fade rift. inbox.

[propulsion]

"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark."

sending crystal
written correspondence
private scenes

Comments

[propulsion]

Well, let's back up. You're asking 'cause you disapprove?

[heorte]

I'm asking because I am not sure they are giving the risk it's due weight.

[ so like, yes. ]

[propulsion]

[ Uh huh. ]

What makes you say that?

[heorte]

Tony.

[ to the tune of come on. ]

[propulsion]

Ellis.

They're rifters. Poppell's already gone through hell and back before losing a hand, and Riftwatch isn't gonna do anything for us that we don't get done ourselves. I'm not exactly best buds with Dickerson, but I trust Wysteria to grok the stakes.

[heorte]

They have their blind spots.

[ is very measured, all things considered. ]

Caution would be better received from you than it would be from me.

[propulsion]

[ Down the line comes an immediate Sensible Chuckle. ]

You think?

[ He wants to say: they don't have time. For caution, for manners. There's a rare pause while he thinks of what to say instead. ]

They'll be cautious. They want results. But I'll be there, I've talked to Poppell.

[heorte]

You'll stop them, if it comes to that?

[ Just need to hear that out loud. ]

[propulsion]

[ There's a conflicted pause. It'd be easy to say yeah, but gremlin instincts slam the brakes. ]

You're worried about them or everyone?

[heorte]

Can it be both?

[ But let's be real, Ellis has a narrow set of priorities. ]

[propulsion]

Can it?

[ A small flare of impatience. Answer a question. ]

[heorte]

[ Why answer a question when you can sidestep it forever. ]

Yes.

[ But, relenting— ]

I am worried about them.

[propulsion]

Okay.

[ Okay. ]

Then yes. If they're putting themselves in danger, if they're endangering other people, if they start something they can't finish on their own, I'll pull the plug.

[heorte]

How will you know?

[propulsion]

'Cause I'll let myself into their secret treehouse.

[ He doesn't, actually, want to fight Ellis about this, but the barely contained impatience continues to nip at the edges of his words. ]

Either you think I can control this situation or you don't. That one you gotta pick too.

[heorte]

[ Does Ellis want to fight about this?

Maybe. ]

I think your idea of controlling it is different than mine.

[propulsion]

Okay, thrill me. What's that look like?

[heorte]

Mine or yours?

[propulsion]

Both.

[heorte]

[ Both. ]

You see a warning sign, and you wait for it to catch fire before considering you might reach for a water bucket. It is the same with them.

[ And by extension, not for Ellis. Maybe. ]

[propulsion]

Bucket of water's pretty effective against fire. Scientifically speaking.

[heorte]

What does it do for a charred corpse? Or the burns left behind?

[propulsion]

Okay.

[ That okay is not a response to Ellis, muttered to himself before redirecting his attention to his crystal. ]

I'm not shutting them down. I will, to the best of my personal ability, make sure they don't hurt themselves or other people. Which, point of order, was always going to be the case without you telling me it. Because I do know a thing or two about what it looks like, charred corpses-wise.

wysteria and richard debating how to get rid of richie's body AS WE SPEAK

[heorte]

I believe you.

[ isn't actually the question, the question is what action will that transition into? The lack of specificity in that snags, though Ellis lets it be for the moment in favor of— ]

They can be insensitive, in their pursuit of knowledge. Both of them.

i mean they're probably doing a good job

[propulsion]

[ The lack of specificity is due to the lack of specificity, so, fair play. ]

Yeah, I know. And you should talk to them too, if it's gonna keep you up at night.