The Seven Before - II. Morning

Chapter II.
Morning Preparations and More

Opening her eyes was her first mistake. A light above her glared brightly and stung her sleep accustomed eyes. She glared back. Of course her efforts to put the light back out were to no avail. That was not her specialty. She gave a tired 'oomph,' and Nick sat up on her cot. Looking around her small quarters, she assessed how she would start her day. There was a great deal going on. Today was the beginning. The beginning of the end. A rebellion had already begun, but it was still small. Too small. It would take a laughably small crumb of the militia to squash them if they were to be found out. However, that is where she came in. Her and five others. They would rally the courage and strength of everyone they could to fight. This world was not one full of life and never would be as long as power stayed where it was.

Hence the yawn pulled from Nick with such strength she almost curled back up to sleep. It was a heavy burden even just preparing for it. But today was it. No looking back.

Still, that does not mean sleep was an easy friend the night before.

"A shower," Nick decided, grabbing her robe and bathing supplies before leaving her room with heavy footsteps. The hallway was cool as always, both physically and visually. A lot of gray surround her in different shades. The only real color was a blue rail on one side of the hall. The other side was filled with intermittent doorways also outlined in the same blue. This place was a maze at best, an elaborate and trying maze to master if one did not grow up in its halls at worst. Still, Dominique Nikkitah Wulf easily made her way done one corridor, turned down another and another going up a couple flights of stairs followed by yet a couple more halls to the communal showering facilities. The bunker was quite extensive, as large as a city, with only a handful of showering locations, a couple of which were turned off as there was no need for them. Only a couple hundred people currently inhabited the place. Most were in quarters one a couple floors, and a few took residence in rooms that were a little more distant. Yeah, it made going to take a shower a royal godly annoyance (for now, they all hoped), but ensured a greater measure of privacy and quiet.

Now she walked along a floor that was mostly occupied, little specks of life shown here and there, even some measures of individuality. People painting their apartment number a different color, or letting little ones draw designs on the bottom. There were very few young children here, but more than one family had come to be part of this little project over the years. Some became families while here. It was a safe haven for anyone that disagreed with the ways of the world today.

Nick took her time with her shower, basking in the hot water and taking the time to find some bit of peace for herself. A few people came and went as she did so. Each keeping to their own like her. She recognized some as people that had partaken in some of the training with her and the others. Not many here at the present time were really cut out for war and serious fighting. Mostly they were the ones that would be staying here to maintain the place. She thought about that, what it would be like if she was one of them. As much apprehension as she had about being a leader for this rebellion, she knew that staying here to fret was a worse fate in her mind. She dismissed the dwelling thoughts and focused on rinsing her hair out. The stream of water ceased with a quick flick of the handle and she left the drab grey stall into the drab grey dressing stall just outside the shower. It was an efficient and convenient set up, especially for those that were more modest about being nude in front of others. As she was drying herself to get dressed, in walked Maxandria, another of the appointed 'leaders.'

A wicked grin made the other woman's eyes twinkle despite the signs of not enough sleep on her face. "Sleep is a beautiful, don't you think?"

Nick gave her a scowl and bit back a snide remark born only of her sleep-deprivation ire. Instead she retorted with only mild irritation, "Not when it decides you have better things to do. Such as freak out about something better to not over-think." Then she rolled her eyes, "I doubt any of us really slept much last night. All I could think about was what if we fail, you know? The things they will make everyone else, those not with us in this rebellion, let alone to those of us that fight them..." She trailed off knowing Max would fill in the unsaid. The shadow that crossed her eyes told Nick that she understood all too well. "Just remember, this isn't one of your computer games, Jackal." Nick replied with a lightly almost teasing tone, but she was half serious.

The woman, a rather girlish woman in Nick's opinion, was always on a computer or messing with something technological. She even carried a small bag at her waist, at all times, full of bits and pieces of what appeared to be nothing to Nick, but when Jackal began fiddling with them, she would always end up with some little odd or end that nevertheless would be useful. Despite the frequently dubious appearance. Maxandria, or Jackal, was an interesting character for sure. Only five people could call her "Jackal." Everyone else was doomed if they tried. She could get the scariest glint in her dark jackal like eyes if someone screwed up and just started to say jackal.

