Two First Mates walk into a bar ... [Closed - Complete - Aimlog]
Characters: Susan Ivanova and Miles Edgeworth
Content: Susan and Miles get together for a drink, bicker and talk about their 'children'
Setting: A bar in Melior
Time: A day or two after arriving in Melior, before von Karma heads off to Draklor
Warnings: Yeah ... two old friends getting together again. Making fun of first mates.
Susan had picked the bar for its slightly above average feel and the fact it was less noisy and more sedate than most. She and Miles would both appreciate that. She was working her way through a girly iced drink. Miles would no doubt be plowing through his own drinks and she would have to pad hers to keep up. If Miles was in a good mood, which seemed unlikely, she could always switch to something harder to suit her own foul mood.
A shot of whiskey sat across the table from her. A few 'gentlemen' had tried to claim the drink over the last few minutes but one glare from her set them scurrying off.
Edgeworth decided earlier that he needed a drink; when he checked his journal, it seemed that Susan decided the same thing. While there was some token arguing between the two of them, it didn't change the end result. Edgeworth and Susan were going to the bar, and that was final. He could only hope she wouldn't try to get him to pay for the drinks this time.
He entered the establishment, and for the first time all day, his mood had begun to lighten. Calm, quiet, without being dead or decrepit. He approved. It only took a moment to spot Susan, and the latest gentleman to wander towards her table. Edgeworth chased him off with a sharp glare before he could get close, and he quickly made his way over to his seat. "Evening," he said. He picked up his drink, and the ghost of a smirk crossed his lips. "Is this for me?"
Susan inclined her head and answered with her own smirk. "Well, I had been hoping for tall, dark and handsome, but I suppose you'll do." Miles looked like hell. It wasn't anything in particular, but she got the sense that he wasn't at his best right now. Things clearly hadn't been going well.
"How have you been, Miles?" She figured she might as well ask. He might actually give her a straight answer.
Edgeworth flinched at her question, before he downed his whiskey. He hissed from the burn as he slammed his glass down, and he focused on the discomfort as the drink traveled down his throat. The pain brought him clarity and focus, and he sighed before he answered her question. "Terrible," he said. "But we'll survive."
He could tell her about the bombings, he could even tell her about Clairborne (if she'd believe him), and he could speak on all the tiny little dramas that played out amongst the crew, but there were things better left unsaid. The two traitors and their accomplice brought enough shame on the ship, without outsiders finding out about it. Old friend or not, that didn't change the fact that Susan was not a part of the crew, or even the military anymore.
"I saw the Victoria II limp into port, were you one of the ships that was hit on Lunasa?" She was almost positive they were. She would have hit her old ship if she were picking good targets. She just considered herself lucky that Denouement wasn't crafty enough to just hit one side of the continent.
They could easily tip the balance between tenuous peace and all out war. She waved for another whiskey for Miles but just sipped at her own drink for now.
Susan didn't have any doubt that this was the work of Denouement - not that she could tell Miles that - and that had her more riled up than all of the crew shenanigans put together. Susan hadn't put together how they might have orchestrated the strike yet, but she would at least tip Miles off when she did.
Edgeworth remained silent for a moment, before he nodded. "If it hasn't hit the news yet, it will soon," he said quietly, with a tinge of frustration to his voice. He took a quick sip from the whiskey, and tapped his finger against the rim as the burn settled. "But yes, we were one of the ships."
He paused to glower down at his drink, and the lines near his mouth tensed up as he frowned at nothing in particular. The expression was surprisingly short lived, though; suddenly, he raised his head towards Susan, and raised a single thin eyebrow. "Although," he continued, his voice cool and steady, "I'm sure you've heard plenty of about this already."
Susan didn't see any reason to hide it, over the years she had clued Miles into some of the bits and pieces of the Silvana's mission over the years. Terrorism was right up her alley, after all.
"Yes, I have. You're lucky, a lot of the ships didn't last long enough to make it back to a port." The casualties were extensive on both sides of the Badlands, and that was enough to just cause tensions instead of out and out hostilities. The Silvana could take a lot, but they couldn't stop an entire shooting war with just one ship.
"Glad you made it back in one piece." She might not be particularly emotional, but she was glad to have not lost an old friend in all of this. Besides, she was comfortable enough to show Miles her smiling side, even if both of them were in a bad mood.
The corner of Edgeworth's mouth twitched upwards, and he shook his head before he returned to his whiskey. "It's going to take more than that to bring the Victoria II down," he said. "You should know better than that."
