Tangled Currents - Preston Options

[Mercy]

Tanya laughs. "You should not be to sorry for not picking up on the idea that I am not what my image says I am. After all, I work bloody hard to maintain that image. You are supposed to see the shallow sort of social butterfly that would hire a stranger off the street as some sort of stooge or fall guy. I should have been more open at the beginning. As for you, no, I would say that you definitely do not match 100% with the information I have gathered on you. That is why I am here tonight. I hope to find out a bit more of just who you are. And I hope that you allow yourself to open up a bit. And baiting over the video game is a bit low. You know I cannot pass up a challenge like that. And don't expect to get home field advantage, I can kick your arse here as well as anywhere else."

[Beta]

"Before there is any game destruction of anyone, we should eat." Preston looks over what they've prepared and jokes "I'm pretty sure we can even eat this, instead of having to toss it and go across the street. Most days my cooking turns out, but not always."

Once they are at the table and have eaten at least a few bites, he suggests "You've told me a bit about your family and growing up, I might as well do the same. Obviously this is must my take on it all, they might recall things differently, but, well, that is the world for you."

"The key thing to know is that I grew up in a registered ethnic enclave in Edmonton. Each of the NAN came up with their own ways of dealing with the non-native population, and Athabaskan Council chose divide and conquer. They let a lot of anglos stay, under very restrictive conditions. But non-english speaking ethnic groups, they allowed them to organize their own enclaves, with schools in their own language -- the natives specifically were not being like Canada which had forced natives into english schools at one point. The REE don't pay as high taxes as the general anglos, and have some very small degree of self-governing authority, pretty much "Don't cause us trouble, and we won't look at you too carefully."

He put down his chop sticks as he got more into his story, eyes losing focus as he looked back over the years.

==============================

People all through the Canadian prairies and mountains either had to accept the deal that one of the NAN was offering, or move entirely, along with millions of other people, into Ontario or the Maritime provinces. So quite a few took the AC's offer. My particular ancestors came over from parts of the Ukraine, like a centurty before the NAN split off. But they'd originally settled together in certain areas and some still spoke the language, and they were promised that although they couldn't own land in the AC they could lease some farmland or set up small companies, so a bunch moved from all over the prairies to around Edmonton.

It could be worse, but the thing is that when the SIN system came into effect, we were never given those, only internal REE identification numbers. Which means we were pretty much trapped. Not slaves, but kind of captive, you know? And that meant we had no power, no bargaining advantage. Things started off pretty desperate, and only ever got a tiny bit better. I know a lot of old flat-trid shows and old dead-tree books, because people had those when the REE were set up, and they've been carefully cared for and shared around ever since, because few could afford anything new.

There was no real hope of anything better as a group, and little hope as a person. No matter how well you did you'd never become a citizen of the AC. The only real hope was to get a corporate SIN, but since they knew people were desperate to work for them, for the money, the Corps have been pretty shy about handing out SIN to the people in the REE. So no real hope. Some dealt with it by being bitter, my Uncle Oleg was a strong example of that. Some just worked themselves to the bone, trying to forget how pointless it all was, that was my Dad. Some tried to block it out -- my Mom was a somewhat functional alcoholic, for example.

Despite all of that, I started out as a pretty hopeful, idealistic, kid. I learned about the old Canadian 'Mounted Police' or mounties, and I wanted to be one of those. I learned they were now a subsidiary of Mitsuma -- Horseman Security, a pretty elite unit, so then I wanted to get into that, since I'd be a mountie AND get my ticket out, a corp SIN. I got into a technical college where I could get the training to hopefully get in, and my hope seemed real, you know?

But I'd become a Trid game addict -- I didn't realize it, I was sure I was in control, but you know how that was. I started falling behind in classes, and eventually decide to hack into a prof's computer to find out about an exam ahead of time. School security was drek, but the prof was more canny, and he traced me. I got kicked out, dreams dead.

I was already working part time for a bake & caff shop, so I got more hours, but really I thought I would turn pro as a gamer. Some of the teams had arranged SIN for people on things like a REE-ID in the past. I was probably never THAT good, but I didn't have anything else, you know? Then Fisher, my bounty-hunting mentor, showed up. He couldn't offer me a SIN, but he gave me a way out. And he saved me from burning out in hot sim, at least for a while.

So basically, I grew up in a cold, barren, land, where nobody around me had much hope. I managed to nurture my own hope and almost made it real, then pissed it away. Then I took the only way open to run away from the mess I'd made, even though I knew a lot of the things I did along the way were ... not good. Then Fisher got killed while I was gasping like a fish on dry land, later I realized that I was driving Sonya to her worst tendencies so broke things off ...

I've become more self-aware since then, got better control over my addictive tendencies, but, I guess I'm still pretty scared that anything I really want, I'll poison, destroy, or just generally screw up. If I can stay all professional, detached, I can be in control. But once I let emotion into it, my record isn't good.


"So that was probably really what happened this morning, me screwing things quickly, before it would hurt too badly. And ever since I've regretted it, and hope that maybe I can fix things, and that this time I won't screw things up."

