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ximilialog2022-01-08 12:12 pm
- ! event log,
- ! open,
- altered carbon: takeshi kovacs,
- doctor who: clara oswald,
- doctor who: the doctor (11),
- fear street: ziggy berman,
- grishaverse: alina starkov,
- grishaverse: the darkling,
- gundam seed/destiny: yzak jule,
- knives out: marta cabrera,
- marvel comics: gwen stacy,
- mass effect: kaidan alenko,
- mcu: daisy johnson,
- mcu: shang-chi,
- pacific rim: hermann gottlieb,
- pacific rim: newton geiszler,
- pacific rim: raleigh becket,
- star trek aos: james t. kirk,
- star trek aos: leonard mccoy,
- star wars: finn,
- star wars: l3-37,
- the old guard: andromache,
- the untamed: jiang yanli,
- towards the terra: soldier blue,
- transformers: drift,
- transformers: megatron,
- yakuza: zhao tianyou
MISSION: BAD COMPANY, PART 1
● ● ● M I S S I O N 4 . 1
This time it’s barely past noon when the familiar ping of a message alerts you that a new mission file is finally available: it’ll read Scorpion’s Bend, and the file’s arrival is immediately accompanied by Viveca’s voice.
To help you blend in, I’ve prepared bundles of clothes for each of you, rations for those with special diets, and enough of the local currency to buy you a few nights in town. After that, you’ll have to provide for yourselves. I’ve also divided you into groups, and each group will arrive at the town at a different time… so those in the first group, prepare to live in the town for a month or so, while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. Make up a good story, and don’t blow your cover.
The instructions are clear: after you’ve familiarised yourself with the file and its contents, you find that, indeed, there are neatly laid bundles marked with a name in the common room providing appropriate clothing to help you blend in better… and is somehow tailored to fit you perfectly.
Unlike previous missions, there will be plenty of time to talk to those in the same group as you, to come up with plans and stories that’ll explain your arrival in town. And as the two days pass, you all gather to the center of the station again, some for the fourth time, some for the first — it is not only Viveca, in her robot body, who is there to see you off, but Degar as well. He tips an invisible hat in your direction.
Having probably seen far too many bad spaghetti Westerns, Degar sends fingerguns in the team’s general direction before blowing a breath off the tops of his fingers and re-holstering said fingerguns into equally invisible holsters at his sides. It’s really all extremely cheesy, and he knows it – made obvious from the slight grin on his face.
The platform hums to life as Viveca, too, smiles at the gathered team — even if there’s some tightness to it.
The increasing noise of the teleportation machine nearly drowns out her words as the light around you grows brighter, brighter —
Until it’s all you can see, and the familiar tug drags you away into nothingness. There, the echoing voices speak to you once more, laying out the goal you have to complete… and then, without a chance to respond, you are wrenched away through time and space.
As soon as the light dissipates and the voices die away, you are left floundering in the darkness — seconds, at most, as each of you is sent to a set time on the planet. But how you arrive will depend entirely on when you arrive.
1.0A: GROUP 1 Awareness returns to you as you find yourself on your feet, suddenly standing in the Mayor’s office with a half circle of twenty other Orbers just as mildly disoriented as you are. Madam Reilly is positioned in the centre, her fierce eyes shining with approval as she looks up to meet your eyes.
She rounds her desk, studying every new arrival with care.
She sounds sincere enough, but the glint in her eye betrays her, telling you that she’ll likely expect that the hospitality be repaid through hard work and the wealth it will bring the town.
So take the voucher, thank the Mayor for her audience with you, and leave to do a little exploration; and as you do, many of the locals will wave at you, though some might eye you with suspicion. As Madam Reilly said — it’s been a while since any previous wagons made it to town. New arrivals are … well. They’re something of a novelty.
1.0B: GROUP 2 The first thing you register when you regain your wits about you is that the wagon you’re sitting inside of suddenly stops, making you jolt. Above you, the steady sound of rain hitting the wagon’s fabric cover with increasing intensity fills your ears.
Without preamble, a youthful voice from outside shouts:
With nothing to do but brave the rain and leave the confines of the wagons, you follow your fellow Orbers out on shaky legs. Once outside, blinking away the rain in your eyes, you see riderless horses pulling the wagons, parts of their heads replaced with metal.
