[Snowpocalypse] Tin Can (R 5.1)

Rich

Rossi,

You've been stuck in this fucking submarine for three days now. Your gang drug you and Invert and most of the armament out of that minisub, came back to the sub to re-group, get you washed off and stuff.

That's when the explosion happened and the cave entrance collapsed. Merrell must have had more than he kept in that one spot, and he moved hard.

Now, you'd sent most everyone out because of Invert's warning, right? So I'm wondering how many are stuck down here with you, and how many are out of the caves... somewhere.

Roll+Hard. On a 7-9, choose two people below who's fate is undetermined, but they're not here with you. On a 10+, choose one.
- Arbor
- Jester
- Invert
- Inessa
- Wandering
- Em Sixteen
- Bloody Dracula

What have you been doing down here? How much food's left? What's your plan?

Adam

OOC: let's see how we fared. Roll+Hard. +1XP.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 6, 2. Total: 11)

Adam

I've been a fucking mess — beyond stressed out — since the blast hit. I told everyone to clear the fuck out of this place! I told them it was unsafe, and that a second explosion might trap us down here — turn this fucking place into a tomb. Nobody fucking listened.

... Nobody but Jester, and now I have no fucking idea where he is. None of us do. Did I mention I'm a wreck?

I've been working non-stop to dig a fucking hole out of here... I don't know how much of the tunnels have collapsed, but I'm hoping that since they withstood the first blast that most of them could take a second. I guess that remains to be seen...

Food, and air, are both a precious commodity down here. The sub has a decent airway system, but I don't know if Lemma got around to installing it. I'm feeling claustrophobic. I told people to take what they needed to live while we deal with this Merrell threat, so we don't have a boatload of food... We may be in trouble.

The plan is exactly what I'm doing now... Radios don't work down here, and another explosion would probably only make things worse. So I'm going to dig until my body can't dig anymore — and then I'm going to hope Jester's alive, and that he's coming for me.

Rich

Your fingers are numb, Rossi. You've made some crazy progress, working up in zig-zag angles. Arbors been with you, guiding how to shape the tunnel, offering advice on mining, bringing up tools. He's fading, though. His dose of ice is gone, and his eyes are dimming into their normal color. He doesn't have much stamina left, often crawling back down the tunnel to throw up, or dropping things because his hands are shaking so bad.

"Rossi... I needa. I need a break." He calls up. Distance is so hard to judge here, and angle. You have to keep digging up, but then... which way is up? "Let's head back down a bit. Rest."

Adam

"Rest?" I call back, as flustered as I am tired, "Arbor... If we keep stopping, we'll run out of food before we can fucking get out of here!" He's right though... We do need to rest. I just can't let myself give up so easily... I'll keep it up for a while until it's pretty undeniable that I'm not making progress, and then I'll slink down into the main cave, and join up with Arbor again.

Rich

You slide down into the cave, Arbor's already there. Em climbs up past you to keep working, Inessa follows after her to help, to light the way.

Poptart is in the little cave, waiting. She's been feeding you all, keeping close watch over what food is left, doling it out. Nobody challenges her, or at least nobody has yet. How much of the gang is still back at the sub?

"Rossi," Arbor says as he wipes the last bits of vomit off his beard. He came down here to throw up, again. He's dry heaving now. No more food left. Just bile. His hands tremble and shake, he's stopped trying to calm them. "We've got explosives. We could..."

"No, we can't." Poptart says sharply. "You said yourself it would prolly cause a collapse out here." She scoots over to you, Rossi, pushing half a granola bar into your hand. "Lemma's coming, Rossi. We gotta sit tight, alright? You're killing yourself, and for what? That boy? You aint said shit about Silica."

Adam

I clench my teeth tightly, and my eyes narrow into thin slits when Poptart calls Jester "that boy". Why am I supposed to worry more about Silica — who didn't want to fucking come down here when I sent Jester up after her, by the way — than the man who's been here with me since this whole thing started? I shake my head instructively, "not another word, Poptart. I'm not going to fucking have it."

