littlebattles | IC contact for lastvoyages

[A few days after he yelled at her and stormed out of her cabin, with her file, Thomas sends her a message:]

Are you free to meet?

[June seriously considers just not answering. She can just hide in her cabin, right? He can track her down there, but he can't get in. She can push the inevitable off just a little while longer.

But then, she reasons, maybe he hasn't read it yet. Maybe, just maybe, she can still get out of this entirely.]

Sure, boss. Anytime.

How about this evening, then? I can come to your cabin, if you'd rather.

[He has, in fact, read her file, and he'd rathe her be comfortable, if possible, when they talk.]

[Waiting until this evening gives her at least a few more hours to pretend that this isn't happening, so that works for her.]

Do you feel safer coming to mine?

I don't anticipate you doing anything violent against me. Should I?

Of course not.

I knew you were smart.

[That's... encouraging...? Would he be complimenting her if he'd read her file? Probably not, she decides.]

My cabin works fine. See you in a few hours, boss.

I will see you then.

[She's not sure exactly what time he's planning to come, but she'll be in all evening, curled up in her hammock with a novel.]

[He arrives shortly after eating dinner, not too late. He is carrying her file with him. He knocks on her door.]

I left it open for you.

[She calls out, setting her book aside but not getting up out of the hammock.]

[He enters her room and nods to her. The file is under one arm.]

Good evening. I trust you've been well?

[It sure is. She's doing her very best not to stare at it, though her eyes do keep flicking in that direction.]

I can't complain. What about you? Anything good being served up in the dining hall?

[This is excruciating.]

Oh, the usual. The dessert was good.

[But he's not here for small talk.]

Before you ask, yes, I did read your file. I don't hate you.

I didn't think you'd hate me.

[A total lie, and not even a good one.]

I just wanted to leave all of that behind. The Resolute, the Robinsons--

[Right, of course. He believes you.]

Leaving things behind is tempting, but it doesn't really allow you to move forward.

It will here. I'm not going back when I graduate, Thomas.

You don't have to go back. But you should... deal with things, instead of ignoring them.

And how am I supposed to do that? They're in the past. They're all related to a world that I never want to see again.

[Her eyes drift back to the file.]

You really read all of it?

Yes. I need to know as much as I can so I can help you.

[She sighs, pulling her legs up against her chest and wrapping both arms around them. This is a conundrum. She'd spent some time considering what to do if she landed a warden who'd insist on reading her file, and her preferred option would have been to work to erode the Barge's trust in them: to make everybody think that her warden was unstable, or even malicious, so that if they decided to out her in any way they'd be less likely to be believed. But that won't work with Thomas, she knows. Not only has he been onboard for a long time and is both well-liked and well-trusted, he's a close and trusted friend of Harry, who's even more entrenched in Barge life.

She is, at least for the moment, at a complete loss for how to handle this.]

What are you going to tell people?

[She says dully.]

[This was not at all what he expected. He takes a moment to marshal his thoughts.]

About your file? Nothing. I've seen no proof you're an immediate danger.

[This should be good news - she doesn't consider herself to be a danger, after all. But the fact remains that he now knows that she's been lying about her past to everyone else onboard, and she can't help but feel like she should be waiting for the other shoe to drop.]

And that's it? I'm not a danger to anyone, and that's the only thing that matters to you?

[It sounds too good to be true.]

That's the only reason I'd tell anyone else what's in your file, yes. I believe that, for this to work, you have to trust me. And me running my mouth about your past all over the ship isn't very trustworthy.

IC contact for lastvoyages

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