It won’t take long before you realize you are in the middle of the town road, and in front of the wagons stand two people: a large man with an eye-patch, and a smaller, young alien with sparkling eyes.
Deputy Duke speaks with a bright grin — one that the Sheriff doesn’t share.
His one eye scans over the Orbers who are slowly getting soaked in the downpour, and snorts.
Somehow, his cheerful disposition makes the threat not really sound like much of a one.
Still, they both watch you carefully as you walk past them. Where you go next within the town depends entirely on you, but the signs pointing to the Saloon and Inn are clearly visible, and you’ll likely want to get out of the rain. And who knows, there might even be a few familiar faces already here to greet you.
1.0C: GROUP 3 You wake up with your face buried in something rough and dirty, paired with the sensation of someone shaking at your shoulders. As you blink your eyes open, someone’s face is too close to yours, a face you’ve never seen before in your life, and they’re dressed in rough-hewn work clothing. They take a step back, crouched on their haunches, but the relief in their eyes is palpable. With a sigh, they shake their head and then yell:
As you get up, you’ll see others dressed similarly, all miners, rousing familiar teammates around you. Scattered in your immediate surroundings are the remains of several wagons, a piece of a roof cover flapping uselessly against a large rock. When all of you have woken — some hale and hearty, some with scabs and bruises, some with bleeding cuts — one of the older miners approaches you, his gaze taking in all your faces.
One of Rex’s miners shouts and the others laugh, hastily helping the rest of you up on your feet to escort you along the road that leads into town.
Perhaps you’ll let yourself be helped, or you’ll rush to help those who have been wounded in an attack you can’t remember … or perhaps you’ve already left the others behind to go into town, to see what it has to offer and to meet those who have come here before you.
With all the introductions said and done, it’s time to take to the small town of Scorpion’s Bend and scope out opportunities for the remainder of your stay. For those of you from more temperate, wetter climates, you might find that desert life takes a little bit of getting used to. Two suns beaming bright white rise high over the cloudless horizon, soaking the land with hot light throughout the daytime. With the dust and debris and very little lush vegetation, it’ll be easy to find yourself quickly heating up, where the only form of shade in this town is found within the establishments themselves and under awnings. The evenings do bring beautiful sunsets, however, with a spectacular sight of the five small moons of Badrock glowing like dim spheres of varying sizes across the dark, night sky. There are very few stars out and the temperatures drop dramatically when the suns are down.
2.0 A Bed Too Large: In front of Crow’s Tooth Saloon and the nearby Thornbush Inn, you’ll find seating as though these buildings can read your mind and understand the need for quick refuge from the scorching temperatures. This is where you’ll be able to find yourselves beds to sleep on tonight.
Crow’s Tooth Saloon is an especially lively hub throughout the day. Mornings will see a cluster of miners grabbing breakfast before their trek out to Guncross Mountain — small breakfasts of eggs and sausage and the blackest coffee; noon will find the desk-job men and stablehands congregating for lunch and a drink — sandwiches, biscuits and meat pies with alcohol; and by mid-afternoon leading into the late night hours, fathers and sons and daughters and miners will have returned for dinner and a chance to let loose before the day’s events repeat again the next day. The occasional lone rider might be found at a table some nights before heading to the next town over. A couple of miners, both younger and old, keep to themselves, sitting alone with their whiskey at the bar. The pianist, Tommy Jellison, makes his wages by playing the evening into the wee hours of the night for tips, spinning jubilant tunes on the keys with his five hands, and belting out the odd vocal accompaniment. Sometimes there will be games of cards and coins, and opiates and stimulants aren’t uncommon: both to obtain and to use. The owner, Emzi Hanegan, turns a blind eye to most of the latter.
But Thornbush Inn won’t be void of life either. A three-story rectangular building with painted black and white exterior wood walls, Thornbush Inn can easily be found not far from behind the Saloon. This is where travelers, not all that frequent lately, will come to stay during their time in Scorpion’s Bend. The Innkeeper, Terrance Trawley, has been doing this for a very, very long time, and boy the stories he could share, once coaxed, would paint a colourful picture of the town’s history. Rumour has it he’s been known to embellish a few details every now and then, though. "Adds flavour," he says. You’ll be welcome to keep a room while you’re here, but he'll encourage you to keep a roommate if you do — space is limited and so are the coins in your purse, but would you be needing the turndown service at all?
