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Still nervous if this one or one of the other previous will destroy what I have going. But for once I'm not overthinking. Sorry if it's just lots of talkieness.\n\nAlso sorry in advance if this gets a bit ick for people. Again no sex but putting the tag on anyways.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Yeah the odd mood just keeps on chugging, and I'm riding it! Still nervous if this one or one of the other previous will destroy what I have going. But for once I'm not overthinking. Sorry if it's just lots of talkieness.

Also sorry in advance if this gets a bit ick for people. Again no sex but putting the tag on anyways.", "writing": "Scars\n\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\t Gene felt like a tool standing there in the doorway. He felt out of place Wrong. Like he should have been here earlier. Or maybe he shouldn't have come at all.\n\n\t``You sure you don't want something to drink, Mr. O'Brian?'' The man of the house asked as he smiled nice and wide. Gene could read the desperation on him. The fear and confusion. Watching him wring his hands nervously.\n\n\t``No, Mr. Kelley. That's fine.'' Gene nodded ``I honestly don't know how long I'll stay. How long she'll want me to stay.''\n\n\tThe dormouse nodded and offered a small sigh ``You're welcomed to stay as long as you want. Even if she gets a bit upset. We always tried to shelter Brinna as much as we could. I don't think she was prepared for this kind of thing.''\n\n\t``You say that like it was almost expected.'' The bear sighed a bit and shook his head. Only after he said it did he realize it might have been.\n\n\t``Well my wife and I will just be out at the shop while you two talk. No worries or anything, right sir?'' \n\n\tThe bear blinked and looked in to the currently empty little living room, kitchen, something. Spacing for two bedrooms and a bath. Painfully tiny. It honestly made him feel a bit guilty. ``You sure you want me alone with her? I mean, how she is now?'' He muttered\n\n\t``I'm sure you'll be fine, Sir. Someone of your standing, if they meant my little girl any harm, I'm sure you'd have tried it already. Instead you just keep checking in and trying to figure out a doctor. I mean it doesn't seem like you'd go to the bother if you just wanted to hurt us.''\n\n\t``No, I guess not.'' Gene sighed and shook his head. He would, if that was his intention. Or at least he could. That was the frustrating thing. He knew people. A few `associates' from his early days. People from the year he spent on a Dagda class exploratory ship. Back when mom wanted him to `get out and see things'. Part of him wanted to warn these two just how bad some of his peers could really get.\n\n\tIt had to wait, though. Tell them now and it might spook them. Gods knew he couldn't do that. Not after what they were going though already. He needed to ensure Brinna was ok first. Then he could worry about the rest.\n\n\tThe man offered him the arm chair, but Gene took the sofa instead. He watched as another exhausted looking dormouse slowly led Brinna out. The poor girl with her hair knotted and matted up There were tear stains in her cheeks. No piercing, no glasses.\n\n\tShe reeked. Any other time he would have teased her about it, called it cute. He really didn't even find it that bad since it was her. Gods but did he miss her. He let his nostrils flare a moment and shivered a bit. It was stupid and creepy and weird. Especially since they had only had a couple real dates before, with the rest of it all being on network. \n\n\tThen again, fuck rationality.\n\n\tBrinna sat in the armchair slowly. Her mother having to help her. It looked like her legs were ready to give out. She had the blankets wrapped around her still but it was clear she'd been in the same cloths she had for their date.\n\n\t``We'll leave you two alone.'' Mrs. Kelley said s she moved slowly away from her daughter. She was clearly a bit nervous. She probably should be from an objective standpoint. Gene waited for the door to shut before offering a small smile. Weak and pained. It wasn't reciprocated.\n\n\t``Hi.'' He muttered softly.\n\n\t``Hi, sir.'' She sighed halfheartedly\n\n\t``I missed you.''\n\n\t``I'm sorry, sir.'' Brinna muttered ``I... needed some time alone. I guess. After what happened.''\n\n\t``Do you wan to talk about it'' He was surprised at how quickly he sat up In the old couch, feeling it groan and strain under him. He really had to get them a new one. He needed to do a lot of things.\n\n\tBrinna actually shrank back into her chair and winced as he moved. She shook her head and buried it between her knees once more as she moved her tail to curl around the small table beside her.\n\n\t``Ok. That's fine. We don't have to. We can talk about something else. I mean, if you have something else you want to talk about.'' He muttered. Much of the confidence that had been so ever present in his voice just died as anxiety in his throat. It wasn't his usual base state. Not at all what he was used to.\n\n\t``I think I kinda have something I do, Sir'' she muttered\n\n\t``Ok.'' he nodded ``that's good. Talking is good. Just go on and ask. Anything at all''\n\n\t``I think you owe me the truth, Sir.'' The words came cold and tired. Brinna was clutching her knees to her chest just as always. But it had lost much of the cute nervousness it once held. She simply looked cold and afraid. Her eyes darting to the side now and then as if expecting him to lash out in a rage. ``The whole truth. When I was attacked'' she swallowed hard as she forced the word out ``They seemed to get scared. Terrified. I want to think that it was just because they were scared. That they realized I was under consideration and they'd get in trouble.'' Her words were labored. She struggled to form them. ``I want to know, I want to hear from you, please. I want to know just what you do. Why were those two so afraid of you?''\n\n\tThe bear could hear the notes of desperation in her voice. Silent hopes and drawn out pleas that strained at the edges as if trying to will it all ok again. He looked into her eyes and for a moment wished he was weak enough to lie. To make this all ok now and figure out how to fix it later. It was by no means the logical thing to do. But it'd be easy.\n\n\t``Gene, Eugene, isn't really my name. I could bullshit you and point out that it's technically one of my middle names and pull the lie of omission crap. But you're right. A lie of omission is still a lie. I had my reasons, but I did hide who I was.''\n\n\tThe heartbroken expression slowly seeping over the rodent girls face shattered the bears heart more than anything ever had. No death, no loss, no pain even came close. It hasn't been long at all. He didn?t have right to these feelings. He didn't have the right to make her feel them either.\n\n\t``Who are you, then?'' Brinna muttered\n\n\t``Look, I just-''\n\n\t``Please, Sir. I have a right to know.'' the words lacked the conviction they deserved. Small and shaky. A plea, a prayer. It cracked from her lips as she fought with the tears.