shatterverse | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

This white-sanded beach on the sticky coast of Florida is quiet, except for the hollars of birds, and the gentle rushing of the surf--

FLASH! BANG!

--and the suddenly-appearing man, who stumbles in shock, his mouth open but no words reaching his tongue.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I brought pineapple, guys."

...

No Steve.

She shoots Neil a what did you do? look, but doesn't comment further.

"Muscle complaint," he tells Neil, by way of explanation. He keeps the anger he feels towards the Yeerk and its sabotage attempts out of his voice.

And then there is a Val!

"Welcome back," he calls, wondering uncomfortably how to explain to her the lack of Steve.

"Have some pineapple," she says, offering him a bowl. Neil gets one too.

She takes hers bunkerward without further comment.

Well, um.

This is awkward.

Adam almost starts to follow, but he stops himself. It's not his business to go barging in on what's probably a very private scene of distress.

Neil is watching him.

Adam's hiding something. Which wouldn't be any of Neil's business, but if Steve's going to be doing work for this guy... well.

He glances away, towards Val's retreating back, and then takes a bite of pineapple to forestall having to continue the conversation.

"I shouldn't interfere," he mutters to himself.

Well, not exactly to himself. It's partly for Neil's benefit (if the man doesn't entirely trust him, then he'll deal with that by making sure his motivations are clear), and partly in response to Orlit's continued taunts and insults. Have we established that man and Yeerk do not rub along in total harmony, here?

Raising his voice to a normal level, he asks Neil: "Do you know somebody here called Rachel?"

Chew. Swallow.

Easily: "Sure, I've met her. Why?"

"Val said I should speak to her," explains Adam. "I think that I can help them to bring down one of the villains of this world."

It doesn't occur to him that his dialogue is a little overwrought. Oh well.

Slight smile.

"So Val told you about the flesh castle."

"In unpleasant detail, yes."

Well, with that sort of thing, any detail is unpleasant.

"She does that."

Neil glances up at Dynames' angular profile.

"I'm planning to join on that mission myself, if my mobile suit is repaired by then."

"This is yours?"

Adam follows Neil's gaze up to the robot's head. He looks fairly impressed, but not overwhelmingly so; this is a man who's seen the Blade ship and is used to bloated, gargantuan transports.

"What's it used for?"

"Military vehicle from my world."

Adam gives Neil a sharp look. "You're involved in a war?"

"No. Two nos. No, I'm not involved in a war now; no, I wasn't involved in a war then. I was part of an organization dedicated to stopping war."

All right, now Adam looks impressed.

(Orlit, by contrast, is vocally certain that such a goal is really not reachable.)

"How well did it work?" It's not mocking; he's genuinely interested.

"Very. Of course, I flashed in before we completed our goal. I don't know how they're faring without me."

"I hope they're doing well."

Faint smile.

"So do I."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only