Honya, albeit unnoticed by either Nodoka or the security teams aboard the Andraste, walks out onto the Lounge, surprisingly darker than it was only 24 hours ago. She had snuck out while Nodoka was resting, hoping to have some time to herself. She looks out into Inverness from the Andraste from the chair closest to the window. A depressed and concerned look placates her face whole as she continues to try to evaluate the situation at hand, longing for advice. She had been acting as a liaison for Nodoka, much to her chagrin - during what Nodoka had said would be a small vacation. Her focus is on the stars, unaware of those who may enter the room.
She stands up, and moves closer to the window, placing her hand on it, as if she were feeling the beat of the heart of Sirius itself - beating, but weak. She tilts her head downward and sighs, her hand still on the glass, concerned about the situation she and her superior are in.
Leviathan had spend the time between their initial meeting and now on his feet. He had taken a stance on the bridge and - like he usually does, he was running calculations for plausible outcomes and contingencies in the event they occur. Being part-machine has certainly had its benefits when it comes to round-the-clock shifts, despite the stress and strain it could put on the human brain.
After a few hours, he had begun to pace and become restless. Leviathan made his way off the bridge and through the halls of the Andraste, contemplating on matters of work. While doing so, he wandered into the lounge for some peace and quiet. Much to his surprise, one of the guests was there alone. He stood in the doorway, glaring at the nearly-human construct.
"Having difficulties relaxing?" Leviathan would ask.
Honya looks to see the Keeper behind her, at a distance. "Hai, Keeper. I am." She turns to you, her hand still on the glass. She moves to sit down again, her head tilted downward towards her lap and her hands together. She seems deeply troubled. "I've been having to handle discussing the meeting with Miss Shepard.. As well as other things. She wasn't taking to kindly to the idea of you coming, but I've been trying to convince her to at least hear you out." She says, passing a tablet across the table, stopping just short of the edge of the table. On the screen of the tablet is Shepard's response to Honya's request to meet, as well as Honya's latest response.
"When things like this happen.. I feel like I've let Hanamura-sensei down. Like my efforts to help her.. help all of us.. are in vain. I do my best, but sometimes I feel that my best isn't enough." Honya continues, as she slowly begins tearing up.
Leviathan sighed and shook his head. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're not responsible for other people making up their minds." Leviathan responded. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms.
"You didn't fail because someone didn't want to hear reason. It's important that you tried your best at the least, but some people are afraid of taking risks and owning up to their own shortcomings." He pushed himself off the door and approached Honya, taking a seat beside her and crossing his legs.
"If meeting peacefully fails, then they force our hand. You and Nodoka are doing your best to give them a chance. If they're not willing to take it, then the failure lies in their stubbornness. It's not the first time The Order has wasted lives doing something irrational." He shrugged. "They don't like admitting they're wrong."
A tear falls from her eye. "Thank you.. Keeper.." She says, as her voice is slightly unsteady. "I feel like the world is bearing down on me.. that Me and Hanamura-sensei want to do something to help stop this, but we feel everso pressured and fearful of the world threatening those who we love in return. I care about Shepard.. but.. It's hard to when she isn't willing to accept the flaws of her organization." She continues.
"All the propaganda, the bad blood.. it muddies an already opaque truth.. They said that Raven.. one of your Keepers.. is an infectee, that she was seen in Coronado or something, with Enma Loyola. They call you heretics.. Even though it's clear to me that you mean no malintent. I told her that I don't think her a liar, I just want harder evidence. She didn't even humor my statement with a retort on that.." She says as it becomes harder for her to speak, her human half turning her emotions into effects, as she tears up more. "I'm just sick of the fighting.."
A audible clicking is heard from the corridor - the click of heels, someone is approaching.
Leviathan raised a hand at being called by rank. "Please, call me Hunt. That's usually what my friends do." He said.
"I had brought up the Raven incident in our initial meeting, hadn't I? It was an extremely risky choice she made, one I didn't condone or agree with, but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that she is not an infectee. Eccentric and unpredictable? Yes, but she's also extremely clever and intelligent." He sighed, glaring to the sounds of someone approaching.
"Regardless, we have tried to reason with the Overwatch. There are still documented transmissions of them demanding heads and threatening children directed to us. You cannot reason with them any more than they can reason with themselves." Hunt said as he turned to face Honya.
Honya lifts her head up, as she slowly calms down. "I suppose so, Hunt-san... Thank you.. I suppose it is for the best that I distance myself from her... I can't really see myself continuing to care about her if she isn't going to at least listen." she says, rubbing her eyes dry with her left arm.
Nodoka is seen entering the room. "I don't think we did, but that may just be my brain getting used to actually having a decent sleep schedule.. Either way.." She stops to see Honya a mess. She moves closer to her and comforts her. "Honya, what's wrong? You look a mess.. Leviathan.. did something happen?" She says, unaware of what Shepard had said.
Leviathan turned to Nodoka and nodded slightly. With a long sigh, he spoke softly. "You let your highest self rule and your truest self grieve, and the world will still strip away all you ever hoped to achieve." He said solemnly.
"Negotiations with Shepard have broken down. They rehashed history and propaganda to convince Honya that our founder was an infectee, but I as well as the Bretonians can confirm that she isn't. We never bothered countering their public accusations because it would only make us seem like we have something to hide." He said as he looked to Honya.
"She tried her best." He gave Honya a reassuring shoulder pat.
Nodoka gently nods her head. "I see. I know it may not make much use, but I'll confront Sara about this. It's one thing to yell at me, but to yell at my friends to the point of driving them to tears crosses the line." Honya breathes in deeply. her face slowly becomes less depressed, evoking contentness as she feel the outpouring of care from those around her. "Thank you, Hunt-san.. Hanamura-sensei. I appreciate the kind words." she says, giving the two a smile as she feels cheered up, the weight on her shoulders lifted.
"Look, if someone gives you trouble like that again, let me know. Seline will be more than happy to chew them out for me. I would myself, but the CoF would do a spittake and kick me out of the position I hold sooner than I could say 'wait'." Nodoka says, rubbing her friend's back. She turns to face Leviathan. "Leviathan, I think it would be suitable for us now to bring the others from that meeting aboard to discuss this, if it's okay with you. I spoke of them to you, yes? Mark Conway, Seline Magnus? They're Ex-core who operate a two-ship group called Harpy Squadron. With my position I can't do much, lest I irk Golanski or the other parties in Delta, but I'd still like to discuss this.
"Talk and diplomacy can only take us so far in this situation, Nodoka." Leviathan turned to face Nodoka. He gestured towards the seat, offering to give up his spot.
"Why would these two be of remotely any value in this situation?" He tilted his head.
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