Three Grams
Title: Three Grams, Part III
Author's Name: frostian
Artist's Name: felixmackey
Genre: RPS, AU
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for language and violence
Warning: Main character death
Summary: Jared Padalecki’s closest friend is Jensen, a hybrid doll he rescued as a child. As they grow up, Jensen takes on the role of tutor and mentor, preparing Jared for the arduous task of entering a prestigious tech to continue his father’s tremendous legacy. But the greatest lesson is one that can only be learned, not taught, as Jared realizes that just because a creature isn't made of flesh and blood does not mean it can't have a soul.
Disclaimer: Fiction, fiction, and a side of fiction.
Jared woke to his mother’s whispers. He warily opened his eyes and peered into the darkness.
“Mom?”
“Jared!” She suddenly appeared in view. “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts, but I guess it could be worse.” He looked at the empty bed across the room and felt his guts shrink into a cold pebble. “Where’s Jensen?”
Sharon nervously glanced at a stranger standing in the doorway.
“Mom?” Jared studied the man in nondescript clothes. “Where’s Jensen?”
“They took him,” Sharon whispered. “The men who attacked you…”
“It’s that bastard, Noah. He did this.” Jared tried to sit up. “I know it’s him. Make him give Jensen back. Make him!”
“Take it easy,” the man said. “We’re trying to find out who did this, but we can’t just jump to conclusions.”
“Who are you?” Jared asked.
“My name’s Mike. I work for a private security firm. Your father hired me.”
Sharon placed her hands on Jared’s shoulders and firmly pushed him back down to the bed. “Your father is doing everything he can, and he won’t stop until Jensen's back with us.”
Jared leaned back into the pillows. "Tell me when he calls? Please?”
“I promise. Just try to get some sleep."
Sharon closed the door to her son’s worried face. She looked at Mike. “Where is he?”
“They tracked the payment to a private point ship that docked last night. It left this afternoon; right after the kidnapping.”
“Where did it come from?”
“We don't know yet. What we do know is that it’s an independent outfit, usually employed by consortiums to scout new planets suitable for mining.”
Sharon’s features hardened. “Let me guess, Gaines has hired them in the past.”
“How did you know?”
“Senator Noah is one of the founding members of Gaines Mining. He touts its ecological conservation goals all the time. In fact, he talked about its goals during a speech he made last night.”
“I’m pretty sure my men can stop the ship and bring Jensen back,” Mike said. “But it’s going to happen again.”
“Because Noah will still want Jensen.” Sharon shook her head in muted rage.
“That’s going to cause difficulties,” Mike warned his client.
“It will,” Sharon agreed. “But that’s none of your concern. Just bring back Jensen and my husband safely.”
Mike calmly looked at her. “Not a problem.”
Gerald made his way to the cockpit and sat in the co-pilot’s chair. “We’re still good?”
Sergeant Jeff Morgan nodded. “Still good. I told you the cloaking device on Winchester is the best. Besides, their ship is only a scouter and not exactly top of the line, either.”
"Is it really called Loralie?"
The Sergeant chuckled. "Yes, and there isn't enough alcohol in the Pickler System to make you forget if I tell you why, so I won't."
"Fair enough," Gerald said. "“How long before we dock?”
“As soon as the incursion team’s ready.”
“And we are.” A man with a ponytail answered as he entered the cockpit. “Hiya, name’s Steve Carlson.”
“And I’m Chris,” said a stranger who came up behind Steve. “So you’re the big guy who hired us?”
“Yes,” Gerald answered. “Did Morgan tell you what I need you to do?”
“Yep, the jackasses snatched a member of your family, and you want him back. Trust me, this is not the first kidnapping case we’ve dealt with.”
“I’m guessing there are more abductions than reported?”
“A lot more,” Jeff said. “About seventy percent of the cases we take are kidnappings. They’re usually pirates, from all systems.”
“Usually pirates?”
“Some are ex-soldiers from the Conflict with one very large political agenda,” Steve said.
“Let’s chit-chat later.” Jeff gave a dark look at Steve. “Everyone, to airlock three.”
Gerald stood up. “I’m going with you.”
“Sir, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Steve said.
“I have to know,” Gerald said roughly. “I have to make sure Jensen’s fine, because if he isn’t … then my wife has to make certain arrangements. You see, we have children and they can’t … they just can’t.”
Jeff looked at Chris who gave a nod. “Okay, stay behind Chris then. And do what he tells you to do, no questions. This is not a democracy, understood?”
“Not a problem,” Gerald said.
He waited with trepidation while the rest of the group looked bored until they heard the ship’s docking clamps slam onto Loralie. Steve quickly overran its program and opened her doors. The team swiftly made their way from Winchester to Loralie without meeting any resistance. They poured out into the main hallway, checking the corridor for any activity.
Chris scanned the area and said, “Lifesigns in the back, probably where the galley is.”
“Good, prepare for fire and let’s just say we’re not here to make friends with them.” Jeff handed out light grenades to Steve and Chris.
“Got that right,” Steve muttered. “But we should send Chris ahead. He didn’t clean his teeth for days now.”
Chris hocked a spit at his friend, nailing Steve right between his shoulder blades. Gerald felt like he was watching his sons trading their usual banter. However, that illusion disappeared in the following moment.
Jeff didn’t even wince when the wall next to him was suddenly scoured with tracer burn as laser fire hailed down on him. Instead of taking cover, he activated a light grenade and pitched it. Gerald closed his eyes in order to shield his vision from the blinding explosion. Screams quickly chased the sound of the grenade hitting the floor.
Jeff’s team waited a full minute before making their way down the corridor. It took them less than that to round up the kidnappers. There was a head count which matched the personnel files Steve downloaded earlier when he hacked into Loralie's data core.
Gerald waited impatiently as he watched Jeff interrogate the kidnappers. He knew just by sight alone that Morgan wasn’t making any headway. He was about ready to roll up his sleeves and join the Sergeant when Chris appeared.
“I found him,” Chris said without a trace of humor he’d displayed earlier.
Gerald followed the private soldier into a large storage room. In the center was an isolation chamber filled with preservation liquid. Gerald peered into the containment box and saw Jensen naked and curled into a fetal position.
“He’s unharmed,” Chris said.
Gerald turned to him. “Then why are you so upset?”
Chris pointed to a bank of screens. “They were auctioning him.”
“What?”
Chris just pointed at the farthest screen on the left. Gerald approached it with great reluctance. It only took a single glance at the screen for him to see that Chris was speaking the truth and, in fact, was actually downplaying what was happening.
One screen displayed all the sexual acts Jensen could perform without permanently damaging his systems. The others were showing the current bidding, and each bid was the double of the previous one.
Chris shook his head. “Bastards. I can’t believe they’d do this.”
Gerald closed his eyes. “Jensen isn’t human.”
“I know,” Chris said. “Doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Steve entered the room. “They said they were working for Noah, but when they found out what Mr. Ackles was, they thought they could make more money by selling him off.”
“What will happen to them?” Gerald asked, his eyes riveted to the growing list of sexual preferences by the bidders as they questioned Jensen’s abilities to fulfill them.
“I’m guessing they’ll be brought to trial by the Governor,” Steve said, “but they won’t admit to Noah’s involvement. Not if they want to live to see another day.”
“We need to get Jensen out of this,” Gerald said. “Get me something to cover him.”
Steve looked around and found a clean blanket, and Chris found a trolley which they used to transport Jensen to Winchester. When they returned they discovered the kidnappers had been moved to the docking bay.
“What do you want to do with them?” Jeff asked.
Gerald didn’t even spare a glance. “They’re pirates. There’s only one rule that applies to their kind.”
The men looked at Gerald in shock. One of them blurted out, “No, wait! That’s not true. We kidnapped the damn thing but that doesn’t make us pirates!”
