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[weaponwithoutpurpose]

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[weaponwithoutpurpose]

[Jacob stares off to the opposite wall.]

It does, in a way.

I thought I was helping him. Helping both of them. It just got us separated.

[pharadyne]

It's good that you tried. It matters to John that you tried. Really tried. My own older brother's idea of helping me felt more like stabbing me with a fire poker, metaphorically speaking, and we've barely talked since.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

Why? [He is happy to move omaway from John and Joseph. Having a warden who already knows so much is - disorienting.]

You two not get along?

[pharadyne]

We were close as children. Drifted apart as we got older. He got married, had children of his own. His wife doesn't want me around them. Not entirely sure if it's because she thinks homosexuality is contagious or if she thinks my decadent immorality would be dangerous to them. Gerald made an appointment with a well-regarded psychotherapist for me without asking me first, I told him he could sod off. And that was that. We still exchange Christmas cards, though. And had dinner together at the Savoy a few years back. But we really don't see each other very much, which almost takes effort considering we both live in the West End.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

Sounds like an asshole. Family is family, I suppose. But that doesn't mean you have to see them.


Especially when they're shitty.

[pharadyne]

He's more idiot than arse. He genuinely thought he was helping. But that doesn't make me any more inclined to forgive him. Or trust him.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

Idiots who do shitty things are still assholes.

Has he asked for forgiveness?

[pharadyne]

No. Neither of us have mentioned it again.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

So why grant it if even he doesn't care enough to want it?

You have the right idea.

I won't ever forgive our parents. Or the assholes who fostered us after that.

[pharadyne]

I considered murdering them at one point. But it wouldn't really serve any purpose now.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

[He laughs.]

Murdering who?

[pharadyne]

Old Man Seed, mostly. He's the one who started it all. Sabotage his auto when John was a tiny infant and a lot of misery might have been prevented. But mucking about with time is risky and murdering him now solves nothing.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

[He laughs, imagining it.]

Would have saved me a lot of trouble trying. It would have been satisfying to see.

[But speaking of - ]

Do you have a way to watch movies?

[pharadyne]

I do. [He gestures loosely to the bulky 1955 32 inch RCA television against the wall.] It's not connected to anything. No wires, no electricity, but I can watch films from the library on it. I set the films on top, and they play. I'm not sure how it works, so I'm going with 'alien technology so advanced it's basically magic.' Like everything else on this ship.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

Handy.

Might ask you to borrow that. Never got to see the end of Gone with the Wind.

Old Man Seed dragged Jospeh and me out of school right after Atlanta burned.

[pharadyne]

Oh, I adore Clark Gable. He's absolutely dreamy. Rhett's a bit of a cad, but he's hot so I can't ever focus for long on how terrible he is.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

To each their own. Not my type, but I was a kid, so maybe I didn't know any better.

So that's a yes?

[pharadyne]

Absolutely, sweetheart. Any time you like.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

Good.

Anything else you want from me? I'm going to go - drink myself into a stupor, thanks.

[All the talk about his brothers makes him want to forget everything.]

[pharadyne]

Nothing else I want from you. But if there's anything you want from me, however trivial, do feel free to ask. Now or later on.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

[He stands up, stretching out his arms.]

Sure thing.

[He walks out the door, but pauses without turning around.]

For what it's worth, I believe you about John. I don't know how or why but - maybe it's just hope that he could have the life he deserved to have.

[And then he closes the door.]