![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
The Thief and the Commander : 15
Chapter 15: History
Galiana greeted Robin exuberantly at the spaceport when he'd arrived, and noticed that he was decidedly glum and unresponsive. She hugged him and dragged him through the crowds to their waiting transport so that they could talk in private.
"Where's Ehrenfried?" She asked when she had him alone.
"Ehrenfried?" Robin perked up in surprise at hearing the name then smiled bitterly at her. "He's no longer my babysitter, mom. Sorry to disappoint, but he's back on Tarain where he belongs."
"Oh, you don't mean that," she said in a disapproving manner.
"Sorry to dash your hopes, Mom," he grumbled. "I'm afraid you won't be getting the son-in-law that your heart desires. It didn't work out. I think you know why I'm here."
"Feliu?" She murmured. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I could have sworn..."
"The whole room did swear that he was the one who pulled the trigger," Robin said. "Izar turned on his cohorts though."
"We were stupid to fall for a masking device," she said. "I thought they were all destroyed in the great technology purge, but..."
"Things survive," Robin said. "You can't destroy knowledge anyway. It's not your fault. Everybody thought he pulled the trigger." He hugged her close to him then and kissed her forehead.
"He's getting released tomorrow," Robin said.
"Feliu?"
"Yeah," he replied. "We're going to meet."
"I assumed as much," she said. "This should be a happy occasion then."
"Yeah," he muttered.
"So, why aren't you happy?" she said.
"I'm happy," he replied as he unconsciously rubbed his hand over his chest where the ring lay.
"I know we don't get to spend as much time together as we'd like, but I seem to remember you smiling a lot more often when you're happy," she said.
"Oh, I'm happy," he said. "Or maybe it's more like relief. I really don't want to think I'm the kind of person who would date a murderer. On the other hand..."
"What's on the other hand?" She asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm confused." He groaned as he leaned back in the seat. "I never thought I'd be the kind of jerk that stomps all over a guys heart. I hate this."
"There, there." Galiana patted her son's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure out the right thing to do."
"Me?" Robin snorted laughter and shrugged. "I think you're really overestimating me, Mom."
She patted him kindly on the back and smiled. "Maybe, darling," she said. "But I'm your mother, and I really don't think so."
***
"You look older," Robin said the next day when he met Feliu at a nearby city park after a long moment where they didn't know how to greet each other.
They had ended up settling for an awkward handshake/hug/kiss on the cheek that ended in nervous chuckles. They sat down on a bench and didn't speak for a long time.
"So, they let you go?" Robin said.
"Yeah," Feliu murmured. "But I have a guy."
"A guy?"
"Yeah," Feliu said. "I have a handler around here somewhere watching me right now. I don't blame them for not trusting me. I may not have killed anybody but..."
"I see," Robin said.
"I feel older." Feliu sank back in his seat and sighed. "I should have stayed with you and joined I-GAS. I just wanted to say that you were right."
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel better," Robin said.
"Yeah, me either, but...hey! You'll never believe this!" Feliu sat up and smiled brightly as he changed the subject.
He pulled the neck of his shirt down slightly to show Robin a red and swollen puncture wound on his shoulder. The hallmark of a freshly implanted microchip.
"They got an infoplant in you?" Robin stared at him in amazement.
"I got arrested," He said. "I'm in the bloody system now aren't I?"
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Of course it does," Feliu said. "Invasion of privacy and all that. However..."
He made a sweeping gesture across the sky and took a deep breath.
"It's a small price for freedom. They need a way to keep track of me, at least for a while."
"For a while?" Robin arched an eyebrow at him.
"You think I don't know people who can turn this off?" Feliu shrugged. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep it for a while. It's a gesture of good faith, y'know?"
"I see," Robin said.
"Yeah," Feliu replied. "I'm going to be working with I-GAS to get evidence and help put my father away for a really long time. He's the real culprit here. You know he framed me? Izar gave him up..."
"Izar gave a lot of people up," Robin said. "You knew who his inside contact was in I-GAS, didn't you?"
Feliu looked down at his hands. That was all the answer Robin needed.
"Why didn't you tell me? There were delicate operations that he knew all the details about. People were in real danger."
"People like me?" Feliu's head snapped up, and he glared at Robin angrily.
"Shit, you see the kind of trouble my father went to to make sure I took the fall for the worst thing imaginable. You wouldn't even believe me when I told you. What makes you think he wouldn't hesitate to kill me? What makes you think he still won't?"
"I..." Robin frowned. He was tired of apologizing to everybody, but he couldn't see any way to avoid it in that moment.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."
"And..." Feliu waited expectantly and hoped that his frown was masking his inner amusement at Robin's discomfort.
"and...?"
"I'm sorry I tried to choke the life out of you?" Feliu prompted and laughed.
"That's not funny," Robin said. "I was angry. Give me a break, okay?"