"Sorry, this got away from me, went way beyond family and growing up. I just ... I don't want to be my Uncle Oleg, I don't want to just piss on everything and then complain that it smells. I really don't want to piss on you and ... " Preston slaps his forehead in frustration. "Can we forget I just said that? That metaphor REALLY got away from me."

[ Spoiler ]

My history of the Athabaskan Council is not canon.

dumpshock post 20

[Mercy]

Tanya smiles as she takes a few bites. "I think that we have worked up something quite edible, Peter. No reason to go across the street to the local unless you want a drink after dinner. I had plenty of time to scan the AR around here while I was waiting and the advert for the pub advertises a real dart board and I was wondering if your talent runs to anything except trideo games?"

She sits back and listens to your story without interrupting with questions. When you get to the end, she laughs. "I know what you mean, Peter, and I appreciate the sentiment. I, too, would not want to just toss the chance away without at least giving it a try. I have to say that I cannot really identify with your situation, well, mostly anyway. After the accident, I was changed so much physically that people did not really recognize me, although I was externally the same person, I was much different inside. A lot of cyber can do strange things to you if you are not prepared, and I was not prepared. It did not help that there was a time before all the scars healed that I was uglier than Frankenstein's monster. Almost every one of my friends at the time suddenly had other places to be. And that got even worse when it was made public that all of my father's money was not coming to me. Soon I had no one. Just me. So in some way, I can identify with being an outcast a little. That part did not last long. I was given some of my mother's money and a posh address and fell into drugs to help with the pain and with the loneliness, and suddenly I was not lonely any more.

Friends came out of the woodwork to help me spend my money now that I had some. I was so high on drugs or drink that I did not care. Until Monique came along. She is a thief, too, you know. One of the best pickpockets I have ever seen, and that is saying a lot. My right hand and my strength. I should be dead without her."

She finishes her plate and stands up to take it to the kitchen and begins washing up. At the sink she runs the hot water carefully so as not to use too much of Peter's allotment. "You know, Peter, I think there is a flaw in your plan to be emotionally aloof. You may think that it gives you peace and perhaps even strength and control. But I wonder if it really does and would think that the evidence bears against you. If you had strength, you could venture into the emotional world and slip back without losing control, but you seem to think that every time you enter the emotional world you lose control and do horrible things. This sounds completely like controlling your emotions is stunting you, not making you stronger. I am not a licensed mind doc, so all of this is just my opinion, mind you, but perhaps you need to enter the emotional world with baby steps, looking for the end result to be not losing control. I think that you might find that you can go for longer and longer periods in this world before needing to go back and hide in the emotionless one. Let yourself go and hang the consequences. Use me as your dummy, if you like. I have a thick skin and you can practice on me. I should have asked you to stay and explain yourself instead of abandoning you in the shower. I will try to not do that again." Tanya looks up from the sink and turns to face you. "Am I making any sense at all, Peter?"

[Beta]

"I, that is, ah ..."

* Coleman: Emotion is distraction.
* Oleg: Emotion leads to fear, fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.
* Eliza: That is such drek. That is exactly what Tanya was talking about
* Gamma: I do enjoy feeling happy, joyful, and so forth. Anger and hatred have motivated me in the past
* Monkey: And lust -- don't forget how wonderful lust is!
* Eliza: Love, love is what is wonderful. Lust is good within love, but lust can be bad
* Monkey: Nah
* Gamma: I still love Sonya. I don't know that I could fix that relationship, however.
* Eliza: I can love more than one person, and not all in the same way. One way has room for lust.
* Monkey: Yes!
* Coleman: Admittedly there would be strategic value in allying with someone with as many resources as Tanya has.
* Oleg: I don't need any fragging woman telling me what to do!
* Monkey: But sometimes that is fun!
* Eliza: 'Sometimes' is key there. In a partnership you negotiate, but sometimes yes one or the other takes the lead.
* Monkey: Yes, yes, and yes!
* Oleg: 'Lead' exactly, she'll lead me into being
* Gamma: Stop. I am tired of giving Oleg voice in my head, and am stopping that for now. I am sure Oleg will return, but here and now I can silence this voice.

"Sorry. Thoughts. Memories." Impatiently Preston gives his eyes a quick wipe, then continues, a little shakily. "Emotions! They can get unruly when given half a chance."

He takes a drink of water, a deep breath, then admits "I think you are exactly right. About the stunting and all that. And that it would be very good to .... start building strength in that area. I don't know how I've earned your patience and help and goodwill, but yes, yes, yes, a hundred times yes!"

[Beta]

For Mercy

Tanya smiles. “Yes. Emotions running rampant can cause all sorts of problems. Perhaps we can work on this a bit at a time and then both of us might benefit by learning about each other as we go.” She looks around the kitchen. “Looks like we are done here for now. I am a bit surprised that I can still do this sort of thing without Monique about. I am long out of practice, so thanks for the chance to be a real person. Now, do you wish to go to the pub across the street for a drink and darts or stay here and do some trideo?” She dries her hands on a towel and bends over to put it away, once again showing you how nicely her jeans fit her frame.

