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Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find... Whether You Want To Or Not

Posted July 25, 2021, 12:36 a.m. by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find… Whether You Want To Or Not

Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find… Whether You Want To Or Not

(snip)
Capall chuckled softly and smiled a knowing smile. “Oh.. we’ve met before. You just don’t remember. Cambridge. I attended on a wrestling and academic scholarship. You were there supporting one of the recipients of your family’s scholarship.” He glanced at her and then away. He said “it was a… unique… event, if I do say so myself.” and he chuckled again at the memory.

Capall

Runa laid a hand on his arm making him stop and then turn towards her slightly and stared hard at him. “You flipped your opponent right into the ref 2 minutes in and knocked the ref out cold. Thought it was amazing. He had been making bad calls the whole match. I was there to watch Joseph’s match. He was struggling with Trig and could have lost his scholarship. I’d promised to help him. The team tore him a new one because of me. You made them stop. They called you, ‘Plan B’, but they shut up.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, like she’d always done it - natural and right, and started walking again. “You were a junior then. Did you wrestle the next year?”
Runa

Wthout even thinking, just as reflex, his hand laid gently on hers as they walked. “I did. I was an alternate on the Olympic team that year. I am… pleasantly… surprised that you remember. But yes, that was me.” He scowled slightly and said “I didn’t appreciate the way they used you to tease Joseph. He was a good person, didn’t deserve that. And yes… Plan B… creative on their part, wasn’t it?” and shook his head.

Capall

“Joseph always appeared smaller than the rest of the team. But what he lacked in size he made up for in shear grit. People looked at him but didn’t see him and underestimated him.” She squeezed his arm, making a point. “He runs a very successful non-profit now. Civil engineer firm that goes around to ravaged areas and rebuilds their homes and community buildings so they are safe to live in again.” Runa shrugged, “I think the name is more a reflection of them than you. People tend to lash out at others because they see what they lack. Rather than improve what they don’t like, they lash out. They knew they were making mistakes, but weren’t willing correct them or learn from them.” They stopped for a passing ground car and then crossed to another block, “So what was that like? Being an alternate for an Olympic team?”

Runa

Capall shrugged and said “It was something I can look back on with pride. At the time, wrestling was simply a means to an end. I wanted to study, I needed to wrestle to do so. So I did. I enjoyed the competitiveness of it, but the egos and machismo were never something I felt was necessary or enjoyable.” He paused for a moment and said “I’m glad to hear Joseph is doing well. And I’m glad he was selected for the scholarship. I doubt he would have made it through without it.”

Capall

Runa nodded it was something she understood. She’d been on several teams when she’d attended Cambridge. “It seems the norm. It’s too bad too. I always enjoyed the competition, especially team sports, but the in fighting always baffled me.” That was how the scholarship fund had started. Jenna, her roommate, freshman year had been an amazing polo player. She was passionate about people, but her academic scores weren’t enough to get her a scholarship and so she’d gotten a sports scholarship, but it wasn’t what she loved. Then that summer at practice she’d been hurt, by a team mate, who wanted her spot. Unable to play she lost her scholarship and her chance to attend school. In true Runa fashion she’d done something about it. She’d created the scholarship fund, granted it to an unaware Jenna. Then At the first practice game Runa had knocked the offender off her horse, protected her from getting trampled by the horse, and told her to be careful least she loose her scholarship too.

“I keep up with them all as best as I can. Every year it gets harder to choose though. At first we had one or two applicants and we could grant them all. Now we get so many it’s dizzying. There’s just not enough to go around.” She sighed, wearily and looked around, “You would think with all our advancements, all our resources, the ability to access education, at any level, would be a right at this point, but people still struggle, and many never get the chance.”

Runa

“It is a right… as long as you can pay. Everyone knows the education is free. Its everything that goes along with it… books, lab equipment… food. Scholarships help with that when families or individuals don’t have the means to support a student… or refuse to.” The last three words were said with a bite to them. “The in-fighting is just people being people. Humans especially. Put us in a competitive setting, and some will gravitate to trying to make themselves the best on and off the field, the mat, the pitch… whatever. Even if they aren’t the best, they want to be seen as that.”

Capall

“It is not. If I were to give you the correct book for the class, you could not just walk into Vederlugh’s Intergalactic Literature class and just attend because you didn’t pay for it. Access to money and privilege should not determine who is worthy to learn.” She squeezed his arm gently, but did not know the words to say to make it better. He was right about the competition and she knew it could be a good thing but could also bring out the worst in people.

Runa, oddly enough, was comfortable following where ever he was leading. “Why did you write me a letter? The letter you sent Michael explained everything, so why did you write me one?”

