[IC] [Mask or Menace] Contact Post

[dendarii]

"This is Miles. Leave a message and I'll respond to you at my earliest convenience."

The line has gone silent; any messages sent to this name only return an error.

Comments

[jacksonian]

Uh huh. Then the fact that you want to stay with them doesn't seem all that complicated. Revenue for doing nothing.

[dendarii]

I've never once thought of it like that. Some Vor, maybe, but it doesn't capture the essence of being Vor. We serve.

[jacksonian]

The fact that you haven't thought of it like that doesn't mean it's not actually like that. People are very capable of lying to themselves.

[dendarii]

On the contrary, it's the truest thing about me.

[jacksonian]

Yeah. According to you. Who might be lying to yourself.

[dendarii]

I know myself better than you think, Mr. Kane.

... Were your bones harmed by your physical defect?

[jacksonian]

[ Okay. Well, this might make them underestimate him. ]

Yeah.

So why did you decide on that crap clone story?

[dendarii]

[ Dammit, he wants more detail than that. Save it for his next question maybe... ]

Because my appearance is too unusual otherwise. I'm extremely distinctive.

[jacksonian]

You're in a world where no one knows you.

[dendarii]

I'm in a world where anyone from home could show up. And it's proved its usefulness at least once already.

[ Which ... actually, he should say something about that. ]

I advise not using video around a man calling himself Lucifer.

[jacksonian]

[ Yeah. This. Which he still hasn't gotten the full story on. That...sounds a little worse than he'd expected, though. A little more dire. ]

Why not?

[dendarii]

Because if he mistakes you for me, he will make your life miserable. And if he figures out you're a different person ... he will make your life miserable in more creative ways.

[jacksonian]

[ He wants to laugh. Of course. Of course Vorkosigan has already made his life worse. Of course the clone is reaping the fruit of his bad decisions. Sure. ]

And what if he sees me on the street? What then? Go and contact him and tell him I have nothing to do with you.

[dendarii]

That would be unwise. I'd draw attention to you, to start with.

[jacksonian]

[ Panic starts to rise in him. ]

So I'm supposed to just wait for Lucifer to spot me on the street and torture me to death instead?

[dendarii]

No. God, no. I don't think he'd do that anyway - he's more about the chase. Call me and I'll stall him, at least. I can move quickly if I have to, and at last make him safe to you for a while.

[jacksonian]

Are you joking? You can't even protect yourself.

[dendarii]

I have certain safety precautions in place. And he's been quiet lately.

[jacksonian]

What a load of shit. I'm going to get killed and it's going to be because of you.

[ Ha. Ha. Yeah. That's exactly what's going to happen. ]

[dendarii]

I have it handled. You'll be fine, just ... don't approach him.

[jacksonian]

Like hell you do. I'd sooner strike some sort of deal with him.

[dendarii]

[ Oh god. Miles goes cold straight to the pit of his stomach just thinking about it. ]

He's the literal devil. You don't make deals with him.

[jacksonian]

We don't exactly study ancient religions where I'm from, but I'm pretty sure that's exactly what you do.

[dendarii]

It's an extremely bad idea. You have to fight him instead if you must encounter him. Did the Porter give you any decent powers?

[jacksonian]

I know whether or not a business is going to succeed. I'm not fighting him. Are you insane?