faderift | [open w/ some closed threads] escort missions.

[Surprisingly, Emet-Selch is not terrible with children. Or, at least, he isn't terrible with one child.

It quickly becomes apparent, while they're out to allow Emet-Selch to take care of a necessary errand or two, that they're both acquainted with the same pair of refugees within Kirkwall; Emet-Selch doesn't do much relief work in general, he explains easily enough, but this is something of an exception, for reasons he declines to specify beforehand. For whatever reason, his errands include quietly checking in on a boy of about ten or so and his mother, who he's aided a bit here and there-- the boy's old enough to be taught how to properly hold a practice sword by now, which is precisely what Emet-Selch has been doing on occasion (with his mother's knowledge.) Better to ensure a kid with interest is taught correctly before they start running around trying to figure out swinging a weapon on their own, after all, and to try to instill further responsibility in them. Not too difficult, considering this one is a fairly responsible and well-meaning boy by nature.

Which is all reasonable enough, but not much of a reason anyone would choose to assist one specific kid, and while Emet remains somewhat detached-- he isn't unkind in demeanor. The two of them actually get along decently well, and if one's looking closely, there's a degree of resemblance despite the fact they aren't even from the same world.

The kid's excited to see both of them at the same time, too, though naturally Emet never explains why this is the case, chalking it up to coincidence, business bringing them here together. There's no need for the real explanation.

As they leave and begin to make their way back, load somewhat lighter (one of the errands being the acquisition of a couple supplies to leave behind), Emet-Selch remains quiet at first. Before long, though:]

I trust you can keep all of this more or less to yourself?

[If anyone higher up asks about it, he's not going to expect anything to be kept quiet, but that's just a function of this arrangement.]

[ he wasn't sure what to expect, truthfully.

emet-selch isn't exactly an unknown quantity with their shared division; but the most holden could've said about him before recent events was that he seemed like a quiet, focused worker. gabranth's accusation had been a weighty one, and he'd chewed over the warning seriously. loss of life on a planetary scale is horrific to imagine — orders of magnitude beyond eros — and he trusts gabranth enough to give his opinion its due.

so he hadn't protested the assignment to accompany emet-selch into kirkwall.

he'd, as he'd told emet-selch earlier in the day, intended to head towards the refugee settlements anyway, so it wasn't sending him out of his way. and he'd been curious, too, what kind of business the man would have there.

he hadn't expected the child. he certainly hadn't expected the boy's bright pleasure to see emet-selch, or the training that had followed. jim hadn't lingered too obtrusively, helped the mother with a few chores over the course of the lesson, and they'd all left on friendly terms. he hasn't decided yet if he wants to bring up the experience at all, when emet-selch beats him too it. ]

I'm not going to lie to a division head, [ he starts, because it's only fair, ] but I'm not much of a gossip. I can keep a secret.

[ a beat, then, ]

If you don't want it to spread, I can be the one to come down with you, whenever you want to check on them.

Nor would I expect you to lie to one, given the situation.

[he's aware enough of the position that he is in, after all.

but after a few moments of consideration, he finally adds,]

...You are already aware. I would not object to your accompaniment in the future, so long as you prove capable of staying quiet enough.

[of course that wouldn't stop him, if he did choose to tell others, but in that case-- the least that can be done is to keep from giving him more information to work with in the future.]

Why does it matter to you?

[ he asks, with a glance over to the other man. there's nothing challenging in it; his curiosity is open, guileless. ]

There's nothing shameful about helping those people, especially a child.

It is not that I find it shameful, it is simply my own business.

[it's personal, is the thing.

he's quiet a few more moments, takes a few more steps forward in silence.]

And were I to make it known now, precisely how do you think that would look? Convenient timing, certainly, to seemingly develop an interest in aiding the downtrodden just when my reputation needs it most. Even more suspicious not to simply help all of them as a group. I do not wish it cast in that light, nor for those two to have any part in it.

I can respect that, [ he says, briefly lifts his hands in a conciliatory gesture, ] and I agree that they should be kept out of this. God knows they've gone through enough.

[ there's the question, potentially, of emet-selch's motives, and that can easily extend to the question of why them? uncharitable minds may turn to the question of whether or not they can be trusted. a beat, and then he adds, ]

You were good with him.

Well, by my age, one learns to deal with others, regardless of their own years.

[an easy dismissal, but certainly not the whole answer. a few moments of consideration follow, internal debate over what to share.]

I have watched over my own, before.

[ he wonders which part of that he wants to ask about first. by my age, and he thinks back to gabranth — a man who looks younger than he is, but untold centuries in age. it's not impossible that emet-selch could be the same, particularly since they seem to come from the same dimension. the same something, anyway, since gabranth had recognized him. ]

You have kids?

I did, [he says, expression and tone both remaining neutral despite what that past tense implies.] But unlike myself, they were mortal.

I'm sorry.

