((Logged 7/9/2000 by Citan))

Bart's Hideout, Residential Walkway West
Contents:
Anna

Anna walks into the dining room from the door.  She looks somewhat anxious about 
something, not as if she's waiting for something to happen, but more like 
something NEEDS to happen but she's not sure what

Citan allows his tea to cool while he leafs through a hardbound book, lent to 
him by Nisan's nuns after his stated interest in the twinned angel statues. 
Distracted, he notes the arrival of Anna with a distant glance and nod, one 
finger holding his place among the lines of text.

Anna is about to say something but notices Citan reading and doesn't want to 
interrupt and possibly cause him to lose his place.

Citan drags himself away from his book, setting the palm of one hand over the 
thick pages. His fingers spread over the spine of the book to keep it open. 
Straightening his glasses, he turns to greet her properly. "Anna, I believe? It 
is good to see you well."

Anna nods and says, "Yes it is, Doctor.  I'm surprised to find that you're part 
of Mr. Bart's crew as well."

Citan lifts the bulk of the pages in his other hand, searching for the bookmark 
he placed for safekeeping between the cover and the folios. He takes it 
carefully between two fingers. "I have traveled here with Fei. You are far from 
Lahan as well, Anna. How have you been?"

Anna sits down on the opposite side of the table from Citan and says, "I'm doing 
rather well, although I'm concerned about what I should be doing...  my son 
Ryukumu brought me here for protection after he escaped from Solaris.  He's in a 
bit of trouble on both ends, he says that a number of Solarians have showed 
interest in trying to take him back although they haven't tried anything 
aggressive yet, and at the same time Bart doesn't seem to be too trusting of 
him."

Citan closes the book, resting his hands atop the whorled leather. "Your son was 
taken by Solaris? It is almost a miracle then that he has returned intact." 
Distracted, he traces the raised pattern of interlocked angel wings adorning the 
book's cover. "Such a recovery will take time. Has the base been agreeing with 
the both of you?"

Anna nods and says, "I'm surprised as well...  I know that many don't make it 
back.  My husband was one who didn't..."  She sighs and says, "I haven't talked 
with Mr. Bart or Mr. Sigurd much but they've been taking care of us.  I'm 
worried that I'm imposing on them, there's not a whole lot that I can to do earn 
my keep here.  If I return to Lahan though, I'm an easy target for Solaris in 
order to get to Ryukumu."
Anna says, "I'm pretty sure they'd resort to something like that."

Citan stills his hands. "With the number of refugees from the war, the base 
should always have room open for others. While you may feel that you are less 
valuable because you cannot fight, you underestimate yourself. It is important 
that there always be a place for people to return to, of security and safety."

Anna nods.  "I know, but still, I'd like for there to be something I could do to 
help."

Citan adjusts the bookmark until it is parallel to the top of the pages. "You 
already are. For example, after being a mother to your son for so long, you know 
how to provide an environment where people may relax in. Many of us who know how 
to fight," and he gestures to himself, "do not know how to decently feed 
ourselves."

Anna chuckles.  "I guess so..."

Citan reaches for his tea, starting to sip and then halting as he realizes how 
cold it has grown. He drinks it anyway, and fills it to the brim again. Letting 
it sit to the side while the steam rises, he nods slowly in reassurance. "Do not 
feel unnecessary, Anna. Your son has returned to you. Allow yourselves both time 
to recover your bonds and your lives."

Anna nods.  "...there's another thing that worries me."

Citan patiently waits for Anna to explain.

Anna says, "...I was saying that my husband was taken to Solaris and hasn't 
returned.  I found out that he was brainwashed, and I know for a fact that 
Ryukumu and him had met in Solaris.  Ryukumu was brainwashed as well but it was 
minor, he doesn't remember but he thinks that my husband is the one who 
brainwashed him."

Citan takes a drink of his tea. "Solaris does seem to delight in such 
confrontations. Is your son still suffering from any further effects?"

Anna says, "Ryukumu says that his memory hasn't been restored to it's original 
state, any alterations Solaris made are still in effect.  He knows that he's 
been brainwashed and doesn't trust his recent memories.  He's got the data disk 
that his original memories were backed up on to, but I don't know if this base 
has the equipment to read that type of disk... even if it did, I don't know if 
anyone here would know how to operate the software.  Ryu also says that there're 
some parts of his personality that he knows have been altered, that bothers him 
far more than his altered memory."

Citan shakes his head in faint regret. "The technology of Solaris is quite 
advanced, to do so that easily. As terrible as it is, I do not think that this 
base will have the supporting machinery that your son requires. From what little 
I know of Solaris, it is amazing that he even has so much of his mind left."

Anna sighs.  "That's what I'm afraid of...  it seems like the only way to 
restore it is to go back up there.  But after what he did when he left, they 
won't be glad to see him at all."

Citan takes another drink of tea. "Is it possible that he can recover and 
rebuild with what he has now? Although he has been strongly affected, loss comes 
to us all. Can he not stand what he is at this time, or see any other way?"

Anna shakes her head and says, "I don't think he can stand what he's been made 
into.  He said that on the way out he set explosives in a few areas as a 
'farewell gift'... he wasn't considering that his actions would cause in four 
people being killed from the explosion.  Before he was brainwashed he would -
never- plant explosives in an area he knew might be occupied.  Never.  But, as 
he said it "Solaris' Ryukumu" went ahead and set the bombs.
Anna says, "He's not putting the blame on something else, but he's just so 
ashamed of it."

Citan frowns, one finger tapping the book's cover. "If he cannot adjust or come 
to accept his new life, then he must feel that there is no other option for him. 
However, I must caution again that Solaris does not seem to be a place that a 
visit to which would be either simple or less than a last resort. Many people 
have suffered and must also come to terms with what has happened to them. As 
cruel as it sounds, I am more pleased to hear that your son is even alive and 
returned."

Anna nods.  "He knows...  but I'm worried that he feels drawn to Solaris.  Not 
because of what they've done to him, but because of my husband being up there...  
he knows what happened to my husband and Ryukumu despises him.  My husband 
Lazarus' memory was completely re-written...  he was renamed 'Saul'.  I think 
Lazarus realizes that he was brainwashed but he's so adjusted to his life as 
Saul that he's afraid to return."
Anna says, "That and the fact that Lazarus couldn't figure out that he was 
brainwashed; it took Ryukumu and his friend Roger to point it out is why Ryukumu 
despises him."

Citan pushes up his glasses with one knuckle, setting his elbows on the book and 
resting his chin on his thumbs. "Sometimes our lives will be taken away and 
destroyed, Anna," he says gently, "by circumstances we cannot control. It is up 
to us to continue to struggle through and to keep ourselves alive through the 
necessary changes we must undergo. Your husband is in Solaris now, and if your 
son can return, then perhaps he can as well. But understand that all three of 
you have grown in different ways over the years. Sometimes acceptance is all 
that can be done."

Anna nods.  "I know...  I'm just afraid that Ryukumu'll get angry and go after 
Saul and not come back.  After what Ryukumu did when he escaped he won't be 
brainwashed again, he'll probably be killed..."

Citan replies softly, "You and the friends of your son are the only ones who can 
support him and keep him from such overimpulsiveness, Anna. You must be the ones 
who give him the reassurance he needs. It is regrettable that such a thing 
occured to your son..."

Anna says, "I'm probably worrying over nothing..."