1.25.1

Tip From the Shadows

Astrid sighed and shook off the intensity of the dream-like state dancing put her in.

“This has been wonderful. Thank you.”

“We’re happy to. You earned it. You’ve been through so much since we recruited you. You’ve had all the responsibility of freedom and none of the privileges.”

“It’s hasn’t been so bad,” Astrid contested. “Overwhelming at times, sure, but every day has been something new. I’m grateful. Not all day every day. But every day.

“And you,” Astrid paused, as she realized the words at the tip of her tongue. “All of you, have been so patient with me. It’s frustrating at times, to experience all these complex things and still feel like a child in so many ways. When you have to explain things that every human should know, it’s… well, I’m still reconciling with it.”

“That isn’t your fault, Astrid. We know that.”

Astrid recognized that along the way, each one played a part in showing her what she could do. What she could be a part of. It seemed so effortless to them. But it changed everything for her.

“I can’t imagine my life without you all now.”

“I know what you mean,” Anders sighed. “I’m going to miss you when you go away.”

Astrid blinked. “That’s… that’s for certain then?”

“Well…” Anders turned from the foot traffic below to her. “Best case, we succeed, take out the S.O.’s powerhouse, then the captain gets you formally enlisted. In that scenario, you then go in for basic training. We won’t be going with you.”

Astrid bowed her head thoughtfully.

“But I’ll come back, right?”

“In theory, sure. But you never know. The fact that we broke the rules to bring you on might compromise our working relationship in the eyes of the Board. And even if you are allowed back, it could be months, at least.”

Through the pool of contentment Astrid basked in for the last few hours, she felt a spreading chill.

“Hey…” Anders tentatively grazed his fingers along the outside of her elbow. “It’ll be good for you. A chance to meet more people, shore up your weak spots…”

“Weak spots?!” Astrid played up a defensive lift of a single brow.

“Hey, don’t get it twisted, you’ve picked up a lot!” Anders salvaged. “But there’s reason we don’t typically train recruits in the field. You need tactical coaching, more target practice at the range, and more conditioning.”

Astrid passed a guttural noise of disgust at the back of her throat.

“You’ve already proven you can be taught. And if it makes you feel better, it’s a safe bet you’re probably the most powerful and practiced Channeler in existence right now. That’s no meager claim.

“But you have to remember the bigger picture. You can’t forge a road for your people from the shadows. You need face time with the Admiralty Board. You need to pick up allies in the barracks, on the ground, across the military and beyond. Especially with the S.O. in play.

“People fear the unknown,” Anders finished. “You can’t remain unknown, Astrid.”

The sincerity in his voice drew her in, and once again she found herself caught in his meaningful gaze a willing victim.

“It feels like we’re close,” she told him. “Like we’re onto something. But it’s just the beginning. Isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Anders answered after a thoughtful pause. “I think so.”

A comfortable silence fell between them.

And after she’d regained herself, Anders led her back in to indulge in another hour of frolic with their team. They reveled, until a fourth drink finally put Astrid beyond clarity, and she stumbled out into the late evening with her friends, sufficiently spent and inebriated.

“Have you never been properly drunk before?” Tenya chortled after Astrid nearly crashed into Dell.

“Nope!” she answered, too loudly, while the technician steadied her. “On the plus side, I don’t think I can channel shit right now.”

“You get a potty mouth when you drink, have you noticed that?” Dell joshed when he set her upright once more.

“I’m a product of my environment!” she defended. “I blame you all!”

“And not being able to channel is a plus?” Romo clearly enjoyed her candor.

“Sure! I’m not a danger to anyone!” Astrid declared happily. Though, admittedly, she could probably still channel. Just not nearly with enough grace or precision to make it worth the risk to try. For the first time, she felt somewhat... normal.

Anders gently prodded her in the right direction when she began to stray. “Yeah, except yourself.”

“Who knew the solution to suppressing Channelers came at the bottom of a bottle,” Tenya snickered. “Think we should take that back to the Sanctuaries?”

Astrid noted, however, that the chief’s eyes also glazed in lubricated mischief.

