goneawaycomms | Agent North

[ They said they were going to sit together and eat, and that's happening. The shapeshifting monster, necessary bandaging, and extra jello, however, are factors they didn't expect when they planned this, but they have proven that they are nothing if not adaptable by this point.

For her part, Carolina's alright. Scrapes and bruises but nothing that looks serious.

When she takes the seat across from North, she arches her eyebrows. ]

So. I heard you were one of the ones on ground zero with the shapeshifter.

[ It's one way to kick this thing off, at least. ]

Yeah, I've been, ah...getting a lot of lectures about how I handled that.

[ 'A lot' meaning he heard from South and York about it, anyway. ]

I went in unarmed.

[ She shakes her head. But, considering he's alive and whole, she seems to find it more funny than serious. ]

North.

[ He can tell she doesn't intend to start in on him, so he smirks. ]

Hey, I had a time crunch.

Fair.

I ended up hitting one with a fire extinguisher.

[ That was, at least, kind of satisfying in a weird way. ]

How's Theta? He had a busy night.

He's good. Has a lot of stuff he took notes on last night, and is still thinking about. He's being pretty quiet with me.

[ But North knows Theta will say something if he needs comforting or anything. ]

So how are you settling in? We haven't really had a chance to talk before now.

I'm alright.

[ It's automatic, a reflex, Carolina is always Fine. ]

I'm more concerned about the rest of you than me, honestly.

[ Some more than others. ]

And Price is here.

[ Of all fucking people. She says that as flat and heavy as a manhole cover. ]

We're all doing all right. I mean, there's some...you know, interpersonal squabbling going on, but I feel like it'll sort itself out soon.

[ Just as soon as South decides to be nice and give D back to York, at least. He still doesn't know how or whether to approach South about this issue. ]

And yeah, Price is really showing himself to be a piece of work here, isn't he?

[ Not that they didn't know that before, but it's becoming more and more amplified by the day. ]

And by "interpersonal squabbling" you mean the "South has Delta" situation.

[ She refuses to dodge it. She heard some things, and was there for that intensely uncomfortable memory scanning incident. There it is. ]

[ He gives a little dip of his head. He should have known. ]

Yeah, that's the one. I'm biding my time on saying something—whenever I go in too soon on a thing like that, it turns into a tug-of-war.

[ She nods. ]

I don't have any clout with South anymore.

[ Not that she feels like she had a whole lot to begin with, by the end of things. ]

There are some things I think are going to have to come to light for her on her own, if they come at all. She reminds me of someone.

[ He nods. And then tilts his head. ]

Oh? Someone you knew before?

[ She shakes her head. ]

Me.

Oh.

[ He still has his head tilted. He's not sure he understands. But Carolina didn't really let them in much back during Freelancer; he knows South a lot better. ]

I told the rest of you I had some things I needed to figure out. Nobody could've told me them. That's what I mean.

[ She sails on past it. Enough about her. ]

She'll come around or she won't, and I think if anyone tries to force her hand there's only one outcome.

I feel bad for D and York.

That's true. That's why I haven't tried yet.

[ He pauses, eyes slightly downcast. ]

I couldn't imagine what it'd feel like to have Theta separated from me under circumstances like these.

[ She nods, a little grimly. ]

I only had an AI after the rest of you were... gone.

[ That's a good word for it. ]

But I think I understand now, how that feels.

[ North nods. ]

Epsilon, Theta tells me. I'm pretty confused about how that could happen...and how you were okay with it.

Epsilon.

[ She confirms. ]

I was trying to find the Director. It turns out Epsilon and I had that in common.

[ The Director, she says. Not 'my father.' ]

[ He nods, still a bit confused, but willing to accept that that had been enough to change her mind about him. ]

I hope that turned out well for you.

[ Carolina is quiet for a moment. ]

It was closure for both of us.

[ There, that is a totally measured statement that isn't unloading too many Feelings. Acceptable. ]

Epsilon stayed with me. We started hunting down equipment that started falling into the wrong hands after Freelancer was dismantled.

[ There's a brief, thoughtful pause. ]

He's gone now, though.

I'd rather you and York not have to go through that for a long time.

Agent North

action, after babadon't

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