She stands and looks at you and you notice, maybe for the first time, how her red hair perfectly frames her face, setting off her features. Her eyes are a bit on the large side, one of her ears seems to be just a fraction lower than the other, and her nose has a bit of an upturn to it at the end. A few wisps of hair have fallen across her face as she cleaned up and she now absently brushes them back with a movement of her hand as she waits for an answer from you. From here, you can detect the faint scent of her Jasmine perfume and you note that she is comfortable enough in her skin to apparently be wearing no makeup other than a light gloss on her lips. A few freckles across her nose are all that mar an otherwise perfect complexion, but some might say they lend it some character.

Preston closes his eyes for a moment, explaining "Sorry, need to keep a bit of blood in my brain. Somehow my feminine ideal is rapidly coming to closely resemble Lady Tanya Marisart, So I keep getting these moments where my libido throws a high-priority interrupt into my thoughts. I should develop a partial immunity, eventually."

He opens his eyes, but gazes out the window at the building across the street as he continues "I'd hate to ask you to double down on your exercise routine, and you could just relax and wait for a bit, but I mostly try to stay in something resembling shape by use of various AR games and tools. Been working with a pirated Lone-Star training program for night-stick use a lot lately, but sometimes I just do something that will involve a lot of leaping around. I know it would do me good to work up a sweat for half an hour or so. Might be a bit rough right after eating, but sometime life works out that way, so call it adding realism to the practice."

He looks back at her.

* Monkey: those are the most perfect freckles ever!
* Gamma: there is probably no such thing as perfect freckles, but their current impact on me is far out of proportion to their impact on her overall looks.

And looks away again. "I should have gone running and climbing with you this morning. I just don't usually have the luxuries of those things. Doing it early in the morning would make sense though, before the day gets in the way. Especially with your schedule. I should give that a try."

[Mercy]

Tanya gives you one of her needs-to-be-patented smiles and says, “I have never been anyone’s feminine ideal before and I think I would rather that you never get an immunity to me, but I think I understand what you mean. If I have it wrong, I will let you explain it later. Very well, you spend some time leaping about and I can go for a run. It will help me figure out what is where in the neighbourhood.” She points to the bag she left by your couch. “I brought some things. May I use your bathroom to change in?”

She slides past you to get her strap sack and goes into the bathroom, emerging in a couple of minutes with her hair tied back and wearing running shoes, shorts and a sports bra and top. Placing the bag down near the couch again, she turns to look at you and says, “Thirty minutes? Depending on how I feel I might take a bit longer. I will contact you if I get lost. Ciao.” She pauses at the door, turning to you. "Unless you want to come along?"

[Mercy]

While Tanya was getting ready, Preston had done more than just admire her -- although he hadn't been able to resist some of that, too. He'd popped into his room and changed out of shirt and trousers to baggy t-shirt and sweat pants, and had put on his sneakers. In fact, the exact things he'd do before doing an AR work-out. But he doesn't remove the waist harness holding his blackjack to the small of his back, and he does load his taser into the smuggling compartment in his arm.

But when Tanya headed for the door, he stopped her. "Look, this area isn't all that dangerous, but a gorgeous single woman out on her own, not known to the locals, not obviously armed ... maybe you'd just get some propositions but it could be worse than that. The mafia make sure that crime is pretty low around here, but that also means that you get a lot of the sort that feel comfortable in mafia territory, and a lot of them figure the law is 'what can you get away with.' And I really don't want anyone getting away with you."

Preston holds the door open for Tanya. "After you, and yes this means you'll have to put up with me plodding along and slowing you down -- I can't say that I'm much of a runner. Maybe next time or the time after, if there are such times, you can go on your own. Once you know the area and are a somewhat familiar face."

s he makes sure that the sometimes fussy lock had indeed secured the door behind them he adds "And please tell me that you have some self-defense tricks hidden in your cyber-arm, if not anywhere else? I admit that I'm down to my taser" he taps his cyber-arm, but admits "It is just loaded into a smuggling compartment, so not the quickest to deploy. And a blackjack strapped to my back, because sometimes that speaks a language thugs are more apt to respect. With two of us, I don't expect there will be trouble, but it never hurts to be at least a little ready."

[Mercy]

You could swear that Tanya almost purrs in her response. “Thank you for the gorgeous single woman part. I am more than happy to have you come along. So, the Mafia provides protection out here, eh? Do you know which Don? I know a couple of them professionally, so that might help. And do not worry about keeping up. I do this only for recreation and to work on my athletic ability, and from what I recall, your athletic ability is pretty good. But, to answer your question more directly, yes, I have some self defense skills.”

Once downstairs, she goes through a stretching routine then sets off at a slow jog. You recognize several of the people you encounter and some even wave at you. Tanya does not seem particularly interested in sticking to the main roads, taking several alleyways on what is a recon of the neighbourhood. She asks you about the shops and other buildings you pass and seems to commit them to memory. All too soon, the storm that has been threatening opens up and water falls from the sky in buckets, but Tanya seems unfazed. She continues running, splashing through puddles like a kid. You are able to run beside her most of the time, but on occasion are forced to run behind her and you would swear that she looks almost as good from that view as from the front.

She stops suddenly after turning into yet another alley. She reaches out and pushes you against one of the walls, stepping quite close. “OK. Emotion time.” Wrapping an arm around your neck, she pulls you into a kiss. Your emotions surge to the forefront and the kiss seems to go on and on, even tough it is probably no more than a minute before she breaks and looks up into your eyes without stepping away. “Too much? Not enough? Just right? No one is watching us in this rain, so if you were to have any thoughts of a quick ravishment here in the alley I would not put up much of a struggle. You could consider it as picking up where we left off in the shower. Only without the soap.”

