He looked again at his son. Perhaps it was the wrong decision. What kind of a life would he have on a strange world, among a different species? Assuming he'd even survive the trip.
So little time. He'd warned them again and again of what his researchers had demonstrated, but they didn't want to believe that it could happen. Nothing would disrupt their world like that. But even his own prescience was faulty--he'd gravely under-estimated the time left.
He'd have to send his son out alone. Alone and so young, using untested technology.
His wife was standing next to him. She knew the doubts that were in his mind; he'd poured them out to her so often, in those frenzied nights of feverish work and wild despair.
"His chances aren't good. But they're better than if he stays here." Her voice was firm. She had so much strength.
"Another year and we'd have been out of the prototype stage. Another year after that, and we could have gone with him. What if we picked the wrong world?"
"Love, it was the only one with an atmosphere he can breathe, with a climate he would find even remotely comfortable. We made the right choice."
He sighed heavily. Even if--no, when--when their world was dead, one survivor would remain. Not just a survivor of their species, but of their lineage. Their family. It was a heavy burden. Too heavy for a child.
He'd calculated everything, changing the amounts by tiny proportions with each day, as his son grew by those same tiny proportions. Drugs to ensure that he'd remember nothing of his previous life, so that he wouldn't carry that burden until he was ready. If he ever was. The air in the capsule would keep him asleep until it opened in an atmosphere he could breathe. If he had miscalculated, if the capsule never arrived, his child wouldn't awaken. Wouldn't know a moment of fear or loss. It was better like this.
Already, their world was starting to show signs of fear, fear that would turn to panic. Panic that would, all too likely, turn to savagery. Best to spare the child that sight. Best for him to think the world a safe place. A place that nurtured him. A place that was good to him.
She had gone back to watch over their son, memorizing his features for the days when he wouldn't be there. Her cool hand lay against the smooth, perfect, rounded skin of his cheek. Instinctively, still asleep, the child turned his head into her hand, as naturally as a falling object is drawn by gravity.
"Now," she said, quietly. The calculations had shown one moment in which the path was clearest and most direct, with the least space debris and other obstacles. She scooped him up in her arms, savoring the weight of him for one last time.
He'd not been as affectionate a father as he might have been. He was so busy with trying to use his wealth, his power, his influence. But at least he had hedged his bets by creating an escape for his son. That would have to be enough.
He pressed his lips to the clear, smooth forehead, and then to his wife's. Her brow was furrowed with thought and worry, but to his eyes, even more beautiful for all that.
She put their son in the capsule, and he added the document that would explain everything, eventually. He let her choose the moment to close their boy from their sight.
"Goodbye, Alexander. Go to your next world."
A/N:
Continue with this AU?
Yes, I should have admitted it was AU from the beginning, but that kinda woulda spoiled things, so forgive!
I'd really love to know when you guessed the twist!
So little time. He'd warned them again and again of what his researchers had demonstrated, but they didn't want to believe that it could happen. Nothing would disrupt their world like that. But even his own prescience was faulty--he'd gravely under-estimated the time left.
He'd have to send his son out alone. Alone and so young, using untested technology.
His wife was standing next to him. She knew the doubts that were in his mind; he'd poured them out to her so often, in those frenzied nights of feverish work and wild despair.
"His chances aren't good. But they're better than if he stays here." Her voice was firm. She had so much strength.
"Another year and we'd have been out of the prototype stage. Another year after that, and we could have gone with him. What if we picked the wrong world?"
"Love, it was the only one with an atmosphere he can breathe, with a climate he would find even remotely comfortable. We made the right choice."
He sighed heavily. Even if--no, when--when their world was dead, one survivor would remain. Not just a survivor of their species, but of their lineage. Their family. It was a heavy burden. Too heavy for a child.
He'd calculated everything, changing the amounts by tiny proportions with each day, as his son grew by those same tiny proportions. Drugs to ensure that he'd remember nothing of his previous life, so that he wouldn't carry that burden until he was ready. If he ever was. The air in the capsule would keep him asleep until it opened in an atmosphere he could breathe. If he had miscalculated, if the capsule never arrived, his child wouldn't awaken. Wouldn't know a moment of fear or loss. It was better like this.
Already, their world was starting to show signs of fear, fear that would turn to panic. Panic that would, all too likely, turn to savagery. Best to spare the child that sight. Best for him to think the world a safe place. A place that nurtured him. A place that was good to him.
She had gone back to watch over their son, memorizing his features for the days when he wouldn't be there. Her cool hand lay against the smooth, perfect, rounded skin of his cheek. Instinctively, still asleep, the child turned his head into her hand, as naturally as a falling object is drawn by gravity.
"Now," she said, quietly. The calculations had shown one moment in which the path was clearest and most direct, with the least space debris and other obstacles. She scooped him up in her arms, savoring the weight of him for one last time.
He'd not been as affectionate a father as he might have been. He was so busy with trying to use his wealth, his power, his influence. But at least he had hedged his bets by creating an escape for his son. That would have to be enough.
He pressed his lips to the clear, smooth forehead, and then to his wife's. Her brow was furrowed with thought and worry, but to his eyes, even more beautiful for all that.
She put their son in the capsule, and he added the document that would explain everything, eventually. He let her choose the moment to close their boy from their sight.
"Goodbye, Alexander. Go to your next world."
A/N:
Continue with this AU?
Yes, I should have admitted it was AU from the beginning, but that kinda woulda spoiled things, so forgive!
I'd really love to know when you guessed the twist!
