Organization IV

Nexan was sitting in her office, a mug of coffee clutched in one hand, a weekly report in the other. She brought the coffee to her lips, her eyes never leaving the neat script as she took a sip. Pulling a face it the bitter taste, she carefully set it back down with a quiet clunk.

There was a soft knock at the door, no louder than that of the coffee mug hitting the table.

Annoyance danced briefly in the Superior's eyes. She pulled the paper slowly away from her gaze, staring at the source of the disturbance.

"Come in."

The door opened a crack on its well-oiled hinges. Nexan brought the report back up to her face, seeing her trusted second-in-command.

"Good afternoon, II." She said, glancing at a few intriguing words on the page, and reading the sentence that contained them.

Xahssa closed the door behind her, again making little to no noise as she did. She pulled the chair across from Nexan, sitting down, smoothing her robe in doing so.

"Afternoon, Nexan."

Nexan stalled a moment behind the report, loathing the thought of yet another problem being presented to her. Then, gathering her composer, she placed the paper down, folded her hands neatly upon the desk, and smiled at Xahssa.

"What's up?"

Xahssa, too, took a brief moment to compose herself, then spoke.

"It's about Max..." She got no further before a exasperated look befell Nexan's face.

"What isn't about her?" Nexan sighed, shuffling another stack of papers, purposefully trying to distract herself from the subject.

But Xahssa was too stubborn to veer from the topic.

"You see... I mean... you..." Xahssa rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh. "Are you sure she's ready to be going on missions?"

Nexan gave Xahssa a meaningful look before she stood, folding her arms behind her back and stared out the window behind her desk.

"Look II," she said, searching for the right words that wouldn't strike the wrong cord in her friend. "We can't keep babysitting Max all the time. We have better things to do. Bigger goals to achieve."

"Do we?" Xahssa's voice was calm, but carried a slight challenge as well.

Nexan froze, and then turned slowly to face Xahssa. "Yes. We do. And those goals... well... they require a certain about of III's cooperation to truly be accomplished."

Xahssa looked to her Superior enquiringly.

"Take Kingdom Hearts for instance," Nexan returned to gaze out the window. "We attempted to destroy that, didn't we? When Max was... unavailable...?"

Xahssa flinched visibly at the memories that unwillingly replayed in her head.

"I get your point," Xahssa said. "But is she ready to be doing that stuff now?"

Nexan gave Xahssa a level stare. "Do you think she is?"

The Superior watched as the sparks of anxiety slowly faded in II's eyes.

"I guess...," Xahssa began uncertainly, then made up her mind. "She hasn't had any more black outs or," she motioned helplessly with her hands as she searched for the right words; "The thing with her eyes..." She looked up at Nexan, who nodded, understanding.

But worry filled II's face once more. "But Nexan, I fear there might be something more, something that we don't even know about yet."

Nexan felt both dread and curiosity fill her. "Go on."

"Well, remember that time, back before Maxy's whole taken-over thing, when she said she had a bad dream and never really spoke about it?"

Nexan searched her memories, then she recalled. "Yes, we never did find out what was wrong, did we?"

Xahssa shook her head, relieved that Nexan was catching on. "No, we didn't. Do you suppose...?"

"That it may have happened more than once?" Nexan finished. She pondered the proposal. "I guess it might... but we haven't seen any evidence, have we? That she has had more of those dreams?"

"No..."

Nexan nodded sharply. "Then we can't assume that they do affect her."

Xahssa nodded, slightly glum.

"And that wouldn't hinder her abilities to fight if it doesn't affect her?"

Again, Xahssa nodded.

"Then don't worry yourself about it, Xahssa. Look, if you get any evidence, tell me right away. But for now, don't stress so much, okay?"

Xahssa managed a weak smile.

"Oh okay," she said, standing. "But as soon as I see or hear anything..."

"I know I know!" Nexan waved the subject away, returning to sit at her desk. "No be gone!" She said the last part with mock menace.

Xahssa grinned and left the room.

Nexan sighed heavily, picking up the coffee mug and sipping deeply, instantly regretting it as she forced the black poison down. Picking up the weekly report once more, Nexan returned to work, only slightly more stressed than before.