Take Off The Mask

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"I see." to a degree at least. Perhaps it was because Danger saw a bit of herself in Nel. The workaholic nature that consumed the LIran had been the very same that had taken over Danger's life for almost two decades. Thinking back, her younger self-thought she was doing what her grandfather would have wanted. What would make her father August Arceneau proud. To make Arceneau Trade a household name across the 'verse.

Danger had achieved that and more. The only problem being that the woman had also sacrificed the greater part of her life and family to do so.

The sound of a chair being pulled back followed the little girl sitting herself back down, clean hands now. Mister Tuggles curled himself around her feet. That brought a smile to her face. That made her think of another daughter. Rose.

"Have you heard anything about Rose?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"She's in wild space." Alric said as he took another bite.

"Pass the Ascendancy...or where the Ascendancy used to be." The Chiss had always been an independent folk, but after being taken by the Sith, and then...well other events that had plagued the galaxy the good ol' blue folks of Csilla had never been quite the same. They were still logical to a fault, oddly cold, and well...Chissy, but their government wasn't really pieced together anymore. "There's apparently half a dozen unexplored star clusters that the old CEDF was afraid to patrol."

He shrugged. "Too far out apparently, but not for Rose."

The youngest twin had always been intrepid when it came to overcoming challenges, and exploring was no different. Of course it helped that she had a certain someone with her, the boy that she had taken a liking to. Alric wasn't too sure he liked the thought of any of his daughters...branching out like that, but he knew very well that he could hardly stop it. It was the natural inclination of a father to dislike any and all suitors to his daughters, and unfortunately Alric had three girls who would all eventually begin to date.

Didn't mean he had to like it.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Well, there goes the suggestion to ask for Rose to meet up with them. If she were out in ascendency space, it would take more than a week to reach them.

"When will she return to the Core Worlds?" Rose had spent a few weeks some months back to spend time with Lily at Empress Teta during her coronation. The girls were both glad to be with each other. It had been one of the few times the twins appeared to be a little more light-hearted. Both had also met Myra for the first time then. The fact that both Lily and Rose had been so kind to Myra welcomed her into the family with open arms really struck a cord with Danger.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He shrugged.

"Honestly?" Alric said inbetween bites of food. "I have no idea. She seems to be enjoying herself out there...and I don't think she liked Lily become Empress. I don't imagine she really wants to hop back right now, though maybe Myra can ask her to come."

The Tetan looked over the table at his youngest Daughter, smirking slightly at her as the little girl stuffed her face with oatmeal.

There was no doubt that Lily and Rose had both already accepted Myra as their sister, but there was also no doubt that both of them wanted to live their lives. Lily as Empress, and Rose as the intrepid explorer searching the galaxy for new things. He couldn't blame either of them, they were grown women, eager to get on with their lives.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger gave a sigh. He was right, but to be honest, she wasn't too pleased that Lily decided to take the mantle of Empress. It was a dangerous thing, especially considering that it was still within One Sith space. Danger knew well enough just how fickle working with the Sith could be.

"I worry about Lily," danger said aloud. The reasons why had been discussed in the past but it came back into conversation now and then. Curling her fingers around her mug, bringing it to her lips to take a sip.

"The Core is dangerous right now." Everyday there were new reports on the instability. The more they'd increase, the likely more folk would become desperate.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"She'll be alright." Alric said quietly, though it was obvious he didn't really like it either. "She has guards, both from Teta and Saeva."

That was enough to keep her safe if something happened.

"They know how important she is, and the Royal Guard on Empress Teta have a strict code, they wouldn't betray whomever they were guarding." That was a tradition that had stood for a long time. When one joined the guard you lost all claim to family, wealth, inheritance, anything. The guard was completely based on merit, so anyone could join. That generally meant the poor of Empress Teta attempted to join, and also meant that they were fiercely loyal to the Royal that they guarded, mostly because of the opportunity given.

Alric had considered joining once just to spite his father, but ultimately the idea had gone away.

"She'll be alright." He said again, as if assuring himself.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Alric was right. Lily also had the Noghri guard Danger had assigned to the young woman over two years ago, in the wake of the Tetan's original departure and disappearance from the galaxy.

Alric would tease her now and then that she and Myra were now nobility, not only due in part to the Tetan's own family line but their connection to the Empress as well. Honestly, she'd have preferred it of Lily had sought to engage and expand Koros Shipyards instead of taking on the entire planet. The two were very different creatures and one, she feared, was more volatile than the second.

"What plans do you have for Vanir?" going back to the company, while she knew that he would assign Rigor to take over the daily activities, after the construction of the Foundry, what else was next?

