FFM 2025 29: Revelation(s)

Challenge: The story must contain an entirely made up idiom or idiomatic expression.

Continuing from FFM 2025 28: Proof of Concept, featuring an Eskel-Zai idiom. 1155 words over the limit, although fortunately it was easy to cut down to 1000 words by moving the exposition I wrote to the end into the next day’s story. Definitely the least painful one to edit so far, which I am very thankful for since I did all editing this morning because after a 2.5-hour drive in the heat (featuring extra challenges from multiple places with major roadwork and a more-complicated-than-expected detour around a collapsed road), I was so exhausted I barely even got the first draft done. Also, technically not late since it’s still the 29th somewhere in the world!

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Beyari laughed so hard when QWERTY explained what ae and Commander Urrang (and a bunch of other mechs, including the two cute Infini’Tech Labs Courier-series ‘bots she had met the other day) had been working on. “So diabolical!”

“Exactly what they deserve for their disgraceful conduct,” QWERTY stated, arms crossed.

Commander Urrang scratched his neck. Beyari could sense his self-consciousness downright too clearly.

“You’ve got that right.” Beyari chortled. “Is there space for another organic in this project?”

QWERTY nodded. “If that organic is you, naturally. I was planning on pitching a role in it to you once we got proof of concept — which we have now.”

That was exactly what Beyari was hoping to hear. “Awesome.”

Commander Urrang stayed behind as QWERTY headed out to meet with the other mechs in the project to avoid attracting attention to them, leaving Beyari alone with him. She sipped her water, weighing her words. “You didn’t get pressured into joining QWERTY’s project, right?”

Commander Urrang looked at her in confusion before shaking his head. “No. Why do you ask now?”

“You just seemed kinda uncomfortable earlier.” Beyari paused to sip her water again. “I felt like I should check in with you, just in case QWERTY was too heavy-handed or something.”

“Ah. It’s nothing like that. It was my own choice to join in.” Commander Urrang sighed. “And I do enjoy my role in it. It’s just that now that I saw results, it feels… a bit overtly petty.”

Beyari was glad for her Mind-sense; it was easy to see that her friend — was it right to call him her friend already even though they still addressed each other with their ranks? — was not lying. “That’s good. The part that you weren’t pressured, that is.”

“You don’t think QWERTY’s project is petty?” Commander Urrang’s eyes were sharp, looking for something in her.

“Nah. It’s hilarious, and diabolical in a manner that’s quintessential to QWERTY. Besides, as we Eskel-Zai say, the mocked weapon will taste the blood of its scorners eventually. If the assholes didn’t want consequences for their actions, they should’ve thought at least twice about opening their mouths.” Beyari shrugged. “I’m not above giving them some comeuppance if it’s in my power and doesn’t take more effort than it’s worth.”

Commander Urrang was quiet for a moment, his expression contemplative, eyes still searching for something. A hint of anxiety bubbled to the surface of his mind.

“Something’s still bothering you?”

“You read me a bit too well,” Commander Urrang said under his breath and shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’m just overthinking.”

Beyari nodded. “Fair enough.”

Commander Urrang eyed her for a moment, his eyes now wary, as if he was expecting her to press for more details. When she just emptied her water bottle and smiled at him, he relaxed, gratitude filling the space anxiety had just occupied. When Beyari’s smile gentled, he frowned a little, hesitated and spoke up, “I know I’m not restraining my body language as much as I usually do whenever we’re in private like this, but you do read me a bit too well, even for an elite hunter and experienced AIRF agent.”

Beyari heard the question embedded into that remark loud and clear. “The gift of Mind helps a little bit, but it is mostly just you not holding back your expressions and body language with me. I’ve developed a sharp eye for those.”

“The gift of Mind, huh…”

“In case you’re wondering, I haven’t used any gifts while sparring with you.”

Commander Urrang looked a little dubious. “…I see…” He weighed his words. “Your wording implies you have multiple gifts that have utility in a spar, and since I haven’t noticed anything unusual, the only other gifts I can imagine you having are Movement and Sight, an affinity for the latter of which you did show when we first met. Yet your file said you hail from the Ledo clan, where the gift of Healing is prevalent.” Once again, he left the question unvoiced.

So the truth comes out this way. Beyari crossed her legs, resting her hands on top of each other on her knee. Commander Urrang narrowed his eyes, clearly recognizing the Eskel-Zai diplomat posture. Beyari did not let the tension stop her from answering the question the most concise way she could, “I’m an Inzin.”

Surprise overtook the wariness on Commander Urrang’s face.

“I prefer to keep it to myself as much as I can for personal reasons,” Beyari continued. “I’m sure you can understand, what with how people are here.”

Commander Urrang nodded, the surprise giving way to a calculative look. He was no doubt putting everything he knew about her into a new context.

That calculative look made him look like the high-ranking IRS Enforcer he had been even though the hand-me-down clothes originally from the Kclikc Weavers’ relief packages contrasted it, Beyari noted in the privacy of her mind. She knew the gist of his story but now that she was on the receiving end of that look, she could not help wondering what exactly he had seen and done outside of the atrocities he had been a part of. She had read enough IRS handbooks to know their methods in theory, but how far did practice, the things that were only taught outside of books, extend from what she knew? For example, how systematic were the torture methods that captured and rescued AIRF members had reported having faced during interrogation? The books said nothing about using them on others; they only ever described them and the ways to withstand them.

She did not want to ask those questions of her friend.

Commander Urrang sighed. “Yes, I understand. It’s not something that’s safe to advertise outside of those who select who goes on which assignment, especially these days…” He crossed his arms. “How exactly does your Mind-sense work? I doubt I got a particularly unbiased explanation in the IR.”

Beyari smiled. She knew exactly how to answer.