Gerald looked at Morgan. “They’re pirates.”
Jeff took a glance at the men he’d herded into the room. “Alright then.”
“Wait!” one shouted. “Look, we swear we won’t do this again! It's just a doll! We’re human beings!”
“And that’s the tragedy,” Gerald said hoarsely. “Sergeant? You heard me.”
Gerald was the first to leave. Chris and Steve helped Jeff secure the prisoners onto the floor then left without a backward glance. The three took their seats in the cockpit and waited for Jeff who appeared only minutes after.
“What’s going to happen now?” Gerald asked, his attention riveted to the kidnappers' lifesigns flashing on a screen in front of him.
“We’re going to move to a safe distance first,” Jeff explained as Winchester unclamped itself. “Then we’re going to detonate it.”
The scouter flared briefly as the first bomb went off in the engine room. Then a chain of explosions followed, culminating in a bright flash of light before debris jettisoned everywhere.
Gerald watched the lethal display, wondering when his guilt would kick in. He had deliberately sent men to their deaths for a crime he, not society, deemed to be worthy of the death penalty.
“Don’t think about it too much,” Jeff said.
“I’m not,” Gerald admitted. “And I’m worried that I’m not.”
“Hey, I did three tours for the Conflict,” Jeff explained. “You can get used to anything.”
“You must wonder why I’m so viciously protective of Jensen.”
“I’m figuring it’s not because he’s your concubine,” Jeff said.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I know a few people in the outer mining planets. They have … children like Jensen.”
Gerald rubbed his face with his hands. “I heard something about that. I thought they were false rumors.”
“Nope,” Jeff said. “My sister’s neighbors adopted one. They can’t have children because they’ve been exposed to too much shit while mining. So, adoption’s out of the question, too. These hybrid children were the next best thing.”
“Hybrid children?” Gerald echoed. “I’ve never heard that term before.”
“Better than sex dolls,” Jeff said. “That’s what they’re called by people who adopted them. Not human, not machine - a hybrid of both.”
“Hybrid children,” Gerald said. “Well, Jensen’s a member of my family. We adopted him when he was just a child.”
“You didn’t buy him?” Jeff asked.
“No, he … my son found him. His owner had thrown him in the trash and Jared picked him up. We tried getting rid of Jensen but...” Gerald broke into a small laugh. “My son chained himself to Jensen so we couldn’t.”
“Sounds like a tough kid, but then Grayan’s a tough place.”
“It is,” Gerald said. “But it’s filled with kind people.”
“Tough doesn’t mean cruel,” Jeff agreed.
“Thank you,” Gerald said. “For retrieving my son.”
“You’re welcome, doctor.” Jeff turned on the booster engines. “Why don’t we hurry back? Your family must be anxious to see you two.”
Jared unconsciously curled himself around Jensen who woke up when he felt the bed shift. He looked at the people circled around them.
“You came for me,” he whispered, his voice rough from shouting.
“Of course we did,” Gerald said. “You’re safe now. Get some rest.”
Jensen turned to Jared. “How is he?”
“He’s fine, just worried about you,” Sharon answered.
Jensen gave a sleepy nod and embraced Jared. The parents slipped out of the room, leaving behind Chad who gave a single piercing glance at the two figures entwined in bed.
He quickly went to his house, while giving form to a desperate plan. After ensuring that he had privacy, Chad lifted a false panel under his bed and pulled out a small, fabric-woven box. He lifted the lid and peered into the inium he’d won in a series of card games from smugglers just few months back. In its natural state, the mineral was inert so there was no danger. However, once unfurled in an appropriate reactor, three ounces gave off enough energy to fuel the biggest starcruiser currently available for an entire day.
Chad had enough in his collection to fuel and entire fleet of twelve cruisers for a week. He put the box in a worn satchel and made his way to the market district in Praides. He entered the doll shop, glad to see it was empty of customers.
Isaac looked up from his reading and saw the look on his face. “I swear, I had nothing to do with Jensen being taken. I swear!”
“But you told them how to track him, didn’t you? They managed to snatch him in less than a day, so they knew how to find him.”
Isaac gave a sidelong glance towards the door.
“How far do you think you can run before I catch up to you?” Chad said in a conversational tone. “Besides, I’ve got people who owe me and they’ll be glad to pay up by breaking your legs.
“Now, answer the question: do you know how they tracked Jensen?”
“It’s the earring,” Isaac answered. “It emits a signal and each doll has a distinctive signature assigned to it.”
“So you told them what Jensen’s was.”
Isaac nodded. “They were going to kill me, I swear.”
Chad took out the box from his bag. “Open it.”
Isaac did. He stared at the inium with shocked eyes. “What’s this? What are you offering?”
“I want you to take it as a payment.”
“Payment for what?” Isaac asked, his face revealing greed and suspicion.
“I want you to take off Jensen’s earring and replace it with a dud.” Chad pushed the box towards Isaac. “One that he could take off if he wants to.”
“That just about violates every rule governing the…”
“What are the odds I can find an engineer who can do the same for half the price?” Chad made a motion to grab his offering.
“I’ll do it,” Isaac said as he snatched the box from the table. “The procedure is pretty simple, actually. It’s just hard getting people not to blab about it.”
“Who’s going to tell?” Chad asked with a wide, friendly smile and succinct, reptilian voice.
“When?”
“Tonight."
Chad picked up Isaac at the scheduled time and led him to the back of his friend's house. Without hesitation, Chad punched in the new codes given to him just that morning. He then quietly led Isaac into his friend’s bedroom.
Jensen and Jared were as he’d left them earlier in the day.
Chad gently woke Jensen and made a motion to keep quiet when Jensen opened his mouth to speak. It was then he spotted Isaac standing behind Chad. With a puzzled look Jensen sat up.
Jared stirred. He looked at the group and asked, “Chad? What's happening?”
“Isaac is going to do us a big favor,” Chad explained quietly. “It’ll just take a moment. Okay?”
Isaac stepped next to the bed and explained what he was about to do. Jensen was reluctant at first, but Jared was eager and managed to convince him to submit to the procedure. Isaac was good on his word; it took him only few minutes to disconnect the earring from Jensen without damaging him. It took even less time for him to plug in a fake one that glowed just as iridescently as the original.
Jared felt boneless as relief washed over him. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Chad said. “I’m going to take Isaac home. See you tomorrow.” He ushered out the mechanic without looking back.
Jared got up and stood behind Jensen as he studied himself in the mirror.
“How are you feeling?” he asked softly.
“Still a bit groggy,” Jensen answered. “The narcotic hasn’t completely left my system yet.”
“So, you were out the entire time?”
“Yes, for which I am very grateful.” Jensen trudged back to bed and sat down. He fingered the new earring. “I don’t want anyone to get in trouble because of this.”
“If we get caught, we'll just blame it on the kidnappers.”
“Do you think anyone would believe that?” Jensen looked anxiously at Jared.
“If you bat your eyelashes fast enough, yeah.”
“Shut up.” Jensen collapsed onto the bed and gave a long, exasperated sigh. “I really hope this doesn’t become a repeat performance.”
“I doubt it,” Jared laid down next to him. “We just have to be more careful.”
“Maybe,” Jensen drawled, eyelids already drooping.
“Definitely,” Jared corrected and fell asleep when he heard the gentle snuffle that was Jensen’s reply.
Governor's Palace, Praides
Security Chief Maier saluted Governor Barlow. “Sir, we’ve found Senator Noah’s hovercarrier. It was on Jacquim Ridge.”
“What?” Barlow looked at Maier. “What was he doing in that shithole? There isn’t a human outpost within a day from that place.”
“I can think of two reasons,” Maier said. “The first is that the Jacquim Ridge is overlooking a spot that Dr. Padalecki is considering for an aquatilium.”