For Danger, the decision had been made to continue pushing forward with PharmaTech and their botanical Eden Project.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"I don't have any." Alric said flatly. "I told you. It's a nominal title."

That was it.

There was no thinking about it, no planning anything, nothing. He would leave it to Rigor, and Nel. The two of them would be perfectly fine operating the company on their own. Rigor wouldn't step too far of course due to his programming, and Nel would aid him with the more creative aspect of things. She would be able to research and develop new technologies, Rigor would ensure that everything ran at peak efficiency. There was no need for his involvement.

"I don't care what happens." He said with a shrug.

Alric was happy to just have his family. He had enough money to be happy, he had long ago lost any lust for a legacy, and everything else...well everything else paled in comparison to the love he bore for Danger, Myra, and his twin girls. Why worry? Why try to drive anything else forward.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

The tone was enough to give Danger a clue. 'Alright, don't ask any more about Vanier...' A slight raising of her brows at his curt tone. He never spoke to her like that, so hearing it surprised her. Blinking rapidly, the woman gave a small nod.

"Right." a sip of caf filled the small awkward silence. Myra of course, remained oblivious. She was happily eating her oatmeal, much as she did whenever it came to food. Having lived with having a shortage of food, Myra had an appreciation for eating what she had in front of her now.

"Want more juice, sweetie?" Danger inquired, setting down her caf on the table.

"Water?" towards Alric, a question in her eyes.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He gently grasped her hand, cupping it for a moment and giving it a light squeeze as he looked up at her. The mistake had been instantly recognize, the curt tone of his voice, the quick way that he had blurted out, but there was reason for it.

Alric hadn't wanted this.

He hadn't wanted Vanir to be dropped back into his lap, he hadn't wanted the title of CEO and he hadn't wanted anything more to do with operating the company. He had retired for a reason, and that reason had been his family. The Farm was supposed to have marked that even more, assured it. It was supposed to have been the start of a separation from everything he had known before, not a return to the life of a CEO. There was a certain brand of annoyance that stuck to Vanir because of that.

"I'm sorry, Honey." Alric said quietly, looking quickly to Myra who was busying herself with munching half an omelet. "I just didn't want this."

"Not after I worked so hard to get out." He frowned.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

That brief squeeze of her hand elicited a soft smile. Along with that was the expression of understanding.

"I understand," Danger told him, returning the squeeze. Things had rather suddenly changed with Nel's appearance. All the while Alric had been steadily attempting to step back from the world of business. To simply be able to enjoy his life and his time.

In fact, it had been Alric who had made the first steps of moving towards retirement, the very reason why Nel had taken over, to begin with. For Danger, it was still an ongoing process to completely let go. That she had come this far in a year was unbelievable progress considering how much of a workaholic the Queen of Trade

"We'll just keep work out of our minds." there were still other projects that were a bit more dear to their heart. The Eve Foundation and Arkuhn Medical for example. Humanitarian works.

"Would you like more water?" the inquiry was followed by the soothing rub of her palm along his shoulder.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"No." He said finishing the last bite of his omelet. "I'm alright."

There was such a thing as too much after all.

Water couldn't make you fat...but it could make you want to eat more, and if Alric didn't watch himself he would quickly find himself growing fat and lazy. Nobody wanted that. The old man stretched in his seat for a moment, letting his hand slide up Danger's side even as her hand came to rest on his shoulders.

"Sit down, eat." Alric told her.

They still had a long day ahead.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

With breakfast done, the trio were now free to do as they will. Restocking the ship would take a few hours, and as Alric had suggested the night prior, they would use the time to go explore down the valley where the river lay.

Odds were that they weren't going to jump in, but at the very least Mister Tuggles and Myra would be able to run amuck. Danger packed a small picnic basket with snacks and a few bottles of water. A small blanket to lay and sit down was neatly tucked into the handles.

The decision was made to walk, but they would take the small stone path as far as it would go before heading onto the grassy hill. From there it would naturally slope down to the river, where they would be able to find a nice place to rest.

Myra and Mister Tuggles were already enjoying themselves. A cloud of laughter and giggles went flying down the hill with the massive Tuggle in tow, his powerful and muscular body rippling in a white blur as it gave chase.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

To say that the vast track of land they owned contained pretty much every kind of environment that one could imagine would have been utter truth. When he had purchased the land that The Farm sat on Alric had also purchase a four percent total land area of the planet.

That was huge.

