Reverberation - OYW 5
Florian had never felt anything quite like this. The destruction of a ship always registered in his mind, but in a sort of detached way. They were Federation Ships. They needed to die. Even the death of Green Wyatt did not phase the boy the way this did. This felt personal - as though a floor had been pulled out from under him.
Though the rational side of him thought this odd - He'd never been aboard the Hardboiled personally. Then again, he did consider Emil a friend and the only sense Florian had been able to feel off him lately was a deep and profound sadness.
Lilja was overbearing as usual, but Florian had run out of places to hide from her, and found himself running out of patience with her impositions.
Take now, for instance. Florian was in bed, dozing lightly under the effects of a mild painkiller for his head. Semi-concious, he found himself rather enjoying the ebbs and pulses of the crew's collective pressures - mild and unassuming, very much like water around one's ankles. There were two...blips on the mental radar. One was Emil, but Florian found him easy to ignore like this...Distant enough to put the other's misery out of his own mind. The second blip was...
Right behind him.
Florian rolled over, a small frown creasing his face at the interruption of his nap. Lilja didn't seem to care. She only floated there with her arms crossed looking as cold as ever.
"Up." She ordered. "It's time you ate."
Florian shook his head. He wasn't hungry.
Lilja frowned.
"Up, Florian."
The boy sighed, worming his way out of the restraints that kept him from floating away in space. Once free, he adjusted his uniform shirt, habitually reaching for the jacket he'd left by the bedside. Lilja already had it, and was holding it open for him. Florian gave her somewhat of an impudent stare and took it from her. She seemed shocked and reached to grab his wrist.
"Don't touch me," Florian practically hissed as he jerked away before her fingers could close properly.
Lilja seemed even more shocked and, perhaps a little bit frightened.
For a split second, her pressure didn't seem so overwhelming. And then her usual frown returned.
"Florian, you will listen to me." She growled as he attempted to brush by her.
He stopped, tensed up. Lilja could see that he was fighting with something internally. And then his shoulders relaxed and Florian turned back to look at his handler, his eyes bright and innocent, and no trace of anger about him anywhere.
Lilja exhaled heavily. This boy would be the death of her.
Though the rational side of him thought this odd - He'd never been aboard the Hardboiled personally. Then again, he did consider Emil a friend and the only sense Florian had been able to feel off him lately was a deep and profound sadness.
Lilja was overbearing as usual, but Florian had run out of places to hide from her, and found himself running out of patience with her impositions.
Take now, for instance. Florian was in bed, dozing lightly under the effects of a mild painkiller for his head. Semi-concious, he found himself rather enjoying the ebbs and pulses of the crew's collective pressures - mild and unassuming, very much like water around one's ankles. There were two...blips on the mental radar. One was Emil, but Florian found him easy to ignore like this...Distant enough to put the other's misery out of his own mind. The second blip was...
Right behind him.
Florian rolled over, a small frown creasing his face at the interruption of his nap. Lilja didn't seem to care. She only floated there with her arms crossed looking as cold as ever.
"Up." She ordered. "It's time you ate."
Florian shook his head. He wasn't hungry.
Lilja frowned.
"Up, Florian."
The boy sighed, worming his way out of the restraints that kept him from floating away in space. Once free, he adjusted his uniform shirt, habitually reaching for the jacket he'd left by the bedside. Lilja already had it, and was holding it open for him. Florian gave her somewhat of an impudent stare and took it from her. She seemed shocked and reached to grab his wrist.
"Don't touch me," Florian practically hissed as he jerked away before her fingers could close properly.
Lilja seemed even more shocked and, perhaps a little bit frightened.
For a split second, her pressure didn't seem so overwhelming. And then her usual frown returned.
"Florian, you will listen to me." She growled as he attempted to brush by her.
He stopped, tensed up. Lilja could see that he was fighting with something internally. And then his shoulders relaxed and Florian turned back to look at his handler, his eyes bright and innocent, and no trace of anger about him anywhere.
Lilja exhaled heavily. This boy would be the death of her.