Reality Check - Revision history

Taimdala at 06:59, 5 January 2012

2012-01-05T06:59:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:59, 5 January 2012
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	“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now'', I answered back. ''Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>		“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now'', I answered back. ''Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>

	“Not mad, exactly. More like … he’d confirmed something he’d suspected but needed proof on. But I’d be a liar if I said he wasn’t hurt that I didn’t go with him.” I fidgeted with the bedsheets, picking at the weave the way my conscience needled my heart. “He was loading the rat trap two-seater they’d given him and he still had the bandage on his neck where they’d … He said that he knew it wasn’t like me to kill a man in cold blood, but that he’d be wrong about ‘good’ and ‘cold’. He said he knew I could deal with Joshua when I needed to and that I ''would'' need to. And that when I was done with Joshua, I’d go to him.” <br><br>		“Not mad, exactly. More like … he’d confirmed something he’d suspected but needed proof on. But I’d be a liar if I said he wasn’t hurt that I didn’t go with him.” I fidgeted with the bedsheets, picking at the weave the way my conscience needled my heart. “He was loading the rat trap two-seater they’d given him and he still had the bandage on his neck where they’d … He said that he knew it wasn’t like me to kill a good man in cold blood, but that he’d be wrong about ‘good’ and ‘cold’. He said he knew I could deal with Joshua when I needed to and that I ''would'' need to. And that when I was done with Joshua, I’d go to him.” <br><br>

	I forced my fingers to go still and looked up at Kiera.<br><br>		I forced my fingers to go still and looked up at Kiera.<br><br>

Taimdala at 05:48, 15 December 2011

2011-12-15T05:48:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:48, 15 December 2011
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	Kiera had scowled through the whole story, a scowl that got deeper at the end. At length, she finally sighed, dragging her teeth roughly over her bottom lip before speaking. <br><br>		Kiera had scowled through the whole story, a scowl that got deeper at the end. At length, she finally sighed, dragging her teeth roughly over her bottom lip before speaking. <br><br>

	"I might be wrong, but I think if you'd a killed Joshua, your Mr. Carter would have written you off. I don't ~~thinking~~ the test is you killing those you love Rina, but instead are you willing to sacrifice all to save them? Might be wrong, but it comes down to faith and your basic humanity." She smiled gently, patting Rina's leg. "You're too damn suspicious and too freakin' fatalistic."<br><br>		"I might be wrong, but I think if you'd a killed Joshua, your Mr. Carter would have written you off. I don't think the test is you killing those you love Rina, but instead are you willing to sacrifice all to save them? Might be wrong, but it comes down to faith and your basic humanity." She smiled gently, patting Rina's leg. "You're too damn suspicious and too freakin' fatalistic."<br><br>

	Settling herself on a rolling chair, she leaned close. "Was he mad that you refused him?"<br><br>		Settling herself on a rolling chair, she leaned close. "Was he mad that you refused him?"<br><br>
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	---<br><br>		---<br><br>

	“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now, I answered back. Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>		“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now'', I answered back. ''Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>

	“Not mad, exactly. More like … he’d confirmed something he’d suspected but needed proof on. But I’d be a liar if I said he wasn’t hurt that I didn’t go with him.” I fidgeted with the bedsheets, picking at the weave the way my conscience needled my heart. “He was loading the rat trap two-seater they’d given him and he still had the bandage on his neck where they’d … He said that he knew it wasn’t like me to kill a man in cold blood, but that he’d be wrong about ‘good’ and ‘cold’. He said he knew I could deal with Joshua when I needed to and that I ''would'' need to. And that when I was done with Joshua, I’d go to him.” <br><br>		“Not mad, exactly. More like … he’d confirmed something he’d suspected but needed proof on. But I’d be a liar if I said he wasn’t hurt that I didn’t go with him.” I fidgeted with the bedsheets, picking at the weave the way my conscience needled my heart. “He was loading the rat trap two-seater they’d given him and he still had the bandage on his neck where they’d … He said that he knew it wasn’t like me to kill a man in cold blood, but that he’d be wrong about ‘good’ and ‘cold’. He said he knew I could deal with Joshua when I needed to and that I ''would'' need to. And that when I was done with Joshua, I’d go to him.” <br><br>

