[Oh gods why is this happening again. Everything's been a shitshow but at least thanks to his conversation with Lavi he's more inclined to immediately answer.]
Hey, I'm here. I'm listening. [He would say "yes that sounds like Jason" but he doesn't quite know him well enough (it's a guess) and he's worried about running out of time.] Are you okay?
[...their last conversation as a group. She'd said she'd thought of it. They'd talked her down, and then she wound up dead. Would it be a lie to say he didn't think about that being a possibility? Yes. But with Jason he has to wonder the same.]
It's the Cradle. That's what it's called from what I understand.
I was hoping you hadn't...I'm glad you didn't. I'm not mad, I promise you. But I can't promise he won't be mad about...everything.
I'll talk to him. I'll try to, anyway. What else can I tell him?
I would imagine not. Are you safe there though? Tell me you're safe and can protect yourself. I don't know much about it, I'm afraid.
...I'll grab them. I'll deliver them tomorrow. Jason and Jack were the ones who searched your room but I can get them myself. Please don't ask me how, just trust me.
Isn't that exactly why it happened? You're both stubborn and insufferable and sometimes childish. But that's why both of you gravitated to each other. Too stubborn to let it go. You don't think I miss people every day knowing I won't see them again? I'd have to be a villain of some kind to think that's wrong. But you have to know that him being stubborn means he might not listen to me either right away. Maybe not at all. But I'll do what I can.
That seems extreme. Enjoy the ocean for me. Send seashells if you can.
[He may or may not be serious.]
We'll try not to disappoint. You were one of the first people to really put this kind of trust in me, and...you're not wrong. Dunno how I feel about being team dad but it's kinda like going back to where I came from.
I'll keep him alive. Both of them, I hope. If you see either of them there forgive me for not acting fast enough.
We caught him, by the way. The alien. We'll work to find the rest.
I believe in you. You're the most sensible. Forgetting about the blowing up part, at least. My feelings for Jack aside - men like that know how to lead, but they get blinded. If he threatens you or Jason...
Take. Him. Out.
[ She's not going to hold that back. ]
...So the host is fine? The creature is dead?
- I don't have much longer, so feel free to glaze details.
THAT is a stretch...Jason did try to talk me out of the mine, you know.
[But she mentions time and he knows he has to type as fast as possible. Thank the gods for autocorrect.]
Believe me, I've faced worse men and worse monsters than Jack. Gods, Elizabeth. I won't let him overrule either of us. [Which is scary and he hopes it never has to come to that.]
Host is physically fine. Disappeared as soon as he came to. I'm going to try to find him when I can. Two more have been killed due to the souvlaki. One lost a hand. But we killed the creature. We still have more to find but at least we found this one in time.
[ In truth, Jack hadn't actually paid much attention at all to the game even when they had gotten mysterious messages from beyond. Hancock's was... roughly what he'd expected, and he'd actually been pretty surprised to see one at all. But otherwise? He didn't give a shit, if he was honest. There wasn't really anyone dead that he would have cared enough to message.
However, after watching a set of videos, he had actually started looking at the game again. Just briefly, since he wanted to see if there was anything there, but that was about it. It was a stupid game, and his obsession with it was secondary until recently. It was growing to an obsession, since he wanted to do everything he could to break into the data just out of reach.
So, his response comes quickly, as if he were waiting for a message. ]
Where are you? Are you
Okay, kind of a stupid question, I realize. But are you as okay as you can be?
Think you could describe it to me? The monitors especially, since that's weird. I want to try and do something here to help, Liz. I think I might be able to.
Figured he was. He sent me a message a few weeks back, actually. Tell him he's a jerk, just in case he didn't get my message back. Also tell him I would use more colorful language, but you don't need to be saying that part.
[ Surprisingly, considering all of the information here, Jack only responds to one part of her message. ]
I haven't, not yet. If I'm honest here? They're going to be hard for me to read. But I will. Hell, probably after this, because knowing you're still around somewhere? That makes it easier.
Next time you can talk to me, send me a message. If you can watch too, then I'll talk to you as best I can.
And tell Rhys to send me one too if he can. Trying not to waste time here, but tell him I watched the videos in his drive. We have stuff to talk about, I guess.
I don't know if we'll talk after you read it. I just had to let you know some things.
[ Ugh... she shouldn't have been impulsive and messaged him so soon... But he says something that strikes with her and she clutches her chest a little. It hurts - this hurts. But she hates him, in a way. ]
I will. He's not well. Not at all. I can't get through to him. I'll tell him when I think he's ready.
[ Oh no, one more thing. ]
...Don't waste your tears on dead girls. Just save them.
Dead? ... no... Alone. He's alone and I can't do anything. I'm helpless and - he's ALONE! There's no one there for him! Rhys is out there alone and he's fine with it - he's ... there's nothing I can do... It wasn't enough...
Woah woah woah what are you talking about pumpkin?