“I didn’t hear about that. How could Marcus know?”
“Sir, he has resources far greater than ours,” Maier answered diplomatically.
“Of course, the High Council.” Barlow sighed. “The other?”
“It’s hunting season, and wild boars migrate through Jacquim Ridge this time of the year.” Maier looked at his handheld then said in a diplomatic voice, “From what I understand Senator Noah is a fanatical hunter.”
“That he is, and the boars are legendary,” Barlow said. “You don’t think he’s alive, do you?”
“I don’t know, sir,” Maier answered truthfully. “If he went out there to hunt by himself while scouting the area for the Council … he may have faced more than he can handle.”
“Was there a sandstorm?”
“Two, and one of them completely buried an abandoning mining facility on the Ridge.”
“Sweep the area with a bio scan, just to be sure.” Barlow sat down and began composing the condolence letter to his uncle.
“Yes, sir. And if we find the body?”
“We’ll hold the funeral here. Best not to let his family see. Those sandstorms can do unspeakable damage on the human frame.” Barlow frowned. “Maier, how did you know to look for him there?”
“Professor Padalecki told me she talked to him about the culture of the hunt. He asked her about the boars and she told him of their importance in our society’s cultural heritage. She didn’t think much of it until she discovered he was missing.”
“Thank you. Please start the scan immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Barlow looked down at the screen.
Dear Uncle Joshua
Best if I tell him face to face, he thought sadly. He turned on the communication vid and ordered a personal call to Admiral Noah of the High Council.
Jared rolled his eyes and blew air out his mouth, ruffling his long bangs. He looked at Jensen who didn’t seem to notice his petulant mood. So, Jared sighed louder.
“You know, you’re starting to really resemble Megan at her worst,” Jensen said, not even bothering to look up from his reading.
“It’s beautiful outside! We should…”
“I heard your argument so often I can actually finish it. Jared, let’s try to complete at least one assignment.”
“We already did two! And it’s only eleven in the morning.” Jared looked at the warm winter sun and Megan lingering outside to enjoy the agreeable weather. “What’s the rush?”
“Because if you want to get into a decent tech you have to score well in the overall exam, which requires you to finish five units every day. And we both know how useless you are after lunch.”
“So, we can have lunch outside?” Jared asked, brightening visibly.
“Yes, we can have lunch outside,” Jensen agreed. “But only if you finish this unit. Now.”
“All right then,” Jared agreed. “Why didn’t you just say so?”
Now it was Jensen who rolled his eyes. However, with such a prize dangling in front of him, Jared managed to finish the third unit in less than forty minutes.
The moment Jensen turned off the screen, Jared dragged him into the hospitable sun, face turned upwards.
“Isn’t this great?” Jared asked as they sat under a Joshua tree.
“Yes, it is,” Jensen agreed. He pulled out a small magnetic pad and a stylus. With easy, graceful strokes he began writing.
Jared peered at his friend. “Why do you even bother? Nobody writes by hand anymore.”
“It’s ancient, not outmoded,” Jensen said as he continued writing the alphabet. “Besides, it’s beautiful to look at.”
Jared shook his head. “I disagree; fonts are more beautiful. They are…”
“Impersonal,” Jensen interrupted. “Every letter looks just like another letter. There’s no signature to say you're the author and not another.”
Jared coughed a laugh. “That’s why there’s a tag.”
“Tags can be faked, but handwriting? It takes a genius to copy another person's writing to a degree that the experts can be fooled.”
“There were experts on handwriting?” Jared asked, his curiosity now piqued.
“Yes, in ancient times, when people wrote by hand, there were experts who made a good living studying handwriting and what it revealed of the writers.”
“Really?” Jared shook his head. “That sounds so barbaric!”
“Primitive, but elegant,” Jensen countered. He finished his ‘Z’ with a flourish.
Jared took a longer look at the alphabet Jensen had written. “It’s different, but I still prefer keyboard.”
“Because it’s convenient,” Jensen said. “Admit it, you’re lazy.”
Jared shrugged. “So what? It’s still faster than writing.”
“But speed doesn’t mean it’s more valuable a tool. If people wrote, maybe they’ll be more careful about what they write about.”
“Doubt it,” Jared said. “I remember your history lessons: mankind was hopelessly stupid back then. Even with handwritten letters and books to guide them.”
Jensen couldn’t find a proper answer so he gave a grunt of annoyance. “Finish your lunch. We still have two units to do.”
“You get so incredibly bossy when you're mad.”
“Finish your lunch,” Jensen repeated with a smug grin. “Of course, if you’re already done, we can go in.”
“Still have to drink my tea,” Jared said quickly.
“That’s what I thought.” Jensen leaned back to enjoy the sun.
Jared made a rude gesture and took his time finishing his meal. He was polishing off the last of his four desserts when a thought struck him.
“Jensen, what are you going to do?”
“Do what?” Jensen replied.
“What are you going to do when I apply to a tech program?”
“What do you mean?” Jensen looked at him.
“If I get into the engineering program, that means I’ll be away for three years. What are you going to do? Will you go with me?”
“As what?” Jensen asked. “Your tutor? Servant? Concubine, perhaps?”
“No, you idiot,” Jared replied hotly. “Maybe you could apply to the program with me.”
Jensen shook his head. “I don’t think that’s possible. I plan to stay here and take care of things, like I always do.”
“But I’ll be gone for three years,” Jared said anxiously. “That’s a long time.”
“It’s a good program, Jared. And there’s no guarantee you’re going to get in, especially if you take your lessons so lightheartedly.”
“Lightheartedly?” Jared smirked. “You mean lazy, right?”
“You said it, not me.”
“You really want me to go away?”
Jensen looked at Jared with a soft smile. “I want you to succeed, Jared. I want you to be what you were destined to be.”
“And what is that?”
“To continue your father’s legacy,” Jensen said. “To take his dreams one step further and make non-Terran planets equal to the Terras. I remember you saying something about that last year.”
“I might have,” Jared admitted. “You still remember that?”
“Clearly, as if it just happened this morning.”
“Me and my big mouth.”
“So, let’s start going down that big, glittering road you call destiny.”
“Shut up,” Jared grumbled as Jensen dragged him back into the study for the afternoon lessons. However, as loud as his complaints were, he finished his two units and actually had time to start another one.
Jared recollected the conversation as he fulfilled his nightly routine of watching Jensen sleep. He knew Jensen deliberately kept the conversation light, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if Jensen applied with him. He was certainly smart enough to get into any program he so desired.
But Jensen was a hybrid child. And creatures such as he had no rights, not even when they were adopted by families as powerful as his. And Jared knew that Jensen would face huge obstacles if he did. The thought of another kidnapping attempt was bad enough for Jared to accept the fact that Jensen was safer on Grayan I. Still, a part of him despaired at the thought of moving away for three years without his best friend.
Then, there was another, more insidious, thought. Jensen was not considered property to most of the Graians. In the eyes of the people who knew him - Jensen had the right of any human, and that included finding a mate. Would he find someone while Jared was gone? After all, Jensen spent most of his time either tutoring or ensuring Jared didn’t get into too much trouble, so it stood to reason that in his absence Jensen might actually have some free time for himself.
Don’t think like that. He’s your best friend; he deserves all the happiness he can get.
Jared’s gaze slipped over Jensen’s face. Most of his best memories were tied to Jensen, but he never bothered to find out if Jensen thought the same way. If he considered Jared an equal or more like a charge he had to take care of.
Look at him, he’s an adult. Everyone treats him like a man while people still ruffle your hair and call you Padalecki’s boy even though you’re almost eighteen.
“Jared, is it going to be one of those nights?”
