Cooperation Required [2430-1-1-Sat-4pm]

[Magdalen Verena]

It seemed like time had trickled by as she was escorted unceremoniously through the final length of the forest, not saying a word to either of the men that remained by her side. In fact the entire time they spent walking she’d been praying desperately and fervently that the soldiers did not somehow figure out Cassandra’s whereabouts. Not only would the girl be in danger, but Eloise and John would be at risk as well.

She’d never be able to forgive herself if something happened.

And then they were back at port. The first thing she did was scan the area for Solomon, however he was nowhere to be seen and her heart sank. Perhaps gossip would circulate and he’d catch wind of her interrogation. But even if he did, would Solomon be willing to risk the safety and credibility of his ship and crew for her sake? Would he claim to have any tie to her whatsoever? Only time would tell.

Directed to proceed, Magdalen obediently stepped forward and was instantly greeted by none other than Tribulation Cain. Even without speaking he was an intimidating individual, and she swallowed hard as she stared quietly at him.

[Tribulation Cain]

He rose as the woman entered. "Good evening." Cain greeted her, polite as always. He made a sit-down gesture to the chair in front of the desk. Only after Magdalen sat down did Cain sit as well.

Cain took a moment to study her. Good posture. Someone had taught her to sit straight. Was she from the Top? That was a possibility. He would find out more as soon as she opened her mouth.

The soldiers who had escorted her stood nervously in the door of the tent. One decided to give his report. "We found her in the woods, sir. She says she knows where Cassandra Nida is located, but she wanted to speak to you-"

"Of course." Cain said, as if this was the most reasonable thing in the universe. "You're dismissed. Please make sure that I and Miss..." He waited for the woman's name.

[Magdalen Verena]

“Verena,” she answered at length but in a reasonable tone of voice. “Magdalen Verena.”

This man – so much of a contrast to the soldier back in the forest – had complete control of the situation and his men. It was easy to tell, as an air of authority emanated from him as pungently as a woman’s perfume. This composure and smooth manner made her uneasy, but for what reason she wasn’t entirely sure. He seemed polite, and hadn’t attempted to provoke her or make her feel as though she were inferior to him in any way. So why were her hands trembling?

Clasping them together in her lap, she forced herself to keep her eyes on his and face completely void of emotion.

[Tribulation Cain]

"Miss Verena, thank you. Make sure no one disturbs myself and Miss Verena." He didn't recognize the name, but the delivery was notable. The way she introduced herself, last name first. She wasn't Top, but he had no doubt she worked in the Top, or had at some point in her life.

Cain looked at the soldiers when they didn't immediately move. They quickly got out of the tent, closing the flap behind them. He expected they would make sure there would be no interruptions.

"How may I help you?" He asked Verena. Cain suspected she thought he would yell at her and demand the answers. But there was no need for that... not yet anyway. You would be shocked how much a civil conversation could reveal.

[Magdalen Verena]

She waited until the soldier whom had given his report left before allowing her posture to relax somewhat, eyes still trained on Cain’s as she examined his strong facial features. He would be difficult to compromise with, if at all. But she had to bide herself some time while attempting to extract as much information on Cassandra and her situation as possible.

“Don’t you mean, how may I help you Commander?”

Nothing was said afterward. She simply allowed the question to float in the air between them and tilted her head to one side as though expecting him to answer. It was time to be strong.

“Like the gentleman who escorted me in has already said, I know the whereabouts of the girl you are seeking. However I’ve requested to see you to collect a bit of information of my own. So I suppose one could say this casual meeting is meant to be an exchange of sorts.”

[Tribulation Cain]

An exchange. She was being very bold, bolder than Cain suspected she usually was. There were a number of options. He could stop the conversation, throw her out and leave her with no answers. Or he could arrest her and charge her with a crime.

Or he could play along and find out what she wanted from him. His men would keep combing the forest while they spoke. There would be no lost time. Cain inclined his head. "Yes, I suppose your phrasing is right. What can you do to help me? Or rather, what is it you want to know before you'll help me?"

