“Of course.” HuanJen directed Dell to the couch, and dragged two of the kitchen chairs in for he and Jade. Dell began talking as soon as they were seated.
“I won’t waste time, I … you got that finders fee for locating those techsmuggers.
“Yes,” Jade felt herself answering. She did, after all, balance the books, it was her place to respond. She was glad she didn’t add ‘dickweed’ to the single word.
“Excellent, sorry. Anyway, I won’t play games. HuanJen, Jade, I’m recruiting for the Rancelmen. I think our work is important; the Travelers Guild needs people who guard against threats to Travel. I’d like to see if you two may be interested - full time, part time, or in a consulting capacity.”
“I see.” HuanJen was calm. It had been a real, impassioned speech. Huan, however was real, but less impassioned. “Why?”
“I don’t have any Esotericists on staff. My talent pool is not what I’d like. The Rancelmen just reorganized three years ago and only now is anyone paying attention. It’s not easy, and no one ever hears when we do something right.”
Jade’s brow furrowed. Dell was being honest. It annoyed her. It wasn’t quite right, like a painting that was just at a bit of an angle. Honesty of a flavor that didn’t sit well with her.
“Why us?” Jade found herself asking. She knew the question would have come from HuanJen’s lips if not hers.
“You’re two people with potential.” Dell leaned forward. “HuanJen, you’re …”
“Huan, if you like.”
“Huan. You’re Sanctum-trained. Jade, I’ve done my research and I know you two make quite a team. You’re young, you two have a big future ahead of you - and I’ll be frank, some of the old guard doesn’t understand the issues and the newcomers take our lives for granted. You two, I think, can understand of the job. I know how the oath for Guild Esoteric goes.”
Jade felt the fur on the back of her neck rise.
“Thank you, I’d like to think we do understand the job.” HuanJen’s dark eyes seemed to bore through Dell.
“It is true.” Dell met Huan’s gaze calmly. “I know what it’s like. I take what goes on in Metris rather personally. It’s my home. But people like to think it’s forever, that we don’t have to do anything to keep it. They’re wrong.”
Jade nodded reluctantly. Dell had Huan’s quality of expressing himself when he was sure of what he said, though it was more ulcer-inducing. “Yeah.”
Dell flashed a winning smile. “Besides, do you two really want to be Zone Clerics forever?”
“Being a Zone Cleric isn’t what I am. It’s what I do.” HuanJen’s response was uncharacteristically swift and edgy. Jade nodded curtly, a bit offended.
“Very Zen.”
HuanJen leaned forward, and winked. “Close, but not quite.”
“I see. Sorry.” Dell grimaced humorously. “Cultural humor isn’t my forte. Anyway, I’d like a chance to take you on a tour of headquarters, show you around, have you meet the crew.”
“We’ve actually discussed this since you’ve been on your recruitment drive.” HuanJen’s voice was pleasant but firm. “I can’t say we found any reason to be interested.”
“It’s not an easy life, no,” Dell conceded. “It’s worth it. The Travelers Guild is why we’re here. I can honestly say having its best interests in mind really makes me feel like I take care of the city, of Xai. Look, I have some literature, can I leave it? It’s just pay scales and policy statements and it’ll give you an idea of legal statuses.”
“Of course,” HuanJen answered politely. “I appreciate it.”
Thus, Jade and HuanJen found themselves presented with two eye-catching brochures about career possibilities in the Rancelmen. Dell excused himself shortly, thanked them for their time, and left.
“I don’t believe this.” Jade said, thumbing through the documents. “I mean . .. this is sane. This is the same guy who argued with the University and the Gendarmes until cross-lightning blew away a techsmuggler stash. He’s acting like the slickest member of the Merchant’s League.”
“Nice job on the charts,” HuanJen stated.
“True. Damn. A hundred thousand a year? That’d be nice split two ways if we wanted to sell our souls. Guy’s really a guild-booster isn’t he.”
“Yes. He’s quite complicated, I feel. What was your impression, Jade?” Huan’s voice would have held a touch of guile if he had been capable of guile.