Jared sighed. Why was it that Jensen always knew when he was having doubts? “Yeah.”
Jensen got out of his bed and crawled into his. He wrapped Jared in his arms. “I wish you’d use your brain half as hard during daytime as when you do right before sleeping. Because if you did, we would already have found the cure to death.”
“Shut up.”
“Jared, I’ll be here when you come back from the Academy. It’s only three years.”
“Three years is a long time.”
“Not the way I look at it.”
Jared knew Jensen was winding up for the punchline but he couldn’t help it. “And how do you look at it?”
“That it’s just long enough for our neighbors to forget about you. Right before you return and things go back to the state of chaos it’s in now.”
“Admit it, life will be boring without me.”
Jensen cracked open his eyes and gave a beautiful smile. “Exactly, which is why I’ll be waiting for you to come back.”
Jared swallowed what felt like years' worth of fears and desperation. He whispered, “Promise?”
“I swear.”
“You know, if I get into the accelerated program, I can finish my studies in two years instead of three.”
Jensen chuckled. “I never knew you were a daydreamer.”
“Don’t laugh, I could do it!”
“Okay, then. You know that means we’re going to have to step up your studies, right? We’re talking seven units instead of the usual five. You think you could handle that?”
Jared studied Jensen’s profile and said, “Yeah, I can handle that.”
“Then we better get started tomorrow. We’ve got some catching up to do.”
“Okay,” Jared whispered as he molded himself against Jensen, feeling the tension slowly seep away from his shoulders and back. “Tomorrow then.”
“Good night, o’ scholar of mine.”
Jared was able to keep his promise as he had a new goal: to come back home as soon as possible. The thought of entering a tech school in one of the more central planets was exciting, but he heard enough horror stories from Jeff to know that none of them could equal in beauty and friendliness as Grayan I. His parents may not be natives, and would never truly be accepted as one even with all his father’s successes, but Jared was born on Grayan, and that meant Graians treated him as one of their own.
His newfound focus did not go unnoticed by his parents. They were able to guess to the reasons as they overheard plenty of conversations between Jared and Jensen. After realizing his son's latest bout of diligence in his studies wasn't a passing fancy, Gerald quietly began reaching out to old colleagues and professors in the hopes of helping Jared get into a more prestigious program.
The responses fell into two categories: frigid silence or warm greetings filled with promises of help. After years of living on Grayan I, Gerald had forgotten the political implications of his successes in the Terran world. And the petty jealousies that can arise from fellow colleagues who admired and hated him for it.
Gerald and Sharon decided to let Jared choose. With Jensen’s help, of course. They knew their son was gifted, but he could be somewhat rash and may choose a program for reasons that could hurt him in the future.
It was as if Jensen was able to read their private worries. He seemed able to direct Jared without seeming to be preachy, and was able to gently sway Jared when he seemed to suddenly favor one program over another without reason, or at least a good one.
Sharon overheard Jensen talking to Jared about a two-year program that was suitable not because of its male to female student ratio, but the professors whose reputations were uniformly stellar.
She looked at Gerald who was standing next to her. “What about Jensen?”
Gerald closed his eyes and shook his head. “My level of influence doesn’t go that far. They’ll tear him to pieces of he even tries to attend a class. And that would be the good news.”
“You’re worried he’ll be taken again.”
“Yes. He’s safe here, or safe as he can be. But out there - the prejudices still remain. Too much, I’m afraid.”
“I just worry,” Sharon whispered as she studied her son. “Jensen’s been with us for so long … Jared will be lost without him.”
“It will do him good,” Gerald said. “The absence will make him realize what he has.”
Sharon looked at her husband. “Is that what you want?”
“I want him to be happy.” Gerald kissed his wife on the cheek. “And his happiness is here, with us. With Jensen.”
“People will talk.”
“They always talk. If it’s not one thing it’s another. If the consortiums mined for gossiping tongues on Grayan I, they'd be here for an eternity and then some.”
Gerald felt his wife tremble and thought she was crying. He embraced her more tightly and was about to say something comforting when he heard a loud snort from Sharon.
He looked down at her and realized she was laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“You sound like a true Graian.” Sharon gave another loud unladylike noise. “And an outlander, to boot.”
“Well, now, I don’t know if I should be insulted or pleased.”
Sharon slapped him on the chest. “Be careful there, doctor. You married an outlander.”
“Who was smart enough to move to the city.” Gerald smirked then winced and said “ow” when his wife slapped him harder on the chest.
“You’re lucky I held back,” Sharon growled mockingly.
“I see Jared and Jensen are arguing again. I wonder what this time.”
“Who knows,” Sharon peeked at them. “Want to find out?”
“Better than getting beaten up by you.”
“Coward.”
The parents found out the cause of the disagreement: Jensen's birthday - October second - the day that Jared found him, was fast approaching, and he wanted castella cake for the celebration. Jared was dead set against it. He wanted genuine strawberry shortcake, for which Jensen’s berries would be just perfect.
Sharon reasonably pointed out that since the cake was for Jensen’s birthday, it should be Jensen who gets to decide.
So, it was another castella cake, but liberally sprinkled with strawberries.
Jared watched Jensen with confusion as he wandered around the library. He couldn’t figure out why Jensen was aimlessly strolling around the table and chairs.
“Are you okay?” Jared asked.
Jensen made a humming sound.
Jared began to worry. “Jensen, talk to me.”
Jensen’s head snapped up as if he’d just heard Jared. “I’m sorry. Were you saying something?”
“Jensen, I was standing here talking to you. You’re telling me you heard nothing?”
“No, I guess my mind was wandering.”
“Um, so … do you want to continue with the fourth unit?”
“Sure, let’s do that.”
For the rest of the day Jensen showed no other abnormal behavior. Jared chalked it up to another growth development for Jensen. Two weeks passed without incident so Jared soon forgot about Jensen’s strange behavior.
However, when he passed by Isaac’s shop, he suddenly remembered the worrisome incident and decided to ask the mechanic.
Isaac saw him and gave a wan smile. “Good afternoon, Mr. Padalecki.”
Jared blushed. People he knew, some since childhood, started calling him by that title because he had recently entered the marriage market. It made him uncomfortable to the extreme, but the social mores of the Grayan society demanded such niceties so he bore it the best he could.
“I was wondering - do dolls sometimes act out of sorts?” he asked.
“Out of sorts, how? You mean a physical defect?”
“No, just not themselves.”
“You have to be more specific than that,” Isaac said.
“Jensen was acting strange couple of weeks ago. He was … well, for the lack of a better word, daydreaming.”
“Dolls do that.”
“Do what?”
“Dream, Mr. Padalecki,” Isaac said. “You didn’t know?”
“No, Jensen never told me.” Jared looked thoughtful by the revelation. “Can they have nightmares?”
“Of course.”
“So, it could be a development phase, then?”
“Probably,” Isaac said. “If you want, have him come over. I could take a look.”
“I’ll ask him. Thanks.”
“Not a problem.”
Isaac watched Jared walk down the street and turn a corner before making a call.
“He’s asking about you,” Isaac said. “I told him what you told me to say, but he’s not going to buy it, not for long.”
“That’s fine,” Jensen replied. “Thank you.”
“How long can you keep this up?”
“As long as it’s necessary. Jared’s going to leave for tech in a year. I can hold on until then.”
“And afterwards?”
“Jared will be fine,” Jensen said firmly. “Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
Isaac turned of the vid then darkened the windows to his store and turned on the ‘closed’ sign. He sat in the darkness, feeling emotions he was never suppose to feel. The Conflict had stolen everything from him, including his heart. So, he got into a business that wouldn’t require compassion or empathy.
Only now did he realize how stupid a mistake it was to choose this specific profession. And, he suspected, the depth of his mistake would only grow deeper in the coming months.
