Nhysa was right -- of course she was right. Fear. In all aspects of it he was afraid. A boy, he was barely in his twenties, Li wasn't that much older, but there was enough of a gap in experience -- or was there really?
Li shook his head. "I'm sorry." He'd disturbed their fun. His fear he would admit to that. The boy had never once put any of them in danger. it was strange how the sudden change in fear turned the young man into a boy. He even had a name, but some how acknowledging it made it more real -- his fear more real. "I will never, nor do I want to be that." It wasn't a statement of disgust, it was fear. Fear of the man he'd become -- fear he'd become just like his own father. Fear... "That is too much temptation for my inner darkness." And that was the rub...
Nhysa was right, and he should apologize to the boy, no the young man -- to Nox. He had a name. He knew it. He would not forget it now.
Nhysa's shift paused as she cocked her head slightly asking a question he had forgotten about. "I did. It is why I am here no longer shooting the last project. It was why I got fired." And there had been a good reason he had forgotten the forms he'd filled out. "I don't know what good it did other than losing my career. There has been no government contact, no one knocking on my door asking questions. No one said I'll protect you. No one saying come help us. The government in any nation only wants to know who is a threat, the offer of help was a ploy. If the Atharim came knocking I seriously doubt there would be any assistance. Fill out fucking forms and nothing comes of it but your name in a hat waiting for the Atharim to find you and kill you. Both lists are a death sentence." Li's anger overrode his fear. He'd signed in good faith, and lost everything. Of course the studio said nothing of why he was really let go and Li wasn't one to make a scene. He didn't care, it wasn't about the money -- well not all about the money if he was being honest with himself.
Li shook his head. "I'm sorry." He'd disturbed their fun. His fear he would admit to that. The boy had never once put any of them in danger. it was strange how the sudden change in fear turned the young man into a boy. He even had a name, but some how acknowledging it made it more real -- his fear more real. "I will never, nor do I want to be that." It wasn't a statement of disgust, it was fear. Fear of the man he'd become -- fear he'd become just like his own father. Fear... "That is too much temptation for my inner darkness." And that was the rub...
Nhysa was right, and he should apologize to the boy, no the young man -- to Nox. He had a name. He knew it. He would not forget it now.
Nhysa's shift paused as she cocked her head slightly asking a question he had forgotten about. "I did. It is why I am here no longer shooting the last project. It was why I got fired." And there had been a good reason he had forgotten the forms he'd filled out. "I don't know what good it did other than losing my career. There has been no government contact, no one knocking on my door asking questions. No one said I'll protect you. No one saying come help us. The government in any nation only wants to know who is a threat, the offer of help was a ploy. If the Atharim came knocking I seriously doubt there would be any assistance. Fill out fucking forms and nothing comes of it but your name in a hat waiting for the Atharim to find you and kill you. Both lists are a death sentence." Li's anger overrode his fear. He'd signed in good faith, and lost everything. Of course the studio said nothing of why he was really let go and Li wasn't one to make a scene. He didn't care, it wasn't about the money -- well not all about the money if he was being honest with himself.
“What you must do," said Monkey, "is lure the monster from its hiding place, but be certain it is a fight you can survive.”