On a leash

[Firb]

“…head to the Le Voile Noir, say you have a meeting at table 21…” — that was how the message from the device left in Luc’s room ended.

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New Paris
23:58 Local Time

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From the outside, the place looked unremarkable — no windows, just plain monolithic slabs, with an entrance on the side. Inside, however, it was entirely different: warm tones, calm music, and an interior almost completely made of wood, inspired by old designs from the days of Earth.

Behind the reception desk stood an elderly man — wrinkles, gray hair, but from his movements and gaze alone it was clear: he had decades of service behind him.

— Welcome to our establishment. Do you have a reservation?
— Good evening. Yes, table 21.
— 21… understood. Allow me to show you the way. — The man led Luc to the second floor, to the farthest room. — Please, go ahead. If you’d like to order something, there are tablets with the menu on the tables. Everything is on the house. Have a pleasant evening.

The room held a large table that could seat an entire group. Behind it was a window overlooking local musicians performing in the main hall.

The space carried the same refined, slightly theatrical atmosphere as the place below. Dark wooden panels lined the walls, reflecting the warm glow of low-hanging lamps, while heavy curtains softened the sounds from the hall. The air held a faint mix of polished wood and expensive liquor, and everything about the room suggested quiet importance and privacy.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

— It seems I’m a bit late, my apologies. — Another man entered the room, also elderly, but this time his face was familiar to Luc.
— Captain Leroy? So it was your message. May I ask what all this secrecy is about?
— My greetings to you as well. Let’s sit — this will not be a short conversation. — Taking his seat, Claude immediately reached for the menu. — Let’s order something; the cuisine here is truly worth it.

Without waiting for a reply, he had already begun choosing dishes.

— How about a dry red? And to start — foie gras. We’ll decide on the side later.

The man set the menu aside and turned his gaze to Luc.

— Let’s begin. We met not long ago — shortly before you were sent to Zurich and put in charge of its security. Your achievements did not go unnoticed: you quickly made a name for yourself and proved to be a promising officer…

Luc interrupted Claude mid-sentence.

— Apologies for interrupting. I appreciate your words, but I don’t think we met just for that. As I understand… the reasons are much deeper?

He wanted to know what Claude was really hiding.

Their conversation was interrupted again by a knock at the door. The same man who had escorted Luc entered, carrying their order. His movements were precise and fluid — within seconds, the glasses were filled with wine, and the foie gras was set before them.

— Thank you, Bernard. Your service is, as always, excellent. We’ll take it from here.

The man nodded quietly and quickly left the room. It seemed the two had known each other for a long time.

Claude took a sip of wine and slowly set the glass down.

— After Zurich… things became quieter. Especially for you. Don’t you think? That’s no coincidence.

A faint, uneasy smile appeared on Luc’s face — it clearly struck a nerve.

— That’s hard to miss, you’re right. These days my service has been reduced to what I started with: patrols and maintaining order. And for any requests — the standard reply: “You’ll be informed.”

Luc reached for his glass. Meanwhile, Claude watched his reaction closely.

— In this state, everything is tied to your rank. If you want to achieve something — you serve. But it doesn’t work that way for everyone. Do you know why?.. — Claude sighed. — The root of the problem goes back to the days of the Confederation… and what happened after their return. I think you know who I mean.

Another sip.

— The fall of the Crown… — he added quietly, — was more luck than inevitability. New London became a slaughterhouse. Those who survived were not enough to form a new military backbone. Yes, we gained power — but who was there to defend it? Our belief that the other Houses would forget what “they” had done was a mistake. And we paid for it.

A trace of sorrow flickered across Claude’s face — for what could never be brought back.

Luc began to understand where he was going with this.

— You’re saying everything changed after that day?
— They received amnesty and pardon for everything they had done, hiding behind the claim that “those responsible had been punished.” After that, nothing stopped them from returning to power — or rather, placing their people back into it. And very quickly, they gained the majority — everywhere. The fleet was no exception. And after the treacherous attack against us, the public wasn’t even opposed to it. For most, their return was a welcome event. And that was when everything we had fought for was lost.

— But I still don’t fully understand how this relates to me.
— They still haven’t forgiven us for that war. And after their return… if you’re not part of their machine, you won’t achieve anything. Right now, they’ve forgotten about you. Later — they’ll remember, give you minor tasks so you don’t feel useless. And after that, they’ll push you aside again. That’s how they keep you on a leash.

Claude smiled.

— They’d gladly push me aside too. They just need to wait for the right moment… if I don’t die before that myself.

He chuckled quietly, as if trying to ease the tension, and at the same time extended a small device toward Luc.

— There are things better left out of official reports. And people you shouldn’t meet through official channels. Sometimes it’s enough to simply be in the right place… and notice what others don’t.

Claude didn’t place the device on the table — he kept holding it, letting Luc decide whether to reach out.

— Everything that might interest you is already on it. If, of course, you think it’s worth spending your time on more than just patrols.

Doubt was visible on Luc’s face; he wasn’t sure what to do next.

— Don’t you think your actions are a bit… overconfident? What’s stopping me from playing along now, and at the right moment — turning you in and having you imprisoned for treason? At worst — you’d face a tribunal.

The man smiled — it seemed to amuse him.

— And what then? Do you think they’ll praise you and immediately welcome you into their ranks? Or perhaps you believe you’ll be able to follow the lead of the very people you went to war because of?

Claude had seen Luc’s file — he knew his past, the same as that of hundreds and thousands of soldiers.

— And after all that, you want to try to earn their gratitude? Don’t worry — at the first opportunity, they’ll get rid of you as well. Besides, what would you even tell them? All you have is a small device that led you to yet another place among thousands. That won’t be enough, will it?

Luc hesitated. The thought that all the years of his struggle and effort, all the deaths he had witnessed — might have been in vain. He didn’t want to end up on another leash.

He stared at the device silently for a few seconds… then reached out and took it.

Claude gave a slight nod, as if that was all he needed.

He stood up, adjusted his coat, and without adding another word, headed for the door. He paused only for a moment, as if he wanted to say something — but changed his mind.

The door closed quietly.

Only the muted music remained in the room, and Luc, still gripping the small data drive in his hand.

He slowly opened it — coordinates, various systems. Some within Gallia, others far beyond.

Luc held his gaze on the screen longer than he should have. He silently finished his wine, without taking his eyes off the coordinates.

— Looks like it’s time for me to go as well. It’s getting late.

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