voice | it's a simple question

[crocodilesmiles]

( When she speaks, Collette aims to sound warm. She's tired, keyed up, and confused as well as trying to understand what's gone on since the mutiny began, and what's continuing in the aftermath. She brings a question she'd talked to Ros about, in her own way; something she wants to know very simply because she doesn't, and it's all the more important now.

Out of respect for that same woman, she keep's Ros's name out of this. )

When it comes down to do or die, who do you trust here to make decisions to pull people through, and not leave people stranded high and dry, or freeze up and fall into inaction? People who keep their temper in heated circumstances. Ones who maybe aren't going to forget the bigger picture, even if that doesn't make it easy on the smaller scale.

I've got a few names myself! Blue, Kate Kane, Nathan Summers, Caesar Silverberg, Lenalee Lee, Xerxes Break, Gilbert Nightray, Jaime Reyes, Ashraf, Kang, Peter Quill, Donny, Armin Arlert, Chrono and Rosette, even Dick Grayson and Ahiru and Vanadi, of all people, would stand by you figuring things out.

Those are some of mine. What're yours?

I'm going to keep talking, though, so you might want to tune out if you don't want to hear me ramble about a few maybe important, maybe not things!

Hey, Blue? All those questions about AIs... I think you were asking for a reason. Is it up for discussion? Because I think it should be past a planning stage.

Jai-- ( She coughs. ) Hi! Blue Beetle? Hahaha, I'm sorry, that's two blues in a row, but um, with all that stuff on Project Chimera, have you like, found anything talking about when they started learning how to grow people up so fast? Someone had to have a breakthrough on that, unless science really works that way! I'm not sure, it's all super advanced for when I'm from.

And um... okay, I'm not sure about this one either. Tony? Tony Stark? What do you know about uh... renewable energy stuff?

Comments

voice

[fintastic]

Sollux! Definitely Sollux, I have seen him do it lots of times. I know I'm biased, but even before I knew him he was that way.

[crocodilesmiles]

Biases are parts of nature! You'd say he's good keeping his head on straight? I know he's smart -- he's real smart about a lot of stuff. I'm always impressed!

( But also remembers the whole throwing rubble at the UE capitol so uh... )

voice

[promises_to_keep]

[Ohai Collette, you won't recognize this name, since you knew him as Axel, but you miiiiight just recognize his voice.]

I can count mine on my fingers and have some to spare; I like to keep my circle small. More manageable that way.

[crocodilesmiles]

( She does... but she's not sure. People can sound similar to each other... )

I was surprised, for a moment I thought I was hearing someone else! Small might be manageable, but small and not trusting outside of that is harder to work with. You can count all those people here?

voice;

[aheroipray]

Hmm, no one here quite yet, I'm afraid.

[crocodilesmiles]

I hope that changes. It's good to have at least one person you can trust like this in a pinch.

voice;

[taggingwomprats]

Han, of course. Charlie Cutter, Chloe, Tempest.

[crocodilesmiles]

( The lightest tease: )

Charlie keeping his cool? I'll buy most the rest, but that one, I'll need to see more to believe!

audio

[gevurah]

[ She's surprised. ]

Flatterer.

[crocodilesmiles]

Hahaha, hey, if it's honest, does it still count as flattery?

voice;

[aceordisgraced]

Maya and Edgeworth if we're talking about home. Here? Definitely those two, but I've got a few more too and I think I can count on you. But since I'm older I'd like to be someone reliable for you.

[crocodilesmiles]

You're reliable for me, Phe. I'd count you as a teammate any day!

( She's trying to say what it is this is about -- leading, not about who it is you trust on a team.

But she feels this conversation needs to happen. )

Miles is good when he's not ruffled up... he did start things with that other lady, when he settled down and got proactive last time!

audio, private;

[5055034455]

So exactly what purpose is this post supposed to serve?

[crocodilesmiles]

Conversation! An exercise in listening.

voice;

[limitstorm]

Roslyn Small.

[ oops? ]

Tsubomi and Lightning, too.

[crocodilesmiles]

( lmf hey if she's not saying it... then she's stuck by her word. )

I'm not as familiar with Tsubomi or Lightning. Maybe they'll show up!

text;

[motherofnemesis]

tony stark.

text;

[crocodilesmiles]

He's a very inventive mind! Where would you say he's pulled through most for you?

not here

[controlledvariable]

[But she listened to this about ten times before bursting into tears.

Nice job breaking it, hero.]

also not here

[hostage]

[Same.]

voice

[commentboxtroll]

Like I would inflate their egos by listing any...

[ Also: ]

And stop mentioning me all over the place! I get saddled with more people every time you so much as utter my name on this stupid thing.

[crocodilesmiles]

Why, afraid of the competition?

( That's an outright tease for Mr. Ego over here. The second half makes her snortlaugh, unapologetic. )

Oh no! How terrible! People come and talk to you? That's horrible!

Permavid

[governorkang]

I won't abuse your trust, Collette.

