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Dr. Cheung's at a funeral all day, so Linya decides to go up to London and see if Miles is out of his Mood.
Security has decided to be deeply unhelpful today. She is currently showing them various forms of ID and repeating in a slow, patient voice that she has been here before, there is not more than one of her, and she promises she is not there to assassinate her husband or whatever fool thing has them skittish today. Perhaps she shouldn't drop in while the captain's missing; it seems to make them worse. But she got in before while he was missing...
isthisart
thisvorlunatic
Ow. Again.
"I wish I could rescue you," says Miles. "I wish I had rescued you. Won't you let me—?"
"I wish I could rescue you," says Miles. "I wish I had rescued you. Won't you let me—?"
unmarred
Mark hesitates, teetering at some internal precipice, then shakes his head.
"I can't. I can't."
"I can't. I can't."
thisvorlunatic
"You could have a life," Miles says desperately. "I don't know what you've got now, but life isn't it. Don't - don't just crawl into my skin and walk away. It's damned uncomfortable to wear sometimes, and I'm afraid you'd find it stifling."
unmarred
"It's not that I don't know what I stand to gain; it's that I do know what I stand to lose. I told you, you don't understand how I'm afraid."
thisvorlunatic
"Maybe not. But isn't this," he does his best to make a gesture encompassing the room, given that he can only move his head, "an unauthorized venture anyway? Is it that much more of a risk?"
thisvorlunatic
"Fine," sighs Miles. "Fine... Look - whatever else happens - listen to Mother. She can teach you to breathe if anyone can."
unmarred
"Not assassination, if that's what you mean... I've read his book. It was fascinating. I think I'd enjoy talking to him. But it's hard to tell. There aren't many people I enjoy talking to." He pauses, then adds, "Ivan's fun."
unmarred
"Yes. Ivan, and you. That's it so far. But I might like your wife better if I didn't have to pretend to be you to talk to her. Maybe I'll make the experiment."
thisvorlunatic
"...I feel like I should point out that 'tied to a chair' is probably not her optimal conversational circumstance."
unmarred
"Hm. Now think of something horrifying, I'm putting you back and the guards shouldn't see you looking like you had fun."
thisvorlunatic
...Miles blinks at him.
All right, he can see the strategic value, certainly... and he doesn't lack for horrifying things to think about. Mark's childhood, for example.
All right, he can see the strategic value, certainly... and he doesn't lack for horrifying things to think about. Mark's childhood, for example.
unmarred
"That's better."
Mark fetches the guards, and has Miles hauled back to his cell.
The guards don't bother motioning for Linya; they just stun her and haul her away.
Mark fetches the guards, and has Miles hauled back to his cell.
The guards don't bother motioning for Linya; they just stun her and haul her away.
thisvorlunatic
"Hey!" yelps Miles, but he restrains himself from actually trying to jump them. It wouldn't do any bloody good.
unmarred
So.
Linya wakes up tied to a chair, alone in the office with Mark. He is pacing. He doesn't pace very much like Miles, when he's not putting on the role.
Linya wakes up tied to a chair, alone in the office with Mark. He is pacing. He doesn't pace very much like Miles, when he's not putting on the role.
unmarred
"You know, that's just what your husband said. He also said tied to a chair is not your optimal conversational context. Care to comment?"
isthisart
"It really isn't. Neither is 'recently stunned'. But I'll make do, if what you want to do is talk as opposed to bringing me somewhere I can buy you a ticket to Tau Ceti and then call the police."