lieutenant seivarden vendaai (vendaai) wrote in thedisplaced, @ 2018-09-03 15:06:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !log/thread, kell maresh, seivarden vendaai |
WHO: Seivarden Vendaai & Kell Maresh & Station (NPC)
WHAT: First meeting, touring Station
WHEN: Backdated to uhhhh like a week ago or something
WHERE: Athoek Station
WARNINGS: I don't think there are any?
Someone from outside their world was finally moving into Station. Seivarden found herself at a disadvantage, not having met her yet. Therefore, she’d offered to show the newcomer, Kell, who apparently identified as male, around the available apartments. With help from Station, of course, who was everywhere.
She greeted Kell at the entrance, dressed in her brown lieutenant uniform and brown gloves. Probably the message of the uniform itself would be lost on Kell, as it was on the majority of people in this world. But some part of her felt that Station would appreciate the gesture, even though Station hadn’t said so.
“Hello, Kell,” she said with a wide smile, when the redhead arrived. Belatedly, she tried to remember what pronouns Breq had assigned to Kell; she was fairly certain it was he/him. Thankfully, she didn’t have to use those just yet, but still, she queried Station silently, who responded in the affirmative. Kell Maresh - male.
She offered her gloved hand to shake. “I’m Seivarden. It’s wonderful to meet you.”
--
Kell felt a bit bad that he hadn’t individually asked the additional member of Breq’s party if this was all okay, but Kell hoped that Breq would have said something if she suspected it wasn’t going to be.
He figured it wasn’t too late to back out if things were going to be too awkward, although he had little idea of how Rhy would react to that.
“It’s good to meet you as well,” Kell answered with what was his warmest smile, reaching forward to take Seivarden’s hand.
…
Seivarden had long since gotten used to the fact that no one else here wore gloves, so she was not really bothered by it, but it was still strange to her that they didn’t even seem to think about their bare hands. If humans hadn’t cared about bare hands back when they were on Earth, when had they started paying attention to that? Was it at the start of the Radch, or before?
She had a lot of thoughts like that these days, most of which she kept to herself.
“I hope you don’t mind if I start showing you around,” she said. “I wanted to get to know you a little better. We’ll go and find Breq after the tour if she doesn’t catch up to us.” She turned slightly, gesturing for Kell to walk with her. “Do you have an idea of what sort of lodgings you’re looking for?”
--
“Not at all,” Kell said. “Thank you for taking the time. You don’t mind my moving in, do you?” That wasn’t the sort of feel that he was getting at the moment, but he thought a direct question might be the best way to take care of this. Even if it wasn’t, it was also the tactic that Kell was most accustomed to.
“I don’t need much,” Kell said. He still didn’t have many items, and he couldn’t see anything on Station not fitting his basic needs.
…
“No, not at all,” Seivarden said easily, smiling at him. It was true enough; she was glad to have people around for Station and Breq’s sake, if nothing else. If she was being very honest, the idea of people moving in only worried her in the sense that she might accidentally make an ass of herself. So far most people here had gotten a fairly good impression of her, she thought. But it was only a matter of time. “Station was built to hold thousands of people. It’s strange having it so empty.”
She didn’t yet have any personal reasons to be glad that Kell, individually, would be moving in here, so hopefully that reason would suffice. It was true that while she didn’t mind the absence of people, the presence of them would make both Station and Breq happier. And Seivarden wanted to make them happy.
She led the way onto the concourse. Station offered a few suggestions in her ear, and Seivarden agreed with the barest twitch of her fingers.
“And since it’s empty, you really get to have first pick. There are very fancy lodgings, entire houses with gardens and the like, but we’re reserving those for larger families, I think. Also, really awful people lived there, so I don’t know that I’d recommend them anyway.” She winked at Kell. “The standard quarters are very nice, and for those, it’s more a matter of location than anything else. Whether you’d prefer to be closer or farther from the concourse, for example -- it’s quiet now, but it hopefully won’t be for long. Or if you want to be close to the Gardens.”
