† 009 [31 july, shortly after fitz's post]

[klutziness]

[even though the feed is garbled, rikkus' frustration and something akin to fear are clear in her voice]

Don't be ▒▓▒▓ing idiots. Get to medbay or somewhere not en▒▓neering! Trust me, you don't want a▒▓ of what's here.

[there's a short pause]

I need my engineering cr▒▓ on deck though. Stay together, stay safe. Find Fitz, stick with him. He'll ▒▓▓▒▒▒

[the feed abruptly cuts to white noise]

Comments

private audio;

[forgodssake]

[ Rough huff of not-laugh. ]

It wouldn't be very politic, darling.

[anybodies]

At least they won't get in the way.

[Her voice has this grinding, gravelly quality that she'd like to pretend is just annoyance.]

[forgodssake]

I won't let them steer this, regardless. If anything, their inclinations will be a signal for others to do the right thing.

[anybodies]

He'd be as bad as Trask.

Maybe worse. [She knows he knows; it doesn't require saying out loud. Better in than out, though, especially with this, and where Charles is concerned.]

[forgodssake]

He's not going to get that far.

[ It's the sort of quiet, earnest conviction of someone who still thoroughly believes it's his job to protect the other person, instinctively narrowing the scope of concern from 'everyone' to 'just her' without even thinking about it. ]

Not nearly.

[anybodies]

I hope not.

[Van Rijn is starting lightyears ahead of Trask, as it is.

She's quiet for a very long time. And then--]

Promise.