Nothing you hafta apologize for, even if she was causing trouble. Which she wasn't for the record. She... kind of recognized me, so I just took her somewhere peaceful where she could. [ He shrugs with one shoulder. ] You know.
Yeah, well. I think maybe this was the last of her.
[ One last peaceful moment before she's gone forever - that seems about right. ]
We didn't get hit too bad by all the doubles, but... we've been better. [ He sighs, slumping a little further into the couch. He'd just wanted to see Laura, but if anyone gets how worked up Khaji's gotten, it's probably her. ] Someone from home showed up. Khaji's... not too thrilled.
[ He's angry, all the time. It's giving him a headache. He had dealt with this before, but that was when it hadn't been Khaji, just whatever bloodthirsty monster took his place when he got rebooted. This is different - it's rage, yes, but tempered with the righteousness of the one who fell victim to the Negotiator and his kind, anger that it's him who's here and not the people Khaji would rather see, the injustice of him of all people getting a second chance when so many of their allies have fallen.
If it wasn't such a problem, Jaime would be proud of him for the complexity of his emotions. Instead, he's just tired. ]
His. Mine, later on. And he's just - angry, all the time.
[ The Negotiator and his people are the ones who chose to create Khaji, to control them for their own purposes, to twist their free will to fit what they wanted without any regard for their own free will - or the safety of their families.
[ She pauses a long moment. Her instinct is what it always is when an enemy of a friend shows up- offer to rip the offender into pieces. But she knows Jaime is unlikely to appreciate the offer, and is far more capable of follow-through that she could be either. Instead she just lets a few beats of heavy silence pass. ]
Yeahhh, that's how we feel about it too. [ Jaime rubs his face. ] We have, like, a truce going on. Not that I think you'd tell anyone about this even without me saying anything, but... do me a favour and don't tell anyone. I might ask you to take Khaji out sometime, though, get some of that - [ he flaps one hand, making a buzzing sound with his lips, which is more or less what Khaji's felt like all day long ] - out of him.
A truce. [ She sounds incredulous, but only slightly. Riptide's truce with Getaway had gone to shit. She'd never managed a true truce with Woden anyway. But mmmmaaaybe Jaime knew what he was talking about? But more importantly... ]
Wait, take him out? I thought he was like your spine or something.
[ Jaime just shrugs. He's honestly a little incredulous about the whole thing too but there's nothing he can do but hope that the Negotiator keeps up his side of the deal. ]
Yeah, he's in my spine. Back when we went out last time, it was, like, 80% me, 20% him? But I can give him 100% of the control if I want to. Or he can take it, if he wants to. I'd still be in there, I'd just be... chilling?
Hey, you two can do whatever so long as you don't get into too much trouble. This is still my body.
[ That much, Khaji can agree to. He may be quarrelsome for the sake of it, but he knows Jaime well enough to know that it's no joking matter - and that Jaime willingly handing over control is the greatest trust he could put in someone. ]
Free tomorrow evening or Saturday? I was wondering if you'd join me for some champagne at my office. I've been busy with planning the Swear-In Ceremony or I'd have asked sooner. Sorry. A simple belated toast is what I had in mind. I've invited Inanna too.
Page 44 of 47