(Idea: Nico leaves Bloom. He’s confronted by guild masters about being selfish and he’s still needed. He lets them know that he believes starting his new business (he’s not hiding it) is the best way to continue supporting the people of Bloom and that what they are doing is selfish and stupid)
The docking bay had calmed down a little compared to the days before. More than half of the inhabitants of Binary Bloom had boarded the shuttles and transport ships that had been coming and going like bees.
The engineering team had stabilized the sections that remained open and most of the time managed to keep the other sections within reasonable temperature limits. Robots were still carrying the property of previous residents into storage sections, ready to be picked up. Bloom being a space station also meant that space was a valuable commodity and most of its residents had lived in quarters that were small by the standards of people living on a planetary surface. And that in turn meant they had fewer assorted stuff, more carefully selecting with what they filled the little space they had. Aside from furniture, most of them could pack all their belongings into a few boxes.
Guild master Asmodeus was running towards the docking bay, sweating in the slightly too warm current temperature. His assistant followed slightly behind, clutching a tablet.
At the entrance of the docking bay, Asmodeus stopped and turned, facing the other direction the hallway was leading. There, not far away, was the man he had wanted to catch. Followed by four robot carriers loaded with boxes, Nico was calmly walking, greeting someone here and there, exchanging a few words with some of the residents still on Bloom.
He came to stop a short distance away from the guild master.
„What are you doing, Nico?“, Asmodeus asked, a mixture of disdain and disapproval in his voice.
„Leaving“, Nico stated matter-of-factly.
„I can see that.“, Asmodeus replied, „And it’s not right. Never heard of the old rule that the captain should be the last man to leave the ship?“
Nico tilted his head to the side. „Well“, he replied, „Good then that I’m not a captain and Bloom isn’t a ship.“
Asmodeus breathed in heavily. „We are trying to save Bloom!“, the exclaimed, „And I don’t see how you can be leaving! I never took you for the selfish kind.“
Rolling eyes, Nico took two steps forward, the robot carriers following. He looked Asmodeus straight in the eyes and said: „Listen. I’ve given it my all for the past decade. That you stubborn people don’t see that Bloom is over doesn’t mean I have to stay. I’ve made sure everyone who wants can get off safely, and that people had choices of destinations. I was there yesterday when the fight broke out at the registration desk and with my own hands helped put an end to it. I’ve promised the colonists down on the planet that I’ll get them some business if I can. You’ve been guild master for what, four years? Talk to me in six more years about responsibility. Now step aside.“
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Asmodeus was resolute and stood his ground. „I’ve heard about your reckless attempt to bully the Xylars. You could have gotten all of us killed. Your accomplishments of the last years are a good example, and we all thank you.“, he gestured to the small crowd that had meanwhile formed around them, hardy residents of Bloom that had decided to stay or were waiting for their transport.
„But that doesn’t mean you never did wrong, and now you run off to cash in? I’m sure you’ve put a nice bit aside for yourself over the years, haven’t you?“
Nico’s face hardened, his eyes getting narrower as he took another two steps forward.
„Asmodeus“, he said slowly, pronouncing every syllable separately, „You really want to apologize for your rudeness. And then you want to step aside and leave me be.“
His eyes did not leave the guild master’s gaze for even a split second. The staring duel went on for almost a minute, before Asmodeus broke the gaze first and looked around, estimating the support he had from the people around him. No clear picture emerged. Most of them seemed curious more than siding with either him or Nico.
Asmodeus stepped aside. He did not apologize.
Nico walked past without giving him another look. The robot carriers followed him. The small crowd closed behind them, swallowing Asmodeus.
At the docking bay, a transport was waiting for Nico. The captain was an old friend and he greeted Nico with a big smile that quickly disappeared as he saw the grim expression. „You alright?“, he asked.
„I’ll be.“, Nico answered, „Let’s just get going.“
Nico walked over the loading ramp into the transport and followed the captain to the quarters he had been assigned for the two-day trip. It was a clean, mid-sized cabin. It would do for two days.
Nico sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. A few tears flowed in-between his fingers before he caught himself. Grabbing the pillow, he wiped them off. He stood up and walked over to the small toilet, washing off his face.
Looking into the mirror, he talked to himself: „You’ve done some fucked-up shit in your life. But playing chicken with high-dims, that’s new even for you.“
He grabbed the sides of the small sink, leaning on it and shooting his mirror image a few angry glances. „Sure“, he said, „with the EMP and the Qyrl attack and all the other crap you were on edge. But man, that was a gamble. Yeah, it paid off. Could’ve gone the other way. And yes, it was your life as well had they opted to atomize Bloom. But not just yours. You can gamble with your life if you want, but not with others. Get a grip.“
He leaned back slightly, pulling himself up straight again. „It was time to resign. Let smarter people run the show. Or are you just saying that so you don’t have to admit the new enterprise calling you? But that’s a risky business as well. Might not go anywhere and leave you broke. Who knows?“
He shot his image one more glance. „Now stop talking to yourself. Or are you getting senile on your old days?“
He turned around and shut the toilet door slightly louder than was necessary. „Fuck this“, he said, again talking to himself despite it all, „I’m all messed up from the past days. Need to get myself sorted out.“
He sat down on the bed again, staring at the wall for a while. Then he got up and unpacked his carry-on suitcase one of the robots had dropped into the entrance area of the cabin.