Orphans

Horatius was torn. His duty was to the human race, to the Clergy and then to the Corpus. In that order. But now he was doing something that he had promised himself he would never do. He was growing fond of someone. Growing attached. That... rarely ended well in Horatius' experience.

"No, Mike O-12." The object of Horatius worry said quietly as she pulled the offending person's hand from his mouth. "Don't suck your thumb." The tiny boy went still, and Horatius felt something inside him curl into a knot as the boy flinched back, obviously expecting harsh words or worse. But Mercedes J-54 just shook her head. "I am not going to hurt you, Mike O-12. I won't." She filled a spoon from the bowl on the table and held it out to him. "This will taste better than your thumb." Her gentle teasing coaxed a smile from the little one and he opened his mouth dutifully and let Mercedes J-54 put the filled spoon in his mouth. Mercedes J-54 smiled as he cleaned it off. "Good boy."

Horatius fought to remain calm. To remain still. His presence was not strictly needed. He had overseen the security arrangements for this place himself. But Mercedes J-54 said it helped her. She was... coping. It was hard for her, he could see that. But as her file said she had always done, she dealt with her own needs by helping the needs of others. And oh... so many needed help.

The tiny boy in Mercedes J-54's lap was two years old. His parents had been on their way back from an extended mission mining a series of small planetoids that orbited Neptune when the Grineer had attacked. The initial attacks had been overwhelming. It had been chaos. Dozens of ships, some not so small, had been blown out of space by the clones before the fixed defenses had managed to stave off the frenzied assaults and it had settled down into what was -for all intents and purposes- a siege. An odd one. There was no way for the clones to stop all traffic. But they sure tried. Six months after the attacks had begun, the Corpus was still counting the costs. The boy's family had been one of thousands who had suddenly ceased to exist. And that left him in limbo. A limbo that others had exploited.

Mike O-12 was one of the lucky ones. The Board was not altruistic, but they had limits beyond which they would not go. Or... could not go, with the Clergy watching them like hawks. Most of them anyway. Alad V's madness and Frohd Bek's cowardice mixed with bouts of near madness made things... interesting at times. A little too interesting. But there were others.

One particularly unsavory under executive had jumped at the chance to swell the ranks of his workforce and had bought up the contracts of three hundred suddenly orphaned children. In the chaos, no one had noticed for a week. But then... It had been noticed. Several emails had been sent to the Clergy via anonymous sources. It had been investigated. And what had been found...

The girls... would recover. In time. With lots of therapy and some very careful mindwipes to remove some of the worst of the memories. The executive who had chained them in the MOA factory with only automated supervision was facing a full mindwipe himself. Yes, they were dexterous and learned fast, but the eldest had only been twelve! The youngest was Mike O-12's age. But their fate was so much better than the boys'...

Of the hundred and thirty four boys who had been 'contracted', Mike O-12 was one of thirteen survivors. Only a true madman made kids work a mine. Not even Vina had done that. They were not capable of working as hard or as long as adults. But the machines that had been ordered to 'keep them working' hadn't cared. The only reason Mike O-12 had survived was that he had been injured. His arm had been crushed in a rockfall. He hadn't been able to keep up, even when the machines had shocked him, he hadn't been able to move. So he had been left behind while almost all of the others had been worked literally to death. But not alone.

When a team had finally entered the mineshaft, they had found the boy, his arm in fleshy tatters, trying to get away from the mining MOA that was still commanding him to 'get up and work'. Still shocking him! Small wonder the team had reduced the machine to smoking shards. Small wonder the boy never talked. They were working on getting a prosthesis set up for him but it was slow going. Every time he saw a MOA, he freaked. No one blamed him at all. No one. At least... he was mostly sane. The others? No one said anything in Horatius' hearing, but they hadn't had to. The docs were grim. If anything, the boys who could be saved would need full mindwipes. Mike O-12 might need such. But first... they had to save those who could be. Not all could be and they would be eased until they passed.

"Another?" Mercedes J-54 said gently as Mike O-12 swallowed the bite. Since he wouldn't let machines tend him, Mercedes J-54 had volunteered. And since she felt better with Horatius close at hand, he had come along. But this... this was hurting Horatius. Just watching the boy struggle hurt the old and hardened special forces soldier in ways he had never been hurt. He did as he always had. Focused on his job. Mike O-12 opened his mouth again and Mercedes smiled as she filled the spoon again and gave the boy another mouthful. He was so thin. So... emaciated. They had been forced to remove his right arm at the shoulder. "Good boy." Mercedes said kindly and the boy made a noise that was part anger, part hunger, part query and all scared. "You will be able to do this yourself soon, Mike O-12." Mercedes promised. "Until you can, we are here to help." She bowed her head, eyes glistening. "It is what we are supposed to do." She gave him another spoonful.

