[audio]

[synthedick]

[In the past, Nick has usually left this kind of information either to be shared by someone else, or found out gradually out of respect for those who've gone missing; however, given who it is who vanished this time, his position within the Guard, and his time within and dedication to the city, he figures he'd best say something. Henry deserves that.]

For those who knew him, Henry Percy is gone.

[A small pause. For all they knew, he could be back in a week, in a month, in a year... or not at all.]

Guardsmen, you're reporting to me for now.

[And a quiet sigh. He's not sure how he feels about that weight on his shoulders. Hell, he wasn't sure when he was appointed to the co-head of the organization. Guess he'd better figure it out now.]

That's all.

[Click.]

Comments

audio; private

[claritatis]

[He's still away, and this news comes like a punch to the gut. If nothing else was urging him to return, this would certainly be it.]

If I can be of any assistance, [No need to say he's sorry to hear the news. Nick knows him well enough to realise that.] don't hesitate to ask. I should be back to Hadriel within the week.

[audio, private]

[synthedick]

Thanks, Ignis. Hopefully, I'll have figured out where we go from here by the time you get back.

[claritatis]

Of course.

[And it would be so easy to end it there, wouldn't it? Detachment is so easy when the person isn't standing directly in front of you, but Ignis has far too much respect for Nick to treat this as simply a guardsman checking in.]

Nick... are you alright?

audio;

[pellameno]

[ ...Henry? Pell just stares at his phone for a moment in shock after hearing that message. The name it comes from isn't familiar to him, but from context he thinks he knows who it is. Association.

He may not know Nick, but he certainly knew Henry. One of the few who'd been in this place longer than him. Someone who'd helped him personally a great deal over the years, besides all his efforts protecting the city. So Pell can't just close the post, can't just say nothing. It just all feels empty. ]

I'm sorry. He'll be missed.

[audio]

[synthedick]

[He can't help but agree, and his tone says he's not all that happy to do so.]

He certainly will be. He did a lot for this city, and we're that much poorer without him.

audio; private

[braveoff]

[ Well.... shit. Drake locks his reply because nobody else needs to hear this potential conversation. It might even be worth having in person, honestly, but he's not certain where Nick is at the moment. So a call will have to suffice. ]

What can I do, Nick?

[ The question runs deeper than just offering to take extra shifts or help with the schedule. He's also asking if there's anything Nick needs, because this is definitely both a blow and a lot of extra responsibility. They may have been co-commanders but Henry was their public face, and was far more comfortable giving orders. But in case there's any doubt Nick's earned the full command: ]

We'll follow you, you know. Nobody's going to question it, but you're not alone either.

[audio, private]

[synthedick]

[Drake can't see it through the audio feed -- Nick tends to keep his camera off on purpose -- but that reassurance does get the barest of smiles from him, however somber it may be.]

Did you know there are some folks I've hardly spoken to since they signed up? I wonder sometimes how many of them would still have joined if it'd been me doing the talking.

[Henry was a good face man for a reason. He was charismatic, bold... and human.]

[braveoff]

[ The sentiment isn't surprising, honestly. Henry was a natural leader in every sense, and he looks good on camera. Drake personally doesn't have any issue with Nick's synthetic nature, and neither commander had cared he was something besides human himself -- it was about capability and judging the person.

But he absolutely gets the reluctance to show your face when you're not exactly the norm. ]

So we work on your motivational speeches, maybe. And I know... I'm nobody's the first choice, but. If you need somebody to make announcements or wrangle recruits or anything, I've got your back.

not here;

[dedikated]

( She knew the second the city shifted back to normal. Knew as soon as she searched the guard headquarters, the training grounds, the armoury, and found nothing. When the list of contacts in her phone was very specifically missing one name. It's the same song and dance that's been done with so many people here - hunting for them until you realise that your phone holds the biggest clue to their status, feeling the confirmation clench around your heart.

She knew, and yet scrolling through the network, hangover throbbing at her temples, makes her heart ache all over again.

Two years. More than that, probably. She never tracked the days in Hadriel half as well as Henry did. He isn't the first person to disappear, not even the first person she's cared about, or the first person she's thought of as a staple of the city, but it fucking hurts nonetheless. Henry had been more than just the leader of the guard, more than just a friend, even. He'd been the only person who was from somewhere even close to approaching her hometown. Someone who'd goaded her into learning skills she would have never considered otherwise. Someone who, despite her own foolishness leaving him wrecked in the wake of the fog all that time ago, ended up a trusted friend and confidant.

She tosses her phone blindly at the wall, twisting the red leather belt loosely around her hands.

Another fucking person down. )

audio

[unphase]

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

[there's a pause, long enough for Nick to think that maybe this unknown girl has hung up, but then comes]

How old do you have to be to join the Guard?

[audio]

[synthedick]

[Unknown girl or not, he'll look into any and all offers.]

Depends on how well you can defend yourself, or if you're willing to learn.

[audio]

[unphase]

I have hand-to-hand combat training and I can phase, meaning nothing can touch me if I don't want it to.

