Participants:
| Scene Title | Fe-fe |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Fedor tries to get his foot in the door, Felix doesnt accomodate. Talk of old times, relatives and fighter jets ensue. |
| Date | February 10, 2009 |
The Polikarpov is easily the oldest boat in the harbor, well the oldest motor yacht anyway and thats not so awesome. Its big and steel, with a cramped deck and a big rear platform currently occupied by a little Hughes 300 trimmed in black and green. Theres no place to sun yourself, no jacuzzi and horror or horrors there isnt even a wet bar on deck. Heck uptop, the only antennas are for radio and the ship's GPS. He didnt even have satelite television, what a heathen for sure right! Just the same its a tough old bird, and while it may be old she shows little signs of fatigue from however millions of miles she's cruised in her long life."
"The Polikarpov is easily the oldest boat in the harbor, well the oldest motor yacht anyway and thats not so awesome. Its big and steel, with a cramped deck and a big rear platform currently occupied by a little Hughes 300 trimmed in black and green. Theres no place to sun yourself, no jacuzzi and horror or horrors there isnt even a wet bar on deck. Heck uptop, the only antennas are for radio and the ship's GPS. He didnt even have satelite television, what a heathen for sure right! Just the same its a tough old bird, and while it may be old she shows little signs of fatigue from however millions of miles she's cruised in her long life."
There's the respectful rap of knuckles on the nearest hatch, Felix visible beyond the glass. No reason to sneak aboard, since he's got a perfectly legit excuse for coming to visit. And called ahead, for that matter. No need to be rude, right?
Theres a pause, before Fedor leans sidelong to peer over the deck to spot Felix. "Goodness there you are, I left it open. Theres steak in the galley, I've got wine up here. I made extra, so if you want one just grab a plate and a glass."There was no expansive glass panel at the back of this yacht, no there was a rightly traditional hatch back there with a cute little window that led into something akin to a living room. The galley was actually down a set of stairs nestled off in the corner, with a similar set of stairs leading up to the bridge and thusly the aft elevated deck.
Felix comes in, quietly, dressed in suit and overcoat. Color and cut somehow make him look uncannily like his grandfather, though the lines of his face are kinder - without that wolfish watchfulness. "You're very kind," he says, and does just that - though he pours himself water, rather than wine. "Smells good," he adds, as hecomes to where Fedor is seated.
Fedor smiles kindly"Thankyou, I hope you dont mind my odd choice of tables. I eat inside all the time, rarely is the weather so amenable."he shrugs."anyway your grandfather, goodness. I wasnt very close to him around the time you were born, and your mother isnt very chatty. Did you ever meet him, face to face for yourself?"
"A few times. He…wasn't as interested in me as my father's father was. Perhaps because I wasn't the continuation of his own last name, though my mother did name him for me. I remember…..I rather got the impression he'd hoped I'd be bigger," Fel says, drily, as he sets down his plate and seats himself decorously.
Fedor grins,laughing some as memories of an old friend come washing back. "He was a very strong man, made out of iron. He was invincible you know, he was untouchable inside the KGB and thats saying something. He wasnt a fanatic you know, I mean everyone talks about old KGB men like they were cold blooded snakes but not really. Your grandfather, loved the Soviet Union more than I think anyone ever loved him. He was brave, unflinching. He never said no, he just did his duty. He was an honorable man, who made the very best of a very trying time."
Felix eyes Fedor curiously, having taken a neat bite out of the steak. He's thoughtfully silent. "I…that's more than anyone ever said to me about him. I knew he was a survivor. He was at Stalingrad, that I did know. He had a relentlessness I only wish I possessed. My father's father, Arkady, he was more mercurial. More warm, more human." He snorts at the irony there.
Fedor just shrugs"I didnt know him then. I was flying with a penal squadron at the time, I met him afterward. He saved me from a bullet, put me in the air again. He taught me how to be a spy, taught me how I could serve my country. I owe him alot, I'm sure his opposite told you horror stories about him. Sending people to death camps and all of that nonsense?"
"My mother told me some of them. I don't knowl…she didn't get along well with him, not all the time," Fel says, quietly, still devouring that steak with enthusiasm. 'I know he did send a few to the gulag."
"Everybody did, I spent some time in the gulag myself. I was there for impersonating an officer, one who had an honorable war record and a party official for a father. It takes alot to get thrown into a Gulag, but your grand father didnt hesitate. He was fair, those were the rules back then. Russia was an extremely wild place without Lenin there, Stalin was quite mad I assure you."He sets his place finally aside, to sip at his wine. "I'm very sorry he isnt here to see what I'm planning, he would really love it I'm sure."
