Thursday, August 27, 2015

Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter IX: Friends and Family

"Your friend? You don't have any friends!"

The words rang and echoed in his head, eliciting a mental wince each time.

It had been a hurtful thing to say to Todd, not because it was true--it wasn't; weird as they were, Todd had developed and maintained numerous friendships across the Badlands.

It was hurtful because, once upon a time, Todd didn't have any friends--any except one. And in the cycles since their friendship had become brotherhood, Todd had, with great effort and vulnerability, reached out and made new friends, and the cost for someone so closed off, so inside himself, had been considerable.

Growth was painful.

Mercifully, Todd, Lyta, and even Fennec had refrained from delivering the obvious and brutally true rejoinder: on the contrary, it was Lukas that didn't have any friends.

Not that it really needed to be said. The separation from his siblings had brought the lack to the forefront. Hell, he'd shared more intimate downtime with Roger, apparent slaver and actual Humanist spy than with anyone other than his siblings.

Ti might actually be the closest thing to a friend Lukas had--and that was a dismal thought.

Instead, Lukas had Family, or had had Family. The way Todd reacted over the suggestion that Riley be confronted and interrogated, the doubt in Lyta's face--they acted like he was a stranger, like they didn't know him.

Lukas knew they had their reasons. What exactly they knew about his mission in the ESE was unclear, but certainly they knew something. And that had turned them against him--more even than they had been in White Rock.

Ti was responsible, obviously. As if taking them away hadn't been enough. As if his own hands weren't covered in blood and filth.

Of course, Ti had nobility of purpose, and a good narrative covered a host of ills. Ti had a higher purpose; all Lukas had was the pursuit of money.

What was the expression? "Hoist on his own petard"? The mercenary motive had been a useful fiction, but, like many lies, it had taken on a life of its own. Lukas could see that even Lyta believed it. And why not? What else was there?  At least people thought he wanted something.  Better that than they know he didn't really want anything.

No friends, no goals.  And now, no family.

And without a family, what did it mean to be a Lassander?


Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game

0 comments :


 
Hermes 72 - Heavy Gear RPG - Most artwork Copyright 2002 Dream Pod 9, Inc.