002 [text]

[dogsanddaughters]

[Following this]

NEED HELP GONNA KILL ME

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[foundafamily]

[He'll match her pace as they go; if she wants to hurry, he'll hurry, but if she wants to be slow and cautious, he won't leave her behind.]

What if the first one isn't funny enough? We just keep goin' until one's good enough?

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam moves in a ground-covering stride that somehow manages to look casual. It's practiced. She lets go of Barnaby's harness to let him range, checking in front of them for danger. Just in case.] Oh. That's a good question. But I like that answer! Let's do that.

[foundafamily]

[It's something of a comfort to have the dog on lookout. This city is still unfamiliar turf, to an extent, and you can never have too much helping you out.]

You better start thinkin' of some now--I'm really picky when it comes to stories.

[dogsanddaughters]

[Despite the bounce in her step, Miriam's keeping a close eye out too. Just in case.] I got lotsa stories, don't worry. My mom says it's 'cause we live in interesting times. Except she says that's a curse, too.

[foundafamily]

A curse?

[They did sound pretty unpleasant. But isn't curse being a little dramatic? Either way, it's an odd word to pick and it catches Firo's attention.]

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam shrugs.] Apparently it's a saying they used to have on Earth. May you always live in interesting times. It's a blessin' and a curse, see, because interesting doesn't mean good. Just means that things are always exciting.

[foundafamily]

Never heard that one before. But it makes sense, I guess--usually when things got interesting back home, it'd be a major pain in the ass.

[But it's something he can imagine Maiza or Luck saying to covertly insult someone, and the thought makes him smile.

He notes too that she specified that it comes from her mom.]

What do you think?

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam shrugs again, watching Barnaby as he scouts. Keeping careful watch of the shadows and everything that might be hiding inside them.] I dunno. I don't like it when things are boring. But sometimes when it's exciting and stuff, bad things happen, and I don't like that either.

[foundafamily]

[Firo motions for them to round the next corner.]

Yeah. And things can be not boring without people blowin' things up or goin' crazy on each other. Some people don't really get that.

[An irritated sigh. He's thinking of Christopher and Ladd and Dragon and a whole boatload of others.]

[dogsanddaughters]

Tell me about it. [Miriam's careful to keep behind Firo, just in case.] Why can't the crazy ones just kill each other, or somethin? They always gotta come down and fuck with everybody else.

[foundafamily]

[It takes him a moment to realize that she's purposely positioning herself the way she is, but he's even more sure to stay close when he does.]

That'd be more convenient for all of us, huh?

Some of 'em are just sore losers who think it's easier to pick on 'everybody else.' It's easier to harass somebody who can't fight back than someone who's gonna up and bite your ear off, you know?

As for the rest... I really don't know. Considerin' how many of them there are, you'd think finding each other wouldn't be a problem.

[dogsanddaughters]

[So far there's no monsters hiding around the corner, or angry women with scars and battle armor getting ready to lunge. That's good, Miriam thinks. She keeps a close hold on her stun baton just in case.]

I guess.

[She huffs.]

Maybe life's not interesting enough for 'em.

[foundafamily]

Honestly? You're probably right. People like that need a lot to keep 'em entertained.

[He shrugs. He hesitates only briefly before sharing the next bit, deciding that Miriam probably doesn't seem the type to freak out over a place like Alcatraz. If she even knows what it is, considering she apparently comes from space.]

A guy I knew back in Alcatraz was always gettin' sent to the hole 'cause he just wouldn't quit messin' with people. He wasn't too dumb to learn that he should knock it off, he just really needed something to occupy himself with.

I'm not even gonna pretend to understand what makes people like that tick.

[Ladd's a total freak, even if they're kind of friends. According to Ladd, at least.]

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam pauses.] Alcatraz like the prison?

[She watches a lot of old movies, okay.]

Yeah, I don't get that. There's lotsa stuff you can do without getting smacked. Or smacking other people.

[foundafamily]

[He blinks.]

Yeah, that's it.  Don't tell me they've still got it where you're from.