I turn back to Arbor, and watch him heave over a puddle of bile... This is fucking pathetic. Maybe he'll shake the addiction if we're stuck down here long enough. "There isn't another fucking way out of here? Nothing at all?"

Rich

Poptart glares right back, but she doesn't say anything more about it.

Arbor coughs a little, turns his head and spits. "We can keep mining, Rossi. Just another couple days."

"You said that two days ago!" Poptart growls.

"We got turned, damnit!" Arbor barks back. "And Invert is still effed up." Those lesions she got from the tear gas didn't heal up like they did on you. She was exposed for much longer, really messed up her throat and eyes. Did you send her back to the sub with the gang, or by herself?

Adam

Fuck... I put Invert back up in the sub, hoping the lesions would clear on their own — but I've been so busy I haven't had the chance to go up and check on her... I take a deep breath, and rise up to my feet. "I'm gunna go see if I can fix that..."

I need something good to happen today...

Rich

Alright, Rossi, you tromp back down the winding path towards the sub, passing some of the gangers who have hung back by the sub. Lots of waiting around. The sub is warm, but there are fumes now, you've noticed the air filtration system isn't completely functional.

But you make it back, head into the room where Invert is. She's awake. Her mouth is looking better, but she looks tired, laying there on a bunk with no mattress, covered by a few blankets. She offers you a wave, her throat still too jacked up for speaking without some discomfort. She whispers, "Hey."

Adam

I nod, admittedly a little concerned at the sight of her, and take a seat next to her cot on the floor. "Hey. How you feeling today?"

Rich

"Ssssexy." she says quietly, with a laugh, but then she winces and coughs a little. Her face broke out in some pustules, but they should heal soon. Really, some fresh air and topical would do her a world of good. It's just painful, right? She'll be fine.

Invert reaches a hand over towards you, aiming for your hand.

Adam

I smile back at her, and take her hand when she reaches out. "You should see Arbor." I inspect her hand for a second, making sure I've got skin-to-skin contact. "I want to try something... Something I've only done twice now, but I think it could help you get better. Do you trust me?"

Rich

Invert looks at you, and even though you know she can barely see right now, she has this clear gaze. It's... well, it's intimate and personal, just you and her. She looks so open to you. She nods. "Always." She slides her thumb lightly across the inside of your hand.

Adam

I think she's possibly in for a surprise... I close my eyes, and focus on summoning up those whispers again — like I did with Jester and Arbor. I don't know exactly how much physical contact is required, but I'll do whatever seems to come natural through the whispers...

OOC: Going for Healing Touch.

Adam

OOC: Healing Touch. Roll+Weird. +1XP.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 4. Total: 9)

Adam

OOC: AUF from Invert's brain... Roll+Cool.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 6, 5. Total: 12)

Rich

You take her hand and the whispers guide you. You end up letting go of her hand, and reaching for her face, fingers touching the wounds and leaving behind soft white skin. You hear her gasp through a mouth that is healed, without pain. The light returns to her eyes as does her vision.

Her face shifts, twitches to another version of her, much younger, even smaller and thinner than now. Her eyes are afraid, powerless. Her father, she's afraid of her father, he's touching her, Rossi. She wants him to stop, she's frozen with fear and she's swearing, screaming in her mind, wanting to be strong, to fight him, hurt him, be brave. But she isn't. Not that day.

Warmth suffuses you and the glimmer of young Invert fades and she's moving, sitting up, reaching a hand to your shoulder, and rising towards you. She's hugging you, Rossi, roughly treated fingers with bitten-down nails sliding across your shoulders, down your back, and her head is against your neck and she's so warm. Your body was so cold until now. She's so warm.

"Holy... shit, Rossi." she murmurs into your shoulder. "That was fucking amazing. What did...?" She doesn't finish the question, but instead pulls back, looking up at you. Her body is still pressed against you, her mouth inches from yours as she looks up at you, asking "what did you do to me?"

Adam

See? This is why I don't want kids – how many kids – girls especially – get betrayed by someone they trust? what the fuck did she have to do to get out of his clutches? Can it be worse than leaving your sister behind? Maybe... I don't know. At least that part of her life is over.

