Huh. Maybe I wasn't as clear as I'd hoped.
When I write Daimler, I'm trying for/hearing something like either Victor Sullivan, or an older Harrison Ford. I was curious if that carried through.
**********
For lack of anything better to do, I obliged him, floating Lada (sans arm) into one of the cells in the back room. In a moment of whimsy, I checked the cell I'd put ZIL in, only to find it unoccupied, and in perfect condition. How disappointing. I figured he'd've at least tried to escape!
"Where am I? Who's there?"Ah. Good. She's awake."...and WHAT! HAPPENED! TO! MY! ARM!?"
Sounds like my cue. I stepped out from around the corner, teasingly waving Lada's arm at her. "Looking for this?"
Lada's eyes narrowed. "You," she spat, barely-restrained fury evident in her voice.
Vitriol much?"Yes. Me." I flicked my wrist a bit, throwing Lada's arm over my shoulder. "I told you, Ilyushina Lada, last time we met... you owed me an arm. Are you really so surprised that I managed to collect?"
I probably shouldn't wind her up too much. Don't want her getting... talkative. I put on a serious face, and moderated my tone a bit. "You know how this business works. How could you not? You do what you have to, line your pockets, and build your reputation." I looked down, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "Unfortunately, you managed to hurt me, last time we met.
You drove me off- and I couldn't have that. I needed to save my reputation. So I had to come back."
Lada snorted. "You come to our city, you fight our people... and you say is just business?" She shook her head in negation. "No. Was our business. You trespassed. You needed to pay."A moment later, she smiled thinly. "In fact, I am thinking taking of arms is my business, and you should not be holding the grudge. No?"
Much calmer. Better. I spread my arms, grinning. "What grudge? I told you- I had to protect my reputation. Now, if anybody asks about how you cut my arm off and drove me off-planet, I can tell them about how your warehouse exploded one day, and how you showed up in TSAB custody a few hours later, minus one arm." I brought my hands together in a clap. "It was never anything personal," I said, figuratively lying through my teeth.
Lada... well, she was still sitting up, ramrod straight, on her solid block of a bunk, but I got the feeling that she relaxed a bit. Must've been some subtle body language thing- I've always sucked at consciously catching those. "If I get out of prison, I come after you. You understand, yes?"
Sounds like she's not going to be blabbing about my little barrier jacket mistake. "Hey, I put you in prison. That's got to be bad for your reputation... and I certainly understand wanting to protect your reputation..."
She nodded. "You understand. Good." She then scooted closer to the edge of the bed-block, turned, and laid down, awkwardly straightening the covers with her one remaining arm. "Leave me."
I nodded, and walked out of the room.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
When I write Daimler, I'm trying for/hearing something like either Victor Sullivan, or an older Harrison Ford. I was curious if that carried through.
**********
For lack of anything better to do, I obliged him, floating Lada (sans arm) into one of the cells in the back room. In a moment of whimsy, I checked the cell I'd put ZIL in, only to find it unoccupied, and in perfect condition. How disappointing. I figured he'd've at least tried to escape!
"Where am I? Who's there?"Ah. Good. She's awake."...and WHAT! HAPPENED! TO! MY! ARM!?"
Sounds like my cue. I stepped out from around the corner, teasingly waving Lada's arm at her. "Looking for this?"
Lada's eyes narrowed. "You," she spat, barely-restrained fury evident in her voice.
Vitriol much?"Yes. Me." I flicked my wrist a bit, throwing Lada's arm over my shoulder. "I told you, Ilyushina Lada, last time we met... you owed me an arm. Are you really so surprised that I managed to collect?"
I probably shouldn't wind her up too much. Don't want her getting... talkative. I put on a serious face, and moderated my tone a bit. "You know how this business works. How could you not? You do what you have to, line your pockets, and build your reputation." I looked down, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "Unfortunately, you managed to hurt me, last time we met.
You drove me off- and I couldn't have that. I needed to save my reputation. So I had to come back."
Lada snorted. "You come to our city, you fight our people... and you say is just business?" She shook her head in negation. "No. Was our business. You trespassed. You needed to pay."A moment later, she smiled thinly. "In fact, I am thinking taking of arms is my business, and you should not be holding the grudge. No?"
Much calmer. Better. I spread my arms, grinning. "What grudge? I told you- I had to protect my reputation. Now, if anybody asks about how you cut my arm off and drove me off-planet, I can tell them about how your warehouse exploded one day, and how you showed up in TSAB custody a few hours later, minus one arm." I brought my hands together in a clap. "It was never anything personal," I said, figuratively lying through my teeth.
Lada... well, she was still sitting up, ramrod straight, on her solid block of a bunk, but I got the feeling that she relaxed a bit. Must've been some subtle body language thing- I've always sucked at consciously catching those. "If I get out of prison, I come after you. You understand, yes?"
Sounds like she's not going to be blabbing about my little barrier jacket mistake. "Hey, I put you in prison. That's got to be bad for your reputation... and I certainly understand wanting to protect your reputation..."
She nodded. "You understand. Good." She then scooted closer to the edge of the bed-block, turned, and laid down, awkwardly straightening the covers with her one remaining arm. "Leave me."
I nodded, and walked out of the room.
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.