[It would figure, though--the Feds do love their inescapable prison.]

Apparently they never figured that out. Or it's just that much more fun than learnin' to play checkers.

[dogsanddaughters]

[Miriam shakes her head.] Don't think so. But I saw it in a movie one time. It's on an island, right?

[That had been a fun movie. All black and white. Gilly had made popcorn and explained the slang.]

I guess. [She huffs.] I like cards. Cards are nice. They're interesting. And they don't kill nobody. Unless you get caught cheating and then maybe you get knifed, but only a little.

[foundafamily]

[He nods.]

Right in San Francisco Bay.

[Cards, though? He perks up.]

Exactly. So long as everybody behaves, it doesn't have to get bloody.

[Firo, personally, prefers breaking fingers and choking people out. No mess, no clean up, and the message gets delivered.]

What do you play?

[dogsanddaughters]

Where you there? What's it like on an island?

[Miriam bounces up on her heels. He plays cards!]

Yeah-yeah! Poker, mostly. Or 21. Lotsa stuff!

[Anything she can cheat on, basically.]

[foundafamily]

I was. Mostly, it's chilly and wet. Windy if you're outside, but I didn't really get out much.

[For reasons that are probably obvious.

He stops at one of the houses, opening the door wide for her and Barnaby.]

I manage a casino back home. We call 21 blackjack at our tables, but we've got both of those. They're really popular these days, more than faro or anything else.

[dogsanddaughters]

[Yeah, prisoners probably didn't get out much. Echo Six had a jail, but that wasn't the same. That was mostly for people who were drunk or making a fuss. Miriam had heard about prison ships, though, and knew she definitely didn't want to get stuck on one.] Whoa. A whole casino? Not just a gambling house?

[foundafamily]

[He puffs up, very obviously proud of his place. It, admittedly, isn't all too special. But it is to him.]

You bet. We've got everything there--card tables, roulette, slots. It's busy every day.

[If she doesn't seem too wary of her surroundings, he'll move on to the kitchen and start rummaging around. Between Bianca and Jack, maybe someone has marshmallows and all that other stuff around here.]

You got anything like that where you're from?

[dogsanddaughters]

[Barnaby starts nosing around, standing up on his hind legs to examine the counter-tops. Miriam follows Firo, eyes almost as wide as her smile. She feels better now that they're inside. Much safer that way.] Nothing that fancy on Echo Six. I mean, they play cards an' roulette at Booker Street, but that's mostly for other stuff.

[She puffs up.] They let me play. And then I did so good they let me room with Gilly even though he's a top earner.

[Gilly was probably her best friend. Miriam hoped he wasn't dead.]

[foundafamily]

[A bag of marshmallows isn't hard to find. He tries to push them back out of Barnaby's reach, if that's possible.

"Top-earner" sounds an awful lot like mob lingo, and Firo files that away to ask her about sometime. Maybe they still have the Mafia and Camorra where she's from--it'd be good to know.]

Wow. They must've been real impressed, in that case. So do you and Gilly work for the house?

[dogsanddaughters]

[Barnaby whines, bouncing up to grab playfully at the bag. He manages to snag one of his claws on the edge and snatches it up with a triumphant bark. Then dances away with his prize held securely in his jaws.]

No, buddy, give it back. C'mere, buddy.

[Miriam giggles, holding her hands out. Barnaby whines, but drops the bag in her hands. Aside from some drool, it's survived unscathed.] Gilly does, but not me. I run errands for people. Sometimes I meet 'em in the house, but folks don't come for that.

[She pauses.] It's a brothel. In case you were wondering.

[foundafamily]

[Smart dog. Firo watches with a grin, amusement overshadowing his distaste for dog slobber. It'll probably be fine.

With a clatter, he drops a can back into the cupboard when she clarifies. No, no he hadn't really been wondering.]

What?!

I-I just meant the 'house' as in whoever runs the game. Not... that.

[For all his involvement in other shady business, he wouldn't touch that. And prefers to pretend it doesn't exist.]