughter.”
“And if I wasn’t?”
“Then I would have had to find another. Which would have been … inconvenient.”
She had always thought of that as his having to start over. But what if it implied he already had another child, but one whom it would be inconvenient to … drag into his orbit?
Might I have a brother? An older brother? Jesus fuck_, that would be annoying. Especially if he’s setting himself up as heir to the throne._ She’s read her Shakespeare. Other, presumptive, heirs, don’t fare well when royal precedence started being debated with knives and blood.
She laughs, with a calculated lightness to her tone. “Someone dares claim to be another child of my father? How pathetic.”
The others relax slightly.
“We will,” she continues, “drive these charlatans and usurpers into the dust. And advance the Great Mission to its fruition in the process.”
“Yes!” Chernikov says, softly.
“Yes!” Nyobé says, more loudly.
“Hell, yeah!” shouts Ramirez – louder than she is comfortable with, but she welcomes the enthusiasm. I don’t seek their fanatical support for myself, but if I can avoid their fanatical rejection, that’s all good.
“You have your orders.” She gives them her phone number, and gathers up those of their burners. “SMS is insecure – if you need to make contact, use standard codewords to set a meet, using utmost discretion. I reiterate, no further lawbreaking. I will get back to you within a week with additional directives and support.”
“Thank you,” Ramirez says, his face openly grateful. He gives a half-bow, pushing her injunction slightly, but unable to suppress his gratitude.
“Many thanks,” Nyobé echoes. “May this be the next step in fulfilling the Great Mission.”
“The Great Mission,” continues Chernikov. “in the hands of the true heir of the Master. Spasibo.”
Alycia nods. “Go, then. Take my thanks with you, and my expectations for the future.”
They scatter, as they should, and in a minute, she stands alone in the courtyard.
She sags, slightly. Lānata hai. I really did not need this. But she’s already figuring out what to do about her trio of new dependents, about the possibility that others might learn where she is, and what she’s learned of the people who have taken over for her father, including the deadliest man she’s ever known and a man who claims (however improbably) to be her elder sibling.
And she still has a book report and an AEGIS analysis memo to craft tonight.
She uncloaks and unfolds her v-cycle, and hops on, hurtling into the darkness of night.
-fin-
author: *** Dave H.
url: Community Forums: 51.9 - Heiress Apparent | Roll20: Online virtual tabletop