unfinishedlibrary | There is no defense line, but defense territory.

On the whole, Illumination has kept to their word and left SecUnit alone to enjoy their media, staring at the walls, or whatever it is that it's doing. Most of the repairs to the building have been easy enough to space out and perform with magic or their own hard labour, but the doorway into the sewer is posing a challenge.

Frustrated with their own inability to move it, and unsure if and when Curze will reappear, Lu decides to approach one of the drones. "When you've a moment, I could use a hand down in the basement. Just past cellar, by the passage into the sewer."

As housemates go, Illumination hadn’t been too bad, actually. They left it to its own devices, it them them to their own devices, and that was the at SecUnit liked it.

So the request made to the drone is a little unusual.

A few moments later, SecUnit itself appears next to Illumination.

“…What,” it says flatly.

"I don't like having only one entrance and exit. If things go wrong, I want to be able to get out quickly, that's why I went with this place, because of the door into the sewers." The cellar in the building is narrow, with deep shelves set into the walls for where casks would likely have been stored.

"But, given what's in the sewers, I don't want a surprise coming up. I've warded them, but I can't get the door to hang right. It's too heavy for me to get in place and also slip the hinge-pins in." One or the other might be doable, but both at the same time. "Would you be willing to help me?"

Leaning at an angle against the outside of the lintel, there's a heavy wood door that's been reinforced with metal. It's off the hinges, and the pins for them are resting on one of the cask shelves.

SecUnit agreed; having multiple potential exits was better. But it wasn't such a fan of the sewer entrance. It was a significant security risk, especially once bits pf dead humans started showing up. (Also, it was disgusting.)

Normally, it would hate being asks to do something like this. It had been forced to do too many menial, stupid task for humans back when it was still owned by the Company and had to do everything the told it to. But the reinforced door would present a significant upgrade in Security; installing it was a good idea.

It sighs. “Fine.” And then it picks up the whole door, like it barely weighs anything at all.

When SecUnit lifts the door as if it's just holding up a blanket, there's a bright flash of colour over the base of their throat and a sharp scent like crushed lime leaves.

Goodness, that's unexpected and easier than any of the alternatives they'd sketched out.

"...well, thank you. If you could line it up with the hinges, I'll drop the pins in and it should swing just fine."

The sewer is disgusting, but other than leaping from the roof and running along whatever buildings were close by, it was the most secure escape route. Night Haunter was welcome inside, and they did promise to knock, but forewarned is forearmed.

"Keep the rats out."

There are no rats. There were rats. Someone ate them.

It's not really sure what that flash of colour and scene means. But at this point, it's seen enough of Illumination to know that it means something, even if it doesn't know what.

It doesn't comment on it. Just hefts up the door, and lines it up with the hinges.

"Right. The fauna," it says. "And, you know, the bits of dead humans?"

Yeah. It wasn't happy about that.

"Night Haunter had better be careful about that shit." As the door is manoeuvred into place, they oil the barrel and knuckles of the hinge before dropping the pin. In the spaces where it's not a neat fit, a little bit of magical mending works the metal into the proper shape.

"Everyone has their little peccadillos, and I won't begrudge him that, but I take a dim view of anything that brings a pitchfork-and-torch party to my door." Another hinge done, and one more to go. "After all, the only thing more difficult than a human is a mob of them."

"No mobs of humans are going to get you." It says this like it is a fact. Because SecUnit is going to make it a fact. Sure, Illumination wasn't a client. Or one of its humans. But...they'd given SecUnit a space to stay. Helped stop the werewolves from sniffing it out all of the time. It wasn't going to let anything happen to them.

If the pitchforks arrived, SecUnit would be in-between them and Illumination.

"I'd say murder's a bit more than a pecca-whatsit." Whatever a pecca-whatsit actually was. It made a note to look that up later. "They’re not even disposing of the evidence properly, like a fucking idiot."

As they drop the final pin in place, there's another vegetal-scented ripple of surprise. They truly hadn't expected SecUnit to offer protection, but if it becomes necessary, they'll be glad to take it.

"Dearheart, you're very kind, but if they do show up, I intend to run and encourage you to do the same." With a hum, they stand back from the doorframe. "Let go and let's see if it falls."

"And, yes, a little discretion would do him well, but I think, I don't rightly know. I think he believes he's being neighbourly? Frankly, other than destroying what he brings, I'm not wholly sure what to do with it."

"You should run. Running is smart." It makes absolutely no promises about whether it would run with them. Probably it would (it couldn't protect Illumination if it wasn't close enough, after all.) But it wasn't worried about pitchforks and torches. They wouldn't do much to a SecUnit.

It also makes a face. "And do not call me that." That's the kind of name that humans in romantic relationships call each other. Having such a name directed towards it made its skin crawl.

The door is released. It seems to be holding okay.

