She's right, it doesn't feel like him. And maybe that's the part that's been chafing on him for a while. He knows what she means about Ari, he's seen it. But she's young and he always hoped she'd mature into the understanding. But it was still his choice to go along with her lead.
"No one was supposed to get hurt. I told you the truth about that. It was my own fault I didn't realize what it would do to you but... no one was supposed to be hurt by this. It was supposed to be a distraction. We needed to keep the Captain and Friday busy so they wouldn't notice what we were doing. We needed them looking elsewhere just long enough to get the probe out."
"Crichton. I've been dealing with pain like this for a long time, but Friday didn't deserve that. And it's not just physical pain. People all over the ship are filled with anger, some even feel hatred. Any chance we had of working together seems impossible now."
Valdis sighs, ignoring the pain she's in right now to focus on this, luckily she still has Erin's ring.
"Bridges have been burned, and I don't think they can be repaired."
It would take a miracle, or a massive tragedy.
"This leaves us fractured against any potential enemies that might find that probe."
"People all over this ship have been angry and scared this entire time. Hell, I've been one of them. Us working together? What chance do you think we ever had of doing that? I've seen how that's worked out before. The factions didn't start with us." If he'd really thought this ship could somehow pull its act together, maybe he wouldn't have gone this route. But each and every time the people on this ship had a chance to come together, they ended up ripping each other apart instead. Why would this time be any different? Maybe if something bad does come from this probe it will give them all a real reason to unite. Maybe only then.
"What about our bridge, Valdis? Is that one burned too?"
"You're discounting a not insignificant population on the ship. It's not 'you' or 'them,' there's also an 'us.' There are plenty of people on this ship who are not involved with the Captain, or with you and Ari. Those people were hurt. You've burned bridges with them."
They're so convinced there are only two sides here when there was an entire group of people impacted without a choice or warning.
"Ours probably should be, but I feel I've lost enough in my existence to cut people I care for out of my life now."
"They can come take it up with me if they're upset. Tell 'em it was me if that's what you gotta do. But I couldn't sit around waiting forever for us all to get our act together. I didn't see them doing anything to get us out of this." She's right, in hindsight, he did discount those people. But, dammit, he can't keep watching more and more people fade away and continue to do nothing. about it.
Despite himself, relief washes through him when she says that, for all that he deserves it, their bridge is not yet burned. He hates that she's going to be able to feel that. Feels selfish to be so glad for any amount of forgiveness he hasn't earned.
"I care about you, too. I don't want to cut you out of my life. I know, done is done. The probe is out there. But if you want to add your ideas now, I'm listening."
"I'm not going to tell them you were involved, Crichton. I know what Siffleur did to Ari and I don't want that happening to you."
Valdis falls silent, wondering if he really is listening.
"As far as I can tell, the Captain expects it to be found, and whoever finds it will likely dispose of us and enslave him. I'm not really a fan of either of those things, but if we have time to prepare, we may be able to prevent both."
"I can't forgive Siffleur for what he did to her. He tortured her." Anger blazes hot as he remembers the bite mark in her cheek. How Siffleur had told her that he'd eat her alive, and then started doing it.
"She said she was willing to take all the risk on herself, but I never wanted her to do that. If the truth comes out, if Siffleur comes for me next, I'm going to shoot first. He broke her. He... maybe he's why she's vanished."
[OOC: officially retconning this a little bit to say it's happening post Ari vanishing for timeline convenience.]
Here's the thing. Ari is gone. He was still upholding his contract out of an obligation to her memory and the others in the group but... Valdis's words give him pause. Because they mirror his own fears. She doesn't know how close she is to the truth already. Ari, he's sorry, but he has to be the one calling the shots now. He has to do what he feels is right.
"Valdis, it already was found. The person or... thing that answered didn't give a name, but their intentions are too suspicious. I think they might do exactly that if we don't stop them. I argued, in the meeting, that we needed to tell everyone. They shot me down but, dammit, I've done enough damage now. You all need to know. Something is coming, and I'm not trusting enough to think it's going to be as easy as negotiating good terms. I don't want to see anyone enslaved. No one deserves that no matter how badly they've acted."
