I don't accept that. [Quiet, but firm.] We could have had a lot more time. They could have told us upfront about it, asked if anyone could see a way out. Instead we had fourteen people die horribly, most of the rest dragged through an absolute farce of an investigation and trial, and for what? So two ancient beings could try to avoid responsibility. If, being so old and wise, they truly knew there was no other way but death, the man calling himself a captain should have taken Skulduggery's life without any of that drama. Even if it hurt, even if he'll carry the guilt the rest of his life.
[She takes a drink. Ari needs a drink right now.] I'm sorry. I'm not here about them, really. It's done, no changing it. I'm here because Oda is-
[A little sigh.] He isn't troubled because he thought you should obey him. He doesn't think of you that way at all; he's told me that. It's because he thought that as his friend, you'd be willing to give his idea a chance. And I'm so glad I did ask, because now I can tell him that you didn't reject him, you just didn't hear it. That's not anybody's fault.
And I'm going to ask you... between us, I know you have every right to your own opinion, even if it's that you think his idea would never have worked anyway, but if that's so, would you hold off on debating it with him for now? Just until he's in a better frame of mind. [She won't betray his confidence by telling Crichton just how low and unhappy Nobunaga is right now, but he might be able to guess from her earnest, concerned expression.]
Yeah, a lot of things could have been done differently. The Captain kept us in the dark and made us participate in his bullshit game to get what he wanted out of it. I don't appreciate that one bit. But hindsight is 20/20. By the time we understood what was going on, a lot of the could-shoulda-woulda's got stripped away.
[He's firm on that too.]
I am sorry to hear that he thought that way about me. It smarts, a little, that you had to be the one to come ask about it. But I'm glad if it means we can clear it up. And, yeah, I know how stubborn he can be. I won't get into it with him. I don't want to upset him more.
[It's frustrating, because she'd known there was something wrong from the moment that false captain had started talking about bringing people to justice. (True in this case, but Ari Tayrey would also suspect him of wrongdoing if he talked about rainbows and puppies.) She does think people should have listened. The similarity between her initial plan and Nobunaga's was that they both relied on rejection of the rules they were given. You don't have to investigate. You don't have to condemn a man to die. You don't have to do anything just because you're told to by someone you have no obligation to, who gives no explanation.
She doesn't say this, though. It won't help. Instead, she nods.]
It's over. I don't think it's wrong to talk about it, because that's how we make sense of going through something that chaotic, but afterwards, we have to be able to move forward.
[A little sigh.] I'm the one asking about it because I'm the one in command of the army. Presently.
[Ari knows on some level that there are those on the ship who will see calling a handful of people an army a silly affectation. It doesn't matter, because it gives her a way to talk about things, and to care for people and be cared for in turn, that she wouldn't otherwise have had. She hopes it's obvious to him that she's not really trying to say she's here on business. That he'll understand what she's indicating about Nobunaga's condition, and not mind that she's the one having this conversation.]
[He can read between the lines there, and see behind the implications of that. If she's having to take the lead, Nobunaga must really be in bad shape. Crichton can't judge. Losing Aeryn practically put him in a coma for how upset and unwilling he was to exist in her absence. He doesn't have to agree with his friend's choices all the time to still feel sympathy for them. He grimaces, thinking how hard this has to be after all the loss Nobunaga has already lived with.]
I'm glad he can count on you. I... should I visit him? I don't want to make things worse but I'm worried.
I'm going to say not yet. I think you should visit him. Absolutely. But he's still - I wasn't exaggerating about what was done to him; I had to carry him out of that hotel. I have him in my cabin. You're welcome to visit, at the right time.
[Not a word about the strong Tradeliner taboo against it. Ari may give the impression that she'd never break regulations, but the truth is that if some real good can be done by the breaking of it, no harm will result, and the decision is hers? She'll do it. She was trained for command, not mindless obedience.]
Give me a chance to talk to him first and explain.. He thinks that I'm the only one who stood by him. Of course I'd like nothing better than to show him that isn't the case, but the situation's delicate.