"...He thinks he's being neighbourly," it says, staring at Illumination in sheer disbelief.

Nyla is a snoop. Well, she calls herself spunky and investigative, but the truth is, she's gotta know as much as she can. When you have the physical limitations she has (tiny, light sensitive, and unlike like everyone here NOT naturally armed), you compensate by trying to learn as much as possible about wherever you are.

Never know when it comes in handy.

That's why she's run through the gutters and run straight into Murderteeth (okay that's not exactly true, he did the 'mysteriously appearing from the shadows for Ominous Effect' and it was...Super Effective. But it's precedent--she goes wherever there might be interesting stuff.

Like this warehouse. She wasn't tracking Mr Night Haunter, Flayer Extraordinaire, on purpose, but she's seen him in the area so...you know.

She slips into the cracked open back door. But she's not stupid: she's gathered a bunch of flowers into a loose and probably hideous bouquet, as an alibi. "Flower delivery!"

"Apologies, it's a habit, but I won't do it again." SecUnit might notice that they tend to refer to pretty much everyone by a 'cute' nickname. 'Darling', 'dearheart', and 'treasure' are the most common, but unless asked to do otherwise, they're not a fan of using names.

"And, yes, he seemed not exactly playful? And I couldn't get a true read off him, but it didn't read as a threat."

Between a ping from the wards and a notice from the drone, Illumination is well aware that there's someone at the back door. They tug on their hated glamour and go to deal with whatever nonsense awaits.

...flowers. Does anyone actually buy that? Flowers for a stranger in the no man's land? After getting their staff to hand, and a suitably unpleasant bit of magic ready, they call through the closed door. "Sorry, no soliciting."

Yeah, she heard and saw none of that with the wards and stuff. Just an innocent little delivery person with a bouquet of local weeds.

A-HA though. This place wasn't so abandoned after all! "I'm not soliciting!" Huff. Do you not even capitalism, bro...person? "This is a delivery!"

"You've got the wrong address. No deliveries accepted at this location."

And certainly not at the back door.

(It was a SecUnit. SecUnits don't do 'cute'.

But if they insisted, they'd have to find a nickname that wasn't something that could be a romantic term of endearment. Because it would baulk at every single one, otherwise.)

SecUnit pauses. It looks, quite frankly, pissed off.

"He might not want to hurt you, but he's a fucking idiot," it says. Before it closes the door, it makes sure one of its drones is stationing it on the other side.

If Curze decides to make an appearance again, SecUnit is going to know about it.

Is she a natural actress? No. But has she run into this situation (sorta) before? Yes.

"Listen," aggrieved sigh. "I just work for the guy. Just let me deliver the flowers or I don't get paid." You wouldn't want a tiny little waif to go HUNGRY, you monster?

Or else she's gonna have to drop the act in a sec.

"Tragic, I'm sure." Maybe it's true, but Illumination isn't opening the door.

"Give them to some other stranger and call it done. Good-bye." They don't suspect that it's angry locals or anything like that, but a thief? Looking to ransack or scout out a building that's being reclaimed? That makes a good deal of sense.

"You're not wrong. It's easier to hunt the destitute, those that will be seen as 'less dead', and I'm sure I shouldn't be the one to judge worthiness, but ..." They shrug. "I suppose the rich are, ugh, too important to the Story."

What? Eat the rich can be literal, too.

"That's not even touching the risks of leaving leftovers."

Voices carry.

In stone and brickwork tunnels, it carries further.

The presence of SecUnit and Illumination is hardly a secret to anyone with senses sharp enough to hear it, were they capable of venturing close enough, but this particular route has been put on a regular patrol since discovering it was being used by fellow Editors, and anyone not recognized ... simply wouldn't get close enough to investigate under their own power.

But he might. And it's turned him from his own pursuits in the darkness to head for that door on silent footsteps.

Given Curze's current state of undeath, it may well be a second drone turning up that warns he's on the way; there's no body heat to warn he's there, no heartbeat, no biosigns that register living, moving thing.

Except the drone that keeps tabs on his seizures is getting closer at a sedate strolling pace.

They'll have company soon.

Wow, someone's gonna spit in this person's burger, for sure. That's not how you treat the working stiff!

"Listen." Time to drop the act. Though, admit it: totally fooled, weren't you? "I tracked him here."

A quick gesture to Illumination, to be quiet. It's clear from the way that SecUnit has suddenly spun to face the door, on alert, that something is coming on the other side. Maybe Curze isn't registering any life signs, but the drone still sees movement. It can see that something is coming.

And then SecUnit recognises its own fucking drone. And it shifts from being and on guard, to being alert and on guard and pissed off.

"Get back," it tells Illumination. Then as Curze approaches, it wrenches the door open and stares out at him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing," it snarls.

While Illumination doesn't truly expect SecUnit to protect them, they defer to its expertise and move back.

