Steel Fire

Maria sat in the only chair in a holding cell, behind a steel table. The floor was slightly sloped and there was a faint coppery smell to the room. Pain had seeped into the concrete itself. A cold sting slowly crawled up her legs.

A middle-aged woman in a government uniform stood before her. Her right eye was white as milk. The gaze from the other eye made Maria squirm. The woman’s lips were a tight line, and as she spoke her lips remained lines. Her graying hair was cut short, military-style. Maria sensed an intense devotion, but towards what exactly she wasn’t sure. The woman silently offered her a glass of water.

“No, thank you, misses...” Maria said, smiling politely.

“Very good, miss Nemes,” she smiled back, equally polite. “I am commissioner Terzi. Your detainment is my responsibility.”

“There must be some mistake.”

“Don’t goatshit me, girl, ”she said, her expression turning cold.

Maria felt warmth spread across her face and her eyes began to water.

“Come on, Maria,” the commissioner said. “You’re too old for this.”

“Older and wiser than you, grandma,” she said and smiled as a tear moved down her cheek. It was too late to be convincing.

“How old were you when they took you? I know your kind ages slowly.”

“I promised not to tell anyone about that,” she answered, coyly.

“I am part of the group of people you once promised that to,” Olivia said. “Most of them are dead now, so it’s important that you are honest with me.”

“It is in my nature to be honest.”

“Your nature is known to me, Maria.”

“How could that be?”

“This isn’t my first interview with an Asgardian.” The girl recoiled at the last word. She glanced at the one-way mirror.

“Don’t worry about that. Your secret is safe,” Olivia said and leaned closer to the girl. “Tell me what you know about your more recent associates.”

“I’m sure you know more about them than I do,” she said, staring back defiantly.

“Asgardians are fools. They wept and cried when we cut them down, and none of them seemed to even consider fleeing or fighting back. Instead, they spent their days staring wistfully at sunsets. They expected others to save them, but in our world there are no heroes.”

“Your point?” Maria rolled her eyes.

“Are you a fool? Even if you are, they must’ve said something around you that I can use. Just tell me everything and I will let you loose again. You are harmless anyway,” she said, smiling, “and, I repeat, there are no heroes who will save you here.”

“I know you can feel what happens here,” commissioner Terzi said. She let the words linger before continuing. “Tell me about Frederick.”

“He’s not scared like you are,” she said. “His first impulse is aggression, but you’ve taught him better. He considers his options, and plans out his moves. The only logical conclusion will be altruism. He wants to be better. I know it.”

“You will outlive him. How important could he possibly be?”

“He loves me. When he looks at me, it feels like I am the most valuable thing in this Realm to him. Without hesitation, he will dedicate his short life to me, and because of that he will never disappoint me even if he strays. How could I disappoint him?”

“There’s no reason to be afraid of him. We can protect you.”

Maria guffawed at this. “I’m not afraid of him.”

“There’s no reason to be loyal. These are dangerous people with malevolent intentions, Maria.”

“The others maybe,” she said, dismissively. “Not Frederick.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I love him.”

“You keep using that word.” She looked annoyed. “I’m afraid I don’t know what that means.”

“If only you could,” she said. “Understand that I disproportionately value his existence above any other without expecting anything concrete in return.”

“What possible reason could you have for that?” Olivia continued to lean ever closer, her piercing stare digging for answers, but never finding purchase.

“Of course you don’t understand,” Maria said, and sighed. “Just call me mad. It will be easier that way.”

They continued to stare at each other in silence for several minutes. The commissioner didn’t seem so intimidating anymore. The confusion that the woman was trying to hide was pitiful. A part of Maria refused to pity her captor however. This woman had already admitted to heinous crimes and was fully prepared to commit more. It felt unjust to show her kindness, but what if she really wanted to be helped? Wouldn’t it only hurt her if her eyes were opened? Would that be justice? Maria decided to break the silence.

“Look, I am here because I want to be. You don’t have the power to keep me here,” she said.

“What are you going to do? Overpower a trained officer of the Government?”

“Maybe.” She shrugged.

“If you could defeat me,” Olivia asked. “Why don’t you?”

“What would be the point? I don’t want you to suffer.”

“Those who are wrong deserve to suffer, don’t you think?”

“No,” she said, smiling. “They deserve pity, and should be shown the way by example, if possible. If not, you take care of them until they are ready.”

“I don’t think I could be like that.”

“Then you are forgiven. You cannot be blamed for what you are or has been imposed upon you.” Maria slowly raised her hand and put it on the other woman’s shoulder. She squeezed and smiled, while their eyes remained locked. Olivia’s expression softened by a fraction, and was finally overcome by a painful melancholy.

“Sometimes,” she said, hesitating, “I wish we could be better than this.”

“I know, but it is not your fault,” Maria said. “Just try to be better than you are right now. That is all that can be asked of you.”

“There are greater things than us, commissioner, and they do not want the same things as you.”

“Then we will destroy them. I do not stand alone.”

Maria nodded. “For now, that may help you. I wish you well.”

“You could help us.”

“I don’t think I can,” she said with a saddened expression. “I will do what I can, but this crisis is up to you. Let me and my friends go and we will help you.”

“Your friends have been co-opted by the enemy, girl.” The commissioner laughed. “If you can’t see that you sure can’t help me. Tell me about the Locust and Tyr.”

“Frederick is innocent. Release him, and I will tell you what I know.”

“Agreed. Speak.”

“This will not end well for you,” she said when she finally finished. Every word was the truth

“I know,” she said, a smile touched the corner of Olivia’s mouth. “Tell me it wasn’t my fault, Asgardian.”

The girl hesitated. “I can’t lie. We are all to blame for the situations we create, and we will all know the consequences of them, one way or the other. Something bad is coming, and it’s coming for us all.”