InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "strange things are afoot!"

Lockon Stratos (Neil Dylandy) (stratos1) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2015-07-03 09:36:00

Entry tags:

artemis crock, neil dylandy, spencer reid

[action | open | day 330 ]
[ Neil had been holding up fine. He'd been slowly getting used to the thought that what life he had, it was going to be spent in a virtual reality. A virtual reality prison. After all, Tieria was here. And a chance to reconnect with Lyle. It wasn't bad, not bad at all.

But then he'd gone to the shooting range. He didn't have that many skills, and he figured that he could at least keep up with the ones he had.

Within three shots, he'd remembered, though. Not being able to aim properly. Hurting all over. Al-Saachez getting in from his blind spot. Everything.

Only the force of habit made him put away the gun properly. Then he mostly stumbled into one of the dimmer places, slumping against the wall, gloved fingers digging into his hair. He kept telling himself that he was being stupid, that it was nothing, that he was going to be fine. The thought of coming out, of talking to anyone, of trying to smile and act natural, it was simply too much. He was too stuck in reliving his last minutes. Over and over again.

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	stratos1 2015-07-14 08:25 am UTC (link)
	[ Beat, and then Neil shakes his head, a little flustered. ] That's not it at all. I was a little - distracted. And probably didn't expect that there would be law enforcement in a supposed prison facility. Sorry, I'm still kind of new. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-07-14 09:18 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, we have law enforcement. There aren't as many of us anymore, but... a few. [ He thinks. ] Pediatricians and space princesses and farmers too. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-07-14 02:01 pm UTC (link)
	I think I actually met a princess. Not sure if she's a space princess, though. I don't think I'd have believed this place, back home. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-07-15 11:00 am UTC (link)
	I don't think most of us would've. [ A fair few, maybe. ] It's... not so bad. It can take some getting used to and sometimes it's, ah... the cruelest place I've ever been. But it's okay. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-07-16 10:39 am UTC (link)
	Cruel, but okay? That sounds... [ Like Reid might want to revise his criteria for 'okay,' probably. ] Like I'm not going to be bored anytime soon, am I? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-07-18 12:21 pm UTC (link)
	[ Hey, not long ago he would've gone all the way for "good". Okay is a bad review, compared to most. ] Definitely not. There's usually something going on... even if the wardens are quiet, the rest of us usually come up with something to fill the time. Some of the other prisoners have made a second home out of this place. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-07-20 03:42 pm UTC (link)
	Some might not have much choice. [ The faint perking up that the conversation brought this far? Yeah, it's fading. And Neil can't help looking away at that, just for a moment. ] So it kind of makes sense. People are people. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-07-21 11:53 am UTC (link)
	Some don't, no. [ Like Kitty, who he loved and cared for and now... who knows. ] Do you have any questions? I've been here a while now. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-07-24 02:22 pm UTC (link)
	I... [ He has people to ask, really. But that doesn't mean that another perspective won't be good. ] I'm wondering what you'd warn a new person to watch out for, here. There's gotta be something, right? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-07-25 05:39 pm UTC (link)
	[ He furrows his brows in thought for a moment, before settling on one specific thing. There's a lot to look out for but this particular thing is recurring and awful. ] Mistletoe bots. They come around every six months or so and, uh... force people to kiss. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-07-28 02:06 pm UTC (link)
	[ Whu? ] And if people refuse? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	pretend that said every three months oh god math thisiscalm 2015-07-30 10:19 am UTC (link)
	It's... not great. They trap us in barriers that, uh. Shrink. Unless you kiss. Far as I know, it doesn't stop unless you comply. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

It's allll good! And I can also type my own character's surname.

stratos1
2015-07-30 10:27 am UTC (link)

[ A small pause, Neil's jaw and fist clenching. And his voice is quiet, but very close to a growl. ]

I see.

[ Just when he's starting to think that this place is not so bad, and as soon as he gets over himself, his own issues, it'll be fine? He runs into something like this. And while he can deal with it...

