Cliff Fittir (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aerialassault) wrote2012-01-07 11:57 am
aerialassault) wrote2012-01-07 11:57 am
Entry tags:
Appointments
Cliff here. Looks like we've missed eachother, so drop a note and we'll talk soon.
[please note date/time/type of interaction.]
[please note date/time/type of interaction.]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
He glances at Cliff, noting how tired he was. On one hand, he needed to know before they put this off anymore.... On the other...]
You in any shape to give me the details now, or should we wait until you get some rest?
[He'd leave it up to Cliff.]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
It's no different from being in the field too long. [There were too many times where he'd stayed up working for days on end, and passed out from exhaustion the first chance he got. It was a wonder that no one on the Diplo tried to pull a prank on him.
He lowered his arm and stretched. Man he was sore!]
Just shoot. I'll answer what I can.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[But he'd take Cliff's word for it. At least for now. He really did need answers now, and if they kept putting things off, they might pass by future chances again.]
....It's probably better to start from the beginning. What happened that day?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
...
That's complicated.
[He turned off. The ceiling became his point of focus, but he had trailed off in thought.]
You were overwhelmed by everything, understandably. Earthling guy caught in a battle. Lost in space. Landed on a backwater world, only to be picked up for the same to happen again.
Caught in another war, having to make up stories and lie to survive. Dealing with the nastiness that some of these guys can stoop to.
...It's alot.
[His tone was mild as he listed things off, as if he were reading from a memoir instead of talking about the madness that was a medieval style war. Downplaying it, keeping it simple, was always the best approach for these things.
It was why he never mentioned it sooner.]
So you got overwhelmed, like any college kid. Things hit the wire...
...
and poof.
[He drew his hands out in demonstration, as if it were a magic trick. A glance over quickly followed.]
Only, it wasn't any poof.
...didn't you ever wonder why we didn't see any wreckage after that?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
The entire time up until then on Elicoor he'd really just been taking everything that was thrown at him as it came, but he wouldn't deny being overwhelmed even if he'd tried to keep it on the down low.
After Farleen and Tynave, he didn't want to hold anyone else back. He'd protested dealing with it all at times, yeah. Of course he would. He knew exactly the effect their actions on Elicoor could cause, and he didn't like their odds. That Elena was so good at her job had done a bit towards lessening that concern. She might be a bit oddball, but she was responsible with her research. No one else besides her even knew how she'd made the Thunder Arrow. If that didn't change...
But he wouldn't deny he was so far out of his element it took a while to adjust. While ultimately he enjoyed his time on Elicoor in many ways, and found himself enjoying the down to earth society and traveling, it was foreign. And that day on the battlefield....
Saying he was comfortable with war, especially at that time, would be the wrong thing to say. He couldn't forget the amount of lives lost during the Vendeeni's pursuit of him, either, even if he'd coped with it and accepted it.]
It's because I was stressed? Instead of cracking like any normal person I just....?
[He sighs, running a hand through his hair. That was definitely similar to a theory he'd built, if not exactly the same.] After Maria told me her story, I figured it was some sort of fight or flight related trigger. Something to do with imminent danger. But we're all used to that, at this point.
[Leaning back against the couch arm, he pensively stares up at the ceiling, arms hanging off his knees contemplatively. What he'd thought.....] I thought I just hit the thing, or maybe it crashed somewhere else. Maria's power is one thing, she could have just altered a ship to it's particle elements. But I didn't think I could just make things not exist.
[A pause, as he finally ventures an uncomfortable thought.] Do you think.... would it even still be possible, here? This place isn't exactly home.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
His failure as a captain was her only framework for how she managed to save everyone on the Diplo-- and the entirety of Quark, within just seconds. It was one of the two events that he would never forget in his lifetime...the other was Fayt's unwitting rescue in the fields of Aquaria.]
As you are now? I don't think so. [Experience was key. And, the young man he fished off the quiet plains of Vanguard had long since grown into a strong, solid man with an unwavering will and a heart that was bigger than the sky.]
You've got my trust in every degree, [and then some,] but I can't say that I feel the same about them. [He pointed a finger upward, but the ceiling wasn't his target. It was their felllow residents, the Malnosso, and the world itself.]
Between you and Maria? I figure that the two of you could take down the barrier if you guys could harness your full potential...but, she's not here. And, neither of you can do that.
[A sigh. He felt like an old man.] Really, it's the Shift Bomb that's got me worried-- because, if the wrong people found out, they would use you as a tool. Keep tabs on you, just like the Federation will probably do once the dust clears.
Really, you could probably do the same thing. Without the price of ruining part of this world, like they're angling to do now that the rules have changed.
