Part 3 - Giving And Taking
I nodded and we followed him inside. As I looked at Rommie, I could see a trace of guilt in her eyes, but it didn't last for long. As she turned her look to me, it made place to the now so familiar look of a woman in love, finally being together with the loved one.
As we came to the Tyr's and Rommie's premises, Tyr showed me to sit and said: "Captain, we must make one thing clear. Ascendant is still my wife. And you'll have to give me some damn good reasons to let her go."
I was a bit surprised with this statement, but didn't fail to notice a hint of amusement in his voice. So I just sat down and started: "You know, Tyr, I can give you plenty reasons why to let her go. First: she has been loyal to you all the time, although you always knew it wasn't an emotional bond between you. Second: you are now the leader of joint Nietzschean prides and can therefore choose a wife from your own species. Third: I am intending to join in the leading the new Commonwealth, Commonwealth you are allied with and I need her to assist me in it. And finally: I love her and I want to spend my life with her. And I think she wants it too."
Rommie was silent and at this point turned to Tyr too: "I don't think I can add anything to this. You knew it all the way, Tyr. And yes, I want to live with Dylan, I want to assist him in upholding the Commonwealth. You don't need me any more as your wife. You will still have all our cooperation, but I want to be free, to shape my life on Dylan's side as I always wanted it to. I think there is no way, you can make it different. I have been completely loyal to you all the time. And this is the reward I request from you. You must give me my freedom back."
Tyr's face showed no expression upon hearing our arguments. After Rommie finished, we sat in silence for a while. Tyr was looking out the window and obviously trying to formulate his answer. He then slowly turned to us and spoke: "Sir, as I told you before, it is that simple. Yes, I knew, Ascendant stayed with me only to fulfill your ideas. And I didn't mind that, at least not at first. However, I admit, I got attached to her during the time we spent together. She was invaluable ally and consort all this time. Completely loyal, as long as it suited your interests, your ideas. And a very tough opponent, when I tried to do something else. As much as I hate to admit it, I will miss her. Both: as an ally and as my wife. I believe you wouldn't expect such confession from me, especially when it comes to an android. But it would be a very foolish thing to try to stand in your way. And I have no doubts, I would make her my worst enemy if I did it. And therefore I have no intentions to omit you in fulfilling your dreams. Ascendant is free to go as she wishes. And I wish both of you that you succeed in what you're up to. I believe we three have the power, to make this universe a better place for all the beings. After the period of darkness, it is finally time, that sun shines for everyone."
My eyes shot to Rommie and I saw such a mild expression on her face, I haven't seen in years on any face I met. It was a perfect picture of happiness, of relief, that the long-lasting nightmare has finally ended. I kept looking at that face, realizing, that I almost forgot, how beautiful she was. Her eyes turned to me and I could see in them that her dreams had finally come true. She can finally break free from her punishment which she took over by deciding to ally with Tyr in order to fulfill what she thought was her obligation to me. I realized how much must my rejection have hurt her. God, I only hope, I can make it up to her!
I turned to Tyr, who sat there, looking at us with bad hidden amusement in his eyes, smiling faintly. "Thank you, Tyr. I know it's not been an easy decision for you. But I also believe, you knew it all the way."
He nodded, stood up and took a step towards us. He put his hand on Rommie's shoulder and said quietly: "Ascendant, I would like to thank you, for being with me all this time. I haven't always been good to you, I know. I understand that you still feel I betrayed you and your family. I just hope you'll understand that it was the only possibility to fulfill my plans. I really didn't want to be an undertaker for your family, but it was inevitable. The universe does not tolerate weaklings and I had to grab the opportunity to make it better. I believe our plans are almost accomplished now. So I will let you two alone now. We can discuss our further steps later on."
Rommie looked at him with an indefinite look in her eyes, got to her feet and continued staring at him. Slowly she lifted herself on the tips of her toes and gave him a kiss on a cheek.
"Yes, Tyr, I know all that. I know what your plans were and I know that you didn't want to kill Andromeda or anyone aboard. But, I will never be able to forget it. It will remain in me forever. So, please, don't ask me to forget it. I might forgive you sometime. But right now, the memories are still too fresh and still too hurting. Yes, you have been justly to me lately. But the beginning of it all is still alive in me. So, I would really appreciate, if you leave us alone. Dylan and I have a lot to talk about."
She took off her arm helix and handed it over to Tyr: "I believe, that it is only right to give it back to you. After all, I really don't need nor want to carry it any more. It reminds me on some of the darkest moments of my life."
Tyr looked somehow disturbed with her words, but didn't answer. Slowly his look fell to the helix, Rommie was offering him. Hesitantly, as if he didn't really know as if to accept it or not, he reached for it and took it in his hand. He looked at me like through some haze, bowed a little and left the room.
