lifetothefullest | [IC Inbox]

[Lance offers her a shrug in return, not about to argue; normally he'd be a little more insistent, but considering who it is he neither feels obligated or like it's a good idea.

He does, however, watch her carefully a moment, before offering--]

Cabinet to the left, by the desk.

[The look that Maketh shoots him is not especially gentle, though she looks where he prompts. And--

Ah.]

Thank you, Doctor Sweets.

[It's said because it must be said, and not at all because she wants to.]

You're welcome.

[Likewise on the pleasantries, though he'll definitely take fake niceties over the usual alternative.]

The cabinet next to it might also be useful.

[It has a few assorted snacks. The urge to lecture her on proper methods of maintaining one's health during a drinking binge is high, but considering he's a psychologist he's more than aware of the fact that most of the time when someone's on a drinking binge it's because they don't have any interest in maintaining their health.

And although the concerns him, despite it being Maketh, he's also not willing to ask just yet. He still remembers very clearly what happened last time they spoke.]

[She gives him a suspicious look, but opens the cabinet all the same.

Hmph.]

You're being strangely useful.

[That comment might've been hurtful for its implications coming from anyone else, but--]

I'm not being any more strangely useful than usual, you're just listening to what I'm telling you this time.

[Which is the strange part, as far as he's concerned.]

[Hmm. And he's firing back. Maketh smiles just a little.]

You're in fine spirits today. Has something changed?

[The smile--and question--earns a suspicious look of his own in response as he tries to read the meaning behind her expression.]

Not exactly.

[...Sort of true, but sort of not, although he's not about to get into it even if Maketh calls him on the partial lie. But anyway--]

And as I said, I work here, and people are having enough problems with the event going on.

[So being helpful--and at least moderately pleasant--is important. People are depressed and on edge enough already without any of their problems being added to by someone they might be going to for help.]

And you're not taking the opportunity to suss out their secrets.

[How curious. Maketh would have thought the opportunity too good to pass up.]

Why would I?

[Not only is it wrong, but if she means what he thinks she might--about trying to find out or see others' visions during the event--then it runs the risk of someone else seeing his, which he's not interested in.

Besides, he knows enough of other people's secrets already; people tell him them willingly.]

[Oh, he's really going to ask? Maketh ducks her head, baring her teeth in a sharp grin. He'll probably see it anyway.]

Such an opportunity for someone of your profession, isn't it?

[Ah, well. So much for the pleasantries.

He shrugs, finally bothering to stand up, although it's mostly to casually put a little more distance between them; he's not taking any chances.]

My profession involves helping people with their problems, Maketh, and that requires willingness on the part of the patient. Purposefully trying to seek out someone's secrets, especially when they don't want to share them, is not a part of that.

[He pauses a moment, and then shrugs a little.]

At least, it's not for that particular one of my professions.

[The criminal profiling one is something of the opposite, actually, but he's not investigating anyone here right now.]

[Maketh takes one of the bottles and holds it loosely at her side, watching him the whole time. If he goes for a weapon, she's at a disadvantage. Won't be able to get her rifle up fast enough. But that would require him to draw first. Maketh wonders if he has the nerve.]

But you have others, don't you?

[Working for his FBI.]

And now the gods are recruiting fools to do their dirty work. A tempting offer, some might say.

[At least a few of Hadriel's citizens are going to take them up on it. It's inevitable. Maketh won't be among them - her views are too polarizing, too public - but she has a duty to perform. And she will do so to the bitter end.]

[Lance is not interested in the slightest in getting into a fight; he isn't even carrying his gun at the moment, and anything sharp n the Clinic is also reflective, so even if he might want to go for a weapon there are few choices.

But he's just going to try to avoid getting anywhere near that point, frowning a little at Maketh's response and ignoring her question entirely.]

I thought the Null were the ones recruiting.

[Unless she thinks the gods might want to use people in Hadriel to figure out who among them is aiding the Null, which wouldn't be too surprising but he hasn't hear anything about yet. Whether she's just assuming or has actual reason to believe that might happen is worth trying to figure out, though.]

Oh? I suppose you haven't been paying attention, then. A shame.

[The gods have been making their claim already, feeling out their allies. They're being quiet about it, but Maketh recognizes the conversations she had in the Academy. Figuring out who might be convinced to stand next to her when the fight came, and who would stab her straight in the throat.

Maketh tips her head to the side.]