[Mercy]

* Coleman: this would be unnecessarily risky

* Monkey: But it would be fun, right now!

* Gamma: Such risk taking is not normally my style, but it appears to be Tanya's

* Eliza: In a relationship, you have to give a little to get a little

* Monkey: Oh yeah, giving and getting is what I LIKE

* Gamma: It is odd not to hear Oleg commenting on my brute drives at this juncture


Preston pulled his eyes into focus, looked around. Spotting nothing through the rain, he acquiesced with a grin "Sure, why not?"

Tanya's passion seems to be heightened by the risk, while fear spurs him on to take care of things quickly so they can get back to a safer configuration. Oddly, this combination seems to work out just fine; his urgency leads him to take a more aggressive role than he might otherwise, which seems to be what Tanya wanted just then.

* Gamma: When I'm safe back in my apartment I'm going to have an emotional crash from this.

* Eliza: I just can't crash it onto Tanya this time. I need to tell her, no later than walking through the doorway.

[Mercy]

Tanya grins back and her shorts and underwear are on the ground in seconds. She wraps her arms around your neck as you push her against the wall and her legs wrap around your waist as you push into her. Her mouth finds and presses hard against your lips, her tongue swirling at yours. She seems to enjoy your new aggressive behaviour and responds in kind. The rain slaps against both of you as hard as anything you have ever seen before, diluting the tiny rivulets of blood from the scrapes on her back and shoulders as you repeatedly thrust into her and push her hard against the alley wall. The pain does not seem to decrease her desire, if anything it just increases it. Her moans become too much to be contained by your mouth and she rolls her head sideways against the wall and cries out in ecstasy. You can feel your own release building and it seems to be coming on stronger than anything you can remember.

You push hard against her as you explode, causing her to increase her own pleasure and she responds vocally, the sound almost primal as it echoes in the narrow alley. When your own aftershocks have subsided, she turns her head to face you and you can see tears running down her cheeks. The rain might try to hide them, but you can tell the difference. She tightens her legs around you when you try to pull out. “No. Please. Stay this way a bit longer. As long as you can. I want to remember this moment forever. I want to remember you this way forever.” She returns her mouth to yours and begins kissing you again. These kisses are not nearly as aggressive as earlier, but the passion is greater. It is almost as if you can feel something passing between her and you. Her obvious passion ignites something in you and you begin to return the kisses with an ardor equal to hers. Your body reacts in a manner you would have thought impossible and you begin moving inside her again. Tanya gives a pleased sound, very much like a cat purring, and eagerly encourages your movement. The pace is not as frantic as the first time, but the pleasure is nearly as intense and soon the two of you are crying out into the storm as you use yourselves up.

When you finally break, she slides down the wall to sit on the ground, her shorts and underwear seemingly forgotten as she tries to recover, panting as if she has just completed a hard run. She turns her face up into the rain and cries out again then looks at you. “I am going to say something that you might not wish to hear, but I will say it anyway. We might never repeat that precise feeling of exaltation and ecstasy again, but I would rather face the rest of my life trying to duplicate it and failing than to have never experienced it.” She shakes her head. “People cannot share that and not feel it or not want to feel it again. At least I cannot and I dearly hope that you cannot. That was a bloody great shag, Peter, bloody great.”

She slips sideways onto the ground and stretches her arms above her head, letting the rain pour onto her body. Lifting her head a bit, she looks around. “Where the frag are my bloody knickers?” She laughs weakly. “Frag. I must be laying on them. Too weak to worry about it right now. I am just going to stay here for a bit, Peter. You fragging took me farther than anyone ever has before and I need to recover a bit.”

[Beta]

* Gamma: I'm crashing emotionally, and the words I'm about to say reflect that.

Preston choked slightly as he was caught with his mouth open, and rain had run down his throat. He realized that he'd been about to say "You can lay off the flattery: I know I can't be anything special, given all the lovers that you've had. Or maybe you never realized you have a fetish for slumming it."

* Eliza: That talk of total honesty in relationships is probably written by people who aren't in relationships.
* Gamma: I may not stop the next set of poorly chosen words before they leaave my lips. I think I'd be upset if I were to repeat he events of this morning.

Eventually Preston picks some safe words to say. "All things considered, if I'm going to be post-coital while being pelted with water, I think I'd rather it be in your amazing shower, than in this alley. But since I passed up on my chance for the former this morning, I am glad we took advantage of this. But in this downpour who knows who or what could be taking advantage of the bad visibility, so I'd suggest we head back to my apartment for a hot shower, hot tea, and maybe a warm bed."

After a moment he decides to add "I should apologize: I'm in an emotional crash right now, and am probably poor company. Given a bit of time, maybe a bit of food and caffeine, and I should return to being a human rather than a donkey. That sort of intensity that we just had kind of wipes me out for a bit, and I need a little while to rebuild, errr, something. Can't think of the word right now."

He gets to his feet, not without a slight stagger, then offers a hand up to Tanya.

