What we build is broken

Oleander was quiet. He pressed his tongue against his teeth inside his mouth, feeling the incisors. Mort had come in here with rumors and wanted them confirmed. But he didn't have the whole story. And since when did Mom and Dad not agree with slaves? They didn't agree with the Warlord? You could do that?

"I tried the compassionate approach. I know enough of her story to agree with you. She hasn't had a moment of kindness. They used her, they used her in ways... " Ollie shook his head, closing his eyes, he hadn't been able to wrap his head around it properly, it felt... the whole idea felt absolutely awful to him.

"Dad, she keeps displaying her body and asking me if I'll take her, she'll insinuate that all of Armada is like her old masters who'll use her the same way. I took her to the obelisk and I read the most important rules to her, the ones that call out the respect we have for each other, the honor and dignity we have for each other, and how we make sure everyone's entitled to their necessities... and she just... Threw it in my face, as if it was some big joke. I keep telling her that Ignita had earned her place here and she was a slave once. And it's different here, but she doesn't believe me. Every time I turn around she's insulting me or the Armada and... I snapped. I tried ignoring it, I tried joking with her back, I tried getting on her level... I feel like I tried everything to get to her to at the very least show some respect. I even went so far as to swipe across her face, maybe if her old masters had gotten her to respect them that was what she needed! But no. Turns out she had the whole idea of respect completely twisted. She just believed it was to treat your superiors as superior then maybe she'll get treated as a person! Can you believe that? She didn't have any rights! She didn't have any... Dad, we're the same age... She was just..." He found his voice cracking and his eyes getting full and warm, a pressure building in his face.

Finally, it contorted enough that he couldn't hide it anymore, his breath shuddered and the tears started leaking from his eyes. His lip trembled. "I-- miss. herrr." He sniffed, his head sinking. Slowly he crumpled into his father. Just a sick little boy who never got the lessons he wanted from his mom. She would know what to do. He had tried to be tough but in actuality, his heart was breaking for what Vesper had gone through.

"Speech!"