ataraxion | [003: Video]

[When the video feed starts up, Laughing Beauty looks to the camera nervously, still unsure if making this kind of request was the best to do publicly. But what choice did she have? LB knew she couldn't do this herself.]

Hey, uh -- heheheh -- hi.

[Yes, this was already getting off to a smooth start. LB gives the camera an awkward smile, before continuing.]

There's a lot of people here who can fix things... right? So, if anyone had any spare time, I was wondering if they wanted to try to fix-- [She swivels her communicator around, in a blur, until it focuses on a broken down, unoccupied Octopus Suit. With it occasionally sparking and one of it's tentacles broken apart, it's certainly seen better days, to say the least.]

I, uh... [The camera focuses on her face, deep in thought as she tries to think of a convincing lie as to how her suit got broken in the first place. After a while, however, she glances away from the camera.] Ah, fuck it, I broke it in a fight. But it's okay! Heehee! I... don't think I'll have to worry about that person anymore.

[Which is her roundabout way of saying that she hadn't seen Zer0, since after the fight, and she was pretty sure she killed him (even if that wasn't actually the case). It was a little sad, because he seemed like someone she could be friends with, but it seemed that wasn't the case. Regardless, she's not admitting to anything.

As she scratches her head and generally looks uncomfortable, it might be easy to tell that she's possibly hiding something.]

A-anyway, I'm not sure what I can offer anyone in return, but I guess we can discuss that later.

[After that, she had intended to turn her communicator off, but there was another burning question on her mind, lately. For this inquiry, she hesitates even longer, before finally spitting it out.]

Also... does anyone know if the masks give you any power or benefits? Hahaha? For a while, I had a bad feeling about them, but lately? I've been wondering if maybe I've been thinking of things in the wrong way.

[LB positions her deceptively cute mask next to her face, mimicking the expression with a smile.]

Besides, I'm no stranger to wearing things that are unsettling.

But - ah - that's all, I guess. Eeheeheeheehee... thanks in advance.

[[I've got it planned out for Peter Parker to fix the suit, but people are still welcome to inquire about it!]]

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[He returns the smirk.] Not a patient man by nature. Can't deny the odd job's worth the wait, though.

[And there's something weird about the way she phrases that. Something that makes him think she's not talking about credits. He tilts his head a little, fixing her with his good eye.]

Yeah? What'd they promise you?

[She frowns at his question, hesitating because she wasn't sure of how much she should reveal about her past, especially on a public transmission. From the sounds of it, Zaeed probably wouldn't be particularly judging of what she did, in the past, but she knew that there was people here that might treat her differently if they knew what the past revealed about herself.]

...a peace of mind. Hahaha... [It might be vague, but it was still more than she'd admit to most people.] Maybe even a way to end this perpetual laughter of mine.

[Zaeed's uncharacteristically quiet for a moment after that. It's tough to admit it, but her answer's blindsided him. Not a lot of wannabe mercs her age would admit to that kind of thing. It's all bravado and stupid deaths from that lot, mostly.

Guess she's not much of a wannabe. And the laugh--well. He's not sure how it fits into the whole equation, but it's good to know it does, somehow.]

Peace of mind's a rare thing in our line of work. [The smirk's gone now.] Hell of an employer to promise that. You sure they can follow through on the deal?

[She goes silent for a while, mulling over his question in her mind. After a while, LB gives a shake of her head with a weak smile.]

I don't know -- hahaha -- I was so desperate, when they first approached me, that I didn't even really think about it. By coming here, it seems that my superiors lied to me on at least one thing they told me, but I don't really know now if they would have given me what I desired or not. Even if I had the chance to complete my main objective.

But if there was any organization resourceful enough to do it, I think it would have been Outer Heaven.

[Nevermind the fact that it was run by the world's greatest backstabber.]

[So she's not a merc by choice. Zaeed has to frown a little at that. Not at her, though. He hesitates for a moment, wondering if he should ask what she means, before he decides against it. It sounds personal. He can respect that. Besides, he doesn't even know the kid.]

Where I come from, a PMC's main export is bullets, not peace of mind. I'd like to see the job that could net you something like that. Hard to imagine.

I really don't know how they would have done it for me, to be honest. Hahaha -- and you're right, I don't think any of the numerous PMCs I've known weren't famed to deal in that kind of business.

It's possible now, that I've had more time to think about it, that they were lying the entire time.

[LB shrugs, tilting her head along with the motion.] I'll probably never know now. But in a way? Being put in charge of the battlefield, rather than being afraid of it?

Heeheeheehee... maybe it's a little strange to most people, but to me... it was almost a little therapeutic.

[Being scared and told to fight anyway by a bunch of liars. Being good at it. Doesn't that just ring a goddamn bell. Pragia was almost a year ago, but Zaeed's not the kind of man who forgets easily.]

Not that strange. Might've heard something like that before. Reminds me of someone I used to work with.

Oh? [She looks at the camera with interest.] I guess that shouldn't be such a shock, considering that there were three others in my unit, all similar to me. It'd only make sense if there were people like me, in other worlds.

Haha... but what happened to your - uh - former ally?

Edited 2012-11-29 06:28 (UTC)

Can't say. We all went our separate ways after the mission was over.

[He'll have to ask Vega, the next time he sees the man. A man on Shepard's crew might have some news of the old squad.]

Sorry. Doesn't make for much of a story.

Ah, well at least you finished whatever your mission was. Must have been nice, hahaha.

Don't worry about it, though. It'd be silly to expect someone to keep tabs on another at all times. [Even if she wasn't too bad at that herself.]

[003: Video]

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