Ari, Nobunaga, and Klaus are all gone, but she can't let the pain or the anger take over, she already has enough of both and she can feel the sharpness in her chest even without the added sorrow and guilt.
"This place is dying, Crichton." She replies, willing herself to not show any pain. "The ghosts are gone, I'm not surprised that injured souls are vanishing. I...we might need this way out, but we can't risk the Captain falling into the hands of people who will hurt him again. All this?" She gestures at their surroundings. "Was done because he was hurt. He tore himself apart to try to be safe from what is out there, but now none of us will survive here either."
Dealing with the complications feels too hard.
"I've been carrying Revelations because it's probably the only weapon I can turn on myself or the Captain and have it work. I think we would both rather be dead than under the control of someone else."
Valdis shakes her head.
"What did they say that makes you think I may need to go that route?"
"Dying? What... " he pauses to think about it for two more seconds and then the answer to his unasked question seems obvious based on all that. "We're running out of power. Even with the added effort."
How long do they have? Is there any way to know? Did they just make that worse? Frell.
"Valdis..." he swallows thickly when she mentions the sword. He can see the scar on her chest his mind's eye.
"I don't want it to come to that, but if it does, I'd kill him to keep anyone from getting him under their control again. And you, too, if that's what you want. We both know there are worse things than dying." But he won't until there's really no other choice. He will cling to hope until it's all gone.
"Our would-be savior sent something with the message. It's... they called it a red string of fate. If we put it around the Captain's neck, it will cancel out his power while keeping this bubble intact. It will also let whoever this is in. Make the barrier permeable. They said they want to keep this realm to put in something like a... museum collection." Which means they most likely want to put The Captain in captivity forever, and maybe the rest of them too.
"I'm not going to let that happen. But I don't have the string, either. Tayrey had it and she's gone. If we're lucky, the string went with her."
Stories throughout time mention red strings. Mostly in relation to soul mates, or tying something to something else. Others relate such a string to protection against evil. She's not sure how using it to seal the Captain's power and stabilize this place factors into any of Earth's lore. Perhaps she's thinking too hard about it.
"I suppose better a museum than a zoo."
Though a museum is usually filled with dead things and she's not sure she likes that any better. The Captain thinks they will all be killed, she's not sure if her immortality will follow his rules or her own outside of this place.
"I don't have an answer for you, Crichton. Even if you don't let them in, there are now outside entities that know about us and they will find a way in if the door isn't opened for them."
"I'm not convinced it wouldn't be exactly like a zoo." Why collect a bubble world with no one inside it? That worry is part of why he's letting this spill in the first place. After what happened in The Village, dead might actually be better.
"I know." Heavy sigh. "I know. So we better circle the wagons and get ready."
"Not really on my agenda, either..." But he doesn't sound quite so confident it won't happen anyway.
"Anyone who would..." he takes a moment to stop and think about that. "I... don't know for sure. Rita was in on the plot, and she's a firecracker. But I don't know how keen Natsuno was on it and they're a couple." Fever was steadfastly against it and Cassandra was... on the fence but he finds himself reluctant to say anything at all about that.
He bites nervously on his thumb. No good torturing himself thinking of all the ways this could go wrong. (He will anyway because he can't help himself.)
"Ari was against telling anyone else the string existed. She, and the rest of us, worried someone might take it into their own hands if word got out. As far as I know, it hasn't. I know you'll use your discretion. If I hear anything, you'll be the first one I call his time."
"Ari believed anyone not with her was against her, which we know not to be the case. Still, she was right to keep it under wraps until a decision could be made. She's not stupid, just misguided in certain ways. We do need to find a way out, and we are running out of time, even without this mysterious friend on their way."
Valdis sits again, too drained to keep standing and trying to think at the same time.
He's not stupid either. She shakes her head and smile.
