Click. Churrr. Beep, beep.
"Uh, Nirva are you there?"
Click.
"Oops! Um, forgot to say over" Xaiden smacked his head lightly and glanced apologetically at Jax.
Click. Churrr. Beep, beep.
"Over."
Click.
"Are you sure you don't want to do this?" Xaiden asked. "You know how to do all of this and you've been looking forward to connecting to Reader for weeks now."
"You go for it, I'm too out of it right now and this is too important to risk." Jax spoke slowly, his eyes slightly glossy and forehead beaded with sweat. "I used up everything I had left on getting this ready, so don't waste this opportunity and just let me get some rest."
"You sure you don't want to go see a doctor?" Xaiden asked worriedly.
"No, I get like this anytime I'm sick. It sucks, but it'll pass by tomorrow."
Xaiden tossed a bottle of electrolytes from his bag to Jax, "At least drink this since you moved around so much because of me. Perks of being best friends with a gym bro, I've got bottles like this on demand."
"Thanks," Jax said, weakly twisting the cap off and sipping it. "Tastes like garbage."
"That's just your tastebuds on strike," Xaiden joked back. "That's their best flavor!"
Click. Churrr. Bzzzrt.
"Fake Writer, this is Nivra, and yes I copy. Are you ready to answer my question? Over."
Click.
"She sounds feisty," Jax commented sleepily. "Make sure the printer is keeping up with the logs, I want to read it later." He yawned, turned over on the mattress and was snoring softly before Xaiden could even respond.
"I'm really on my own with this again," Xaiden mumbled nervously. "How do you even convince someone to tell you everything when both of us risk our lives with the slightest slip up?"
Click. Churrr. Beep, beep.
"I'll try my best, it's not a secure line. Uh, over."
Click.
Silence made time pass slower, so the sound of the radio kicking back on a minute or two later startled Xaiden.
Click. Churrr. Bzzzrt.
"It's secure on my side. What's my risk? Over."
Click.
"Your risk is extremely low, it's mine I'm worried about. Over." Xaiden responded quickly, hoping the awkward pauses on her side would lessen too.
"You're in no danger from my side, if that's what you're worried about. Over."
"So you say… Over."
"Let's start with something small to build trust then. You really won't tell me your name? Over"
"I can lie about it, that's about it right now."