Hero worship [2186]

       The newly-ascended Primarch of Palaven clasped hands with the Thessian ambassador, accepting her expressions of sympathy with a stony formality as he bid her farewell.  Much as he might have disdained such decorum, it gave him the relief of ritual, of familiar habits to lapse into.  He felt like an automaton, mechanically greeting the representatives of various council species, nodding politely as they extended their trite condolences for his planet.

     Here he was, listening to this volus’ tirade on sacrifice and heroism as Victus’ homeworld burned.  Their families, their people, their colonies were secured, so they felt (and no matter how contrite they might have truly been), these half-whispered sympathies felt bitterly disingenuous.

    But Adrien Victus was an exemplar of the turian race, now.  He could no more excuse himself than he could face down the Reapers with bared tooth and claw and liberate his planet.  He felt trapped, and bored, and like his time – more precious now than it had ever been in his entire lifespan – was wasted.

August  9   ( 9 )   +
HW