diealone | ✈ day forty two, voice

[Today, Jack sounds almost more resigned than anything else. His breach life hadn't been especially bad, and it feels kind of muddled to him now, like a dream he's trying to convince himself to forget.]

You know, before I got here, I was pretty convinced I'd already seen the weirdest things the world had to offer. And as weird as floods are, I think I'd take my chances with those over whatever that was. [He's got enough things to deal with in his own life without adopting the issues of some other-him, thanks.]

I hope your deals are worth it.

[Filtered to the Infirmary Staff]

[This is something he's been sort of meaning to do for a while now, especially now that he's spending less time sulking and digging his heels in about being here and more time realizing he's been basically sitting around doing nothing for the better part of two months.

He's been here for forty two days. Might as well try to do something useful.]

I don't know how busy you guys are, but if you need an extra set of hands, I've had a lot of experience putting people back together with pretty limited resources or staff. I got my Bachelor's at Columbia, graduated early from UCLA medical school and was a spinal surgeon at St. Sebastian's in LA, if that helps.

And if it doesn't, Scott can vouch for me. [And there's a bitter part of him that's furious that they might actually take him up on that, considering all the experience he's had, all the good he's done and the pressure he's put himself under to help people.

But he knows he'd be suspicious and reluctant to hand over responsibility or control to a relative stranger, especially one in a position where he really didn't necessarily have any reason to trust them.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I was a loyalist who helped people install synth upgrades without accidentally frying their brains, so I guess it wasn't that much different.

Why did he want to shoot you?

What are the other four?

Right. You just let the Admiral do all that for you.

Is there someone in particular you're talking about?

I was kinda, uh, dating his daughter.

It was a surprisingly familiar feeling, actually.

Just stating an observation I've made about the wardens as a group.

I'm almost afraid to ask why.

Uh, in no particular order, bring all my soulmates back from the dead and/or the dark side, learn to fully control my own powers, get my sad lonely inmate to have fun and make friends and stuff, and save the world from soul-eating aliens.

[Well.

Then.]

Then I guess I'm willing to give it a shot.

But I meant what I said.

Never imagined you didn't.

Good.

[Because he absolutely will walk out. He's helped people with minimal supplies and equipment before, he doesn't need an infirmary or other doctors to help. And he still doesn't care enough about most of the other people on board to actively want to help, really.]

Is there anything else we have to do to make it official?

I'll tell Doctor B when he gets back and we'll let you know about scheduling stuff. That sound okay?

Sure.

The fact of the matter is that no matter who we forgive or condemn, we do not make the choice as to who to preserve. All we can do is make the best of the situation we are presented with.

And in my experience, that kind of "every man for himself" attitude ends in a lot of people getting killed.

Believe me, I wish there were a more solid command structure or sense of cohesion in the warden community. Some people simply take great offense to supervision. Or help.