Crystal

[youwonscience]

FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Cosima
RECIPIENT: Riftwatch generally
NOTES: Nothing specific, but the vibes are bad

Hi, everyone. I'm sorry to have to do this again so soon, but I've been pretty thorough about checking and it seems like Provost Stark has vanished. [Clearly in the way Rifters do; if he'd just gone into Kirkwall and never come back, her tone would certainly be different.]

As his assistant, I'll be filling in as best I can until the organization has picked a new head of Research. I was still kind of getting a handle on his system, but, you know. We'll work it out.

I know we don't have a like ... formal process for this, as we just discussed. [Too recently.] But if anyone wants to have a drink and talk about it. Or not talk about it. I'm around for that too. Standing offer, even if you and I don't know each other as well as we knew him.

You can find me in the Research office for now. If I'm not there, I'll have my crystal on me.

Comments

[axetrovert]

[The corner of Karlach's mouth twitches. She appreciates the straightforward ask, but it doesn't make it easier to hear someone else say.]

No beating around the bush, then.

Yeah.

[It's terrible to say out loud, but there is always a catharsis in it. Yes, there's something wrong. Yes, she needs help. But that doesn't mean that she won't beat this clock. That she won't find a way.

She has to.]

It feels like something's... misaligned itself. Like it's doing too much, wearing itself out.

It started hurting more than usual when I came south.

[youwonscience]

I know how that feels. Well, not the lyrium heart specifically, but the clock.

[They can get into it later; for now.]

Have you talked to Strange yet? At the infirmary. He's a rifter too, so I don't know how much about the lyrium he's going to know offhand, but he might have some ideas for helping with the pain while we try to look for an actual fix.

[axetrovert]

[Something of the twitch in Karlach's eyebrows says she wants to ask, and not out of simple curiosity. Or even just the fact that she likes and appreciates Cosima.

Karlach's never met someone else who has an inkling of what this feels like.]

Not yet, but now it's my next stop. [She grins.]

We get this under control and I'll be unstoppable. Just point me at Tevinter.

[youwonscience]

Glad to hear it.

Look, after you talk to Strange, if you want to talk. About that, or about definitely not that. Let me know, we'll grab a drink. Or the safe equivalent if you're not supposed to be drinking, you know, whatever.