The boy's thin hand came up and slowly, so slowly, traced Mercedes J-54's cheek. Then he gave a small sigh and wilted, almost instantly asleep. Mercedes kept her mouth shut as she lifted the boy carefully and carried him to a specially built bed. It had no visible automation, but was set up to monitor the boy and care for him. Until and unless they could find foster parents for him... he was stuck. But they would not harm him. They would help him recover. Mercedes J-54 covered the boy with the sheet and then bent down to kiss his forehead. He murmured something, but did not wake.

Mercedes J-54 was staggering as she moved towards the door and Horatius took hold of her arm to steady her. He was expecting it so he was ready when she pulled herself into his arms and collapsed, her brave front vanishing in a torrent of tears. He hefted her easily and made sure the door shut. If Mike O-12 woke, both would be notified. Mercedes opened her mouth, probably to apologize, but Horatius spoke first.

"Human greed knows no bounds." The old soldier said as he rocked the sobbing executive assistant. "But nether does human love. There is a chance for Mike O-12, Mercedes J-54. Do not forget that. You are helping him. Do not forget that."

"It is so hard." Mercedes said as she cried. "It... I know the universe isn't fair. That nothing is free. That everything has a cost... but that?" Horatius held her gently. "Those kids didn't deserve that!"

"No, they didn't." Horatius agreed. "The one who did this will pay. But... we have to go on. How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore." Mercedes J-54 admitted with a tiny shrug. Horatius did not speak and she snarled at him. "My fault! I wanted to try that. You said it would hurt. I wanted it and you did what I wanted. My fault."

"I am a bad influence." Horatius said quietly. Mercedes shook her head savagely and Horatius shook his. "Mercedes J-54... I am not a good man. I am neither nice nor good. I do what I have to. If I have helped you, then that is a good thing. But you cannot change me. You can only change yourself and that would be wrong. You are a good person. I am not."

"You are a good man." Mercedes J-54 protested as he set her back on her feet.

"You have only seen part of me." Horatius said with a shrug. "I hope and pray you never see the rest. I would scare you." No boast. Fact. "Better?" He asked as he let her stand on her own two feet.

"Yes." Mercedes J-54 said with a sigh. They had been having this not-quite-an-argument almost none stop in the three days since she had woken after her first experience filled with a boundless determination to find out everything she could about the experience. He had... curbed her a bit. He hadn't wanted to stay, but she was determined in a lot of ways. She was a good person, and she really had no idea about some things. "Poor kid, but...we will help."

"You have helped." Horatius said with a nod. "It will take time and not a little effort but he can recover. Establishing trust again will help. If all else fails, they can make him forget the worst of it. I hope it doesn't come to that. It hurts."

"But it can help." Mercedes J-54 nodded slowly. "We better report." Horatius nodded and moved to stand behind her and to one side. "Stop that!" She said a bit more sharply than she probably intended. "You are not my servant!"

"I am also not your equal here." Horatius said calmly. "You are Vina's partner. Her administrative assistant. I am a guard."

"Gah! You are frustrating!" Mercedes J-54 said with a sigh. "Are all Special Forces this stubborn?"

"We have a class." Horatius was still calm. "And we have to pass with perfect scores." He startled a smile out of her and nodded. "It will be okay, Mercedes J-54. You need to decide."

"Part of me doesn't want to go." The young looking woman said with a frown. "This is... all I ever dared hope for. Finding Vina was a gift beyond measure. And now you..." She reached out to touch his face and he let her. "I... I am sorry, Horatius."

"For?" The soldier asked.

"For dithering." Mercedes J-54 said with a sigh as she let her hand drop. "If I go, I will not see Vina for some time. And you... You will not go. I may never see you again."

"I can't." Horatius said firmly. "I like you, Mercedes J-54, but I cannot be what you and the Reverend Mother want me to be. I am soldier. No more, no less."

"You may not see it." The woman said sadly. "But I do." She bowed her head. "I will tell the supervisor. As soon as Mike O-12 is stable and accepts another caregiver, I will go. I just... I don't want to. It will be months before I can come back."

"At least four. Probably six." Horatius agreed. "They will not let you hurt. But they need you. We all need you. You will bear the future within you. It will be... uncomfortable. But they will care for you."

"I know." Mercedes J-54 took a deep breath and let it out quickly. "Come on."

Horatius stifled a grin as he followed. One thing he liked about her, well, one of many things he liked about her. She made up her mind. It might take her a while to choose, but once she did? She acted. She was thoughtful and careful, but she also knew when to act. This was apparently one of those times. He followed her into the main room and through the small crowd of children who were working on things. It wasn't just busy work either. Some of the boys were working on hand-eye coordination, a must for any technical or military job. Several of the girls were working on a large puzzle that was a circuit diagram. Even as young as they were, it taught them about basic technical skills that were in high demand in the Corpus workforce. A few looked up and smiled at Mercedes J-54. Two would not meet her eyes and he could almost feel her sorrow.

The lot of an orphan had rarely been happy throughout human history. But when Vina had been distracted, the situations of orphans here had been... bad. Vina and the others did what they could now, but it would take time to recover the trust that had been shattered. At least... these would recover. It was the memory of the others who were gone and would never return that was slow to fade.

