Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in The Quill & Parchment- Second Chances

Posted by Civilian Rafael Torres (Resident) in The Quill & Parchment- Second Chances

Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in The Quill & Parchment- Second Chances
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Confusion touched his face at the comment about the five slips, but Raf blew out a breath and stepped back, opening the door a little more. It was as much as an invitation as he was up for giving as he retreated into the small room. The room matched the hotel. Everything was very basic- no extras- and while it wasn’t in maybe perfect condition, the place was at least clean.

Raf turned and faced Karilan, arms folded across his chest. “I owe you five slips do I? That’s not much more than I have left.” And he’d like to eat these next few days.

~Rafael Torres

“It was the price to get yiur room number.” Karilan said with an appraising look around the room. He looked at Torres and said “I do owe you an apology. I am not a therapist. I do not know anything about dealing with the kinds of issues and history you have. I needed to be more… patient… I suppose. But it is very frustrating. I do know that you are being a fool right now.” and he smiled slightly at Torres. “I suppose that was end of my apology.”

Raf snorted, though he didn’t say anything just yet.

Karilan looked around and finally sat down on the one stool in the room. “You need this opportunity. Throwing it away would be foolish… for both of us. So, as yiur departure was one of my making and not yours, I’d like you to give me a second chance. I am not very good at mentoring or subtly directing. But I can teach you about machines, electronics, ship systems and almost anything else. In fact, I am fairly confident that I can teach you to be an actual Engineer, if that is what you want. If not, I help you become the best engine tech on this colony. After that, you can be whatever you want. In exchange, I ask that you do everything I have stipulated previously. With one change. You will work a regular shift. And in your off hours you will work directly with me on a project I think you will be very interested in.”

Karilan

Silence followed Karilan’s words, but not because Raf wasn’t interested. When he finally spoke, he was almost sad. Most definitely resigned. “Whatever I want to be. You say that and I have no doubt you mean it. For you, it’s an option. For me? It’s a trap. Now, can that change? Yeah. It’s why I came here. Don’t think I didn’t come all the way the hell out here because it was the whim of the week. I didn’t have a lot of options, and all I knew was one of the few people I haven’t burnt bridges with had made something of himself. I’m trying to as well, and it’s like you said, I can’t afford to throw away this opportunity. Because without it? I’m dead. Not tomorrow, perhaps not even a few weeks from now. But sooner rather than later, that’s the score. So, does your offer sound too good to be true? Hell yeah. But the difference between a year ago and today? Today I don’t want to die, and I want your offer to be real.” He shrugged. “So I’m in, for my own reasons. I just need you to let those reasons be my own, and be enough. It’s what I’ve got right now. And for an addict? It’s a day by day, minute by minute deal.”

~Rafael Torres

Karilan nodded and stood up. “You are still more than an addict and a criminal. To me. Someday, maybe you will be more than that to you, too. But for now… day by day it is. Now, then…” and he looked around, “… pack what you need or want. Meet me outside in ten minutes.” and with that he walked out the door.

Karilan

There wasn’t much to pack, since he hadn’t unpacked really, but Raf grabbed the few items that were even out and shoved them in the worn duffle bag. Pulling one small item from the bedside table, he pressed it to his lips and then zipped into a side pocket. From the other side pocket, he fished out something else and held it in his hand.

Stepping out of the hotel after checking out, Raf found Karilan and held out his palm, upon which 5 strips of latinum lay. “Two things that are true about me: I work hard and I always pay my debts.”

~Rafael Torres