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Chapter 2

It had been three weeks, and still, no answer was forthcoming. I had attacked it from every angle tirelessly, and still, I found that I was at a loss to do anything about the safe-case, other than let it be opened, and commit another murder. The Historians didn't regard it that way, of course; they opined that it was merely the only course of action to take and, I suppose, they were right. I had discussed it with Makar, or course - he was slightly miffed at not being in on the loop the day the discovery was made, but was pleased enough at the discovery that his anger didn't last long. He was down at the Centre, trying to devise a solution to our now common problem. I wished him luck. It didn't matter to be who did it, only that it was done. Being entirely practical, the life inside wasn't as important as the knowledge to be gained. But somehow, I couldn't bring myself to regard it that coldly. I stared at my earlier notes sitting on my desk, and walked to the closet in our small apartment.

Pulling on a tunic, I noticed the artifact that Makar had unearthed the day of the discovery. It was a small, unassuming piece of metal, deeply gouged, and striated along the edges, as if it had been pulled along a sharp, grooved surface. I glanced at it, and turned away, musing. There had to be some sort of significance attached to it, although I had no idea what it was. Mildly irritated at my lack of comprehension, I turned away and put on my pants. Striding towards the door, I took a quick look back at the artifact, and shrugged. That was Makar's job. I had more important jobs to see to.

While walking through the door, a paw halted my progress. I looked up, and saw Tybalt's smiling face beaming back at me. "Hey," he smiled, pushing me back through the door, towards my bed. "Perhaps you could take a moment..." he suggested, pushing me further, until my legs were halted by the edge of the bed.

"Not now, I have to go the Centre," I replied, meeting his sly look with an even gaze. "There's work to be done, you know this," I said, holding onto his paw. He smiled sweetly, lovingly, and replied,

"It can wait a bit, can't it? I haven't seen you for two weeks; you've been working so much. I..." he faltered, lowering his gaze. "I miss you. You're never around anymore. I don't really need the sex, I just," he went on, meeting my eyes again, "I just want to spend time with you. Isn't there anything besides work? Isn't there an 'us' anymore?" he asked plainly, pulling his paw back enough to clasp mine with his own. He looked down again and, clasping my paw harder, said quietly,

"I love you."

"Tybalt, I..." I stuttered. I didn't know what to say, honestly. I loved him, I know I did. But I couldn't bring myself to say so. I looked at him again; his head down, ears drooped. "Tybalt," I began again, "I have other responsibilities too. I can't just let them fall aside."

Tybalt never cried. He was strong, unbreakable. He was reliable, which is one of the reasons I loved him. His affections were difficult in gaining, but well worth having. His smiles were always easy, and always sweet, when he looked at me. I hoped that my smiles were the same, when looking at him. Although...

He wasn't smiling now. He looked back up, looked into my eyes, and saw my determination. His liquid brown eyes looked into mine, perhaps searching for something. Whatever his assessment was, he smiled wanly and nodded. He removed his paw from mine, and sighed. "Tybalt," I began,"I care for you deeply. I always have. But, the deadline is coming up. You know how important this is for me," I muttered. I know I was being selfish, guilting him that way. He looked at me again, searching my face. Ears wilted and tail brushing the floor, he suddenly seemed resolved. He pecked my cheek, and grasped my shoulder.

"I know. Good luck on your project," he smiled, not really smiling at all. Turning away, he moved to leave. Impulsively, I grabbed his chest, just beneath his arms. Hugging him tightly from behind, I rested my chin on his shoulder. He stopped, not returning any affection, but not leaving either. I pulled him closer to me, and he reluctantly stepped back into the apartment.

"Tybalt, please... you can come to the Centre with me. I want you to come with me. You'll also give me a handy excuse to leave early," I said, nibbling his ear. "I know I haven't been there for you recently, but," I said, melancholy leaking into my voice, "I want to be. I don't want you to feel ignored."