Probably not the easiest conversation that they're all going to have, but if they're going to be here for any significant length of time, it needs to be done. (And better still that someone else takes point.)

Most people's disguises here at least changed something. Curze looks almost exactly like he did in the library, including the dried dark stains of blood on his hands and body - but the smile that crosses his scarred face has fangs now, alongside the other jagged teeth. In anyone else it might almost be friendly.

Almost. "I heard rats," is the very mild response from the primarch, who draws to a stop just outside the easy range of torchlight. Dark didn't bother any of them, did it? "And thought I might investigate. Why?"

Illumination's there too, based on scent. That's not a surprise, it was their door after all.

It's fair to argue for working class solidarity, and Illumination will be first on the line for labour, but that's not what this really is.

"Oh, I see."

There's a pause. The practical thing to do would be to invite this stranger in before they decided to get stroppy and then Deal With the Situation. That's probably an over-reaction, but it would be the easiest way to do it.

"And you want to deliver flowers to him?"

"Yeah." See, you see, she sees, everyone's just seeing. It's awkward.

Don't mind the splutter, because it's too hilarious. Hey Murderteeth, I got you some flowers!

He'd think she was either insane or flirting with him, or...probably both. Which meant, of course... "Actually, yes I would." If nothing else, she'd been doing some snooping and she might know some things he doesn't.

"And when you investigate fauna," it says slowly, its voice tightly controlled with fury. "Do you always leave bits of dead humans behind?"

In fact, its drone - not Murder Monitor Drone, the other one, Patrol Drone 3, is going to circle around Curze, looking for evidence. Just in case he's gone and brought more to Illumination's doorstep.

"We had a disagreement and he moved on, and knowing him as well as you do, I'm sure you can understand why I'm a little extra cautious right now." There's a pause and the soft sounds of someone moving on the other side of the door. Maybe they're getting ready to open it? Maybe not.

"If he comes by again, I can give him a message?"

For better or worse, there are no corpses being dragged in his wake. But there's plenty of evidence there probably, at some point, had been. Rats don't bleed that much. Nothing's been brought back with him this time, at least, aside from the drone.

But it is 'this time'. "Only when an inventory of what's down here has been explicitly requested, and I happen to come across something noteworthy stalking below." His head tilts slightly to one side; his voice never wavers from that almost-friendly tone. "I am told it helps them 'sleep better'."

There's not a trace of guilt.

Edited 2026-02-05 00:39 (UTC)

"Huh. You sound awfully, you know, LIVING for someone who's gotten in an argument with Night Murderteeth Haunter." He seemed to have two modes: menacing and murdering. But the alliterated so that was fine.

She's only seen the first one, but she more than suspects he's been doing a bit of the latter around here. It's strangely safe to walk around at night as a shrimpy and generally unarmed looking female type person.

"Tell him that uh, the dogs are getting a bit restless. And that I got a ticket to this big fancy party if he wants in." Hot date ideas? Sure, if you hate the whole concept of being alive, probably.

"Don't fucking obligate, say what you actually mean, asshole," it says. (Was that the word it meant to use? Whatever, it didn't care.) "You've been killing humans, and leaving bits of them at Illumination's door. Fucking stop it."

"I always say what I mean." Servitors. So driven by their purpose that they struggle to think beyond it. "Phrase your questions better. When the owner of that door changes their request, I will consider it. Until then you have very little to say in what I choose to do with leftovers."

With Illumination present, however, Curze is mindful of exactly one thing - not revealing SecUnit's nature. He did mind his oaths, when he bothers to give them. Secrets in return for secrets; if they knew what it was, then that wasn't up to him to reveal regardless.

"You know, if you're delivering flowers or 'delivering flowers', it really helps when you start with the name." There's a scrape of metal as Illumination moves the lock and opens the door. They step back just far enough to allow her to enter and shut the door behind her, but no further.

Once addressed, Illumination steps forward, but pointedly does not get between the others - they'll stand a little to one side.

"I do appreciate that you're both being considerate in your own ways, but Night Haunter, Rin has a point. Eat whomever and whatever you please, but as the Story progresses, I do worry that bringing your leftovers home leaves a trail. That this trail forms a pattern, and as tensions rise, this might come to the attention of the locals and their Watch." They move just a little closer to rest their hand on Curze's arm. See? No hard feelings, but things do need to change. At least a little.

"Is that alright, dear?"

Illumination isn't touching SecUnit. But they come close enough that the potential is there, and it shifts away a little. Just enough that there's less risk of contact, but not so much that it isn't still blocking the door.

"I don't think he should eat whoever the hell he pleases, it says, scowling. On this, it and Illumination did not agree. Curze came from the murder planet, where they thought the solution to murder was even more murder. His judgement was, clearly, highly suspect.

“But on everything else, they’re right. You’re exposing them to unnecessary risk.”