\n\n\t``My name.'' He sighed softly ``Is Sean. Sean O'Brian. Or, if you want to go by traditional instead of conventional hereditary naming, Sean Thaneson.''\n\n\tThe room fell deathly still The two just gazed at each other. She clearly didn?t know what to say. He didn't want to say anything. The two each straining to gain their words.\n\n\t``You're upset.'' Gene, Sean, finally sighed as he tried to lean down and catch her eyes properly. Wincing as she looked away.\n\n\tBrinna nodded meekly and hugged her legs a bit harder. ``You lied.'' she finally muttered. Not some proud triumphant accusation. Not some grand declaration. Nothing nearly so kind.\n\n\t``I guess so, yeah.'' Sean sighed \n\n\t``You lied about who you were.''\n\n\t``Sorta? Not really`` he said shaking his head. Even if it felt wrong ``I mean I get it. You're upset because you feel like you don't know who I really am.''\n\n\t``I was.'' Brinna sniffled ``But I guess I did know you. I knew all about you. You're the guy in the way back during big speeches in a dress uniform. The one who people bring up when they talk about changing exploratory asteroid mining. The one all the generals complain should have served a stint in the navy. I heard about you al the time at the after school science cubs my parents scraped and saved to get me in to. I studied you in first grade''\n\n\t``Studied what? Me whining at mom because I wanted to blow off my lessons and crash an arcade? My embarrassingly long stint managing ARLARPs for all my `boarding school buddies'? The time when I was fourteen, hacked a printer in my quarters and got my stomach pumped drinking what was supposed to be mead?'' There was an edge to his voice he didn't want. One he couldn't smooth no matter how his brain screamed at him ``What you saw was some guy. What you read about was some propaganda. That's not `me'. You're too important for me to risk ruining it all with the trite little front my family likes to present.''\n\n\t``Ok then. why? Tell me why you lied.`` She sobbed ``What's so special about me? Why is it so special that the prince of the great tree go out and pick up gutter trash. Why is this'' she held up the collar and dangled the reactor slag `gem' around furiously ``Special!''\n\n\tSean sighed. His shoulders rolling back as he clutched his hands together and looked down at the floor. ``The list.'' he muttered\n\n\t``List? What list?'' Brinna could almost feel her voice going from the conversation. The screaming and crying almost wore it out. Even trying to speak normally hurt, the words coming out like glass and gravel\n\n\t``I love my pets.'' Gene sighed `But as a Master. As a caretaker. As, well as a father in some cases. Not like in the biological sense but you get the idea. That`s it, though. A collection of cute little treasures to bring me joy and give me something, I guess someone to care for. And I was content'' The man laughed bitterly as he looked at the dormouse.\n\n\t``And?'' She asked as she slumped back a bit\n\n\t``And I guess I wasn't fooling them. Fool myself, sure. Not them. So they set up the profile and decided I needed to find someone I could love. Love differently, I guess I should say. A slave who they thought would somehow magically fix everything that was wrong. I don't think they knew what they were looking for. But I guess I let them watch way too many stupid romcoms or something. When I found out, I scolded them. I didn't punish. But I told them that I wasn't going to take someone from some two bit site clearly looking to pull the slave equivalent of `marrying into money'. So, I gave them the list.''\n\n\t``So, what was the list about, exactly?'' Brinna bit her lip, resting uncomfortably on pins and needles.\n\n\t``It was a list outlining my ideal woman. That`s the idea anyways. Likes, dislikes, minimum level of intellect, appropriate hobbies. Just this big old laundry list full of stuff I liked. Then I told them I wanted ninety five percent accuracy measured against anyone they would put forward to me or I wouldn't even consider it. I kinda figured that'd be the end of things.''\n\n\tIt took a moment to sink in. The whole concept had to rattle and bounce in Brinnas brain before it could really solidify. ``I was a match? For that?'' she muttered in shock\n\n\t``Technically no. You only hit ninety three percent. Many of my pets are also trained to help handle my design work though, so I guess they just took some tolerances into account'' he smiled a bit more ``And I had promised to at least give it a try if they found a hit. Actually took em a good couple years before that too. That site is not the best example of Yggdrasil timber, as mom would say.''\n\n\t``Mom.'' Brinna laughed bitterly. ``You mean Lady Thanedottr. You mean the CEO. The woman who runs all of this'' The dormouse waved her paw into the air in a wide, sweeping arc. ``This and dozens of worlds, stations, ships. Everything.''\n\n\t``forty five percent, actually'' Sean corrected ``Another ten in pro-tem proxy while Ilka waits to come of age. Fifteen to Runa as heiress. Twenty divvied up among the various other shareholders.'' He smirked bitterly ``And ten to me. The bastard. You're right. I have plenty of power to fight this if I really wanted to. I could at least try. I could absolutely do more for the people stuck down here. At least for a little while. Truth is though I really just don't know how. I tried my best to help keep the girls grounded. For all the good it did. Tried to calm mom down when she'd let me. Tried to push us towards higher automation. But then what? I just...'' he sighed a bit and shook his head ``If you need me to say I'll make the station better, I can't make that promise. Because I can't make a promise to you I can't keep. That's not me making excuses. I'm a piece of shit and I know it. More to the point, I know I lied.''\n\n\t``You didn't have to.'' Brinna muttered softly ``I'm not stupid. I'm not saying I'd have seen you the same. That's just, just way too big.'' the girl folded her ears back and sighed ``but at the very least I'd like to think I could, I could feel the same way no matter what. That I could love who you are instead of just `you'.''\n\n\t``Are you sure?'' He narrowed his eyes a bit ``I just said I own a tenth of this company. I own one out of every ten rounds your dad makes. I own one out of every ten door panels your mom makes. There is a one in ten chance that your landlord pays his tributes to me, and that's if we try to act like this is all carved up feudalism style.''\n\n\t``Why not? You're a prince after all, aren't you?'' She snapped\n\n\t``Grand Jarl if you want to be technical.'' the sarcasm dripping from Sean's lips ``Which again just proves my point. You're never going to be able to see... gahh, forget it. I don't want to do this.''\n\n\t``Are you afraid?'' the frazzled Dormouse asked as she narrowed her eyes ``Starting to realize I might have a point?''