Welcome! You have entered [Neutral Grounds] at 8:53 am
[ Kidman ]: -- Welcome! Please stay in character while in chat, (use parenthesis for Out Of Character messages). Also remember, this is the Internet, DO NOT give out personal information.
[ Kidman ]: Back!
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: hi kiddo
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: that was fast
[ Kidman ]: Pancakes are easier to eat than I thought.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: hah heh
[ Kidman ]: (You up for a collab?)
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: (let's do it)
[ Kidman ]: sees Vic hanging around again. Decides to give it a go.
[ Kidman ]: I...say, you're Vic?
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "So I was sayin' to the pilot..." Vic stopped to see that Kidman girl talking to him.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Shouldn't you be trainin' kiddo?" He asked her back.
[ Kidman ]: This is training.
[ Kidman ]: Can I...speak with you?
[ Kidman ]: A moment?
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Talk fast, kid, I gotta lotta work ahead.
[ Kidman ]: feels her nerves catching up with her but pushes them back. This is important.
[ Kidman ]: *looks off to the side* "So...what do you think about Acme tower? It's big...yes?"
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: already talked to Russo the otherday about bringing that Narwar Nevire trainee for Carmen to take after the tower.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "It's huge, kid," Vic sniffed, "So she told you, ah?"
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "One sec," Vic excused himself from the navigator he was talking to and pulled Kidman to the side, "Okay, kid, what'dya want? Keep yer voice down."
[ Kidman ]: "Perhaps too big. Does she...know how big?" she replied, ignoring the other question.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "She knows more than both you and me combined in a room full of geniuses," the conman reasoned, "why are you askin' all this?"
[ Kidman ]: "Because I don't feel as certain."
[ Kidman ]: I know what I say doesn't matter much, but I don't think she should take the whole tower.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic knew what the girl was feeling, but this ain't right, no one questions Carmen 'cept for maybe herself.
[ Kidman ]: She listens to you, yes? Would you...mention it?
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "It's a trust system, you get that?" The henchman sounded a little annoyed, but he pushed that away, "she's got her head straight on this, I can't say much that'll change her mind."
[ Kidman ]: Have you tried?
[ Kidman ]: knew she was walking off a cliff, but something urged her on.
[ Kidman ]: She can't be left alone with her own mind.
[ Kidman ]: No one should be.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "What are you sayin'?" Vic couldn't believe this was coming from a trainee.
[ Kidman ]: She must collaborate with someone. Are you saying she plans all these things alone?
[ Kidman ]: begins to pace in a circle.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Listen, kid," he sensed she was in some kind of mode and wanted to calm her down, "For every 10 things I know about Carmen, there's another 20 that I don't."
[ Kidman ]: That isn't an answer. Does anyone give her feedback?
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "You only know 'er as something distant, one o' these days, you'll see how she is, she don't need feedback."
[ Kidman ]: *The ground slid sideways*
[ Kidman ]: No! This can't be!
[ Kidman ]: ...
[ Kidman ]: Carmen....
[ Kidman ]: She's human, you know...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic huffed out air, "but if yer wanna talk to her, kiddo, maybe you'll catch her when she comes by in a week or two."
[ Kidman ]: When is she....the tower?
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "She ain't takin' it. It's me and Flag, now you just sit tight until this is over."
[ Kidman ]: But...please, the things this will cause...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "I'll keep it quiet about you questioning her," Vic interrupted her.
[ Kidman ]: is shaking.
[ Kidman ]: If she were here, I would question her myself!
[ Kidman ]: I would.
[ Kidman ]: I would I would.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "You get yourself some sleep, looks like training's getting to ya."
[ Kidman ]: If I'm the only one who will, I will.
[ Kidman ]: I've been sleeping too long. I'm, I'm already too late. Please, don't make it too late. I'll, I'll write a note!
[ Kidman ]: Just stay here. I'll get some paper.
[ Kidman ]: Then I'll take the blame.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic signed and scatched his head, "She's on her way t' distract ACME already, you won't get that note to her in time, Kiddo."
[ Kidman ]: ...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "And she won't change her mind, not this late into it, no."
[ Kidman ]: ...but there's...still time....
[ Kidman ]: Master's smart enough to know that...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "You don't wanna go questioning her now, don't be stupid."
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic wondered what that Master title was all about.
[ Kidman ]: Yes I do! She could be putting herself in terrible danger doing this. Not the heist itself, but the fallout. You must know this! Tell me you know this!
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "It's like this for all the heists," Vic shrugged, he knew what she meant but he can't support her behavior this far into the process.
[ Kidman ]: kicks a rock.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Even if Carmen knew this was dangerous, she'd never back down.
[ Kidman ]: Because no one talks to her! She's lost in her own self! God damn it, Vic, don't you care?
[ Kidman ]: Am I the only one...?
[ Kidman ]: is crying.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Al'right, al'right, Kid, I gotta go," the thief that was going to steal ACME tower needed to get to San Francisco.
[ Kidman ]: P-please, at least let me write a note.
[ Kidman ]: I don't want her to be alone.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic couldn't deny that, it was childish, but Carmen ran a sort of orphanage here.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Fine," he said, getting out a scrap of paper from his wallet, "write."
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "I donno when I'll next see 'er, though."
[ Kidman ]: grabs it and scrawls 'Don't take the tower. Reprocussions too high. Please, please abort!'
[ Kidman ]: *was all the space she had on the paper*
[ Kidman ]: Send it as an email?
[ Kidman ]: Oh! On the phone!
[ Kidman ]: Just say you heard it from some henchperson and you thought it was funny.
[ Kidman ]: So long as she hears it!
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic sighed again, this time, heavier.
[ Kidman ]: You can have my paycheck!
[ Kidman ]: *fumbles around in her bag for the check*
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: He took the note and put it back into his wallet. "I got a small window when I communicate with her, but that's after the tower get hijacked," he confessed, "I don't want your money, girly."
[ Kidman ]: Call her now then!
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "She's been plannin this one a long time, don't mess it up for her."
[ Kidman ]: feels like she's filled with fire ants.
[ Kidman ]: I'm not, I'm trying to fix it for her.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "It ain't that simple, it ain't."
[ Kidman ]: You're just going to say nothing...?
[ Kidman ]: There are always choices...when you use your brain and not your brawn....
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: Vic thought for a while, and then fumbled in his pocket for something.
[ Kidman ]: silently curses herself for not having addressed him earlier.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Here," he said, handing a pen with a red garnet embeded in its cap, "it's hers, take it."
[ Kidman ]: looks at pen and cries.
[ Kidman ]: I'm too late too late...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "When she asks for it from me, I'll tell 'er it's with you," Vic checked his Timax watch.
[ Kidman ]: takes pen sorrowfully.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Now I gotta go or this thing blows up without me," he said, heading off.
[ Kidman ]: I'm so sorry" she said to it.
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: "Stop your worryin', kid, she'll be dandy, you'll see."
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: The polyester suit said as he rushed down the hall way.
[ Kidman ]: watches him go, utterly drained.
[ Kidman ]: I'm so sorry...
[ Vic-the-Slick ]: (Think we're good fer it)
[ Kidman ]: (Good point to end, yes?)
[ Kidman ]: What timing!