o1o ♠ if you wanna play dirty darling [ visual ] [ filtered against the doctor ]
"Good morning, Taxon." Crisp British diction and smooth French enunciation and it must be the Countess of Gatas, sober in dark, deep blue and holding a china teacup in both hands as she sits down at her husband's desk, dwarfed by the masculine surroundings designed for a man much, much larger than she is but soothed by the authority of it ( Read more... )
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The motives for Petra's involvement here are simple; as a woman of certain status and with a Pandion code of ethics, she has firm beliefs about her duty to those around her. With privilege, responsibility. She acts because she couldn't live with herself if she didn't as much as due to the fact that Taxon's circumstances are changing now and she will move with them lest she be swept away.
None of this means she can't graciously accept thanks.
"Something of this magnitude requires all hands on deck, Master Wayne; I'm glad that mine are useful. I hope there've been no fatalities?"
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Quiet, unsettling, and offering no information.
"Has your guest been behaving?" If she detects a wry note to his voice there, it's because ... well, there is.
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"I've had no complaints from either of our guardsmen, nor have Dr Yilmaz's additional defenses reported anything amiss," she replies; the note of distraction is Petra absorbing the matter of the Extras and deciding to examine it when she has the leisure over more immediate worries.
This mess gives her a headache, but it's a familiar ache at her temples that she doesn't bow to. "It'll be best we have something in place in advance should that change." People to be notified, plans of action. They had nothing to fall back on when the Doctor sent the city into chaos and that, more than anything, is what concerns her.
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"I have to agree, Countess, that the city has performed admirably under extreme circumstances." He sounds a bit grim for the circumstances themselves, but he moves on promptly.
"I realize we're only in the early stages of the process, and I haven't been a resident of this city as long as some, but if a committee is to be gathered I'd like to offer my services. I have significant experience as a civil servant, in judiciary matters as well as elsewhere."
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"Colonel Benjamin," she greets him, smoothly and comfortably matching his formality as she takes in his appearance and demeanor and makes some swift conclusions. "I won't presume to put myself at its head, but you can be assured that I'm very interested in your opinions and abilities."
She taps her fingers against the desk, with the distinct air of a woman who is beginning to make plans. "I may have somewhere for you to begin. We'll speak of it in more detail later."
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"I'm expecting Master Wayne shortly," she says, picking up her quill, "and I'd be grateful if you would join me in the study after he's left."
The interviews are primarily being conducted in a sitting room, but this is not quite the same thing.
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As she's moments ago said to Mr Wayne- "The Doctor's fate can't lie in the hands of any one man, detective," permitting him the respect of his title as he gave her hers, "I'm sure you agree as a man of the law. We have no structure here, and this crisis has made it clear we need one. I'm not presuming to take control myself, but I am advocating that our city - as it is, so long as we're obliged to live here - requires a council. I think recent events speak for themselves in its favour, if for no other reason than we must have order in this matter and see it closed."
Petra bites the inside of her lower lip where it's hard to tell that she's doing it at all; there are decades of standing a step behind one man or the other and biting her tongue that she's forcing herself to ignore right now.
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Holmes glances up for a moment, looking thoughtful when he continues. "I am unaccustomed to working for any one so-called council, as it were -" he's not really an ideal candidate, after all, or so he'll insist "- but if and when it's formed I would be quite happy to contribute what little I can to work alongside the group."
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"Given the nature of where we are, I think a governing body is not what we need; attempting to manage the daily affairs of this population would be the pursuit of a madman." Her expression is wry. "It's clear, though, that there will be matters concerning all of us and what we need is a means of handling those. I hope we'll be able to provide one, and if you like I'll make a note of your willingness to assist them."
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Most people in the city seemed to hate him - she couldn't bring herself to do that, for Jack's sake as much as anything - that, and the fact she felt incarceration keenly after her experience with UNIT. After a moment's thought she sent a message. "Hello. My name is Toshiko Sato. I was wondering, is it permitted to visit the Doctor?"
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"Not presently, Miss Sato, no." Taking into account the way that Tosh responds, her tone is gentler than it might have been - but steely certain. "I'm sure you can understand the necessity of precautions right now."
It may change, she implies, but...not right now.
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"Be that as it may," which Petra chooses not to dispute one way or the other, nor make any implications about, "the fact of the matter is that whatever his intentions, he gravely miscalculated and recklessly endangered the lives of many people in this city. His character, whatever it may be, still leaves him accountable for his actions. The matter is how to handle that in the most civilized way that we can manage under the circumstances."
...she sighs, faintly, and inclines her head in acknowledgement. "I'll notify you."
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"Good evening, Countess. Thank you for the update, and for your kind words. The people of Taxon have shown themselves very well, in a dark hour. But now that the dark hour is past, we must continue, as you have pointed out."
"I must ask, as the future government of this city is something of interest to me, if it will be only those who brought this Doctor to you, who have a say in his future? If so, then so be it - my purpose here is not to influence this decision or give unasked-for advice. I have come to respect one of their number highly, and I trust Judith's judgment in this matter. I simply want to know."
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"I don't believe it's appropriate for me to dictate who does and does not have a voice in this matter. Rather, I think it's best that we begin proceedings with those who have already bled for the responsibility. A council of some kind must be formed - not a governing body but something suited to respond when the city must have a voice."
She taps her fingertips against the side of her teacup, restlessly; the Brucolac makes her uncomfortable on many levels and Bruce's visit earlier may have soothed her, but it doesn't make dealing with him any more pleasant. "I won't be a party to justice of the mob or the butcher, that's my point. I'm raising the notion of a council and I will advocate strongly for it- I won't turn him over until there's something to turn him over to."
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"The mob has come and gone with organized precision, though you are very right - there must be at least the appearance of continued action on this matter, even if it takes us a little while to truly get our feet under us. Otherwise the impatient will act for us. I do like this idea of a council, very much."
It's something he's only been lobbying for since he got here, but the goal is that a council exists, not people run through the streets, praising his name.
...Unless they want to, of course.
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#1 on the top ten list of people who will never do that: Lady Petrana.
"Good," she says, simply. "I hope we'll have the time needed to accomplish it before someone has the silly idea of sieging me."
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