02 || River Tam || Day 55

[enchangement]

The air tastes strange. [ River knows the video is on but she's not looking at it, allowing instead for the broadcast to show the hallway of house seventeen in the waning afternoon light.

An arm reaches out and a door swings open to a bedroom. Bed rumpled and several books scattered around but otherwise empty.

They took him and she doesn't know when. They took a note, the whole song is wrong now.

[ River sounds exhausted. ]

The air tastes strange. All the notes should be careful and keep themselves in tune.

Comments

( video )

[retrograding]

They took him. [ He repeats it. ] Who is him?

( video )

[enchangement]

Darwin.

He called her baby girl. He built himself from the dust by dust to dust he returned?

[retrograding]

Darwin. [ A beat. ] I don't know him. But I'm sure he's alright. [ He can lie a little. ] Perhaps the supply grew too quickly. Perhaps they sent some home, to monitor the reactions of those still here. It's all a science experiment, after all.

[enchangement]

There's no moment in home to send him too, just a gravemarker with no grave if they even managed that much.

[ River looks so tired. ]

When does fear become anger become something useful to feel?

[retrograding]

[ That sounds familiar. Jet frowns. ]

There will be quiet for him, at least. And the answer to that is, as I find it often is, when time permits it. While you can't always get rid of it until our Lady Time sees fit, you can cheat her a little. Feelings can be converted with complicated formulas and a spray paint can or two. [ That's mostly a joke. ]

[enchangement]

Art as a guerrilla tactic, art as war.

Will paint you a star chart, and then she'll feel a little better.

[retrograding]

Art is the weapon. [ Jet agrees with a nod. Her next part makes him smile though. ] I would love to help with that, if you would have me. I'm not sure how but I think enthusiasm makes up for the lack of knowledge, right?

[enchangement]

Always. Enthusiasm that shines brighter than Sol? Have at, have heart, have mercy, have steady hand, will travel.