exsiliumlogs | ( closed ) didn't want to be anyone's ghost

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( closed ) didn't want to be anyone's ghost

Date & Time: the second!
Location: the training rooms.
Characters: max & starbuck & apollo in an extremely unfortunate arrangement of faces
Summary: you're a homicidal robot, and you're a homicidal robot, and - no, it's just me you're calling a homicidal robot? well. (alternatively: this will not end well.)
Warnings: at the very least violence will be threatened, i'd guess. will update if necessary.

[ She's been sticking a little more underground since she had her first conversation with Kara, and a little more since she realized that there was a second person from the same world around here. Lee Adama and Kara Thrace were the names the tablet had given her, and maybe she'd been following what she could find of them on the network too but she felt that was pretty reasonable in this whole - situation. It was kind of a weird feeling, to have been accused of being a genocidal robot. Cylon.

They called them Cylons.

Still, a good fight was good for working out the tension and the kinks from the latest mission and she'd figured she'd be safe in the training rooms - others around, plenty of space, and she wouldn't be here long. Just long enough to find Charlie or Remy or someone she could try really hard to punch and feel a little bit more even. The past month had been - interesting. Too interesting, really, she could have settled for something a lot more boring.

Which meant that when she does turn around and see them, unexpectedly, and both of them at once, her face stills from neutrality to a blank hardness as she glances behind her, searching for the nearest exit and immediately heading straight towards it, tugging her hoodie over her head. This was not something she was willing to deal with today, or any time soon. They could stay here and train, and she'd vanish and avoid here until she figured out when they wouldn't be here. ]

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[Kara has been uncomfortable with this place since she arrived. Too much stunk of Cylons, their artificial intelligence, this "Earth". All of it was suspicious. Made worse by some Dee copy trying to convince her she wasn't a toaster. Lee's presence was arguably a good and bad thing at the same time, but that nagging problem stayed in the back of her mind at all times. They might be on speaking terms again, but eventually the matter of his wife was going to turn up again, she was sure of it.

And then think of the creeps and there she is. Kara's eyes narrow immediately and her hand drops to the holster where her sidearm stays at all times. Even jerking a hood over her head wasn't going to hide the faux!Dualla.]

Toaster, twelve o'clock.

[Oh yes. Training. A legitimate excuse for him to unleash all the aggravation Lee has been bottling up since his explosive argument with Kara a week or two prior. A little hand to hand combat, maybe a black eye and a busted lip, and things would be all right in the world again.

When Kara says 'toaster' Lee isn't even thinking about Dee so much as he's thinking about all the other things she had said. Some part of him had decided Kara just made up the bits about Dee to be spiteful. Its an incorrect assumption but he really wants it to be right.

What Lee wants and what he gets are never the same thing. Lee hopes to see Boomer, Athena, or maybe even one of the Sixes. No, instead he gets a face full of his current girlfriend and supposed future wife. Normally those pretty eyes were enough to make him smile, even in a crisis. Now? Now they make him feel sick.]

...Dee?

[Lee is entirely useless and he doesn't bother going for his gun. Instead he just stares at Max and looks sort of liked a kicked puppy without entirely meaning to. Some rational part of him knows that it can't be Dee. She'd have run toward him, not away. Moreover she's a bit tall and just not quite Dee. He doesn't care. Lee wants her to turn back around and be the Lieutenant on Galactica.]

Edited (text went eyebleed tiny OOPS) 2013-05-02 00:13 (UTC)

[ When she glances back to evaluate how things are going the expression on Lee's face catches her for a moment and she hesitates in her stride, weary suddenly. He looks - she knows that look, has seen it again and again. There's a half moment where she's still and looking at them both, something tired and old settling on her face before she shakes herself free and keeps moving, only feet from an exit now. It's a bad exit - there's nothing but clear space outside it for a while, nowhere to hide, but it's still somewhere not here.

This place feels very confined, all of a sudden. She throws out her empathy like radar, seeking for anyone who feels familiar, and pulls her arms close to her chest.

