![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[There is a moment of silence, thick with unprojected sentiment that it seems longer than it is. He attempted to always chose his words carefully, although he did not always succeed. This question required more care than usual.]
Stay alive, so that they never wake up alone.
Stay alive, so that they never wake up alone.
[ His mouth twists downward at one side. ]
It sounded like even she doesn't know how far the rabbit hole goes. [ He's inclined to believe her. A shake of his head, a slight edge to his voice. ] I'm not looking to go much deeper myself.
[ Down into that abyss. He's silent for a second, eyebrows furrowed as he gets lost in that space, then shakes his head again. ] Anyway, thanks again.
It sounded like even she doesn't know how far the rabbit hole goes. [ He's inclined to believe her. A shake of his head, a slight edge to his voice. ] I'm not looking to go much deeper myself.
[ Down into that abyss. He's silent for a second, eyebrows furrowed as he gets lost in that space, then shakes his head again. ] Anyway, thanks again.
[ Her answer only leads to another concern - ]
You really don't know where your orders come down from?
[ From who? ]
You really don't know where your orders come down from?
[ From who? ]
[ A heaviness weighs down his shoulders, temporary. His core, constant and burning, will weather it. ]
( Understood. )
( Understood. )
( You know, if the recruiter had told me I'd be sharing mind-bunks with a psycho, I think I'd have taken my chances with certain death, rather than listen to Kylo Ren talk. )
[ sup, bro. you're the most normal seeming out of everyone. ]
[ sup, bro. you're the most normal seeming out of everyone. ]
( What happened? )
[ Concern laced with frustration. ]
[ Concern laced with frustration. ]
( He opened his mouth and I had the misfortune of hearing what came out. )
[ it was just a talk, nothing serious. that and ren trying to be, what, intimidating? commanding? alpha brood? there's not alpha and a consensus, that's the point. sam's not sure he'll come to understand that, but if he and ilde have a tight bond, maybe. ]
( How's living with him been? )
[ this brood is a mess, and if sam just closes his eyes and focuses, he can feel how splintered it is. that's a problem. ]
[ it was just a talk, nothing serious. that and ren trying to be, what, intimidating? commanding? alpha brood? there's not alpha and a consensus, that's the point. sam's not sure he'll come to understand that, but if he and ilde have a tight bond, maybe. ]
( How's living with him been? )
[ this brood is a mess, and if sam just closes his eyes and focuses, he can feel how splintered it is. that's a problem. ]
[ Steve's side of the connection flickers, then sharpens. ]
( He's dangerous. )
[ His replies a notably terse. This time, it's mostly because there's not much else to say. They've barely spoken since Avera. ]
( He's dangerous. )
[ His replies a notably terse. This time, it's mostly because there's not much else to say. They've barely spoken since Avera. ]
[ that comment isn't too surprising, with how chaotic ren's mind had been and how quickly he hopped to aggression over a conversation about information gathering. seems steve doesn't feel so great about him either. ]
( Yeah, guessed that. Is there anyone in the Brood he's less... him with? )
[ because, in actuality, he didn't reach out to steve just to bitch. preferable or not, Kylo Ren is now a part of Sam's consciousness, and disconnection from that isn't an option. conflict isn't fun, and it's only going to make the lot of them worse off. if he can find a way to get along with him, he wants to. ]
( Yeah, guessed that. Is there anyone in the Brood he's less... him with? )
[ because, in actuality, he didn't reach out to steve just to bitch. preferable or not, Kylo Ren is now a part of Sam's consciousness, and disconnection from that isn't an option. conflict isn't fun, and it's only going to make the lot of them worse off. if he can find a way to get along with him, he wants to. ]
[ A pause follows, deciding how much to say (separating gossip from information). ]
( Ilde. Cathaway. Hux knows him from home. )
( Ilde. Cathaway. Hux knows him from home. )
[ ilde. that one he knew. cathaway, no. hux, no. maybe he should've picked that up when they'd played telepathy chicken, but things were a little distracting then. ]