[Even if he realized her taking Nobunaga to her room was a Tradeline violation, he'd be of the same mind about it as she is. Doing what's right comes first.]
Okay. That sounds like a good way to handle it. I'll give him some time. Just, when you talk to him, make sure he knows I still think of him as a friend.
[And while he's on that subject.]
Just like I have and still do think of you as one. How are you holding up with this and all the rest? You still need to take care of yourself while helping others.
[Ari nods. That's exactly what she'll be stressing - that not only is Oda's friendship with Crichton not broken beyond all repair, it's not really broken at all. She takes a couple of the chips from the bowl between them, now relaxed enough to eat.]
I value your friendship very much. [Enough that she'll be honest? Yes, mostly.] I'm holding up fine. Long hours and a worthwhile purpose, that's what I'm used to, right? [A little more soberly] I had the same worry as him, up until I wrote to you. That we were alone. Worse, I thought at first he'd hold it against me that I had to overrule him in the end, because I saw how it was going - but he didn't. I'm fortunate to have him, so I don't mind at all, no matter how he is right now. He'd do the same for me, in my place.
The rest is... I still have hope, you know? It's better than it was.
Too many people around here act like it's every one for themselves. It isn't. We are all in this weird little crew together. And part of being a crew means that when the going gets rough, we pick each other up. Even if we have our disagreements, I trust you both are doing what you believe is right. I never doubted that for a second.
[Yes, hope is good. It's what they all need to keep going.]
I'm glad to hear that. Keep that hope alive. We aren't down and out yet. Not by a long shot.
[She nods.] I'll find my way home, even if it takes time.
I have to urge caution, though. This place is- [she falters, not knowing exactly how to phrase it.] You won't know what it's like to - no, I suppose you're one of the few people who will! You know what it's like to be part of a crew, and know that every single person on your starship has your back in a crisis, even if you don't know them so well. Even if you don't like them so well. Shared purpose, where it counts. To go from that environment to being utterly alone here.
Oda was the first one to make me feel less alone, and you know what he means to me, but it's a mistake to take that and extrapolate - to think that we're all a crew in any meaningful sense, because we're all imprisoned here together. If you try to rely on that, you'll get hurt. I know that from experience too.
[No, she's not explaining herself properly. Maybe it's something that either makes sense on an intuitive level, or doesn't.] I trust you, Commander Crichton. As I'd trust a fellow Tradeliner. But I don't give that lightly, and you shouldn't either.
I do miss that. Even if, sometimes, certain members of my crew on Moya didn't always perform to those standards. [He's thinking of you, Rygel.]
I hear what you're saying, and, yeah, you're not wrong. We're a mixed bag and most of us are interested in saving our own skin first. That's only natural. But that's how things started on Moya too. We were prisoners. We were strangers. Over time, we became more. I still have hope that we can do the same here. Maybe there will always be some outliers, but I'm not giving up on us as a crew.
[There he goes with his optimism again. But, on this one, he thinks Nobunaga would be proud.]
I don't take that lightly. I don't give my trust to just anyone, either. But I do like to give people a chance. Let me put it this way, I look for the best in people but prepare for the worst. I've been disappointed before but that doesn't seem to slow me down.
[He's a worse idealist than Ari herself, and that's saying something. She thinks that what he hopes for is impossible - certainly there are people here that she knows she'll never trust, never have any sort of connection with - but it'd feel harsh to say so.]
It's difficult without shared values, or even a shared purpose. There are some people here who don't even have any interest in escaping! Who are happy with all this.
If there are people here who don't want to leave, I'm not going to force them to. But, I don't think that has to mean we can't share a purpose. It all depends on how you sell it.
On Moya? The number fluctuated. Usually, six or seven of us at a time. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I know what you're going to say. It's different because it was a smaller crew.
Would I be wrong to say it? Reaching consensus with six or seven can be difficult. We have at least seventy here.
[She speaks softly, because if that's what he's working for, she doesn't want to take it away from him. Everyone needs a purpose. She just doesn't want him to get hurt through placing trust in the wrong people.]
