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Post by rilkan on Mar 11, 2010 1:47:06 GMT -6
Taka nodded to no one in particular as Maku spoke, his expression showing his concern as the meaning of his brother's words sunk in.
"So...what're you telling me, Maku? How long until this whole military thing is behind you?"
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Mar 11, 2010 1:51:05 GMT -6
Maku bit his lip, struggling to find the words to answer his brother.
"Taka...I'm telling you that it won't be behind me. Not now, not next week, or next month, or next year. Unless the shit hits the fan in a big way, I'm in until I can't do it anymore. As much as I'd love to go gallavanting off back to the City and bust some heads, or whatever it is you need from me...unless the Vorcan Army takes action against the Unnamed City, there's nothing I can do about it."
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Post by rilkan on Mar 11, 2010 2:10:06 GMT -6
Taka stared dumbly at the opposite wall of the kitchen for nearly a full minute after Maku replied. When he finally spoke, all he could manage was a dry-throated "Oh." Another minute of silence followed.
Finally, Taka spoke, mumbling into the reciever, "Is there anything else you needed, Maku? There's...there's work to do around here yet, they could use a hand..."
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Mar 11, 2010 2:28:56 GMT -6
As the silence droned on, Maku began to wonder whether the call had been dropped, or if Taka had hung up. Then his brother managed an 'oh', and it sunk in that he'd given his brother the one answer he hadn't been prepared for. Pressing his forehead against the wood panel that separated the payphone from the others in the bank, Maku waited until his brother spoke again.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, to try and make things better, a pre-recorded woman's voice cut in on the line, informing him that his time was nearly up. Maku realized he'd been feeding the phone coins as the conversation had gone on, and the only one he had left was too small to work.
"Taka, please, just listen. I'll ask for leave after graduation right away, and I'll see you then, and we'll get this sorted out. Until then, I need you to be careful. I think we're going to be alright, but with our luck, there's a damn good chance someone could figure out the trick we pulled today. So I need you to promise me one thing, Taka."
Glancing around quickly, Maku spoke again, his voice a rushed, harsh whisper. "If anyone comes looking for you, stay the hell away. Only people that might be looking for you are Army, and unless I'm at the door with them, you do whatever you have to do, you understand me? Stay away from the Vorcan Army. No matter what."
Just as he finished, the line clicked in his ear, and after a moment of silence, the pre-recorded voice from before kicked in, telling him his call had been disconnected. As the voice continued, Maku slammed the handset down on the base, black energy crackling over the back of his hand and into the plastic.
As he turned and stormed away, fully intent on hitting the bunk early, the bottom half of the handset shattered, scattering black plastic across the floor. The earpiece and the wiring remained intact, but the microphone for the phone had shattered with the mouthpiece.
Even if Maku had known about the phone, his conversation with his brother had left him too stressed to care.
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