Soulstess

✧ Chapter 11 ✧ Giovanni ✧

✧ Giovanni's POV ✧

"This is one of the last civil ships on the planet," I remind Jepson, while we both look in at Zora, losing her mind in the detention room behind me – but we observe from the security footage on my desk, "These Wanderers were never a part of the human equation, Jepson."

I sit while J stands behind me, gazing on.

"I think they're more important than ever. More than equating to money. Wanderers have meaning. They have beauty in their souls, more brilliant than any human. Certainly more brilliant than your heartless ass," Jepson smirks as he insults me, "Still, I remember when you used to be passionate, when I was fighting along side you, fighting KAIO, pledging to always uphold Estrela, the Democratic Anocracy. I will always believe a controlled population was better than de-population. Then this shit we live in now."

"Oh, shush. It's over, stop whining all the time about the past, KAIO won, we lost. Now we live like Kings anyway, and it's not so bad. No morals, I mean. Try embracing it, there's nothing to it. Ha. Speaking of immorality and murder – come to the Gala Red tomorrow night – that's an order, I need the security anyway, undercover J, come as my friend, like when we were agents in Estrela. I never miss being a spy but I'll pretend for one night for you. A spy at my own Gala."

"I do miss the days of Estrela, all the time," Jepson is offended, always is by how ice cold I've become, "When we had a reason to fight."

"No reason now, only reasons to fuck," I smile warmly at Jepson when I see tears of frustration in his eyes.

I never understood why he'd hold onto the burden of a conscious, it was much easier letting that shit go. But here my best friend was again, always close to tears.

"Fucking?" Jepson lights up briefly, "Part way true, Gio, it's one of the reasons Emerald is dear to me."

"Geez. You harp on about her like she's your wife, she's not, Wanderers are Wanderers... enjoy the fairy bitch while it's legal," I rattle off quick, and I get a rise out of poor Jepson.

"You just called my wife a bitch –?" Jepson wraps an arm around my neck, until he realises he just called Emerald his wife.

"So, you do play house after hours," I snort, raising a brow, "Cute, J."

"No, fuck you, you got me mixed up," Jepson snarls low in my ear, "You always do that, you're too good with word games Gio, I still can't stand it. Legality, now that's an interesting topic. I would love to make Emerald my other half if marriage ever fucking meant a thing in this Xena again."

"Since you're so hell bent on talking about it. The current Anocracy may favour rebirth and innovation after mass loads of death, but with KAIO monitoring the newest factions of Anocracies, we now have W.A.N.D.E.R; Wanderers Are Native Dormant Empty Ruptures. I fucking hate that new extension of KAIO, they want to free these fairies, give them rights and shit."

Jepson is confused for a moment, "Since when did KAIO support any faction beside de-population? Set beliefs against Anarchy."

"And so our Xena progresses, this universe is always adapting – we'll see how long KAIO lasts the more they generate bullshit against their core beliefs of purist Anarchy," I trail off as I stare back at Zora's screen as she huddles in a corner, trembling and scared.

She's stopped screaming for me, but now she's silent and withdrawing within to herself.

Jepson gazes on and he clearly disapproves.

"I knew the lights would annoy Zora but this reaction is a little overdone," I murmur my annoyance, "It's cute but the way she handles physical conflicts is not ideal... despite her ability to kill my client earlier today."