[ A huff of ragged, horrid laughter. He needs to hear it. He knows it. He shouldn't have forced this man to say it. But he can't stop now. ]
He has a widow and a four year old daughter. It doesn't matter.
[ Whose fault, whose responsibility. Who played the trolley problem with the universe. It doesn't matter. There is a man here now who doesn't yet know that his child will grow up without him, and who will find out. One way or another, here or there.
He can't quite bring himself to look Takeshi in the eye. Can't quite forgive himself for seeking sympathy here, for something he both didn't do and will never be able to undo. Stephen's guilt weighs billions more lives than he has the capacity to understand, let alone acknowledge, so instead there's this one. This man, his family. The consequences of playing god. ]
no subject
He has a widow and a four year old daughter. It doesn't matter.
[ Whose fault, whose responsibility. Who played the trolley problem with the universe. It doesn't matter. There is a man here now who doesn't yet know that his child will grow up without him, and who will find out. One way or another, here or there.
He can't quite bring himself to look Takeshi in the eye. Can't quite forgive himself for seeking sympathy here, for something he both didn't do and will never be able to undo. Stephen's guilt weighs billions more lives than he has the capacity to understand, let alone acknowledge, so instead there's this one. This man, his family. The consequences of playing god. ]