Quoted By:
The airlock opens. A messy brown-haired girl wearing a cheap poncho enters. The normally cocky grin is replaced with a weary, worried half-smile. Her usually sun-kissed skin is an ugly pale now thanks to blood loss.
[HOPELESS WRECK] ALL SHE'S MISSING IS THE BLACK TAR AND SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE US! HA!
"You know why you're here, right, Roxanne?" You stare right at her. <span class="mu-g">A whimper exits her, her position even more unstable</span> "H-how did you..."
You place the revolver and hat onto the table. She flinches again when she notices them. "Y-Yes. I-I, uh, know why I'm here."
[HOPELESS WRECK] "Seems like you know not to blabber. How unlike you, considering what you did a few hours ago. The FUCK made you think that was a good idea?"
"Y-you we-were the one who-who, uh, accepted the sponsorship, sir. I only-"
"Strictly speaking, you are correct!" You bitterly laugh. "Yet because of you, you fucked over my chance at a better sponsorship, and made my job harder and all for what?"
"A misguided attempt to seem superior? Because of you, six people are dead and several are in critical condition, including you. Which will probably tank my ratings. Which will make everything harder."
Ranger Zero doesn't comment much. Seems like being beaten to a pulp has knocked out any attempt for her to counter your "discussion".
[DYING LIGHT] "Look. I want to help everyone here. I want to make sure everyone is safe, protected, and in the best condition they can be. To make their day a little brighter. And I truly want you to be part of that operation."
"But you betrayed my trust. Even if you did help us at the end. That's the most damning thing you did. I can't in good faith ignore what you did."
"...I know." Ranger Zero sighs, not really sure what to say. "I can't really apologize and have you seriously consider it, right?"
"I'm just worried. About the fetishization you have towards these anomalies, these threats. We're lucky only three or four have been unruly. I just..."
[BOUND BY DUTY] "I get that angle. But using any tools to complete said operation is not a sin. It is simply being efficient and a good manager. I have to use what we have."
"I suppose so, sir. Admin. Whatever your name is." Zero leans against the wall. "So. What's my punishment? I'll concede, I lost."
You slide over the revolver and hat over to her. "Considering you are beaten half to death, the only punishment right now is this."
She looks bewildered. "A...hat and a gun?"
"Not that. I want you to remember the burden of what you've done, Roxanne." She barely suppresses a hiss as you say her name again. "So that you don't make the same mistake again. You're lucky none of OUR staff died because of your incompetence."
"Do we understand each other, Roxanne?"
Roxanne looks away, trying desperately to disassociate from this conversation. "Yes, sir. C-can you please call me Zero, a-at least?"
"Yes. Now, leave." She grabs the revolver and hat before leaving.
