18. Securing

[umgekehrt]

[Private to Brax]

Mister Braxiatel: it's not our usual night to meet, but I'm afraid I need you to check in. Over the network as soon as you get this, and in person as soon as is reasonable.

Comments

[Private]

[collector]

I'm not occupied. Would you like to speak now? [A mild hint of detached curiosity. He wasn't aware of anything too terrible happening this week.]

[Private]

[umgekehrt]

Yes, please. Why don't we meet at your quarters. It's a mildly sensitive subject and should probably be discussed someplace quiet.

[Private]

[collector]

Now I'm alarmed. [He doesn't sound alarmed.] I'll leave the door open.

[Private]-> Spam

[umgekehrt]

I'll try to ease your delicate sensibilities. [He sees your nonalarmedness, and raises you a reassurance that nothing is pressing.]

[Spam]
[A few minutes later he knocks, waits a beat for any objection, and strolls in. He's carrying the pack of cards as useful excuse to be visiting, and because what the hell, maybe they'll play a friendly game after.]

Thanks for entertaining me on such short notice.

[Spam]

[collector]

I'm a busy man, but for you, I try. [Since he is reading Macbeth for perhaps the hundredth time, the disingenuousness of the comment is self-presenting. He gets to his feet to welcome Stildyne, ever mindful of courtesies.] In urgent need of a game?

[Spam]

[umgekehrt]

Desperately. Medical says if I don't have an injection of gambling I'll go into shock.

[Conversationally] Oh, and as a point of slight interest. Jim Profit wants a telepath to reorder his brain for him and is threatening murder if he doesn't get what he wants. Your brother-the-elder doesn't know if Profit's aware you can do as much. But I might watch your back, if I were you.

[Spam]

[collector]

I wouldn't want to defy a doctor's orders.

{So that was it. Braxiatel files the information away and confirms to himself that Jim Profit could be a threat, but he wouldn't be such a threat that he couldn't spite the man's objective if it came to it. It was enough for him.] Thank you.

[Not as conversationally as he would like:] I hope this hasn't... upset my brother.

[Spam]

[umgekehrt]

He's concerned, a bit. But he's not losing sleep over it. [Serious nod.] No indication that you're a target yet, or that you will be. It's a distant possibility, just one I'd rather not see crystallize.

[Subject change.]

Any Gallifreyan native games use cards? We could improvise a game.

[Spam]

[collector]

[If that's a closed door on the topic, then Brax lets it be.] We tend towards boardgames. But I know a few Aldebaran games.

[Spam]

[umgekehrt]

[It's the end of Stildyne's information on the subject, certainly. But if strategy or further questions come up over cards, he's amenable.]

I'll give them a try, if Standard cards can be bent to the purpose.

[Spam]

[collector]

I'm creative with that sort of thing. [He offers Stildyne an armchair and takes the one across from him.]