The Ninth Sortie (Action, Voice)

[yellowthirteen]

[Thirteen awoke early in the morning, as usual.  He's still got that streak in him, and he got ready as though it was any other day.  On his way to the living room, he passed by Goroh's bedroom, his door ajar.  Unusual, considering they usually kept it closed to discourage Tao from getting inside.  He knew Goroh wasn't around because of his kidnapping, but he figured maybe the racer had returned, so he quietly knocked and opened the door.

The room was empty.  All of Goroh's belongings by now long gone, the room bare, as though no one had ever been there at all.  ...Except, for that one thing painted on the wall.   An arrow?   

Thirteen walked over to it, and looked it over.  Pointing down.  He kneeled to the floor, and quickly noticed the loose floorboard at his feet.  Prying it up a little bit, he discovered an envelope, presumably full of letters.  Leave it to Goroh to figure out how to cheat the system.  He of all people would be the one.   The pilot quickly retrieved the envelope and opened it, finding several folded letters inside, each taped shut.  One of them was addressed to him, so he opened it and read it over.

A mix of melancholy and amusement found its way into his voice as he chuckled lightly at the samurai's message.  Still Goroh, even when he was gone.  He was going to miss his friend, and knowing he'd probably never see him again hurt quite a bit, but... at least Goroh had a life, and a happy one at that, to go back to.  He knew Goroh didn't really care for it here, so he got exactly what he wanted.  Of all the ways for David to lose a friend, this was probably the best one he could hope for.

...Of course, this meant breaking the news to everyone else.  That would be the hard part.

So... he'd start with Litchi.  That was going to be the hardest one.  And then he'd go around delivering Goroh's letters by hand to the people who they were addressed to.   Dr. McCoy was hopefully at the medical center, and Buffy would hopefully be at the bar.

...And after that, he'd announce it over the journal system.  For whoever else might care.

[Voice]

To anyone who was acquainted with Samurai Goroh, he's been sent back to his own world.  ...That is all.

Comments

[voice]

[herotypical]

[Actually? Due to a happenstanceishly whole week off from Good Spirits, Buffy won't be found there. But she does catch the message, later.]

What? Really? [Pause.] Good on him, I guess.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[Ah, there she is.]

...I'm sorry you had to get the news like this. I went looking for you at the bar, but I couldn't find you.

[Voice]

[herotypical]

Oh, God. Don't sweat that. Taking a bit of a vacation and--well, news is news. All I can really do is thank you for giving it in the first place.

[Quiet, while she pins down the voice.] You...live with him, right? Lived. I never know which tense to use in these situations.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

Yes. I'm David. I share a house with him and Doctor Litchi Faye-Ling. Shared? ...Guess I don't know either.

...But he left something for you. Is there a time or place I can give it to you?

[Voice]

[herotypical]

Will you be around later this evening?

[She figures she could stop by before patrol.]

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

Yes. Wherever you want me to be, I'll be there.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[Litchi, also an early riser, was already awake as well and in the kitchen. Her usual early-morning energy wasn't quite up to speed today, the weight of Tsubaki's injuries and Noel's worries beginning to bog her down. Not to mention the nagging feeling that something just wasn't quite right...

Shaking her head, she let her gaze drop from the wall down to her steeping tea. It was most likely just worry over Tsubaki bothering her. Everything would be fine.]

[Action]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[...And Dave makes his way into the kitchen. He hesitates for a moment when he sees Litchi looking so pensive. But he knows this has to be done, and waiting will only make it worse for both of them. He keeps his tone level, or, well, as level as he can.]

Litchi... we need to talk about something.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[She glances up from her teacup, worry flickering across her face. Please don't be Tsubaki...]

David...? Is something wrong?

[Action]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[He's just going to do this fast. Beating around the bush won't help.]

...Goroh's room is empty. Completely.

[Action]

[not_meatbuns]

[Litchi stares in blank shock for a moment or two. Completely empty... that can only mean one thing. And with as much as Goroh pulled pranks on them, she's sure he wouldn't go to the trouble of moving everything out silently just for a few laughs.

Her gaze falls to the tea again, her shoulders tensing. It hurts, of course, but... this is what he's wanted for so long. He'll be home with his wife and everything he's missed so badly.

...But it still hurts. A lot.]

I.... I see. That's... [Come on, Litchi, don't make this harder than it has to be.] ...I'm sure he's glad to be home.

[Action]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[He can see her tense up and look down. He draws nearer to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.]

I'm sure.

[Voice]

[fonon-professor.livejournal.com]

I see. ... Thank you for letting us know.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

No trouble, miss.

[ action ]

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

[ McCoy is at the medical center, although he does see the transmission made by David and he even makes a comment about it to himself. Maybe he would drop a message for the bearer of good (shouldn't that be bad?) news later when he isn't liable to put his fist through a wall.

And that's without his knowledge of the letter. Oh dear. ]

[Action]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[There's a knock at McCoy's door in the medical center. Doesn't look like too busy of a day, so hopefully this will go okay.]

[Action]

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

Yeah?

[ If they can knock, then McCoy's logic is that they sure as hell don't need to be shuffled in like an invalid, which means he is going to stay at this desk he as claimed as his own and continue tinkering away with the new equipment. ]

[Action]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[Well, he'd be right. Thirteen will open the door and step inside.]

Dr. McCoy, correct? My name is David Jordan. ...I'd like a moment of your time.

[Action]

[hippocraticly.livejournal.com]

[ McCoy turns in his chair and leans back to observe the David. He doesn't recognize the name or the man in the slightest; funny how there were so many people in this place he didn't know, but the voice is familiar. He can't quite place it though. ]

All right then. [ He says as he gets up from his chair and leans up against the table, arms crossed. ] How can I help you?

[voice]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

Zero's gone? [Is that a tinge of regret in April's voice?] Guess it's better this way.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

Yes. He was looking forward to getting out of here. Guess he got what he wanted.

[Voice]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

Good. I-I'm happy for him.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

Were you an acquaintance of his?

[Voice]

[after-march.livejournal.com]

That's too nice a word for it. I'm April, by the way--April O'Neil.

[Voice]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

Major David Jordan. A pleasure, Miss O'Neil.

I see. Goroh got on your case a lot, I take it.