Runa

Capall was silent for a long time, looking straight ahead… but his face showed he was deep in thought. “I…” he said and then stopped himself. They walked a little bit longer and he stopped. They were standing in front of a pub, and a doorway was next to it.

“This is me.” he said with some regret in his voice. He looked down at her and then noticed his hand on hers. He looked at it closely, then looked at her. “I wish I lived somewhere else… somewhere farther away.” and he slowly took his hand from hers and stepped back.

Runa spit fire at the gods, it hurt when he took his hand away. She briefly considered they could just continue to walk, they didn’t have to stop here, but he seemed to not know what else to do.

“The letter… I can’t tell you why. I know why, but I can’t tell you without sounding like a crazy person. And I’d prefer my last impression upon you to be somewhat more… favorable. So…”

Capall

Why last impression? It didn’t have to be. She couldn’t imagine he wrote that letter, and wouldn’t tell her why, and that he wanted this to be the last time he saw her. She slipped her hand back onto his arm and tugged him with her. “Come on. Let’s eat, I’m hungry and hate eating alone.” She didn’t give him a choice. She was a force of nature. She tossed the coffee cup in the trash on the way through the pub door. She led him straight towards the back and an empty table.

Runa

Capall looked at her confused for a moment, but allowed her to lead him inside. As they sat down, he waited until she slid into the booth and then sat down. He waved at the woman behind the bar who nodded and began walking towards them. He ordered two pints and she set a menu on the table.

“Ok… what is this, Ms. Edman? I know you have places to be, family to be spending time with. Why are we here?”

Capall

The truth was Runa didn’t have family to be with at the moment. They were all with someone and she didn’t fault them for it. Oh sure she could have gone back and partied and flirted and been that Runa. But that’s not what she wanted and hadn’t for a long time now. But she didn’t tell Capall that. It would sound like she was settling and she wasn’t. Runa never settled in her life. Despite her defiance at fate she liked Capall. There was a deep well of … Goodness in him.

“Alright let’s stop with the Mr and Ms stuff. My students don’t even call me Ms Edman. They call me Ms Runa, and you are a grown man.” Oh man was he.....”My name is Runa and you are welcome to use it. As for this, I told you. I’m hungry and don’t want to eat alone. And I want you to join me.”

Runa

“Ok… Runa… may I ask why you want me, specifically, to join you? And please know… I am not complaining. Far from it, actually. Im just… confused… I suppose is the best term for it.” He leaned back and regarded her with a soft smile.

Capall

Oh man....yeah now she got what Ragna was talking about with Seamus, his brogue, and her name....d@&+. “Because I want to know the person and not the past transactions. I’ve enjoyed talking with you and it’s still early. I’m no rush. But if you are, I’m not going to make you stay.”

Runa

Capall looked at her for a moment and then said “Ah, but you are. But that is just because you are you.” The barkers came over and set down the two pints and they ordered some food. As she walked away, Capall looked at Runa and said “You want to know person? Very well… I don’t judge myself on what the past holds, you know. Whats done is done, I can’t change it. What I can change is how much I let those past actions reflect on me. My goal is to have the good I do in the future mean more than the bad I did in the past. I won’t run from the past, but I won’t wallow in it either.”

Capall

Runa in clipped the clasp on the capelet and shrugged it off her shoulders. She placed it on the booth next to her, and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I think that’s good. Every moment in our lives leads us to where we are. So what is next for you? You said you have a goal to do good. What’s that look like to you?” She wasn’t asking out of prodding or a misplaced need to guide him, but genuine curiosity. She picked up the pint and took a pull off of it.

Runa

Capall took a drink and said “I’ve told Lord Michael I am at his disposal, and I meant that. Whatever I can do to help the McKenzie Clan I will. Outside of that… I’m looking for a job, but until then I’m volunteering for a few charities doing computer work and I’m making sure that Tannery has everything he needs to literally bury Hamish and Argyle. Once I know they and their ilk are finally done, I’ll probably look at a full move. I’ve never been off-planet… maybe I’ll try my luck somewhere else.”

Capall

“So I know you are …good doesn’t quite cover it…with computers. What kind of work do you want to do? There are a lot of interesting places out there. Developed and established, and newer colonies just beginning. What would be your ideal place?”
Runa

Capall smiled slightly. “Thank you for the compliment. I don’t really have a specific area I’m drawn to over any other. I gravitated towards design and programming during my undergraduate; but my Master’s thesis was a program I created that utilizes a morphing algorithm with an internal statistic-based risk assessment to detect not only system intrusions; but where an intrusion will most likely occur… and when.”

Capall


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