Date Night! or The peculiar collision of two foolish beings of somewhat mortal flesh.
---
It was early nightfall and the lights were up casting their particular spell over the City. It was a very pleasant night indeed in Majesty City. Clear sky and nicely chilled pre-spring weather. The steam and glitter caused by the chill air only added to its flirtiness. There was a certain magic about the city when it was like this. Soft, Calm, enchanting. Jacob felt it in particular when he moved through the city like this. He always felt himself going existentially lateral. It was a romantic win
True it could be entirely due to his mood. Jacob felt like he could pass through some barrier into the land of fairytales and the myths of all humanity. You see Jacob had a special engagement tonight and it filled him with a heavy electrical potential energy. Jacob was odd like this. He'd faced and done quite a few incredible things. Had encountered some things he still couldn't wrap his head around. Stuff that kept a person up at night... He'd had great highs and terrible desperate lows. But tonight he was facing something unlike anything he'd faced before. And his heart was racing…
Jacob had a date!
This was an unusual event in a rather unusual lifestyle. For you see, Jacob was what many commonly called a superhero. Oh yes, Jacob was just as likely to shake his head at it too. Yes he was a superhero now and even he could barely take it as reality himself. True in his older days he'd had times where it was not the thing it was in Majesty City. He'd been branded as a vigilante and worse before. But Majesty City was different, this metropolis was like superpower caped central and Jacob, known as the Adder to its citizens, was actually legit!
Jacob moved along the city roof tops, fluid and spring-like with the grace in his powerfully modified muscles. Jacob was not as powerful as some heroes. The major of his time he'd been rather street level. A young black man who'd been driven to use his accident to do something about the rot and corruption in his home city. Recently though he'd been on some really hair raising adventures. Because Jacob, the Adder, was one of the newest members of a super Group. The Sentinels. Yes, Jacob was shocked by it too, THEE Sentinels. One of the world's most prominent super teams. Jacob, a middle class nerd, to homeless guttersnipe, to hounded vigilante almost criminal. Now he was a bastion of….hope? Outerlimits he thought. Surely.
His poor therapist had her hands full deciphering all his divergent needs now. The Adder had fought extra-dimensional tentacled squid jellies, watched innocents die, fought against power structures that didn’t care about the abuse of its people.
The weight was incredible and Jacob was still dealing with guilt, anxiety, and massive self hate from his life before becoming a superhero. And then there was the PTSD... Thankfully the Sentinels had got him a therapist who was in on the score. He'd have been hard pressed to conceal the real meanings to his old one.
Jacob had to admit he was a bit overwhelmed at times. The Sentinels faced some tough stuff, but so far he'd done some real good. Big meta level nightmares in sleep type stuff. And he had survived. He was experiencing all kinds of new things. Turning his life into something. This date was a big thing also in that regard. He was relatively new to the city, and kind of a loner for most of his life. Despite his daring-do he was something of an introspective and quiet person. But Jacob had comrades now, and some stability in pay and life. Entirely Weird, Jacob thought. He might have something else too if things went alright tonight. Times two, he thought again.
And so Jacob ran and jumped and dived along the rooftops of the big city’s lightscape. He'd left far earlier than he had to because as a hero you just never knew. It was something like hero lesson 242. He'd already rescued a cat for some kid, and stopped a mugging in the old quarter. Man if any dummy of a villain tried to cause trouble on his way there, whoa betide their fate. Jacob leapt over a rooftop cooling unit, more out of glee than need. Sailed over it in a frontward flip. He could smell the machinery and sense its heat as he passed over it. Jacob landed and without a second thought turned it into a dive off the side of the 15 story apartment building without fear. It was almost casual if it hadn't been deliberate. Jacob let himself fall face first toward the streets relishing the feeling of gravity pulling on him. Then Jacob whipped out his amphistaff and sent it to find purchase in a near building. Used the pendulum momentum to fuel another leap to another shorter building. Jacob was in his element.
Jacob had superhuman reflexes and loved to push their limits like this. It was as close to flying as he would get. He used his body and advanced nervous system, to fly over the tops of the city, and his amphistaff with its cable to reel him up where he could not climb. It was particularly challenging in the neon bright sparkle of downtown with its towering skyscrapers and uneven heights. But if it wasn't so difficult it would be as fun.
