06-11-2016, 11:35 PM
Home.
It seemed like ages ago that Abner had last gotten the opportunity to sit in his cozy reclining chair in his small, poorly lit Tier Three apartment. Sure, as a captain in the Stormtrooper corps he could afford a better living space than he occupied, but he really didn’t see the need or reason to do so. He was always happy to simply sit down and smoke a cigarette and drink a beer in his chair. The feeling of being home was the simple joy that no amount of Omnilium could create. It was something that came with time. Time with, and time away.
Abner had had plenty of time away, so he was beyond overjoyed to walk into his living quarters and peel the sweat soaked vest off of himself. He discarded the protection on his kitchen table alongside all of his weapons, and grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He had a lot of catching up to do on various sports. Declining to take the time to summon something with his newfound powers, Abner instead pulled a beer from his refrigerator and made his way towards his favorite chair. Just before he could sit down, the doorbell rang.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Abner grumbled, making his way to the door.
He flung it open to find none other than Tate Schell standing at the doorway, with a piece of paper in his hands. Abner grunted once again. He didn’t expect they’d meet again this soon. He was also out of both pleasantries and sarcasm for the mysterious Imperial Agent.
“What?” Abner asked right away, hoping to hurry this along.
Schell merely presented the paper to Abner, with a sly grin. “You’ve got mail.”
They exchanged blank stares for a moment before Abner erupted into laughter. Agent Schell was very surprised by this reaction, and could tell it was genuine laughter, not some fake job to throw him off. He stared in disbelief while Abner snatched the letter from his hand, and managed to contain his mirth after a minute.
“You’re right, mailman Schell,” Abner was still chuckling. “I ain’t never seen anyone like you. What the hell is this?”
Schell ignored Abner’s taunts. “It’s a letter from Karl Jak, requesting your help in the Danteverse.”
“Karl Jak?” Abner read over the letter. “Who’s that?”
“He’s the one who set up Dante’s Abyss last year,” Schell crossed his arms as he explained, then looked down the hallway. “Can I just come in?”
“No,” Abner’s reply was fast and dismissive. “I didn’t watch a lot of it, last time. Who’s Dante, then?”
“I don’t know, Abner,” Schell’s fatigue was beginning to show. “But we need you to investigate this.”
Abner frowned as he continued to read it over. “’Smooches.’ No thanks. Not interested.”
“This is an order coming from above both of our heads,” Schell took a firm stand. “You’re clearly a person of interest to him, and we need to know more about the Danteverse. The safest hands are…”
“Yea, yea,” Abner interrupted. “You gave me this speech already.”
Schell gave another knowing smile. “Word is that Christa will be there.”
“What?” Abner suddenly looked up.
“She was spotted in Darkshire,” Tate looked casual and collected now that he was back in control. “She’s going. Maybe you should check on her.”
“How did you…?” Abner started to ask, but immediately shook his head to dismiss the question. He was clearly stuck in a hard place at this point. He didn't like it, but that wasn't anything new. He'd have to accept it. “Fine. I’ll check it out.”
“Excellent,” Schell replied. “There’s one or two other Imperials that you-”
Abner slammed the door in Schell’s face, and stepped away, looking over the letter. He knew more about the Danteverse than he let on, but still not much. The last thing he wanted to do was test his new immortality in that hellhole, but there was certainly a compelling reason to risk it, now.
It seemed like ages ago that Abner had last gotten the opportunity to sit in his cozy reclining chair in his small, poorly lit Tier Three apartment. Sure, as a captain in the Stormtrooper corps he could afford a better living space than he occupied, but he really didn’t see the need or reason to do so. He was always happy to simply sit down and smoke a cigarette and drink a beer in his chair. The feeling of being home was the simple joy that no amount of Omnilium could create. It was something that came with time. Time with, and time away.
Abner had had plenty of time away, so he was beyond overjoyed to walk into his living quarters and peel the sweat soaked vest off of himself. He discarded the protection on his kitchen table alongside all of his weapons, and grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He had a lot of catching up to do on various sports. Declining to take the time to summon something with his newfound powers, Abner instead pulled a beer from his refrigerator and made his way towards his favorite chair. Just before he could sit down, the doorbell rang.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Abner grumbled, making his way to the door.
He flung it open to find none other than Tate Schell standing at the doorway, with a piece of paper in his hands. Abner grunted once again. He didn’t expect they’d meet again this soon. He was also out of both pleasantries and sarcasm for the mysterious Imperial Agent.
“What?” Abner asked right away, hoping to hurry this along.
Schell merely presented the paper to Abner, with a sly grin. “You’ve got mail.”
They exchanged blank stares for a moment before Abner erupted into laughter. Agent Schell was very surprised by this reaction, and could tell it was genuine laughter, not some fake job to throw him off. He stared in disbelief while Abner snatched the letter from his hand, and managed to contain his mirth after a minute.
“You’re right, mailman Schell,” Abner was still chuckling. “I ain’t never seen anyone like you. What the hell is this?”
Schell ignored Abner’s taunts. “It’s a letter from Karl Jak, requesting your help in the Danteverse.”
“Karl Jak?” Abner read over the letter. “Who’s that?”
“He’s the one who set up Dante’s Abyss last year,” Schell crossed his arms as he explained, then looked down the hallway. “Can I just come in?”
“No,” Abner’s reply was fast and dismissive. “I didn’t watch a lot of it, last time. Who’s Dante, then?”
“I don’t know, Abner,” Schell’s fatigue was beginning to show. “But we need you to investigate this.”
Abner frowned as he continued to read it over. “’Smooches.’ No thanks. Not interested.”
“This is an order coming from above both of our heads,” Schell took a firm stand. “You’re clearly a person of interest to him, and we need to know more about the Danteverse. The safest hands are…”
“Yea, yea,” Abner interrupted. “You gave me this speech already.”
Schell gave another knowing smile. “Word is that Christa will be there.”
“What?” Abner suddenly looked up.
“She was spotted in Darkshire,” Tate looked casual and collected now that he was back in control. “She’s going. Maybe you should check on her.”
“How did you…?” Abner started to ask, but immediately shook his head to dismiss the question. He was clearly stuck in a hard place at this point. He didn't like it, but that wasn't anything new. He'd have to accept it. “Fine. I’ll check it out.”
“Excellent,” Schell replied. “There’s one or two other Imperials that you-”
Abner slammed the door in Schell’s face, and stepped away, looking over the letter. He knew more about the Danteverse than he let on, but still not much. The last thing he wanted to do was test his new immortality in that hellhole, but there was certainly a compelling reason to risk it, now.