use_everything: (The tools of intent)
Admiral Lord Aral Vorkosigan ([personal profile] use_everything) wrote2016-01-16 07:55 am

Voice Testing Post

Canon

A.


[You may find yourself facing large, heavy gates. Behind the bars, you can easily see the enormous, austere residence spread both tall and wide against a backdrop of a lake, stables and a small, private cemetery. The unbridled horse grazing, unhitched beside a carriage, by a liveried servant is in direct opposition to an obviously futuristic lightflier not far from it.

Even the guard that narrows to nervous attention holds both a sword and a strange, small device.]


And you are?

[The voice comes from behind.

Aral, for his part, neither looks, nor feels the part of the lord. Having taken the long way, treacherous and unmonitored paths and foothills back to the residence, he smells of sap, a chemical tinge of smoke and the exertion it took to get back. His green dress uniform had survived in all but the pressed edges, looking as if he'd intended the slight look of disarray and set jaw.

He lifts a hand, stilling the guard from comment on him, and focuses all of his attention on this newcomer.]


B.

[The Counts and Minsters poured out of the building first. The debates of the evening being traded in words so sharp that they might as well have been blows. Aral followed much more sedately, having taken a bit of time to brief his intelligence officer and leave orders for the evening.

It's by chance he stumbled across a stranger, enough out of place to inspire both caution and curiosity in equal measures.]


You seem lost.

Mask or Menace

C.


[It helped to liken the city to a space station. It had the bustle of a large hub.. the rowdy clash and wild fusion of fashions and cultures that defied any easy identification of a trend or perhaps some anthropological hint as to the people - and species... intelligent and alien, the very thought sent his mind into fits of fantasy and planning at once. It was like water, as far as he could tell. Formless, impossible to grip, but could fill the air around you and sweep one far away should he let it. There were colors and layers fitting the ghem Cetagandan... lack of modesty known to the Betans... the maliable gathering of anything adorned by a Jacksonian mindset...

And yet, nothing that fit anything else.

There was only one way to begin. Diplomatically.]


Might I ask a question?

OTHER

[Pick your poison, or let me know and I'll cater a starter to you.]
dendarii: (eidetics 161)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Scars last longer, after all.

... He died shortly after that.
keep_nothing: (you sent Ivan?)

[personal profile] keep_nothing 2016-01-22 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, Miles. I'm so sorry.
dendarii: (baobabble 159)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ He shrugs a little, the ache still burning in his chest. ]

One last disappointment to speed him on his way.
dendarii: (good point)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
Frequently, and at great length. [ A pause as a though occurs to him. ] Perhaps this can be a vacation then. Gregor and I are trying to take it as such.
keep_nothing: (like I've needed nothing else)

[personal profile] keep_nothing 2016-01-22 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
[ His shrug causes her to ache as well, both physically and emotionally. No matter how much she hated Piotr at the moment, it was clear he meant a great deal to Miles.

She leans in again despite the aches, wrapping her arms around him again. She knows it won't help. But. ]


But look at what you did since then. He'd be proud of that.
dendarii: (solpadeine47)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Just consider it. It's possible to just get up and leave if you want - go anywhere on the planet. No messes waiting for you back home except Gregor and I.
dendarii: (solpadeine122)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ That only makes his shoulders ache worse, but at least Cordelia's taking it and not him. He leans back against her, comfort taking the edge off his pain regardless. ]

I ... I hope so. I did end up in the service in the end.
dendarii: (solpadeine136)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh shit. All the color goes out of Miles' face. He's not sure which he likes less - Aral upholding the cover, or upending it. Neither is a pleasant thought. ]

... You encountered her?
dendarii: (eidetics 84)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
Yes ... yes, she would ...

Whatever we do with the cover, we must clarify that point. You can't be Lord Vorkosigan to her. Everything will fall apart.
dendarii: (frakkingcylon 192)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ He lets out a breath. God, how to play this ... Kitty is too damn smart for her own good. ]

Let me guess: entirely too many leading questions about clones? And whether you consider them to be people?
dendarii: (frakkingcylon 184)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ Miles manages one hilarious mental image before he bursts out laughing. ]

Oh no.
dendarii: (cocky lil bastard)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
Yes. It's delightful, usually, and her ideas are good ones, just - impractical. Democratic to the core.
keep_nothing: (damn straight I'm the best)

[personal profile] keep_nothing 2016-01-22 05:16 am (UTC)(link)
In a very flashy manner too. Maybe he'd be impressed.
dendarii: (solpadeine110)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 11:24 am (UTC)(link)
Well. That cuts both ways, you know. We may learn something from her.
dendarii: (cocky lil bastard)

[personal profile] dendarii 2016-01-22 11:25 am (UTC)(link)
Very possibly.

[ Or would he scorn Miles' roundabout route? Hell. He doesn't know. No sense in wondering too much. ]

Iillyan is terribly frustrated with me, though.
keep_nothing: (don't you wish you were smarter than me)

[personal profile] keep_nothing 2016-01-22 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I can't imagine why.

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