The Primogenitor

"The Defiant"

Apollo sat up in his chair, hoping Malina didn't see his discomfort. She just had to get in the water. "I'm down one, you?"

Malina smiled wryly. Apollo thought he detected warmth. "My guys haven't tested the waters, yet. Maybe your father took all the smarts from Mondana?"

Much as Apollo hated talking about his father, he had to admit it would explain a lot. "The other four are figuring things out, though."

"Except one is asthmatic and a child. You've got three, one of whom you have no way of talking to. And someone's bound to die getting past the guard. Sounds like you're in trouble there." she smirked and poked him in the elbow. Apollo knew that this sort of chumminess was a good thing, but the idea of those very real people down there getting bashed out by the guard sickened him. It happens all the time. Your father and his father before him did this, too. Somehow that didn't make it any better. Apollo reached for another slider, heaping on two golden pats of butter.

"They're clever, though," he gestured at Nobody, in a heated conversation with Mandon. Planning, like as not. "I chose the Calloradans because they're a capable bunch."

"Yeah. The asthmatic, the girl who won't give you her name, and the political."

Apollo ground his teeth. He figured that if he had to be caught with his pants down, he might as well pretend it was No-Pants Day. "It's a good investment."

She studied him. "You know what my mother told me when I was twelve, and was old enough to realize what this meant for my life?"

Apollo dreaded whatever she had in store. "What was that?"

She took a sip of wine. "She made our betrothal when your father's cause depended wholly on us to even have a shot."

He'd won at Santana River, he very well could've won again. If it weren't for the Nagans, he would've employed a different strategy...

"I asked her why. I guess I wasn't specific enough, because she told me that she sided with your father because she saw greatness in him, and that sometimes, greatness is in the genes." she shrugged. "Maybe you're seeing that same thing."

Or maybe I made a really big mistake. Yet Apollo knew that if he could go back to that shipping container, he wouldn't leave any of them to the Half-Breed's clutches. Chief Ancus wouldn't approve. Apollo didn't care, which was the nicest feeling in the world.

Apollo stifled a yawn. "You got no sleep, did you?"

"Some." Not nearly enough. "I'm fine, though." He wouldn't move an inch, at least until his Primogenitors got to the checkpoint.

Nobody, Mandon, and Shig were approaching the guard. He didn't do much other than swing his club at whoever was dumb enough to run into him. He had no feet and couldn't move anything other than his club arm, but made short work of any movement his sensors spied. Nobody said something to Mandon and took a step forward, prompting the guard to make a truly hearty swing. Apollo's heart skipped a beat, but she lunged back in the nick of time, beaming through a mess of gold hair. She made a crack at Shig. It's the easiest one, thought Apollo, just think about it for a little.

He eyed Mandon. His motives went over his head entirely. Apollo suppressed a shudder. What am I missing about that one? He'd been swindled on the poison, true, but Mandon flinched when Apollo flung it at him. Poison you would've killed the woman you're sitting next to with.

The cherry on top was that he'd messed that up, too.

Malina was smiling contentedly. "Any luck?"