\n\n\t``You have plenty of points. That doesn?t change the fact that I lied for a reason. As cliche as the whole `prince and the pauper' thing can be, It's the only way I could make sure you would see me and not some pampered snot nosed prince in a social studies text!''\n\n\t``Grand Jarl'' she corrected. Brinna stuffing her face between her knees and hmmphing again.\n\n\tSean pulled himself up and just started to pace around the painfully tiny living room. It almost felt like his head was going to ram the ceiling, but he had to burn energy off somehow. ``I figured it was harmless. I let you get to know the real me, and then open up about the whole arbitrarily powerful thing afterwards. I'm not saying it's a perfect solution. But come on. Were you really going to complain to find out your new Master was part of the Thanedottr family?''\n\n\t``No.'' Brinna sighed as she slumped a bit ``But maybe I should.'' The dormouse pulled her face up from her knees a bit and set her teeth firmly. ``I had a lot of time to think. In the dark, with all my bad thoughts. Maybe I can't blame you for lying, Jarl Thaneson. Maybe you had the best of intentions. But I heard things there, in the dark. I heard kids screaming and crying in pain because they can't get enough food in their stomachs. I heard Corpsec busting in doors and taking shots and people just the next floor up. I heard.'' she bit her lip and shivered ``I heard my mom crying herself to sleep after being wake for forty eight hours. Needing drugs to keep on her feet because she had a broken daughter and a job she can't afford to be sick from. I listened to her crying all night while dad was out working his shift. She was hallucinating from the Hexes.''\n\n\tShe bit back tears and started to shiver. Open sobs held back only by the force of her own cellophane thin will. ``I could forgive you for lying, sir. I could have forgiven you a few days ago. But I found out that everyone in my district is lower than a slave. As your slave, your prospective slave, I was granted rights and status I didn't even know I had. As your possession the very idea of touching me. The... What she was about to do to me'' Brinna pushed her thighs tighter tightly ``It was unthinkable. They seemed genuinely terrified for their lives. But me? Just on my own? I was just some Slagmongering whore dirtying up their streets. Some ugly Class III girl who isn't even worthy to be a prostitute on their street corners. Never mind the idea that I might be telling the truth about waiting for a cab.''\n\n\t``Brinna, I-''\n\n\t``You said yourself, Sir. Everything in this oligarchal empire is a tenth yours. My parents put me on that site three years ago because they hoped I'd have an owner that might take better care of me than they could. They skip meals sometimes to make sure that it's paid up. They kept saying it was so I wouldn't get sold off to something worse, but then after seeing what you showed me, it can't get any worse, can it? Short of literally turning us into machines there's not much further to go than how our class lives. Darn it I'm near the top of that heap, too. I never even realized that before. I am upper Class III. I have things. I have prospects. Even if that prospect would be as some sex toy for a wealthy dominant who just wants me for my body or my age or some new trend.''\n\n\tBrinna gasped in what air she could and held back a choking sob. ``You're right, sir. It's just too hard to get past your name. I'm not some crazy revolutionary looking to end slavery and overthrow everything. But after what I went though. I only got `protection because... because I was just a bauble to someone important. That's not fair. It's not right.'' she sobbed softly.\n\n\t``I Think I should go.'' Sean sighed as he started to stand.\n\n\t``Go? Why? Because you can see I have a point?'' she muttered, choking hard on a sob.\n\n\t``No.'' Sean muttered still half-risen ``Point or no point, that's not the issue here. You were clearly traumatized by those bastards. I came here to make sure you were ok after that. To do something to help you. If part of that means letting you tear into me then tear away. It's my fault anyways. I never should have let you take a cab.''\n\n\tBrinna started to stand. Her legs wobbly and weak. Stumbling a bit as she took a step towards him. ``Those two- You knew? You knew what happened to me? Where you spying on me?''\n\n\t``You weren't talking to me. I got worried. I did some digging into the path of the cabs and figured things out from there.''\n\n\t``So you were spying on me.'' She took another step forwards, then faltered. Sean sprang up to catch her but stopped as Brinna held up her hand ``Don't, just... don't.'' she winced ``You knew what happened to me. You found out. You spied on me.''\n\n\tSean slowly backed into the seat and shut his eyes. ``Yeah, I guess I did.'' he muttered.\n\n\t``And is there some reason? Some force stopping you from coming in here? If you're going to violate my trust you could have at least come and held me.'' Brinna wanted those words to have so much rage to them. She wanted to have the sound and fury. The righteous indignation she deserved to bring down upon this man before her like the hammer of Thor himself. That wasn't her. She collapsed to her knees feeling small, smaller than ever, turning her back on Sean and griping at handfuls of her knotted hair. ``I needed you. More than anything I needed you. I needed you to hold me, and to make it ok. I needed you to make it better somehow. And I couldn't ask. Because I couldn't trust you. Because I knew, deep down. I knew you were lying to me.'' She said with a sob ``I knew you were hiding something. And I couldn't trust you. I needed my Master and I couldn't trust him.''\n\n\tSean said nothing. His fingers digging hard into the sofa as he gazed at the sobbing heap before him. Everything, everything inside of him. Everything wanted to scoop her up, to hold his precious little gem in his arms. To make it all ok. For the first time in his life that simply wasn't an option. It wasn't his choice, and it killed him. It killed him and he had nobody to blame but himself.\n\n\t``I can't do this.'' Brinna said as she reached her hand back slowly. Trembling fingers pulling at the snaps around her neck. Each one popping made her flinch. Made them both flinch. ``I can't pretend it will be ok'' she popped the first snap. ``I can't be close to you, knowing you lied to me.'' She popped the second snap, fingers trembling. ``Knowing you're part of the reason Mom hurts.'' she finally pulled the last snap free. The little hand made collar thudding on the cheap low pile carpet.\n\n\tThere was no dignity or grace in her movements. No `hell hath no fury' saunter. Brinna struggled to stand, struggled to lumber her way up to the man she'd been falling so hard for. Looking into his eyes. Angry but more than that pleading. Begging him to say something, do something. Pleading to make it all ok again. Waiting for some sort of miracle.\n\n\tIt never came. Brinna took a last, long look into those deep, agonized blue eyes. She hated this. After all was said and done she could see his pain just as surely as he saw hers. A small part of her wanted to put it back on. Hug him. To be the one to make it all ok when he couldn't.