AIM RP Log: Vested Interests

[sapoteur]

Who: BLU Spy and Civilian.
When: March 8th, a little after this.
Where: Civilian's office.
What: Save broken Engineer fingers...

Orwell would be okay eventually. And to tell the truth, he probably had it coming. But nonetheless, Spy wanted a word with Civilian about putting her teammates out of action. Having anyone unable to work to their best was a risk she wasn't willing to take.

Still, it wasn't the end of the world and as long as she was here, there was no reason not to take a stab, so to speak, at Civilian's challenge of her skills. So Spy put on a Scout disguise and banged impatiently on the door.

"Come on, man, open up!"

Click. Snap. Click-clack-click. On the other end of the doorway, locks could be heard disengaging. It wasn't as though he was frightened or paranoid, though - there was simply a lot of valuable merchandise being stored inside. Still, it takes a moment before the door swings just slightly open, and the Civilian can be seen peeking through the void.

"Yes?" he says simply. One can see an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Dok told me to come down here and tell you you can't go around breaking people's fingers." She took care to look a like she was only delivering such a message begrudgingly.

The door parted a little wider, revealing more of the man's face within, and his eyes fell upon 'Dan', granting him the same careful, piercing stare that everyone else received.

Civilian sighed wearily, his chest rising and falling visibly within his vest and attire. There was a definite sense of fatigue in his expressions, too, as if that simple altercation had actually managed to physically drain him somehow. "I see," he replied. "In that case, please give our Medic my sincerest apologies for the increase in his work-load."

Spy gave him a look of mild surprise and then shifted into annoyance.

"He said you'd say that too and that if you did, to tell you he doesn't have sterile facilities," she punctuated this with some finger quotes, "to be working in so he doesn't want people beating each other up on purpose." Spy gave him a commiserative eyeroll for the trouble.

With that, though, he managed to find a little humor - hopefully, that was what Dok intended - and mustered up a light chuckle. Civilian's laughter was always very curt, though, and came out sounding more like a sharp little breath rather than amusement; it was only the light smile he wore when he did so that made things clear.

"Yes, yes, I understand. Again, my apologies."

Looking for a moment as though she were debating her next move, she visibly made a decision.

"It doesn't work anyway. I mean, if you just wanna beat him up for the fun of it, I won't tell on you. But it doesn't do anything."

The door swung open wider still. Now the Civilian was standing in plain sight, leaning his shoulder up against the frame of the doorway as he regarded the Scout in front of him.

"...no. No, I suppose it does not," the man said in a distasteful tone. "Well, certainly not to change his attitude. But I cannot let him believe that there are no consequences to his foul attitude."

"Man, if he don't believe it by now, he ain't gonna. All he does is fight with people." Spy smirked. "And lose."

Civilian tilted his head back, lightly bumping it against the frame. It was almost as if he were kicking himself for his actions.

"I did not want to hurt him. I had hoped to get along with everyone on the team here..." he added. His unpleasant grimace suggested that he knew that opportunity had since sailed away. "But I am afraid, quite frankly, that he will cost you all dearly one day. If I can put any godly fear within him, then so be it."

Scout was a harder choice than Spy had anticipated. It was difficult to portray him accurately without espousing ideas she herself thought unwise. He wasn't completely hopeless for this though.

"You could tell his daddy on him," she suggested derisively. "That might actually get us somewhere."

"Oh, please!" Civilian shot back immediately, staring at her as if she'd suggested something completely ridiculous. His eyes suddenly became condemning, narrowing to the point that they were as sharp as razors.

...but then they softened just as quickly. "...well, perhaps I will keep this in mind," he finished, glancing aside suspiciously, as if he were loathe to admit the idea did have merit after all.

"And what of you? Are you not pleased to see him hurt, after he insulted you so badly?"

"He's a dick. Sometimes people get fed up with him." Spy shrugged. "It just pisses me off when people get mad if I fight with him when everyone else does too."

"I certainly tried to talk to him before all that, though, didn't I?"

The man seemed to be genuinely asking, like he was searching for real affirmation. "And I did not simply pick a fight because he was insulting. I...I just cannot allow him to jeopardize this base. Or any of you."

Another sigh. He should have known already that this would not be an easy assignment, yet it seemed to weigh heavily on him just the same.

He seemed to wanting validation. A curious thing to be asking of Scout, Spy thought. But it was what it was. She hadn't been around for anything that had happened before, so she'd just have to agree with his version of events and hope for the best.