The way Kara looks at her - the way Lee had looked had been almost worse, but there had been nothing but venom in Kara's expression. She was beginning to doubt that avoidance would be a long term solution, and as soon as she's through the door she turns and stops a couple dozen feet away from it, watching. If they come through after her, she might as well get this sorted if possible.

It's not like dying lasts, here, if this goes worse than she'd like. ]

[Starbuck is torn. Part of her just wants to shoot Max in the back of the head and get rid of at least one Cylon problem. The other half of her doesn't see a point with whatever their resurrection/downloading/whatever the frak they call it here. She's about half a second away from at least getting the satisfaction of putting the damned toaster down when she catches Lee's voice. And it's enough to drag her attention to him.

Frak. Why does he have to look like that?

She lets out an exasperated sigh and levels him a 'you owe me so big' look, then clamps a hand around his elbow to usher him to the door behind Max.]

C'mon already.

[Frakking Lee and your frakking whipped puppy face.]

[Watching "Dee" get shot before having the chance to questions her, coupled with her inevitable ressurection, would probably traumatize Lee more than Kara truly wants. Its for the best that he actually has a minute to recover and hopefully convey that he wants the chance to at least ask. Looking at Kara with a expression not altogether different from the one he'd had after she ran off with Sam, he doesn't say anything.

The guiding hand of his best friend is immensely helpful at shaking him enough that reality sets back in and the ringing he thinks he is hearing fades. Really, he wishes he were anywhere else doing absolutely anything else. Once they go outside, Lee knows he'll never be able to pretend that his Dee is human again.]

She. Looks just like Dee.

[Lee states the obvious like a professional, even as they are walking outside. He's staring again, this time the shock and hurt are secondary to the critical gaze. While he hasn't moved his hand to his weapon, that doesn't mean he isn't willing to if Max draws a weapon.]

So I've been told.

[ Crisp and displeased from where she's pulled herself up straight and tall, emphasizing the scant few inches of height that are (unknown to her) the only obvious thing that separates her from Dee's body. The other differences are more subtle, in the scars that she keeps hidden beneath her long sleeves and jeans and the lines of her face that are not quite Dee's.

There's no weapon in her hands, because if things go poorly she's counting on her ability to delay them long enough with her mind to reach the gun tucked into the back of her waistband.

She doesn't want it to come to that in the first place, though. ]

And I'm right here, thanks.

Oh but she's not Dee. She's Max.

[And Kara can't be assed to either acknowledge the woman or mask the pure disdain and sarcasm in her tone of voice. Because Boomer wasn't a Cylon either and then she put two bullets in the old man. So nothing Max says to the contrary is going to change Starbuck's mind on this. Even though she's starting to feel like a third wheel here, somehow.]

[Lee looks between the two women and while he isn't a third wheel, Lee is ready to just run away from this situation entirely. There's an audible groan before he speaks, as if he's trying to simultaneously clear his throat and swallow down bile.

Max? Max. Okay then, Max. Lay it on me. Explain to me how someone else I know [Lee just can't use the word wife right now] looks exactly like you.

[He isn't going to believe anything she says but Lee is a firm believer in at least letting everyone have the chance to say their piece.]

It's great to know you care about my name.

[ Tight lipped and angry, if she's not willing to let it show in more than the hard precise pronunciation of of her words and the way her whole body is tense with it. She doesn't like answers being demanded of her, and she doesn't like accusations. And she definitely doesn't like the threat she can practically feel in both of them and the air, heavy and acrid and dangerous. ]

I don't know, and frankly I don't care because it's none of my business. There's probably some multiworlds theory that covers it well enough. All that matters is that I'm not a robot, and I'm not trying to hurt anyone.

And I don't believe you. Boomer wasn't a Cylon either until someone switched her on and she shot the old man.

[Sorry, Lee, but it needs to be said.

Kara takes one menacing step forward. If looks could kill... well.]

