greatlightother

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[It sounds as if she's just finished crying. There's a clink as she drops a spoon onto a dish and she finally speaks up.]

I said...I hope it goes down. [There's a nervous giggle.] But I don't know where down is. [Pause as the ship rumbles a bit. She takes in a trembling breath.] Looks like I was right, though.

Who knew that I would have them back? Who knew it would work like this?

I looked out my door today and saw the Darkness. I didn't know that Light Sorceress could curse people like this. Because that's what it is, you realize. It's not a flood. It's not...anything the Admiral has done. Condemn him if you like. It's more futile than usual.

[She turns on the camera. Those mentioned in the post who could see the curse will be able to see the vortex around her, invading her room. ~~Barge magic, yeah~~]

I almost destroyed Moscow last time this happened. Last time, it was unintentional. Last time, they could talk me down from it and I could be saved from their...alternative method. [A bitter laugh.] Death.

They said once you pick a side that you can't change to the other one. Light to Darkness...all of that. I don't see why. It's so much easier to hate like this, isn't it? When you've been pushed so far, when so many people have kicked you in the face, it's easy to fall.

That's what power is, isn't it, O'Brien? [She reaches forward to turn off the transmission before she starts crying again. Then pauses.]

Someone might want to check on Petronilla. [BECAUSE SHE'S NOT. That's all!]

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[She looked up to him and began to cry softly, seeing that there had been no discrimination in who was cursed.]

Yes. [She was both angry at herself and angry at the barge. She didn't want to take the curse off, though she knew that she should. She hated it here and she hated them all. But, at the same time, she loved some. That's what had been keeping her sane. But too much had happened. She was conflicted now and that conflict had thrown her into this state of panic. And anger.]

[He couldn't not act, now that she was crying and moved over to put a hand on her shoulder,] Why, Sveta? Was it deliberate or not? If you tell me why, talk me through it, we can work this out. I'm sure we can, just talk to me, please.

[He sounded a little like he was pleading, but not scared. A little nervous, but not scared.] It's okay, we can work it out. Everyone does things they wouldn't usually when they feel like they've been kicked in the face over and over again. It's okay, but we've got to do something about it too.

[He didn't want to sound... too aggressive or that he was blaming her.]

[She looked up to him and shrugged.] It was a deliberate curse. I didn't think it would actually work.

[Sighing softly, trembling, Sveta pulled her feet up closer to her and rested her chin on her knees.]

I did something about it.

Didn't your magic work before? Did you not realise you had it?

[He was at least hoping for this, because it meant he could reverse it.]

Sveta, let me try and talk through this with you. Just... start with what's making you really damn angry with the place, and I'll help. It's not so bad and... I'll help make it better, I will. Genuinely better, not slap a smile on and hope for the best better.

I'll keep trying until I do. I promise you, just... talk through it with me. [He was flying in the dark, really, but he spoke softly, and meant every word.]

Can I sit with you? [It was unlike him to ask permission, but he wanted to be cautious. More than cautious.]

[She looked up to him, answering his questions carefully.]

That's the only kind of better we can have. What do you think is making me angry?

[And a pause. The last question made her cautious.] Are you afraid of me? Are you afraid I might hurt you if you sit with me?

Not true, Sveta.

[He took a careful breath inwards,] I'm not afraid of you, Sveta. I don't think you'd hurt me.

I was just being cautious. I thought I might make it worse if I make presumptions. [Carefully, patiently explaining. He had to manage his tone very carefully.]

I can think of a thousand things here that'd make you angry. Your inmate. Everyone else for... several thousand reasons. Me. The Admiral. That you can't go anywhere.

But I think I can make them better. Better than they were, and properly. I mean it. Give me a chance, Sveta.

[She looked down.] Then sit.

And I have given you a chance, Neil. I've given you lots of chances. For everything. Haven't I?

[She rubbed her eyes.]

I love you, Neil, but you can't make this better. You can't even fathom the way.

[He went to sit, catching his balance as he tripped over a chair. That would be being cursed, wouldn't it?]

Yes, you have, Sveta. I appreciate all the chances I've been given, but... I want to try. Even if you think I can't, I want to try. I want to try and talk it out.

Please, let me try. The other option isn't an option. We can start with what your inmate said, or... wherever you like. But let me try and talk this through.

[She flinched when he tripped and then moved over when he sat.]

It's not her. It's not only her. It was her and Rex and Damon and O'Brien and everyone else who has done this to me my entire time here.

