Your assistant, Yseult, is dead set against pirates. You see, we've a familiarity, her and I.
[Which he says straight, and matter-of-fact, because it's true. True in the way you look at a tide pool from afar and think, there's a tide pool, and of course you're right--but if you look into it, you'll find an untold world teeming beneath the surface. That sort of true.]
Had a few run-ins in the past, and while I don't doubt at all her capabilities or her cleverness, or even her ability to do a little honest thieving of her own, I do think she'll overlook some certain approaches to the problems that are less straight forward. Meaning no offense to her. And I'd offer my services, outright, but as I've said. She's dead set against piracy, and myself, in many ways. Puts difficulty on it all.
[ If there were fewer things to sort through, Kostos might object to the characterization of Yseult as his assistant—unnecessarily, probably—but there are not fewer things to sort through, so he’s silent on the matter, and silent on all of the other matters as well, for the time it takes Darras to explain and then several additional seconds afterwards.
Yseult has been—fine. Present and attentive and knowledgeable in ways that make Kostos feel slightly more out of his depth that usual, which is saying something, and especially conscious of his bruises and missing buttons (why anyone thinks tearing clothes that way is sexy is beyond him) and all of that, not quite embarrassed but occasionally wondering if maybe he ought to be. He hasn’t been given any reason to doubt her, or much reason not to doubt her. And he’s been given a small reason, that word pirate, to doubt Darras.
But his default is to doubt nearly everyone, a lot, all the time. In that context they’re nearly even. ]
How much does she dislike you, exactly?
[ How much of a disruption is this possibly going to be. ]
Medium dislike. She won't cut my head off or throw me out of any windows. She'll be-- [He's picturing a precise look on Yseult's face when he says this, one he knows well--] --put out, let's call it. But she's a professional, I'll say that for her, and she'll get on with it, and ultimately be glad for having a proper thief along with her. Though I imagine she'd do decently, doing all the thieving for herself. She's trickier than she presents herself, and I mean that as a compliment.
[And he does, and it shows in his voice. There's much to be admired about Yseult, and Darras would be the first one to say all of them. Nor would he be wanting to undercut her in any way, really, no matter what his argument might imply.]
There's a certain shiftiness to the compass of morality that her experience doesn't allow for. And, look, mate: if nothing else, you'd be helping me to settle a bet with her.
Whether or not I'm capable of doing honest work for the Inquisition. She reckons not. Lucky for me it won't violate the terms of that bet, if this bit of honest work has a tint of dishonesty to it. Won't be my fault, either. Just a happy coincidence.
[Smooth, confident, and charming, against all odds and grim tone:]
Suggestions are like seeds, so I thank you for the kindness, and owe you a debt of minor gratitude for it. As will the Inquisition, I imagine, when it's all a resounding success.
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[Which he says straight, and matter-of-fact, because it's true. True in the way you look at a tide pool from afar and think, there's a tide pool, and of course you're right--but if you look into it, you'll find an untold world teeming beneath the surface. That sort of true.]
Had a few run-ins in the past, and while I don't doubt at all her capabilities or her cleverness, or even her ability to do a little honest thieving of her own, I do think she'll overlook some certain approaches to the problems that are less straight forward. Meaning no offense to her. And I'd offer my services, outright, but as I've said. She's dead set against piracy, and myself, in many ways. Puts difficulty on it all.
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Yseult has been—fine. Present and attentive and knowledgeable in ways that make Kostos feel slightly more out of his depth that usual, which is saying something, and especially conscious of his bruises and missing buttons (why anyone thinks tearing clothes that way is sexy is beyond him) and all of that, not quite embarrassed but occasionally wondering if maybe he ought to be. He hasn’t been given any reason to doubt her, or much reason not to doubt her. And he’s been given a small reason, that word pirate, to doubt Darras.
But his default is to doubt nearly everyone, a lot, all the time. In that context they’re nearly even. ]
How much does she dislike you, exactly?
[ How much of a disruption is this possibly going to be. ]
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[And he does, and it shows in his voice. There's much to be admired about Yseult, and Darras would be the first one to say all of them. Nor would he be wanting to undercut her in any way, really, no matter what his argument might imply.]
There's a certain shiftiness to the compass of morality that her experience doesn't allow for. And, look, mate: if nothing else, you'd be helping me to settle a bet with her.
[oooo interesting right]
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What bet?
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[ He’s in though probably. ]
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[If luck has anything to do with it.]
If you're amendable, I'll have double proof of that luck.
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I can suggest it.
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Suggestions are like seeds, so I thank you for the kindness, and owe you a debt of minor gratitude for it. As will the Inquisition, I imagine, when it's all a resounding success.
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