Video | They don't make posters of my kinda life

[shipmaster]

[It is hard to tell if the person who appears on the network this afternoon is a particularly handsome woman or a strikingly beautiful man. Or what age they are. Or any nice, easy assumption, actually. They lean towards the screen, having watched the network for a few days, picked up what they could. A planetary war, tensions between imPorts, tenuous situations all around. For most people, it would be the time for serious discussions, strategic planning and getting the strongest intel they can.

Bel Thorne puts their chin on their palm, regards the camera a moment before cutting a sharp, curious smile.]

So, what does one do on Earth for fun? I'm taking suggestions.

Comments

[jacksonian]

I don't want to.

[ He hunches. ]

I don't want to lead, I don't want to be a soldier - I hate fighting - I don't want any of it.

[dendarii]

... what do you want to do, then?

[jacksonian]

I don't know.

[ And he huddles into himself a little further. A moment after - ]

I want to put an end to the clone brain transplant business. Just like what I want to do in the future. I don't want to...steal the Dendarii, but I want that to happen still.

[dendarii]

[ Miles thinks about that, drumming his fingers on the table then. ]

Could we ransom them? Buy their way out?

[jacksonian]

[ His jaw clenches. ]

So that they can just use that money to build up their operations more? Besides, do you have millions of Betan dollars sitting around?

[dendarii]

Then put them out of business.

[jacksonian]

You think I'm not going to try?

[dendarii]

... Well. No. I mean, that would be the most effective way to do it. And it suits your strengths.

[jacksonian]

Maybe.

But it doesn't save the lives of the ones who are there now.

[dendarii]

No. So we still need a strike team for them.

[jacksonian]

Yeah. And I'm...not gonna lead it.

[dendarii]

Then I will. We'll get them out for you, Mark.

[jacksonian]

[ His lips thin, and his eyes blaze, as he corrects Miles: ]

For them. Not for me.

[dendarii]

For them and you, then.

[jacksonian]

[ But he shakes his head. ]

It's not about me.

[dendarii]

No? Not even a little?

[jacksonian]

No.

[ His jaw is set stubbornly. ]

I got out of there. They're the ones whose lives are at stake.

[dendarii]

All right, all right ... We'll do it for them.

[jacksonian]

Okay.

[ Mark ducks his head, then says, quieter: ]

Okay. Yeah. Good.

[dendarii]

... And we can prepare for that here, since we have time.

[jacksonian]

[ His expression lightens. Just a little. ]

Thorne wouldn't want me anywhere near that mission.

[dendarii]

Of course not. But I am not Jacksonian the way you are. I'm going to need your help to plan this.

[jacksonian]

[ A small nod. ]

And - I remember some of it. The facility.

[dendarii]

Just so. That's critical intel we need to pull this off.

[jacksonian]

Okay.

[ He brightens a little further still. He barely even looks morose like this. ]

Yeah. We can do that.