Completed Attempted Assistance at KRI (Valerius)

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„I have not given you permission to use my first name yet“,[/b Valerius informed her coolly as she nervously greeted him. [b]„And as you can see I have not left yet. I wanted to see if Doctor Alzelin was still there and ask him about your case as you yourself seemed to be unable to or unwilling to answer my questions.“ With that he came closer so that he could see better what she had been doing. It was obvious that she had been looking for something, but for what? „And you had to look for that paper in Doctor Alzelin’s office – his private office?“ Valerius asked incredulously and arched an eyebrow. „You could have found a piece of paper elsewhere or simply talked to the doctor tomorrow, Miss Moletta. No, I don’t think that is what you were doing. The expression on your face and the tone of your voice betray you. If you simply wanted to get a piece of paper, you wouldn’t look at me like that.“ Indeed, the woman looked shocked and downfallen, just like a thief that had been caught. „What shall I do with you now?“ he wondered as he cast a glance at the drawer she had been searching before he had entered the office. „What were you looking for? Of what use could the doctor’s notes possibly be to you? You are not a doctor, and I’m quite sure that you are not a spy either …“ He abruptly stopped and looked directly at her. „Show me your hands, Miss Moletta!“ he ordered her. „I want to know if you have taken anything from Doctor Alzelin’s desk!“

[Amolina]

“But …I didn’t find … I didn’t take anything.” Amolina showed her empty and very clean hands. She was nervous. Any commoner that annoyed a member of the Nitrozian family would feel nervous. Amolina had spent a great deal of the day being an obedient assistant and done all she could to avoid annoying Valerius Nitrozian. Now all sorts of scary scenarios passed by in her mind. What if the “volunteer” job agreement would be revoked and they would demand the huge medical treatment bill to be paid in golden mizas, at once ? She didn’t have the money. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened to people that wasn’t able to pay bills from the Nitrozians. But she had a feeling it would be bad. What now? Try to fool him with some new emergency explanation? She doubted he would buy it. It might just make him furious if he realized she lied to him not only one time, but twice. She settled for telling him she had been looking for Alzelin’s research notes because they were kept secret for her, and that was why she had not been able to tell Valerius any details about the disease and it’s treatment. This was actually true …And she was so terribly worried, desperate and scared and she had been trying to steal the notebook. This too had the benefit of being completely true … No need to tell the whole truth ! Her acting skills kicked in, finally. In the melodrama plays that were so popular in some of the less serious theatres of Ravok, there was nearly always a dramatic scene where someone pleaded with another person to show mercy. Alas, Amolina had played this role many times and had routine. She would now use this dramatic scence on Valerius Nitrozian. “Mr Nitrozian! Please! I was looking for Doctor Alzelin’s information on me. He hides his notes and refuses to tell me anything! You can’t even begin to understand how it is to live in fear of a serious disease and be denied the medical information ! Please show mercy, please, please, please …help me! ” At this point her voice broke like she would start to cry. While she spoke she walked around the desk and approached him. If her words didn’t placate him she would do the full theatre scene, make it look like her knees were buckling, sit on the floor in front of him, and try to clasp her arms around his knees, cling to them, and beg more.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„Good for you“, Valerius remarked as Amolina insisted that she had not taken anything and showed him her empty hands. „If you had taken something, I would have had to tell the doctor right away. I might still tell him. Your behaviour is very suspicious, Miss Moletta!“ Valerius was as always utterly composed. He didn’t sound angry, he didn’t sound shocked because he had just caught a potential thief, the tone of his voice was cold. For the next couple of chimes he didn’t say anything to her, but simply stood there, arms crossed over his chest and looked at her. He wanted her to be uncomfortable. He wanted her to worry, to wonder what was going to happen to her now. Would you take her to the doctor? To the Ebonstryfe? Force her to pay off her debt right now? Was he going to hurt her? Enslave her? „He probably kept his notes hidden from you for a reason“, he replied. He didn’t sound particularly impressed or sympathetic. „You shouldn’t have searched his things. If you want to know what he has written about you, you should simply ask him – and accept it if he doesn’t tell you anything. Tell me, Miss Moletta, why should I show mercy? Why should I help you, a woman I’ve just met today, a woman that is of no importance in Ravok?“ „And please don’t start to cry. Tears don’t work on me.“ As she proceeded to sit down on the floor and tried to wrap her arms around his knees, a look of pure disgust was visible on his face. He made a step back, and then he grabbed her arm, pulled her up and pushed her into the chair that stood behind the doctor’s desk. If she was sitting, she couldn’t break down. „So, Miss Moletta, why should I help you? What would you give me in return for the information you want?“