Jackal had looked about ready to comment about Nick's fretting when the tease came. She smiled and replied, "And you forget, Nick, it is my computers guiding our way." Her smile then faded and she looked at the tiled floor, "Besides, I would have gone mad with the same thoughts last night if I hadn't been on the computer decrypting."

Nick nodded and the conversation died with Jackal going off to a shower stall. Jackal had a mystic way with technology that had become crucial in figuring out where to begin the fight. She could ferret out anything that was within a computer. There were trends out there going unnoticed without her "talent." However, her findings are just a guide for beginning things. Once the ball gets rolling, the next action will become more dependent upon the results of the previous action. Jackal always pointedly ignored that fact, gloating a bit in her own self-importance with her current role, and when reminded arguing that one could never know when learning new information would be just as critical as the results of previous actions. Nick never verbally admitted that that was a point.

Nick finished getting dressed as fast a she possibly could and left. That even Jackal's sometimes irksome light-hearted and mischievous nature was dampened with the task that lie ahead. There was almost nothing that could bring her down. It most certainly was not helpful to Nick's already door mood.

The trek back to her room was quiet and quick. After depositing her hygienic items, she left again. This time her travels through the maze led her to the eating commons. It was set up kind of like a buffet with a window to the kitchen for a specific food request. The people that took care of most of the cooking were kind and often delighted to make something special if anyone asked. Nick sometimes wondered how it would change if things went as they hoped. There would be so many people here. Sure some would end up helping in the kitchens, but would they be able to accommodate all the potential requests if this place filled up as much as it was hoped?

She shook her head and leaned in at the window. There she saw someone that she still felt a bit of surprise seeing in the kitchen.

Dreamfire was there looking as content as e ever could busily preparing some dish or other. The woman was short so it was, at times, amusing to watch her vainly and stubbornly trying to reach a necessary item that was high out of her reach. Sadly, that did not happen so often anymore. Nick imagined the others that helped cook had steadily moved and rearranged things bit by bit to make it easier for Dreamfire.

Nick cleared her throat for attention. A couple of others nearby looked up, but Dreamfire turned and walked straight to the counter by Nick, "The usual this morning?"

Nick shrugged, and thought for a moment before shaking her head, "Nah, surprise me. Something... settling." The other woman nodded with a look of understanding and mutual feeling on her face. Seemed everyone's nerves were a little on end today.

Nick turned and looked around the room. There were a fair number of people up and about already. There was a quiet hum of voices, nothing intense. In fact it was barely noticeable. That made it easier to for Nick to think. Not that she really wanted to. She tried focusing on things she saw, though that was a short lived list of observations. Like the rest of the facility, the color scheme was very monochromatic with a narrow range of greys. A few people had tried to liven things up somewhat by putting up pictures or painting sections of the walls with murals.

Her veiwing was cut short as one of the few people Nick did not especially feel like dealing with spotted her and made his way over. She sighed. He was an attractive man, older but carrying himself and often acting in a way that made him seem much younger. He gave a charming smile as he drew closer. That smile and his smokey blue eyes could distract her terribly when she wasn't careful. These were accompanied but a face with strong features that seemed somewhat ageless. Put that on top of a tall, lean build that was expertly and smartly dressed and there was Gerolf. Go figure, he would have a name that made many think of an old man.

He began to speak before stopping next to her, "Good morning there, kitten." He gave her a playful look like he was thinking something inappropriate. Given how he addressed her, she knew he was. But she was in no mood for his flirting today.

"Give it a rest, Rakos," using his last name would make it clear to him that today was not going to consist of one of their occasional trysts.

Now he sighed. No was a word he hated, but there was a lot going on. He gestured behind her where Dreamfire was setting a loaded omelet with extra fixings on the counter. She glared at Gerolf and went to clean up her area.

