AUDIENCE FOR: Rupert

[guestservices]

Comments

[agleam]

[he takes his time, reading it over several times, before he glances towards the binder.]

...You only took a few pages out. Is there more in there?

[guestservices]

[ they shake their head. ]

Not for you, no. This is it.

[agleam]

...Can I ask what else is in there, even if you can't show it to me?

[guestservices]

Everyone else’s contracts.

[ an easy enough answer! ] Just our organization.

[agleam]

Okay. So... Questions, then. There are a few I've been wondering about for a couple of days, so - we can start with those.

[first off... he pushes up the shirt sleeve on his right wrist, showing the script-like scar tissue there.]

Do you have any idea what this pattern might be? I'm going to ask the other staff, too, just in case. But...

[guestservices]

[ oh! they lean in to peer at it closer?. ]

Just looks like a scar to me. Is it supposed to be something?

[agleam]

I have no idea, that's why I'm asking. It's... weird. I definitely felt all the other injuries I got, but this just showed up when I left, and it was completely painless. It didn't fade at all when Gemini healed me, either.

[guestservices]

That's really weird. Does it hurt now?

[ huh. they will reach out with gloved hands to carefully touch around it, if rupert will let them? just kind of feeling it out. ]

[agleam]

[he lets them, though he shakes his head to the question.]

No, it doesn't. And I don't really want to complain about that part, it's just that the rest of it is... kind of ominous.

[guestservices]

Huh.

[ weird. ]

Well... maybe one of the others'd know, but I've got nothing. Sorry, Rupert. Wish I had an answer for you. I don't think I've ever even seen anything like it before.

[agleam]

[he shakes his head]

No, it's alright. I'll check with them tomorrow... It's been a long day. I, um, did have another question about the place I got sent, though.

[guestservices]

[ they pat his hand. very comforting. (?) ]

Shoot. Same thing applies - Iunno what I can really answer, considering we couldn't see any of you when you vanished - but I can try.

[agleam]

It's more general.

[...]

Did your boss orchestrate this, too? Based on what he knew would bother us?

[guestservices]

[ mmm... some of their usual warmth fades. ]

Iunno if it was orchestrated, really - I don't think my pay grade's near high enough for that. Did it hit you someone personal?

[agleam]

...A few places.

[...]

The weird thing is, I told one of you that one of the things I wanted most of all was to not have to hurt anyone, and - I got put in a position to do just that.

[guestservices]

Shit, Rupert.

[ the concern and empathy in their voice comes through. ]

...I don't think it'd be that surprising, for things to get twisted based on - [ a pause. they seem to be thinking on their wording. ] - ...On stuff they might've seen, or been looking at. Or, it could've been just really, really shitty luck.

[ or fashion choices, ]

[agleam]

[the fact that he's going to blame the person in charge all game and not know it was because of the vest is very funny to me]

...Aquila, how do you feel about all this? I mean, being involved in this kind of system like you are.

[guestservices]

[ RUPERT YOUR CLOTHES

anyway. they pause for a moment, fingers curling briefly before they pull back. ]

...I think that maybe it's better that I'm here, over who could've been in my shoes.

[agleam]

[he pauses for a moment in turn.]

How do you mean?

[guestservices]

I'm not really a stranger to making deals with the devil.

[ a little shrug. ]

Besides, I can get to know you guys. Talk to you guys. And I've got a couple of healing tricks up my sleeve that help you when you're hurting, even if it's still pretty limited. If it had to be someone, guess I'm glad it's me.

[agleam]

[he pauses for a moment.]

Did it have to be someone, though? You're kind of making it sound like you didn't have a choice.

[guestservices]

...yeah, well. Sometimes, the definition of choice is subjective.

[ there's something sort of somber in the way they say that. ] But, it was my choice, and not one I'd go back on.

[agleam]

[he doubts they'll be able to tell him, but...]

What would the other option have been?

[guestservices]

[ he can probably hear the wry little smile in their tone. ]

's a secret.

[agleam]

[he imagines they won't be able to answer this either, in that case, so it's more wondering aloud when he asks:]

...Did you guys have hostages, too?