025 VIDEO LIST NINE

[deadliestviper]

[Locked to friends]
[As the feed flashes on Beatrix looks at the camera head-on, head slightly tilted and her lips in a thin line. She's sequestered in her cabin and looks tired but is steely-eyed as ever, emotion shoved far out of the way. There are more important things to get to.] How bad was it for you? Any damage done? [No mention of her public and sadistic threat. She doesn't see why it would be an issue.]

[Locked to Kon and Steph]
Tell me what happened to you. Please say you're all right.

[Locked to Arya]
Check in. Were you harmed or sent to Zero during the takeover?

[Locked to Ben]
Do I assume correctly in guessing we need to talk?

[Locked to Chris]
... Jesus fuck. [Enough said.]

[Locked to Riddick and Slade]
[Beatrix had threatened the partial truth out of Narvin easily enough, although he'd said nothing to incriminate either of them. Still, she has a sneaking suspicion they were playing her. There's still respect for both of them there, but she is Not Amused. Flatly, face and eyes blank:] Go ahead. Whatever you're going to say, say it.

[Locked to Narvin]
You're a son of a bitch, you know that? [She glares at the camera, but her tone's more resigned and annoyed than malicious.] How's the eye?

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[warisart]

[There's a tremor running through Ben's entire frame - his distress held firmly in check, but too powerful for even his hard-learned self discipline. He waits while she stares, staring back for a few heartbeats and then, swallowing, shifting his eyes a half tick to the right and letting them unfocus. It's the best he can do. If he can't get through to her, he'll just have to try to accept that he may lose her.

He's never figured out the trick of it, but he's learned that he doesn't get a say in it anyway.

But then she's frowning at him and saying words he doesn't hear very often, not on things like this. Swallowing, he looks back at her. When he speaks his voice is shaking ever so gently, as well.]

What will you do now?

[ Spam ]

[deadliestviper]

[After so long on board the Barge, a setback like this – what is this worth, maybe a few months? – isn't much to be worried about, at least not for her. As for him, it's harder to say. The entire thing must be harder on him than on her.]

What I did before, I guess. Nothing. ...Did you have another suggestion?

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[warisart]

[It is, though he doesn't know how to explain it. The terms he tries to use are often too simple, too direct for most to understand how serious he is about them; others throw around phrases like "worse than death" and "no choice" and are being overly dramatic.

Ben absolutely means them, and he knows exactly what to say to the question she asks him. Without hesitation, the sharp steadiness back in his voice, he answers immediately.]

Give them no further excuse. Stay away from her, do not address her, do not speak of her. Let them forget about you.

They will.

[ Spam ]

[deadliestviper]

[She concurs with a stiff nod.] As I said before I no longer intend to harm her, and I'm not the one who should kill her anyway. I've got no major argument with anyone else on board.

[ Spam ]

[warisart]

[Ben holds the tension in himself, ready, for several moments after she agrees; slowly, though, he lets it out.

In its wake, diluted and tucked into the corners of his expression, he just looks tired.]

Will you... be more careful? [He doesn't sound hopeful. He expects to be ignored, if not now, then in the future.]