Station, стр. 84

of people to ever have the nerve to ask something of medirectly. I respect that. You'll never understand how much Irespect that. But this I cannot give you. I am but the creator ofthis city. Have I made changes here and there? Have I dictatedcertain things? Sure. But ultimately, the fate of Station falls onthe shoulders of its residents. My hands are tied."

Hadder's anger grew, pushing aside the few remainingstrands of restraint, making way for the Rage to take over. "That'sbullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I'm not that smart, but I can sensepower. And I know that you could end this with a word. But youwon't. And I don't understand why."

"It's not for you to understand, human." There was ahint of a threat in Rott's tone, perhaps a reaction to Hadder'sRage.

"Fuck you. You brought us here to build better livesfor ourselves. Some of us fucked that up. But many of us succeeded,built real homes here, did our best to learn from the Before andapply it to our new lives, our second chances. And what's ourreward for that? To get slaughtered by a bunch of combat Elevatedpsychos that just want to punish the world for their ownunhappiness?"

"Perhaps you'll win."

"Bullshit. Even if we win, this city will become amausoleum. You can't erect a new city on a foundation of bones.Station will die either way. Or maybe that's what you want."

"I don't want anything, Marlin Hadder. Only toobserve."

"Not good enough. Not nearly good enough." The Ragehummed now, ignored any signs of danger from Albany Rott. "Youcreated Station. You ripped all of us from death. You had us makehomes and find new families here." Hadder's voice amplified,echoing off the cold, hard walls of the cathedral. "You have aresponsibility to that which you concocted! You owe us better!"

Embers became wildfires that threatened to exit theconfines of Rott's eyes. "I owe you nothing! You are all nothing! Igave you all the greatest gifts - second chances and time - and youhave squandered it. You say I must protect my creation; mustn't youanswer for the actions of your fellow humans. The Risers are you,and you are the Risers. I see no difference between you all. I onlysee the failure of humanity. You would have succeeded as a group.Now, most of you will die as a group."

"You must fight with us. If not to save us, then tosave those outside Station's walls, who will feel Riser blades attheir throats if the city falls."

"Strong words from one who cannot keep his own heartbeating. You tire me, Marlin Hadder. Maybe Lilly Sistine also tiredof your empty words, your broken promises of a safe home. Tell me,Marlin, what will you do if you meet her on the battlefield? Willyou be able to plunge a dagger into that beautiful creature? Youknow, for the good of the city?"

Hadder's Rage had reached its threshold for talking.He held onto a tenuous leash, and had much to do if any were tosurvive the upcoming fighting. "I'm going to go now, Mister Rott.I'm going to prepare my friends the best I can for war. We're goingto fight to the last. And if I somehow survive this unnecessaryconflict and you weren't around to aid in that survival, I'm comingback here. Station doesn't need an absentee landlord."

"Good luck with that, Marlin Hadder."

Hadder spun angrily and exited the cathedral,kicking himself. If he did somehow survive the Great War, he wassure that he had just signed his death warrant with the enigmaticAlbany Rott. Lost in frustrating regret, he failed to look back ashe made his way through Rott Manor; the broad grin on Rott's facewent unnoticed.

Hadder stayed south of the Lethe as he exited RottManor. Following the banks of the river, he made his way back home,a word that meant much less than it did three Solays prior. As hewalked, Hadder finally looked down at himself. Rott had replacedhis black t-shirt with a white one but had somehow replaced hisgray pants with an almost exact replica. His high-tops were theones his corpse arrived in and still wore much of his blood fromthe ordeal. Still, Hadder had to admit that he didn't look half badfor a dead man.

As Hadder approached Cranesman, he noticed aflurry of activity around the Bar. Men and women were moving withpurpose, fashioning weapons from metal and wood, digging traptrenches, and practicing fighting maneuvers. They stopped to stareat Hadder as he passed, convinced they were observing the ghost oftheir former friend.

Hadder dramatically kicked in the doors of the Bar,sending the Solay's light into the dim building and making the massof residents inside jump as they clutched weapons. Glen, standingamongst the Setters discussing strategy, fell back upon seeingHadder and grabbed at his chest. Recovering quickly, he movedtowards his friend, a look of bewilderment painted on his beardedface.

"Hadder? By the gods, could it be you, son? Wethought we had lost you." Glen placed his hands on Hadder'sshoulders, gripped up and down his arms as if to ensure that theman before him was real. Tears began to well up in the stoic man'seyes.

"You did lose me, Glen. Mister Rott brought me back.Again. For what reason, I can only guess. But those are questionsfor another day. We have work to do and little time to do it."

Glen collected himself, nodded solemnly. "Yes, ofcourse. Another day. And I fear we have less time than even youthink. Much has transpired since your…untimely exit." Hadder raiseda questioning eyebrow, prompting Glen to continue. "The Risers haveofficially crossed the Skirt. There's a large group of them whomade it over in the northernmost part of the city. Right now,they're stationed east of Rott Manor and just north of the Samsara,residing in a Cluster that they conquered in short order. This wastwo Solays ago. They haven't made any other movements, so I'm surethey're just waiting for the main assault from the east to sweepdown and pinch us in a death grip."

"How did this happen so fast?"

Glen looked frightened, a strange look on the strongman. "Word is a couple of Caesars let them through beforeaccompanying them west. We have one