CAPERNUM: Beware the Aware

Posted on Fri Jul 4th, 2025 @ 8:11pm by Lieutenant Ainkara "Kara"

Mission: CAPERNUM: {CD&MISSION} On Duty
Location: Dark Harbor
Timeline: Current

ON:

Ainkara was kneeling in the corner of the chamber designated for her as Guard Captain Claire's personal servant and bodyguard. Her catsuit was stark white, as was the headwrap hood and the face mask that covered all but her eyes. The entire outfit was stark white from knee-high boots to that which covered her head. She was exceptionally clean, having been granted quarters that were a small suite for her to call home. Kara had reveled in the ability to bathe on her own time, as often as she liked while not fulfilling duties for her Mistress. That, of course, led to the habit of taking baths several times a day if she could, feeling complete bliss as the bath beads made her fragrant, her skin soft, and the rise of some bubbles to languish in. Her small bath house was her place of meditation, allowing her rage to coil around herself and to penetrate her being to the fullest. Her hate gave her power and focus, to the point that there were times when she would use the Force to manipulate the temperature controls. She would sit in the bath, in full meditation, feeling the pain of the water as it heated to levels unbearable to most humanoids. Through Control of her own body Kara would sit there and take the pain, suffer the blistering purposefully as she worked to ensure she would never be weak again. The fact that she allowed herself to keep playing the good little servant was a testament of her self control.

But, at this time, she was within the main office of Captain Claire, in the spot she had chosen as she was kneeling on her meditation pad. Her newly fashioned lightsaber was hooked to her equipment belt, which was also stark white, with her saber hilt being a combination of white grips and white-silver metals. Within the hilt was the red plasma crystal, the source of focus for her saber's crimson blade. She had met Q's demand that she finish it within ten days or be destroyed. Now, she carried it openly, daring anyone to try and take it. So far, no one had. It was as if Ezzok and Claire both understood that doing so would lead to a great amount of discord between them and Kara. Behind the face mask even as she had her head bowed in meditation, Ainkara grinned at that. They feared her, she Sensed it every time she was near to them. But, along with that Sense, there was something else. Something hidden, obscure, as if there was more to both of Dark Harbor's leaders than they were letting on. Something elusive, and no matter how hard she tried through meditation, Kara could not break through the veil to discover what it was. It was as if the Force itself was telling her no, and trusting in the Force, Kara let it slide every time she tried. At some point, she figured, the Force would reveal what was hidden when the time was right.

Then it happened. A tremor in the Force. A familiarity Kara was not expecting. Not in regards to Ezzok and Claire, but someone else. Someone she knew all too well. Her face lifted, her eyes opening even as they flashed that deep, creepy amber color and one word came from her mouth in a low rasp. "Griffon."

Claire's own face came up at that, looking to her servant, seeing that amber color flashing in her eyes. It was a disconcerting thing to see, as Claire had already seen the amber reticle in the woman's eye from her biosynthetic Iconian implants. But this, this was something unnatural and it gave her a chill up her spine every time Kara did it. "Griffon? Are you thinking about mythological creatures?"

"No, Mistress." Kara answered, getting to her feet and stepping off of the mat onto the hard floor. "It is a person I once knew. My meditation made me think of him." She did not relinquish the knowledge that she now felt, Sensed, Griffon Resch here on Dark Harbor.

"An old lover, Kara?" Claire asked, curious as to who this Griffon was (although she knew all too well).

Ainkara had had her eyes in a neutral place in the room, to not stare at her Mistress as she had been instructed. However, when the woman gave voice to her query it angered Kara and she locked eyes with her boss. "I suggest you never say that again, Mistress. He was a friend, a dear friend. A man of honor. Something you would know nothing about."

"Be careful, Kara. You may overstep..." Claire's voice suddenly stopped. Clipped short by a sudden tightening of her throat, cutting off her air and her ability to swallow.

"You are the one overstepping!" Kara hissed out through her mask. "Be glad I don't end you right here, right now!"

Claire's throat cleared and she began to hack and cough as she bent over her desk top, rubbing her neck.

Ainkara continued to speak. "If you treasure your life, this never happened. Mind yourself and what you say to me from this day forward. I serve you because I choose to."

With a massive ball of fear in her chest, Claire brought her torso back to sitting up straight, still lightly rubbing her throat. "Understood. Next time, just say something and I will cease."

The bridge of Kara's nose, and the brow between eyebrows scrunched as someone who just heard something completely stupid. "I just did. Need I say more?" The veiled threat was understood.

"No, no." Claire waved it off even as she began to think of ways to have Kara killed as soon as possible. "You made your point quite clear."

Ainkara could feel the fear from her Mistress and reveled in it. That fear would lead to betrayal and that would give Kara the excuse to kill Claire and create a feasible story that Claire was planning a coup to usurp power. Play the hero to the Overseer and dispose of Claire, thus moving up a large notch in the power structure of Dark Harbor. Then, when all was settled, move on Ezzok himself. It was far easier to fool the masses than it was to fool individuals. "I will go and see to the patrols. Griffon is here, in the Harbor, I have felt it. I will report, Mistress, when I find out more." She spun on her heel and left the office.

Claire watched the back of the woman in white as she left. She was dangerous (to others, not me, when all this finally plays out), she thought to herself. For now, eyes on the woman would be enough, and she would warn them to observe from a distance since Kara all too often could Sense such things. It was a dangerous game but one she had played many times in her past.

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