(no subject)

[warandpeace]

☄ Audio
[This is very pointedly audio only. Miller's not going to show his face for any of this. And his speech? Carefully measured.]

Ishmael died. Big quiet bearded guy. Looked a little like a few other people that have been on the ship. He had a heart attack. Resuscitation attempts were made. Didn't work...

I'll be around the ship tending to some of his affairs until revival is successful. [Because it will be, dammit. He can't make peace with that asshole just to have him die on him already. He's waited before. He can wait again.] I could use a couple of people helping me clear things up. [And there's the rustle of muffling fabric, the grunt of the man clearing their throat against his sleeve to stifle the noise.]

If anyone wants to use the Training Simulation Room I would appreciate if one of the other specialists handled it while I took care of this.

Thanks ahead of time.

Comments

[sidecars]

I can help with the the Sim Room, don't worry.

[ Really? A heart attack, Ish? How gauche. ]

Who's taking Joy?

[warandpeace]

I was going to. But you can if you want to.

[He knows it's not a heart attack. He knows exactly what it was.]

[quixotically]

Kazuhira... [Elle's voice is soft.] I'm sorry.

I'll help with whatever you need.

[warandpeace]

[The response is a heavy, deflating heave. Not even a sigh, just like he is trying to force the air out. Then a sharp inhale of annoyance, and he turns on the camera. Not at him, but at one of these.]

I don't remember what they're called. Fubbles? Something. But he had put a bunch of them around the ship. [And he switches back to audio.]

I need to turn them off and box them up for him.

[He turns off the audio feed. It's remarkable that he cares enough to save these and that he's not building a funeral pyre out of the damned things to burn Big Boss's body on.]

text

[paixatoutprix]

where is he?

[warandpeace]

Med Bay. Body is in cryo, for whatever good that will do. Have to wait for him to be brought back. This ship can do that.

We tried to save him.

[He knew about FOXDIE. He should have tried harder.]

audio

[saveyourserpent]

Are you fucking kidding me.

[It's said more as a statement than a question.

Another opportunity to die and yet he still didn't die by Liquid's hand. The universe is cruel.]

Heart attack, hm? What a way to go.

[Doesn't he know it. This has his brother written all over it.]

☄ PRIVATE

[warandpeace]

[He wants to get mad, but its useless. After all, how bad did he want Big Boss dead before he got here? Willing to burn down the world. Miller hates Cipher, and in knowing he somehow ended up at FOXHOUND... While he's sure that's somewhat protected by John's old associates, it means he had John marginally more than Cipher. The scales had tipped in John's favor.]

[It's discovering Ocelot's level of information control that stripped him of some of that hate, but discovering the future that forced him to not let it rot him inside. He has no idea what would do the same for Liquid, but it's not getting pissed right now.]

It's FOXDIE. You should probably go to the Med Bay and have them look into it.

voice.

[bloodbinds]

[ With all of the danger they've seen on other planets, it's strange to think that someone could so easily die of a heart attack...and on such a peaceful place. Ava doesn't really know what to say, much less suggest. Should she hope this man is revived like Miller wants or encourage him to let Ishmael go home? It's complicated. It's so difficult.

Instead, she speaks up in a quiet voice, somber, letting her condolences speak for themselves without saying anything outright. ]

If there's anything I can do, I'll help with whatever you need.

[warandpeace]

Thanks. Mostly I need to check around, see what he left out. Maybe fold up his cardboard boxes if his roommates are willing to let me in.

[Yes, this is a task that he must consider. Folding up cardboard boxes.]

I appreciate the offer. If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

[The thing is, he has no confirmation that dead men go home. If he did, maybe the situation would be different. But otherwise no one has said anyone goes back.]

Video

[tsunclonus]

My condolences. I pray he has a quick resurgence.

[Cyclonus bows his head in a brief moment of silence.]

I'm afraid I can't offer more than that at the moment.

[warandpeace]

He better be back quick.

[He doesn't want to spend forever waiting again. Especially out of guilt.]

