Week 8 - May 20th - May 24th

[cartesio]

Last Week

With the weekend's latest tragedy, a strange mood has descended over Cartesio. What happened was unprecedented, and perhaps that's why the already decreasing hostility from the townsfolk comes to a complete halt. Could it be the strange circumstances? Bolin's desperate plea? Last week's peaceful Wednesday? Some combination? Whatever the reason, it's clear that the Sergeant's iron fist around the town has loosened. While the residents aren't jumping to interact with you, there's no graffiti, no new broken windows.

Cartesio is confused...but open to explanation, for perhaps the first time.

Still, while the town seems amiable, almost accepting again, there's little to chase away the knowledge that the Sergeant's tasks for you are near their end, and that means those without medals are doomed to their fate.

Or does it? After everything that's turned around, is it possible for you to claw your way out of here as well?

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[Welcome to the final week! If you want to contact the Sergeant, please post here!. Also please remember to submit your activity check!]

Comments

[marmoron]

[There's a pause where he briefly looks down, but then in the next moment he's looking directly at her.]

Can I even trust you to answer the question in full if I asked?

[His voice is low, but the framing of the question certainly betrays some of how he's feeling.]

[robitussin]

[A few moments pass, and then:]

What question?

[marmoron]

[No hesitation.]

Why are you making deals to keep the Sergeant from talking about certain subjects?

[robitussin]

[She pauses, blinking once or twice, then sighs.]

...Because that was weeks ago before I, like, trusted any of you.

[marmoron]

[There are a bunch of things he could say to this, but he settles on:]

Are you going to tell me what exactly you banned him from talking about or...?

[robitussin]

[She takes a breath.]

You know what he did with Millium's friend? The whole... brainwashing thing.

[marmoron]

[Also taking a deep breath.]

What about it specifically did you not want people to hear about?

[robitussin]

He... might be thinking about doing that to everyone who doesn't have a medal when this is over.

[A beat.]

Before you say it, I really was planning on bringing it up tomorrow.

[marmoron]

[He's quiet for a long moment.]

Look. I'm pretty sure the Sergeant's only telling me about all this stuff you've been up to lately to piss me off. It's working though and I don't want to be surprised again.

Why didn't you tell me about this the last time you making deals came pp?

[robitussin]

...I don't know.

[She looks away.]

I should have, okay? I'm sorry.

[marmoron]

[She told him once that he was a pretty forgiving person. It'd been vaguely amusing then because he hadn't thought so, but all the humor's been sucked right out of it now.]

Got anything else you want to mention while we're airing all of this out?

[robitussin]

[She shakes her head.]

...No. That's it.

[marmoron]

You're sure?

[Whether or not that's a fair question is debatable, but it's how he feels right now. Exasperated, annoyed and just hella tired.]

We're in the final stretch and all of us need to be coming together to figure this shit out. Right now, I just don't know if you're really going to be honest about everything you know.

[robitussin]

I know we need to. I wasn't lying when I told you, I was going to tell everyone tomorrow.

[It's said with sincerity.]

I just thought it would add another reason for people to want to get those medals, and...

[marmoron]

[Deep breath. He shouldn't be so annoyed, especially not when he thinks he's baited in some way.]

If people knew about this, they might've taken this fucking place more seriously and tried harder to get information out of the Sergeant. Maybe you're right that some people would've been spooked into doing something stupid, but all I know is that not knowing didn't stop a lot of people from trying anyway.

[robitussin]

...If it was a bad call, I’m sorry, okay? And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.

[But...]

I’m not sorry I did it in the first place.

[marmoron]

[Silence for a moment. He maintains eye contact throughout, clearly listening but he doesn't acknowledge her apologies. He speaks in the same icy tone as before.]

Did you decide not to tell me because you thought I'd murder someone last week?

[robitussin]

[Almost immediately:]

No, I was just... worried you’d tell everyone, and someone else might.

[marmoron]

[Again there are several ways he could respond to that, but...]

So you do know why you didn't tell me. You don't trust me with your plans. I get it.

[robitussin]

[There's a pause before she speaks, but it's difficult for her to keep the irritation from her voice when she does.]

...What do you want me to say here, exactly?

[marmoron]

I don't know.

[That's not a lie. He has plenty of things he'd like to say, but not a whole lot that he wants to hear that hasn't already been said. In short, he's not listening and frustratingly enough he knows he's not listening, but it's hard to shakeoff the feeling the she's not listening either.]

Say what you want to.

[robitussin]

I already did. I explained everything you asked me to. And I get that you're pissed, fair enough, but...

[She sighs.]

I don't know, either.

[marmoron]

[He's quiet for a long moment, but finally he looks away. This isn't the time to start bickering amongst themselves -- a fractured group is only going to help the Sergeant and hurt them. He knew this back in deep space when he started that fucking argument over Lotor. He knows this now. So why is it so hard to let this go?]

I'm gonna go before I say something stupid.

[Maybe that's not right either. Trying to abandon the paladins only made shit worse. He breathes out.]

Look. Having to hear about this stuff from the Sergeant ... it just stings. alright?

[robitussin]

...I should have thought about that more.

[It's a quiet admission, uncomfortable.]

I just - wanted you to be safe.

[marmoron]

[There's a longer pause before he looks at her again.]

I know.

[Sometimes he has to wonder if things would be better if she didn't, but...]

I'm sorry. I don't think I'm in a good place right now.