He touched down on one of the higher buildings on this block and sat for a minute calming his nerves. Jacob had a good over look of the place. Aria Mount, one of the cities more fancier restaurants. He'd had on his anonymous hero clothes. All black burglar gear with Balaclava. Not his usual now notorious Adder suit. Jacob carried his good clothes in his tech pouch, they were nice and pressed. Some nice slacks and sharp shoes, his best shirt and leather jacket. They might not be pristine but maybe just a bit wrinkled. Jacob could press them with a steamer he brought he hadn’t been too stupid. So Jacob dropped off the building and scooted down a nearby fire escape. Dropped into the darkness of an enclosed alley. He then slid into a hotel’s back entrance. Scrambler-jammer turned on to handle electronic security, then mask off and into a bathroom to change.
---
Jacob had to hand it to Aria Mount it was an incredible place. All dark glass ceiling and dark wood panelling. The light dim and the air slightly warm probably to add to the cosy effect. You’d think it was because of your company. Crystal artifice hung down from above in a pattern that seemed to draw the eye into maze. The smells were incredible and had set Jacob to salivating. Probably another calculated effect.
He sat at the table waiting for his date. Dressed in his finest. Jacob’s gear stashed outside. A glass of the house's red wine sat at the table. His date was late! And he'd thought he would be just on time himself. Oh well, she'd called him and it was all alright. Jacob realized he was starting to settle down. Jacob was nervous about his date though, she'd sounded particularly alluring over the phone if a bit peeved. But Jacob also admitted it was lighting his circuits a bit.
There were a few sharp gasps. A general murmur spread through the seated patrons. And Jacob smiled.
Yeah that would be his date.
Finally he saw her as she rounded a corner from the entrance into the main room. A being of angular, strong, and exotic beauty walking into view. Jacob knew what to expect but he found himself gasping aloud too. She was stunning in a dark skirt suit like a business person out for a formal lunch. But that was all that was normal about her. First, she stood about seven feet tall. Her darker grey skin had a glow to it, like finely polished moving marble. She glided across the room on a muscular frame, humanoid but not quite. She was rather feminine but also masculine. She was wearing particularly high heels designed to accommodate her alien feet. You see Jacob's date was not human.
She was Askari of the Sentinels. Askari the War Maiden.
Askari was a Kaymakim. She didn't look human but they were actually rather normative to humans. Except where they weren't. Her silver hair glittered in a decorative pinned up bun. She didn't have human ears, they were more like furred juts, four of them slicked back from her head. She had gorgeous eyes, two humanoid ones, angular and more slitted like a cats than ours. Dark black and silver irises. She also had two sensory eyes where humans had eyebrows. Those were black pearls in weird dark diagonal crevasses. Her nose was minimal compared to humans. She also had two decorative antler like protrusions sleeking back along her skull. The Kaymakim had two tusks that protruded from her lower mouth. Jacob eyes went wide when he saw them decorated with jewelry. Their hands had four fingers instead of our five. And each had jewelry on them. Kaymakim legs were a bit more goatlike than human, but their feet were dexterous like a primates. And the custom heels Askari had designed really enhanced the effect.
Jacob found he was a bit loopy. He usually only saw her in her War garb. She was pretty darn amazing then too, but this was...
As Askari approached Jacob stood and smiled at her. "Aski, hello its good to see you." Askari smiled back in a delightful shine. "Marcus, sorry I am a bit late." Years on earth had allowed her to develop a pretty good human facility with english. Still it had a bit of a haze to it, her chambers could make extra sounds. Sort of low frequency. It was always like wading through velvet to Jacob. Though it could get really harsh when she was in her native speak tongue. That was usually when she was cursing.
And that was usually in battle. Askari and Jacob were teammates on the Sentinels and in his short time with them, about 16 months, they had been in some real nasty business. Jacob had been really shy and sort of overwhelmed when he'd been asked to join. It was a prestigious honor, He had felt inadequate. But over time he'd fought along side Virmire the living lightning bolt. The Veteran, Armory, Dreamscape and all the rest.
It was rough but he'd found himself actually doing well with the team. He'd particularly taken to Askari and developed a sort of battle camaraderie with her. She was the War Maiden. Dubbed so by the newsies. Askari was a walking powerhouse, an alien with superstrength from a warlike race. Jacob had been in awe of her. It was something special to watch such a one fight in battle.
Jacob hadn't thought they'd have much in common at first. He did expect they'd be friends even. Askari was a pretty cheerful person, even happier when she was against dire odds worth of war robots or battling bruisers like the Moving mountain. She loved a good scrap. Jacob was more of a light weight compared to some of the stronger members of the team. A precision part of it, rather than capable of mass carnage. But time again, they'd found themselves working well together. A strange battle field dance. Sure he’d thought that was due to the team training, but they got along rather well now that he had chance to think about it.
