maskormenacelogs | } one more look at the ghost

[ Gregor makes some effort to dress professionally today, but he's been enjoying the casual, relaxed atmosphere of life here and so on him that just means a black button-up with his jeans. He opens the door to DC7 when he hears him knock, and is a tall, lean, well-composed form with a certain air of gravitas despite himself. ]

Mr. Sasaki. Thank you for coming.

[ Sasaki wore much more adult clothes than Kaneki did, and it'll be no different this time; straight pants and jacket, also a long coat. And look, he even combed his hair properly. He too is rather well-composed and elegant which, not only is how he usually carries himself, but also perfect for an interview.

But admitedly, this will be the first time Sasaki ever got interviewed for a job application. ]

Mr. Vorbarra, it's a pleasure to meet you. [ Sasaki smiles, ready to shake the man's hand, but also ready to nod his head in a respectful little bow ]

And you.

[ By now Gregor has adjusted to the hand-shaking convention (Emperors do not make physical contact so cavalierly, so it hadn't occurred to him at first) and his grip is loose and unprepossessing.

Miles isn't far off, just in another room, and is a buzzing presence in Gregor's head, fairly hopping with nerves and energy. Fortunately, Gregor is used to tolerating this, and it doesn't impact him outwardly at all; he leads Sasaki into the kitchen-slash-dining room, where he has coffee set out with a small carafe of milk and sugar packets.

He takes a seat in the far chair at the table, gesturing to the one across. ]

May I ask what lead you to apply? So far we've mostly grown through personal invitation.

[ Sasaki follows, his eyes looking around for a moment before they fall on the chair. he will take his seat with a pleasant smile, humming a bit as he thinks about his response ]

Honestly, I just arrived; but I think joining an imPort business would benefit me better as I am one. Plus, I think this fits my skills better than the job the government has given me.

[ a beat, before he adds with an apologetic smile ] I'm quite glad to be a Police Officer and to be of use! But I can be of use even more.

Edited 2016-05-02 22:43 (UTC)

[ He's gotten up earlier than usual with one mission in mind. He's noticed a trend in the household, beyond the Emperor being the primary person in charge of household chores. Every morning the man gets up, commandeers the kitchen, and makes breakfast, presumably for the whole household though Duv has not yet tested whether or not this includes him.

The tone set upon his arrival has him wary of his relationships with the Vor, particularly with their lack of memory of him. Which is what brings him to the kitchen early in the morning. He's hoping that he can beat out the Emperor this time, make a quick breakfast, and head out the door for another day of research.

Except he's having trouble locating everything he purchased the previous day in the kitchen and is cursing mildly as he relocates his shuffled ingredients. He'd have to find a better system for this if he's going to continue cooking for himself in a house with this many living there and visitors wandering through.

His prep for a simple breakfast risotto takes longer than he intends as his focus is diverted between the starting steps and ensuring he has everything. Miles, he'll blame Miles. Even if the man had nothing to do with it. ]

[ The house looks fairly nondescript in the main living spaces, all of the oddities tucked away in other rooms and the shared areas generally orderly. ]

They must think highly of you to give you an official posting, even so. That seems uncommon. But I can't say I disagree. If for no other reason, it's disingenuous for me to pledge loyalty to a foreign government, and so for Miles and myself registration became undesirable.

[ highly?

well ]

Perhaps I just had enough ability for the job. [ and personality too. Haise is loyal and wishes to be helpful, and being a police officer is all about that ] But I was told that even if registered, I would not be forced to do things I'm not comfortable with; that's why I don't truly mind being registered. [ plus, his food situation is very complicated and the government provides him with what he needs ]

[ Gregor waves a pacifying hand, indicating non-argument. ]

It's a fair decision. In my experience they haven't gone back on their promises. Is the police force something similar to being a Ghoul Investigator?

[ Ghoul isn't a term he's heard before except as a superstitious entity. ]

[ Gregor doesn't get up insanely early, but he does get up fairly early. Years and years of habit will do that. Summers off is not a phenomenon Gregor had ever experienced even as a teenager in school, so his internal clock wakes him up pretty mercilessly every day around the same time, and by 0800 he's down the stairs.

He stops short in the doorway for a moment, pleasantly surprised, before he continues into the kitchen, heading for the coffee machine. ]

Good morning, Captain. I don't normally see you this early.

[ ...So much for beating the Emperor to the kitchen. He nods politely as he subtly watches where the other man is moving. Maybe if the Emperor is going for coffee, he doesn't intend to take over the kitchen from Duv. ]

Sire. I thought I'd eat in this morning instead of outsourcing my meal on the way to the library.

That's good to know. [ though Sasaki already knew that.

