006 video;

[iwannabeadragon]

[50% encryption to Nilin]

We should talk. Think I may have actually found something useful for once.

[50% encryption to Skulduggery]

Maker I hate this thing. Skul, Akito and I came across something of interest. Did you go into that library?

[End encryptions]

Let's keep this simple so I don't have to play with this thing much longer. Who here visited the library on the island?

[He pauses for a moment.]

And someone tell Evandau to clear his schedule. I need to talk to him.

Comments

[survival_isnt_living]

Well, that's what friends tell me, anyway. I make a point not to find out myself.

[Septimus smiles slightly--he's almost certain no one could have followed him; he has yet to meet anyone who could beat his windcrafted veils here on the turtle, and even in Alera there was almost no one.

But that's a discussion for another time.

Normally, Septimus wouldn't bother asking before setting up this windcrafting, but this is a potentially touchy situation, so he just gives Hawke a thoughtful look.] I can keep this from being overheard, if you prefer a little extra security. [Furies know he would.]

[iwannabeadragon]

[Despite things he's learned Hawke is not about to turn paranoid just yet. He's seen what that can do to people and he's not so eager to follow in their footsteps.]

There's no one in this house that I don't trust.

[survival_isnt_living]

[Interesting. Septimus just raises an eyebrow.] Lucky.

[However, he moves on swiftly.]

There are others discussing a meeting with Evandau. This about the way he's acting recently, the killings?

[iwannabeadragon]

And now you've just jinxed me.

[Hawke smirks. Even when he's supposed to be taking something seriously it's hard not to snark.]

That and a number of other red flags.

[survival_isnt_living]

[He smiles in appreciation of the snark briefly before getting serious again.]

Which ones caught your attention in particular?

[iwannabeadragon]

[Hawke holds up his hand to count them on his fingers.]

Paranoia, incompetence, and complete lack of any sense of humor.

[His hand falls back to his side.]

And the murders. Those aren't good either.

[survival_isnt_living]

[Septimus can't help but think that his personal experience with imperial politics suggests that effective First Lords ought to have at least some sense of paranoia--and yes, it rankles to admit his father was right, but so it goes. Still, there's paranoia and there's paranoia.]

A sense of humor does matter more than most would imagine.

I've been considering which course of action to take for some time now, but I'm curious about what exactly you had in mind.

[iwannabeadragon]

And there's the fact that he can't communicate with Asti. That can't be good.

[The turtle himself seemed upset over that so Hawke figures it must be important in some way. He arrived only after the former emperor died but he assumes her relationship with the giant sea creature was probably better.]

Simple, I intend to get into his face and have a "polite" conversation until he caves or tries to kill me. And maybe bring a few people with me if he's not feeling agreeable.

[survival_isnt_living]

[New and fascinating information: check. New and fascinating and definitely disturbing information which doesn't actually surprise Septimus in the least: check.]

I would say not.

[Another ghost of a fairly unamused smile crosses his face; he likes Hawke's directness.]

Until he gives in about what was more my question--I was assuming you shared my intent about such a polite conversation. [As far as he's concerned, no scare quotes are needed if he's genuinely being direct and not assassinating the man. Direct challenges are polite!]

Were you just looking for a confession, a halting of some recent activities, agreement to actually bloody well do something about the Palace, or something more?

[iwannabeadragon]

[Though Hawke doesn't intend to go in there starting a fight, he remembers the last few times he tried anything like this. Blood was shed regardless. Whatever happens it likely won't be fun for anyone involved.]

All of the above really. I'd love for some confirmation that he's still on our side and not a raving lunatic.

[He notices that a lot of these questions have to deal with Hawke's motivations while his guest is revealing few of his own. That's just doesn't seem fair.]

What about you? Trying to get your good deed in for the day?

[survival_isnt_living]

[Septimus tilts an eyebrow up; his intentions have been somewhat clear for several months, he thinks, to anyone who has been actually paying attention to the things he's been saying on the network.

He also decides not to note that 'good deed for the day' is incredibly insulting, especially considering he's made a conscious choice to heal.]

Hardly. I've been sick and tired of his incompetence since he lost control of the Palace. I needed more than instinct for justification to make a move, though.

[His eyes glint with cold rage at Evandau; current actions more than suffice.] But there are enough people with structure who want to act that I think we need to communicate rather than accidentally tripping each other up.

[iwannabeadragon]

Now I don't know about that. Instinct usually serves me just fine.

[It's all he has to use a lot of the time. Then again, there are times when it utterly fails him or only gets him into more trouble. It also helped that one of his best friends used to be the captain of the city guard in Kirkwall.

Hawke takes note of the rage but doesn't react to it. It's often hard to get him to display anything more than mocking wit and for good reason. He finds it's easier for people to underestimate him if they think he's a fool.]

It would be nice if we could all avoid making a giant mess. Maker knows I've been involved in one too many of those.

[survival_isnt_living]

[Septimus smiles faintly; very few people seem to grasp what he means when he talks about instinct, and here in Keeliai he hasn't talked to anyone about it (Tavi, in this case, does not count, being family). But that is not a discussion for here and now, or probably ever.]

We're already in something of a mess; under the circumstances, I doubt there's any way it can be pretty.

There is a plan in the works to try to get him to neutral ground prohibiting violence, though.

[iwannabeadragon]

A man can dream.

[Hawke can't shake the niggling feeling that when this is all said and done, the city will be on fire again. Hopefully he's just overthinking things. Watching a city burn around him three times is three times too many.]

The workings of a plan huh? I like this sound of this already.

[He waits for Septimus to go on.]