Mental Link | Station 72

[huntsmachines]

OUTCAST I'll prove them wrong	CURIOSITY I want answers
HUNTER For one to live, one must die	LIFE is precious

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

day 55; late, after the mission briefing but before the mission

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ There's a brush against Aloy's mind, a sensation like a gentle breeze and the ruffling of feathers. It's polite, closer to a knock on a mental door than anything else, along with a wordless impression of do you have a moment to talk? ]

Re: day 55; late, after the mission briefing but before the mission

[huntsmachines]

[ Aloy is rather like a big cat startled from rest. There's a sudden start at the mental contact before she settles into something akin to I meant to do that. Then, permission is given, granting Sam leave to speak. ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ Oh now that's not fair, how is Sam supposed to remain focused on the task at hand with that cuteness? A tendril of something somewhere between amusement and fondness bleeds out across the link, before Sam pulls it back in. ]

( I spoke with Cathaway about the mission after the briefing. Do you want- ) [ There's a pause before he asks her if she'd rather him tell her or share the snippet of conversation itself, as he catches himself enough to remember that not only has he not done that with her before, but he isn't sure she has at all. ] ( I can show you the conversation, if you want to see it. )

[huntsmachines]

[ There's something akin to confusion. Uncertainty. Cathaway? ]

( Who's Cathaway? Why do you want to show me? )

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ There's a faint note of surprise - he'd thought Cathaway made herself known to just about everyone. All right, then, he might have to take a different approach to this. ]

( This, uh. Might be an in person kind of conversation. )

[huntsmachines]

( Ah, if you think so. What's wrong? )

[ She sends him a quick mental image of her location--one of the bedrooms in the habitation section. ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

( I don't know if it's something that's wrong, just... more information about the mission that's not all that great. )

[ He makes his way to her before he goes into more detail, though. He's still more comfortable doing extended conversation in person instead of over the mental links. ]

You haven't seen Cathaway around? She and Prince are the oldest Hosts here, her mind feels... well, she's pretty damn integrated into the Nest. I think it gives her some kind of sense about things sometimes.

[huntsmachines]

Ah. Right.

[ Aloy frowns as she thinks for a moment. ]

I might have seen her around but I didn't know that much about her. Why are you telling me this, though?

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ And this is the information that's not all that great part. He exhales, running a hand over his jaw. ]

Because she gave me a warning that we're on our own for this mission. If we blow our cover, they're not gonna risk the Enemy following us back to the Station by coming to get us.

[huntsmachines]

[ Aloy leans her chin into one hand as she considers Sam's words. Interesting. Very interesting. She takes a breath, then slowly lets it out. ]

I'm not too bothered. I was always on my own before--there wasn't going to be anyone who could rescue me if things got out of control.

[ Well, there was the one time. But she hadn't been expecting Sylens to show up out of the blue to save her. The memory of a dusty arena, machine oil soaking into sand. The sensation of preparing herself for her last fight, her best fight against the man who had killed Rost. She'd been ready for death in that last moment. ]

[sizeofyourbaggage]

[ He quirks a small, wry smile at her words. ]

This isn't my first time going into something with no extraction plan, either. [ He's quiet for a moment, considering. He's not worried because of himself, or Aloy, or the others he trusts to be able to take care of themselves - but he hadn't come here to shove his concerns on her. Just to let her know what the stakes are, because it wasn't fair to let her go in blind.

Even if it's not her first time going into something and not expecting to come back. He can feel the way she felt in that memory, and it twists in his chest a little. ] Aloy - you're not gonna be on your own this time, all right?

[earthborn]

[Shepard's mental knock is less of a knock than an increasing white noise. It's something you notice by realizing it's been there for a while, like turning to see someone waiting in the doorway. Shepard'd from a world without knocking, after all-- where doors beep and whoosh and open themselves. So maybe that's just how she is.

It happens later at night, when everyone is asleep, or nearly so. But not you, right Aloy? Shepard can't sleep either.]

( So, I've gotta ask. I get the arms. You're an archer, so...that makes sense to me. But you've got... a lot of muscle definition going on. ) [Abs. Aloy, you have abs. Shepard is very appreciative, let it be made abundatly clear.] ( What kind of work leads to a survivalist loner with abs? )

[huntsmachines]

[ Aloy is actually on the very edge of sleep. Just barely. And then Shepard's mental presence jolts her back into wakefulness. She sits up in bed for a moment and rubs her eyes. Sits there for a moment as she tries to process the question. ]

( Archery takes a lot of core strength. You want to pull with your back, not your arms. Especially with the larger bows. )

[ The answer is a little groggy, though Aloy is waking up slowly. She is so utterly confused by this line of questioning. ]

( I also do a lot of climbing, balancing, and running. I just... I have to do a lot of work. )

[earthborn]

( What, like free-running? )

[Shepard supplies the concept to go with the term. It's been a long time since she was a fleet fourteen, sliding along back-alleys and dodging rival gang-members. But she can't ever really forget that think-on-your-feet fluidity, even if she probably couldn't recreate it without some serious practice.]

( I'm sorry, I know it's late, but that is... Hot damn, Aloy. Speaking as an atheist, I have been blessed. )

[huntsmachines]

( A lot like that, I suppose. Running, climbing, jumping, rolling, balancing... )

[ Her own memories give the impression of the various obstacle courses run by the braves, the sheer variety in terrain. Free-climbing up massive stone mountain faces. ]

( Blessed? Oh, sweet All-Mother you're going to make me blush, you... )

[ Aloy trails off into a mishmash of embarrassed, amused, and very happy emotions. ]

( I can't believe you, Shepard. )

[ Amusement. Lots of amusement. ]

[earthborn]

( Oh, I'm sorry, a fantastically attractive redheaded warrior woman has asked me to take her virginity, try to have a little perspective about this, will you? Humility is off the table. )

[Point of order: Shepard is not sorry, and humility was never on the table.]

( Speaking of lessons. Will you teach me? )

[huntsmachines]

( Perspective? It's not that special--someone has to do it eventually, you know! I can see your point, though. )

[ Aloy has a feeling that's the case. ]

( Teach you what? )

[earthborn]

( Archery. Let's do a trade-- You teach me how to shoot a bow, I'll teach you how to shoot a rifle. Properly, I mean. )

[The thing about guns is that they're simple to learn and easy to use. That is, in fact, the whole point of the invention-- to make people much easier to arm.]

( What d'you say? )