Felix smirks at that, a little thin-lipped smile that is reminiscent of Felix the Elder. "May I ask what that is?" he wonders, politely. "And I can't imagine having lived there under STalin."
Fedor inhales deeply. "well, its somewhat complicated so before I begin allow me to lay some ground work. I've been apart of more revolutions than I have fingers and toes, communist, maoist, democratic you name it. I think my age, grantes me a fundemental understanding that many others lack. So I dont think, socialism is what we need. I think socialism is the highest form of society, but we as humans are simply not prepared to let go of ego and exist in harmony. So for now, I believe democracy is what America and the world at large requires. A capitalist, democracy is what I think is the correct form of government. You follow me so far Felix?"This was the sort of discussions that would of have both of them shot, under Stalin of course.
"I do," Felix says, gently, slowing down a little on the steak. "Wasn't it Churchill who said 'Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others?"
Fedor nods warmly, glad Felix is along for the ride. "This current thing, this evolved registration? Its -wrong-, speaking as a man who survived the officer's purging and a gulag. This never works, its never fair and every single time its wrong. Its never about safety, never about well being. Its always about -control-, and power. So I want to crystalize the will of the people, and motivate them to oppose the legislation. I'm going to ferment a populist, democratic, american movement to restore evolved rights and repeal the encroaching government."
That is the most bizarre thing Felix has ever heard in his life. ANd he survived ten years as a cop in NYC. "I…agree completely," he says, after a last bite of the steak. His eyes are gleaming with impish amusement. "I registered because I felt I'd lose my job if it were found out I'd lied, but it punishes the law abiding and does not deter the criminal," he says, simply.
Fedor nods softly "exactly, you see law which does not aid the societty in its growth merely damages it. People think evolved are terrorists, so I'm going to make them think otherwise. I'm going to attack new york's shipping for a week or two, then I'm going to steal a F-15 or a B2 or something. I'll have somone discover pre-written press releases by the govt, talking about an evolved attack on like a liquid natural gas carrier. Then the next day, I'm going to bomb it with the jet and I'll make it so I get caught. I want somone to see me do it, so everyone will freak. They'll start to wonder, if the government in power was truthful about the bomb in the first place."
That has Felix staring at Fedor. "No. Please no. That's not the way to expose the flaws in Registration. Reason will do it. Grass-roots action. Not piracy and theft."
"Reason has no effect on politics Felix, emotion does. If you want action, you need to make people angry. Now the government has made everyone very angry at the evolved, so why not turn their own fire back onto them? Still, I havent blown anything up yet and I am a man of reason. I stand willing to be convinced into alternate courses of action."Fedor peers down at his empty wine glass, well shit when did that happen?"
"Because you will justify the government's propaganda. That we're dangerous, loose cannons that must be tagged, contained, neutralized," Fel says, very gravely. "Setting up a double blind deception that's traced back to a Russian national who is himself Evolved - oh, they'd salivate over that. Just the sort of excuse they need to start stamping out yellow stars and oiling up the wheels on the cattle cars."
Fedor shrugs"Goodness, how would they prove I'm evolved? If anything went sideways, I could just claim I was put up to it by Putin. In anycase, if you dont like my idea then lets hear yours young son?"He was vindictive, he wasnt defencive. He extended to Felix, a level of wisdom that he probably doesnt deserve to be honest. He does look so very much like his grandfather though.
Felix snorts. "They don't need to prove it. They'd not need to even catch you. They'd just use it for fodder for propaganda. Don't give them fuel for their fire. Violent action…..no. It's wrong, and counterproductive. I don't yet know - I'm not a civil rights activist, I have no grand plan for how the Evolved will combat prejudice and make sure they remain equal under the law. Perhaps the way black people did, or gays are trying to. Legislation, peaceful protest, civil disobedience."
Fedor ooh, the way blacks and gay people did now isnt that a curious statement. "Then what were you doing on the bridge, come now Felix. I know your blood, you have wheels within wheels I'm sure. Though I dont doubt your patriotism, if you were as committed at that medal suggests you wouldnt be on the out with your own organization. Were you wrapped up in that mess, wrapped up in direct action?"