[Magdalen Verena]

Magdalen could tell judging by the way Cain appeared so unbothered by the offer she’d made that he assumed she could do him no harm. He likely also made the mistake of assuming he’d be able to find Cassandra on his own. Of course there was always that very slim possibility, but even if she was thrown out she’d still have the opportunity to locate Solomon beforehand and figure out where to go from that point. Just as long as she didn’t get herself arrested, she could make good on her promise to Cassandra.

Folding her arms across her chest, it was the first time the blonde allowed her eyes to wander and she shrugged her shoulders almost nonchalantly at his question.

“I want to know what Miss. Nida has done to warrant being publicly shot at. This afternoon she was nearly gunned down by a league of your soldiers. I’d like to know why, in exact detail. I’m also curious as to what her punishment shall be. Death seems likely, considering the incident I just recounted for you. I only ask for curiosity sake. That and to judge for myself how diplomatically Terran military is operating exactly. Public opinion plays a role in this after all. We wouldn't want an uprising on our hands.”

[Tribulation Cain]

"Death? I assure you Miss Verena, death is the last thing I wish to befall Cassandra Nida or anyone on this planet." Cain folded his hands on his desk, "Let me apologize to you personally for what happened to you this afternoon. I'd had reports from many citizens saying carelessly fired bullets nearly hit them, and I assure you, the men responsible will be punished for the use of live rounds."

"The plan today was to speak with Miss Nida and, if she bolted and fled, then she as to be brought down with tranquilizers. Unfortunately, our estimates of how much of her body was prosthetics was extremely moderate and when it appeared that she took a dozen darts and kept moving, one of the men panicked and switched to live rounds, and the rest followed suit believing it was a new order they hadn't heard. We're still attempting to contact patrols to remind them that the last thing we want is a corpse on our hands."

"As for punishment, I'm afraid you've been mislead. Cassandra Nida is not wanted for any crime." Cain leaned in closer, confiding in Verena as well as taking the opportunity to watch her closely, "I'm afraid she may be the victim of the crime we're investigating, and her testimony is the only thing that will lead to the prosecution of the criminal who mutilated Miss Nida."

[Magdalen Verena]

Magdalen was surprised enough by this revelation that she dropped her brash attitude altogether; staring at Cain with wide, searching eyes. Silence fell between them then as she considered everything he’d said. The entire story seemed convincing and made quite a lot of sense, also he appeared sincere … but there was still that underlying maliciousness she just couldn’t bring herself to ignore. So they only wanted her for a testimony?

“I would be inclined to believe you,” she began slowly before leaning back in her chair a bit and levelling her gaze with his. “If there weren't so many things that have struck a strange chord with me since the search for Cassandra today began.”

“You see when I encountered that group of soldiers out in the forest, they seemed to be under the impression that the girl was in fact a fugitive. My understanding of the word is that it comes with a sort of negative connotation; that she’s a person fleeing from prosecution. Also – a $10,000 credit bounty seems like a hell of a lot for someone you only need a testimony from. And honestly, when I was with her she seemed pretty damn intent to stay as far away from you guys as possible. She was afraid and obviously doesn’t want your help. Whatever modifications she’s had done couldn’t have been forced upon her, she operates them too well. As if she takes pride in them.”

Magdalen took a deep intake of breath then and glanced down at her hands.

“Either your men are incredibly undertrained and incompetent – which being from the more privileged district of Terra would make that unusual – or you’re not exactly telling me the truth. What was done to her today was ruthless.”

[Tribulation Cain]

Smart. Even caught off-guard by Cain (and so many people were), she kept enough of her wits to notice there was something off between the two versions of the truth she'd heard. She was sharp, but intelligence could be used against a person.

