I do not own SMAC/X or its characters.
No time left for old friends and foes
2 am. It's almost dawn. Another day without sleep, sometimes it was easier to give up. The bags under his eyes were getting darker.
"If I can't sleep, I'll work" This was Zakharov life motto.
"If you slept more, you'd make less mistakes."
"I don't make mistakes,"
"Not ones you're willing to admit."
Deirdre and Zakharov regularly played their 'games'. Or at least used too. It had be a significant amount of time between now and the last 'game'. He began to miss the talks, hell even the company. He unlocked his comm link, sifting through the previous calls and data.
"If I do make mistakes, lack of sleep is not the main problem."
"But you admit that it is a contributing factor?"
Zakharov moved his rook.
"Check."
"AH! See you do admit it, I was right." She purposely twisted his words.
"That's not what I meant…"
Deirdre did a somewhat (and on purpose) poor impression of him.
"This is why I can't take you seriously," he scowled
She moved her queen to his rook, "If I was serious all the time, you'd be bored in a week."
He looked to the last message he received from her.
PRIVATE MESSAGE/ SCRAMBLED SOURCE
TO: P. ZAKH
CC: D. SKYE
/PRIVATE/
CHESS AT YOURS OR MINE?
Zakharov sighed, smiling, she knew what buttons to press to break him out of his 'brooding'
"Brooding old git." She taunted as he tried to make his next move.
"If you going to act like a child, I'll treat you like one."
"Sure, sure…"
He stared at her last message for some time. Wondering what she was doing with herself, away from the politics.
'Why am I thinking about this, of all things.'
Lucas charged in. He was young, brash and painful, but incredibly talented.
"What is it?" Zakharov demanded
"We have it!"
v v v
Deirdre was slumped in her chair. Her grace, elegance and nonchalant attitude went out the window. Right now she needed to just relax. Her oval face was framed by her loose flowing curls, she wore her light robes, leaving not much to the imagination. On Chiron the days and nights were hot,
"But not as hot as the night the Academician came to town."
Her private quarters look on to the city and beyond. She had a huge view from her room, it was just one giant window framed buy the first harvest of pine on Planet
Her head was heavy, her body ached. She felt her age.
She had spent her time preventing attack, lab work and keeping her council from running her, and her city. What she wouldn't give for one peaceful week, instead of having to supply food and minerals to her begging 'allies'.
Well not all of them. Yang (Stylizing himself as Chairman) would never ask for anything, and besides the few times before council meetings, he was a man of no words, but all action. To cross him meant war, as some of the others had found out.
'At least they aren't pushing for a council meeting, yet…'
She managed to pull herself out of her chair to the balcony where the hot breeze wafted through.
"Should have built closer to the ocean"
"It just over there!" Deirdre angrily pointed out. "Its fine once you get used to it"
Deirdre missed personal conversations and company. She missed the chess games, but busy scheduling meant there was no time for relaxation. Though what time she had to herself, she enjoyed to its fullest. The city was so peaceful before the dawn of the two suns.
Her personal assistant walked into her quarters. "M'Lady"
"Yes Kathleen?"
"What are you doing up this time of day?" Kathleen was young, born well after planet fall, not knowing of earth and its struggles, and only reading the datalinks. She was this year's newest 'model'
"I have work to finish." Kathleen placed a bottle of water on the side table.
"M'lady, will you sleep at least?"
"I'll sleep when I'm dead." She muttered