Edited 2026-02-05 01:33 (UTC)

Rin. Not SecUnit. The 'human' name, for a second time. Illumination might not know what it is. That's not his business to clarify.

This was precisely why he suggested weaving it into a narrative before. Every insipid, pointless little story wanted villains to hate. "I have not brought you every target I have found, merely the more interesting ones. You no longer wish to know what is down here?"

It doesn't sound like it will be an inconvenience to him either way. Aside from a brief twitch of fingers, there's little reaction to being touched. He's not used to it, but he's also absolutely convinced Illumination couldn't harm him if they tried.

One day he's going to find out his assumptions about others' capabilities is flawed.

With eyes without noticeable difference between sclera, iris and pupil, it's not easy to tell when his attention shifts to SecUnit, save the way irony creeps into his tone. "Do you intend to find prey for me, Rin? Pick my targets for me, so they are deserving enough? It will keep you occupied, I think. A parasite your size requires one per meal." He's considerably larger.

Edited 2026-02-05 01:46 (UTC)

Could Lu hold their own against someone like Curze? Unlikely, but they should would do their best to be as damned difficult on the way down.

"You could come and tell me, if you'd like." They pause to consider what would be best to say, and settle on: "I would make tea and listen. I know that it does nothing for your thirst, but there's comfort in a warm ...well, I would need to find a much larger mug for you."

"I don't want you to feel alone down here, that's not right, but I am afraid of what might happen. I am ...I am one person. Rin has offered to help, and I want to trust that, but I am still often afraid."

(Could SecUnit take Curze? It didn’t know. But it could probably hold him off for long enough for Illumination to escape, which was all that mattered anyway.)

“You can eat fauna, asshole.” Then Illumination starts talking about other things humans and SOBs consume, and it makes a face. Ugh. Organic digestive processes were so disgusting.

Well used to a life of near complete solitude, Curze is a little baffled at what is, to most, a perfectly kind offer. A place to linger a while, socialize, enjoy a snack .. that's what people like. That's what most expect.

Their uneasiness about the situation is, he supposed, understandable. If a pack of mortals turned up looking for revenge, Curze would be fine, but Illumination might be another matter. "I have always lived alone. Your offer is ..." Peculiar. "Kind.." That sounded right. "But I have no need for such things. If you have no wish to have things brought here, then I will not."

Not everyone in the Library was a lethal fighter.

He raises bloodstained hands and applauds, a slow, deliberate staccato, expression twisted into sardonic amusement. "Congratulations on proving your ignorance, Rin. If eating beasts worked, I would be doing so. They are a tasty snack but provide nothing to stop the thirst. That idiotic 'recommended reading' and its equally idiotic 'vegetarian vampires' is utter nonsense, and you ... are just as idiotic for assuming without bothering to confirm if I matched that vapid little tale or not."

"Thank you, Night Haunter. Your consideration does you credit." Illumination smiles faintly, and there's a pale flutter of colour over their skin. All in all, a very formal way of saying 'thanks for not being a holy terror about this'.

They would like to defend SecUnit, but aren't sure how best to do so. What they'd like to do is gently rattle everyone and demand they offer a measure of grace, but that's not going to help. "And I can't speak for Rin, but tell me, honestly, with a whole city of people - good, bad, and otherwise - all at your disposal, would you truly have contented yourself with rats or stolen pigs? I don't know that I would be able to."

Is that true? Maybe.

"Except the vampires here don't go around murdering people to..." it makes an absolutely disgusted face, "...eat. They manage."

Did they manage by eating fauna? Or by...ugh...eating humans without killing them? It didn't know, and it didn't want to know. It didn't matter, anyway, because they point was they got by without murder, and Curze didn't.

"And humans notice, you know, when they start disappearing on masse. Sometimes it takes them a while to notice, because they're shit at that sort of thing. But they do notice, eventually. And the easiest ones to blame are all the new people. Which is us."

The flicker of changing color and scent is as interesting now as it had been when he'd first realized it matched with what they were saying, but he still can't quite actually translate it. It might not be language at all, merely emphasis, but the mystery is terribly distracting. "Ah, honesty. In the name of honesty ... contentment is not required. Survival is. A difference in flavor alone would not be worth the trouble."

He's capable of restraint! Sometimes, in specific areas.

"I rather think they would also notice were I to step onto the surface and wander about asking for handouts." Now that comes with a growl, a low rumble of displeasure he doesn't bother to hide. Curze doesn't blend in, not at his size. The Emperor hadn't wanted any of them to blend in. "Your concern for mortals is touching but please try to use some logical reasoning. Wasn't your point trying to avoid drawing attention?" There isn't much else to discuss as far as he's concerned, if the worry is leaving corpses, he won't. There won't be anything left to find.

There is no defense line, but defense territory.

For SecUnit.

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