wedonot | FIFTY EIGHT ✖ VOICE

[Private to Zane]

[He's not really sure what to make of the pairing announcements in some ways, but he's hoping it's a good thing that they've already had some time to get used to each other, that there's some manner of trust there. He knows he screwed up with Felix and feels like he's been more or less useless to Morgana, but Zane seems like someone who needs some positive direction, and he's hopeful he can provide that.]

I've got your file. We should probably arrange a time to meet. Do you have a preference? [He assumes you've been let out of Zero by now, but.]

[Filtered to Erik, Jean and Alex]

[Charles sounds more serious than tired, although there's certainly a sort of weariness in his voice because this is not exactly a fun topic to be discussing.] Considering it seems as though whatever destination the Barge is heading towards isn't exactly going to be a pleasant one, I'd highly recommend everyone taking precautions in case we're left somewhere dangerous without access to our abilities or other means of defending ourselves. ["Like the Vanquish" is going unsaid, but the three of you know why he'd be overly cautious about an announcement like that, so.]

Obviously there's no guarantee that we'll be able to bring supplies with us, but in case there is, I'd strongly suggest making certain your flight suits are on hand and undamaged, and potentially even packing an emergency kit to leave with them.

[He knows he's sounding kind of bossy, but he's worried and doesn't want anything to happen - even though it probably will anyway - so he's maybe stepping up and saying something about this instead of just letting things happen. B(]

[Private to Erik]

[And now putting the other two off the filter because the grown ups need to talk.]

We should talk.

[Private Separately to Barbara and Arthur]

If your schedule permits it, I'd be very interested in upping the number of days we train. [He's assuming at least Arthur won't mind having an extra few hours a week to beat the crap out of him at least.]

[Private to Gwaine]

Are you still interested in sparring?

[Private to Bruce]

[He feels kind of awkward asking this, but.] I have a favor to ask.

[Private to Merlin]

[Wryly:] I'd say "how do you feel about heading up to the CES", but considering it sounds as if the Admiral's turned it into a bit of a minor war zone, I'm not certain it would necessarily be the best place to catch up.

[Private Separately to Rorschach and Kon]

I'd like to talk with you about what happened between Cassel and Zane.

[Private to the Admiral]

Please deliver three months supply of copper and tin to Zane's room, and a small supply of other allomancy metals to my room in case the need for them arises.

[And after talking with Erik about the upcoming port:]

I'd also like two hand guns, enough spare ammunition for both, two gun safes, and two decent sized hunting knives, please. [Look he's asking politely! c: Although just saying, he might actually appreciate a Barge shaped stress ball right now.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Charles laughs softly and shakes his head.] No, of course he knows that, I meant more-

[He sighs, sobering.] Instead of following Shaw and spending his entire adult life alone and angry, he let himself settle down. He had a wife and a daughter, and things weren't perfect, but he was happy. And despite all that, the man who ruined his life started a nuclear war because he wasn't there to stop it. And I couldn't do it on my own. [He could have, if it wasn't for that damn helmet, and God, he wished Erik would just throw it over the side instead of keeping it on his desk like some sort of trophy.]

I just want him to be happy. [And safe, with people who loved him and would be there to support him when things went badly. And he knew that eventually, Erik had found him and the kids and could maybe have had something like peace and security, but he was still angry and hurt. Knowing them now didn't change that he'd spent so much of his life alone, and it just hurt to know that someone you loved needed to suffer for the benefit of everyone. It didn't seem fair.]

More often than I'd like to.

[There were just so many possible ways you could fail someone here, and he hated not having any sort of control over if someone he cared about would get hurt in a port or during a flood or just vanish one day and never come back.

He really didn't know what he'd do if that happened to Erik.]

I believe anyone brought here as an inmate can graduate, but considering how often people disappear without warning, it's hard not to worry that that might happen before an inmate's able to reach the point when they can graduate.

[ Zane nods. This makes sense to him. ]

You've helped other people, before. You've adapted well to this place's goal but not to its rules. Or at least you don't seem as sure as you could be.

[ He's speaking mostly blind, here. Just thinking: why would someone do this. ]

Why do you stay?

[There were a few reasons - his deal, for one, and staying around for the friends he'd made her, but at the end of the day, there was really only one explanation that mattered.]

My closest friend [And really, that seemed like an understatement, but he didn't know how else to put it.] is trapped here as an inmate. I can't leave him.

Your closest friend is an inmate.

[ He isn't sure how to interpret this information.

Being second priority - that, he actually finds safer than the alternative. ]

Yes. [And as much as he respected and loved Erik, there was absolutely no question as to why he was here as an inmate, so.] He was my closest friend before coming to the Barge, too. He lives right next door.

Is he like you? A mutant.

[ A word he's been hearing more and more often. ]

Yes. His name is Erik Lensherr. Have you met him?

I don't know. What can he do?

Well, actually, [And he's smiling a little bit, because Relevant to Your Interests.] he can manipulate magnetism and therefore, metal.

[ A nod, then. Recognition. ] Yes, I've met him.

I would be interested to see what we can do. The both of us, combined.

That would certainly be interesting.

So.

What next?

That depends on you. Is there anything you need, or would you like to ask me anything else, or is there something you want to discuss?

No. Nothing, now.

That's not entirely what I meant.

I think you're catching on.

Was making inquiry. Attempted to get better answer than avoidance and excuses.

[...which could have probably been achieved with less violence, but then he wouldn't be Rorschach.]

[A life of anger and pain that saved the world from destruction, versus a life knowing love and happiness that was doomed to end prematurely. Merlin wouldn't want to think on that choice either. Except - ]

He still can be. He deserves to be. You believe that, don't you?

Of course I do. I think I probably believe that more than anyone. [Which wasn't him bragging, he just genuinely thought Erik deserved the very best life had to offer, and sometimes it seemed like the people who could see that were very much in the minority.] I'd just rather the Admiral stop dangling it in front of his face like that.

What is your stance on lethal force?

[He suspects he knows, but given what might be coming...]

[He nods.]

Of course. Though I wish the Admiral could stop steering us into troubled waters altogether.

[... Oh.]

Right.

How?

[Rorschach this is important. B(]

I have known him for a while at this point.

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FIFTY EIGHT ✖ VOICE

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