“Hey, I don't need the welcome speech again," Daniel said. "Let's just take the tour.”
“Excellent!” the voice said happily. “First, we’ll visit the mariWARNING: EMERGENCY OVERRIDE! EMERGENCY OVERRIDE! EMERGENCY OVERRIDE!”
Then the voice went silent.
“Daniel! Daniel is that you?” said another voice. It came from everywhere, just like Tour Guide's voice had.
It was Jeska.
Jeska! Daniel's mind shouted at him. She’s not dead! She’s here. She’s here and she’s alive. She’s alive!
He was elated.
This whole thing was worth it! I was right! … I guess Rachel owes me a drink… And hey, Trak owes me a drink, too! … If either of them are alive.
When he saw the live image of Jeska’s face flash onto his eyescreens, he forgot about his friends.
She looked the same as she did in her last message. Maybe a bit more a haggard. And was that a little bit of blood on her cheek?
It didn’t matter. She was still breathtaking.
“Jeska —”
“You came, you came!" Jeska said, with a brilliant smile. "I can’t believe it!"
“How…” Daniel said, struggling to form coherent thoughts. This was the first time he had spoken with her in six long years.
“I’ll answer your questions. Don’t worry,” Jeska said. "But I can't speak for long."
Jeska looked lovely, Daniel thought, but she had desperation in her eyes.
And then, with that same mischievous smirk that had stolen his heart years ago, she said, “Speaking of which, you sure took your time getting here.”
she could be a bit more greatful
True. But she might be joking ...
Poor Daniel, I have a hunch this love story is not gonna end with a meadow-crossing run and hug. Mostly I count on that hunch because you wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to have Daniel fall into a pit of alligators while crossing said meadow.
alligators please! space piranas are all the rage round here.
What a jerk she is! That is totally inappropriate to joke about, but what can we expect given that her behavior is "dish-honorable and downright wrong." Her only friends thought that "[n]o being could ever be that cruel" and are "ashamed of" her.
Poor Daniel. :(
Unless she's joking ...
Of course she's joking.
Sorry, but I disagree.
Please don't tell me that you didn't give her a name that sounds like Jezebel on purpose.
Did you just make a point and then disagree with yourself. ... :-P
"Of course she's joking. Sorry, but I disagree"?
No, I didn't contradict myself, John. By saying "Unless," you imply that if Jeska is joking, that she is not a jerk and I should not pity Daniel. I disagree with that "Unless": joking or not, she's acting like a jerk; and because of that, I pity Daniel.
I was just trying to be silly, CalLadyQED. Not a criticism.
It just looked like your two comments cancelled each other out :)