Day 53: Sun Room

Dec 04, 2010 20:11

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 ( Read more... )

bella, anise, ilia, kibitoshin, kanda, erika, zex, fai, sai, yue, taura, zim, lunge, lana skye, scar (tlk), l, xemnas

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longlivetehking December 5 2010, 16:22:19 UTC
The Sun room was thankfully lacking in people creating irritating amounts of noise, so Scar couldn't help but relish the small victory he had in convincing his nurse that, no, staying in the music room wouldn't be beneficial for his poor head. It wasn't as though he would be missing anything important, either way.

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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ninelivesonce December 5 2010, 23:07:38 UTC
[Let know if this isn't OK?]

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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longlivetehking December 6 2010, 15:10:03 UTC
[It is very much okay! <3]

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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ninelivesonce December 7 2010, 03:38:02 UTC
"Is it that obvious?" Her nose crinkled up a little bit in embarrassment. "I wanted to apologize. To both of you."

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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longlivetehking December 7 2010, 19:33:33 UTC
No, Scar had a secret talent to read minds. Of course it was obvious! Why else would she seek him out when not even a full day and night had passed? Still, he had to raise an eyebrow when she told him the reason for approaching him so soon. But he didn't yet respond to it, expecting her to continue speaking. He could wait with the 'I told you so' for a little longer, he supposed.

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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ninelivesonce December 9 2010, 14:25:00 UTC
"Ha."  A bark of laughter puffed out, unbidden.  Everything her shadow had said was both truth and fabrication at the same time; the same was likely true of the two others.  Whether they'd learned anything other than that everyone had secrets, and that the Dendarii policy that everyone's past was their own, to discuss or withhold as they chose, made a lot more sense.  From a practical standpoint, it was easier to respect people for who they were now, and a personal one -- knowledge was the most precise weapon in anyone's arsenal, and one of the few that could win battles without even fitting them.

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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longlivetehking December 10 2010, 22:07:31 UTC
Indeed, she was whining, saying things Scar had little interest in hearing. He made some effort not to show his disinterest; he knew better than that.

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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ninelivesonce December 12 2010, 03:05:59 UTC
"D'you think he bothers to send people home?" The thought grabbed at the strands of self pity she'd been weaving and yanked. Her chin jerked up, and her yellow eyes went wide. "Why would he?" True, Cissnei had gone home; Taura had been there, on that pretty beach, and maybe it was as easy as sending a comm message. Open a door across worlds and shove people through. Less cleanup than bodies, even, but it did seem awfully kind.

"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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longlivetehking December 12 2010, 22:46:45 UTC
"Perhaps he does, perhaps he doesn't. Landel isn't one to share information, you know..." Scar answered, not quite enjoying where this conversation was headed, which basically consisted of Taura's whining. The kitten still sitting on his lap saw fit to play with a few stray strands of his hair, forcing the former lion to pull his hair from its reach while offering it a disapproving look. It didn't help much.

"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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ninelivesonce December 17 2010, 04:38:53 UTC
Scar's first few thoughts echoed Taura's own, even though she hadn't bothered saying it all out loud. It sounded more depressing that way. That wasn't so much lying as prettying up the facts, really. They all knew the score.

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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longlivetehking December 17 2010, 12:02:13 UTC
Scar had no doubt that Taura had heard what his shadow had so kindly revealed; her comment merely confirmed it. At least the female wasn't saying more about the whole ordeal than required, at least no more than necessary, which was something the former lion could appreciate.

"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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ninelivesonce December 19 2010, 04:26:23 UTC
"First, getting in touch with Marc. Find out if he really knows anything. He's the loosest end in the bunch." She wouldn't mention Leela, not right now. She'd thought von Karma trusted Scar, but maybe she'd mistakenly assumed harmless back-chatter when there was genuine malice. Alarm bells were ringing faintly along finely-trained nerves. The enemy of my enemy is my friend -- as long as the battle still rages. But that said nothing about fellow prisoners-of-war from different conflicts entirely, locked up and connected by a gruff old man who lived to piss people off. Or at least that's what the fleet lawyers specialized in; tactical aggravation. Point it in the right direction and it was better than a plasma arc for cutting through red tape ( ... )

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longlivetehking December 19 2010, 15:16:28 UTC
"I may be pessimistic, but I do hope you realize that going home would be useless with the head doctor still alive?" Scar offered, unfortunately for Taura not sounding too impressed. "Even if you'd jump through some wormhole or whatever you call it that happens to lead you home, nothing would stop him from dragging you back. I don't know if you've noticed, but luck is not a very reliable force in here."

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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ninelivesonce December 20 2010, 05:09:24 UTC
"Yeah, I get that. I don't have any qualms about violence. Give me five minutes, and I'll have him in so many pieces they'll need a bucket, not a body bag." Glee lit her yellow eyes. "Maybe ten. The metal claws take a little time to get used to." Though they were something to keep in mind for back home. Taura's own nails could cut skin and a layer of flesh to ribbons (sometimes accidentally, which had been mortifying even if the fleet surgeon had promised her she'd leave no scars), but it took a while to hit anything critical if she wasn't going for face or throat. The claws, on the other hand, could go several inches at a time.

"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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