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http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=kant-o-celle_quest>[x] They're crying for you. For *you.* How could you possibly sail away from them?No, no, no, no, no...
Kasturi is ablaze.
Men pour from the corvette everywhere and anywhere, from fire to fire, oil burning across the surface of the ocean, clinging to their backs as they scream and plead.
They're calling out to you.
This smoke, this fucking smoke--where? You hear them, but you can't... you're out of life rings, but there's so many more. Your hull--why can't you call it? Why now? Why did you go on this fucking mission? Why can't you do ANYTHING?
It takes Harder's insane cry to pull you back, eyes snapping open at his call. Not--it's too shallow, this is a strait, this is SUICIDE--
No. Stay calm. "Settle," you call, hearing the quiet desperation.
"I heard," he says. "Working on it."
"There's nothing I can do," you say--as much to yourself as him.
"I know."
"Save him," you whisper. "Please."
"I'll try," is all he offers, the wear as present in his voice as it was in your own. No bullshit, not between you two. No promise that he can succeed.
You force yourself to focus. You can't help him. You can help these people. You can save the men of Kasturi. The ones who are left, at least.
Where--there. You slow as fast as you can, tremors running through your body at the rough stop, as you come alongside a man, his struggling nearly done. You barely reach his outstretched hand, unable to bend to collect him. Gently, you pull, gently sliding your arms under his to lift a man from the water.
...To lift half a man from the water.
He coughs, face lit in a half smile--almost relieved, painless, as you shudder in horror. His legs are gone. Everything below the ribs is torn ribbons of...of pulp. He has maybe seconds. You can't save him.
