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[littletonoidea]

"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"

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Comments

[tarakan]

I did not keep you alive to see you die. I did not want you to die period. If you were injured, I would do whatever it took to save you - even if virus was not in equation.

[littletonoidea]

[Eiffel's quiet for a moment. Apart from the gently sore wheezing.]

...you know it's really difficult to believe that, right?

[And he's not being sarcastic - it's fully sincere, and kind of hurt.]

And it's not like we'd ever know, either. Cos the entire time we've known each other, I was already ground zero.

[tarakan]

[ There's a moment before Hilbert admits, ]

I know. Only thing you have to go on is my word, which we both know means nothing, and my time here, which I am sure you will write off as me staying under the radar because of big evil plan. But at the moment, it is only thing I have to offer.

[ He's trying to keep his tone neutral. Considering there's a hint of resignation that comes through, it doesn't entirely work. ]

[littletonoidea]

[Eiffel just groans, which sets off a small coughing fit.]

Okay. So. How do we make your word... matter? 'cos like. We both know it means nothing, but we both want it to mean something.

[tarakan]

You know I am trying, yes? I attempted to de-escalate conflict when Hera met me in person. I have stopped bothering wardens about infirmary. I have hobbies.

I am trying to change, trying to show that I am not same man who you met at start of mission. But trying can only go so far.

[littletonoidea]

Yeah...

[He's quiet for a few long moments: but this time, there's an almost tangibly different quality to it.

He's actually thinking. Putting that big brain of his to good use.]

...you know. I haven't gotten rid of it yet.

[tarakan]

[ Pause. What's a way to say "may I have a sample of your blood" that doesn't raise alarm bells?

A very quick assessment tells Hilbert that there isn't one. ]

Who removes it these days, Gaius? Suspect you should ask him. [ A pause before, ] Unless you want to continue observations, of course. Plenty of hypotheses about where your blood combination might go.

[ He hates how hopeful he sounds for something that Hilbert thinks might not happen. ]

[littletonoidea]

[That gets a faint snort. Ow.]

Read the room, Oppenheimer. You want me to trust you? I'm gonna keep your good old space plague, and you don't get to experiment on it. We're gonna put your science kit away and you can live with the fact that I am trusting you not to experiment on me.

And if you can do that? Then yeah. That makes your word mean something.

[tarakan]

That much is doable.

[ He hopes. He can do this. After all, if he proves to Eiffel that he's trustworthy with regards to this, then he can just take samples later, right? Right! Hopefully!

That being said... ]

You are the one who will have to break news to Hera. I mention that you are keeping Decima, she probably breaks other wrist.

[littletonoidea]

Yeah, don't worry. I've got a whole bucket list of people to update on the matter. [Because some of them might kill him for it.] Gaius is top of it currently, since- yeah, he's the one who's on upkeep for that currently.

[tarakan]

I'll keep my schedule open for people to yell at and threaten me.

[littletonoidea]

And I'll make sure to ask them not to. Kind of a crappy trust fall if everyone keeps holding you in place for it.

[tarakan]

Best of luck.

[ Because Hilbert's not an idiot: Eiffel's also gonna get yelled at. ]