Give my regards to Doctor Brennan, will you? I like her much better than you.

[Lance's eyes narrow at that, and he quickly weighs his options mentally on whether to reveal something he knows to see if he can provoke information in response, or to just keep it to himself. But what he knows is public enough information that he thinks it's worth it; Maketh could find it out on her own anyway, if she doesn't already know it.]

I've paid enough attention to know that gods are very aware you're willing to let the Null kill them, and that they distrust the Guard because of it.

[He ignores the comment about Brennan, though he'll mention it to Brennan herself later.]

[Honestly. Maketh thins her mouth, eying him up and down in assessment.]

Of course they do, Doctor Sweets. Oh--did you think that was a secret?

[Okay, so she already knew. Not useful after all, at least in that sense, although he has a different angle to try and just shrugs in response.]

Of course not; we both know you're not that subtle. But that's quite a position to put the other members of the Guard in, because aside from those who have been very vocal against the Null, they're going to be obvious first choices for the gods to focus on.

[Subtle. Maketh wonders if he means that as an insult. She's tempted to explain to him exactly how Imperial politics works, but fear the lesson would be meaningless to someone like him. No point wasting the breath.]

Quite. But that is our purpose. To protect the civilians.

[She thins her mouth. This is revealing more than she initially planned to, but what he does with the information will be telling further down the road. She doesn't like Sweets, but he might be of use.]

And, if necessary, draw the fire from them.

[Okay, that has his attention, and his posture immediately changes from standoffish to a combination of concern and interest.]

Although not necessarily a bad idea, a diversion will only last so long. Once they figure out who of the Guard is genuinely against them, they'll just move onto the rest of the populace as they would've before.

[And also--]

There's also the issue of public trust.

[So he does understand. How curious.]

I am well aware of that, Doctor Sweets.

[Diversions are short term solutions and this one is already starting to run thin. It won't last when the first real fight comes, a fact Maketh knows very well.]

On both counts. Nick and Henry have proven themselves multiple times. Their methods have not been questioned and their results speak well for them.

[She smiles, not gently.]

I know what I am. The whole of Hadriel knows it. The Guard will stand regardless of how the gods counter.

[He doesn't argue about Nick or Henry; although he's getting to know Henry more than he has Nick, he's pretty convinced that both of them have good motives and the capability to put them into effect. Maketh is, as far as he's concerned, the real issue here.

And that last part of what she says--not about the Guard, but about herself--stands out to him, and provides a shift in topic that he decides to dare making.]

Do you really believe that? That you know what you are, and that those in Hadriel do too?

[Because he doesn't; he'd started to think she was just entirely unwilling, despite her previous assertions to the contrary, to change her behavior, but their last meeting--despite how badly it had gone--had also provided an odd glimmer of doubt about that. And he doesn't for a moment think that the general populace of Hadriel knows much of anything about some of the lengths she'll go to, or some of the beliefs she holds.]

Of course. I'm the Empire.

[She smiles, not gently.]

I'll be the one to go too far. The bad element corrupting what is otherwise a productive and important organization.

[It's something she's been careful to cultivate. The right image. The right mindset.]

Everyone knows I'll be the one to cross the line, Doctor Sweets. Isn't that nice? No need to get your hands dirty at all.

Are you sure?

[He's asking in regards to the first part, which is what he wants to focus on, although he's making mental note of the rest of it. He doesn't really believe many people here see anything like that, honestly, and the whole thing feels... Off, somehow, to him, like it's something new she's decided, and that only reinforces that there's reason to question her certainty on the first part.]

I'm going to pretend you did not ask me that.

[She lifts her chin, daring him to push back.]

I do not commit to half measures.

[Lance stares evenly back, but he's mentally trying to decide if it's worth the risk to continue. He feels this is important, but at the same time he's only willing to take so much of a chance in dealing with her especially after last time.

But he's well out of arm's reach at the moment, at least, so he decides to try at least a little, carefully choosing his words as he does so.]

I'm not saying you do, but I don't think you're really as interested in retaining this Empire ideology as you're suddenly claiming. Especially not when what we're usually arguing about is where the line of what's acceptable for the greater good lies.

[And, although he doesn't say it directly, not when she'd been so clear during their first and only real counseling session that she didn't want to be an Imperial. But her sudden change in wording in regards to herself--corrupting the guard, being the one to go too far--is showing a completely different view of herself, and he thinks there's probably something in specific going on that's caused it.]

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