Scott and Haroun, Monday morning

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After talking to Alison, Scott decides to go drop a couple of very pointed hints in Haroun's ear. What are friends for?


Haroun was sitting up in the Control Tower, staring at the display of the engineering workstation with some hostility. "Don't you _dare_!" he told the computer firmly, tapping a few more commands. "This was supposed to be a nice gentle radar systems upgrade. You are NOT going to turn into a nightmare on me. If you do, I will sweet-talk Ramsey into switching you into a toaster oven! Worse, it will be Jubilee's toaster oven, and you will be condemned to a life of Toaster Struedel and Pop-Tart heating forever!"

Scott reached the door just in time to catch that, and managed not to roll his eyes. "I think it's cringing, now," he said dryly, glancing at his watch. Ten, fifteen minutes before he had to be in the Situation Room. Plenty of time to do this.

Haroun didn't turn around, choosing instead of refer to his installation checklist. "Ever get the feeling that whoever writes install directions has never actually installed the software before? I got this radar systems upgrade for the main array, but the server is just _choking_ on actually updating the firmware." he said with a grimace. "Simple and easy, the rep said. HAH!"

"I'm sure you'll sort it out," Scott said briskly. "If I could steal you away for a couple of minutes, though..."

"What's up?" Haroun said, finally giving Scott his full attention.

Scott rubbed at his jaw for a moment, taking a moment to pick his words carefully. "You know how Amanda's making this speech this afternoon?" he asked. Haroun nodded. "Exposing herself in public, taking a risk, hoping to make a difference... is this reminding you of anyone?"

"I hadn't really thought about it much. It's none of my business. I suppose I support what she's doing on general grounds, though. And does it _remind me_ of anyone? Hrm. Didn't Alison pull a stunt like that a while back? Basically tanked her career?"

"Mmm," Scott said, giving him a very level look. "Pulled a stunt just like that, with the best of intentions... tanked her career, earned her a stalker, reoriented the entire direction of her life."

"Not her brightest move ever, although I can't complain. Never would have met her if not for that." Haroun said, gleefully missing the point of what Scott was trying to get across. "So what?"

"So how do you think she's feeling today, watching what Amanda's going through?" Surely he would have to get it. And if not, hey. Rubbing his nose in it wasn't out of the question.

"Is she watching? She's been really cranky lately, so I've been trying to give her some space." he said with a puzzled look. "You're looking at me like that again, Chief. Just spill it and save the lecture, OK?"

"Uh-huh. Apply a little logic here, Haroun. She's watching someone she cares about do the same thing she did. It might hurt Amanda, like it hurt her. It might work beautifully, which would hurt Alison in a different way - because what tangible accomplishments can she really point to and say 'Look, what I lost was worth it'?" Scott tilted his head. "So are you seeing the problem? Also, possibly, the reason why she might have been a little cranky these last few days?"

Haroun sighed and then stood up. "So let me guess. I need to go buy another teddy bear or something?" he asked sarcastically.

Scott shook his head. "Oh," he said lightly, "so this is tiresome to you, to have to deal with this?"

"No, but that's usually your answer to every time Alison gets depressed about something or another." he shot back. "But you're right, this is going to chew her up no matter which way it goes. But there's nothing I can do, really! Amanda's dead-set on doing her thing, and she wouldn't listen to me even if I could stop her. And I can't give her back her career or any of that. So what else is there?"

Scott was silent for a moment. "Sometimes you can't fix the world for the person you love," he said quietly, at last. "But that doesn't mean that you leave them alone to deal with what can't be changed." He shook his head, turning away. "I'm not here to give you instructions," he said a bit disgustedly. "Do what you want, Haroun. Go back to the 'Bird if you don't think you can do anything for Alison. You may as well be doing something useful."

Haroun sighed. Deeply. "Fine." he said. "But you get to do this upgrade. 'Bird's offline until it's done or until the old program's reloaded." he said with a shrug. "I'd help you, but I've got a songbird to go reassure that the big bad world doesn't hate her."

"Then the 'Bird's offline until it's done. I have to man the coms." Scott raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing putting her offline on an afternoon that we might need her, anyway?" he inquired.

"Putting her back online is pretty simple - takes five minutes, and I can do it during preflight if I absolutely have to." he said with a shrug. "I was expecting this to be quick and easy, and I was also anticipating having a good bit of downtime today to work on it. Since all that just got flushed ..." he said, then tapped in another string of commands. "Original program is loading back in. Five minutes, and the 'Bird will be quite airworthy."

Scott shook his head. "Don't sound so put-upon," he said. "I didn't just hand you a job, you know." He raised an eyebrow. "Or did I?"

Haroun scowled at Scott. He got played, and he knew it, and he was fairly sure Scott knew it as well. "You know damned well." he said, moving towards the door. "I'll be sure to send you an after-action report. For the files." he smirked.

"Haroun," Scott said as the other man started to walk past him. "At some point, it does get easier, you know. You know these things without having to be told." He smiled a little. "Until then, bear with these little slaps upside the head? They're done with a certain amount of affection."

Haroun stopped for a moment, and then nodded. "Thanks, Scott." he said, and then headed out of the Hangar.