( Good. I'll talk with them, thanks. )
[ and this next thing he wants to ask... seems like a touchy subject for the entire ship, but he needs to know. ]
( How exactly did Adam Parker die? )
( Good. I'll talk with them, thanks. )
[ and this next thing he wants to ask... seems like a touchy subject for the entire ship, but he needs to know. ]
( How exactly did Adam Parker die? )
She may or may not. I doubt she's going to reveal her hand so soon. [ Because she likes to play games. Or maybe that's just been his experience. ]
Neither am I. We're not meant to know these things so closely. [ About each other. Everyone deserved peace of mind with their secrets. ]
Of course. [ And with that, he'll leave Steve be. ]
Neither am I. We're not meant to know these things so closely. [ About each other. Everyone deserved peace of mind with their secrets. ]
Of course. [ And with that, he'll leave Steve be. ]
[ His thoughts darken, the question brushing his walls and causing them to flare out, defensive. He doesn't know how many people outside of their brood know which person was likely the catalyst for the violence on Avera. ]
( Bounty hunters. ) [ He deliberates, quietly, then continues: ] ( Ilde was cornered. Killed one of her attackers. Ren murdered a merchant's guards. )
[ The latter part of that comes with images, an involuntary spasm. A rainy planet, a burning red blade in Ren's hand, cutting down lizard-like men. Disgust and nausea - he pulls it back into himself. ]
( It was our fault. )
( Bounty hunters. ) [ He deliberates, quietly, then continues: ] ( Ilde was cornered. Killed one of her attackers. Ren murdered a merchant's guards. )
[ The latter part of that comes with images, an involuntary spasm. A rainy planet, a burning red blade in Ren's hand, cutting down lizard-like men. Disgust and nausea - he pulls it back into himself. ]
( It was our fault. )
[ Cornered. She'd said a trader threatened her, and she'd killed him, and the retaliation had killed the host. So Ilde and Ren take out several members of, what, a larger organization? the kind that require guards. blackmarket? and the boss sends bountyhunters.
on the one hand, maybe it'd been expected. on the other, maybe a couple of their brood are dangerously trigger happy. ] ( Steve, I know you've got a good head on your shoulders. You know what right and wrong look like.
Was it self defense? ) [ or did they just slaughter some people? ]
( I need to know. I can't go into this thing blind. )
on the one hand, maybe it'd been expected. on the other, maybe a couple of their brood are dangerously trigger happy. ] ( Steve, I know you've got a good head on your shoulders. You know what right and wrong look like.
Was it self defense? ) [ or did they just slaughter some people? ]
( I need to know. I can't go into this thing blind. )
Edited 2016-04-30 06:50 (UTC)
[ The answer shouldn't be as complicated as it is. ]
( Self defense gone too far. ) [ Both felt justified in their actions, neither felt remorse - except for Ilde, who cared that she caused trouble for them later. ]
( Self defense gone too far. ) [ Both felt justified in their actions, neither felt remorse - except for Ilde, who cared that she caused trouble for them later. ]
[ it doesn't paint a terribly clear picture, and Steve makes it seem very grey, but there's tension there. ]
( What happened, exactly? Ilde said she was threatened, so she struck out. ) [ well, she said she killed a guy. as far as he knows with Ren, there were guards he'd taken out. ]
( How'd it go too far? Why was she cornered to begin with? )
( What happened, exactly? Ilde said she was threatened, so she struck out. ) [ well, she said she killed a guy. as far as he knows with Ren, there were guards he'd taken out. ]
( How'd it go too far? Why was she cornered to begin with? )
( I wasn't there. ) [ With Ilde. That was part of the issue, she'd been alone at the time.
From what he'd seen and felt from her, she didn't bury her knife in that man out of fear. ]
( Ask her. ) [ His words are clipped out of habit and lack of practice, not dismissive. He thinks it would be better for Sam to get the how and why from her if he hasn't (Ilde could even show him, from a first person perspective). Sam could decide on his own what had happened.