3.0 For a Fistful of Dollars: Turns out the money you’ve received to spend in this town goes out sooner than you’d like. This means making quick work of integrating yourself into the workforce by offering your services and using those airtight backstories to find a position best suited for you and your fellow townsfolk. For those of you who are good with people, you may want to speak with the owner, Priory Halhast, of Scorpion’s Bend General Store; she’s always looking for bright, gorgeous faces to greet customers daily, take their orders (simple and practical items such as hygiene products, toiletries, cleaning products, basic cooking ingredients and the like), engage in a little small-talk, and to offer the occasional home delivery service. If you’d rather keep to yourself, ask her about working as a stockist or helping to keep some of the books in the back in order.
Similar positions can be found at the Trading Post, where all it takes is a quick chat with Lawturn, the gruff, bearded stocky owner in the poncho and black stetson. Dealing with imports and exports between other towns, they’ll be expecting strong hands and quick minds to handle some of the sales and incoming stock for the town. Sometimes this includes spare wagon parts and food and supplies for the animals.
And speaking of animals, for those of you who have a sixth sense with them, or simply want to avoid the chatty townsfolk all together, the Stablemaster, known simply as ‘Horseshoe’ could always use an extra set of hands to help with the grooming, feeding, cleaning, and maintenance of the horses and other animals, as well as the travel wagons. The Stables can be found near the Trading Post; it’s just a quick-ish jog (if you can stand the heat) to the large wooden barn in faded red wood where you’ll be greeted by the sounds of dogs, cows, chickens, sheep, owl-shrews, varkdogs, and flower mantisaurs.
4.0 The Good, the Religious and the Spicy: Over the month, some of you might find that even in a place as small as Scorpion’s Bend, there is disparity between the cleaner, ‘nicer’ parts of town versus the more dilapidated and seedier areas. The town’s segregation isn’t quite as clear-cut with the main street and its numerous businesses acting as a central hub for all of the townspeople. However, the schoolhouse and the church, Celestial Mercy, stands proud on one end, while Sindown, the town’s infamous pleasure house marks its place on the opposite side and are often referred to as the ‘Light’ and the ‘Dark’ sides of town respectively, and not always with a smile.
The schoolhouse is directly connected to the church, and the children in Scorpion’s Bend spend most of their days at their desks learning to read, basic arithmetic, history, science, and the planets. While not exactly off-limits to the Orbers, in order to keep disruptions of the childrens’ education to a minimum, the headmistress, Joella Friegrass would prefer scheduling appointments to speak with her or any of the other staff in school.
Some of these students will go on to become teachers at the school, indoctrinated into the Sect of the Eight Divines, or otherwise find positions throughout the town. While not closed to other practices of worship, Father Alois of the Celestial Mercy mainly preaches the gospel of the Eight Divines and would happily spend time explaining this religion with you. The church itself is a brown wood building with a peaked roof and long, arched windows lining the sides. Above the doors is a small bell tower, used to mark celebrations, funerals, the beginning and end of a sermon, and other special occasions.
If you decide to make a thorough exploration of the length of the town, you’ll inevitably wander over to Sindown, the Bend’s pleasure house. Sindown is owned by Madame Rella, whose brief appearances at her own establishment only ever seem to happen during the latest hours of the night, and only for long enough to check in on her clients and workers, and to ensure the peace. She isn’t a woman to be reckoned with and anyone who winds up on her bad side will find themselves regretting it for the rest of their days. Find someone you might want to have a night of pleasure (or pain) with, book a room within the house (with all of the comforts provided), and be sure to pay upfront. Or simply stick around for the drinking, the drugs, and the nightly card games shared among the townsfolk and vagabonds with higher stakes than those you might find at the Saloon.
