on the nature of oaths

[zuhrovet]

[In the current move, Sasha has just accepted an oath of service from Jedao, a relationship Reshad believes is coercive. I'm not sure whether this properly counts as character rp or a new half-move, but I think we all need some new space to deal with the fallout!]

Sasha is waiting outside the antechamber. She has tied her scarf again, and looks as put-together as she ever does. "Are we having this conversation in my office?" she asks Reshad. "Or over tea, with everyone?"

Comments

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[yhlee]

Jedao grins and springs back up to his feet--invading Virmad's personal space just slightly en passant, or was it an accident? "I won't be of much use to your cause if I allow myself to get soft. I don't know what exercise facilities you have on this moth--dare I hope for a firing range?" His gaze snags on the sewing kit. "Damnation," he remarks, "and I forgot to ask for a seam ripper. Oh well, I can make do with the scissors if you brought those. Thank you; I thought I'd tailor these clothes to fit a little better."

[Jedao will be watching for Virmad's reaction to having his personal space encroached upon.

Meanwhile, SCIENTIFIC FOIL FOR ALL!]

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[lleullawgyffes]

So close... Virmad thinks, licking his lips half-unconsciously. Then: Keep it together, Virzhi!

“Right, the sewing kit,” he says, offering it to Jedao. He hesitates, then adds, “I feel like we got off on the wrong foot, with the whole inquisitor thing. I’ve been waiting — ah, wanting to meet you for a while now. I was — or I will be — or I would have been? — whatever! — at...well,” he laughs, “a battle that I suppose won’t happen now, at least in this timeline. Under your command.”

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[yhlee]

Jedao accepts the kit and opens it, inventorying it with deft fingers. His gaze doesn't leave Virmad's face once. "Thank you," he says. "I understand you were doing your duty. But a Rahal, under my command?" He studies Virmad's face with interest. "I'm curious about this battle, and your part in it"--his voice deepens slightly on your--"but I don't know what I'm authorized to learn about my own timeline?"

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[lleullawgyffes]

Virmad manages — with difficulty, but he manages it — to prevent himself from turning bright red, although internally he’s screaming, HE’S FLIRTING WITH ME.

“Now that you mention it,” he says, “I probably shouldn’t say more. Or at least...” He considers. “I shouldn’t go into detail, anyway. You borrowed some calendrical lenses from the station where I was posted, and I was temporarily assigned to one of them. So I was only technically under your command, but...”

He trails off, gesturing vaguely. “In any case, it was...an interesting battle. You...intrigued me. I hoped I’d have a chance to meet you in person someday.” He smiles. “I admit I never would have expected it would be under these circumstances.”

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[yhlee]

Jedao's gaze sharpens at the mention of calendrical lenses. "You may have said too much already," he says wryly. "Assuming you took me from a point in time close to that doomed conference, there are only so many facilities with calendrical lenses in any number--Smokewatch 33-67 through 33-91 among them. Which narrows the field of engagement considerably. There are only so many heretics, or possible heretics, in those regions--at least ones requiring a full general's attention. And since calendrical lenses are rarely of practical use in battlefield conditions, this suggests a ruse of some sort. Am I right?"

He smiles a tilted smile at Virmad, self-mocking. "In any case, you have your opportunity now. Do I meet your expectations?"

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[lleullawgyffes]

“Perhaps I have said too much already,” Virmad says, half-smiling. Sasha’s going to kill me. Or threaten to. It’ll probably still just be a threat. “But yes, a ruse was involved. I’ll leave it at that — and to you, to imagine just what kind.”

“As for expectations...” Virmad considers. “I had some idea what — or who — to expect, but I must say, your reputation doesn’t do justice to your charm in person — or.” He pauses for a moment, then smiles. “Perhaps it does, but I had assumed it was an exaggeration. It’s extremely disarming — which,” he muses, “I suppose must be useful for someone with your skillset.”

[just throwing this out there but I wonder if there's a timeline where Virmad is Jedao's magistrate ex.]

paging Reshad and Sasha, or anyone else willing to help

[yhlee]

[Before we proceed further in this direction: I'm amenable, but we need an explanation as to why the team doesn't already know this. Jedao's personal history has been scoured for every possible detail, and even the rebellion would have accessed a lot of that information. Reshad and Sasha in particular would have been good candidates for knowing this beforehand. Can you (or any other players) help me come up with a reason that Virmad's ex-ness would not have made it into the records, besides "oops it was a different timeline"?]

Re: paging Reshad and Sasha, or anyone else willing to help

[lleullawgyffes]

[oh, that was really just a humorous musing/thought, not an earnest suggestion! I think it would be too difficult to adequately integrate it into a timeline that's not radically different from the main one, and it would require some nontrivial divergences from established details/timeline tendencies (e.g., Virmad being a magistrate rather than an Inquisitor; he wouldn't be temperamentally suited for administrative work at all so it would have to be a very different Virmad to fit the bill, I think).

a more plausible thought I had was that conceivably Virmad knew/knows Jedao's Rahal ex, presumably after they dated — but I feel like at this point in the conversation it's probably too late for Virmad to mention that that's how he got a firsthand account of Jedao's charm.]

Re: paging Reshad and Sasha, or anyone else willing to help

[yhlee]

[Oh, sorry I misread you! I'm very literal by default, and of course internet communication makes it even harder to "read" tone.]

Re: paging Reshad and Sasha, or anyone else willing to help

[lleullawgyffes]

[no worries! I could have been clearer, too. :-)]

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[yhlee]

[Actual response--sorry for the delay. I have a book deadline looming over me...]

"Are you a ruse?" Jedao counters. "Or perhaps a test of some kind?" His smile flashes at Virmad: tilted, and a little challenging. "I have to say, personal charm is irrelevant to a sniper, although it does help to have willing soldiers when one is commanding troops."

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[lleullawgyffes]

“‘Sniper’ — is that what they’re calling it these days?” Virmad laughs. “And will you believe me if I say I’m neither?” he asks. “I probably wouldn’t, in your position. Or, if I’m a test, it’s for myself as much as it is for you.” He sighs and puts his hand, just for a moment, into his left pocket to touch the lantern pendant there. “I have so many questions I’d like to ask you, but we picked you up at the wrong point in your timeline and I can’t pose them now with any certainty that I’ll get the answers I’m looking for. So we both have to trust.”

Re: [for whoever is monitoring Jedao]

[yhlee]

"I'm sure the state of innuendo hasn't changed much since we were current," Jedao murmurs. "What are the answers you are looking for? Certainty I can't give you, any more than anyone can. But maybe I can give you possibilities."

His gaze follows Virmad's hand, notes the object in the pocket; but he doesn't ask. Not yet.