With some help from RobKelk
---
On the one hand, she had far too many things to do for an inspection run. On the other, a priority-one communication couldn't be ignored. She paced through the Ultima's operation's decks to where a secure booth had been set aside in a sound-proofed area.
It set her on edge, a prickle along the back of her neck that refused to go away as the door sighed shut behind her.
The design was straight out of '2001' - a simple chair waited in front of an equally sterile telescreen monitor. Only the Ultima patch gazed back at her, a single flickering icon onscreen pointing to a connection request.
She brushed it with her finger. The logo dissolved into a familiar face, viewing her from behind a desk, hands placed carefully in front of him.
“Mr. Scott.”
“Miyuri.”
“I take it this isn't a social call.”
The expression on his faced said as much as the encryption level. SQUID-44 wasn't used for chit-chat. “No,” the image shook its head. “You're familiar with the Mackie situation?”
“A little.” She had been busy, after all.
“Shinji's put in for leave to travel to Frigga.”
“He and Mackie were friends.”
Obviously. Even in the middle of an inspection run, some compassion was needed.
“Yes,” Noah nodded. “I'd like you to accompany him.”
She sat back. “He's quite capable of looking after himself.” Unsaid, 'I'm busy here with the inspection you wanted rushed.'.
“Jet is going to want to know why Mackie was shot down. Officially you're going to offer to help out, on an unofficial basis.”
“I understand,” she said, feeling vaguely uneasy in a way she couldn't place. Deep in the pit of a simulated stomach, a single butterfly rose up. “And unofficially”
“While you're out there, I need a report on Jet. Her psychology, her mentality. How's she actually handling things.”
Now it made sense.
“You think she might be about to do something... unsound?”
She dangled the reference.
“I think we need to be careful she doesn't go up river,” he chose his words carefully, enough to let her grasp his true mind, without betraying himself to anybody listening in. Things like this had dirty habits of becoming self-fulfilling prophecies if they got out and walls on space-stations had ears. “Her relationship with her brother was...”
When he didn't finish, she offered, “It is an unusual variant of the Moll Flanders glitch.” The only one of this type she knew of.
“It's more than that. I don't know the full details. But she took the oath of Venus shortly after he awakened.”
“Somehow, awakening him affected her self-identity.”
A statement, rather than a question. A hint at a far deeper connection. Something dangerous.
“It's more than that,” he said, again. “Ask Yayoi some time how I felt after we lost Yoriko. This is worse - this isn't wartime. If I were Jet, I'd want revenge. I can only imagine how she feels, if her relationship with him was as strong as I suspect...”
There was sympathy there, but also cruel necessity.
“The temptation might be to take it too far,” she finished. “Have you tried asking A.C.?”
“You know what she'll say.”
A small smile “That depends on how carefully she chooses her words.”
Being able to say everything important, while still saying nothing at all, was a true art form.
“Very...”
“But if you're that concerned?”
Maybe someone better equipped?
“Not... concerned. Not yet,” he shook his head. Something of a lie and she knew it. “Takami is... nervous. Maybe keeping a quiet eye on things now will keep us from having to be concerned in the future.”
She saw the tiredness in his eyes, the weight of the worst case scenario lurking in the back of his mind.
“I understand.”
“Thank you, Miyuri.” He reached for the switch that would end the call, then stopped. “Your friend Annika can't be taking this well.”
“We've already talked by email.” And she wasn't about to tell him what Annika had told her in confidence. “I promised to share a new cheesecake recipe with her.”
“Take some time and share it in person. Shinji is a better cook than any of us, except Yayoi. They'd probably both appreciate it.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “Do whatever you think is best while you're there. And... I love you, Miyuri.”
He'd never said that before.
“I love you too, father.”
The channel closed, leaving her alone with the dreadful feeling she might be laying the first flagstone on a long road to somebody's hell.
She'd wanted a serious mission, and she got one, all right. The sort that had the real risk of leaving her never wanting another one again.
The first thing she did, was grab some chocolate from her private supply. It didn't help.
