outer_divide | voice; open

[He wasn't bothered just by the political decision. There was a lot more to it. But even now, he doesn't want to explain. He doesn't think that it'll do much good.]

I felt exactly that way about the Commonwealth. So it's alright if you hate me. I can accept that and understand it. But I don't hate you.

[He had been angry at Dylan for not noticing. But being angry with someone wasn't hating them.]

[He had hated Rhade at first. Too much was destroyed by the mutiny, too much was lost for Dylan not to hate. But the more he started to understand him, even after he was dead, the less he was able to hate him.]

Just before I woke up here I met your descendant. He was an Admiral on Tarazed. I was put in a position where I could take a giant step forward on restoring the Commonwealth, but to do it I'd have to destroy your descendant's life. A strong Commonwealth could mean the difference between a Magog victory or defeat. So there was my choice. Save the universe by letting a good man be unjustly destroyed, or side with justice and take my chances.

I didn't do it. I didn't let him fall to ruin. [He closes his eyes for a moment.] But by god I was tempted. And I still don't entirely know if I did the right thing or not.

[His descendent is a Home Guard Admiral (on a planet that he'd never heard of, but an Admiral nontheless)? He's a good man?

He reaches for his water again.] I'll selfishly say that I'm glad you didn't. [But does that mean Dylan doesn't hate him.]

Dylan, I- [don't think I would be able to live with destroying a good man, either. Would saying that help? Probably not. He swallows back the words by downing some water.] -I don't think we should leave these people even if we find a way home, not when their environment might be destroyed by short-sighted overlords. [Not what he was going to say, but it's close enough.]

He's almost exactly like you. Genetic reincarnation. [And Dylan called him a good man. That's a hint, too. He may have lingering trust issues regarding Gaheris, but he genuinely thinks that he has good intentions. That Gaheris is, at his heart, a good man like his descendant.

Dylan knows enough about Nietzscheans now to guess that what Gaheris is saying isn't entirely what he's really saying. But he's not sure what exactly it is that's not being said.]

I agree. We can't just abandon them. If we find a way home it'll just have to wait until these people are safe.

[He knows he could destroy someone who didn't deserve it, if it was needed. Most of the time they did (in his opinion), but someone who didn't? That he knew didn't? That would bother him.

That's why Dimitri managed to live through failed extraction. Even if Rhade had been kind to him in no other way.]

Does he hate me? [Because he doubts that the Nietzscheans would have been quiet about their victories.] If he's my genetic reincarnation, no Nietzschean should hate- [he clears gravel out of his voice, another drink] -themselves.

He doesn't hate you.

He heard two different stories about you. That either you were a High Guard hero or that you were part of the Nietzschean rebellion. He asked me which was true. [Two Gaheris Rhades, both of them real in a sense.]

I told him that you'd tried to warn me. [Even if he didn't see it at the time, didn't realize until it was too late.]

He chose to remember you as a hero.

[So in some other timeline, his genetic descendent is still capable of feeling good about himself. He's proud that he can. He's a little jealous that he will never have to deal with the same dilemma. He's grateful to Dylan for letting him make his own decision.

So after a brief nod, he says] Thank you.

[He crosses his arms over his chest, biting back an uncomfortable ache. When he speaks, it's almost just to hear himself talk about something else.] Do you recall that time our shuttle crashed in a planet's polar region? It was before the Treaty was signed.

The Wasteland's a lot easier than that was.

[Dylan's grateful for the change of topic himself. He needs time to process the things that Gaheris didn't say but might have said under the surface.]

At least in the Wasteland we've only got the natural elements to deal with. Not the natural elements plus a squad of soldiers sent to kill us.

We'll probably not lose our ears, either. [Though it's hard to tell. Rhade touches his own chapped lips, as if realizing for the first time that he's been out here that long.]

Hey, we only almost lost our ears that time.

[Gaheris has been out here for four and a half days now. Dylan for only one an a half. He feels dried out like leather after just that short time. He's going to shove water at Gaheris for days once they get back to the city.]

[His fingers remain there because he smiles, and he feels the tight skin threaten to crack a little.] Actually we still might. There are large insects out at night. Or an arachnid. Actually, I'm not sure what it was. [Camel spiders. They don't have those on future desert worlds.]

Just what a harsh and terrible climate needs, some giant deadly insects to go with it.

[He sees the rock formation on the horizon. He points it out to Gaheris.]

We'll rest there for a while.

Protein in times of need. [This is only half joke, but he looks at Dylan with a mildly displeased face. Surviving is surviving, but preferences were preferences.

Which reminds him.] ...How much food do you have? [He has enough but enough is not as much as his stomach would have liked.]

[Dylan looks at Gaheris in return and give him an expression of disgust at the idea of eating the insects. He will if he has to, but he'd really rather not.]

I was worried that something might have happened to your supplies, so I brought enough for both of us for seven days. [Three and a half days to find Rhade and three and a half to bring him back, plus a little bit extra. Dylan believes in being prepared. And as a heavy gravity worlder, he can carry quite a lot without feeling burdened. He had to sacrifice a few other things he would have liked to have brought--extra blankets, some tools--but food and water were more important.]

It's all pretty dry and dense stuff, but better than insects.

[Dylan briefly receives a muted look which suggests Rhade might have quietly considered eating him and everything in his pack.]

Good. I had only expected to be gone for two days.

I thought you were just going to explore the edge of the Wasteland, not try to cross it.

[Dylan recognizes that look and swings his pack around to dig out a packet of food--dried meat, dried fruit, dried bread, and nuts--and passes it to Gaheris.]

Bon appetite.

Like I said, [He takes the packet.] I had a lot on my mind. I went until half my rations were gone. And then I turned around. [He's already eating between sentences.]

Did you come to any conclusions?

[For his part, Dylan isn't sure what to make of Gaheris and his motives. But he has realized with great certainty that whatever Gaheris might have done in the past (planned to do), he absolutely doesn't want him to die.]

[He slows his chewing, and thinks as he takes a drink of water.]

Yes.

[He can't think of a way to put it that won't have Dylan trying to talk him out of that conclusion. Or make however long this walk will be highly uncomfortable.

There's probably a better way to put it. He'll say a very small part of it.]

You're the only family I have on this planet.

[Gaheris' choice of words is striking. "Family" not "friend" but "family." Dylan knows quite well how important family is to a Nietzschean. He puts his hand on Gaheris' shoulder.]

I'm honored to be considered part of your family.

[He smiles, part teasing, part serious.]

And I plan to ensure the survival of your genes as if they were my very own.

[He rolled his eyes at Dylan. But smirks fondly immediately afterwards, gaze cast slightly downwards.

According to you, my genes have already survived.

They do indeed. The universe liked your genetic configuration so much that it decided to go for it twice.

[He pats Gaheris' shoulder and removes his hand.]

[There's an awkward moment where he'd almost lifted his own hand to pat Dylan's, but suddenly Dylan's hand is gone so he has to let his drop.]

It sounds like, from what you told me, that I wanted you to win. So I- he may have forced you to kill your friend, but your friend also saved you from him.

[Dylan's smile turned a little sad, but he nodded. He liked that second interpretation. It meant that his friend Gaheris was as strong or stronger than his betrayer Rhade.]

[At the sad smile, he puts his hand on Dylan's back.]

I want to leave the Andromeda when I go back and expose the truth to make sure that I don't cause you more harm. I'm not that interested in eventually becoming the captain of a flagship for something that has betrayed me.

...But I also think my life would be considerably- [Emptier?] -less stimul- [No no no no don't use that word...] -interesting without you in it.

voice; open

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]

[Spam]