outer_divide | (no subject)

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[Private to Dylan | Audio]*

[Sent as soon as he returns, though he's not sure when Dylan will get it or what the range of the communicators is.]

I've returned. The Southern City didn't have many resources. The construction of the dome damaged its economy. I suspect most of the fishermen left are generational. The people there were notably friendlier to outsiders than the ones here, but of course their homes are at less risk from air raids from the domes.

[And sent a bit later.]

If you hear reports of fog, stay way until it's cleared. Or purchase the first gas mask you can manage.

[Private to Sma | Audio]

I want to speak with you. In person. [Where the conversation can't be recorded.]

*OOC: Slightly backdated to fog times.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

In an earlier copy of the Andromeda's databanks? She has more than one hard reset?

...Well, she is a warship and I wouldn't approve of strange people being all over me if I didn't recognize them. [Rhade is at least pretty forgiving of people's need to defend themselves, rather than taking it personally.] That said, will you actually listen to me? You're about to marry and retire. Leave the High Guard and the ship to me if I don't participate in the rebellion.

Will you actually listen to me?

If you told me that a version of myself from the future told you to look for the records? It's too crazy for me not to believe you.

If you tell me there's evidence in Andromeda's databanks and that the safety of the Commonwealth depends on getting them, I'd make sure we look for them. I promise.

Would you listen to me if I just asked you to do it? Without the explanation about the safety of the Commonwealth or the revolt? [This is oddly important to him, though he can't properly articulate why.]

[Dylan thinks about the question. It would be almost two years ago (or three-hundred and one), and he's not exactly the same person now that he was then. He's become more suspicious, more ruthless, and more likely to take desperate chances because there's often simply no other choice.]

Yes. I trusted you. [Then.] I didn't always agree with you, but I trusted you. And unearthing Andromeda's old data isn't a morally difficult choice. [Not like whether to assassinate or not to assassinate. Or whether to deploy nova bombs or not to deploy.]

[That's at least something. Of course, he becomes hung up on that last part. Does Dylan think that he didn't have morals at all? He may have not been an idealist like him, but he did have his own concepts of right and wrong.

And he still internalizes that.]

The question still remains, what if we can't leave?

[There's a lot in that question. So he ignores it himself. He suspects no matter what he tells Dylan, because he has ways of tampering with the Andromeda's computer and sabotaging her, the Commonwealth would hold him accountable for exposing that. It might even end up an ever louder rallying cry to the Nietzschean revolution, no matter what his influence is.] If I go back I'll give you your life back and request a transfer. [Or go AWOL if the pressure were to rise.]

Being trapped here forever isn't an option. If I don't get back the Magog will invade and billions of people will die.

[Time travel alone is bad enough. Time travel and multiple universes is more than he can handle. He wishes again that Trance were here.]

If we find a way out of here maybe you can... [No, he can't bring Gaheris with him. Gaheris has to go back to his own universe and try to warn them about the Magog.]

You don't know how to answer it, either. [And there's another possibility that he knows is very real, but he hasn't actually spoken aloud. He's actually a little afraid to, afraid of how it would change things and change him, and reminds him no matter how uncomfortable his destiny is it's his destiny and makes him who he is. Why he has to get back to it.]

Other than we have no other options... If you want, I could leave the city and come find you. [Constantly arguing or not, he doesn't like being alone.]

No, I don't have answers. [As a Captain, it's not something he could admit to just anyone, but Gaheris is...was...is...his first officer and friend. It's his job to be the person he goes to to talk out his train of thoughts.]

That's a good idea. There's no sign of trouble at the moment, but together is more secure than alone and better safe than sorry. [And Dylan doesn't really like being alone either.]

Are you still along the route of the river? [At least they're still good at making excuses.]

Yeah. I moved uphill from the bank, just in case the fog decides to roll up the riverbed, but I'm still within sight of the river.

[He doesn't respond again. Instead he leaves and heads up the bank before the fog can roll in, following the course of the river. All the while, he's mulling over the thought that he doesn't want to voice. He supposes they'll have to discuss it at some point- he can't have been the only one who has thought it.

It takes him about an hour and a half to near Dylan's position because he's in a bit of a rush to get there. And he doesn't immediately see him.]

[Dylan sees Gaheris near the river before Gaheris sees him. He's glad for it (and a bit dismayed that he's glad for it), but there's still a piece of him in the back of his mind that wonders if he's going to end up shot in the back if he's not careful. He steps out from the trees and waves his arm to catch his attention.]

[If he knew he'd be somewhere between proud and disappointed. But now he just eagerly made his way over to Dylan, wearing his civilian clothes but saluting him and walking with a military air anyway.]

Captain.

[It was as if he was clinging to a last shard of civilization himself.]

Should we start back or wait here a while?

[Dylan nods in acknowledgement at the salute. It's nice seeing military discipline, but also a bit strange after a year and a half with a crew that very emphatically refuses to conform to anything resembling a military standard.]

Let's wait here until we're absolutely sure the fog is cleared out. I don't want to accidentally breath that stuff in. I might start singing Than courtship songs and then you'd be in trouble.

[Sad that it has to come with the face of someone who betrayed him.]

I don't know if I could resist your charms. [He raises a brow, quietly amused as he makes his way up the bank.]

Once you heard my singing you'd resist pretty fast.

I have heard your singing, Dylan. I don't know if you were in a state to remember...

[He makes it up to him and looks back toward the fog-covered city. Then just sits down, if they're going to wait a while. If it gets dark, they can light a fire.]

If it weren't for your Nietzschean metabolism, you'd probably be lucky enough to not remember, too.

[Dylan sits down as well, leans back against the trunk of a tree, and hopes they don't run into any large dinosaurs.]

I saw sea monsters in the lake. Not a good place for swimming.

Sea monsters.

[Well. That goes to figure. His brows raise lightly and folds his arms to rest on his knees.]

The children in the South wanted to see my boneblades. They were very excited to see outsiders. They weren't afraid at all.

[He sounds endeared, rather than ridiculing their lack of hesitance. To him they seemed very adventurous and brave.]

Next time we'll switch. You get sea monsters, I get happy children.

Only if there are mermaids.

I wasn't nearly so lucky. Mostly they looked like plesiosaurs.

Good to know that the environment can support megafauna.

[This is more comfortable than arguing. Especially with whatever weight Dylan carries now- the arguments have an edge to them that they didn't have before.]

I ran into Diziet. [He arranged a meeting with her.] Have you met, yet? Tall, rounded features, extra joint on all of her fingers?

I just hope we never run into the big cousins of those little dinosaurs you hunted.

Diziet. [He doesn't recognize the name, but he's seen a very pretty woman who fits the description Rhade gives.] I think I've seen her around, but we haven't spoken.

I didn't see any of the larger ones, but I'd hate to try to get that much meat to Edmund. [And he shifts to go sit by Dylan and lean his back against the tree.]

She's some variety of subspecies too. But not one of ours. [Which still baffles him.]

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