Planatae

Questioning

Lukas didn't bother pushing himself into an upright position as the door to his suite slid open. There was only one person who had the ability to override it when it was locked.

"How do you feel?" His mother asked.

"Fine." After Anya had helped him to his room, he'd crawled into bed, shaking with fatigue and slept like the dead. He was bleary and sore, but had mostly recovered since.

"Listen, Lukas-"

"Why didn't you just tell me?" He kept his focus on the ceiling, the subtle Rete insignias traced onto its surface. "I get it-you needed someone who would appear Factorless. But why not tell me-"

His voice cracked, then, and he stopped short. By now, he'd known for years what she'd done. Smuggled herself to Ferrus right before she entered labor while carrying him, all for the off-chance that Ferrus would deem him worthy of having a Factor.

But it paid off - he got lucky, and the trademark Ferrus Factor of metal manipulation was his. Traveling to planets to give birth to children with a desired Factor was a highly regulated process, but Lukas had always assured she'd used her military connections to pull it off.

His mother always told him that she'd done it to give him a leg up in the game: special, Factor-only military corps, engineering opportunities. When it became clear he intended to follow in her footsteps and study the Planatae, she'd told him it would serve him well - protect - when traveling to the more unstable parts of the Home Galaxy for research and observation.

She'd never once suggested that she needed it for herself.

"I'm glad you're safe and well," Erin said. "But I'm not sorry about what I did. If I had told you, would you have agreed? You were integral - I couldn't risk it."

"But what if I had said yes?" Lukas finally pulled himself up and glared at his mother. "You still don't trust me! And now you've made me-" flashes of memory flit through his mind, moments from the tunnels deep within Oynx. "-You've made me hurt people, and I don't even know why!" He sniffed, pawed at his face, hating the show of emotion. "You used me like a tool."

"I know," she said, sighing. "I won't deny it." She paused, considering. "You're right. I've been treating you as though you're not capable of making choices."

"So you'll explain everything?"

"Hmm. I'll allow you to join me for the interrogation."

Interrogation? Lukas didn't know what to think. He was angry at his mother for putting him through hell, but he'd be lying to himself if he wasn't dying to know who Dr. Ito was and why they risked the wrath of the Purists to reach him. It was that damned spark of excitement that had pulled him into the world of Planetae in the first place. Despite his fear, and frustration, the need to know was gnawing at him.

"I'll come. But I want to be treated differently." Lukas forced himself to stare his mother down. He fought angry cultists - he could take his mother in a battle of wills.... maybe.

Eren offered him a lopsided smile. "Fine, Lukas. I think you've earned it. I'll send you a message when we're ready." Then she turned on her heel and was gone.

Lukas let his gaze return to the ceiling for a moment, collecting himself. His mother was never what you'd call coddling, but during this trip she'd been different in a way he'd never seen before.

Finally, he pulled up his feed to reveal a message from Anya.

Hey, kiddo :) how r u feeling?

Anya

I'm all good now. Thanks for helping me out.