❡002 voice

[pvtparts]

Out of curiosity, how many of you have a training or a specialty? It doesn't have to be necessarily related to combat or weapons, of course, but being able to drink everyone on the Barge under the table - though commendable - doesn't count.

[She imagines combat/weapon-related ones will be the most popular, but she'd still like to know how much of a diversity (or lack thereof) there is.]

Out of further curiosity, what is it?

[There are enough smart-asses on board she thinks would just say they have training and leave it at that.]

And for those that don't have any, why not?

Comments

[pvtparts]

No, I don't.

[She says it in that precise tone that indicates that she knows he wants her to ask and that she is not going to nor will she proceed to care about the answer any time in the near future, sir.]

[mattersverymuch]

[Rude. A long-suffering sigh.]

Whenever people ask these sorts of questions, they never volunteer their own answer first. No give and take, just take. Very rude.

[Not that he doesn't know everything he can glean about her from the networks. Just. The principle of the thing is very funny.]

[pvtparts]

Not so, sir.

I'm giving you the information that I'm both rude and honest because I never claimed to be otherwise. If you're exceedingly clever, sir, I'm sure you know more than that.

Now, I don't know what you think about it--[and still don't care]--but asking for a little initiative isn't such a bad thing.

[mattersverymuch]

[His eyes narrow, just slightly.]

Just as you say, milady.

[He sees you there.]

Doesn't have to be related to combat or weapons, but can't be drinking someone under the table. Those are very radical sides of a spectrum. Give me a disqualifier that's more - subtle.

[pvtparts]

If you can't figure it out from extremes, how could subtle possibly help?

[mattersverymuch]

Every piece of information helps. [Funny you don't know that s e r g e a n t.]

[pvtparts]

Some of it can be redundant.

[mattersverymuch]

Even redundancy can, in the right circumstances, help. Assuming you know how to filter out noise.

Do you? [8D]

[pvtparts]

I'm not sure that matters all that much to you whether I can or not unless it gives you an opportunity to either prove me wrong or gloat, whichever the case may be.

[Yes, sir. c'8]

[mattersverymuch]

That would be a yes, then.

[Okay. He likes you.]

[pvtparts]

You're very astute.

[As you should.]

[mattersverymuch]

General survival skills, is your answer.

[pvtparts]

That seems inaccurate.

[mattersverymuch]

Oh my goodness, doesn't it? Just because I'm technically dead.

[pvtparts]

Not at all. Death doesn't slow everyone down.

[Don't be racist.]

I was referring more to the "general" portion of your claim. You can survival generally, of course, but I wouldn't say your skills are general.

[And no, marquis, that's not an asspat for you so don't go puffing out your ego. It's just a statement of how you choose to get by.]

[mattersverymuch]

Some of them are. Most of them are fairly pointed.

[pvtparts]

How fortunate for you.

[mattersverymuch]

Skills and fortune are unrelated. Or do you attribute your successes to luck?

[pvtparts]

Oh, you seem to have misunderstood. Allow me to clarify: that was an empty platitude as most platitudes tend to be.

[mattersverymuch]

[LONG-SUFFERING SIGH.]

Is it so much to ask that one be allowed to engage in meaningful conversation on this boat? My goodness.

[pvtparts]

Why yes, I believe it is.