Taimdala at 05:28, 15 December 2011

2011-12-15T05:28:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:28, 15 December 2011
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	----		----
	'''Go to''' [[Kiera Sullivan \| '''Kiera's Crew Page''']] or '''[[Marina Kseniya Sebastien \| Rina's Crew Page]]''' <br>		'''Go to''' [[Kiera Sullivan \| '''Kiera's Crew Page''']] or '''[[Marina Kseniya Sebastien \| Rina's Crew Page]]''' <br>
	'''Go back to: ''[[Mutineers Timeline, Season Six \| Season Six, Aug 2522 to -- ]]'''''<br>		'''Go back to: ''[[Mutineers Timeline, Season Six \| Season Six, Aug 2522 to May 2523 ]]'''''<br>
	'''Go to [[EPISODES]]''' or '''[[MTimeline#2511-2518\|TIMELINE]]'''<br>		'''Go to [[EPISODES]]''' or '''[[MTimeline#2511-2518\|TIMELINE]]'''<br>

Taimdala at 05:13, 1 November 2011

2011-11-01T05:13:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:13, 1 November 2011
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	''Experiment?" Kiera retorted. "No, you're getting that so that you'll be so miserable that you'll stop coming back to the med bay and random hospitals. There's no experiment. It's vile on purpose." She unlocked her position, moving to bustle around the bed, tucking Rina's feet in. Once she was on the other side, she checked the machines there, nodding with the numbers. "Yeah, you'll be out tomorrow." Her head went down and she was still for a moment before it rose again and she pinned Rina with her gaze, leaning close to hiss in her ear.<br><br>		"Experiment?" Kiera retorted. "No, you're getting that so that you'll be so miserable that you'll stop coming back to the med bay and random hospitals. There's no experiment. It's vile on purpose." She unlocked her position, moving to bustle around the bed, tucking Rina's feet in. Once she was on the other side, she checked the machines there, nodding with the numbers. "Yeah, you'll be out tomorrow." Her head went down and she was still for a moment before it rose again and she pinned Rina with her gaze, leaning close to hiss in her ear.<br><br>

	"What the hell is going on, Rina? Do you know something that you aren't telling us? Lately, you start to say something and then bite your tongue. I'm beginning to believe Father. All that uber-children sounded stupid before, but it doesn't sound so foolish now that I've seen Raven and listened to Joshua's mom. Piss to hell what I believe if I add in all the other crap I've seen with you guys. What do you know? Did your old boyfriend tell you something about this?"<br><br>		"What the hell is going on, Rina? Do you know something that you aren't telling us? Lately, you start to say something and then bite your tongue. I'm beginning to believe Father. All that uber-children sounded stupid before, but it doesn't sound so foolish now that I've seen Raven and listened to Joshua's mom. Piss to hell what I believe if I add in all the other crap I've seen with you guys. What do you know? Did your old boyfriend tell you something about this?"<br><br>