5.0 After Hours: When the novelty of the stetsons and ponchos have worn off like the shine of the spurs on your boots, the more observant Orbers might find that the whole town feels just a little off. The incoming stock coming into Scorpion’s Bend never seems to change, and so the food at the Saloon arrives at breakfast, noon, and dinner without a hitch, always exactly the same, and all of it tasting just a little less flavourful the more you start to analyze it. Eggs and sausage and bread, for example, all start to taste like the same thing.
Everyone’s got their routine, including you, and you might start paying attention to those schedules as you continue to work at your job, explore the establishments, and speak with the townspeople — both the regular folks of the day-to-day, and the ones with a little more power and sway in the town. Every now and then, someone’s temper might flare up resulting in a dramatic bar fight amongst the drunk and those who happen to arrive at the wrong place and time; or you might watch as a couple of the Saloon’s patrons challenge each other to a noontime duel. Try not to make an obvious target of yourself as you explore the town, of course, or you might wind up in a bar fight or a duel of your own. Don’t have a gun? It might be time to find one.
6.0 Out of Town: Any hooligans and lawbreakers will find themselves facing Sheriff One-Eyed Wilson and his Deputy before you even have the wherewithal to utter: ‘yee-haw’. The Sheriff might only be working with one usable, clear eye, but he’s always been the fastest shot on this side of Badrock and he protects this town with everything he’s got. Petty crimes and rowdy behaviour will be punished in levels of severity ranging from warnings to fines to nights spent in the town jail.
One night you might wake up to the sound of shouts and gunfire. If you aren’t already awake, or if you never went to bed in the first place, you might be able to make out a group of figures on horseback, hollering and hooting with pandemonious glee as they ride through town, their faces covered by scarves and wide-brimmed hats. These bandits dash for the stores with the intention to loot the town for everything they’ve got before making their way out with their spoils. Remembering that this could be the last of the incoming stock for weeks, you might want to join your fellow Orbers and residents alike to defend the town from the pillaging or face weeks of struggling recovery.
A substantial population of Scorpion’s Bend is made up of miners who have snatched up the opportunity for work and a promise of prosperity while in town. Early in the morning, every morning, those who have jobs at the mines wake up before the sun rises, have their breakfast, and head in split directions: some to Guncross mountain, and others, including you, to the mines located right at the edge of the town, for another hard day’s work. Wagons full of workers make the trek every day, digging for the wealth that lies underground: ore and metal and precious stone used in the formation of construction materials, jewelry, and other treasured items. It’s a lucrative enterprise but to maintain some semblance of order, all workers must first be approved by the Miners Guild, not always an easy feat for newcomers. You’ll learn that to be a full member of the Guild and have access to the mines on Guncross, you’ll need at least half a year’s work within the town, but prove yourself and you may have opportunities to gain some experience at least.
7.0 The Ecstasy of Ore: The wagon leaves just as the moons fade for the night and the barest hint of the suns begins to warm up the sky with light. You’ll be packed in with other townsfolk just like you: eager to get to the mines, or maybe still drowsy with sleep, or maybe a combination of both. During the trek there, one of the older miners might be inclined to share a bit of advice with you, give you the basic 101 in mining. “Keep a lookout for the shiny stuff,” he’ll joke. He looks to be in strangely good spirits for someone up so early.
You’re dropped off by the front with your gear and your fellow miners as the sun continues to rise. Soon it’ll be scorching hot but until then, you feel comfortable, maybe even a little chilly. You’ll be working alongside people who look human, and an alien race called tunnel hounds who have a particular talent for this sort of work. If you want to learn quickly, you might want to speak with one of them.
The tunnel is carved deep and bright lanterns lighting the way inside, hung on a long line of rope every six to ten feet (1.8 to 3 meters). As you work your way deeper, these lights become more and more sporadic, however, so it may be a good time to turn on your torchlight and continue with the group. The reflection of your light will inevitably catch on a shiny surface lodged into the tunnel around you and in crevices further in. It’s this metallic ore that you’re meant to be harvesting; this is the 'shiny stuff'. As you get to work, sweat forming along your brow, the rhythmic sound of your pick-axe pinging against stone, you may or may not hear a silent hissing sound in between. One of the tunnel hounds will suddenly reach out to stop you with sharp claws, and then make a silencing motion before gesturing to the flame-coloured serpent coiled near your foot, too close for comfort. This is an embera, a reptile that can infect their victims with a fire-hot venom that burns the blood in your veins until the heat of it kills you if the pain doesn’t first.