"I'm afraid the choices aren't that black and white." He told her, "Yes, the men are under the impression she's a fugitive. That's an unfortunate and, as you said, ruthless manner of dealing with a frightened teenage girl. But as you also said, these men are from one of the more privileged districts of Terra. And many of them tell their families about their missions. You can see the problem if you're seeking a vital witness? Cassandra Nida is worth millions, Miss Verena, and she's worth more cut into peices and sold on the black market than returned to Terra. All it would take is one wrong word to a family member, a speculation that Miss Nida may hold information to bring down the family empire, and we would never see Miss Nida alive again."

"As for the prosthetics, I have no doubt she loves them. If the rumours are true, they were gifts to her from her father, and what little girl doesn't love the things her father makes her? And it's not a crime to use prosthetics. I have a dear uncle who lost his leg in a hover bike accident and uses a prosthetic leg." He paused for a moment, letting it all sink in, then added, "But it is a crime to amputate the limbs of a person who is healthy to replace them with prosthetics, and even more chilling, it is immoral to do so to a fourteen year old girl."

[Magdalen Verena]

Magdalen was silent again, biting down upon her lower lip as though she’d been utterly defeated at a game she’d initially assumed she played so well. The image of Cassandra waiting anxiously for her at the Denvers’ home however was enough to keep the blonde fighting in her favour. The entire purpose of her plan had been to bide herself and that girl enough time for Solomon to round up the crew and figure out what was going on. Until then, she had to keep Cain’s attention focused on her and the possibility that she knew where their fugitive was located.

“You sound very genuine,” she began with a soft smile.

“I’m quite impressed actually … however still not entirely convinced that you have Cassandra’s best interests at heart. If in fact she’s worth so much, how am I to know you don’t have the same greedy and malicious intentions behind that honourable front you put on? Unlike the soldiers you sent out on patrol, as Commander-General you have far more resources at your disposal. It would be easier – therefore – for you to get your hands on her without fear of being accused, defied or crossed in any way. Power and influence are lovely things in that sense.”

[Tribulation Cain]

Cain was rather enjoying the company of Verena. Speaking with her was like a dance. Step and counter-step, very graceful. She argued like someone who had been trained to, and Cain suspected she had been trained to do many things. But the training hadn't covered how to deal with someone like Cain.

It was the way she phrased things, the words that she used. This girl wasn't Top, but she had been brought there, she had been trained. And she had interacted with men for whom money and power were the only real, tangible things in the universe. Everything else was a commodity to be bought and sold, and what commodity was greater than a beautiful girl? It was an old story. A family needed money, or power and influence, and they had a beautiful daughter. He didn't know Verena's face, but he had seen dozens of girls just like her, standing on the arms of old men at social gatherings, sold by their own parents.

"You seem to have already decided what my intentions are." Cain pointed out to Verena, changing tactics ever so slightly, "I could assure you that my honor is not a front, and that I do desire many things but money is not one of them, but I doubt you would believe me."

"I am a military man. My duty is to the human race as a whole, not simply those with money or influence. I am here before I truly believe a horrible and unforgivable crime has been committed." Cain brought a photo up on the eInkr and showed it to Verena. It was a photo of Cassandra Nida as a little girl, smiling at the camera. "Her own father mutilated her. He sawed off her arms and legs and replaced them with steel and wire. He took this little girl and made her into a thing. And then he told her that if she ever told anyone what he did to her, they would arrest him and take away all her limbs."

He paused, waited the doubt and horror to come over Verena's face, and carefully stuck a verbal knife inbetween her ribs? "What sort of father would use his daughter as a pawn for his own ambitions?"

[Magdalen Verena]

Throughout the duration of Cain’s speech, Magdalen’s hands lifted unconsciously to clench upon the edge of the desk; his final remark causing her to grit her teeth as she stared down at the picture of a much younger and happier looking Cassandra. It was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes, realizing what would happen if she failed the girl. Cass had likely been the victim of many empty promises in her life and so feeling as though she herself had just fed her another one wrenched at Mags’ sentimental heart.

