driftfleet | (no subject)

Robin told me what happened. He's alive.

--Wait, he is? [He gives a low whistle.] I'm impressed; it looked pretty messy. Well, I guess that's one thing out of the way. I talked to the nutjob who attacked him. He gives me the heebie jeebies, but he assured me he's not just some bloodthirsty rampaging maniac.

Not sure I believe him.

He said Robin was keeping a slave, though. [He arches one eyebrow.] You know anything about that?

[ riku presses the heel of his hand against his eye. ]

I didn't. I didn't until he told me why someone killed him.

But I know this much: I looked in his heart, sensed everything. He's not a bad person--he's not evil. He said he was doing it because the person he was keeping couldn't take care of himself.

I don't think keeping a... [ riku's voice just falters, and his shoulders hunch. god, he hates that word. ] I don't think keeping him was right, but I've met him. I don't know if he could take care of himself with someone around.

You looked... into his heart. [Axel just stares into the feed a moment, ala Jim from the Office. Then,] Huh. You don't say.

I don't really think it's right either, but I don't think it's worth killing somebody over, especially if they can't really take care of themselves in the first place. I didn't think Robin was a particularly bad guy, for what it's worth, I'm just tryin' to get the facts straight.

Fenris, though, the guy that ki-- [Record scratch.] Wait. You said he wasn't dead. How can someone have killed him if he's not dead?

[ riku groans lightly. ]

He came back to life. Don't ask me.

I don't think he should've killed anyone, but I'm not so sure Robin should've kept him, either. This is a big mess.

Right. Came back to life. [He sort of scratches his head, then shrugs.] I guess whatever works. [Captain Zombie.]

This Fenris guy gives me the heebie jeebies, though. I talked to him--doesn't say much, listens even less, I think. He says he's got no quarrel with anybody else, but the truth is I don't like him on my ship. [He doesn't like him on any ship. He just plain doesn't really like him. But that is neither here nor there.] Do you know if they talked about anything else? Him and Robin, I mean. Before he went all Temple of Doom on him.

I don't know about that. Robin just told me that he was... that Fenris used to be in the same position.

I'm telling Sora to stay away from him. Isn't Roxas on the ship with him?

Yeah, Roxas is on my ship too, that's why I made sure to at least talk to this guy. If I'm gonna have to share space with him, I wanna know what I'm up against. I told him to keep his hands off Roxas. And you and Sora. Other than that, his hobbies aren't really my business. He told me he wouldn't attack anybody unless they gave him a good reason.

Trouble is I'm not sure what he constitutes as a "good" reason to attack somebody. He declined to give me a list.

[ wait, him? riku blinks once out of confusion and surprise.

... they're past that. he looks away from the video. ]

Like I said, I'm keeping my distance.

[Yeah, him. They're something like friends now, right? Riku is a person of interest to him, at least, so he doesn't want Fenris punching him full of holes.]

Probably for the better. I'll be keeping an eye on him as best I can, so I'll let you know if I see anything worrisome.

[ riku just... sighs, then. looks like he's staying on the bloodsport after all. ]

Good. [ he shakes his head. ] What a mess.

I know, right? [He blows out a sigh and runs a hand back through his hair.] Wasn't really expecting murder on this show.

Me neither. [ kneading forehead. ] But I guess, when something like this happens... it's not that much of a surprise.

Well, I was surprised. There I was, just minding my own business, checking the network feed, and bam, murder, right there. It was like something out of a bad horror movie or something.

Though I guess if I had to guess who among us was a crazy killer the taciturn elf with the weird tattoos would have been a reasonable one.

Could you be more serious?

Eh, I figure you've got the serious part handled well enough. Somebody's gotta keep things a little light around here, you know?

[He wags a finger at him then.]

Don't mistake levity for a lack of gravity. Just 'cuz I don't scowl when I'm working doesn't mean I'm not working.

Levi-tee?

[Oh, a pop quiz?]

Levity, noun: humor or frivolity, especially in an irreverent context.

[He gives him a level look them.] Means don't think I'm not being serious just because I'm not being serious. I think this guy's bad news, and I really don't like bein' on the same ship as him. I don't think I can do a whole lot about that, though, not without transferring somewhere else myself, and then I'd have to bring Roxas too, and it'd just be a big to-do.

I'll be watching him, though, you have my word on that.

[ oh. riku's confusion disappears. ]

Levity... As long as no one else is hurt, we can get out of this.

Here's hoping.

What about Robin, though? If he's got a slave here in the fleet, is he gonna release him, or are we gonna have a murder marathon? Even if he didn't actually die, or... died and came back or... whatever happened, I'd rather not have to deal with this all the time.

[ sigh... ]

I don't know. He says he's doing it because Nel can't really take care of himself, so he's helping. They've been together for a long time.

[Axel quirks his mouth to one side and scratches his head. He's met Nel. Seems like a good kid. Maybe a little simple, a little naive, but a good kid. If it's better for him to continue his relationship with Robin as it is, there's got to be a solution, right?]

What if Robin just... started paying him? Then he's not a slave and there's no issue, right? [Maybe that's a little too simple.] For that matter, if he's dependent on Robin, why not just call it like it is instead of labeling it servitude?

I don't really know the situation, I know it's not up to you either, but... I feel like there's more to it than this. This feels too easy to just fix; why would Robin choose hideous crushing 'death' rather than compromise? I would always choose compromise...

I don't know. Did Fenris give him a choice?

I dunno. He wasn't very chatty.

Maybe I'll just make a couple suggestions at Robin the next time I talk to him. For that matter, Fenris might be unreasonable, but I can't imagine Atroma will be too happy if he just keeps killing people, whether they come back or not.

Probably not.

I'll just... find somewhere else to sleep for a little while, I think.