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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 5, 2009 21:57:25 GMT 1
Aeré is seated at her desk in her office back home in the pent house apartment, she moved to after the divorce and her husband's tragic death. Maybe the apartment is a little smaller than the one, she left, but it doesn't bother her. There is room for her to live her life.
And a room for her new bodyguard.
Whom she still hasn't got herself used to see every day. She has been living alone for so long that she has forgotten, what it feels like to have another person around you 24-hours a day. It is new to her. And sometimes bothering her.
She stops reading her speech for the debate in the Senate tomorrow and turns her head slightly to look at the young man standing somewhere behind her.
"You are starring at me," she says for the fifth time this afternoon. "Stop it."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 5, 2009 22:35:23 GMT 1
Seth shifts his attention from just about everywhere around them to mostly Aeré. He rarely moves his whole focus to one single point of course, but for now she has his attention.
"I am not starring at you. I am observing. That is -still- my job."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 5, 2009 23:17:13 GMT 1
"In my world those two things - observing and starring - are the very same thing." Aeré puts down her datapad and 'observes' him with her steelgrey eyes. How long has he been standing there behind her, not moving an inch? He was standing there, when she got to work. He is still standing there. On the same spot.
"I thought that you were only observing the surroundings."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 5, 2009 23:47:04 GMT 1
Truth is, Seth has been standing there, yes, but not exactly without moving 'an inch'. He has been reading the news on his datapad, mentally listed the names of some senators Aeré is currently working with, what time of the day her laundry will be delivered, and a number of other things he just has to do as her bodyguard. All in all, working on knowing Aeré Jupal's life as well as she does. And better, preferably.
"I am observing everything. But when you talk to me, yes, I do look at you. That is only polite."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 5, 2009 23:57:33 GMT 1
Aeré turns her chair, so that she doesn't have to turn her head to look at him. "You are observing everything, you say?" she repeats thoughtfully. "Then what about me?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 0:07:23 GMT 1
Seth supresses a sigh. This is going somewhere. He knows it. She wants him to say something (and she most likely gets him to say it sometime soon) and then she twists it around and uses it against him. Somehow.
"You? Should I be watching you more than the sorroundings?"
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 0:10:45 GMT 1
Aeré raises one eyebrow ever so slightly. "I didn't say that." The shadow of a cold smile passes her lips. "Are you?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 0:20:29 GMT 1
Oh, here it comes...
"No. I do not watch you any more than is nescessary. I thought that was what you prefered." A short, polite smile and a nod to match, before he casts a glance out the window as a huge transport passes by, blocking out more light than the average speeders. Nothing important he concludes.
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 0:24:55 GMT 1
"It is." Aeré nods, her lips brushing in a cold smile. "I was just wondering, what you see, when you observe me."
She looks back at the speech. Still missing two and a half pages. She will have that finished before midnight.
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 0:46:47 GMT 1
So that's the subject this time. Well, he is not going to admit defeat before putting up a fight.
He looks back at her, his sharp eyes scanning her quickly and professionally.
"About 70 kg of human female civilian. Armed with a holdout blaster but apparently not with hostile intents. Within reach of several objects suiting as throwing og bludgeoning weapons." Annoying as Hell
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 0:50:00 GMT 1
Aeré raises both her eyebrows. "That was some speech. You even think in that language?" she asks, before she turns back to look at her speech.
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 1:09:58 GMT 1
"Only when I need to put words on my thoughts." he answers in a calm tone.
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 1:20:26 GMT 1
"Ah." Aeré nods absently and continues typing something on her datapad. "Did your mother never tell you that it is considerede quite rude to judge a lady's weight?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 1:28:21 GMT 1
"Yes," Seth replies.
"And my father taught me to answer honestly when asked about something."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 1:32:22 GMT 1
"It sounds like you had a good upbringing then." Aeré reads a sentence more thoroughly. "What do your parents do for a living?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 1:42:46 GMT 1
Why did he mention his parents? Now he has to talk about them.
"My father is in the army, and my mother is dead." Period.
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 1:45:42 GMT 1
Aeré turns around in her chair again. "My condulescence," she says, not following the subject any further. "And your father is in the army. Any reason why you are not?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 1:51:50 GMT 1
She let it go. Good. Not that Seth doesn't like his parents. He just prefers not to discuss them with any- and everyone.
"I was in the army. I changed career when I ended up with more paperwork than active duty."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 1:55:38 GMT 1
"And then you chose to risk your life to keep other people safe." Aeré nods slowly once more. "A honourable goal in life. Though I still find you a little too young for a job like this."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 2:05:05 GMT 1
This again?
"Is it not what soldiers do too? Risking their lives to protect the Republic and its citisens," Seth takes a few steps to the side, slowly following a movement on the street with his eyes.
"I joined the army when I was 16. If my age is anything now, it is 'too old'."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 2:30:15 GMT 1
"That is different. Those soldiers sacrifice themselves for the sake of the people." Aeré pushes her speech aside. It can wait just for a while. "You joined the army when you were 16? Then you were still a child."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 2:42:09 GMT 1
"And you do not work for the sake of the people? By protecting you, I protect them." He looks at her with his almost colourless eyes.
"And yes, a 16 year old is still a child. But if one wants to be good at something, they have to start early. You know that."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 2:46:49 GMT 1
"Are you comparing my work in politics to your service in the army and your work for me now?" There is an edge in Aeré's voice now. "I prefer to solve things peacefully. If you want war, talk to my sister."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 11:03:34 GMT 1
"I never said I wanted war, Senator." he answers, politely ignoring her sharp tone.
"I just know not everything can be solved by politics. And I happen to be better with the aggressive negotiations than the peaceful solutions. Hence my joining the army."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 11:33:44 GMT 1
A cold smile crosses Aeré's lips.
"Funny," she says. "I used the excact terms at a meeting a couple of weeks ago."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 11:35:42 GMT 1
"Wonderful," His tone is a little more flat than usually.
"I take it you know what I mean, then."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 11:39:46 GMT 1
"Yes. I do." Aeré smiles again, even more chilling than before. "And I'm pleased to know that you actually would consider a peaceful solution. My sister would call it a waste of time."
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 12:32:00 GMT 1
Seth wonders for a moment, trying to decide if the temperature in the room has dropped enough that he should put on a jacket.
"I am raised as a soldier, Senator. Not a barbarian."
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Post by Aeré Jupal on Sept 6, 2009 12:34:51 GMT 1
Aeré looks surprised at him. Then the temperature in the room must drop even more by the cold, piercing glance, she sents him.
"Are you calling my sister a barbarian?"
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Post by Seth Vall on Sept 6, 2009 12:42:15 GMT 1
Seth could have slammed his head against the nearest wall. But he doesn't. Though it is hard for him.
"No, I do not. I do not know her nearly well enough to judge her like that. I guess I am merely quoting my former superiors." Stoneface. An absolute stoneface.
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