[ he says after a beat. it's clear enough what happened: i did. ]

I can't imagine how hard that must've been.

Such is the way of life, when it is fated to be cut short.

[a dismissive enough response, accompanied with a small, idle wave of a hand. it's the only time the subject has really come up like this, at least since he shed his former identity; condolences offered then were meant for someone he wasn't. they've never exactly been given to emet-selch, and it's far easier to brush it off.]

[ well, okay, if you're determined to sound supervillain-y. there's an instinct to be offended by his dismissiveness wars with the obvious care he showed the boy and his mother so recently. after a moment, ]

Then why bother helping them?

[sometimes it's just better to be this way about it than to acknowledge: yes, it had hurt before. to allow anyone else to actually perceive that, to tacitly acknowledge there's a degree here of-- well, of opening up to the possibility of the same thing happening again.

but there is probably a hint of that in his answer.]

He reminds me of my firstborn. That's all.

[ well.

it's a more honest answer than he'd been expecting. he's quiet, lets the idea of that settle. maybe it's naïve to believe emet-selch — he doesn't think, say, gabranth would — but he doesn't have any real reason not to. if it is a play on his sympathies, it is working; but it's not like the other man is getting much of anything out of it. ]

Okay, [ he says, presently. ] I won't ask you anything else about it, but my offer still stands.

We will see, then.

[both whether he takes holden up on that offer, and whether he really won't ask anything else. people get curious-- it's a part of what they are-- and he wouldn't be surprised if anyone wanted to try to evaluate him further, after everything. his current reputation doesn't lend itself well to being taken at face value.]

Did you have further business here?

[ there's always more he wants to do out here, but there's something to be said for his actual duties with riftwatch, no less important than this work. and, for today, he doesn't have any particular business in the city proper of kirkwall. so he only considers it briefly before shaking his head. ]

No, [ he says. ] If you're done too, we can go back to the Gallows.

Edited 2021-11-09 17:22 (UTC)

I suppose we may as well.

[exhaled as more of a sigh; really, he's never minded the place, but being stuck there certainly hasn't improved his opinion of it.

as he turns back to the gallows, he adds, offhandedly:]

If you require help with any of your work, at some point, I may well prove to have the time.

[it will make the entire situation a bit more even, maybe, more of an exchange.]

I'll keep you mind,

[ he says as they turn back in that direction, not entirely unsympathetic. it may sound like a platitude anyway, at least until he adds, ]

What is it that you're usually doing around Research?

[ he's not around the offices infrequently, but doesn't spend as much time as their resident scientists and engineers. it'll help him get a better idea of what kinds of things, theoretically, he could ask emet-selch for help with. ]

A degree of magical experimentation, but aside from that... primarily studying this world's version of magic, as well as its history and languages. Without an understanding of the latter, in particular, it will be difficult to truly delve into the most interesting subjects.

[can't read up on everything when it's in languages you don't necessarily speak well, after all. (and while he doesn't say it, he can definitely be seen helping to organize books and materials often enough as well.)

but having answered that, he asks in turn:]

What is it that brings you to work out here, in addition to the division?

[simple altruism, or a different sort of draw to aiding the people here?]

[ that is good to know, actually. he's tried his best to read up on local cultures, history, but it's a work in progress; and he's certainly never applied himself to studying languages, which has plenty of practical applications he may have use for. he nods, acknowledging, files away that information.

if there's anything he intends to say about it, he's stopped by the question. breathes out, considering how to answer; looks ahead as he does. ]

It has nothing to do with the division, [ he says, soft. ] I was in Tantervale when the dragon came. I was in Starkhaven when the army was on its way to set up the siege. I saw what these people survived.

Well-traveled, aren't you-- but hardly fortunate in that.

[were he in the mood for it, there would be a jab to be made here about being in the right places at the wrong times, but-- not this time. it's a better answer than he could have given, were it something trite about just wanting to help the downtrodden. more personal.]

I imagine those incidents must linger in your mind, then, to be so driven to assist after them.

[ in the right places at the wrong times could be the title of his biography. starkhaven was by choice, at least, but the tragedy that befell tantervale was only one in a string of similar incidents in his life. james holden, here to watch stations and civilizations and cities die, and live to tell of it. ]

Well, [ he says with a sideways glance, a wry eyebrow lift, ] if you'd seen that dragon, you wouldn't be forgetting about it in a hurry either.

Mayhap I would not... though the rise and fall of entire nations have at times proved unremarkable, much less that of a singular settlement.

[filed under: things that are said entirely too neutrally.

he does have a good memory for the things he's seen, but once you've seen enough in your life-- these things begin to stand out less.]

Maybe if you've seen enough of them.

[ in other words: can't relate. ]

Depending upon one's measure of 'enough'.

Were they your first?

[open w/ some closed threads] escort missions.

escort mission 1 (emet & jim)

kneeslides in here

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

how did i miss this tag wtf

dreamwidth notif hell

wheezes

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)