All his world has narrowed down when he has their children in his arms. Quick words, hushed and said into their heads as he holds them tight. He doesn't have to break the news that their mother is dead, that he is the only one left to care for them beyond the staff he's been assigned. No, he's not sure what happened to his wife, but it had not been death.
Imperial Security descends on them within a minute of him reaching his children and he's not sure whether to address them with scorn for having let this fall through their net or relief. He knows it wasn't intentional, the guilt-ridden expressions he's greeted with tell him that. They were the same men he's worked with for decades, he knew the dedication to the Imperium they had and it would extend to him in his appointment as Imperial Counselor. But they had failed him, ultimately, and he should be grieving for that failure. Lakshmi would have to explain very clearly to him why he was not.
When he's finally calmed his children and given his report to ImpSec, he's informed that his wife has returned. No doubt from her own revenge that he could hardly fault her for, but she had left him with far too many confusions in his mind. He's reluctant to leave his children, but this was a conversation that was best had without them present.
With a heavy sigh, he moves to leave the room and is led to where Lakshmi is waiting. Bloodied and battle-hardened, as he had expected. The expression that meets hers is tired though no less piercing for what has happened tonight. This was a moment he would let her have, her one chance to initiate this conversation how she wanted before he forced it.
no subject
Imperial Security descends on them within a minute of him reaching his children and he's not sure whether to address them with scorn for having let this fall through their net or relief. He knows it wasn't intentional, the guilt-ridden expressions he's greeted with tell him that. They were the same men he's worked with for decades, he knew the dedication to the Imperium they had and it would extend to him in his appointment as Imperial Counselor. But they had failed him, ultimately, and he should be grieving for that failure. Lakshmi would have to explain very clearly to him why he was not.
When he's finally calmed his children and given his report to ImpSec, he's informed that his wife has returned. No doubt from her own revenge that he could hardly fault her for, but she had left him with far too many confusions in his mind. He's reluctant to leave his children, but this was a conversation that was best had without them present.
With a heavy sigh, he moves to leave the room and is led to where Lakshmi is waiting. Bloodied and battle-hardened, as he had expected. The expression that meets hers is tired though no less piercing for what has happened tonight. This was a moment he would let her have, her one chance to initiate this conversation how she wanted before he forced it.