THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[It is very early. Very, very early. It's still night, even. Most are probably still asleep.

They will not be asleep for long.

Not after the screaming suddenly starts coming from the voices outside their doors, if they are in the apartment car, in their rooms.]

Oh god oh god oh god-

B____R! FOOT IN MY MOUTH INDEED!

[And certainly not after the big

BOOM

That suddenly rocks the train. There is screeching, moaning, and a flash of great darkness. Everyone, for a moment, is blinded by blackness. There are shouts and screams that echo, no matter where one is. Smoke and begins to fill the hall of the apartment car.

Whatever has happened-it's bad. It's very bad.

And the darkness is starting to clear up...]

Comments

CW: LIVING WEAPON ISSUES

[charmingheroine]

I can only speak for myself, but I was raised for it. The stupidity, I mean. To lay down one's life not only for one's friends, but for all the world... I was taught that was good, the highest good there is, and that someday I would probably have to. Right now, this is "the world". And I don't have the powers that made me so important a weapon in the first place, anymore... but you're right, on all counts.

[She looks up at the ceiling again, expression carefully blank.]

I couldn't let him do it. Nor you, not anyone here. I'm just used to being in situations where it's success or death, I suppose that's made me a little cavalier about my own life.

[She looks down again, looks him in the eyes. She's aware she probably looks cold like this, chalk-pale with no tears in her eyes. She only seems to be seized by them when it's least convenient...]

If it's as bad up there as it is down here, and there is radiation involved, anyone up there probably died about as fast as Tali, if not faster. I wanted to think maybe it was just the one end of the car...

But you're also right that I can't die here. I have work to do.

[eternaldivide]

So ... you've basically been raised to be a kind of Martyr for the world, is what you're saying. I suppose ... it's better a reason than simply deciding to become one to try and 'save' us.

[ Mithos' expression is seemingly blank as well. ]

Well, as long as you know that now isn't the time to go and do something like that, we're good. After all, you're right, we do have work that we need to do.

[ ... ]

I knew someone who would also lay down their life for the world. So I won't fault you for that. Instead I'll be glad that we agree that right now isn't the time.