[30.00] // Locked to Christine

[psychoticracer]

Christine.

I'm meeting with Jared in the Casino bar... Don't know what he wants exactly, but that's where Batou got me last time.

If you don't hear from me in 24 hours, have Subaru track me.

You're my back-up, got it?

Comments

[Audio//Translated to English//Locked to Erol]

[chorusangel]

I understand.

[She talks quietly, not wanting to aggravate her pounding headache any further. Hello, very first hangover.]

Please be careful, Erol.

[Audio//Locked to Christine]

[psychoticracer]

Will do. We'll talk more later.

[Audio//Locked to Christine]

[psychoticracer]

No problems.

Bit of a meet-up tonight up on One.

You feeling better?

[Hey Erol, good show of acting like you care.]

[Audio//Translated to English//Locked to Erol]

[chorusangel]

Oh, good.

Yes, I'm feeling much better now.

[Audio//Common//Locked to Christine]

[psychoticracer]

Hm. We have things to discuss...

[For one thing, it's high time he got back to his own room. For another, he wanted to set things up so that if Batou should try something like that again, he would have ready backup. Christine wasn't military, but she was loyal to a fault and she would do what it took. Not the sharpest knife in his arsenal but one that would always be there, free of charge.]

In person though. Comm lines are less secure than they were.

See you later tonight, yes?

[Audio//Translated to English//Locked to Erol]

[chorusangel]

Oh?

['Less secure than they were'? Did that mean someone had been listening to their conversations? Unnerving.]

I'll be waiting.

[Commentlog hi]

[psychoticracer]

[He shows up later that evening, mussed a bit but looking more healthy than he has for a while. Almost perky... Violence suits him.]

It's me. Open up.

[Commentlog coming in at full speed]

[chorusangel]

[Christine hums Christmas carols to herself as she finishes wrapping gifts. Now, just one last item, and-- Ah. Erol is at the door.

Well merde.

Quickly stuffing the final gift under a spare sheet of wrapping paper, Christine hurries to open the door, her very best innocent look firmly in place.]

Hello.

[Commentlog awoogah]

[psychoticracer]

Hm. Well you're certainly looking better. What are you up to?

[That's an "I'm-up-to-something" look if Erol ever saw one. Sorry Christine, he's a pro. He slides in to the room they've been sharing gracefully, though he may or may not be limping a little. Mouse got him on the knee.]

[Commentlog contact is made]

[chorusangel]

Nothing.

[Christine is an actress after all, so all she has to do is act completely innocent, and everything will work out fine.

...Right?]

[psychoticracer]

[Erol shrugs. He doesn't particularly care; Christine can do as she likes, so long as he doesn't think it might go against his interests. Which she wouldn't do intentionally, but she is rather naive...

Eh. Whatever.]

One of the newer passengers can hack my best locks. I knew some could - Batou can hack just about anything, I think, and nothing's proof against Redd - but this is getting ridiculous. Anything important or personal you've got to say, best do it in person... and in case of emergencies...

[He paused. Doubtless there were tricks he didn't know of, abilities he hadn't counted on. For all he knew, Batou could imitate the sound of his voice. He'd already taken his comm once. Nothing would beat check-ups in person; part of him rankled to it, after all she WASN'T a superior officer or even someone he respected that way. Not even a fighter. But she was tenacious, loyal to a fault and she knew people who could do what she couldn't. It was why he'd messaged her for backup earlier.]I'll check in with you in person

[chorusangel]

[Christine nods in response to the plan. It's a good one, and she can't see any reason why it shouldn't work perfectly. Not that this means a great deal, as Christine's knowledge of tactics and such would barely fill a thimble, but she's comforted, at least for the present. That part of her mind that dwells on the future and the darkness it may or may not hold, however, is not so easily convinced.]

What if... what if it like this forever?

[psychoticracer]

[Erol frowns and cocks his head, the movement marked by his long ears. He was getting that feeling again, the one that told him other people didn't work like he did, they had different concerns and priorities. It rarely frustrated him, merely made him curious, especially with Christine]

If what goes on like this? You mean the boat? [He shrugs.]

We've got to make landfall eventually.

[And if they didn't... if the Golden Shore was just a fairy tale they told passengers to keep them thinking all this was for a purpose in the end... well, so what? Wasn't anything anyone could do about it. And Erol was making do all right, finding ways to occupy himself. He didn't exactly relish the thought of going on like this for decades, but it wasn't as if he'd had anything better to look forward to otherwise.]

[chorusangel]

[Well, that isn't exactly what she meant, but it's another very good point. Way to add to her worries, Erol.]

But there always supplies, yet there no ports. It so strange... it easy to think it be like this forever.

[She doesn't want that, despises the idea of living the rest of her life in this place where she could lose Erol at any moment. At least on Golden Shore... from what she's heard, it's a paradise, and in a paradise there would be no murders, right?]

I not think I could stand it.

[psychoticracer]

Hmm. Well the lack of ports aren't so odd. We could do that where I come from, with warp gates, if you had to. Too expensive eco-wise, but possible.

[And this place was even further advanced. Naturally it would be hard for Christine to understand, but Erol thought nothing of it.]

But they must be taking us SOMEwhere. An indefinite voyage is rather.... pointless. Not like the rest of this isn't. But the resources from all this must come from somewhere and be for a point.

[He sounds rather disinterested. After all, he was dead before this. He had nowhere better to go, and aside from the rather unenviable restrictions placed on him by Redd, the ship wasn't so bad. He had plenty of entertainment without consequences if he played it right, and when it was worth it, he could go right ahead and dare those consequences. If he died, he'd just come back

[chorusangel]

[Again with the technical terms that she has no hope of understanding. Christine supposes Erol has a point when he says this must be for a reason, but she still can't help but worry - and for a reason she could never admit to anyone, it was so unattainable. When Erol turns her head, she's unsure what to say. Simply remaining silent is out of the question at this point, now that she's made a fuss about it.

A little tact and diplomacy, then...]

I just... wish see land again. Live on land again.

[So what if she doesn't mention who she wants to live with. It's ridiculous anyway, he'd never agree to it.]