[ forgive him... the nickname slipped out.. Because that text is definitely sent almost immediately before Elizabeth can even finish sending the rest. ]
Shit yeah that's uh not a big surprise if I'm honest
Look I don't know much about where you are Liz so I don't know how much help I can be here. What kinds of places have you been looking in?
Okay you know about the videos right? Because otherwise this is going to sound really weird. And gay. But no I was just being a dick and looked through all his shit.
Point being I know how Rhys is feeling so yeah not good. Not that I know him well enough to take a guess at where he might be hiding and I'm also working with a friggin black box here but
Look you'll find him. Just keep talking to me if you can. I can send him like 50 messages until he's so annoyed he does
I dunno. Something?
Anyways for the record Jessie is a bitch and so is Fiona
No, we avoided talking about you. I tried to keep him in high spirits - jokes, holding his hand... Anything I could but.. I'm scared for him. He wasn't well to begin with and what Jessie said about Fiona -
[ She doesn't know what to think - weren't they both in her good graces? She's conflicted and doesn't really contribute further. ]
I know you are dealing with.. wirh so much but.. Does anything stick out? Where he's from or his favorite places? I feel sick knowing he's alone and -
Can't say that's unfair I guess. [ he guesses ] But yeah agreed. Not the best time for kiddo to be hanging out alone.
[ There's a brief delay in a second message, which seems to be thoughtful. ]
Wish I could tell you but from what you have told me dunno if there's anything like it. Tech-y places. Which is really technical I know but work is where any Hyperion feels at home probably
Which isn't because he works for me by the way. Feel I need to clarify. It was the same for me before I was CEO.
But uh if there's nothing like that... Shit I don't know. Probably the more out of the way the better.
I'll try and find him but I can't be for certain. I should have never left him alone.
[ Being lonely... being alone - those are two different feelings so what happens when you have both? ]
I'm sorry, please - you have to focus on the creatures on the ship before it's too late... I'm just scared. I don't know who to talk to about him. About this.
Hey it's fine Liz. I mean it's been how many weeks now and I've barely made any progress? No big deal. An evening or whatever here with you isn't gonna hurt anything.
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Hey, I'm here. I'm listening. [He would say "yes that sounds like Jason" but he doesn't quite know him well enough (it's a guess) and he's worried about running out of time.] Are you okay?
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This isn't Heaven or Hell.
Please know I didn't do this - I didn't bait myself. Please don't be mad at me... please tell Jason not to.
[ She seems a bit frantic. ]
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It's the Cradle. That's what it's called from what I understand.
I was hoping you hadn't...I'm glad you didn't. I'm not mad, I promise you. But I can't promise he won't be mad about...everything.
I'll talk to him. I'll try to, anyway. What else can I tell him?
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This Cradle is too peaceful - it's unsettling and I don't like it here.
Get the letters. Please, let people have them. I mean every word.
I... I just miss him. It's stupid, it shouldn't have happened between us, but ... I guess we're both insufferable and stubborn.
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...I'll grab them. I'll deliver them tomorrow. Jason and Jack were the ones who searched your room but I can get them myself. Please don't ask me how, just trust me.
Isn't that exactly why it happened? You're both stubborn and insufferable and sometimes childish. But that's why both of you gravitated to each other. Too stubborn to let it go. You don't think I miss people every day knowing I won't see them again? I'd have to be a villain of some kind to think that's wrong. But you have to know that him being stubborn means he might not listen to me either right away. Maybe not at all. But I'll do what I can.
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I trust you. I trust you all.
...Right. Just make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. I don't know if I could stand to see him here. Even selfishly, I can't wish for that.
I'll stay in touch with you. You're team dad. Jack isn't responsible enough.
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[He may or may not be serious.]
We'll try not to disappoint. You were one of the first people to really put this kind of trust in me, and...you're not wrong. Dunno how I feel about being team dad but it's kinda like going back to where I came from.
I'll keep him alive. Both of them, I hope. If you see either of them there forgive me for not acting fast enough.
We caught him, by the way. The alien. We'll work to find the rest.
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I believe in you. You're the most sensible. Forgetting about the blowing up part, at least. My feelings for Jack aside - men like that know how to lead, but they get blinded. If he threatens you or Jason...
Take. Him. Out.
[ She's not going to hold that back. ]
...So the host is fine? The creature is dead?
- I don't have much longer, so feel free to glaze details.
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[But she mentions time and he knows he has to type as fast as possible. Thank the gods for autocorrect.]
Believe me, I've faced worse men and worse monsters than Jack. Gods, Elizabeth. I won't let him overrule either of us. [Which is scary and he hopes it never has to come to that.]
Host is physically fine. Disappeared as soon as he came to. I'm going to try to find him when I can. Two more have been killed due to the souvlaki. One lost a hand. But we killed the creature. We still have more to find but at least we found this one in time.
Will you stay in touch?
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[ Copy and Paste works wonders. ]
Was it - Dave, correct? He's the last that I remember -
[ One more thing: ]
I'll pass messages to the others. The newly dead.
