E’Duwag Honrinar Ssykes

Ten more Ssykes security personnel entered the small apartment. The air was checked, the seams in the walls were scanned, and every piece of furniture was thoroughly inspected. A suspicious teddy bear was dissected, despite the protests of its screaming owner. When everything was deemed safe, the men nodded to each other knowingly, and E'Duwag Honrinar Ssykes entered the room.

The air around him was frightening. Gerald could feel his body tensing up just looking at him. E'Duwag kept his ta'atu short and slicked back. The tentacle things tapped rhythmically against his head like impatient fingers. A faded scar ran across his face. Although his skin was a darker green than Cha'Rolette's, they bore more than a passing resemblance, especially in the eyes. As soon as he stepped into the room, his suit changed its color and style so that he would stand out better against his surroundings.

He surveyed the room, a look of perpetual displeasure on his face. Some of the kids whimpered softly to themselves. Gerald and M'Quagta pulled the children close to comfort them.

When E'Duwag turned his icy gaze to Cha'Rolette, she stood at attention, her eyes fixed forward, her hands at her side, her body perfectly straight.

"Cha'Rolette Honrinar Jillintor Ssykes," his deep throaty voice resounded in their minds. "What are you doing here?"

Cha'Rolette's eyebrow twitched. Perspiration formed on her brow. Gerald could see that she was terrified.

"Oh... I... um..."

"Stop mumbling!" E'Duwag commanded; his daughter nearly jumped. "A Ssykes always answers succinctly. Or have you forgotten?"

"No, sir." She responded obediently, her voice trembling. "I am here as part of a public relations campaign. A new project of mine. We've had some bad coverage in the media as of late, and I'm counteracting it."

E'Duwag looked around and snorted. "I don't see any reporters, I don't see any cameras..."

Nust held up his little wooden recorder and made a 'click sound.

"...What good does it do to be here if no one knows about it?"

Cha'Rolette couldn't think of a response. She kept her face a passionless mask, but Gerald could tell that inside, she was panicking.

"Let me see your records."

E'Duwag reached out to his daughter and she flinched, as if she was expecting to be struck.

"I said, stand straight!" he roared. He grabbed the bracelet on her wrist, activating her data window. Her test scores scrolled in the air above her for him to inspect.

"As you can see, my record is flawless. In thirty-seven tests I haven't missed a single question. I am one of only three students to have never received a single demerit."

Disdain never left his face. "That was yesterday, what have you done for me today?

While you are here slumming around with the scum, your rivals are nipping at your heels. How many times have I told you? Once you get ahead, you have to work twice as hard to stay ahead!"

Cha'Rolette stood there, fighting back tears that threatened to form at the corners of her eyes. "Y... you're right of course. As the number one student, I set the pace, and by being idle, I am allowing the others to catch up to me."

E'Duwag's eyes narrowed. "It does no good to me if you only realize that after the fact. Now grab your things, we're going."

"Yes, sir."

He turned to his men. "We're pulling her out of that ridiculous school. There's nothing they can teach her there she can't learn from private tutors anyway. Hire a new batch of tutors, twice as many as before."

"Yes, Mr. Ssykes," they responded in unison.

He turned his icy gaze back to his daughter. "We're going to run you ragged. You'll earn your place at my table, or you'll lose it."

Ch'Rolette tried to hide her hurt. "Y... yes sir."

Gerald was conflicted. On the one hand, he felt like he could never forgive the people who'd made that horrible game. So many lives destroyed. So much pain inflicted. His own mother... Yet, at the same time, he felt compassion for his classmate. It should have been so simple. When you see suffering, you attempt to alleviate it. That is the whole point of the fifth scroll. Yet his bitterness made him want to stand idly by and do nothing.

This was completely against the spirit of his religion. Helping only those you approve of is deeply blasphemous; yet he could not see beyond his own feelings. Reaching up and grabbing his beads, he offered a silent prayer, asking the enlightened ones to help him.

"Sir, if I may offer an explanation?" Gerald said as he stood up.

Mr. Ssykes kept his stony eyes fixed on his daughter as she gathered up her belongings. "You may not."

"Then I will anyway. Modern holo-net viewers are saavy; they know a staged photo-op when they see one. But, the gossip mill, the one people believe? Same as always."

E'Duwag raised a green eyebrow. "You have not made yourself clear to me."

"Well sir, these children know who she is. They know whose daughter she is. They have played with her; she fed them. Do you think they are going to keep that a secret? No, they are going to tell everyone that the Duchess was here, caring for these little ones. And those people will tell others. In the end, her campaign will be far more effective this way. People always take rumors seriously. Much more so than fact...."

His ta'atu rippled slightly. "A whisper campaign, eh?"

Mr. Ssykes reached up and scratched his chin; he looked at his daughter sharply. "Maybe you aren't completely worthless after all."

Cha'Rolette was a little surprised, then remembered to bow to her father, accepting the closest thing he ever gave to a compliment.

"We'll hold off on the tutors... for now," he said threateningly.

From the corner of her eye, Cha'Rolette glared at Gerald.

"I didn't ask for your help, Dyson," she said to him only. "I don't need anyone's help."

Gerald and the orphans watched in silence as the security personnel filed out of the room. The teddy bear was stitched back together and returned, and each piece of furniture was returned to its proper place.

As she was led away, Cha' Rolette glanced at him. In that instant, she looked so different than she normally did. She looked tired, she looked sad, she looked afraid.

"...but thank you," she added, and then she was gone.

* * *

The next day, Cha'Rolette showed up to class with fresh bruises. She wouldn't say who did it. She didn't have to. Everyone knew. The teachers were too afraid to report it, and campus security knew enough to look the other way.