...
Without Mirage and Maria around, we've hit a wall where I can only help you with the little things. Either of them, Maria especially, could help...but our options here are limited. That's why I pulled Vegeta in...but, really, I never expected the conversation to go the way it did.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
You think they don't already know? [Fayt had wondered if the Malnosso had their ways of guessing people's abilities, himself. To stick so many unknowns into one enclosure and figure they could keep them contained, it would be a stupid move. Logically speaking, they had some sort of data or knowledge of the residents inside the barrier. It'd be the only safe way to determine if they could control them.]
If someone ran a DNA test...... it's likely it'd show up. I'd have checked back home myself if I got my hands on the right equipment. But they also might not have enough data on earthlings from our world to find any abnormality. [Stuff like this didn't just leave no traces. Fayt's surprised he didn't find out sooner, to be honest. Just his luck they never did a lab with their own genetic material in his genetics classes.]
I don't care if it's the Federation, the Malnosso, Vegeta or someone else. I'm not going to let myself get used like some weapon. I'll train with him, but if he thinks I'm going to go along with some hair brained scheme, he's going to be in for a surprise. [Hopefully once he had control, no one else would be able to force it out of him either.]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
So long as Fayt was able to keep his mind, Cliff trusted that he would be able to do exactly what he says.
Sighing wearily, Cliff ran a hand through his hair.]
I know it's too late now, but...
Sorry I didn't say anything sooner. You should'a known about this before the business with the Aquaelie, [And Commodore Whittcombe's sacrifice for the greater good,] and then we probably would have figured things out by now.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
Fayt shakes his head at Cliff's apology, finally looking him in the eye again.] It's alright. I do wish you'd told me, but even if you had... what would I have been able to do with it? It's not like we had time to stop for me to try learning.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[No regrets, but it was possible that Fayt could have had an idea about where to go with his training instead of the two of them flying blind.]
I would have gotten around to it eventually, but there's been no need till now. Vacation and all...yanno?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Speaking of vacations... Fayt shifts in his seat, reaching over to trace a healing symbol in the air, the energy scattering after a moment and sinking into Cliff's skin. It's not much, as is usual for Fayt, but it might sooth the aches and any bruises a bit.]
...I just hope it won't take another incident for me to access it. [An admittance. If it was like Cliff said it was, he didn't know how to provoke it without a lot of risk involved.]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Repeatedly. And then some. He was grateful for the healing symbol, even if it wasn't much compared to something from Sophia.]
...But, I don't think he will. I, uh, kinda understand a few things a little better now, and I think he's figured it the entire time.
[About his being a papa, that is. It was still a strange thing for him to think of.]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[At least it sounded like he'd given up on the idea.]
What do you mean, understand a few things?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Words. How was he to admit it?]
Those jokes that Souji and I play with. Some of that just kinda clicked into place because of what happened in the summer. I should'a seen some of it before, but.
Well. No chance to.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
So you guys are....?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Perhaps that was a little too fast, but seriously.
Cliff huffed in petty irritation.]
I mean, it's nothing like that.
...it's about Maria, actually. I wonder how many people saw it before I did.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Yeah, just a bit too fast. He wasn't going to push it right now though.]
Maria?
[A pause as he raises an eyebrow at Cliff. He has a feeling he knows what Cliff means and his tone is a bit amused, a tiny grin coming to his face.]
Pretty sure just about everyone knew you treated her like a daughter, if that's what you're getting at.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[He groaned and buried his face in his hands.]
And I thought I was on top of the scuttlebutt, man. That's worse than Leiber's annoying crush on Maria. A good man, but...no. Maria'll decide whatever she wants, thanks. I don't think she'd want anyone so damn insistent--
[He cut himself off and glanced at Fayt.]
Damn. That obvious?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
A part of his was tempted to reach over and pat Cliff's shoulder. Almost.]
But yeah, you were that obvious. Pretty sure everyone on the Diplo knew it.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
Unfortunately, it didn't work so well when he was laying in the cushions, still sore from his latest brawl.]
Just what kinda guy do they thing I am?
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
I think we all figured you'd figure it out eventually. It's not like putting a name on it changes much.
[....]
There might have been some bets going, too. Not too sure though.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
She's probly the ring leader here. Dammit.
[Prepare for Irritated Cliff Rant (copyright pending). There hasn't been one of these for a while.]
Re: [action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
Yeah, and I bet you're enjoying the hell out of watching it all, huh?
Re: [action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[Cheerfully said.
What?]
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
[action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.
Re: [action] 16th? 17th? of October. After Vegeta's post.