[OOC: I'd like to enter my title as the worst ever created. ^.^ I named Ramsus's ship below for future reference... assuming I'm right, anyway.]

"I hate to be indelicate, but shall we get to the point quickly? This is hardly the best place for friendly greetings."

Miang raised a slender eyebrow, propping her chin in one hand as she gazed into the tiny screen that served as her method of communication to Solaris. Although it was a little distorted, Krelian's sharp gaze seemed to have no trouble penetrating the static barrier. If she hadn't known better, she might have thought he was annoyed... but no, he would never, ever admit to harboring any /emotion/.

She smiled sweetly. "What, are you afraid someone will overhear? I thought that encryption code you gave me was supposed to be top of the line."

"You seem to be forgetting that the Ministry can tap into my communication files, dear Miang." Static wavered into the screen, distorting his cool, perfect features, but his voice remained unaffected. "And I have a hard time believing that Kahran has forgotten the access code to his own quarters. Unless you've taken the liberty of changing it for him - that might not go over well, mmm?"

"Aren't you the witty one, today?" She shook her head and leaned back with a little laugh, lounging in the comfort of Kahr's leather office chair. He really didn't skimp on anything when it came to comfort. Or maybe it was his staff that did this for him - it didn't really matter. "But I don't think that will be a problem. That girl seems to be monopolizing his attention right now. I think I'm even grateful to her... just this once."

It was Krelian's turn to raise an eyebrow, and the cultured arch spoke volumes. "Is that so..." He flipped a strand of hair from his eyes and leveled his gaze at her. "That problem will be taken care of in due course. Now... I assume you have something else to report? As much as I enjoy conversing with you, this is hardly the time or place to be social."

As if he ever /enjoyed/ anything... Miang simply shrugged, playing with a strand of violet hair. "She agreed - grudgingly, but she did it. She also sent a request, but I don't think I have to tell you what it is, do I? I get the feeling this isn't the first time she's... asked."

"Asked, you say?" A pale, derisive smile curved his lips. "The answer will be 'no' I'm afraid. I don't know why she bothers to hold any hope that I will agree."

"Perhaps she still believes there is a shred of compassion in that well of inhumanity you call a soul." Miang shrugged, offering him a reflection of his own smile. She empathized with Zephyr, somewhat... but only to a certain extent. Krelian, despite his every effort, could not keep his feelings completely secret to her, and she knew very well what really went thorugh his mind. It would have been quite funny, if she herself had not experienced the same too many times. "Or maybe she thought she had nothing to lose."

His smile faded, though his eyes still held a remnant of his momentary humor. "She will find otherwise." With a mocking bow of his head, the screen went blank.

//And they call me the root of all evil.// She sat a few moments without moving, still staring at the screen, and the afterimage of the man she had been talking to. //He can be more heartless than I had ever dreamed of being. I wonder how he justifies that to himself against Sophia and her 'teachings'...//

That was the amazing thing about humanity - they had the capacity to be so caring, and yet so cruel to their fellows at the same time. Krelian himself was such a wonderful study of the intricate workings of the human psyche, and the things that could go wrong if one was pushed too far. He had developed an amazing skill of hiding from himself; they called it denial in the scientific world, and he knew exactly what he was doing.

Perhaps it was the only way he could carry out his task; gods knew she had to resort to the same thing, at times. But she did not deny herself the other side of humanity - she herself still felt, after a fashion... She could admit that she was not at all happy about that little brat Kahr insisted on carrying around with him. But life was like that - plans failed, and if her intentions with Kahran were to ultimately fail, she would try again. That was her nature.

But she'd be damned if she would let the cause of her failure live through the day, if that turned out to be so.

They were both such delightful companions; she would be hard pressed to choose between them, if the situation should ever arise. Kahran was truly a knight in shining armor - a prince even. She felt bad, sometimes, for the trouble she'd caused him in the past. But Krelian...

Miang slid out of the chair and paced around the desk, grabbing a sheaf of reports and heading for the door. It would be best to deliver them now; if he cared enough to trace her call, she would simply tell him that she sent in for Command's most recent status tables - that was important enough, and it was always easier to make such calls before landing in Aveh. Despite their renovation of the palace in Bledavik it was still horribly lacking in efficiency, for a Gebler base.

She glided through the door and started briskly down the hallway, already halfway to the elevator by the time the door hissed closed again. With any luck, the girl will have departed; she wasn't in the mood to play at being nice right now.