[ How to answer honestly without answering honestly... ]
Oh. Sure.
My crew was supposed to follow me through the wormhole and meet me on the other side. I hadn't caught up with them yet when I was taken from my world, but I haven't given up. I'll find them when I make it home.
oh, fuck yeah. all the stuff you describe, it's like i mean, obviously i've never seen anything like it before. don't know if there's much about the past that'd surprise you.
I CHOSE YOU AS GUARDIANS TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE INCLUDING YOURSELVES YOU TRIED TO LEAVE YOU TRIED TO OPEN DOORS YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ALMOST DID FINE.
BARRIER REINFORCEMENT: MAXIMUM PROTECTION PROTOCOL: ALL RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY THE SEVEN NAMED ESPECIALLY YOU SEVEN WHO JUST TRIED TO LEAVE
YOU ENDANGERED THEM YOU ENDANGERED EVERYONE YOU ENDANGERED YOURSELVES
I WON'T FORGIVE THIS BUT I WON'T LET IT HAVE YOU EITHER.
[cassian doesn't regret trying; they had to know more than the lies this place was telling them. but he does regret, the instant that the doors to the house slam shut and everything goes wrong, that three people are trapped out there. it's like scarif all over again, when he'd listened to all the lines on his comlink go silent one by one, and he'd known exactly what that had meant, what he'd led all those people to.
he's not stupid enough to think that isn't a possibility here and now, too.
the witch he doesn't know at all, and the woman who'd helped pull him out of the lake, barely more than that. out of that number, michael is the one he's most familiar with, so he sends:]
[the fact that he gets a response at all, however garbled, is an answer to his second question — or, at least, he'll take it as one for now.
a part of him wishes it were possible to consult with kleya, somehow; maybe she could figure out how to untangle all of this. but it isn't, so, squinting, he has what he's able to pull out: readings concerning outside.]
[ Lockdown has begun. News of it has yet to catch but it won't be long; people are always flitting in and out of the house. Until his involvement becomes public, he's using every available resource in security to find a single open door or window. ]
[ Gabriel winces, holding the phone away from his ear. Nonetheless, he catches everything, and prioritizes. ]
They're scrambling you. What's the nature of the injury? [ In case he's getting just as chopped and screwed. ] Repeat: What is the nature of the injury?
[ It could be the barrier, and the three of them are the unharmed subjects. Or it could be the other way around. It wouldn't surprise him if the house was somehow picking and choose words to confuse and panic him. ]
[ Michael can hear him clearly but her hopes of returning a clear transmission are low. It's an imperfect solution, and quite a deep pull, but she has confidence that Gabriel will recognize her switch to a brevity code.
She repeats her message several times, hoping for each word to make it through at least once. ]
[ KEY: 1. Begin using briefed communication procedures to counter communications jamming. 2. No visible battle damage. 3. A SUSPECT whose orbital parameters are such that it may become a collection and/or counterspace concern to a spacecraft. 4. Aircrew does not have visual contact with the TARGET or BANDIT. 5. Defined area is not expected to receive fire. ]
[ Gabriel is spinning plates, using all the time he's got left with the resources he's, from the Balfours' perspective, abused. Anyone available, he's directing to test possible exits, and keep a lid on the lockdown. Any real power he has, he used up facilitating the breakout. It's a matter of minutes before he loses the trust of everyone in this room.
He couldn't be more grateful to be working with a professional. Swapping to text, he sends several, ]
ROGER - GREEN LIGHT - HOUSE SICK
[ I hear you. Proceed with the mission. The manor has shut down. ]
[ Over the next three days, Michael is able to employ code, sometimes quite creatively, to keep Gabriel apprised as much as possible despite the interference. On the morning of the fourth day, when the van doors finally give and the camera crew flees, she types her first full message in days while trekking back across the estate. ]
We're out. Walking back to the manor now. ETA 25 minutes.
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no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-02-03 09:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-02-05 06:15 pm (UTC)shit.
[ And then— ]
you okay?
besides all this shit, i mean.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-06 10:17 pm (UTC)Oh. Sure.
My crew was supposed to follow me through the wormhole and meet me on the other side. I hadn't caught up with them yet when I was taken from my world, but I haven't given up. I'll find them when I make it home.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-10 09:24 pm (UTC)[ A stab of something like envy, cresting as high as his sympathy. ]
i hope you do make it home.
back to your home world and back to the right time.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-11 11:42 am (UTC)I hope I get to show you around my ship someday. If that would interest you.
She's one-of-a-kind.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-11 09:57 pm (UTC)all the stuff you describe, it's like
i mean, obviously i've never seen anything like it before.
don't know if there's much about the past that'd surprise you.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-12 12:50 am (UTC)I'm surprised by everything you can do, for instance.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-15 05:17 am (UTC)yeah? which part surprises you most?