It was so much land in fact that even if they started to walk now they wouldn't be able to walk the diameter of it by the time winter came. The territory that they now owned stretched out for miles around them, reaching inland, out to the ocean, and even towards one of the poles. Just how had Alric managed to buy all of this? Quite simple. He had signed an agreement with the planetary government that the land would remain within his family, and only in his family, for at least a millenia. He had also given the government a healthy stipend and promised that no industrial concerns would ever touch the territory.

Powerful concessions, but none that Alric had minded making.

This was their home now, and as he sat himself down on the small blanket watching his young daughter, he couldn't help but think it had been worth it.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger set her self down beside Alric, giving him a wide smile.

"It is a nice day isn't it?" she'd say, peering from under the wide brim of her hat. Myra was laughing and giggling as Mister Tuggles chased her down, moving and bouncing in a circle as they ran through the heather and clover. The sound of the bubbling river was soothing to the ears, presenting a nice ambiance for the three to enjoy.

"It is warm.. but not overly so." with that cool breeze flowing in from the North, it made the day rather pleasant. It was what one could consider to be early summer. This world generally had a mild weather, but for Danger it was relatively new to experience such early in the morning.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

“It is.” Alric agreed.

The planet had been specifically chosen for its climate. It got a little colder then Danger would have liked in the winter, but all in all it really wasn’t so bad. The majority of the year was sunny and warm, even during the fall.

It would have been very likely that had it not been for strict governmental restrictions on tourism this world would have become a tourist destination a long time ago. It wasn’t quite the same as Spira or another world like that, but it was open, warm, and undoubtedly beautiful. Alric could have easily opened another resort here and made money.

Though of course he’d never do that.

“Just wait until it starts to snow.” He teased her with a smile, knowing she wasn’t quite looking forward to that as much as he or Myra. “It’ll get truly beautiful.”

That part wasn’t a joke.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

He may not have been joking, but Danger still gave him a light smack against his forearm. "Tryin' to rile me up already, Mistah Kuhn?" she would say wryly, shaking her head at his silliness. The smile upon her lips grew wider as she saw Myra run down towards the edge of the river. The water was rather calm here, but there were small tide pools where the rocks sheltered pockets where the water was as clear as glasteel. A few boulders were there, providing a perch for the youngling to climb.

"Be careful Myra!" Danger would warn the little girl, whose head came up with a grin. A hand waved energetically at them and Danger gave on in reply. Mister Tuggles was sniffing around the bank. Water of such magnitude was new for the creature. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was comical how he went in a small circle only to glance up and see that Myra had climbed up one of the boulders. Which of course meant that the Tuggle now was struggling to follow after her.

"Well.. it is nice right now." Danger finally replied to her husband.

"Fishing and swimming will have to wait" she teased.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric watched carefully as Myra began to climb on the rocks within the river, notably sitting up as if he were ready to dash forward and catch the little girl at a moments notice. HIs eyes followed her and the Tuggle, assessing whether or not they were okay at all times.

“It’ll continue to be nice.” He insisted.

The Tetan had no idea whether or not the Tuggle could actually swim or not, but he doubted that the creature would struggle too much if it fell into the water. Mr. Tuggle enjoyed the benefits of extremely thick fur and even thicker skin beneath it, meant for arctic climates that were far, far worse then this world would ever see.

“Besides.” The Tetan went on. “The winter presents other opportunities for outdoor activities.”

He looked up at her and offered a smile.

The idea of Danger going to ski was still...amusing to him, and there was no doubt in him that before long Myra would ask to learn.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Just then, Myra's arms gave a sudden wild gesture, as if she was desperately trying to maintain her balance.

Danger gave a small cry of alarm, "Myra!" Of course, crying out may have startled the youngling a bit more. She gave a slight start, still trying to get her balance only to fall forward onto her hands. The little girl would manage to catch herself at the last instant, giving a slight grin while Mister Tuggles wagged his fluffy tail.

"Oh my word, she is going to give me a heart attack!" Danger cried, holding her hand to her chest. It was already thumping a hundred parsecs a second, alarm and adrenaline shooting through her veins.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled slightly as his wife, reaching up and very gently rubbing the small of her back to help but her at ease. Alric had done the same, albeit his motion had been far more subtle than Danger’s. Every muscle in his body had tensed and stretched as he had prepped to launch himself forward.

Of course in the end Myra had been find and Danger was the one that looked a little over-protective. “They’ll do that.”

Alric said with a smile.

“It’ll get worse.” The Tetan said, though that probably wasn’t the most reassuring thing to say. “You have to remember though, for the future, sometimes it’s better to let them fall.”

He paused for a moment then looked Myra currently was. “But probably not into a river.”