It was a normal day. Whatever normal meant for the Arcadia Ship Yards. Ships were coming in, being unloaded, re-supplied then being sent back out. Construction of the new ships moved along at a solid pace. Aja was making the rounds and lending a hand here and there when she saw the need.

She helped the boys, when she saw her crew member that was injured two days prior coming out of Parker's office. She decided to go see if Parker gave him a clean bill of health or not. So she finished up helping the boys, then she went into Parker's office who barely looked up when she came in, instead, he opened another book near him saying calmly.

"I want to summon a demon." Parker kept reading his book, Aja shut the door looking at Parker curious.

"And I want a pony." Aja retorted with a grin then saw that Parker didn't seem to be kidding. She tilted her head and asked more carefully. "What do ya wanna go and do something like that fer?"

"Demon's can supply power to a person or group given the right sacrifices and rights." Parker stated very calmly. "This particular one, I believe is supplying the Quistguards with their some of their powers."

"Really' And summoning it does what?" Aja perched on a stool near his work bench. Just like she had done many times before.

"Well, it would make it visible. Corporeal." Parker then looked up at Aja. "So you could kill it. Thus ending the connection to the clan upon its death."

"Oh." Aja thought about it for a moment. "Well. Just kill the demon. That's cake. Problem solved." Aja quipped and leaned against the table. "Parker, I have skills, don't get me wrong. I can do a couple hard core shows if need be.." she looked squarely at Parker. "But we're talking a demon, Parker. A demon. I'm assuming this means it's huge and pretty bad arse."

"Aja." Parker said calmly. "I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't believe that you were capable of doing it." He spoke in a warm tone that relayed his confidence in her. "It would be a huge loss to the clan."

"Really?" That got her attention. Anything that would give her an edge in taking down the Quistguards would always have her full attention. Aja pondered his idea now more seriously. "How huge?" she asked curiously as she got up and started to pace around Parker's work room.

"I'd wager about fifty percent of their power comes from this demon." Parker supplied calmly.

"That much?" she nodded while thinking about what he said. "That's a big loss." she nodded a little continuing to thinking it over carefully. "But," she looked at Parker then seriously. "You get me details on yer big hairy demon there and I'll calculate the risk." she put a hand on her hip. "I'm not saying yes to this yet, Parker. I'm jist saying I'll look at it."

"It's all I'll ask you to do, Aja." he said solemnly. "I know what it means to you to consider taking on this battle. Who they are, what they represent."

"Uh...yeah." she said a little uneasy for a second. "But. You know what kind of wrath I have when it comes to them."

"Sometimes, you hold it in so well that I forget how far you will go to take them out."

"Parker. I was careful. For years. I had to be fer you, fer Rico...fer the kids." She paced around a bit then looked at Parker. "You and I know too well what they will do when they feel threatened."

"I do." Parker set the book down. "Aja. All I ask is that you consider it."

"Oh. I am, Parker. Believe me, I am." she smiled at him and then went out the door.

Pt 3~ Interesting Phone Calls.
—————————————————————————  ———————————

Padriq walked into the office, Amy was on the phone making an appointment to meet with Aja about a ship design.

“Yes, Thursday at one is available. Shall I pencil you in"” Amy asked in that dulcet tone of hers. Padriq just laughed at the thought of Aja actually keeping a schedule. As much as he loved her, he knew that she sometimes would miss appointments simply because she would get too wrapped up in something else or simply allow herself to be led off in another direction.

He wandered up the stairs, passing Tristan’s office who seemed to him to be on the phone with Teddy, the lawyer. A strange little fellow he had heard much about but had only seen once. He wondered if the lawyer simply found it safer to stay out of range of Aja in case what he had to say made her angry. Not that he blamed the man for that, Aja angry was an intimidating event for those who didn’t know her. And even, for those that did on occasion. When she wanted to be, she could be quite fierce. 

“Are they looking to back out of this contract"’ he was asking as he read over some papers. “I see. This deal was inked about a year ago. I’ll ask her if what she wants to do about them.”

He continued on past Rico’s door, pausing slightly to see what the First Mate was up today. More for his own benefit as later on, if it annoyed Aja, he’d be hearing about it.

“Small steps. I can’t go changing the whole system just as the boss has finally gotten used to sections of it.” he sighed a little. “She’ll kill us both for sure.” Rico listened for a moment before his head shook slightly. “No. You don’t understand. She isn’t technically savvy. She’s getting there in small baby steps but a major change like this would frustrate her.”

He shook his head a little. Changing the way the tech in office ran, often irritated Aja for a couple days as she adjusted to the new operational procedure. She would never say no to Rico and his ideas, though. Padriq had once asked her why Rico was given such a long leash with these things. She had smiled and said that she would give Rico anything he asked for simply because he had never once let her down in the past couple decades. Aja thought that letting him decide things for the office was one of the very least things she could do. Plus, it gave them something to play argue over. She found that a very amusing way to pass some time.

Upon reaching Aja’s office, a different sort of phone call was going on.

“Aja. Are you sure"” The voice was asking in a disbelieving tone.

“Parker is.” she responded not looking towards the phone. “That’s good enough for me to believe him. He honestly thinks it can be done.” there was a noise of agreement on the other end of the call before they asked.

“And what of the spells used on people that this particular demon is powering"”

“That, you’ll have ta ask Parker on. I do not know which sort are powered by it.” Aja said and mulled it over some more. “Although, that’s an excellent question.”

