VIDEO -> TEXT. UN: DAGNY.

[dagnyology]

[ Dagny's face appears on the network. Behind her are snowy plains, where small gnomes are jumping and playing. Her face is flushed from the cold, but she smiles. ]

Hello! I hope you're all doing well! The Timeline has finally computed your mission objective — sorry it took so long! Sometimes he gets a little slow. Now, I know he may seem— different, but he's always been correct! Just... ah, be careful when talking to him? He's a learning machine, and all he really knows is about missions, so sometimes he says some strange things when he goes off topic. But don't worry! He tries his best. I'll connect you to him now.

TIMELINE.EXE IS PROGRAMMED TO RELEASE MISSION PARAMETERS. MISSION OBSERVATION IS COMPLETE AND RESULTS FOR MISSION: Nalawi ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Hello World ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ Take the hassle and confusion out of the
Mission,
Try this One Weird Trick!

To help NALAWI, you will need to DEFEAT the GODDESS NALANNI so the energy can return to the world.* In doing so, the people of NALAWI will LOSE THEIR POWERS but the world will continue on. If this objective is not reached, NALAWI will BURN OUT PREMATURELY.

*NOTE FROM TIMELINE.EXE: Giant squid of the Sea, too
2 or 0 Not 1! Thank you

[OOC NOTE: This will serve as an IC discussion post. The OOC discussion post is here!]

Comments

[weirdologist]

I have been mulling over the same thing, believe me.

[Why Mabel? Why not both her and Dipper? Why not the other children among ALASTAIR's ranks? Why not hose of them who had no chance against two goddesses? There were some things that were a mystery as to the whole thing, and Ford purses his lips together in a small grimace before he sighs.]

I suppose I'm grateful that at the very least she is out of harms way.

[evantuality]

I suppose so. But it feels, so, so slapdash in a way, doesn't it? [Maybe Evan is fretting for the fate of his young friend. Mabel had seemed such an impulsive thing that Evan had been deeply relieved when she'd let him know she had family here to keep her in check. He frowns deeply, rubs his face, and then looks at Ford again, trying to shake it off. After all, the older man was probably worrying an order of magnitude worse than Evan possibly could over someone he'd known such a short time, and here he was, harping on it and probably making everything worse.]

I'm sorry. I... well, I'm sure she's fine.

[weirdologist]

It's okay.

[No, it's not okay, but at the moment Ford closes his eyes and lets out a small sigh, and all of a sudden he feels every bit his age. He's not used to worrying about others, and he can feel the slight panic in his chest ebb to a dull throb. At the very least he got to spend time with his niece before her departure, and make up for his...rather harsh assessment of her.]

She wouldn't want you to be sad about her leaving.

[evantuality]

Yeah? [For all that, Evan had not known Mabel all that well. Worried about her, sure, but she was a thirteen-year-old girl who had jumped at the chance to go running through lava tunnels, anyone would worry about that.

But Ford suddenly looks weary with worry and Evan feels a clench in his chest for having brought the matter up. He composes his expression, and offers the older man a sympathetic look.]

Then she wouldn't want you to be sad about it, either.

When we get back to Oska, you should ask if ALASTAIR allows for correspondence with other units. I'm sure if they can, they'd make special dispensation for the sake of family, right?

[weirdologist]

You got me there.

[He chuckles softly, drawing his free hand through his hair. Yes, he should take his own advice, shouldn't he? Ford lets his lips quirk before he nods, inwardly admiring the younger man's optimism.]

One would think. I'm sure Dipper would like to keep in touch with her if he could.

[evantuality]

I imagine. He's probably not the only one, either. Mabel made a lot of friends while she was here, didn't she?

[Certainly, Evan had seen the young woman pop up in pretty much every social group among the recruits, a singularly gregarious creature. He'd found it remarkable how someone so young could be so sure of herself socially, but there she'd been.]