redjacketthief | 9th Turn [Semi-accidental Video/Action]

[His head hurt.

It was the first problem that Lupin noticed when he awoke in the woods that afternoon, clad only in the pale New Feather garb that all Lucetian’s are granted upon arrival. The sun was too bright and his head hurt, but it was nothing like all of those jobs where he faced everything from bullets to nuclear materials in crystalline form. Simple pain like this was something to be dealt with at a later time, when there was a moment to think and breathe. He had something more important to check on.

Or a group of someones. The thief sat up with the limber energy of a gymnast—and regretted it. The world seemed to shift without his consent and refused to stabilize despite his willing it to do so. He gritted his teeth and pulled himself up; it was just vertigo, probably from being still for too long…

Dealing with a little light headedness was nothing like his stint Cagliostro, both the first and the second time. At least he didn’t need to worry about Fujiko laughing at him. He took one step, two, digging his fingers into the rough bark of the trees for support as he fought against his vision hazing in and out with the vertigo. It was just from being out for too long. A few more steps and he’d--

--collapse into the earth’s embrace.

Lupin stared dumbfounded at the canopy for a breath. He burst into laughter when everything clicked into place.]

That’s right. I died.

[In the facility, with the others. Pops and Fujiko and Adele all told him that this could happen. Hell, he knew it from the outset during that midnight meeting in what should have been the Alps. It was a risk he willingly took, along with the moral implications and responsibilities. No regrets.

It just made life a great deal more complicated.

Death was cheap, however. He didn’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a satin-lined hardwood casket with white lilies piled on top for posterity. A little dizziness was an excellent trade off. Still choking back childish giggles at the absurdity of the situation, Lupin forces himself to sit up again and fight the rolling haze long enough to locate his journal. He gratefully collapsed back into the dirt once he had it in hand, and was doubly grateful when the realization struck that he was fine if he just stayed still. Any little motion sent his mind spinning, but he could think straight if he just stayed and stared up at the canopy.]

[The feed was thrown on without a glance, suddenly treating the residents of the enclosure to a blindingly bright view of the forest from below. The thief himself was not aware if the feed was audio or video—nor did he care. No filters were added, lest he risk another wave of vertigo with just the act of sitting up. It was too much of a bother, especially when the sky was so blue.

Let other people worry about that for now.]

Hey, Lu-ce-ti~ [His tone was oddly humorous and light, with his suppressed laughter hiding just behind his words.] I’m back. [And alive.]

Can anyone around here spare a smoke? Not menthol and filtered, that’s all I want. Oh, and a light.

…who wants to go fishing?

((ooc: Nothing on this post is filtered and nothing will be filtered unless other characters put them up. Work under the assumption that everything said in this post via the journals is fully readable to everyone unless it is filtered, and threadjack away if you wish.

The actual act of picking Lupin up from the woods is locked to Luke Skywalker, though further action may take place around Community House 5 or the Battle Dome. For those with the lie-detect ability or something similar, you are thus warned that most things Lupin will say on non-filtered conversations is a complete lie.

With that noted, have at.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly."

[Even if he has had some difficulty with that, lately.]

Do you?

[Gee. You know it's bad when the liar doubts you.]

"I do. I don't consider it an actual substitute for coping with one's emotions, however."

[Your move.]

[Touche~]

It's not. The laughter is to help everyone else not be so concerned as much as it is to help yourself.

"Sometimes, Lupin, one must allow oneself to accept concern."

There's a time and place for concern, like everything else. This isn't one. This is a time when we need to be strong and put on our poker face, so that certain parties of interest have no idea what they're walking into.

"True enough."

[He shrugs.]

"I don't believe we're under scrutiny here- save perhaps from that fellow whose surveillance devices Luke and Artoo have been sabotaging- but one can never be certain."

The bugs we can find aren't the concern. It's the bugs that we can't find. There's nowhere really safe here, General Kenobi. Nothing we can be sure of.

"As much as I hate to say it, I'm afraid I must agree.

[It was entirely possible that the Malnosso were aware of a wealth of information they hadn't let on about. The disarray within their ranks only heightened that risk, since it meant that even if one group genuinely was unaware, another might not be.]

...is that all you've got?

"I assure you, I have devoted considerable mental effort to providing a more helpful solution, but at the moment, my efforts have been fruitless. We found no useful information about the Malnosso, and the Third Party remain beyond reason. I'm afraid that, for the moment, that is all I've got."

We just have to keep trying to get information. [Why else do you think he was gone for a week? :P] There's clues, and we just need to set up a system where people go on drafts and missions so we can pool our information.

...It's not going to be a solo act, Obi-Wan. [It took him eight months to understand that.]

"Indeed not. Minds far greater than my own are engaged in the project, I am aware- and the people of this enclosure are an unparalleled resource for a number of reasons."

[He just doesn't know if that will be enough- and he wasn't prepared for the sheer monolithic zealotry of the General.]

[No one is perpared for any kind of zealotry.]

Even talented chess players can't do much if the right pieces aren't in play. There's no shame in participating.

"Jedi are not accustomed to being the pawns, I suppose."

[He chuckles.]

"Regardless, I shall be taking every opportunity to volunteer for Malnosso missions in the future. Some of their rewards seem worth investing in, and that will provide the opportunity for more study of the organization, as well. Perhaps it might bring about an epiphany."

Then think of it as being a soldier.

[It was simple enough... Lupin smirked.]

Maybe. I thought the same thing myself--it was why I jumped onto that mission on the Tyr's Revenge. It was a very interesting experience.

"Unfortunately, I found out little about the Malnosso, in either the mission or the battle, but they will reveal a weakness eventually. No sentient being can go forever without making a mistake."

You got that right. [Even he made them sometimes, though it was too early in the game this time...]

It's just having the patience to wait for the right opportunity ti strike is all. Like any job.

"You'll find that I excel at that."

[Soresu, like many aspects of life, was as much a philosophical choice as a practical one.]

"I am glad to see that you're doing well."

[It was a phrase he borrowed from a good friend of his, Ishikawa Goemon XIII. He returned home a few months earlier, and there were still moments when Lupin missed his quiet presence.]

I'm doing well enough, all things considered. It's good to see that you fared well too.

"I confess, there was a certain comfort in the Draft. Fighting, space travel, a group of people to protect and the knowledge that I was helping to do so...

... it was a clarity I had missed."

This place can make the mind stagnate. I'm surprised more people haven't gone mad.

[He is not going to comment.]

"Sentients are far more stable than they are inclined to believe. They can reach something of an equilibrium in most any environment at need."

I know. I was just saying it.

"It bears repeating nonetheless, if only to give us hope."

[A scarce resource, these days. After another moment, he adds,]

"If there is anything you need, you will let us know?"

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