[Amolina]

A tense and very unpleasant silence had settled over the room. When Valerius stared at her like this, she felt like she was perhaps not even seen as human any more, but more as one of those kelvics in it’s little cage. A bad, bad silly kelvic, that had showed bad table manners. His cold, controlled and composed voice somehow just made him seem more menacing. She started to feel even more worried. All sorts of bad possibilities occurred to her now. Would she end up outcast, homeless, ill and dying alone in a deserted walkway ? Be sold into slavery to pay the debt ? Disappear in an unknown dungeon owned by the Ebonstryfe ? She felt the fear she wasn’t able to fight or hold back any more engulf her. What would happen to her now? What would he do? What would the consequences be? Amolina desperately tried to think of a valid reason for a man like Valerius Nitrozian to help her. Nothing came to her mind at first. This was Ravok. There was seldom such a thing as mercy, not outside the theatre plays. Only in your dreams. She didn’t know what to do or how to save herself. She had simply been caught, confronted and cornered. “I’m only an actress and right now also a volunteer worker in KRI” she said bitterly. “You are right Mr Nitrozian. I'm of no importance. What could I possibly have to offer you? Do you have any ideas?” This said she decided to try to persuade him to let her go, despite how impossible it seemed to be. She would try to make Valerius feel that Gaius Alzelin didn’t deserve to be informed. “It’s true I’m of little importance. But in the right hands I and my unknown disease could have been the foremost research project in Ravok! I bet the reason Doctor Alzelin keeps his notes secret is that so far he has failed. And now he’s worried someone more intelligent and talented, with higher capacity will solve this before him” she said. Here she stopped abruptly and jumped up from the chair. “Wait! Mr Nitrozian ! I have understood, while I assisted you today, that you are a promising scientist – perhaps Alzelin secretly thinks of you as a serious competitor ! Perhaps he fears that if you would get the information about my case you would quickly solve it and outshine him !” She paused. “I’m only an actress and a volunteer assistant, but even I can see that it’s you that are the top talent here, not Gaius Alzelin !”

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„A bad actress judging by your behaviour so far“, Valerius remarked. “If I had any ideas as to how you could be useful to me, I would have let you know by now, but I don’t. While you are pleasant enough to look at, you don’t seem to have any special skills. In fact you are utterly unremarkable in that regard. So it is up to you to convince me to help you - or seal your fate and get acquainted with the Ebonstryfe and their dungeons.” “The foremost research project in Ravok? You?” Valerius almost laughed as he heard that. Did she really think her disease was that important? More important than everything Aunt Amanda did? “Why should Doctor Alzelin have failed? He cured you, didn’t he? I wouldn’t exactly call it failure, even though he didn’t manage to identify the disease you suffered from.” As she jumped up from her chair, he immediately pushed her down again. He hated touching people – especially people that had suffered from a mysterious disease – but he didn’t want her to try and flee, wrap her arms around him again or behave in an otherwise bothersome and ridiculous manner. “Sit, Miss Moletta”, he told her. “I haven’t given you permission to get up yet. You are right, I am a promising scientist, but I don’t think that Doctor Alzelin considers me a competitor – yet. And the doctor will most likely share the information about your case if I ask him. You need to try harder, Miss Moletta. The Ebonstryfe isn’t far.” “On the other hand …” He paused and looked at her. It was obvious that her words had had some effect on him. “Is there anything, anything at all that Doctor Alzelin isn’t aware of, but that you would be willing to share with me if I agree to help you and don’t hand you over to the Ebonstryfe? Something that could possibly help me advance my career and extend my influence?”

