2.21 - Voice + Spam

[breakingmyheart]

[Library & Kitchen Filters]

I've been unpaired from Jesse. I still plan on keeping both my jobs. If that's alright.

[Even though she kind of hates both of them, it's marginally better than having nothing to do all day.]

[Private to Megamind]

...I can help. With the project you were talking about.

[Open Spam - Deck]

[So it's been a fortnight. The breach was - well - things happened. She's been through her most grotesquely violent death toll to date. And then she got off the Barge in LA and stole from a cashpoint for the express purpose of buying drugs, which - didn't happen, in the end.

Small mercies. She might not have been feeling any worse for having succeeded but deep down she knows the better would be very, very fleeting.

And then the Admiral separated her from Jesse. Or Jesse asked to be unpaired. She doesn't know. He said he didn't, she'd like to believe him, but she wouldn't really blame him for spotting a lost cause either. Megamind called her a model Inmate not so long ago but it doesn't feel like she was modelling anything except peaceful noncompliance.

She doesn't often break the library -> kitchen -> (gym) -> shower -> sleep cycle but she needs some time and fresh air to decompress and so after the dinner shift she's out on deck, sitting on a bench and somewhat reading a book but not really paying attention to it.]

Comments

[breakingmyheart]

It's more that nobody needs to hear it. It's - very unusual that someone's reason to be an Inmate actually happens here on the ship.

[Or comes to a head here, at least. She's not so unaware of herself as not to realise the seeds were planted long before the Barge, maybe even before Torchwood.]

Most people play their cards closer to their chest, I just...don't have any reason to. That's all.

[youwill]

One must wonder why. You've told me nothing that others could not tell me - others who were here four months ago.

[He pauses, turning forward again to stare at the stars ahead of him.]

You may underestimate what others need to hear. Or what you need to say.

[breakingmyheart]

Maybe.

[She watches him watch the stars for a moment.]

Are you a -- counsellor? Psychiatrist?

[youwill]

[He nods once, faces her again.] I have a practice, yes.

[A beat]

Had, I suppose.

[breakingmyheart]

Oh. You're...?

[Dead, an Inmate, a recent victim of foreclosure, possessed of the wit to close up shop before leaving to go to the Barge? There's really too many ways to explain the past tense, so she'll just leave it open for him to fill in the blank.]

[youwill]

A less than willing participant in this particular experiment. [And a fascinating experiment it would make, wouldn't it?]

[breakingmyheart]

I'm sorry.

[She is, even though he's as good as a stranger. It's long been her opinion that if she could change one thing on the Barge, for good, it would be to let people just disappear if they want to.]

[youwill]

As am I. [But he gives her a curious look, one that more asks why she's sorry.]

Do you anticipate graduating, Toshiko?

[breakingmyheart]

[She'd like to. But honestly?]

I don't know.

[youwill]

I suppose if it was easy, no one would be here very long.

[breakingmyheart]

No.

[A brief silence stretches out.]

Do you -- know? Why you're here?

[youwill]

I can make my guesses. [He modulates his tone, lets his voice lower and the result is something that might be guilt or shame.

Neither of which he actually feels, but it's a good imitation.]

[breakingmyheart]

[She nods slowly.]

...You'll probably be assigned sooner rather than later. There's almost always more Wardens than Inmates on board.

[youwill]

Are you assigned?

[breakingmyheart]

Until a few days ago. Sometimes the Admiral unpairs people, and...that happened in this case.

[Probably.]

[youwill]

[He nods, then tilts his head thoughtfully.]

Can warden or inmate request to be reassigned?

[breakingmyheart]

Wardens can, I think. Inmates...I don't know. Maybe in the case of some misconduct on their warden's part.

[youwill]

I must assume misconduct is not a common occurrence, here.

[breakingmyheart]

No. Not so seriously that anyone intervenes, anyway.

[She tends to think that some wardens just do whatever the hell they like and assume that if the Admiral feels a need to put the brakes on he'll just go ahead and demote them.

Not that she's got any right to judge.]

[youwill]

That doe snot sound like a particularly safe environment.

[breakingmyheart]

No, it doesn't. But show me a 'safe' prison.

[youwill]

I would compare it instead to an asylum.

[breakingmyheart]

Probably more apt. [She smirks balefully.] Though that doesn't reflect well on either of us, does it?

[youwill]

[He lifts one shoulder, head tilting toward it in a gentle shrug.]

One goes to a psychiatric hospital to receive treatment. [But he used asylum specifically, and one went there to be forgotten. He thinks she might pick that up.]

[breakingmyheart]

[She does, and she might as well say so.]

But one goes to an asylum so other people don't have to bother with you.