[video]

[ihearcrickets]

[River is actually outside the ship. She's in the Old City, sitting on the street somewhere, arms wrapped around her knees. She's wearing the same dress she arrived in, and still hasn't gotten any shoes. There's a collar around her neck.]

I can't see them...can't pull out the bits inside. They talk to me, but I hear words that mean nothing.

[she says the next bit quietly, as if she's reminding herself] I could function like I'm a girl...


((ooc: There will be a separate log for collar removal once I know for sure who's all going to be involved in that. You're welcome to action thread here, if you like! River won't be able to read your character at all because of the collar.))

Comments

audio;

[lehnsherr]

The important question is, would you rather continue to deny a part of yourself like this?

[Pause.]

The collar can be removed.

[video]

[ihearcrickets]

[she closes her eyes, close to tears] Everyone could live simple. Can't see their secrets...

audio forever

[lehnsherr]

It's possible to keep yourself from listening to others by choice instead.

[video forever!]

[ihearcrickets]

[River shakes her head] Doesn't stop. Need a bullet in the brain pan.

[lehnsherr]

I know a telepath who may think differently.

[He sounds somewhat distracted there as he tries to take a better look at just where River is.]

Can you make your way back toward the ship?

[ihearcrickets]

I can find you. [when she opens her eyes, there are tears there. But she stands, heading toward the ship like he asked.]

[lehnsherr]

[A pause. He's not going to focus on how upset she seems. Not until they're face to face.]

I'll be there shortly. [Because he's not going to take his time getting there this time round. It also helps that he's closer to the ship than he'd been before.]

[ihearcrickets]

[She retraces her steps. When she finds Erik, she keeps her distance at first, looking uncertain.]

[lehnsherr]

[His reaction isn't too dissimilar once River's in sight. Keeping a distance of his own, Erik carefully tugs his jacket off- one of the few items he's acquired since his arrival -and holds it open in a gesture for her to put it on herself. He doesn't plan on leaving her by choice. But as long as there's a chance that she'll want to leave regardless, he wants to make sure she at least has that one small comfort.]

[ihearcrickets]

[Eventually, she moves toward him, slipping her arms in the coat. And then she looks up at him, a bit lost.]

[lehnsherr]

[He manages a smile at that, weak, but there. The causes may be different, but he remembers being in a position like hers. Being cut off from the one semblance of power he held. But while he fought to get his back, River seemed to want the opposite. He just still doesn't understand why.

Slowly, carefully, he reaches up to put a hand on her shoulder, making his movements clear to her before he does.]

Come on. Let's go find you something to drink, and we can talk.

[ihearcrickets]

[It's not so much that she wants the opposite...she just wants to make things easier for those she cares about. She knows her abilities make people uncomfortable. That guilt is driving her reluctance to have the collar removed.

She doesn't shy away from his touch though. It helps remind her that he's there, even if she can't read him.]

It doesn't mean anything.

[lehnsherr]

[With her accepting that touch, he uses it to try and guide her away. He doesn't like being out in the open, especially after the attacks that'd taken place. For as long as River is there with him, he knows he can't take any risks.]

What doesn't?

[ihearcrickets]

[River can tell what he's doing even without being able to read him; it's obvious enough on a normal level. She allows it though, for now; she's not certain if her other abilities have been affected, too.]

Nothing means anything. I hear the words, but there's nothing underneath.

[lehnsherr]

[He doesn't plan on going too far into the ship. Just enough to move them out of sight so they can talk in peace. He knows, already, that he isn't the best choice in dealing with matters like these. He's never claimed to be, and it'd been made all too clear by the fact that Charles was the one to oversee the training regimes. But right now, he wants to try and change that. For River's sake, he's ready to make that attempt.]

You can't read them the way you used to. [His gaze drops to the collar again.] That can be fixed though, if you'll let it.

[ihearcrickets]

[she frowns, remembering what he said before] You know someone. A telepath?

