Who was exactly was this kid? What relationship did he have with the fallen warriors that allowed him to participate in the ritual? What was his relationship with the Captain? What was with the Captains' expectation in that last sentence? 'I'll be waiting for you to join squad four'? Did he truly think so highly of this kid that he believed it to just be a matter of time before he could stand among them? These were just a few of the questions she had when regarding this kid.

 

Of course, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to question him out of the blue. Honestly speaking, it wasn't any of her business. Not to mention the circumstances of the kid having lost people that he cared greatly for. Even her current actions were inappropriate. As trained military personnel and an officer to boot, she should have more discipline than to allow her emotions to show.

 

Her inner thoughts continued. Soon they made it back to the SUV and switched to it before hitting the road and heading towards his house.

 

Keros had noticed her behavior. While his thoughts were expectedly chaotic, he was still able to maintain some level of awareness of his immediate surrounding. He knew from her expressions that she had many questions and not knowing the answer was irking her, but she couldn't be the one to start the conversation. Maybe he should. Maybe speaking with her would calm him enough to organize his thoughts before he made it home.

 

"Slow down... please." Keros said while turning to look out of the passenger window

 

This time Aiyanna was driving, and Keros was sitting in the passenger seat. Keros watched as the surroundings passed at a slower speed. She had slowed down considerably

 

"You've been glancing at me from your peripheral vision since we left the barracks... if you have questions, then ask them." he said before turning to look at her.

 

She didn't hesitate and immediately blurted out the first thing on her mind

 

"Why did you want to slow down?"

 

"I'm not looking forward to reaching home... I need to gather my thoughts at the very least. The more time I have to do that the better." he replied flatly

 

"What is the Captain to you?"

 

"My godfather... I call him uncle Rod." Keros replied, again flatly.

 

She paused, realizing that she had been rapid-firing questions at him. She had almost blurted out the next question but since it was a sensitive subject and had to rethink if she should ask it. Eventually, the desire to know outweighed her reservations and she asked with a gentle tone.

 

"What relationship did you have with the fallen warriors?"

 

Silence ensued for quite some time. It seemed as though Keros wouldn't answer her question. That would be understandable, however, he eventually replied.

 

"They were my parents. I am their son."

 

She was stunned for a moment. That made sense, why hadn't she put two and two together and figure that out on her own? Instead, she had to ask such a sensitive question. She knew Lieutenant Jack, and she knew Jessica. She only knew their first names and nothing else about their lives outside of the military. She was unaware that they had a son. She admired them greatly though. While she didn't know much about them, she knew they were strong and kind. They treated her with respect and gave her small pointers on how to grow stronger. When she heard of their deaths she was saddened, by both losing people she considered friends and by losing strong and brave warriors.

 

How must Keros feel? He was forced to come and see his parents like that, without any prior warning, and at such a young age. She felt guilty for being the one to bring him to the barracks, even though she hadn't known the reason before doing so... Now he was being sent home to be alone after such an experience. How thoughtless, and brutal.

 

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize... They were amazing people." She said solemnly

 

"It's okay. Yes, they were." Keros replied

 

she paused for a moment before speaking again

 

"Will you be okay at home, alone? You can stay at the barracks or I can take you to family."

 

"That's okay. I still need to explain things to my sister. Thank you for your concern."

 

She froze up. 'That's right!' she thought. He mentioned that he had a little sister when she was picking him up from class. She had completely forgotten about that fact. He was going to be the one to tell her about her parents? He was only 12 or 13, yet it was left to him to explain death to a girl younger than him? Surely not. Maybe she should step in and be the one to break the news.

 

"That is a big burden to put on to your shoulders. You shouldn't have to bear that burden... I'll tell your sister!" She said with a sympathetic voice

 

"No. Again thank you, but she should hear it from me. I can't accept her hearing about this from a stranger." Keros replied with a firm, resolute tone.

 

"Then I will come with you to give you both support. That should be fine right?" she asked

 

"Sure." he responded.

 

They drove the rest of the way mostly in silence, only occasionally speaking about less tragic topics. It took quite a long time to eventually reach their stop since the stronghold was big and they had reduced their speed earlier. It would be difficult to drive directly to Keros' house because the streets were filled with pedestrians, which would slow them down more than if they just walked. The only reason for someone to drive through these crowded streets was for comfort, or to show off.

 

They both exited the SUV and Aiyanna followed behind Keros. He led her through the street, however, he wasn't headed directly home. He went to the southwest and entered an electronic shop. Aiyanna was confused but didn't question it.

 

"Ole Frank." Keros called out as he made his way around the clutter.

 

The same man who had sold him his commlink appeared from the room behind the counter

 

"Oh, my friend Keros! Have you come for some accessories or upgrades?" Ole Frank said with enthusiasm

 

"Not today. I need another comm link." Keros replied

 

"What, why? The commlink I sold you before should still work perfectly! Do you dislike it?" Ole Frank could see the commlink on Keros' wrist and it didn't look damaged in any way.

