UPON VESTIA: CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

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Asher considered his words for a few seconds, glancing around the room as he thought, then looked to Kay again. "I've been thinking over everything that's happened today, and I feel like it would be wrong for me to leave Terra before the androids have been granted their freedom," he said. "I think it might be in the best interests of the children and the androids if I stay on Terra while Vestia goes on to the Imperium." He wished he could have phrased it better, but he just didn't know how. Ugh.

"I have kept track. Six months since I saw my brother." Sawna said with a shrug. "Yes, they come by quite often, it's just quiet right now."

Starr asked Vestia for help in finding Mourn and giving him the warning and message.

"I didn't think of your brother," Ethan admitted. "I guess it's different for you, being here while still having ties to that universe. At least you're both free from slavery now, or at least he was when we left."

Sawna nodded then smiled softly. "Yes, a little different for us, but still, it is noce being in this universe."

"Do you miss him?" Ethan asked. He had no idea what it was like to leave family in another universe, but he knew how sentimental people got about their families.

Mourn was watching news with subtitles on in his room.

---

Kay was working on his tablet, or more likely, he was playing a game on his tablet. He looked up and nodded solemly to James. He looked tired.

"Hey man," James said. He tried a smile. "You okay? Bad question, I know. But I'm supposed to ask that I think."

~~
The news was starting to show the first few reports of the update's unexpected results. Androids were behaving weirdly, and a few reporters had gotten footage of their new behavior. Of course the handful of mostly-unverified reports of androids attacking people were the main topic of the hour.

Kay grimaced and shook his head. [I'm trying not to watch the news constantly.] He admitted.

Starr looked tot he camera nearest Mourn's door. "Vestia, can you strobe the lights to let him know I am here?" She asked kindly.

~~~
"Sometimes more than others. I am enjoying this adventure and learning here, but it can get lonely being the only one of my kind." Sawna admitted then shrugged a little. "We are not certain it is possible to return, so I try not to think of that too often, though I do hope to return someday."

"You and me both," James said, shaking his head. "Part of me thinks I should be glued to the screen watching this, but at the same time I just don't want to deal with it. It's just crappy on so many levels."

~~
"Sure thing." Vestia blinked a message to Mourn, ---Starr's at the door---

~~
Ethan nodded. "Maybe not thinking about it is the best option." He thought the opposite of Sawna though, he relished the thought of being permanently exiled from that universe and never seeing it again. "Maybe your brother will find his way here somehow."

Sawna chuckled softly at that then shrugged "Anything is possible." She said agreeably. While she did miss her brother, she did enjoy being in this universe too.

Kay looked grim. [Asher is sensible, most of the time. And Nova is with him.] He was trying to reassure himself as much as James.

---

Mourn looked up at the flashing lights. "oh." He got up and opened the door. "Oh! Dragon lady!" He grinned. "Why you here?"

Ethan smiled oddly. "If we got here, I guess anyone can." He sighed, "I do miss how pragmatic people were in the other universe though. They're so silly and sentimental here." And it was rubbing off on him too, ugh.

~~
"Yeah, they'll be fine. It just pisses me off to see Asher putting on his nice, polite act for people who don't deserve it." James shook his head. "To be fair, he does that act for literally everyone, but still."

Starr smiled at Mourn when he answered the door. "Asher contacted me through Nova to warn you to not encourage violence and to not mention that he is free." She said softly.
~~~~
"Some are 'silly and sentimental' in our universe as well, though they are fewer since slavery was legal." Sawna said with a shrug.

"They were always practical where I grew up," Ethan said. "Maybe things were different where you were. Or maybe you're older than me." It was hard to tell ages around here, most people looked so young for their age.

Sawna chuckled then shrugged "I don't know for sure. My people try to act optimistic even when they aren't. I am only 25 though, so not that old."

"Almost as young as me then, I didn't realize that," Ethan said, surprised. "In that case, it's probably just because of where we grew up."

Mourn tilted his head. "violence?" He cackled. "I no stupid. If terran think robots defective they round up, melt down for scrap. Be bad. " he shook his head. "Most robot too meek anyway. See?" He grabbed his tablet and held it up so she could see the news feed. "just run away or hide. Silly robots, too used to being control. No so good at being free, take time learn." He sounded as if maybe he had a bit of experience in that. "later maybe get angry, now? confused." He paused. "Robot no want know he free?" He thought about then. "okay." He agreed. "But who he think I be talking to?" He was here, on this ship, far away from terra after all.

----

[Asher is, if nothing else, extremely pragmatic.] Kay frowned, trying not to think of just HOW practical Asher could be. Eugh. [Later, when you have legal freedoms, then maybe you can demand compensation without fear of being hurt or... worse. ] He shook his head, it was an unsettling thought. [I'm still not entirely convinced revenge solves anything. The relief it brings is temporary and it doesn't undo the hurt. It just makes good people do terrible things.] He thought of Matt. His brother's attitude toward vengence was cold and brutal, it was frightening.

James nodded. "He has to be polite, we all know it. He has to show the Terrans a forgiving attitude, or they'll start remembering all the crimes they've committed, and how many charges free androids would be able to press against them. If they have to choose between the androids being free, and themselves being free, a lot of them are going to choose themselves." Asher had explained that to him, it made sense. "It's still crappy to watch though. I've watched androids act polite my whole life, I'd rather watch them be rude for once."
He shook his head. "Your brother Web must do this stuff too. I've heard he's a bit obsessed with the big picture and long term goals too."

Starr shrugged a little "There was talk of trying to contact you for statements about the code modifications, though they didn't give your name."

~~~
Sawna smiled again then shrugged. "Life experiences can age you faster than your years, or keep you child-like for longer than you should be."

Ethan thought that over. "Maybe you're right. We're not child-like, but some of the people here definitely are." He looked curious, "Where is your homeworld, anyway? I'm guessing it isn't in the Terran Empire?"

Mourn's grin widened "I make statement?" Ooo he liked that, it gave him a chance to boast.

---

Kay nodded slowly, chewing his lip. He hoped Web was okay. He'd be angry with him for not contacting them if he wasn't so concerned. [I suppose it's part of being a leader.]

James sighed, reading Kay's expression. "They're both gonna be okay, man. They're both sensible, well I heard Web is sensible, anyway. And I know Asher is." Although it was weird to think of Asher as being a leader, the guy always seemed to prefer to let someone else make all the tough decisions for him. Although maybe that was partly because Asher was too good at making awful, tough decisions that most people wouldn't dare make, hmm.
"We could go find something to do, and not look at the news together," he suggested, because he didn't really want to keep imagining that colder, scarier side of his brother right now.

Kay frowned, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be social, but James was trying hard here. He managed a weak smile. [No jousting.]

James felt like he and Kay had something in common here. They were both worrying about the same guy, and they both worked as medics, so they were basically the same, right? Also he was trying to resist the urge to check whether Mourn's freedom code had been released to the world.
"No jousting? Man, that's no fun," he tried to joke. "You're not opposed to horses in general though, are you? I know Esk has a thing about them."

Kay shook his head [I don't have any particuarly strong feelings about Horses.] He had no real idea why Esk hated horses specifically so much, he really doubted Esk would ever explain. Still, he was curious. [Do you know why he hates them so much?] He had some theories but nothing solid.

"No, I have no idea what his problem with them is," James said. "One of these days I'm gonna ask, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Also I'm pretty sure he'll just make a snide remark and stalk off instead of telling me. You don't know either, then?"