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Of course. Would it be easier if I came to you?
Are you certain?
[ Because Barnaby isn't sure if Sturmhond is up to it, if he's honest. Not that he doesn't want to see him. ]
[ Because Barnaby isn't sure if Sturmhond is up to it, if he's honest. Not that he doesn't want to see him. ]
[ She remembered the conversation. It was hard to forget it. It was one of the ones from when they'd only just been getting to know each other, and his surprise that he wasn't sure he wouldn't do something like this had scared him.
Now look at them both. It wasn't just her losing herself.
She looked up at him, sadness clear in her eyes as she curled against him and watched him. ]
You're not him. [ It comes out nearly strained, the tears finally finding the corners of her eyes. She shakes her head and holds him close in her arms. ] You're never him.
He's greedy and selfish and he doesn't care anything for the lives he's spilled. He wouldn't be upset over the death of a friend. Not like you are.
I was wrong to say that to you. I didn't know you then. I know you now. You're a good King, Nikolai. The best Ravka could hope for. You fight to save people who starve and fear for their lives and for children whose hands Ravka put guns in.
You fight for us. All of us. To give us freedom and a future again. [ She touched his cheek lightly and found his eyes. ]
You're a good man, Nikolai. The best man I've ever known. You don't do this lightly but you do it to protect people. You did it to protect Ravka and would have done it to protect me.
You're a good man. Don't ever doubt that.[ She had cried more tears than she even had to give over the past few days for Kotetsu and Barnaby. She thought she had nothing left. But seeing Nikolai like this, broken and questioning himself when he was usually so strong. That brought those tears back.
He didn't deserve this. ]
Now look at them both. It wasn't just her losing herself.
She looked up at him, sadness clear in her eyes as she curled against him and watched him. ]
You're not him. [ It comes out nearly strained, the tears finally finding the corners of her eyes. She shakes her head and holds him close in her arms. ] You're never him.
He's greedy and selfish and he doesn't care anything for the lives he's spilled. He wouldn't be upset over the death of a friend. Not like you are.
I was wrong to say that to you. I didn't know you then. I know you now. You're a good King, Nikolai. The best Ravka could hope for. You fight to save people who starve and fear for their lives and for children whose hands Ravka put guns in.
You fight for us. All of us. To give us freedom and a future again. [ She touched his cheek lightly and found his eyes. ]
You're a good man, Nikolai. The best man I've ever known. You don't do this lightly but you do it to protect people. You did it to protect Ravka and would have done it to protect me.
You're a good man. Don't ever doubt that.[ She had cried more tears than she even had to give over the past few days for Kotetsu and Barnaby. She thought she had nothing left. But seeing Nikolai like this, broken and questioning himself when he was usually so strong. That brought those tears back.
He didn't deserve this. ]
[Sasuke holds up the paper, ink and brush. That's all that's needed, aside from the owner's cooperation.]
Yeah. Are you going to make this difficult?
Yeah. Are you going to make this difficult?
Dead people usually mean funerals. It's a ritual, [wes points out.] We don't have to leave 'em here, but if the CDC can gank us from their worlds, they can certainly shove anyone back home. And afford a funeral. Why they won't do that is beyond me -
- though I'm not sure that'd work. Dead or not, their contracts aren't finished. [ajna's still standing, isn't it?] Dagger's been here for centuries, same with Gliese I think. [something to ponder about, now that they're gradually moving away from the subject of their deaths. he's not sure about the other instructors, but he knows that most of them have had centuries on them in their service to the CDC.] The skeleton crew are still working, and they're dead. Hell, they're fucking deader than anyone else, and they're still here. Killing someone is easy. Staying dead and ending your contract, I think, is another matter.
.... 'course they could've also extended their contracts. But I can't really think of a way that it's a-okay for the skellies.
[wesley gibson, bag of sunshine.]
- though I'm not sure that'd work. Dead or not, their contracts aren't finished. [ajna's still standing, isn't it?] Dagger's been here for centuries, same with Gliese I think. [something to ponder about, now that they're gradually moving away from the subject of their deaths. he's not sure about the other instructors, but he knows that most of them have had centuries on them in their service to the CDC.] The skeleton crew are still working, and they're dead. Hell, they're fucking deader than anyone else, and they're still here. Killing someone is easy. Staying dead and ending your contract, I think, is another matter.
.... 'course they could've also extended their contracts. But I can't really think of a way that it's a-okay for the skellies.
[wesley gibson, bag of sunshine.]
Edited 2014-10-07 19:59 (UTC)
[ Strange, that she's the one telling him that now. Originally, he'd been the one trying to convince her. He'd been trying to prove himself to her, so that she'd lend her allegiance to him, and thus the allegiance of her followers.
Nikolai had sought her friendship because it was useful. His moves had all been calculated. She knew that. Truly growing close to her had almost been accidental, though since any amount of closeness was helpful, he hadn't tried to stop it.
Now it seems there's more of a truth to it. Almost by accident, she has become his friend in truth. And more than that, here.
He leans back, hearing the tremor in her voice, and he sees the moisture at the corners of her eyes. Nikolai's lips find her forehead, very gently.</small. ] I hope that you are right. I want you to be, because I don't feel it now. Don't cry for me, Alina. I will protect you. The worst thing about this is knowing you feel it, too. I always wanted you to be strong, but not this strong. You were still innocent. I'm so sorry, for what I asked of you. What I keep asking.