[Amolina]

It had hurt (albeit not much) when Valerius grabbed her arm, yanked her up from the floor and threw her onto the chair. Now, when he had pushed her, she had more fallen than sat down on the same chair again. This too had hurt. Only a wee bit : it wasn’t the massive physical violence of a thug, not at all, this was light. But physical violence it was. Every time she moved it seemed to trigger an immediate impulse to grab, push, throw her away, back and down. It told her without words that Valerius Nitrozian could beat her up if he liked. In addition he was threatening to use his power to get her imprisoned by the Ebonstryfe. It was impossible to not feel intimidated. But it was his words that hit her hard in the core of her soul. A bad actress ! Being an actress was her goal, her dream, her identity. Without this she would be – a nobody, no one, nothing. She had always secretly feared that the reason for her lack of success was that she simply wasn’t good enough. But she never allowed herself to dwell on it. She had put so much effort, dedication and hope into her actress ambitions that it sometimes felt like this was her only reason to exist. His words cut into her soul like a mental dagger. A sword even. Emotions of fragile hopes and dreams being crushed and torn to shreds flooded her. She lowered her gaze to stare at Valerius' boots, in order to conceal her reaction. You are no good. You are worthless. An actress that can’t even act. You are pleasant enough to look at, and that’s all. No valuable skills. Of no use for me. Unimportant. You can try to convince me you have something I want, but I won’t buy it. Why would I help you. The Ebonstryfe takes care of people like you. When he said she could buy protection and silence for information, Amolina looked up again, and watched him warily while he spoke. How was he thinking ? What did he want? Information that Alzelin didn’t have? Something that could advance Valerius own career and influence. No matter how forcefully Valerius denied that Gaius Alzelin could think of him as a competitor, he seemed to have listened to her. Perhaps this meant she had managed to saw a seed of doubt and suspicion in his mind. Give him something, buy my way out of this trouble, she thought. But how and with what? What if I do tell him something Alzelin doesn’t know? Once he know it he can easily just dismiss it as worthless, then throw me to the Ebonstryfe all the same. If I trust him, it can seal my fate. I’ll need to be careful. “There might be something.” she said cautiously. “Perhaps you are right my case isn’t of scientific interest. But to Doctor Alzelin it seems to be very important. Let me think …”

[Valerius Nitrozian]

„Look at me when I’m talking to you, Miss Moletta!“ Valerius ordered as she lowered her gaze and stared at his feet. „Or are you that interested in my boots? I know they are beautiful – they probably cost more than anything you own – but they wouldn’t fit you.“ She was such a disappointment, a failure, a coward. She couldn’t even look into his eyes. When she had been feeding the Kelvic, she had seemed competent enough, but she couldn’t act to save her life and couldn’t even steal a few pieces of paper. Maybe feeding pigs and cows was all she was good at. „I’m waiting, Miss Moletta“, he said as she told him that there might be something. „Don’t take too much time though. Eventually somebody will come here. I don’t want to spend the whole evening in Doctor Alzelin’s office either. I have better things to do.“ He doubted that she could give him anything that was interesting enough that he didn’t report her and allowed her to see the doctor’s notes. She hadn’t said anything particularly interesting so far. He doubted her words, but he wasn’t completely sure. There was always a chance, a small chance, a miniscule changce, but a chance nevertheless. He didn’t want to hand her over to the Ebonstryfe without at least questioning her some more.