Taimdala at 04:32, 1 November 2011

2011-11-01T04:32:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:32, 1 November 2011
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	“Mike tested me on Highgate. I refused to go along with it and he withdrew it. But I have this feeling, this dread, that it’s still out there … waiting for me. And when it finds me again, I’m going to fail and lose everything.” I couldn’t tell her that Mike and the deferred test were one and the same in my mind. It was something I could never say aloud, for fear of making it true, of bringing it to pass. I could only hope she could read between the lines and keep what she read there to herself.<br><br>		“Mike tested me on Highgate. I refused to go along with it and he withdrew it. But I have this feeling, this dread, that it’s still out there … waiting for me. And when it finds me again, I’m going to fail and lose everything.” I couldn’t tell her that Mike and the deferred test were one and the same in my mind. It was something I could never say aloud, for fear of making it true, of bringing it to pass. I could only hope she could read between the lines and keep what she read there to herself.<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	Kiera had scowled through the whole story, a scowl that got deeper at the end. At length, she finally sighed, dragging her teeth roughly over her bottom lip before speaking. <br><br>		Kiera had scowled through the whole story, a scowl that got deeper at the end. At length, she finally sighed, dragging her teeth roughly over her bottom lip before speaking. <br><br>
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	Settling herself on a rolling chair, she leaned close. "Was he mad that you refused him?"<br><br>		Settling herself on a rolling chair, she leaned close. "Was he mad that you refused him?"<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now, I answered back. Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>		“I don’t know.” I sagged against the wall, limp with relief. What had I feared from Kiera? I didn’t know that either. I only knew I was pathetically glad that she didn’t reject me out of hand. Instead she’d listened and had given me a viewpoint that I’d completely missed. Did Mike test me to see how far I’d go to save someone, rather than kill him? All my decisions past that point hung in the balance and I didn’t have the strength to reassess them. ''Coward'', my inner critic whispered. ''Never mind that now, I answered back. Kiera’s still waiting for an answer''. I replayed my goodbye on the tarmac and did my best to recall every nuance of Mike’s reaction. I saw again the vulnerable look in his eyes at my approach, the change in his demeanor as he aborted his welcoming hug, that smug smirk when I confronted him with my drawn gun a moment later.<br><br>
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	“As for what’s out there, based on whatever Mike had told me? Just that he’d learned that Blue Sun had taken young kids and brainwashed them, surgically and chemically altered them to be mind readers, all to make them better at anticipating your moves, to allow them to become what you want them to be. That when they had made themselves indispensible to you, that’s when you were theirs. Since it was pretty much what we’d learned ourselves by then already, I didn’t bother to correct him on it. Now I wonder …,” I trailed off as I considered it. “Maybe I should have asked him to explain it in more detail. It might have given us something important we could use.”<br><br>		“As for what’s out there, based on whatever Mike had told me? Just that he’d learned that Blue Sun had taken young kids and brainwashed them, surgically and chemically altered them to be mind readers, all to make them better at anticipating your moves, to allow them to become what you want them to be. That when they had made themselves indispensible to you, that’s when you were theirs. Since it was pretty much what we’d learned ourselves by then already, I didn’t bother to correct him on it. Now I wonder …,” I trailed off as I considered it. “Maybe I should have asked him to explain it in more detail. It might have given us something important we could use.”<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	She was silent for a long moment and then Kiera began to laugh, brightly and merrily. At length, she wiped tears from her eyes, sniffing softly. "Maybe I should have asked him to explain it in more detail," she parroted and then sighed. "What good would that have done, Rina? We ain't believed half of the mess we've both been told so far. Nor do we care. If Joshua is as good as they got, then they totally failed one thing. They forgot the human need to be human. If he could fall in love with an obsessive compulsive, neurotic, suspicious thing like you and be friends with an outright lying, cold-hearted bitch like me, then what good did all that training, surgery, meanness and wonky mind reading abilities do. Nothing." Kiera shook her head slowly, a small bemused smile on her lips.<br><br>		She was silent for a long moment and then Kiera began to laugh, brightly and merrily. At length, she wiped tears from her eyes, sniffing softly. "Maybe I should have asked him to explain it in more detail," she parroted and then sighed. "What good would that have done, Rina? We ain't believed half of the mess we've both been told so far. Nor do we care. If Joshua is as good as they got, then they totally failed one thing. They forgot the human need to be human. If he could fall in love with an obsessive compulsive, neurotic, suspicious thing like you and be friends with an outright lying, cold-hearted bitch like me, then what good did all that training, surgery, meanness and wonky mind reading abilities do. Nothing." Kiera shook her head slowly, a small bemused smile on her lips.<br><br>

