[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NISMglX.png[/img][/center][center][h2][color=#b9dde9]Laurey Karlin[/color][/h2][/center]Laurey did not miss them.

At first she did not even realise they had gone. So much of her time was spent on her mech. It was slow, careful work, but even that would produce something rather homespun in comparison to the sudden swell of military robots into their crew. Between that, Nirrti, and her pet roomba projects, the only time she spent in meatspace besides was to eat or sleep, when she remembered. Although, she [i]was[/i] beginning to kick the drug habit.

It was the emptiness that first let her know anything was wrong. Lying awake the sounds: there were none. No laughter from the twins' bedroom, and for that the ship seemed sadder. No heavy clomp and stagger from the Doc’s office after one too many beers, and for that the ship seemed soberer. 

The whole thing was like an optical illusion that once you saw, you couldn’t unsee. 

At mess there was no wisecrack from Finn, no reassurance from Amy, no silent brooding from… who was it? Did it begin with an ‘S’? No… There was none of this because they were gone, and with them, hope was leaving too.

She did not miss them she did not miss them she did not miss them

Cutting a heap of Bliss that would lead to her convulsing on the floor in thirty minutes time in her own vomit, she reflected.

She did not miss them

People that she had held in equal parts awe and fear were gone from her life. Effectively dead. A family broken. And she did not care.

One line. Two lines. Three lines. More? The drug tingled. In the mirror she saw her reflection sparkle as the light caught on her tears.

Funny. She used to take Bliss to escape the pain. 
[hr]
The briefing happened.

Laurey was not convinced she had focused throughout. It was just… boring?

She was in the ‘now’ when their captain made a joke. It was only the message from Nirrti pinged in her mind’s ear that she realised something. She’d forgotten to laugh. She sent her response.

[b]From:[/b] Laurey
[b]To:[/b] Nirrti

[b]Title:[/b] [Not Available]

[b]Contents:[/b] Request granted.

Then again she realised belatedly that perhaps that message was too short. A follow-up:

[b]From:[/b] Laurey
[b]To: [/b]Nirrti

[b]Title:[/b] [Not Available]

[b]Contents: [/b]If we all die we won’t need help anyway. :)