That which remains

[star_of_sad]

[1]
Yes? H... hello there.

[Everyone who was out there knows what happened. Setsuko certainly does, after all she was the one who got beaten up and put in a hospital bed. She was the one who had to watch helplessly as Toby got killed.

And now, after patching up in the medbay - bandaged, but not bedridden, she tries to act like everything's fine. And failing.]

[2]
[A bit later, Setsuko looked around to make sure no one's around. She didn't do a very good job so it's easy to eavesdrop.]

Just... just this one time. Toby, Chief, I know I promised, but...


[Just this one time, Setsuko can't stop the tears from flowing.]

I'm sorry...

Asakim Dowen... you wanted me to hate you. I don't know why but.

Y... you succeeded...

Comments

[cloningblues]

It's all because he wants something from you. We don't even know what it is! Don't blame yourself; what were you supposed to do?

[star_of_sad]

Run away. Get away from everyone.

He can't hurt people dear to me if there are none.

[cloningblues]

He'll hurt you instead! Who knows what he'd do to you today if I didn't scare him off...!

[star_of_sad]

I...

I don't know.

Sorry, I should've said thank you. You saved me, didn't you?

[cloningblues]

Yes, but I almost didn't make it in time. Asakim has a helper, and she ran very effective interference.

...He didn't do anything... serious to you, did he?

[star_of_sad]

Nothing I won't heal from.

[At least physically.]

1/2

[cloningblues]

I'm really sorry. What happened to you... To Toby, and Denzel, and Kanade, and Yancy...

2/2

[cloningblues]

Damnit! I'm tired of trying to kill Asakim for all he's done, and never succeeding! He will pay...!

[star_of_sad]

I thought we could do it. But... we were too confident.

I think we... we underestimated him.

[cloningblues]

And Toby paid for it...

That won't happen again. I don't want him to kill anyone else...