Part II * Part IV
Author's Name: frostian
Artist's Name: felixmackey
Genre: RPS, AU
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for language and violence
Warning: Main character death
Summary: Jared Padalecki’s closest friend is Jensen, a hybrid doll he rescued as a child. As they grow up, Jensen takes on the role of tutor and mentor, preparing Jared for the arduous task of entering a prestigious tech to continue his father’s tremendous legacy. But the greatest lesson is one that can only be learned, not taught, as Jared realizes that just because a creature isn't made of flesh and blood does not mean it can't have a soul.
Disclaimer: Fiction, fiction, and a side of fiction.
Jared woke to his mother’s whispers. He warily opened his eyes and peered into the darkness.
“Mom?”
“Jared!” She suddenly appeared in view. “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts, but I guess it could be worse.” He looked at the empty bed across the room and felt his guts shrink into a cold pebble. “Where’s Jensen?”
Sharon nervously glanced at a stranger standing in the doorway.
“Mom?” Jared studied the man in nondescript clothes. “Where’s Jensen?”
“They took him,” Sharon whispered. “The men who attacked you…”
“It’s that bastard, Noah. He did this.” Jared tried to sit up. “I know it’s him. Make him give Jensen back. Make him!”
“Take it easy,” the man said. “We’re trying to find out who did this, but we can’t just jump to conclusions.”
“Who are you?” Jared asked.
“My name’s Mike. I work for a private security firm. Your father hired me.”
Sharon placed her hands on Jared’s shoulders and firmly pushed him back down to the bed. “Your father is doing everything he can, and he won’t stop until Jensen's back with us.”
Jared leaned back into the pillows. "Tell me when he calls? Please?”
“I promise. Just try to get some sleep."
Sharon closed the door to her son’s worried face. She looked at Mike. “Where is he?”
“They tracked the payment to a private point ship that docked last night. It left this afternoon; right after the kidnapping.”
“Where did it come from?”
“We don't know yet. What we do know is that it’s an independent outfit, usually employed by consortiums to scout new planets suitable for mining.”
Sharon’s features hardened. “Let me guess, Gaines has hired them in the past.”
“How did you know?”
“Senator Noah is one of the founding members of Gaines Mining. He touts its ecological conservation goals all the time. In fact, he talked about its goals during a speech he made last night.”
“I’m pretty sure my men can stop the ship and bring Jensen back,” Mike said. “But it’s going to happen again.”
“Because Noah will still want Jensen.” Sharon shook her head in muted rage.
“That’s going to cause difficulties,” Mike warned his client.
“It will,” Sharon agreed. “But that’s none of your concern. Just bring back Jensen and my husband safely.”
Mike calmly looked at her. “Not a problem.”
Gerald made his way to the cockpit and sat in the co-pilot’s chair. “We’re still good?”
Sergeant Jeff Morgan nodded. “Still good. I told you the cloaking device on Winchester is the best. Besides, their ship is only a scouter and not exactly top of the line, either.”
"Is it really called Loralie?"
The Sergeant chuckled. "Yes, and there isn't enough alcohol in the Pickler System to make you forget if I tell you why, so I won't."
"Fair enough," Gerald said. "“How long before we dock?”
“As soon as the incursion team’s ready.”
“And we are.” A man with a ponytail answered as he entered the cockpit. “Hiya, name’s Steve Carlson.”
“And I’m Chris,” said a stranger who came up behind Steve. “So you’re the big guy who hired us?”
“Yes,” Gerald answered. “Did Morgan tell you what I need you to do?”
“Yep, the jackasses snatched a member of your family, and you want him back. Trust me, this is not the first kidnapping case we’ve dealt with.”
“I’m guessing there are more abductions than reported?”
“A lot more,” Jeff said. “About seventy percent of the cases we take are kidnappings. They’re usually pirates, from all systems.”
“Usually pirates?”
“Some are ex-soldiers from the Conflict with one very large political agenda,” Steve said.
“Let’s chit-chat later.” Jeff gave a dark look at Steve. “Everyone, to airlock three.”
Gerald stood up. “I’m going with you.”
“Sir, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Steve said.
“I have to know,” Gerald said roughly. “I have to make sure Jensen’s fine, because if he isn’t … then my wife has to make certain arrangements. You see, we have children and they can’t … they just can’t.”
Jeff looked at Chris who gave a nod. “Okay, stay behind Chris then. And do what he tells you to do, no questions. This is not a democracy, understood?”
“Not a problem,” Gerald said.
He waited with trepidation while the rest of the group looked bored until they heard the ship’s docking clamps slam onto Loralie. Steve quickly overran its program and opened her doors. The team swiftly made their way from Winchester to Loralie without meeting any resistance. They poured out into the main hallway, checking the corridor for any activity.
Chris scanned the area and said, “Lifesigns in the back, probably where the galley is.”
“Good, prepare for fire and let’s just say we’re not here to make friends with them.” Jeff handed out light grenades to Steve and Chris.
“Got that right,” Steve muttered. “But we should send Chris ahead. He didn’t clean his teeth for days now.”
Chris hocked a spit at his friend, nailing Steve right between his shoulder blades. Gerald felt like he was watching his sons trading their usual banter. However, that illusion disappeared in the following moment.
Jeff didn’t even wince when the wall next to him was suddenly scoured with tracer burn as laser fire hailed down on him. Instead of taking cover, he activated a light grenade and pitched it. Gerald closed his eyes in order to shield his vision from the blinding explosion. Screams quickly chased the sound of the grenade hitting the floor.
Jeff’s team waited a full minute before making their way down the corridor. It took them less than that to round up the kidnappers. There was a head count which matched the personnel files Steve downloaded earlier when he hacked into Loralie's data core.
Gerald waited impatiently as he watched Jeff interrogate the kidnappers. He knew just by sight alone that Morgan wasn’t making any headway. He was about ready to roll up his sleeves and join the Sergeant when Chris appeared.
“I found him,” Chris said without a trace of humor he’d displayed earlier.
Gerald followed the private soldier into a large storage room. In the center was an isolation chamber filled with preservation liquid. Gerald peered into the containment box and saw Jensen naked and curled into a fetal position.
“He’s unharmed,” Chris said.
Gerald turned to him. “Then why are you so upset?”
Chris pointed to a bank of screens. “They were auctioning him.”
“What?”
Chris just pointed at the farthest screen on the left. Gerald approached it with great reluctance. It only took a single glance at the screen for him to see that Chris was speaking the truth and, in fact, was actually downplaying what was happening.
One screen displayed all the sexual acts Jensen could perform without permanently damaging his systems. The others were showing the current bidding, and each bid was the double of the previous one.
Chris shook his head. “Bastards. I can’t believe they’d do this.”
Gerald closed his eyes. “Jensen isn’t human.”
“I know,” Chris said. “Doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Steve entered the room. “They said they were working for Noah, but when they found out what Mr. Ackles was, they thought they could make more money by selling him off.”
“What will happen to them?” Gerald asked, his eyes riveted to the growing list of sexual preferences by the bidders as they questioned Jensen’s abilities to fulfill them.
“I’m guessing they’ll be brought to trial by the Governor,” Steve said, “but they won’t admit to Noah’s involvement. Not if they want to live to see another day.”
“We need to get Jensen out of this,” Gerald said. “Get me something to cover him.”
Steve looked around and found a clean blanket, and Chris found a trolley which they used to transport Jensen to Winchester. When they returned they discovered the kidnappers had been moved to the docking bay.
“What do you want to do with them?” Jeff asked.
Gerald didn’t even spare a glance. “They’re pirates. There’s only one rule that applies to their kind.”
The men looked at Gerald in shock. One of them blurted out, “No, wait! That’s not true. We kidnapped the damn thing but that doesn’t make us pirates!”
