Dominion

Chapter Seventeen: Message In A Bottle

Chapter Seventeen: Message In A Bottle

I fully expected to find an enemy on the other side of that door. Someone who wanted me dead for one reason or another. It wouldn't be the first time. That darkness hiding in the back of mind secretly hoped it was an enemy.

But I was pleasantly surprised to find a friend instead.

Outside of the door stood someone I hadn't seen in quite some time. Someone I owed my life to on more than occasion.

"Simor," I said, surprised, and he smiled.

"Gregor..." He said, eyeing me from head to toe. "You get all dressed up just for me?" He asked, the smirk not leaving his face. I looked down, remembering I had almost no clothes on. I just sighed and shut the door.

"I'm gonna assume I should get dressed?" Vera asked as I located my pants. I just shrugged.

"Up to you," I replied. "You're not really his type."

"Karsaras?" She asked.

"Women." I corrected, and she just gave an affirmative "ah" and began getting dressed regardless. I suddenly found myself distracted in getting my own clothes on. Seeing her, all those feelings came rushing back and I wanted nothing more than to get back in that bed. She was someone I never knew I always wanted.

But I couldn't think about her right now. Simor had tracked me down, I needed to know what he was here for. As good as it is to see an old friend, that wasn't a good enough reason to track me to the middle of nowhere and show up in the middle of the night.

Fully dressed, I re-opened the door and held it open for Simor to come on. He did and immediately noticed Vera, looking back to me.

"Not for me, then." He said, and then shrugged. "A man can hope." He added, and then looked alarmed. "I didn't interrupt, did I?" He asked, and I just sighed.

"Who are you?" Vera asked, folding her arms, and he turned back to her. But I spoke before he could.

"Simor," I answered her. "He's an old friend."

"An old friend whose been trying for years to get his pants off. What is the secret?" He asked Vera. She just smiled, but I wasn't amused.

"How did you find us?" I asked, and he gave me a look like it was obvious.

"Please. You should know by now. I'm that good." He replied, smirking.

"Good at what, exactly?" Vera asked and I leaned against the wall, folding my arms.

"Simor is what you might call a messenger." I explained.

"Literally," He added. "I deliver messages." He said, pulling a glass bottle out of his bag. "In bottles! How awesome is that?" He asked her, but she didn't get the joke.

"Old human thing. Message in a bottle." I explained. "But Simor does it to hide the messages from The Dominion."

"The bottles are lined with a drug made by this Dex named Higgs. He's-" Simor started, by interrupted.

"Not relevant right now. The drug stops the holo-message inside from being scanned." I explained, and Simor dropped the bottle on the floor. It shattered, causing Vera to jump, and Simor reach down. He pushed some of the glass away and picked up the holo-communicator.

"It's surprisingly effective." He commented, standing back up. "You know, since what I do can be thought of as..." He paused.

"Less than legal?" Vera asked, and he snapped his finger, pointing to her with approval. He then tossed me the holo-communicator. I eyed it for a long moment and then looked back to him.