The Technician's Fight, Draft 1, CH17

How they’d gotten what they needed to melt the control pad out of the wall was something Gralgiran was going to address once the Earthers were back in their cells. He opened the door the rest of the way and stared at the Earthers, struggling in their restraints on the floor. Adhesive covered their hands and feet and stuck them where they were.

Away from them, a nude Quartermaster was holding a fully dressed, and injured, Jeremy.

“Get them back to their cells,” he told the Beta and her pack, motioning to the Earthers before heading for the pair. “What happened?” Jeremy’s face was bloodied again, but there were no breaks that accounted for him being so still.

“They broke in,” the Quartermaster said. “Your Heart kept two of them busy—brought one down—long enough for me to deal with the third and then end the beating he was receiving.”

“You took down an Earther?” He’d seen the Quartermaster fight, but he fought like a Halan, and that wasn’t going to help against an Earther.

“You have no idea what having a dozen siblings going for your throat, anytime they can, teaches you about managing your stamina. And when he grabbed my pants, the seams ripped, leaving me like this. Normally I’d explain to the tailor what I think of the poor quality of his work, but I’m not going to blame him for my namesake’s Meddling.”

Gralgiran took Jeremy from the male. “What did they do to him?” His eyes were open, but vacant. He touched the skull for any unseen breaks.

“Yelled and punched. Accused him of killing one of them.”

Gralgiran nodded. “Thank you for helping him, Quartermaster.” He headed to medical.

*

He sat at an unoccupied desk, waiting for the Psychologist to finish with his Heart. Medical had cleaned the blood off and sealed the cuts. Then a scan confirmed Jeremy had no internal damage.

He’d begun responding while they sealed them, but hadn’t answered any questions. Anytime he wasn’t required to lie still, he curled in on himself. The Psychologist had been the next stop.

He should have gone to deal with the Earthers, now that they were back in their cells. See to how they’d escaped. Write his report regarding the two he’d fought. He wasn’t needed here, and the Psychologist would contact him once she was done. Tell him what he should do to help Jeremy.

But to move any further away felt wrong in a way he had never experienced before.

Twice now. Earthers had attempted to take his Heart from him. As unhelpful as he knew the urge to be, he wanted to lock Jeremy in their apartment and not allow him out until he’d delivered the Earthers to the incarceration center.

She exited her office and came to him as he stood.

“How is he?”

She searched his face, and he wondered what she was trying to find. Wish she’d just ask so he could answer.

“He killed someone.”

“Yes, one of the Earthers who was part of the group who attempted to kidnap him.” Pride his little warrior had been able to accomplish that much with so little training, warred with the anger they’d made it to their apartment, that he hadn’t been there to protect him, and the shame that Jeremy needed his protection within his ship.

She nodded. “You need to convince him you didn’t keep the death from him because you thought he needed to be protected from the knowledge.”

“Why would I do that?”

“It’s the only reason he can think of for why you didn’t mention it.”

“He was attacked, he defended himself, and one of them died. It happens.”

Again she searched his face, probably his mind for…what? Evidence he wasn’t lying? Why would he—

“Would you know?” she asked, and he had trouble understanding what she was asking about.

What had he been thinking?

“Would you know why you didn’t tell him?”

“There was no need. He’s a hunter, deaths happen in battle. Even a civilian knows that. If one was forced to it, they’d need comfort, but Jer shut down.”

“You have to remember that for as Kelsirian as he is becoming, he is also an Earther. Killing isn’t something they do. Not without being trained or having mental defects.”

“And he thinks….”

“No. He understands he did what he had to do. Not that it’s making it easier. He’s questioning why you protected him from the consequences of his actions.”

“I told you, there’s nothing to—”

“I’m not the one you need to convince, Captain.” She motioned to the door of her office.

The door opened to a seemingly empty office. A glance told him he wasn’t in a corner, or behind one of the numerous plants. He stepped forward and looked into one of the seat, then the other. He was there, knees held to his chest, head resting against them.

“Jer?”