He turned around then, his eyes fierce. "You really are totally obsessed with that safe-case, aren't you? What is it about those things that intrigue you so much? A dead civilization, a dead race? All you're doing is dusting off memories! 'The past, the importance of the past'," he said, mocking one of my favourite phrases, "What about the present, Misha? What about the future? Do we have a future? Or just a present, soon to be a past? It's always work. There are other things to work on too, Misha." He stated, looking at my face with a mixture of pain and tragedy.

I don't know what my face said, although I know what my heart said. Glaring at me, he slowly deflated, his shoulders easing and his muzzle lifting to regard me levelly. Tybalt looked at me, and sighed. I wanted him then more than I ever have before... wanted to have him with me, to keep him. He swept up his tail in a trademark gesture of isolation and said, "If you're at the Centre later, I'll try and stop by. Maybe we can grab something to eat, talk. I just feel ridiculous being envious of a piece of dirt."

Trying to smile, I looked at him and replied, "That dirt gives me something to think about, not someone to think with." I winked at him, and elicited a small smile. Turning, he walked back down the hall.

Ye gods, I felt like trash.

I encountered Makar on my way from the apartment. He sped up his pace upon seeing me, and trotted up to take my shoulder. His face was concerned.

"Misha, I spoke to Yuri today at the Centre... Kirall's been pushing to open the safe-case early. He's saying that you've taken too much time, and that if you don't already have a theory at least, then..."

"Then what?" I interrupted.

"Then he should open the safe-case, because out of all the openings, he's had the best success so far."

"You mean he kills them much more slowly." I said, anger swelling within me. "How can he do this when the project was assigned to me alone?"

"Misha, you know Kirall. I don't know that he means to undercut you, he just wants the glory for himself. Heaven knows, if I was assigned to the project, he'd be working to bump me, too." Makar said sympathetically, his paw on my shoulder squeezing reassuringly.

I scowled, and looked at Makar squarely. Trying to distract myself from my irritation, I asked him what he was doing. Removing his paw, he smiled and started chatting, knowing exactly why I was asking.

"Well, outside of sharing cheery news with you, I wanted to go inside to grab that piece of metal. I know that it's probably totally unrelated to the safe-case, but then again, you never know. I figured that if we can show Kirall up, then not only can we save a life, we can also grab all the glory for ourselves... which we both know is much more important.". Watching me smile, he smiled. Attempting to change the subject, he said, "So, how are things with Tybalt?"

Makar and I arrived at the Centre in the late afternoon. The setting sun behind reflected off the front the building, blinding us. Most of the journey had been a discussion about the safe-case, and possible courses of action. I needed to admit that because Makar had been absent from the apartment frequently, I had rarely had a chance to speak to him about the safe-case, and I only just then realized exactly how much I had missed his input. He was clever and sharp, working over ideas and concepts as well as courses of action. Some he dismissed, some he expanded upon, and some he completely agreed with... but always there was a quick wit, nimbly working over ideas with the fresh enthusiasm of someone who had not become disillusioned with his lot. Listening to him, I remembered that this safe-case was just as important and exciting to him as to me.

Walking through the double doors, I looked past Makar to the corridor ahead. There was a slight bustle of activity, as flashes of fur darted through doors, obviously on some sort of errand. Seeing the movements, I sped up, sensing that something was happening. Makar was right behind me; I could feel his hurried breath on my neck.

Stopping to don my Assistant's coat, I asked someone as to what was happening. It so happened that I caught a young lapine, someone I hadn't seen before. He paused, obviously assessing my right to know. After a moment's hesitation, he said merely, "Walk with me."

I looked behind me, expecting Makar. Instead, all I saw was a flash of his brown tail sweeping past me as he hurried to keep up with our guide who was already half-way down the hall. Cursing lightly, I briskly started the distance, hearing some of what the rabbit was saying, although some of it was lost in the action of the hallway.

