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[recinerate]

voice | video | text | action

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[text]

[vampere]

What do you know about death on the Barge?

[It's an odd question, and perhaps odder still for the fact that Tesla isn't opening with his more usual video or voice, but under the circumstances, he figures it's probably for the best.]

[text]

[recinerate]

[Definitely an odd question, but not the strangest thing Beyond's ever encountered.]

Quite a lot, actually. One, it occurs with alarming frequency; two, it's not permanent; and three, the death toll after being revived is extremely unpleasant.

[He knows all of these things from personal experience. He can guess what prompted the question, but he'll ask anyway:]

Why do you ask?

[text]

[vampere]

Let's just say it's suddenly become a lot more relevant.

[text]

[recinerate]

[That's about what he figured.]

Who is dead, and where?

[text]

[vampere]

[It's a thing, yeah, and to be honest a lot of the reason Tesla's even bothering is because he hasn't forgotten that earlier conversation.]

Sinjir. In the showers.

voice.

[recinerate]

[Damn. Beyond doesn't waste time typing a response, just switches to voice as he heads out the door of his cabin.]

I'll be right there.

[yedinyy]

Beyond.

[recinerate]

Yes, Elizabeth? How can I help you?

[yedinyy]

Did you check the network?

[recinerate]

Not yet.

[But he does, quickly, and comes back using voice, because it's a little more personal than speaking through text. There's a note of genuine surprise in his voice.]

Oh ... I had no idea he'd done that.

[yedinyy]

[She doesn't like admitting weakness, and so she responds in kind: but her voice sounds strained, on the other end.]

You're telling me you've been on me since day one, and you had no idea?

[recinerate]

None at all. The Admiral doesn't take requests on assignments.

[yedinyy]

[She highly fucking doubts that- but lets it go for now.]

So now what? What changes?

[voice] (following Han's death, etc etc)

[neverjoinyou]

Mr, er, Beyond?

[voice]

[recinerate]

[An unfamiliar voice. Interesting, but not entirely unexpected, since he now works on the maintenance crew.]

Yes, this is Beyond. How can I help you?

[voice]

[neverjoinyou]

My name is Luke Skywalker. I know this may come at an unwelcome time, and I understand if you hold this sort of thing private. I'm not trying to pry. But I was told you, ah, know Sinjir Velus.

[voice]

[recinerate]

Your timing is fine, Mr. Skywalker, I'm not presently engaged. And what you were told is correct - I was temporarily assigned as Sinjir's warden a few months ago.

[He's intensely curious about what prompted this sudden contact, and he remembers, abruptly, the message from Tesla about finding Sinjir dead in the inmate showers not terribly long ago.]

Has something happened to him?

[voice]

[neverjoinyou]

No--

No. Not exactly. I've been worried about him ever since Tarkin showed up. And in speaking to him, your name came up. As, well... his victim.

[voice]

[recinerate]

Oh ... the time he tortured me, you mean?

[Interesting, that Sinjir would bring it up. He'd brought it up numerous times in conversation with Beyond when they were paired, even though Beyond did his best to stress that he didn't hold it against him.]

That happened during a breach. It was quite a while ago. What did he say about it?

[yedinyy]

I don't want to, but I know we have to.

Let's talk.

[recinerate]

[She's right - they should talk about what happened. What's more, Beyond should have been the one to approach her, not the other way around. Another failure, his mind scolds him.]

Yes ... you're right. I should have checked in with you immediately, I apologize.

[Beyond takes in a slow breath and sighs a heavy exhale.]

Where would you like me to meet you?

[yedinyy]

Common room on your floor. [Nice and public, no risk of her making a scene like last time. She's ashamed of it now, but mostly she feels stupid, like a rookie for having done that.]

Don't apologize for things like that.

[recinerate]

All right. I'll be there in a few minutes.

[He has much to apologize for in the past few weeks. Failing to properly look after Elizabeth is only the most recent. But there's no sense in arguing the point - what's important is pulling himself together well enough to focus on her now.

He makes it to the common room quickly and seats himself in the corner of a couch, knees drawn up to his chest. Having his soul returned to him has done him no favors - he looks distracted, disheveled past his usual casual sloppiness. He stares off at nothing, nervously chewing his thumbnail as he waits for Elizabeth to arrive.]

[yedinyy]

In a coping mechanism, Elizabeth looks even more well put together than usual-- hair, clothes, everything. Her gun is concealed underneath her stylish leather jacket, a knife in her knee-high boot.

She gave herself one day-- one, to put herself back together. To recover what had been stolen from her, to think of Beyond and what he'd done and been like during their stay in hell. That's all she'll allow herself.

"Beyond," she greets him, as she sits down in a chair across from his.

[recinerate]

"Hello, Elizabeth." He pulls his thumb away from his mouth and wraps both arms around his knees, shifting his focus of attention to her as she sits. "How are you managing, after that ... experience?"

She seems fine - a good deal more collected than Beyond, at least. But appearances can be and frequently are deceiving.