--
Kell was about to protest that he didn’t need fancy lodgings, and that was actually part of the appeal of moving out of the palace, but Seivarden beat him to the punch.
“Well,” Kell said, admittedly a little charmed by the wink, as it came with information that they were reserving the “fancier” lodgings for those who would more likely need them, “I’ll keep in mind that if you ever move me there, it’s a judgement upon my character.” Kell smiled.
“Being near the Gardens might be nice,” Kell answered.
…
Seivarden laughed. “It’d be more of a judgment if those were the sort of lodgings you asked for, but you’re not wrong.”
It was a strange thing, having been gifted the properties and belongings of people they’d disliked, especially Citizen Fosyf. Breq still refused to drink the Daughter of Fishes tea that had been brewed before the tea growers had become their own collective. And yet they didn’t want to give it away to anyone, even though it was very good tea, because it seemed like an insult, even if the person on the receiving end didn’t know it. Seivarden had been drinking it, because it was good, and because on some level it amused her that Citizen Fosyf would probably angry to know all of her tea had been given to them against her wishes.
She was already heading in the direction of the Garden, so she didn’t move to change course. “There’s lodgings in the Undergarden, which are quite nice. It’s where Breq and I stayed when we first got to Station. Although she came down here before I did.” That was kind of an irrelevant detail, but Seivarden waved it aside. “Levels one and two are fixed up, and we put in sensors for Station, since there weren’t any down there before. And there are also lodgings around the Garden itself. I can show you all of them.”
--
“I’ll accept that,” Kell answered with a wry smile. Having grown up somewhat as part of the Maresh family, he was accustomed to a certain level of wealth, but he still didn’t really expect it and he liked to think he could easily do without.
He was also quietly relieved that he and Seivarden seemed to get along okay. He knew a brief conversation was a far cry from being able to live in close quarters, but Kell knew he didn’t get along with many people, so this felt like something he could work with.
Perhaps it was rude, but it was comforting to leave in a house where, between living with a live station and a person who was formerly a ship, he wasn’t the oddest in the quarters. No one had so much as blinked at his black eye.
“Thank you,” Kell said again at the offer. “Did you and Breq meet through living here?”
…
“There’s nothing wrong with wealth in itself,” Seivarden added, with a slight shrug. “Just the unequal distribution of it, and treatment of people in a lower class than you… Breq could tell you all about her opinions on that, if you’ve got, oh, a couple weeks to sit and listen. Don’t worry, though, she’s way more judgmental of me than you. I came from a very wealthy and privileged family and I was a real ass about it. She won’t ever let me forget it.”
Her tone was light, and she was grinning; it obviously didn’t bother her much. And in general, it didn’t. It kept Seivarden honest, and drove her to be better. Every so often Breq still managed to shame her, but even then, her distress over it usually lasted only until she figured out how to correct the problem.
Kell’s question got a laugh, but not an unkind one. “Oh, no, we’ve known each other for way longer than that. Back since -- you know she was a ship originally, right? I was one of her lieutenants, before I got my own command.”
They approached one of the hotels not far from the Garden, and Station opened the door for them. Seivarden walked through, and headed towards one of the first rooms; Station opened that door for them as well. “This was a hotel with lodgings for guests, but everything here is basically going to be used as regular lodgings now. The only thing about these rooms is that, unlike regular apartments, they don’t have kitchens. But everyone has access to the refectory, and we’ll hopefully be getting some restaurants up and running soon.”
--
“I’m not sure how much of my background Breq knows,” Kell admitted. He knew that she and Rhy had talked, and Rhy was never too shy about sharing that he was from a royal family. In the probable event that Breq thought he was a prince, though, she likely didn’t know the complicated truth in that he both was and wasn’t a member of the royal family in the way that he also did and didn’t come from a family of farmers who hadn’t had enough money or influence to protect him.
