[come_sailaway inbox]

[prince_of_beasts]

A synthesized woman's voice picks up the call.

"Your call has been forwarded to an automatic voice message system. Two - Zero - Two - Nine - One - Eight - Two - One - Three - Two -- is not available now. At the tone, please record your message. When you've finished recording, you may hang up or press the # key for more options."

Dimitri hasn't figured out how to customize the thing yet.

Comments

[goodweather]

I hear that. I never thought I'd have to pick up any kind of weapon. The worst fights I'd ever been in were bar fights. Here I am, walking with a sword at my hip every day everywhere I go just in case, and it's barely enough.

I can't say I'm not jealous of people like Ossie or Erin who have places to run to. Even if it's not a lot of room to go and they're still as trapped as the rest of us and they have to leave some time

I don't think I'm going on the next one, by the way

[prince_of_beasts]

Dimitri was always going to be a soldier. Still, the drop from 'strongest person on any given battlefield by a country mile' to 'solidly middle-of-the-pack, unless there's a gun' has been unpleasant and unwelcome. That seems like the wrong thing to say here, though.

It is always
A tragedy.
When a civilian is pressed into service.
More so in a place like this where there is never any safety or respite.

I told Ruby this some time ago but in war we have rules of engagement for a reason.
And that reason is to minimize the suffering inflicted especially on infantry and civilians.
When a soldier is at war they are a soldier.
And when they are at home they are a farmer or a potter or a weaver or a smith.
Here there is no distinction.
There are no rules of engagement.
There is no safety.

Not that there's ever any safety, really -- Dimitri knows that all too well -- but there isn't even any peace.

Darcy mentioned you wouldn't be going.
We did speak of taking turns and I do not blame you for needing time after all of this.

[goodweather]

[ Rules of engagement. Civilian casualties. Dimitri’s ever a soldier, and the closest Phil really knows of any of it is conversations he’s had with vets and… a show he’d watched while growing up.

… ]

Maybe it’s not war. I think this is just disaster. And disaster relief, over and over again.

I’ve been on every single trip since I got here. Frankly I’m surprised I didn’t stop earlier.

[ Not like he could’ve predicted getting a kid with a death wish on the way. ]