Avoid getting bitten by these creatures that seem to make the tunnels their home; and if you do, there’s still a chance you can seek help if you do it quickly. The effects of the venom are slow (but still painful) and will be at its peak in a few hours.
8.0 The Countdown: Anyone that decides to explore the Scorpion’s Bend past the mines and tries to head to the desert or towards Guncross mountain may find that their long walk forward only leads them back into the other end of the town, strangely like they’ve somehow walked an entire loop. No matter the trek, this trajectory never seems to change. You might try leaving from the east, for example, only to wind up entering directly into the west side of the town.
Of course, you could try and ask around for an explanation to this bizarre occurrence, but even the most sensible of townsfolk will look at you with reactions spanning anywhere from sympathy and pity to amusement and disgust. Most will laugh and think that perhaps you should lay off the whiskey, maybe grab another black coffee. Others will simply think you’ve been out in the sun for too long or you've been chewing gravel. Either way, it might make you think; after all, that lone rider from the other night had left by the next day, hadn’t he? And what about those bandits chased out of town?
F Y I
• If you have questions about any of the prompts or the mission in general, please direct them HERE.
• To submit a search request speaking to any NPCs mentioned in the log, trying to overhear conversations, or exploring any specific place during any of the prompts, please do so HERE.
• And finally, have a soundtrack for this log! ♪ ♪ ♪
no subject
[He stands up, rolling up his sleeves at her.]
That's way more up Hermann's alley, but I don't mind getting my hands a little dirty, Miss Oswald. [He wrinkles his nose.] As long as you don't make me write the same thing a hundred times or whatever. I've still got some PTSD from my youth from more than one teacher.
[Baby Newt did not behaviorally flourish in school nearly as much as his grades did.
But we all assumed as much.]
no subject
[She sighs sadly as she says it, grabbing the wooden basket of chalk dust filled erasers off her desk.]
When we showed up on our first day, the Doctor introduced himself and everyone assumed it was his surname. Our surname, actually, since we're currently married.
[Which is exactly why she's wearing one of her little rings on her ring finger, which she promptly pauses to stop and glance at with a fond smile. Attention is shifted right back over onto the erasers though, and she leads the way out to the school yard so he can offer her an assist in clapping the dust out of them.]
Have you spoken to him recently? [She questions as she hands over two erasers.] Hermann?
[Newt had just mentioned him so casually that she's curious as to whether or not they've spoken about what had happened between them.]
no subject
Mrs. Doctor!? You guys got married and didn't even invite me?!
[His splayed hand is even hovering over his bosom in the Appropriate Offended Pose.
But anyway. He gets to clapping the dust off the erasers, immediately soothed by it. He's not really sure when plumes of chalk became relaxing for him. Maybe a few months after it had been maddening to him. Sometimes you just tip from frustrated displeasure into 'I need to see chalk dust hanging in the air at least thrice a day'. It happens. Clara does the mature thing and dips into a relevant, important topic, and Newton tries to follow suit.]
Not really. I mean, not since he was sick in the infirmary.
[He makes another chalk cloud.]
Things are — complicated still.
no subject
Yeah.
[It's the only thing she can softly say at first, as she tries to find the words to reassure him. It's hard to come up with them when she's not feeling very optimistic.]
Things are complicated with no sign of getting better. I understand what that feels like.
[There's a hard clap of the eraser, the dust cloud causing Clara to cough as it gets up in her face.]
no subject
I shouldn't have done anything; I was having a freak-out, and I was in a vulnerable way, and I should never do anything when I'm in illogical mode, y'know? Saying things when I'm emotional — it's never been good for me.
[He unconsciously grabs a book and proceeds to fan it at Clara as he talks, trying to rid her of the chalk cloud.]
But now it's too late... and I don't know. I think I ruined everything and let him down, and he doesn't want anything to do with me. Which — sucks ass, because I never needed anything from this but having him around.
[Slowly, he sinks down into a seat, looking at the cloudy, layer of chalk left on the blackboard after the words had been erased in full.]
Now I've fucked up things with someone who means a lot to me.
