And, inevitably, a man got back to the point where he had to be alone with his thoughts. There were no missions in Australia: nothing acute, nothing that was demanding his attention. That could always... No one was attacked. No lives needed to be saved. He was just a man and his thoughts, but the quiet was a mercy he wasn't certain he was grateful for. [ establishy and nfb due to distance ]

His coat was bundled firmly around him, he was armed, his backpack packed with food, and his direction was set. His direction had been set for several days now, but this was the day he'd finally found...based on the next jump. And then what? He didn't know how to answer the question, so he pushed it aside. And then what? He kept walking. [ establishy and nfb due to distance, obviously. ]

Nate was perched on the beach, legs crossed, his focus-- as always, these days-- on the various bits and bobs of electronics he'd set up. His laptop being first of all, of course. His progress was picking...from amidst the darting giraffes, paying them little attention. Soon, only the laptop was left-- and Nate, standing firmly in the sand, regarding the ocean for a thoughtful moment. [ to one plz ]