"There are capable people working on it and I need your focus elsewhere. Namely trying to keep your allies from doing anything stupid. I'll try to temper my side and the Captain's people as best I can, but I can't control them if they decide to go after yours."
"Okay. Okay..." She's avoiding the topic. He hates that, but he doesn't exactly have the right to force the issue. Frell... whoever is working on it for her better take damn good care of her.
"I'll do everything I can from my end and I know you will too. Whatever happens, I'm not going to blame you. Just... take care of yourself, okay?"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2024-01-22 12:56 am (UTC)"No one was supposed to get hurt. I told you the truth about that. It was my own fault I didn't realize what it would do to you but... no one was supposed to be hurt by this. It was supposed to be a distraction. We needed to keep the Captain and Friday busy so they wouldn't notice what we were doing. We needed them looking elsewhere just long enough to get the probe out."
no subject
Date: 2024-01-22 01:03 am (UTC)Valdis sighs, ignoring the pain she's in right now to focus on this, luckily she still has Erin's ring.
"Bridges have been burned, and I don't think they can be repaired."
It would take a miracle, or a massive tragedy.
"This leaves us fractured against any potential enemies that might find that probe."
no subject
Date: 2024-01-23 06:46 pm (UTC)"What about our bridge, Valdis? Is that one burned too?"
no subject
Date: 2024-01-23 09:11 pm (UTC)They're so convinced there are only two sides here when there was an entire group of people impacted without a choice or warning.
"Ours probably should be, but I feel I've lost enough in my existence to cut people I care for out of my life now."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 08:06 pm (UTC)Despite himself, relief washes through him when she says that, for all that he deserves it, their bridge is not yet burned. He hates that she's going to be able to feel that. Feels selfish to be so glad for any amount of forgiveness he hasn't earned.
"I care about you, too. I don't want to cut you out of my life. I know, done is done. The probe is out there. But if you want to add your ideas now, I'm listening."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 10:09 pm (UTC)Valdis falls silent, wondering if he really is listening.
"As far as I can tell, the Captain expects it to be found, and whoever finds it will likely dispose of us and enslave him. I'm not really a fan of either of those things, but if we have time to prepare, we may be able to prevent both."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 10:34 pm (UTC)"She said she was willing to take all the risk on herself, but I never wanted her to do that. If the truth comes out, if Siffleur comes for me next, I'm going to shoot first. He broke her. He... maybe he's why she's vanished."
[OOC: officially retconning this a little bit to say it's happening post Ari vanishing for timeline convenience.]
Here's the thing. Ari is gone. He was still upholding his contract out of an obligation to her memory and the others in the group but... Valdis's words give him pause. Because they mirror his own fears. She doesn't know how close she is to the truth already. Ari, he's sorry, but he has to be the one calling the shots now. He has to do what he feels is right.
"Valdis, it already was found. The person or... thing that answered didn't give a name, but their intentions are too suspicious. I think they might do exactly that if we don't stop them. I argued, in the meeting, that we needed to tell everyone. They shot me down but, dammit, I've done enough damage now. You all need to know. Something is coming, and I'm not trusting enough to think it's going to be as easy as negotiating good terms. I don't want to see anyone enslaved. No one deserves that no matter how badly they've acted."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-01 10:53 pm (UTC)"This place is dying, Crichton." She replies, willing herself to not show any pain. "The ghosts are gone, I'm not surprised that injured souls are vanishing. I...we might need this way out, but we can't risk the Captain falling into the hands of people who will hurt him again. All this?" She gestures at their surroundings. "Was done because he was hurt. He tore himself apart to try to be safe from what is out there, but now none of us will survive here either."
Dealing with the complications feels too hard.
"I've been carrying Revelations because it's probably the only weapon I can turn on myself or the Captain and have it work. I think we would both rather be dead than under the control of someone else."
Valdis shakes her head.
"What did they say that makes you think I may need to go that route?"
no subject
Date: 2024-02-02 01:49 am (UTC)How long do they have? Is there any way to know? Did they just make that worse? Frell.
