indispensible | nine. audio & spam. i've walked around broken.

spam } barge, day 1

[Vin wonders if Alpha is gone as a judgment on her. Maybe. She deserves to be judged. She knows this, because she feels as though a part of her heart has been carved out and left on the other side of the door.]

[Nathan is gone. She goes through her days avoiding the people she has harmed, her eyes glued to some imaginary horizon. There are no horizons here. No sun. Hardly any air to speak of.]

[Everything is dying. It reminds her of home. Except for the stars, which she stares at for too long on the deck, until they leave bright spots on her vision.]

public } voice, day 1

[She sounds contemplative, if a little flat. She isn't sure what she wants out of this; then again, she isn't sure what she wants out of anything, right now.

Wouldn't it be easier if we let the ship die?

It would be better. None of you would have to fight anymore. You can't possibly want to anymore.

private } marsh

Is it . . . very bad? Today?

[By it, she means everything. The weight of existence in this place, at this time.]

spam } port, remainder

[It's tempting to trail after people like Ned. But she doesn't. Breathing free air - free-ish, free enough - inspires her in a way she didn't think she could be inspired anymore, and she strikes off on her own into the settlement. Does not think she's pursued; doesn't listen too carefully. There's a large part of her that still doesn't care.]

[But she listens to the people around her talk of invasion, of medicines she doesn't understand, of technology she can't comprehend - and of weapons.]

[On the second day, she trades several hours of menial labor for a weapon, a small, short-bladed knife. Metal - not what she wanted, but the best she can get. And after she puts it in her back pocket, she walks around differently. With a touch of purpose, instantly noticeable, along with the unsteady and distant half-smile flitting across her lips.]

[Maybe she wants revenge, for the people she's hurt and for Nathan, too. Maybe she is simply pleased to finally be moving.]

( ooc; vin is affected for the desperate to deliver plot! )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's right. Just Stark.

[For better or for worse.]

Then you'll help me? Really?

Because Nathan went away, and I don't want to be alone anymore.

I can't and won't promise that you won't ever be. [The Barge never allows for promises like that and besides, Stark's not 100% comfortable with promising that in the first place.] But I can promise you that I'll fight come Hell or high water to stay with you, alright?

I feel like I should believe you. But I also feel like that's a really stupid idea.

You're right on both counts. But what the hell do you have to lose?

. . . Nothing.

So there you go. I'm fine with being a last-ditch effort.

In fact, I'd be more concerned if I was your first.

Now you sound even less like him. I suppose that's a good thing.

[Still. She sort of misses her evil devil buddy, in a way.]

Don't kill yourself with the vote of confidence there, Vincesca.

It made me feel strong. The way we were, before. That's all.

Well it shouldn't have because that asshole would have sold you down the river for a bag of chips.

I know.

[It's just complicated, okay.]

Then you don't know what being strong really is.

I knew that already.

Well, forgive me if I don't sound all that convinced.

I don't forgive anyone.

Good. You shouldn't.

I thought it was good to forgive.

Maybe. But it's better for people to work for forgiveness.

Are you going to work for mine?

Whether it matters to you or not.

. . . It matters. I think it matters a lot.

Well, that's convenient. Because as it so turns out? It matters a lot to me, too.

So, what do you say? Work together? Figure out a way out of this mess?

I think I could probably manage that.

That's a relief to hear.

[Because he wasn't going to take no for an answer.]