I pull her into another hug when she pulls back to ask what I did, and whisper into her ear, "I dunno... But you should be better now." I can't bring myself to say "fixed up" ... I don't think there's anything I could do to fix something like that. "How do you feel now?"

Rich

She chuckles once, "Sexy." She's staring at your mouth when she answers.

For a moment, she just hovers there, hands on your neck, face near yours inside that normal comfort zone. "As good as when I shivved Toe-Hold. Better even."

She swallows, looks at you, sees the dark circles around your eyes, the sweat on your scalp. "Rossi? How do you feel?" Her tone is concerned, still quiet.

Adam

I smirk back at her, still tired. "He fucking deserved it..."

How do I feel? "tired... A little pissed they brought us here, of all places – but conflicted, cause Merrell and his gang of dumbasses botched the fucking job..." I take a deep breath and bite the inside of my cheek, "Jester wasn't here when the dust cleared... I'm hoping he was good and clear... But I just don't know..."

I'm trying to hide the fear in my voice that we won't make it out of here before we suffocate, or starve. I've got to be strong, right?

Rich

Invert grins when you agree that Toe-Hold deserved it. Then you're telling her about Jester and she looks up in your eyes. All the bravado she normally spouts is gone, her smart-ass smirk, too. Her warm hands still on your neck, she gently kneads it, and it feels good. Nothing big, just a gentle massage, the sensation of touch, someone reaching out to you.

"Does Jester even know how good he's got it?" she asks you with a little raised eyebrow. But she doesn't expect an answer. She laughs a little laugh, then starts pulling at your neck insistently while she lays back down. "C'mon, Rossi. Just lay down, rest a bit, okay? I'll watch over you. Be yer fucken pillow or whatever."

She's still pulling you down, down into her embrace, whispering, "S'okay, Rossi. I won't tell anybody. You're still a badass, but even badasses gotta sleep."

What do you do?

Adam

Invert's grin disappearing makes me frown — a force of habit, I guess, to mimic the emotion of the room. The massage does feel good though. I don't know what Invert's getting at — implying Jester doesn't know how good he has it — but the image of him and Invert, or Tindy, or whoever, getting it on floats into my head, and I find myself bending under Invert's persuasion.

He said we were exclusive... That fucking means something to me. It has to mean something, or all the shit we've been through doesn't mean anything. I have to stop fucking holding his past against him. It's not like mine's any better than that, anyway. I'm lying on Invert's shoulder by the time she's promising to look after me and shit, so I can sleep... I am fucking tired.

"Yeah," I whisper, feeling my eyelids get heavier, "maybe just for a bit."

Rich

As you're fading, Invert kisses your forehead, just once. Then sleep comes, deep sleep, refreshing and restful. For a little slip of a thing, Invert's soft in the right places.

----------------------

Your body slowly wakes up. Your eyes aren't burning, your fingers feel warmer, and they don't feel numb. They don't feel great, since you've been working your body to exhaustion lately, but they don't ache so bad it hurts, either.

Still lying on Invert. She's very softly tracing faint symbols on your shoulder and back. Just the tips of her fingers, playing so delicately against your shirt. She senses the shift, or she must have, as she asks the top of your head, "Feel any better, Rossi?"

The door is closed, the place is quiet. Just you and her.

Adam

When the fuck did I take my bra off? ... Did I throw it off indignantly in the middle of the night again? Jester keeps saying it's cute but... Wait. Jester isn't this soft...

I crane my neck up and spot Invert, and relax a little. Do I feel better? "A little, yeah." This place is so quiet... It's almost smarter to sleep, if we're going to wait for rescue. Not that waiting around to be saved is exactly my style. "How long was I out?"

Rich

"Mmmn, not too long." Invert says softly. "You can rest some more, if you wanna. It's nice. You feel... nice here."

Adam

... Ok... I can't just sit here and play dumb anymore. I need to know what's going on in that head of hers.

OOC: Reading Invert. Roll+Sharp.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 3. Total: 8)

Adam

"Invert," I whisper, rolling to face her, "back with Toe-hold... You didn't exactly seem too bummed out about having to sleep with me..."