\n\n\tInstead Brinna did the only thing she could. She tossed the band in his face, and went back to her room.\n\n\tSean just sat on that ratty old sofa a moment. Picking up the trinket he'd made oh such a short time ago. She'd barely been in his life. They'd barely begun. It shouldn't hurt so bad. But it did. Those twelve steps he made out the door were the hardest walk in Sean's life.\n\n--------------------\n\n\tThe workshop had never really seemed like a big spot before. True just about any part of Genes suite could be considered a workspace at this point. He had places to build bondage gear, places to synthesize nanomachines and print up fine electrical components. There was a kitchen, the metal shop, the plastics shop. Even that big empty spot near the end where he'd started rebuilding that old TS3-Dart. Gods only knew how he was going to get a fifty year old vintage starfighter out of what amounted to a glorified storage room.\n\n\tThe work shop though, that was different. Nothing more or less than it said on the tin. He had a nice big shelf full of small objects behind him. Models, Battlers, small project robots from his youth. Various forms of tape and bins of scrap components he had no use for elsewhere. Some printed posters stuck about wherever he'd felt they'd look good at the time. It was really just more of a geek cave, with a rule of no pets allowed.\n\n\tGods would he make an exception for Brinna though.\n\n\tSean didn't drink much. Almost invariably Whiskey or Mead. The latter on holidays and the former when he was really stressed. He looked down at the bottle he had now. There was no use trying to pronounce the name when sober. He sure as hell wasn't sober. It was technically vodka. Maybe. There were pictures of wheat and old style sticks of dynamite on the label. Things Sean had to assume were the prime ingredients in the concoction. Would explain why it tasted so bad. Would also explain why he was borderline drunk after only five shots.\n\n\t``Hey! What's going.... Oh hell look at you.'' the voice and image of Ilka flashed up from the projector. The scrawny teen looming far larger than life over top of her big brother.\n\n\t``Having a bad, month.'' Sean muttered in reply as he poured himself another shot.\n\n\t``Really?'' Ilka blinked ``Last time I saw you it was... well ok you were pissed but otherwise you seemed fine.''\n\n\t``Shit got worse.'' Gene muttered as he downed the shot and leaned back into his seat.\n\n\tIlka narrowed her eyes a bit and sighed. ``Really? After all the crap you made me go through over that girl?''\n\n\tSean looked up at the holo and snorted as he took another hard belt ``What `crap'? Kid, don?t try to pretend like that was anywhere near hard for you. I know your tricks missy. Finding those two was easy as falling off a log for you.''\n\n\t``Finding? Oh, oh right finding, sure'' she nodded ``Yeah well you still don't know how many people are stationed at each security checkpoint. That took all day to sift though. You should really be grateful.''\n\n\t``Did it really take all day?'' Sean quirked his brow.\n\n\t``Well yeah, pretty much.'' The teen nodded ``I mean after I made some of my dollies have a tea party, sure.''\n\n\tSean threw up his hand and winced hard ``Ok no. Don't, don't elaborate. I don?t even want to hear any of that sober. If I hear it now I'll have some sort of weird buzzed booze nightmare or something. Just no.''\n\n\t``Gods you're such a pussy sometimes big brother.'' Ilka whined ``Anyway you can tell your girl she doesn't have to worry anymore. I took care of the problem.''\n\n\t``Wait you did what?'' Sean blinked ``Ilka I said I just wanted to find them. I didn?t say what to do with them.''\n\n\tIlka giggled once more as she nodded confidently ``And were you really just going to let them walk away after what they did to your property?''\n\n\t``No.'' Sean muttered ``No that wasn't gonna happen.''\n\n\t``and I can presume you don't want to know any details'' she said matter of factly.\n\n\t``No. I love you little sister. But no. I am nowhere near that fucked up.''\n\n\t``Then it's settled.'' The wolf girl nodded ``you can go play prince valiant to your fair little flavor of the week and I can take a nap while trying this `good deed' thing on for size. I must admit it was less painful than I thought it would be.''\n\n\t``Yeah. Though, she's not my girl anymore sis.''\n\n\t``Oh gods'' Ilka blinked ``Did something happen? Awww and after all the work I went though. I hope she didn't die painfully brother.''\n\n\t``Die? No she didn't die'' notes of worry filling Sean's voice at the very thought. ``She's just not mine anymore.''\n\n\t``So what, you decided you didn't want her? What was she a Third Sun spy or something?''\n\n\t``No. I still want her She just doesn't want me.'' Sean took a deep belt of the vodka. He could feel his sinuses open, flush, and being to sear after about the second mouthful. By the time he was done taking his sip his throat was on fire and his stomach was beginning to churn. He made a mental note to block all lines of communication with Brinna for twelve hours, the note setting the blocks on his various services and devices. The last thing he needed was a drunk dial to make this worse.\n\n\t``Ok wait I'm kinda confused here. You're saying your toy didn't want you. So now you're sitting here all sad, and she's out there free. I don't get it.''\n\n\tThe bear let out a small grunt of frustration and shook his head. ``I'm not surprised.''\n\n\t``You know I have about a dozen different ways I could fix this lil problem for you. I mean if there's something really that special about the little gutter rat I'd be happy to get you-''\n\n\t``Don't. Don't talk about her like that.'' Gene growled with one hand on his head ``And don't go near her either. You or any of your little plans. I gave her the choice. I wanted her to have the choice. That's my decision. She doesn't need to be `tamed' or `corrected' or whatever. I just... I want her to be ok.''\n\n\t``Fine. I got you. No fixing your problem for you.'' Ilka said as she rolled her eyes ``Can I at least get some partial credit for taking care of those two for you?''\n\n\tSean nodded as he pushed himself back from the work table and stood. He was able to keep his balance, if only just. The supposed benefits of in-utero genetic optimization. By the time your liver gets you drunk you're already too hammered to walk well.\n\n\t``You did really good Ilka. Sorry. I think I just need to go. I need to lie down and think a while.'' He sighed and glanced down at the little slip of blue cloth and plastic he had been working on. A set of leads and wires tied to it, A little computer running the code. Almost a shame she'd never see the finished product. \n\n\t``You sure you're gonna be ok, big brother?'' Ilka whimpered\n\n\t``Yeah.'' Sean sighed ``I just need a nap. Need to figure out what I'm doing with my life.''\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Scars

