srwug_alpha_rp | Phase Eight: Recrimination

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Phase Eight: Recrimination

[Laura's in the brig.

It's at her own insistence, as soon as she was awake enough to insist. Once the medics were okay with letting her out of their sight, she went in to a cell. She's staying there until as much has been done to confirm she doesn't have any more surprises buried in the back of her mind as was done for Cheng, and then some. And it's noticeable to anyone who's used to her appearance that her ever-present amplifier is not on her wrist.

If you want to talk to her, it might take a while. Aside from the exhaustion of the fight, she's spending some of her time awake curled up in tears or otherwise unresponsive. Still - if you're patient, or time your visit right, she'll be able to speak, if you have something to say.]

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[MarKus does not understand Laura's psychology! She's definitely heard him now, but her reaction is to curl up, continuing to cry but also shielding her head either in reflexive fear or to block her ears.]

Christ, girl. What's with all this crying already. Even Christine didn't cry li...

Wait no. She did.

Okay fine. WHY are you crying? You realize I'm not going to leave you alone, right? There are other mechanics on board. I've got all day.

[The tears last a while longer, but eventually Laura uncovers her head and looks up.]

You... you know what happened.

Yeah... we lost the old dude... And that fuckin sucks.

Now... Why are you crying in there. That's not a very private place to cry it out.

It's not meant to be private. It's meant to be safe. So I can't do any more damage.

Uhm... okay. But isn't the point to go in and damage the enemy?

[[One step at a time, MarKus is going to flip this around. If you take a good look at him, he's chilling against the bars just, grinnin. It's like... he's got this heroic plan in mind.]]

Laura, question. Do you think, that I, of all people, blame you for the shit that went down?

It's not about blame. It's about risk. I didn't blame Cheng, but I didn't want him near a cockpit until we could check him over.

Right... cuz of that mind-fuck stuff.

Well... I only know how to check with Percolatii so... I sure as hell know you're not some kind of alien. [[He thinks this is kind of amusing.]] But besides that I guess... We get you checked out and move on.

After that we go in and get that crystal thing back.

You know... I had that same conversation with Devon a while back. About that crystal.

...What did she say?

I barely remember, but, the basic conclusion was, if we didn't get it, or someone else did, the plan was...

"Go in there and get it the fuck back.". She seemed to basically agree. No fancy plan, no covert tactics shit. [[He even starts gesturing with his hands.]] Go in there, wreck shop, and figure it out as we go.

So... I dunno, they used you against us. Who's saying there's not some genius on board who can't flip that shit around and use that against them in turn. The Major could probably figure something out!

That sounds like Devon, all right.

...You think I'm being absurd.

Nah, just overreacting.

If you feel like you're at an all time low, then... you can just build yourself back up. Better and stronger and all that good shit. On top of that... you've got a fuckton of friends, and... various masked heroes, that are going to support you anyway.

Hmmm... then again, if I was your boyfriend... I might be thinking differently. Good thing that's not the case, right?

I... lost friends to Thoughts of Ascension before now. I went out there, in part, for their sakes.

It wasn't just Frank I failed. And my friends here... I'm afraid I'll fail them again, too.

[Laura snorts.]

If you were my boyfriend, a lot of things would be different.

So we all mess up. It's no big deal really. Yeah, it sucks, but... if anyone's really your friend, they're gonna sit here and talk your ear off all day until you're feeling better about yourself and you realize that, even if you failed, you're still around, as are the people who care.

[[And a return scoff.]]

Oh yeah? Like what? Try me. [[Not an intended diversionary tactic, but, he's curious now.]]

I'd like boys. Maybe have had an easier time growing up, because of it. Wouldn't have fallen for who I did, on my old team. ...I don't want to think too much about what that might have changed.

And since I'm less patient than Shirley, you'd probably have suffered a lot more by now.

You'd like boys...?

Wait... you don't? [[This is new to him. He's with Shirley anyway, so other than staring at her hair here and there, it'd never crossed his mind.]]

Wait... suffered for what? I don't mess up that bad!

You don't even realize how patient she is with you. See? She's wasted on you.

[Hey, it turns out this was a pretty good distraction after all.]

Hey, I know she gets on me about some stuff but... what are you even talking about?

[[You have now gotten him feeling incredibly unsure and self conscious about his relationship.]]

I'm being jealous, it doesn't have to make sense!

Oh... OH!

Heh... [[No, really, you had MarKus messed up for a minute there.]] I guess I deserved that... Me and my backwards half-assed flirting.

[[He's still kind of hanging his head on the bars though.]] I never said I was an expert at motivational speeches, but, I wasn't going to not try. Not after all the cool shit you said to my parents about me.

I didn't say anything I didn't mean. And... I know you didn't, either. And I appreciate it.

I'll get better. I just... I can't do it on command. But I'll do it.

[[He's still going to blow by that insecurity as 'she's jealous'. It might be better that way, otherwise his paranoia might actually make him mess things up.]]

Well... you wanna hug at least, or something? Food? TV? Kick that Dantoinne guy in the teeth?

[Laura's accepting no responsibility for MarKus' insecurity. Her jealousy's not genuine enough that she wouldn't try to help if she know how much of an issue it was, though.]

One hug. And I'll pass along the kick in the teeth to him, myself.

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Phase Eight: Recrimination

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