InsaneJournal

But she’s from my dream universe and in it, she is something like a valkyrie, sort of.
Who: Harry Dresden, Winston Frost and Shepard
What: The Sigrund Situation
When: Recently
Where: Over the phone
Status: complete
Rating: PG



“Yes? Dresden Investigations and Law.” Harry was tired as he answered the phone, but smiling anyway. It had been a good day, with a reversal of a bad conviction and a man getting to go home to his wife, the one who had helped Harry and Jen get the goods needed to bring him home. With Jen at his side, Harry had made his case, and now a real bad guy was headed to jail, and an innocent man was going home to his own bed.

It was a good day. He was lounging now, ready to go home, his feet up on the desk, a cold coke in his hand.

Winston had been having some good days too. With his son happy, and his daughters all seeming to settle down and in good circumstances, he had found much more time to spend with his wife, who had of late been dealing with some congestion and sinus issues, making her miserable.

Nonetheless, with Winston playing the loving and doting husband, he had managed to make her life far less horrible, and he felt rather happy about it. Now, with that sher seeming to feel a little better, he could get back to some other issues he needed to address. He had one in particular that interested him. The case of a dreamer just starting, who had military experience, and was afraid what her dreams might make her, and how it would affect her career.

And was looking for another.

“Yes, Mister Dresden. This is Winston Frost. I was wondering if you might have a moment to talk about the Sigrun Gard situation that was forwarded to me from you call into our offices?”

Harry was startled, to say the least, and he say up, feet hitting the floor. “Er, of course.” He rarely talked to business moguls, much less one who was the father of a friend who was a employer as well! “What can I do for you, Mister Frost?”

Winston grinned and nodded as he looked at the file his people had put together from what could be gathered on Gard’s life. And her records. He nodded to himself again. “Yes. As to that, I would be glad to interview her for a security and intelligence position, if she were interested. She sounds like a rather good asset, and a rather good person.”

He smiled and the smile was in his voice. He meant every word. ”That said, her file seems to indicate to me that she might be happier in a more military position, and I happen to know, from the network and certain contacts of mine that Commander Shepard has some such group, a mercenary military unit, that she runs missions with, on occasion. Seeing Gard’s personality profile and experience, it strikes me that such an occupation might be one she would prefer. I would recommend her to it, even. And if she chooses instead to apply here, I will be glad to see her, as soon as she wishes to apply.”

Harry stared into mid-air. That was a polite, well reasoned, and possibly nice thing to say, and do, for a man who was known as the Winter King. Damn. No wonder Emma was smoother than ice.

Harry cleared his throat and nodded, scribbling some notes, then smiled as he spoke.”Thank you, sir.” He rarely called people sir, and even more rarely rich and powerful people, but Mister Frost had just earned it. “Thank you. I will pass on the recommendations. And give her the options, of course.”

“Good. Thank you, Mister Dresden.Now…” He put the file down and smiled to himself, a father in bearing and tone. “How is your daughter doing, adjusting to the new age and back to this time? Emma seems to be doing well, along with her new young daughter.”

Harry was thrown, unsure what to say to that, but in the end, pride won out over being weirded out that Winston Frost knew about his life. “She is doing magnificent. She is an incredible daughter and sometimes I wonder how someone so smart came out of me.” The honesty snuck out and he felt a little abashed admitting it to a stranger.

“I know the feeling, Mister Dresden. Most of my girls are amazing, Christian is brilliant, and Emma puts him to shame and the others too. I cannot be more proud than I already am, I think and yet, somehow, she finds a way.” Winston chuckled, pride shining in his voice.

Harry was smiling wider now. “Yes sir, exactly.” He heard Jen coming in and nodded/ “Listen, I need to go, make a call and see my assistant. Maybe we can talk later?”

“Of course. Give my regards to your wife and child. And be well.” And Winston hung up, grinning.

Harry smiled as he got off the phone with Winston Frost. He had not expected to have that conversation, but since the man had been willing to talk, and had apparently chosen to, he had spent a half hour talking about his friend, the one who might need some help and a new job. And now he had a second call to make, recommended by Winston as well.

Harry dialed Shepard’s number and then waited.

Shepard picked up her phone, pulling the earplugs out of her ear and setting her gun down. She’d been at the range, but had felt the buzz in her pocket. “Shepard.”

“Hello. This is Dresden, from the Valarnet. I was wondering if you might have a minute or two to talk.” He settled back to his chair more comfortably, smiling to himself.

“What about?” She leaned against the wall and waited, curious as to what he wanted and trying to place the name.

Harry got down to business quickly. “Recently a new Dreamer joined the net, one Sigrun Gard, who is military. But she’s from my dream universe and in it, she is something like a valkyrie, sort of. And she is afraid, here, when she dreams too much, she won't be able to stay in her job, so she is looking into other work. I told her I would look around and you come highly recommended as someone who knows what they are doing. I was wondering if you would be interested in meeting with her, if you’re still running your mercenary group.”

“I’m dating a valkryie,” Shepard replied, almost absently. “She’s military? I can see how that might be a concern. We probably don’t want her under orders from the government to begin with. Not the normal miliary channels anyway. Not with a power like that. I’d like to meet with her.”

It was a no brain decision, really.

“Oh yeah?” Harry nodded, eyes warming as he thought to himself.

“Good. Her name is, as I said, Sigrun Gard, and her number is [number]. I told her I would be reaching out for her, so she’ll be expecting to hear from people if I am successful.” Harry smiled and sat up “She’s fairly new to the Dreamer stuff, so if you could give her the slow start, that might be best. But she’s tough as nails.” He smiled again.

“Thank you. We’re not friends in this world or the other, but she is a good woman, and she needs this.”

“She’ll get the same kind of start I’d give anyone, dreamer or not, but from the sound of it she’d be someone I’d want to recruit anyway, so thanks for the heads up.” She’d need to do a background check, and the special kind of background check that was probably illegal.

“I’ll look into her and then meet with her.”

“You’re welcome. And good. I wont take up any more of your time, then. Thanks, and see you around.” Harry hung up and smiled as he rose to grab his jacket. Time to go home.