[Amolina]

Amolina looked at Valerius Nitrozian. Her intense emotional reaction to his words about bad acting had her in it’s grip. It fused with fear and made her say things she wouldn’t have even dreamt of saying if she had not felt so deeply, utterly hurt and upset. Normally when people spoke to a Nitrozian it was to fawn and crawl, ingratiate themselves and try to gain something by doing their best to oblige and be of service. They might perhaps sometimes think the kind of things that Amolina Moletta said to Valerius Nitrozian this evening after work at KRI, behind silent pleasant smiles – but one didn’t speak aloud about thoughts like that. Amolina knew this as well as all other people in Ravok. But she forgot this for a few chimes, perhaps a few very fatal chimes. Oh, well, she didn't just "say" a few things. It was more like a speech, the way the words streamed out of her like they had a life of their own. "If I only had the chance to do other things than the silly roles I get in those average entertainment plays, I could be a great actress! I have talent, I could create art, I could be a star! But what can I do, when I need to eat and pay my apartment, and nobody ever wants to offer me anything else than the same crap roles over and over again, can you tell me that Mr Nitrozian? It’s not my fault that they will only let me play cunning, sheming courtesans, or silly naïve maids, all of them dressed in equally revealing outfits. But in spite of this, I have managed to acquire the acting competence to take on far better things, and one day I will. But YOU! You seemed to be so PERFECT! Handsome, well groomed, stylish, well-behaved, intelligent, elegant, everything! Like a hero out of a dream! I actually started to admire you while we were working, I was impressed with your knowledge, and when you shooed that angry bull kelvic away you were brave and undaunted … I thought you were a brilliant, talented scientist, man with good taste and finesse, a leader or sorts. And you are rich, you could make all you want come true. But instead you’re acting like you would be nothing else than an average Ebonstryfe thug, bragging about his pretty boots and cowardly bullying someone that is safe and easy prey and can’t strike back ! And here we are, both of us, at the end of a workday both of us have spent feeding pigs and cows ! It's like we are nothing else than stable hands! We are like wading in kelvic dirt, I say – yet you are telling me you aren’t being dampened and kept down and made to be a nobody by doctor Alzelin – instead you do like all average people do, and turn on a subordinate of your own to dampen and suppress ! Does it give you a feeling of greatness that you are able to treat me like crap just because I wanted to find information about myself, Mr Nitrozian? I had believed you were something else, something more and better, someone above this kind of thing, but perhaps I was wrong!" At this point, bleak sinister reality descended on her. She stared at Valerius Nitrozian, her eyes widening in terror of what she had done. It was like she could already hear the sound of a door shutting – a prison door deep down in The Black Hole. Also, she had only planned to quickly have a look in Alzelin’s desk before she would take the boat home, but now she realized the surprise encounter with Valerius had taken time and the boat had left. “Do with me as you like Mr Nitrozian” she said slolwy. “I did the most forbidden – I told you the truth. And I’m sure you’re too weak to face it, and now you will make sure the Ebonstryfe will bury me alive in The Black Hole. I can as well tell you more : I have not been ill, I was poisoned. Alzelin’s whole research on me is one big mistake – there – you can use this knowledge to advance your career one day in the future when you dare to compete with him! If you find the notebook that is. The last boat for today has left, so you have all the night to search KRI for it. Good luck ! “

