Dialogue: Following the River

River

Mmmm mmmm mmm MMM mmm mmm...

V

1AHey…

River

1AHey! Coffee'll be ready in a jiff.

V

1AAaaah, oooh, preem.

1ATalked in your sleep, y'know.

River

1AYeah? I dreamt of a warehouse, searchin' containers in it.

V

1AWarehouse must've been huge, you were loud.

River

1ATaste it. Best coffee you've ever had, I bet.

V

2ABest jambalaya, best coffee…

River

2AMhm, c'mon, keep it comin', and…

V

2AJust that.

2BThanks.

River

2BD'ya sleep all right? Besides all my talkin'?

V

2BMmhmmm...

River

1ASo, I been thinkin'...

V

1AWhat?

River

1ALast night… you an' me… is this goin' anywhere, y'know – longer term?

V

3AListen, River, what happened… it was real, it was good.

River

3ABut?

V

3AI can't make any plans for the future. There's this thing…

River

3AThat you couldn’t tell me about. I know. Call it veteran cop intuition.

V

3BUgh, heavy convos first thing in the morning…

River

3BPlease just answer me.

3BI'd like to know where I stand.

V

4BListen, River, what happened… it was real, it was good.

River

4BBut?

V

4BI can't make any plans for the future. There's this thing…

River

4BThat you couldn’t tell me about. I know. Call it veteran cop intuition.

1AIt's why I told you about my parents.

V

1ATo give me courage, boost it?

River

1AAh, no. So you'd know exactly how fucked up I am.

1AGive you a chance to consider if you even want me.

V

5ASo it's my turn now? You got it.

5BRiver, I'm dyin'. Wanna haggle on, try to outdo that?

River

5BWhat?

V

1AWasn't just me you spent the night with.

1ASharing headspace with a construct I caught like some disease. All because of an experimental Arasaka biochip.

River

1AConstruct? You mean, like somebody's mind?

V

1AMhm, an engram of Johnny Silverhand. Yes, THAT Silverhand. And it's gettin' worse.

River

1ABut... Sorry, still not followin' you.

1AQuestion is, what do you want?

1AAre you willing to give this a shot?

V

6AThis works, River, I like bein' around you.

6ALet's give it a try.

River

6ALet's give it a try.

V

6ABut if it doesn't work… we'll still be friends, right?

River

6ALet's not get ahead of ourselves, OK?

V

6ASure, yeah.

6BSorry. But I just can't.

River

6BV, you don't need to apologize for this like that.

6BI've had a great time with you. But life's life, it goes on.

V

6CSex was good, River, but that's all it was.

River

6CI like you, V.

V

6CI like you, too. Which is all the more reason…

River

6CI don't understand.

V

6CDon't wanna turn this into a whole thing, OK? We had fun. That's good enough.

River

6CYeah...

Joss

1AGood morning! Not intruding, I hope?

1AThe generator – you remember, right?

River

1AAh, fuck. Need me to fix it now?

V

1ADon't mind me. And tell Randy I said hello.

River

1AAgh, damn, I'm sorry, V. Will I see you later?

V

1AYeah, sure.

River

1AHave a good day, then.

1AWhat's up with the generator?

Joss

1AI dunno, but… electricity's out.

1AAnd then his room needs tidying.

River

1AI'm supposed to do that?

Joss

1AI know how it sounds, but… this one time, please?

1AYeah, now. Then we go to the hospital. I'd rather have everything ready for when Randy gets back.

V

8AHe's displacing my own neural net, River. Gradually destroying my brain.

River

8ABut it's reversible, right? There's no way it could actually kill you?

V

8AActually, doesn't look promising. Need to excise him, get him outta my brain before it's too late.

River

8AShit...

V

9AStill wanna be my boyfriend?

River

9AWho do you take me for? 'Course I do. This doesn't change a thing.

V

9BSo, think we oughta take it easy. You shouldn't get attached.

River

9BBullshit, V. It doesn't change a thing.

V

8BYou're talkin' to V right now, but tomorrow this could be a self-obsessed, dickhead rockerboy.

8BAnd trust me, you don't wanna talk to him.

River

8BH-how's that even possible?

1AIt's why I tried to tell you something yesterday... about myself.

Joss

Good morning! Not intruding, I hope?

The generator – you remember, right?

River

Ah, fuck. Need me to fix it now?

Joss

Yeah, now. Then we go to the hospital. I'd rather have everything ready for when Randy gets back.

River

What's up with the generator?

Joss

I dunno, but… electricity's out.

And then his room needs tidying.

River

I'm supposed to do that?

Joss

I know how it sounds, but… this one time, please?

River

[pl_pl][V budzi się w gościnnym.]

River

11AUgh... we're colonizing the moon, and there's still no cure for hangovers?

V

11AWell... least we had fun yesterday.

River

11AYeah... Ah, but now I gotta roll. Promised Joss I'd take her to see Randy.

11ANo rush, either. Get your sea legs back, take as much time as you need.

V

12AYou sure you're good to drive?

River

12APff, please... Former NCPD. I'm a pro on hangover highway.

12AI'll be fine.

V

12BUh, apologize to Joss for me, we kinda dined and dashed yesterday.

River

12BAnd left puke all over the bathroom?

V

12BOh shit...

12CTell Randy, hey.

River

12CWill do. See ya later, V.

Now where'd I put that...