4: {in which Hanna is forced to recognize a loss}

[gneeisnotanoise]

Hey, wait, hold on, okay. UM. Question!

[Hanna's gotten worried. He's tried calling Conrad a dozen times. Gone to his room. Done a bunch of stuff. Done anything he could think of, really.

He'd been browsing through ShipNET archives for things about thunderstorms and storms in general on board when Musashi had posted-- and he made the mistake of

Comments

[ntjstapwn]

He's gone, Hanna.

...I'm sorry.

[gneeisnotanoise]

[Hearing it from Marco makes it... somewhat concrete, considering how Entirely Factual the man is.]

You're kidding.

I mean, I mean, y-you're not, obviously. That's... that's why it's not... funny.

[ntjstapwn]

No...people disappear all the time. There doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it but try to cope.

Let me know if you need anything?

1/2

[gneeisnotanoise]

[He offers a queasy sort of chuckle, forcing the grin to bleed into his voice.]

I will! Thanks for the offer.

2/2

[gneeisnotanoise]

[And, ten minutes later, Hanna has a question.]

Do we know what happens when they're gone?

[There's no introduction to the question, no HEY MARCO-POLO BUDDY PAL HOW ARE YOU, it is blunt and direct and demanding an answer he thinks he might know.]

[ntjstapwn]

*Somehow, Marco thinks telling Hanna they're dead isn't the best of ideas right now.*

Not for sure, no.

[gneeisnotanoise]

What's your theory?

[Hanna's thinking exactly what you're thinking, Marco.]

[ntjstapwn]

*He pauses for a bit before responding.*

The main theories or that they go home or that they die. There's no way to prove or disprove either.

*That's not entirely depressing, right?*

[gneeisnotanoise]

[You get a full minute of radio silence, Marco.

And, Hanna returns, sounding remarkably cheery.]

Well, that's good to know! We've got options, then! Imminent death or, or.... back-home-in-his-well-decorated-Apartment, I like the latter, let's go with that.

[ntjstapwn]

Heh. I think most people do.

[gneeisnotanoise]

[There's that seed of doubt, though, and he can't help but wonder.]

Thanks, Marco. It helps! A lot.

[ntjstapwn]

*Well, at least he seems happy again.*

No problem.