The good humor was short lived, though, and his expression turned somber again. "How many ships were hit?" he asked, after a short pause. Edgeworth saw some numbers in the papers, but he wanted some confirmation. He still had doubts about the Silvana's mission, as well as her captain, but if anyone would be keeping tabs on the situation it would be that ship.
"I do know, she's a tough ship with a tough sonofabitch for a captain." She and Miles might sometimes disagree on von Karma, but both of them respected his record and his skill. "Best I know: 42 hit. There are a few ships that haven't been heard from since Lunasa that might be down and out somewhere remote, though."
That could mostly be determined from the news and a few other sources. She did wonder if he could get Miles to open up a bit about the Victoria II's experience. She hadn't gotten a chance to get a real first hand report from a ship that had been hit. "IEDs - did they hit engineering, support structures, supplies?" That's what she would hit to sink a ship.
Edgeworth tilted his head to the side, and thought briefly on Susan's question - and what it meant. This wasn't a lucky guess, and he hadn't breathed a word of this to her. He could only assume the other attacks followed the same pattern. "Yes," he replied. "While we were fortunate to clear them out in time, I take it the other ships weren't quite lucky."
For a moment, Edgeworth was reminded of just how they found out about the bombs. His frown deepened, and he tried to forget what he saw in the engine room.
Susan nodded, although she'd heard several reports, it was good to hear another eye-witness account. "You were, and yes, some other ships suffered very heavy casualties." That was when she noticed that Miles looked even more upset than usual, perhaps there had been casualties.
"Did something happen during the bombing?" Her voice was much softer than usual. She wasn't necessary the best with her own emotions, but she could tell something was wrong with Miles right now.
"There were some casualities," he grumbled. "No fatalities, thankfully, but our doctors were busier than they would have liked."
It was nothing better than a lie by omission, but Edgeworth wasn't in any mood to bring those three up. So long as Susan assumed that the worst they had to deal with were injured crewmembers, the conversation would be ...well, not pleasant, but less shameful than it could be. He drained the last of his whiskey, and added, "Although I suppose we should be grateful."
Susan waved over for another drink for herself. She realized Miles needed to unwind far more than usual tonight, she wasn't certain she had the solution, but she knew she had to try her best.
"Well, I'm not exactly one to find things to be grateful for, but you should also be grateful I haven't seen you in months, which means I haven't had a chance to ask you about -- that girl. What was her name? The blonde?"
Susan grinned and took her drink replacement. Nothing better to get Miles' mind of stress than embarrassing him a little.
Edgeworth groaned, and drained the last of his whiskey. "Don't speak her name out loud," he said. "We're having a decent conversation, and I'd rather not interrupt it by summoning her in a hail of fire and brimstone."
He called for a third glass of whiskey, and let the warmth settle in his body. While old flames (and old shames) weren't his favorite topic, it was safer than ship talk. That didn't change the fact that he'd need another drink for this, though.
"Oh, come now, it's only fair. You didn't let me live down Martin for months, and that only lasted one month, you were with the little succubus for at least three and you still have been trying to hide how it ended." She took another sip of her drink, glad to at least see he was groaning in amusement instead of at his misfortune of the last weeks.
"I have ways of making you talk, Miles Edgeworth." She grinned at him and took another small swallow of her drink. He always caved eventually, whether it took more drinks, more persistence or just more time, he would cave.
He rolled his eyes, and said, "I'm sorry, but you already used your entire supply of blackmail. Remember that the next time you try and make me pay for your drinks." If she thought she'd be able to threaten him with old ship stories, she was sorely mistaken. That only worked the first dozen or so times.
"And besides," he added, "At least she was able to support herself. Tell me, is Martin still wailing like a drowned cat for spare change, or has he moved on to the kazoo?"
"That just brings the amount of time you've spent harping on him even higher, Miles. Besides, I believe he's moved on to the ukulele, not the kazoo." She wasn't upset, just amused now, and it showed. It had been a bad choice then and Miles had known it, she'd known it too. Martin certainly wasn't one of her finer moments in dating history. She could always bring out one of the more insipid of Miles' old girlfriends to compensate, though. She didn't bother though, no reason to get hostile... yet.
"And to think I was going to be the gentlemanly one tonight and pick up your drinks. Oh well."
"How very gracious of you," he replied, his voice dry and deadpan. "People say that chivalry is dead, but here I sit, with a piece of Erealia sitting right in front of me."
Sarcasm aside, Edgeworth started to finally relax. Perhaps it was the whiskey, or perhaps it was the company. Regardless of the cause, little scraps of evidence began to creep up on his body. The lines around his face lost their tension, the hand around the glass softened its death grip, and while he didn't slouch in his chair, he no longer sat ramrod straight. "And let the record state that I only 'harp' because he deserves every second of it."
