( audio o6 )

[desequilibre]

[ He does not know how long he's been gone. Nor an idea of where he has been. That is the worst part. That he could be taken and have nothing at all to account for it, no memories, no idea of what or where or why. Between one moment and the next, time has passed and Athos has too many unanswered questions. The anger that this causes, along with the strain to keep it contained, is evident in his voice when he chooses to address the network. ]

The Russians, the people who were taken, what happened to them?

[ He has to get back to De Chima, to make sure both d'Artagnan and Lucy are safe. But he is in Heropa somewhere and he does not want to waste time. If they are not safe then he will do whatever he can to find them again.

He has a cache of weaponry somewhere. He made sure to hide something in each of the Porter cities. So that is where he is heading first. ]

Is the fight still going?

Comments

[desequilibre]

If the Americans do not seem to be making a move, Russia will do so.

[ He imagines it will be soon. That is what warfare is like. ]

[mousquetaire]

That’s what I’ve said.

[ He sounds so relieved that, for once, this isn’t an argument. ]

The people here seem to be struggling to believe that, honestly.

[desequilibre]

[ Athos makes a noise. ]

Most are not soldiers. They do not know that a threat like this never sleeps. Either because they have never seen it happen, or because they have forgotten.

[mousquetaire]

Or because they wish to leave their heads in the sand, where they've buried them.

[ D'Artagnan is not so forgiving. The truth is right in front of these people. It's criminal for them to avoid noticing it. ]

[desequilibre]

We are not strangers to that either.

[ How many people have they run into who are content to continue to live as they have done, despite the impending danger? ]

There is a reason wicked men rise to power, d'Artagnan. That is surely one of them.

[mousquetaire]

I know that you’re right. I shouldn’t be surprised.

[ But he had been. He had expected people here to know better, when the war had been spoken of so often. ]

They will have to face it sooner than they think. It’s only a matter of time.

[desequilibre]

[ Athos had thought that too, but perhaps war did not have the same resonance to the people as it did to them.

Still, he sighs, and lets his shoulder brush his friend's, pauldron to pauldron. ] I'm sure it is. But we cannot focus simply on the bad. We would find ourselves quite insane. We are alive, and we have a chance. It is good to remember that.

[mousquetaire]

[ D’Artagnan pauses, and then closes his hand on Athos’ shoulder. ]

I’m glad to have you back, my friend. These have been long and angry days without you.

[desequilibre]

[ He lifts his own hand and covers d'Artagnan's, squeezing it fondly. ]

Mm. I'm sure I shall hear all about your carnage soon enough, my friend. [ Because he knows d'Artagnan, he knows just how desperate he can get without anyone there to pull him back from the edge. It sends a pang of frustration through his chest.

He should have been here. ]

I do not intend to leave again.