	"If it had worked, every damn rich sombitch in the Core woulda had it done to their kids. Every military stiff woulda had it done to their kids. And yet, here we are with something so special that they have tracked him and watched him and your fiancé warned you about him and told you one day, you might haveta kill the man. And yet, he's Joshua. Too dumb," she paused and raised a finger at Rina's open mouth, "stubborn then to wear body armor, still too innocent to be let loose on his own, still too nice to be much good other than as a momma. He can be anything or anyone and what he chose was to be your lover and the XO of a pretty much beat the hell up crew and ship. If he's taking over the 'Verse from that platform, then we don't got nothing to worry about."<br><br>		"If it had worked, every damn rich sombitch in the Core woulda had it done to their kids. Every military stiff woulda had it done to their kids. And yet, here we are with something so special that they have tracked him and watched him and your fiancé warned you about him and told you one day, you might haveta kill the man. And yet, he's Joshua. Too dumb," she paused and raised a finger at Rina's open mouth, "stubborn then to wear body armor, still too innocent to be let loose on his own, still too nice to be much good other than as a momma. He can be anything or anyone and what he chose was to be your lover and the XO of a pretty much beat the hell up crew and ship. If he's taking over the 'Verse from that platform, then we don't got nothing to worry about."<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	“Put that way, I haven’t a thing to whine about either,” I said, struck by her spot-on analysis of the situation. Laughter bubbled up inside me then, as the patent idiocy of my self-pity came clear. It wasn’t a comfortable mirth, realizing how stupid I’d been, but it was cathartic. As such it took a few minutes before I could get a grip and speak sensibly again. I sat up, my gut aching, and wiped my face on the sheets. “Thanks,” I breathed. “Promise me something?”<br><br>		“Put that way, I haven’t a thing to whine about either,” I said, struck by her spot-on analysis of the situation. Laughter bubbled up inside me then, as the patent idiocy of my self-pity came clear. It wasn’t a comfortable mirth, realizing how stupid I’d been, but it was cathartic. As such it took a few minutes before I could get a grip and speak sensibly again. I sat up, my gut aching, and wiped my face on the sheets. “Thanks,” I breathed. “Promise me something?”<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	The emerald greens pinned her with mock solemnity. "Anything," she whispered huskily, licking her lips.<br><br>		The emerald greens pinned her with mock solemnity. "Anything," she whispered huskily, licking her lips.<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	"C'mere, you." I rolled my eyes at her sultry flirting, reached out and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Whenever I start believing the bullshit I'm spouting, smack me, okay? I need a reality check every once in a while and you just delivered a good one."<br><br>		"C'mere, you." I rolled my eyes at her sultry flirting, reached out and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Whenever I start believing the bullshit I'm spouting, smack me, okay? I need a reality check every once in a while and you just delivered a good one."<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	Kiera hugged her back, taking care not to pressure any of their mutual wounds. "If makes you feel better, I'll convince you that I'm wrong and he'll wake us up one night with a maniacal grin and shoot us," she whispered in Rina's hair. "Of course, if he doesn't get it in one shot, I'm taking his ass down."<br><br>		Kiera hugged her back, taking care not to pressure any of their mutual wounds. "If makes you feel better, I'll convince you that I'm wrong and he'll wake us up one night with a maniacal grin and shoot us," she whispered in Rina's hair. "Of course, if he doesn't get it in one shot, I'm taking his ass down."<br><br>