It is only as they are exiting the alley that he thinks to ask "You will stay the night, won't you?"

[Mercy]

Tanya remains on the ground for a few moments, still panting. She laughs, “Yes, right now there are a few words I am not sure I remember.”

She grabs onto your hand and lets you pull her to her feet. She looks around and murmurs something under her breath before bending over in front of you to pick up her knickers and shorts. Monkey almost has a stroke at the sight.

•Monkey: Oh! Ook Ook! I can’t………I can’t. Oh!

Tanya gets dressed and quietly walks with you to the end of the alley. She looks at you as you ask your question and smiles. "I would very much like to spend the night, Peter. I was rather hoping that you would ask. Perhaps we can work on getting past this emotional crash of yours. If you want help, that is." She goes with you back to your place. Both of you are completely soaked by the time you get there. As you stand on your stoop entering your code to enter the building, you glance over at Tanya. She is giving you an odd sort of look and smiles brightly when your eyes connect. Her hair is unbound and sopping wet and she has mud smudges on her face and body, but still manages to look amazing. She puts a hand on your arm and something passes between you before the door responds to the code and hisses open. Being the gentleman, you motion for her to precede you into the lobby, where three other men are standing, apparently trying to decide whether to brave the storm to go across to the bar or not. Their eyes follow her figure as Tanya walks over to the elevator, where she turns and puts an arm through one of yours and waits for the car to arrive.

Once in your room, she turns to you. “Your shower is a bit small and I am not sure that there is sufficient room for both of us at the same time. If you do not mind, I can wait in your bathroom and talk to you while you shower, then take a turn.”

[Mercy]

Preston wondered why he was even awake at such a time? A quick check of his link said it was 3:56 AM.

* Monkey: this is not as comfortable as Tanya's bed

Apparently some parts of him were awake. As he shifted position he realized just how true that was.

* Oleg: At least here I don't need a resupply drop on the way to the fragging washroom.

And apparently Monkey was not the only part of him awake already, and obviously Oleg had recovered from the temporary silencing he'd inflicted on it. Well, it was probably for the best to let his mental grumbles happen now, and get them over with.

* Oleg: It still doesn't make sense that she is here. I say the vixen is up to something.

* Monkey: I hope that she is up for doing something, because I certainly am.

* Oleg: Bah, do I have to get distracted by sex everytime I'm near an attractive woman?

* Monkey: Yes, of course I do.

* Oleg: I'm mixing business and pleasure, and that is never good.

* Oleg: A man should keep his personal life and his business seperate! Letting them mix is just a recipe for disaster.

* Oleg: And she can't be trusted, the English are all weird with their druids and all that mumbo-jumbo, and to have the money that she has and still be stealing stuff? Sounds self-destructive to me.

* Oleg: And what am I to her? She can buy and sell people like me whenever she wants. She's had strings of lovers, how many did she tell that the were her best ever, that she wanted to be with them forever, that she had chosen them in particular? How long until she is telling the next man the same things?

* Monkey: Or woman, she is rumoured to like both.

* Oleg: It isn't natural, another reason she can't be trusted!

* Monkey: Isn't it better to be honest about your lusts, to pursue what you like, than to hide it all behind a curtain of supposed decency?

* Oleg: Of course it isn't, we are people, not beasts! We don't just rut with anything in heat.

* Monkey: That is right, meta-humans are one of the few mammals that don't go into heat, we are ready to go at any time. Like now, now would be a good time.

* Oleg: What, wake her up when I finally have some time to think?

* Monkey: Look at it this way, woken up in the middle of the night, she won't be very awake, I can see her in a less planned, prepared, state.

* Oleg: Sex as a way to disarm someone? I can't believe I can think of sinking so low!

* Monkey: But rutting just for pleasure is wrong? If sex is to be planned, what are the limits on it?

* Oleg: Frag it, I hate when my lusts get philosophical? This is wrong, but I'm going to do it anyway, aren't I?

* Gamma: (mental yawn) Yes, then hopefully I can get back to sleep.



Preston snuggled closer to Tanya, and began nibbling on her ear lobe ....

[Mercy]

Tanya murmurs something unintelligible as you nibble at her, waking enough to open her eyes. “Mmmmmmm. Awake are we? Let’s just see…….”

Her hand idly brushes against your chest and travels down until she strokes your hardness. Her eyes open even more as she says, “I see that you are very awake.” She levers herself up on an arm and looks at your face. Her hair is considerably mussed from the bed antics of the night before and sleep. You may have known prettier women, even bedded some, but right now, at this instant, you cannot remember any of them and your mind tells you that Tanya is the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. Her gorgeous smile brings light to the dim room and she stops stroking you, allowing her hand to work its way back up, where she uses it to trace your lips as she looks at you. Without saying a word, she lowers her face to yours and kisses you gently. And in that one, single kiss, gives herself to you completely. Your doubts are silenced, at least for now, as you are completely and entirely sure that this is where she wants to be, and that you are who she wants to be with. Oleg and the others might voice doubts later, but for now they are silenced as the kiss just goes on and on.

