Mark Pierre Vorkosigan / "Peter Kane" (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jacksonian) wrote2016-03-05 11:05 am
jacksonian) wrote2016-03-05 11:05 am
Entry tags:
contact post
[ voice / video / text / in-person ]
Hello, Mark -- this is Doctor Chilton. I am checking in on you.
[ Oh. Why? Is something wrong? Mark listens to the message with a little bit of worry, until the thought crosses his mind - maybe Chilton is being completely honest? Maybe he truly is just checking in...? Is that the professional thing to do?
Mark rubs at the back of his neck. He wishes he knew how to navigate any relationships. Personal and professional both.
He rehearses his response a few times before he actually sends it back. Consequently, there's a slight artificiality to the way he sounds. ]
Hi, Doctor Chilton. I'm doing fairly well. The weather's been nicer lately. And I did what you recommended.
[ Nailed it. ]
Mark rubs at the back of his neck. He wishes he knew how to navigate any relationships. Personal and professional both.
He rehearses his response a few times before he actually sends it back. Consequently, there's a slight artificiality to the way he sounds. ]
Hi, Doctor Chilton. I'm doing fairly well. The weather's been nicer lately. And I did what you recommended.
[ Nailed it. ]
Did you? [He's pleased; no need to comment upon the stiffness in Mark's cadence, no rush to remark how it was like watching a toddler learn to walk. Mark deserved encouragement.]
And how did that go? Were they thoroughly impressed?
And how did that go? Were they thoroughly impressed?
Uh -
[ He deflates just a little. But, as a benefit, he loses some of his awkwardness, too. ]
I think they mostly thought I was being sort of weird.
[ He deflates just a little. But, as a benefit, he loses some of his awkwardness, too. ]
I think they mostly thought I was being sort of weird.
Well, there is always an adjustment period. You did very well, the first step is always the most difficult.
But I was calling for another reason, as well. In fact. [Mark's instincts were spot on, that maybe Chilton wasn't only checking in.] I have good intelligence on the fact that Rincewind is throwing me a party at Ambassador Baelish's establishment. You know, to celebrate my new hospital. I thought I might mention it to you by way of invitation.
But I was calling for another reason, as well. In fact. [Mark's instincts were spot on, that maybe Chilton wasn't only checking in.] I have good intelligence on the fact that Rincewind is throwing me a party at Ambassador Baelish's establishment. You know, to celebrate my new hospital. I thought I might mention it to you by way of invitation.
[ A little hesitantly - ]
An invitation as a guest? [ Wait, hold on - ] Does Rincewind know how to throw a party?
An invitation as a guest? [ Wait, hold on - ] Does Rincewind know how to throw a party?
I trust he knows the right people to help organize. [They had James Patrick March as a mutual acquaintance, after all! Chilton already made the assumption that the outsourcing had begun.] So... You do already know Rincewind, then?
Funny how we both know him independently, I don't believe this has come up?
Funny how we both know him independently, I don't believe this has come up?
[ A little sheepishly: ]
Oh. Yeah. His recommendation is the reason I came to you in the first place.
Oh. Yeah. His recommendation is the reason I came to you in the first place.
Rincewind has always demonstrated sharp insight.
[The master of self-flattery-through-flattering-others, this one.]
But that is good news! He might have been surprised if you had shown up to my surprise party. [The incongruity apparently did not disturb Chilton.] Actually I would feel rather bad about it, I had already accused him of something quite unflattering, I imagine he wouldn't appreciate too many of my fingerprints on the guest list.
[The master of self-flattery-through-flattering-others, this one.]
But that is good news! He might have been surprised if you had shown up to my surprise party. [The incongruity apparently did not disturb Chilton.] Actually I would feel rather bad about it, I had already accused him of something quite unflattering, I imagine he wouldn't appreciate too many of my fingerprints on the guest list.
Oh -- it is quite embarrassing, really. [But Chilton a) was a natural gossip and b) really did enjoy talking about himself. Especially when he could spin the facts into something self-aggrandizing.] Someone had sent a spy me. Imagine! He infiltrated my office, it was rather inconvenient. I mean, I assume he was a spy, his intent was to gather intelligence... Information isn't plied by all trades, you understand.
He was in imPort, too. Named Rincewind as the spymaster, but... Well, no. That simply isn't the case.
[The account perhaps would be more impressive if Chilton had Simon's name, but he did not. Still, maybe the air of absence would augment the mystery.]
He was in imPort, too. Named Rincewind as the spymaster, but... Well, no. That simply isn't the case.
[The account perhaps would be more impressive if Chilton had Simon's name, but he did not. Still, maybe the air of absence would augment the mystery.]
idk just never paid attention
dont care that much
it works out anyway so why worry
dont care that much
it works out anyway so why worry
[ Mark sits up, a feeling of unease pricking at the back of his mind. He nods - ]
What did he do, exactly? What happened?
What did he do, exactly? What happened?
His power -- it involved some kind of hypnosis. I keep my office under surveillance naturally, and soon after had the chance to review the footage, but even then in that moment while I was coming out of it... Well, a man of my profession tracks his thinking. I was disrupted. I knew I had been.
[The thought of this invasion still irritated him. The very fact that Simon had invaded his space, his mind... Chilton felt a sense of muted shattering within, an undeniable loss of control.]
He did get violent.
[The thought of this invasion still irritated him. The very fact that Simon had invaded his space, his mind... Chilton felt a sense of muted shattering within, an undeniable loss of control.]
He did get violent.
[ Aw, shit. ]
Violent? I assume you had people to deal with that.
Violent? I assume you had people to deal with that.
I had a man on loan from Baelish. [Grumpily:] It was something of an impromptu thing, and he hadn't managed to save me from taking a hit from the intruder's stun gun.
[Stunner. Whatever.]
[Stunner. Whatever.]
[ Somehow, Mark keeps himself from nervously correcting stun gun to stunner. ]
What happened to the intruder?
What happened to the intruder?
[A beat. And then, lightly:]
Baelish's man took care of him. I presume he is with the proper authorities now.
Baelish's man took care of him. I presume he is with the proper authorities now.
[ Mark struggles not to swallow audibly. Instead, he presses on, maybe imprudently - showing his interest too intensely - ]
Took care of him? That could mean a lot of things.
Took care of him? That could mean a lot of things.
And what, I wonder, would your meaning be? [His cadence frosted the vowels.] Your focus appears to be dedicated to the man who assaulted me. That must mean something else altogether.
Uh -
[ Shit. Shit. ]
No, nothing like that. I just want to make sure that everything's taken care of. And if Baelish's man did cap him, that it's not going to come back to haunt you.
[ Shit. Shit. ]
No, nothing like that. I just want to make sure that everything's taken care of. And if Baelish's man did cap him, that it's not going to come back to haunt you.
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