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Valerius had expected her to grovel in front of him, to be another one of those lickspittles that seemed to surround him day in and day out and beg, beg him that he spare her and help her. When she did no such thing, his blue eyes widened slightly, the first emotion other than indifference and condescension he had displayed since he had caught her trying to steal from the doctor. He was not used to being talked to like that and didn’t know how to react. The only woman that had ever dared to do so had been that gadgeteer. What had been her name? Tock. The impossible Tock that had dressed like a man, treated him as if his name hadn’t meant anything and kicked him in the groin before she had disappeared from his life forever. He hated her. He hated her for the things she had dared to do, but he also missed her because she had been entertaining, in some strange, almost perverse way. Miss Moletta and Tock were similar, with the difference that Miss Moletta looked like a woman, dressed like one and hadn’t tried to beat him up yet. Maybe he had been wrong about her. Maybe. Maybe she could be of use, despite the mediocre acting skills she had displayed thus far. He had to admit, putting her down had felt good though. He had really enjoyed it. „Miss Moletta“, he adressed her once her had forced his face back into some semblance of indifference and coolness. „Maybe I misjudged you – and you me. I assure you that I am not a petty thug or a cowardly bully, but you have to admit, your behaviour left something to be desired as well. It seems that we are both forced to do things that we do not want and that do not do our talents justice. If you think, you would excel if you were allowed to play something other than courtesans or silly maidens, something could be arranged … a single opportunity …“ As she informed him that the last boat back to Ravok had already left, he frowned and almost took his words back. He didn’t want to be stuck here for the rest of the night. He wanted to go home, take a bath, eat some delicious food and order his slaves around before he climbed into his big, soft and comfortable bed. There were no comfortable beds here. „Wait, Miss Moletta!“ he said as she wished him good luck (although he was sure she didn’t mean it). „Let us take a look at the notes together and see what he kept from you. Maybe the Ebonstryfe’s prison is not the right place for you after all. They would break you. I think I prefer you alive and sane. You are … tolerable … when you aren’t trying to sneak into Doctor Alzelin’s office.“ He wouldn’t apologize – he never did – but he had decided to give her a chance after all, almost on a whim, because she had suddenly reminded him of somebody.

[Amolina]

A short silence had descended over the room right after Amolina’s temperamental words. Something unknown had moved briefly over Valerius Nitrozian’s handsome face before it returned to it’s usual expression. With her trained actress gaze she noticed the faint shift, though she wasn’t able to know what it meant. It was like watching Lake Ravok, she thought, the breeze sending a slight ripple over the water just for a fraction of a chime, making you wonder what lay underneath, before the surface went smooth again. And on the surface of the water you would see the image of yourself, like in a mirror, reflecting what you showed to it. She had told the truth and Valerius Nitrozian told the truth too, reflecting it back to her. Every day they were forced to do things that they didn’t want and that didn’t do them justice. He knew that too. And this was how they were equal. His words seemed to be on repeat in her mind : I think I prefer you alive and sane. You are…tolerable. Relief flooded her. She felt like she had been saved, in the last chime. Amolina looked into Valerian Nitrozian’s eyes, like she was searching for something there, though she had no idea what. He had watched her and judged her. She had been convinced that all was lost. But for some unknown reason he had spared her. Her intense emotional reaction had left her oddly spent, but at same time – freed from the need to act like she was someone else than she was. After what had been said in this room there was no way back to the image she had kept up during the day. There wasn’t the slightest chance he would believe in it now. He had already seen her like she was when she forgot to act. She wondered what she could say now that wouldn’t sound utterly foolish. “Thanks” she said finally. Only one word. It was also the only word that she felt was useful. It might have been best to stop there, but when she thought twice of it she wasn’t able to resist the hint about “something being arranged” for an actress with higher ambitions …”And of course, if you are interested in supporting art …and I mean art, not some tasteless busking…I would...” But Valerius had already started to speak about finding the notebook and reading it to see what exactly Alzelin had written in it. Amolina wanted to know that too, but most of all she wanted to destroy the notes – she wanted to drown them in the lake in order to take away all proof that she could have been involved in something criminal. But it would be impossible now. Valerius would need to keep the notes as evidence if he would want to prove that the doctor had made serious mistakes and failed. “I don’t know where he keeps the notes” she said. “I hoped to find them in the desk …” She was still sitting in the chair and wasn't sure if she ought to stand up yet. “Mr Nitrozian, you are the one that have knowledge about research notes, and possible the places in KRI to keep them, so I believe it’s best that you lead this search” she said. “But of course, if you want me to look in the desk drawers ...”