SEVEN ☰ VIDEO;

[candystriped]

[ Stocking looks oddly contemplative today, dressed a little more conservatively in a black and grey Victorian-esque collared dress. Though she intentionally flicked on the video, she's barely paying attention to it, instead seemingly reading something just off screen. ]

Why do you suppose some leave when people of less use are stuck here? If someone's better at everything... wouldn't you keep him around?

[ It's an unintentional slip when she says "him" instead of "them" but she doesn't appear to notice. ]

Maybe this place just likes to fuck with us for fun.

Comments

[jirk]

[... Is that... a compliment? Frysquint. He's about to comment on it until she says that name, and he completely freezes.

He's carefully silent for a moment.]

You knew him?

[candystriped]

[ She doesn't seem to notice the pause. ]

Mm, we met in Sinbrilee. He was interesting to talk to and he won one of those special fruit baskets everyone was competing for, for me. He said all he wanted in exchange was a civilized dinner and good conversation.

[ It was somewhat ironic, given that Jim had been the one to suggest the courtesan houses in the Fire Sector for some companionship that didn't necessarily involve sex at that very same Bacchanal. ]

treklocked;

[jirk]

[Well that's. Alarmingly non-genocidal. He snorts.]

He's from my world, you know.

Re: treklocked;

[candystriped]

[ Stocking raises an eyebrow at the sudden encryption. ]

Yeah? So? What does that have to do with anything?

[jirk]

He's a genocidal warlord.

[His tone is very flat.]

[candystriped]

[ Stocking shrugs a little, her gaze finally flicking over to the screen directly from whatever she had in front of her that was off screen. ]

It never came up in conversation. That wasn't the kind of thing we talked about.

[jirk]

So what did you talk about, exactly?

[candystriped]

[ Now she frowns, not appreciating his prying. ]

Why?

[jirk]

[He sighs, eases his hands into the air in a gesture of surrender.]

I just want to make sure he wasn't setting you up for anything. It's how he operates.

[candystriped]

You know, it's not impossible for someone to want to spend time with me just because they like my company.

[jirk]

Did I say it was?

[Seriously, girl.]

I just don't trust him. Especially around people I like.

[candystriped]

You're the one who suggested hiring someone to hang out with me.

[ She shrugs, but there's an edge to it even if she knew it had been brought up with good intent. ]

My sister used to do that, you know. When we were little, she'd try and order people to be my friend. If they didn't agree, she'd get in a fight with them.

[jirk]

That's not what I meant.

[WOW NOT EVEN CLOSE.]

[candystriped]

I'm not faulting you for it... I'm just saying, it's happened before. So why is it different if it was Khan?

[jirk]

Because I happen to care about keeping you safe, and someone like Khan is anything but.

[nbd he was just partially responsible for killing me and everything.]

Look, it's not about your personal autonomy or anything. I just really do not like the guy.

[candystriped]

[ That was unexpectedly sweet to hear, but at the same time a little bitter as well. ]

Well... it doesn't matter now, right? He's gone.

[jirk]

[He huffs a bit of a sigh.]

Guess not.

[candystriped]

If the whole warlord thing is true... why didn't anyone say anything? Or are you the only one who knows?

[jirk]

My crew all knows, but we're dealing with a lot of classified information. I'm the ranking officer here, save Admiral Pike, and Khan was my responsibility.

[candystriped]

What would you have done if you'd known?

[jirk]

[His mouth quirks downward.]

What does it matter? He's gone. Case closed.

[candystriped]

[ That clearly does not go over well, and Stocking's eyes narrow as she purses her lips for a moment. ]

Goodbye, Jim.

[ Click. ]