[ He doesn't answer right away. He stares at the communicator, trying to get his head together, and then glances at the bahari sleeping beside his bed. She'd stayed with him the whole night. ]
FROM: dartagnan@cdc.org
You're back? When? Are you all right?
[ Forgive the worry. But after what he'd seen yesterday, he can't help but check that first. He also can't help being glad she was out of camp when it happened. ]
[ And he'll be in a rush to make good on that, actually. Within a few minutes, he'll be knocking on her rover door. He'd been in more of a hurry to get here than Koroleva, though once she sees where they're headed, she picks up on Alina's scent and runs on ahead of him. Even as he's knocking, she's scratching her claws against the door, wanting her mistress' attention. ]
[ Alina hadn't settled down too much because she knew she'd be up again soon. And she was exhausted. If she laid down for a second she might not wake up again for a day.
But d'Artagnan is there soon with scratching at her door. Alina opens the door to find Koroleva pushing in, not waiting another second. ]
Oof! Hello to you too. [ Alina laughs as the cat pushes up against her, nuzzling at her as she does. She pushes so close that Alina falls back on her ass with Koroleva still pressing against her. ]
Thank you, d'Artagnan. [ Alina looks up at him, cradling Koroleva's head and not pushing her off... too much. Maybe a little so she's not being smothered. ] I really missed her.
[ D'Artagnan watches the space cat cuddling Alina into submission. It draws out his first real smile in hours, even if it's a slight one. He leans against the doorframe to Alina's rover, watching her.
She'd said she was all right, and he can't see any injuries. Not from here. But he still wants to check. ]
Not at all. I was glad to have her.
[ He means that. She'd helped to make him feel better. ]
[ She finally pushes Koroleva off, though mostly just to the side. Koroleva falls in a heap against Alina's side, curling against her. Alina wraps and arm around her and leans against the cat. She looks up at d'Artagnan. He looks... a little odd. ]
[ Actually, that had been a really good sleep. Maybe the best she's had in a long time. But everything that came after it wiped it back out of her sleep cache. ]
[ He raises his eyebrow. If she'd slept on the mission and still looked this tired, what would she look like if she hadn't? He stands by what he said. They're pushing her too hard.
He shifts his balance against the wall at her question and looks aside. ]
I take it that means you didn't hear what happened.
[ He moves inside at her beckoning, shuts the door gently behind him, and leans back against it. Despite that his eyes are on her, and all he can think is that she doesn't need this right now.
She doesn't need to be feeling how he's feeling.
He shakes his head. ]
I can tell you when you feel better. Or someone else will. You need to rest, Alina.
She's right, of course. She could ask one of her rovermates. They don't seem to be as scarce as his own. Even if she doesn't, she could ask anyone else in camp.
He rolls his shoulders, looks up at her. ]
Bodies fell into camp yesterday, in pieces. There were maybe five or six altogether. It was hard to tell.
But last time the bird people also hurt some of our own people. [ She says softly. Gliese and the other instructors had hurt more of the bird creatures, but there had been human casualties.
And it happened while they were in Sector R, disturbing things.
She closes her eyes and leans back against Koroleva. Then glances at d'Artagnan. ]
Moving forward, finally, he pushes his hair back and drops to sit on the floor, in front of her. He reaches out, scratching his hand over Koroleva's head. He talks carefully, keeping his temper in check. It's on a knife edge. ]
They haven't told us who did it. They haven't said anything. It wasn't my happiest morning.
[ The sharpness only comes into his tone at that last, and even then he swallows it back. ]
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day 33 | hour 09:00 am
I can take Koroleva now.
no subject
FROM: dartagnan@cdc.org
You're back? When? Are you all right?
[ Forgive the worry. But after what he'd seen yesterday, he can't help but check that first. He also can't help being glad she was out of camp when it happened. ]
no subject
A couple of hours ago. I'm only just free.
I'm okay, though.
no subject
I'm bringing her over now.
[ And he'll be in a rush to make good on that, actually. Within a few minutes, he'll be knocking on her rover door. He'd been in more of a hurry to get here than Koroleva, though once she sees where they're headed, she picks up on Alina's scent and runs on ahead of him. Even as he's knocking, she's scratching her claws against the door, wanting her mistress' attention. ]
no subject
But d'Artagnan is there soon with scratching at her door. Alina opens the door to find Koroleva pushing in, not waiting another second. ]
Oof! Hello to you too. [ Alina laughs as the cat pushes up against her, nuzzling at her as she does. She pushes so close that Alina falls back on her ass with Koroleva still pressing against her. ]
Thank you, d'Artagnan. [ Alina looks up at him, cradling Koroleva's head and not pushing her off... too much. Maybe a little so she's not being smothered. ] I really missed her.
She wasn't trouble, was she?
no subject
She'd said she was all right, and he can't see any injuries. Not from here. But he still wants to check. ]
Not at all. I was glad to have her.
[ He means that. She'd helped to make him feel better. ]
How are you, Alina?
no subject
[ She finally pushes Koroleva off, though mostly just to the side. Koroleva falls in a heap against Alina's side, curling against her. Alina wraps and arm around her and leans against the cat. She looks up at d'Artagnan. He looks... a little odd. ]
I'm okay. [ She thinks... ]
We'll see in a day or too.
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[ She hasn't said it, but he can see it - more in her posture than anything else. She looks genuinely exhausted. ]
When was the last time you slept? They're running you ragged.
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[ Actually, that had been a really good sleep. Maybe the best she's had in a long time. But everything that came after it wiped it back out of her sleep cache. ]
What's your excuse?
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He shifts his balance against the wall at her question and looks aside. ]
I take it that means you didn't hear what happened.
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Then he says that and she sighs, waving him inside so he's not standing in the doorway the entire time. ]
What happened?
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She doesn't need to be feeling how he's feeling.
He shakes his head. ]
I can tell you when you feel better. Or someone else will. You need to rest, Alina.
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I'll get rest, too. I don't have anymore missions. [ That she knows of... she didn't expect the last one, either.
Still. ]
Just tell me. I could find out when you leave, anyway. I'd rather hear it from you.
no subject
She's right, of course. She could ask one of her rovermates. They don't seem to be as scarce as his own. Even if she doesn't, she could ask anyone else in camp.
He rolls his shoulders, looks up at her. ]
Bodies fell into camp yesterday, in pieces. There were maybe five or six altogether. It was hard to tell.
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.... Like in the lockdown?
[ She asks this question softly. That's where her mind first goes to. The aftermath of the lockdown.
Because something in particular comes to mind... ]
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[ It had reminded him of the same thing. He shifts, glancing away again. ]
Except this time it wasn't the bird people. It was humans.
I think other recruits. Aramis thought he recognised one of his rovermates, one who's missing.
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And it happened while they were in Sector R, disturbing things.
She closes her eyes and leans back against Koroleva. Then glances at d'Artagnan. ]
Is that why you look so bad?
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[ He says it gently, tiredly.
Moving forward, finally, he pushes his hair back and drops to sit on the floor, in front of her. He reaches out, scratching his hand over Koroleva's head. He talks carefully, keeping his temper in check. It's on a knife edge. ]
They haven't told us who did it. They haven't said anything. It wasn't my happiest morning.
[ The sharpness only comes into his tone at that last, and even then he swallows it back. ]