It is a different sort of kiss. Not the hard, passionate kind that presages frenetic sex, but a gentle kiss that somehow conveys so much about a person. The sort of kiss that story tellers mention as lasting almost forever or being THE kiss. Songs have been written about them and many people will only be able to dream of finding the sort of person that wants to kiss them like this. Your body reacts predictably and you experience a desire for Tanya that is much greater than it has been. That feeling could go away at any moment, but it seems to stretch through the length of the kiss and beyond. She moves to press her breasts against your chest and the two of you begin something that is so far beyond simple sex as to approach something far greater. Her movements are gentle and the lovemaking takes a long time. Eventually she cries out loudly as her body spasms in an extended internal explosion that seems to just keep going, finally bringing about your own eruption as you fall over the precipice and collapse on top of her. She wraps her legs around your waist and her arms around your neck and kisses you again, sealing the act of love as something that you might just remember forever.

Tanya cannot even talk above a whisper as she says, “Wow. What just happened here? Peter, that was immensely…………………something. Something wonderful. Something fantastic. I hope that you felt it, too, because, well, I do not think I can describe it adequately and so hope that you know what I am blathering about. I had thought against the alley wall yesterday was great, but this was so much better. I could get addicted to that, and to you. Frankly, I actually think I am already addicted to you and I do hope that you do not mind. I do not want to delay your recovery or make any sort of emotional crash even worse, but I am quite sure that I.............well, that I have fallen hard for you. Is that OK with you?”

[Beta]

"Mmmm, I hope not truly addicted, addiction is never as fun as it sounds ... but I know what you mean. It's. Very hard to have a thought that does not include you." He stretches languorously, then admits "I fell like I could stay up the rest of the night, just holding you and hearing you breath -- but I know we need more sleep, at least I do. Do you think you can doze back off?"

[Mercy]

Tanya smiles as she puts her face into your neck and murmurs something completely unintelligible, one arm snakes about you and she shifts her body to get close to you, molding to fit your form. Her breathing indicates that she is asleep in seconds.

You wake to being alone in bed and for an instant might believe that you are alone, but then the memories of the previous day and night come rushing in and you remember that Tanya was here. The bedroom door is slightly ajar and you can hear what sounds like a woman singing as well as noises associated with a kitchen.

[Beta]

* Oleg: Hunh, she's learning -- leave me alone in the morning and make herself useful in the kitchen

Preston couldn't believe that even the crankiest part of his personality gave voice to that thought.

* Monkey: It would be far better if she was still in bed, if she wanted to make this a good morning I can think of lots of ways to do that ...
* Gamma: I have lots of things to do today, and indulging in more matress games would leave me too drained to be productive.
* Monkey: No, it would wake me up!
* Gamma: I have told myself such things in the past, but evidence shows that this is not how it works for me.
* Coleman: I need to be sharp to deal with Amanda effectively. I will need to extract maximum information from her without making her suspicious, but without bedding her.
* Monkey: What is wrong with beddng her? Look at Tanya's history, she'd understand, its just business after all.

It was apparently Preston's morning to be shocked about where his thoughts were drifting.

* Gamma: This is not un-typical. It was speaking such thoughts out loud that created the problem yesterday morning.
* Monkey: Who can expect a guy to be responsible for even his words, forget about thoughts, when he hasn't even had caffe yet?
* Coleman: Caffeine would raise my alertness.
* Gamma: Doing things before I have caffe often goes poorly.
* Eliza: Preparing and sharing a nice soycaffe creates a social ritual that can hold off deeper discussion while still being intimate in its fashion.
* Oleg: If she's messed up my caffe maker there will be hell to pay!

Preston slid out of bed, pulled on a t-shirt and pair of sweat pants, then padded out to the main room. Fortunately even Monkey was willing to limit his concern about Tanya's state of undress until after caffe had been obtained. He did manage a few syllables that hopefully resembled words. When she explained that she'd held off touching the soycaffe machine because she wasn't quite sure how it all worked his grunt of "good" had hopefully not been too rude. In case it had been he handed her the first cup, although it took all he had in him to do so.

Finally he was pouring back hot liquid bliss. He managed not to burn his tongue, and to hold off making a second one just yet, although he felt that his flesh hand was on the verge of trembling with the desire for more caffe. He forced his eyes and thoughts to focus enough to offer up "Good morning. Thank you for letting me sleep. And being patient enough for me to get some caffe in me. I'm almost human now."

He finally took in the varied pans and ingredients that Tanya had out and had to ask "Uh, exactly what is it that you were working on here? I mean -- thank you for getting breakfast going, but ... would you like some help?"

[Mercy]

Friday 8 June 2075 Echo's Apartment


Tanya is dressed in a shirt that hangs far enough in front and rear to cover her, but exposes a good bit of thigh from the sides. By the swaying of her breasts under the thin fabric, you are fairly certain that she is not wearing a bra. She bends over once and you are definitely certain that she is not wearing any underwear, either. She has not done anything withy your fancy coffee maker, but has brought out several pans more than you would think necessary for what seems to be cooking. She smiles at your question and waves her hands about the kitchen. "I am not really sure, actually. I had brought a tin of ham with me and was trying to match that with something you have here, but somehow.................well, it sort of came out wrong." She laughs. "I am certainly not as good at this as Monique is, but I refuse to go running for her help and will try to muddle through. So, yes, the answer is yes. I could use some help."

