[NOVA] What a ghost is (K 5.1)

WPTunes

Ksenia, you're in the lounge, reading an old book called The Satanic Verses on your pad and sipping on some tea, when Dinah walks in. She glances toward you, then moves to the beverage dispenser without saying anything. As it happens, when you glance down, your eye finds this sentence on the page you're reading. Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that's what.

What do you do?

Rich

I double-tap that sentence to save my spot, then slip the pad on the arm of the chair and sit up, looking at Dinah. "Hey Red." I stand up, head over towards her, "Been a while since we played some games. What's your high score on Tapper?"

WPTunes

For about 20 seconds, it seems like Dinah's going to ignore you, but finally she turns with her cup of coffee ("black, strong and bitter, just like Zoo") and answers. "Quit Tapper. Gameplay after level 350 is klunky. Zynga's got a new variant, though... Tip Top Tap Quest. Okay for a casual."

Rich

I bait her with some of my most impressive arsenal. "Wanna throw down? I could use a challenge. Heard Super Saya Snake wasn't half bad, and Street Fighter Ultimate Turbo Remix 29 has some new DLC."

WPTunes

Red almost cracks a smile, but stops herself. "I've been playing solo spatial-relations games, mostly." She perches on the edge of a chair, cradling her coffee cup as if she's cold, even though it's an even 72 degrees F in here.

"I'm thinking it's time to get out, K. I don't even know what we're really doing. I mean, if the risk follows us to vacation paradise? I could be making milk runs in-system, buy my own small hauler, start a family."

Rich

Well. There it is. Like a frakking hammer, it falls. I just got back Mei, now Red's going? She's the sanest person on the boat, the only one I don't have a girlie boner for. She's my genuine friend, like my big sister. Who will call me out when I'm being bull-headed? What about Zoo?

"I'd miss you if you went, Red." I admit, no teasing in my tone. "That vacation was frakked three ways. I'd rather have worked through." I'm being honest, that was one of the worst weekends of my life. Well, since the accident, at least. "I can't leave. I've got a tour to finish up. Then, based off the upkeep on my cyber, I may have to pull another. But hey... if you want to go. You should go."

I move over to stand near her. "This place won't feel the same without you." I try to catch her eyes, "What about Zoo?" Please God, don't let her leave. Please let this be some kind of test. I said the right words, right? Respect her opinion, don't beg, because she hates weakness.

WPTunes

Dinah looks you in the eye for the first time. "Zoo will be fine, if you don't wind up getting her killed. She's strong. You're right, K. I should go." She stands up again and starts walking toward the door.

Rich

I move to intercept her, reaching for her arm to stop her if I have to do it. "Dinah," My voice is urgent, betraying my attempt to be cool. "I don't want you to feel like you aren't safe here. But dammit, I need you. You're my friend. My very good friend. The only one I can actually talk with about shit." I step back, not wanting to crowd her even though I really want to hug her.

"Listen, I'm sorry Zoo was hurt. I'd promise you that I would protect you from getting hurt, but those are just words." I project as much confidence as I can muster, "I would die fighting to keep you safe. That's the truth."

WPTunes

The engineer pulls her arm away from your grip and spins around to face you, cheeks flushed. "Do you realize what that sounds like? A line from one of your frakking books. 'I would die for you...' How is that better? You're my friend, Zoo is my friend. I don't want you to get hurt, either. Even more, I don't want to watch you get hurt."

Rich

That hits hard. I can't not do my job. I can't not be me.

"This is who I am, Red." I lay it out, trying to counterpoint her emotion with cold, hard facts. "This is part of the job. The job we all signed up for, even though you aren't supposed to be in the line of fire."

WPTunes

Dinah shakes her head. "What you do is not who you are, K. I love your dedication and your loyalty, but anything worth dying for is worth living for, too." She turns and moves back into the room, pacing. "What is Psi Corps, to you?"

Rich

"Psi Corps is part of the Space Corps, Red." I answer right off. "They let me back in. I can serve with Mei. Serve on this ship. It's all I could ask for. I don't have to be some grubby merc anymore. I can wear the dress blues."

WPTunes

Dinah shakes her head firmly. "You say you serve the Corps, and I get it, but who do they serve? What are their ideals, their motivations? They staged a fake terrorist attack to get an independent planet to make a political decision, and got someone you love, someone with a heart, hurt in the process." She blinks three times, slow and hard. "Does Psi Corps have a heart? Does Space Corps? The Polity?"

Rich

Ours is not to question why. Ours is just to do or die.

"C'mon, Red. The Polity is too big to think about us on an individual level." I answer, giving the party line. It tastes weird in my mouth, that line. I shift. "The Polity has done right by most people. We got the shit end of the stick, sure. Just that time. And, don't confuse one officer's whack plan for the whole of the Polity. The Corps did not approve of what happened...."

This is not going well. I can see her only getting more angry as I try to explain why I'm not upset at what happened. It's a military thing, sometimes ops go FUBAR.

