tentacruelest | 8th Wave

8th Wave

Th' next time this Barge feels like poking around in my head, I'll be keeping to my quarters. The lot of yeh - useless dregs not fit to scrub a floor. It's bad enough I'm locked in here with you, I don't need to call any of yeh friends.

[Private to Bush]

Was dealing with me yerself so difficult that you sought to work through less offensive channels, Captain?

[Private to Arthas]

A word, my king.

[Can you feel that heavy sarcasm, Arthas?]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

How is it ever all right.

You'll volunteer for nothing. I've no interest in her nonexistent honor.

Is that permission to make it harder on you, Captain?

Get used to this unsuccessful pursuit. P'haps in another year or so yeh'll accept I will not be graduating, and go on to pursue your goal with another inmate.

Woman, stay out of this.

Where? I assume the when is now. Or shall I track you down?

Zane, lad, please. Reminding him he is powerless won't be what causes him to back down. It will only make his bluster turn real.

Please, Zane, I don't want you harmed and he will regret, someday, that he did it.

Oh, so you're a blowhard. All wind but no movement in the sails.

[ Yeah, that makes sense. ]

I-- yes, I do, now you mention it.

[And the tears are starting up again. Iris isn't normally someone that cries this easily; since Jupiter it seems she hasn't stopped.]

That's where my ship used to be. A living timeship. Part of me, that I've not been without since Lilith's day.

I don't know what to do with meself.

[He looks conflicted, and after a moment's contemplation, he seems ready to speak again.]

I wish to say my piece and then I will leave you be. If I may -- given what we have discussed, I believe it is possible that your first instinct is to blame yourself when someone wrongs you. That's painful in itself, especially when sometimes your self is all you may have.

I will say nothing of others, as you asked me to speak not of the past. Assuming that belief is true, however, please understand that I am a man able to make his own decisions and who either understands the consequences of his actions or can be made aware of them. If I were to ever betray your confidence, the fault would lie squarely with me, and you would be entitled to any reproach you saw fitting. If you come to me in conversation or in any other capacity, you are not obligated to expect anything of me save that I treat you with decency, as an equal if not more. If that does not happen, it is my failing, not yours. I will endeavor not to fail.

If my conversation gives you any ease, it is yours whenever you seek it. I promise.

Mmm. I know it's more my way than yours, withdrawing. But everyone needs...a little sanctuary, on occasion.

[He pulls away just enough to hand her a small bowl of blueberries and shoo her toward Aster's cage.]

You've a flowery speech and a forked tongue. And I can no more trust you than I can my own heart.

Boy, I would think twice before attempting to anger me today.

There's no sport in cleaving you in two.

First, I think Iris is more worth your time than me.

Second, I wasn't just doing this to try to stop him. I want him to fight me, if anyone, because he won't have to regret that in the future. Fighting is something I do very well, and if I get hurt, I won't be any more angry at him than I am from him saying those things.

And finally: I won't stop telling him he's an idiot just because he doesn't like it.

Why don't you find someone who wants to fight with you?

You don't think so?

Do you understand what loyalty means?

Trust is earned, Captain, and I've never been afraid of high prices. It's not for me to decide what that is; it's yours, and if you never agree it has been earned that is your right.

[He cannot understand, not really, not even having seen poor old Hotspur sink--oh Hotspur, he did love her. But time-ship? Alive, in more than the spiritual way ships are?

He does not have to.]

Oh darling. Oh Iris. What can I do?

I am glad you think so because it's her I contacted first.

Secondly, it is my business that he learns to do anything other than be cruel. And I don't know how, Zane. I am sorry to put some of the burden on you, I know it ain't fair, but he is an inmate and it's to wardens not to rise to him as long as all he has is words.

Tell him he is a fool, but not that he is weak. I made him weak, was me asked the admiral to take much of his strength away.

Better'n a pup like you can scarce imagine.

If you can think of something more novel than threat and quarreling. I have seen plenty enough of that in my career.

Each time I have opened my heart to another, it has been at first accepted and then stolen. Each time I have given into friendship, I am betrayed and lied to. Each time I have been promised freedom, I have been granted only slavery and servitude. What is mine, I have pried from the fingers of unwilling men who had the opportunity to give willingly and instead stabbed me in the back.

And yet I persist in forging the odd, rare connection. Tell me, is that not some sort of Hell in and of itself? To understand that you will always be alone and yet to keep searching, unable to accept the truth for what it is?

Why are you tormenting me with these offers? Go away.

From your lip, I took that to be you.

Aye. His Majesty's navy was always the breeding ground for new tortures invented by bored men. I'm not at all surprised.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 6 of 17

8th Wave

[Private]

[private]

Private

no subject

no subject

Private

[private]

Re: private

private

[Private]

[spam]

Re: [Private]

[private]

no subject

Private

no subject

no subject

[Private]

Re: private

Re: Private

no subject

Re: Private

[Private]

no subject

Private