Kell nodded at the mention that Breq had been a ship, but paused when Seivarden shared that they had been friends before.
“Really?” Kell asked, intrigued. “What is it like, knowing her then and now?” He continued to follow after Seivarden as they began to reach actual rooms, although Kell’s attention was now half divided by their surroundings and by the conversation.
…
Seivarden shrugged. “She cares a lot more about what kind of person you are than what background you have.”
She walked through the room, letting Kell get a sense of the place. There was a bedroom, with a nice bed and chairs, and sensors for Station. It was simple but very nicely designed, with plenty of room for customization. She made sure that Kell saw the bathroom, and then led the way back out. She didn’t expect Kell to pick a place right on the spot, before seeing the rest of the place.
It was an interesting question. “She hasn’t changed much,” Seivarden said with a slight smile. “Though admittedly, I didn’t pay as much attention to her as I should have when I was her lieutenant. She has more freedom to be herself now, and she’d gotten her own command, took her own System -- Athoek System -- right out of the Lord of the Radch’s hands, set about righting all the wrongs. That’s what she does. Finds the trouble and sets it right.”
--
Kell was certain that he could have comfortably taken the first quarters that Seivarden showed him, but he was happy to walk around more, because he wanted to get a better sense of Station overall.
“She did mention that,” Kell said, lightly amused at the continued mention of injustice, but pleased to hear it confirmed by someone else. He hadn’t gotten the sense that Breq was untruthful, but it was always good to hear another’s opinion.
…
Seivarden grinned. “Of course she did.”
She led the way to the next set of lodgings, which were actual apartments. Station opened the door to the building for them, and then suggested a particular room in Seivarden’s ear. She walked toward the room Station had chosen, and Station opened that door as well. Seivarden walked inside.
“These are what most of our apartments look like, with slight differences in layout. The main difference is having your own kitchen, and your own living area. And you have your choice of the number of bedrooms.” She gestured to the living area around them, the room they had walked into. Then she gestured through the doorways to the kitchen and bedroom. This one had only one bedroom.
--
“I think this one would do fine,” Kell said as he glanced about the room. A living room gave him space to get more books, and he certainly didn’t need more than one bedroom. He did know that he was going to have to get better at cooking, so he figured a kitchen made that a little easier than not.
…
“Station seemed to think this one would suit you,” Seivarden said, with a slight smile. Station could have said that for herself, of course, but she hadn’t yet. Seivarden didn’t mind speaking for her, if that was her preference. “We can help you put the place together.”
--
Kell smiled, quietly touched that Station had thought of this room for him.
“Thank you, Station,” Kell said.
“And thank you,” Kell said, turning back to Seivarden. “You’ve all been very kind to me.”
…
“You’re welcome,” said Station, from the voice box.
Seivarden smiled, pleased that she had spoken for herself. But she shrugged. “Like she said. You’re welcome here. And don’t worry, I’ll make an ass out of myself eventually.”
She paused, then added, “Like maybe right now, if I ask what’s the story with the eye?”
--
“My brother would reassure you that I’ll eventually do the same,” Kell answered pleasantly. He was feeling like he fit in so well here, that he was waiting for there to be some kind of catch. He didn’t typically fit in well anywhere.
Even the question about his eye didn’t really bother him. It had to come sooner or later, and Seivarden hadn’t been staring the entire time. His fingers brushed just underneath it.
“I come from a world that has magic,” Kell answered. “With many different types of magicians. I’m an Antari -- a blood magician. The eye’s a symbol of that.”
…
Seivarden grinned; that was a good response. She felt almost instantly more comfortable around Kell, who understood the plight of people who simply couldn’t stop from making asses of themselves.
“Interesting,” she said, genuinely. “I know almost nothing about magic. I thought it might have been some kind of injury.”
She gestured toward the room. “You’re welcome to move in here whenever you’re ready. Station will let you in anytime. If you need extra help carrying your things in, you can just let me or Breq know.”
