ES 13 - Weaklings

Normally Terra’s office was a small, comfortable and homey place, but with four people inside it felt cramped. Her chair was occupied by Chemicals large frame. Terra herself stood to the side together with electricals second in command Umbani. There was a visitor’s chair, but Reed felt weird sitting in Chemical’s presence while the others stood, so he remained standing as well.
“I can hardly believe it.” Chemical said solemnly “She is one of the faction’s oldest members, I trusted her.”
“A lot of people did.” Terra said. “That’s why she could get a hold on the equipment like she did. Everybody assumed she had the authority because of age.”
“Age means a lot in the society.” Umbani said. “I’d hate to think what would happen if it got out a person like that might have changed sides.”
Reed hadn’t had any real reasons to talk with the electrical factions second before, she was short, shy, but distinctly aware of her own rank. She was the one who brought the news to Terra, Terra in turn had called him and Chemical. But where was Nell? Shouldn't he be the first to know if something happened to Dawson.
“Where is Shrapnel?” Reed asked.
“Yes, where is he?” Chemical said. “He is the one ultimately responsible for this human.”
“I tried to call him as soon as I heard.” Terra replied. “But there was no answer.”
“Do you think something happened to him?” Reed was worried, the librarian was shrewd, but no real fighter and if the black shifters decided to go after him he wouldn't stand a chance.
“I don’t know. I don’t even know where he is.” Terra sighed.
“Then we should not rule out him working with Life.” Umbani said.
“Now listen here...” Reed growled. He wasn’t going to let anyone slander his friends, not even a second.
Just when Reed was about tell Umbani exactly how he felt about her statement, Shrapnel slammed open the door to Terra’s office. Dried blood stained his clothes and all six of his eyes burned with a dark purple rage. He hardly seemed to notice the occupants of the room.
“I’m gonna murder Life…” he growled, voice seeming hoarser than usual.
Everyone stared at him in surprise.
“Wow, Nell, take it easy.” Reed said. “We are all concerned, everyone is looking for a way to get Dawson back.”
“Dawson?” Shrapnel seemed to snap out of it somewhat.
“Yes...?” Reed had just assumed Dawson was the reason Nell wanted to kill Life, what other possible reason could he have?
“She took Dawson?!?”
“I thought you kn…”
Reed couldn't remember ever watching Shrapnel cry, but now he broke down and collapsed in the visitor’s chair.
“She destroys my life, and now she takes everything I love.”
“Why is it that everyone breaks down crying in front of me lately?” Reed asked no one in particular.
“Are you alright?” Terra asked Shrapnel.
“I’m fine… I’m fine.” he said, quickly regaining his composure. “How do we get Dawson back, and how do we kill Life?”
“Kill Life?” Chemical said. “Don’t you think the death sentence is a bit harsh for just a theft.”
“Right…” Shrapnel slowly leaned back in the chair, face expressionless but all six eyes pinned on the faction leader. “Just a theft.”
“The crimes against secrecy is for electrical to deal with.” Chemical motioned at Umbani.
“And what about treason? Who deals with that?” Shrapnel asked.
Chemical glanced a Umbani who shrugged, treason wasn’t exactly a crime the society had to deal with a lot. The only such crime Reed could think of was the last Chemical, whom Gravity had dealt with, but you didn't go around mentioning that event to the current Chemical.
“We know nothing about Life's intentions.” Chemical finally said.
“She attacked me. That's a pretty good indication of her intentions.” Shrapnel replied.
“She attacked you?” Terra said with a concerned frown. “Why?”
Reed thought that was an obvious question, seeing as Life went after Dawson she’d of course want Shrapnel out of the way. Shrapnel however did not answer immediately, he just sat there with a clenched jaw.
“Why!?” Terra demanded again.
“Lots of reasons.” Shrapnel answered. “Can we please focus on Dawson. How long have he been gone?”
“A couple of hours. I tried to call you.”
Shrapnel reached into his robes, took out his phone and threw it on Terra’s desk. It was deformed and was missing a big chunk in the side, like someone had shot it.
“Wow, what happened to it?!?” Reed exclaimed.
“Life.” Shrapnel said. “Regretfully it got in the way, or I would have called for help the moment I was conscious. Instead I had to walk back here after I yanked a spear out of myself and my phone.”
“Did you walk here through the human town looking like that?” Umbani asked.
Reed wondered briefly if she was going to charge him for that. Shrapnel gave her an ice-cold look, even Terra glanced disgruntled at her. Umbani looked down at her feet, making a small um sound.
Shrapnel turned back to Chemical at the other side of the table.
“I want to be in charge of the search team.” he said.
“There will be no search team.” Chemical replied.
“What...?”
“The equipment isn't valuable enough to waste time on, especially not the time of one of my generals.” Chemical said sternly.
There was a strained silence in which Shrapnel looked at Terra, who in turn looked at her desktop with a remorseful expression. From Terra’s desktop her porcelain pug looked at Reed, with what he thought was a judgmental expression. He wanted to say something on Nell’s behalf to fill the awkward silence, but could not think of anything that wouldn't sound like he questioned Chemicals authority.
“The black shifters are very much a concern to waste time on.” Shrapnel said slowly. “Life is working with them, let me go after her.”
“We don’t know that. If we are lucky she took Dawson for personal reasons only.”
Reed started to say something about how it was very likely she was working with them, based on what they had learnt in Norfolk. But before the words had time to leave his mouth Shrapnel exploded with rage.
“WEAKLING!” he roared, sweeping down everything from Terra’s desk.
Terra made a move, in vain, to save the porcelain pug, it went down on the floor with the paperwork and her desk light. The purple flames that Shrapnel left behind on the desk quickly became undone in Chemical presence.
“You just sit on your fat arse,” Shrapnel screamed, “afraid you’d break some old social taboo about age, while bullies run your faction!”
Chemical just patiently glared while Shrapnel continued to shout.
“The world come crashing down, but you allow evil like Life to roam free! You are an arrogant old fool! Do you think this society is untouchable!?! It’s not!!” Shrapnel’s voice finally had enough and collapsed into a hoarse whisper. In the sudden silence his last croaked words seemed somehow clearer than the rest. “You are not a demon, you are a PUSSY!”
Shrapnel did not quit because his voice did, but continued to whisper inaudible insults at the faction leader, oblivious of the rest of the rooms occupants.
“Reed, if you please.” Chemical said calmly.
Wise from experience Reed’s first move was to grab Shrapnel by the tail, then he took a hard grip around his arm, pushed it against his back and started to drag Nell away from the table. Compared to Reed, Shrapnel was rather weak, so there was no physical challenge for Reed to bring the infuriated librarian out of the office.
Shrapnel continued to spit inaudible insults all the way out.

