"You look tired. Like you've been through a war. I know the look."
McReady's used to exhaustion. Even though he won, and he can tell this was a loss, it wasn't the kind of victory he was proud of. There had been a lot of casualties among his team, and the burdens of leadership were not easy. McReady has sympathy for Garry, at least human-Garry. The Garry the meteorologist had usurped leadership from wasn't his commander.
He and the few human crewmembers with him had defeated the Thing, but not at a heavy cost. While seeing Kinner here alive and well helped him remember that the creatures he killed weren't the people they pretended to be he'd still killed what felt like people, or damn good imitations of people.
Seeing familiar, if not friendly, faces dissolve into blue slime and red eyes is something he'll never forget.
His voice is quieter than the size of the man would suggest. "Is there anything I can do?"
no subject
McReady's used to exhaustion. Even though he won, and he can tell this was a loss, it wasn't the kind of victory he was proud of. There had been a lot of casualties among his team, and the burdens of leadership were not easy. McReady has sympathy for Garry, at least human-Garry. The Garry the meteorologist had usurped leadership from wasn't his commander.
He and the few human crewmembers with him had defeated the Thing, but not at a heavy cost. While seeing Kinner here alive and well helped him remember that the creatures he killed weren't the people they pretended to be he'd still killed what felt like people, or damn good imitations of people.
Seeing familiar, if not friendly, faces dissolve into blue slime and red eyes is something he'll never forget.
His voice is quieter than the size of the man would suggest. "Is there anything I can do?"