The story and manner in which Cain had relayed it upset her stomach, causing her to feel slightly sick at the idea that any man would do that to an innocent child. However she couldn’t allow herself to think irrationally. Men were just as adept at setting up emotional traps for impressionable, gentle woman to fall into. And Tribulation Cain probably had quite a lot of experience getting his target exactly where he wanted them with little effort.

Clearing her throat, Magdalen inhaled deeply to calm her rattled nerves and scraped together whatever composure she could muster. However – just as she opened her mouth to speak – a severe headache interrupted her thoughts and she winced visibly at the pain.

It was stronger and more persistent than the one she’d suffered from earlier. And then sporadic images began corresponding themselves with Cain’s words. They didn’t make sense at first, but she envisioned herself looking much younger and sitting at a square table with a number of highly-ranked diplomats and politicians. One in particular seemed to pay her much more attention than the others, and when he excused himself … took her with him. Another image flashed before her eyes, the memory of crying alone in her room at the disgust that washed over her every time she reminded herself of what she’d become. Just as Regan had said, ‘ you’re nothing more than a common whore now.’ It had stung more than if he’d slapped her across the face.

“There are more angles to a story than what you might be originally presented with on the surface,” she began icily as the visions and pain subsided. Her tone had taken on a new quality now. One that suggested she’d suddenly become more comfortable with herself and wasn’t afraid to act on the rage that had remained suppressed for so long. “Some people do what they have to in order to support their loved ones, others have no choice. And occasionally there are circumstances where both apply. Just as you’d said before, this isn’t something that can be categorized into black and white.”

She was staring at him now with a defiant expression, lips set in a firm line. She wasn’t going to give up yet.

“I understand that in the military, acting on impulse and gut instinct is encouraged. But life is too precious a thing to make such dire decisions about simply because you think you know it all. You haven’t had the opportunity to speak with Cassandra directly, have you? You haven’t given her the chance to tell you exactly how she feels and whether or not her father’s actions had been dictated by his desire for self-gratification or love. And I know you wouldn’t give her that chance even if she came striding in here now ready to admit everything. Commander-General, you won’t find her. I can assure you of that. And I won’t let you have her, not until I’m one-hundred percent certain that what you’ve said here today has any worth at all.”

Standing up as though in preparation to leave, Magdalen smiled down at him and added:

"I can tell you're not a man in tune with his emotions, if only because you were so ready to twist mine and use them against me. It hurt. You succeeded in that respect. But you've also made the mistake of thinking I don't know what you're trying to do here."

[Tribulation Cain]

That was unexpected. Everything about Verena said she was someone used to obeying, used to being manipulated by emotional ploys. But something had happened to her. And now there was a little spine where there shouldn't have been any.

He had been enjoying the dance. But if she wanted to play at war instead, then he would indulge her. Cain picked up the eInkr and banished Cassandra's photo. And he carefully typed her name into the Terran Citizen database.

"Sit down." Cain did not raise his voice, but there was no room for compromise. "We aren't done. I've given you the information you asked for Miss Verena. Now, you'll give me the information I want. Or I will arrest you."

[Magdalen Verena]

Magdalen was admittedly chilled by the suddenly uncompromising quality in Cain’s voice, staring at him directly but not moving towards the flap of the tent in defiance. However she did not take her seat either, preferring to keep herself elevated to retain the newfound courage that had just struck her.

“Although I did promise an exchange of information, I made no guarantee that it would benefit you in any way. Cassandra Nida is currently in Dôr Gelaidh, exclusively Elf territory.” A triumphant smirk toyed with the corners of her mouth and she folded her arms as though she’d just won a great victory. Of course she was lying, but he didn’t know that. Not yet anyway.

“ … And a place where neither you nor your men may trespass, correct? I must say I was surprised myself when they agreed to keep her temporarily. Unfortunately I was not offered the same courtesy. They’re fickle creatures after all. Imagine that. Now, there is no reason for you to have me arrested. We’ve exchanged our information and the meeting is at its conclusion. I have business elsewhere, so if you don’t mind … I should excuse myself.”