When the intercom came on to announce the shift change, the feeling of dread returned. Anise had calmed down considerably since the morning, and she felt more ready to discuss the previous night with Ilia... but not as ready as she wanted to be
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He had never claimed to understand why the nurses would drag him to the other activities; he'd always end up glaring at the opposite wall rather than actually participating. Part of it was the lack of interest, and the music room wasn't any different. It wasn't as though he minded the music in itself - it could be rather entertaining, after all - but he wasn't quite a fan of all these silly human means of creating some horrible excuse thereof. Or listening to it, whatever the case may be ( ... )
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Released? How could... Taura wasn't even sure how to finish that thought, except in a bewildered heap of hurt and curiosity and disbelief. She pinned a note on the board, a few first tries going in the trash before her hands would stop shaking with suppressed rage or sadness; which it was she refused to acknowledge lest it overwhelm her.
A little squeak caught her attention -- the same kitten that Leela had been playing with was now demanding attention from Mr. Scar. She swallowed hard. She couldn't make the apology she wanted to, but she could at least...get a start on it. She cleared her throat, a low rumble.
"Mr. Scar? Can I," bother you, "talk to you?"
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Scar had been in the progress of another attempt at removing the kitten from his person, but the little hairball happened to be much more intelligent irritating than he had anticipated. Nails dug into the fabric of the silly human clothing, indicating that the kitten didn't quite enjoy the idea of moving. An irritated sigh escaped his lips.
Great! As if he hadn't dealt with enough pushy yet persistent little hairballs to last him a life time ( ... )
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She looked away, then, her eyes a bit suspiciously damp. She hadn't had to tell someone they'd lost a friend before, even if she wasn't quite sure friend was the right word. Goad, maybe. That could be just as important in a place like this.
She'd have to get used to it, if she was going to lead a squad. No-one liked notifying family, but it was a reality, and at least von Karma might not be dead. Released could mean so many things. "The medtech," she said, waving a hand in the direction of the nearest knot of 'techs, who were coaxing patients into the already-crowded music room. "Said that Karl Fuchs had gone home. Mister von Karma, I mean. Did you know him well?"
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She did continue, but what she said...wasn't quite among his expectations. Though he was familiar enough with the institute to know that most disappearances happened randomly, it was especially strange since not even a day had passed when he had last seen the irritating man. And he had already disappeared? To say the news was surprising would be an understatement.
He wasn't certain whether to be disappointed or not. He had expected a little better of him, as far as his expectations of the fool would go for that matter. Last night had been degrading, humiliating, but...did that mean von Karma had just gone ahead and gave upOn the other hand, he supposed it ( ... )
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As for the rest, Taura wasn't sure how to interpret that. Had they been friends, or not? People were so much more complicated than weapons. Even grav lances only took five dimensions to describe; human -- or whatever -- had an infinite number of them. Every time she peeled off one, ten more sprung up ( ... )
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Had such awareness been voiced, however, he would find himself agreeing. Instead, he released a sigh.
"It doesn't," he said, not caring if he happened to be blunt. "For still unknown reasons other than possibly his own amusement, the head doctor merely saw fit to release him." The former lion saw no reason to try and console her; it wasn't quite in his nature to do so. Especially not when he had to use whatever 'human' tradition appropriate for such situations. Some things were more trouble than they were actually worth.
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"I'm not waiting around to meet some unspecified criteria, never knowing which door might lead me home." Or out an airlock, explosively messy on the outside, but clean on the inside. No thank you. She waved a dismissive hand, her eyes narrowing at the sight of it. "I don't have time to wait around, and damn if I'm going to die in a place like this. I've buried enough friends."
The hand stopped wavering and slammed down on her knee, making a loud slap. "I'm cutting myself a better Deal. Starting tonight." She hadn't not been trying before, but she'd spent too much time trying to fit in and not ( ... )
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"Perhaps disappearing means that he's merely tired of you, that you're no longer useful or something like that. Perhaps it's the whole goal of this ridiculous game of his. Be as it may, I doubt he's doing us a favor by simply sending us home. Not to rain on your parade or anything..."
At the sudden revival of determination, however, he had to blink. "Well, good luck then," he commented, a somewhat dry tone in his voice.
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And whether or not he meant the well-wishes, she'd take what luck she could find. She nodded, moving the conversation from personal to all-business with a single swift motion. "You'd be welcome to come along. I could use someone with experience in command." That was as close as she'd allude to the fact that she'd heard his shadow's accusations -- and the truth that had likely colored them just as hers had. He'd been a king, which was a lot more than a squadron, and nothing substituted for experience like experience. Negative experiences no obstacle; learning what not to do and walking away from it wasn't so bad.
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"That would depend on what sort of 'Deal' you're planning on cutting," Scar answered after a moment. It would be interesting to at least hear what she intended to do, what she wanted to start tonight.
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The same could be said of their original forms; if they were indeed located on the third floor...then what? Furthermore, no one had actually succeeded into opening that door, or finding another way up even despite the many attempts he had heard of. He didn't quite see why Taura would be any different, especially if she'd jump in anywhere without thinking.
If it all were so easy none of them would still be here.
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"But that's getting ahead of ourselves. We need to scout. Get the lines of communication clear, and have a plan. We make our own luck." Scar doubted her, it was clear. She'd doubt herself, except someone had to believe it. If everyone gave up, Landel won without having to work for it, and that was worse than losing.
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