"Well, yeah, but you ain't really been around to know, man. If you hung out with us all the time, you woulda known there wasn't any point in fighting with him."

"Again, I know it will not change the tune he sings, but he will still know..."

Civilian paused, extending out his hand and glancing down at it as his fingers formed together into a fist.

"...there is a risk to it."

Looking back towards 'Dan' again, there was a flash of reluctance to his face, but apparently not enough to change his mind as he took hold of the door.

"Now, my speedy little friend, I must ask that you excuse me," he said politely, turning his gaze towards his office. "There is still the unpleasant business of today's reports."

"You're gonna report yourself? That's pretty dumb, man."

He laughed again. "I meant, the report for today's battle."

She might notice that he did not say 'no' to her question, however.

"Oh yeah? How'd we do?" Obviously they won, but Spy was always interested in how well they did.

"This is not a report card, just an assessment of how much damage was done to the facility," he replied.

"Besides, I already complimented your performance today. That was what started this whole mess."

"Oh. Is that all you do in there? Fill out reports? That must be boring."

"I also make sure you and your esteemed colleagues have plenty of wonderful ways to upgrade your weaponry 'in there'."

Civilian wore a smart little chiding smile then, as if he were playfully jabbing at the Scout.

"...but yes, a lot of boring paperwork goes on in here. If you do not mind, that is."

"I don't know, man. I get the feeling you're hiding something in there. You hardly ever come out and when you do, you're always taking notes. And you're just kinda shifty-looking too." Spy said all of this as though it didn't actually bother her at all. "Maybe you're in there trying to make us lose."

"...'trying to make you lose'?" He repeated this aloud as if the words did not fit together, like puzzle pieces with unmatched ends.

Raising a hand, Civilian placed it upon his temples and began to rub gingerly.

"...I am very sorry you feel that way," he finally added after a small, yet weighted pause. "I only moved in recently, and I have been very busy setting things up."

"Yeah, trying. Good thing we're as good as we are. Orwell and all." Spy took a few steps back and forth, affecting the sort of fidgetiness Scouts seemed to get from standing in one place to long. "So what are you hiding in there? Mountains of paper? A million clipboards?"

Why was everyone in the practice of trying his patience today? Was this some kind of contagion, constantly spreading in these parts? Luckily, 'Dan' was not yet so much an anchor on his good nature.

"Ugh, I am...I am not hiding anything," he replied, his voice taking on a more grated tone.

Being a Scout was kind of fun, it turned out. Spy hadn't been one in years.

"Are you sure? 'Cause you look like the kind of guy who hides things. Almost like a Spy or something, except you just beat people up instead of stabbing them."

"We all have our little secrets, then, don't we?"

Spy might've wondered, then, exactly what he was referring to - especially because he said this with a rather sly smile on his face, curling every little syllable up into something almost lyrical.

Still, he could tell where this was going. This snoopy little boy was never going to give him a moment's peace until his childlike curiosity was sated.

"...would you like to come inside?" Civilian finally asked; there was a sigh behind his words that was practically audible on its own.

Taking a brief moment to pretend like she was thinking it over, deciding whether she had the time to visit his office when she clearly had time to harangue him about it, Spy accepted the invitation.

"Yeah, all right. Just to make sure you're not in here sabotaging us."

Good. All the better to simply get this over with - rip the bandage off quickly, that is. Civilian nodded assent, then stepped back, allowing full access to the door and beyond.

The inside of the Civilian's shop was surprisingly roomy. One could see the door leading to the 'front' of the store just off to the right, but to the left was something of a living space and office. The floor was open, hardwood panels, and uncluttered, save for a few stray papers here and there. A desk sat against one wall, with a pinboard looming over it - on it were all sorts of letters and documents, as well as a map of the area. Surrounding the desk, then, were a few shelves, each one lined with small, leather-bound books, and, in far greater quantity, chests, boxes, and lockers filled with the weaponry and upgrades needed to run his business.

In addition, a bed - more along the lines of a larger cot - was shoved up into a far corner, with shelves hanging above it. A makeshift closet had even been assembled just beside it, wherein one could find the Civilian's modest attire.

Spy strolled on in past Civilian and stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, and looked around. Nothing truly suspect, as she'd guessed.

"Plans, battle maps, dossiers. Just as I thought. Sabotage. For shame, Civilian. And you let me in to see anyway. That was pretty dumb," Spy looked over her shoulder, "What did I win?" she said in her own voice.

For his own part, the Civilian had promptly turned around, facing a nice, flat spot on the doorframe, then lightly smacked his own forehead into its smooth surface.