"Always happy to bring a touch of the islands to our table." Susan could only smile brighter as Miles shoulders relaxed and he eased up, just a little. The air between them finally down to their usual relaxed feel instead of the tension Miles had come in with. She didn't slouch, but her posture mirrored Miles' now, more relaxed. She wasn't naive enough to think she could get a smile out of him, but it was good to see him more casual - for Miles.
"Well, he does deserve it. What can I say? He seemed like fun at the time, but at least he was a lot of fun." She paused for a long moment. Martin may have been insipid but he made that month dry docked in Bellicus tolerable.
"None of that, however, explains what happened between you and your vixen, or do I have to say her name three times and see if I can summon her?"
Edgeworth gave Susan a sharp look, before he snorted and returned to his drink. "There's no need to be supersticious," he said. "And as for what happened..." He hesitated, before he found a fascinating bit of paneling to stare at. "We tried to keep in touch over the network, but after a few weeks she started to complain about how I wasn't stroking her ego every five seconds. I told her I was busy, and she took it the wrong way."
"Not military girlfriend material." Susan had had her suspicions already, but there were just some women who loved the uniform, the danger and the mystique but when it came time for the man to ship off 'wearing a handkerchief close to their heart' was just not enough for them. Helena was obviously one of those girls. Hell, Susan had boyfriends like that before who just couldn't put up with the long hours and the long times apart.
"How wrong a way did she take it ...? I hope you didn't reach Yvette levels again." Poor Miles didn't stand a chance sometimes. His tendency to completely fail at conveying humor or emotion over the network was truly staggering sometimes.
"Worse," he said. "When I returned to Bellcius, my flat was almost completely wrecked. How does that count for taking things the wrong way?"
He paused, and took a long sip of his drink. "In retrospect, perhaps I should have apologized before we landed."
Susan make a look as though she were actually carefully considering Miles' statement before cracking into a smirk and shaking her head. The reaction was pretty extreme, though.
"That probably would be a good idea, you know how women love those apologies for insensitive behavior." She had no doubt Miles had said something insensitive, or at least that was easily taken wrong.
Edgeworth shot her another glare, and hmphed to himself. "I wasn't that terrible," he defended. "It's hardly my fault she overreacted." He did admit to himself that their last argument did get rather heated (and he might have said a few things he regretted), but that hardly excused the result. Even the comment about her mother.
"Anyways, you have no room to talk about sensitivity," he added. "At least I've never threatened to toss my ex-lovers overboard." Edgeworth returned Susan's smirk, before he took another sip of his drink. "Tell me, have you made any interesting people walk the plank lately, or was Johnathon an exceptional case?"
Susan fiddled with her drink for a moment, trying to figure out how to calm down enough to not turn the whole discussion into a rant. "He was an exceptional case for a boyfriend, unfortunately not for crew.
"We picked up a lot of new crew in Abantiare. The bombings spooked some of the old crew, so we just had to pick up -- people I would have left port side if I'd had the option. But the short answer is that I haven't threatened to throw anyone over lately." Some of them were good so far, some where showcasing a complete lack of professionalism, but all of them were her crew.
Mention of the crew did bring to mind one particular question she had about the crew. "Oh, that reminds me. What exactly did the Admiral do to get Seragillo's panties in such a twist?" She had been saving that up for Miles the next time she saw him. She wouldn't have been surprised to discover he was one of the things that had Miles' nerves so frayed right now. "He didn't have a very favorable view of the Admiral."
"Seragillo?" Edgeworth furrowed his brow, and tapped his finger against the rim of his glass. He could think of quite a few disgruntled ex-crewmen, but amongst the names he managed to remember, he couldn't recall that name. Then again, considering all the enemies von Karma's made over the years, it was nearly impossible to keep track of them all. Edgeworth shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I've even heard of him. Who is he, exactly?"
"He said he was from the Victoria II and had enough of a bone to pick with the Admiral for me to believe it." She thought about it for a moment, maybe he'd been using an alias. "He was tall, dark skin, said he used to be a mechanic and was joined at the hip with some bunny-eared demi-human, Fran. I suppose the girl might have been a recent addition, though."
She'd actually assumed the girl was the reason for the new assignment. She certainly had been a picky princess about her accommodations. She waved for another drink. If Seragillo had lied about his credentials, Susan would have to take it up with Alex and there would be hell to pay.
Edgeworth raised the glass to his lips, and his eyes widened when Susan started to describe "Seragillo." Tendons popped out as his hand tightened its grip, and his body froze. However, this all changed when she mentioned his companion. His eyes popped out, his face turned a bright scarlet, and all of his previous thoughts were wiped away. He was completely unable to speak...hell, he wasn't able to breathe.