His jokes and bemoaned fate with her boasts and battle cries. Still it had surprised the stars out of Jacob when Askari had asked him out and made her amorous feelings known. Little street scamp Adder asked out by thee War Maiden... Still he was no fool so Jacob accepted on the spot, agreeing before he'd even thought about it. He'd wanted it too.
Sure he was nervous, but being here and basking in her presence in this setting felt so good and right. Jacob felt like he was falling a bit. Maybe that brawl from tuesday was still hurting him.
Jacob and Askari clasped hands, and Jacob a mere 5'11 had to look up into her gaze. Doing so he felt particularly lucky. Her hands were smooth but rather dense, Kaymakims being particularly more substantial that humans. But he was surprised at the give, even so he felt restrained power there. The power to punch holes in 4 inch steel. He'd seen her do just that.
Jacob took out Askari’s chair as his father had always taught him. She graciously accepted. He'd had to call ahead to makes sure they had a chair sturdy enough for her density. Not to mention her 7 feet plus tall frame. Then they sat. Jacob and Askari looked at each other for what seemed like awkwardly long moment. Then Askari smiled at him and he at her. Then when Jacob tried to say "this is very nice" Askari stepped over him with a "Formal Greetings Marcus." They both stopped and then grinned wrily at each other and laughed. Jacob, going by his alias Marcus as Askari knew, waved a hand indicating she should go first.
"Formal Greetings Marcus, I am honored you accepted my challenge," said Askari. At Jacob's raised eyebrow she smiled, "traditional Kaymakim courtship cant. This is such a nice place I felt rather fancy for a moment."
"Ah," Jacob said, alien culture. "I just wanted to tell you you look incredible!"
"As if I am not this marvelously magnificent at other times?" Askari said, a hint of peevishness in the air.
"Ah well I" Jacob started but Askari smiled making it known it was a joke. "Worry not dear Marcus, I have been here eight human revolutions you know. Just teasing you in that quant human way of yours."
"Ah well" Jacob said again. He smiled and rubbed the back of his head, he'd known that, why was he so trippy? Askari smiled also. Then he remembered why.
"Might I add you look rather sharp today too, I didnt know our little scrapper could clean up so well."
"Well look at you Aski, I dont think one person has looked at their own partners since you made such a grand entrance. And let me tell you its not because you are an alien,"
Her top most sensor eyes closed. A sort of equivalent to a blush. Jacob felt himself getting a little warm in the breast.
"So did you have a time of it getting here, I ran into trouble." Jacob put forth.
"Aye that I did, there was a small incident down by the docks. Had to pull a small ship to shore then rush home to hq to change. you?"
Jacob shook his head in agreement, "Cat, mugger small stuff."
"Ha," a rich Askari laugh.
They chatted a bit, putting forth exploratory small talk for a while. Rach growing more comfortable. It was only a few minutes before the Waiter came. The staff had a good eye for timing. The waiter tried hard,Jacob and Askari gave him that. But he couldn’t keep the dazzle out of his eyes as he took their order. Jacob ordered a fish dish. Askari ordered some appetizers specially prepared for her and her main meal. Kaymakim's could digest a wide variety of things, not just organic food but they could get nutrition from human foods. And they enjoyed the food’s taste. Their versatility in such things had something to do with molecular symbiotes in their digestive system. It was by design.
“And for drinks. Madam?” asked the Waiter a little bit of a show.
"I'll have the Latl sir" said Askari, trying to keep her face straight.
"And for you sir?"
“Another glass of this vintage and some water please. You?" Jacob said asking Askari.
"Yes please, Water in a large cup if you don't mind I am not so dainty as you can see."
"Yes maam" and the waiter beamed at her, doing well to keep his gaze from going to starry.
And with that they went back into their date.
---
They were finding a lot to talk about. True the conversation did die down a few times, but Askari didn't seem to mind the awkward silences as much as Jacob. She looked up from where she had been examining his hand. "This is nice Marcus, I really appreciate it. Did you know when I asked you out I didn't quite envision what we'd do?"
"Oh? I thought you'd had a few...." Jacob hesitated, he was about to faux paux. So early in the date. He metaphorically lurched sideways.
But Askari didn’t seem to notice it. "Yes I have dated a few Earthers. But oddly I've never been on a real date date, A restaurant date.” She shrugged a bit. “Rain Main Jones’ idea of a date was trekking through forgotten jungles."
"and Lady Banshee" she sighed a deep sigh "Well she was rather troublesome."
"The princesses from the land of fairy?" Jacob asked.
"The very one,” Askari said, slowly shaking her head. “You Earthers can be so exasperating, but fun. Definitely fun." She smiled at him. "This is seriously my first time on an Earther style date you know.” Jacob threw her a lopsided grin and she at nodded at him.