I'd never want to force anyone to leave, either - but those people, they'd force us to stay if they could. You must see the constant attempts at demoralisation, telling us that it's hopeless.
Oh, believe me, reaching a consensus between all of us on Moya was like pulling teeth. Everyone had their own ideas about what to do, based on what they knew and where they came from.
[Sound familiar?]
That's the point I'm really trying to make here. It's hard. It's not impossible. And I think there are a few things most of us are capable of reaching a consensus on even if we can't agree completely. A shared goal isn't out of the question.
[It still pains him that she thinks those who are saying they can't return are trying to deliberately demoralize her. That's something she's going to just have to take some time to come to terms with. Pushing obviously isn't the answer.]
I'm not sure I see it exactly that same way. Maybe some are doing that. Most, I think, really believe it and think they are helping you by saying so. I try not to look at it from a malicious point of view. And, if it came down to it, if we found a way to get off this ship, I don't really think those people would stop us. Caution us, maybe. But not force us to stay.
[Pulling teeth? Like a disturbing form of torture, then. Ari frowns, but keeps listening.]
I don't think it's all that whether the intent is malicious or not. You- [a brief hesitation, but Ari's been honest with him before, there's no reason to stop now.] You know how difficult this has been for me. How I've had to try hard to find reasons to keep going. If anything it's easier if they're malicious about it. There's always the potential to find common ground with an enemy someday, reach some understanding. Someone trying to destroy your reason for survival because they think they're helping you? That's worse.
See, I don't think ship-wide consensus is possible on anything here, but I think maybe what you and I have is. We can't agree even about this, but there's no hostility between us. We can respect one another's perspectives, keep peaceable contract. Friendship despite the disagreements. There's value in that, right?
Yeah. I know. I'm sorry I was contributing to it. But, I'd be careful about thinking it's that much easier to find common ground with an enemy. Before coming here, I was living on the same ship as mine. That didn't do much to improve our relationship.
[Understatement of the year right there.]
But, yes, of course, there's value in that. There's value in respecting that we are all people with a right to our own convictions. If we can all agree that we deserve to make it out of this alive, first of all, that would be a good step.
You, contributing? [Ari's eyes widen in surprise, and she leans forward.] Commander, I wasn't thinking of you when I said that. You've been supportive. You came after me when you thought my plan hadn't worked, out into that cold. Not many people would do that. And you never told me it was wrong to try to escape. Critique of my- [with a little self-deprecating smile] -particular course of action is different. Even well before that, you... well, I can't say what would have happened if Oda hadn't trampled over my boundaries the way he did when I was in my cabin, but you were the one who made me realise I had to find a way to cope with this. I had to be at least that strong.
[She really wouldn't be saying that she trusted him and thought of him like a shipmate if he'd been one of the people trying to tear her down and crush her hopes. But there's no point in revisiting old troubles.]
You had an enemy with you on Moya? What happened? Couldn't you get rid of them? You're right, if they're a true enemy then finding common ground would be incredibly difficult. Very low probability. Just not impossible, that's all I meant. [An enemy attacking you was to be expected, but a friend doing it would cause more damage.]
[Boy, he can just feel the guilt twisting in him. If she only knew he was still holding out on her, that as much as he says he hopes for her to get home he doesn't believe it can happen. If she could read his mind... well, he'd have a lot bigger problems at that point.]
I want you to know I'll always be here to support you and talk you through things if and when you need it. You can count on me.
[That he can promise. That, he will always promise. He'll have her back.]
His name is Scorpius. I've got something he wants and he's willing to go to any length to get it from me. He saw his chance when he found my previous girlfriend, Aeryn, dying from heat delirium. He stabilized her with special cooling technology he uses in his own suit. She had to... wear his suit to keep her from overheating.
[It still makes him queasy to remember how she looked with that mask on. Like his worst nightmares come to life.]
She made me promise not to kill him. He moved in and... there was nothing I could do about it. If I kicked him out, she'd die. If I killed him, she'd die. I was living with an evil genius just biding his damn time to get at me. Guess I have some experience living with my tormentor already, too.
