3rd Ashan, 718
"She's just in the office," Skeet said to him as she walked with Padraig. Skeet was one of the Isonomia faction members and so they knew each other. She looked about fourteen but was much the same age as Faith, although she was very different. Constantly shifting eyes matched her perpetual fidgeting; Skeet was filled with nervous energy, always and she was never still. "Make her eat, would you?" Like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a wrapped parcel containing, should he look, a small pork pie with bread, some fruits, cheese, celery and a slice of cake. Skeet grinned, "I haven't been trying long, and she's probably going to be irritated at me for telling you I've been trying at all. But you know, she needs to eat. And you know that. You're her husband. Ok. I'm glad we're in agreement, the door's there, have fun!" She didn't immediately go, though. "It makes a difference to people that she's here. When she's not in there organising, she's in the hospital or in the zone," the name they'd given to the area of destruction. "And it really makes a difference. She's tireless, you know and people really look to her." Skeet almost shuffled her feet. "It's good she's here, is all. Anyway, bye." And then, leaving him with a small food box in his hand she ran off to the next job.
It was rare that Faith didn't notice when he was close by. Their shared links, after all, were enough to make them both fully aware of each other. But right at the moment, Faith was focused in a way which was rare. But then, she had to be because she was co ordinating the relief effort on Scalvoris Docks and the job was huge. They were working on an estimate of four hundred residents and at least that many visitors and party goers again. To make things more complex, of course, there had been a party going on and so there were people from all over the place and Faith had only a rough estimate of how many they were looking for. At the moment that she called out "Come in!" Faith was completely immersed in two lists, making notes on one as she read the other.
However, as he stepped in she looked up and for all that she had looked intensely focused, he felt the rush of emotion she experienced at seeing him. "Padraig!" Faith moved from around the table as quickly as she could and half ran into his arms. She had a hundred question racing in her head, but she knew all the answers and didn't need to ask the questions, so instead of talking she kissed her husband and felt herself relax in his arms. "I miss you," she whispered. "And the children, I miss them so much. Just a few more trials, I think." He wanted her to come home, she knew, but he also knew that she couldn't. Her Zuuda mark gave her increased endurance, and her ability to work relentlessly was already immense so to most, she looked fine. He knew her better though, she was tired and she didn't try and hide it from him. There was no point even if she wanted to, but she didn't want to. "I just need to make sure I've done my best until we've stopped pulling out people who died of dehydration, because each one of those we could have saved if I'd ..." Done it better some how, made more of a difference or better choices. Maybe. Until she was sure, at least.
"Are you here to help? Or did the Chancellor send you? I wrote to him yesterday and asked him to close the university for three trials, asking all staff and students to volunteer. Even if it's just to sit with the dead, we need people." Holding herself close to him, Faith rested her head against him for a moment. "So, I'm about to go and do a few breaks in the zone. Want to help a girl dig?" Frowning, she looked down at the package in his hands. "What's that?"
It was rare that Faith didn't notice when he was close by. Their shared links, after all, were enough to make them both fully aware of each other. But right at the moment, Faith was focused in a way which was rare. But then, she had to be because she was co ordinating the relief effort on Scalvoris Docks and the job was huge. They were working on an estimate of four hundred residents and at least that many visitors and party goers again. To make things more complex, of course, there had been a party going on and so there were people from all over the place and Faith had only a rough estimate of how many they were looking for. At the moment that she called out "Come in!" Faith was completely immersed in two lists, making notes on one as she read the other.
However, as he stepped in she looked up and for all that she had looked intensely focused, he felt the rush of emotion she experienced at seeing him. "Padraig!" Faith moved from around the table as quickly as she could and half ran into his arms. She had a hundred question racing in her head, but she knew all the answers and didn't need to ask the questions, so instead of talking she kissed her husband and felt herself relax in his arms. "I miss you," she whispered. "And the children, I miss them so much. Just a few more trials, I think." He wanted her to come home, she knew, but he also knew that she couldn't. Her Zuuda mark gave her increased endurance, and her ability to work relentlessly was already immense so to most, she looked fine. He knew her better though, she was tired and she didn't try and hide it from him. There was no point even if she wanted to, but she didn't want to. "I just need to make sure I've done my best until we've stopped pulling out people who died of dehydration, because each one of those we could have saved if I'd ..." Done it better some how, made more of a difference or better choices. Maybe. Until she was sure, at least.
"Are you here to help? Or did the Chancellor send you? I wrote to him yesterday and asked him to close the university for three trials, asking all staff and students to volunteer. Even if it's just to sit with the dead, we need people." Holding herself close to him, Faith rested her head against him for a moment. "So, I'm about to go and do a few breaks in the zone. Want to help a girl dig?" Frowning, she looked down at the package in his hands. "What's that?"