(no subject)

[fullmetalbrat]

WHO: Olivier, Ed, residents of the Residence, whoever Olivier brought along(?)
WHERE: The Residence (De Chima countryside)
WHEN: July, prior to the 20th
WHAT: Ed meeting Olivier for an off-network chat
WARNINGS: None forseen; will edit if necessary

[It's a nice day at the Vorkosigan estate; clear sky, crisp air, cool breeze. The kind of day that urges you to take it easy, maybe even take the day off and have a picnic on the lake's shore or just lay on the grass in the sprawling shade of the manor and enjoy the simple pleasures of being alive.

Or, rather, it was a nice day until Ed invited the most intimidating officer in the Amestrian military over for lunch. Enjoy that forboding chill in the air, everyone.]

Comments

[dendarii]

[ Why is he suddenly possessed by the urge to put on a jacket?

Miles enters the kitchen to see Olivier there - and stop and stares. He quickly scoots aside to Ed to figure out what the hell is going on here. ]

-- Er. When did she get here?

[fullmetalbrat]

[Apart from being a little more tense than usual (as is only natural in Olivier's presence) Ed doesn't seem particularly concerned to be sharing a room with her.]

Eh...maybe ten minutes ago? Not long.

[dendarii]

Next question, then: why is she here?

[fullmetalbrat]

Because I invited her.

[dendarii]

... And why did you do that ...

[fullmetalbrat]

[He leans comfortably back on the kitchen counter to face Miles more directly, not bothering to lower his voice.]

Because I wanted to ask someone about the political and military situations here, and I don't think anyone will know better than her. [He pauses to take a sip of coffee, casual and calm as he can be.] Plus she's one of the only officers in our military we could trust in the middle of all the bullshit going on at home. There's no reason I shouldn't be talking with her now.

[dendarii]

Da can do most of that, you know.

[fullmetalbrat]

Maybe, but he's not an Amestrian. There's... A lot of stuff in this world that feels familiar to the way things at home were. She'll be able to tell me how far the similarity runs better than he can. [And all without reminding him of Fuhrer Bradley.]

[darwinatrix]

[Olivier does seem to bring chilly weather with her wherever she goes, doesn't she? Including to the front gates of the Vorkosigan estate.

She's in full uniform, her saber hanging from one side of her hip and her sidearm on the other. She gives a withering look to the gates and the estate behind them before checking her watch. Fullmetal should be coming down to welcome her at any minute. She's 5 minutes early, of course. It lets her grumble that he's late, even if he's on time.]

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed comes into view heading down the path to greet her a few minutes later. He'd even be a minute early if Olivier hadn't gone out of her way to sabotage the attempt already. He doesn't manage to keep the irritated look off his face when he picks up his pace and unlocks the gate for her.]

I thought I was gonna beat you out here.

[darwinatrix]

I know. You're late. [Technically not true, but later than her.

She steps inside.] What an extravagant estate.

[And from her tone of voice, not a compliment.]

[fullmetalbrat]

Built for an emperor and his House. [He pauses in the midst of locking the gate to again to frown to himself. What the hell was he doing living in a place like this?

He shrugs the thought off and motions back up the path to the manor.]

Come on, someone's probably made lunch by now.

[darwinatrix]

I wonder how long they'd last at Briggs. [She says casually, but her tone makes her meaning self-evident: She doesn't consider a place like this a place that demonstrates strength. Or is worthy of respect.]

They feed you, then? You don't pay room or board?

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed throws an unimpressed stare over his shoulder.] I bet they wonder how long you'd last in space. [Or on their irradiated planets, but he doesn't feel like taking the risk of needing to explain what radiation is.]

Mark wishes we did, but no. It's not any different from living for free in the Americans' housing.

[darwinatrix]

Long enough to get used to it. [She responds curtly.] I think I'd enjoy space combat.

It is different, though. They're under no obligation to provide for you. What do they get in return?

[dendarii]

[ Here's Miles, seeing her again for the first time since their discussion about Lucifer. He moves to receive her politely, at least, even if he's surprised and rather alarmed by her appearance. ]

Er - hello. I wasn't aware you were going to visit.

[darwinatrix]

I had no intention of doing so before Fullmetal asked me to come.

Where is he?

[dendarii]

... He? Oh, you mean Edward? I haven't seen him yet.

[darwinatrix]

Tch... Elric's a brat, but he's usually more dependable than this. Irritating.

What do you want him for?

[jacksonian]

[ From the look on Mark's face, he is deeply, deeply dismayed by just how terrifying this new arrival is. Because she is terrifying. And he knows just who she is, too - Olivier, who's in charge of that organization to take down rogue imPorts...and so that's part of his terror, because he spent his fair share of time being a rogue imPort himself.

He makes eye contact with Ed, his expression a mixture of what the hell and dear God why. ]

[fullmetalbrat]

[While that's certainly a reaction Ed was expecting from people, there's something a little troubling seeing it in Mark. This might be the only moment of the afternoon in which he actually feels guilt for inviting Olivier here.

Ed shifts close enough to reach over and clap him lightly on the shoulder, flashing what he hopes is a reassuring smile.]

She won't stay long. Pretty sure she hates being here.

[jacksonian]

[ Well, Ed sounds fairly certain. Though that smile wasn't exactly good at being reassuring...Mark rubs his slightly damp palms on his trousers. ]

She's not going to...arrest anyone, right?

[fullmetalbrat]

No. [Probably. You could never be sure with Olivier.] She's just here to talk about the Americans and Russians since discussing that over the network is a bad idea.

[jacksonian]

[ Oh. Oh. That sounds legit. Okay. ]

What about them? The Russians and Americans.

[fullmetalbrat]

Well, the Americans have always seemed suspicious to me. They remind me of the shitty government we had back home. And the Russians... I just haven't had to deal with them directly yet, and since they've been quiet since I got here I want to get her take on them. See if she thinks there's a chance they're planning anything.