“Oh such a nice place too,” said Askari continuing. “The crystal patterns remind me of the Urasnor Icecaves. They built this city entirely out of a glacial rift you see."
"Wow, I do forget sometimes you have been up there in the cosmos. Do you get bored of it? Feel any wanderlust?"
"Actually not as much as when I first got here.” Askari replied. “The Sentinels keep me rather entertained." She said, a big grin on her face. "So I dont miss it as much." But then her face changed subtly, seemed to get sad a bit; "Well I could leave if I wanted too but there isn’t really much for me."
"Oh dear, I am sorry, I didnt mean to bring up something uncomfortable," Jacob said reach out a hand to Askari. She took it.
"No its just one of those things."
Jacob panicked just a tad. He hadn’t meant to step over a land mine. Considering their depth of differences he was surprised it had taken so long.
"Oh it’s okay Marcus. Ha I thought you knew?" she said, her face not sad anymore but going a bit weird.
"Hmmm?"
"How I got here, surely one of the other Sentinels told you?" she said.
"Ah well I never asked." Jacob actually didn’t look into his mates that much. He kind of thought they would want space. He had been rather paranoid at first concerning his own background. Not that they cared about his past too much, or he’d never have gotten a nod.
"How I came to call Earth my home. Its was a bit of foolishness on my part really," Askari said. “You see we Kaymakin are a warrior races as you know,"
"Yeah,"
"A mercenary race, we'd fought in a lot of conflicts for hire you see. And when things in the galaxy were calming down, the chaos period ending, they decided they didnt need us anymore. And so my nomad warrior people were disbanded and scattered to the winds.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Jacob said, his face a bit daur. Askari waved this away like nothing.
“No I considered it a sign of respect. They feared us. Basically some of us, a lot of us, didn’t really take too kindly to it. Peace. And so we fought. Mind you I didn't, some of us were given a world and settled it. But it was booooooring." Jacob laughed, and Askari smiled lightening the mood. She'd made it sound as if the destruction of her way of life was a thing faced and buried.
"I spent some time as a bodyguard for Exul mining corp fighting the beasts that plagued that noxious world. Some time then as a Bounty hunter, even as a gladiator."
"WOW! I had no idea, sounds…. A bit like the business on Earth now’d I think about it.”
"Not really, it was mostly boring. Even the gladiator stuff was too tame for me after a while. My people derive most of our joy from combat, not the fighting really, well actually yeah the fighting. But we like to have a challenge more. The “Tsa Rialgremi”
“Oh? What's that?” Jacob asked.
“Kaymakim, it means ‘The Test’ ,“ Askari answered. “ The struggle that forges. The way to find your place. But mostly it’s something for good boasting.” She laughed.
“I was adrift you see.” She continued. “Nothing really to look forward to. One night I got a little drunk. Not on latl so dont worry I won't demolish this place."
Jacob looked around and grimaced a bit. But it was a mocking thing. The prospect of the War Maiden in an enclosed place, drunk... Jacob figured the odds intellectually. He gave himself a good 1/20 survival chance if he didn’t try to save bystanders.
"Very funny Marcus.” Askari said. “No you all might have seen me in a state of inebriation but you've never seen me drunk. Well not full on war drunk and in revel.
“That bad?” Jacob asked. Her shrug was an eloquent statement. He'd seen her in battle rage.
“I sort of had it out, playfully, with the local IGP.” Askari said. And Jacob thought he saw her a little embarrassed he couldn’t be sure. He’d never seen that before. “I didnt even kill anyone but oh they were so pissed Marcus. Had to be at least 2 billion selaris of equipment and vehicle damage. It was a great bout" She was beaming now.
Jacob was weirded out but fascinated. This was all the way Kaymakim. They didnt just love the fights, they loved storytelling about fights.
"Ah what happened though," Jacob asked.
"Well after I came to,I was in a reinforced force barrier cell for a while. But then the local IGP agent,an Ex-earther friend of mine, got a little cute with sentencing. He banished me to earth for community service....I'd saved his life before you see. "
"Wow. they weren't that pissed?"
She shrugged, "Cosmolt wrote it off as a mishap in live training of Inter Galactic Patrol officers in dealing with high powered threats.” Askari using her fingers to make the air quotes. “The arbiter agreed with it surprisingly and dumped me on this backwater…" She looked up wide eyed, all four ears down, embarrassed.
"Ha don't worry about it."
"No its,” Askari said, a bit serious now. “Marcus my sentence was up years ago. I grew to love your world and its people.” She grinned. “True a lot of you are soft... But I see a lot of my people in you. Your struggle with war and to control your base animal desires. My people aren't so easily contained."
