Kerrigan's Office, Tuesday Afternoon

[on_her_korhal]

She still had the piece of paper on her after class. If Kerrigan was inclined to be honest with herself, she'd had it with her for a while now. It was starting to get ridiculous: she should be no more vulnerable to stupid human sentimentalities than an armored truck should be to a small pebble on the way.

And still...

She sighed. Perhaps if she dialed the number, it would put that pesky feeling to rest, and she could continue on with her plans. She picked up the phone and went through the old routine of getting a line off the island - it almost made her feel... nostalgic.

Finally, she could put through the number-- and waited, forcing away the ridiculous anticipation in her belly.

We're sorry, a voice droned on the other end of the line, the number you have dialed is not currently in use. If you'd--

She threw down the reciever. Disconnected. Okay. Fine. It wasn't like she cared about it. She tossed the note at the trash can, and told herself that this meant the whole affair was over and done with. Back to reality. Etcetera.

The distressing thing was that she wasn't sure whether she actually believed that.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

When faced with a difficult task, sometimes it was best to give the old noggin and the fingers a bit of a rest and come back to the challenge later. Aquaman decided to do just that, a large basket of smaller baskets, the nicer ones from yesterday, and decided to distribute them to his teacher friends.

Which explained the knock on Kerrigan's door.

"Leuitenant!" he greeted. "Hope the day day finds you well! Might you like this fine underwater woven basket? It's a handy thing to have about the office, by coral!"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

That snapped Kerrigan out of her meandering thoughts-- abruptly. "Oh, great."

But she supposed she owed Aquaman for that, at least.

"I don't seem to own any coral at the moment."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that was just a bit of a nautical expression, if you will," said Aquaman. "Although coral would be a wonderful thing to put into these baskets. I wove them myself just yesterday. There'll be plenty at the house, too, of course, but one for the desk, to maybe keep pens in, or scratch paper, or maybe paperclips. Very functional, baskets."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"And they work as such a great muffler, too..." she pondered. There was a reason she hadn't bothered to poke around in Aquaman's skull yet.

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

Aquaman, tilting his head and holding up a basket to look at it from various angles, considered this. "Yes, I suppose that might be a decent use for one....Clever! Creative, Leiutenant, and sometimes thinking outside the box like that is just what's needed in a rough situation."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"That's what I try to teach my kids, Aquaman."

Kerrigan didn't figure him for the type to notice the light mocking tone she used on the name.

"So what drives you to deliver underwater baskets to my office?"

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

Oh, he noticed. He usually did. It was just that he was so used to it that he barely batted an eye anymore. He even got that tone even with people who called themselves Elongated Man, Calendar Man, and Robotman, here.

"Best thing to do with an abudance is to share it!" Aquaman said. "We were making them in class yesterday, and I needed a break from making non-underwater baskets, and so I've brought my basket bounty to bestow!"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Right."

That made sense, in a very... Aquaman kind of way. She was already starting to develop another migraine. What was it about this place?

"I think Gardner might need them more," she said, "He's got plenty of crap."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

"I'll make sure he gets a few of them, as well," said Aquaman with a nod. "There's more than enough to go around! How's life been treating you, Leuitenant?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

... Well, at least that meant she'd just made Gardner's life that much harder. "You win some, you lose some," Kerrigan said, wryly. "Like right now..."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I'm not sure," said Aquaman, chuckling good-naturedly. "I think everyone wins when giving is involved! It's really a shame, though, that I'm here catching up with you in your office when we live in the same building. We should put together a game night, or something. You look like you'd be a fair hand at poker."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

In a manner of speaking, yes.

"I'm told I suck at poker," she said, without batting an eye. "Maybe Gardner will be more receptive."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

"Said like a true poker player!" chuckled Aquaman, throwing in a wink. Because he just couldn't help a wink on occassion. "Perhaps Pictionary's more your prowess, then."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

The winking was... disturbing.

"Look, is there a point to this visit," Kerrigan said, finally, "Or are you going to stand here talking about underwater baskets and card games all day?"

She had a terrifying feeling that was an affirmative.

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

And then Kerrigan's phone rang. River wasn't sure why but it felt oddly comforting to use the phone again.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan paused. Perhaps her call had connected somewhere after all.

But the number on the display was unfamiliar. She answered it. "Kerrigan."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"I could pretend I was calling in order to persuade you to invest in something useless," River said. "But you would recognise my voice."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Some of that ridiculous human emotion slotted back where it belonged at the sound of River's voice. "And what have I told you about taking a little risk from time to time?" she asked, "You could have fooled me... for a second."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't have wanted to embarrass you," River replied gravely, the teasing just under the surface. "The cerebrates do not dance well in peace-time."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"They'll just have to wait," Kerrigan said, idly flicking her eyes over towards the squirrel near the window. "Playing nice isn't always a bad thing."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

She might not see it, but River knew Fandom well enough. "I've tried to keep them busy. Their performance of Swan Lake left a lot to be desired."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Anyone else should feel proud to get the slight, unguarded laugh Kerrigan produced.

"I think the lack of legs on their part didn't help."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

At least that would be something for the squirrels to report.

"I suggested a personal interpretation."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"And I'm sure they took to that gladly."

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"You know them."

There had been an empty space in her mind since Kerrigan left, and now her voice was there again.

"Tell me something about Fandom."

NFB

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"It's the same as it always was," she said, casting another look around for squirrels. "Loud, insane, and always full of new people. I haven't found much thusfar."

Re: NFB

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Has anyone asked about me?"

It might not be that important, but River wanted to know.

Re: NFB

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Not so far," Kerrigan said, slipping into a more professional voice. "I'm keeping off the radar for obvious reasons. Have our scanners encountered any species worthy of infestation so far?"

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

Aquaman was married; he wasn't so dense to not realize that that was a dangerous tone of voice.

"Er, well, nothing more than, well, reaching out for camaraderie and friendship to a fellow teacher, but if you're busy, I can easily leave you to it, and see you around the homestead."

Why couldn't they all just get along??

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Tell me, because I'm curious," she drawled, twisting her chair around. "What exactly is it with you and 'camaraderie and friendship'?"

Re: NFB

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"Not yet," River replied. "The universe is a vast space, but mostly empty."

[night!]

Re: NFB

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"And inconvenient, as usual."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

As if Aquaman wouldn't leap to take the bait on that one, even if it was just a hook laid waiting.

"Well," he offered, "what's victory without it? Lonely. Goodness and success, like food and drink, are much better when there's someone else to share it with."

He paused, looking her over slightly.

"Don't you think, Lieutenant?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I do think so," Kerrigan said, and if her canines flashed a little as she spoke, who was to know? "I also think you have to toss out a lot of rotten apples and crappy cups of coffee before you find a good one."

[byneptunesbeard.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps," Aquaman agreed mildly, "but not so much if you know where to look to find the good stuff!"

Re: NFB

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

"It requires patience," River agreed.