Let me make something clear to you Max. [Yep, clearly not buying any of this.] The only reason I haven't put a bullet in your head already is because I know you'll just resurrect like a good little toaster and I'll have wasted a bullet on a pile of circuitry.

That and I think Lee deserves first shot.

Kara, wait.

[Lee catches Kara's arm just as she stops short. He steels his voice when he continues, though its lacking any affection for the Dee who isn't Dee. That hurt face is getting pushed down in favor of one that's all business.]

Nobody is getting shot today, okay? [He hopes.] As for what you are, its just as likely you don't even know it.

Yet.

[So yeah, he's radiating distrust, suspicion, and doubt. Those other feelings of betrayal and loss will be addressed later. With alcohol.]

Edited (clarifying by eliminating over use of pronouns) 2013-05-02 03:22 (UTC)

[ Yeah. She about thought that's where this was headed, but - there's a police force here, and they've shown a willingness to investigate murders. And the police are one of her least favorite things to deal with. ]

We're not from the same world. [ Anger seeping in more obviously. ] It's really common here, most people aren't from the same place. Just leave me the fuck alone, okay?

[ Her awareness is widening by the moment, shields dropping so she can try to crash into their minds if necessary, give herself time. ] I don't need stalkers.

[Kara rolls her eyes. At both of them. If the whole situation weren't so damned serious, this would be laughable. Maybe. Stalking? No. If that were the case Starbuck wouldn't frak around with stalking, she'd have already killed Max.]

You're being too nice, Lee.

[Worlds meant less to Lee than some, if only because his home universe had twelve known planets and a multitude of others yet undiscovered. Several of said planets were likely to have a myriad of secret Cylons with his lover's face.

So, now he just looks entirely unimpressed. Additionally, his face is shifting from neutral diplomacy to frustration as Max's responses get more agitated.]

This does not need to be a confrontation. [He can't help the irritated sigh.] But if you want to see it that way...

[That's not a threat so much as depressed resignation. Well. He's now firmly convinced she's a Cylon and there is little he can do about it.]

Kara, we should go.

[Before he can no longer keep it together. His voice is ragged and its pretty clear Lee is forcing himself to do anything but lose it.]

This doesn't need to be a confrontation? [ And now she's angry, taking a step forward and jabbing her finger in their general direction. ]

You followed me. You didn't need to. You're the ones accusing me of genocide and saying how you should have just put a bullet in my head. Of course it's a confrontation, and you made it one.

[ She's practically radiating anger, knows that it's not just her body language but also her empathy leaking anger into the surroundings, but her control hasn't been very good for a while and she doesn't have what she needs to stop it. ]

Yeah. You should go. And you should stay away from me from now on.

Yeah okay fine.

[And just like that, Kara surprisingly turns like she's really going to leave. Which is a little meek and not at all like her. Which is promptly cleared up by her swinging around to slug Max in the face.]

What the frak?! Kara!

[Lee knows she'll be pissed later on but he tries to grab one of Kara's arms before she can prep for her next punch.]

You should go. Now. [He says to Max. His tone might actually be pleading at this point.]

[ The problem is, Max has instincts. Instincts honed through over a decade of fighting being her life, the reaction to someone hitting being to hit back as hard as you can and see if you can buy enough time to not die. And she's already tense and on edge, so the first impact of the fist into her face results in a step back and automatic smooth flow into a crossing kick aimed at Kara's face, a fist after it.

She takes a step back after the first initial reaction, glances at Lee and steps back again, continuing to move backwards. She has no trust in them. Turning her back is not an option. ]

[The kick and the punch are bad enough, but Lee grabbing her and making that possible just pisses Starbuck off even more. She jerks her arm away from him as rough as she can.]

Alright. I'm good.

[Which is obviously a complete and utter lie, because despite the bloody lip and the hellish bruise she's going to have, she reaches for her gun, pulls it out and aims it while making a show of releasing the safety.]

You leave, I don't pull the trigger.

