Gigabyte 034

[electronichound]

Has anyone else noticed that all the crew seem to be gone?

[Batou's wandering through the library, examining the titles of the books.]

Comments

[electronichound]

Yes. I've inspected their usual haunts and they're nowhere to be found.

[Batou comes to a stop some distance away, looking at Ace. He doesn't dislike the man, it's just that Batou doesn't usually hang out with tricksters. No, Batou is usually the one called in to muscle through their tricks and put them into a chokehold.]

[electronichound]

[Ace is asking for him to come closer, so Batou obliges and steps his normal heavy, measured pace up so he can take the book from Ace's hand and glance at the script.]

No. This isn't in any language I can identify. Looking for more poetry?

[You know, more love poetry to leave as a gift for Batou's lover?]

[electronichound]

No.

[Batou takes the cigarillo and pulls a cheap lighter out of his pocket and bows his head as he flicks the flame on and sucks air through the smoke. Nicotine immediately buzzes through his brain.

Now he knows what Ace wants from him: how to gain back the Major's favour. Who else to ask but her comrade and now lover? It makes perfect sense.]

[electronichound]

[Batou grunts, squatting down and pulling on his smoke. This is very murky water here, Ace. Batou doesn't talk about his relationship with the Major, except in the most professional of senses, which is how he speaks now.]

She expected more from you than that.

[electronichound]

[Batou gets up and seats himself on the boulder. It doesn't crack, so that's good. He rests his hands on his knees, cigarillo moving as he speaks.]

It was sloppy. Unprofessional. A poor target.

[electronichound]

[Batou just stares back at him impassively, trying to think of how to put what he's thinking into words.

Finally he taps his knuckles on his knee ruefully.]

This would be so much easier if you had a neckjack. Even a cyberbrain.

[electronichound]

You know why she's upset.

[Batou tilts his heavy head, and his white ponytail falls over his shoulder.]

Why did you kill Whitecastle in such a manner when she'd specifically asked you not to?

[electronichound]

What do you think?

[Batou sits back, raising his eyebrows. Motoko is known as the Major, and her very bearing communicates how unused she is to being disobeyed. Furthermore, she asked a favour of Ace and he blew it.

Batou sucks on the smoke for a moment.]

To some people, half a loaf isn't better than none at all.

[Translation: She doesn't care that killing Remy was better than killing Batou. She'd made a request. Ace fucked it up. That's all the Major cares about.]