"Ah, sorry to hear that."
"Well we were bred for war and warlike even before that. It was going to be hard to just settle us down. But IGP is too damn rigid. How would I be able to sleep at night handing out tickets for improper handling of neutronium core reactors. Ech. I want to wail on stuff.” Askari was shaking her head at the silliness of the idea.
And Jacob had to agree he couldnt see her like that. “And let me guess,” said Jacob.
“Yes, this crazy planet is full of interesting things Marcus. I do wonder sometimes why your world seems to attract the most insane problems but I won't look a Geht Geht Drake in the mouth, I’ll eat it.”
A hand clap as she finished. “Thank you for listening to my tales Marcus."
"I had no idea you had such colorful adventures before Earth. Although that was stupid of me I guess. "
"I dont know, I am finding this little vacation to be rather soothing." Askari said.
"Yeah, soothing, we just repealed an extra-dimensional invasion last week,” Jacob said, only half as shivering as he put a hand on his neck. “And I fainted when they took a half foot parasite out of my spinal column."
"Like I said rather soothing. A good hearty battle and then this." Askari said, and grabbed his hand again. And Jacob felt the power in it as she gave him a playful but immense squeeze. Weird, Jacob felt his entire arm going warm. A power of hers? Jacob wondered.
---
Their dinner had arrived. Jacob had a generous portion of fish, a meal for two in truth, but Jacob had an overactive metabolism. Side effect of his powers. The thing was like a whole salmon on steroids. But that paled in comparison to Askari's veritable garden of veggies. She had a small pile of minerals as well. And some Latl, that she'd brewed herself and sent ahead to the restaurant.
They'd been talking about what it felt like to fly, which Askari could. She tried her best to describe it which was quite good. Askari was a marvelous story teller. Jacob felt like he could listen to her for hours. Then he regaled her with his version of ‘flying’. She had seemed just as rapt in attention as he had,despite her ability to actually fly.
"So Marcus," Askari asked, her voice change indicating another contextual shift in the conversation. "Tell me how you are finding the Sentinels, I must admit to being curious."
"Well to tell you the truth." Jacob started to say, but looked down. He seemed to gulp and decide in himself then plowed ahead.
"I don’t know Aski. You all, we all, have done some amazing things. But I kind of admit to feeling a bit out of place you know."
"Hmmm is this that inadequacy thing?" Askari asked, not in joke. Rather than seem put off as Jacob feared she was actually really concerned.
"Well yeah,” Jacob said going on, “I mean the Veteran is like this entire cultural thing. And Dr. Faraday is like a super scientist who saved the world from a comet. What am I? A street kid with a tendency to ramble and snark in the face of danger?" He'd tried to make it a joke of it but it fell flat.
"Oh please Marcus,” Askari said, a tiny bit peeved. Jacob took it though. “You humans and your modesty. It's so silly and wastes time. A being who does deeds as you should sing tales of them. Surely"
"Its not my style Aski you know that. I mean I'm just a guy with snake powers basically. I can't lift tanks."
Askari shook her head dismissively "Marcus, The Veteran told me of this problem of yours. I think I see it now. This is Tiane esln Muta Ensin" She said leaning forward all serious.
"And that is?" Jacob asked.
"Blindness of the Self." Jacob looked at her thinking he didn’t really quite understand. But thinking he got the gist. It was definitely a problem of his. Self doubt.
Askari then looked at him , it was an intense look as if she’d decided on something grave but then her face and voice softened. "Marcus do you know why I find you so attractive?"
"ah..." Jacob was stuck, but he had been wondering what she had seen in him exactly. It was a question he didn't really think he had ever asked himself. "I can't say, I have been wondering. Why did you ask me out?"
She rolled all four of her eyes. "Marcus, I'm a Kaymakim. We are, we were a warlike people. True. And quite potent in the ability to fight. But it is courage and testing that we most find attractive. Not stupidity like my revels are. We value real bravery.”
Askari smiled at Jacob then noticing him seriously ponder the issue. “Marcus I have admired your ferocity and ingenuity in battle for sometime.”
And she put forth her open palm towards him. “And more importantly Marcus I admire your heart. You are a real warrior." as she said this Jacob's eyes grew wider and wider but she continued. "Though I admit you might be a bit reckless in defense of others, but perhaps that is just the horn on the Greknak"
Jacob found himself overcome with emotion. He couldn't speak. Some tears ran down his cheek. Askari took her open palm and reached out dabbing them with her finger. She paused and looked at it on her hand. "You are so adorable Marcus,” Askari told Jacob ever so gently. Jacob was feeling a bit out of place, but was extremely warm. This was an explosion of untold dimensions. It was a marvel he could still function in the light of such an admission. Such admiration. Something still nagged through it.
