002 ☆ voice;

[precludes]

[They will argue about moral choices until the city burns away. The choices here are ugly, and knowing the outcome regardless of their actions makes them uglier.

She never does this. Oriko has always believed that action is better than telling. People don't listen to soothsayers; truths must be learned on their own time. Never once has she simply come forward with information like this - everything was a speech, a story, a revelation, pulling threads and nudging.

She sounds, frankly, cold. Detached, but hoarse.]

What I have to say is brief, if you will hear it.

Here is what is going to happen:

There is no conceivable escape for Exiles at the shoreline. The fate they will meet there is no different. Guns wait for them, and death.

Don't send them down there indiscriminately, rashly, unless you send them knowing that.

Comments

[fortissimos]

You're right. There won't be anything left if we all just run away.

[invocation]

There's nothin' left if we stay here either. Even if you did save someone, there's nowhere for them to go!

[She doesn't really like the idea of swallowing this either, but there are no easy outs this time.] We lost. That's it.

[fortissimos]

Then go. I'm gonna do whatever damage I can.

If I distract the UE enough, some people might get through.

[invocation]

Don't be stupid! I'm not leaving you here to die!

[Temper, temper. She tries to calm down enough long enough to explain.] What part of this isn't getting through your thick head? Even if you got them past the soldiers, they're exiles for a reason! They'd get killed before they got anywhere else. You gonna babysit them the whole way?

[fortissimos]

I will if I have to. It's better than just leaving them to die.

... I get what you're saying, but I can't run away from this. I'm going to do the right thing.

[invocation]

Bullshit! You don't get what I'm saying, because you're still doing the same stupid thing...

[She's had enough of this. Her voice has cooled by the time she responds again.] I'm tired of arguing with you. I'm coming to find you.

[fortissimos]

[ She laughs, but it's hoarse and shaky. ]

Good luck. [ She's probably well beyond the range of telepathy, now, and the outlands are a big place. Big enough to stay lost in. ]

[invocation]

[The feed just clicks off at this point. She's too frustrated to continue fighting over this, and they're on borrowed time now.

Whether or not retrieving Sayaka is ultimately a pointless task, she's going to try anyway.]