Ominous lack of foreshadowing is ominous

[wolflord_andain]

While teleporting between worlds is not along the lines of something Galadan would describe as 'difficult', sometimes the simplest means of meeting are the best.

Which is why, he presumes, he will be joining the Tams for dinner in a location that belongs to neither of their worlds.

It seems sensible enough, at least at the moment.

Comments

[river_meimei]

River doesn't shift away from her father even slightly -- if anything, she leans a little towards him, as her head turns away -- but her eyes cut to Galadan, and she nods.

"Got supplies."

On Serenity.

('Supplies' means, among other things, 'weaponry.')

[gabriel_tam]

The crispness in Galadan's tone snaps him back to the matter at hand, and Gabriel asks,

"What can I do?"

Because of course there's going to be something, one way or another.

[river_meimei]

If River had to come up with make-work, she probably would. One of the worst feelings in the world is sitting at home and waiting uselessly.

(Of course, River's personality doesn't lend itself well to that anyway, much of the time.)

But as it happens, she doesn't have to.

"You're the distance coordination," she says, with half a smile -- less complicated, now. This is purely cooperation. "Funnel the informational revisions. It's a confluence."

[wolflord_andain]

"Keep abreast of any additional information you and yours might find, then pass it along as and when you can."

In better times one corner of his mouth might twitch at this point.

But these are hardly better times -- though they are hardly the worst he has seen, either, in all his long years of life.

"I'll wave you with the relevant codes once I've obtained the ship of which I just spoke."

Again his gaze flicks to River and holds there.

"Milliways? Or more pedestrian modes of transport."

[gabriel_tam]

He nods, his demeanor firming with resolve.

"I shall. If anything -- and I do mean anything -- comes up where you think I might be of assistance, I trust you'll let me know. Until then..."

Gabriel looks at them; at both of them, addressing them together, as equals.

"... I leave it in your hands."

[river_meimei]

"We're in Heinlein's orbital coordinates," River says absently to Galadan.

In other words, by current planetary orbits, prohibitively far from Mary's last known location of Aberdeen. Milliways would be significantly quicker even if River convinced Mal to leave right away -- which she could probably do, but this is easier.

Her father gets a bright smile -- quick, and confident, and more than a little startled.

River knows she's capable here, and she wasn't going to accept any attempts at vetoing, but she still expected her father to take longer to come to terms with it.

And -- well. It's different, to know you're an adult, and to know your parents realize it too.

[wolflord_andain]

"Of course."

This could be directed toward Gabriel. Who is to say?

"Hmm."

Galadan does not sound absent at all, merely thoughtful.

"Milliways it is, then."

He takes another moment to estimate distances and projected durations, calculations piling up behind his eyes, and inclines his head one more time, toward the front door.

"Twelve hours?"

Doubtless she'll beat him back, but the waiting is unlikely to kill or seriously maim. This time.

[river_meimei]

River lifts her chin in a brief nod.

Got it, see you then.

She doesn't say anything like wave me if you see reason for me to bring anything in particular, because that goes without saying. It's just one more facet of share relevant information.

Which is a given.

[wolflord_andain]

All the logistics would seem to be taken care of then.

Galadan turns his attention from River to Gabriel, giving the Senator a brief nod.

"Gabriel."

And, with the social niceties taken care of (such as they are) -- the Wolflord rests his hand in the air over his heart, then fades into shadow and is gone.

Twelve hours it is.

[gabriel_tam]

Once River has departed as well -- he trusts, he has to trust that she'll inform Malcolm Reynolds of her intentions -- Gabriel Tam hurries his own steps back to his home.

Twelve hours.

That'll give him plenty of time to consult again with Bajian and Magda, to set searches going through more usual channels, to pursue every possible lead while Regan stands in for him where she can and Mark reschedules everything else.

And, of course, to do one more thing.

He has to tell Simon that in a way, it's happened again.