No party like an pope party??

[archboxer]

[That... that was a thing for everyone. There should be no celebration for Lif but, well, even if Rhea has a very cynical view of such things it's probably for the best that everyone stays together. Her first stop is the cafeteria, after all nothing better to keep people in one spot than free food. There she bumps into Mira, leaving the snacks to her Rhea ends up writing notes to everyone to come to the cafeteria in a few hours.

Some she hands personally and if she can't find someone she slid it under their door. Rin's she slides into her room regardless.

Fortunately, you won't hear a sermon.]

Comments

[nothingcanstop]

Was that was that was? ...Revenge? [ Sounds a little empty. ] It didn't feel like it.

[reallyhatesharks]

Well, it wasn't justice. [She takes a sip from her drink.] You could call it self-defense too. I don't think that makes it any better.

[nothingcanstop]

I'll call it what it was: It was torture. For all of us.

[reallyhatesharks]

Oh, no. The secrets hanging over our heads was torture. That? That was all of us making a choice to punish someone because we were all too afraid to die.

[That's not the part that she's having trouble with. She's done that before, without question. Everyone has become expendable to her, in her line of work. The problem is that here? She doesn't have an excuse for it. The outcome has no justification except for their own selfish will to live.]

[nothingcanstop]

[ ... ]

It was putting us in an unreasonable position. He gave us a choice, but did he really? No. I refuse to believe that.

[reallyhatesharks]

Just because you didn't like making it doesn't mean it wasn't there.

[She thinks of Lucas. Of leaving her best friend to die because Fin needed a pilot and Fin . . . well. Fin could ask anything of her and she'd do it but the fact of the matter is that was a choice and she made it.]

It's easier to come to terms with your choices if you don't lie to yourself that you didn't have a choice.

[nothingcanstop]

What else was there to do? Let ourselves-- let everyone else die? That's not a choice, that's making us think we have one. Either way, the Professor won, but I- I'm not going to think of myself as a murderer because of his twisted... His experiment!

[reallyhatesharks]

Everyone made that choice for themselves. It was only majority rules, and two can be a majority in the right situation. [She shrugs.] Like I said: just because you didn't like the choice doesn't mean it wasn't a choice.

[nothingcanstop]

Don't-- hell, Nova, I can't... Between letting my kids actually get to know their mom and dying, that's not a choice at all, so just- just stop!

[ Her...voice raises there. It doesn't seem like she means to, but. ]

Please. Just...stop.

[reallyhatesharks]

["No. We can't mess with destiny."

"Mess with destiny? We just fought in the American Revolution, it looks like we're messing with destiny to me."]

... You sound just like Fin.

[Nothing ever matters but family. Except the only family that matters is his. Trying to change the fact that her grandfather died is "messing with destiny." Going back through time to find his son isn't a choice.]

I hope that it was worth it to you, if we ever manage to get out of here. I hope you family is worth doing anything for, no matter how terrible.

[nothingcanstop]

[ There's a lot to unpack there, but Della, at the moment, can't even start to. She's supposed to be fine right now. It'll all be okay, she has to be.

But something about that tips the scales to a calm fury she's not very familiar with. ]

You can try and guilt me all you want. But my boys will always, always be worth it. They're worth everything to me, and nothing you say can ever change that.

[reallyhatesharks]

I'm not trying to guilt you, but you're not the only person here who has family. I just hope you're as understanding when someone feels the same way you do.

[Don't fuck up all of history through time travel and then tell someone else they can't fuck up history through time travel!!!! Don't say you'll do anything for your family and then act like you have the moral high ground when someone also would do anything for their family!!!!!!]

[nothingcanstop]

Wha- of course I know I'm not the only one with a family!

[ Just throwing her hands up a little, you know. ]

Why do you think I'm so...so pissed at Lif, of course I understand doing everything for them! Family is just about- of course I understand that!

[reallyhatesharks]

But would have tried to stop him if you knew?

[She's just gonna sip her drink. Don't mind her, this is her Going Through It.]

[nothingcanstop]

Yes. So I could've helped him find another way. I would've fought for his family beak and claw, if I could help it.

[ It- her voice shakes for a moment. ]

I know what it's like to be separated from your family, to want anything...anything to get back to them. ...But I'd still try to help him. To find another way.

[reallyhatesharks]

Sometimes there is no other way. [That's said almost more to herself than anything.] Maybe that's destiny or maybe it's karma, all I know is interfering in other people's business never ends well.

[nothingcanstop]

Well, I'll never accept just giving up. Not ever.