Then again, he was choking on his drink.
Edgeworth pounded on his chest, and wheezed desperately for air while his mouth hung open like a dead fish. "W-water," he gasped out, as he leaned over the table. "G-glass-" Edgeworth was interrupted by more coughing, and he pounded his chest again. "Glass of water."
Susan waved over the waiter again before getting Miles his water. Her hackles were up and she knew that whoever 'Seragillo' actually was she would not be pleased when Miles was able to talk again.
The water arrived a few moments later and Susan pushed it over towards Miles.
Edgeworth's throat felt like it had been set on fire, and the burn distracted him from all thoughts of those traitors. He accepted the water graciously, and drank slowly and carefully to ease the pain without causing another choking fit.. The glass was slammed down half-full when he was done, and he took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. Edgeworth couldn't believe it - the deserter and his accomplice snuck away, only to land in the same port he did. He wasn't sure if he should be elated or furious.
"Yes, I know of him," he said, with an edge of raspiness to his voice. His face was still red, though whether it was from lack of air or barely contained rage was hard to say. "Only then, he was known as Kiros Seagill."
Susan would have had to have been blind to see that this was affecting Miles deeply, but whether it was simply because of incompetence or something even deeper, she couldn't tell.
"I take it he didn't leave you with a very good impression?" Her tone was light, but she already knew the answer and she knew it was going to make her angry if not furious.
Her skin was already crawling, the man had been on her ship for days already.
Edgegworth paused to glare at a particularly obnoxious bit of decoration on the wall, and took another sip of water before he replied.
"He was transferred after an incident with his old unit," he said, as his scowl deepened. "The blame lied with his previous CO, so I hoped wouldn't be a complete dissapointment. But unfortunately, he managed to prove me wrong. He had...problems with the ship."
"He's ... butted a few heads, nothing too serious." Susan didn't particularly like him, and thought Alex had promoted him beyond his competence. Boatswain was a difficult job, 'Seagill' had no experience with it and she was a little protective of her old job.
"I assume we are not talking about a few small issues with authority, though?" She had to get details now, she was going to have to deal with this the minute she got back to the ship, one way or the other.
When Edgeworth walked into the bar, he planned on complete silence regarding the the crew's deserters; as far as he was concerned, Susan had no reason to know about any of this. Now that Seagill and his friend were aboard her ship, though, he decided that a bit of honesty would do them both good. As the first mate, she had the right to know as much about them as possible.
"He was fine at first, other than some minor idiocy. The pleasantries were short lived, though." Some of the redness left Edgeworth's cheeks, but the tension in his shoulders had returned, and he spoke in a quieter voice than he had before. "Shortly before the bombings, we heard news of a downed pirate ship in the Badlands. We moved to capture them, but some of the crew expressed their...displeasure at the idea. A few even dared to think of it as 'unsporting'." Edgeworth snorted, and continued to drain the glass of water. "Seagill was one of these men, as was another crewmember that he was close to. The only difference was his 'friend' took it a step further, and tried to sabotage the ship."
Edgeworth's gazed hardened, and he tapped his free hand against the table as he stared at the grain of the wood. "He didn't get far before he was captured, and after that, Seagill seemed to change his tune. I thought he had finally gotten his priorities in order, but after we moved to another town for repairs, the Viera left our ship - and took him with her."
Unsporting or not, taking on a downed ship in the Badlands was well within the rights of the Victoria. She would have preferred no confrontations, Miles knew about her mission well enough, and that she was fighting terrorists pushing Reial towards war, but she also knew Miles didn't always believe her.
Susan took it all in. Relations between Ivona and Vohemar were on resting on a knife's edge now, one false step and the whole thing could erupt into a full out war. In that regard, she was pleased that 'Seagill' and this other traitor had that sort of compass. The Silvana was the perfect ship for him in that respect, but that left the 'traitor' issue looming.
Conflict, fights and shooting battles were an inevitable part of being on a military airship. Although she and Alex did not feel any grand patriotism for Ivona, they were both Ivonians, and sabotage, desertion and treason were great sins, especially for a former military man, it spoke of a character unsuited for fighting.
When she'd gotten her offer to join on with the Silvana, she had done it with the understanding she was stepping outside of the Ivonian military and into something more multinational. Did Seagill just see it as a refuge from 'the man'? He bucked her authority constantly, and he and the Viera had been on board for less than a week, it seemed likely he just needed someone to antagonize.
