xp_communication | Domino and Amanda

Domino catches Amanda online. There's a rather winding conversation, rather more serious than their usual talks.

ladyluck13: Heya. Guess who found a stable internet connection? I'm sitting in N'Djamena's only internet cafe. It's actually air-conditioned.

wytchbrat: Dom! Fuck, talk about a sight for sore eyes... What the hell have you been up to?

ladyluck13: Running Sudanese refugees into Chad.
ladyluck13: No, really. Stop laughing at the computer screen.

wytchbrat: Uh-huh. Right. What kind of refugees can afford Pack rates?

ladyluck13: The kind that aren't paying me?
ladyluck13: Hold on a minute here, when did this turn into an interrogation? Let's try this again. Hi, Amanda!

wytchbrat: Sorry, just caught me by surprise is all. It's good to hear from you. Really.

ladyluck13: Don't get all apologetic at me, now.
ladyluck13: I guess it is a little shocking to hear about a mercenary not being, well, mercenary. Although I did say something to you about doing a little pro bono work, didn't I? This is what it turned out to be.
ladyluck13: I'm going to stick around here and soak up what passes for civilization for a few days, and then I'm heading back to Darfur.

wytchbrat: You did say . Hah, you know what they say about kids making your brain turn to mush...
wytchbrat: How'd the refugee-rescuing go?

ladyluck13: As well as can be expected, I suppose.
ladyluck13: Lost seventeen of them on the way. Airstrike.

wytchbrat: ...Fuck.
wytchbrat: You doing all right?

ladyluck13: I wasn't hurt. Luck, don't you know.
ladyluck13: I look on it as a learning experience. Next time I do this, we only travel at night, and don't carry any lights. I really should have thought of that before. The no lights, I mean. But I didn't want the kids falling all over the place in the dark.

wytchbrat: Not what I meant, but it's not like I can give you the Look from here.
wytchbrat: So there'll be a next time?

ladyluck13: And a next time, and a next time. Do you know how many people are in those camps in Darfur getting picked off by militia every time they stick their noses outside looking for food or water or firewood?
ladyluck13: That was a rhetorical question, sorry. I suppose they're not a whole lot better off here, but at least they're somewhat safer. I left my group in one of the camps far enough away from the border that they shouldn't get caught in any of the 'accidental' airstrikes.

wytchbrat: *smiles* Sounds like you've found yourself a cause.

ladyluck13: Bite your tongue, brat. Next you'll be telling me I'm being noble or something.
ladyluck13: It's just... useful stuff to do. Needs doing and all that.

wytchbrat: Wouldn't dream of it - I know you've got a rep to maintain and all. *grins* What does Nate have to say about it?

ladyluck13: He's glad I'm doing something I can feel good about.
ladyluck13: Doesn't like why I'm doing it. *wry look* Or why he thinks I'm doing it.

wytchbrat: Do I want to know? Or is this one of those things best left to the two of you to fester and explode later? *grins*

ladyluck13: You probably don't want to know.
ladyluck13: He's full of shit, of course. Don't worry - next time I'm over I'll beat him up a little and we'll be good.

wytchbrat: And my faith in the world order is restored...

ladyluck13: Might not be for a little while. The next time I'm over, I mean.
ladyluck13: Depends on what happens with the next run. I suppose I could always fly in and out of here if need be. Or Khartoum...
ladyluck13: I'm just so damned tired that the idea of a plane is not appealing at the moment. Maybe that's it.

wytchbrat: Hey, no rush - you do what you want/have to do, I'll see you when I can.
wytchbrat: I'd come out to join you wherever only it's a bit hard travelling with a rugrat...

ladyluck13: And you don't really want to come visit me anyway. *wry look* This is not a very touristy part of the world, sadly. I say sadly because it is kind of interesting. We stayed one night in some Roman ruins on the way here...

wytchbrat: Hell, I'd want to see you if you were in bloody Milton Keynes. *grins* Sounds like you got an archiology happy.

ladyluck13: Little bit of one, maybe. Seems kind of frivolous, all things considered..

wytchbrat: What, doing good deeds means you can't have the odd bit of fun? You're starting to sound as bad as Nate sometimes.
wytchbrat: Maybe we should get you fitted for a nun's habit or something? *ducks*

ladyluck13: I wonder sometimes. If I haven't been a little too frivolous in my life so far.
ladyluck13: Being here in the middle of all this, knowing that I'm going to stay... it's different than just dropping in and out for a quick mission. Makes me think.

wytchbrat: I think I'm just going to stop trying to be funny over here. I'm starting to feel like a naughty kitten, with all the smacks over the nose.
wytchbrat: Good that you're thinking about stuff, Dom. But don't go too far the other way, yeah? Somehow I can't see you lasting as the next Mother Teresa.