 

"It's not for me. Someone else needs one. I don't have her ID with me, so I'll bring her by tomorrow to get her ID Chip. I just want to get the commlink tonight since I won't have much time tomorrow." Keros replied, trying to be as concise as possible

 

"I understand! Give me some details about her so I can present the best fit." Ole Frank said, returning to his enthusiastic tone

 

Keros gave Ole Frank the basic information he needed such as her size so that he could pick out a commlink that would fit her while also accounting for her growth. Ole Frank went to the back and came out with a commlink. He knew Keros would accept his suggestion. The comm-link cost 3,800 credits and Keros paid with some of the money that his parents had left.

 

Keros said waved back to Ole Frank as he left the store with Aiyanna in tow.

 

This time they headed toward his home, but when they were close they made another stop. Keros hadn't eaten since lunch that day, and it was already late. He decided to grab some food from a street vendor. He bought food for himself and Aiyanna, as well as Catherine and Booker. Aiyanna tried to refuse but Keros insisted as a thank you. He assumed Booker would still be with his sister since Keros' had been abruptly taken from class. They continued on their way and soon made it to Keros' home.

 

-

 

"Where is Keros? What is keeping him so long?!" Catherine asked with an annoyed and worried tone

 

"I don't know. Maybe his performances at the exams were noticed and he is being scouted by the military?" Booker mused. He was a bit worried himself, but wanted to ease Catherines' worries.

 

"Would that take so long though? It's been so long already!" she continued to complain

 

"Well, that depends. If they decided to put him through a physical examination then they likely took him to a military exam center. Who knows which one they would take him to, and some of them are pretty far. If that's the case, then it could take a long time. Either way, I'm sure he will be home soon!" Booker said with a smile

 

Catherine wasn't satisfied with his guess, but she accepted it since she didn't have a better guess. Keros had been gone for a long time and they hadn't been given any information when he was taken. They hadn't heard any news since, and Booker wasn't getting a response to his messages sent to Keros. Hopefully, everything was okay.

 

Surprisingly, they heard a sound from the electronic lock on the front door. The door was opened and Keros walked in followed by a woman dressed in a military uniform. He flashed a bright smile at both of them and held up a bag

 

"Who's hungry?" He asked

 

"Where have you been?! What happened?" Catherine immediately bombarded him with questions

 

"I'll explain everything but first, let's eat! I got both of your favorites." Keros said as he waved the bag before introducing Aiyanna

 

Catherine and Booker were both impatient and wanted to know right away, but if Keros promised to explain after they ate then they felt they could wait. Besides they were really hungry! They hadn't eaten yet due to their worry.

 

They all went to the kitchen and sat at the table. The table was rectangular, with six chairs around it. Two on each of the longer sides, and one on each of the ends. The ones on the ends were their parent's chairs, and they always sat there when they were in the kitchen. No one sat in their parent's chairs. Keros was in a sensitive state and noticing this fact gave him some solace.

 

'That's how it should be' he thought to himself. The chairs were insignificant normally. They were just places to rest while you ate or talked. However, now that his parents were gone it seemed like such an important fact that these chairs were where his parents always sat. He took it as a form of respect that no would ever sit in those chairs even though they would always be there.

 

They ate slowly. They were too busy in conversation. The atmosphere was bright and joyful, as it usually was when they were together. Aiyanna was surprised by Keros's smiles and laughter. It was hard to hide pain and sadness, but perhaps he felt he had to. Maybe he had lost his resolve to tell his sister when he saw her. She would wait, and if that was the case then she would take it upon herself to break the news.

 

After some time they all finished eating. The atmosphere slowly calmed. Catherine and Booker hadn't forgotten that he promised to explain things, so they mentioned it and silently waited. Keros didn't immediately begin, instead, he took some time to look around the table.

 

Aiyanna sat to his right. Catherine was sat directly across the table from him, with Booker on her left.

 

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again they were incredibly clear and firm. He stared directly into his sister's eyes and spoke.

 

"It was about mom and dad." He said with a gentle and soft voice

 

Catherine's demeanor slowly changed. Their parents always just showed up back at home, so why would Keros be taken by someone from the military over their parents.

 

"W-what happened?" Catherine asked in a concerned tone

 

Keros kept his gaze locked onto Catherine. He could see her worries and fears build. He had to continue, even though he didn't want to speak the next words.

 

"Catherine... They died." Keros said quietly

 

He watched as Catherine pupils dilated, and her eyes quickly glossed over.

