- Reactions

<snip>
Keto was already out of the lift and moving down the corridor almost
before Amber realised he had moved. She hurried after him, catching
up with him just as he reached the laboratory doors and flung them
open.
"Ms Chrysler!" he yelped. Vanessa, a few feet from the door, turned
around with a shocked expression on her face. "I need a word with
you," continued Keto.
Beyond Vanessa, Rufus spotted Amber and turned pale.
<end snip>
"Whu…whats going on?" Rufus stuttered.
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with!" Keto snapped "I just
need a word with Ms Chrysler!"
"Rufus, I need a word with you!" Amber and Vanessa said in unison,
ignoring Keto.
"Now wait just a minute!" Keto snapped "We have a conversation to
finish!"
"You passed out!" Vanessa snapped back "That's normally a good
indication that the conversations over!"
"Whats…" Rufus started,
"Me first.." Amber snapped clicking her fingers in front of Rufus to
get his attention, the scientist turned his gaze from the argument
Doctor Keto was having with his girlfriend…well, who he thought, was
his girlfriend, they'd not seen each other since she was reassigned
during the Krylon war.
<Tag becca for your bit!>
"What did you mean earlier?" Keto said, the panic still evident in
his eyes and tone of voice.
"I meant exactly what I said. You're a father. To my son!"
"WHAT?!" Rufus squeaked from where he was talking to Amber.
Vanessa turned to face him with a sorry expression on her face over
at him, but was dragged back to the conversation at hand by an
extremely irate Doctor.
"How did this happen?"
"How do you think it happened? You have a medical degree don't you?!
Anyway I tried telling you about this before the war! You ignored
me!"
"Yes…but….well..SHUT UP!"
He sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
"When does he come aboard?"
"Next transport, it arrives in a few hours."
"What did you say you'd named him?"
"William." Vanessa said "William Jay Chrysler-Keto"
Keto visibly winced at the surname. A Chrysler-Keto hybrid was
something he'd only imagined in his nightmares. Or as the result of
a bizarre experiment. Probably done in this very lab.
"I named him after Doctor Shakespeare, I've always admired him
and…." She stopped herself, Keto was going crimson with rage.
"MY SON IS NAMED AFTER THAT IDIOT?!"
"Well...yes…OUR son, and his middle name, well, Jay, of course"
"Shakespe….Chrysl…..Ke…." he composed himself again. "Sorry. So you
named my son after Doctor Shakespeare, and that moron you call a
brother yes?"
"Yes. That's right"
"And he's a Chrysler-Keto"
"That's right"
"Would you call the psychiatrist for me? I must be losing my mind……"
"You're not. This is very real." She reached into her pocket and
pulled out her wallet, opening it she revealed a photo of herself,
holding a baby "Look, this is him. Cute huh? His big wide grin!"
"…adorable…" muttered Keto.
"Takes after his uncle doesn't he?"
"Yes…I suppose he does" Images of various suicide methods ran
through Keto's head.
"Look..I didn't expect you to be thrilled. I don't expect you to be
a part of his life. I can cope, I have my family, I don't expect you
to pay any maintenance either. All I ask is that you meet him. Just
once, and if you want nothing to do with him, fine."
Keto palms had begun to bleed where he clenched his fists tight
enough to puncture the skin with his fingernails, but he said
nothing.
"Well?" Vanessa asked.
<tag JH, and Becca!>