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“But it was your way home, wasn’t it?” she said “Even if you never intended to use it You spent your whole life on Laconia?”
“I did But Auberon is my home now”
“What’s that like for you?” she asked, and he thought there was a real curiosity in the question He saw hier in a strange land, given power and responsibility and asked to be strong for his nation and the people over whom he ruled
“I’m happy to be here I am Auberon is a beautiful planet and an important part of the empire”
He nodded to hiht thing to say, and the right way to say it Turn the question back to the system itself Not him, but them Good that when the locals look at him, they see themselves reflected
He waited for the next question, but Lara was quiet The sky darkened, and the first stars caliht, honey-colored hair hiding one eye, an i back, and he chuckled when he spoke
“What?”
“You’re happy to be here? That’s all? You’re the most important man in this syste up to you You’re on a planet you didn’t set foot on until it belonged to you It ? What is it like for you, Biryar?”
He shook his head The breeze froainst his cheek Lara’s eyes were locked on his He found that he wanted to tell her He wanted to spread out all the ways that being Governor Rittenaur of Auberon system was different fro The displace he’d known, the unease of knowing that there were people who hated him, not for himself but what he stood for
That wasn’t what his duty required of him
“I can’t iine anyone’s terribly interested in that,” he said, and his voice sounded almost melancholy in his ears That was odd He recentered himself and said, “I am really very happy to be here”
Lara’s sht the curve of her throat, and Biryar felt the ihts on He also felt the impulse to leave them off He didn’t move Her expression wasn’t impish now He remembered the time in their third interviehen she’d told him about her brother’s death, how sorrowful she’d been How strong in her grief Of all the people on this stinking world, he felt closer to Lara than to anyone that hadn’t come on the Notus with him She knew him
She leaned forward again, this ti not for her drink but her handheld She held it up for hi marked second after silent second She turned it off and set it back down
“What is this like for you?” she said
He was silent for ato answer However much he wanted to