"Valdis..." he swallows thickly when she mentions the sword. He can see the scar on her chest his mind's eye.
"I don't want it to come to that, but if it does, I'd kill him to keep anyone from getting him under their control again. And you, too, if that's what you want. We both know there are worse things than dying." But he won't until there's really no other choice. He will cling to hope until it's all gone.
"Our would-be savior sent something with the message. It's... they called it a red string of fate. If we put it around the Captain's neck, it will cancel out his power while keeping this bubble intact. It will also let whoever this is in. Make the barrier permeable. They said they want to keep this realm to put in something like a... museum collection." Which means they most likely want to put The Captain in captivity forever, and maybe the rest of them too.
"I'm not going to let that happen. But I don't have the string, either. Tayrey had it and she's gone. If we're lucky, the string went with her."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-02 02:02 am (UTC)Stories throughout time mention red strings. Mostly in relation to soul mates, or tying something to something else. Others relate such a string to protection against evil. She's not sure how using it to seal the Captain's power and stabilize this place factors into any of Earth's lore. Perhaps she's thinking too hard about it.
"I suppose better a museum than a zoo."
Though a museum is usually filled with dead things and she's not sure she likes that any better. The Captain thinks they will all be killed, she's not sure if her immortality will follow his rules or her own outside of this place.
"I don't have an answer for you, Crichton. Even if you don't let them in, there are now outside entities that know about us and they will find a way in if the door isn't opened for them."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-09 02:41 pm (UTC)"I know." Heavy sigh. "I know. So we better circle the wagons and get ready."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-10 01:16 am (UTC)She doubts the other passengers would appreciate it either.
"I can only hope it vanished with Tayrey, but is there anyone left you know of that might use the string if they got their hands on it?"
no subject
Date: 2024-02-11 04:15 pm (UTC)"Anyone who would..." he takes a moment to stop and think about that. "I... don't know for sure. Rita was in on the plot, and she's a firecracker. But I don't know how keen Natsuno was on it and they're a couple." Fever was steadfastly against it and Cassandra was... on the fence but he finds himself reluctant to say anything at all about that.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-11 10:46 pm (UTC)Valdis would like to believe none of them would agree to enslave anyone, even the Captain.
"We'll be fine in the end."
Even if they all vanish, from what she understands, they won't feel anything. It might be better than the alternative.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-12 01:00 am (UTC)He bites nervously on his thumb. No good torturing himself thinking of all the ways this could go wrong. (He will anyway because he can't help himself.)
"Ari was against telling anyone else the string existed. She, and the rest of us, worried someone might take it into their own hands if word got out. As far as I know, it hasn't. I know you'll use your discretion. If I hear anything, you'll be the first one I call his time."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-12 01:06 am (UTC)Valdis shakes her head.
"Ari believed anyone not with her was against her, which we know not to be the case. Still, she was right to keep it under wraps until a decision could be made. She's not stupid, just misguided in certain ways. We do need to find a way out, and we are running out of time, even without this mysterious friend on their way."
Valdis sits again, too drained to keep standing and trying to think at the same time.
"This will all end one way or another."
no subject
Date: 2024-02-14 04:40 pm (UTC)He moves closer, alarmed to see her looking so unwell.
"Everything ends one way or another. But, Valdis, I'm worried about you getting there faster than the rest of us. What's going on?"
no subject
Date: 2024-02-15 02:04 am (UTC)"There are capable people working on it and I need your focus elsewhere. Namely trying to keep your allies from doing anything stupid. I'll try to temper my side and the Captain's people as best I can, but I can't control them if they decide to go after yours."
Some of them are very upset.
good with wrapping this one?
Date: 2024-02-17 09:25 pm (UTC)"I'll do everything I can from my end and I know you will too. Whatever happens, I'm not going to blame you. Just... take care of yourself, okay?"
Yeah
Date: 2024-02-17 09:29 pm (UTC)There may not be anything they can do, but Maxwell and Ash will figure out something to at least help.