 

"N-no. No, that's not true." Catherine said with a quivering voice. She didn't want to believe it, though she knew Keros wouldn't joke about something like this

 

"It is, Catherine. I saw them. I was even there when dad passed." Keros responded to her disbelief

 

she began to shake uncontrollably. Tears quickly flowed out and she began to sob. She didn't want it to be true. She wanted it to be a lie, but the woman from the military hadn't refuted Keros. That was enough for her to understand that he was telling the truth. She cried for a short time before speaking.

 

"You were taken to see them? Dad was still alive and you got to see him? Why wasn't I taken too?! Why didn't I get to see him before he died?!" Her voice was rising, her tone held indignation mixed with sorrow and sobs.

 

"I told them not to bring you." Keros said immediately.

 

Aiyanna was stunned, though she didn't let it show. That was a lie! She was instructed to bring Keros Vaolair, alone, to the squad four barracks. She had been reminded in the car about Keros specifically asking 'will my little sister be coming along?'. She didn't understand why he would lie to his sister about this.

 

"WHY?!" Catherine screamed

 

"They told me about mom and dad's condition, and I didn't think you could handle seeing them like that. After seeing it for myself, I'm sure you couldn't handle seeing them." Keros responded flatly, as that was the only way he could mask his sorrow.

 

Keros lied because he knew the truth. Uncle Rod had told him after the ritual that it was Jack that requested for Keros to be brought to him, and Keros only. He knew his father well enough to understand that he was also trying to shield Catherine from the sight, just like he had by requesting the cremation to happen sooner. He couldn't bear the thought that Catherine might blame their father and misunderstand his intentions. He couldn't accept the fact that she would feel hurt by their father's final actions. So he chose to take the blame instead.

 

"B-BUT THAT WASN'T FOR YOU TO DECIDE! I COULD HAVE TALKED TO HIM! I COULD HAVE SAID GOODBYE!" She yelled, her voice hoarse.

 

Her sobs turned into bawling. Her face was contorted and bright red, and she had snot coming out of her nose. She occasionally choked on her rapid breaths.

 

Beside her, Booker had a shocked and stunned expression. Tears had filled his eyes too and were flowing down his cheeks. His Uncle and aunty were gone? They weren't blood relatives, but he grew up seeing them often. He was deeply saddened by their deaths, and even more upset that his best friend had just lost his parents. It was unfair!

 

"You're right... Still, I think I made the right decision." Keros said lightly

 

"YOU DIDN'T!!! H-HOW COULD YOU?! I HATE YOU!" Catherine screamed out as she quickly got up, kicking her chair over with a loud bang before she rushed to her room and slammed the door. He crying could still be heard from her room.

 

Keros, Booker, and Aiyanna sat in silence. It was difficult to find something to say. No words could soothe such pain.

 

After a short time, Keros stood up and walked around the table. He picked up Catherine's chair and slid it back into position. He was gripping the chair tightly. He stood, regulating his breath for a moment before leaving the room. A light knock was heard before Keros spoke

 

"I know you're upset Catherine. I know it hurts that they are gone. I know that I did something terrible by keeping you from seeing them. I know that my actions aren't something that can be forgiven. I just want you to know that I did it with the best intentions for you and that I'll be here when you're ready to talk." His voice echoed throughout the house. While his voice seemed calm, anyone could hear the pain hidden within.

 

His footsteps were heard, as they slowly became quieter. The sound of a door opening and shutting was heard.

 

Booker didn't follow. He wanted to help console his friend but he didn't know what to say. He felt that words would be pointless right now, and the best thing he could do was be here when Keros needed to vent. So he would stay as long as it took. He would be here for Keros and Catherine. He brought his arm up and typed on it for a second, explaining briefly to his parents why he would be staying at Keros' tonight. They were good friends with Jack and Jessica too and he felt they should know. He would have to explain either way if he wanted to stay.

 

Aiyanna also sat in the kitchen with Booker for awhile. She thought about what just happened, and was relieved that she hadn't been the one to break the news. She felt guilty for feeling that way, but it was hard for her even watch as Catherine broke down. The longer she thought about the sight the more she wondered why he had said certain things. He could have omitted some things and made it easier on himself. The only thing she believed he lied about only made things worse. It began to irritate her. Didn't he know that he was only making things worse? Eventually, she couldn't handle it anymore and had to find Keros to sate her curiosity. That's not to say that she isn't disciplined enough to control herself, but after the car ride with him, she became more comfortable and felt she could speak freely with Keros.

 

She asked Booker where Keros had gone, and Booker told her that he believed that Keros went to the backyard.

 

She stood up and walked down the hall to the door. She opened the door and walked through and closed it behind her. Keros was standing on the right side of the backyard, with his back to her. His head was tilted upward as if he was gazing at the night sky. his back was straight, and his arms were at his sides. He was rolling something between his fingers in his right hand.

-Authors Note-

It's pretty difficult to read my own work, especially in the early chapters. I think that I've improved a lot and I also think that the later chapters show that. Hopefully, you all as the readers can stick with me through the rough start.