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[mousquetaire]

 

DARTAGNAN@CDC.ORG
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Comments

[desequilibre]

I feel as though they're building up to something. I don't believe we'll like what they decide upon.

[mousquetaire]

Destroying worlds, Athos. I can't imagine being thrilled by the idea.

It's everything we ought to stand against. You know that. We both know that.

[desequilibre]

But what can we do? Who will pay the price of our refusal?

[mousquetaire]

If we should refuse?

Then everyone we care about. Aramis. Porthos. Constance, Athos, I can't have that on my head. [ Or his heart. But he won't say that. ] For all their sakes, we have to.

[desequilibre]

But what of the people we're destroying? Fathers, mothers, wives, children. That's the decision we must make.

[mousquetaire]

[ Another delay.

Because no matter what's on his heart, he can't say Athos is wrong. He knows that he's not. ]

We shouldn't talk like this here.

[desequilibre]

Do you wish to meet?

[ TBH d'Artagnan he's been aiming at that since he texted you. He doesn't like this machine. ]

[mousquetaire]

[ These are their machines. Their communicators. They could be watching, they have to be watching.

He'd be watching. ]

At the edge of camp. Where we came in.

[desequilibre]

I'll come now.

[ And he's pretty much leaving immediately, doing his best to ignore Sturmhond's sleeping creature as he escapes. ]

[mousquetaire]

So will I.

[ He does. He doesn't check in with anyone first, doesn't mention where he's going. His CDC handgun is in his belt, where his pistol would be if he still had it, and his sword is at his side. He waits for Athos, arms folded and hands tucked around his chest. ]

[desequilibre]

You look pensive.

[ Just appearing out of the middle of nowhere, nbd. His voice is light, almost mocking, but there's a tired seriousness to his face now. ]

[mousquetaire]

[ He turns, and a smile flares momentarily when he sees his friend. Automatically his shoulders lose some of their tension, and he steps close to Athos. ]

You got me thinking. Always a dangerous game. You're worried, aren't you?

[desequilibre]

I wouldn't go doing that, we're in a dire enough situation as it is. [ And people think he hasn't got a sense of humour. ]

Yes. [ No point beating around the bush. ] We're not safe here, d'Artagnan. They have control of our every waking breath. Where we live, how we talk, how we act. I don't appreciate the knife hanging over either of us.

[mousquetaire]

Then don't give them a reason to swing it. [ He frowns, his gaze intent on his friend. ] Didn't you see the girl whose arms were broken, for disobeying? We have to be careful, Athos. The control they have is real.

Do you suppose there's anything we say on those...devices, that they aren't listening to?

[desequilibre]

What if there's no other option? [ He's struggling to think of what he might do. He knows what the CDC want of them, what they have planned. Can he truly go through with it? Can he allow himself to become a person who takes the lives of others simply for personal gain? There is no honour in it, the people who's worlds they destroy are just like the people he knows back home. Not villains or crooks, but innocent beings. ] I won't give them a reason to doubt me.

[ Not yet, at least. ]

No. Why wouldn't they listen in to everything? But what can we do. They've separated us. I'd like to still know you're safe when I can't see for myself.

[mousquetaire]

[ He pauses at that, knowing the truth of it. It makes things harder, knowing they're in separate rovers.

Then again, maybe that's the point. ]

We should meet. Regularly, to be certain of that.

[ He lifts out his device, turning it over in his hands. ]

And for this. Perhaps a code of some kind, something that's meaningful to us but not to them. We need to have a way to plan.

[desequilibre]

[ He pauses, his head tilted to one side. ] Treville.

[ He's the Captain of the Musketeers, he's the symbol of everything they both hope to achieve. If there's a code he can remember it would be that one. ] If either of us message the other with his name then we will know we must meet. We could pick a place each time they move us. One we can both get to.

[mousquetaire]

[ He looks up at him, smiling slightly. Yes, of course Athos would pick that. It makes sense. He nods, accepting it. ]

All right. That's to meet.

And if there's trouble, then send Richelieu. Nothing would tell us to be careful more than that.

[desequilibre]

[ He smiles at that, makes a noise like a huff of almost laughter. ]

Yes. Now we have an adequate system.

[mousquetaire]

[ He nods. ]

Then for the moment, we obey them. At least in name, until there's a better option.

[desequilibre]

I don't like it. [ There's nothing honourable about this situation, nothing he can see that makes it any better. But d'Artagnan knows that, and so he tilts his head to the side more easily. ]

But it would appear to be the only way.

[mousquetaire]

Neither do I. [ But he looks at Athos with real concern, and sets a hand on his shoulder. ]

I don't like the thought of them breaking you, either. We have to be careful. We have to think before we act. You're the one who taught me that, Athos.

[desequilibre]

Yes. [ Except Athos is only so good at that when his honour is not being tested. ]

Tell me, how have your days been? The time is strange here, it is difficult to keep track.

[mousquetaire]

I've noticed.

[ He folds his arms again now. It's not even a defense against the cold, it's just habit. ]

I'm not used to it yet. I keep wanting to sleep in the middle of the day. It's like every one day here takes three times longer than I'm expecting it to. I feel like we've been here at least a fortnight, but I can't tell for sure.

[desequilibre]

[ He's never exactly had a conventional sleeping pattern either way. But he's struggling without wine to ease his way into dreamless oblivion. ]

I doubt it's of their invention. But either way it's a nuisance.