Board Thread:Times Past/@comment-24930445-20140519042649

He had been watching the calendar very closely, knowing that within a few days, he would have to release Kat from her “punishment”. They had agreed to a year for her attempt at lifting his wallet that day and he didn’t know how the hell he was going to keep her from heading back to the streets.



T he kid, though still as nervous as her name implied, had smiled more over the past c ouple of months. She had even taken to teasing Joke right along with everyone else. Jack had watched her working with Caen on his LAM (Land/Air Mech), he had seen Joke teaching her small magic tricks and he had noticed she had taken to copying Dalia’s more feminine mannerisms when she thought Dalia wasn’t looking. She had become comfortable with them all.

Still, he sensed that when he told her she had served her time, Kat would be packed and out the door and that was not something that sat well with him. He spent the past few days trying to come up with some plan to keep her around, but he knew that forcing her to stay would not sit well. For some reason, it never occurred to him to simply ask her to stay. Too much the schemer, his ma would say.

Days later. The time had come. He had found her in her room, slowly going over the words in the children’s book Merx had given her when he had begun to teach her how to read. Jack watched her from the doorway, her concentration so complete he thought she hadn’t even noticed he was there. Her little face was screwed up as she quietly mouthed each word, her finger slowly tracing each line of text. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her so he turned but, as he took a step to go back to his office, her soft voice stopped him. “Sir? Is there sumthin y’need?”

His back still to her, he closed his eyes and sighed heavily. “Yes Kat. Would you come to my office please, lass?”  Without turning to look at her, he moved away, sure in the knowledge that she would follow.

He tried to use the short trip to his office as a last ditch effort to come up with a way to keep her with the Raiders. He knew he would not be the only one who would miss her greatly. The others had already voiced their concerns and grievances over the event both individually and as a group.

Once in his office, he stepped over to the window. He usually wasn’t a coward, but he found he could not face her. “Katrylle. You year has come to an end. You have served the punishment we had agreed upon and now you are free to go.”

The silence was deafening. He knew she was still there, though she made no sound. He could see the outline of her reflection superimposed over the green field on the other side of his window, but she didn’t move. Folding his arms over his chest, he tried to wait her out, but his nerves were just too shot. “Did ya hear me, Katrylle?”

Suddenly, he was hit in the back, tight arms wrapped around him as she began sobbing and pleading with him. “Please sir. I dinnae wanna go. I.. I’ll work harder. I’ll do wha’ y’ need done, but dinnae make me go. I.. I love it here, sir!”

Somehow, he managed to turn in her arms, loosening them enough for him to crouch before her. “Shh child. You don’t have to leave if you don’t want it.”  Softly, he began to smooth her hair and soothe her nerves. “You always have a home here with us, lass. I swear it. First thing you need to learn, however.”  Taking her by the shoulders, he moved her a step back so he could look in her tear stained face. “Its very important, Katrylle.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">She sniffled and desperately swiped at her tears and, by the action, he could tell she was furious at herself for her outbreak. She had never cried in front of others. She never cried period. Yet, here she had been, sobbing like a baby.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Kat. Are you listening to me?”  Her gold flecked green, and now red, eyes slowly made their way up his face even as she nodded slightly. “If you are to stay with us, Kat, there are certain rules you must abide by. Do I make myself clear?”  Again, she nodded. “Good. The first rule;, you will continue your schooling with Merx, but not just reading. Math, history.. all the studies he sees fit, agreed?”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">She sniffled again and nodded. “I didn’t hear you, Kat.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">He saw exactly what he wanted. That flare up of anger. Good, he was getting somewhere. “Well?”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Her eyebrow arched, “Yes sir.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Good. Second, you will continue with your duties; helping whomever and wherever you can. Understood?”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Her jaw set a little firmer and he tried to remain firm. “Yes sir.”

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);white-space:pre-wrap;">“Lastly… at least for the moment…  you are to <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;white-space:pre-wrap;">never <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);white-space:pre-wrap;">refer to me as ‘sir’ again, Do I make myself absolutely clear on that? My name is Jack and that is what you will call me.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Confusion flitted in her eyes, her brow furrowed as she tried to process the information. “Yes si… uhmmm…” she blushed. She actually blushed and her eyes dropped to the top button of his shirt. “Yes, Jack.”  He was almost shocked at her reaction. Of all the things he had seen from this child before him, embarrassment had never been one of them. He wasn’t quite sure he liked it.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">He was standing again suddenly. “Alright, Kat. Go find Merx and let him know you need to have your schooling increased. We will not have a member of the Raiders who is illiterate.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">She jumped and spun on her heels, racing to the door. “Thank you sir.. uh. Jack. Thank you!!”  And then she was gone. He dropped down into his chair and slowly turned to face the window.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“So she’s staying.”  He could see Dalia leaning against the door jam in the reflection of the glass.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Aye. She’s staying.”  He laid his head back on the chair and sighed. He hadn’t realized the stress from the past few hours had taken a toll on him.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Her voice was soft. “You did good, Jack. This is her home. It has been since the first day.”

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Aye. I know. I just didn’t know how to make her see it. You know, she copies you when she thinks you aren’t looking.”  His soft chuckle filtered through the room as he tried to force himself to relax.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">“Oh, I know. Who do you think I wiggle my hips for these days? You guys? There aren’t enough diamonds in all the galaxies for that to happen.”  He spun his chair, the shocked look on his face causing her to laugh outright. “I’ll see she gets the proper teaching in womanly ways, Jack.”  And with that, she turned on her heels and was gone.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:15px;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.15;">Slowly, he put his head in his hands and groaned. “Oh gods, what have I done?” <ac_metadata title="A Place to Call Home"> </ac_metadata>