outer_divide | [Video: Thursday morning, very very early]

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[Video: Thursday morning, very very early]

[Somebody's alive again, and managed to trudge out of the ship just in time to catch that flash of light. She wasn't quick enough to catch that part on her phone, but she's catching this. She has the video feed pointed at the glow on the horizon, making sure to get the mountain and bit of the ship in the shot for directional reference.

Rather than actually making a big deal about coming back to life, she's focusing on that, thanks.]

Anybody know what's that way that might've exploded?

[She keeps the feed going for a few minutes, and then cuts it off, not really expecting a reply tonight, considering the hour. Though she'll certainly not be sleeping, if anyone else is awake....]

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[This is not proving to be a good morning, with insomnia and illness and the last edge of a migraine conspiring to keep Kaidan awake until the message comes in. He prudently opts to leave the video off.]

At that distance, it's hard to get a read beyond 'not nuclear' and 'not meteor'. If I had to guess, I'd say some sort of facility got torched. Are you mobile?

If by "mobile" you mean "not dying" and "on my own two feet". Yes.

[If he doesn't know she died, she's not going to fill him in.]

You think I should investigate?

[A wry huff of a laugh greets that.]

Uh, yeah, that would count as mobile then. Best we can hope for right now, around here.

I think you should. Take one or two other people with you, in case of bandits, see what's up at a distance. I'd volunteer to go with, but I'm pretty sure three people would sit on me if I tried.

I guess that means I must find people to go with me.

[She's not so sure how to do that. Without Michiru... who does she even know? Ashley... that kid who brought her soup... and this guy.]

Is there anyone healthy?

There's still some -- I think Darwin's on her feet, which isn't surprising. I mean, could a dinosaur even get the Black Death?

[There's another huffed sigh, as Kaidan takes a moment to run his hands through his hair, all unseen, and reflect on just what turns his life's taken.]

And, I mean, who's going to mess with you if you've got a really big friend with giant teeth with you?

Good idea. I will call her, as well. Any advice you can give me before I go?

[Since he's been here longer than she has, by a long shot.]

Don't just look at the site, look for signs of other people being interested in it. A thing like that, it gets everybody's attention, so you might learn something from who else is interested.

That and if it's the Authorities, they'd probably just shoot you if you crossed paths with 'em.

The rest is old hat. Be alert, move slow, keep your eyes open, don't trust anything without challenging it first... the usual. Oh, and if you can get video footage, do it.

Trust me, I know about the Authorities. I have run into them before. I will keep out of their way if I can.

[She's done enough scouting for the rest of it to be old hat, indeed, and the bit about the Authorities is obvious. Considering, you know, they killed her and all.]

So. All right. Video footage. I do not suppose anyone here has a map of areas outside the city, do they?

Less the Authorities, more bandit gangs, scavengers from other cities... you're probably not the only one to have seen that explosion, size that it was.

Maps, I dunno. Check around the stores, maybe, or the Vault of Knowledge?

You said Authorities, so I answered about Authorities.

[There's a shrug in her voice.]

I can handle some bandits and scavengers. And if there are no maps I can find around the edge of the city, I will make do with what I have. I am trying to avoid getting sick again.

Good plan. I'm not a fan of the plague, I've got to say. Although if it's 'again', maybe you're immune now? I'd say have a doctor take a look, but they seem to be thin on the ground right now.

Watch your six. Hope you find something.

I do not know. The Authorities blew up me before I could recover or die of it, so I would rather not take the chance.

[And because it is unfamiliar to her:]

... watch my six?

[Resurrected women are starting to become a trend around Kaidan. This doesn't mean there isn't a long pause as he processes this news.]

...You're pretty matter-of-fact about that. And, uh, 'six', like the layout of a clock, if you were at the middle of it. Twelve is in front of you, three to your right, nine to your left, six behind you... it means watch your back.

Would you rather I be hysterical? I was dead when I was taken for this planet. One more time is not going to ruin me.

[The temperature drops about ten degrees in her voice, there, but it thaws a little bit again when he explains the idiom.]

Thank you. I had not heard that saying. And I will do that.

Forest fire?

[Underground as she is, Ashley hadn't caught the flash of light preceding the glow.

Her voice is raspy and sleep-vague - the communicator has apparently woken her from a doze, at least, if not from dead sleep.]

There was a flash first. There may be a forest on fire now, but something started it.

[She doesn't quite pick up on the dozey part yet. Really, she's surprised to have two people replying already. Apparently some people do stay up late, around here.]

Eurgh...did you catch it on video? Can't really extrapolate from the aftermath. I mean, aside from it looking more like fire than ambient light effects.

No... it was too fast, and I was only just coming out of the ship.

[For reasons she will not get into. Yup.]

It was very bright, and very fast, and did not last long. I still think something exploded, and now is probably burning. I just do not know what there is that direction. Major Alenko suggested I look for it.

[And she looks tempted to do so.]

[Muttered so low the mic almost doesn't pick it up:] Sounds like Major Alenko and I need to have a chat.

[Teenagers, Kaidan. You don't send them off to track explosions!]

Some of the people running from the plague headed that way, didn't they? If you get in touch with them first, maybe they had a better view from that side of the mountains. At least they could tell you if you'd be walking into an armed camp.

[Hey, this is a teenager who's saved the world! Three times! Or tried to, anyway! She glares briefly at the phone, though luckily Ashley can't see it.]

No one I know. If anyone has names and numbers, I can call them. But I do not like sitting around doing nothing. I am going.

[So there. Teenager, indeed.]

There's a difference between not sitting around and doing nothing, and running off without a solid plan and steady backup.

[And the skill to pull it off, though she's smart enough not to say that part aloud.

Sorry, Haruka, but teenagers saving the world isn't something that happens in her universe. Cocky kids, though - they are.]

I don't have names and numbers, but I'm betting someone would, if you asked around. There was that guy looking into who survived after the raid, if you don't find anyone else.

There will be a plan, Ashley. And backup. I will see who I can find to talk to, until then-- once everyone else is awake.

[She eyes the clock on her phone briefly, then realizes Ashley's tone of voice, and adds, a bit sheepishly,]

I hope this did not wake anyone up.

[There's a low snort of amusement.]

Most people probably aren't sleeping with these things right by the bed. Besides, if whatever you saw brings the bastards in the dome out, better we have a heads up.

I hope not. I will report back as soon as we have some information, whoever of us goes, especially if it is those Authorities.

[Guessing that Ashley, at least, was woken up, she adds, sounding a bit amused herself,]

Go back to sleep, Ashley. I promise I will not get myself killed again.

Just so you know, I'm gonna expect you to elaborate on that "again" thing later.

[She'd press the issue now, but between the meds and the illness itself, she would probably pass out halfway through the argument. And that would just be embarrassing.]

Hai, hai. Later.

[Haruka sounds somewhere between amused and resigned, and before Ashley can scold her for that, she hangs up. She needs to see what's left at her apartment, anyway.]

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[Video: Thursday morning, very very early]

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