"I have to admire his devotion to peace, but at the cost of treason? And he won't find the Silvana any more hospitable to traitors." Alex would see him dead for a betrayal, and if he didn't, Susan would.
Edgeworth rolled his eyes at Susan's comment; if Kiros was so devoted to "peace", he wouldn't have defended a ship such as the 4423. However, before he could comment, a thought struck his mind.
"Susan?" he asked. "Have there been any new crewmembers besides Seagill and the Viera?"
"We took on several in Abantiare, not just Seagill and Fran. Although he definitely seems closest with Fran, he has also made fast friends with a few others, Highwind, Aragaki, perhaps a few others. I don't keep his social calendar."
It hadn't escaped her attention that this other traitor might be on her ship. She needed to know.
"What does your traitor look like?"
Edgeworth paused for a moment, before he sighed and rubbed the side of his temple. "He's a little under six and a half feet tall, I'd say, and he has the weight to back it up. He has short dark hair, dark eyes, a rather scruffy look..." He tapped his fingers against the table, as he thought of how else to describe him. "There's also a nasty burn on the side of his face, and a cut above his eye. Recent, I might add."
He hadn't made a mention of Gumshoe's dissapearance in the conversation, but he made it rather obvious, didn't it? Edgeworth looked back at her, and asked, "Does that sound like anybody you know of?"
Susan was relieved, actually, that didn't sound like any of her men, new or old. Although Miles hadn't said anyone escaped, his question about more crew members had made it a little obvious that the additional traitor was missing. She was just glad he hadn't made it to the Silvana.
"Doesn't sound familiar. What's his name?"
This was still going to be a sticky situation for her, though, and she already working on a supreme headache, courtesy of Seagill. She took a gulp of her drink. She couldn't shake the feeling that Miles was going to ask her for something she couldn't give him. That irritated her more than anything, the idea that some boatswain who didn't even respect her might throw a wrench in a long-standing friendship.
Why did a traitor have to come to her boat? That was even below pirates. At least pirates sang amusing songs and knew when to shut up.
Edgeworth scowled, and said, "That would be Richard Gumshoe, our former helmsman. However, I doubt even he would be idiotic enough to go without an alias."
He remained quiet for a moment, and reached for his abandoned glass of whiskey. There was at least some liquid left at the bottom, but instead of drinking it down, he merely glared at it. "Where are Fran and Seagill now?" he asked, his voice cold, firm, and steady. If he was entirely honest with himself, he didn't know what Susan's response would be, especially with the dubious reputation the Silvana had. However, she had been nothing but helpful and open during this little chat. He could only hope that the trend would continue.
Susan considered for a moment. If Miles had asked about Jushirou or one of the other crewmen she knew more closely she wouldn't have hesitated to tell Miles to piss off. But she did pause. As much as she felt like she should protect her crew, she also had a good idea of what was going through Miles' mind and how much he needed to find Seagill and Fran and bring them to justice. She'd been in the Ivonian Military, she knew how much it would burn to know there were traitors on the loose.
"They are crew members now. They're either on board or enjoying time about town." She couldn't have said any more than that, even if she knew for certain. Seagill and Fran could have been anywhere on the ship or anywhere in town. She didn't think it was important to deny they'd been hired on, and she didn't want to lie to Miles about something he could probably confirm for himself with a little leg work.
"And if they're still on the ship?" Edgeworth looked up from the glass, and stared Susan in the eye. His face was tense and expectant, and his body was perfectly still, other than the slight bob of his adam's apple. "What will you do then?"
"I expect I will be having a long conversation with both of them, but they can stay as long as they work."
The situation made her tense. Although there were all sorts on the Silvana, the ship made it a point to be above international laws and handing over Seagill or Fran, even for an old friend, would damage that too much.
She had to admit, she was irritated she'd found herself in this position in the first place, and she was almost ready just to leave both of them in Melior and lock the doors behind them.
"I'm sorry, Miles." She looked him straight in the eyes as she said it, she knew how much this had to be bothering Miles. He didn't take betrayal lightly and there wasn't anything she could do about it.
Edgeworth's hand clenched the glass, and tendons showed underneath pale skin as his grip tightened. He remained silent for a moment after Susan spoke, the lines around his face tightened while he held back the frustration that welled deep inside of him. The pause stretched out, and he continued to stare at her.
Finally, he broke the quiet, and said, "There's nothing I can do for you if your ship is caught harboring fugitives." His voice was quiet, but steady, firm, and with a hint of warning to it. "You should know this, Susan."
"I don't want this to get messy." She knew. She knew that all too well that Miles would not be able to stop the mess. She also knew the Silvana would be able to take most things the Ivonians could throw at them.