WPTunes

Dinah sighs in frustration. "Listen to yourself, K. The Corps may not have approved of what happened, but it was a Corps operation! She went off script, sure, but your Corps sent her in the first place, and if you think those orders didn't start from some politician..." She just looks at you as if she's trying to remember the words of some foreign language. "And when you say that time, are you excluding the mission that saddled you with a body you have to pay maintenance fees on if you quit? How about the one that landed Mei with a passenger in her head? Or the one that killed Gaumata?"

Rich

She has points. I probably shouldn't argue them. But she's getting my dander up.

"Sure, I'm a frakking cyborg. But I'm alive. The rest of my unit wasn't that lucky." I say with some pain. "Cora was a result of a First Contact. Same with Gaumata. We're doing dangerous shit out here. If we don't, then others will. It's work that has to be done." I huff a breath, frustrated at having to defend my Corps. My choices. Frustrated that I've thought these same things.

"Red, is it really about me? Are you scared? Still pissed that Zoo was in the line of fire?" I'm desperate to figure her out here.

WPTunes

Dinah closes her eyes. "All of those things. You. Me. Zoo. I've been scared and angry and questioning everything since then." She pinches the bridge of her nose, then opens her eyes and looks at you.

---

Why don't you put together some sort of roll, here. I'd like to have you negotiate a roll with me, then describe what you say or do, but DON'T roll until I've rolled for Dinah. (I'll be rolling 2d8 for her.)

As an aside, I know you want to succeed, of course, but this seems like a great time to use one of your Temper Distinction triggers. (Just something to consider.)

Rich

I fix her in place for a moment. "Some things to consider." My tone is a tiny bit annoyed. I never chalked up Red as a coward. "This ship's half yours, and you and Zoo signed a contract. I don't imagine Zoo's leaving, so she'll still be out here putting her adorable ass on the line. And with you gone, she'll be doing it with an inferior engineer. Politics aside, I frakking love this job. And I love Mei, and I don't desert my friends." I pause, pushing down some of the anger as best I can.

"The money's good. Church is one hell of a boss and whatever shit detail you end up pulling to stay safe, you'll be bored." I ease off there. That was enough of a list, I think.

Please, God, please, Red. Just don't bail on me. I can count the souls that mean anything to me on my one hand, and you're a big part of it.

WPTunes

"I'm just not sure we're even speaking the same language right now, K."

---

(Rolled: 2d8. Rolls: 2, 6. Total: 8)

Rich

I'm rolling my d8 Love (challenging, because maybe love is for weirdos like me, too.)
I'm rolling Leader (trying to Lead Dinah to stay)
Temper, but at a d4 because I'm a bit angry at her for being less brave than I thought.

Rich

(Rolled: 3d8. Rolls: 6, 7, 8. Total: 21) Love
(Rolled: 1d10. Rolls: 6. Total: 6) Leader
(Rolled: 1d4. Rolls: 2. Total: 2) Temper

Rich

I'll use the 7 and 8 and beat the ever living crap out of her weenie 8.

WPTunes

Something in Dinah seems to just crumple as you continue standing up to her arguments. You can see her resistance fade.

Keeping in mind that the 7 and 8 you're using were from challenging Love, what is it that you say that seals the deal? Sorry to make it sound like a fight, but what's the final blow, here?

Rich

"Red..." I say as I move a little closer. "Red, we all need you. I've been lost without somebody to kick my ass. You're the only one here who's managed to do it. You're like... well, you're like my sister, Dinah." I reach my flesh hand up to her shoulder. "Please don't leave me."

WPTunes

Dinah stands, eyes wet, and pulls you into a hug. "I kinda hate you. I was really almost ready to pull the eject cord. But you're right. I made a commitment, and I've built these relationships, not to mention Zoo." She releases you. "But if you frakking die trying to protect me from something, it doesn't matter if it's an internal contradiction, I'm still going to kill you just as hard as I would if you let me get killed."

Rich

I return the hug, thankfully. It's nice. She changed shampoos. Again. Berries. When she releases me, I step back. "We have a deal. And Red... thanks."

WPTunes

The two of you settle in for a chat, after that, and wind up in a fierce head-to-head competition at Street Fighter Ultimate Turbo Remix 29. Which character did you pick, K, and who wound up winning?

Rich

Blanka's my go to toon, but I chose Chun-Li. Mostly because she reminds me of Mei, I think.

Red beat me. It was close, but she's a master of Vega.

WPTunes

Dinah doesn't tease you too much about losing, but she does insist that she will collect on the wager you made. What was that wager, by the way?

Rich

I have to sing for the crew. Dinah has a great singing voice. Me? Not so much. I'm pretty sure she'll choose something incredibly difficult and I'll sing it to the best of my limited ability. She earned it. It'll be great.

I should have used Blanka.

WPTunes

---End Scene---