By TerraMGP

\t Gene felt like a tool standing there in the doorway. He felt out of place Wrong. Like he should have been here earlier. Or maybe he shouldn't have come at all.

\t``You sure you don't want something to drink, Mr. O'Brian?'' The man of the house asked as he smiled nice and wide. Gene could read the desperation on him. The fear and confusion. Watching him wring his hands nervously.

\t``No, Mr. Kelley. That's fine.'' Gene nodded ``I honestly don't know how long I'll stay. How long she'll want me to stay.''

\tThe dormouse nodded and offered a small sigh ``You're welcomed to stay as long as you want. Even if she gets a bit upset. We always tried to shelter Brinna as much as we could. I don't think she was prepared for this kind of thing.''

\t``You say that like it was almost expected.'' The bear sighed a bit and shook his head. Only after he said it did he realize it might have been.

\t``Well my wife and I will just be out at the shop while you two talk. No worries or anything, right sir?''

\tThe bear blinked and looked in to the currently empty little living room, kitchen, something. Spacing for two bedrooms and a bath. Painfully tiny. It honestly made him feel a bit guilty. ``You sure you want me alone with her? I mean, how she is now?'' He muttered

\t``I'm sure you'll be fine, Sir. Someone of your standing, if they meant my little girl any harm, I'm sure you'd have tried it already. Instead you just keep checking in and trying to figure out a doctor.  I mean it doesn't seem like you'd go to the bother if you just wanted to hurt us.''

\t``No, I guess not.'' Gene sighed and shook his head. He would, if that was his intention. Or at least he could. That was the frustrating thing. He knew people. A few `associates' from his early days. People from the year he spent on a Dagda class exploratory ship. Back when mom wanted him to `get out and see things'. Part of him wanted to warn these two just how bad some of his peers could really get.

\tIt had to wait, though. Tell them now and it might spook them. Gods knew he couldn't do that. Not after what they were going though already. He needed to ensure Brinna was ok first. Then he could worry about the rest.

\tThe man offered him the arm chair, but Gene took the sofa instead. He watched as another exhausted looking dormouse slowly led Brinna out. The poor girl with her hair knotted and matted up There were tear stains in her cheeks. No piercing, no glasses.

\tShe reeked. Any other time he would have teased her about it, called it cute. He really didn't even find it that bad since it was her. Gods but did he miss her. He let his nostrils flare a moment and shivered a bit. It was stupid and creepy and weird. Especially since they had only had a couple real dates before, with the rest of it all being on network.

\tThen again, fuck rationality.

\tBrinna sat in the armchair slowly. Her mother having to help her. It looked like her legs were ready to give out. She had the blankets wrapped around her still but it was clear she'd been in the same cloths she had for their date.

\t``We'll leave you two alone.'' Mrs. Kelley said s she moved slowly away from her daughter. She was clearly a bit nervous. She probably should be from an objective standpoint. Gene waited for the door to shut before offering a small smile. Weak and pained. It wasn't reciprocated.

\t``Hi.'' He muttered softly.

\t``Hi, sir.'' She sighed halfheartedly

\t``I missed you.''

\t``I'm sorry, sir.'' Brinna muttered ``I... needed some time alone. I guess. After what happened.''

\t``Do you wan to talk about it'' He was surprised at how quickly he sat up In the old couch, feeling it groan and strain under him. He really had to get them a new one. He needed to do a lot of things.

\tBrinna actually shrank back into her chair and winced as he moved. She shook her head and buried it between her knees once more as she moved her tail to curl around the small table beside her.

\t``Ok. That's fine. We don't have to. We can talk about something else. I mean, if you have something else you want to talk about.'' He muttered. Much of the confidence that had been so ever present in his voice just died as anxiety in his throat. It wasn't his usual base state. Not at all what he was used to.

\t``I think I kinda have something I do, Sir'' she muttered

\t``Ok.'' he nodded ``that's good. Talking is good. Just go on and ask. Anything at all''

\t``I think you owe me the truth, Sir.'' The words came cold and tired. Brinna was clutching her knees to her chest just as always. But it had lost much of the cute nervousness it once held. She simply looked cold and afraid. Her eyes darting to the side now and then as if expecting him to lash out in a rage. ``The whole truth. When I was attacked'' she swallowed hard as she forced the word out ``They seemed to get scared. Terrified. I want to think that it was just because they were scared. That they realized I was under consideration and they'd get in trouble.'' Her words were labored. She struggled to form them. ``I want to know, I want to hear from you, please. I want to know just what you do. Why were those two so afraid of you?''

\tThe bear could hear the notes of desperation in her voice. Silent hopes and drawn out pleas that strained at the edges as if trying to will it all ok again. He looked into her eyes and for a moment wished he was weak enough to lie. To make this all ok now and figure out how to fix it later. It was by no means the logical thing to do. But it'd be easy.

\t``Gene, Eugene, isn't really my name. I could bullshit you and point out that it's technically one of my middle names and pull the lie of omission crap. But you're right. A lie of omission is still a lie. I had my reasons, but I did hide who I was.''

\tThe heartbroken expression slowly seeping over the rodent girls face shattered the bears heart more than anything ever had. No death, no loss, no pain even came close. It hasn't been long at all. He didn?t have right to these feelings. He didn't have the right to make her feel them either.

\t``Who are you, then?'' Brinna muttered

\t``Look, I just-''

\t``Please, Sir. I have a right to know.'' the words lacked the conviction they deserved. Small and shaky. A plea, a prayer. It cracked from her lips as she fought with the tears.