It was...everyone. [She buried her face in her hands again, unable to stop the tears.]

And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...but I can't stop this.

Aye, Sveta, and... Christ, you have reason to be angry at them, but equally... everything I've seen here makes me think they're capable of change. Things are capable of being different, and they've done some horrific things, I can't deny that, and nobody should have to be put up with that, but...

They aren't always like that. Two people who've murdered me, who I outright hated, I saw change into something better... and I know it's true, and it's stupidly hard to believe in sometimes, I understand that, but it is.

[Again, his tone was soft and understanding and very, very carefully measured.]

You can stop this, Sveta. Please. You can't hate all of us like you hate them.

You're right. I can't. And I don't.[She shook her head and leaned against him, crying softly into his shirt.] But that wasn't my doing.

I know, Sveta. But if you want to save us, you have to save everyone else. The Barge isn't such an evil place, and you'll get to leave, you will.

Don't take everyone down together, please.

[She shook her head and pushed away from him.]

I'll get to leave and go where?! Home? [She reached into a side table and pulled out a small box. It had the Chalk in it.] Back to this?

This is everywhere, Neil. Everywhere! There is Darkness in places where there should be Light.

No, Sveta, not home! [oops, temper. He leveled his tone again. I told you... I told you you wouldn't have to do that. I'm trying to find a way around it, trying to find another option, I promise you, and I'm sure it's going to work.

[He grimaced at that,] Of course there is, Sveta. Humans are like that, but the... point is finding the light in the darkness, and clinging to it like mad. Sometimes it slips away from you, but you can find it again, and hold on to it so much tighter. I am the light of the world, remember. Even in the darkest places, there is light.

[He was talking in more a religious sense than a her-world sense, but he figured they weren't far apart.]

[Her own temper flared up slightly.]

There is, but it's hard to find. And you don't know that, do you? You live in Light. You're constantly covered in it.

You can't do anything, Neil. You can't fix this. [She threw the box across the room, but it was locked tightly and did not open. Standing up, she began to pace.]

[He blinked at the box being thrown and tried to keep his calm, then walked over to where she was pacing, and tried to put a hand on her arm to stop her. He doubted that'd help.]

...And so do you, Sveta, but sometimes even I lose it too. You've seen me lose it, but the worst I can do is throw a punch or resort to drinking. We all lose it sometimes. If I can, you can, and if I can get it back, you can find the Light no matter how hard it is.

[She turned, trying to bat his hand way with her arm.]

I don't want to.

[He moved his hand, giving in easily. The point of this was not to wind her up more, but to deal with the issues.]

Why not?

Because I'm tired of being treated like I'm stupid. Being treated like I don't pay attention. Like I'm just innocent and naive and I don't understand anything. I'm tired of being manipulated.

[She walked to the far wall, her hands in her pockets.]

I'm not a child.

I know you're not, Sveta. I know it. I've never treated you like any of those. I've never stood for anyone manipulating you.

A lot of us haven't.

But... you're taking us all down together. You don't... Sveta, people don't understand just who you are, but it happens to a lot of us. People make assumptions, and they're not good ones, but we can show them they're wrong. We can show them that, and not by getting angry at everyone, but by... perseverence. Resiliance. You've got a lot of those, I know it, and real strength is in hope, not in destruction.

They don't understand because they don't care. [She rounded on him, wiping tears from her cheeks.]

They don't know a damn thing. They can make all the assumptions that they won't. This isn't killing them right now.

But lots and lots of us do care, Sveta. [He tried to keep his temper even.]

It's not killing them right now, but it might, Sveta. It might. [He wasn't sure if that was a good move or not.]

[She began to cry again and sat down on the floor, leaning back against the bed.]

Stop it, Neil. I know! I'm a murderer. I'm no better than they are. I should just...be an inmate, shouldn't I?

God, Neil, I don't know. I don't want to stop, but I know I should. I hate it. I hate this. I hate myself for doing this.

Again.

[He sat down next to her, not asking now,] No, no, Sveta, you're not a murderer. You can stop it before any of it dies, but...

It won't happen, Sveta. I can persuade you to stop it, I am sure of it, and nobody has to die, nobody has to suffer... please, it doesn't have to end like that, the Barge isn't that terrible - and those parts of it that are can change.

I don't intend to leave you trapped here, we'll get you a way out in the end, I'm sure of it.

No. Stop it. [She turned away from him.]

You're not sure about it, Neil. You're not sure about anything.

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