Admiral Lord Aral Vorkosigan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
use_everything) wrote2016-02-02 11:06 am
use_everything) wrote2016-02-02 11:06 am
[IC Inbox]
"Messages will be returned in order of priority."
[Text] [Audio] [Video]
[Text] [Audio] [Video]
[It's not instant. Recognition very rarely is. Frankly, it isn't even the words. It's the squawk.]
...
So, how long has your name been quite so literal?
...
So, how long has your name been quite so literal?
[ Uh -
Um -
Shit.
She lets out a little meow, in the hopes that that will throw him off the scent. ]
Um -
Shit.
She lets out a little meow, in the hopes that that will throw him off the scent. ]
Augh, fine!
[ She relents, kicking her feet. ]
Put me down or I will claw you, I swear.
[ She relents, kicking her feet. ]
Put me down or I will claw you, I swear.
I think not from this angle.
[Still, he set her on the table, an eyebrow raised at her.]
I'll give you: your disguises are improving.
... Secondly, it is very good to hear you again.
[Still, he set her on the table, an eyebrow raised at her.]
I'll give you: your disguises are improving.
... Secondly, it is very good to hear you again.
[ She settles down on the table; her tail primly curls around her. ]
Yeah. Well. It's a new Porter power. So I can't really take credit for the quality of this one. And, erm - yeah. I'm glad that your anti-Soviet efforts are going reasonably well...
Yeah. Well. It's a new Porter power. So I can't really take credit for the quality of this one. And, erm - yeah. I'm glad that your anti-Soviet efforts are going reasonably well...
The cover holds and your work was recovered.
[There is an almost dizzying unreality to it. Talking to a cat who is the person of someone he'd watch die, messily at that.]
That much holds, though little progress remains on the overall situation. It may be a long haul.
[There is an almost dizzying unreality to it. Talking to a cat who is the person of someone he'd watch die, messily at that.]
That much holds, though little progress remains on the overall situation. It may be a long haul.
Mm.
[ Her tail lashes just a bit. ]
At some point the Americans have to step in to help, don't they?
[ Her tail lashes just a bit. ]
At some point the Americans have to step in to help, don't they?
Oh certainly. Beyond the our value as a commodity, it was done on their own soil, a particularly noticeable insult to their show of strength and security to the rest of the world.
The trick, I imagine, is that we are not civilians to the ruling government here. We are hostages in a country that has a policy of discarding hostages for national security. But unusual hostages of political, military and social power that our opinions may desperately matter in the war that has just begun. I can see both the complications and why the Russians have taken the tact they did.
The trick, I imagine, is that we are not civilians to the ruling government here. We are hostages in a country that has a policy of discarding hostages for national security. But unusual hostages of political, military and social power that our opinions may desperately matter in the war that has just begun. I can see both the complications and why the Russians have taken the tact they did.
Yeah.
[ She sighs, stretches. ]
Well, I'm sure that if anyone can handle it, you lot can.
[ She sighs, stretches. ]
Well, I'm sure that if anyone can handle it, you lot can.
My goals are a bit more focused than that.
[He sets his chin on one fist, looking down at the feline. ... It IS a blastedly strong urge to resume an idle petting, even with the weirdness of knowing WHO it is.]
I do wonder which one of you convinced the other of this particular endeavor.
[He sets his chin on one fist, looking down at the feline. ... It IS a blastedly strong urge to resume an idle petting, even with the weirdness of knowing WHO it is.]
I do wonder which one of you convinced the other of this particular endeavor.
[ A little laugh. ]
Well. I was going to do it alone at first. He...convinced me to take others with me. [ A beat. ] I'm terribly glad he did, even if it did put him in a bit of danger.
Well. I was going to do it alone at first. He...convinced me to take others with me. [ A beat. ] I'm terribly glad he did, even if it did put him in a bit of danger.
I daresay none of you were in 'a bit' of danger. Though the strength in numbers is quite rarely physical.
[He lifts a hand, and stops, it hovering before her awkwardly.]
[He lifts a hand, and stops, it hovering before her awkwardly.]
[ A little awkwardly: ]
You can pet me. I would really quite like it, actually.
You can pet me. I would really quite like it, actually.
