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[gevurah]

[ PRIVATE to LILY ]

Hey, I got you the scarf while I was away.


[ PRIVATE to ELLIE & DICK ]

[ The messages are sent to their tablets separately: ]

Got you something.


[ Her voice, while somewhat tired, is leveled as she speaks. ]

For the time being, the clinic should be stocked with some personal hygienic products anyone might have been wondering about. There's shampoos, soaps, sanitary napkins, and pads and tampons for the ladies. There's also patches for smokers. Anything else you're looking for, like medicine or bandages, you'll have to check with someone at the clinic.

Anyway, I asked the AI the decrypt a couple of drives belonging to the UE. There were various analytical notes specializing in robotics, specifically robotic spacecraft — rovers. For those unfamiliar: a rover is a vehicle used in space explorations. Depending on the design, they can either be partially or completely operated on their own, or they can transport crews.

There's a couple of bad ideas that come to mind knowing this information: one being they may have plans to come up here eventually and if they aren't fully aware how many of us are here, they'll find out.

Research also indicated "interdimensional colonization". We've been well aware for a while they're able to access portals into other worlds.

The drives also contained some notes on Project Chimera and talks of previous genetic projects the UE's researched. I'll forward anyone who wants a copy of these notes to look over.

[ For those who ask and receive: here. ]

Has anyone begun to compile the information we have together to make it more streamlined? I imagine the AI can likely do it if you ask.

Comments

[pixieboots]

Well, yeah. I mean- [ Oh no he has to lie again now, doesn’t he? His face falls a little. ]

I mean you never know what’ll happen, but I’m not doing any of the really heavy lifting. Just the stuff the pros don’t want to handle.

[gevurah]

[ All the lying, dodging, evasion... everything they've been doing hasn't helped any of them. She's not sure where to start or how, but she knows she can't carry on doing this to Dick for however long they are going to be here. It's not announcing it to the entire base, it's just Dick Grayson.

A soft, quiet sigh escapes her. ]

I know, Dick.

[pixieboots]

[ It gets his attention alright, but he tilts his head, curious rather than on-edge. ]

...Know what?

[gevurah]

[ She looks at him directly, never breaking eye contact. ]

About Robin.

[pixieboots]

[ It's not the first, not the second, not even the third time he's been through this with someone here. But it's Kate this time. Kate, who he's lied to and lied to and lied to.

He'd had words all ready, a whole speech he can't even use now, and they all feel stuck while he's clutching the chocolates like a life line. ]

...But you can't know.

[ It's stupid and nonsensical but he can't seem to stop himself now. ] I haven't even said- said anything- yet.

[gevurah]

[ She motions with her hand to calm down. ]

You didn't need to.

[pixieboots]

You- you're saying you always knew?

[ His voice isn't accusing, just high-pitched and strangled. ]

And you didn't say anything?

[gevurah]

[ She has nothing to say yet. She doesn't think words are necessary for what she does next.

She lays her bag to the side nearly and squats for a moment to unzip it, digging through her belongings until she reaches the bottom of it. She straightens her posture and holds out her hand. In it is a mask.

One Dick will recognize. ]

[pixieboots]

[ His mouth opens, then shuts. Finally he takes a step closer, edging just inside the invisible barrier that always seems to hover around masks. ]

Oh. You- [ He drops his hand down, limp and dazed. ]

You're Batwoman.

[gevurah]

I am.

[ She doesn't react to his surprise, almost as if she expected it. ]</small

[pixieboots]

[ Looking at the floor is easier, so that's where his eyes go next.

Of course she expected it. ]

...Well, now I just feel dumb.

[gevurah]

[ She lets the mask drop back into the bag, looking down at Dick with soft eyes. ]

I wouldn't be doing my job properly if you'd figured it out quickly.

[ In any case, it's not as if she caught onto Dick immediately either. ]

[pixieboots]

Yeah, but- [ A million little details are falling into place; a thousand questions that feel like they've been needling him forever, all at once. ]

...I mean, I guess I wondered a couple of times. But it was a secret for a reason, you know? [ Everyone's secrets deserve protection. ]

[gevurah]

I'm not in the habit of sharing secrets that aren't mine.

[ Unless Dick was a criminal, but he's not. ]

[pixieboots]

...You're not mad?

[ He asks it after a moment, quiet and a little sad. ]

[gevurah]

[ Mad isn't quite the word to describe how she feels about it all. It's all been a confusing mess for her. ]

No.

[ She shakes her head. ]

But Dick, I have to ask you: what do you plan to do up here?

[pixieboots]

About... you mean about that? [ He's not sure what she does mean, whether she's wishing already that she hadn't told him the truth or telling him in a roundabout way that he should put the suit away for good. ]

No. I mean, you... you're trusting me with something big. I'm not gonna tell anyone.

[gevurah]

No.

[ Another shake of her head. ]

What do you plan to do as Robin up here?

[ Because their situation is dire and while normally she didn't have to worry about the other Bats back home, it's different with Dick here. ]

[pixieboots]

Oh. Right... [ Like it's something he'd misplaced without meaning to. ]

Nothing, I guess. [ His shoulders shrug up, and then he lets him drop. ]

I'm kinda retired for now.

[gevurah]

[ She isn't expecting to hear that word fall from Dick's mouth. A Robin's mouth. ]

Retired?

[pixieboots]

Well, not- there's not way it's gonna last forever. Especially not if something big happens.

[ Like say a zombie invasion sometime in the next couple of weeks.

But hearing her say the word is harder than saying it himself, somehow. ]

I just have to figure out what I'm supposed to do now. I mean after what happened, I just-

[ He's been lonely and angry and lost and crushed underneath what feels like an insurmountable wall of sadness. But the words get stuck halfway, and he doesn't know how he'd even begin spelling it out for her. ]

...And how would I ever keep it a secret up here anyway? No matter what I still have to protect Batman. He's counting on me.

[gevurah]

[ She can and does respect that. While she probably wouldn't like to or want to take orders from the Batman, he's still an important figure to her; it's his symbol that reminds her she has a way to continue fighting for what she believes in. His privacy deserves to be protected. ]

Have you told anyone?

[pixieboots]

...No. They- [ It's one lie he can't bring himself to tell anymore. ] ...Well, a couple people figured it out. That's why I couldn't stay in housing.

[ There had been no one to trust, nothing else to do but leave.

And for a long moment he's silent, because... because Kate's smart, and she'll know what that means. That he'd lied to her too. Not just about Robin, but about everything. ]

...Every time we talked I told myself I'd- that next time I'd just say something.

[ But he hadn't. He hadn't so they could still talk, which is probably all it comes down to now. ]

I didn't want to lie...

[gevurah]

I know.

[ She speaks, soft and genuine. ]

This isn't an easy life.

[pixieboots]

I guess not. [ It doesn't mean he's forgiven, he knows that. But it means she understands. Like only someone with a secret to keep can.

And he cracks a grin finally, which is easier somehow even while his eyes are starting to sting. ]

But if it was then who wouldn't try pulling it off?