From the scene that got away
Jan. 19th, 2006 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ksmith"I grasped at a straw. It was the only one I had. It didn’t lead anywhere." Jani rose and started to walk toward the door. "We should get going."
"No ships pulling out for at least one duty cycle, orders of the Station Transport Officer. I could countermand her, I suppose, but I'm somehow disinclined to do so. That gives us plenty of time to drink bad coffee." Niall paused to sip, then made a show of studying his cup. "And talk about straws."
Jani stopped, hand hovering above the doorpad. I could bolt. And Niall would order a lock-down of the Station and send out search teams. It's been fifteen years since I worked this station. Would she remember the fastest routes from one level to the next, the best places to hide? I didn't recognize this place when I entered. That pretty much answered her question, didn't it?
Her hand fell away from the doorpad. She turned, and found all eyes fixed on her. "What do you want to know?"
Niall grinned, his scar twisting the expression into something coarse. "No, no." He shook his head. "We are not going to ask you the questions and listen to your patented duck and dodge." He held out his hand toward her upturned crate. "You're going to have a seat, and you're going to talk, and we are going to listen. We, who in ways various have dealt with the mistress of prevarication that is you for quite the number of years, and have learned that the only way to hang you is to let you make the rope yourself."
"No ships pulling out for at least one duty cycle, orders of the Station Transport Officer. I could countermand her, I suppose, but I'm somehow disinclined to do so. That gives us plenty of time to drink bad coffee." Niall paused to sip, then made a show of studying his cup. "And talk about straws."
Jani stopped, hand hovering above the doorpad. I could bolt. And Niall would order a lock-down of the Station and send out search teams. It's been fifteen years since I worked this station. Would she remember the fastest routes from one level to the next, the best places to hide? I didn't recognize this place when I entered. That pretty much answered her question, didn't it?
Her hand fell away from the doorpad. She turned, and found all eyes fixed on her. "What do you want to know?"
Niall grinned, his scar twisting the expression into something coarse. "No, no." He shook his head. "We are not going to ask you the questions and listen to your patented duck and dodge." He held out his hand toward her upturned crate. "You're going to have a seat, and you're going to talk, and we are going to listen. We, who in ways various have dealt with the mistress of prevarication that is you for quite the number of years, and have learned that the only way to hang you is to let you make the rope yourself."
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no subject
Date: 2006-01-20 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-20 09:50 pm (UTC)Niall is seriously torqued at Jani in this scene, and with good reason.
He has much more faith than Jani in institutions. He believes that if something doesn't work, you fix it, which in the long run is probably the better belief when you're dealing with a political system stuffed to the gills with established institutions.
Niall's also 100% human, and certain to remain so. That's another issue. If they weren't at rock-bottom such honorable individuals--and Jani is honorable for all she says she isn't--their friendship would have ended.