TBC
I nodded and we followed him inside. As I looked at Rommie, I could see a trace of guilt in her eyes, but it didn't last for long. As she turned her look to me, it made place to the now so familiar look of a woman in love, finally being together with the loved one.
As we came to the Tyr's and Rommie's premises, Tyr showed me to sit and said: "Captain, we must make one thing clear. Ascendant is still my wife. And you'll have to give me some damn good reasons to let her go."
I was a bit surprised with this statement, but didn't fail to notice a hint of amusement in his voice. So I just sat down and started: "You know, Tyr, I can give you plenty reasons why to let her go. First: she has been loyal to you all the time, although you always knew it wasn't an emotional bond between you. Second: you are now the leader of joint Nietzschean prides and can therefore choose a wife from your own species. Third: I am intending to join in the leading the new Commonwealth, Commonwealth you are allied with and I need her to assist me in it. And finally: I love her and I want to spend my life with her. And I think she wants it too."
Rommie was silent and at this point turned to Tyr too: "I don't think I can add anything to this. You knew it all the way, Tyr. And yes, I want to live with Dylan, I want to assist him in upholding the Commonwealth. You don't need me any more as your wife. You will still have all our cooperation, but I want to be free, to shape my life on Dylan's side as I always wanted it to. I think there is no way, you can make it different. I have been completely loyal to you all the time. And this is the reward I request from you. You must give me my freedom back."
Tyr's face showed no expression upon hearing our arguments. After Rommie finished, we sat in silence for a while. Tyr was looking out the window and obviously trying to formulate his answer. He then slowly turned to us and spoke: "Sir, as I told you before, it is that simple. Yes, I knew, Ascendant stayed with me only to fulfill your ideas. And I didn't mind that, at least not at first. However, I admit, I got attached to her during the time we spent together. She was invaluable ally and consort all this time. Completely loyal, as long as it suited your interests, your ideas. And a very tough opponent, when I tried to do something else. As much as I hate to admit it, I will miss her. Both: as an ally and as my wife. I believe you wouldn't expect such confession from me, especially when it comes to an android. But it would be a very foolish thing to try to stand in your way. And I have no doubts, I would make her my worst enemy if I did it. And therefore I have no intentions to omit you in fulfilling your dreams. Ascendant is free to go as she wishes. And I wish both of you that you succeed in what you're up to. I believe we three have the power, to make this universe a better place for all the beings. After the period of darkness, it is finally time, that sun shines for everyone."
My eyes shot to Rommie and I saw such a mild expression on her face, I haven't seen in years on any face I met. It was a perfect picture of happiness, of relief, that the long-lasting nightmare has finally ended. I kept looking at that face, realizing, that I almost forgot, how beautiful she was. Her eyes turned to me and I could see in them that her dreams had finally come true. She can finally break free from her punishment which she took over by deciding to ally with Tyr in order to fulfill what she thought was her obligation to me. I realized how much must my rejection have hurt her. God, I only hope, I can make it up to her!
I turned to Tyr, who sat there, looking at us with bad hidden amusement in his eyes, smiling faintly. "Thank you, Tyr. I know it's not been an easy decision for you. But I also believe, you knew it all the way."
He nodded, stood up and took a step towards us. He put his hand on Rommie's shoulder and said quietly: "Ascendant, I would like to thank you, for being with me all this time. I haven't always been good to you, I know. I understand that you still feel I betrayed you and your family. I just hope you'll understand that it was the only possibility to fulfill my plans. I really didn't want to be an undertaker for your family, but it was inevitable. The universe does not tolerate weaklings and I had to grab the opportunity to make it better. I believe our plans are almost accomplished now. So I will let you two alone now. We can discuss our further steps later on."
Rommie looked at him with an indefinite look in her eyes, got to her feet and continued staring at him. Slowly she lifted herself on the tips of her toes and gave him a kiss on a cheek.
"Yes, Tyr, I know all that. I know what your plans were and I know that you didn't want to kill Andromeda or anyone aboard. But, I will never be able to forget it. It will remain in me forever. So, please, don't ask me to forget it. I might forgive you sometime. But right now, the memories are still too fresh and still too hurting. Yes, you have been justly to me lately. But the beginning of it all is still alive in me. So, I would really appreciate, if you leave us alone. Dylan and I have a lot to talk about."
She took off her arm helix and handed it over to Tyr: "I believe, that it is only right to give it back to you. After all, I really don't need nor want to carry it any more. It reminds me on some of the darkest moments of my life."
Tyr looked somehow disturbed with her words, but didn't answer. Slowly his look fell to the helix, Rommie was offering him. Hesitantly, as if he didn't really know as if to accept it or not, he reached for it and took it in his hand. He looked at me like through some haze, bowed a little and left the room.
TBC