[There's a beat, and then he givers her a nearly military half nod before the scritching resumes, occasionally pausing to rub an ear.]
... You've told them, already, I trust.
... You've told them, already, I trust.
[ She relaxes into it, pressing her head up against his hand. And she confirms: ]
Yeah. They know. [ A beat. ] I needed to check to make sure they were all right. I was worried about them.
Yeah. They know. [ A beat. ] I needed to check to make sure they were all right. I was worried about them.
I know we haven't talked since the occupation, but I wanted to ask you a few things about where you're from.
[What comes back over text isn't exactly a direct answer.
But a painstakingly typed out address, all lower case, no punctuation.
And that's it.]
But a painstakingly typed out address, all lower case, no punctuation.
And that's it.]
[He uses barely more than knuckle to rub along her cheeks and chin, but she's almost worryingly tiny like this. Aral is... quite a bit more delicate with the petting now that he knows it's a person, somehow. He'd never actually thought about how SMALL cats are.]
They closed ranks and kept their illusion admirably well in the aftermath. I am surprised the Soviets took action against Lucifer actually, I may have underestimated them.
They closed ranks and kept their illusion admirably well in the aftermath. I am surprised the Soviets took action against Lucifer actually, I may have underestimated them.
[ That raises a purr from her. It rumbles pleasantly through her chest; her eyes close as he rubs that knuckle on her head. ]
Well. My death meant that they weren't able to get the names of my co-conspirators out of me. Which I imagine displeased them very much.
[ She cracks one eye open to look at him. Cautiously, she admits: ]
That's why I asked Lucifer to kill me. So that I wouldn't be able to give any of you up.
Well. My death meant that they weren't able to get the names of my co-conspirators out of me. Which I imagine displeased them very much.
[ She cracks one eye open to look at him. Cautiously, she admits: ]
That's why I asked Lucifer to kill me. So that I wouldn't be able to give any of you up.
[That confession wasn't one he expected. The petting halts a moment... and then resumes.]
Was that display also planned?
Was that display also planned?
[ That's a little better than she expected. She opens both eyes and responds to him: ]
Yes and no. I asked for it to be public, so that Gregor and Nicolas would absolutely get word and flee if they had to flee. So that the Soviets couldn't suppress or interrupt the message in any way. The torture...That was Lucifer's addition.
Yes and no. I asked for it to be public, so that Gregor and Nicolas would absolutely get word and flee if they had to flee. So that the Soviets couldn't suppress or interrupt the message in any way. The torture...That was Lucifer's addition.
[Well that was weird.
Jim goes to the address in the message and--oh he had told Jim he worked in a coffee shop that one time. He tried really hard not to think about how he was about to sit down with Miles' father of all people (his nightmare--meeting the parents of someone he slept with). He walks inside the café and heads up to the counter, figuring he'd get something to drink while he was here.]
Jim goes to the address in the message and--oh he had told Jim he worked in a coffee shop that one time. He tried really hard not to think about how he was about to sit down with Miles' father of all people (his nightmare--meeting the parents of someone he slept with). He walks inside the café and heads up to the counter, figuring he'd get something to drink while he was here.]
[By the time Jim had arrived, he'd already made arrangements in the staff to cover a break, and it was an optimally slow spot in the day. Unlike their meeting back at DC7, Aral in proper dress greens, his uniform had been traded for a slightly too small t-shirt, dress slacks and a half apron.
He gives Jim a precise nod as he approaches the counter.]
Kirk.
He gives Jim a precise nod as he approaches the counter.]
Kirk.
[This had to be one of the more bizarre situations he'd been in--going up to the father of someone he was sleeping with to get clarification about their culture so he could determine for himself what exactly Gregor and Miles' relationship was.
Too late to back out now anyhow. He's wearing his plain black fatigues that he'd been ported in with today. He can't help but cock an eyebrow at the uniform but hide it in his greeting--shit what was he going to call him?]
Count Vorkosigan. Don't mean to interrupt.
Too late to back out now anyhow. He's wearing his plain black fatigues that he'd been ported in with today. He can't help but cock an eyebrow at the uniform but hide it in his greeting--shit what was he going to call him?]
Count Vorkosigan. Don't mean to interrupt.
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