exsiliumlogs | Stars are out tonight, all the world seems to just drift on by

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Stars are out tonight, all the world seems to just drift on by

Date & Time: October 5th, 6pm
Location: somewhere in the vast network of hallways
Characters: Chloe Frazer + Koltira Deathweaver
Summary: http://i.imgur.com/O53Zws0.jpg
Warnings: Language, mild emotional constipation, scotch

[She doesn't expect to bump into him there, rounding the corner on her way to the northernmost row of apartments. Both Charlie and Chloe (possibly due to the flat they lost back on earth, or the fact that they'd been lost in time during the shift) are stuck napping on crates or in chairs till they pop the lock on a spare room. Scouting out a potential space for it keeps her mind focused on something other than building frustration peppered with a dose of Jesus-Christ-we're-actually-on-the-moon borne panic.

Chloe's shoulder slams straight into the side of his pauldron with about as little grace as humanly possible.]

--shit, sorry. Too bloody distracted to [--wait--] Koltira?

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'Us'? [Half-smile.] Ah--right. The man.

[Your man.]

Oh, don't start. [Don't you even start, you smug bastard.]

[HE'S STARTING!!]

What? Can I not be happy for you? Cleaving to another person in a storm ... you all need that.

[The living.]

And you don't. [Sorry, Koltira, you're getting a rather sharp look for that one.]

[He shakes his head, 'no', but he's still smiling a little.]

A death knight walks alone.

Funny thing about that: strangers can always invade your personal space and walk right alongside you. [Wink wink nudge nudge.]

So, what do you think of it all?

Yes. I have grown tolerant of such things. [The fact that he's joking with her, even a little, proves that.]

Think of what? The moonbase? Our catastrophic failure to protect the native people of this world?

The distinct lack of Scotch in space?

Edited 2013-10-15 12:50 (UTC)

All of the above, I suppose. [Her own casual way of spelling out the fact that she (for all her fuss about looking after number one first and foremost when it comes to the Initiative) doesn't care for it-- any of it.]

I do not like it here. I do not like how we came to be here, and I do not like the close quarters in which we are now arranged. [His fingers clench and unclench.]

[She catches that; doesn't say a word about the tightness in his fists as she stuffs her own down in her pockets.] It was a bloody massacre, mate.

And the part that gets me is everyone's up here having the time of their lives. Parties, games, floating about without a care in the world. Nice way to remember everyone the Initiative left there to die, isn't it.

[He sneers.]

They are doing what they've always done. They behaved the same even when we had soil under our feet.

At least then the people getting killed off signed up for it. Knew what they were in for.

[It's a sore spot, honestly. Heroic stupidity a foreign concept that Chloe's admired and despised in just about equal parts. But the Initiative? Christ, they've been picking at the United Earth's wounds since day one. What came from that shouldn't have been any sort of surprise-- much less one innocent people wound up paying the price for.]

War is no less horrific for the volunteer than it is for the conscripted. Or --
[He stares out the windows, towards the little blue globe of the Earth]

-- the civilians.

Never said there was. [It's not defensive when she says it, low and quiet and under her breath like something that needs venting.] But someone diving into the fray and someone swept away by the current are two completely different stories.

[A beat] It's not right, Koltira. None of this is.

[Hesitantly, hesitantly, he lifts a hand. He doesn't touch her shoulder, but his open palm lingers there, over it, close but not making contact.]

No. But there is nothing we can do.

[She's not blind; she can see it, hovering just over her shoulder. Hands that massive (not even including those thick, heavily plated gauntlets) are hard to miss.

Chloe stands there for a moment longer before rocking forward onto the balls of her feet, lifting herself enough to butt the slope of her shoulder right into his palm.] So what, we just...ignore it? Pretend it never happened?

[His eyes widen in surprise as she pushes up against his (cold, armored) hand. But he squeezes her shoulder nevertheless. Lightly.]

That is not the way. We have to find a way to restore the timeline. Prevent matters from reaching this dire point.

But such a question is not for a mind like mine.

Which means no accountability, no consequences. Must be bloody perfect for the Initiative, don't you think. [She's been bothered by the whole mess this week, it's true, but it's not until the sharpness in her voice registers-- Koltira's steadying hand doing its best to comfort-- that she realizes it isn't about exhaustion or frustration or regret.

She's livid.]

There are consequences. For us. For our souls.

[Despite all he's seen, despite all he's done, he's just as guilty over the situation as anyone else. The loss of the exiles was a loss of innocent life -- something he swore, on entering the Ebon Blade, to prevent.]

If you ask me, some consequences aren't severe enough. [She's not about to wait for the Initiative to die off from old age or stupidity for them to get theirs-- and likely take out more lives along with them.]

What would you have happen?

[He steps so that he's in front of her, looking into her eyes.]

What would you have us do?

[It takes her by surprise how quick he is to step in, tension in her shoulders drawing up a tad before she forces out a smile-- eyes flicking over towards a random spot on the wall before meeting his again.]

Nothing, mate. Christ.

Do I look like the sort of person that's capable of something that massive?

[He doesn't even hesitate.]

Yes.

[Not what she was expecting to hear, either. Because she's not-- or at least she's never been. For god's sake the only time she ever stood up to a war criminal was when he was her bloody boss. ~~And he'd already realized she'd been double crossing him.~~ But the thought that here she might be?

Well, she just doesn't know how to swallow it.]

Don't kid yourself, darling. Come on.

You looked away as you replied. It is the classic mark of a liar. Which I also know you to be, regardless.

[Ain't judging. Just saying.]

It was me being shocked that you think I give enough of a damn to risk my own neck for the sake of someone I don't know. [The liar comment-- she lets that one go. Too true to bother denying.] Little too old for all that bravado.

[His ears twitch.]

Do not play this game with me. I have no patience for it.

[Fair point.]

Koltira, I don't know, okay? Seriously. I don't. [ There's just too much to factor in, anyway. Things she hasn't considered or thought herself capable of. Risk and reward and-- Christ, she doesn't know where to start.] I won't pretend to like the mess we're in, but just in case you haven't noticed, I'm not the 'fires of rebellion' sort.

[He thinks Chloe PRETENDS to be that way, sure. But it's no use pressing the matter just now.]

I think you know more than you want to say. But I will not push you.

Yeah well, if more comes of it, I'll tell you. [And get punched square in the jaw for it probably, but she will.] Right now I'm just...

I dunno, darling, it's all so hard to watch. How far we've fallen.

[His gaze flicks to his own COLD, DEAD, MURDERER'S HANDS.]

You'll get used to it.

Hey. [Chloe sets her hands over his. Look at these precious motherfuckers.] You shouldn't have to.

[He shakes his head.]

I already am, Chloe.

[Mostly.]

You? Nah. [There's a squeeze for emphasis just before she lets go of those heavy gauntlets, aiming to press pass and continue the search for someplace suitable to hole up in.] You're too bloody stubborn to get used to anything.

Ten years as what I am can wear down any resolve.

[He lets her go. He's sure there's more to her current attitude than she's telling, but he can wait. For now.]

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Stars are out tonight, all the world seems to just drift on by

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