From the house, following escape attempt:
Date: 2026-02-17 04:05 am (UTC)I CHOSE YOU AS GUARDIANS
TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE
INCLUDING YOURSELVES
YOU TRIED TO LEAVE
YOU TRIED TO OPEN DOORS
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ALMOST DID
FINE.
BARRIER REINFORCEMENT: MAXIMUM
PROTECTION PROTOCOL: ALL RESIDENTS
ESPECIALLY THE SEVEN NAMED
ESPECIALLY YOU SEVEN WHO JUST TRIED TO LEAVE
YOU ENDANGERED THEM
YOU ENDANGERED EVERYONE
YOU ENDANGERED YOURSELVES
I WON'T FORGIVE THIS
BUT I WON'T LET IT HAVE YOU EITHER.
@faker_1
Date: 2026-02-17 12:55 pm (UTC)he's not stupid enough to think that isn't a possibility here and now, too.
the witch he doesn't know at all, and the woman who'd helped pull him out of the lake, barely more than that. out of that number, michael is the one he's most familiar with, so he sends:]
What's going on out there? Is everyone okay?
@prefers_outside_apparently
Date: 2026-02-17 05:09 pm (UTC)̷̹̄ ̶̋͜ ̵̪͝ ̴̳̐ ̸̻̑ ̷̠͘ ̷̈́ͅ ̸̬̉ ̶͓̈ ̶̡̛ ̷̖̌ ̴̰̊ ̸̗̿ ̴̘̈́ ̴̪͊ ̴͙͊ ̵̢̕ ̵̙͆ ̴̨͐ ̵̄͜ ̸͈̈́ ̶͕͑ ̴̦̇ ̸̛͈ ̵̠̓ ̷͕͝ ̷̪̕ ̸̙̃ ̶̖́ ̶̧͝ ̶̙̋ǫ̷̨̗̮͇̮̌̅͜ȕ̶̡̝̰̗͎̞̺͙̯̞̌͋̚t̷̯̙̱̮̘̗̯͚̣͔̑͆͑͛͐̔̚͘͝ş̶̱̼̥̜̦͖͙̈́́͑͊̊ͅî̸͐ͅd̸̢̘̺͎̠̮͗͗̿̐ͅe̶͚̎̓̇͌̈́͠?̴̢̡̛͇̙͉̊́̈́̑͊͌͐̉̂͜ͅ
no subject
Date: 2026-02-17 05:37 pm (UTC)a part of him wishes it were possible to consult with kleya, somehow; maybe she could figure out how to untangle all of this. but it isn't, so, squinting, he has what he's able to pull out: readings concerning outside.]
Concerning how?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-17 06:12 pm (UTC)b̵̨̛̻̘̥̪͉͔̹̲̥̣̞̰̠̳̜̟̝̠̮̳͉͚̱͍̼̅̀̋̋͛̌̃̈́̀̉̊̉̊̂͂̚͜ḭ̵̡̧̨̞͓̤͕͕̭̘̀̈̿͛̅͌͗̂̐̈́͆̎̓͆͂̚͝ͅg̴̛̱̝͇̦̮̯͎̲͍̗̥̮̦̦͍̞̬͙̖͈̼̮͙̙̦̙͕͂̎̌̈̎̽͋̀̓̄́͛́́͊͛̈́͘̚͝͝ͅ
no subject
Date: 2026-02-17 07:28 pm (UTC)Save as many of the readings as you can. When we can get the doors open, we'll find you.
[when actually feels a lot more like if right now, but]
@qimir (While she was out)
Date: 2026-02-19 07:16 pm (UTC)I'm told you're one-upping me in scientific rigor with a vengeance. To be honest, I hope you beat me soundly. That all this is worth it in the end.
I'd tell you not to be afraid, but fear is just the desire to live. Be brave. See you on the other side.