“He almost means what he says.” Jade spoke without thinking. “It’s not quite there, there’s some depth missing. It’d be easy to miss unless you stopped to look.”
The cleric nodded at his apprentice. Jade continued. ” He bears watching.”
“I agree. Then again, watching is …”
“… part of what we do.” Jade said with mock serenity. “See, I’m getting the hang of this pretentious mysticism.”
Her mentor nodded graciously. “That’s nice, Jade, but remember - real pretentious mysticism has to come from the heart. Trust me on this …”
Jade looked down at the beaker. It sat calmly on an asbestos pad on the workbench, a cooling few ounces of personal triumph.
She was done. She just had to let the fluid cool, and powder it, and she was done. Her first venture into HuanJen’s world of applied herbology and alchemy was all but complete.
“Damn. Damn I beat you, you alchemical mother.”
Cautiously, the Vulpine picked up the beaker of medicine with a gloved hand. She figured it could rest on the desk, out of the way, while she cleaned up. No use taking a chance spilling her moment of triumph. After this week, it was a moment of pure, undiluted victory.
“Hello Jade.” The voice was HuanJen’s, coming out of nowhere, causing her to start in surprise.
“Damn!” Jade cursed as the beaker slipped out of her hand and crashed onto the workbench, the fluid splashing onto her dress and arm-fur. She could feel the heat, feel the …
Suddenly she was soaking wet. HuanJen stood next to her, holding an empty tankard of water he had seized from supplies she had set around the study so they were out of the way.
“Thanks.” Jade would have said the word dryly, but it didn’t seem appropriate to do so.
HuanJen was immediately on his knees looking at her arm, side, and legs and the cooled alchemical mess on them. She could tell her dress had been little protection - some of the cooled go had soaked through and into her fur. “I got it in time. Shouldn’t be any burns.”
“Great, I …” Jade clutched her forehead. “Godsdamn it, this week, I … so much shit, then this, I …”
“Jade, let’s go.”
“What?” Jade focused on HuanJen unsteadily.
The mystic took her hand. “Lets get that off your fur. I got something I blended up when Garnet was here that’ll help. Just relax.”
“So Garnet regularly spilled potions and elixirs on herself?” Jade let herself be lead out of the workroom. She really wanted to be upset, but HuanJen had, as he often did, derailed her bad attitude.
“No, but even with the Vulpine population here, try and get a good fur-cleaning shampoo.”
HuanJen escorted her out of the workshop, through the living room, and into the bathroom. Without any comment, he began unzipping her dress. She didn’t appear to be harmed, which came as a relief to the mystic.
“Um, you could ask first.” Jade said warily.
“Ah. Yes.” The cleric had become quite aware that Jade was now wearing only her bra and panties. A small part of his mind noted that she shopped rather practical when it came to underwear; it wasn’t anything fancy. He found it was still quite fetching on her.
“Don’t enjoy yourself too much.”
HuanJen nodded politely, and undid Jade’s bra, tossing it into the hamper. “I … too much?”
“You’re only human.”
“That I am, though you are an attractive kind of human yourself.” The cleric dropped to his knees and slid Jade’s panties off. Jade’s tail flicked into
his face playfully.
“I said too much,” the Vulpine cautioned. She could tell HuanJen was taking some pleasure and the experience, but it wasn’t offensive. It was natural and a bit flattering.
“I always act the part of a gentleman, Jade. Come on, to the tub.”
HuanJen turned the water on as Jade climbed into the bathtub. While it began to fill, he rummaged through the cabinet beneath the sink, finally withdrawing a bottle of reddish liquid. Jade wasn’t surprised - the apartment was a virtual storehouse of oddities, potions, and strange items.
“Here we go.” The Fang-Shih sniffed the bottle after opening it. “Still fresh. May I …”
“You stripped me down, go for it.” Jade laughed at her friend’s troubled and quizzical expression. “It’s fine. You’re the expert.”