Gerald looked at Morgan. “They’re pirates.”
Jeff took a glance at the men he’d herded into the room. “Alright then.”
“Wait!” one shouted. “Look, we swear we won’t do this again! It's just a doll! We’re human beings!”
“And that’s the tragedy,” Gerald said hoarsely. “Sergeant? You heard me.”
Gerald was the first to leave. Chris and Steve helped Jeff secure the prisoners onto the floor then left without a backward glance. The three took their seats in the cockpit and waited for Jeff who appeared only minutes after.
“What’s going to happen now?” Gerald asked, his attention riveted to the kidnappers' lifesigns flashing on a screen in front of him.
“We’re going to move to a safe distance first,” Jeff explained as Winchester unclamped itself. “Then we’re going to detonate it.”
The scouter flared briefly as the first bomb went off in the engine room. Then a chain of explosions followed, culminating in a bright flash of light before debris jettisoned everywhere.
Gerald watched the lethal display, wondering when his guilt would kick in. He had deliberately sent men to their deaths for a crime he, not society, deemed to be worthy of the death penalty.
“Don’t think about it too much,” Jeff said.
“I’m not,” Gerald admitted. “And I’m worried that I’m not.”
“Hey, I did three tours for the Conflict,” Jeff explained. “You can get used to anything.”
“You must wonder why I’m so viciously protective of Jensen.”
“I’m figuring it’s not because he’s your concubine,” Jeff said.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I know a few people in the outer mining planets. They have … children like Jensen.”
Gerald rubbed his face with his hands. “I heard something about that. I thought they were false rumors.”
“Nope,” Jeff said. “My sister’s neighbors adopted one. They can’t have children because they’ve been exposed to too much shit while mining. So, adoption’s out of the question, too. These hybrid children were the next best thing.”
“Hybrid children?” Gerald echoed. “I’ve never heard that term before.”
“Better than sex dolls,” Jeff said. “That’s what they’re called by people who adopted them. Not human, not machine - a hybrid of both.”
“Hybrid children,” Gerald said. “Well, Jensen’s a member of my family. We adopted him when he was just a child.”
“You didn’t buy him?” Jeff asked.
“No, he … my son found him. His owner had thrown him in the trash and Jared picked him up. We tried getting rid of Jensen but...” Gerald broke into a small laugh. “My son chained himself to Jensen so we couldn’t.”
“Sounds like a tough kid, but then Grayan’s a tough place.”
“It is,” Gerald said. “But it’s filled with kind people.”
“Tough doesn’t mean cruel,” Jeff agreed.
“Thank you,” Gerald said. “For retrieving my son.”
“You’re welcome, doctor.” Jeff turned on the booster engines. “Why don’t we hurry back? Your family must be anxious to see you two.”
Jared unconsciously curled himself around Jensen who woke up when he felt the bed shift. He looked at the people circled around them.
“You came for me,” he whispered, his voice rough from shouting.
“Of course we did,” Gerald said. “You’re safe now. Get some rest.”
Jensen turned to Jared. “How is he?”
“He’s fine, just worried about you,” Sharon answered.
Jensen gave a sleepy nod and embraced Jared. The parents slipped out of the room, leaving behind Chad who gave a single piercing glance at the two figures entwined in bed.
He quickly went to his house, while giving form to a desperate plan. After ensuring that he had privacy, Chad lifted a false panel under his bed and pulled out a small, fabric-woven box. He lifted the lid and peered into the inium he’d won in a series of card games from smugglers just few months back. In its natural state, the mineral was inert so there was no danger. However, once unfurled in an appropriate reactor, three ounces gave off enough energy to fuel the biggest starcruiser currently available for an entire day.
Chad had enough in his collection to fuel and entire fleet of twelve cruisers for a week. He put the box in a worn satchel and made his way to the market district in Praides. He entered the doll shop, glad to see it was empty of customers.
Isaac looked up from his reading and saw the look on his face. “I swear, I had nothing to do with Jensen being taken. I swear!”
“But you told them how to track him, didn’t you? They managed to snatch him in less than a day, so they knew how to find him.”
Isaac gave a sidelong glance towards the door.
“How far do you think you can run before I catch up to you?” Chad said in a conversational tone. “Besides, I’ve got people who owe me and they’ll be glad to pay up by breaking your legs.
“Now, answer the question: do you know how they tracked Jensen?”
“It’s the earring,” Isaac answered. “It emits a signal and each doll has a distinctive signature assigned to it.”
“So you told them what Jensen’s was.”
Isaac nodded. “They were going to kill me, I swear.”
Chad took out the box from his bag. “Open it.”
Isaac did. He stared at the inium with shocked eyes. “What’s this? What are you offering?”
“I want you to take it as a payment.”
“Payment for what?” Isaac asked, his face revealing greed and suspicion.
“I want you to take off Jensen’s earring and replace it with a dud.” Chad pushed the box towards Isaac. “One that he could take off if he wants to.”
“That just about violates every rule governing the…”
“What are the odds I can find an engineer who can do the same for half the price?” Chad made a motion to grab his offering.
“I’ll do it,” Isaac said as he snatched the box from the table. “The procedure is pretty simple, actually. It’s just hard getting people not to blab about it.”
“Who’s going to tell?” Chad asked with a wide, friendly smile and succinct, reptilian voice.
“When?”
“Tonight."
Chad picked up Isaac at the scheduled time and led him to the back of his friend's house. Without hesitation, Chad punched in the new codes given to him just that morning. He then quietly led Isaac into his friend’s bedroom.
Jensen and Jared were as he’d left them earlier in the day.
Chad gently woke Jensen and made a motion to keep quiet when Jensen opened his mouth to speak. It was then he spotted Isaac standing behind Chad. With a puzzled look Jensen sat up.
Jared stirred. He looked at the group and asked, “Chad? What's happening?”
“Isaac is going to do us a big favor,” Chad explained quietly. “It’ll just take a moment. Okay?”
Isaac stepped next to the bed and explained what he was about to do. Jensen was reluctant at first, but Jared was eager and managed to convince him to submit to the procedure. Isaac was good on his word; it took him only few minutes to disconnect the earring from Jensen without damaging him. It took even less time for him to plug in a fake one that glowed just as iridescently as the original.
Jared felt boneless as relief washed over him. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” Chad said. “I’m going to take Isaac home. See you tomorrow.” He ushered out the mechanic without looking back.
Jared got up and stood behind Jensen as he studied himself in the mirror.
“How are you feeling?” he asked softly.
“Still a bit groggy,” Jensen answered. “The narcotic hasn’t completely left my system yet.”
“So, you were out the entire time?”
“Yes, for which I am very grateful.” Jensen trudged back to bed and sat down. He fingered the new earring. “I don’t want anyone to get in trouble because of this.”
“If we get caught, we'll just blame it on the kidnappers.”
“Do you think anyone would believe that?” Jensen looked anxiously at Jared.
“If you bat your eyelashes fast enough, yeah.”
“Shut up.” Jensen collapsed onto the bed and gave a long, exasperated sigh. “I really hope this doesn’t become a repeat performance.”
“I doubt it,” Jared laid down next to him. “We just have to be more careful.”
“Maybe,” Jensen drawled, eyelids already drooping.
“Definitely,” Jared corrected and fell asleep when he heard the gentle snuffle that was Jensen’s reply.
Governor's Palace, Praides
Security Chief Maier saluted Governor Barlow. “Sir, we’ve found Senator Noah’s hovercarrier. It was on Jacquim Ridge.”
“What?” Barlow looked at Maier. “What was he doing in that shithole? There isn’t a human outpost within a day from that place.”
“I can think of two reasons,” Maier said. “The first is that the Jacquim Ridge is overlooking a spot that Dr. Padalecki is considering for an aquatilium.”
