Drift Fleet IC Inbox;;

[postocular]

This is Carl. 'm not here, leave a message.

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[postocular]

Iskaulit?

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[outstandingbalance]

Got it in one.

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[postocular]

[ Roughly an hour later, Carl finds his way over to the Iskaulit to meet Natasha. He's not the first one there, but Natasha always seems to be early. He shuffles up to her, swathed in a hoodie, wearing a jawbone around his neck. It's definitely something he acquired recently. ]

Hey.

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[outstandingbalance]

That's new. A gift?

[She hasn't been waiting long, for whatever it's worth. She comments on the bone as casually as she'd comment on a new watch.]

action

[postocular]

[ His fingers brush up against it and he nods. ]

Leilani gave it to me.

[outstandingbalance]

Seems kind of her. Does it mean anything?

[postocular]

I'm not sure what it means to her, but I know it's special. She never took it off.

[ So neither is he, because that's how he roll. ]

[outstandingbalance]

[Carl. So serious.]

C'mon. Let's get some ice cream. They better have some, at least.

[They deserve it.]

[postocular]

Sounds good.

[ He falls into step next to Natasha and stays silent most of the way there, but glances at her with a frown. ]

I'm sorry I didn't say anything.

[outstandingbalance]

About what? You don't owe me anything. I'm just... checking up.

[postocular]

I know, I know.. I just. [ He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. ]

Feel like I have to explain? Especially since you were there.

[outstandingbalance]

If there's anything you want to explain, I'll listen.

[She won't say she's happy to listen because she's not.]

[postocular]

[ Who could be happy to listen after being thrown into that nightmare? ]

I really don't know where to start.

[outstandingbalance]

What happened?

[postocular]

I remembered more from home.

[outstandingbalance]

That sounds like a good place to start. What did you remember?

[postocular]

..A lot. Um. Negan came to attack Alexandria. We set it on fire. Got people into the sewers.

[outstandingbalance]

Smart. Rough, but smart. [The Russian in Natasha understands that kind of strategy. Burn your own resources rather than let them fall to someone else. Retreat with what you could.]

[postocular]

He's not going to stop, but it should slow him down for everyone, at least.

[outstandingbalance]

So you were able to get away? [Priorities.]

[postocular]

[ Boy that silence sure does speak for itself, doesn't it? ]

[outstandingbalance]

[Yeah, it does. Natasha gives him a long few moments of silence before she speaks.]

So when you remembered, you didn't just remember.

[postocular]

..Yeah. It wasn't anybody's fault, it just happened.

[outstandingbalance]

Makes sense. [But it doesn't make it okay.] So that's what happened.

We'll have to be careful it doesn't happen again.

[postocular]

Kinda hard for it to happen when you're already dead.