	She pulled back finally and nodded. "Won't kill him. He'll wish I had. But I won't 'cus if I do, I won't be able to make fun of him for not knowing that I'd shoot him. Then you can worry about what Mike told you." Patting Rina's hand, she shrugged. "And I'll be calling Daddy to come get his new toy. But I really don't think that will be something we're gonna need to worry about. It's all the nutters who came up with the idea who scare me. What are they willing to do to cover it up and what are they willing to do to keep control of all the info?" Her face changed, losing all expression, and she shrugged, "You know that is what we really need to be worrying about. We're finding out a lot about the nasty workings of some powerful people. They're bound to notice. If only because Joshua serves to keep their eyes on us. We are never gonna run under the radar with him."<br><br>		She pulled back finally and nodded. "Won't kill him. He'll wish I had. But I won't 'cus if I do, I won't be able to make fun of him for not knowing that I'd shoot him. Then you can worry about what Mike told you." Patting Rina's hand, she shrugged. "And I'll be calling Daddy to come get his new toy. But I really don't think that will be something we're gonna need to worry about. It's all the nutters who came up with the idea who scare me. What are they willing to do to cover it up and what are they willing to do to keep control of all the info?" Her face changed, losing all expression, and she shrugged, "You know that is what we really need to be worrying about. We're finding out a lot about the nasty workings of some powerful people. They're bound to notice. If only because Joshua serves to keep their eyes on us. We are never gonna run under the radar with him."<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	I hugged her back and released her when she pulled away.<br><br>		I hugged her back and released her when she pulled away.<br><br>
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	It had been a long time since I'd felt that certainty and watching Kiera watch me, I felt it again.<br><br>		It had been a long time since I'd felt that certainty and watching Kiera watch me, I felt it again.<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	Kiera nodded, moving for the curtains. "Maybe it's our destiny to be the wrench in the works, Rina. I didn't believe in destiny, but I know someone who does. And he made me believe in it too. I've watched this crew risk it all to fight the good fight. I'm a reluctant warrior, but I know where my path is and right now, it's with you guys and to support what you're doing. Until destiny calls me elsewhere, I'm here. And we're gonna kick open some doors and take some names. No doubt. I'll be back this afternoon. I'll try to find something more closely related to food for you." She winked and went through the curtains.<br><br>		Kiera nodded, moving for the curtains. "Maybe it's our destiny to be the wrench in the works, Rina. I didn't believe in destiny, but I know someone who does. And he made me believe in it too. I've watched this crew risk it all to fight the good fight. I'm a reluctant warrior, but I know where my path is and right now, it's with you guys and to support what you're doing. Until destiny calls me elsewhere, I'm here. And we're gonna kick open some doors and take some names. No doubt. I'll be back this afternoon. I'll try to find something more closely related to food for you." She winked and went through the curtains.<br><br>

			---<br><br>

	I winked back and worn out from the highs and lows of the past half hour, I lay there letting the sounds of the hospital lull me to sleep. I was just going under when a stray bit of memory surfaced. ''Ezekiel''. It was the name Joan had put to Joshua's brother and Kiera's repetition of the name upon hearing it had the ring of recognition. Was this the man she'd meant just now? And in the way of the mind on the edge of sleep, ''Ezekiel'' wandered through my head and found another bit of memory to connect to: ''Quest''. Joan had mentioned her son was on a quest. And right then I thought of the man I'd run into years ago on Santo. A man named Ezekiel who'd offered me an hour's company, a hot meal, and some good advice. He'd been on a quest as well. ''Coincidence?'' I tried to stay awake to think it through, knowing I was on the verge of discovering something, but the bed swallowed me up and sleep took me down.<br><br><br>		I winked back and worn out from the highs and lows of the past half hour, I lay there letting the sounds of the hospital lull me to sleep. I was just going under when a stray bit of memory surfaced. ''Ezekiel''. It was the name Joan had put to Joshua's brother and Kiera's repetition of the name upon hearing it had the ring of recognition. Was this the man she'd meant just now? And in the way of the mind on the edge of sleep, ''Ezekiel'' wandered through my head and found another bit of memory to connect to: ''Quest''. Joan had mentioned her son was on a quest. And right then I thought of the man I'd run into years ago on Santo. A man named Ezekiel who'd offered me an hour's company, a hot meal, and some good advice. He'd been on a quest as well. ''Coincidence?'' I tried to stay awake to think it through, knowing I was on the verge of discovering something, but the bed swallowed me up and sleep took me down.<br><br><br>

Taimdala: Created page with "'''I had a couple of puzzle pieces from the last game and beyond that I wanted to connect, Kim indulged me with a bit of RPness, and this is the resul..."

2011-11-01T04:30:43Z

Created page with "<span style="color:#800000">'''I had a couple of puzzle pieces from the last game and beyond that I wanted to connect, Kim indulged me with a bit of RPness, and this is the resul..."

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