Office Hours, All Day Tuesday

[on_her_korhal]

Sometime in the early morning, a redhead in tank top and cargo pants carefully slid into the office -- her office, by yet another random bout of providence, apparently -- and took a quick mental inventory of the place. Except for the chair, the desk, the computer and the bookcase, it all seemed pretty empty.

Kerrigan didn't really know why she expected otherwise, honestly. Pacing quietly past the walls towards the desk, she surveyed the entire office for bugs or anything else of note before sitting down gently.

The chair squeaked a little.

[ open like an open office ]

Comments

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The stranger in the park was no longer a stranger. She was also now a teacher at the school. A little disappointed that she hadn't signed up for her class, River quetly approached Kerrigan's office, stopping at the door. Open? she sent out.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

These computers were ancient and hard to interface with, but Kerrigan was making some progress when she heard River's voice in her mind. She looked up at the door, smiling faintly. Of course, River.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Slipping inside the room and closing the door behind her, River smiled. Found your place quickly. It was clear that she considered this a good thing.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

I think, Kerrigan sent, leaning back in the chair. It squeaked again as she moved. That it's more a matter of my place finding me. She smiled for real, now, still small but not quite as faint. How are you, River?

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Drawn to each other. River's eyes met Kerrigans for a moment before glancing around the room. How am I? The question was confusing.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Yes. She looked at River searchingly. "Pleasantries are a little strange like that," Kerrigan said out loud, pulling back just a little more to put one of her feet on the chair.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"A game to be played," River replied with a chuckle. "Sometimes I play. Makes people quieter." She shifted her weight from one foot to another.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

I've never really had much time for them, she sent, pushing the chair from side to side at a leisurely pace with the grounded foot. Figured I'd give it a shot. "I don't think it's for me."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River's smile widened. Just a game played when necessary. "Need to be a teenage girl too. Will be too late soon."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I bet it's nice to have the opportunity," Kerrigan said, a quiet reflection on her own particular childhood -- or lack thereof.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Found the opportunity," River nodded. Wanted to stop the tide. Did seem to work, now I'm not so sure.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

What happened? She came to a quiet stop, boot skipping over the floor.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Nothing." River smiled again. "Kept moving forward ending up nowhere. Essential parts gone missing."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan gazed at River steadily, her mind sorting through the words until they made sense. "Hard to run away from your own legs," she commented, after a moment or two.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River took a few, almost dance-like, steps around the room. "Your legs catch up with you eventually," she replied.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

The side of her mouth quirked for a moment. "Exactly," she said. And then you realise you've barely moved an inch without them.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

All of a sudden River turned serious. But where will they take you? Is there a choice?

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan cocked her head. All choices are conditional, she sent, It just depends on what you hold dear.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

A grin appeared on River's face. "Tricky question," she said. "What do you hold dear?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Loyalty. Trust. Freedom, in a way." She leaned back again, smiling vaguely. My needs are simple. It was somewhat of a lie. Do you know yours?

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"No." That answer was easy. "Method of discovery evades me." She approached the desk and took a seat on it.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She had to look up a little to look River in the face, now. How long have you been a teep, River? Kerrigan asked, her mindvoice gentle. "Maybe it's time to stop running. Easier to see things that way."

She smirked, but it was a kind one. "And easier to keep yourself from tripping, too. Saves you some skinned knees."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

The Academy pulled it out of my head. Listening always came easy to me. How long ago was that? It seemed like forever. "Depends on what catches up with me," she replied, one corner of her mouth turning upwards.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Mm." She began to spin the chair a little, again. Just tiny waves of movement. That's why we're armed, River. As long as the use is our choice. She bowed her head. "You can only run until you hit something faster than you. Then you're in the shit."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Chose the school not knowing the conesequences. Made us stop being human." My brother got me out. Have been running since. Although Fandom should have been a safe place, she knew she'd never really stopped.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

I fought. Quiet strength and determination as she sent it. And unwavering loyalty to some unknown cause. Fighting or running - both conditional choices. I made mine over and over again.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Can't fight them. Too powerful. Only running left."She smiled again. Running and hiding.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"There's always a fight," she said, mouth quirking again. It's just a matter of which one's yours.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Stabbed them in the back once," River said proudly, thinking about the discovery on Miranda. Hit, ran and disappeared again.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"See?" Kerrigan said, dangling one arm over her knee, "We all fight sooner or later."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River fell silent for a moment. She traced her fingertips across the surface of the desk, then suddenly looked up at Kerrigan again. "What made you fight?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan met River's eyes when she asked, managing a quick flash of a smile-- one with edges, danger, and resignation. "Providence," she said. "Gets me every time."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River let out a giggle. "There's a weakness for everyone." She turned serious again. Am learning to keep people out and myself in.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan frowned in sympathy. That's the hard part. She slid her foot off the chair, using it as support to lean further back, instead. And the sad part.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Peaceful and lonely. River smiled again. Anakin Skywalker is teaching me. She had a feeling Kerrigan would like to know that there were others around with similar abilities. "I trust him."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Yeah. She knew a few things about that. "Skywalker, huh? I'll have to meet him sometime." Or avoid him, if he had any abilities that could take away her tactical advantage.

Indefinite or not, in the end, this was still just reconnaissance. She'd do well not to forget about that.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

There are others. Emma Frost. It didn't feel strange at all to tell Kerrigan about the people who might find out about her secret.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

I've met her. She's... Kerrigan paused, looking for a tactful way to put it, ...Special.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River chuckled. So are you but in a different way.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

I guess that's true at that, she sent, self-deprecating smile firmly in place. Didn't make her like Emma any more, though.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River liked Emma, especially after having her join them to Miranda. She giggled again. Did she find out your secret?

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

The smile got smirkier. Please.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

You hide well. Kerrigan's attitude amused her.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Told you, Kerrigan sent, attitude falling away, weariness seeping into her face, I'm a Ghost. With all that entailed.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Not a dead one. Kerrigan seemed very much alive to River.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

No, she sent, smiling that vague smile again, But I'm one all the same.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River slipped off the desk. "Should let you settle in," she said, grinning as her comment approached the category of polite conversation.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"It was nice to see you," Kerrigan said, grinning right back before stretching her legs out under the table. "Come back again and have a nice day."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"I will," River replied, smiled and then slipped out of the door.