mental link;

[shri]

[ Knock-knock -

- or something like the creak of city gates of her wanting to reach out to anyone else in the hive that will respond. ]

( These ability we have aside from communication. I require a trainer for my own.

And a decent explanation of what they are and their pitfalls. I am not familiar with this kind of... magic. )

[ Yeah she can't think of another word for it. ]

Comments

[earthborn]

( No offense, but I kind of want to keep this on a need-to-know basis. Suffice it to say, I know my limits. )

[What kind of person would you be, without reward, without meaningful censure, without purpose, consequence, punishment, or anything left to lose? In Shepard's case, a destructive, contrarian asshole. She knows herself at least that well, by now.]

( This mission isn't exactly prone to success as it is, but I'd still rather it be someone else's ass hanging out, if it's all the same. )

[shri]

( this mission is subterfuge, and I know my skills as well. )

[ This mission can be done just the same as any other - she won't hear to otherwise. ]

( Can I speak to this... you, that you speak of? )

[ Because if it's an option, then it's an option she will take. ]

[earthborn]

[No.

That's her first reaction, strong and harsh. No, no one can meet her. No one can use her. No one can make her into... a person. A doomed, desperate, angry person, with less than an hour to live and for all those limitations still a perfect copy of Shepard herself. No one can allow that line to be crossed-- some lines aren't meant to be crossed. Shepard dares as much as she does because she knows where the limit is, and exactly how close to that line she can toe it.

But, that would mean also, that there's no way to practice this. Not once they leave. Not in space, when the ready supply of unwitting 'volunteers' was completely dried up. So No isn't an option, here.]

( Can you guarantee, that doing so won't blow this mission wide open? ) [Can you promise to kill me, if I get out of line?] ( Maybe let's start with the native population, if you're so eager to get started. We can move on from there, when the situation is more secure. )

[shri]

( But if... as you said, it goes wrong with one of them, will it not be all much of the same outcome?

At this point I am not even sure how I brought it about. I was simply so full of that feeling myself it seemed to spread. )

[earthborn]

( Life's full of risks. I like you, and I wanna be friends, but I don't know you all that well just yet, and I don't know if I can trust you as far as I'd need to, to do this on the ground. )

[Shepard trusts herself, but she's also fought herself before. She can't be completely sure who'd win. She's honest because there's nothing else to be, not like this. Any excuse would fall flat-- this is about trust.]

( Strong emotions bring out instinctive responses. So we start where we start, and work towards a mnemonic standard, just like Biotics training. You wanna work with me or not? )

[shri]

[ There's a flicker - I like you. What did that mean? She wasn't sure. Friendship wasn't something a Queen could ever take readily, and a wanted rebel even less so. There's a hesitation. ]

( Alright, at your pace then Commander. We should have a back up plan, in case it all goes... untoward. )

[earthborn]

[Her only thought is, perhaps to have a third watching them, able to report back. They only ought to find trouble if they chose to influence one of the Enemy. And if that Enemy were capable or noticing their interferance...]

( I'm open to suggestions. )

[shri]

( ... I have a thought. )

[ And boy does she sound miserable. ]

[earthborn]

( Go on. )

[shri]

( Damon. He has... the ability to compel others, so he told me. )

[earthborn]

( Wow. Did it hurt to say that? Like, physically, did it hurt? Look at you, all making progress and relying on teamwork. )

[It's a red-letter day. Shepard's marking it on the calendar: "Rani experiences personal growth."]

( You've really got to be desperate, to make that suggestion. )

[shri]

[ THERE'S A FLAT STONY SILENCE IN RESPONSE TO THAT. ]

[earthborn]

[Shepard just laughs, she is so delighted. You'll have to get a lot higher rank than just the queen of india to escape Shepard's shitposting, Lakshmi.]

( C'mon. Seriously. )

[shri]

( Are you finished? )

[earthborn]

( Not even close. )

[Can't stop, won't stop. Literally cannot stop.]

( But... it's not a totally worthless plan. Do you need me to talk to Damon for you, or are you up for it? )

[shri]

[ Erg. ]

( I do not need someone to hold my hand if that is your question. )

[earthborn]

( Yeah... Your track record's a little spotty. )

[Her hand? No, nobody needed to hold Lakshmi's hand. But they might need to hold her everything else.]

( So, good luck with that! Let me know how that goes for you. I'll be ready whenever you two have worked out a schedule for this. )

[shri]

( I think my track record is fairly consistent. )

[ She hates Damon, Damon hates her, and it hasn't changed from day one. ]

( As you will then, Commander. )