Mercedes walked there the Orphanage supervisor was sitting and waited for him to acknowledge her. She might been Vina's executive assistant, but by Vina and the Reverend Mother's direct command he ruled in this small abode.

"How did it go?" The man's voice was calm, but underneath lay a rage as deep as any that Horatius had ever heard. Understandable. Frank O-34 had been betrayed by the Company. Oh yes, Horatius understood that feeling. All too well.

"He ate and now is asleep." Mercedes J-54 bit her lip a little. "I don't know if he saw me, but he felt someone kind and gentle. I hope... I hope it is enough."

"Sister Harriet is coming to take over his care." Frank O-34 said with a nod. "From the look on your face... You made a decision."

"You had no reason to trust." Mercedes said heavily. "Waking here... after such a horrific thing... I don't know how you do it."

"The kids need me." Frank O-34 said quietly. "I can help. I am not going to pretend I am not angry. Especially with the latest influx of horror." He nodded to the room. Two of the girls had been rescued with Mike O-12. They were both sedated and it showed in their listless movements. "But I coaxed a smile out of Gina R-61."

"Really?" Mercedes smiled a bit forlornly. "You are good." She was actually appreciative. Then again, she had taken over Vina's orphanage when Vina had returned. Before Frank O-34 had been brought out of stasis.

"Experience." Frank O-34 said quietly. "And it is my job."

"And it is time I did mine." Mercedes J-54 said softly. She went still as Frank O-34 rose and held out his arms. She stepped forward and gave him a hug. "I am sorry. So sorry."

"Not your fault." Frank O-34 released her quickly and sat again. "One of the first things Gen H-12, my mentor, taught me. 'You cannot save everyone'. You couldn't stop that scum, but you did what you could to minimize his damage."

"Not enough." Mercedes J-54 was fighting tears now.

"It never feels enough." Frank O-34 said sadly. "But you did good." He said with a smile. "And for what it is worth? I am proud to be here. To work here. Now."

"If you need anything at all." Mercedes promised. "Vina has pledged to me 'anything you need'. All you have to do is ask."

"I...didn't believe at first." Frank O-34 said with a frown. "But she has changed."

"Not as much as you might think." Mercedes J-54 said with a smirk. Frank O-34 looked at her and her smirk widened. "You see... You are her responsibility now. Until that moron..." She would not say his name. No female employee on Vina's station would ever say his name again. They had all sworn to forget him with Vina at the head of the list. "...distracted her, she did take responsibility seriously. She taught me what responsibility was." Frank O-34's eyes went wide and Mercedes J-54 nodded. "You... and these..." She nodded to the room. "...are her people now. She will die before she lets anything happen to you or them. She made a mistake and she paid for it. Many paid for it." She bowed her head. "She cannot ever forgive herself for that. For getting distracted. A healthy and happy workforce is a productive workforce. You will help make her workforce healthy and happy. Anyone who gets in her way of making amends... Even me..." She shuddered dramatically. "Will regret it."

"I think I can live with that." Frank O-34 said with a nod. "Go on. We have this."

"Fare thee well." Mercedes said and the supervisor's eyes went wide again as she did not use the Corpus farewell. She turned and moved off, Horatius at her side. Only when they had passed the sealed and guarded doors that led into the facility's main decks did she crumple a bit. "That was... harder than I expected."

"You are a good person, Mercedes J-54." Horatius said with a smile. "So talk to Vina?"

"I um..." Mercedes paused as wall holo sprang to life. Executive Vina's face shone on it. "Ma'am?"

"I know you, Mercedes J-54." Vina said without the hint of a smile. "You are going."

"I was going to ask you to arrange transport." Mercedes J-54 said with a sigh. "I don't want to go. But my duty to the Company... I will do my duty."

"You always have, dear heart." Vina said with a sad smile. "Transport will be here tomorrow morning. For tonight? You are off duty."

"But... I had to finish the reports on the expenditures..." Mercedes J-54 trailed off as Vina glared at her. "I... Executive..."

"Commander." Vina said sharply.

"Yes, Executive Vina?" Horatius said. Why was he sensing a bubble of delight in the Executive's voice?

"She needs to be relaxed for the journey." The Executive said with a snap that was totally faked. "Spa, then a dinner. Then have fun. My treat. Get to it." This was a command.

"Vina!" Mercedes J-54 said, mortified but the holo just clicked off. "She... she can't do that..."

"Didn't you just say that if anyone got in the way of her making amends they would regret it?" Horatius said with a genuine smile as he steered the unresisting Mercedes J-54 towards an elevator. "I don't want her mad at me. And... I like that little white thing you showed me last night."

"You are... bad." Mercedes said with a sigh as she surrendered and let him guide her into the elevator. He hit the button marked 'spa'. "She shouldn't."

"She loves you." Horatius said as he held the now crying woman.

"And I can see why."