"What is a Greknak?"
Askari looked rather contemplative. "Its a, uh, complicated, uh let’s say it basically means 'Icing on the cake' yes its an eating reference." Askari laughed at a joke only she understood. She hit the table and it shook. It was one of the most pleasant sounds to ever reach Jacob's ears.
---
"It was then, over that ruined temple in the south African rain forest. The light framed you at its summit, arms at your sides triumphant. The setting sun behind you. The entire scene was dreamlike I was rather speechless. It was not just beautiful it was formative. At that moment you were one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life. Askari that moment shook me a bit."
Askari, eyes were slitted as he recounted the story of the battle they'd shared there. Her face had a glow of contentment to it. "Marcus, thank you, that was beautiful. A well told tale, and a great compliment coming from you."
"I do mean it" Jacob said seriously.
"I didnt know you felt that way about me. I feel rather honored to hold such a warriors esteem" Askari said, very seriously. Her eyes locked with Jacobs.
Now it was Jacobs turn to blush. He hesitated, but decided the mood was right. It was fun and he was more than a little into his wine. "Well, the truth is. I was a bit in love with you since longer than then, but I thought it crush."
"Ah, a temporary infatuation?"
"No it. I didnt think I had a chance. I didn't even know you know, that you liked humans."
She nodded sagely. "And you thought I might not approve of your battle record."
Then it was Jacob nodding "Sorta...but I kind of put a handle on it you know, to keep the team dynamic okay.” Jacob shrugged. “It was when you sponsored that youth soccer tournament that I realized it wasn’t just a crush. And that sunset in Africa…" Jacob tried to say, but a hearty laugh escaped from Askari
"I remember that!” She grinned. “Twas a good melee!"
"Hey look I'm trying to confess my feelings here." Jacob said, only half joking.
"And I am enjoying watching you squirm." Askari said her top sensory eyes doing a little shimmy. He shook his head in defeat.
“Seriously though,” Jacob said, grabbing her hands. “I love you Askari, you know. At that sunset and from before. I am so glad I got to tell you.”
Askari’s face was serene a content smile shining at Jacob. They looked at each other, and then Askari sighed. A pleased thing. "You know Marcus. This is so much more tame than our courtship rituals, but I am finding it no less fun or exciting!"
Jacob nodded at her, a goofy big grin on his face. Jacob found that he felt entirely too light. "How do you Kaymakim date, er court anyway?" he asked.
"Fighting mostly." And Jacob could see she was serious.
"Ah yeah how romantic."
"Please foolish man with your jests. I've felt the heat of your blood when we are in the dance of battle."
"Well..." Jacob said he rubbed his head. That was true.
"We make good battle mates," Askari said, and grinned as he blushed.
"Its traditional for A Kaymakim man who wants to date a comrade or address a female for mating to challenge them to a friendly bout. Feats of strength, a sparring, quite enjoyable. For a woman its about the same. In mating we don't best our men in combat like the old days but sometimes I've seen a woman get a real craving and go after a particularly obstinate male."
"What?" Jacob said eyes up.
"Ha no not since the ancient times. We love fighting though, its built into our nature. Far more than sex even, unlike your people."
“Human's have a complex relationship with sex." Jacob said, looking thoughtful.
"Yes, when I first arrived on Earth, I was puzzled by all the barriers you erected to lock it down into rigid paths. I thought, no wonder your history is so violent for such a soft people. A Kaymakim battlemaster who can not alleviate a troops sexual energies is a bad leader. Its a poisoned society that can not manage its sexual energies properly."
"I can't say we like sex more than war.” Jacob said, “I think the two are linked really. Repressed displacement of sex into pain and destructive tendencies is a big part of our culture actually."
"And how you treat your women...”
Jacob had nothing to say to that. True in their old days Kaymakim women were more aggressive than the males. Who mostly wanted to fight amongst themselves. But still their people had developed a very equal society. Despite attempts by their Masters to engineer its opposite. Something about always having an external threat, but not just that. Jacob had to admit, even to a race of mercenary superbeings Earth was backward as all.
“Some fool General tried that alpha dog dismissal with me once. Like I was a nursling! I left him in need of new pants and a steep bill in facilities repair for his office." Askari nodded pleased with the memory.
"To that hey,” Jacob leaned back some, somber. “Long ago men saw the power women would have welded in a matriarchal society and feared it. And so decided to break it and dominate it. It was so thorough I sometimes think it had to be deliberate. It got into our culture so far ago and it's taken most of our recorded history just to get to this point."