"I don't believe that terrorist action is the right path, no matter how mild, relatively speaking. I wasn't on the bridge. I'm a Federal agent, I do what I must, within the purview of what I am permitted, to protect and defend the citizens of the US," Fel pauses, making a face. "That sounds utterly pompous. I swear that medal hasn't made me into a self-important jackass. Basically, if I worked with the pro-Evolved underground, it was in that specific instance, to neutralize a much greater threat." He leans back in his seat, carefully. "The old cliche goes ' The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' That's all it was. I work with whom I have to, to get what needs doing done."
Fedor hmms softly, leaning in just a touch. "So thats why your friend is so careful about being followed, you know I really lucked out finding him to be honest. I saw him leaving a hotel room, and lost him almost straight away. I really only saw him by chance, now granted if I presume to much you'd be within your rights to tell me to shut the hell up. Just saying men dont move around like that, if they're just some average person."
Fel hesitates, and says, tone deceptively lazy, "What do you think he was doing in that hotel room? Which one was it?"
Fedor just chuckles"Considering the teeth on his neck, well goodness its not important what he was doing in that hotel room. I can be very curious, and I should think for your own sake that my curiosity should know at least -some- bounds. I'm not about to stalk and peer in on people in private, unless you'd like me to?"
Fel does not blush. Mainly by force of will. But he's still watchful and still. The only sign of embarassment is a flicker of his gaze, away over the water, for just a second. "I can't speak for what he's up to when he's not around me," Fel finally says, meeting Fedor's gaze.
Fedor lifts his hands defencively. "Ok ok, I'll leave it there. That said, if you think I'd be better off helping one of these organizations drop my name. I'm too old to join any clubs these days, but I would be happy to help if I feel their goals are in line with my view of the greater good. "Then a pause, before thumbing back up to his Hughes. "Ever ridden in a helicopter before?"
Felix grins at that, slowly. "I have. Not often, I wasn't up in the bird when I worked for the NYPD. But now and t hen," he says, before adding, "Thank you for the steak."
Fedor hmms "I have a Mig-21 you know, ever broken the speed of sound?"see, and thats an ironic question to be asking Felix now isnt it? "Fastest jet in civilian hands, until somone imports a Mig-25 or a 31 anyway."
"I have not. What are you doing with it?" Felix wonders, that amused smile slowly returning.
"Well, its my personal plane actually. Its really very economical, it eats gas up but to be frank its easily the cheapest aircraft I've ever owned. I mean I dont think I've got a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the entire jet, and this Hughes here cost more than that. It never needs anything it seems, but then again it was built for mach two flight and I'm not allowed to break the sound barrier in populated areas. Anyway, it seats two if you'd like a ride?"His smile is like a four year old with a new toy, but hey old men and their hobbies.
Felix looks bemused, but nods. "I just might at that. Why a jet?"
Fedor hmms, why a jet. "Well, honestly its my favorite plane. There are others, I mean I loved the Yaks I flew. I named this yacht after the Polikarpov I became an ace flying, but you know they had their limitations. I flew everything, and aside maybe oh a SU-34 or a Mig-31 I can say that theres no plane I'd rather fly than the 21. Its light and fast, I can fly it as hard as I want and it will never break or wear out. Its fast and agile, can out accelerate many western fighters still. Its verymuch, a flying Kalashnikov you know?"
"An expensive indulgence," Felix suggests, eyeing his empty plate, though his tone is deferential.
Fedor mmms"Its cheaper than a Cessna actually, it really just does everything better. Just requires a more experienced pilot, and of course you need to be able to read cyrllic."theres a smile. "I want you to know something. I have a friend, a young friend with an ability not entirely dissimilar to my own. I know he's apart of something, something pro evolved but I dont know what exactly. I'm going to invite him over and talk to him, but in the mean time you and your friend should be very cautious. You should start using passwords between yourselves, just in case."
Felix pauses, in the midst of toying with his water goblet. "Why….what has it to do with me and Teo?" Fel wonders artlessly, brows climbing towards his hairline.
Fedor is quiet about that one for a moment, theres this long lingering pause before he speaks. "I am old enough to have seen friends wither with age, and I've been to a great many funerals. So I am reluctant to make friends, or take lovers for the same reason. By the nature of our relationship, I like to think of you as my friend Felix. So I dont want you, or Teo to be hurt. That said, lets say a shark knows a shark?"
"That I can see," Fel's perturbed about it. Predator's mercy…..well, that feels odd, in a way, doesn't it. Thank you, I suppose. A shapeshifter, it seems?"
