New Elysium: Breakout

Signal Sent

Red watched Ember walk away. Her shoulders were hunched with her fists tightened at her sides. She was tense and there was no hiding it. Based on what he knew she had every right to be. To most in here, she was the enemy. Hell, he considered her just that until 5 minutes ago. There would be no explaining that she had switched sides to the mob he knew would ensue as soon as her true identity was revealed.

She was a tiny person in a sea of people that towered over her. 

The rest of the prisoners gave way readily, no one bothered to challenge her although several whispered and watched, even casting a few glances their way. The buzz in the room rose as she departed and he couldn't only imagine the rumors that were flying.

He kept staring long after she'd gone outside and Dag elbowed him, nudging him several times before he finally responded. He turned and caught Dag's glare.

"What?" Red lifted his hands in the air, what did I do?

"Don't be angry with her," Dag warned. He gathered up the trays and bowls and pushed them at Red.

"I'm not," Red protested. "I want her help."

"Seriously," Dag said getting up. "Think about what you say then, if she doesn't want to reveal her identity, probably means that she's a daughter of someone pretty high up."

"I got that much," Red muttered. He grabbed the trays. "How do we convince her to be on our side?"

"Start caring whether she lives or dies," Dag snapped. "And that's just for starters. We all live together or we die, out here there is no such thing as a Neo-Tokyan in here. Not anymore. We're all trash here. Your dislike is as clear as water." Dag paused. "And we need to find her a ship. A Vesper is the only thing that will get through a blockade unscathed."

Red only nodded, he was only half paying attention now, deep in thought. He scooped up the trays. He heard Ember's words again. I'm being punished.

Punished for what? What the hell did she do for them to cast one of their own in here? His curiosity was piqued. He'd find out...

The truth was they were all dead here anyway. It was a slow death, but death all the same.

"I've learned Captain that as long as there is life in someone there is always hope for a changed mind."

"Not all people change, Lars."

"You did, Sir."

Lars's voice floated out of the past as he followed Dag.

"This isn't the same Lars," he muttered. "I don't need to change my mind, just get out of here."

"You took a while because you were very stubborn, Sir."

Red rolled his eyes at the memory and yet he knew Lars wasn't wrong. It had taken him some time to get used to having an AI as his second in command. Many of his crew did not like the idea of taking orders from a machine. But Lars offered to train Red to fight against machines if it became a necessity and he'd won the crew over just as quickly.

Not that any of that had helped Lars in the end. His loyalty had been his undoing as far as Red was concerned. Both of them gave too much.

Red pushed the past away. He hated the intrusion. He hated the flashbacks. But mostly he hated the way it cut through him after he thought he was over it. The barbs still struck home in a way that made him feel sick on the inside, a thorn that would never be removed and never completely healed.

Dag headed towards the doors and after leaving the dishes on the counter Red followed him out. it was somebody else's day to do dishes. The inmates learned the hard way that unless they took care of themselves, no one would.