[Telepathy isn't the same as her abilities, based on the definition she knows. But talking to them might still be helpful.]

[lehnsherr]

Two, in fact.

[Technically three, if he includes Charles' twin. But he doesn't trust the other version. Not in the slightest. So while he isn't going to stop others from approaching that Charles for help, it'll only ever be the one he worked alongside that he'll suggest to others.]

Shortly before our arrival, my friend had been teaching others how to control their gifts. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to do the same for you.

[ihearcrickets]

[River is just going to cling to you, Erik. No one has ever offered her something like that before -- the Alliance wasn't interested in teaching her control at the Academy. They were only interested in ripping up any shred of control she had.]

[lehnsherr]

[He tenses up immediately, only moments away from launching some kind of an attack in retaliation. He's been on edge since first waking up on this planet, so there's only a certain amount of physical contact he can deal with. Namely, anything he himself initiates.

But instead of shoving River away, he just steps back, trying to put some distance back between them.

Another moment later and he, somewhat reluctantly, offers over his hand instead.]

permatext

[relativistic]

function like a girl? what are you

[pemavideo!]

[ihearcrickets]

[quietly] I don't know the answer.

[relativistic]

why the hell not. [pause to eye the video feed.] you ever heard of that saying? looks like, feels like, must be.

[ihearcrickets]

What's inside is relevant.

[relativistic]

can't tell from here.

[truth_is_cold]

You have one of those things on you. [He hates those collars. But, now he has to point out to Dylan that this is one of the people he'd mentioned with some level of precognitive ability.]

[ihearcrickets]

[distantly, as she touches the collar] I lost my head in the heat of battle.

[truth_is_cold]

That's usually the time when most people do, unfortunately. [Nietzschean humor. It is dry.]

What do you mean about nothing?

[ihearcrickets]

They're empty inside.

[truth_is_cold]

Do you prefer it that way? [Because it sounded a little like she was considering it.]

[ihearcrickets]

They do. [what she prefers doesn't matter, does it?]

[truth_is_cold]

[Strange moral quandary for a Nietzschean. Someone who knows that much about you, without trying, is extremely uncomfortable from a man from a species that encourages people to look closer and read more deeply, because people should have to earn your secrets. But morally, he's an individualist. Her needs should be her own, not anyone else's.

Ultimately, she seems young and uncertain. That's what makes the final decision for him.]

It should be what you want. Whether it's the abilities or the chance for normalcy.

[ihearcrickets]

[She pauses for a long moment, wrestling with that. She's not sure either option is right; she wants something between them. Then, quietly]

I want to find my brother.

[truth_is_cold]

Is he here? [Though, knowing their luck, he could actually be in one of the pods.]

[ihearcrickets]

[she shakes her head] We're playing hide and seek again. But I won't find him here.

[truth_is_cold]

[Hide and seek. That's an accurate and very unfortunate way to put it.] I miss my family, as well.

[hunt4commonwealth]

I'm Captain Dylan Hunt of the Systems Commonwealth.

[He's not quite sure how to talk to her. She seems not all there. But he notices the collar around her neck and a young girl in distress requires immediate offers of aid, no matter how odd the young girl in question is.]

If you can tell me where you are, I'll come help you.

[ihearcrickets]

[she points the screen outward, showing the Old City around her]

You can't break it.

[hunt4commonwealth]

I can try. [Dylan doesn't know the meaning of "giving up"]

[ihearcrickets]

[firmly] You can't. You shouldn't.

[hunt4commonwealth]

I can't. Do you mean it's not possible, or that you don't want me to? [Dylan is used to a small level of cryptic, but River is whole new leagues of cryptic.]

If you want it off, we will find a way.

[ihearcrickets]

You shouldn't want to.

[yeah it's not gonna get any less cryptic, SORRY DYLAN]

[hunt4commonwealth]

I want to. If you want it off, I want to help you get it off. That's what Commonwealth officers do. They help people.