[Beta]

As they eat a light breakfast and clean up--the latter taking somewhat longer than the former--they also talk about the coming day. When Preston expresses his need to learn to handle a rifle before the skeet shooting a few days hence, Tanya asks if he'd like her to book him in at a shooting range she has used, and he graciously accepts her offer.

* Eliza: there, that wasn't so bad, there is hope for us indeed!

Preston is a bit worried about his appointment with Amanda, so he carefully phrases it as a research opportunity. Tanya seemed amused by his phrasing, as best as he could tell--but she made no objection.

After that, Preston is open to suggestions from Tanya.

[Mercy]

As the two of you eat and clean up, Tanya seems to be grateful that you are not making more of her lack of kitchen skills. "I am glad that you are taking the investigation seriously, but I would like to discuss something." She comes up behind you at the sink and puts her arms around you, her nipples pressing into your back and distracting you a bit. She lays her head against your back, saying, "I am very pleased at your progress and I think that you are harder on yourself than others are. Much harder. You are taking giant strides so far and I fully expect great things from you. I think that you need someone in your corner that is willing to do more than simply say they are behind you, but actually are behind you. I understand that you are going to see Amanda today. Take your research where it leads you, Peter, even if that is her bed. Have a great time. I will be here when you come home tonight, whenever that is. I might walk across to the pub and see if there are any rubes there that I can take in a game of darts or billiards. But I am not going anywhere, unless you say enough and send me away. But I warn you that you will have to say it three times, with at least an hour between times, before I go."

[Beta]

But I am not going anywhere, unless you say enough and send me away. But I warn you that you will have to say it three times, with at least an hour between times, before I go."

Preston can't stop a snort of laughter, then a guffaw, and then he entirely loses it, laughing so hard he can barely breath. At Tanya's concerned expression he eventually manages to gasp "It's OK, it's good, it's just ...." but then he cracks up again.

When he finally manages get himself back under control he looks more relaxed than Tanya has seen so far, and he says "I can't remember when I laughed that hard. It was just ..." he has to take a moment to make sure he doesn't start giggling again "You nailed me so perfectly, so dead pan, and in that accent." He shakes his head, and elaborates "I think you may know me better than I know me, somehow. But to know me .... and accept that .... isn't something I ever expected, from anyone really. I never knew what sort of confidence and peace it could bring. But to have it said that way, it was" he clamps down on more laughter.

"I'm really sorry I cracked up like that, what you said was serious, and I appreciate it, but I think it was the relief of tension as much as anything? Anyway, I thank you so very deeply for that."

* Eliza: and what else do I need to tell her?

He takes a deep breath and adds "And I will endeavor never to send you away, and to be at your side when you need me." After a moment he adds with a grin "And to give you honest competition on matrix games."

OOC: sounds like the right sort of moment to finally spend the karma on boosting charisma to three.

[Mercy]

Tanya smiles and gives you a hug. "Thank you, Peter, for the vote of confidence in yourself. Just remember that there is someone who cares about you and also has a great confidence in you." She breaks the hug and walks toward the bedroom. "Now I am going to get dressed. You may join me if you like. I would like to know where a laundry is as I only have two spare sets of clothes with me. Oh, and good luck on that matrix game thing. You will need it."

[Beta]

Washing the smell of the shooting range out of his hair, Preston had to admit that tapping into Tanya's knowledge, contacts, and connections made life more pleasant. Sure, he'd paid a bit more to use the shooting range she'd suggested, but the instructor had not only been a good teacher but an experienced skeet shooter. Plus they had clean and comfortable change facilities, including a shower that was at least a couple of steps up from what was in his apartment.

* Monkey: This shower is good, but Tanya's shower is great! When Tanya is in Tanya's shower it moves up to spectacular.

Probably just as well not to have had Tanya here for his lesson. Not just for the sake of his pride but also for lack of distraction. How a woman that toned managed to curve so much he still couldn't figure out.

* Monkey: I'll just need to keep studying her to figure it out.

He really needed to change his train of thought, given that he was in a public shower. Plus he needed to get himself dressed in the nice shirt and slacks that he'd brought along, then go meet Amanda. Given his current situation with Tanya, it seemed that 'teach me how to be a good companion' was no longer just a front for learning about Howard, but an actual need in his life. Not that his relationship with Tanya seemed anything like Amanda's with Howard, but then again his was new and hers was old. On the other hand, Howard was apparently married while Tanya wasn't, the genders were switched around, and Tanya certainly wasn't the same sort of personality as Howard.

Still and all, it seemed like useful skills to acquire, even they weren't the sort of thing one would list in their qualifications.

He paused in the middle of washing his face -- for some jobs, would those be qualifications one would want to bring up? Somewhat disturbingly it seemed to him that yes, there were infiltration type jobs where these would make perfect sense.

Soap getting into his mouth reminded him to rinse -- and to focus on getting out of the shower and on his way, but flirting around the back of his thoughts was the question of whether he really could and would learn such a skill-set.

* Coleman: I will consider the value of learning this, versus time and other resources invested in it.
* Gamma: I'll keep touch with these thoughts, on whether I could be effective at the skills under consideration.
* Eliza: And I'll mentally roll my eyes at my self-doubts about such things. If I can schmooze people and I can disguise myself to present what people expect, do I really doubt that I can and should aquire more skills at selling myself as what others want?