Don't worry. You have enough on your plate. I saw what happened.

audio; private

[ersatzeverything]

Shit. You okay, pal?

If there's anything you need, you only have to ask.

Re: audio; private

[warandpeace]

I'm angry.

Can't be angry at anyone but myself, though. Wish I had someone else to direct it at. No. This time, it's just me.

[And he's sad, but honestly it's easier to be angry.]

[audio]

[soldiergenes]

[ A heart attack.

This is the worst kind of deja vu. Both the part where people around him have heart attacks and the part where he's killed Big Boss. Except that this time it hadn't been intentional.

Snake can't shake the feeling that Miller is going to be angry with him for not being more cautious about FOXDIE. Then again, the second time that he interacted with Big Boss it had been at his forced request. Which doesn't necessarily absolve Snake, but any guilt that he feels has more to do with his Master than with Big Boss.

It's hard to know what to say. Condolences won't mean a thing. Snake sighs and forces himself to open up an audio message. ]

What do you need?

[ He's fully prepared for the dressing down of his life. ]

[warandpeace]

☄ Private
[And here it comes.]

The next time I tell you to be careful you should listen to me. I know I'm not the man you remember but that doesn't mean my caution is less valid.

[Even when it's blossomed from rage, the caution made sense. Quiet did originally have ambitions against motherbase, there as a spy. He was right that Ocelot interrogating children would do nothing but spark more defiance. He's gotten used to people disregarding him. Sure, fine.]

[He's not going to let himself keep accepting it.]

Liquid told me they have a cure. See about that, first. [He's not losing anyone else.]

Then I need help cleaning up one of his messes.

[Solid Snake is also about to get assigned to Mission 49: Fubble Hunt.]

[warandpeace]

☄ Private
Heads up. I had to tell Ocelot about the virus. He was going to find out anyway.

You boys are victims to it, too. I'll try to keep him focused on immunizing Big Boss when he wakes up.

[At least he's went into protective mode now, he can't afford to be upset or angry if Ocelot starts making bad choices about the boys.]

video;

[liberaltus]

I'm...[Dorian wasn't known for faltering or being at a loss for words, but he was never good at this sort of thing]...I'm sorry.

[He knew that death was impermanent here, and he did not know this Ishmael (beyond the fact that it was terribly close to Imshael), but Dorian had lost someone he cared about so he understood that much.]

If there's anything you need-

[warandpeace]

I just need to clean up after him, that's all. Make sure everything's together when he comes back.

[It shouldn't take more than a few days, right? Or a week?]

Thanks, though. I'll let you know if he's gone so long he starts haunting me.

[There are phantom jokes that could happen here, but they don't feel very funny right now. Nothing really does. And here he was starting to be happy his humor had returned.]

video

[yer_pretty_good]

Heart attack my ass.

[He was probably the healthiest guy on this ship.]

☄ PRIVATE

[warandpeace]

The kids are sick with something. That's my guess as to what caused it.

They just said the infirmary contacted them about a cure too.

Good timing.

[As dryly as possible.]

[songoftime]

Ishmael... [Link is repeating the name, quiet, to himself at first. After a couple of seconds to think about it, he dares enough to ask.]

Is he the one who helped you? That time I fell asleep.

[The guy who carried me.]

[warandpeace]

Yeah...

That would be him.

[And a little part of his heart breaks knowing that there's one person that has a memory of him with nothing bad surrounding it. No fights. No horrors. Nothing terrible at all. Just being carried in trust to a safe location.]

[And how often has Big Boss been lucky enough to have that?]

text;

[ventifact]

you okay?

[warandpeace]

I'll be fine. It was just pretty unexpected.

text; encrypted; backdated to NOT THIS LATE

[notglitching]

[Rinzler doesn't know the dead user, and doesn't have much reason to care. The simulation room is of more concern, but it only takes a quick glance through the public replies to know that's covered. Concern at large seems to be handled thoroughly, with a wide array of methods and replies.

Still.]

Status?

[warandpeace]

My status? Or his.

His is still dead.

[He doesn't know what his status is.]