Rich

Invert looks down at you, not answering right away. Her eyes meet yours, and she doesn't look away, doesn't flinch. She reaches up to move a stray hair out of your face, "Yeah... guess I wasn't." Her tongue appears between her lips for a brief moment as she licks them. "That kiss you laid on me. It was fucking brutal."

Adam

I squint coyly at her, "brutal, huh? ... Well, you kissed a hell of a lot better than that asshole Toe-hold did. I'm not trying to complicate things, Invert... I don't know what it is you want from me, but I wish you'd just come out and say it."

Rich

"I want to kiss you some more, right now." Invert says with a smirk, like you dared her and she refused to back down. Her tone drops to a whisper, "Nothing complicated about that, if you don't want it to be, Rossi."

Adam

This is not good... I'm not really into women, per-say, and I really don't want to be a hypocrite with Jester. If he was here with me, that'd be a different story... I'm sure this would be right up his alley too. I bite my lip contemplatively, and mull it over a second...

OOC: Spending hold: How can I get Invert to think of me more as a sister than a lover?

Rich

As a sister? Due to her family issues, anything like a "sister" is problematic. But I'm guessing you mean more like a partner or a confidant, right? Well, you've got that, she meant it when she said she trusts you always. She's put a lot of faith in you, leaving the Keys to join your gang, busting her ass to get shit done and even fucking a guy she despises to further the cause. Not out of love, out of trust, and camaraderie.

Her emotions are twisted up right now, so this offer she's making, it's important to her, even though she doesn't say it's complicated. It is. But you already knew that.

Telling her a straight up "no" will definitely back her off, she won't offer again. She won't be spiteful or anything, just closed off. And offering to fuck her with Jester won't work, she'd think it was pity, and that will piss her off.

This rejection, it will do more than end this moment between you. She'll shut herself off from everyone, for a while. Maybe for a long while. Sure, she'll still go to Roxy's to "get her rocks off", but that's her M.O., pay for meaningless sex.

She's not even sure if she is into women, either, but she's reaching out to you right now. She feels safe with you, this moment is intimate.

So there's that. Good luck.

Adam

I relax my shoulders, and put a hand up to Invert's cheek... I feel kind of bad for letting her down, but this really isn't my gig. "In another world — one where I wasn't with Jester, and I was into chicks — I'd take you up on that... But you and me have something going that I don't want to risk fucking up with a little experimentation. We could be fucking huge out here. I don't want to lie to you, and myself, by pretending I could make that work... I've got nothing but respect for you, Invert — but I think we're better off partners, than lovers."

Rich

Invert listens close. There's a twitch around her eyes, a little hurt, rejected. Not crushed, not tormented. She lets out a little breath, accepting it, eyes moving down, looking away, breaking the intensity.

After a beat, she looks back, more to show she gets it, "Sure. We'll rule fucking Chi-Town." She licks her lips, chuckles, then, "We're alright, Rossi. I'm not the rabbit-boiling kind." But she doesn't move away, either, doesn't extricate herself or clear her throat. If you want to stop it, which you just said you did, then you'll need to break the contact.

Adam

I'm glad she gets it... She's better off for it, even if it'll take her a while to realize.

I let my hand slide off her cheek, and offer her one last smirk before I scoop my tits up into my arm, and push myself off the bed to look for my bra. I do look back at her as I start gathering up my stuff though... "I'm gunna get back to digging... Can you and your squad keep a tight grip on food rations?"

Rich

"Tighter than Poptart? Not fucking likely." Invert says as she straightens up. Yeah, she glanced at your grabbing of your boobs, joking, "Holy shit, I am glad I don't have to haul around monsters like yours. That shit would throw me off balance."

She waits for you to get up, then works on getting dressed herself, "We gotta get out of here, Rossi. I'm obviously hard up, sofa king horny I can't think, heh, can't think straight." She snickers once, then says, "Wow, that was bad."