\t``My name.'' He sighed softly ``Is Sean. Sean O'Brian. Or, if you want to go by traditional instead of conventional hereditary naming, Sean Thaneson.''

\tThe room fell deathly still The two just gazed at each other. She clearly didn?t know what to say. He didn't want to say anything. The two each straining to gain their words.

\t``You're upset.'' Gene, Sean, finally sighed as he tried to lean down and catch her eyes properly. Wincing as she looked away.

\tBrinna nodded meekly and hugged her legs a bit harder. ``You lied.'' she finally muttered. Not some proud triumphant accusation. Not some grand declaration. Nothing nearly so kind.

\t``I guess so, yeah.'' Sean sighed

\t``You lied about who you were.''

\t``Sorta? Not really`` he said shaking his head. Even if it felt wrong ``I mean I get it. You're upset because you feel like you don't know who I really am.''

\t``I was.'' Brinna sniffled ``But I guess I did know you. I knew all about you. You're the guy in the way back during big speeches in a dress uniform. The one who people bring up when they talk about changing exploratory asteroid mining. The one all the generals complain should have served a stint in the navy. I heard about you al the time at the after school science cubs my parents scraped and saved to get me in to. I studied you in first grade''

\t``Studied what? Me whining at mom because I wanted to blow off my lessons and crash an arcade? My embarrassingly long stint managing ARLARPs for all my `boarding school buddies'? The time when I was fourteen, hacked a printer in my quarters and got my stomach pumped drinking what was supposed to be mead?'' There was an edge to his voice he didn't want. One he couldn't smooth no matter how his brain screamed at him ``What you saw was some guy. What you read about was some propaganda. That's not `me'. You're too important for me to risk ruining it all with the trite little front my family likes to present.''

\t``Ok then. why? Tell me why you lied.`` She sobbed ``What's so special about me? Why is it so special that the prince of the great tree go out and pick up gutter trash. Why is this'' she held up the collar and dangled the reactor slag `gem' around furiously ``Special!''

\tSean sighed. His shoulders rolling back as he clutched his hands together and looked down at the floor. ``The list.'' he muttered

\t``List? What list?'' Brinna could almost feel her voice going from the conversation. The screaming and crying almost wore it out. Even trying to speak normally hurt, the words coming out like glass and gravel

\t``I love my pets.'' Gene sighed `But as a Master. As a caretaker. As, well as a father in some cases. Not like in the biological sense but you get the idea. That`s it, though. A collection of cute little treasures to bring me joy and give me something, I guess someone to care for. And I was content''  The man laughed bitterly as he looked at the dormouse.

\t``And?'' She asked as she slumped back a bit

\t``And I guess I wasn't fooling them. Fool myself, sure. Not them. So they set up the profile and decided I needed to find someone I could love. Love differently, I guess I should say. A slave who they thought would somehow magically fix everything that was wrong. I don't think they knew what they were looking for. But I guess I let them watch way too many stupid romcoms or something. When I found out, I scolded them. I didn't punish. But I told them that I wasn't going to take someone from some two bit site clearly looking to pull the slave equivalent of `marrying into money'. So, I gave them the list.''

\t``So, what was the list about, exactly?'' Brinna bit her lip, resting uncomfortably on pins and needles.

\t``It was a list outlining my ideal woman. That`s the idea anyways. Likes, dislikes, minimum level of intellect, appropriate hobbies. Just this big old laundry list full of stuff I liked. Then I told them I wanted ninety five percent accuracy measured against anyone they would put forward to me or I wouldn't even consider it. I kinda figured that'd be the end of things.''

\tIt took a moment to sink in. The whole concept had to rattle and bounce in Brinnas brain before it could really solidify. ``I was a match? For that?'' she muttered in shock

\t``Technically no. You only hit ninety three percent. Many of my pets are also trained to help handle my design work though, so I guess they just took some tolerances into account'' he smiled a bit more ``And I had promised to at least give it a try if they found a hit. Actually took em a good couple years before that too. That site is not the best example of Yggdrasil timber, as mom would say.''

\t``Mom.'' Brinna laughed bitterly. ``You mean Lady Thanedottr. You mean the CEO. The woman who runs all of this'' The dormouse waved her paw into the air in a wide, sweeping arc. ``This and dozens of worlds, stations, ships. Everything.''

\t``forty five percent, actually'' Sean corrected ``Another ten in pro-tem proxy while Ilka waits to come of age. Fifteen to Runa as heiress. Twenty divvied up among the various other shareholders.'' He smirked bitterly ``And ten to me. The bastard. You're right. I have plenty of power to fight this if I really wanted to. I could at least try. I could absolutely do more for the people stuck down here. At least for a little while. Truth is though I really just don't know how. I tried my best to help keep the girls grounded. For all the good it did. Tried to calm mom down when she'd let me. Tried to push us towards higher automation. But then what? I just...'' he sighed a bit and shook his head ``If you need me to say I'll make the station better, I can't make that promise. Because I can't make a promise to you I can't keep. That's not me making excuses. I'm a piece of shit and I know it. More to the point, I know I lied.''

\t``You didn't have to.'' Brinna muttered softly ``I'm not stupid. I'm not saying I'd have seen you the same. That's just, just way too big.'' the girl folded her ears back and sighed ``but at the very least I'd like to think I could, I could feel the same way no matter what. That I could love who you are instead of just `you'.''

\t``Are you sure?'' He narrowed his eyes a bit ``I just said I own a tenth of this company.  I own one out of every ten rounds your dad makes. I own one out of every ten door panels your mom makes. There is a one in ten chance that your landlord pays his tributes to me, and that's if we try to act like this is all carved up feudalism style.''

\t``Why not? You're a prince after all, aren't you?'' She snapped

\t``Grand Jarl if you want to be technical.'' the sarcasm dripping from Sean's lips ``Which again just proves my point. You're never going to be able to see... gahh, forget it. I don't want to do this.''

\t``Are you afraid?'' the frazzled Dormouse asked as she narrowed her eyes ``Starting to realize I might have a point?''