"Abysmal,” Askari said shaking her head. “But I've seen just as bad in space. At one point my entire people were a race of slaves for thousands of years before we were modified. But thank the master’s hubris in this, because we broke free and smashed them into dust.” She said punching her hand in satisfaction. “I wonder why it didn't turn out so here, so many times in your histories..."
"It’s a bit complicated, Humans are difficult.”
---
Askari was chewing a slate of carbon. And the crisp crunches were not as distracting as he was used to it. Jacob idly wondered what glass of wine he was on, he couldn’t remember. Jacob also couldn’t remember having such a good time as this. They'd discussed almost everything. Broached into big no nos of dating too like politics and religion. It was awkward though, sometimes a weird reference would silence either of them, some times it was laughing but they kept returning to it. Jacob, usually an interstitial conversationalist at best was finding it weird how free his mouth was. And it wasn't the wine.
Askari washed her carbon down with some latl. "When you stood up to Mortis,” she said suddenly. A strong nod.
"Your pardon"
"I think that was when I first realized I had wanted you as my battle mate, my crush."
Jacob blushed but he also grimaced remembering. "That was a bad one..."
“Aye” she said going into that sing song that indicated a good story. "There we were incapacitated by his Sphinxnaut. Mortis. And he's about to open the seal. But there is this little snakeman there, standing up to an ancient deity. And you are actually hurling jokes at him. If I hadn't been sucking dirt I would have laughed at it."
Jacob was grinning, despite that particular adventure causing him no end of nightmares. "I actually didn’t know that shit was going to work. I was pissed so I taunted him. Who knew he had such a short fuse." He said shrugging.
"I thought for sure when he hurled the Javelin at you you were dead. It had struck down Sovereign. Thing was so fast."
"Its all in the reflexes," Jacob said and he took a fork and threw it into the air. They both watched it fall from on high. Right before it touched the table surface though it vanished into thin air. When Askari looked up it was in Jacob's other hand. But it had been fast she'd saw something but it looked as if he hadn't moved at all.
"Bravo" she did a little clap. "Always impressed by your reflexes. I could see it but barely"
"Yeah the thing was... I almost messed it up quite big. I was little too slow on the catch you see. but somehow it….”
"You lucky scoundrel! I thought that had been part of your plan..." Askari said all eyes wide. That Javelin being the key to a astal gateway to a really bad place.
"Well ooops you know my secret now, don't tell the guys, Mong still thinks I am hiding some sort of super tactical sense from the team"
"HA!” Askari laughed aloud but then she got serious again. Grave. “But seriously Marcus, when I saw the Javelin carry you away it shocked me. I hadn't realized the depth of feeling I had, to have you gone from my life....I went into it badly…"
"I never knew, I just thought you know it was because of the threat." Jacob said touched. That had been a spectacular rage. Mortis, weaker without his Javelin hadn't lasted too long against a furious Askari and team. "Wait that was like 6 months ago.” Jacob said. “That long? What made you finally decide to ask me out?"
"I must admit I would have asked sooner but I was...worried you might not like me as a mate." Askari said.
It was the second time he had seen Askari embarrassed. Would wonders never end. Jacob thought, and meant it. It was a serious admission from a being usually brimming with confidence. Jacob put a hand to his face and sighed. "We are impossible fools."
---
"So yeah Nebelherr is sitting there looking at me dumbfounded. With his ice ray smashed and wondering how he'd ended up on his butt.” Jacob said giggling. “Then he says 'How did I ever lose to a stupid mathematician like you.' - in his bad fake german accent of course.” Jacob said pausing for Askari’s laughing. “And I sigh and say 'hooof, look the Death Adder is a type of poisonous snake. and he says ‘ooh thats why you're wearing that stupid costume."
Askari's loud laughter would have attracted all the attention of the room. But it was late. Far too late into the evening now. Aria Mount was mostly emptied now. Only Jacob, Askari and the workers cleaning up the place were still around. They brushed and set table for the beginning of the next day. Graciously the workers had not disturbed either of the strange people at the table.
"Marcus! No!" Askari said suddenly
.
"What?" asked Jacob worried.
"Do you know I spent the first two months wondering what your costume had to do with arithmetic! I had to ask Veteran! ha!"
Jacob slapped his forehead, hard. "Ugh... I knew that would happen. And none of you ever asked. Feel like I been walking around with my fly open."
"We thought it part of your shtick to confuse people...I mean haha."
Jacob groaned. “I knew this would happen…. I just knew…” he giggled.
