[Voice Post]

[drifterforhire]

[There's a minute of silence, the sound of gentle breath against the microphone before Jet begins to speak, voice low and tense.]

Virginia... won't be around on the comm for a while. She's been... she's been hurt pretty badly. She might not... make it...

[His voice breaks; it's obvious he's struggling to maintain a steady tone of voice.]

Leehalt--he's

Comments

[maraihi]

Wait, how did that happen?

[drifterforhire]

We were almost out of Nidhogg Pass when Leehalt showed up and challenged us. But I guess he was pissed at losing to us, so he placed a curse on Virginia. Then, her dad showed up out of nowhere, and... he says these nanomachines are what's making her sick.

[A pause.] I hate this! She's dying right before my eyes and there's nothing I can do about!

[maraihi]

You could always go after Leehalt.

[drifterforhire]

[Angry] You don't think we've thought of that already?! We have no idea where the Prophets' base of operations is!

I hate this! I've gotta sit here and do nothing while Virginia lays here dying, and her only hope is with her deadbeat dad!

[maraihi]

Have you tried the community?

[drifterforhire]

What's the point? I don't think anyone knows about these "nanomachines" anyway.

...besides, Virginia's dad was an original member of the Council of Seven; the same group that the Prophets worked for ten years ago. If anyone can come up with a cure for her... he can.

[Softly] I still hate it, though... having to depend on that jerk.

[maraihi]

I mean, wasn't Malik part of the comm? It's possible someone could worldhop straight to him.

[drifterforhire]

I doubt he'd be so stupid as to reveal his hideout to anyone on the comm, considering Virginia and I are here, too.

Besides... I can't leave her now. We have to watch her round the clock, keep her fever down so her brain won't fry while Werner works on a cure.

[maraihi]

I did before. Who's to say I'm the only one?

[drifterforhire]

I don't care about that right now! Right now, I just... I just want to be here with Virginia...

[maraihi]

Ok then.

[drifterforhire]

[Softly now.] I'm sorry. It's just that... whenever Virginia was in trouble, all I had to do was rush in and shoot up whatever was attacking her. But I can't do that now...

I feel so utterly useless...

[maraihi]

Just wait. Sometimes that's all you can do.

[drifterforhire]

I guess that's all I can do, for now. I don't like it, but there's nothing I can do about it.

[maraihi]

Nothing but prepare for what may come next.