“I doubt they are protective.” the person said. “That would be a different class of demon altogether.”

“If they were, I’d have ta rethink this whole adventure.” Aja said and paused in whatever she was doing. “Not that they would protect anyone but themselves.”

“True. They aren’t exactly benevolent in their motives.” the person said.

“No.”  Aja agreed then sighed. “I know I’ll be around a lot longer than them, I could just walk away from it all.” she paused for a moment. “Just wait till they die out.”

“You haven’t yet.” the person reminded them. “Even though you say that every time you’re thinking about taking a piece of them out.”

“Yeah.” she replied thoughtfully. “I know.”

“You seem to have new motivation, my friend.” her friend said smoothly. “Other than my information that they will be gathered together soon.”

“I have acquired other information about the how to use what you have given me.” Aja said at first. “It’s good and gives me a new motivation.” then she paused. “Then there’s my sister.” Aja said simply. “Ajia. She doesn’t know them and is currently in Ballentine with my brother becoming quite the public figure.” Aja made a face thinking that her siblings were also propelling her slightly forward into the same sort of spotlight. She shook the thought and got back to what she was saying. “She’s also prone ta hopping a vessel and trying ta rid da high seas of slaver pirates.” Aja rubbed at her head. “Not that I don’t applaud da idea, but....”

“She doesn’t fully comprehend what they are or what sort of danger they present"”

“No.” Aja leaned on her arm, seemingly spacing out the window. “She looks like me but she isn’t protected like I am.”

“It could be arranged.”

“I know. I’ve considered it more than once.” Aja said lightly. “I also considered introducing her ta more of the players. But I’m not sure how many of them I want knowin she’s here either.”  Aja paused then thinking about that.

“Our more tenuous allies might seize upon the opportunity she would present.”

“Precisely.” Aja said. “Some of them, not so much with the trust worthy thing. She’d present too shiny a bauble ta resist tryin ta take.” Aja seemed to smile a little. “And she won’t make the same sort of threats I would. They’d exploit that.”

“Why wouldn’t she"”

“Fer one, there’s a whole bunch of it she isn’t aware of.” Aja rubbed her head again.

“Define a whole bunch.”

“Almost all of it.” Aja sighed a little.

“Then I do not blame you for keeping your secrets.” the person responded. “You’ve amassed a good network of allies over the years, who would walk into fire if you asked. Surely you could ask one of them for a favor in looking after her"”

“I’ll consider that.” Aja thoughtfully replied. “Some of those favors already have plans.”

“For the final take down"”

“Yes.” Aja replied simply. “Could be years coming.”

“But, no need to burn favors if you don’t have to.” the person said. “I understand.”

“I know that you do.” Aja messed with some papers on the desk.

“Where is your sister now"”  the man on the phone asked, obviously forgetting what Aja had already said.

“With Ajay. Far, far away from this potential disaster.”

“Safer to do when she is gone from Arcadia"”

“Yeah. I won’t have ta answer twenty questions or toss her arse in da brig ta keep her from tryin ta follow.” Aja half smiled about that. She knew JiJi would go all spazz tastic and try to tag along.

“Would she do that"” the person asked sounding amused.

“Hellz ya she would.” Aja sighed. “She’s got the same stubborn streak me and Ajay got. And it’s a damn pain in da arse sometimes. Then ya factor in Rikki likely goin with me..and she’d become impossible.”

“Sounds like karma and someone else I know.” he laughed, Aja shot the phone a look.

“Stuff it, would ya"”  she half smirked then got back to the conversation at hand. “I spoke with another mage the other night. He mentioned dat deals like this often included gems or objects.” she paused slightly while rethinking her conversation with Shadow in the Arena. “Something about blood or dark magic being involved. Which I related ta Parker.”

“And he said"”  the other person, who had yet to be identified, asked.

“I asked what it would take ta sever such a tie.” Aja leaned back in her chair as she related the info. “He said if we could locate the gem or artifact, and destroy them....the link would be severed.”

“Ya ran this past Parker"”

“I did. He seemed to get a Doh expression and then started muttering in that tone he gets, shooed me outta his office.”

“So, he’s got an idea now"

“He seemed ta.” Aja said. “When he stops spinnin over there, I’ll send you over whatever he comes up with.”

“Looking forward to it.”  the person said. “But you and I both know where those gems currently reside.”

“We do.” Aja said solemnly. “And we’ll deal with that. Talk to you soon.” Aja hung up the phone by jamming the eraser end of the pencil in her hand on  the speakerphone button and stared out the window for a moment before getting back to work. She paused in writing an order form. “Ya gonna stand out in the hall all day or ya comin in"” she said without looking up towards the door. She didn’t have to look to know who had been standing there.

“Sounded impor'ant, Luv.”

“It was.” Aja replied to Padriq then looked up at him. Her hair no longer hiding her face from view. She gave him a serious look. “And no. We’re not mentioning any of whatever it was ya heard to JiJi.” Padriq held up his hands.

“I don’t know a bleedin’ thin' about what I jus’ heard anyway.”

“With good reason.” Aja said looking unapologetic. Padriq knew that look, it had to do with her past, the one she didn’t tell even him about and one of the only things he knew of that would put that sort of hatred in her eyes. “I have my plans.”

“Aye, I understand.”

“Ok.” The look faded from her eyes then and the usual happy go lucky part of her demeanor returned. “And what sort of shenanigans are ya up ta today?” the conversation then veered off to the business of running Arcadia with Padriq allowing her time to sort out whatever she had going on in her head.