milliways_bar | (no subject)

She likes chocolate, just don't tell anyone. Rather than a whole ten million microts of techno babble, Aeryn spoke clearly.

"I'm trying to trace back the signal to find the location of Grayza's command carrier."

In her frustration she tweaked a switch and the message played. It went through the whole complement of Moya's crew, with accompanying holo-images, including Aeryn. Or as it said: 'The traitor Aeryn Sun'.

Wes watches it, thoughtfully, then blinks.

He pauses for a considerable length of time. Then says, "Wait, let me get this straight... You're trying to find the people who made this?"

"Yes." She looked away, making a show of nonchalance.

"Yes I am."

"Huh."

After another moment, Wes slides his milkshake across the table to her. Hey, it's three-quarters full.

"Good luck, I guess. Anyone goin' with you? If you get the signal, I mean."

"Thanks." She takes a small drink, smile blossoming.

"No, who would I take? There's just me. And I'll be someone else at the time."

"No problem," he says with a vaguely rueful smile.

Wes shrugs, and starts to say there's folk here who would help, but the last bit sort of--

"--whut? You mean in disguise?"

"No, I will be someone else. Some kind of potion..."

She didn't look sure herself.

"It's a top security command carrier. They have DNA scans, genetic tests, they don't just let any thoddo walk in. Fly in."

Wes blinks.

He blinks quite a bit, actually.

"Now that's a way the Wraiths never had, for sure." He grins a little. "A magic thing or somethin', huh? You tried it out?"

"Not yet. I need to get the trace signal first." She tilted her head to the left, surveying him.

"Then I need to get a DNA sample from a MIA Peacekeeper. I was thinking maybe a black ghost. They are presumed dead all the time and then they turn up."

"Right, right. Hey, will it work, tracing it from this place?"

UH WES. OPTIMISM REMEMBER.

He considers what getting this DNA sample would entail and eyes Aeryn, but nods. "Lots of people do that in wars and things, yeah. How long will it all take, d'you think?"

"I have no idea. I'm not a frelling tech." There's a good chance she's nervous and is snapping to hide it.

"The mission, or to get things ready?"

Wes holds his hand up innocently and shrugs, a little amused. "'Kay, 'kay."

He'd suggest finding an actual tech, then; but -- like Atton -- he quite likes his limbs.

"I don't know, either. Both."

"However long it takes." Her eyes darkened and she paid particular attention to the task.

"That depends on if I get captured, or if I succeed."

"Ah. That's, uh. Always a factor, yes."

Wes is silent for a moment, not quite sure what else to say to that.

So instead, he changes subject brightly. "And what else's been goin' on lately, 'sides planning missions?"

"Atton and I said we loved each other. Despite meaning, I am fond of you and like the sex."

Blunt? Never.

See, it's a good thing Wes gave his drink to Aeryn and is therefore not drinking it just now.

Clearly.

"...you both said it?" Is that-- the start of a grin? A bit lopsided? Nah. "Well ... I'm sure that's one definition of it. Y'sure you meant that though?"

"Certain. I love Atton and he loves me." Aeryn shook her head.

"But it's more like a friend love. Friends who enjoy recreating."

There is a sadness there, quickly disguised by the slurping of milkshake.

"I know, because I've been in love."

Wes thinks about this for quite a while.

"I think it's hard to tell the difference, sometimes," he says slowly.

But that's just Wes, because Wes isn't very good at that sort of thing.

"What happened?"

"I don't think Atton loves me." She looked quite serious, even with a milkshake moustache.

"I think he wants to, but he can't."

Beat.

"With the one I loved? He died."

"Why can't he?"

He'll razz Atton about it later. Well, more likely he'll forget and they'll have another totally random conversation, but still.

Wes nods, and offers a sympathetic sort of smile. "How long ago was that?"

"Too frelled up." Aeryn shrugged. "Or I'm not the right woman."

"A few monens. He had just...went a few solar days before I arrived here."

"...probably the first," Wes says ruefully.

"Ah-- you got here right after--?" He pulls a face. "That can't have been good." Master of stating the obvious? "Not a bad place to recover from somethin', but..."

"Maybe, but I'm not going to abandon him. I care about him, enough to keep this up forever? Probably not. But we are adults and we both know what we are doing."

Aeryn shrugged, keeping her face carefully neutral.

"Better than some of the places I could have ended up. And at least one of the Crichton's survived."

Way to confuse the guy, Aeryn.

"Yeah? Well ... okay."

Wes has absolutely no idea what to say about it all, really. He could go for the don't hurt him spiel, but he supposes it's more likely to be the other way around. So he says nothing.

Because yeah, that line about multiple Crichtons is pretty damn distracting anyway.

"--wait what?" With confused peering.

"He was split." She had explained it so much it didn't affect her anymore.

"In two. Supposedly, two equal halves. Two John Crichtons."