{"id":517,"date":"2014-07-01T00:00:18","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T04:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=517"},"modified":"2014-06-30T20:38:10","modified_gmt":"2014-07-01T00:38:10","slug":"forty-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=517","title":{"rendered":"Forty-one"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

If you won\u2019t stand up to those bastards, then I will.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have a choice anymore.<\/h3>\n

— Attributed to Sarah Farragut<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

24 Decem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n

She looks haggard, <\/em>Padraig thought to himself as he made his way over to Sephora\u2019s table in the quiet seaside bistro.\u00a0 He killed a rueful smile and the urge to shake his head at himself.\u00a0 I probably don\u2019t look much better.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sephora looked up as Padraig slid into the chair across from her and gave him a bleak smile.\u00a0 He smiled back.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look as tired as I feel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI probably am,\u201d she admitted, reaching for her wineglass.\u00a0 \u201cHow are your…evacuations…going?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo more transports,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd an old friend with Mission Systems gave me a quiet notification that if there\u2019s more that we need to get off New Earth, they may be able to help us.\u00a0 All I\u2019ve got to do is ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re in bed with the Foundation and what\u2019s left of the Guard,\u201d Sephora said.\u00a0 She took a deep swallow from her glass and set it down, her hand a bit unsteady.\u00a0 \u201cI got word on that from Winston before he went dark.\u00a0 They\u2019re pulling up stakes and moving their operations out of here as fast as they can.\u00a0 I don\u2019t blame them.\u00a0 The organizations they contract with are ones that won\u2019t mind the shift\u2014may even welcome it, if they\u2019re starting to see the writing on the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig arched a brow.\u00a0 \u201cWhich writing would that be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sephora just shook her head. \u201cThe writing you and I already took note of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh.\u00a0 That writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

A waitress came by and he ordered a glass of whiskey.\u00a0 Sephora told the girl to bring the whole bottle of wine when she came back.\u00a0 When she departed, Sephora and Padraig just stared at each other for a few long moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s happening all over again, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\u00a0 Padraig asked quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was about to ask you the same thing.\u201d\u00a0 Sephora closed her eyes, tilting her head back.\u00a0 \u201cI haven\u2019t heard anything from Winston.\u00a0 I\u2019m worried.\u00a0 He should have checked in by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019s just busy with the investigation.\u201d\u00a0 Doubt gnawed at Padraig\u2019s entrails.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be that, but I\u2019ve got a bad feeling about it.\u201d\u00a0 Her hands cupped the foot of her wineglass and she stared into the shadows of the merlot liquid.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got a really bad feeling about it.\u00a0 The last time…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last time you had a bad feeling like this, Frederick Rose was dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sephora winced, nodding.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019s fine,\u201d Padraig said again, trying to ignore the beginnings of doubt gnawing at his guts.\u00a0 \u201cEven it\u2019s not, all we can do is keep on doing what we\u2019re doing.\u00a0 The last time we met, you\u2019d mentioned\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not any closer,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cNot yet.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t leave me many clues.\u201d\u00a0 She glanced down into her wine again.\u00a0 \u201cNot any that I\u2019ve been able to sort out, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s got to be something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is.\u00a0 I just haven\u2019t sorted it out.\u201d\u00a0 She took a deep gulp of wine.\u00a0 \u201cYou should think about evacuating any from your department with a conscience, Padraig.\u00a0 This is going to get ugly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t do that and you know why,\u201d he said, trying to keep his voice gentle.\u00a0 If he and his staff pulled up stakes and ran, there wouldn\u2019t be anyone to uphold the law.<\/p>\n

Maybe the day the laws change, we\u2019ll have a reason to leave.\u00a0 Until then…<\/em><\/p>\n

Sephora sighed and shook her head, gaze roaming as she took another sip of wine.\u00a0 \u201cWhy doesn\u2019t that surprise me at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause after all these years, you know me pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckled, then froze, eyes widening as she stared past Padraig.\u00a0 Sephora set down her wineglass, her face pale.<\/p>\n

Padraig\u2019s stomach dropped through the floor.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSeph.\u00a0 What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Ben.\u201d\u00a0 Sephora rose carefully, even gracefully, only the barest hint of panic on her face.\u00a0 She and Benjamin Israel had been estranged since Sephora had almost lost herself trying to figure out who had killed Frederick Rose, convinced that if she figured out who\u2019d killed him, she\u2019d solve the mystery of the Mimir attacks.\u00a0 Padraig wasn\u2019t sure how long it had been since the two had come face to face, but from the look of shock in Sephora\u2019s eyes, it had been a long time\u2014and this was the last<\/em> place she\u2019d expected him to show up.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t realize you were in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benjamin Israel wasn\u2019t a very big man, but he made up for his lack of stature with charisma and an infectious smile.\u00a0 He\u2019d worked his way up through the entertainment industry\u2014fictional features and documentaries both\u2014and had started to be wildly successful around the time Mimir fell.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d wanted Sephora to retire, since he was finally making enough to support both of them without her having to do the dangerous work associated with being a field agent for the Inspector General\u2019s office.\u00a0 Then Mimir had happened and there wasn\u2019t a chance of her leaving\u2014especially not after her friend and mentor had died.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you just have to come home,\u201d Israel said as he came over to their table.\u00a0 His crystal-blue eyes drank in his wife.\u00a0 Padraig felt vaguely uncomfortable, watching the filmmaker studying the Chief Inspector.\u00a0 \u201cI hardly expected to find you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sephora inclined her head, gesturing vaguely to Padraig.\u00a0 \u201cI was meeting a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israel startled, his gaze snapping toward Padraig.\u00a0 He frowned for a brief moment, then brightened. \u201cColonial Office, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got a good memory, Mr. Israel,\u201d Padraig said with a weak smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf my memory was that good, I\u2019d have remembered your name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig laughed despite himself.\u00a0 Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the barest glimpse of terror in Sephora\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n

What would she be afraid of?<\/em><\/p>\n

Israel glanced back to his estranged wife.\u00a0 \u201cYou look like you\u2019ve seen a ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I have,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cA decade and we\u2019ve barely spoken and now you\u2019re here.\u00a0 Like magic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t stop loving you,\u201d Israel whispered.\u00a0 \u201cJust because I couldn\u2019t watch you tear yourself apart on the behalf of a thankless government doesn\u2019t mean I stopped loving you, stopped worrying about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sephora took a shaky breath and nodded toward an empty spot at the table.\u00a0 \u201cSit down,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cWe may need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy help?\u201d\u00a0 Israel seated himself, leaning forward against his elbows.\u00a0 \u201cWhat exactly would the two of you need my help with?\u00a0 I don\u2019t do government propaganda films\u2014you know that, Seph.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that,\u201d she said, toying with the stem of her glass.\u00a0 She met his gaze after a moment, her soul bared to both of the men seated with her.\u00a0 \u201cIt might be time to go, Ben, and we may need your help to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you won\u2019t stand up to those bastards, then I will.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have a choice anymore. — Attributed to Sarah Farragut 24 Decem, 5249 PD She looks haggard, Padraig thought to himself as he made his way over to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two-ashes-to-ashes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-8l","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":518,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions\/518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}