The Sapphire Pass: All-Father

Welcome Home

Ophelia sat across from Iago as he talked about what life was like, and what he knew life could be like. Although she enjoyed listening to his imaginative visions on the future, she was distracted and tuned him out this time.

Over the past two weeks she'd spent here she saw beautiful works of art and literature being created, and she didn't want to see it end, but she had to find a way for Iago and James to meet that wouldn't start a fight. They both saw themselves as the good guy, yet they were on opposite sides and blind to the unmistakable truth that they were more similar than either of them could fathom.

"Ophelia? Hey, hello?!" Iago said waving a hand at her. "Where are you at?"

"What?" she asked leaning back in her seat.

"Is everything okay, you were kind of zoning out there." he said with a frown.

"Just distracted I guess." she said staring at the spoon in her hands. "We need to talk."

"So talk." he said leaning his forearms on the table.

"Not here," she said as she finally looked up at him. "Too crowded, too noisy."

"Hmm, must be pretty important. My office then?" he waited for her to nod before he stood up, taking her tray and his own.

She followed behind him blindly. They wanted the same things, Iago, James, herself. How could she get them to come together to speak and listen to each other?

"Look," she said, sitting down in one of the chairs when they reached his small office. "My information checked out, but I should have to remind you once again that James isn't the insufferable tyrant you think he is. If the two of you would just talk to each other... you said this place isn't going to last much longer anyway. If you talk with James I'm sure he'd be willing to help."

"That's what's been distracting you?" Iago said with and exasperated expression. "I haven't had the time for Indira to translate all the documents that you brought with you, but I doubt they will be of any use."

"You don't understand. This life wasn't his choice, he's trying to fix it." she said, sitting up and slapping her leg for emphasis. "You want what he wants, he wants what you want, why is that so hard to see?"

"...and what is it exactly that I want Opehlia?" he asked, studying her face carefully.

"Freedom? A choice? A better world for starters, not only for them, but for us." she said looking back at him.

"I, and everyone here already have that." he said, looking at her sadly.

"You have a choice?" she asked, "Really? Then why can't your children go outside and run in the fresh air, or feel the sun freely on their skin? What kind of freedom is life if you spend it inside a rock?"

Iago dropped his head into his hands. He wanted to believe her, yet at the same time her naivety made him question her word, despite her conviction, but she was right. After a long silence in quiet contemplation he spoke.

"Alright," he finally said. "But, there are conditions.

"Okay," she nodded readily, and her face lit up. "Just tell me what you need."

"First, I will cease any further operations as my people return, but I cannot stop those that are currently underway. I can't tell you who or where they are, but you must first convince 'The All-father' to let them complete their missions without resistance as an act of good faith." he watched her face as she contemplated his first caveat to the proposed meeting. "Secondly, we would need to find a neutral ground, where it is safe both parties for the meeting to take place and that we allow for each side to have only one or two assistants to accompany us. Third, I need the assurance that once the meeting has commenced that I will not be followed or watched so that he may learn the location of our city. Finally, I also require that you are present as well to act as a liaison for both sides."