Thank you. [Always is a big statement, and she feels slightly overwhelmed, as she usually does when conversations veer in this direction, but it still means a lot to her.] The same to you. Maybe I'm not always the best at talking, but I'm here if you need me. If there's ever something I can assist with. [Ari's much better with practical help, but that doesn't mean she can't try.]
[Hearing about Scorpius, she looks to him with sympathy and concern. How awful must it have been! Trapped on his own ship with an enemy. Ari regrets her remark about common ground now; it was thoughtless.]
I'm sorry. Truly, I don't know how you tolerated it. I'd say any promise she made to him when the only alternative for her was death shouldn't be binding, but if it were as simple as killing him and keeping his suit, I suspect you'd have done it. It sounds like an impossible situation.
If there's anything you can help me with, I'll ask. Cross my heart.
[He shakes his head sadly.]
It's okay. That's not something you could have known. The problem with Scorpius is that he's smart. He had all the angles covered at all times. His suit was proprietary technology. Only he knew how to replicate it and he had our comms systems bugged so he could listen in at all times. I didn't tolerate it so much as... survive it.
Nobunaga already promised me if Scorpius ever shows up here he'll do whatever it takes to keep the bastard away from me but... just so you know if you ever meet a guy with sickly white skin, shark teeth, and a full-body leather suit that looks like it's made of black scales, specifically with a mask that bisects his face, get the hell away from him and under no circumstances should you tell him you know me. Play dumb. He can and will use you to get to me.
If I ever see him, I'll stay well clear, and I'll notify you immediately. [No hesitation, no argument - it seems that important. Scorpius sounds very distinctive, easy to identify, and he also sounds like exactly the sort of person that, absent warning, Ari might have tried to befriend, worrying that others would find his appearance offputting.]
That said, I'm also with Oda. If he shows his face here, we'll keep you safe. It sounds like he's already put you through more than enough. [She is contractually obliged to protect Crichton, but it's more than that now. He's a friend, and she's not going to let some shark-man hurt him.]
Do you think it's something we could help with here? Finding another solution for your Aeryn's illness? If it's a matter of keeping cool, there must be some technology we could devise.
[It's such an unbelievable relief to hear her say that she'll do the sensible thing.]
She's cured already. We found a way but... she still made me promise. I wanted to space him as soon as we were sure she wouldn't die, but she said she'd leave again if I did. I couldn't let her leave twice because she... she's pregnant with my child.
[She trusts that he knows far more about Scorpius than she does, and while she'd never step away and let him deal with the problem alone if it ever arose, she's certainly going to follow his advice on how to deal with it.
His next words make her eyes widen in surprise.]
I'd have wanted him straight out the airlock, too. She must have had her reasons - but I'm so sorry that you were separated from her, at a time like that, after you went to all that trouble to stay together. It's truly unfair. [Ari might not plan on ever having a child or even a proper relationship of her own, but that doesn't mean she can't understand what they mean to others.]
Fair? Yeah... I stopped believing in that a long time ago.
[Fate doesn't give a shit about what the rest of them think is fair.]
The worst part is not knowing. I'm scared I'll never find out how it all turned out. This is... the second time I've had to sit and wonder. Sometimes it all feel like one big cruel joke. Just when I think I can't fall and further, there's always something.
[Ari looks at him, sympathetic, and reaches over to touch his arm.]
No, you still know what fair is, otherwise it wouldn't hurt so much. You've just been treated unfairly far too often, it seems like. I think... you're doing all the right things. You have to have hope that it'll get better. That you'll get back to her.
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Date: 2023-01-01 10:45 am (UTC)[She takes a drink. Ari needs a drink right now.] I'm sorry. I'm not here about them, really. It's done, no changing it. I'm here because Oda is-
[A little sigh.] He isn't troubled because he thought you should obey him. He doesn't think of you that way at all; he's told me that. It's because he thought that as his friend, you'd be willing to give his idea a chance. And I'm so glad I did ask, because now I can tell him that you didn't reject him, you just didn't hear it. That's not anybody's fault.
