History of Stargazing: Memory & Faith
Jan. 6th, 2012 09:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
olbustedhotness((Sadly, I don't have a set date for this one, but ... it's not hard to figure out. Maybe someday I'll fill in the holes in Kay's backstory with more than just the RFL.))
"I can't do this. I ... I know I said I would. But..." He ran his hands over his face and looked down through the back window, at the little girl sleeping in his backseat. He'd wrapped her in his suitcoat so she wouldn't get cold, and she nuzzled her cheek against one of the sleeves.
"You have to. She's our only hope.... and I can't go back. I'll make the formal appeal tomorrow, and ..."
"... It won't necessarily go that way. It doesn't have to. I'll ..."
"Listen." She reached out from beneath her cloak and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've been nothing but a saint, for both of us. We're all eternally grateful to you... I know you're taking a risk, keeping her here. But Ben's been registered, just like you told him to. The plan -will- work. We'll hide her, until it's time."
"That's not what I mean, Laurana. I can't go through with tomorrow ... not if it has to go the way you say."
"I can't go home. And I can't stay here. It's too dangerous for you. Whatever Serleena does..."
"Whatever she does, Laurana ..." He put his hand over hers. "Let's just ... let's not talk about that."
She nodded, slowly, then pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I got you involved."
"Hey, princess." He smiled, shakily, reaching up to wipe the rain from her face. "Whatever happens ...."
"It'll be worth it, someday. Just be patient. And have faith. You'll see."
He nodded, glad for the rain. "Alright, then." He cast another glance at the girl in the backseat, just as serene as she'd been the day her mother had carried her through customs and begged him for his help. "Let's get her to Ben. I've got a lot to set in order before the appeal." Paperwork, he amended, mentally. Dry cleaning - get the girl's tears and sleep-drool off the suit sleeve. Clean and load the weapons. And, most likely, get ready to say goodbye.
"Love you, princess."
*****
He held her, dumbstruck, as the small golden spaceship burst out of the atmosphere, in pursuit of the rocket he'd told them housed the Light of Zartha. Most likely, the Light was watching Sesame Street over in Queens, while her mother died in his arms.
"Kay." A hand fell on his shoulder - steady, careful. "We've got to go. Containment's coming."
"I can't."
"You have to. I know she meant a lot to you. But you have to let her go. You did the right thing by her. You kept her people safe. You did your duty. Come on, get up."
He stood, slowly, letting Laurana's body slip to the rain-soaked earth, in the middle of the crop circle. Adjusting his coat, he absently brushed his fingers against his half of the photograph Ben had given him. It was still there, sewn into the lining of his pocket, and there it would remain. It was safe. She was safe.
"Do me a favor, Dee."
"What?"
He reached into his pocket, opened the neuralyzer, and set it. "Let me forget her."
With a sigh, Kay forced his gaze away from Laurana, and looked straight at his partner, as the dwindling rain hid his tears for the second time in as many days. In the seconds before the blinding red flash ripped the past week from his memory, he made one final oath:
Let me keep my faith.
"I can't do this. I ... I know I said I would. But..." He ran his hands over his face and looked down through the back window, at the little girl sleeping in his backseat. He'd wrapped her in his suitcoat so she wouldn't get cold, and she nuzzled her cheek against one of the sleeves.
"You have to. She's our only hope.... and I can't go back. I'll make the formal appeal tomorrow, and ..."
"... It won't necessarily go that way. It doesn't have to. I'll ..."
"Listen." She reached out from beneath her cloak and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've been nothing but a saint, for both of us. We're all eternally grateful to you... I know you're taking a risk, keeping her here. But Ben's been registered, just like you told him to. The plan -will- work. We'll hide her, until it's time."
"That's not what I mean, Laurana. I can't go through with tomorrow ... not if it has to go the way you say."
"I can't go home. And I can't stay here. It's too dangerous for you. Whatever Serleena does..."
"Whatever she does, Laurana ..." He put his hand over hers. "Let's just ... let's not talk about that."
She nodded, slowly, then pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I got you involved."
"Hey, princess." He smiled, shakily, reaching up to wipe the rain from her face. "Whatever happens ...."
"It'll be worth it, someday. Just be patient. And have faith. You'll see."
He nodded, glad for the rain. "Alright, then." He cast another glance at the girl in the backseat, just as serene as she'd been the day her mother had carried her through customs and begged him for his help. "Let's get her to Ben. I've got a lot to set in order before the appeal." Paperwork, he amended, mentally. Dry cleaning - get the girl's tears and sleep-drool off the suit sleeve. Clean and load the weapons. And, most likely, get ready to say goodbye.
"Love you, princess."
*****
He held her, dumbstruck, as the small golden spaceship burst out of the atmosphere, in pursuit of the rocket he'd told them housed the Light of Zartha. Most likely, the Light was watching Sesame Street over in Queens, while her mother died in his arms.
"Kay." A hand fell on his shoulder - steady, careful. "We've got to go. Containment's coming."
"I can't."
"You have to. I know she meant a lot to you. But you have to let her go. You did the right thing by her. You kept her people safe. You did your duty. Come on, get up."
He stood, slowly, letting Laurana's body slip to the rain-soaked earth, in the middle of the crop circle. Adjusting his coat, he absently brushed his fingers against his half of the photograph Ben had given him. It was still there, sewn into the lining of his pocket, and there it would remain. It was safe. She was safe.
"Do me a favor, Dee."
"What?"
He reached into his pocket, opened the neuralyzer, and set it. "Let me forget her."
With a sigh, Kay forced his gaze away from Laurana, and looked straight at his partner, as the dwindling rain hid his tears for the second time in as many days. In the seconds before the blinding red flash ripped the past week from his memory, he made one final oath:
Let me keep my faith.