And it'd be one more voice arguing that she didn't need to strike out in violence. He thinks she can change that part of her, away from her dying world. ]
From what he'd seen and felt from her, she didn't bury her knife in that man out of fear. ]
( Ask her. ) [ His words are clipped out of habit and lack of practice, not dismissive. He thinks it would be better for Sam to get the how and why from her if he hasn't (Ilde could even show him, from a first person perspective). Sam could decide on his own what had happened.
And it'd be one more voice arguing that she didn't need to strike out in violence. He thinks she can change that part of her, away from her dying world. ]
Edited 2016-04-30 23:33 (UTC)
We know that it is part of us. [She shakes her head and places the first card face up, then draws another.] But whether host or symbiote or something beyond, we can't say for certain. We realize this is unsettling, just as we know there is a possibility for...
[A hesitation. Cathaway frowns; she draws a second card and makes a small course correction.]
To be misguided. But we see no alternative.
[A hesitation. Cathaway frowns; she draws a second card and makes a small course correction.]
To be misguided. But we see no alternative.
[ Unsettling is a word for it. He watches her, eyes narrowing, and settles his hand palm down over the cards she's drawn, to stop her from placing another. ]
People fighting on the same side shouldn't have to hide from each other in the shadows. [ Fact. ] And there's always another alternative.
[ If it's necessary. He believes that in the same way he believes Ilde can be better. ]
People fighting on the same side shouldn't have to hide from each other in the shadows. [ Fact. ] And there's always another alternative.
[ If it's necessary. He believes that in the same way he believes Ilde can be better. ]
Edited 2016-05-01 03:57 (UTC)
( I did. ) [ she wasn't that interested in discussing it, and things had turned sharply into the genocide of her world, and Sam trying to contain a whole lot of rage about it. it helped once he'd realized what was done to her. she's broken, Ilde. which makes her dangerous, not totally forgivable, but it does make for a certain understanding. corner and angry, scared, wounded animal, and it's going to fight. It also makes her telling of the story a little suspect.
What he gleaned from Ren's mind wasn't terribly detailed either. it seems best to just let it go with what he knows for now. it happened, and it shouldn't have. that's the point. ]
( Next mission, we need to make sure one of us are with them. )
What he gleaned from Ren's mind wasn't terribly detailed either. it seems best to just let it go with what he knows for now. it happened, and it shouldn't have. that's the point. ]
( Next mission, we need to make sure one of us are with them. )
[ He agrees. Mentioning that Hux and himself hadn't been enough to stop Ren before he did damage - well, they'd just have to try harder next time. ]
[ don't worry, bro, he'll take the short straw and go with Kylie, you handle Ilde.
maybe he can distract him with toaster jokes
or just pull a Demetrius and shoot out his kneecaps
we got this, homie ]
maybe he can distract him with toaster jokes
or just pull a Demetrius and shoot out his kneecaps
we got this, homie ]
[It's sentiment she's heard before. A thought she's had, a consideration of the Prince's too. Cathaway gives his hand on the deck of cards a flat look, her mouth thinning, and then she raises her eyes back to him.]
If you have a better strategy, we aren't against pursuing it. We are not a commander, we are a guiding hand. This is merely what we know and understand.
If you have a better strategy, we aren't against pursuing it. We are not a commander, we are a guiding hand. This is merely what we know and understand.
[ He doesn't have a better strategy yet. He doesn't even know yet if this is the wrong one. That's the trouble with not knowing who you're working for. All he knows is he doesn't like it.
He holds her gaze and lets his hand falls away from the deck. ]
How long will we have you both here to guide us?
He holds her gaze and lets his hand falls away from the deck. ]
How long will we have you both here to guide us?
Edited (wtf punch icon ) 2016-05-01 20:43 (UTC)
Page 4 of 16