Memory and Dream

[aeons_crackshot]

Annabelle feels groggy when there's suddenly a bright light in her face, causing her to open her eyes. The grogginess is quickly washed away by fear and dread. The machinery stretching above her and the table that she's strapped to is terribly familiar by now.

She struggles and curses, but there's no one human in here right now, just a robot guard. The screaming gets on the nerves of the human scientists, you see.

Annabelle can't help but tense when she hears that all too familiar whine of the machine starting up. Electrical energy arcs from one piece of machinery to another and the pain begins.

It feels a bit like being punched all over her body for a minute or two, but the worst pain comes much faster this time. Annabelle can't see, can't think, the world is nothing but agony, as if every nerve has been set ablaze....

Comments

[aeons_crackshot]

He's the one you wanted me to teach weapon maintenance to, isn't he? Annabelle asks, peering down at the boat. She wraps one arm around his waist.

[leadinghome]

Also the one we need to bring to Milliways... then we could "smuggle" things from there, and Jack could say he found them on his foraging trips. Since it is a dream, based on his memories, Connor shifts their position to the small dock so Annabelle can have a closer look.

[aeons_crackshot]

That sounds like a good plan. Hopefully, he'll handle meeting me better than Kirk did. Amusement tags along with that thought. Annabelle found Kirk's nearly pole-axed response to be rather funny.

She startles a bit when they move to the dock, but recovers quickly. I don't know much about boats, other than that they sink when you put holes in them, Annabelle admits with a small smile.

[leadinghome]

KK and Caz built it... well, they rebuilt it from an older one when we ran out of fuel. She can see Jack tie the boat to the dock and hop out. With the girls building things, there is always something we can use, while other survivor gangs just scrounge for clothes, food and weapons.

[aeons_crackshot]

You can't afford to waste anything Annabelle agrees.

She chuckles quietly as she sees Jack hop out of the boat.It's a shame that Caz and KK are unlikely to meet Dixon. A mental image of the scientist comes to the front of her mind. I suspect the results of any project they collaborated on would be....interesting.

She grins. He drinks like a fish, smokes like a chimney, and is more than humanly brilliant when it comes to engineering.

[leadinghome]

KK and Caz have a thing for drinking. Tea wine. He did mention it before, right? She would kill for a bottle of The Macallan, I think.

[aeons_crackshot]

Dixon drank bootleg hooch, for the most part. That he did.

It might be just as well that he's unlikely to run into them...I shudder to think what the three of them might end up making once KK and Caz start getting intoxicated.

Annabelle chuckles. He built what was essentially a giant glue gun once. It hardened around people and you had to either go at it with a pick-axe or practically drown the poor sons of bitches in vinegar to get them loose....

[leadinghome]

I think our main reason to not have something like that is lack of glue-making and glue-becoming materials. Connor chuckles low.

Hold on. He concentrates ad the position changes again, to show the Market, where people are busy trading and bartering goods. The old market: busiest part of Whitechapel all day.

[aeons_crackshot]

Not an insurmountable difficulty Annabelle teases. The narration can only imagine what KK would do to Kirk if she had something like that.

Annabelle smiles at the sight of the market. It seems that some things don't change much, wherever you are. Connor may pick up images of other markets in other far-flung places: Cairo, Capetown, Canton, Tokyo...and many more. The language, faces, and goods change, but the 'feel' of them is very similar.

[leadinghome]

It is good to know a lot of humanity prefers to live in peace: there is still hope for the world. They just need to take care of the bad guys.

And speaking of peace, maybe I should let you go back into normal sleep? You need to rest, and we can finish the tour later. Of course, it may also have to do with the temptation of dream-seducing her...

[aeons_crackshot]

There is always hope. She leans in to kiss him again.

You're probably right Annabelle says with a small smile. I'll see you in the morning?

It's not surprising that that particular temptation has crossed his mind, he's only human.

[leadinghome]

I will be right there on the couch, near. He nods, giving Annabelle a light, tender kiss. Now, sleep well.

He will let the dream panorama fade into the sensation of being tucked safely in bed: hopefully her mind had enough entertainment and Annabelle will have the chance of sleeping deep and long.

[aeons_crackshot]

Connor's intervention works very well. She dreams, but there are no more nightmares, not tonight.

[leadinghome]

And when he is sure that Annabelle will sleep peacefully, Connor allows himself to fall asleep.