ladyluck13: I'm sorry, sweetie. I don't mean to be smacking you down... I'm not trying to.
ladyluck13: I'm just wondering if things would have been different. If I'd been less frivolous... more of a help.

wytchbrat: Just one of those weeks. Getting used to feeling like a moron.
wytchbrat: That's a dangerous path to start down, Dom. There's always going to be things you wish you hadn't done. But until time travel's an option, it's wasted wishing.
wytchbrat: Do better from now on if that's what you want to do, make sure you don't fuck up the same way, but that's all you can do.

ladyluck13: Now you are sounding like Nate. Heh. Part of it being one of those weeks involve him giving you the Questionably-Peppy Pep Talk?
ladyluck13: I'm afraid to actually call him. Suspect I'd start bawling over the phone.

wytchbrat: Bawling? How hard are you doing it over there, Dom?

ladyluck13: Too hard and not hard enough.
ladyluck13: It's like I said, about actually being here, in the middle of it all. I don't get to get on a plane, go somewhere to party, and try to put it all behind me.
ladyluck13: I'll be okay, though. I've got someone I'm staying with in Darfur - old friend of GW's. He's the one that suggested I do this... I'll be all right. I just need to be more careful. Make sure the people around me all get to share my luck.

wytchbrat: ... I don't know what to say, Dom. Good luck? Be careful?
wytchbrat: I mean, this is something big you're doing, and I've been making bad jokes. Fuck, I've been in a sulk the last few days 'cause of failing me finals when everyone else is going on about how they didn't think they'd pass and isn't it great they have. Which is pretty bloody petty, when you look at what you're dealing with.

ladyluck13: Hey... no. No, no, no. Don't do the comparison-thing?
ladyluck13: That way lies madness and all. Weren't you just telling me that? Or something like that... did I mention I'm kind of sleep-deprived?
ladyluck13: But no. Don't do that. It's important to you to get your education, and important to Meggan, and two lives over there are as important as two lives over here. It's when people start to say one's less than the other, either way, that we start running into problems...
ladyluck13: And that made NO sense. Heh. I love you and don't kick yourself?

wytchbrat: Seems like there's a lot of people telling me that lately. And the funny thing? Hardly did the guilt trip thing at all when Meggan got taken, and look at me now. Must have had some leftover or something.
wytchbrat: Don't mind me - just being my usual balmy self. Love you too, Dom.

ladyluck13: Nate told me in the email. You're really doing okay? She's all right?

wytchbrat: She's fine. More than - whole thing gave her a bit of a jumpstart on the talking. Nudged her along far enough that the Prof said it was safe for Nate to dump the dictionary in her head. Still processing it all, I think - she's been quiet since.

ladyluck13: He told me about the dictionary thing, too. I think he was kind of tickled at himself.
ladyluck13: It'll be good to be able to talk more to her, won't it?

wytchbrat: Meg thought it was fun. Nate did a good job.
wytchbrat: Yeah. And it's good for other people too - I love her to death, but I can't be there for her 24/7. So she needs to be able to tell other people what she needs.

ladyluck13: You sound like you're doing just fine. Not that I know shit about parenting, but... :)

wytchbrat: I'm muddling through. But I phisically can't be there for her all the time - proved that the other day. So getting her language skills up to scratch is important, not just so she can't talk to us, but so we can explain things to her. Like warning people you can eat electricity before sticking a fork in a power socket.

ladyluck13: ...
ladyluck13: Nate didn't mention that part. Oooh boy. Tell me, is your hair turning white yet? Do I need to be bringing you back hair dye as a gift?

wytchbrat: Not yet, but give it time. And she did that to Kurt. Scared the shite out of the poor bastard.
wytchbrat: Looks like her powers are a bit different to what we thought they were. Moira's got her research face on.

ladyluck13: Good! It'll give her something to keep her mind occupied.
ladyluck13: Well, you know what I mean. It's getting towards That Time.

wytchbrat: Yeah, you should see her. Size of a bloody house. Think she's embarassed, that's why she's spending all her time in the lab lately.

ladyluck13: I'll be back then, for sure. No matter what. Even if I'm not back over before then.

wytchbrat: *grins* I'll hold you to that, big sis.

ladyluck13: Deal.
ladyluck13: And I should probably go. Back to where I'm staying to crash... fuck, I need sleep. I think I'll pick up a bottle of something on the way back. Maybe that way I won't dream.

wytchbrat: Too bad I still haven't ironed out the problems with that teleporting spell - I'd send you something to help you sleep. *hugs* Take care, yeah? Don't want to be adding to these white hairs of mine.

ladyluck13: Wouldn't dream of it.
ladyluck13: Look after yourself and the kidlet. I'll talk to you again soon.

wytchbrat: I'll keep an eye out for you. *hugs*

wytchbrat has signed off.