Invert waits for the moment when you're about to leave, she's right behind you. She reaches over to pull you into a hug. Not a sexy one, just a hug, "Thanks Rossi. For whatever you just did. I was in a fuckton of pain... means alot"

Adam

I smirk at the monsters comment — I've never heard them called that before — and let her debase herself for a second trying to recover from rejection. "You're thinking straight — don't be so hard on yourself — and we'll get out." I slip into my bra, and start doing up my gear. I stop in the door when she thanks me for healing her... Wrap an arm around her shoulder as she hugs me...

"Don't worry about what I did," I whisper, "there aren't many good folks left in the world... It'd be a shame if I let one die when I can do something about it."

Rich

Invert chuckles, "Aint neither of us good... but I get you." She follows you out of the room.

Heading back up to the dig site, or taking care of anything else in the sub? Who's down here, Rossi. What do you have them doing?

Adam

I want the whole gang out and working. We've gotta dig if we want to live. No exceptions.

Rich

Rossi, as you and Invert are making the long, slow climb to the mining site, you hear two gunshots up ahead, ringing clear and near.

You're ahead of Invert, of course. What do you do?

Adam

What the fuck was that?

I ready my shotgun and bolt for the shots. What the fuck else could go wrong?

Rich

As you're moving up the narrow hole towards the others, you overhear:

Male voice (Long John): "...gonna take that little pistol of yours and shove it up your ass, old lady..."

Another male voice, older gruff member of your gang named Tapoff: "And then we'll take the fucken food anyways."

Then you hear Poptart, all calm and cruel, "Oh... please come and try, you limpdick fucknut."</b

Behind you, you hear Invert curse. She heard it, too.

When you reach the pocket where you left Poptart, you see one of your new guys, Steak Tar Tar, lying on his side, bleeding. Long John's pulled him away from Poptart, who has her little Ruger out, pointed at Long John and Tapoff. Tapoff has a gun out, a big fat revolver, and he's pointing right at Poptart's head. They're both just a few feet away from each other.

Arbor's passed out in the corner. Inessa's made her way back down, to see what the what.

What do you do?

Adam

Son of a bitch. I come careening around the corner, and cock my shotgun loudly — trying to draw everyone's attention. "Everyone puts their guns down, now! John! Tapoff! Poptart! Everyone fucking back off!"

Rich

Let's see a Pack Alpha here, Rossi.

Adam

OOC: Pack Alpha. Roll+Hard. +1XP.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 5, 4. Total: 12)

Rich

Long John is the first to put his hands up, showing no guns. Then Tapoff and Poptart back off, holstering guns. Poptart shoves her in her coat, then moves back. Inessa is still there, watching, just in case.

As soon as things chill for a second, Long John screams, "We asked for our share, and she fucken shot Steak!" He's pointing at Poptart.

"Damn right." Poptart mutters spitefully.

Adam

I look to Poptart, "What's your side of this?"

Rich

Poptart glances over at you, but then her eyes are back on Long John and Tapoff, not trusting them."Fucknuts there," she points to Steak, "thought he could make me give him more food, so I shot him. In the dick."

Adam

Ouch. I glance down to Steak Tar Tar for a moment, wondering if he was smart enough to wear a codpiece — or if Poptart really is that good of a shot — then turn back to Long John, and mutter, "get him back to the fucking sub... I'll try and patch him up."

I'm not touching his fucking dick though...

Rich

Steak Tar Tar was not smart enough to wear a codpiece. LJ and Tapoff pick him up and haul his whining ass back down to the sub, leaving you with Poptart. Inessa, seeing things are calmer, heads back up to help Em. Invert's checking on Arbor.

Poptart glares at you, waiting to see what you say to her.

Adam

Once they're gone, I shake my head and mutter, "could you be any more cryptic? What the fuck did he really do?"

Rich

Poptart sets her jaw, like she might not answer. But after a minute, she says, "Those three came up in here, telling me they pulled extra hours digging, needed more food. I told them to GTFO. Steak put a hand on me, and I fucking shot him. Nothing cryptic about it, Rossi. We wouldn't BE so fucking hungry if these fucknuts weren't here. We are going to starve if you keep them around. We should cut the dead weight, and quick." Her tone is hard, she means every word.