"If they screw up, I'll hand deliver them, but other than that -- I have my duty, Miles."
They couldn't give up their sovereignty just because Miles asked, no matter her personal opinion on the matter. She just hoped Miles would understand this was the best she could do.
It's an international ship, he reminded himself, as his grip tightened on the glass. Lead settled in his stomach, and heat spread throughout his body. It wasn't a part of the military, or even Ivona. They had no obligation or duty beyond what they owed to their crew. He repeated this to himself several times. It did little good.
Edgeworth's hand shook, before he set the glass down and pushed himself up from the chair. He cleared his throat, and announced, "I think I've had enough to drink." His tone was cold, and he did his best to keep the ragged edge of frustration out of his voice. He was almost, but not quite successful.
Susan stood as well. Her own feelings were torn and she hated the fact that Seagill and Fran had put her in this position. She could have pounded them both into the deck herself for this. She was betraying an almost a decade long friendship for two crewman she'd met less than a week ago and already didn't like.
She didn't really beg him for understanding, she knew he either would get over her refusal, or not. He was a very particular man, with very particular hot buttons and Susan was leaning on one of them, hard. She wished she could stop, but short of going against everything the Silvana stood for, she couldn't do anything.
She was in the wrong, shielding Seagill and Fran went against the things she was taught to believe in the Academy, but she couldn't do anything. She knew there wasn't anything she could do to make this right with Miles, not right now. Maybe in time -- she sighed, her memory was just as long as Miles, she knew he wouldn't forget.
"It was good to see you again, Miles." She doubted he'd return the sentiment, but she had to say it.
Edgeworth stood in silence, neither moving from his spot, nor responding to Susan's comments.
"I'll pay for drinks," he said finally, as he pulled out his wallet. He laid a rough estimate of the cash they needed on the table, without taking another look at Susan. "Good luck with your ship."
And with that, he walked away from the table. His back was straight, his head was held high, and by the time he reached the door his shoulders had stopped shaking.
Content: Susan and Miles get together for a drink, bicker and talk about their 'children'
Setting: A bar in Melior
Time: A day or two after arriving in Melior, before von Karma heads off to Draklor
Warnings: Yeah ... two old friends getting together again. Making fun of first mates.
Susan had picked the bar for its slightly above average feel and the fact it was less noisy and more sedate than most. She and Miles would both appreciate that. She was working her way through a girly iced drink. Miles would no doubt be plowing through his own drinks and she would have to pad hers to keep up. If Miles was in a good mood, which seemed unlikely, she could always switch to something harder to suit her own foul mood.
A shot of whiskey sat across the table from her. A few 'gentlemen' had tried to claim the drink over the last few minutes but one glare from her set them scurrying off.
Edgeworth decided earlier that he needed a drink; when he checked his journal, it seemed that Susan decided the same thing. While there was some token arguing between the two of them, it didn't change the end result. Edgeworth and Susan were going to the bar, and that was final. He could only hope she wouldn't try to get him to pay for the drinks this time.
He entered the establishment, and for the first time all day, his mood had begun to lighten. Calm, quiet, without being dead or decrepit. He approved. It only took a moment to spot Susan, and the latest gentleman to wander towards her table. Edgeworth chased him off with a sharp glare before he could get close, and he quickly made his way over to his seat. "Evening," he said. He picked up his drink, and the ghost of a smirk crossed his lips. "Is this for me?"
Susan inclined her head and answered with her own smirk. "Well, I had been hoping for tall, dark and handsome, but I suppose you'll do." Miles looked like hell. It wasn't anything in particular, but she got the sense that he wasn't at his best right now. Things clearly hadn't been going well.
"How have you been, Miles?" She figured she might as well ask. He might actually give her a straight answer.
Edgeworth flinched at her question, before he downed his whiskey. He hissed from the burn as he slammed his glass down, and he focused on the discomfort as the drink traveled down his throat. The pain brought him clarity and focus, and he sighed before he answered her question. "Terrible," he said. "But we'll survive."
He could tell her about the bombings, he could even tell her about Clairborne (if she'd believe him), and he could speak on all the tiny little dramas that played out amongst the crew, but there were things better left unsaid. The two traitors and their accomplice brought enough shame on the ship, without outsiders finding out about it. Old friend or not, that didn't change the fact that Susan was not a part of the crew, or even the military anymore.
"I saw the Victoria II limp into port, were you one of the ships that was hit on Lunasa?" She was almost positive they were. She would have hit her old ship if she were picking good targets. She just considered herself lucky that Denouement wasn't crafty enough to just hit one side of the continent.