“Why did you change it” Askari asked innocently.
“Ah typical story…” Jacob said. “I was rather dark when I was first starting off you know. Totally that stereotype.”
“I know well of the vendetta!” Askari said, a grin and nod to the thoughts of her many old revenges.
“Yeah well when I got out to the other side. I changed.” Said Jacob. “I wasn’t… let’s say always this hilariously neurotic, I was more brooding neurotic. Anyway I tried to change my image. I can't have kids looking up to a guy with Death in his name. And to my sometimes chaos, I kept the Adder part. Did it for the kids.” Jacob was shaking his head.
“That is so corny Marcus. I adore that about you.” Askari said a high sound of amusement in her voice. “And your ability to tell uncomfortable truth about yourself.”
“Thank you.” Jacob said.
And then Jacob and Askari just sat for a while. Not really even looking at each other, just another one of those weird silences that could be awkward to some, but felt entirely comfortable now. Then Jacob, reluctance in his voice, signalled for a waiter. “Hey sorry to keep you all from your job, its just…”
“No problem sir,” said a young lady. “We appreciate her work. And hope you had a wonderful evening.”
“Thank you.” Askari said to her. Her eyes, all four, a twinkle that they didn't recognize Jacob.
“Ah well that it wouldn't end.” he said.
“No reason it shouldn't.”
“Uh,” And Jacob stopped in the middle of putting on his jacket. Askari could see a little sweat beading on his skin with her super sharp vision. She flashed her eyes and teeth at him.
“No silly I mean us. I mean true there is no bounty hunt to celebrate in the old way but you are good as my battle mate.” Jacob crossed to the table took her hand in his and kissed it. It’s relative coolness was like a balm to his lips.
He held her chair as she rose. And she put a powerful arm around him and brought him to her muscled chest in a warm hug. Kaymakim weren’t mammals.
After a long moment and a sigh from both they strolled out into the crisp night arms twined together.
---
She wouldn't hear of him taking a cab. So he’d donned his street gear. And Askari met Jacob overhead on the roof. Then she took him into her arms, surprisingly gently and took to the skies.
For a while they seemed to just coasts over the magical night in Majesty City. The tall skyscrapers giving way to an old industrial area that bordered the old quarter.
He’d flown before with the team but the intimacy of this was a bit much. The stars and the flying above the light cloud was particularly working on him. Thankfully with his mask on Askari couldn't see him all emotional. Knowing her senses though, Jacob wondered and then he shrugged. It was definitely doing something to him that he didn't know he needed. As if sensing this Jacob felt Askari embraced him more protectively.
Luckily they did not run into any trouble on the way back. It was a sedate flight; though Askari did twirl Jacob around in an odd sky dance before landing on the roof of the old tenement he indicated. It was the part of town Jacob called home.
The roof creaked a bit as it took their weight. Then they were down. Jacob felt exhilarated. They looked at each other for a long while. A chill breeze blew. Jacob particularly loved the light of the moon and stars and what it did to her. He pulled up his mask and made as if to whisper to Askari and she bent down. With one hand on hers and and another lightly caressing her cheek he kissed her. It was a bit weird true, and they fumbled, human and Kaymakim mouths similar but not exactly matching. She picked him off his feet for better purchase in a light hug. And she bit him lightly on the neck, a Kaymakim thing he guessed and then she sighed and put him down.
“I am glad we did this.” Askari said after a moment. “You gave me quite a good time Jacob.”
“And I thank you for, you know everything.” Jacob replied earnestly. His voice almost purring. “I feel like I am going to go away with the breeze.”
“Until our next campaign of the heart good warrior. I look forward to it. And to our next great battle too of course.”
Jacob held her hand as she rose into the sky. And then watched as she caught speed, flying away in a rising spiral. He shook his head in belief and wonder. Whistling a little tune of old, he plunged off the side of the roof, feeling so light he thought he might develop the ability to fly.
---
The End
---
Thank you all for taking the time to read this. Appreciate it. The Adder and The War Maiden are characters from my times on City of Heroes MMO. He was my scrapper. Based off of Daredevil, Spiderman and Cobra commander. Askari is sort of a Saiyan, Big Barda, Thor mix. She was my tank character.
I didnt think of writing this story until about a few months ago. I want to see if I could handle romance. I dont think I am that good but I figured leaning on my love of comics and such I could prop it up.
Not sure if I pulled off the tone. I was actually going for homage, and parody in it and some seriousness. Not sure if I will ever do the full up adventures of The Adder, Askari, and the Sentinels but I really really enjoyed this. Thanks
terror.and.love@gmail.com