“I didn’t hear about that. How could Marcus know?”
“Sir, he has resources far greater than ours,” Maier answered diplomatically.
“Of course, the High Council.” Barlow sighed. “The other?”
“It’s hunting season, and wild boars migrate through Jacquim Ridge this time of the year.” Maier looked at his handheld then said in a diplomatic voice, “From what I understand Senator Noah is a fanatical hunter.”
“That he is, and the boars are legendary,” Barlow said. “You don’t think he’s alive, do you?”
“I don’t know, sir,” Maier answered truthfully. “If he went out there to hunt by himself while scouting the area for the Council … he may have faced more than he can handle.”
“Was there a sandstorm?”
“Two, and one of them completely buried an abandoning mining facility on the Ridge.”
“Sweep the area with a bio scan, just to be sure.” Barlow sat down and began composing the condolence letter to his uncle.
“Yes, sir. And if we find the body?”
“We’ll hold the funeral here. Best not to let his family see. Those sandstorms can do unspeakable damage on the human frame.” Barlow frowned. “Maier, how did you know to look for him there?”
“Professor Padalecki told me she talked to him about the culture of the hunt. He asked her about the boars and she told him of their importance in our society’s cultural heritage. She didn’t think much of it until she discovered he was missing.”
“Thank you. Please start the scan immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Barlow looked down at the screen.
Dear Uncle Joshua
Best if I tell him face to face, he thought sadly. He turned on the communication vid and ordered a personal call to Admiral Noah of the High Council.
Jared rolled his eyes and blew air out his mouth, ruffling his long bangs. He looked at Jensen who didn’t seem to notice his petulant mood. So, Jared sighed louder.
“You know, you’re starting to really resemble Megan at her worst,” Jensen said, not even bothering to look up from his reading.
“It’s beautiful outside! We should…”
“I heard your argument so often I can actually finish it. Jared, let’s try to complete at least one assignment.”
“We already did two! And it’s only eleven in the morning.” Jared looked at the warm winter sun and Megan lingering outside to enjoy the agreeable weather. “What’s the rush?”
“Because if you want to get into a decent tech you have to score well in the overall exam, which requires you to finish five units every day. And we both know how useless you are after lunch.”
“So, we can have lunch outside?” Jared asked, brightening visibly.
“Yes, we can have lunch outside,” Jensen agreed. “But only if you finish this unit. Now.”
“All right then,” Jared agreed. “Why didn’t you just say so?”
Now it was Jensen who rolled his eyes. However, with such a prize dangling in front of him, Jared managed to finish the third unit in less than forty minutes.
The moment Jensen turned off the screen, Jared dragged him into the hospitable sun, face turned upwards.
“Isn’t this great?” Jared asked as they sat under a Joshua tree.
“Yes, it is,” Jensen agreed. He pulled out a small magnetic pad and a stylus. With easy, graceful strokes he began writing.
Jared peered at his friend. “Why do you even bother? Nobody writes by hand anymore.”
“It’s ancient, not outmoded,” Jensen said as he continued writing the alphabet. “Besides, it’s beautiful to look at.”
Jared shook his head. “I disagree; fonts are more beautiful. They are…”
“Impersonal,” Jensen interrupted. “Every letter looks just like another letter. There’s no signature to say you're the author and not another.”
Jared coughed a laugh. “That’s why there’s a tag.”
“Tags can be faked, but handwriting? It takes a genius to copy another person's writing to a degree that the experts can be fooled.”
“There were experts on handwriting?” Jared asked, his curiosity now piqued.
“Yes, in ancient times, when people wrote by hand, there were experts who made a good living studying handwriting and what it revealed of the writers.”
“Really?” Jared shook his head. “That sounds so barbaric!”
“Primitive, but elegant,” Jensen countered. He finished his ‘Z’ with a flourish.
Jared took a longer look at the alphabet Jensen had written. “It’s different, but I still prefer keyboard.”
“Because it’s convenient,” Jensen said. “Admit it, you’re lazy.”
Jared shrugged. “So what? It’s still faster than writing.”
“But speed doesn’t mean it’s more valuable a tool. If people wrote, maybe they’ll be more careful about what they write about.”
“Doubt it,” Jared said. “I remember your history lessons: mankind was hopelessly stupid back then. Even with handwritten letters and books to guide them.”
Jensen couldn’t find a proper answer so he gave a grunt of annoyance. “Finish your lunch. We still have two units to do.”
“You get so incredibly bossy when you're mad.”
“Finish your lunch,” Jensen repeated with a smug grin. “Of course, if you’re already done, we can go in.”
“Still have to drink my tea,” Jared said quickly.
“That’s what I thought.” Jensen leaned back to enjoy the sun.
Jared made a rude gesture and took his time finishing his meal. He was polishing off the last of his four desserts when a thought struck him.
“Jensen, what are you going to do?”
“Do what?” Jensen replied.
“What are you going to do when I apply to a tech program?”
“What do you mean?” Jensen looked at him.
“If I get into the engineering program, that means I’ll be away for three years. What are you going to do? Will you go with me?”
“As what?” Jensen asked. “Your tutor? Servant? Concubine, perhaps?”
“No, you idiot,” Jared replied hotly. “Maybe you could apply to the program with me.”
Jensen shook his head. “I don’t think that’s possible. I plan to stay here and take care of things, like I always do.”
“But I’ll be gone for three years,” Jared said anxiously. “That’s a long time.”
“It’s a good program, Jared. And there’s no guarantee you’re going to get in, especially if you take your lessons so lightheartedly.”
“Lightheartedly?” Jared smirked. “You mean lazy, right?”
“You said it, not me.”
“You really want me to go away?”
Jensen looked at Jared with a soft smile. “I want you to succeed, Jared. I want you to be what you were destined to be.”
“And what is that?”
“To continue your father’s legacy,” Jensen said. “To take his dreams one step further and make non-Terran planets equal to the Terras. I remember you saying something about that last year.”
“I might have,” Jared admitted. “You still remember that?”
“Clearly, as if it just happened this morning.”
“Me and my big mouth.”
“So, let’s start going down that big, glittering road you call destiny.”
“Shut up,” Jared grumbled as Jensen dragged him back into the study for the afternoon lessons. However, as loud as his complaints were, he finished his two units and actually had time to start another one.
Jared recollected the conversation as he fulfilled his nightly routine of watching Jensen sleep. He knew Jensen deliberately kept the conversation light, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if Jensen applied with him. He was certainly smart enough to get into any program he so desired.
But Jensen was a hybrid child. And creatures such as he had no rights, not even when they were adopted by families as powerful as his. And Jared knew that Jensen would face huge obstacles if he did. The thought of another kidnapping attempt was bad enough for Jared to accept the fact that Jensen was safer on Grayan I. Still, a part of him despaired at the thought of moving away for three years without his best friend.
Then, there was another, more insidious, thought. Jensen was not considered property to most of the Graians. In the eyes of the people who knew him - Jensen had the right of any human, and that included finding a mate. Would he find someone while Jared was gone? After all, Jensen spent most of his time either tutoring or ensuring Jared didn’t get into too much trouble, so it stood to reason that in his absence Jensen might actually have some free time for himself.
Don’t think like that. He’s your best friend; he deserves all the happiness he can get.
Jared’s gaze slipped over Jensen’s face. Most of his best memories were tied to Jensen, but he never bothered to find out if Jensen thought the same way. If he considered Jared an equal or more like a charge he had to take care of.
Look at him, he’s an adult. Everyone treats him like a man while people still ruffle your hair and call you Padalecki’s boy even though you’re almost eighteen.
“Jared, is it going to be one of those nights?”
Jared sighed. Why was it that Jensen always knew when he was having doubts? “Yeah.”
