Zeijien escorted Ekarin off the train to officially end neir shift. The atmosphere had become lighter, perhaps thanks to the fact they had literally gone outdoors or because both of them knew that, in the end, such a heavy conversation would go nowhere. They talked about the next steps Ekarin would take. Speculated what confounding factors zei might encounter while on the L-Line night shift. Their conversation had returned to its usual lighthearted, friendly dynamic, though Zeijien did wonder if it was disingenuous the whole time.
The earlier conversation still weighed heavy in huir mind enough that zei almost bumped into a playful child on their way across the resting platform. A little child, bright and cheerful with so many fortuitous paths to take merely because of the exergian blood that ran through huir veins. How it could all fall apart if that changed… Had everything fallen apart for Ekarin without a single outward sign? Had Zeijien failed nem? Sure, zei had said that trying to help was better than doing nothing, yet zei knew it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. What could a measly grant for Risenen immigrants’ future careers do to solve any of this?
Zei clenched huir jaw. There was no use speculating if Ekarin had, indeed, become a terrorist. Zei would only hole enself back up in the studio and avoid going outside for weeks if zei found out nei had. Zei knew that much, and zei wouldn’t let enself do that again.
Ekarin stopped suddenly. Zeijien didn’t notice until zei looked up from checking the notifications on huir holo watch. Zei stumbled as zei asked, “Raimsaer Ekarin, what’s wrong?”
Nei was looking ahead, wide-eyed and stiff, like nei had been thrown into the arctic circle of planet Kreneth. Neir face had lost its color. Zei turned to face what nei was seeing.
Five police clad in silver-gray uniforms blocked the mosaic-decorated exit, their eyes that of predators, and they were hungry. Ironic, considering the grimy mosaic depicted imagery of a senergian and an exergian joining hands.
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“Thought I’d find you here,” one policewoman said with a smirk. “You’ve been a bad boy, not going home to your mother and all.”
Ekarin smiled. It was more like an uncomfortable grimace that was attempting to be polite. “W—what did you need, Raimsaer?”
Two of the five police, including the woman, approached Zeijien and Ekarin.
“Unfortunately, a claim has been filed about the validity of your immigration documents along with evidence. We have a warrant for your arrest,” the policewoman said almost triumphantly. Huir smirk made Zeijien bristle.
Zeijien stepped in front of Ekarin, huir expression stony. “Has my student committed a crime?” zei asked.
“That’s none of your business,” the policewoman shot back.
Zeijien noticed the metallic symbol sewn into the upper right chest of the police uniforms. Its simple, geometrical depiction of a meteorite shooting directly down onto two curved, crossing parallelograms looked familiar, but zei could tell it wasn’t common in the Rokon Police Department. Zei wondered if it was a clue into the police faction split Eberkerson had forewarned about two years ago. Just how much has nei foreseen back then? And how?
No, I shouldn’t be thinking about that now, zei thought.
Zei narrowed huir eyes and said, “As far as the law goes, in a civil immigrant case like this one, it’s the Rokon Customs Department that should be coming to meet en rather than the police.”
The policewoman’s smirk seemed to break, but it didn’t last long before zei let out a guttural laugh. “This is none of your concern, Deredren*. We’ll be taking the Raimsaer now.”
Zeijien’s blockade broke as the two police pushed past en. “Wait, can’t you just—Hey—”
The police ignored en as they grabbed Ekarin’s arms, one on each side. Dragged nem away. Ekarin shot Zeijien a panicked look before looking at the policewoman. Zei attempted to appeal to nem. “I—I didn’t—! Please, I can prove my documents—”
The policewoman shut Ekarin down immediately. “Save your talk for the interrogation room.”
“Ekarin, don’t answer them!” zei called after nem, huir voice wavering with anxiety. “I—I’ll find a specialist lawyer for you! Just wait for a little bit!”
The last thing zei saw was Ekarin mouthing the words “I know” and giving en one last sorrowful smile before disappearing out of the exit where the hands of the senergian and the exergian joined.