Chaper 33. Remember

He was already strong enough to walk into the headmistress's office. But she opted to be the one visiting him, and that spoke volumes to Arriz.

"Don't get up," she smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

Arriz looked at his bandaged hands. They were his greatest problem at the moment, because otherwise he was back to normal. The overcooling in that tunnel didn't bring any serious consequence, the cuts and frost bites would heal soon enough, and Dr. Deshanti told him they wouldn't scar.

But while his body was nearly healthy, his soul was far from recovering completely. That's where a scar would be left, and a big one! Arriz knew that Iutah chose his own fate, it was impossible to stop him, he had crossed the line deliberately. However, it was tough to go back to that day.

It always would be. But this pain had another side to it: it allowed him to define his principles better. He didn't doubt his actions, and that brought peace.

"I'm fine," he answered. He wasn't going to announce his true feelings to Lady Laura. "I'll be leaving Ceres right on schedule."

Nobody got hurt during the robot attack. Some hybrids got mild wounds, but nothing life-threatening. They didn't have to stay at the infirmary, Arriz was the only one residing there so far, he'd been bedridden for a while. But he wasn't lonely: the line of the hybrids who wanted to see him was impressive.

He was grateful for that. He knew they were visiting him because they wanted to, not because the teachers made them.

The base was seriously damaged, but there was no need for total evacuation after all. The repair was underway at the moment, it should be finished completely by the time the students returned for their second year here.

They discovered that it was Iutah's fault after all. But his connection to the terrorists remained secret; Karajo, the only one who knew the truth, kept her mouth shut. Iutah's behavior was attributed to the stress he felt after losing his power.

"You don't look like you want to leave," Lady Laura noted.

"I don't. I haven't expected the project to go this way… But I feel better here than at the Academy."

He saw no reasons for hiding it. In his years spent among curators he hadn't made a single friend. He had never even thought about it! But things were different here. Even the hybrids whom he didn't know too well earned his respect. And after the rat accident and the robot attack they'd accepted him completely.

He was one of them.

"I share your opinion, Arriz. When they first told me about this project, I was skeptical. Despite being a human, I'm suspicious about every new human coming to Ceres. Especially a young curator like you, one of the top students at the Academy. I know exactly what they teach you there! They make you believe that hybrids are weapons that you must control. Am I right?"

"Pretty much so," he had to admit.

"Well, at least you're honest about it. At the beginning you acted exactly as I expected you to: you were staying away from everyone else and viewed us with scorn. But even then you demonstrated the hints of that noble spirit that I saw in you later. For instance, that case when you didn't come complaining to me after Iutah and the twins beat you up. I admire such features. You changed my mind, young man, and few have ever done that. You found your place on Ceres and made this generation better."

"Lady Laura, I… I'd like to return to Ceres next year."

Officially, that was impossible. This project was for a year only, and even that demanded an unbelievable amount of permissions from the Second Breed. Even if they prolonged it for a year, it would be for another cadet, since one person couldn't participate in it twice.

But there had to be a way! Everyone here kept telling him that he saved that base. Couldn't that be rewarded in any way?

"I'm happy to hear that," Lady Laura nodded. "I must say I want it too. I've worked with many generations, so it's easy for me to see the influence you have on these kids. They need you, because you constantly remind them what it's like to be human, you make them appreciate human life and treat the ones who are physically weaker as equals. And I want to thank you for Karajo. You became the first person she started talking to on the regular basis."

"I can't say we're friends…"

"You don't have to be friends," she assured him. "But you've earned her respect. It means a lot. Daniella Karajo is a unique hybrid, she is priceless for the Second Breed, so I think your connection to her might become a worthy argument for your return. I'm not talking about the same project that brought you here. I want to create a special position for you in this school. You've already done enough for that, but you can do some more."

"Like what? I'll do anything!.."

He knew he was being too obvious in his desire to come here again, and he wasn't embarrassed by it.

"That enthusiasm is admirable. You'll have a couple of months between your return to Earth and your possible second flight to Ceres. During that time the students will be receiving more of the hybrid matter to reach level four. Use those months wisely, Arriz."

"What do you mean?"

"Go back to the Academy," she explained. "Study hard, pass all your exams in advance, prove that your stay on Ceres doesn't get in the way of your professional development. Then it'll be easier for me to convince the management to let you come back here. And… don't tell your friends on Earth about what you saw here. Your ability to keep secrets will be a trial too."

"You don't have to worry about that," Arriz smirked. "Those secrets are my secrets too from now on."

"Then it's settled. I'm grateful people like you exist in this world. I'll leave you alone now, there's a line of young gentlemen waiting to see you in the hallway."

He knew that, he had long since sensed them. Norman and Alex came a couple of hours ago. They weren't wounded in the attack, and Norman even claimed he got stronger after that.

The twins were nearby too. Light and Dark never showed their sympathy openly, they were too proud for that. But they kept asking the doctor about how Arriz felt and whether he needed any help. The telepath appreciated that.

Karajo visited him only once. Their talk was short and to the point: they agreed on the version they were going to announce to everyone else. However, Arriz felt like there was a new understanding between them now. It wasn't friendship yet, but her hatred was gone.

He hadn't figured the origin of her unique powers or why she was called an experiment. He hadn't found the second telepath among the hybrids. But he could do all of that next year: not for the Organization, but for himself, to understand the world that was now his.

Lady Laura headed to the door, but she stopped on her way there.

"Arriz… I'm not a mind reader and I don't know what caused you to change your attitude to hybrids. But I'm begging you: keep that in your heart, and remember it on the days when your sympathy to them will be challenged."

He nodded, showing her he understood. She didn't need to worry though. Arriz had already been informed that the ship that would deliver him home would also carry Olivia's ashes back to Earth. That was his best reminder of who he was supposed to remain.