Interrogate or confide? An ages old dilema
Who: Jensen, Essdara
Where: Jensen's Office
When: A couple days after the party.
Comment: I think my RP was flat here, but mostly cause I need to RP with Jensen more to get the chemistry between him and Dara back. She goes to see him to fill in gaps, and ends up deciding not to in favor of confiding in him.
Mid-morning, a couple days after the big party and associated drama. Essdara, fresh from a morning stint in the kitchens, makes a beeline for the door of the head of the guards. She gives a polite knock at the door, and awaits permission before entering.
A few moments pass after the "Just a minute," from the other side of the door and before Jensen answers. When he does he's carefully towelling his hair, a short-sleeved undershirt clinging to his damp skin. Just back from a bath it seems. His grin when he sees her is boyish. "Hey there, Dara." He opens the door further, leaves it open as he steps back into his room. "Come on in. Have a seat."
Essdara ducks into the room with a careful smile to Jensen. "Morning, Jensen. I didn't catch you at a bad time, I hope? Alas, my own timing is dictated by when I am supposed to be cooking, so I am glad to find you here." Nerves cause babbling, a bit. "How've you been holding up? I hear you, umm, had some shelves dropped on you the other night? You look like it wasn't anything major, though."
Jensen gestures at one of the chairs, sinks slowly into one himself. His words are somewhat grunted out at first as he does so. "Actually I'd say you have pretty good timin'. Just got back." His eyebrows lift as she, yes, babbles, but his smile is patient if a bit rueful when she mentions shelving. "Uh, yeah. Sorta cracked my skull on the floor first." And he gingerly touches his fingertips to the back of his head. "Bit sore, but I'll live. What brings you by?"
Essdara smiles a little bit and settles down into the seat. "About what you'd expect. See how you are, say hello, find out what dregs of information about what happened you are going to let me know..." She sighs. "I talked to Roa and K'sar a bit, but they are pretty tight lipped. Well, Roa is, and K'sar is smart enough to do what she says. She says that it's you that determines who gets to know what about it. I mean, I've put a lot of it together from asking around, but... I don't have the full picture. What happened?"
Jensen resumes his drying efforts, being very careful and very gentle when he gets to a specific spot towards the back. He has owies, aw. "Yeah, I've been dealin' with more'n you when it comes t'folk wantin' t'know more. I've told the weyr leaders what happened, I'm sure they'll let the rest of the weyr know eventually." But he pauses, winces as he leans forward, allowing his towel to drape over the arm of his chair. His hair is tousled. "What is it in specific you wanna know about?"
Essdara is quiet a moment. "Where was he from, and why Roa? Was it just cause she's small and an easy target? Was he alone, or does he have friends lurking around? I just don't understand why, Jensen. She's sweet and innocent and likable. Who'd want to hurt her?"
"Well darlin', there's somethin' goin' on in this weyr that we've gotta figure out. I don't know what Roa has t'do with it, but I think there's definitely somethin' significant 'bout that little goldrider we don't know yet." Jensen heaves a sigh, leans back in his chair, wincing again. Ow. "She's safe now. Told 'er I wanted one of the men followin' her around, keepin' an eye on 'er, and she said no." He smirks gently, watching Dara through his eyelashes and strands of hair that have fallen in front of his eyes. "So now she has four men followin' 'er around."
Essdara chuckles softly. "Does she know that she does? I can't imagine she'd like it if she did. But I am glad she is safe. I just... I want to understand this. I know I have no right to even care, but I do. K'sar, too, he's usually been good to me. And I hear Tava was there? I haven't gotten to talk to her yet, but like everyone /else/ I was supposed to dance with, guess this took over." She's quiet a moment. "Do you know how Roa got hurt? My sources weren't clear on that bit. I haven't quite figured out what happened between Roa vanishing, K'sar wandering away, and later on when you had a shelf dropped on you, and Ashwin took care of him. Wasn't there /any/ way he could have not been killed?"
Jensen rolls his eyes, jaw clenching. "Tavvy wasn't supposed t'be there." And that's something he'll likely be talking to his little sister about very soon. "Roa got hurt when one o'the many traps in the store rooms got triggered. How those traps were there in the first place..." Is a source of much frustration. "Still gotta talk t'Penny about gettin' in there when the place is cleaned up." Hm. "Uh. Ashwin did what he had t'do. True he coulda tried /not/ killin' our only real suspect so far."
Essdara snorts softly, "Woulda been nice, y'know? But, I guess, whoever he was he wouldn't have let that happen easily." She sighs. "I just don't know how this could happen, Jensen. We go in and out of the stores a hundred times a day. Shards, it's there I go... Used to go... When I wanted to be away from everyone. Now we've found a dead drudge in there, and Roa gets attacked. What next?" She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I shoudln't pry so much, I just... I feel useless, Jen. She's probably my best friend, and I didn't even know she was gone."
"Aw, darlin'. Ain't your place t'be useful in this. I ain't sayin' you're right t'feel useless, 'cause that isn't all that okay either, but you're supposed t'just keep on tryin' t'do your job. And I know that's tough, but... You're tough, so I know you can handle it." Jen lifts his eyebrows. "Roa's gonna be okay, nobody but that fella in black lost their lives."
