old beginnings
The first night on Oberon was difficult. I thought of all the holds and bunks that I have slept in these past years, and wonder how long its been since I've been able to call a place home. Or even wanted to. I set my things out, tacked the old picdiscs up on the wall, the diagrams and maps that I've managed to keep with me. It was strange to fall asleep in such a large, clanking ship after Roller (now safely stored in the shuttle hold with only minimal scraping), but the feel of my old knapsack against my face brought me quickly to sleep.
Ice caught me today, alone in the engine room. I was rerouting for 4x perches into the top modules, she came in quiet and took hold of the stray wire tubes for me. She waited until I had the connection made and then said, simply, “Xylos.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I knew exactly what she meant, but what to say? Finally, “That was a long time ago.”
“It was.”
“What have you been doing, since then? Did you stay with Wilson?”
“Please. I told them you’d fallen behind, we split your percent of the profit. Crew didn’t last long after that. Too dangerous.”
“I know he got pinned for it.”
“He did. Gave the Feds the slip for years.”
“You shot me that day, you know.” I said, and her eyes glinted.
“It really was a long time ago.” She replied.
We lapsed into silence, I fiddled with the modules, unsure of what she wanted.
“How long have you been Ice Amrit?”
“Long enough. And you’ve always been Scout?”
“Of course.”
“But you were Whisp.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. She had caught me.
“I saw the charts from Rigon. That had to have been you.” She smiled at me, not her cold death smile, and I knew that we would keep each other’s secrets. I returned the smile. We hadn’t been this at ease with each other since before Xylos. Satisfied, Ice handed the tubes back to me and stood up, dusting her knees and turning away. As she neared the doors, I realized I had better explain myself in case the topic never arose again.
“I didn’t mean to abandon you.” I called, and heard her stop. “I loved him, you know.”
She did not respond, but waited a few moments before leaving.
Ice caught me today, alone in the engine room. I was rerouting for 4x perches into the top modules, she came in quiet and took hold of the stray wire tubes for me. She waited until I had the connection made and then said, simply, “Xylos.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I knew exactly what she meant, but what to say? Finally, “That was a long time ago.”
“It was.”
“What have you been doing, since then? Did you stay with Wilson?”
“Please. I told them you’d fallen behind, we split your percent of the profit. Crew didn’t last long after that. Too dangerous.”
“I know he got pinned for it.”
“He did. Gave the Feds the slip for years.”
“You shot me that day, you know.” I said, and her eyes glinted.
“It really was a long time ago.” She replied.
We lapsed into silence, I fiddled with the modules, unsure of what she wanted.
“How long have you been Ice Amrit?”
“Long enough. And you’ve always been Scout?”
“Of course.”
“But you were Whisp.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. She had caught me.
“I saw the charts from Rigon. That had to have been you.” She smiled at me, not her cold death smile, and I knew that we would keep each other’s secrets. I returned the smile. We hadn’t been this at ease with each other since before Xylos. Satisfied, Ice handed the tubes back to me and stood up, dusting her knees and turning away. As she neared the doors, I realized I had better explain myself in case the topic never arose again.
“I didn’t mean to abandon you.” I called, and heard her stop. “I loved him, you know.”
She did not respond, but waited a few moments before leaving.
posted by Scout | 11:26 AM
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