keeps_a_cool_head

[In Zero, Scorpius does what he does best: he plans. Giving him space and time to think through what he wants and how to get it is one of the unintended gifts of his cell space, and he appreciates every moment of it.

After several days, he addresses the Barge]

A question to my fellow shipmates;

When an inmate commits a grievous crime, who is to blame for it? Obviously the inmate must share some, but what percentage is attributed to them and what percentage is attributed to their warden, who may be unfit to command them? A warden may fail just as easily by not admitting to something that could be most assuredly out of their control.

And what of inmates who aren't paired and no one has taken the time to explain to them the rules?

My apologies to Alex Summers. While it was certainly my intent to hurt him, he had done nothing to harm me and was simply in the correct place at the correct time.

[Private to Crichton]

Of course, John, we all know that you are the one fully to blame.

More like Alex will follow. You cannot hope to save them all.

In a few days' time they will be forced to release me. What has changed between the time of my entering this cell and the time of my leaving it? As a deterrent towards behavior, Zero leaves much to be desired.

I am willing to entertain ideas of a deal between us.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

John Crichton? I'm new, I don't know him.

I suggest you introduce yourself to him, should you get the opportunity. He is a...fascinating individual, and wise beyond his years and the limitations of his species.

[That... actually makes him smile. It sounds like something Nanami might have said, from what pieces of her can remember. It sounds like something he could learn to think and feel himself, over time.

For a heartbeat, he's even tempted to tell her the truth about himself. She'd like Izuru, wouldn't she? But then he recoils from that idea: he doesn't want anyone to know the truth, and he doesn't want anyone to like Izuru. Not when the whole point of being here is to move on.

Still, he smiles.]

I bet you make a good warden, then.

[He has met Crichton, of course, but only briefly. It certainly hasn't been enough to know the cause of this little... obsession, or whatever it is. Something to do with the painting he saw in the art gallery?

Despite himself, he's starting to become curious about all this. He hopes it's for the right reasons.]

Okay, so, tell me. If I can't convince you, can you convince me?

Not without knowing you better, and knowing what ideals you hold. And even then, our morals may be fundamentally opposed to one another.

For instance, if you are the sort who believes violence of any sort is inherently wrong no matter what the reason, I could not envision convincing you of anything.

I take it your plans are going well, dearie?

For the right inmate, aye, I think so. I don't think I 'ave the patience or delicacy for some of the... well, say, River or Abigail or Czes or even Gary. But I've done well with the tough and stubborn ones. Victor's made some amazing progress; my first inmate were out of 'ere in eight months.

I'd love to tackle Scorpius and all. I like the ones you can really get your teeth into and 'e's a lovely example.

Th-that wasn't a question... I was offering you a chance to talk...

Exceptionally, thank you. I hope to check in on John today - if he will consent to show himself over video - and see how his mental deterioration is progressing.

To what purpose? If I am not fully convinced I can convince you based on how little I know of who you are, why should I waste the energy?

Anything I can do to assist? [Read: she's bored.]

I'll be turning my attention towards drugging Crichton's food next, now that his sleep patterns are being systematically disrupted. But I may need a chemist's tools and information on just how different Sebaceans are from humans.

I wonder, could you inspect the library to check for a volume on human anatomy?

Should be fairly simple.

The creature who runs the library is a female named Chromie. I have known her to be extremely helpful.

[There's a slight lip curl. Not a phrase she wanted to hear.]

I doubt I'll need her assistance. I am more than capable of finding a book.

Then I offer my apologies. You have always proven extraordinarily capable.

[Charles could just respond on the network. Could have reached out to contact him days ago, really, but he hadn't wanted to for a number of reasons, and this just seems better done in person, really.

So he wanders down to Zero with an air of genuine nonchalance about himself, hands in his pants pockets like he's just casually taking a stroll and happened to end up here, outside of Scorpius' cell. His voice is downright mild and conversational when he addresses him, regarding him rather incuriously.]

You seem to be enjoying yourself.

[In his cell in Zero - a place that is growing familiar to him - Scorpius sits on his cot, looking over his communicator in his hands. When Charles approaches, he looks up and shuts the comm off, setting it to the side]

Not to an obscene degree, I hope.

I think that depends a bit on your definition of obscene. [It's half a joke, although maybe not as much of one as it would be if they were somewhere else. Murdering someone to get at your old enemy and then using it as an opportunity to twist the blame around to other matters isn't as obscene as say, holding an open display of your artwork depicting various horrifying things happening to other passengers while acting like it's some formal event.]

I assume you know who I am.

[She may be somewhat molified. She is such a cat.]

I aim to please.

Edited 2014-03-02 17:42 (UTC)

Dr. Charles Xavier. Yes - but only through others, and your own network posts not addressed to me.

[Scorpius stands but doesn't approach the bars, curious as to what prompted this visit]

I presume you aren't here to let me out early.

[Scorpius gives a rare, broad smile. It's like having Braca back with him, albeit a more good-looking Braca. He finds that the more he spends time with Catra, the more he grows to like her]

What pleases you most, Catra?

[Charles chuckles, and again, it's friendly, honestly amused.] No, I'm afraid not.

[Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. But it's absolutely not the reason he came down here, and he's pleased at least that he was right in his assumption that Scorpius would be someone who actually pays attention to what happens on the network. It saves them both a bit of time.]

Then I suppose you also know what I am, and why it wasn't an especially smart idea to use my son as a tool to further your vendetta against Mr. Crichton.

A telepath. Someone with psychic ability.

[This just became interesting. Scorpius has always had some small way of telling when people around him were lying, but this bonus is nothing compared to what his father's race can do. Scarrans raised him: Scarrans had tortured him mind and body. If this new creature is truly psychic, then Scorpius knows both that he cannot hide his motivation and does not fear being found out.]

It was not a personal assault. I left Alex Summers alive.

...And he is 'Commander' Crichton. Please afford him at least that much, even if you have little reason to like him.

But you are here to ensure that what happened to Alex does not occur again. I assure you, I have little interest in attacking him a second time.

Maybe if you're a little more straightforward with me, I'll be a little more straightforward with you.

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