But the question leaves him shaking his head ] Not at all. We are a specialized elite and we are taught to be so through very intense training. The objective is the same - to keep the population safe - but we deal with very dangerous and deadly opponents.

[ a beat ]

i take it you are unfamiliar with what a ghoul is?

[ Well, he did beat him here. Step one is definitely coffee, which he goes about collecting with practiced ease. ]

I hope I don't chase you out normally, [ he says, uncannily astute as ever. ] You needn't give me my space or anything absurd like that. I'm afraid I'm just getting used to having the freedom to make my own coffee.

You'd be correct. Since I assume you aren't speaking of something like a dissatisfied ghost.

You must be better suited than most to the situation here, with all of our powers.

[ So the man had noticed. He shrugs as he focuses on his cooking. ]

I've adjusted my schedule, [ he admits. Breakfast a little later than usual the days he's determined to claim the kitchen after the initial flurry. ] It hasn't been an issue. I noticed you'd taken to cooking in the mornings as well.

[ That's not a denial. ]

Having nothing at all to do in the morning is too unnerving for me, [ he reflects, rueful. ] Normally Captain Illyan brings me my first coffee and gives me the news from the night.

[ A bland sidelong look as he curls his hands around one said mug of coffee. ] You could take that over if you liked.

[ Over daily ImpSec reports no doubt. He's watching Gregor while he works, though he pauses at the suggestion. Because cooking for a household of Vor sounds incredibly unappealing. ]

Take over cooking for the entire household you mean?

Ghouls are creatures that predate on humans; they are are carnivorous and can only subside on human flesh, which means they often see humans as nothing but things to play with, torture, maim and kill. Ghouls' external anatomy resembles humans, however their biology, physiology, diet and mentality differ quite a lot from them.

[ He leans back on the chair for a bit ] Ghoul Investigators are the first and only line against the ghoul threat as we are trained specifically to face them.

[ Gregor scoffs in surprise, which is not a very dignified noise. ]

Good God, no. Is that what you thought I meant? The day I ask one of my first Komarran ImpSec agents to cook for the Butcher and his family is the day Aral probably shoots me himself. [ The dryness just ratchets upward as he goes on. ] I was making a bad joke about your giving me my morning ImpSec report, actually.

[ Wait.

Did he just hear his Emperor correctly? He's not sure what's more confusing, the content of the words or the way they were delivered. Hold on one moment, his brain needs a chance to reboot--

Thankfully his brain autopilots to his own brand of dry sarcasm before he has a chance to fully catch up, ] The service manual was surprisingly bereft on how to deliver reports in person to one's Emperor, so I'm afraid I'm rusty on the protocol.

[ There's that sense of humor again that he'd only seen glimpses of. Gregor shoots him a transparently amused look as he leans back against the counter and nurses his coffee. ]

Does anyone actually take that section in the service manual seriously? The last time someone had to unexpectedly report to me in person, he even forgot to be upset about Miles, he was so preoccupied.

[ Often, but not always. Gregor has a memory like a steel trap, which means he absolutely remembers the incident from when Kaneki had been kidnapped alongside Miles, and Miles had passed on his concerns about having to be prevented from cannibalizing anyone. It had been added to Gregor's list of humanitarian concerns while addressing the UN on their behalf-- admittedly, prettied up as one of several verified requests for humane medical conditions.

But that is, of course, confidential information. Not a blip crosses Gregor's face. He laces his fingers on top of the table and makes a speculative noise. ]

Then I imagine your combat skills and endurance must be considerable, beyond your investigative skills. You don't anticipate this perhaps feeling like menial work, compared to your normal line of employ?

How? [ It's out of his mouth before he has a chance to stop it though judging from the expression on his Emperor's face, it hardly matters.

He clears his throat before continuing, ] Having been Lieutenant Vorkosigan's CO, I have a hard time believing anyone would forget that even when faced with an Emperor.

[ Drolly, with careful evenness since he doesn't know which version of this story Duv knows, ] You might remember there was a period in which I was gone from Vorbarr Sultana. Taking care of the Hegen Hub, as it were.

I was not where he was expecting me to be. It arrested his attention. Even from Miles.

[ The official story is the only one he's heard, his security clearance isn't high enough for anything but. Though he wonders how that story changes with what he's learned of the Dendarii.

Carefully, ] A misplaced Emperor would be cause for alarm given Barrayar's recent history.

[ Y... YEAH... Sasaki actually remembers that as he is Kaneki but it's so much easier to pretend he is not because everything is so difficult. In any case, he will shake his head with a smile ]

Not at all. All jobs are important, and besides, you are helping people in your own way, which makes it even more important. I can only praise you for it.

[ his smile turns softer ] The fact that my skills aren't fully needed in this world is a good thing.

} one more look at the ghost

"Sasaki"

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