Etcetera

Myriad Reality

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*The woman returns the gesture.*

WOMAN: Katherine, Vector. I'm Naomi. Lucy's put me on to help you; since we're heading out of Union, I had to get on the same train. Took the liberty of disabling this car's surveillance system, so we can talk in private.

*Naomi gives Vector a sidelong glare.*

NAOMI: First off, I'd suggest making sure something like that doesn't happen again. I'm not a wizard; I can't get you out of everything. The Cooperative doesn't play around with terrorism; they're still cleaning up the rebs in North Africa. Probably thought you were one of them infected with some pathogen they stole from a lab.

@Tank O The Lake

*Chuckles halfheartedly*
I suppose sympathy doesn't play well here. I'll choose my words carefully the next time we're confronted.

Myriad Reality

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*A little while after Katherine arrives, the train begins to move. It's a wholly uninteresting ride; there are screens on the back of each seat like an airliner, but they only display safety videos, public service announcements, and the occasional tacky kids' cartoons that always end in a lesson about obeying authority figures or practicing civic virtue or whatever. The train speeds across the dark, polluted landscape at what must be hundreds of miles an hour; you're going to reach Charleston in a little less than three hours.*

*On the last leg of the journey, a young, black-haired woman in a navy-blue suit finds a seat across the aisle from the two of you and unfolds the latest issue of the Union Times, occasionally looking up at you. After a few awkward minutes, she speaks.*

WOMAN: I see you found a change of clothes.

@Tank O The Lake

*Lifts my hand with a soft wave*

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*Pinches the bridge of my nose between my fingers*
A bio-hazard warning. Seriously. It nearly shut down the entire skylight club.

@Legend

Sometimes people don't want to be reached. We made it nonetheless.

Myriad Reality

Oh fwiw I thought this person was going to reach out to her directly and direct her to the station. But this is fine.

Myriad Reality

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Alright. Should I just continue on with the posts, then?

@Tank O The Lake

Yeah, just quote reply this account or [@] the other if you wanna cold-ping.

Myriad Reality

@Tank O The Lake

Heads up that I own Katherine's account so feel free to ping me to cold-start anything involving her.

Myriad Reality

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*As you head north, the place gets just that little bit nicer, and certainly more densely-populated; it seems that even at this time of night, people congregate around the train station. They don't seem to be any friendlier, though.*

*After a few moments of searching, you're able to find the train and hop on, finding an almost-empty passenger car to sit in. Security is lax; they don't seem to care who gets on these trains. They don't even ask for a ticket.*

@Tank O The Lake

*Relaxes and waits for Katherine, watching out the window*

Myriad Reality

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*It is 11:00 PM sharp. It's a bit of a walk, but nothing major; you should get there with time to spare.*

CALLER: Stay out of trouble. Don't go anywhere until you see Katherine.

@Tank O The Lake

Understood. I'll be at the station.
*Starts north*

Myriad Reality

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CALLER: Shit. Fuck. You don't have papers, and the cafe's in the quarantine zone. Fuck.

*There comes the sound of rustling papers on the other end of the line.*

CALLER: Okay. New plan. You're not getting anywhere close to the Union spaceport, so we'll take the next best one. Head back north, 'bout a mile and a half, you'll find a train station. Get on the 11:37 to Charleston; you'll get a flight from there instead. I'll call Katherine and make sure she gets there too; all goes well, your papers will be waiting for you when you arrive.

@Tank O The Lake

Luckily, Katherine is the furthest thing from a troublemaker. You two will get along just fine.
*Looks up at the nearest sky tower with the time*
I look forward to the reunion.

Myriad Reality

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*He slumps backward, taking a deep breath for the first time in days. When he speaks, it's hoarse, but there.*

OLD MAN: ...thank you...

CALLER: Huh. Guess we've all got some surprises.

@Tank O The Lake

*Lets the man down gently*
All I ask is that you tell others what has been done for you. I will return here someday, and this gift is available to them as well. Tell them to wait for me.
*Leaves the man behind and returns my attention to the phone*
Alright, where to next?

Myriad Reality

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*He moves his mouth, but all that comes out is a faint wheeze before he has another fit.*

CALLER: What are you doing?

@Tank O The Lake

A little kindness pays for itself in spades.
*Takes the man's hand, and he can feel the malaise of his sickness concentrate together and transfer from his body into mine, leaving him in a state of gradual but speedy recovery*