[IC] TEST POST

[dendarii]

[ Miles Vorkosigan cuts an unusual figure even under the most extraordinary circumstances: tiny and somewhat hunchbacked, his curved spine obvious even beneath his custom-cut Imperial Security green military uniform. Unless you're bitty like him (and he's met few adults below his height of 4'8"), he likely comes up to your shoulder or a little lower.

There is, however, a manic energy to the man that makes him fill up more than his physical space. Sharp, penetrating gray eyes take in the world around him as great refreshing gulps of information. Depending on the situation, he may be taking in you as well. ]

A - Canon

[ In his case, you suddenly find yourself in an empty and rather old-fashioned looking house. Old-fashioned except for the high tech consoles installed in various areas, anyway, and if one looks out the window a relatively sci-fi-esque view can be seen interspersed with vaguely Russian architecture. Miles looks up, startled by your sudden appearance. ]

I'm sorry, have we met?

[ In other words, how the hell did you just waltz into the Vorkosoigan House without him being alerted by the guards? Visiting his father or mother, maybe? That's the only thing coming to mind. ]

B - Mask or Menace

[ Staring, Miles can deal with. It's depressingly normal and almost comforting, given the circumstances. But having people approach him like some kind of celebrity is damned unsettling. It feels like some awful combination of being both Lord Vorkosigan and Admiral Naismith at the same time ... which is technically true, but he's not enough at ease with himself to cross those wires just yet.

Speaking of which. He fixes a brilliant smile on his face as his confident swagger threatens to knock over anyone within a five meter radius of him. The space operatic Admiral Naismith persona in full force and practically spilling over. After all, when faced with a wall, Miles tends to charge right the hell on through. First obstacle to be defeated: finding out what the hell is going on and why his head is feeling strangely full all of a sudden.

He's about twenty or so, though with a face like his he could be anywhere between early twenties and early thirties. The tell-tale import barcode flickers at his wrist; he hasn't quite realized what that means for himself or anyone else. In a remarkably flat, pseudo-American accent: ]

You know, I think I've gotten myself lost. Any chance you're more familiar with this place?

[ Heropa is where he's come out first, but by now he could be in any of the Porter cities. ]

Comments

[dendarii]

[ Really, Spock. He's fond of you already but this is ridiculous. He fumbles over a few emotional responses before deciding to go with something as factual a possible, to see if that gets through to him. ]

The details are somewhat lost to history, but ... there was some sort of nuclear holocaust long before I was born. The resulting mutagenic defects have had a profound effect on our culture, including severe social prejudices against genetic mutations. Up to and including infantcide of anyone born with physical defects. My own grandfather ...

[ He stops there, before this "unemotional" explanation takes a turn he doesn't want to follow. ]

[scienceping]

[ Welcome to talking with Vulcans about anything ever. Spock can, unfortunately, guess what Miles isn't saying, and he thankfully doesn't pursue that particular topic. ]

Then you would use it as a means of escaping the aforementioned prejudices of your society. A facade to present to the general public.

[dendarii]

[ Miles' relationship with his grandfather is a complicated one. Mostly he can't help thinking that he might have gotten into the academy on his first try if he'd had this power back then ...

Not worth dwelling on, maybe. He just sighs a bit and nods. ]

Correct, Commander. Extremely useful to have on a couple different levels.

[scienceping]

No doubt.

But I would invite you to consider, Admiral: one's development may be influenced by their exposure to the available environment, but the environment is also influenced by the individual as well. Your unique physique has shaped your upbringing and may well have provided you with alternate means of adapting that others have either not considered or even realized. It is then remarkable that you achieved the rank of Admiral despite the supposed disadvantage that your society has placed against you.

In summation, if you had previously had the same ability to create a facade via shape-shifting into a more pleasing form, you would have fundamentally changed the outcome of your upbringing, thereby completely altering your development and current self.

[dendarii]

[ Miles' mouth twists a little at the "Admiral" comment - Spock doesn't know half the story there. But Miles isn't going to correct him just yet either. Best not to actively dismantle his own cover, even with it punctured like this. He opens his mouth to protest a few times, then quiets instead. Not sure what to say now, at the end of it. ]

You're right, but I don't like it.

[scienceping]

Nor does anyone when a "disadvantage" is assigned to them.

[dendarii]

What do you know about it? Your society is too logical for that, isn't it?

[ That comes out a little sharper than he'd intended. ]

[scienceping]

[ It's hard to tell what exactly Spock is thinking just then, that damn calm and blank expression masking his thoughts, but he appears to hesitate before replying. ]

... While Vulcans strive towards logic and the control of one's emotions, that does not preclude the presence of some emotion, though many would deny it.

[dendarii]

[ Miles is good enough at reading people that he spots the pause, as slight as it is. ]

Then you have been the target of prejudice.

[scienceping]

I am, despite honoring the Vulcan way and achieving many milestones in Vulcan tradition, different from my peers.

[dendarii]

And they made you suffer for it. Physical bullying, mental? Both?

[scienceping]

I admit that I would prefer not to speak of the matter.

[ Spock once again looks down at his hands, flexing his fingers; they've heated back up by now, no longer the alarming shade of green that they were. He runs through a series of small finger movements to test the sensation and function of his nerves: abducting the digits to his radius, pressing each tip of finger to his thumbnail, judging the sensational reaction, and so on. ]

Suffice it to say that Vulcan children learn the control of their emotions, but they are, in fact, still learning at that stage of development. And as you already are aware, prejudice established early in life is often the most difficult to overcome.

[dendarii]

[ He should feel guilty about this, but Miles isn't one to give up once he has a goal in mind. He knew there was something underneath that cool facade. ]

Indeed, it is. On both sides.

[scienceping]

[ Spock looks back up again to quirk an eyebrow. ]

Implying what, precisely?

[dendarii]

For them to overcome their prejudice. And for you to overcome the scars left by it.

[ He bites back something sharper. ]

[scienceping]

[ Spock keeps his gaze on Miles a while longer, saying nothing, unsure of what he could say in response. ]

[dendarii]

[ Miles quiets too, thinking. ]

I had a bodyguard for most of my youth. It deterred the worst of the physical attempts.

[scienceping]

... To say nothing of the non-physical attempts?

[dendarii]

Yes.

... What about you?

[scienceping]

As I said, I would prefer not to speak on the matter. However, I will clarify that I did not possess a personal guard.

[ Spock turns his head to glance toward the table that Miles set the glasses and bowls on. ]

If you wish to proceed with the exploration of our new abilities, I have regained full sensation in my median nerve extremities.

[dendarii]

Then I would hope that you too, in time, will learn to trust my discretion and good judgement.

[ He smiles faintly and pulls up a chair on the other side of the table, across from Spock. Each of the bowls and tumblers are identically sized, but they have different levels of water in each. ]

[scienceping]

[ A very subtle raise of one eyebrow at that, but it's gone by the time Miles shifts to the other side. ]

As to your judgement, may I ask to the purpose of the varying levels of liquid?

[dendarii]

Whether you'll have more or less trouble freezing it if there's differing volumes of liquid available. Perhaps your outburst at the café was due to not enough being available.

[scienceping]

An interesting insight ...

[ He scoots a bit closer to the table to mimic the distance he had at the cafe, taking on a similar posture with both hands on either side of the leftmost tumbler. ]

[dendarii]

Worth experimenting with, given a lack of other variables.

[ He leans in again to watch. ]