perma-open tfln.

[pitseleh]

check it.

Comments

[innerharbor]

That's bullshit. I'll watch your ass. People get cabin fever if they stay on the same ship too long.

[thraxios]

[There is a pause, during which Gideon considers the benefits of accepting or refusing the request. But finally:]

That would be very kind of you. Thank you.

I've never been to Rhea before. Where should we go?

[innerharbor]

There's a good brothel on level 12. The bar's nice and they treat their people right. The market's good, too, but I dunno if they'll have the books you like, but the food's good. And there's glass performances.

[thraxios]

I'm sure I can find something to read there, especially now that I've read everything we have aboard.

What are glass performances?

[innerharbor]

It's belter music. You've never heard anything like it. They move these little glass balls in low G and they spin... I dunno how to describe it.

[thraxios]

Then we'll have to see the marketplace. It sounds like it would suit my interests more than the brothel.

[innerharbor]

Sure, I'll take you. Should consider the brothel, though. You could really stand to blow off some steam.

[thraxios]

Do you think so?

[innerharbor]

You're kinda high strung.

[thraxios]

What makes you say that?

[Pure curiosity, good-natured.]

[innerharbor]

I talk to you a lot.

[thraxios]

I had no idea talking to me was so illuminating.

[innerharbor]

I mean, I'm not wrong.

[thraxios]

Then I look forward to the supporting evidence for your thesis.

[innerharbor]

Sure used a lot of words to say "prove it".

I can do that too.

You remind me of a jury-rigged impulse transponder set on passive control. That shit works okay for eight thousand clicks, maybe nine, but you need to switch out the firmware if you don't want a system crash on life support, and if it's rigged with bad ventral junctions it's gonna need to be switched way more. Now, I'd say your firmware is more jitter-free than phase, but either way, you still gotta switch that shit out before it explodes.

[thraxios]

As you clearly dwarf my knowledge of ship machinery, I'll have to trust that you've proven your point.

Visiting a brothel doesn't interest me, but I appreciate your concern.

[innerharbor]

True's true. Doesn't matter if you prove it. That's my point.

What do you do to relax, Teach?

[thraxios]

I imagine we'll find out if you're correct when the explosion happens.

I read. Occasionally I play cards with you.

[innerharbor]

If you ever feel like screaming, come to me first.

That relaxes you?

[thraxios]

It's unlikely I'll have reason to. But if it does become tempting...

Why wouldn't it?

[innerharbor]

Hey, everybody needs a punching bag. I can take it.

I dunno. Most people don't really see me as a comforting presence.

[thraxios]

I'll keep that in mind.

Compared to some men I've known, you're astoundingly straightforward about what you want from the universe. That's refreshing.

[innerharbor]

That's not what most people find relaxing.

But, fuck, I guess. If it saves on hazard pay.

[thraxios]

Most people were never acquainted with the MMC's head of recon.

[innerharbor]

So those rumors were true, huh. That's gotta be a mindfuck.