And I'm going to ask you... between us, I know you have every right to your own opinion, even if it's that you think his idea would never have worked anyway, but if that's so, would you hold off on debating it with him for now? Just until he's in a better frame of mind. [She won't betray his confidence by telling Crichton just how low and unhappy Nobunaga is right now, but he might be able to guess from her earnest, concerned expression.]
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Date: 2023-01-02 05:46 am (UTC)[He's firm on that too.]
I am sorry to hear that he thought that way about me. It smarts, a little, that you had to be the one to come ask about it. But I'm glad if it means we can clear it up. And, yeah, I know how stubborn he can be. I won't get into it with him. I don't want to upset him more.
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Date: 2023-01-02 09:37 am (UTC)She doesn't say this, though. It won't help. Instead, she nods.]
It's over. I don't think it's wrong to talk about it, because that's how we make sense of going through something that chaotic, but afterwards, we have to be able to move forward.
[A little sigh.] I'm the one asking about it because I'm the one in command of the army. Presently.
[Ari knows on some level that there are those on the ship who will see calling a handful of people an army a silly affectation. It doesn't matter, because it gives her a way to talk about things, and to care for people and be cared for in turn, that she wouldn't otherwise have had. She hopes it's obvious to him that she's not really trying to say she's here on business. That he'll understand what she's indicating about Nobunaga's condition, and not mind that she's the one having this conversation.]
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Date: 2023-01-04 07:34 pm (UTC)[He can read between the lines there, and see behind the implications of that. If she's having to take the lead, Nobunaga must really be in bad shape. Crichton can't judge. Losing Aeryn practically put him in a coma for how upset and unwilling he was to exist in her absence. He doesn't have to agree with his friend's choices all the time to still feel sympathy for them. He grimaces, thinking how hard this has to be after all the loss Nobunaga has already lived with.]
I'm glad he can count on you. I... should I visit him? I don't want to make things worse but I'm worried.
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Date: 2023-01-04 08:48 pm (UTC)I'm going to say not yet. I think you should visit him. Absolutely. But he's still - I wasn't exaggerating about what was done to him; I had to carry him out of that hotel. I have him in my cabin. You're welcome to visit, at the right time.
[Not a word about the strong Tradeliner taboo against it. Ari may give the impression that she'd never break regulations, but the truth is that if some real good can be done by the breaking of it, no harm will result, and the decision is hers? She'll do it. She was trained for command, not mindless obedience.]
Give me a chance to talk to him first and explain.. He thinks that I'm the only one who stood by him. Of course I'd like nothing better than to show him that isn't the case, but the situation's delicate.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-04 08:54 pm (UTC)Okay. That sounds like a good way to handle it. I'll give him some time. Just, when you talk to him, make sure he knows I still think of him as a friend.
[And while he's on that subject.]
Just like I have and still do think of you as one. How are you holding up with this and all the rest? You still need to take care of yourself while helping others.
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Date: 2023-01-04 09:23 pm (UTC)I value your friendship very much. [Enough that she'll be honest? Yes, mostly.] I'm holding up fine. Long hours and a worthwhile purpose, that's what I'm used to, right? [A little more soberly] I had the same worry as him, up until I wrote to you. That we were alone. Worse, I thought at first he'd hold it against me that I had to overrule him in the end, because I saw how it was going - but he didn't. I'm fortunate to have him, so I don't mind at all, no matter how he is right now. He'd do the same for me, in my place.
The rest is... I still have hope, you know? It's better than it was.
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Date: 2023-01-09 03:42 pm (UTC)[Yes, hope is good. It's what they all need to keep going.]
I'm glad to hear that. Keep that hope alive. We aren't down and out yet. Not by a long shot.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-09 04:04 pm (UTC)I have to urge caution, though. This place is- [she falters, not knowing exactly how to phrase it.] You won't know what it's like to - no, I suppose you're one of the few people who will! You know what it's like to be part of a crew, and know that every single person on your starship has your back in a crisis, even if you don't know them so well. Even if you don't like them so well. Shared purpose, where it counts. To go from that environment to being utterly alone here.