I promise I'll stay in touch. I prom-
[ The letter was sent unfinished. ]
to: jason
Jason? It's Elizabeth. Please answer... please.
1/???
I'm sorry. I need you to know that I didn't do anything stupid. I wouldn't compromise everything we've been working towards for my own vendetta.
....Are you there?
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I miss you.
I miss you so much.
It's different here. Please... just talk to me!
end
I didn't know... I was just... ugh.
...I got myself killed, didn't I?
to: jack
...Are you there?
...It's Elizabeth.
wake greg up (wake greg up inside)
However, after watching a set of videos, he had actually started looking at the game again. Just briefly, since he wanted to see if there was anything there, but that was about it. It was a stupid game, and his obsession with it was secondary until recently. It was growing to an obsession, since he wanted to do everything he could to break into the data just out of reach.
So, his response comes quickly, as if he were waiting for a message. ]
Where are you? Are you
Okay, kind of a stupid question, I realize. But are you as okay as you can be?
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It's different. There's a lot of monitors and a shed - a beach I guess?
Hancock's here.
I punched him in the face by accident.
...And there are others here.
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Figured he was. He sent me a message a few weeks back, actually. Tell him he's a jerk, just in case he didn't get my message back. Also tell him I would use more colorful language, but you don't need to be saying that part.
Anyone other than the obvious?
[ Then, after a moment, another message: ]
Is it peaceful?
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It's like some canyon. I can see the stars.
...Ok I will.
No. Just the dead. I haven't really got out. ... Rhys is here. He. He's been watching you - ... We'll talk later about him.
[ She's really running out of time... ]
Peaceful but lonely still. Even with people here.
Did you read my letter?
[ She thinks he only read the latest one. ]
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I haven't, not yet. If I'm honest here? They're going to be hard for me to read. But I will. Hell, probably after this, because knowing you're still around somewhere? That makes it easier.
Next time you can talk to me, send me a message. If you can watch too, then I'll talk to you as best I can.
And tell Rhys to send me one too if he can. Trying not to waste time here, but tell him I watched the videos in his drive. We have stuff to talk about, I guess.
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[ Ugh... she shouldn't have been impulsive and messaged him so soon... But he says something that strikes with her and she clutches her chest a little. It hurts - this hurts. But she hates him, in a way. ]
I will. He's not well. Not at all. I can't get through to him. I'll tell him when I think he's ready.
[ Oh no, one more thing. ]
...Don't waste your tears on dead girls. Just save them.
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[ But the rest there's more of pause, but he tries to send a reponse as quickly as possible. ]
I understand, actually. So look out for him, kiddo. If you can. Or want to.
But I will. Either I'll find the answer, or I'll be joining you two there. That's the only set of options here, plain and simple.
Take care of yourself, Elizabeth.
to: jack 1/5
Jack! I can't - I can't find Rhys!
2/5
3/5
4/5
fin
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[ forgive him... the nickname slipped out.. Because that text is definitely sent almost immediately before Elizabeth can even finish sending the rest. ]
Shit yeah that's uh not a big surprise if I'm honest
Look I don't know much about where you are Liz so I don't know how much help I can be here. What kinds of places have you been looking in?
And you're not helpless. You got this.
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It's like he disappeared or he very much doesn't want to be found.
He was doing better... he was laughing and I saw him smile and mean it.
[ She's pretty close to barfing. Is there a barfing emote? Yeah, she'll send that too. ]
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Yeah what that stupid bitch said would have
Okay you know about the videos right? Because otherwise this is going to sound really weird. And gay. But no I was just being a dick and looked through all his shit.
Point being I know how Rhys is feeling so yeah not good. Not that I know him well enough to take a guess at where he might be hiding and I'm also working with a friggin black box here but
Look you'll find him. Just keep talking to me if you can. I can send him like 50 messages until he's so annoyed he does
I dunno. Something?
Anyways for the record Jessie is a bitch and so is Fiona
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[ She doesn't know what to think - weren't they both in her good graces? She's conflicted and doesn't really contribute further. ]
I know you are dealing with.. wirh so much but.. Does anything stick out? Where he's from or his favorite places? I feel sick knowing he's alone and -
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[ There's a brief delay in a second message, which seems to be thoughtful. ]
Wish I could tell you but from what you have told me dunno if there's anything like it. Tech-y places. Which is really technical I know but work is where any Hyperion feels at home probably
Which isn't because he works for me by the way. Feel I need to clarify. It was the same for me before I was CEO.
But uh if there's nothing like that... Shit I don't know. Probably the more out of the way the better.
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[ Being lonely... being alone - those are two different feelings so what happens when you have both? ]
I'm sorry, please - you have to focus on the creatures on the ship before it's too late... I'm just scared. I don't know who to talk to about him. About this.
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Do you uh
Need me to keep talking or
I dunno I don't feel super helpful