Cian (thebettingsort) wrote in emillion, @ 2014-05-31 10:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, !log, cian wilde, loch lemach |
Who: Cian & Loch (+ NPC Ksenia)
Where: Loch’s secondary office
When: Last Thursday night (5/22)
What: Meeting the new docks overseer
Rating: PG-13 because duh
Status: Complete
Ksenia marched at his side, her boots giving her just enough additional inches that they were very nearly of a height, and fortunately for her career prospects, she appeared to know her boss’ moods well enough to realize it was wisest to shut the fuck up right about now. Matching him stride for stride, the corsair’s face was impassive as they made their way between warehouses and down alleys to the new secondary office of the harbormaster’s assistant. Cian had to appreciate her timely silence -- Ksenia had always had a brain. And ambition -- he knew that she had been responsible for initial reports of Leo’s perfidy, which had spurred him to hire Fee to look into things. No doubt she’d seen Sevrin’s spot as rightfully hers all along (and no doubt his death had not been mourned), but she had brains and ambition and for those reasons alone he hadn’t tapped her for the spot before. Things were different now, though -- staff was stretched thinner, he couldn’t provide the amount of oversight he might have liked, and those brains were going to keep the operation running with or without him. He had to put his trust somewhere. And though she wasn’t particularly pliable, her daughter had recently entered an apprenticeship inside the org. Just because he’d never fuck with a ten-year-old didn’t mean she wouldn’t step lightly. He said nothing still as he approached the designated location, found the bell, then stepped back from the door, waiting until Lemach deigned to let them in. Moments later, the door opened and Loch's face appeared in the gap for an instant; she glanced at her two visitors and said, "Come on in." She stepped back to let them in; by the time they had crossed the threshold she was already standing behind the desk. The stiff chair that had once been the only other piece of furniture now having been reduced to splinters by giant monsters, two wooden stools had taken its place in the new office. The only chair in the room was the one behind the desk, which Loch now settled into as if it were a throne. The brusque invitation was all they were likely to get, and Cian didn’t let it bother him. Considering his mood, the less conversation, the better. He took his stool without a flicker of expression, settling on it as though he were in a throne of his own, refusing to shift his weight. Ksenia followed his lead after a moment with slightly less success, but fortunately, she maintained her silence, which at the moment was all that was required of her (it was a fine balance -- Lemach had to see her as unthreatening, of course, but at the same time, she couldn’t be too soft, lest Cian have to direct her every move to ensure things ran smoothly going forward). “Thanks for taking the time,” Cian told the ninja before him after a few moments of silence. “As promised, an introduction: Ksenia Krylova, Loch Lemach. Ksenia will be taking over dock operations for me.” And she won’t be giving you any trouble went unsaid. He tried to keep his people out of Lemach’s hair as a rule, figuring it to be a tidier arrangement. Ksenia nodded her head in a show of politeness and said, “A pleasure,” holding out her broad, calloused hand for a shake. Loch leaned forward and clasped the woman's hand in hers. "Pleasure's mine." She glanced at Cian as she said, "Be a few minor changes since I ain't got tons of people didn't get crushed by a giant monster and stayed in town, but nothing that will affect your op." Then, addressing Ksenia, "You look like a competent woman. I'm guessing you know how the op works?" “Been working it the last decade, so I’d assume so,” Ksenia answered. Still annoyed, probably, that she was only tapped then everything broke down and Cian needed someone to hold shit together. Well, let her be -- he was plenty annoyed for his own reasons, too. “If one of your changes ends up bigger than you thought,” he said, “you let Ksenia know. She’ll be in touch with me.” And hopefully, that would be that. He was itching to go do something. Anything. His own irritation bubbled just under the surface, barely kept at bay by the knowledge that this was not the time and place. Couldn’t let his problems with the idiot princess impact his work, after all. “You got anything else for us?” he asked. “Since you’re saying no significant changes, I’m going to assume the handover will be smooth sailing.” Loch’s gaze flickered to him—his apparent haste registered, though she had no interest in prying (not only was discussing his relationship with Ash not a favorite pastime of hers, recent events notwithstanding, but she had no intention of disrupting a business meeting with such matters, even had they brought her concern.) “But of course,” she said with a curl of her lip. “That’s what I’m paid for, innit?” “That’s right,” he said. “So we’ll all just keep helping each other out.” Honor among thieves, or something like it -- he had leverage on Ksenia, so she wouldn’t screw him over, and as long as she behaved, Lemach would behave. Best for everyone. “Wouldn’t want to detain you too long,” he said, though the meeting had been uncharacteristically short. “You ever need me,” Ksenia said blandly, “you’ll find me where you found Sevrin.” Her expression hinted that she was certain this would be an improvement over the previous situation. Loch nodded in reply (she did not fail to see said improvement—this woman had to be competent if she was being placed at the helm and, unlike her predecessor, looked anything but boring.) “We’ll see ourselves out, then,” the gambler said, standing from the stool, managing to make the unfolding of his long limbs look somehow less than awkward despite the stool’s clear intention to make any visitor seem exactly that. “You ever need me, you know where to look, too.” Loch rose as well. She walked around the desk―keeping them in her field of vision―and accompanied them both to the door. To Cian, she said, “Always a pleasure doing business with you.” Even more of a pleasure when business was concluded so swiftly. The moment Cian Wilde and his new overseer were out of her office, she locked the door and reactivated her security―lest they might experience a desire to continue their discussion and come back. |