Surprise

"Thank you for that." He leaned back to dodge one of her attempts to poke his cheek. "Ni-6 is a good aide, but even he forgets from time to time." He didn't prefer to remain on that topic for long and became thankful for his drinking companion providing an alternative.

"It's odd to think even your aide is older than our Second Headman. She's an extraordinary one, wouldn't you say?"

"How unprecedented. The lackadaisical Lo-2, actually offering another person genuine praise? No supercilious comments attached?"

"Come now" accompanied a slap on his arm. "I do not believe I'm superior to anyone, least of all her. If you insist on utilizing outdated language references, at least know what the ones you settle on mean."

"You know what supercilious means?" Disbelief colored the inquiry, and the other headman reserved a second to choke down the faint pink sprouting on her throat and cheeks.

"And lackadaisical. I grew tired of not understanding so…so I happened to look into the archives' older records. What of it?"

"Nothing." No sense in letting the scutumsteel cool. He might as well strike it while it was still warm. "Why are you on such good terms with the Second Headman?" He interrupted her before she could respond. "And you know what I mean."

She pursed her lips. "I do. And it's not information I own to give. Believe me, I would in other circumstances."

What did that spell out? This time, she cut off his words. "I mean it." It was a rare occasion to find her so settled on any matter, and something in her eyes told him affairs would remain more cordial so long as he let this rest.

For now, anyway. At his nod, some of the initial stress exited her shoulders and other joints. "I appreciate it, boring man." Sensing that he wasn't satisfied, she followed up. "You could always bring this to Ch-4 herself, you know."

"At a later time. I admit there's more urgent--" His communicator released a shrill whine, startling both of them. While Eighth Headman crossed her arms and gave him an accusatory look, as if he'd made that happen, he reached into a pocket and withdrew the vibrating tool. He frowned.

"Ni-6?"

"Have you had any contact with Pa-5, sir?"

There was a note of urgency in Ni-6's voice, hastening his words with such intensity he slurred his "sir". "No. Did something happen?"

"Damn." He looked at Eighth Headman over his shoulder, finding she was listening in. The two of them had raised brows, and something told him they would fit together in a superb manner at that moment. When Ni-6 resorted to foul language, only pain or extreme scenarios were to blame.

And the Prime Beacon doubted his aide had stubbed his toe. "I was perusing the transfer logs, and I found one for Pa-5. She issued a request for transfer to one of the defensive crews on the walls four hours ago, and I haven't been able to initiate a communication with her ever since I discovered it."

No, that foul language was justified. "Can you locate which side of the walls she's stationed on?"

"South--" He had already thumbed off his communicator and was rising to his feet when he felt resistance on his sleeve. Eighth Headman was the culprit.

"What are you doing? Let me go."

"What are you doing?" she mirrored. "Is this something to elicit such a rise from you?"

"Let me go."

"No." His neutral expression puttied into a frown when he realized she wouldn't listen. He tugged his arm free, only to find she was standing in his path. When had she moved? "I'm going to her."

"Why are--"

"Because if Ni-6 hasn't been able to reach her, she's deactivated her communicator and the receiving functions of her HUD. I've got to go talk to her and bring her back to Ardiseg Hall."

"No, that's not what I meant. Why do you want to take her off the wall defense?"

If his brow could become any more creased, he was sure it would have. The same stood for his chin. He tried to move past her, but she moved with him. He growled, "Because she's still recovering from her injuries."

"No, she's not. She made a full physical recovery, to the point where her body didn't reject the connections to her new replacement limbs."

"But she can't take liquid sun injections anymore, or most any substantial medical substance we have on hand. What if she's injured like last time?"

"I've read the report." She stepped closer and placed a comforting palm on his shoulder. "She's not a pilot. If any conflict spilled over the walls to get close to her, then more people than her alone would be in danger at that point, and plenty of others would've already died without ever receiving liquid sun."

"But--"

Her other hand came down over his mouth. "No further buts. Pa-5 has as much right to rise to humanity's defense as anyone else, including you. Since she's volunteered of her own volition, respect that choice. It couldn't have been easy for her, especially since her traumatic experiences are recent."

She maintained a lock on his eyes, and he felt compelled to avoid looking away. After a few seconds, air hissed between parted teeth. "Maybe you were right…the only time you should be the rational one between us is if the world is ending."

To assuage himself, he turned to the side and removed his communicator from its pocket, contacting Ni-6. "It's…alright. Leave her be." He ended it before he could hear his aide's reply.

Eighth Headman's hand never left his shoulder. His head tilted back to her as they observed the accumulation of humanity's industry before them. "How come you choose now to act like your age?"

"I may not get many chances to be as free as I once was," she mused, flicking his earlobe. An odd motion, one she hadn't done before, and one he would be fine with her never doing again. "It makes sense to acclimate myself now while I still have time, doesn't it?"

"But that's the conundrum." To his relief, the smile came easier than he thought. "You choosing to be more reasonable and practice your rationality is dependent on your ability to be rational, which you entirely lack in the first place. In other words, you're a paradoxical contradiction. Should I call you the wisdom paradox?"

"I'm beginning to wonder how much catharsis throwing you from these walls would grant."

"You couldn't."

"I've got a handy Vigor for weakening behemoths like you."

"Well then, you wouldn't. Many others' lives depend on my well-being"

"Wasn't it you who just said I can't be rational?"

He sighed. "I did say that, didn't I? I acquiesce."