[crocodilesmiles]

At least you didn't say never. Will or won't, those are more believable promises!

[quackery]

[That is— actually really touching, so while she would normally go with voice, she feels like she owes something more than that.]

You didn't have to say that... [But she sounds grateful despite that.]

As for who I'd pick, you, for one! Steph and Mahdi and Kido, too. Mm, and Maya... If Ellie were still here, definitely her.

[crocodilesmiles]

These are all good names, too! I know I'd say Ellie if she were here... she could use help with letting the tension out, but I think that happens for a lot of people. You bundle it up so tight it's like you're made of steel!

( Collette wouldn't pick herself, but she takes it as being a sign of gratitude and mutuality of trust between the two of them, whic prevents her from outright objecting. Mostly. )

Kido, he's with the group of people who are in that Dan thing, isn't he?

text;

[falla]

Sounds like a good list.

[crocodilesmiles]

It's one I like seeing grow.

Audio

[maddeninghatter]

[ People who keep their temper in heated circumstances.




...oh, Collette. ]

While your purpose in making this list is commendable, I must say, I've got some serious reservations regarding the composition of it.

[crocodilesmiles]

Is that composition like in music or like in English?

( Dumb redirective pointless questions for $400, Mr. Trebek. )

voice, private

[anklets]

[Doesn't succeed on summoning warmth and liveliness to her tone half as well as Collette, but she tries.]

What brought this on? [ besides the obvious ]

[crocodilesmiles]

I felt like people could use a little boost, that's all.

( Mainly those last three. For real. )

not here

[alittlesweptup]

[In a small locked room in the west wing, Charlie Cutter is getting limited access to the network on his tablet thanks to the tireless efforts of one Roslyn Small. He laughs when he finds the post. As the newly crowned king of clumsy motivational attempts, he's got to hand it to her: it's sloppy, but it's something.]

[crocodilesmiles]

( She's sixteen, who expects smooth out of someone that age who isn't used to practicing smooth like it's second nature?

... It will never be second nature for Collette. )

[voice]

[highfrequency]

There are a few people here I can always count on to have my back. But mostly I've learned to depend on myself.

[crocodilesmiles]

Who are those few people? We should all know how to depend on ourselves, that's definitely important, but I don't think it's all there is!

audio

[overclocking]

[ Chrono isn't used to being trusted—is used to being reviled, actually, so this is an interesting bit of turnabout that he has to process through two rewinds of the feed, just to ensure he hasn't misheard.

... He could almost laugh at how misplaced this trust is, the kind of laugh that has no humor in it. Instead he decides not to do anything to change that opinion, if he can help it. ]

No pressure. [ Teasing, in light of having no idea how else to respond. ]

I appreciate that, Collette.

[crocodilesmiles]

( One cannot say she has the best read on the whole of any given person, but it is at the outset what it is. There are betrayals, slips in trust, ways to make her wary about which parts of herself to share, but even then, there's the persistent, irritating, difficult to rinse out thing called hope.

Gross!!! )

Hey, cheer up! I bet it won't compress your spine any.

( And she sounds cheeky as heck over that statement okay )

[Text]

[speakveryclearly]

Forgive Me For Being Curious And Not Tony Stark
When You Say Alternative Energy
Alternative To What Do You Mean

[crocodilesmiles]

Curious is good! Alternative to things that you can't keep um... renewing, that's what I want! So different from oil and natural gas and coal and things like that. More light solar panels and windmills! Is there any Troll kind of technology like that?

audio;

[acemedium]

That's a pretty big list!

[crocodilesmiles]

Phe's nominating you on his personal list, too, Maya!

voice

[khajidont]

[Oh gosh, both IDs are in play here. First, Jaime Reyes!]

Thanks, Collette. [He sounds surprised, but there's no doubting that he sounds pleased too.] There are a lot of good people here.

[The mutiny happened, sure, but it's brought out good people along with the bad.]

[crocodilesmiles]

( Knowingly making your life hard, Jaime, she's so sorry. )

There really are! I'm still thankful for that, I really am.

text

[khajidont]

[And now for Blue Beetle - text, this time, not voice.]

Nothing on age acceleration yet, sorry. We'll have to go on an info-gathering mission to try to figure that one out. My best guess is that it's way later on. Most of the early experiments with genetics were for replicating animals and organs, not people.

I'm almost ready to send out what I've got. I'll let the whole base know when it's done.

[crocodilesmiles]

Closer to this time, maybe?

How much time before you think you've got something people can all work together on getting figured out?

not here

[hellosailor]

[Sully reads the message twice, then laughs loudly before folding the tablet back up.

That's something, smart girl. He didn't know any more than a couple of the names but it didn't matter. Chloe and Cutter would be happy. Should go give them a visit and see the sunny, warm smiles on their faces.]

video

[inafadingcrown]

[A thoughtful little hum] I know fewer of those names than I would like.

[crocodilesmiles]

Thwy're just the people I know, 'Driel! Who'd be on your own list like that?