--
“No,” Kell said, shaking his head. “My eye works about the same as anyone else’s. It just happens to be black.”
Kell looked around the room once more, finding it strange to think that this empty space was going to hold so much of him and his experiences in the coming weeks. He wished this wasn’t upsetting Rhy so much, but he did still think it was the right thing to do.
“Thank you,” Kell said again. “Where are your and Breq’s rooms?” Kell asked, hoping very much that he hadn’t just asked something that was considered impolite.
…
“We’re currently in one of the hotels,” Seivarden said, completely unfazed by the question. “Not the one I showed you. A little closer to the Undergarden.”
After a moment she added, “I can show you the way there if you want. And of course, Station can always tell you where we are.”
--
“If you wouldn’t mind,” Kell said. “I’m still trying to get a sense of the layout. But if you have somewhere else you need to be, I understand.”
Kell was beginning to grow more excited about his plan to move out, to have his own space, to have something he didn’t have to sneak. Something that was his own. He felt a little guilty, because he knew that Rhy didn’t really want him to leave, but this feeling was what Kell had wanted for Rhy. A little bit space for him and Alucard without Kell breathing straight down their necks.
…
“No, not really,” Seivarden answered, with a hand gesture that was the Radchaai version of a shrug. “There’s always work to be done on Station, but you’re the priority for the day. I’ll give you a full tour, if you like.”
She smiled. “And of course, you’re also welcome to wander on your own, as long as Station doesn’t mind. She’ll always be around to help you from any of the consoles.”
--
“I’d appreciate that,” Kell answered, some of the usual tension leaking from his shoulders. “Is there any place I need to avoid?” He knew that Station would always help him navigate, but Kell also was aware that he had a steep learning curve here, and he wanted to step on as few toes as possible.
…
“Not really,” Seivarden said. “I mean, there are still places that are damaged and might be a little unsafe, so just be careful there. And there is one room that we completely blocked off to prevent the Lord of the Radch from getting into it and getting access to Station -- but it’s pretty obviously inaccessible. But you don’t have to stay away from it, exactly, just don’t try to get in there.”
She paused. “Actually, do you know any magic that can prevent people from getting into places?”
--
Kell was hoping to sit down with Breq or Seivarden to get a more complete history of the so-called Lord of Radch at some point, especially if she had the potential to hold so much sway over Breq, but Kell suspected this wasn’t the time for that deep dive.
“I could help with that,” Kell nodded.
…
“After Station’s gotten to know you a little better, maybe you can talk to her about it,” Seivarden said. She thought it was a great idea, personally. But she also didn’t know Kell that well, and suspected that Station would be very hesitant -- understandably. “It’s really up to her what modifications we make. But that skill could come in handy.”
She led the way back out of the room, and out onto the concourse. She headed toward the Undergarden, even though that wasn’t where they were going. On their way, she paused and gestured toward a door to the right. “That’s the refectory. Breq and I eat there, you’re welcome to join us whenever you like. Our meal times are strange sometimes, though. We both work shifts at the portal, midnight to 6 AM, on opposite days.”
--
Kell made a note to do that. He was trying to be mindful of the fact that Station was a living being, something that was still a bit of an odd idea for him, but he knew was important, particularly if he was going to live here.
“I don’t mind keeping unconventional hours,” Kell said wryly. He had always considered himself a night owl.
…
“You’re definitely not required to,” Seivarden said, amused. “On Radchaai military ships, everyone’s on a different shift. You can come have your breakfast with us at 7 AM while we’re having lunch. Or have a late dinner with us while we’re eating breakfast around 11 PM. You also have your own kitchen. Totally up to you, but we definitely don’t mind the company.”
She passed by the refectory, and headed towards the hotel where they were staying. Station opened the door for them when they arrived, and Seivarden walked in, heading for one of the rooms on the ground floor. Station opened the door for that room as well.
