Good intentions? No. Viktor wanted to save his own life. His own ambitious, weak life that was currently filled with stars where before was only factory smog.
The stars would stay there for years to come - he knew their names and adored their lights - but his own light was dimming.
He was falling.
A moment more. A moment more in the firmament-
The HexCore had whispered that Viktor is worthy of enjoying the stars a moment more--

A lie. There was blood on Viktor's hands.
Murderers have no worth.
No affection.
Viktor will never make weapons, so-
But he still killed a person.

Was he a hypocrite? If Jayce or Sky or Jayce's mother had ever killed a person - which they would not - Viktor would help them hide a body and then go to Enforcers and confess a crime it was me, officers. Obviously. Look, I am a trencher and I know where the body is. Please, no trial. I hate the crowds.


For killing Sky Young, Viktor made himself his own judge - he never liked the Enforcers. Nor courts.
No, Viktor simply judged himself, surely fairly and objectively, as far as Viktor could think.
Capital punishment - Viktor almost carried out the verdict - so near the ledge--

am I interrupting?

There along came his Personal Defender. Wrong place, wrong time, blinded by sentiment.
The verdict got stolen. By the defender.


Viktor will not mention this to doctor Cali. No, doctor Cali would misunderstand Jayce. She does not know, after all, that Jayce Talis was perfect, Jayce Talis, an apex of pure homo sapiens distilled into one man, no matter the inconsequential evidence to the contrary. And Jayce- so strong he could become Atlas if he wanted - from the myth - the cosmos on Atlas's broad, strong, wide shoulders. Atlas. And Prometheus. And Icarus. And Eros. And Ariadne. All rolled in one. That was simply his best friend.

Unlike him.


Viktor could tell ms Cali was trying to be comforting so he got ahold of himself and gave her a smile that he owed her.

"...apolo..gies. uhm."