onlyeverdoubted | TLV Inbox

[Bodhi, mulling over the current flood's implications and never his best in the morning, is not difficult to surprise. He is, however, somewhat difficult to rattle. His cowardice is purely social. His response to the extremely deadly physical threat is to scan the room for the cats, staying obligingly still and only tracking with his eyes. Since neither of them are present to be endangered, he tightens his fingers on his coffee mug until his knuckles are white, but otherwise keeps his cool.]

So you'd be here for Hux, then?

I am. Admiral Rae Sloane, pleasure.

[her gaze glances once, briefly, to his hands to make sure he's not carrying a weapon]

Drop the mug.

[There's a book in his sweatshirt pocket and a pencil in his hair. Beyond that, he doesn't even have his boots on yet. If he had any dignity, it'd be wounded right now, but as it is he's more or less comfortable being a disgrace.]

If I do that, it's going to break, and this is hot. Can I put it down slowly instead?

[Ceramic shards and cat paws. Not ideal.]

[a beat, as she considers his request and the likelihood of his being a threat behind it.

Finally, Sloane steps back]

Fine.

And then you and I are going to sit down and have a chat.

[Bodhi moves slowly, exaggerating the motion and setting the mug down soundlessly. He could really have used the coffee. Didn't sleep well. Rarely sleeps well. Maybe it'd be best to accept he is in no way going to acquit himself well here.]

I sort of thought as much? Did you want to sit down, or, well, hover in the kitchen? There, uh, there's more caff if you...

[This is patently absurd, but he can't help it. She is, in a strange way, Hux's guest, and without speculating wildly, he can at least try to be polite while he wonders just how much of a fool of himself he's likely to make.]

I don't accept rations from strange men I don't know.

[Sloane considers her surroundings before finally giving a sharp nod to the other room.]

You go first, if you please.

[Not worth arguing. Bodhi leads the way, slowly. This time he spots Dio sleeping under his desk and worries for a moment, but the demon cat seems to be enjoying his owner's discomfort and doesn't budge from his spot, watching through his single, half-lidded eye.

He takes his usual desk chair, because the room isn't really set up for anything more like comfort, and because it'll probably help make him look non-threatening. He is non-threatening, but playing it up can't hurt.]

So. Chat, then?

[Rae follows him out, crossing her arms with her blaster now narrowed at Bodhi's chest as she adopts a more relaxed attitude. She leans against the wall opposite him, eyeing Bodhi up and down.

And finding him wanting. Who is this strange, strange man that her most promising protege has seen fit to align himself with?]

Mmn.

You're not an imperial officer, I take it?

[There's the courage of his convictions and then there's the better part of valor. The blaster expertly leveled at him makes that clear enough. Hux would be upset if he got himself shot. So he starts out gently.]

Well. Ensign.

[Compared to Hux's rank, nothing, but maybe a better place to start than defector with a price on his head.]

[a sharp, startled laugh]

So either you're someone very special, or you have a significant amount of blackmail on him. Which is it?

[As intrinsically inimical to his sense of self as claiming to be special is, Bodhi can't help quirked eyebrows at that one.]

Who could possibly blackmail Hux? The man cross-indexes his sock drawer.

[Sloane purses her lips together rather than give anything away, but it's clear from her expression she doesn't agree that blackmail is impossible]

Don't be naive.

You're an Ensign, in the rooms of a General. That must be quite a story.

[He could point out that, for a different sort of general, that wouldn't be a mystery at all. Easy prey. Wouldn't strike quite the right note. Instead he pinches the bridge of his nose, thinking through the little he knows about this flood.]

How much did you arrive knowing about the place? Just, uh, so I don't bore you with repeat details.

[Sloane seems very much aware of this herself. But she knows Armitage; knows he wouldn't take advantage where others would have, for as much for his sake as theirs. She shrugs, once]

Most details are relevant when coming from new sources of information. I'm here; Hux is not, and I am his replacement. He is grateful to me for whatever stupid, sentimental reason he has, and while I respect his privacy in that, I do not when it comes to his safety.

[Her eyes search Bodhi's, penetrating]

So, Ensign. Is he safe with you?

[There's a starting point he can respect.]

Physically? Um, I don't contribute much in an altercation. He's a lot more use than I am. In, well, less... less tangible ways, he seems to like having me around, that's all.

[Being called on to justify his place in Hux's life is uncomfortable. He can't really do it to himself sometimes, after all.]

I... I can promise I'd never do anything to hurt him. And the way this place works, I'm not really a liability, either.

[She goes quiet, searching Bodhi for some indication of falsehood in his tone, his expression. Finally, Sloane seems satisfied]

He was still small when I left him. Hope he's a bit taller than you, anyway.

[He should probably know about her. The little he does know of Hux's past... well, he doesn't like to talk about it. Neither of them likes to talk about it. They've never needed a past. But he should still know, somehow. Another little guilt for the towering heap of them.

And that makes this... about as close as he's likely to get to meeting any sort of family. Huh. That's an interesting new sense of pressure.]

Quite a bit, actually, not that that's much of an accomplishment. He, um, he never mentioned you, but I'm sure that wasn't--I mean, we don't discuss much about... We mostly talk about books, honestly, engineering projects, that kind of thing.

I'm not surprised. Or offended, not in the least.

[she seems to eye him further, this mousey little ensign who all signs have pointed Hux actually caring for him.]

All right. Ensign....What is your last name?

Rook. I, um, I can show you his open projects if you like, or... well, there isn't a lot to tour...

[Which probably sounds like he's trying to deflect attention from himself. He's nervous and babbling, is what he is.]

Ensign Rook.

[Sloane at last puts her gun back in its holster, crossing her arms to give him a proper once-over]

I didn't come here by choice, and I certainly have no interest in interfering with or commenting on Hux's projects. I'm not an engineer.

I'm more interested to learn the status of the Empire or lack thereof in the future. And I will answer some of your questions in exchange, if you like.

[Alright, a misstep. But he takes a lot of those.]

I'll tell you what I know, but that's only what I've learned here. I've, um, been dead since before you last saw Hux, back home. Time doesn't work right here. Um, obviously.

'Obviously'.

I was going to comment on your wardrobe being woefully out-of-date but admittedly time travel didn't cross my mind.

[Well, she knew she'd last seen Hux when he was a child, and... nevermind. Bodhi is rarely willing to explain his mistakes. Feels too much like defending them.]

Oh. Well. People from our... same, um, general... galaxy are pretty heavily represented here, I think? But scattered across decades.

[He thinks. He knows full well he hasn't spoken to half of them. He might be missing someone who's come from generations before or after.]

Bit disorienting.

You could say that.

[she says, with the barest HINT of a smile]

Where is the canteen on this woeful little ship?

Your choice, directions or a guide, but if it's the latter I'll want shoes and that'll probably rile the cats.

[Logistics are his comfortable refuge when he's busy humiliating himself.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject