ukan | IC CONTACT

You’ll have to share that list with me someday.

Unfortunately - or fortunately, perhaps - I’m entirely too practical to throw him over the side of the ship. It might be satisfying in the moment, but the fallout will be more trouble than it’s worth.

Did Godric tell you anything we talked about?

Only that he approached you after speaking to Kirei because he wanted an objective perspective.

I’m assuming you have your own concerns.

I do. About what sets him off, about his motives for being here.

If I had the answer to those questions, I wouldn’t be half as concerned as I am.

Between the age he is now on the Barge and the time I came to know him, all I can say is he cast off the restraints he presently has and embraced the fact that he experiences pleasure when others are suffering. I have no idea how self-aware he is of this, and I am uniquely unsuited to the task of trying to uncover these answers.

I have spoken to Warren about him — but beyond the three of you, I don’t want anyone else to know.

I intend to find out why he's here. I don't know that I'll succeed, but I mean to try.

[ Archer laughs softly - a humorless sound. ]

I expect you'll have a difficult time with that. And I would caution you to take care with it. He's an intelligent man, and from what I can tell, he already suspects that I know something about him.

[Difficult is not a worry. Lark is relentless and he's only inspired to try harder when people hide things.]

Have you spoken to him? What makes you think he suspects?

I’ve spoken to him twice now.

And the first time, frankly, I didn’t do a good job containing my anger at his presence.

I didn’t do anything to him, but I’m certain he knew it.

Edited 2021-12-24 18:21 (UTC)

Well, I don't blame you.

What can I do to help you? Besides keep an eye on him.

[ There is a long pause after which Archer lets out a frustrated sigh. ]

I don’t know. I have been deliberating over how I should deal with him since he arrived — since I know I can’t avoid every possible encounter.

I still don’t have a clear answer.

I assume you'll need to blow off steam regularly now.

[ Archer pinches the bridge of his nose. ]

That part is easy.

Knowing how to interact with him isn’t.

It's a small ship but it's not impossible to avoid people. Unless you think he'll seek you out now that he suspects you know something.

If he can, I expect he will, yes.

Whether or not I should let things play indefinitely or eventually tell him something is a question I don't have the answer to.

My advice would be don't tell him. But unfortunately this is the Barge and he will find something out eventually. The only smart thing to do is to proceed with that in mind.

[ Archer is quiet for a moment hearing that. ]

Secrets have a way of being dragged out into the open here; you're right about that.

[ It means there is no good, definitive answer, and that he's going to have to make judgment calls in real time rather than plan in advance. He doesn't like it, but there's nothing for it. ]

We'll just have to see how it plays out.

[There's a time to be passive and let things develop. Lark is always wary of letting that happen on the Barge but he nods.] If it gets to a point where you want to develop a new strategy, let me know. I can at least be an open ear.

[ Archer just…sighs. ]

If something radical changes, I’ll let you know.

IC CONTACT

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