"...had actually bothered to scan it in it's entirety! Some people are claiming it's of little importance, but those are all the tired Historians anyway. We still don't know exactly what occurred, but it has been postulated that some previously overlooked internal machinery involved in the case has been initiated. So the short answer is 'yes', and the long answer is 'yes, but we don't know'."

Makar responded, although I couldn't hear him, and the rabbit laughed dubiously. I walked up behind Makar, putting my arm around his shoulders, and asked for a quick update.

"Hey Misha, this is Gareth. He's been working in the labs, and only recently came into the Historical Department. Evidentially Kirall initiated the start-up sequence earlier this afternoon, just after I left." Sensing my grimace, he quickly continued, "but unlike all the times before, this one didn't open up after a few minutes. Instead, it stayed shut, and a small light on the side came on. It's been hours, and the light has continued blinking, with no other activity. They cleaned as much of the rust off as they could, and although they can see more characters, they are at a loss as to what it means. All this," he said, gesturing to the activity around us, "is the result of concern that the creature inside has been revived, but is being held in there without any way out. Believe it or not, they're trying to find a way to save its life."

With Gareth opening the door to the Historical Department's Lab A, I said to Makar, "Let me review all the unknowns: what the light means, if it has been revived, how to open it, why the case hasn't opened, what the characters mean, and why Kirall did it?"

"Correct, correct, correct, correct, correct, and incorrect. Kirall opened it on Yuri's order."

"What?!" I practically shouted.

"Friends, this isn't the time for bickering." Gareth said quietly as we entered the room. The lights were focused on the case, and most people were giving it a wide berth. Only Kirall and Yuri were close by the safe-case; Kirall was working at the side of the case, and Yuri was speaking to him. The room felt stuffy and humid because of all the people, and I felt condensation making my fur stick to my collar. The room was almost exclusively lit by the overhead spotlight, and it was eerily quiet - only the sharp whispers of Yuri and the sound of tinkering from Kirall.

I glared at Kirall's back, resentment washing over me. I'd always been at odds with Kirall, ever since we had been fighting for the same position at the Centre. Luckily, we had both been accepted, even though we hadn't known that was an option at the time. I felt wronged that my position had to be shared with someone else, and Kirall had always acted so smug about it. He had been training for eight seasons less than I had, and he only got the position because his mate had headed up the Labs at the time - she was a complete bitch. Pure nepotism...

I continued to glare.

Makar patted my head and gave me a lopsided smile. Looking back at him, I could feel myself deflate. I needed to admit that Makar always had the best way to deal with my moods - simple amusement. Looking at him, I could always reflect on how ridiculous I had been. So it was this time. Flicking my ear with his finger, he leaned close and said, "From the looks of the progress thus far, it seems that this is one thing that the heavens won't let Kirall screw up." Seeing me smile faintly, he continued, "I don't know that there is anything that we can do right now. Perhaps our time could be spent more productively elsewhere."

I felt my spirits falling again as I looked around me at the close-packed crowd. Most of them were trying their best to get as close as possible while remaining unobtrusive. There were many here, most from the Historical Department. White coats of Historians pressed in on me, and I was uncomfortably aware of my own ash-grey lab coat. I supposed that Makar was right - if there was anything that I could possibly accomplish, it would be later, after the show had ended. It just irritated me that Kirall had been given permission, permission by Yuri to open the case. As if Yuri's faith in me had dissolved, to be replaced by the skill of my opponent. Although I knew that Yuri himself was under orders, it still seemed unfair... truly, Kirall was better at keeping them alive after being revived, but it seemed to be a half-life. Under such circumstances, it seemed a rather cruel triumph. However, it seemed that was the way of things. Either the human lived, or he died. There was nothing that I could do except wait for later, when I would have access again.

Nodding languidly, I followed him into the hallway. We walked slowly, making measured progress towards the exit. The hall was empty now, most of the Historians and Assistants being in Lab A. Heaving a laborious sigh, I focused on my steps, trying to keep my mind from wandering too much.