“Let’s get you some water before bed,” Anders said as he guided them all back toward the ship. “The last thing we need is for you to have your first hangover right before a major operation.”

“Hey!” Tenya objected loudly. “No work talk!”

But the woman couldn’t keep a straight face, even while she tried to summon an ounce of authority.

Astrid beamed, happy and content to get home and fall into bed.

They neared the ship, when a man in dark clothing stepped from the docking bay and into their path.

“Oh no you don’t!” Astrid went into full defensive response. She still remembered the last time someone stood in her path on the way back to the ship.

She pointed a wagging finger at him, but the man in question only a scoffed.

“Chill yourself, sweetheart, before you injure yourself.”

Astrid scowled at the imposing man, but at the sound of his voice, Romo pulled forward, as if someone flipped a switch. The agent promptly placed himself between the stranger and the rest of the team.

“Hect. What are you doing here?”

Astrid blinked her glassy eyes from the imposing stranger to Romo and back.

“I’m delivering a message,” the man said easily.

“Officially?” Tenya asked from behind Romo. Her face screwed up with suspicion.

The fact the others knew the interloper would have been a comfort had his presence not seemed to put them on edge.

“If it were, I wouldn’t be doing it here.” The man swept his gaze across the hallway behind them, then gestured that they should follow him. “Quickly.”

~~~

Anders stuck close to Astrid when the group filed after Hect. He led them to a locked door, but Astrid observed he faced no challenge in getting past it and into the loading area beyond.

After he made certain the space lay desolate, he turned to them.

But Romo quickly pounced with questions. “What are you doing here, Hect? Is this a job?”

Astrid noted the way Romo said “job”, like an accusation.

“I’m here by the will of Captain Lui.”

“Will?” Tenya probed. “Not orders?”

“If I wanted one of you dead, I would have made a move by now,” Hect shrugged easily. Dark hair and a neatly shaved face emoted a suave appearance. If not for the predatory grace in his movements that whispered of his lethality.

“I don’t understand. Who are you?” Astrid’s night of merriment emboldened her with liquor.

The man looked to her questioningly, but it was Romo who answered.

“He’s black ops. Like us. But Captain Lui’s specialty is in precisely choreographed eliminations.”

“What Romo means is he’s an assassin,” Dell named. “A highly paid military-sanctioned one.”

“An assassin?!” Astrid almost slurred the word.

“And you must be the Channeler,” Hect identified. Though he looked more amused than impressed. “Charming.”

That he knew of her at all made the team pull a little tighter.

“What is it you want?” Anders grew increasingly impatient. “Why the cloak and dagger?”

Hect sighed, already bored of their suspicions. “Because no one else knows I’m here. Including the rest of my captain’s crew. So, if we could… move this along?”

From the folds of his clothing, Hect procured a thin piece of plastic Astrid only recognized from Dell’s examples. A data drive.

Romo collected the device in a careful hand, then passed it to Dell for safe keeping.

“Why?” Romo asked shortly.

“We see more than the Board realizes, you know that. But we can’t get directly involved. Not my team, anyway,” Hect explained. “If you were to query Captain Lui on this, he will deny his involvement. But question your own London if you must. I trust he will vouch for Lui’s intention.

“This isn’t a play, Reeves,” Hect then looked to Anders specifically. “We can’t be seen to have a hand in this. But Lui knows he’d be blind to ignore what this moment means in the long run.”

Then, Hect leveled his gaze as Astrid.

“You bear the eyes of the Fleet, Channeler. And a broad target. I will not be the only assassin you cross paths with.”

“Comforting,” she rebuked.

“It’s not meant to be. The time may come when I am sent to you for another purpose.”

Without further elaboration, they were left to infer his threat.

“You may leave first, if you wish,” he provided easily. “I told you, I'm not here to shed blood today.”

“Anders,” Romo directed. He kept his steely gaze locked with their visitor. “Take Astrid out of here first.”

Without reservation, Anders braced an arm around Astrid, to guard her back, and escorted her out the way they came.

“What was that ab-?”

“Not here,” Anders muttered.