Mask or Menance IC Contact Post

[failureisntachoice]

[ An automated voice speaks because someone hasn't bothered to set up a proper voicemail. The only part in her voice is her name. ] You have reached Agent Texas. Leave a message at the tone.

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[failureisntachoice]

[ There's a small sigh of relief and tension that leaves her posture at that confirmation. There's been plenty he could have done to stop or sabotage this if he really wanted to yet he hasn't.

It still feels too good to be true, but she's slowly starting to accept it for what it is. ]

Thanks. [ A beat then, ] I can see what she married you.

[use_everything]

Hm. [The wordless sound was speculative, but pleased.

He turns his attention more fully to the picture. The clothes drawn on each fit the form with little attention to folds and shadows, leaving something of empty spaces even with all of the shading. On the other hand, the lines of the walls and the banister leading up are done with a steady, precise hand, even freehand.

It's no quick process, working almost in layers, one after another. Each point where one might have called it complete just seemed to be the bridge to the next.

Until finally, he leans back rubbing his chin (a smear of graphite streaks his cheek and chin, having used his own hands to blend shades here and there.)]

I think... that will do.

[The pages perforated already, the heavy page pulls free of the binding with just a little trial and error.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She's content to watch him work, not needing to fill in the silence. The steadiness of his hand and focus on his task brings her a sense of calm making things comfortable even in this setting.

There's a smile as she watches the graphite make a mess out of his face. She debates whether or not to tell him before finally making a vague motion with her hand. ]

You've got something on your face.

[use_everything]

[His brows lift, and he rubs about where her hand indicates.. and just ends up smudging along his jaw.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She snickers and moves to get up, but not before snapping a quick shot of his face with graphite on it. ]

Yeah, you're just getting more pencil on your face. Let me get you something to clean it off with.

[use_everything]

[He waves her on, the look of consternation giving to a mumbled "A harder lead would negate the issue entirely."]

[failureisntachoice]

[ That earns him another snicker as she heads out. She's gone for only a moment before returning with a dampened paper towel. ]

Want me to get it?

[use_everything]

Thank you. I should be able.

[He takes it, and DOES manage to get most of it blind, for a wonder.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She shakes her head, thoroughly amused as she watches him. ]

Almost all of it. Keep scrubbing.

[use_everything]

[He brows pinch, and he frowns deeply, after a few swipes at his face, and puts aside the pad to get up and find a mirror.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She makes herself comfortable in her chair as she watches him. ]

You know it would have been a helluva lot easier to let me do it, right?

[use_everything]

[There's a vague, disgruntled noise at that.]

I'll need such attendance if I manage to get to an infirm age. There's no need to rush it.

[failureisntachoice]

'If?' I thought you had highly trained guards to make sure you did get that far.

[ Or that's what she thought armsmen were anyway. ]

[use_everything]

Ah, in my time, most are my father's.

... Also the position I am in is quite a bit more than twenty men can handle. Some attempts have been downright inspired.

[failureisntachoice]

Regent, right? For Gregor? I don't even want to know the kind of trouble that gets hauled onto your doorstep. I've heard some of Cordelia's stories already.

[ And part of that had been from before his time as Regent. ]

[use_everything]

Four bloody planets. A pittance next to the power conglomerates of your own universe, but a damn handful for me. Only fools want to rule.

[He shakes his head.]

... It is a shame you couldn't return with us. Though if there is a means discovered, you're quite welcome to a place.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She shrugs. ]

Gregor offered to let me come along if a way was found. I told him I'd think about it. [ And it's been a while since that first offer had been made. ]

I'm leaning towards 'why not?'

[use_everything]

That is good to hear.

[failureisntachoice]

You're not worried about what introducing an AI would do to your planet?

[use_everything]

I had considered it. The ramifications of an AI of your quality and capability would be somewhat enormous. The very first thing that would have to be done is establish your rights as a person, your place within a major House would make it quite a bit easier to stomp down the other Count's throats, make it a hit and run attack and work out the incidentals as they arrive. I'm sure the Beta Colony would have the law already frameworked and ready to simplify for digest.

It would have profound societal impact, forcing new permutations of what a person is to the generally fairly closed viewpoint Barrayar has. It is good in the long term, though dangerous in the short.

[His eyes watched her, sharp with calculation.]

EMP proof plating could easily be fitted to your armor for your safety, and should be. Most of our reliance on the weapon is gone, but stockpiles exist of everything whether there is practical use or not.

As for the practical and obvious, clearly, you could revolutionize space warfare as, the tac computers understand tactics and countertactics, but not humans, in general. As much as I desperately wish to see the galactic arms race settle and our place slip to a more peaceful one, I doubt it would happen in our time.

[There's another pause here, long. He folds his hands and sets his chin on them.]

Or you could be Armswoman Allison. Or Tex. Of House Vorkosigan.

In a new world, your identity would be yours to choose, all levels of it.

[failureisntachoice]

[ Well shit. That's a lot more thought than she had expected anyone to put into it and she's watching him intently as he speaks. When he reaches the end, she finds herself relaxing. She's never been one to pioneer social revolutions, much less in a galaxy that has next to no AI technology.

She speaks carefully, ]

There's a reason I don't broadcast what I am here. It'd be a lot easier to live as Armswoman Allison there. I get the feeling I'll already be drawing enough attention to myself with the 'armswoman' title.

[use_everything]

Ah, that will be something.

[His smile is sharp, like a knife, grey eyes glittering with some challenge.]

I quite look forward to it.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She matches his expression with a smirk of her own. That's a fight she wouldn't mind having. ]

You going to take extra care to make sure it happens then?

[use_everything]

I had a particularly difficult command a few years back. One of the best ways I'd found to let men merely get their issues out was to allow carefully monitored matches. [Monitored, of course, was not controlled, nor overly bound by rules.] As officers were required as well, it did marvels for letting situations sort themselves out.

[failureisntachoice]

So you want me to fight everyone that tries to say something about it? [ Not that she sounds like she minds. ]