"Care to stop at the canteen for a bite?" Makar asked, looking at me. I nodded again, forcing a smile. Perhaps if I smiled enough, my brain would believe the look on my face. Obviously, though, Makar wasn't fooled. Gracefully ignoring it, he pressed the door to the canteen open, and let me step inside.

The canteen was a small-ish room, roughly square, with an open counter area at the far end. During the day, there was usually a staff ready to make some food for the scientist-on-the-go. However, it being late afternoon, only the kept leftovers from dinner remained, kept in a warmer to keep them hot. Tables lined the four walls, and there was a small circular table in the middle. Aside from Makar and myself, the place was empty. Grabbing a small portion of some vegetable concoction, I sat down, Makar sitting across from me with some random meat dish.

We ate mostly in silence, although Makar had attempted small talk. I knew I was being unnecessarily moody, and I felt guilty about it. The guilt made me feel worse, and then I got moodier. I was settling quite nicely in my own pity when Makar reached across the table and put his paw over mine. Looking up, I saw worry on his face. I made a feeble attempt at a smile, and Makar simply looked at me. Sighing, he said, "Misha, I know that this bothers you. But you don't need to feel responsible for this situation. You probably think that if you had formulated a plan, then Kirall wouldn't have been successful in pushing you off the project. You probably think that this means that Kirall has totally usurped your position. You might even be cursing yourself for not being here when I first heard the news. But, you know, all things happen for a reason. I can say with certainty that you shouldn't feel resentment or regret for anything today. Your job is quite secure - everyone has recognized your talent and passion for this work. The most important thing you can do right now, is to do what you can... right now."

On impulse, I got up and crossed to his side of the table, giving him a hug. He stood and turned, returning the hug - holding me closely, as if he didn't want to let go. Pulling myself away from him, I kept my paws on his arms, holding onto him at distance. He smiled, and said softly, "I want you to take care of yourself. I want you to be happy in your life. It's just that sometimes, I think you only live to work. That's not entirely healthy, you know - you should take better care... learn to relax and enjoy."

Looking at him, I responded truthfully. "I don't even know if I can anymore... so much of my life has been this. Sometimes I forget everything else."

Leaning in closer, he touched his lips to mine so very, very gently. His grip on my arms became firmer, and he leaned in just a bit more, parting his mouth to run his tongue across the roof of my mouth. I was so shocked, I had no time to respond before he pulled back, dropping his arms. His eyes were wide, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. Averting his eyes, one arm folded behind his neck, he stared at the floor ashamedly.

I had no idea what to do. I started to speak, but Makar cut me off with, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry! I really don't know why I did that - it was so disrespectful, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" He looked confused - like he was about to cry.

Still baffled, I put an arm around him and walked with him. Smiling, I said, "Well, if you meant to cheer me up, you certainly succeeded."

Makar looked at me as if it were a cruel joke, but seeing my sincerity, he smiled back while wiping an eye with his paw. I hugged him close, saying "Maybe you'd like to peruse the downtown library while we wait for the crowd to clear?" He smiled again, and responded affirmatively, faintly.

Makar was a true friend, and I hated seeing him upset, especially about something that I could -theoretically- remedy. He was a great person, although I had always thought he was a strictly 'ladies man', so to speak. I was surprised, and positively so. I felt a closer kinship with him - I suppose that's the result of finding someone who understands you... all of you. Not having to curb your speech or your actions. Being able to be totally free around someone is a treasure and a rarity, and I was so happy with Makar, because this little 'incident' meant that we could grow even closer as friends.

Friends... yes. I wouldn't let myself think about anything else. Suddenly, I remembered Tybalt was supposed to meet me at the Centre, yet I hadn't seen him all afternoon. Wondering, I continued to walk with Makar out of the building, arms around each other. I would just leave a message at the front desk for Tybalt if he came and asked. He could come and meet us at Meeks, the scholarly library. Hope to see you soon, Love Misha.