#bornofthenetwork

It would be illogical to say that the house he shared with Amanda was any more quiet than it had been for the last few years. Neither Michael nor his son had lived there for some time, and he and his wife seldom entertained guests aside from politicians and diplomats. They were private people. Partly by choice.

Yet he couldn’t escape the emptiness he sensed. After all, part of his soul had gone with Michael, and even this loss had not brought any resolution to the rift with his son. 

Logically, he knew that what troubled him wasn’t that the house was quieter now. It was that it seemed it might always be so.

He’d spent the day in his office, busying himself with the never-ending subspace messages and meetings that came with his station. Amanda checked in on him now and then. He was relieved that she had forgiven him enough to be worried about him again, but it was difficult to convey to her that her worry was pointless. He had control of his emotions. Life would continue.

She checked in on him one more time before she retired to bed, but he stayed in his office. After a while, he closed his eyes, allowing his mind to relax briefly into meditation...

But it didn’t last long. Somewhere, in his quiet house, he heard something.