mental link | day: 36

[wrackful]

[Exhaustion buzzes dimly, resignation a bitter aftertaste. It's a clear sensation that Murphy doesn't want to be doing this, but that somehow, he's ended up feeling it's his best option.]

( I need a ride to the station. Someone who can fly the shuttle. )

[The request is in his tone, even if he doesn't extend a please. And before his teammates can weigh in:]

( It'll be a round trip. Can't miss stage three of the alien crazy death show, can we. )

[The last is absolutely dry as a bone.]

Comments

[wrackful]

That's pretty impressive, man.

[Genuine. Being born in space didn't give you an automatic on knowing how the science of it all worked, and he has enough knowledge to put a "first manned mission" in its context.

For a moment he's reminded of Raven, all of her fierce genius and easy talent. It's a set of memories he's quick to push away.]

Guess it's a shame they'll never know how much further you got.

[shiro2hero]

Thanks. Sometimes I need to remind myself a little, to be honest.

[It's easy to forget, out here. In the face of everything else that's gone on. There's a lot more happening here, a lot of things happening in the universe, that make even that achievement feel small.]

[... and then he's lucky. Lucky the fact the ship starting up hides the hesitation. The flash of his own memories (crashing onto earth, pleading to be heard, ignored, held down, all they wanted was the arm all they wanted was).]

Nah, I... I think they had an idea.

[wrackful]

Of this?

[His interest rises more sharply, maybe some small amount of hope behind it. Had Shiro found a way to tell his home where he was?]

[shiro2hero]

No -- No, I meant. Other things. Back where I'm from.

[There's apology from him. In the wake of Murphy's interest.]

A lot happened before I got here. I think... they knew something.

[wrackful]

Right.

[There's disappointment there, but he swallows it down. It had been stupid to get hopeful in the first place. He lifts a hand, rubbing at his forehead.]

So, what, you somehow landed in crazy crap like this?

[The competition, the waypoint itself. Mara had been from a place with space travel, hopping between planets, different cultures and species. The idea wasn't so alien to Murphy as it might have been, before.]

[shiro2hero]

I'm sorry.

[The last thing he'd wanted was to get someone's hopes up like that. Because he can't help but think of Pidge -- of how important getting home is to her.]

[He doesn't answer right away. If only because he's doing his best to navigate the crowded space around the waypoint.]

Hold on -- might have to do some fancy footwork... [But he'll answer. After a moment.] Last thing I remember back ... home, I guess? This enemy everyone talks about was trying to kill my team.

They said the only way to stop it was coming out here. So. I came.