Essdara nods, and looks down at her hands in her lap. "Logically, I know that, Jensen. But I still should have at least /noticed/. But all I cared about was myself that night. How I looked, who looked at me... I was as bad as any of the prissy little Caucus girls, though I admit few of them woulda been caught dancing with another girl, at least. I feel like I was selfish. I didn't track Roa down to say hi, even. I feel bad about that."
Jensen wears the calm, even expression of one very much accustomed to playing the role of listener. "You're beatin' yourself up for no reason, Dara. That was a special night for a lot o'people, you got no call t'exclude yourself from those that got the right t'enjoy it."
Essdara shakes her head, "But I'm not like that, Jen. I don't care if people think I'm pretty. Never have. Why was it so important for one stupid party?" She sighs. "Ah, well. I should leave you in peace, you've enough to deal with and I dunno what I even want to ask about anymore."
"You can't allow yourself one night where maybe y'do care a little about lookin' pretty?" Jensen gives her a Look. "C'mon now." He watches her with that same calmness when she starts excusing herself, brow furrowing. "Well I don't remember ever sayin' I wasn't peaceful enough with you here." A small smile quirks one corner of his mouth.
Essdara makes a face, "Not when two friends end up in the infirmary, and another gets a solid whack to the head. No matter /how/ needed the last sometimes is. But if I stay, I'm just going to be self-pitying and whiney, and I don't think either of us much needs that."
"Don't remind me," Jen murmurs, wincing. Yeah, that's a knockin' around he won't soon forget, not if his body has anything to say about it. "Sounds t'me what you're sayin' is you need a friend. That right?" Whiney? Self-pitying? Yeah.
Essdara makes a face. "Not so good at the takling to friends thing. You know that. Never know what to say without sounding silly and stupid." A shrug. "And very, very selfish."
"Well I can't make you talk." Jensen grins, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "But you should know y'can. T'me at least."
Essdara smiles a bit. "I do appreciate it, Jensen. You're always good to talk to." She sighs, and stands. "But I think I need to work this one out on my own. But thank you for helping me figure out what 'it' is. I'll see you again soon, I hope?"
Tilting his head, Jensen nods slowly. "'Course you will. I'm always around." When he isn't hiding away with a girl, apparently. "Good luck with figurin' it out."
Essdara smiles a bit. "Thank you, Jensen." She gives a polite curtsey, then heads for the door, and out into the weyr.
Where: Jensen's Office
When: A couple days after the party.
Comment: I think my RP was flat here, but mostly cause I need to RP with Jensen more to get the chemistry between him and Dara back. She goes to see him to fill in gaps, and ends up deciding not to in favor of confiding in him.
Mid-morning, a couple days after the big party and associated drama. Essdara, fresh from a morning stint in the kitchens, makes a beeline for the door of the head of the guards. She gives a polite knock at the door, and awaits permission before entering.
A few moments pass after the "Just a minute," from the other side of the door and before Jensen answers. When he does he's carefully towelling his hair, a short-sleeved undershirt clinging to his damp skin. Just back from a bath it seems. His grin when he sees her is boyish. "Hey there, Dara." He opens the door further, leaves it open as he steps back into his room. "Come on in. Have a seat."
Essdara ducks into the room with a careful smile to Jensen. "Morning, Jensen. I didn't catch you at a bad time, I hope? Alas, my own timing is dictated by when I am supposed to be cooking, so I am glad to find you here." Nerves cause babbling, a bit. "How've you been holding up? I hear you, umm, had some shelves dropped on you the other night? You look like it wasn't anything major, though."
Jensen gestures at one of the chairs, sinks slowly into one himself. His words are somewhat grunted out at first as he does so. "Actually I'd say you have pretty good timin'. Just got back." His eyebrows lift as she, yes, babbles, but his smile is patient if a bit rueful when she mentions shelving. "Uh, yeah. Sorta cracked my skull on the floor first." And he gingerly touches his fingertips to the back of his head. "Bit sore, but I'll live. What brings you by?"
Essdara smiles a little bit and settles down into the seat. "About what you'd expect. See how you are, say hello, find out what dregs of information about what happened you are going to let me know..." She sighs. "I talked to Roa and K'sar a bit, but they are pretty tight lipped. Well, Roa is, and K'sar is smart enough to do what she says. She says that it's you that determines who gets to know what about it. I mean, I've put a lot of it together from asking around, but... I don't have the full picture. What happened?"
Jensen resumes his drying efforts, being very careful and very gentle when he gets to a specific spot towards the back. He has owies, aw. "Yeah, I've been dealin' with more'n you when it comes t'folk wantin' t'know more. I've told the weyr leaders what happened, I'm sure they'll let the rest of the weyr know eventually." But he pauses, winces as he leans forward, allowing his towel to drape over the arm of his chair. His hair is tousled. "What is it in specific you wanna know about?"