"I forgive you," Feliu said. He put his arm around Robin on the bench, and when he received no resistance he lay his head on Robin's shoulder. From his vantage point he spied the chain around Robin's neck.
"What's that?" He said as he tugged lightly on it.
Robin pulled it out from beneath his shirt and over his head then handed it to Feliu.
"Do you want it back?" he asked earnestly.
"No, no..." Feliu stared at the ring. "I can't believe you still have that. The kid actually gave it to you?"
"Yeah." Robin shook his head. "Ehren kept it a secret."
"Good," Feliu said. He removed the ring from the chain and grabbed Robin's hand. He hesitated for a moment before attempting to place it on his finger, but Robin yanked his hand away and jumped up at the last minute.
Ehren's words were ringing in his ears then. The ring was a token, and it meant something. It meant something that he was no longer sure he was ready for.
"I can't," he muttered. "Put it back, please."
Feliu stared wide eyed up at him then sighed to himself.
"I see," he said as he reattached the chain, handed it back to Robin, and watched as he stuffed it away in the pocket of his trousers before he sat back down.
"So, where is your shadow these days anyway?" Feliu said.
"My shadow?"
"The kid, the Earthian...what do you call him? Ehren?"
"Ensign Behrent," Robin muttered. "Fuck him."
"Oh," Feliu chuckled. "Trouble in paradise?"
"Don't start," Robin warned him. "I'm not here about him, and he's none of your business either. I'm here for you, Feliu. I'm here for us..."
"Robin, I don't think..."
Feliu was interrupted by a woman who had gone previously unnoticed as she stood aside a balloon cart that was station next to a nearby pond.
"It's time to go, Feliu," she said.
Feliu sighed. "Look at that. It seems that I have my own shadow these days."
Robin ignored him and turned to the custody agent.
"Can we have more time, please," he asked. "I've only just arrived."
"Manager your time better," she snapped. "Your rendezvous are not my concern. My concern is when the safe-house closes."
"My father." Feliu stood up reluctantly. "That's why I'm at a safe-house. It's very nearly just like prison but with couches and holovision."
The agent frowned deeply at him and shook her head, an indication that she'd been getting a hard time from the moment Feliu had been entrusted to her care.
"Does it have a bed?" Robin asked.
Feliu laughed. "We'll meet earlier tomorrow, okay?"
"Fine," Robin grumbled.
They kissed goodbye, and it was almost as awkward as their greeting. Robin sighed as he watched Feliu walk away, and he knew that no matter how he tired nothing was ever going to be the same.
.
Previous || Next
Galiana greeted Robin exuberantly at the spaceport when he'd arrived, and noticed that he was decidedly glum and unresponsive. She hugged him and dragged him through the crowds to their waiting transport so that they could talk in private.
"Where's Ehrenfried?" She asked when she had him alone.
"Ehrenfried?" Robin perked up in surprise at hearing the name then smiled bitterly at her. "He's no longer my babysitter, mom. Sorry to disappoint, but he's back on Tarain where he belongs."
"Oh, you don't mean that," she said in a disapproving manner.
"Sorry to dash your hopes, Mom," he grumbled. "I'm afraid you won't be getting the son-in-law that your heart desires. It didn't work out. I think you know why I'm here."
"Feliu?" She murmured. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I could have sworn..."
"The whole room did swear that he was the one who pulled the trigger," Robin said. "Izar turned on his cohorts though."
"We were stupid to fall for a masking device," she said. "I thought they were all destroyed in the great technology purge, but..."
"Things survive," Robin said. "You can't destroy knowledge anyway. It's not your fault. Everybody thought he pulled the trigger." He hugged her close to him then and kissed her forehead.
"He's getting released tomorrow," Robin said.
"Feliu?"
"Yeah," he replied. "We're going to meet."
"I assumed as much," she said. "This should be a happy occasion then."
"Yeah," he muttered.
"So, why aren't you happy?" she said.
"I'm happy," he replied as he unconsciously rubbed his hand over his chest where the ring lay.
"I know we don't get to spend as much time together as we'd like, but I seem to remember you smiling a lot more often when you're happy," she said.
"Oh, I'm happy," he said. "Or maybe it's more like relief. I really don't want to think I'm the kind of person who would date a murderer. On the other hand..."
"What's on the other hand?" She asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm confused." He groaned as he leaned back in the seat. "I never thought I'd be the kind of jerk that stomps all over a guys heart. I hate this."
"There, there." Galiana patted her son's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure out the right thing to do."
"Me?" Robin snorted laughter and shrugged. "I think you're really overestimating me, Mom."
She patted him kindly on the back and smiled. "Maybe, darling," she said. "But I'm your mother, and I really don't think so."
***
"You look older," Robin said the next day when he met Feliu at a nearby city park after a long moment where they didn't know how to greet each other.
They had ended up settling for an awkward handshake/hug/kiss on the cheek that ended in nervous chuckles. They sat down on a bench and didn't speak for a long time.