They could easily tip the balance between tenuous peace and all out war. She waved for another whiskey for Miles but just sipped at her own drink for now.
Susan didn't have any doubt that this was the work of Denouement - not that she could tell Miles that - and that had her more riled up than all of the crew shenanigans put together. Susan hadn't put together how they might have orchestrated the strike yet, but she would at least tip Miles off when she did.
Edgeworth remained silent for a moment, before he nodded. "If it hasn't hit the news yet, it will soon," he said quietly, with a tinge of frustration to his voice. He took a quick sip from the whiskey, and tapped his finger against the rim as the burn settled. "But yes, we were one of the ships."
He paused to glower down at his drink, and the lines near his mouth tensed up as he frowned at nothing in particular. The expression was surprisingly short lived, though; suddenly, he raised his head towards Susan, and raised a single thin eyebrow. "Although," he continued, his voice cool and steady, "I'm sure you've heard plenty of about this already."
Susan didn't see any reason to hide it, over the years she had clued Miles into some of the bits and pieces of the Silvana's mission over the years. Terrorism was right up her alley, after all.
"Yes, I have. You're lucky, a lot of the ships didn't last long enough to make it back to a port." The casualties were extensive on both sides of the Badlands, and that was enough to just cause tensions instead of out and out hostilities. The Silvana could take a lot, but they couldn't stop an entire shooting war with just one ship.
"Glad you made it back in one piece." She might not be particularly emotional, but she was glad to have not lost an old friend in all of this. Besides, she was comfortable enough to show Miles her smiling side, even if both of them were in a bad mood.
The corner of Edgeworth's mouth twitched upwards, and he shook his head before he returned to his whiskey. "It's going to take more than that to bring the Victoria II down," he said. "You should know better than that."
The good humor was short lived, though, and his expression turned somber again. "How many ships were hit?" he asked, after a short pause. Edgeworth saw some numbers in the papers, but he wanted some confirmation. He still had doubts about the Silvana's mission, as well as her captain, but if anyone would be keeping tabs on the situation it would be that ship.
"I do know, she's a tough ship with a tough sonofabitch for a captain." She and Miles might sometimes disagree on von Karma, but both of them respected his record and his skill. "Best I know: 42 hit. There are a few ships that haven't been heard from since Lunasa that might be down and out somewhere remote, though."
That could mostly be determined from the news and a few other sources. She did wonder if he could get Miles to open up a bit about the Victoria II's experience. She hadn't gotten a chance to get a real first hand report from a ship that had been hit. "IEDs - did they hit engineering, support structures, supplies?" That's what she would hit to sink a ship.
Edgeworth tilted his head to the side, and thought briefly on Susan's question - and what it meant. This wasn't a lucky guess, and he hadn't breathed a word of this to her. He could only assume the other attacks followed the same pattern. "Yes," he replied. "While we were fortunate to clear them out in time, I take it the other ships weren't quite lucky."
For a moment, Edgeworth was reminded of just how they found out about the bombs. His frown deepened, and he tried to forget what he saw in the engine room.
Susan nodded, although she'd heard several reports, it was good to hear another eye-witness account. "You were, and yes, some other ships suffered very heavy casualties." That was when she noticed that Miles looked even more upset than usual, perhaps there had been casualties.
"Did something happen during the bombing?" Her voice was much softer than usual. She wasn't necessary the best with her own emotions, but she could tell something was wrong with Miles right now.
"There were some casualities," he grumbled. "No fatalities, thankfully, but our doctors were busier than they would have liked."
It was nothing better than a lie by omission, but Edgeworth wasn't in any mood to bring those three up. So long as Susan assumed that the worst they had to deal with were injured crewmembers, the conversation would be ...well, not pleasant, but less shameful than it could be. He drained the last of his whiskey, and added, "Although I suppose we should be grateful."
Susan waved over for another drink for herself. She realized Miles needed to unwind far more than usual tonight, she wasn't certain she had the solution, but she knew she had to try her best.
"Well, I'm not exactly one to find things to be grateful for, but you should also be grateful I haven't seen you in months, which means I haven't had a chance to ask you about -- that girl. What was her name? The blonde?"
Susan grinned and took her drink replacement. Nothing better to get Miles' mind of stress than embarrassing him a little.
Edgeworth groaned, and drained the last of his whiskey. "Don't speak her name out loud," he said. "We're having a decent conversation, and I'd rather not interrupt it by summoning her in a hail of fire and brimstone."
He called for a third glass of whiskey, and let the warmth settle in his body. While old flames (and old shames) weren't his favorite topic, it was safer than ship talk. That didn't change the fact that he'd need another drink for this, though.
