Tor gave them outward boredom and a small wave of his left hand.
“Has he done something then? Or is he just always getting in the way like Burks does? I never thought to lock him in somewhere. Tell me how you managed it and I might just try and pull that off with him next time we meet.” Tor made his voice a little bored and sullen, not having anything better on short notice.
“Ha! I forgot for a moment that you knew one of the old timers yourself. Yes, rather busy group of people, aren't they? I won't lie, he got in the way of my plans, so I locked him up, but it wasn't anything illegal on his part. Kind of refreshing that you understand. I was worried that you'd be difficult on that score. I'd have had him killed, but Daria loves him so. Can't let him out or he'll ruin everything. They always do, don't they?” Mad eyes, the real insanity this time, shone from the leaders face. It was an earnest look, one that called for support.
It was also probably fair from the guy’s perspective, so Tor grinned and nodded.
“You have no idea sir. Why just a few weeks ago Burks was hitting me just for not learning something fast enough. I mean a real beating too, not just a few taps or slaps. He gets thousands of years to do it, but I can't figure it out in a few days and I'm suddenly stupid? They're all too far from being young to remember what it was like I think. It probably has to happen over that much time, but seriously how hard is it to remember that regular people aren't thousands of years old?” Tor sounded put out, but then he had been at the time, a little. He got the idea that he needed to hurry, but… yeah. It really was annoying being beaten like that.
Glost clapped happily, anger on his face, but not anger at him, so at least there was that. Daria followed suit, acting giddy, her eyes showed shrewdness though, watching Tor as if suspecting that he was pulling something. He was, so Tor couldn't fault her on picking it up. It was ham-handed and rough of him, but the best he could come up with in the moment.
Ten minutes later they walked down five flights of stairs, white tiled and twisting hallways of them, cool and bright from the magic lights above. The light quality wasn't good, and when Tor touched it with his mind he was shocked to find it was a glowing gas, not his kind of magic at all. Lightning had been passed into it and that made it glow? Electrics.
Amazingly clever.
Also wasteful, but he didn't mention it. He wasn't here to comment on their society or how they lived, was he? Their place, their ways. Still, it was a stupid way of doing things when they could have simply made lights that didn't use energy at all.
Denno stood at the far side of his room, the door thick metal and see through glass for observation, wire shot through to make it harder to break. The man wore identical clothing to the one time Tor had seen him, a light blue outfit that had a loose top, much like a tunic and baggy trousers that didn't seem to have pockets. The material was light, cotton or something similar, and his shoes were light slippers, also in matching blue material. The leather on the bottom looked different, like it was something else entirely not cow hide at all. It was white and flexible not hard at all.
Having seen his image before Tor was ready this time. Denno Brown was beautiful. Dark skin that reminded Tor slightly of what a walnut shell would have looked like if it was perfect and unbroken by shadow. The eyes were brown, simple and clear and the hair black, like Tor's own. Then again, even if they looked as different as they did, they were, in some strange fashion the Ancients had crafted, brothers. Tor bowed to the man, noting that he'd held to looking about twenty-five or so. Burks could make himself look older too, apparently something he'd personally be able to do as well, eventually.
“Little Brother! You've come at last to relieve my boredom then? So good to meet you in person, not that I doubted you would come, given everything. Well, patience is the trick to everything, isn't it? Please, come in, come in… I see that Glost and Daria have brought a feast for us! Excellent, I've grown a bit bored eating alone, though the food hasn't been stinted… I just sometimes don't get to see anyone for days at a time, two or three days, even. Except guards. Nice fellows, but not allowed to chat much. Come sit when you are ready!” He smiled, but didn't try to touch anyone.
A single covert glance gave that away, six armed men had moved in behind them to prevent escape or trouble. They wore simple gray outfits, like Daria’s tan one, and held rounded silver and black tubes directly at Denno. Apparently Tor wasn't thought a threat at all. Good. He wasn't there to fight with them anyway, was he? Looking at Brown he smiled and gave a slow blink, showing he'd gotten the message the man had just sent him. It wasn't subtle really and Tor didn't want to give it all away so he acted pleased to meet the man, but a little bored.
“Two or three days? Why I could barely go two without going crazy, you must be strong to endure such. Well, I'm sure that the Premier will let me visit occasionally now that I'm here. Though you must promise not to be in the way all the time! He was just telling me how you are, always meddling. That's a bad habit you know. Burks does that too, and it's a pain. At the same time he keeps telling me that I need to let other people do things for themselves. It's hypocritical, don't you think?” Tor didn't sneer, that wasn't something he did well, so instead he put his hands on his hips.
The key to the Ancient’s secret message system was simple, you just twitched or tapped on the word you wanted to emphasize. The slow blink told the other that a message was being passed, that or hooded lids, the rest was just a matter of controlling what you did and when. It was awkward, but so far no one had seemed to catch on.
Denno had just told him that he'd be ready and wanted to know if it would be two or three days. The man had waited years and seemed a little impatient now. Tor had confirmed two days. He had the route down the stairs now. What he needed were just some items to help Denno out of the cell and weapons in case things fell apart. Or better, a shield for the man. That the guy might be setting him up was still possible. Handing him death weapons would be a mistake until he knew for certain.
A table was set up and the meal almost seemed cozy, except for the armed guards who acted as if the small dark man was going to kill them all suddenly, without warning. After a while he looked at the guards under hooded lashes and then winked at Tor.
“For some reason they keep thinking I'm going to jump up and do battle with them. They're like this all the time, even while I sleep. Really it's over done a bit. I mean, how dangerous can I be then? What am I going to do, snore at them?” His voice was a little pissy and cold.
No secret message there, the Ancient was simply watched all the time and had told him that flat out. Ah. So if Tor was coming in he'd have to do something about the guards? He had weapons that could kill them, and could make non-lethal ones, but all of those would leave them a chance to sound an alarm or call out an alert.
Daria interjected then, needling the man.
“Must make it awkward to masturbate, huh? Want me to come in and do it for you? Or… you only like guys, right? So maybe Tor could?”
Denno laughed at her, a long and loud thing, meant to be derisive.
“Girl, don't try using that on me. I won't sleep with you because I don't like you. I like women just fine, I just prefer them sane. As for having Tor do things for me like that, well, I wouldn't say no. I always wanted Green too, but he never would. Kind of prude really, when you get down to it. How about you Tor, are you as big a prude?”
Honestly he was. Worse really, at least as far as he could tell. But the idea was for Denno and him to meet to… Ugh. It was a good enough plan, but Tor couldn't… Glost smiled wickedly and watched with a cunning eyes as Tor squirmed uncomfortably.
“Why what a wonderful idea! Yes, we'll deliver him to you for the purpose Denno. Maybe you can show him the wonders of your flesh? The two of you will make such a lovely pair! In fact I think I'll televise the whole thing. Yes, I like the idea! Oh ho!”