Once outside Reed let go of his friend. Shrapnel did not turn around once Reed released him, instead Reed turned him so they faced each other.  It was uncanny how he had gone from raging to calm as a bucket of sour milk as soon as the door closed behind them. Like he forgot he had ever been angry.
Reed had known Shrapnel for a long time, but he had never seen him angry. Irritated yes, and threatening, but never the senseless rage that had been aimed at Chemical. Love did strange things to people.
“That was stupid.” Reed said. “I know you are worried Nell, but that’s no reason to start shouting at Chemical.”
Nell answered with a short grunt.
Reed was a bit concerned Shrapnel might have done some permanent damage to his voice. Then again, he was a shifter, it would probably heal in time.
“Hey, Nell, just take it easy. We’ll get Dawson back, ok?” he tried to sound more confident that he felt. “I need to go back there. Go read a book or something. We’ll talk later.”
Without a word Shrapnel turned and started walking down the path to the library.

“How do we get Dawson back?” Reed asked, once he told everyone in Terra’s office about what he’d learned in Norfolk of the black shifters’ intent. “Or are we just going to let Life get away with this?”
“A big scale search would be a waste of resources, but both factions will issue arrest orders for Life.” Chemical said.
“And for Inaida.” Umbani added. “If anyone encounter either of them they will be brought directly to the Faction leaders.”
“Don’t you think that’s dangerous for him?” Reed said. “Some electrical agents can be a bit rough.”
Umbani pulled her lip with a quizzical look at Reed. Reed had no idea what she was getting at with that expression.
“I’ll be sure to include Inaida should be brought in unharmed.” Terra answered. “I suggest electrical do the same.”


