text;

[bloodbathing]

[ "Augusta" is the name attached to this TAB. The picture is of curved white metal with a stripe of dark orange — leg armor, for any who may recognize it. ]

UNSC. Marines. RT-636.

[ In order: the military Maine knows, the branch he's in, and the hull classification symbol for the Mother of Invention.

[ North insisted on gathering intel while keeping a low profile. Maine's only interest is in returning to their mission. This is the result of compromise. ]

Comments

text;

[bloodbathing]

Difference?

text;

[shiro2hero]

its
there

technically

text;

[bloodbathing]

nah

[ Throwing Shiro's word back at him. ]

text;

[shiro2hero]

what ?

text;

[bloodbathing]

No difference.

text;

[shiro2hero]

yes ?

yes

there is

ones a bad example

[bloodbathing]

[ The fuck is this guy. ]

Really?

text;

[bloodbathing]

And?

[ STILL THE SAME THING. ]

text;

[shiro2hero]

its not the same !

text;

[bloodbathing]

How?

text;

[bloodbathing]

I'll be here.

[ Whether he likes it or not. ]

text;

[shiro2hero]

there



there just is

text;

[bloodbathing]

Not convincing.

action

[startpoint]

The mission was a success. I wouldn't have made it out of there if you didn't protect me.

[ It's the truth, if not the whole truth. She doesn't want to tell him what their success triggered, the chain of events that came out of it. The AI fragments... and Maine's quiet death at the hands of Sigma. Eventually she'll have to tell him but for now she wants to try and ease him into it. ]

Have you figured out where you're staying yet? [ Knowing York if she doesn't figure something out he'll try to fit Maine into his apartment, too. ] I've got space where I'm staying if you want it.

text;

[shiro2hero]

''just trust me''?

[grandpaladin]

But of course!

No reason to lie, my friend. Honor and justice -- virtues we are in short supply of.

[infailtration]

Come on, Maine. If you were stuck on a foreign world with no sign of your teammates, wouldn't you want a little more to go on than just a text post?

[bloodbathing]

[ Maybe. But that relief? Still weird.

[ Maine grunts, clearly unconvinced. ]

text;

[bloodbathing]

Don't know you.

[infailtration]

I'm serious. You can't be too careful.

action

[bloodbathing]

[ Maine simply shrugs. Watching her back — watching all of their backs — is what he does. He's just glad she made it out. That the mission was a success. And yeah, it's good to know that he didn't take a bullet to the chest for nothing.

[ To her offer, he nods. ]

Thanks.

[ Then, moving down his list of priorities: ]

North's here.

[ Ensure that she's informed of the team's status. Ensure that they're taken care of. ]

[bloodbathing]

[ Another grunt. Not buying it. That release of tension combined with York's fucked up eye just ... doesn't make sense to him. ]

You're not.

[ Being careful, that is. Video right off the bat? Maine's shit at being stealthy, but York isn't. What's the deal? ]

text;

[shiro2hero]

im shiro

[What...]

[infailtration]

We don't have to hide here. You'll see. Nobody cares who we were.

[bloodbathing]

[ He's about to snap that he doesn't hide. This "Augusta" bullshit was all North's idea. He would rather find whoever's in charge of getting people home and beat them until they send him back to the mission.

[ But one word brings him up short. Confused, he asks, ]

"Were"?

[ For a man as taciturn as Maine, word choice is important. "Were" instead of "are" just sent up a big red flag. ]