Adam

"We're going to die if we poke our heads out of this fucking hole without them," I bark back, "I'm not saying they get extra food for extra work – just don't fucking shoot our own, unless you wanna let Merr and his fucking dickheads roll in here to finish off the last of us when that tunnel opens up again."

I look to Invert, a little annoyed, "put someone here to keep the peace. I don't want anyone throwing down over rations. Nobody gets special treatment."

Rich

Invert gives a curt nod, "Got it." Arbor is passed out, breathing shallow. Poptart doesn't argue any further.

Later, when you crawl up to where Em Sixteen is digging away with a makeshift spade, Inessa slides down where she can light the way for her partner and still talk to you, "Rossi. Need to tell you." Inessa says, talking low. "I didn't hear all of what Steak and LJ were saying, but it didn't go down how Poppie said. They asked for more food, she gave them lip. Steak didn't say much else, then she shot him." She holds up a hand, "I didn't see it, okay? Just heard it."

Adam

Son of a bitch... I'm not a fucking law maker — I just fucking rounded these people up — I don't want to settle their shit...

I nod patiently to Inessa, and pat her on the shoulder... "Well, he isn't dead yet... I'll talk to him." I guess I should head down to the sub and fix up Steak first.

Rich

"Listen, Rossi," Inessa adds. "We all know not to fuck with her, even though she isn't one of us. But I can't believe LJ and Tap didn't blow her brains out. May not go so well next time, you know?" Her tone shows concern, more for you than Poptart.

I assume you still head down to check on Steak, right? He's in one of the bunks, laying there, bleeding and pale, pouring sweat. Tapoff stuck around, Long John isn't here.

What do you do?

Adam

"Yeah, great." I call back, flatly, as I continue back down to the sub.

I'm not surprised that Long John fucked off... He's probably out sewing malcontent, and plotting to kill Poptart. I'm not really looking forward to the day I have to put a bullet in his head because he can't let shit like this go... I told him I'd take care of it. I look over to Tapoff as I make my way to the side of Steak's cot. "He couldn't stay put for five fucking minutes?"

I start inspecting the damage to Steak's ... well, wherever the hell he was shot.

Rich

Tapoff says gruffly, "He was hot. Not in the mood to chat with you, either." He's not challenging you directly, but yeah, he's a little pissed, too.

Takes a minute to pry the man up from being folded over with pain. Tapoff comes over to help hold him down. Steak's been shot twice, at close range. One hit him in the lower abdomen, bleeding bad, no exit wound. The other is a through and through on the inside of his left thigh. The guy's fading fast, Rossi. He'll probably bleed out.

What do you do?

Adam

Poptart didn't even give the fucker a warning shot? ... Shit.

"I don't give a shit what that asshole wants," I mutter back as I carefully put my hands over the more serious wound, and to conjure up that healing energy I've been getting so comfortable with... Here's hoping it's not a limited reserve.

Adam

OOC: Healing Touch. Roll+Weird. +1XP.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 6, 3. Total: 10)

Rich

Sure enough, that bullet worms its way up and out of that man's gut. Warmth suffuses him, the pain leaves his eyes and he looks at you with this shock. He knows what you just did. Just above a whisper, he says, "Magic.

Tapoff gets up, ambles over, suddenly much more interested, "The fuck just happened?"

Adam

I take a few seconds to make sure the wounds are closing as I swab the blood out of the way, and try to avoid making eye-contact with Steak when he calls my touch "magic"... Fuck if I know what it is, but I guess that's probably right. Who'd have thought I'd be saying that a few months ago?

I look over at Tapoff when he jumps up, but I keep working to get Steak clean. "I fixed him, like I fucking said I would — and now that he's safe, I need a clearer picture of what happened back there." I look to Steak, "so start talking."

Rich

Steak leans back, the pain of his remaining injury sliding back. He winces a bit, then tries to hide it with a cough, "Boss, it's like Poptart said, pretty much. We asked for more food, we're fucking starving."

"Bitch didn't need to shoot him, though." Tapoff cuts in. "That's fucked."

