Post by kuriboh on Feb 6, 2010 17:14:18 GMT -5
Florian had locked himself in the bathroom with a Datapad and it was glorious. Of course, they were outside, pounding on the door and screaming at him to come out this instant, but he found them all fairly easy to ignore. The pad contained another letter to Dr. Ritzky, and this one was practically a plea for help. Florian could no more tolerate the smothering, and he was going to wait in this damn room until he got a reply.
~~
Not much got to Sigmund Ritzky these days. He was in his 60s and a retired soldier. He'd seen a lot. The news of Siobhan's capture had gotten to him. So much so, in fact, that it had taken several days to act on the request her charge had sent for assistance. And even then, the doctor was now realizing, he hadn't put much thought into that, either. The latest note from Florian was a frustrated plea of a boy at the end of his rope.
Actually, it was rather worrying.
"You called for me, herrn?"
The voice preceded light footfalls as a woman entered the doctor's office. Ritzky spun on his chair to look at her.
"Lilja. Your timing is, as ever, impeccable."
The woman's lips curled into an uneven smile that more resembled a smirk as she stepped further into the office, dark, waist-length hair trailing slightly behind her.
"It sounded urgent, so I hurried."
Sigmund nodded, and leaned back slightly in his chair. "You heard the news of the Monarch, yes?"
"0531's handler was on it, yes?"
The doctor nodded. "We've heard no news since, but the boy is becoming agitated with the stopgap measures. So much time without Siobhan, and the stress of constant battle is getting to him."
Lilja was silent awhile before responding. "You're assigning me to him then. That boy is bad luck, doctor. I'd be his third..."
Sigmund turned back to his computer screen. "You'll have to spend a few hours with him. He was very attached to Siobhan, though not as obviously as he was to Contessa. I think, perhaps, his attachment to Siobhan is stronger though. "
Lilja nodded, her gaze on the floor somewhere between her own feet and the bottom of Sigmund's chair. "I remember that. It took her several weeks to bring him around after Contessa." She looked up, "And I have the feeling I don't have that kind of time."
Sigmund's mouth turned up into a grim smile. "It's a good thing you're good at what you do."
There was a stretch of silence that passed between them.
"When do I leave, herrn?"
"When their fleet is back in safer territory. I'll keep you posted."
"Understood," was Lilja's departing word, as she spun on her heel and made her way out, almost as silently as she'd come in.
Sigmund remained still for a long time after she'd gone, contemplating the orders he'd just given. Eventually, he leaned forward to type subject 0531 a reply.
"Help is on the way, Florian. Sit tight."
~~
Not much got to Sigmund Ritzky these days. He was in his 60s and a retired soldier. He'd seen a lot. The news of Siobhan's capture had gotten to him. So much so, in fact, that it had taken several days to act on the request her charge had sent for assistance. And even then, the doctor was now realizing, he hadn't put much thought into that, either. The latest note from Florian was a frustrated plea of a boy at the end of his rope.
Actually, it was rather worrying.
"You called for me, herrn?"
The voice preceded light footfalls as a woman entered the doctor's office. Ritzky spun on his chair to look at her.
"Lilja. Your timing is, as ever, impeccable."
The woman's lips curled into an uneven smile that more resembled a smirk as she stepped further into the office, dark, waist-length hair trailing slightly behind her.
"It sounded urgent, so I hurried."
Sigmund nodded, and leaned back slightly in his chair. "You heard the news of the Monarch, yes?"
"0531's handler was on it, yes?"
The doctor nodded. "We've heard no news since, but the boy is becoming agitated with the stopgap measures. So much time without Siobhan, and the stress of constant battle is getting to him."
Lilja was silent awhile before responding. "You're assigning me to him then. That boy is bad luck, doctor. I'd be his third..."
Sigmund turned back to his computer screen. "You'll have to spend a few hours with him. He was very attached to Siobhan, though not as obviously as he was to Contessa. I think, perhaps, his attachment to Siobhan is stronger though. "
Lilja nodded, her gaze on the floor somewhere between her own feet and the bottom of Sigmund's chair. "I remember that. It took her several weeks to bring him around after Contessa." She looked up, "And I have the feeling I don't have that kind of time."
Sigmund's mouth turned up into a grim smile. "It's a good thing you're good at what you do."
There was a stretch of silence that passed between them.
"When do I leave, herrn?"
"When their fleet is back in safer territory. I'll keep you posted."
"Understood," was Lilja's departing word, as she spun on her heel and made her way out, almost as silently as she'd come in.
Sigmund remained still for a long time after she'd gone, contemplating the orders he'd just given. Eventually, he leaned forward to type subject 0531 a reply.
"Help is on the way, Florian. Sit tight."