Nikolai had sought her friendship because it was useful. His moves had all been calculated. She knew that. Truly growing close to her had almost been accidental, though since any amount of closeness was helpful, he hadn't tried to stop it.
Now it seems there's more of a truth to it. Almost by accident, she has become his friend in truth. And more than that, here.
He leans back, hearing the tremor in her voice, and he sees the moisture at the corners of her eyes. Nikolai's lips find her forehead, very gently.</small. ] I hope that you are right. I want you to be, because I don't feel it now. Don't cry for me, Alina. I will protect you. The worst thing about this is knowing you feel it, too. I always wanted you to be strong, but not this strong. You were still innocent. I'm so sorry, for what I asked of you. What I keep asking.
[ Thank you for that, Wesley. Has he mentioned how glad he is that he knows you? Because he is so, so very glad. ]
For one thing, you don't know the skeletons are dead. They're aliens; they could be made that way.
And if you don't mind, I'd rather not think of Barnaby as some kind of reanimated entity, doomed to serve out eternity here.
[ He's going to like that thought even less in two days from now, when he's plagued with hallucinations of the man himself. He's changing this subject.
Well, minimally. ]
But at least that explains where David is. He borrowed my shovel. Perhaps you're right.
For one thing, you don't know the skeletons are dead. They're aliens; they could be made that way.
And if you don't mind, I'd rather not think of Barnaby as some kind of reanimated entity, doomed to serve out eternity here.
[ He's going to like that thought even less in two days from now, when he's plagued with hallucinations of the man himself. He's changing this subject.
Well, minimally. ]
But at least that explains where David is. He borrowed my shovel. Perhaps you're right.
[ Sturmhond sighs at him. ]
If I were going to make this difficult, I wouldn't have let you in.
Korol.
[ The bahari comes to stand beside him. His eyes, which seem somehow feline and reptilian all at once, never leave the newcomer. ]
You know, you'd find all of this far easier if you learned how to say please. And if you told people what you wanted from them, in the first place.
If I were going to make this difficult, I wouldn't have let you in.
Korol.
[ The bahari comes to stand beside him. His eyes, which seem somehow feline and reptilian all at once, never leave the newcomer. ]
You know, you'd find all of this far easier if you learned how to say please. And if you told people what you wanted from them, in the first place.
FROM: sun.aeryn@cdc.org
Your lead evaluation exam is as follows: you are to ambush Commander Shepard and survive the confrontation.
You may not opt for an alternative. You may not kill her. Stealth is permitted however you must land at least one successful hit before making your escape.
FROM: sun.aeryn@cdc.org
You will not be accepted as an instructor or permitted to volunteer until you have completed this assignment.
Your lead evaluation exam is as follows: you are to ambush Commander Shepard and survive the confrontation.
You may not opt for an alternative. You may not kill her. Stealth is permitted however you must land at least one successful hit before making your escape.
FROM: sun.aeryn@cdc.org
You will not be accepted as an instructor or permitted to volunteer until you have completed this assignment.
[ As soon as he has some of the pieces gathered, Adrien is already rebuilding the tower, carefully stacking the sticks to make a solid structure so he can start the game anew.
At the question, he glances up briefly before going back to his work. ]
I've caught naps, here and there.
[ Sturmhond knows the sort. The brief snatches of sleep grabbed between one mission to the next. Most of the crew had picked up on the habit. ]
Nothing any worse than what went on sixteen days ago.
At the question, he glances up briefly before going back to his work. ]
I've caught naps, here and there.
[ Sturmhond knows the sort. The brief snatches of sleep grabbed between one mission to the next. Most of the crew had picked up on the habit. ]
Nothing any worse than what went on sixteen days ago.
[ Always a pleasure to hear from you, Aeryn.
Actually, today isn't the best of times. He's hallucinating that the best friend he killed four days ago is hovering around him like a particularly cheerful puppy, and it's very distracting. Anyway: ]
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
Forgive me, I must have missed the brief that said you'd been promoted to Instructor. Congratulations are surely in order. Are the existing ones aware of it, or will this be a pleasant surprise?
Actually, today isn't the best of times. He's hallucinating that the best friend he killed four days ago is hovering around him like a particularly cheerful puppy, and it's very distracting. Anyway: ]
FROM: sturmhond@cdc.org
Forgive me, I must have missed the brief that said you'd been promoted to Instructor. Congratulations are surely in order. Are the existing ones aware of it, or will this be a pleasant surprise?
I don't doubt that.
[ He remembers those missions. He'd been there too, and the sleep deprivation is not a situation he's keen to repeat.
Not even now. He leans forward. ]
It was necessary then. It's not, now. You'll do yourself damage, my friend.
Or something else will, because you were too tired to think about it.
[ He remembers those missions. He'd been there too, and the sleep deprivation is not a situation he's keen to repeat.
Not even now. He leans forward. ]
It was necessary then. It's not, now. You'll do yourself damage, my friend.
Or something else will, because you were too tired to think about it.
[Sasuke ignores those last couple comments, just getting out the necessary paper.
The ink and brush are handed to Sturmhond. He does want to do this on his own, doesn't he?]
The ink and brush are handed to Sturmhond. He does want to do this on his own, doesn't he?]
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