Trinkets and Baubles

[Geno]

HESSIAN TEARS Here, mein Schatz. Come closer. I want you to sit on my lap. No, don't be scared. I know it's past your bed time, my love, but daddy has something to tell you. Mom is sleeping soundly, and you've been a good girl - you've helped daddy a lot today. I think you deserve some story time with your old man. You were so smart today, my darling. You knew the difference between a hexagon-tipped screwdriver and a star-tipped screwdriver, and I didn't even have to explain it. Hey, maybe one day, you might even get a spaceship of your own. And you'll even get to see the rest of Rheinland! Hilda - sweetie, I know you're excited, but you still have to... grow up a little more, before you'll get to do dangerous stuff out into open space. There is a lot of training that you need to do, and it is very strict - so strict, you'll be looking fondly at all the time mom asks you to fold your clothes and your bed. Discipline, mein Schatz. Do you know what the word means? Heh heh. You're just like your mom. Following rules really isn't your strong suit, is it? Alright, alright. Now - I have something to show you. Do you see this stone daddy is holding? This is a diamond, mein Liebling. You are a sharp one, sweetie. Diamonds aren't usually red, you're right. It looks more like a ruby than a diamond, doesn't it? Here, you can hold it in your hands - be careful though, it's pretty heavy. Oh - you want to know why it is red? And why it's so shiny? It's because... well, nature is really interesting, sweetie. When there's a LOT of... pressure inside of an asteroid, some rocks will become really tight, down to a molecular level, and that's how they're formed. You'll understand better when you're older. Ha - you're right, it still doesn't explain why this is red at all. That's because some other elements got mixed in, as well, giving it a strange color - they're normally blue, though, like tears. Hessian Tears - this is how these minerals are called. Sweetie, we don't cry actual diamonds! We just named them like this, because... well, some people exploited daddy and his friends a long time ago, and they made us work really, really hard. And we didn't like that. These diamonds are the fruit of our hard work, and we won't let other people ignore the sacrifices we've done to get here. Oh - sweetie, of course you can keep it. It's yours - your very own red tear. Keep it close, keep it hidden, keep it a secret.