Oda was the first one to make me feel less alone, and you know what he means to me, but it's a mistake to take that and extrapolate - to think that we're all a crew in any meaningful sense, because we're all imprisoned here together. If you try to rely on that, you'll get hurt. I know that from experience too.
[No, she's not explaining herself properly. Maybe it's something that either makes sense on an intuitive level, or doesn't.] I trust you, Commander Crichton. As I'd trust a fellow Tradeliner. But I don't give that lightly, and you shouldn't either.
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Date: 2023-01-11 04:44 am (UTC)I hear what you're saying, and, yeah, you're not wrong. We're a mixed bag and most of us are interested in saving our own skin first. That's only natural. But that's how things started on Moya too. We were prisoners. We were strangers. Over time, we became more. I still have hope that we can do the same here. Maybe there will always be some outliers, but I'm not giving up on us as a crew.
[There he goes with his optimism again. But, on this one, he thinks Nobunaga would be proud.]
I don't take that lightly. I don't give my trust to just anyone, either. But I do like to give people a chance. Let me put it this way, I look for the best in people but prepare for the worst. I've been disappointed before but that doesn't seem to slow me down.
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Date: 2023-01-12 05:07 pm (UTC)It's difficult without shared values, or even a shared purpose. There are some people here who don't even have any interest in escaping! Who are happy with all this.
Tell me, how many of you were there on Moya?
no subject
Date: 2023-01-16 03:54 am (UTC)If there are people here who don't want to leave, I'm not going to force them to. But, I don't think that has to mean we can't share a purpose. It all depends on how you sell it.
On Moya? The number fluctuated. Usually, six or seven of us at a time. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I know what you're going to say. It's different because it was a smaller crew.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-16 01:16 pm (UTC)[She speaks softly, because if that's what he's working for, she doesn't want to take it away from him. Everyone needs a purpose. She just doesn't want him to get hurt through placing trust in the wrong people.]
I'd never want to force anyone to leave, either - but those people, they'd force us to stay if they could. You must see the constant attempts at demoralisation, telling us that it's hopeless.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-19 09:03 pm (UTC)[Sound familiar?]
That's the point I'm really trying to make here. It's hard. It's not impossible. And I think there are a few things most of us are capable of reaching a consensus on even if we can't agree completely. A shared goal isn't out of the question.
[It still pains him that she thinks those who are saying they can't return are trying to deliberately demoralize her. That's something she's going to just have to take some time to come to terms with. Pushing obviously isn't the answer.]
I'm not sure I see it exactly that same way. Maybe some are doing that. Most, I think, really believe it and think they are helping you by saying so. I try not to look at it from a malicious point of view. And, if it came down to it, if we found a way to get off this ship, I don't really think those people would stop us. Caution us, maybe. But not force us to stay.
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Date: 2023-01-19 09:37 pm (UTC)I don't think it's all that whether the intent is malicious or not. You- [a brief hesitation, but Ari's been honest with him before, there's no reason to stop now.] You know how difficult this has been for me. How I've had to try hard to find reasons to keep going. If anything it's easier if they're malicious about it. There's always the potential to find common ground with an enemy someday, reach some understanding. Someone trying to destroy your reason for survival because they think they're helping you? That's worse.
See, I don't think ship-wide consensus is possible on anything here, but I think maybe what you and I have is. We can't agree even about this, but there's no hostility between us. We can respect one another's perspectives, keep peaceable contract. Friendship despite the disagreements. There's value in that, right?
no subject
Date: 2023-01-23 01:12 am (UTC)[Understatement of the year right there.]
But, yes, of course, there's value in that. There's value in respecting that we are all people with a right to our own convictions. If we can all agree that we deserve to make it out of this alive, first of all, that would be a good step.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-23 12:11 pm (UTC)[She really wouldn't be saying that she trusted him and thought of him like a shipmate if he'd been one of the people trying to tear her down and crush her hopes. But there's no point in revisiting old troubles.]
