Chapter Text
Kara twisted one final bolt into place, tightened it, and stood back, wiping at her forehead as she tucked her wrench back into her toolbelt.
'It's done,' she told Stev, who had been leaning against the fence, watching her work, feeding X a cracker as the raven lounged happily on the fence post beside him.
She looked up to the sky, shielding her eyes against the harsh sun, she figured sunset wasn't far off. Delivery would have to wait until tomorrow.
'I need rest.' She said, her weeks of convalescence had meant she would need to build her strength back, and she was already finding herself frustrated with it. They headed back for the house after she'd thrown a tarpaulin over the completed jacuzzi. The last one, left half-finished for weeks on her assembly station, had steadily filled with sand to the point where it was more useful as scrap.
Or perhaps it laid in an undignified pile of twisted metal and smashed ceramic because she'd already spent two days cleaning sand out of her machines, and she'd thought she deserved to hit something with her pickhammer. Either reason worked for her.
Movement on the horizon caught her eye, she squinted out over the sands and frowned as she thought she recognised the shape.
'Ged?' She muttered, wondering just what the eccentric mole thought he was doing out there.
'What's a Ged?' Stev asked, and she pointed.
'He is.'
'Curfew is in effect soon,' He said, squinting against the sun to get a handle on the creature, 'He's a friend of yours?'
'Friend might be... a bit much... but I like him.'
'If you go inside and lock the door, I'll warn him.'
She nodded, Stev was constantly setting himself apart from his colleagues in various ways, she assumed many other soldiers would have simply shot at Ged, and off Stev went to talk to him.
The door clicked behind her as she locked it, hoping Stev had remembered his key, X swooped around the living room before settling on the perch she'd built for him. She made her way into the kitchen, thinking of tea, or perhaps something stronger, and the half written letter to Fang that she'd been working on.
'Evenin' Kara.' She froze, her eyes widening and panic hitting before she could even register who it was, she bumped back into the wall, her hand on her chest. Her breathing grew shallow and quick and she felt her legs trying to buckle before her clouded brain recognised him.
'What... The f*ck... Logan?'
The Yakboy was sitting at her dining table, nursing a glass of whiskey and scuffing one of her chairs with his boots. X was there in a moment, stopping him as he'd tried to rise and circling him.
'Sit! Sit!' Cried X, 'You're not invited!'
'sh*t, Kara, I'm sorry, didn' mean t'startle ya.'
She gulped, staring at the man.
'What... Why...'
'What's happened to her?' She heard Logan ask X, and she allowed herself to sink to the floor, her legs curled under herself.
X was scolding the man for intruding while she worked through the panic, she knew Logan wouldn't hurt her, but the adrenaline was still coursing through her and she began to shake.
Once he'd convinced her feathered guard he meant no harm, X eventually allowed Logan to approach, and she was handed a glass of her own whiskey, which she raised to her lips and sipped before she dared look up at him again. Concern creased his brow.
'I'm real sorry Kara, wasn't meanin' to scare ya like that.'
'f*ck...' She muttered, tempted to smack him but not trusting her arm, instead taking another sip of whiskey. 'Why... are you here?'
'Came by a few times, ain't found a decent soul not in jail 'cept you an Fang. An I'd been waitin' t'end up there meself. Thought it strange how nobody came for me so figured I'd come over.' She nodded, not fully comprehending, but needing him to get to the point before Stev came back. 'Had some time t'think bout this Duvos situation, you got that fancy bath out there for one of em?'
'... Commander.' She managed. He nodded, reaching into his bag.
'Then I've got a gift f'him, think y'can be ready to go tomorrow?' She stared at him in disbelief and he rubbed at his chin. 'Ah yeah... Well, just in case.'
He slipped a pistol from its holster and pressed it into her hand.
'I ain't got much time 'fore yer shadow comes back. If yer ready, meet me after the bang, Martle Square. Gonna get everyone out.'
He stood, tipped his hat to her, and was gone.
The front door opened moments later, and she could hear Stev locking it behind him. She took another sip of whiskey, wasn't this just a fine f*cking mess.
***
Fang awoke to the sounds of a scuffle outside the Clinic, as he rubbed sleep from his eyes he became aware of snippets of the argument that was ensuing.
He was tugging on his trousers when one phrase caught his attention.
'Get back! He might be contagious!'
Fang dragged a shirt on and grabbed a mask from one of his drawers, pulling it over his mouth and nose, he made his way down the stairs and opened the front door.
He stopped in his tracks, his two guards were halfway to the museum, having clearly run away, dust trails kicking up behind them. He turned to the lone figure who remained.
Stev stood there, looking both very anxious, and very, very blue.
'What is - '
BOOM!
Fang ducked instinctively, a hand up to shield his head, searching for the source of the noise. Before he could pinpoint it, Stev had tackled him, grabbing him about the waist and forcing him back into the Clinic.
'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SO sorry.' He was saying, releasing his grip as Fang ripped the mask from his face and glowered at him.
'Where is Kara? What... What is happening?'
Stev rubbed at the back of his neck.
'She's uh, she's fighting. That bandit you all have posters of everywhere showed up last night. Planted a bomb on that stupid jacuzzi and rallied the troops. Such as they are.'
Fang slumped into the nearest chair, feeling his knees giving up on him and putting a hand to his forehead.
'She's fighting. With Logan, and who else?'
'Um, a mole. A literal mole.'
'And you let her.'
'Dont tell me you don't have experience trying to talk her out of something.'
'And she sent you here... to guard me.'
Stev gave a small shrug.
'She didn't want you worrying.'
'She underestimated... my capacity for that... if she thought this would stop me.'
Stev looked around, fidgeting.
'Would it uh, help to know that it's a good plan?'
Fang wasnt a violent man, it went against so many of his teachings and morals, but he thought he might quite like to punch Stev.
Stev seemed to understand this, rubbing nervously at his blue arm.
'They're going to set fireworks off from the temple once it's done, is there a window in here?'
Fang shook his head, the one in his bedroom didn't overlook the temple, and he felt too sick to move, anyway.
'X... X is with her?'
Stev nodded.
'He will come... bring news.'
They waited.