“More or less.” HuanJen sat by the tub, covered his hands with the strange fluid, and began rubbing it into the fur where the brew had stuck. “Now while I work, a bit of a lesson …”
“Great.” Jade closed her eyes. His touch was relaxing no matter how he touched her.
” … if this happens again, remember to douse the admixture with cold water. It has little or no effect while lying on the skin, but it will mat hair. Washing it with water can dilute it enough that some of it may be adsorbed, so clean it with this formula or soap to denature it.”
Jade nodded, feeling herself untense. Huan was managing to work the glop out of her fur in a mostly non-painful manner. It wasn’t one of his footrubs, but it was nice.
“Are you well?” The cleric asked.
“It’s been a busy week. Oh hell, it’s been too much.” Jade felt herself tensing up. “I mean I get sworn in, and all this crap, all this worry, Dell, I think Kevin … eh. It’s been a hell of a week. You have no idea, Huan.”
“I know enough, my friend. I’m proud of you. Events have combined to make this quite eventful, and you’ve done it.”
“That means more than I can say. That means a lot, HuanJen.”
“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”
“I know.”
“Do you like it? Being my apprentice?” The cleric asked cautiously.
“Yes.” Jade felt the mass of misplaced medicine melting away from her fur. “It’s scary. There’s a lot to leave behind I think, a lot to do. That’s why you aren’t filling my head full of secrets and mysteries and the like?”
HuanJen gave a short laugh. “Yes. You learn at your own time and pace, and even if there’s little change between what you did as my assistant, there is still change.”
“Pound and powder, distill and boil.”
“I’d say you have the idea …”
HEARTLINES
October 27, 1999 - Xaian AD Standard
“Coat?”
“It’s not that cold for October, Jade. I’ll wear the jean jacket.”
“Fine. Sleeping powder?”
“Unnecessary. I delivered enough to Crimson and I’m trying to wean him off of it.”
“Um, your hair …” Jade licked her palm and smoothed a few wild strands of HuanJen’s hair back. The trademark streak of white in his hair always seemed to get unruly.
“OK.” Jade continued. “Schedule?”
“Right pouch, with the cell phone so I don’t forget it.”
“Good.” Jade looked at her mentor, her partner, and felt like she should pat him on the head. “OK, you said you had some research to do?”
“Yes.” HuanJen walked towards the patio entrance at the back of the living room. “It’s light for a Wednesday. I’ll see you this evening, about eight. Leftovers are in the refrigerator. Oh, and if you get anything on the Guild Medical vote, please leave it on my bed in case I’m back late. Print out any email to.”
“Thanks.” Jade opened the patio door. “Call if anything comes up, I may head out with Garnet or something.”
“Of course. Take care.” The Fang-Shih strode forward, appeared to distort for a moment, then vanished. Jade exhaled forcefully.
“Still getting used to that …” the dark Vulpine muttered.
With her mentor/partner gone, Jade turned to the empty apartment, savoring the silence. It was time to study, to prepare, to plan, to do all the apprenticely/assistantly things she did. It was going to be a busy, challenging day.
Then it would be a helacious evening when the real work began.
Months of working, all the changes, and one constant in her life, a constant she’d never thought about until recently.
HuanJen.
HuanJen traveled through Metris like a rumor, albeit a somewhat distracted rumor that looked like a large Chinese man.
He had, he supposed, concerns beyond his job, life concerns. Admittedly the idea of his life being divided into job/non-job was alien to him, but he had a vague idea of how the source of his confusion related to his life. However, in his usual fashion, we was going to confront with a kind of subtle, head-on fearlessness.
It wasn’t as if he had lied to Jade - he was going to do research.
She, however, was the subject.
The day rushed by for Jade, time bearing down on her on wings of doubt.
It wasn’t technically going behind HuanJen’s back, was it? He’d never do anything on his own, probably, or would take his sweet time. With so many changes she needed answers. She needed advice.
She needed some people with a vague idea of what the hell a relationship was like.
This last week or so had left her in a whirl. Initiation, her clerical work, alchemy, a vortex of newness and old activities with new meaning. The only constant had been HuanJen, as he had been for the last few months. It had made her think.
