goddamngrenades | Voicemail

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Don't. [sharply, as her hand moves, catching his arm. Pulling him to stop as she stares up at him. glares up at him] Don't say that. Don't think like that.

We're going to figure out how they're doing this, and find a way to stop it. [now? no. they simply don't know enough, don't have the resources - even now, months later. But Carolina is perfectly willing and able to prepare for the long term]

...Someone has to. [ It may as well be him. ] Can't always count on the happy ending, Clair.

[ No matter how much he'd want to. Worst case scenarios are all he really plays out anymore. All he plans for. ]

You think I don't know that. [there's a flatness to her tone as she stares, glares, up at him.] But I'm not going to focus on something that hasn't happened yet. [something she wont LET happen]

Besides, you're here now. [she lets go of his arm, and glances around the room] So is this..?

The bunker.

[ He nods to the course all retracted on one side, the turrets, the racks for weaponry and armor, the tech station for Delta. ]

Kinda needed a project to get my head straight so...yeah.

[There's a sidelong glance, before Carolina nods.]

I can understand that. What've you got installed and running so far?

Practice course, shooting range, repair and armory, security station. The basics, really. I gotta talk to d about getting a dumb ai to help keep track of everything.

[ All of that, in here? She's impressed. Even if her expression doesn't change a hair. ]

Would you be wanting him to design an AI from the ground up for this, or repurpose existing tech here in Proles?

Call me sentimental but I sorta want something similar to Filiss. I miss her, what can I say?

[ There'd been days where it felt like the AI was the only one happy to see him get back, usually because everyone else was out on their own ops. ]

[ she's quiet for a minute.]

She didn't start out like that. That occurred over time, tinkering with subroutines. Part of the AI research that stayed from the beginning. [hence her occasionally creepy perpetual cheer and sassy mouth] But Delta can likely find a way to build one similar.

[ he's a very smart man, after all. ]

That's what made her special. She had as much personality as any other AI I ever met.

[ One he liked a hell of a lot more than Sigma's. ]

Almost. [fondly] She was certainly unique in that respect.

She survived the crash, at least. [she won't mention that she deleted herself after they found and left the Director, however]

So, dumb AI. Anything else this place still need?

A full crew but- North's in the Militia, South's gone, Tex is also in the militia, Maine's in the militia, You're- well let's just say that big dumb idea about regrouping was a big dumb idea and this is more a 'if the dome falls and we need somewhere to hide' kind of place.

It's just a dumb project I did instead of sleeping or coping with a lot of shit. That's all. Doesn't really need to be anything. I mean- some people paint, right?

It's not dumb. [quiet, firm] Neither idea was dumb.

[she slides one hand against her forehead, dragging her hair back out of her eyes before glancing sidelongways at him] No way to have predicted things would have fallen as they did. Let alone that people would willingly sign up to the militia.

A time may yet come when a place like this will find use, whether we want it to or not. [you could never be too prepared - they'd both learned that through hard experience.] It's was productive 'way of coping', so don't sell yourself short.

I hoped- I don't know what I hoped. To have some of what little had been good back. The camradarie- the support. Part of me misses having a unit. [ As strange as being a part of the project had been, the sense of purpose was gratifying. He shakes his head at himself- it didn't matter here. They were a group of individuals and that, while unpredictable, was safer than the alternative.

Maybe he could rent the space out as a gym. Who the hell knows? ]

HOw've you been? Coping, that is. This is rough for a lot of people but for you...

...When it was good, it was good, wasn't it. [They could still work together, but Carolina isn't about to expect everyone to fall back in, fall into line. Even she isn't certain she could do that, go all the way -- and she hadn't helped with her reveal during that one team workout either.] We can still have some of those things. But not everything.

[coping?] Heh. Coping? Adapting. Even with unpleasant surprise after unpleasant surprise.

[she's quiet for a moment, before her gaze drops to the floor] It'd be harder, if I was the only one here. I'm not sure it'd be working out as well under other circumstances.

I think if it could be less like it was and more like a real unit...

[ He shakes it off. That would mean joining the militia, the army, and he's...not going to do that again. one squad dead in an ambush and one that cannibalized itself- yeah. He's too burned to really try again.

Either way this is a good place to practice for all of them. ]

You know I'm here for you- right? Whenever you need?

[ There's no verbal response to that. Just a long look, measured and understanding. He doesn't need to say more, not to Carolina. Some things take time, and while it's been easier for some more so than others to fall in with the newly established PFA (even in its militia reboot infancy), not so for these two.

But you can never have too many safe locations for putting in practice. ]

Yeah. I know. [she nudges his elbow lightly with a fist] And you don't need to hold yourself alone either.

I'm- yeah. I'm getting that. And getting out of my own ass. Seriously, how do you guys stand me when I'm this much of a jackass?

[ It baffles, is what it does. All the way to the coffee table and now cold coffee, he remains baffled. ]

[there's a soft scoff rather than a laugh in reply]

Probably because during those occasions that you're not a jackass, you're capable of getting things done. And you're a good friend.

Not like the rest of us are much better, anyway.

I try. Seriously, though, some self awareness and a few rounds with a therapist'll do us all some good. Been do'n me some at least, dunno about the rest of you. But Clair? We got issues. PFL gave us issues. It's okay to work through them.

'Issues' is certainly one way of putting it. [It takes a great deal of effort to not side-eye that little declaration, but at least there is neither denial nor scorn for the suggestion.] Some of us are working through them in our own time.

A helping hand goes a long way. Really. Just talking to a pillow worked for a bit when I first got here. Whatever works for you works for you, right? [ He nudges her with his elbow, offering a thin smile. ] You'll pull through. You always do.

..Right.

[She doesn't return his smile, small though it is. But there's no frown, just cautious neutrality.

'Always do'. Maybe that is so. For now. But what happens if the day comes where she doesn't want to anymore?

...Feeling sorry for herself is a useless activity. Her head shakes.]

I'd rather not talk about that right now, if that's all the same to you.

No problem. [ With that he drops the subject, focusing instead on the cold cocoa. Well.

It's still chocolate so fuck it, he takes a sip of his anyway. Mmmm. Tasty. ]

What do you wanna talk about? I'm here for you, Clair.

[ Cold cocoa is further neglected, the other mug left on the table as Carolina finally sinks down onto the battered old couch.

Palm scrubs over her face a moment, and she feels..older. Just, older. Older than York, which she is, older than her mother and her mother's clone combined -- but never as old as the man that sired her became. Palm cups her chin, rough fingers with their scarred knuckles caging her mouth, before a crooked smile forms and she opens her eyes. ]

Can I just. Stay here a little while?

[she doesn't want to talk. just listen, let his voice be an anchor for her if only for a time.]

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