Phase Eight: Recrimination

[emorangerpink]

[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.]

Comments

[minorbeat]

(Seiren smiles softly.)

Whenever you are ready to talk, I'll be here to listen. Remember that okay?

(Just then Laura hears tiny footsteps and HUMMY comes in with a cup.)

Thank you HUMMY. I'm sorry I asked you to do this yourself.

It's okay Seiren! I'm happy to help!

(Seiren takes the cup from HUMMY and sets it down for Laura. As she does this HUMMY curls up next to Laura to give her something to cuddle if she wished.)

I thought you'd be thirsty so I asked HUMMY to get this. It is jasmine tea. I hope that is okay.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura stares at the cup. It's a little while before her one hand leaves Seiren's to hold HUMMY close to her as the other goes to pick it up.]

I suppose I'd be a real hypocrite if I said you shouldn't be doing this for me.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren opens her mouth to say something but quickly closes it. Seiren thinks for a second before dropping her head and sighing as she can't think of what to say that will help Laura.)

Sorry, I'm not good at cheering people up...I wish that I was so I could help you...But let me at least tell you this. Even if you said that I would stay because you mean a lot to me Laura. You are the first friend I've had in over nine years...You are my only friend and I want to help you through this no matter what it takes.

[emorangerpink]

You are helping, Seiren. You're being a better friend than I deserve.

[She drinks, carefully. Her hands still shake, after all.]

[minorbeat]

(Seiren looks a little sad at that.)

That's not true Laura. You deserve more than you think you do. You are a very good person. You helped someone as broken as me. You locked yourself in here because you were afraid you might hurt someone. You look out for people and you care deeply. You more than deserve a friend right now to stay with you.

[emorangerpink]

I'm not sure I agree. But... thank you for saying it.

And I'm sorry I couldn't be the... the stability you needed.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren looks Laura straight in the eyes. Laura can see she is serious.)

I mean it Laura. I'm not one to say things like this so know when I do say them I wholeheartedly believe it. You are a good person. Don't let anyone, including yourself, tell you otherwise.

What do you mean? You have helped me a lot. Why are talking like you failed?

[emorangerpink]

I was afraid I'd... that you'd need me and I couldn't be there. That I'd be overwhelmed by my own... problems.

I didn't expect it to happen quite like... like this.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren continues to look into Laura's eyes and has a small but genuine smile on her.)

Laura. If you need someone to lean on then you don't have to look further. I will be there for you whenever you need me. Maybe together, we can help each other with our problems. I'll help you bare your pain and vise versa. Does that sound good?

[emorangerpink]

[Laura wipes at her eyes and returns the smile, albeit weakly.]

All right. We can try.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren stands up and extends her hand for Laura.)

Why don't we get out of here? You didn't do anything wrong so you don't need to hold yourself in here any longer. Plus I think a change of scenery will help.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura shakes her head.]

No. I... not until they've done their checks. But after that...

Yes. Let's get out of here, then.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren's eyes widen. She completely forgot about that. She rubs her head and blushes while laughing nervously, obviously embarrassed that she forgot.)

I-I forgot about those, sorry. Well then I'll wait here with you until then.

(Seiren sits back down, still blushing.)

[emorangerpink]

[So Seiren can fluster, not just keep up a brave face or have it break. That's actually heartening to see.]

Waiting won't be so bad, then. [Tea drunk, Laura takes Seiren's hand again, and absently scritches HUMMY.

It'll be some time before she's called up again to return to the medbay for further tests. The results, as far as anyone can interpret, show no further buried commands. There are some among the crew who can do further checks of their own, but for now Laura's as safe as she can be certified.]

So... where to?

[minorbeat]

Well, I was just thinking of walking around for now. Just see where our feet take us. Any sight would be better than the brig. Unless you have a specific place you wish to go.

[emorangerpink]

No. Just roaming is good, for now.

[There are places... but Laura's not up to facing them yet. Her flowers... and Frank.]

[minorbeat]

(Seiren and Laura walk aimlessly for a while before coming to the deck. Seiren looks over the view before turning to Laura.)

I think this is a rather good change in scenery. And the fresh air is very nice.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura breathes it in, eyes closed, just drawing in the air and letting the wind lift her hair.]

Yes. It's...

Frank wanted to stay here, to let this be his last sight. I see why.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren looks down a bit at that before looking at Laura.)

I personally didn't know him but he seemed like a very good man...You must miss him.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura looks out in to the distance, looking for the words.]

On my old team, none of us were older than sixteen. There were dozens of adults around to support us, staff and medics and scientists and technicians, but you could tell they all felt wrong sending us out to fight, even though there was nothing else they could do. Frank... it was his job to protect us, and sometimes even to fight alongside us. I suppose it meant he could afford to be a little closer to us. He looked out for us. His troops did, too, but he looked out for them as well.

[She smiles.]

We played basketball, once. I barely touched the ball, but I made it through the whole thing without tripping over myself once. I was proud of that.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren nods slowly as she listens to Laura's story.)

It sounds like Frank was a sort of father figure to you and your team.

[emorangerpink]

We were all family to each other. He was part of that. And here...

When... before I came to the Chalice, I had been... sick, for a long time. I just knew Devon was here, and the rest of the team were dead, the group disbanded. When I got here and found Frank, too, it...

It made things a little more bearable.

[minorbeat]

(Seiren looks down sadly.)

...I see...Having someone like Frank around must have helped...I can't imagine what you are going through...I'm so sorry Laura.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura smiles sadly at her.]

He helped give me the confidence to find the friends I've made here. Who are many, and wonderful. I think that might be what I'll remember him for most.

It's all right. Well - I mean, it's not all right. But I can live with it. He wouldn't want it any other way.

...Did you have someone looking out for you, when you started piloting, Seiren?

[minorbeat]

...I had my little sister support me when I started when I was young. She looked up to me and I took pride in that. It is what made me want to go as far as I could as a pilot...but one day we got in a bad fight with each other. In the end we stopped talking with each other all together.