[closerift]

Maker. [ There's a bit of a ragged sigh. ] ... He could come back, for all we know. People tend to do that, here.

[ Of course they would lose someone in the Guard, though. Most losses are felt keenly here, but this one will be a detriment to them all. ]

Let me know what I can do to keep things running smoothly.

[synthedick]

[Cecily is right -- he could come back, but it's going to be rough keeping things going without him until he does. Nick doesn't hedge his bets on people returning either, since it seems more people come and go than come back a second time. For every one like Rey or Kate, there are ten like Henry or Piper, folks who just vanish without a trace. He can only hope they're better off back home than they are here.]

For now, just keep up on your patrols. I'm shifting folks around, seeing if we can't get a few more hands here and there. Henry did more than most people will ever give him credit for, so we've got some big shoes to fill.

[closerift]

[ Cecily isn't about to talk on it, but she's of the same mind as Nick. Most people aren't like Sharon: disappearing and reappearing a half-dozen times. Most people are like Dorian. Thom. Cullen. And all the others. ]

Of course. And if there's anything else... [ Well, he'll let her know. ]

Did he leave anything behind? A journal, maybe?

audio.

[puzzlingly]

He missed home more than most, I'm glad for him.

「What did you expect from this one? He might have not spoken to him as much as he wished they had, but he can recall that in most of their conversations, Henry would always reminisce his home with a hint of melancholy in voice, he would speak with fervor about the beauty of his lands, about the importance of his duty there. This place hadn't been kind for him, as it has for many others, but Henry deserved better. He's better now.

Now, that doesn't mean he's glad for Nick, surely he never expected to suddenly have all this responsibility on his shoulders, Atem can relate to that.」

Try to not overwork yourself, Nick, rely on you men, you don't have to do everything yourself.

「Don't make the mistakes he did.」

[audio]

[synthedick]

[Nick knows, Atem -- he knows how much Henry missed his home, how much he felt he'd left undone there as opposed to Hadriel. It's their job to defend it now that he's gone, uphold the Guard and its integrity the way he wanted. Maybe he'll be back... but Nick sincerely hopes not. Hadriel might be home for him now, but he wouldn't wish it upon anyone who didn't want to be here.

Which is most folks. Some find out it's livable, and some find it better than what they left, but to some? It's Hell.]

I'll try not to, Atem. That's a tall order in this place.

[audio]

[puzzlingly]

「A hell of a home, some would say.」

Anything you need, Nick, or shall I call you, Commander?

video;

[nonscriptum]

[He gets the message a little late, no thanks to their arrival back at the islands. Nate enjoyed the trip even with its many missteps, the occasional minor disaster, the unpredictability of the weather and obstacles. It was the kind of work he liked best, even if he felt like he might kill Taako and Lup by the end, there. For a largely private person, a lack of space is Hell.]

Sorry to hear about your friend.

[If not friend, then close enough acquaintance to warrant saying something in his absence. For a long moment Nate chews the silence, then:]

...you guys still looking for help?

[audio] → [audio, private]

[synthedick]

[Nick calls back, putting the conversation on a private channel. He doesn't like roping in people who are uncomfortable with authority -- even if the Guard really have none, and don't claim to in most cases, despite what people tend to assume. However, he doesn't really have the luxury of being choosy at the moment, and he knows Nate's heart is in the right place more often than not. He's done some real good around the city, more than most people will ever realize.]

You asked once about helping in a 'less official' capacity. I might take you up on that now if you're still interested. You wouldn't be the first person who lends us a hand every now and then, but stays off our roster, if that's what you're looking for.

[nonscriptum]

[Truth be told, he wasn't really anticipating a reply. Nick is a notoriously busy guy, and Nate isn't the sort of person to pressure others into socializing with him, so he sort of expected an acknowledgment at best, and maybe a recommendation that they table the subject for another time.

The suggestion is nice - needed, if he's being honest with himself and his inability to stand still - which is why Nate replies almost immediately.]

I am, yeah.

[Nate might have actually been (just) okay with formally joining, but Nick's offer makes him think that being more surreptitious is a necessity for whatever work is required.]

What did you have in mind? And do you need...like...a résumé, or-?

[video] backdated to 8/31

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin's still out in the ocean, sitting in the shade of the square-sail with his crewmates. Not that they need any shade, the sun being hidden in the thick mysterious fog. They're becalmed and rowing at the moment. ]

We will all miss Henry. He's not replaceable, but we'll do the best we can without him.

[audio]

[synthedick]

We're going to have to. He did a lot for us, so we've got a lot to live up to.

audio

[fogsong]

[ Henry had been here for a long while from what Sharon could remember but the only thing she feels at the announcement is a twist of jealousy. A lucky man would never have to come back to this pisshole. She has no real idea of what to say so says the first thing that comes to mind: ] ...I'm surprised the guard still exists.

[audio]

[synthedick]

[Never change, Sharon.]

We're always around, keeping the streets clear or helping folks adjust. Most of what we do goes unseen, but we can't be everywhere.

[Literally or figuratively.]