Shrapnel prowled through the corridors, towards the library out of old habit, after all he had nowhere else to go. On an intellectual level he understood Chemicals position, the faction leader had no emotional connection to Dawson, to him he was just another stolen item. If Dawson had been a shifter for real things would have been different, Chemical cared for the shifters in his faction, but he would not spend resources on a tool.
Somehow Dawson's disappearance felt worse than Quakes death had. Maybe because Shrapnel was the one who had dragged Dawson into this mess, and it had been his responsibility to keep the human safe. But what could he possibly have done about it? He had been stuck on a rebar, unaware of the danger Dawson was in. He should not feel so guilty. If only he had not been so stupid as to walk into an obvious trap like that.
Thinking of Life Shrapnel’s anger returned. He could feel the restless demon inside, and he welcomed the fuel it added to his steps. He had shouted at Chemical, and he’d be fooling himself if he said the outburst was only caused by Dawson’s disappearance. He had come to that office with one single clear intent. One he still intended to carry out.

When he arrived at the library he was approached by one of the lower rank librarians. This was probably a shifter who had joined the faction in hopes of earning a high position, but had failed on the training floor and ended up with a low-key job at the library. Weakling, screamed Shrapnel’s demonic instincts, snob, the more rational part of his brain thought. None of that showed on his face though.
“Um, Shrapnel, I found this book on the floor. I have no idea where it belongs.” the librarian said.
Shrapnel accepted the big leather-bound tome. It was Cain’s Psychic Mindplaces. It belonged on the restricted shelves, and the only one who would have picked it out without asking Shrapnel first was Dawson. Nothing changed on Shrapnel’s emotionless face.
“What?”
Shrapnel lowered the pitch of his voice, a trick he hadn’t had to use in a long time, and tried again.
“What chapter was it open on?”
“Oh. It was closed. But there was a lot of papers stuffed into it. I’m afraid I didn’t check on what page before I removed them though.”
“What did you do with the papers??”
“I threw them away, it was just gibberish.”
Even though he wasn’t as strong as Reed, Shrapnel’s sudden punch floored the surprised librarian.
“Get lost!” Shrapnel growled, purple flames flickering around his head and the taste of acid in his mouth.
The shocked librarian wiped some colourful blood from a broken lip before hightailing out of the room. That weak snob was probably going to complain to a superior about the punch before finding out the assailant had been the highest authority the library had.

Shrapnel sat alone in the light of a desk lamp and stared down at Cain’s book. He did not feel bad about hitting the other shifter, nor about breaking the number one rule in the library, but he had lost his temper again. He would need a level head if he was going to come up with any plan to find Dawson. And Life. The problem with a human guise was that humans carried so many feelings, and it was easy to be overcome by them if you didn’t pay attention.
The worst thing was not knowing if Dawson was alive or not. Every passing second could mean the death of the human he loved. Life surely hadn’t stolen him just to kill him, not that that was a big comfort.
Shrapnel absently turned a few pages in the book. The structure of minds. How to sort memories. Benefits of mindreading. He was going to get through this, he just needed time to think.
He carefully tried to recall what Life had told him, which wasn’t much. His own knowledge of how the black shifters operated was limited, he had been more focused on their powers. Electrical was probably the faction to go to if you wanted more information on that, unfortunately he was short on friends in electrical. There was of course Neutron, but if Shrapnel took help from anyone who wasn’t familiar with Dawson, he would have to explain why Chemical hadn’t arranged a search party. The only one who logically could have helped him was Reed, but he was busy overseeing that criminal he loved to hate so much. Terra would not support him, she had folded in front of the stubborn Chemical, a betrayal that had hurt more than Shrapnel thought it should.
He felt very alone, and slowly he sunk into an all too familiar darkness.