“Here’s where Breq and I are staying, or at least where we sleep.” The room was clearly inhabited, but obviously not by people who cared a great deal about decoration. It was very similar to the empty hotel room Seivarden had shown Kell first, except for containing their belongings. “Of course, if you’re ever looking for us, it’s easiest just to ask Station. She always knows where we are.”
--
Kell was aware that Station kept track of almost everything here; Breq had told him as much when he had visited the first time.
But now that he was going to be living here, he was more curious about what information Station would be keeping on him.
“What sort--?” Kell started to ask, but then paused. “Station, what sort of information are you able to access on people?”
…
“That depends on the person,” Station replied with little pause. It queried both Seivarden, present there, and its cousin about what they were comfortable having shared, even while it spoke. The books, after all, did not have them connected to Station, though they did mention trackers. Both replied it was fine. Fleet Commander had taken a few microseconds longer; she had given it longer thought. “Both Seivarden and Breq,” that was the name Kell and Seivarden both preferred, “are connected with me. I can access their internal data. That tells me a lot.” It was hard to explain to a human how much, the way data translated as emotions and nearly, nearly sometimes, thoughts.
“They also have trackers, so even when they aren’t here, I know where they are,” Station added to explain Seivarden’s comment. There was a small pause.
“When you’re here, I can see your externals,” Station continued. “I can see you, I can hear you. I know where you are. If you go to the med bay, I can see more. And if you give me access to ‘find your phone’ I will know where your phone and hopefully you are when you’re not here.” It sounded neutral, slightly cheerful, the same voice. But it spoke again.
“And the longer you’re here, the more I’ll learn your habits. So then I might be able to tell when you’re angry or bothered… As my cousin says in the books.” Station was not sure if Kell had read the books, and regardless, there was no point in leaving that out. Everyone who had lived on it before knew that, just as a part of life. But Station very much hoped it didn’t bother Kell. She hadn’t been around long enough for Station to tell.
…
Kell listened intently as Station gave him the answer. It wasn’t an amount that he found alarming, particularly since a lot of it seemed to hinge on a certain level of permission. Otherwise, it wasn’t much more than a constant sense of observation, which Kell had grown more accustomed to with the level of technology here anyway.
“Thank you, Station,” Kell answered. He knew it wasn’t the same, but Rhy had much more information on him day to day anyway.
“So, did Breq used to know the same about you?” Kell asked Seivarden.
...
“Yes, she did,” Seivarden answered. She was leaning comfortably against the wall, pleased that Station was answering for herself -- and giving such a thorough answer. Her fingertips moved absently over the console as Station spoke. “And she still does. She still has the ability to process that information, even though she can’t see it directly anymore. She gets it from Station.”
It was distinctly obvious from her tone that she didn’t mind. She had given permission -- more than given permission, she’d volunteered for it. She grinned at Kell, and shrugged. “Being linked up like this is what I’m used to. At this point, it’s… comforting.”
--
Kell paused at the assessment that Seivarden found it comforting. He liked knowing that Rhy was safe, but beyond that, he couldn’t really describe their bond as comforting. Kell found it vulnerable, invasive, and sometimes embarrassing. There were just things that he felt he shouldn’t know about his brother, and there were so many things that Rhy apparently tapped into that Kell didn’t know about himself.
“Why?” Kell asked, head tilted.
…
Seivarden wasn’t expecting the question, and considered it carefully. Not because of what she wanted to tell Kell, but because both Breq and Station were also listening, and she knew they were interested in her reasoning, which she hadn’t yet explained. It came a little close to Seivarden being dependent on Breq in the way that she wasn’t supposed to be, that she was trying not to be.