He didn’t move.

“Jer, I didn’t keep anything from you.”

“Then how come I wasn’t prosecuted?” he asked his knees.

“You didn’t commit any crime, Jer.”

“I killed someone.”

“You defended yourself as hard as you could. That isn’t a crime.”

Jeremy glared at him. “If it had been anyone else, they’d—”

“Have been rescued, same as you,” he interrupted. “They would have been brought to medical for care, same as you. Their home would have been cleaned, as ours was. And their loved ones would have comforted them, same as I did for you.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me what I did?” he demanded, tears falling.

“I didn’t know you didn’t remember.”

“Really? You think it’s normal to not mention the guy I killed?”

He searched his Heart’s face for…. Signs he’d associate to a Kelsirian? Something to tell him how to answer?

“I don’t know if I can explain it in a way you’ll understand, Jer. The Psychologist reminded me you didn’t grow up among us. Defending ourselves, surviving so we can live is one of Thuruksamian’s command to us. Never should his children bend before the demand of another. You will fight, you will stand and you will shed blood for yourself and those you hold dear.”

There was disbelief in his Heart’s eyes. “Someone can just go out, kill and claim they were defending themselves?”

“If there is doubt to the validity of their actions, they will be investigated. But what happened to you left no doubt as to what happened, even if their program prevented what they did from being recorded.” He took his hands. “I didn’t know to question how you might feel about what you did, because anyone I know would know there was nothing wrong with fighting to survive to the point of another’s death.”

“I don’t know what….” His mouth moved, but no words came.

“Do you want to end your hunter training?”

“No. These attacks on me show I can’t stop.” He looked at his hands, flexed one, and the claws extended. “And maybe if I’d been better trained, I would have been able to defend myself without having to kill one of them.”

He sobbed and Gralgiran gently pulled him forward. When his heart came, he held him tightly. Wishing he could take his pain away.

“Let’s go home,” he whispered, once Jeremy calmed.

His Heart tensed. “I can’t go back there. Not after—”

“Alright. We’ll get temporary lodging, and I’ll make arrangements for a new apartment.” He helped his Heart to stand, and they left.

*

He let the water fall over him, wishing it could wash his problems away. The guilt he still felt over what Jeremy had gone through. Over not realizing he might not have the same reaction his people would to surviving.

The one good thing was that they were finally back in space. Once he delivered the Earthers, he’d head to the line, where he belonged.

The hand touched his back, the fingers curled and pressed. He moaned quietly as they kneaded some of the tension away.

“I saw how hard you exercised,” Litmir said. “Maybe you should have gone to the hunters?”

“I didn’t want to fight, just work off this frustration.”

“You Heart still isn’t well?”

“He’s better. He was able to go work today. Hopefully, returning to his routine will help.”

“Some of us do find comfort in our work.” The hands moved away. “I’ll let you finish, I just wanted to be sure you were okay.”

Gralgiran turned and caught the male’s arm before he exited the field keeping the water within the shower. “Stay.” He pulled him close and rubbed muzzle with him.

Litmir looked down between them. “Are we allowed?”

Gralgiran turned the field opaque. “Me and Jer talked. He gave me the okay to be Kelsirian.”

Litmir smiled. “I’m glad. We all missed you. Can I tell the others?”

“Yes, you can.” He placed a hand on the male’s ass. “We’ll have to arrange something with all of us.”

Litmir rubbed muzzles with him, and hopped. Gralgiran caught him, and they enjoyed each other.

Outline section 

No Outline

Addition 

Gral and security arrive in the aftermath of the fight.

A shellshocked Jeremy is taken to the Psychologist.

The consequences of that.

Having to convey how ‘unimportant’ the fact Jeremy killed someone to protect himself proved a bit harder than I expected. It couldn’t be so casual as to give the impression murder that something they didn’t care about, but all so not so grave as to come across as Jeremy receiving special treatment.

The rest grew from there as part of establishing time passed, and Gral dealing with some of the stress. And also establishing he could spend time with his friends again.