END GAME: THE COUNTDOWN STARTS

[sailmods]

[the prisoners wake up on cold, hard floors.

the lights are bright, glaring, a sterile cell with sterile bars facing a sterile hall. the prisoners with you, across from you, and no one else. no rocking of a ship in waves, nothing. just the prisoner and their prison.

time passes, one assumes. the rhythmic click of Friday’s heels down the hall. it’s almost like the ticking of a clock.]

Comments

[myagic]

[He looks--he sounds--so weak. Like he's dying. Why did it turn out like this? She shakes her head; this is hardly the time for hello, in the shape he's in.]

Of course I'm-!

[Sad? No--no, she's angry, and--and she wishes she hadn't done it, if only she hadn't... (Is she sad? Maybe.)]

Not alone, but--my magic--it provided the thrust. And she--that jerk got her slimy hands on you, and used you-- I'm sorry. I didn't... [She didn't mean for that to happen. But such a sentiment is pointless, when it did.]

[besixdouze]

Thrust...like a rocket's jets? A magic rocket...wow. That must have been, so much work...it must have been, a wonderful sight...

[If only he could have seen it too. If only he could recall how it must have flown. He'll never have anything but respect for rockets, those things that bring humanity closest to the stars--a thing that had propelled him to the stars once before...and now twice. Even in a state like this, nothing could entirely stifle the touch of awe in Voyager voice at this news.

--But it's not that he can't tell where Rita's distress must be coming from, either. Voyager pauses to take a breath, but he's now observing her features very solemnly as well. ...What a nice person this is, he thinks. To have accomplished such an amazing thing as a rocket, and yet still be so upset about the results, because of how he's ended up.

He doesn't really know how to make it better at the moment, but still...]

...You didn't want this to happen. I know. You helped wrap my hand, before...I still remember. [That she's not someone who would have set out to hurt him intentionally, if she'd known.] So...you know...it's not your fault, okay? I'm not mad.

Besides, you're going...to help save everyone too, right?

voyageeeeer 😭

[myagic]

[For a moment, she squeezes her eyes shut, voice thick as she abruptly shouts--and just as abruptly cuts herself off-]

How can you be so-

[She doesn't understand his underlying nature--to her, he does look like a small child, whatever powers he might have--so she just can't comprehend why he speaks about the launch with so much wonder.

She opens her eyes again. It sounds so--so silly, that he remembers something so simple. So trivial, compared to everything that's surely been happening to him... But-

You're going to help save everyone too, right?]

Yeah--of course- [Keep it together, Rita. She sniffs and wipes a hand across her eyes, meeting Voyager's gaze.] We're getting everyone out of this. And--that includes you, so--so you have to hang in there, got it?! No matter what!