"Not sure, he takes the faces of others too but I dont know the details. He's involved in something for sure though, and I get he's at a very delicate position in his life. People like me, you see when we loose our face we loose alot of ourselves. It can be all too easy to get lost, to forget you were once human like everyone else."Once human, as if Fedor wasnt human anymore.
"I can imagine. I've spent a little time in a face not my own, though that's not my trick," Felix says, with something that's at least attempting to be sympathy.
"its very hard, its why I seem a little off sometimes. Its a price of spending so much time as somone else, but never as me. You start to wonder sometimes, if you were ever anything but the person you look like. You try and hang on, but without some things it gets very hard. I keep things, so I remember who I am."He unzips his jacket, and produces a model 29-3 before offering it over butt first. Its once beautiful finish was gone now, well oiled and well loved but it seems to have been carried every day since it was bought in the sixties and fired extensively to boot. "I bought that, the first time I came to America."
Felix takes it with the respect it deserves, looking it over as if it were far more fragile a thing than it is. "You keep mementos, of course," he muses, glancing up at Fedor's face, again.
Fedor nods "It shouldnt matter, it hurts to be so materialistic but you need an anchor. I havent known anyone since your grandfather, who knew me for me. Not who I was, wearing you know?"
"Knew who you truly were," Fel supplies, with a sidelong half-smile.
Fedor mmmms"Its strange still, but I wonder if I'm even human anymore. I read Doctor Suresh's book, I think thats his name anyway. I wonder if I'm evolved or, maybe I'm something else. Maybe I'm what they used to call demons, taking people over."
Felix snorts. "Do you mind if I smoke?" he asks, out of politeness. "And it's entirely possible. Many a fairy tale can now be explained by aberrant genetics."
Fedor shakes his head"No, go ahead. "he takes his smith back with a smooth flourish, giving it a bit of twirl before effortlessly holstering it again."So, your evolved too."he doesnt ask what of course, he just hadnt known until he'd been told. "So tell me Felix, your pretty plugged in around here. If I cant have fun stealing western aircraft, blowing shit up and generally being a sneaky fucker how can I help?"
"Help me figure out if Gabriel Gray is truly dead. Help me find what might remain of theVanguard. Help me figure out what's going on in the little hell that is Staten Island," Felix says, smoothly, going through the ritual of lighting a cigarette with the ease of long practice.
Fedor hmms "well, you wanna know something really secret and awesome?"Fedor leans in just a touch, dropping his voice. "The faa reqires you to demill an aircraft entirely before bringing it into the US. Well, I didnt entirely demill the Mig. I kept some parts, nothing big like a cannon but mainly avionics. I also have flir pods, we use them for landing on oil rigs at night. I could mount one on the mig, and use it as sort've a hidden in plain sight low budget spy satelite."
Felix blinks. "Really?" he wonders, pausing with the cigarette halfway to his lips, letting it smolder forgotten for a moment.
"really, If you guys are really that interested in cultivating it. About, oh two hundred grand total could buy a long endurance, quiet, very noisy airframe. There are some other less blatant airplanes to use than my big red and white Mig, but in the short term as a test of feasibility it may be worth it."He nods softly. "If you can get your friends to supply me with a warm body, I can employ them under the guise of doing search and rescue work. Teach them how to use the unit and develop a game plan. Then I fly, they play around with the camera. Can spend all day above what the human eye can see."
"It sounds enjoyable," Fel says, politely blowing smoke away to the side, after taking a deep drag. ""But far beyond what I'd ever need."
Ouch, the words they cut. Fedor frowns a touch"I wasnt offering it to just you Felix. If you dont want me bombing things, you need to tell me what you'd prefer. I will not stand idly by and let things devolve further. "
"Turn your formidable skills on the anti-Evolved terrorists. I'm not attempting to leash you," Felix says, mildly, head now wreathed comfortably in smoke.
Fedor grumbles "No, but your hardly helping me here either."Slowly Fedor rolls foreward to rise to his boots. "I'm going to lay down, your welcome to stay the night if you'd like Felix?"
"No, thank you for dinner. It was excellent. But I should head home," Inasmuch as he has a home, considering. He rises as well, setting the cigarette at the corner of his mouth.
Fedor theres a long pauses as he starts back inside. "I'll have a key made for you, come as you please just dont bleed anywhere if its at all avoidable."before slipping quietly inside.
 February 10th: Before Dishonor |
 February 10th: Frenemies 4ever |