---
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
---
On the one hand, she had far too many things to do for an inspection run. On the other, a priority-one communication couldn't be ignored. She paced through the Ultima's operation's decks to where a secure booth had been set aside in a sound-proofed area.
It set her on edge, a prickle along the back of her neck that refused to go away as the door sighed shut behind her.
The design was straight out of '2001' - a simple chair waited in front of an equally sterile telescreen monitor. Only the Ultima patch gazed back at her, a single flickering icon onscreen pointing to a connection request.
She brushed it with her finger. The logo dissolved into a familiar face, viewing her from behind a desk, hands placed carefully in front of him.
“Mr. Scott.”
“Miyuri.”
“I take it this isn't a social call.”
The expression on his faced said as much as the encryption level. SQUID-44 wasn't used for chit-chat. “No,” the image shook its head. “You're familiar with the Mackie situation?”
“A little.” She had been busy, after all.
“Shinji's put in for leave to travel to Frigga.”
“He and Mackie were friends.”
Obviously. Even in the middle of an inspection run, some compassion was needed.
“Yes,” Noah nodded. “I'd like you to accompany him.”
She sat back. “He's quite capable of looking after himself.” Unsaid, 'I'm busy here with the inspection you wanted rushed.'.
“Jet is going to want to know why Mackie was shot down. Officially you're going to offer to help out, on an unofficial basis.”
“I understand,” she said, feeling vaguely uneasy in a way she couldn't place. Deep in the pit of a simulated stomach, a single butterfly rose up. “And unofficially”
“While you're out there, I need a report on Jet. Her psychology, her mentality. How's she actually handling things.”
Now it made sense.
“You think she might be about to do something... unsound?”
She dangled the reference.
“I think we need to be careful she doesn't go up river,” he chose his words carefully, enough to let her grasp his true mind, without betraying himself to anybody listening in. Things like this had dirty habits of becoming self-fulfilling prophecies if they got out and walls on space-stations had ears. “Her relationship with her brother was...”
When he didn't finish, she offered, “It is an unusual variant of the Moll Flanders glitch.” The only one of this type she knew of.
“It's more than that. I don't know the full details. But she took the oath of Venus shortly after he awakened.”
“Somehow, awakening him affected her self-identity.”
A statement, rather than a question. A hint at a far deeper connection. Something dangerous.
“It's more than that,” he said, again. “Ask Yayoi some time how I felt after we lost Yoriko. This is worse - this isn't wartime. If I were Jet, I'd want revenge. I can only imagine how she feels, if her relationship with him was as strong as I suspect...”
There was sympathy there, but also cruel necessity.
“The temptation might be to take it too far,” she finished. “Have you tried asking A.C.?”
“You know what she'll say.”
A small smile “That depends on how carefully she chooses her words.”
Being able to say everything important, while still saying nothing at all, was a true art form.
“Very...”
“But if you're that concerned?”
Maybe someone better equipped?
“Not... concerned. Not yet,” he shook his head. Something of a lie and she knew it. “Takami is... nervous. Maybe keeping a quiet eye on things now will keep us from having to be concerned in the future.”
She saw the tiredness in his eyes, the weight of the worst case scenario lurking in the back of his mind.
“I understand.”
“Thank you, Miyuri.” He reached for the switch that would end the call, then stopped. “Your friend Annika can't be taking this well.”
“We've already talked by email.” And she wasn't about to tell him what Annika had told her in confidence. “I promised to share a new cheesecake recipe with her.”
“Take some time and share it in person. Shinji is a better cook than any of us, except Yayoi. They'd probably both appreciate it.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “Do whatever you think is best while you're there. And... I love you, Miyuri.”
He'd never said that before.
“I love you too, father.”
The channel closed, leaving her alone with the dreadful feeling she might be laying the first flagstone on a long road to somebody's hell.
She'd wanted a serious mission, and she got one, all right. The sort that had the real risk of leaving her never wanting another one again.
The first thing she did, was grab some chocolate from her private supply. It didn't help.
---
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?