i'm a goddess of vicious precision

[autokinetic]

Because there are so many fewer diversions on this station than on the previous one, Aegis takes to those that are offered with more of an open mind than she might have done before. For instance, she stays after personal combat sometimes, to watch Sue sparring with Howlett. Now and then she takes a turn herself. Today she's just supervising.

Comments

[pythbox]

Sue goes back to his nothing.

[autokinetic]

They're adjacent to each other in the infirmary. The other guy is in the makeshift morgue; he's not the first person to die on the station, although they don't have enough population to have a permanent setup for it.

They're treated for their injuries.

Aegis regains the ability to bird again after about an hour. you okay?

[pythbox]

no

[autokinetic]

he hurt you?

[pythbox]

He doesn't know. Well, yes, but he doesn't know if that's what's wrong.

He makes his confusion available over the link.

[autokinetic]

they say I'm gonna be fine, she volunteers. they got to me quick enough. they won't tell me how you are.

[pythbox]

i showed you what happened, he says. do you want it again?

[autokinetic]

I know what happened. I don't know how you're recovering. I'm not a doctor.

[pythbox]

me neither

[autokinetic]

but aren't they telling you? I want you to be okay

[pythbox]

i don't care if i'm okay.

[autokinetic]

I do!

[pythbox]

why

[autokinetic]

you're my bird. my friend I mean, you're my friend.

[pythbox]

i like being your bird, he says listlessly.

[autokinetic]

you don't sound like you like anything, right now

[pythbox]

He considers this, then agrees wordlessly.

[autokinetic]

what's wrong, help me help you

[pythbox]

don't know, he says. i just. don't care. about me. about anything.

[autokinetic]

Aegis has to dig very deeply to bring down enough wall for it, but she finds out that she can, if she wants to badly enough, send a virtual hug.

[pythbox]

Now he is crying.

Is that an improvement?

It feels like it is.

[autokinetic]

talk to me? please?

[pythbox]

don't know what to say, he says. thank you, i guess. for being my friend.

[autokinetic]

you're welcome

[pythbox]

He doesn't know what the name of this feeling is, but it's a good feeling and he can't remember the last time he had one of those, so he sends it.