@didnt_even_say_bye, audio
Date: 2026-02-26 04:34 am (UTC)Burnham, check in.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-26 06:34 pm (UTC)████████ ███ █████ ██ injured ███ ███████ ███ ███ █ ███ unharmed█ ████████ ████████ █████████ massive ███████ ███████ ███ ████████
no subject
Date: 2026-02-26 06:58 pm (UTC)̶͉͍͒ ̸̦͚̏ ̵̮̈́ ̸̾ͅ ̴̩̱͛ ̵͕̇ ̴͕͍̾̈́͌ ̸̠̒͐ͅ ̸̧͙̦̾̈ ̷̳̓̏ḳ̴̢̚̕̕e̴̠͕͑̐e̷̫͎͑̒̔p̵̛̗͔̜̊͘ ̵̆̈́̄͜ ̵̰̫̏͘ ̶̭͙́̾ ̸͙͊ ̸̪͕͗̓͛ ̵̻͐ ̵̯͍̇ ̸̧̩̂ ̶̡̬̳̈̍̔ ̷̟͍͍̈̍̓ ̶̩̎͆ ̴̡̣̣͒̉̍ ̸̻͚̩̊̌͛̅̈́͘ ̷̛̫̂́̆̓̃͠ ̶̟̥̅̂͐̈̃͘̕͝ ̵̨̥̫̰̩̲̳͉̅̂̊̅͝ ̸̨̧̛̜͖̪͐͌͝ ̷̤̗̙͆̾̊̍͋͋͜ ̶̼̬̗̜͈̼͛̓̚ ̷̠͖̲̆́̌̚͘ ̶̧͍̈́͒̀ ̸͔̻͖̎̃ ̶̩̀͊ ̷̮̋̓̏ ̸̦̉ ̵̬̅̆̕ͅ ̷̜͇͌̇̃ ̴̙̱̲͆
̴̘̣̌͗͒̋̉̀́͑̽̐̊̑̓͑͘͘ ̶̧̪̮͚͍̙͆̂̒͛͘͝ ̵̢̢̡̛̟̹̗͙̼̱̳̘̙̓̍́̆̽͂̈́̔͝ ̵͚͉͚͉͕̪̼͊̀̓̌̈́ ̴̗̹̬̤͍̺͚̟̟̫̞͓̱͌̂̓͑͜ ̷̡̜̙͖͔͇̳̟̫̟̈̿͗̀̍̂́̒̑̇̎̍̓͋͘͝͠ ̸͔͆̒ ̸̤̄̒̅̔̍ ̸͕͚̙̮͈͚͓͔̺̜͉͎̲̦͉̽͐̃̽̔̾̇͋͒̀͌̔͜͝͝ ̸͔͆̒ ̸̄ ̷̖͛ ̴͈̹̟̔ ̴̢̣̜̓ ̵̪̽̌̈́ ̶̟͑̈́̋ ̸̭̩̙̐ ̶̯͕̼́ ̴̦̻͛͛ ̸̢̬́ ̷̻̪̼́̿ ̸̗̽͘ ̵̢̻͊ͅ ̵̩̇ ̴̯͍̈͝ ̸̨͈͗̿̋ ̴̤̯̥̒̇ ̶̥̗̦̄s̸̳̲͂̔ó̸̳̱͜m̴̨̜̤̽͗̓e̶̙͈̩̚t̵̞̅ḥ̸̥̭̑͂i̸͕̪͊n̸̘͈̒g̵͈͍̩̿
no subject
Date: 2026-02-26 10:00 pm (UTC)They're scrambling you. What's the nature of the injury? [ In case he's getting just as chopped and screwed. ] Repeat: What is the nature of the injury?
[ It could be the barrier, and the three of them are the unharmed subjects. Or it could be the other way around. It wouldn't surprise him if the house was somehow picking and choose words to confuse and panic him. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-02-26 11:14 pm (UTC)She repeats her message several times, hoping for each word to make it through at least once. ]
███████████ clean2 ██████ ██ ███ ████
███████████ █████ ██████ no joy4 ████
███████████ █████ bandit3 ██ ███ cold5
Chattermark1 █████ ██████ ██ ███ ████
[ KEY:
1. Begin using briefed communication procedures to counter communications jamming.
2. No visible battle damage.
3. A SUSPECT whose orbital parameters are such that it may become a collection and/or counterspace concern to a spacecraft.
4. Aircrew does not have visual contact with the TARGET or BANDIT.
5. Defined area is not expected to receive fire. ]
text
Date: 2026-02-27 01:41 am (UTC)He couldn't be more grateful to be working with a professional. Swapping to text, he sends several, ]
ROGER - GREEN LIGHT - HOUSE SICK
[ I hear you. Proceed with the mission. The manor has shut down. ]
1/2
Date: 2026-02-27 05:20 am (UTC)R̷̛̝̙̯̲̦̬͍͈͑͛͌̐̔͌̀̊̈́̇̌̓̚ ̷̢̪̱̬̳͛͜ ̶͎̦̣̏̑̈́̋̆̆̿͌̕̚͠E̶͉͙͖̬͎̿̇Ŗ̶̭̦̰͎͇̳̝̓̎̅͜͝ ̵̧̣͉̻̘͚̜̜̖̣̝̒̄̑̈́̒̈́̐̕͜͝W̵̡̢̨͉͖̙̖͎̞̺̎̇̄͜͝I̵Ļ̵͍̮̫̗͇̮̟͔̬́̂͂̌̉̀͑͘C̵̨̨̰̮̼̤̳͓̮̠͇̲̤̗͙̯͒̽́̊̈́́̂͋̈́̀͘̚͝Ǫ̶̗̜̩̻̽̒́̄̌̃̾͌̾̍͋̓͘̚
2/2
Date: 2026-02-27 05:31 am (UTC)We're out. Walking back to the manor now. ETA 25 minutes.
How are things inside?
no subject
Date: 2026-02-27 09:19 pm (UTC)[the eldritch fog rolling through. single word answers might be less lossy.]