You had an enemy with you on Moya? What happened? Couldn't you get rid of them? You're right, if they're a true enemy then finding common ground would be incredibly difficult. Very low probability. Just not impossible, that's all I meant. [An enemy attacking you was to be expected, but a friend doing it would cause more damage.]
no subject
Date: 2023-01-25 08:39 pm (UTC)I want you to know I'll always be here to support you and talk you through things if and when you need it. You can count on me.
[That he can promise. That, he will always promise. He'll have her back.]
His name is Scorpius. I've got something he wants and he's willing to go to any length to get it from me. He saw his chance when he found my previous girlfriend, Aeryn, dying from heat delirium. He stabilized her with special cooling technology he uses in his own suit. She had to... wear his suit to keep her from overheating.
[It still makes him queasy to remember how she looked with that mask on. Like his worst nightmares come to life.]
She made me promise not to kill him. He moved in and... there was nothing I could do about it. If I kicked him out, she'd die. If I killed him, she'd die. I was living with an evil genius just biding his damn time to get at me. Guess I have some experience living with my tormentor already, too.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-26 05:48 pm (UTC)[Hearing about Scorpius, she looks to him with sympathy and concern. How awful must it have been! Trapped on his own ship with an enemy. Ari regrets her remark about common ground now; it was thoughtless.]
I'm sorry. Truly, I don't know how you tolerated it. I'd say any promise she made to him when the only alternative for her was death shouldn't be binding, but if it were as simple as killing him and keeping his suit, I suspect you'd have done it. It sounds like an impossible situation.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-30 03:30 am (UTC)[He shakes his head sadly.]
It's okay. That's not something you could have known. The problem with Scorpius is that he's smart. He had all the angles covered at all times. His suit was proprietary technology. Only he knew how to replicate it and he had our comms systems bugged so he could listen in at all times. I didn't tolerate it so much as... survive it.
Nobunaga already promised me if Scorpius ever shows up here he'll do whatever it takes to keep the bastard away from me but... just so you know if you ever meet a guy with sickly white skin, shark teeth, and a full-body leather suit that looks like it's made of black scales, specifically with a mask that bisects his face, get the hell away from him and under no circumstances should you tell him you know me. Play dumb. He can and will use you to get to me.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-30 05:08 pm (UTC)That said, I'm also with Oda. If he shows his face here, we'll keep you safe. It sounds like he's already put you through more than enough. [She is contractually obliged to protect Crichton, but it's more than that now. He's a friend, and she's not going to let some shark-man hurt him.]
Do you think it's something we could help with here? Finding another solution for your Aeryn's illness? If it's a matter of keeping cool, there must be some technology we could devise.
cw: pregnancy
Date: 2023-02-01 04:54 am (UTC)[It's such an unbelievable relief to hear her say that she'll do the sensible thing.]
She's cured already. We found a way but... she still made me promise. I wanted to space him as soon as we were sure she wouldn't die, but she said she'd leave again if I did. I couldn't let her leave twice because she... she's pregnant with my child.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-01 08:55 pm (UTC)His next words make her eyes widen in surprise.]
I'd have wanted him straight out the airlock, too. She must have had her reasons - but I'm so sorry that you were separated from her, at a time like that, after you went to all that trouble to stay together. It's truly unfair. [Ari might not plan on ever having a child or even a proper relationship of her own, but that doesn't mean she can't understand what they mean to others.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-03 08:49 pm (UTC)[Fate doesn't give a shit about what the rest of them think is fair.]
The worst part is not knowing. I'm scared I'll never find out how it all turned out. This is... the second time I've had to sit and wonder. Sometimes it all feel like one big cruel joke. Just when I think I can't fall and further, there's always something.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-05 06:03 pm (UTC)No, you still know what fair is, otherwise it wouldn't hurt so much. You've just been treated unfairly far too often, it seems like. I think... you're doing all the right things. You have to have hope that it'll get better. That you'll get back to her.
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