muldran

Muldran sat in the ship, as it rounded past the port. He took a breath as another wave broke upon the bow, and sighed. His rescuer watched him with a steady gaze.

"What I don't understand..." started Muldran.

"...is generally, other people." finished the rescuer, "It would be the only thing that explains your amazing lack of common sense when it comes to meddling in things that you don't understand, then your quick backpeddling to fix them."

Muldran gaped.

"Well," said the rescuer, flicking her hair over over her shoulder, "surprised I know you this well? I'd have thought it would have been blindingly obvious."

Muldran grimaced, "Just because I didn't think you actually existed, and that the others were having me on..."

The rescuer laughed. "So," she said, "What's your next move? It's been almost a week since Taggart managed to swipe that box from under Blue's nose. i'm sure that all those who have the boxes have nearly been totally drained by the... well, whatever it is..."

Muldran snorted, "Hah! So you don't know everything! I've already worked out what's behind the boxes. Or rather, what was trapped outside, and got back in when I charged them with void energy..."

The rescuer sighed, "This isn't a competition, Mul. We've got to actually put this right."

"We?" asked Muldran, "Who asked you to help?"

"No one did," replied the rescuer, "But, unsurprisingly, I feel like I have an obligation to help out. If I hadn't vanished a few months back, if I'd actually spoken to you at the time, then I'm certain things would not have got to this state. Well, you wouldn't have done something quite so stupid, anyway..."

Muldran sat back, and banged his head three times against the wooden hull of the ship, "Ohhh... Why does this always happen to me?" He paused, "Have you any idea what it would seem like, if someone could be here, witnessing our conversation? They'd not have a clue what's going on! They'd imagine that one moment I was in a prison cell, next on a boat with barely a moments explanation, talking with you, who no-one has seen for ages, and they could be thinking all sorts of things, like did I plan this all along, just so I could let the thing get out and..." Muldran's voice trailed off.

The rescuer chuckled. "What we should do now, is just act as normal. Just for a few days. Until the moon aligns on the 22nd Day. That's the time. That's the day. That's when you'll be able to sever the boxes connections with the people who hold them."

Muldran stood up, and looked at the porthole, "We're almost there. I can gate through the gate to Umbra from there." He turned back to the rescuer, "You realise that this whole fiasco will cause trouble for the Court? With Taggart being affected, running away from his duties... The Knights Templar will likely never trust us again. I just don't know what to do..."

His rescuer opened the hatch in the hold of the ship, letting the sunlight in. A shaft of brilliant light fell across her face, and she moved the green hair out of her eyes again. She chuckled, her laugh an echo of Muldran's.

Muldra grinned at Muldran, "You'll fix it in the end, Muldran Skully."

__________________