Essdara is quiet a moment. "Where was he from, and why Roa? Was it just cause she's small and an easy target? Was he alone, or does he have friends lurking around? I just don't understand why, Jensen. She's sweet and innocent and likable. Who'd want to hurt her?"
"Well darlin', there's somethin' goin' on in this weyr that we've gotta figure out. I don't know what Roa has t'do with it, but I think there's definitely somethin' significant 'bout that little goldrider we don't know yet." Jensen heaves a sigh, leans back in his chair, wincing again. Ow. "She's safe now. Told 'er I wanted one of the men followin' her around, keepin' an eye on 'er, and she said no." He smirks gently, watching Dara through his eyelashes and strands of hair that have fallen in front of his eyes. "So now she has four men followin' 'er around."
Essdara chuckles softly. "Does she know that she does? I can't imagine she'd like it if she did. But I am glad she is safe. I just... I want to understand this. I know I have no right to even care, but I do. K'sar, too, he's usually been good to me. And I hear Tava was there? I haven't gotten to talk to her yet, but like everyone /else/ I was supposed to dance with, guess this took over." She's quiet a moment. "Do you know how Roa got hurt? My sources weren't clear on that bit. I haven't quite figured out what happened between Roa vanishing, K'sar wandering away, and later on when you had a shelf dropped on you, and Ashwin took care of him. Wasn't there /any/ way he could have not been killed?"
Jensen rolls his eyes, jaw clenching. "Tavvy wasn't supposed t'be there." And that's something he'll likely be talking to his little sister about very soon. "Roa got hurt when one o'the many traps in the store rooms got triggered. How those traps were there in the first place..." Is a source of much frustration. "Still gotta talk t'Penny about gettin' in there when the place is cleaned up." Hm. "Uh. Ashwin did what he had t'do. True he coulda tried /not/ killin' our only real suspect so far."
Essdara snorts softly, "Woulda been nice, y'know? But, I guess, whoever he was he wouldn't have let that happen easily." She sighs. "I just don't know how this could happen, Jensen. We go in and out of the stores a hundred times a day. Shards, it's there I go... Used to go... When I wanted to be away from everyone. Now we've found a dead drudge in there, and Roa gets attacked. What next?" She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I shoudln't pry so much, I just... I feel useless, Jen. She's probably my best friend, and I didn't even know she was gone."
"Aw, darlin'. Ain't your place t'be useful in this. I ain't sayin' you're right t'feel useless, 'cause that isn't all that okay either, but you're supposed t'just keep on tryin' t'do your job. And I know that's tough, but... You're tough, so I know you can handle it." Jen lifts his eyebrows. "Roa's gonna be okay, nobody but that fella in black lost their lives."
Essdara nods, and looks down at her hands in her lap. "Logically, I know that, Jensen. But I still should have at least /noticed/. But all I cared about was myself that night. How I looked, who looked at me... I was as bad as any of the prissy little Caucus girls, though I admit few of them woulda been caught dancing with another girl, at least. I feel like I was selfish. I didn't track Roa down to say hi, even. I feel bad about that."
Jensen wears the calm, even expression of one very much accustomed to playing the role of listener. "You're beatin' yourself up for no reason, Dara. That was a special night for a lot o'people, you got no call t'exclude yourself from those that got the right t'enjoy it."
Essdara shakes her head, "But I'm not like that, Jen. I don't care if people think I'm pretty. Never have. Why was it so important for one stupid party?" She sighs. "Ah, well. I should leave you in peace, you've enough to deal with and I dunno what I even want to ask about anymore."
"You can't allow yourself one night where maybe y'do care a little about lookin' pretty?" Jensen gives her a Look. "C'mon now." He watches her with that same calmness when she starts excusing herself, brow furrowing. "Well I don't remember ever sayin' I wasn't peaceful enough with you here." A small smile quirks one corner of his mouth.
Essdara makes a face, "Not when two friends end up in the infirmary, and another gets a solid whack to the head. No matter /how/ needed the last sometimes is. But if I stay, I'm just going to be self-pitying and whiney, and I don't think either of us much needs that."
"Don't remind me," Jen murmurs, wincing. Yeah, that's a knockin' around he won't soon forget, not if his body has anything to say about it. "Sounds t'me what you're sayin' is you need a friend. That right?" Whiney? Self-pitying? Yeah.
Essdara makes a face. "Not so good at the takling to friends thing. You know that. Never know what to say without sounding silly and stupid." A shrug. "And very, very selfish."
"Well I can't make you talk." Jensen grins, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "But you should know y'can. T'me at least."
Essdara smiles a bit. "I do appreciate it, Jensen. You're always good to talk to." She sighs, and stands. "But I think I need to work this one out on my own. But thank you for helping me figure out what 'it' is. I'll see you again soon, I hope?"
Tilting his head, Jensen nods slowly. "'Course you will. I'm always around." When he isn't hiding away with a girl, apparently. "Good luck with figurin' it out."
Essdara smiles a bit. "Thank you, Jensen." She gives a polite curtsey, then heads for the door, and out into the weyr.