There was a knock at the door. Jade broke out of her reverie to find herself staring at the computer she and HuanJen shared. With the computer in the living room instead of the study, it was sometimes damn hard to get things done without interruption.
“Coming!” A few mouseclicks and keystrokes and the computer went into its shutdown sequence. She slid the computer back into its armoire, closed the cabinet, and sprinted for the door. It was the moment of truth, and she didn’t want to exacerbate it by keeping her guests waiting.
“Garnet, Lorne. Good.” Jade smiled at the hulking Gendarme and his diminutive Vulpine companion. “Thanks for making it, we have … looks like about two hours.”
“What’s going on?” Lorne asked as Jade closed the door. “I thought …”
“Look.” Jade raised a hand to ward off any further conversation. “Yeah, it is dinner, but it’s more. I need your help. I need some advice.”
“Is something wrong?” Garnet hung her scarf on the coatrack.
“Not really, I need too … Lorne, something wrong?”
Lorne shook his head. “Jade I left those tapes in the car. Do you mind, I mean …”
“No.” Jade smiled warmly. “It’s not as bad as I’m making it sound, go on. Or you’ll forget again.”
“This really isn’t bad, Jade?” Garnet asked when Lorne had left. She was toying with her red hair nervously.
“Well, not … are you OK?” Jade took a seat on the couch. Garnet hovered near her.
“I … ” Garnet slumped, as if defeated. “It’s about HuanJen and I, right?”
Jade blinked. She thought. She blinked again. She tried to engage her mouth, but it was deliberately holding itself shut until it was convinced she wasn’t going to say something stupid.
The verbal blockade was lifted after a few moments of frantic thought.
“What?” Jade managed one word, packed with a paragraph of emotion.
“Oh.” Garnet looked sheepish. “I … well you wouldn’t have called Lorne would you …”
“Spill it!”
The red-furred Vulpine gave Jade a curious look. Jade was usually very pleasant with her, but her tone of voice was one of the harshest Garnet had seen from her friend.
“Jade … what’s wrong?”
Jade lay her head in her hands. “Sor
ry. Look, it may be important. If you want to tell me. This is why you were so jumpy about Slate knowing I’d be staying with HuanJen, right?”
“Partially.” Garnet sat on the coffee table, looking Jade straight in the knees. “Slate and I had had an argument about it the day before you arrived. Huan and I weren’t a couple. He was … look I moved here with a bunch of others and all our plans fell apart. He helped me out, and … well he provided some companionship. Comfort.”
“In bed.”
“Sometimes. I’m … sorry. You know what I mean.”
Jade lifted Garnet’s chin so she looked at her. “Not exactly. But I get the idea. I always said HuanJen would bend over backwards for his friends, I guess I was more right than I knew.”
Garnet managed a laugh. “I admit I wondered if it could go farther, but … no. It was nice. I’m sorry, but … I knew he could be trusted with you. I really did.”
“You aren’t even going to ask if he tried anything, are you?” Jade smiled craftily.
“I do know him that well, Jade.” Garnet shook her head. “Well, it’s out, please … don’t be angry. It’s just too personal. I think only Slate, HuanJen, and I know. And you.”
Jade lay back on the couch. “I understand. I wish I could say I was surprised. I’m not feeling much of anything, I guess.”
Garnet and Jade sat there for a few moments, each thinking.
“I don’t hold it against you. Or him.” Jade finally said. Part of her, for some rather personal reasons, did want to hold it against Garnet.
“Good.” Garnet hugged Jade. “I really am glad we’re friends. I didn’t want this to affect it.”
“It can’t. I’ve got an idea Huan’s sex life has been a bit unusual. And, yes, we’re friends, Garnet.”
“Good …”
There was a knock at the door. Garnet stood up wordlessly to let Lorne in before sitting next to Jade. The blond Gendarme walked in happily, dropped a bag of videotapes on the kitchen table, then noticed the expressions worn by his two female companions.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.” Garnet said wearily. “We were discussing past relationships.”
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