Adam

"We're all fucking starving," I grunt back, "rations will keep us alive long enough so we don't starve to death – now tell me the whole of it... Did you say anything, or do anything that you might shoot a man for? Tell me the truth."

Rich

Steak Tar Tar shifts a bit, winces from the pain in his leg, "I dunno, Rossi. Three guys with guns, one old lady..."

"We didn't do shit." Tapoff interrupts. "Bitch just gunned Steak down. He'd be fucking dead if it wasn't for you, Rossi."

Adam

OOC: I'm reading Steak Tar Tar. Roll+Sharp.
(Rolled: 2d6+1. Rolls: 4, 5. Total: 10)

Adam

OOC: Holding 3.

I hold up a finger to Tapoff, and shoot him an impatient look for good measure, before turning back to Steak. "But did you draw on her? Steak, this shit is important. Poptart's in charge of our food — but I can't have her shooting our fucking people on a whim. I know how she is around men — she can be tough to deal with even if you're a girl — so quit beating around the bush and tell it straight. Did you really cross a line?"

Rich

Steak Tar Tar looks at you, Rossi, like he thinks this is some trick question. "I dunno, Rossi, alright? I didn't draw on her, but we're fucking hungry... I got in her face. Told her she was squirreling food away for the girls, and holding out on us."

Tapoff looks like he's about to jump in, but then you gave him that look, so he shuts up. But he agrees with Steak.

Adam

I pinch the bridge of my nose, and sigh loudly... This isn't going how I'd hoped. "I want you, Tap, and John to stay the fuck away from Poptart, alright? Tell me how we close the book on this – and food isn't an option."

OOC: What does Steak wish I'd do?

Rich

Steak licks his lips, a nervous tick while thinking. "You know... Wandering is pretty fair. And he's one of us. Maybe if he took care of who eats what?"

"As long as man-hater backs the fuck off..." Tapoff mutters.

Adam

That sounds reasonable... Except I just put Invert in charge there... "Wandering's a heavy lifter, and we need him working the digging — but I'll get Poptart off food duty for sure. What about John? He's been causing too much grief for his own good... What do I need to do so you guys keep him in line?"

OOC: Hold 2, How do I get these guys to keep John from causing trouble (i.e. going for retribution, or otherwise being a prick)?

Rich

Steak nods, like he didn't really expect you to roll over. You ask about Long John, and Steak Tar Tar shrugs, "I dunno, Rossi. He's not a bad guy, you know? Just kinda likes bitching. Don't think he's ever happy with anybody running things. And thing is, he don't wanna run it, either. Go fig, you know?"

Tapoff adds in, "LJ says what he thinks. And sometimes, he says what most of us're thinkin. He's just crazy enough to say it out loud. He don't mind being a target."

"I'll talk to im. Maybe he'll stow it." Steak says, like maybe that's what you want? "It'll prolly only work for a bit, though. It's in his nature." Tapoff chuckles at that.

Tapoff asks, "Arbor's a miner, right? He got any idea how much longer till we reach the surface?"

Adam

Why is everyone in my gang a bunch of spineless, clueless dicks? Aren't we all about to fucking die unless we work together?

"Arbor's passed out with the shakes trying to kick his Ice addiction," I mutter back, "but when he was conscious, he said this should only take a few more days... If we're lucky, Lemma or Jester are working together from the other side to get us out."

Rich

They accept that, and Steak stays where he is, Tapoff hanging out with him. You spend some time checking on the rest of the gang, find a few of them mining for fish to feed everyone, a few others trying to figure out ways to use parts of the sub for heat.

Invert comes back down from above, looking for you. She pulls you aside, then says, "Rossi. Got Poptart to tell me what food's left. We've done. The granola bar she gave you was the last of it." She looks worried. "If the guys fish mining don't pull out enough, we're in for some trouble."

Adam

Ok... So I guess we hole up and fucking starve then. I nod gravely, and head back to the mines. "If I'm going to die of starvation, I'm going to die trying to get the fuck out of here."

Rich

Rossi,

Go here.