[Lee groans when he hears Max's foot successfully connect with Kara's face. He'd set his friend up for that one and he was probably going to hear about it later.]

Frak! [This is said to no one in particular and as he's finishing his curse, there's Kara pulling out her sidearm.] What the?!

Okay, no pulling triggers and no more violence.

[Lee looks at Max with what could only be a pleading 'leave' in his eyes. Things have gotten out of hand and he's painfully aware of it.]

[ It's a really good thing her instincts are a little bit more under control now, because her first one at seeing Kara's gun was to pull her own and not even bother with the warning part.

She really doesn't like people threatening her life.

But she's been in no win situations, and she may hate folding without a fight but she knows better than to try something more here. There's a moment and then she just keeps moving backwards, hands clenched at her side as she barely keeps them from reaching for her gun.

Just to the alley, and then she's fine. They can try coming after her then, city streets are her haunting grounds.

She can't resist throwing up her middle finger at them both just before she steps into the shadows of the alley, though, some visible representation of just how much she dislikes them both right now. ]

[Max can flip all the birds she wants. Kara's not lowering her weapon until she's convinced the toaster is good and gone, and not going to come back with a weapon of her own. Only after standing there aiming in that general direction for the better part of five minutes does she relax her guard and holster the sidearm.

She then whips around on Lee, furious.]

WHAT THE FRAK WAS THAT FOR?!

[Not. Happy.]

[Its a relief when Max goes but not for long. In spite of himself, that apologetic look follows the darker skinned woman until she disappears. Not that she probably saw anything but a threat and danger in Lee's eyes. Still.

Lee is really, really confused. In fact he's contemplating that confusion when Kara turns on him.]

I. [Smooth talking Lee is stumbling here.] I don't know. I didn't want to see any bloodshed. And anyways, if she is a Cylon [she is Lee, stop denying it] then she'll just come back anyways and she'll come back pissed. Do you think I want to wake up to find you dead?

[Lee, you manipulative ass. That's not the main reason at all. Its part of one reason, kind of, but like hell he feels like spewing his broken hearted feelings about Dualla.]

I can handle myself against a frakkin' Cylon.

[She gives him a rough shove to vent her frustration with him.]

Don't do me any favors next time.

Edited 2013-06-05 03:56 (UTC)

And if she's faster than the models we know about? [Lee's voice is defensive now. Yep you sure did make a mess of this one Apollo.] We have no idea what happens if we get hurt or die here. What if that's it and we never go home?

[While he stumbles, Lee does his best to ignore the aggressive push. He wants to try and make things right with Kara in the immediate. Apparently he's forgotten that Kara Thrace does much better when given time to cool down.]

Kara, wait. I wasn't trying to get you hurt.

[Truth be told he thought Max would fight just like Dee and he'd taught Dee everything she knows.]

Doing a great job then, Lee. That's a hell of a natural talent you got.

[Hard. Angry. Stare. Then Kara pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.]

Whatever. Just leave it.

[Because those are questions he's asking that she doesn't want to think about or answer, so of course, she's going to back the hell away from all of it.]

[Lee looks apologetic but he knows it's not nearly enough.]

Fine. I'll leave it. [Yes, he's sullen. And just needs to go drown himself in alcohol.] You know what? I'm going to go.

You should get your eye looked at.

[That's a pretty lame way to cop out of the hard conversation and Lee just doesn't care.]

Is that an order, Apollo?

[Because someone is pissy enough with you right at this moment to not get it looked at just to be contrary and spite you. And when in a foul mood, fall back into military mode just to be an ass. Not that Kara much follows orders most of the time anyway.]

Whichever answer means you take care of yourself.

[He's tired and he isn't in the mood to rise to the bait.]

[There's a disgruntled snort from Kara and then she turns to stalk off away from Lee before she punches him. She'll probably answer to the old man for it in some way later, but better that than venting on a guy who just found out he's beek frakking a toaster.]

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( closed ) didn't want to be anyone's ghost

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Sorry for the hold up!!

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