It's dangerous to go alone [Open; Post-SHODAN]

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

The latest disaster aboard the good ship Stacy had been a reminder to Ter'thelas that the whole damned expedition was likely doomed to failure. He'd lost no abilities, unlike a good portion of the ship's crew, and so had simply laid low in the city, occasionally cracking a robotic opponent over the head or blasting it into pieces with a firearm. At the same time, it seemed that it might be time for him to consider alternatives to traipsing along on this haphazard expedition.

He had a small pad of paper and a pencil and was scratching out a list that read:

Staying on the ship.

Pros:

• Security
• Karis
• the satisfaction of fighting another damned war for the greater good
• possible return home.

Cons:

• Constantly harried by Ohm
• lunatics popping out of the ship on a regular basis
• not in command of own fate
• death by any number of unpleasant methods

Leaving the ship.

Pros:

• Security from lunatics
• nice quiet life (hopefully)
• getting away from the damned madness

Cons:

No Karis

alone on a strange world (again)

And this is where he'd left it. It was hardly a complete list, but he was working on it, pacing back and forth in front of the massive view ports of the space bridge and enjoying the still disorienting view. Perhaps he'd seek counsel from some of the other members of the crew, if they happened along. He sighed and leaned against the wall, reading over his list again.

Would he be able to do it?

Comments

[quick_strike]

"That would be a waste."

She shook her head at the thought.

"You do not choose the war. The war chooses you. It will follow and hound you until you bring it to an end. Fate does not let you walk your own path that simply. There will simply be a whole new breed of problems if you leave. It is better to deal with the familiar."

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

"Yes, so much better to deal with death and war and all the damned incompetence and backstabbing amongst people who ares upposedly leading us and on our side. The war be damned." His voice is not quite as precisely calm as he would like, the inflection rising slightly alongside his annoyance.

"I suppose you know the feeling of having done nothing but fight war? The last twenty or more years of my life have been that and I am damned tired. Damned tired."

[quick_strike]

"I have been fighting for centuries. Perhaps not continuously but I have seen more fights than any human will ever see." Outcasts were frequently called to help with a war effort and with the Necrons returning from their slumber, Alaitoc had been...busy. With them, the humans, and orks, it had been a huge burden.

"Ignore those in charge. I do not follow them. Their concerns are not mine. I fight for the same things I fought for previously and for nothing else."

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

"As have I," he replies, lapsing into a melancholic silence for a moment.

"I grow weary of it. And wearier of fighting wars for people whose intentions I cannot discern. Why do the damned Dalgig need us if their soldiers are so much more powerful? It makes no sense, and frankly I'd rather take my chance than trust that lot."

[quick_strike]

"They are not more powerful than us. That much is simple to answer." She flipped back her hair once.

"No, I suspect we will be fighting them soon. It is better to be in a position of knowing them than not."

There was a level of persecution complex there, Alendian always being sure that anyone who isn't part of her race will be an enemy in the end.

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

"Rather obviously, yes." He brushed his own hair from his eyes with a quiet sigh.

"Just what I need, more betrayal and bloodshed. I suspect humans in your world have a similar history of backstabbing and gutless cowardice?" He smiled thinly. This place was starting to wear on him more than he was willing to let on.

[quick_strike]

"It happens all the time." A one-sided story but certainly in the opinion of the Eldar, all humans did was backstab.

"Either way, my point still stands. Do what you wish with yourself. Better to be among those you trust here than with no one you know elsewhere."

[seasindorei.livejournal.com]

"The one things humans can be relied upon for is their treachery," Ter'thelas elaborates a bit further before dropping the line of conversation, shifting himself mentally to address her next line of reasoning.

"Perhaps, true. But there are only a few here I trust and the rest are incompetent buffoons or idealistic idiots. I find it hard to work with such people."