(no subject)

[hecu_marine]

The boxsplosion has been dealt with, and Shephard thanked Kanaya appropriately before taking his various Christmas gifts home. Except the mug- he's keeping that in one of the abstracted pockets of the jacket Kanaya gave him a while back, as he intends to make a point of using it where people can see. He's not drinking now, though. Alene, one of Mrs. Wilson's first litter, insisted on following him when he started putting things away, so she's trotting happily along behind him as he heads out to the target range. It's been a while since he's been able to get in any time with a bow, and he's got some recently fletched and tipped arrows to test out anyway. Best to have one of the houndeyes around in case someone- not naming any names, but they're probably French- wanders through. Again.

He'll be happy to talk in between flights, though.

Comments

[hecu_marine]

"It helped," Shephard says. "Got me some damn fine recruits, so I ain't gonna complain about it too much. I'm just fuckin' glad the others're easier to sign up."

[freedom_is_grey]

"I can see how you would be. Congratulations on your fortitude. It's impressive even without the actual visual of you being stung."

She's just saying.

[hecu_marine]

"Thank you kindly," says Shephard. "Here's hopin' you don't have to do nothin' like that yourself to git more Wardens. You got enough shit to deal with, sounds like."

[freedom_is_grey]

"No, getting more Wardens is -- a very different matter to that. Failure is brought on by a lack of internal strength more than external."

She is not smiling now, not really.

"Could the ants have killed you?"

[hecu_marine]

"Only if I'd'a had a weak heart," says Shephard.

Marine Corps boot camp could theoretically kill a recruit, but again, only if they had a physical issue to begin with, so he's not gonna mention that either.

"That rough, huh?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"I'm glad you didn't."

Otherwise they wouldn't be having this conversation, and Liranan wouldn't have made a new friend! And Shephard would be dead.

"Mystical rituals are not known for being kind, let alone taking the taint from the Blight into yourself all at once."

Plus Archdemon blood. That's the best part.

[hecu_marine]

Shephard grunts. "Only mystical shit I've had to do directly was more a trade than a ritual," he says, "so I reckon it ain't the same kind of affair in the slightest."

The bit with the fish didn't count. That was an accident.

"Must be a hell of a thing to have to go through. You got my sympathies."

[freedom_is_grey]

"Screaming nightmares are less terrible than a lot of things. But thanks."

Her mouth twists.

"A body can get used to anything, given enough time."

[hecu_marine]

"Suppose that's true," says Shephard; he only has to deal with the sort of nightmares you get from seeing a whole lot of dying, but he can extrapolate. "Sure do hope things work out enough to make up for that for you."

[freedom_is_grey]

"I think it will," she says. "And I hope the same for you, and all on your world."