\t``You have plenty of points. That doesn?t change the fact that I lied for a reason. As cliche as the whole `prince and the pauper' thing can be, It's the only way I could make sure you would see me and not some pampered snot nosed prince in a social studies text!''

\t``Grand Jarl'' she corrected. Brinna stuffing her face between her knees and hmmphing again.

\tSean pulled himself up and just started to pace around the painfully tiny living room. It almost felt like his head was going to ram the ceiling, but he had to burn energy off somehow. ``I figured it was harmless. I let you get to know the real me, and then open up about the whole arbitrarily powerful thing afterwards. I'm not saying it's a perfect solution. But come on. Were you really going to complain to find out your new Master was part of the Thanedottr family?''

\t``No.'' Brinna sighed as she slumped a bit ``But maybe I should.'' The dormouse pulled her face up from her knees a bit and set her teeth firmly. ``I had a lot of time to think. In the dark, with all my bad thoughts. Maybe I can't blame you for lying, Jarl Thaneson. Maybe you had the best of intentions. But I heard things there, in the dark. I heard kids screaming and crying in pain because they can't get enough food in their stomachs. I heard Corpsec busting in doors and taking shots and people just the next floor up. I heard.'' she bit her lip and shivered ``I heard my mom crying herself to sleep after being wake for forty eight hours. Needing drugs to keep on her feet because she had a broken daughter and a job she can't afford to be sick from. I listened to her crying all night while dad was out working his shift. She was hallucinating from the Hexes.''

\tShe bit back tears and started to shiver. Open sobs held back only by the force of her own cellophane thin will. ``I could forgive you for lying, sir. I could have forgiven you a few days ago. But I found out that everyone in my district is lower than a slave. As your slave, your prospective slave, I was granted rights and status I didn't even know I had. As your possession the very idea of touching me. The... What she was about to do to me'' Brinna pushed her thighs tighter tightly ``It was unthinkable. They seemed genuinely terrified for their lives. But me? Just on my own? I was just some Slagmongering whore dirtying up their streets. Some ugly Class III girl who isn't even worthy to be a prostitute on their street corners. Never mind the idea that I might be telling the truth about waiting for a cab.''

\t``Brinna, I-''

\t``You said yourself, Sir. Everything in this oligarchal empire is a tenth yours. My parents put me on that site three years ago because they hoped I'd have an owner that might take better care of me than they could. They skip meals sometimes to make sure that it's paid up. They kept saying it was so I wouldn't get sold off to something worse, but then after seeing what you showed me, it can't get any worse, can it? Short of literally turning us into machines there's not much further to go than how our class lives. Darn it I'm near the top of that heap, too. I never even realized that before. I am upper Class III. I have things. I have prospects. Even if that prospect would be as some sex toy for a wealthy dominant who just wants me for my body or my age or some new trend.''

\tBrinna gasped in what air she could and held back a choking sob. ``You're right, sir. It's just too hard to get past your name. I'm not some crazy revolutionary looking to end slavery and overthrow everything. But after what I went though. I only got `protection because... because I was just a bauble to someone important. That's not fair. It's not right.'' she sobbed softly.

\t``I Think I should go.'' Sean sighed as he started to stand.

\t``Go? Why? Because you can see I have a point?'' she muttered, choking hard on a sob.

\t``No.'' Sean muttered still half-risen ``Point or no point, that's not the issue here. You were clearly traumatized by those bastards. I came here to make sure you were ok after that. To do something to help you. If part of that means letting you tear into me then tear away. It's my fault anyways. I never should have let you take a cab.''

\tBrinna started to stand. Her legs wobbly and weak. Stumbling a bit as she took a step towards him. ``Those two- You knew? You knew what happened to me? Where you spying on me?''

\t``You weren't talking to me. I got worried. I did some digging into the path of the cabs and figured things out from there.''

\t``So you were spying on me.'' She took another step forwards, then faltered. Sean sprang up to catch her but stopped as Brinna held up her hand ``Don't, just... don't.'' she winced ``You knew what happened to me. You found out. You spied on me.''

\tSean slowly backed into the seat and shut his eyes. ``Yeah, I guess I did.'' he muttered.

\t``And is there some reason? Some force stopping you from coming in here? If you're going to violate my trust you could have at least come and held me.'' Brinna wanted those words to have so much rage to them. She wanted to have the sound and fury. The righteous indignation she deserved to bring down upon this man before her like the hammer of Thor himself. That wasn't her. She collapsed to her knees feeling small, smaller than ever, turning her back on Sean and griping at handfuls of her knotted hair. ``I needed you. More than anything I needed you. I needed you to hold me, and to make it ok. I needed you to make it better somehow. And I couldn't ask. Because I couldn't trust you. Because I knew, deep down. I knew you were lying to me.'' She said with a sob ``I knew you were hiding something. And I couldn't trust you. I needed my Master and I couldn't trust him.''

\tSean said nothing. His fingers digging hard into the sofa as he gazed at the sobbing heap before him. Everything, everything inside of him. Everything wanted to scoop her up, to hold his precious little gem in his arms. To make it all ok. For the first time in his life that simply wasn't an option. It wasn't his choice, and it killed him. It killed him and he had nobody to blame but himself.

\t``I can't do this.'' Brinna said as she reached her hand back slowly. Trembling fingers pulling at the snaps around her neck. Each one popping made her flinch. Made them both flinch. ``I can't pretend it will be ok'' she popped the first snap. ``I can't be close to you, knowing you lied to me.'' She popped the second snap, fingers trembling. ``Knowing you're part of the reason Mom hurts.'' she finally pulled the last snap free. The little hand made collar thudding on the cheap low pile carpet.

\tThere was no dignity or grace in her movements. No `hell hath no fury' saunter. Brinna struggled to stand, struggled to lumber her way up to the man she'd been falling so hard for. Looking into his eyes. Angry but more than that pleading. Begging him to say something, do something. Pleading to make it all ok again. Waiting for some sort of miracle.

\tIt never came. Brinna took a last, long look into those deep, agonized blue eyes. She hated this. After all was said and done she could see his pain just as surely as he saw hers. A small part of her wanted to put it back on. Hug him. To be the one to make it all ok when he couldn't.

