A whip, heavy firearms, and a pleasant walk

[adlegatio]

Characters: Integra Hellsing, Franziska von Karma
Content: Integra seeks information in Melior. Franziska von Karma runs into her. Two extremely antisocial, violent people attempt to have a normal conversation.
Setting: Melior
Time: Day, shortly after the questioning's over
Warnings: Copious amounts of Arrogant Bitch?

Comments

[its_karma_fool]

Usually, Franziska saw no need to leave the ship, even - especially - when leave was granted. It was only when the foolish, bothersome crew had departed that she could wander the Victoria's halls without running into some bit of mayhem or buffoon masquerading as a crew member. When she was empty, the Victoria was pristine, less a house of mad-men and more like the proud, glorious vessel she should be.

However, duty oft called at the worst of times - the chain of command had left her in charge of sending off reports on the latest events, not to mention the up-keep of files on the new recruits. Franziska had also submitted several terse requests for a proper records keeper. What sort of fool had forgotten to station one aboard the Victoria?

Her usual scowl still in place, Franziska continued her steady pace through the city, her whip hanging from her belt like a gun harness. She idly repositioned a stray piece of hair - damn the wind in this town - then paused when she caught sight of a somewhat familiar figure walking down the street. Hrn. Sir Integra Hellsing. It was mildly surprising to find the other woman outside her cabin, let alone off the ship - what few rumors Franziska had heard about Hellsing implied a great deal of...unsavory work, and hints at an untimely deposition.

Franziska caught Hellsing's eye, almost on accident, and nodded curtly in recognition, her suspiciously furrowed brows detracting from her usual expressionless facade.

[adlegatio]

((Sorry for late tag!!))

Integra was not so far engrossed in thoughts of bureaucratic rage that she did not catch Franziska von Karma's nod. She was almost startled briefly; she was unused to seeing the Quartermaster anywhere but on the ship, keeping the crew in line, something Integra did not need to be told she did very well. There was little else to go by, however; aside from brief exchanges during the undead attack, Integra had never exchanged more than basic formalities with the woman.

She forced her jaw to unclench - there was no reason von Karma should know she was angry, let alone the reason - slowing slightly as she approached. "Good day, Commander," she said.

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska hardly noticed the minuscule widening of Hellsing's eyes - she was quite used to her appearance outside the helms room causing stir amongst the crew. She stopped just short of the older woman, hand placed habitually on her hip. "To you as well, Lieutenant."

In a rare display of tact, Franziska reigned in her normally overbearing presence - she severely doubted that abrasive badgering would garner any useful information out of Hellsing, and there were quite a few questions she wanted answering. "Out on business?"

[adlegatio]

"Lieutenant Commander, if you please," Integra said coolly. Her demotion still stung hideously, and she was not going to be accorded any less rank than she had, no matter what a breach of conduct it was to point it out. "I am out on business. I was seeking information regarding... recent events. Unfortunately, my organization apparently no longer has a branch in Melior." Her eyes narrowed as she said it, but there was no other indication that she rather wanted to shoot something until it stopped twitching. "Are you here for a similar reason?"

*pushes buttons*

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska ignored Hellsing's correction (except for a slight twitch of her fingers) and twisted her half-smile, half-smirk up a bit further.

"I was delivering some reports," she said blandly. Franziska paused for a moment, outwardly pondering, inwardly smug, then spoke again. "What sort of fools, I wonder, would neglect to keep a branch in Melior?"

[ooc: My posts are slower than yours :DDD.]

OH BITCH NO YOU DIDN'T

[adlegatio]

Integra's jaw clenched. "I assure you," she said through gritted teeth, "that it was no decision of mine." One would have had to look very closely to catch the tic in her jaw, but it was growing steadily more pronounced. "There is quite a good reason that the Hellsing Organization is run by Hellsings, and that is that there is no one else with the necessary competence."

((OOC: np. XD Y'know, I think she's got an eyetwitch going in this icon. I never noticed it before. [/random]))

*SNAP SNAP*

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska smiled a bit to herself at Hellsing's reaction. "Evidently." She admitted that Hellsing was an excellent leader, but if the fool had managed to get herself booted out and demoted, well - far be it from Franziska to exercise restraint. "It's quite a pity that you've been reassigned, Lieutenant Commander." She emphasized Hellsing's rank only slightly.

