Fifth Transmission

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[York's image comes up on the communicator, and even with armor on he looks fairly confused. He's sitting in the hotel, and Sparky's in his usual position on top of York's head.]

Okay, so I know I've been kind of distracted most of this week, but what the heck happened on the Mother of Invention? Is everyone okay?

Comments

[guerriera]

'Hazard pay'. Because of--oh for God's sake.

[ The helmet tips further; that's definitely a glare as she leans in over York's shoulder. (Poor York.) ]

I'm not threatening anyone. [Yet.] I haven't even seen any around here. [because they're all hiding. ]

[unrecovered]

Probably because they're avoiding you. [Wash had done it himself in the old days - angry Carolina was scary as hell when you were new.] What did you even do?

[guerriera]

[ There's a distinctly withering tilt of her helmet to one side. No really, Wash, what gave that away.

Carolina really hasn't gotten any better when she's angry. Just ask Epsilon. ..Actually, don't do that, that'd be a bad idea. She stops leaning on York, if only to draw back in defensive hostility. Well, muted hostility. Mostly.]

Made a poor first impression. [ya think, Carolina.]

[unrecovered]

[He'd probably watch his words more if Carolina were right there, and he'll probably pay for this later, but right now his temper is doing the talking.]

No shit. What did you do.

[guerriera]

[ Watch your mouth, not-so-rookie. ]

It was a mutually bad first impression, Wash, just leave it at that. [He's not going to though, is he. There's less snap, but definite disgruntlement in the words that follow.] I'll sort it out. How much of a hazard pay increase is it, exactly?

[unrecovered]

[That helmet tilt? Yeah, that says he's not impressed and he's not going to just leave it.]

A forty percent increase from a group that's usually pretty friendly is more than a mutually bad first impression. What did you do.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

[Okay, that got York's attention.]

Forty percent? Jesus, and it's already expensive already.

[unrecovered]

No kidding. That's why I'm asking.

Hey, did you pick up any rifle ammo while you were on the Mother? I'm running low. Damn giraffes take half a clip.

[There are distressed whinnies from offscreen, and Wash looks over his shoulder, exasperated.]

Not you. The Nightmares.

[guerriera]

[ How much? York at least can hear her half-choke at the increase. He'd made a point to warn her about the cost as it was, but that was a bigger hike on top of an extortionate price than even Carolina expected. ]

I mentioned what happened when I arrived. [In vague one-liner fashion, but she did tell him. Her hand lifts, touches her helmet in annoyance.] [grumbled] Christ.

I'll take care of it, Wash. [Soon as she's figured out where to find at least one moogle.].

[unrecovered]

[Right. It attacked her. Somehow he doesn't exactly believe that.]

You did. [He was pretty sure it's total bullshit.] I was hoping for details.

Fine. Just don't make it worse.

[guerriera]

I'm sure you were. [ It's not total bullshit, it was aN incredibly bad first impression. And Carolina doesn't appreciate you thinking she's a liar at her, either! :|

She scowls, even if he can't see it. ]

I don't intend to.

If you're desperate for clips, you can have mine. I'm not using the rifle I brought with me.

[unrecovered]

Good luck.

Keep them - you might need them. I'll make do. [Carolina's the better fighter, but Wash has had more experience with the Nightmares. As far as he can figure, it balances out.]

[guerriera]

[ 'I don't need it' goes unspoken, save perhaps in the counter-tilt of her head. She shrugs when he declines the bullets. ]

Suit yourself.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Yeah, there should be more there too. Truth be told I'm getting used to punching things to death these days.

[Maybe he should get more dream eaters. That would probably help the punching idea.]

[unrecovered]

You- what? Really? You don't even have a knife or anything?

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Of course I have a knife too.

[It's not like he's going into battle unprepared.]

[unrecovered]

Then why are you punching them?

[Something here does not quite compute.]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Carolina was punching them. Using a knife would have been cheating.

[unrecovered]

Oh.

[And suddenly that makes a lot more sense. Carolina showing up has definitely shaken things up, especially with York, and Wash needs to remember that.]

Good luck with that.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Thanks.

[And York has to ask, because he's not sure about bringing it up with Ziva herself.]

How's Ziva?

[unrecovered]

She's okay.

[Private channel now? Private channel now.]

She's...been better. She told me she was gone for a year, not just four days.

[Private]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

I'm guessing it wasn't a good year.

Permafilter

[unrecovered]

She won't tell me, and I'm not going to push it.

...but I don't think it was.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

Anything I can do, just tell me and I'll be there. I'll tell her that, too.

[unrecovered]

Thanks.

[There's a few moments of silence, then:] How do you...handle it? I mean, what do you do?

[Usually he's the one refusing to tell other people his problems. Now that the shoe's on the other foot, he's not 100% sure what to do. The last time he dated a girl who wouldn't share her problems with him...well, neither of them handled it well and the whole thing ended very badly. As unlikely as it is to actually happen, Wash doesn't want a repeat.]