alsohawkeye | ataraxion inbox

Yeah, I don't know. I mean I guess I understand wanting to believe somebody might rescue us.

[ Which clearly she doesn't, really. Part of her wants to, but she'd be suspicious of anything and this has got more red flags than Pamplona. ]

The people talking haven't been here very long. Some of them who look friendly are lying, too. Jay and Charles, at least.

You mean Nathan?

[Like, wow. As for the rescue....]

I haven't been here very long either, but I'm not a blabby idiot. You aren't really waiting for rescue, are you?

[ Kate snorts. ] Of course, Nathan. What was I saying.

[ She flops onto her back again, arm still bent between head and pillow. ]

No, I'm not. If there were one I believed was real I'd take it, but if we're going to get out of here I think we'll have to do it ourselves.

Exactly.

[Johanna considers, briefly, throwing her communicator at the wall. Instead she slaps it down onto the mattress and throws her arms over it, pressing her cheek against her forearms, if only so she doesn't have to look at the stupidity any longer.]

I guess that means we're supposed to join departments, right? Or go into the ship and get some fucking answers. God, this is stupid.

[ Kate's still typing away, but she makes a noise of vague and slightly distracted agreement. ]

Yeah, I guess. I joined Flight. I do want to know what these people are really after. I don't know how asking about our mental state is going to help them blow us up.

[Flight. Johanna rolls her eyes.]

Trust. Obviously. They want us to think they're concerned for us.

[ Kate isn't paying enough attention to notice the eyeroll, not that she'd have trouble guessing its existence. Type type type read type more. ]

They sound like researchers observing an experiment.

[The eyeroll is practically verbal, let's be real here.]

Great. That makes me feel so much better.

[Fuck being someone's experiment. She bites at her own arm, loosely, idly, a little light press of her teeth.]

I changed my mind. Let's invite them over. I'd love to give them an interview in person. How many of those other places were you here for? Arima, the Scylla... stupid names...

If anyone tells them how many of us there are I'm going to their room and slapping them in the face with their own comm.

[ Not so much a response to Johanna as to what she's reading, but surely the sentiment will make up for it? ]

What? [ Kate finally turns her head at least briefly. ] I was only around for Arima. I've heard some about the Scylla; I want to know how they know about that most.

[No, wait, important things first:]

Who's going to tell them how many of us there are.

[Not a question, a demand. Johanna shoves away from the bed to grab for Kate's comm device and pull it toward her, to see what she's looking at.]

[ Kate is not giving up her comm so easily, so when it's pulled she comes with it, rolling over to maintain a hold. ]

I don't know, nobody so far, but they keep asking. I doubt it really matters what we say though, at some point they're going to try to blow us to pieces regardless.

[Hmph.

With no one to scream at, Johanna lets go of Kate's device, but she doesn't shove her away or anything, so. Fine. Stay rolled close.]

That seems pretty impersonal.

[ Fine. ]

Maybe if someone tells them how few of us there really are they'll only blow up enough to disable the ship and then board us and try to shoot us individually instead. Better?

[ Actually yes that is better, isn't it. ]

[Actually--]

Yeah.

[If she says it kind of slowly, it's because she's thinking about how much she likes that idea. They can try and shoot her. It's not going to work.]

I'll tell them, if it means we get a shot at them.

[And she lifts her arm, jostling Kate a little as she tugs her comm device out from under her arm. The crackle of the jump announcement doesn't deter her in the slightest.]

[ Kate is looking at her comm again now that she has it back, scrolling through new posts and not paying as much attention as she should to what Johanna is saying. She probably should've anticipated this anyway.

But it's too late when the words and the jostling filter through and she turns again and reaches to stick a hand over Johanna's device. ]

Wait, what? You're not seriously-- oh my god.

[Come on, Kate, what did you expect!

Irritated, Johanna shrugs at Kate, trying to get her off of her device and also off of her. It's too late, anyways. She was writing the last words when Kate put two and two together, and she only has to struggle a little to hit SEND.]

It's better than waiting. That's one of the best ideas you've ever had, Katie.

[ Kate sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes but lets go, giving Johanna back her comm if not her personal space. ]

It was not an idea! We don't know anything about their capabilities except that they're probably better supplied, better trained, and outnumber us. Not to mention-- oh my god.

[ Not another complaint, this is an incredulous laugh as she stares at her screen, and then laughs again, and starts tapping at the keyboard. ]

She used a smiley face. These people are either even bigger trolls than I thought or complete idiots.

Yeah, yeah. The odds have never been in my favor. That's never stopped me before.

[And she's got her comms, which is what she really wants. Until she wants Kate's, again, because with a comment like that--]

A smiley face?

[And she's grabbing again, tugging the device closer so she can have a look, interrupting Kate's reply.]

Oh my god, is everybody dumb?

Edited (8S) 2015-01-08 22:17 (UTC)

Hey!

[ Kate's reply is ruined by that reach and pull for her device, half of it copy pasted in the middle of the old version so it's a garbled mess. She bats at Johanna's arms and tugs the comm away again once she's had a moment to read it, turning on her side toward the wall, the better to protect the device from grabby hands. ]

What are the chances it's just a passive-aggressive coincidence and not some sort of reference to Smiley?

Like none?

[Johanna doesn't put up a huge fight. She keeps hold of the device for just a second, but once Kate starts getting slappy, she lets it go, folds her arms again and plops her cheek onto them.]

If they know so much, you'd think they'd know to avoid smiley face.

You'd think.

[ Kate keeps typing, lip caught between her teeth and eyes narrowed at the screen as she apparently debates a reply. She rolls back over once Johanna settles down and stops trying to interfere. ]

I'm just going to tell her to fuck off.

Good.

[That makes Johanna laugh, a little too sharp to be just amusement. One of her bare feet kicks against one of Kate's calves, playfully.]

More people need to do that. I really do hope she comes after us, her and all of her friends. I'd like to tell her personally.

[ Kate kicks back, just a tiny bit harder. ]

Part of me hopes that, too. That'd be a problem I know how to attack.

Then let's bring them here.

[And fuck you, Kate; she kicks back, even harder, twisting her leg so she can use her sharp heel. This is the non-cut foot, so it's a good strike.]

[ Two can play at this game (that Kate semi-intentionally started)!! She kicks back, a sharp snap of her foot. ]

I want to see what we can find out, first. Not to mention there are two hundred other people involved.

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