Well yes, maybe he could and should master this skill set.

With renewed focus he finished his shower, dried, applied a light analgesic cream to his shoulder, dressed, strapped on his taser, and then stepped into a bathroom stall to install the the hidden carriers for his blackjack and hold-out away from prying eyes. On the way out from the range he paused to book additional lessons -- fortunately it seemed that the instructors were not in high demand first thing in the morning.

* Monkey: But this means no lingering and snuggling with Tanya!
* Coleman: She wouldn't be the woman she is if she didn't understand about training to play a part. We'll both live.

And with that it was time to climb back into his car and head off to meet Amanda.

[Mercy]

You leave your apartment with a slightly jauntier step than you have had in a while, but it does not hit you until you are at your car in the parking garage. So just why are you feeling a bit more…………….something better. The sex? Perhaps. But you have had good and great sex before and have not felt this way. Perhaps it was the last words Tanya said as you walked out the door. You were already shutting it when she said “I believe in you, Peter.” Something in the tone of her voice had imparted to you that she was completely sincere. So is that all it takes? Having someone really believe in you? Maybe that was the secret.

The shooting range is crowded this morning, with lots of people trying to get in practice before the big charity match on Monday. How you got an instructor slot is a mystery, but you got a good one. Karl Janson seems to really know his stuff and you learn quickly under his artful hand. The sounds of shotguns firing and the smell of cordite fill the air. Your first morning is not bad and you are even scoring some hits by the end of the training period. Karl says you have the mark of a natural and congratulates you on wanting three shorter training periods instead of one longer one, as that will allow your shoulder to recover a bit from the pounding it gets from the gun. No amount of recoil compensation can completely remove the sensation that your shoulder has been hit repeatedly with a small sledge hammer.

[Beta]

Friday 8 June 2075, Double-Pike Cafe

* Gamma: I am staring at her cleavage again
* Monkey: It isn't like she really minds!
* Coleman: Her breasts are a dangerous distraction, as her face is more apt to show her true intentions.
* Monkey: I don't know, she could be hiding a pretty big weapon in there, perhaps I should investigate more closely, just for safetyy's sake?

"Sorry, did you just say 'Everett' or 'over it'? I, uh, lost my focus for a moment."

Amanda really did have a nice laugh when she wasn't putting on a performance -- or maybe this one was also performance, but a different one than she'd used the other night? Either way it took the sting out Preston's embarrasement, as did her words "You are too adorable, you know that? You are trying so hard, but I think you're fighting a losing battle."

* Monkey: See, I told you she doesn't mind

Amanda winked -- and Preston's eyes were on her face to see this -- and continued "Should we go somewhere more private so you can get it out of your system?"

* Monkey: YES!!!!!

"No ...."

* Monkey: I suck!

"...I think I'll just pay particular attention to your lovely left ear for a while."

"My ear, eh?" teased Amanda, brushing her hair back to make it more visible. "You just keep your eyes on my ear ...." Then she did something. A bit of a shrug, some sort of roll of her chest maybe, and Preston's peripheral vision saw enough that his eyes snapped back to Amanda's shimmering cleavage.

Preston sputtered "Blast it, you don't play fair!" as he wrenched his vision back to her face.

Eyes dancing Amanda shot back "Fair? Sweety, the world doesn't play fair. I got dealt a pretty cheap hand except for one ace, so I play that ace for all its worth. Like I told you, I developed young, and ever since I've been mastering using them. There is a song one of the girls I used to dance with used in her routine, no idea where she dug it up from, but it said it well."

Amanda leaned close and sang, voice a throaty whisper, almost indifferent, but eyes and body speaking much more intently:

"You gave me these weapons
I feel free to use them
You gave me these weapons
How could I refuse them
You gave me these weapons
And I'm gonna use them
You gave me these weapons
To control you

You put me up on the pedestal
My arsenal is flesh and blood
My lips, my breast, my body
Keep you at my mercy
You want to worship me
Like a Madonna
You want to slap me around
Because you fear me"

She stopped and leaned back, looking almost self-conscious.

* Monkey: *wild applause*

"Holy hell woman, why aren't you in some dark night-club breaking hearts? That was incredible! Shivers right down my spine." Preston gulped some soy-caff, barely noticing that it had already grown tepid. "If HE doesn't appreciate what he has, then he's deaf as well as blind."

As Preston released his mug, Amanda took his hand in hers and looked him in the eye. For once it was easy to keep his eyes up, as she explained "It is nice of you to say that, but of course I'd not sing to him like that -- It would threaten him too much. He doesn't value what he has, but he hates for others to get it. For just my body he won't care much if someone else gets his 'sloppy seconds' as he sees it. But if he thought I had other talents that other's would value? No, that wouldn't be good. And I'm not really that good, not good enough to do any better than I've done without singing."

She release Preston's hands and eyes, gave a sort-of-smile, and added quietly "Besides, it matters to have one thing you won't sell."

* Gamma: What do I have that I wouldn't sell?
* ....
* Gamma: Perhaps I should figure that out then.