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When you were feeling terrible, you did things that tended to be comforting. Normally, in a time more than a year ago, that would have been Audrey holing up in her bedroom on the computer, killing Alliance noobs. Now, Linarite was out and about looking for one of her many understanding companions. It was by the Grace of God that her favorite, tiny, silver-haired First Officer was not far away.

Dropping down on the balls of her heels, the blue-haired general did something that she couldn't do with just anyone. An arm dropped down around his shoulders from behind, and the boy was pulled roughly against her side to be leaned against comically.

"Well good evening....captain."

Linarite tried her hardest to not let the smile dim, but it did a bit around the corners. She didn't really feel very deserving at all after her latest encounter with the queen, and the results of that ultimatum she was given, but someone had to do the dirty work. Someone had to be the buffer between Captains like Zinkenite and the Queen, especially now that the General-King was gone for God only knew how long.

Feeling Zink relax was actually rather rewarding, the bluenette knew how well he didn't like being grabbed in the way she'd done it. It meant that they were better friends than she'd thought! "Thanks, though I'm rather proud of my guys. All three of you promoted!" The brightness came back into her smile as she started to walk along down the street. "How does it feel to no longer be on the bottom rung?"

Her arm dropped, though Linarite was careful to throw a smile back at the young man she'd released to show that she wasn't offended by his offer. Clasped behind her back, gloved hands clasped her elbows and paced on her heels for a few feet before turning.

"Zink what, if anything, did you ever know about the four General-Kings that served the prince, before our queen?" Information wasn't something that flowed too freely in the Negaverse, it meant that you possibly might start questioning the orders that you were given. Questioning orders meant that mistakes and failure might be close behind, and both of those were intolerable to their glorious leaders.

Her included.

"Did you ever hear about what happened to Jadeite, for instance?" This was important. The comment had stuck in her heart, and would not leave.

The smile had vanished, and the general's face was as flat and expressionless as Zinkenite would have ever seen it. There was little enjoyment of the information she was about to relay, and it made her skin crawl as if eyes were watching them both. "They're dead. The Queen killed Zoicite for disobeying her, the senshi eliminated Kunzite. I am not sure what happened to Nephrite but Jadeite...he's like Nealite and Charonite are now." It made goosebumps rise just to think about it.

"He didn't do what he said he'd do, and she locked him in crystal. Forever." Heels tapped rhythmically against the ground before she looked up again. "The queen thinks I'm like him. Jadeite. I haven't delivered Castor like she asked, and she thinks...well." The words stopped in her throat. Nobody, least of all Zink, needed to know exactly why Linarite had been tasked with killing the Senshi of Hail.

"I've tried and tried, but I always fail. And now the sword is about to fall on my neck, and I don't know how to stop it." It came out in a passionate burst of frustrated energy before the girl could stop it, shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry. You didn't need to know that. I guess it's just...hard." The smile was back, mocking.

"Life isn't easy, is it?"

Linarite was warmed, and absurdly touched by the vehemence of little Zinkenite's assurance that she was worthy, and that he would put himself in the way to help her get out of her sticky situation. If only he'd known how she gotten into it, would he be so eager to help? Well, that didn't matter so much, because that wasn't the sentiment behind the statement, now was it?

Leaning forward, she lightly kissed the captain's cheek with a smile. No doubt he was about to flinch, perhaps faint, but that was okay. It was that or hug him very tightly like she sometimes did to Pasha, and often did to Victoria, and there was no way he was going to stand still for that. Nope, you had to sneak attack Zinkenite.

"Thank you, Zink. That means a lot, but don't worry. I have a plan. All knights have backup plans." Amber eyes twinkled just a bit in his direction. "I was going to dress you up as Castor, and make it look convincing. What do you say?" Alright, so he was fun to mess with.

Now she understood why Scheelite did it!

"That's why we put you in platform heels! You're only about a full foot shorter, I'm sure they make heels that high!" For strippers. "Ooh, or stilts!" Lina's face was infused with what could only be called 'the giggles' as she teased and taunted poor Zinkenite. It was rather comforting to know that she could make the poor thing blush with a kiss on the cheek, though whether that was more her charm or his introverted tendencies was a bit of a wonder.

A long sigh blew from the general as she looked up again at the stars, shivering almost absently in the light fall chill. "It's really clear tonight." Looking back down at the red-faced boy, she realized that outside of the Negaverse, Audrey and Zac never really hung out together. "Did you want to get coffee, or hot chocolate or something? It'll be my treat. We can go sit in the park and just look up for a bit." Fingers tucked hair behind her hair, a moment of awkwardness.

"Nah, those are too bulky for petite little things like us!" Looking around for a way up, Linarite simply shook her head and pointed over towards a local office-building with a low ledge. "C'mon, we'll go up that way. What do you think about reinforced Red Bull cans? Those ought to do it." She might have possibly been seriously considering the idea of finding some giant shoes that would have brought Zinkenite up to the height of most of the other male officers, totally unrelated to Castor. It seemed a pity though.

Zink was adorable.

"Shufflepuck, or somewhere a bit more classy? You know I'm partial." And water was wet.