“I told you I got my own command after leaving Breq, right?” she said. “Or as she was called then, Justice of Toren. Justice is a type of ship,” she added, not sure if anyone had explained that to Kell. “A troop carrier. But it also suits her, doesn’t it? Anyway.” She crossed her arms, an unconscious gesture reflecting that she was delving back into unhappy memories. “A while later, my ship, Sword of Nathtas, was attacked. One of its ancillaries put me in a suspension pod and sent me out before the ship was destroyed. But my pod didn’t get found for another thousand years, and when I woke up from suspension -- everything was different. Everything I’d known was gone. And then Breq found me, and I kept following her, because she was familiar… and I’ve been following her around ever since, even though she’s tried a few times to get me to leave.”
She smiled wryly and scuffed her foot against the floor. “Breq’s still the only one who really knows me, the person I was before, and remembers everything that happened to me. But she’s also the best person I’ve ever met. She saved my life even when she hated me. And Station is different, but she’s amazing, too. I trust them both with my life, no matter what their opinions of me are. And it’s natural for them to want to have all the data on the people they’re looking out for, which is everyone, unless they have to stop someone from endangering the others.” She gestured helplessness. “It’s nice to have someone looking out for me - two someones. And it makes them happy, so in a way, it’s my way of looking out for them too.”
Her smile got a little more crooked. “I know that’s a longer answer than you were probably expecting.”
--
Kell’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the revelation of just how old Seivarden was. Breq hadn’t mentioned that, although Kell didn’t blame her. That wasn’t something that was exactly easy to bring up in passing.
He couldn’t imagine going through that transition and then also winding up in a different world relatively soon after.
Seivarden’s explanation made sense from a logical perspective. Kell wondered if that was even how Rhy felt about it. And he wondered why it was that he couldn’t feel that way about it. He knew that Rhy wouldn’t ever purposefully use the information in their bond against them, but still… Kell was just so fiercely private, more used to having walls up than not. He’d thought that he hadn’t really had any walls with Rhy until this whole fiasco had started and now he was just beginning to wonder more and more how wrong he was about everything. It was tiring and frustrating.
“No, thank you,” Kell answered quietly. “For being so honest.”
…
“Mm.” Seivarden smiled. “Well, that answer wasn’t only for you.”
It was second nature, now, to always consider Breq and now Station’s response to her words and actions. Especially when it related to them. She uncrossed her arms and straightened up. “Don’t worry, no one’s going to ask you to give them your internal data. For starters, you don’t have the implants for it.”
--
“It’s nice that you all work together so seamlessly,” Kell answered. He was fairly certain that it was genuine, too -- not the sort of mandated and manipulated obedience the Danes would have commandeered. Breq, Seivarden, and Station all seemed to function cohesively together because it benefited all of them, which had produced good relationships all around.
“I think I’ll pass on the implants,” Kell said with a bit of a smile, hoping to turn the conversation back toward lighter subjects.
…
Seivarden smiled, pleased that Kell understood -- or at least respected -- their arrangement. She suspected that both Breq and Station were pleased by it too. She could see why Breq had invited Kell to live here.
“Oh good,” she answered, equally jokingly, “I really wasn’t looking forward to trying brain surgery on you.”
--
Kell grinned back at Seivarden at the joke.
“To give you fair warning, I have a very overprotective brother,” Kell answered teasingly. “He likely knows the exact number of hairs on my head.”
That was all putting it very lightly, especially since Kell considered himself even more protective of Rhy, which now entailed keeping himself safe.
…
Seivarden spread her hands in what she hoped was an understandable gesture of not intending a threat. She was also still grinning. “Well, I definitely don’t want to piss off your brother.”
She glanced around at the place; nothing about it was particularly exciting. “Is there anything else in particular you’d like to see first on our tour? Or do you want to just walk around?”
--
“Then we should all be on good terms,” Kell answered wryly. He didn’t really know if, at this point, knowing that Kell was getting along fine with Breq and Seivarden was likely to please or irritate Rhy. Normally, he would have suspected that Rhy was glad he was making friends. As it was, he didn’t know if it would simply be salt in the wound of Kell leaving.
“Just walking would be fine,” Kell agreed as Seivarden still seemed to be comfortable spending time with him.