[adlegatio]

Integra's eyes narrowed still further, but she refused to give this woman the satisfaction of seeing her lose control. She'd been insulted before, and every time she'd shown the unworthy party exactly what it meant to mock a Hellsing. A pity she didn't have a Nosferatu to help prove her point this time, but in a battle of wits it was always more enjoyable to start at a disadvantage.

"Merely duty," she said coolly. "Clearly the military required my service more commanding the Victoria II than fighting the undead and inhuman. Honestly, after a month there, I can see why."

[its_karma_fool]

[ooc: I AM SORRY I AM A SLOW TAGGER. This doesn't usually happen DDDDD:]

"Yes," Franziska said with a smile that only hinted at her inclination to simply snarl at the other woman, "Many of the recent assignations have been appallingly foolish." Insults and banter aside, Franziska did have a certain degree of respect for Hellsing - she was certainly quite capable - but no one got away with insulting her ship.

Not to mention that this Hellsing was a rare type of person - one who wasn't reduced to foolish incoherence when Franziska taunted her. It could, she thought, prove interesting.

[adlegatio]

"Agreed," Integra replied, choosing to ignore the implication, considering that she was a recent assignment herself. "Thankfully, your family seems to have it well under control." Somewhat may or may not have been implied.

She noticed then that they were still standing in the middle of the street. There was little foot traffic, but it still looked rather odd, and she did not like to stand idle for any reason. "Will you walk with me, sir?" she asked. "Melior is too pleasant to merit standing in one place."

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska only nodded at Hellsing's final comment, but shifted her expression into a sort of wary neutrality at her next. "Fine." She to had made note of the public surroundings, but had simply planned on walking away, not continuing their farce of a conversation further. "This is one of the less foolish cities we've docked at, after all."

[ooc: Feel free to assume 'Ziska falls into step with Integra when/if she starts walking.]

[adlegatio]

[oh my god it's been like a month. I AM SO SORRY. ><]

"High praise," Integra said dryly, starting off down the street. "Hellsing gets all its technology from here. All of our weaponry was designed in Melior." She paused. "Out of curiosity, sir - what reports required your personal attention?" No, it wasn't merely curiosity behind the question, but either way it was odd to see Franziska von Karma doing such menial work.

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska's back stiffened the slightest bit at Hellsing's casual words - she couldn't help but sense some bragging, or at least an attempt at one-up her in their carefully articulated dialect. Competition made her hackles raise.

Still, she replied relatively calmly to the older woman's question. "There were some clerical errors in the requisition paperwork;" meaning of course that some bumbling fool had spilled coffee on the sheet, "I went to...sort things out." Franziska finished her sentence with a hint of a smirk - the supplier had developed a rather prominent eye twitch when she'd mentioned her ship and name. It had almost been worth the trip.

[adlegatio]

"A pity," Integra said. "Unfortunately, the ship is rather understaffed in the clerical department." She saw Franziska's smirk and wondered if blood had been shed on this trip. She was rather tempted to ask, but had a feeling that to assume was probably safe enough, considering the woman's reputation.

[its_karma_fool]

Franziska shook her head once. "More that the fools in charge of these things lack the combined intelligence to do them properly." She rolled her shoulder irritably and scowled. "It is a rare thing when they manage to send out something that passes my inspection."

Glancing over at Hellsing briefly, Franziska quirked an eyebrow, her face still locked in tight dissatisfaction but her voice held a note of bland curiosity. "Where are we headed, Lt. Commander?"

[adlegatio]

Anywhere but back to the ship was Integra's first choice of an answer, but this would sound unprofessional. As it was, she was not prepared to return to that great cannon-laden box yet. "I'd rather hoped to make some productive use of my shore leave," she said, "But that's impossible now. Have you pressing duties back at the ship? I for one wouldn't mind finishing out my shore leave."

Leave of any kind was rather a strange concept to Integra, honestly. Back at Hellsing she hadn't taken leave. It would have been unthinkable for the head of Hellsing to disappear for her own leisure. Now, though, she found she understood just why her soldiers had been so keen on it.