"So, they let you go?" Robin said.
"Yeah," Feliu murmured. "But I have a guy."
"A guy?"
"Yeah," Feliu said. "I have a handler around here somewhere watching me right now. I don't blame them for not trusting me. I may not have killed anybody but..."
"I see," Robin said.
"I feel older." Feliu sank back in his seat and sighed. "I should have stayed with you and joined I-GAS. I just wanted to say that you were right."
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel better," Robin said.
"Yeah, me either, but...hey! You'll never believe this!" Feliu sat up and smiled brightly as he changed the subject.
He pulled the neck of his shirt down slightly to show Robin a red and swollen puncture wound on his shoulder. The hallmark of a freshly implanted microchip.
"They got an infoplant in you?" Robin stared at him in amazement.
"I got arrested," He said. "I'm in the bloody system now aren't I?"
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Of course it does," Feliu said. "Invasion of privacy and all that. However..."
He made a sweeping gesture across the sky and took a deep breath.
"It's a small price for freedom. They need a way to keep track of me, at least for a while."
"For a while?" Robin arched an eyebrow at him.
"You think I don't know people who can turn this off?" Feliu shrugged. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep it for a while. It's a gesture of good faith, y'know?"
"I see," Robin said.
"Yeah," Feliu replied. "I'm going to be working with I-GAS to get evidence and help put my father away for a really long time. He's the real culprit here. You know he framed me? Izar gave him up..."
"Izar gave a lot of people up," Robin said. "You knew who his inside contact was in I-GAS, didn't you?"
Feliu looked down at his hands. That was all the answer Robin needed.
"Why didn't you tell me? There were delicate operations that he knew all the details about. People were in real danger."
"People like me?" Feliu's head snapped up, and he glared at Robin angrily.
"Shit, you see the kind of trouble my father went to to make sure I took the fall for the worst thing imaginable. You wouldn't even believe me when I told you. What makes you think he wouldn't hesitate to kill me? What makes you think he still won't?"
"I..." Robin frowned. He was tired of apologizing to everybody, but he couldn't see any way to avoid it in that moment.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."
"And..." Feliu waited expectantly and hoped that his frown was masking his inner amusement at Robin's discomfort.
"and...?"
"I'm sorry I tried to choke the life out of you?" Feliu prompted and laughed.
"That's not funny," Robin said. "I was angry. Give me a break, okay?"
"I forgive you," Feliu said. He put his arm around Robin on the bench, and when he received no resistance he lay his head on Robin's shoulder. From his vantage point he spied the chain around Robin's neck.
"What's that?" He said as he tugged lightly on it.
Robin pulled it out from beneath his shirt and over his head then handed it to Feliu.
"Do you want it back?" he asked earnestly.
"No, no..." Feliu stared at the ring. "I can't believe you still have that. The kid actually gave it to you?"
"Yeah." Robin shook his head. "Ehren kept it a secret."
"Good," Feliu said. He removed the ring from the chain and grabbed Robin's hand. He hesitated for a moment before attempting to place it on his finger, but Robin yanked his hand away and jumped up at the last minute.
Ehren's words were ringing in his ears then. The ring was a token, and it meant something. It meant something that he was no longer sure he was ready for.
"I can't," he muttered. "Put it back, please."
Feliu stared wide eyed up at him then sighed to himself.
"I see," he said as he reattached the chain, handed it back to Robin, and watched as he stuffed it away in the pocket of his trousers before he sat back down.
"So, where is your shadow these days anyway?" Feliu said.
"My shadow?"
"The kid, the Earthian...what do you call him? Ehren?"
"Ensign Behrent," Robin muttered. "Fuck him."
"Oh," Feliu chuckled. "Trouble in paradise?"
"Don't start," Robin warned him. "I'm not here about him, and he's none of your business either. I'm here for you, Feliu. I'm here for us..."
"Robin, I don't think..."
Feliu was interrupted by a woman who had gone previously unnoticed as she stood aside a balloon cart that was station next to a nearby pond.
"It's time to go, Feliu," she said.
Feliu sighed. "Look at that. It seems that I have my own shadow these days."
Robin ignored him and turned to the custody agent.
"Can we have more time, please," he asked. "I've only just arrived."
"Manager your time better," she snapped. "Your rendezvous are not my concern. My concern is when the safe-house closes."
"My father." Feliu stood up reluctantly. "That's why I'm at a safe-house. It's very nearly just like prison but with couches and holovision."
The agent frowned deeply at him and shook her head, an indication that she'd been getting a hard time from the moment Feliu had been entrusted to her care.
"Does it have a bed?" Robin asked.
Feliu laughed. "We'll meet earlier tomorrow, okay?"
"Fine," Robin grumbled.
They kissed goodbye, and it was almost as awkward as their greeting. Robin sighed as he watched Feliu walk away, and he knew that no matter how he tired nothing was ever going to be the same.
.
Previous || Next