Rome, Italy [Thursday morning]
The service was held in a small chapel on the outskirts of the city. Nothing fancy, nothing even all that official considering that the Agency itself wasn't involved in his particular event.
Hilshire looked even more reserved than usual as he stood at the front next to the closed coffin. "Thank you all for being here," he began. His voice was smooth and carefully controlled with only a few rough edges here or there that might indicate his emotional state. "I doubt she would have said so, but your being here really would have meant something to Triela. Would have been an indication of friendship even if part of her thought the whole affair was a bit silly."
"You all know how she was. She thought ritual and tradition were often odd wastes of time. But I noticed over the past few years that she'd began to... appreciate them anyway, and I attribute that to her friends."
He took a deep breath. "I'm not really good at this sort of thing, but... I wanted to thank you all for being there, and here, for her. I know you didn't do it for me, and that some of you must hate me for being involved in all of this, but that doesn't make me any less grateful. You did something for Triela that I was never able to figure out how to do: you taught her what it was like to be human again."
"Triela appreciated that as well, even if she didn't say so. She left instructions with me regarding parting gifts. You'll notice a table in the corner with boxes. Each one has a name on it. So, please find yours before you go."
Hilshire's eyes swept the room until they lighted on Karla. "I'm not very good at this sort of thing," which was obvious by now, "so..." he gave her a nod and stepped to one side.
[NFB, the last post I suspect I'll make from this journal]
Hilshire looked even more reserved than usual as he stood at the front next to the closed coffin. "Thank you all for being here," he began. His voice was smooth and carefully controlled with only a few rough edges here or there that might indicate his emotional state. "I doubt she would have said so, but your being here really would have meant something to Triela. Would have been an indication of friendship even if part of her thought the whole affair was a bit silly."
"You all know how she was. She thought ritual and tradition were often odd wastes of time. But I noticed over the past few years that she'd began to... appreciate them anyway, and I attribute that to her friends."
He took a deep breath. "I'm not really good at this sort of thing, but... I wanted to thank you all for being there, and here, for her. I know you didn't do it for me, and that some of you must hate me for being involved in all of this, but that doesn't make me any less grateful. You did something for Triela that I was never able to figure out how to do: you taught her what it was like to be human again."
"Triela appreciated that as well, even if she didn't say so. She left instructions with me regarding parting gifts. You'll notice a table in the corner with boxes. Each one has a name on it. So, please find yours before you go."
Hilshire's eyes swept the room until they lighted on Karla. "I'm not very good at this sort of thing," which was obvious by now, "so..." he gave her a nod and stepped to one side.
[NFB, the last post I suspect I'll make from this journal]