I guess there's not much I can do other than give him space. Away from me. But I don't want to be away, because he's my best friend, and I didn't want to change that by being stupid... Yeah.
... Sorry for walking in for the sad journal dump.
no subject
You don't have to apologize for saying what you need to say. I am always here to listen. In fact -
[This is a moment where she really wants to just expect him to do what she says and not what she does, but she feels that it's important he knows she truly understands where he's coming from.]
There's something I haven't told you about. Something I ruined and don't know how to fix.
[It's with a sigh that she sits in the chair next to his, slouching down as far as her prim and proper dress will allow her to.]
We're two of a kind, you and I.
no subject
Does he need to go kick someone's ass? (And fail?)]
If something happened with the Doctor, you know it'll fix itself; he cares about you way too much for anything to come between you guys. You're, like, one of his favoritest people in the universe.
[Because jumping immediately into affirmations and consoling is his knee-jerk response, of course.]
no subject
[She's quick to reassure him, slouching down further in her seat. Is it getting warm in here? No, she's just blushing.]
I...might've had a relationship with someone for a couple of months. [That doesn't really answer any of the questions he likely is having, so she sighs as she looks over to him.]
Kovacs. It was Kovacs.
no subject
Oh.
[Mr. Nice Kisser (Allegedly) and Stargirl — oh. Ooooh. OhH? Sorry, his brain seems to be taking a moment to process. Pump the breaks. Give him a second. Let this wash over him.]
You two — oh.
Oh shit. Really?
[AND HE DIDN'T NOTICE???? ALL THIS TIME????]
no subject
Things between us were...intense. Until I put a stop to it Christmas night.
[The fact that he hadn't noticed isn't a big deal, given how quiet they had kept it. But she feels terrible for not having told him sooner, if only because she had no idea how to go about telling him about something that was moving so fast and was so very intense.]
And now I'm pretty sure he hates me. Which is probably for the best, since I ruin everything I touch.
no subject
[He shimmies closer, looking determined from the eyes. Of course he does!]
You totally help me to not get more ruined, so don’t give me that self-pity thing, because I do it enough to say with confidence it’s totally stupid to do. It’s impossible for a good person to hate you, so I doubt he hates you.
[Because he knows Clara, and he knows Kovacs, and he can’t imagine it being what Clara says. He quiets for a moment, though, sucking in his lips in thought.]
So — what happened? I mean, was it… that you just wanted a friend with benefits, and it got too serious? Or did you feel guilty about your thing with the Doctor? How intense we talking?
no subject
I wasn't thinking. We just...came together one night, and then it became routine. He was always in my room or I was in his and it got serious. I had to stop myself from telling him that I loved him, Newt. And I shouldn't have let myself love him because that didn't stop me from loving the Doctor. And I know I will always choose the Doctor in the end. I had to end things before I could -
[She cuts herself off as her lower lip starts to tremble and the tears start to escape. Clara instantly curls inward on herself, wiping at her eyes so he won't have to see her crying over a man. It's pathetic.]
no subject
[He's quick to reach over and rub her back, giving her enough space still to not feel boxed in. As much as he appreciated his uncle's bear hugs when he was particularly unruly — and as much as they worked to calm him to a low simmer — sometimes it was nice to have a little open air to feel what you needed to feel.]
But I gotta be honest... That doesn't seem fair. To, like, either of you. Why stop yourself from saying you love him? Why shouldn't you love the guy? I haven't exactly rolled around in bed with him, but it's not like I can't see all the things to love about him. I get there's a lot of baggage, but that shouldn't stop you from loving someone, right? Even if it might hurt later.
[He pauses, frowning at her.]
... Did you ever ask him? Before you ended things.
If he was okay with it. Being loved by someone who loved someone else, too.
no subject
No, I didn't ask him!
[Both hands go up to cover her face, which she promptly spends about ten seconds rubbing. She shouldn't have brought this up. She can't talk about this because there's no way to make herself seem like a decent person. And she absolutely hates herself as it is, and she can't stand to know Newt is going to think less of her once this conversation is over.
When her hands drop away, she finds herself staring down at the floor.]