Nick took the plate, watching Dreamfire. The woman had taken a great dislike to Gerolf a long time ago. Nick wasn't sure what the beef was, but Gerolf became a little weary of the elf when she started to hate him.

Unfortunately, Gerolf followed Nick to a table and made himself comfortable. "I don't suppose you know if the others are up and around yet," he asked.

Nick shook her head, "I've only seen Max and Dreamfire."

"Pity."

There was a long silence between them. Something seemed to be on his mind, but Nick didn't feel like asking. She studied him for a moment while she ate; he was quite pensive with a slight frown and slightly drawn features. A vague memory surfaced from when they were in the woods so many years ago. His face had worn that same expression all the time. Back then, though, it was born of survival. Foraging for food, trying to caught some meat, and always the dangers of wildlife trying to hunt them.

A plate clunked noisier than was necessary beside her making her jump almost out of her skin. Dreamfire sat where she had placed the food and started eating like the others weren't there. Nick rolled her eyes and took another bite herself. The atmosphere around them was tense.

It stayed that way for several long minutes. Nick and Dreamfire ate; Gerolf picked at his nails.

Until Max appeared looking more refreshed and a little less exhausted. She too had a plate of food (hers was from the buffet) and she gave a cheerful smile to all as she took her seat. "I take it, no word from our fine drinker or the scandalous lovers."

Phrased as a statement, her tone made it sound like a question. Dreamfire answered her with a 'no.'

"Shame," she took a bite and chewed a moment before continuing. "Someone should retrieve them soon, we need to talk. I found some interesting messages last night. Looks like some places are starting to rally their own rebellions."

"We couldn't have chosen a better time to put things in motion then, it seems." The voice that spoke was a little rough with age, but sagely and firm. The man who bore such a voice was equally wizened with short, white, wiry hair that stuck out to the sides. He walked hunched over a cane that was rumored he craved himself for his father. Most looked to this man as a guide. He was their leader. Some believed he started all of this, but there was no proof he had. Only that he had been here all longer than anyone knew for sure and he kind of gave everyone their place and tasks. "I have done my best to see that all my girls posess all the resources to succeed and then some."

Max hm'd. His girls. They essentially we're seeing as he was the one that started getting them to work together, discover their talents, and train them. Sometimes, though, if she thought about it too much, it gave Max a chill. She felt as though there was some factor in all this she couldn't place here finger on. Like this was all an equation and she was missing small and possibly very important factor.

"Indeed, truly," Gerolf grinned and leaned on the table. Blitz was the assumed leader, but others had stepped up to assist him and they had formed a sort of committee that looked over everyone in this place. Gerolf was one of those on the committee. He looked at Max, "Let's all meet in the debriefing room as soon as possible and look at these messages."

Max shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't know that it is all that important, more worth noting and a good prompt to be on our way."

"Nonsense! We must know the details." Gerolf liked to be in charge. He did great work being on the committee, but once in a while he tried to push his influence farther than it really reached.

Dreamfire kept a carefully cool expression hiding her annoyance, "But it will probably be a waste of time. We should just get the others and go."

Blitz observed the debate with mild amusement before stepping in, "Why don't we all just make sure we are on the same pages here. A quick meeting won't hurt anything. We can spare a few more minutes to departure."

Of course that settled the matter. Nick disliked all the drama. She agreed with Deamfire. To her, this was something of a waste; these messages weren't apt to make any difference. This wasn't something they could completely plan out. They had their goal, how they got there would be continuously changing as the journey progressed. She kept this to herself. It was a moot point.

Half way finished, and both Dreamfire and Nick pushed their plates away, appetites gone. They shared a smile half smile at the identical actions.

Max continued to wolf down her breakfast with gusto as if this was all the norm. It was. When she finished all eyes were on her, making her feel a sudden twinge of embarrassment. She failingly covered it with a quiet cough and offered to go check on the others.