[The horrible puzzle that is Roderic's behaviour begins to snap into place, like a Rubik's cube in the hands of an expert. There had always been behaviour that the man had exhibited that Don couldn't place, and, suddenly, awfully, he understands why. That reticence about his home, the discomfort with his own life, the way Don's family seemed to have hit something for Roderic...]
... Shell, I'm... [Don's beak works silently a few seconds, trying to find something appropriate to say. He remembers Leatherhead, covered in tubes and bruises where they'd had to rip sensors off his flesh from his stay in Stockman's lab.] Shit.
[He's sure his sensei would allow him this one, anguished curse.]
I didn't know. I... I'm so sorry... [He wants to hug Roderic, some primitive urge to shield him viscerally, but there is no way to shield him from this.]
Why? Are you some kind of... [He gropes for a meaningful term to apply to his friend, and all of them are awful.] Weapon? Experiment? Was that all you meant to them?
I'm already hurting this thread is gonna be great.
... Shell, I'm... [Don's beak works silently a few seconds, trying to find something appropriate to say. He remembers Leatherhead, covered in tubes and bruises where they'd had to rip sensors off his flesh from his stay in Stockman's lab.] Shit.
[He's sure his sensei would allow him this one, anguished curse.]
I didn't know. I... I'm so sorry... [He wants to hug Roderic, some primitive urge to shield him viscerally, but there is no way to shield him from this.]
Why? Are you some kind of... [He gropes for a meaningful term to apply to his friend, and all of them are awful.] Weapon? Experiment? Was that all you meant to them?