[It's Carlisle who stops this time; his hand lands on his chest, feeling the talisman beneath his many layers as though it would shield him from his disbelief. As a man who unintentionally destroyed his own home — and was destroyed himself by the act, the hole left behind in his own heart a cavernous maw of guilt and regret that may never heal — he cannot fathom what would drive anyone to commit such a heinous act. So many people, individuals who had depended upon him, looked to him as a hero...
They had not even wronged him in any way, had they? Not that it justified his actions, nor their suffering. He thinks of the faces of Bear Den, visages twisted in agony for reasons he can hardly remember.
There's not a doubt in Carlisle's mind how much Qubit blames himself. He's sure the depths of that despair are not easily measured, either. One can ponder all day long on what they could have done differently — if they could have seen the tragedy coming, if they could have done something to prevent it — but that won't bring the people back. Nothing can.
He looks to Qubit, trying to mitigate his disgust for both Tony and himself, and for a moment, he feels human by comparison to a true monster. He must have been capable of some semblance of remorse, given what Qubit said about his desire for a second chance, but whether or not he truly deserved one is another matter entirely.]
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They had not even wronged him in any way, had they? Not that it justified his actions, nor their suffering. He thinks of the faces of Bear Den, visages twisted in agony for reasons he can hardly remember.
There's not a doubt in Carlisle's mind how much Qubit blames himself. He's sure the depths of that despair are not easily measured, either. One can ponder all day long on what they could have done differently — if they could have seen the tragedy coming, if they could have done something to prevent it — but that won't bring the people back. Nothing can.
He looks to Qubit, trying to mitigate his disgust for both Tony and himself, and for a moment, he feels human by comparison to a true monster. He must have been capable of some semblance of remorse, given what Qubit said about his desire for a second chance, but whether or not he truly deserved one is another matter entirely.]
Why?