| Generated by Google Flow text-to-video AI software, powered by Omni Flash |
Audrey Husk is sitting in hock. Yes, that’s right, that’s what she’s calling
it. That’s what everyone calls it. No one uses the new terminology that
Waldemar instituted, except to his face. It’s a new problem in this
timeline. He didn’t do that before, because he didn’t have anyone trying to
steer him in a different direction. The language policing was a way to exert
his control when more destructive ways were off limits to him. Those
barriers are breaking down, though. Audrey and Silveon’s hold over him has
been slowly eroding, and his true nature is coming out. They didn’t want to
believe it. They wanted to believe that anyone could be a positively
contributing member of society, no matter their brain chemistry. But she is
beginning to doubt that. She has to, because if she maintains her philosophy
of seeing the good in everyone then it means the reason their plan didn’t
work was either because they had a bad plan, or they didn’t execute it well.
Either way, it’s over now. She’s done fighting. Or rather, she’s done
not fighting, because this subtle psychic driving bullshit is not
working. Out of all the contingencies they came up with, none of them
involved being an outspoken detractor or enemy. They thought he needed to be
finessed. But that just encourages him. Everything they’ve done has
encouraged him. She’s glad she’s in here now. It has given her multiple
chances to give him a piece of her mind without fear of repercussions. She’s
already at the lowest point in her life. The only place to go from here,
other than up, is death. She doesn’t welcome it, but at least she won’t
actually die. She’ll spend some time in the buffer, then she’ll answer yes
to the question, and wait on ice for ninety to a hundred years. When she
gets back, Waldemar’s reign will be over. He may have revived too by then,
but he will have gone down in history as a terrible captain, so she won’t be
alone anymore. That’s the future she wants to see. She might prefer it. She
may go that route anyway.
Silveon walks casually into her cell like he’s just come home from
work.
“What are you doing here?” Audrey questions. “You are going to get caught.”
“Master codes, remember?” Silveon reminds her. “I didn’t only unlock the
doors. I also took care of the security system.” He holds his hand out
towards her.
“What are you doing? What is that? You want me to go with you? Where would
we go? We’re on a ship, there is no escape. That’s why I didn’t use the
master codes to break out last year. You think I didn’t memorize what I
needed just in case?”
“I think you told me you had a plan, and I’ve been waiting for you to
fulfill it, but you’ve not done a single thing, so now we’re doing it my
way. Let’s go,” he insists.
Audrey shakes her head, and turns her body away from his offering hand. “No.
I have been moving forward with my plan. I’ve been arguing with Waldemar. I
don’t mean I’ve been trying to get him to see the light. I’ve been calling
him an asshole, and a tyrant, and really letting him have it. Don’t worry, I
didn’t tell him about you, or say anything about the future. I just acted
like a bitter ex-wife, which is basically what I am.”
“Aud. You’re going to die in here. You’re going to die in hock, and there
was another way. Let me send you to Verdemus. He will never find out. You
can even—”
“Don’t say it.” Audrey closes her eyes and breathes. “Don’t...don’t even say
her name. She is being cared for, and I can’t leave. Please respect my
wishes.”
Silveon agrees and leaves, but then he comes back when she’s sleeping,
knocks her out with a drug, and drags her to the mini-Nexus in Admiral Hall.
She will never forgive him for this violation.
She wakes up on the green grass outside. Green!Audrey is the one who helps
her wake up. “Welcome home. Would you like to meet your daughter, Silvia?”
No comments :
Post a Comment