serialskiller | SAIL IC Inbox

[Skulduggery enters, setting the bag down on the nearest surface with space for it.]

Oh, absolutely not. It's fair to express concern for others, even when they're not around, but Max would hate to know anyone was worried about him. [And he means it; emotions seem to be nearly humiliating for Max to experience, and he has no interest in making it worse.]

When we found what we were looking for on the island, we unwittingly triggered a defense mechanism. We were all afflicted by various magical curses while escaping to the beach. I... admit that I don't know what happened to Max, specifically. Ava took off in the wrong direction, and he followed after her. I'm not sure she would have made it back to the beach in time if he hadn't.

I was able to help him. I know a lot about panic attacks and anxiety in general. He was horrified to hear that I average at least one panic attack a week on this ship. But I think either he'll be better equipped for them in the future, or he'll know I'm safe to call.

[Murderbot rummages in the bag, delighted by the sight of the fruit and immediately trying to figure out how to open it.]

So you were looking for something specific. And you came back with Jenny. I think starting from the beginning would lend clarity, here.

[He makes a mental note to see if there's anything he can do specifically to help -- but first thing's first.]

The bananas are easiest: pinch the peel from one end and pull. Repeat until the fruit is exposed, and voila. [Pretty much the only tropical fruit in that bag he knows how to eat. Rin's going to have more luck asking somebody else how to eat a fig.

Anyway,]

After the diner, the Captain asked me to retrieve something from an island for him. He knew nothing about what I was supposed to find, or where it would be, or what might be guarding it. Given the uncertainty, I brought a few others with me to try and account for any surprises. ...And then, almost immediately after setting out, we ran into Jenny.

[Murderbot proceeds to peel a banana and use it to gesture between bites.]

So, your team. Max, Darcy, you mentioned Ava. Who else?

Izzy Hands and Jade Curtiss. Truthfully, I brought Max along because I was positive we would be shooting something, and he loves to shoot things. I thought it would be fun. [He lifts one shoulder.] It turned out that there was nothing to shoot. Jenny was convinced to help us, and the salamanders didn't stop us from leaving.

Still. If he weren't there, I don't think anyone would have been able to find Ava when she was compelled to run away from the group.

You sound like you're trying to defend the choice to bring Max. I'm not judging you for it. And leaving me behind so Fio would have someone on hand, someone who could sit and color with her, or defend her if things went wrong, that was a good idea.

[Om-nom-nom bananaphone.]

So you found Jenny. Convinced her to help you. And there were magic problems and...compulsions?

I'm preparing for the inevitable wave of "how could yous" and "why didn't yous" that are likely to arise when others learn about what happened.

[Ha ha, he's joking. (Sort of.)]

In the center of the island was a large, golden temple. At the top was a room with a container that required four hands to open. Max and Ava remained some distance away, covering the perimeter, while the rest of us prepared to take whatever we could. I won't lie, we fully plundered the salamander's... holy ground? I'm not sure what it was.

At any rate, as soon as we took some items from the container, the room filled with a smoke that... yes, essentially cast intense, unstoppable compulsions. Curses take many forms, and so it manifested differently for all of us. Ava was compelled to flee, Darcy was overwhelmed by tears, I screamed for several minutes uninterrupted... Jenny obviously got the worst of it.

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