Jensen got out of his bed and crawled into his. He wrapped Jared in his arms. “I wish you’d use your brain half as hard during daytime as when you do right before sleeping. Because if you did, we would already have found the cure to death.”
“Shut up.”
“Jared, I’ll be here when you come back from the Academy. It’s only three years.”
“Three years is a long time.”
“Not the way I look at it.”
Jared knew Jensen was winding up for the punchline but he couldn’t help it. “And how do you look at it?”
“That it’s just long enough for our neighbors to forget about you. Right before you return and things go back to the state of chaos it’s in now.”
“Admit it, life will be boring without me.”
Jensen cracked open his eyes and gave a beautiful smile. “Exactly, which is why I’ll be waiting for you to come back.”
Jared swallowed what felt like years' worth of fears and desperation. He whispered, “Promise?”
“I swear.”
“You know, if I get into the accelerated program, I can finish my studies in two years instead of three.”
Jensen chuckled. “I never knew you were a daydreamer.”
“Don’t laugh, I could do it!”
“Okay, then. You know that means we’re going to have to step up your studies, right? We’re talking seven units instead of the usual five. You think you could handle that?”
Jared studied Jensen’s profile and said, “Yeah, I can handle that.”
“Then we better get started tomorrow. We’ve got some catching up to do.”
“Okay,” Jared whispered as he molded himself against Jensen, feeling the tension slowly seep away from his shoulders and back. “Tomorrow then.”
“Good night, o’ scholar of mine.”
Jared was able to keep his promise as he had a new goal: to come back home as soon as possible. The thought of entering a tech school in one of the more central planets was exciting, but he heard enough horror stories from Jeff to know that none of them could equal in beauty and friendliness as Grayan I. His parents may not be natives, and would never truly be accepted as one even with all his father’s successes, but Jared was born on Grayan, and that meant Graians treated him as one of their own.
His newfound focus did not go unnoticed by his parents. They were able to guess to the reasons as they overheard plenty of conversations between Jared and Jensen. After realizing his son's latest bout of diligence in his studies wasn't a passing fancy, Gerald quietly began reaching out to old colleagues and professors in the hopes of helping Jared get into a more prestigious program.
The responses fell into two categories: frigid silence or warm greetings filled with promises of help. After years of living on Grayan I, Gerald had forgotten the political implications of his successes in the Terran world. And the petty jealousies that can arise from fellow colleagues who admired and hated him for it.
Gerald and Sharon decided to let Jared choose. With Jensen’s help, of course. They knew their son was gifted, but he could be somewhat rash and may choose a program for reasons that could hurt him in the future.
It was as if Jensen was able to read their private worries. He seemed able to direct Jared without seeming to be preachy, and was able to gently sway Jared when he seemed to suddenly favor one program over another without reason, or at least a good one.
Sharon overheard Jensen talking to Jared about a two-year program that was suitable not because of its male to female student ratio, but the professors whose reputations were uniformly stellar.
She looked at Gerald who was standing next to her. “What about Jensen?”
Gerald closed his eyes and shook his head. “My level of influence doesn’t go that far. They’ll tear him to pieces of he even tries to attend a class. And that would be the good news.”
“You’re worried he’ll be taken again.”
“Yes. He’s safe here, or safe as he can be. But out there - the prejudices still remain. Too much, I’m afraid.”
“I just worry,” Sharon whispered as she studied her son. “Jensen’s been with us for so long … Jared will be lost without him.”
“It will do him good,” Gerald said. “The absence will make him realize what he has.”
Sharon looked at her husband. “Is that what you want?”
“I want him to be happy.” Gerald kissed his wife on the cheek. “And his happiness is here, with us. With Jensen.”
“People will talk.”
“They always talk. If it’s not one thing it’s another. If the consortiums mined for gossiping tongues on Grayan I, they'd be here for an eternity and then some.”
Gerald felt his wife tremble and thought she was crying. He embraced her more tightly and was about to say something comforting when he heard a loud snort from Sharon.
He looked down at her and realized she was laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“You sound like a true Graian.” Sharon gave another loud unladylike noise. “And an outlander, to boot.”
“Well, now, I don’t know if I should be insulted or pleased.”
Sharon slapped him on the chest. “Be careful there, doctor. You married an outlander.”
“Who was smart enough to move to the city.” Gerald smirked then winced and said “ow” when his wife slapped him harder on the chest.
“You’re lucky I held back,” Sharon growled mockingly.
“I see Jared and Jensen are arguing again. I wonder what this time.”
“Who knows,” Sharon peeked at them. “Want to find out?”
“Better than getting beaten up by you.”
“Coward.”
The parents found out the cause of the disagreement: Jensen's birthday - October second - the day that Jared found him, was fast approaching, and he wanted castella cake for the celebration. Jared was dead set against it. He wanted genuine strawberry shortcake, for which Jensen’s berries would be just perfect.
Sharon reasonably pointed out that since the cake was for Jensen’s birthday, it should be Jensen who gets to decide.
So, it was another castella cake, but liberally sprinkled with strawberries.
Jared watched Jensen with confusion as he wandered around the library. He couldn’t figure out why Jensen was aimlessly strolling around the table and chairs.
“Are you okay?” Jared asked.
Jensen made a humming sound.
Jared began to worry. “Jensen, talk to me.”
Jensen’s head snapped up as if he’d just heard Jared. “I’m sorry. Were you saying something?”
“Jensen, I was standing here talking to you. You’re telling me you heard nothing?”
“No, I guess my mind was wandering.”
“Um, so … do you want to continue with the fourth unit?”
“Sure, let’s do that.”
For the rest of the day Jensen showed no other abnormal behavior. Jared chalked it up to another growth development for Jensen. Two weeks passed without incident so Jared soon forgot about Jensen’s strange behavior.
However, when he passed by Isaac’s shop, he suddenly remembered the worrisome incident and decided to ask the mechanic.
Isaac saw him and gave a wan smile. “Good afternoon, Mr. Padalecki.”
Jared blushed. People he knew, some since childhood, started calling him by that title because he had recently entered the marriage market. It made him uncomfortable to the extreme, but the social mores of the Grayan society demanded such niceties so he bore it the best he could.
“I was wondering - do dolls sometimes act out of sorts?” he asked.
“Out of sorts, how? You mean a physical defect?”
“No, just not themselves.”
“You have to be more specific than that,” Isaac said.
“Jensen was acting strange couple of weeks ago. He was … well, for the lack of a better word, daydreaming.”
“Dolls do that.”
“Do what?”
“Dream, Mr. Padalecki,” Isaac said. “You didn’t know?”
“No, Jensen never told me.” Jared looked thoughtful by the revelation. “Can they have nightmares?”
“Of course.”
“So, it could be a development phase, then?”
“Probably,” Isaac said. “If you want, have him come over. I could take a look.”
“I’ll ask him. Thanks.”
“Not a problem.”
Isaac watched Jared walk down the street and turn a corner before making a call.
“He’s asking about you,” Isaac said. “I told him what you told me to say, but he’s not going to buy it, not for long.”
“That’s fine,” Jensen replied. “Thank you.”
“How long can you keep this up?”
“As long as it’s necessary. Jared’s going to leave for tech in a year. I can hold on until then.”
“And afterwards?”
“Jared will be fine,” Jensen said firmly. “Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
Isaac turned of the vid then darkened the windows to his store and turned on the ‘closed’ sign. He sat in the darkness, feeling emotions he was never suppose to feel. The Conflict had stolen everything from him, including his heart. So, he got into a business that wouldn’t require compassion or empathy.
Only now did he realize how stupid a mistake it was to choose this specific profession. And, he suspected, the depth of his mistake would only grow deeper in the coming months.
Part II * Part IV