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praemunitusZane set the half empty bottle down on his desk when the call connected, the momentary crackle of static fading. The long range transmission line was busy these days, and even having the best tech money could buy couldn't clear the Six Galaxies of high volume chatter. Only so many subspace relay satellites to go around.
"What do you want?"
Zane grinned at the greeting — if one could call it that — and disregarded the lack of preamble or social niceties as expected. "C'mon now, is that any way to say hello to your favourite brother?"
He couldn't see the icy glare from half a galaxy away, but he felt it nonetheless.
"Is this a social call Zane, or is this related to a job?"
"I'm just calling for a chat, that's all. Been a while since we caught up, y'know! Starting to think you'd forgotten about me, 'Nora." He paused for a moment, idly scratching the side of his beard. "Did you get the credits I sent for Ma?"
"Yes, just like the last 35 years worth of them you've sent. How many times will I have to remind you that I don't need your monetary support, I'm perfectly capable of providing—"
"I know you are," he began, and the blistering glare transmitted so hard across the comm line that he actually felt his eardrum protest before he cut himself off. "Sorry. Hard to get a word in edgewise around here some days, got me back into bad habits. Your go."
"Apology accepted. As I was saying, my business provides more than enough money to make sure Mum has everything she needs."
Zane raked a hand through his hair and sighed. "I know you don't need my help with Ma or anything else, 'Nora. But I don't feel right not doing anything, 'specially with you taking care of her."
No immediate rebuttal let the silence stretch for an uncomfortable moment. "How's she doing lately?"
The silence that stretched was more worrying than an answer, but one came after a moment anyway. Anyone else would have missed it, but Zane heard the burden behind the words. "She asked about Baron the other day. Said she hadn't heard from him recently, that she should send him something. I think... I think she forgot. It's not the first time either. She asked me what I thought she should get Sparky for his next birthday."
Zane exhaled slowly, breath whistling between his teeth, tasting of whiskey and gunpowder. "Ah... well, shite."
"What do you want?"
Zane grinned at the greeting — if one could call it that — and disregarded the lack of preamble or social niceties as expected. "C'mon now, is that any way to say hello to your favourite brother?"
He couldn't see the icy glare from half a galaxy away, but he felt it nonetheless.
"Is this a social call Zane, or is this related to a job?"
"I'm just calling for a chat, that's all. Been a while since we caught up, y'know! Starting to think you'd forgotten about me, 'Nora." He paused for a moment, idly scratching the side of his beard. "Did you get the credits I sent for Ma?"
"Yes, just like the last 35 years worth of them you've sent. How many times will I have to remind you that I don't need your monetary support, I'm perfectly capable of providing—"
"I know you are," he began, and the blistering glare transmitted so hard across the comm line that he actually felt his eardrum protest before he cut himself off. "Sorry. Hard to get a word in edgewise around here some days, got me back into bad habits. Your go."
"Apology accepted. As I was saying, my business provides more than enough money to make sure Mum has everything she needs."
Zane raked a hand through his hair and sighed. "I know you don't need my help with Ma or anything else, 'Nora. But I don't feel right not doing anything, 'specially with you taking care of her."
No immediate rebuttal let the silence stretch for an uncomfortable moment. "How's she doing lately?"
The silence that stretched was more worrying than an answer, but one came after a moment anyway. Anyone else would have missed it, but Zane heard the burden behind the words. "She asked about Baron the other day. Said she hadn't heard from him recently, that she should send him something. I think... I think she forgot. It's not the first time either. She asked me what I thought she should get Sparky for his next birthday."
Zane exhaled slowly, breath whistling between his teeth, tasting of whiskey and gunpowder. "Ah... well, shite."
