lingeringhope | ic inbox

[she nods] I know. . . something of how that feels. My family was slaughtered by a man my father held as close as a brother. Only my elder brother and I remain.

You know loss. You do not know what it feels like to have your entire species slaughtered.

No. But I faced the possibility with the Blight. I, at least, was fortunate and able to keep that possibility from happening. I am sorry that you were not able to do the same.

We had no way to do so. We had no warning.

It--that is how it sounds. From what I've heard from others. But others aren't always the most trustworthy resources.

[she crosses her hand over her chest, so that her fisted hand is clasped over her heart and her head is bowed]

You have my oath of protection. For whatever that may be worth. If you have need of me, all you have to do is ask.

You know how to read any of this? Because from what I can tell, it doesn't look good.

[And now he's sending over the files Nate sent him. Yeah, he probably should have gone to Sorrow with this, but he's trying to manage the synth equivalent of his blood pressure at the moment, which is through the roof with disgust.]

Thank you. You do not have to do so - I know that many here do not trust or like us, and I cannot blame them, though it's frustrating.

Still. I appreciate your words.

[she crosses her right arm over her chest, hand in a fist over her heart, and she bows her head]

Thank you. This is a vow I intend to honor.

[It takes some time before Hope replies, since he is looking over the files. When he does, his voice is tight and controlled.]

Tranquility will be able to read it. However, it is clear enough regardless.

[ Wash, not knowing that Nick has already forwarded the group's files on to Hope, wanted to let him know what they found. Just in case he does check the network today, because that would be a shitty way to find out. He looks stressed and tired on the feed, like this has been weighing on him ever since they made the discovery; because it has.

He also feels like he's not the best person to break bad news to anyone, but hey. He's what they've got, most of the expedition wasn't even willing to discuss it in public. ]

Hey Hope... we're back........ not sure if you even knew we left, but I was out exploring with a group and we found something that I want you to know about before we tell the whole city. We know what's changed your previous Hosts' demeanor, the ones attacking us.

[Nick hears that tone, and given his own from the initial message, he does not blame him for anything he may be feeling.]

It gives us some explanation on why they might be attacking us. I know you were hoping to talk to them, but I don't think you oughtta get close to any of them until we can be sure they're not being controlled.

I will do my best to look after you in return.

[she smiles shyly] I appreciate your efforts.

Thank you.

[He does not like talking about this, because he doesn't like thinking about it, but it must be done.]

One of your companions has already passed the information along to me. It is - terrible.

If they were being controlled, surely they would have alerted the Null to our presence already. If anything, this only means that I must try harder to contact them. They need our help - my help.

What makes you think they haven't alerted the Null? For all we know, they may just be getting prepared for another go at the city, now with more weapons to deal with those of us who caused some real problems for them last time.

They first encountered you some time ago. If they had alerted the Null, we would all be dead already. There are more than enough Null nearby to destroy us easily.

Oh... I didn't know, I'm sorry to bring it up again. It was horrific, yeah.

[ But he's talking to a being with magic abilities, maybe the Hosts aren't doomed. Maybe it's not like Wash's implant, that would be so very difficult to remove. ]

Is there anything you could do for them? Heal them somehow, remove the implants..? I guess we'd have to get one to you for you to know?

I think that I would be able to heal them, both body and soul, if they were near me for long enough. If you are able to capture more, I will use all my skills to try.

( Kate's been something of a fixture in the temple this month, absorbing the lingering effects of the temple until they push out the remnants of being possessed by Rage's anguish. Most of the time, she's quiet, sitting on the floor or working out, letting hope wash over her, concentrating on all the good they've done.

The Door's fragments have been returned to it, there's hope that they might just leave, eventually. They've survived this long... And she's met people who've become almost as important as the ones back home.

They might just make it.

It isn't until one particular day, sat on the floor stretching her legs out, that Kate actually deigns to pipe up with some actual words. )

What ending do you want?

( She knows hers: the Null no longer a threat, exterminated, and able to return home. But what about the gods? And, most importantly, what about Hope? He is the one who's been keeping them all alive and in good shape for all this time. )

Good to know.

[Just one more pervasive threat to be worried about.]

Once we get you in touch with them and you help them, what happens then?

[When people want to hang out in his temple, Hope lets them. Though he generally does not interact with them unless asked to, he doesn't mind the company. At least his temple can be a comfort to someone.

So he doesn't appear, or even really notice her, until Kate speaks. Then he's there, as if he'd been there the whole time.]

I want us to be safe. I want to be able to send you home, and restore our hosts, and begin to restore my people. If it were peaceful, I could - it would take years, but it would be possible.

[ There's a brief delay in messages as Wash figures out who managed to capture a host, a tiny game of telephone with Nate, but then he's back. ]

I'll do my best to help round them up. Talk to Newt about what they did, where they found them. I want to help.

( Their people... Of course. With all the efforts to find the still living hosts, and all the talk about those beings, reviving them, she'd almost forgotten that there's a whole race of these cloud beings out in the universe, scattered into pieces. Kate remains on the floor of the temple, swinging her legs back up towards her as her head tilts towards Hope.

Strange, she used to hate him so much and now he's the most palatable one here. She grew to enjoy talking to him, until... Well. Everyone knows what happened with the invasion. )

Would it? Thought they were blasted into pieces?

( She wants to ask him what he'd do with the Null, but curiosity begs the indulgence of this turn. )

I don't know. They will help us as much as they can, of that I can be sure.

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[audio] 2/20ish

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video; ~2/22 just before his network post

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