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Alicia Kline is proud of her past. No matter how many people demand she not be.
Her mother was a criminal. One so bad the Council itself interfered. Alicia never learned what her mother did that was so heinous. What she learned was how to run and hide.
It was Alicia who taught herself how to survive. For years she was on her own, forging what food she could. Stealing what supplies she couldn’t. It wasn’t perfect, nor was it right. But Light be snuffed if she wasn’t proud. After all she only took what she needed. For years it worked. But then she turned 18.
(By Earth years at least, but she hadn’t been there for over a decade)
It had stormed for days and Alicia hadn’t slept for just as long. Her normal hideaway was given to a group of runaways, of survivors, who had someone ill. The world was hard on them, so they were never hard on each other. Still it left Alicia with no place to hide when Council workers came.
She was taken away by them, taken to a Council facility. Put in a room with 3 other women: two other survivors, one pretending to be.
(It was no room but a prison cell. It was “for her own good” they said.)
It took less than a day for them to find out her past, no matter how uncooperative Alicia was. The Council workers and the pretender stared at her with disgust when her mother’s history was revealed. The survivors spared no glance when she was dragged away once again.
Alicia was treated like nothing more than a child. She was taken to a rehabilitation “classroom” in the facility. There they tried to correct her mother’s influence, nevermind the fact she hasn’t interacted with her in years. They fed her lies about the Council’s positive impact on the world and the dangers they stop.
But Alicia was observant and patient. For weeks she endured their “lessons,” focusing not on what they said but on what they didn’t. Hours were spent in making sure she knew how the system worked.
And how she could abuse it.
After weeks of propaganda classes, of isolation in a shared room, and of keeping her head low, she made her move. Twisting the system that had tried to push her down and instead using it to gain power as she gained their status.
(She was finally an agent, yet they called her Kline. It’s what they called her mother too. But she took that insult and wore it as a badge of honor)
Agent Kline was set up for failure with every mission. There was always a lack of supplies, or incorrect intel, or no backup when she was in danger. Yet Kline had never really failed a mission. And eventually her supervisors gave up.
After 8 years, she was sent to Earth as an envoy to watch over any threat the Mits could cause. And for a decade she supervised the training of Mits with no issues.
But then a portal exploded and a Trak escaped.
But then Agent Kline was sent to capture it with a poluk-hybrid spying on her.
But then her life changed forever.
—-
“It’s interesting dauen Kline,” states Spott, whose voice is as unchanging as always. “That history would repeat itself like this.”
Kline's eyes widens and she pauses her gathering of firewood. “You’re referring to my mother aren’t you. You know what she did.”
“I have access to all of the Council’s records.” Spott licks their paws.
It’s silent for a moment as Kline processes the situation at hand. “And what would this information cost me?”
“3 questions for the Tra-“
“No,” Kline interrupts, glaring down at Spott. “Keep the kid out of it. This deal is between us.”
Spott blinks, “Very well, sheva Kline. I’ll trade the information for all of the food in your pack.”
Kline raises an eyebrow, “You get the first pick of rations, not the whole pack.”
Spott too raises an eyebrow, “First pick and some food right now.”
Kline raises her other eyebrow and then lets out a small chuckle. “Sounds like a deal. Tell me what my mother did while you get your treat.”
Spott trots over to the bag while speaking. “Your mother was caught and later executed for smuggling a Trak off world.”
“ Tohr ” exclaims Kline and Spott is certain they had never heard a more defeated curse in their life. “This means the Council itself will be interested in us.”
“If what happened to your mother indicates anything, then yes.”
Kline scoffs, “This won’t be like the past. Unlike her, I won’t leave anyone behind. Now come on Spott, we gotta check on the kid.”
And the two walk back to the campsite, side by side.
“How are you doing kid?”
Phillip blinks, “I’m fine miss, uh Agent Kline.”
“Being an agent’s a thing of the past. Call me by my first name.”
“Oh, then you can call me Phil,” he mumbles out, a small, shy smile on his lips.
And Alicia smiles back.