Before, when I was back home. When I was with Danny. I constantly lied to him, was always running off to be with the Doctor. And yeah, maybe I still feel something for Kovacs. We had something wonderful till I took it and broke it all apart. But I couldn't wind up doing to him what I did to Danny. It's better to hurt now than to let it hurt worse later on. He'll move on, and find somebody else. Someone better. Somebody that's not selfish and reckless and is able to give him what he needs. Because at the end of the day, I'm never gonna choose him or anyone else first. I will always choose the Doctor. Even if he never, ever loves me back.
[With all that said, she cautiously looks over his way. She's dreading seeing disappointment in his eyes, isn't looking forward to him telling her what she already knows. But there's no going back and fixing things. Not when she's already determined this is the path she's going down.]
no subject
reaches over and pinches the tender underside of her arm hard.]
Okay, okay, okay! Calm down there, Juliet! Maybe take a breather and a step back, and think for a second here! Don't say a word, or I'll pinch you again. [He says it in threat, in case she starts trying to talk again.] Kovacs isn't the Doctor, sure. But he's also not Danny! And he's not you. So you should know what he thinks as himself before you start getting all worked up!
I love you, too, right? But I also know you love the Doctor more. That's not gonna stop me from loving you or wanting to be around you, even if you'd save the Doctor from a falling bolder and leave me to get smooshed. I still wanna be close to you, no matter how things might end up someday.
You get me?
no subject
Did you just pinch me?!
[That is both rude and uncalled for, sir. Her hand rubs at the spot he's just pinched for a moment as she looks over at him like he's not making any sense.]
My mind's already made up, Newt. I've already hurt him. He's already told me he doesn't want to even speak to me unless it's related to the missions. It's time for us both to move on.
no subject
[He nudges at her, frowning, and seems to consider something carefully.]
I'll stop poking if you answer this with total honesty: do you think I should just give up being friends with Hermann? That I should just stop talking to him now that things are awkward?
no subject
No, of course not. Your situation is different. You've known Hermann for years. Kovacs and I -
[well, they were friends before they slept together and found their way into what they had. And she's sure that maybe one day they can be friends again. But right now, that isn't possible.]
Time will make things easier on the both of us. We'll talk again someday. But right now, he's specifically asked me to stop trying. I have to respect that.
[There's a pause, and she presses her arms down against her side to protect from being pinched again.]
Why does it matter so much to you that Kovacs and I are on speaking terms?
no subject
After a moment and an owlish blink, he says, very matter-of-factly:]
Well...! Because. I love you guys.
And I want you both to be happy.
[Does there need to be any other reason?]
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[She's almost pleading with him to try and understand, even if he doesn't agree with her or see things from her perspective. ]
It's over. And that's okay. I'm gonna be okay. And so will he, eventually.
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[He relaxes a moment, not looking convinced. Or pleased.
But he's got a scientist's mind, you know; always working toward solutions.
Especially ones that seem impossible.]
But just remember that you care about him, and he cares about you.
You guys can pout at opposite sides of the station, but that's not gonna change.
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[She can agree on that much at least. And now that she feels the subject is starting to wind down, she very awkwardly moves up and out of her seat so she can go embrace him in a hug. Yes, she's the one that did the breaking up. But she's still hurting and still needs her friend.
Even if he's giving her some tough love right about now.]
But not as much as I care about you. You're not too disappointed in me, are you?
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You kidding? I'm never disappointed in you, Stargirl.
I'm just sad you're sad; I hate not being able to do anything about it.
[If there's one thing Newton does not take well, it's uselessness in a situation, yanno?]
I hope things get better for you two eventually. However it does. And if he does anything out of line between here and then, just let me know so I can get my ass kicked trying to kick his ass.
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I may have to hold you to that for some of the things he said the night I ended things. But I've got to say, I'd prefer you not get your ass kicked on account of me at all.
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[Oh, was there a hint of uncertainty in the way he pulls away? At first it may seem there's still a lingering fear of her being scared of him, but that's — not quite it. In fact, he looks a mite sheepish and embarrassed and mortified. The staccato of his words is not subtle:]
Soooo. Now that you got that off your chest. I should. Probably add another admission. About Kovacs in particular.
[... He purses his lips and looks at her in a way that may very well already hint as to what he may tell her.]
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