river_meimei | (no subject)

The rafters have a few advantages.

They're comfortable, for one thing! (If you're River Tam.) And interesting. And sometimes you find candy. And they provide a fun change of perspective.

And sometimes they're a good way to find people.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

nita_callahan

It misses her tea, but bounces off her manual. She jumps, startled, and looks up.

From:

river_meimei

River may be in the rafters, but she's not lurking in the shadows there; besides that, she's wearing layers of pink. She's visible, if you happen to look.

She's also peering down at Nita.

From:

nita_callahan

Nita blinks.

". . . Hi."

From:

river_meimei

"You're monitoring," River says seriously, and possibly in greeting.

She turns another M&M over between her fingers, absently exploring.

"Hi," she adds.

From:

nita_callahan

Rueful: "Not as well as I thought I was, I guess." She props her chin on one hand. "What's up?"

She's only talked to River Tam a couple of times, but she's kind of hard to forget.

From:

river_meimei

"Me too."

"It's a collaborative effort."

From:

nita_callahan

She looks curious. "What are you monitoring?"

From:

river_meimei

"You can't see him." River says this earnestly, seriously -- as if she intends this to be a useful answer to a colleague.

"That's the point."

From:

nita_callahan

Nita blinks. The first thing she thinks of is

(ne'er was a dream So like a waking)

her functionally invisible attacker. (If you can't remember a face, you may as well never have seen it at all.)

"You can't see what you're monitoring? That must make things difficult."

From:

river_meimei

"We'll find out," says River, with a quick half-smile. It lights her face like a secret, just for an instant.

She lets one leg drop down alongside the rafter, and turns the momentum of that leg-swing into a smooth uncurling that carries her to her feet. River's short, and the ceiling is high; she can stand even here, and walk in small careful steps towards the wall nearest to Nita's table.

From:

nita_callahan

Huh.

"Okay."

Nita watches her walk, wondering if that's the end of the conversation.

From:

river_meimei

There's a booth against that wall. Rafter to booth back to bench to floor -- an easy stepladder.

River still brushes fingers along solid wood, stretches pointed toes down toward each surface she steps onto, sways into her upright posture just a bit when she reaches the floor. It doesn't look so much as if she's uncertain of her balance, but as if she's double-checking that everything else has stayed put around her.

From there, the same unhurried steps carry her towards Nita's table. Apparently the conversation is still ongoing.

From:

nita_callahan

Evidently.

. . . The way River moves is kind of fascinating.

Nita closes her manual and nudges the other chair out with her foot in invitation.

From:

river_meimei

She's a creature of extraordinary grace! And wacky fun hallucinations, also.

River glances at the chair, apparently surprised by its existence, and then ghosts a hand along the back before she drops into the seat.

"I can hear," she explains, choosing each word with care, although it's very possible that only River thinks this is a clear explanation.

"It's a relay. Through the commlines."

From:

nita_callahan

"Who--?"

She blinks, stops herself.

"Okay. Go on."

This feels important -- which means she'll have to figure out the logic eventually, but interrupting won't help that. She can ask questions later.

From:

river_meimei

"Secret," River says softly.

"They listen at the keyholes."

From:

nita_callahan

"I won't tell."

From:

river_meimei

I know THAT, says River's face impatiently.

"I'm telling you."

From:

nita_callahan

"--Sorry. I'm listening."

From:

river_meimei

River's fingertips press against the edge of the table. She looks a little frustrated -- not a lot, but it's creeping around the edges.

"I know it."

"The line's not secure. Passive monitoring is an ongoing concern."