There are kids here. A kiss isn't that much, but something like this is traumatic, and that's just not right, let alone the part about potential taking lives.

His eyebrow is drawn down, and his eye flashes as he looks back towards the range. Neil Dylandy despises bullies and hates terrorists, and this place seems run by both, in the definition of the word that involves evoking terror in those who can't protect themselves from it. ]

I guess that would make the decision to join the Defense Force rather easier, when I'm back in shape.

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thisiscalm
2015-07-31 01:32 pm UTC (link)

[ He's seen this reaction so many times before. He's had this reaction, over and over until the place finally wore him down into some sort of acceptance — for now. You can't stress over everything that happens. It pulls their attention away from getting out and he's starting to suspect that's the point. ]

The Defense Force does good work. Pretty good replacement for a team you're familiar with, too. [ For a while, he found. ] I'd be happy to give you a recommendation, if you need it.

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	stratos1 2015-08-13 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	[ Neil can't quite resist, and it's in no way said in a mean way but. ] Just from this conversation? Or after you make an actual evaluation? [ Since the latter would make sense, the darkly amusing part is just how it circles back to where their conversation started. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-08-14 06:34 pm UTC (link)
	I'm a criminal profiler. If I needed more than a conversation, I wouldn't be very good at my job, [ There will be interviews and once upon a time he was someone who would do psychological evaluations for the Defense Force. Not so much anymore. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-08-17 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	[ There's a telepath on the interviewing committee, that counts for something... maybe? Neil stares at him for a moment, his eye blinking, and, to his own surprise, he bursts into laughter. ] I think the appropriate line here is 'show-off'. Which, for the record, isn't the same as doubting you. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-08-18 09:18 am UTC (link)
	Oh yeah, this is the first time I've ever been called that. [ Show-off and plenty things worse than that. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-09-11 10:28 am UTC (link)
	[ Neil opens his mouth to quip along the lines of, so, you make a habit out of it? but, considering that he's barely met the man, he softens that, instead, to, ] There's nothing wrong with knowing your strengths. In fact, it's pretty important. Still, I'm pretty sure I just need time to get used to... what being here means. And I'll be fine. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-09-11 07:08 pm UTC (link)
	[ He's not wrong about making a habit of it and there's some deep seated psychological issues at play here, for sure. Better not dig into it right this instance. ] Of course you'll be fine. Things do get easier here. [ Or you get used to the strain. ] But until they are... you can talk to me. Okay? I've been through it too. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

stratos1
2015-09-11 07:50 pm UTC (link)

[ Neil's lips thin a little, because how can anyone tell him what to do when he looks at his twin's face and can see the tiny wrinkles that seven years have left there. Seven years that Neil's never going to live. Never going to age.

Nobody can tell him that.

So instead of being angry, he lets out a breath, the curve of is mouth relaxing into a small smile. ]

Thank you, Reid. It is appreciated, and I might even take you up on it. Just as soon as I stop running in circles in my own mind. Yeah?

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	thisiscalm 2015-09-11 08:53 pm UTC (link)
	Sure. Take your time. Just remember that you're not the only one stuck here. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-09-11 09:01 pm UTC (link)
	True. Hey, Reid? Have you been hurt bad enough that you couldn't... do your job? [ Neil points at his eyepatch, to clarify the kind of injury he means. ] (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thisiscalm 2015-09-11 09:07 pm UTC (link)
	[ Ah. Well... ] ...Temporarily. Nothing permanent. [ Gunshot wounds, twice. Anthrax. Addiction. A few things that required a psych eval. ] Why? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	stratos1 2015-09-12 09:35 am UTC (link)
	It's why I... [ Shrug. Vague wave towards the to-the-side corner Neil still is mostly in. ] Just so you don't wonder. That's why I needed to get away from the actual shooting range area. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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thisiscalm, 2015-09-12 06:34 pm UTC

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