\tInstead Brinna did the only thing she could. She tossed the band in his face, and went back to her room.

\tSean just sat on that ratty old sofa a moment. Picking up the trinket he'd made oh such a short time ago. She'd barely been in his life. They'd barely begun. It shouldn't hurt so bad. But it did. Those twelve steps he made out the door were the hardest walk in Sean's life.

--------------------

\tThe workshop had never really seemed like a big spot before. True just about any part of Genes suite could be considered a workspace at this point. He had places to build bondage gear, places to synthesize nanomachines and print up fine electrical components. There was a kitchen, the metal shop, the plastics shop. Even that big empty spot near the end where he'd started rebuilding that old TS3-Dart. Gods only knew how he was going to get a fifty year old vintage starfighter out of what amounted to a glorified storage room.

\tThe work shop though, that was different. Nothing more or less than it said on the tin. He had a nice big shelf full of small objects behind him. Models, Battlers, small project robots from his youth. Various forms of tape and bins of scrap components he had no use for elsewhere. Some printed posters stuck about wherever he'd felt they'd look good at the time. It was really just more of a geek cave, with a rule of no pets allowed.

\tGods would he make an exception for Brinna though.

\tSean didn't drink much. Almost invariably Whiskey or Mead. The latter on holidays and the former when he was really stressed. He looked down at the bottle he had now. There was no use trying to pronounce the name when sober. He sure as hell wasn't sober. It was technically vodka. Maybe. There were pictures of wheat and old style sticks of dynamite on the label. Things Sean had to assume were the prime ingredients in the concoction. Would explain why it tasted so bad. Would also explain why he was borderline drunk after only five shots.

\t``Hey! What's going.... Oh hell look at you.'' the voice and image of Ilka flashed up from the projector. The scrawny teen looming far larger than life over top of her big brother.

\t``Having a bad, month.'' Sean muttered in reply as he poured himself another shot.

\t``Really?'' Ilka blinked ``Last time I saw you it was... well ok you were pissed but otherwise you seemed fine.''

\t``Shit got worse.'' Gene muttered as he downed the shot and leaned back into his seat.

\tIlka narrowed her eyes a bit and sighed. ``Really? After all the crap you made me go through over that girl?''

\tSean looked up at the holo and snorted as he took another hard belt ``What `crap'? Kid, don?t try to pretend like that was anywhere near hard for you. I know your tricks missy. Finding those two was easy as falling off a log for you.''

\t``Finding? Oh, oh right finding, sure'' she nodded ``Yeah well you still don't know how many people are stationed at each security checkpoint. That took all day to sift though. You should really be grateful.''

\t``Did it really take all day?'' Sean quirked his brow.

\t``Well yeah, pretty much.'' The teen nodded ``I mean after I made some of my dollies have a tea party, sure.''

\tSean threw up his hand and winced hard ``Ok no. Don't, don't  elaborate. I don?t even want to hear any of that sober. If I hear it now I'll have some sort of weird buzzed booze nightmare or something. Just no.''

\t``Gods you're such a pussy sometimes big brother.'' Ilka whined ``Anyway you can tell your girl she doesn't have to worry anymore. I took care of the problem.''

\t``Wait you did what?'' Sean blinked ``Ilka I said I just wanted to find them. I didn?t say what to do with them.''

\tIlka giggled once more as she nodded confidently ``And were you really just going to let them walk away after what they did to your property?''

\t``No.'' Sean muttered ``No that wasn't gonna happen.''

\t``and I can presume you don't want to know any details'' she said matter of factly.

\t``No. I love you little sister. But no. I am nowhere near that fucked up.''

\t``Then it's settled.'' The wolf girl nodded ``you can go play prince valiant to your fair little flavor of the week and I can take a nap while trying this `good deed' thing on for size. I must admit it was less painful than I thought it would be.''

\t``Yeah. Though, she's not my girl anymore sis.''

\t``Oh gods'' Ilka blinked ``Did something happen? Awww and after all the work I went though. I hope she didn't die painfully brother.''

\t``Die? No she didn't die'' notes of worry filling Sean's voice at the very thought. ``She's just not mine anymore.''

\t``So what, you decided you didn't want her? What was she a Third Sun spy or something?''

\t``No. I still want her She just doesn't want me.'' Sean took a deep belt of the vodka. He could feel his sinuses open, flush, and being to sear after about the second mouthful. By the time he was done taking his sip his throat was on fire and his stomach was beginning to churn. He made a mental note to block all lines of communication with Brinna for twelve hours, the note setting the blocks on his various services and devices. The last thing he needed was a drunk dial to make this worse.

\t``Ok wait I'm kinda confused here. You're saying your toy didn't want you. So now you're sitting here all sad, and she's out there free. I don't get it.''

\tThe bear let out a small grunt of frustration and shook his head. ``I'm not surprised.''

\t``You know I have about a dozen different ways I could fix this lil problem for you. I mean if there's something really that special about the little gutter rat I'd be happy to get you-''

\t``Don't. Don't talk about her like that.'' Gene growled with one hand on his head ``And don't go near her either. You or any of your little plans. I gave her the choice. I wanted her to have the choice. That's my decision. She doesn't need to be `tamed' or `corrected' or whatever. I just... I want her to be ok.''

\t``Fine. I got you. No fixing your problem for you.'' Ilka said as she rolled her eyes ``Can I at least get some partial credit for taking care of those two for you?''

\tSean nodded as he pushed himself back from the work table and stood. He was able to keep his balance, if only just. The supposed benefits of in-utero genetic optimization. By the time your liver gets you drunk you're already too hammered to walk well.

\t``You did really good Ilka. Sorry. I think I just need to go. I need to lie down and think a while.'' He sighed and glanced down at the little slip of blue cloth and plastic he had been working on. A set of leads and wires tied to it, A little computer running the code. Almost a shame she'd never see the finished product.

\t``You sure you're gonna be ok, big brother?'' Ilka whimpered

\t``Yeah.'' Sean sighed ``I just need a nap.  Need to figure out what I'm doing with my life.''

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