Twenty First Race

[gingerspeedster]

[ Warden Filter ]

I'm curious. How many of you have kids back home? Or had someone to take care of, anything like that. I'm in a bit of a unique situation because when I first came here I wasn't even in a relationship, and now I'm married with kids, but I think it's done a lot towards helping my inmate. I'm not saying we should treat our inmates like they're our kids, but it's something to think about.

[ Private to David ]

Still grounded, kiddo?

[ Private to Drake ]

I was looking back over our old conversations, and I'd completely forgotten about that assignment I gave you. Made many friends yet?

Comments

[Private]

[brokenweapon.livejournal.com]

[Bourne shakes his head again. David's not getting him. Probably his own fault for being so vague.]

I want you to make an honest-to-God effort to graduate, David. And in return I'll make an honest-to-God effort to not be a shitty warden.

[He gives the kid a cockeyed smile. And it's bitter. It hurts.]

You want to know how long I've been here? Twenty months. And it's not because I'm good at this.

[Private]

[sixthanimorph.livejournal.com]

[David forces himself to look back at the camera. He tells himself he doesn't care what Bourne thinks of him. What anyone thinks of him.]

[So why is it so hard?]

Okay. That's what I'll do then.

[Not because he believes in graduation, or the system, or Bourne. But just because he doesn't care enough to fight it anymore. Here, the Admiral and Bourne. There, Crayak and the Drode. He's at the mercy of omnipotent beings and their minions whichever way he goes.]

Slade was your inmate before me. He told me.

[He doesn't know why he's telling Bourne this. Except maybe he didn't know he knew. Except that Slade's stopped being just an obstacle and become living proof of why he doesn't trust the Barge, or Bourne. Except that Bourne told him something, even if it was something he knew, so he feels like he ought to at least tell him something in return.]

[Private]

[brokenweapon.livejournal.com]

[Bourne nods.]

Okay.

[He can sense the apathy through the video link. And it sucks - possibly worse than the kid fighting him.

He never wanted to break David like this.]

Yeah?

[He doesn't ask for any additional information, doesn't press to find out what Slade said about him. If David wants to volunteer it, he will.]

[Private]

[sixthanimorph.livejournal.com]

[David looks away again. He can't help it. He hates it. He knows it's one more show of weakness.]

[He still looks away.]

Yeah.

[He doesn't want to volunteer more information. He doesn't want to talk to Bourne. At all. What he wants right now, more than his power, more than anything - is just to be left alone.]

[Private]

[brokenweapon.livejournal.com]

Okay.

[Bourne's not oblivious and getting David to talk from this point on is going to be like making cats march in parade. So he waits a moment and then cuts the video feed.

He feels like that conversation was a landmark of sorts...even if he's not entirely sure what it means for them yet.]

[Private]

[sixthanimorph.livejournal.com]

[David waits a few minutes to be sure the feed's really dead. That Bourne's not still looking at him or listening to him.]

[When he's sure, he drops his journal on the floor, crumples into the bed that's not his, and cries.]