He couldn't place just why he had not noticed. Perhaps it was just the fatigue of the day. Perhaps she really had been that good and simply bested him. Either way, he felt the sting of defeat in no uncertain terms.

It was, however, all in good humor. Spy could see his gentle smile, as he simply couldn't help himself. "Weapons, too. You forgot the stockpile of weaponry I have at my disposal," he added, his face still slightly pressed up against the wood. "And you win...my respect."

"A high prize indeed," Spy teased back. She let her Scout disguise dissipate. "However, I wonder if you might allow that I ask for something else."

With a chuckle, he turned and regarded her, finally removing his slightly-reddened face from the door. He looked somewhat uncertain, but offered no visible cue. "...and what might that be?"

"You broke the Engineer's fingers. If the robots were to return before he could either heal or respawn, we would be at an extreme disadvantage without his help." Spy crossed her arms. "Do not do that again. To any of us. The Engineer may not be very polite, but we need everyone here at all times."

Judging by how sour his expressions suddenly grew, this was not the kind of request he had expected.

"Mademoiselle, I have already stated my case," he stated firmly, tilting his chin up. "Even those such as we know that there are rules, and there are consequences."

"Oui. There are consequences," Spy said evenly. "What do you suppose might happen if we lost here because the Engineer could not keep up his machines? Even if we survived the bomb, where do you suppose that would leave us?" She huffed. "We are not being judged individually here. So do not ruin this for me." It didn't bear saying that she personally had a lot to lose if they failed here.

"If the robots overtake this base because that man cannot keep up? I shall promptly buy a hat, and then eat it."

The last few words were said rather defiantly. Then, as a sense of realization swept across his expressions, he opened his mouth to speak again.

"...that is, you - and the others - are quite good enough to survive an attack."

"I should hope. Still, it is not a risk I want to take just because a teammate looked at you the wrong way." Spy relaxed a bit and leaned on the counter. "You have fought before. Even a solid team can have the tide turn on them if the enemy exploits the right hole in the operations. And the Engineer would be a very large hole."

"Have you seen him when he is actually working?"

Civilian's brow furrowed. "This has nothing to do with his poor behavior towards me! Nor is it his ability! It is his character that I doubt!"

Folding his lean arms neatly across his chest, Civilian strolled over towards his desk and sat down against an edge.

"If he is so quick to call you all 'worthless' and 'trash', how quickly then will he abandon you when his life is truly in danger?"

Spy smirked and perched herself on the counter.

"If his life is in danger? I find people tend to be a lot nicer when they need your help. That seems to be Engineer's problem, as far as I see. He does not think he needs ours." She shook her head and smiled. Engineer was, in that way, an idiot. "But I think Engineer does see that we need his. He suffers from respawn sickness, you know. It is very hard for him to get back out on the field. But he forces himself. Because he knows we need his machines up and what might happen if he fails us.

"And to be quite plain, of the Engineers I have met thus far, he is the one I would choose for this job. I would not trust my life or my work to the ones we had before him. His dedication to his position is worth more to me than whatever esteem he might hold me in."

Seeing her smirk, the Civilian raised her own of his own. "All of those sound like simple arrogance. It does not guarantee that he will not fly in the face of danger. Do not trust your life to him at all."

But he kept right on smirking. "But if you are so confident in him, so enthralled by his abilities, then let me exercise a bit of my authority here: find a way to change that man's attitude. If you can, not only will I eat that hat, but you can name any other reward you wish."

"Any reward I want? That is a dangerous thing to promise. Do I also get to pick what kind of hat?"

"I trust you will still be responsible - on both counts," he replied, practically sticking out his tongue at her witty retort.

"I will see that you are not given more than you can chew." And with that, she pushed herself off the counter and prepared to leave for the barracks. "It would seem I have some social calls to make tomorrow, so I should be off. Au revoir, Civilian."

"And I have those reports to file," he responded, standing up from his desktop perch to more politely see her off. "But...now that you've been in, feel free to stop by any time."

She paused in the doorway and turned back to him, smirk returning for an encore.

"Do you want me to try and trick you into letting me in still or may I just knock?"

"Oh, I will be a bit more wary of your trickery next time," he shot back, chuckling lightly. "Perhaps knocking would be easier."

That marked the second time in their conversation that he did not answer negatively to one of her loaded questions.

Spy smiled, preferring to take his answer to mean she could choose whichever she preferred.

"Goodnight, Civilian. I will see you tomorrow."