contact part deux

[bouchonne]

if this were modern times byerly would probably make you listen to total eclipse of the heart before you were able to leave a message

Comments

[keenly]

"Well, doesn't that make me feel wonderful."

He finds a seat and gets comfortable.

"So, sex."

the first work day after dreams

[altusimperius]

[Benedict walks into the office, his hair sleek and fragrant and perhaps even shinier than usual-- a little extra special care put into it now that it is, definitely, still here.

He glances at Byerly, lips pursed, and nods before sitting at his desk to begin arranging his things for the workday.

EVERYTHING IS NORMAL]

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly pointedly clears his throat just after Benedict comes in. And he lifts his cup, devoid of coffee. ]

[bouchonne]

"Sex!" By responds cheerfully. "How much of it are you having?"

[keenly]

A shrug. "Pretty regular these days. Usually whenever the mood strikes. Nothing adventurous, unfortunately."

[altusimperius]

[With an irritated scoff, Bene doesn't even glance at him-- this has no doubt happened before.]

Just a second.

action; backdated to post-murderhaus pre-dreamland

[sulahnan]

Athessa precedes this visit to the Diplomacy office with a knock at the door and a somewhat dismayed sigh when she enters to find that other than Byerly, the only person here is Benedict.

"Oh. I was hoping I'd get to say give us the room or something," she mutters, closing the door behind her all the same. "I've got the report from Ostwick for you."

Which is emphasized by her placing it upon his desk, but she also has an unlabeled bottle under her arm, which she places beside the report, and a small pouch of elfroot and rolling leaves to put alongside as well.

[altusimperius]

"Do you have an appointment," Benedict asks in a disinterested monotone long after Athessa has crossed to Byerly's desk, his gaze unbroken from his current task.

[sulahnan]

"Since when do I need an appointment?"

[bouchonne]

"Athessa doesn't need an appointment," By confirms. "And please, dearest Benedict, be a little less terrible a gatekeeper, won't you?"

[sulahnan]

"Yeah, Ben," she says, trying to reign in her smugness, just a little. It doesn't work very well. "You call this security?"

Nevermind that security isn't Benedict's job at all.

[altusimperius]

They both receive a sardonic look in reply. Please, he has better things to do than keep Byerly's personal friends from him.

action

[truthtied]

Once her other engagements (if one could call answering a survey and talking to horses engagements) were taken care of, Diana finds her way to the division head offices. She ought to have asked for directions, too accustomed to knowing her way around the state buildings of her own world. Either way, she picks a door and knocks politely, waiting to see who, if anyone, emerges.

There is also the secondarily important task of finding clothes that fit more in this realm, but it's difficult to place any urgency on it in the face of learning this new world.

[bouchonne]

"I think he's judging us," Byerly murmurs.

[bouchonne]

No one emerges; instead, a voice calls out, "Come in." It is, evidently, a casual enough establishment.

The man sitting at the desk is a lean fellow with a permanently sardonic air. An eyebrow goes up at the state of the woman's undress, but it's more wry than judgmental.

"Have a seat," he invites her, his voice mild.

[truthtied]

"Thank you," she says, with a gracious smile. She crosses the room and takes the seat in front of his desk, as elegant as if she were in a full ballgown rather than a bathing suit of primary colors. "I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. Would your title be Ambassador or do you go by another?"

[sulahnan]

"Oh, undoubtedly, just look at that face," she agrees, gesturing towards Bene. "Steeped in dubious...ness. Dubiosity?"

report.

[charmoffensive]

[ Across Byerly's desk falls a brief notice, shuffled in with however many approvals and sign offs he may engage with on a daily basis. It comes perhaps a day or more after the dream events. ]

To whom it may concern,

This notice is to inform and request temporary extended relocation to Kirkwall for Myself. It is my Intention to operate in the City without requiring nightly return to the Gallows. This would enable my continued monitoring of certain Persons of Interest in Kirkwall as a part of my own Project to integrate with and form contacts with Underworld elements of the City.

If the Riftwatch organisation requires another method of check-in I will be pleased to abide.


Loxley

[bouchonne]

[ A note is sent to Loxley's room - ]

Approved. Weekly verbal check-in, please. You Rifters are a fragile lot.

[bouchonne]

"Doubt?" he suggests. Then, making direct eye contact with Benedict, he says, "Not that he has any right to condemn."

[bouchonne]

"Oh, just call me Byerly," he says, waving his hand slightly dismissively. "I'm just pretending at ambassadorship, and titles sound ridiculous on me. Byerly, By, or Rutyer, if you're feeling irritated at my nonsense."

He rises briefly to add a bit of wood to the fire. She looks cold. Then he returns to his desk and offers, "Something to drink?"

[truthtied]

"Byerly then, so long as you call me Diana." And her smile softens a little when he builds up the fire. Diana might be able to set aside much pain and discomfort in the interest of pushing forward, but still, she isn't enjoying this new sensitivity to the cold.

"Thank you, but no," she says with a shake of her head, "I am still getting accustomed to the changes of this world. Adding alcohol to the mix feels as though it would be courting trouble."

[bouchonne]

"With whom?"

[bouchonne]

What a tone to take with your savior.

[sulahnan]

She shrugs, the suggestion as good as any. Byerly may be in the middle of insinuating something, but Athessa is back to the reason she's here in the first place.

"Do you want glasses for this—" She holds her palm over the top of the bottle of mead and tips it on its base. "—or no?"

Maybe he doesn't want to drink yet. Maybe he's being responsible and won't drink so long as he's working (hah), but them again, that's why she bothered to close the door. He may need it, with the conversation that's in store.