Julius sat in the office of his new home built on some peaceful planet in the back-water of the Alpha sector. He simply stared at the wall with the same solemn expression that he had since he handed the ICIA down to Walker. Was it the right choice? He had to do it, he thought. His city was dying and he was helpless to help those around him. Everywhere he looked people were constantly dying and buildings were eroding into nothing more than after images of their former selves. A book lay open on his desk. Some book about the adventures of people in a far off universe making something of their lives. He had lost his interest in such books. He had been through so much himself, whatever these authors concocted could compare to the true suffering that came with seeking adventure and self-worth. He sighed lightly as he turned his gaze out to the mountains that lay beyond the window. He had built this home with the rest of his remaining money after he had found Jess unconscious and bleeding in the New Chicago library. That’s when he had made the decision to leave. He had seen so many other people die and he refused to see another die. He sighed again, shifting his focus to the sunlight playing off the dust particles in the room reminding him of the Ehlers crater. He remembered the meeting that Walker had arranged for him. His promises to keep the city safe, the way he convinced Julius that he was more adequate and suited for the job. How could Julius say no? The decision he had made was for the benefit for his city. For his people. Or was it? Was this the right decision for him? Is this really what was best for his city? It wasn’t just these questions that entered his mind. As he turned around in his office chair, facing the door, he began to think about whether he had left New Chicago for himself. He had known that he was unhappy with his job for months. No one ever talked to him just to say hi. No one wanted to go get drinks after work, invite him to parties, or even ask him how he was doing unless they needed something from him. This left a very deep feeling of unfulfillment inside him. He was unhappy and the only thing that made his job worth doing was Jess. He took in a deep breath, smelling the smell of newly cut would in the recently constructed room. He had been lucky that he had the money to build this place. He could live here and be happy for once. Him and Jess leading boring, peaceful lives. It was what he wanted, wasn’t it? To be happy. To not worry about the people who died. To not worry about whether or not he could afford to feed his people. Was he running from responsibility or just trying to be happy for once in his life. He reminisced on the days he spent at The Den, wishing for adventure and to help people. Oh, how hopeful and naive he had been. Thinking that all the universe needed was a man who was willing to do the right thing. He stood up, pushing the chair back under the desk and closing the book gingerly. As he opened the office door he reflected on why he now seemed happy, yet miserable at the same time. Maybe it was because he had admitted to defeat. The months of hard work and ambition leading up to nothing more than him being helpless and powerless to do anything. He wasn’t a leader, he knew he had never been. He was just someone who wanted to see people do the right thing and had the determination to do something about it. It is never easy giving up something that you worked so hard to accomplish. He walked into the long, wooden hallways, feeling the cool surface of the wooden floor beneath his bare feet as he walked upstairs to his room. He passed paintings and frames that held half burnt pictures of all his memories that survived the Ehlers building explosion.Him and Rawne moving into the flat, him and Ehlers sharing a drink at the bar a few weeks before he had committed suicide, him and Raylorn sharing Saki bombs at his palace, him kissing Jess on the cheek on one of their visits to Taranis, and even an old picture of Jess’ dad that she held so dear. It seemed criminal to leave all the memories he had created at New Chicago behind. His head hung slightly as he continued to walk up the stairs. He opened the door to his room a bit solemnly, looking toward the dresser where his trench lay folded on the top of it. “I guess I won’t be needing that anymore.” he said to himself. He looked at the mirror, rubbing his goatee thoughtfully, maybe it was time to shave. Change his appearance a little. He shook his head as he lowered his hand to his side, taking a long, sad breath. “You miss it, don’t you?” Said a voice from behind him. He turned around, a little startled to just see that it was Jess. He had almost forgotten she lived with him in the silence of the home. “Hello, Jess,” He said “no I don’t. Not one bit. This was the right decision. Not just for the city, but for me as well.” He thought, for a moment, that maybe he was trying to convince himself rather than her that it was the right decision to make. He offered her a smile, a small, sheepish thing that seemed like it had no place on Julius’ face. She smiled back, walking off to go put the finishing touches on the garden or read a book from the small amount he had managed to save from the library. He took one more look around the room then returned to his office to begin typing up the spreadsheets necessary for managing the bills he’d have to pay to keep the house running for the next few years. It felt good to be doing something mundane that could take his mind off of thinking about his city for another moment longer. It was time to move on. It was a lesson that everyone seemed to be trying to teach him. Was it time to let go? Wasn’t it normal to feel this kind of pain at this kind of failure? He pushed the thought out of his head and went back to work on the spreadsheet with the hollow, solemn clicking of his keyboard.
((Technically the ICIA is an oxymoron because Intergalactic means "Between Galaxies" and Interstellar means "Between Stars". Technically a more apt name would be the Trans-Galactic Commission for Interstellar Affairs. Thought I would bring this up.))
((Actually, you're the first to mention this even though I've toiled over it since I made it. In the novel me and lovleess Co-write it's the GCIA, but I fucked up when I first made the ICIA and just kind of stuck with it, plus we can call ourselves Ikea.))
((Still very WIP and very very loose connection to Starbound. Mainly in omission of the other races.))
((Welp, I wish I had read that through more carefully, missing words, odd grammar. Tsk Tsk. I'll do better next time.