"Oh, come now, it's only fair. You didn't let me live down Martin for months, and that only lasted one month, you were with the little succubus for at least three and you still have been trying to hide how it ended." She took another sip of her drink, glad to at least see he was groaning in amusement instead of at his misfortune of the last weeks.
"I have ways of making you talk, Miles Edgeworth." She grinned at him and took another small swallow of her drink. He always caved eventually, whether it took more drinks, more persistence or just more time, he would cave.
He rolled his eyes, and said, "I'm sorry, but you already used your entire supply of blackmail. Remember that the next time you try and make me pay for your drinks." If she thought she'd be able to threaten him with old ship stories, she was sorely mistaken. That only worked the first dozen or so times.
"And besides," he added, "At least she was able to support herself. Tell me, is Martin still wailing like a drowned cat for spare change, or has he moved on to the kazoo?"
"That just brings the amount of time you've spent harping on him even higher, Miles. Besides, I believe he's moved on to the ukulele, not the kazoo." She wasn't upset, just amused now, and it showed. It had been a bad choice then and Miles had known it, she'd known it too. Martin certainly wasn't one of her finer moments in dating history. She could always bring out one of the more insipid of Miles' old girlfriends to compensate, though. She didn't bother though, no reason to get hostile... yet.
"And to think I was going to be the gentlemanly one tonight and pick up your drinks. Oh well."
"How very gracious of you," he replied, his voice dry and deadpan. "People say that chivalry is dead, but here I sit, with a piece of Erealia sitting right in front of me."
Sarcasm aside, Edgeworth started to finally relax. Perhaps it was the whiskey, or perhaps it was the company. Regardless of the cause, little scraps of evidence began to creep up on his body. The lines around his face lost their tension, the hand around the glass softened its death grip, and while he didn't slouch in his chair, he no longer sat ramrod straight. "And let the record state that I only 'harp' because he deserves every second of it."
"Always happy to bring a touch of the islands to our table." Susan could only smile brighter as Miles shoulders relaxed and he eased up, just a little. The air between them finally down to their usual relaxed feel instead of the tension Miles had come in with. She didn't slouch, but her posture mirrored Miles' now, more relaxed. She wasn't naive enough to think she could get a smile out of him, but it was good to see him more casual - for Miles.
"Well, he does deserve it. What can I say? He seemed like fun at the time, but at least he was a lot of fun." She paused for a long moment. Martin may have been insipid but he made that month dry docked in Bellicus tolerable.
"None of that, however, explains what happened between you and your vixen, or do I have to say her name three times and see if I can summon her?"
Edgeworth gave Susan a sharp look, before he snorted and returned to his drink. "There's no need to be supersticious," he said. "And as for what happened..." He hesitated, before he found a fascinating bit of paneling to stare at. "We tried to keep in touch over the network, but after a few weeks she started to complain about how I wasn't stroking her ego every five seconds. I told her I was busy, and she took it the wrong way."
"Not military girlfriend material." Susan had had her suspicions already, but there were just some women who loved the uniform, the danger and the mystique but when it came time for the man to ship off 'wearing a handkerchief close to their heart' was just not enough for them. Helena was obviously one of those girls. Hell, Susan had boyfriends like that before who just couldn't put up with the long hours and the long times apart.
"How wrong a way did she take it ...? I hope you didn't reach Yvette levels again." Poor Miles didn't stand a chance sometimes. His tendency to completely fail at conveying humor or emotion over the network was truly staggering sometimes.
"Worse," he said. "When I returned to Bellcius, my flat was almost completely wrecked. How does that count for taking things the wrong way?"
He paused, and took a long sip of his drink. "In retrospect, perhaps I should have apologized before we landed."
Susan make a look as though she were actually carefully considering Miles' statement before cracking into a smirk and shaking her head. The reaction was pretty extreme, though.
"That probably would be a good idea, you know how women love those apologies for insensitive behavior." She had no doubt Miles had said something insensitive, or at least that was easily taken wrong.
Edgeworth shot her another glare, and hmphed to himself. "I wasn't that terrible," he defended. "It's hardly my fault she overreacted." He did admit to himself that their last argument did get rather heated (and he might have said a few things he regretted), but that hardly excused the result. Even the comment about her mother.
"Anyways, you have no room to talk about sensitivity," he added. "At least I've never threatened to toss my ex-lovers overboard." Edgeworth returned Susan's smirk, before he took another sip of his drink. "Tell me, have you made any interesting people walk the plank lately, or was Johnathon an exceptional case?"
Susan fiddled with her drink for a moment, trying to figure out how to calm down enough to not turn the whole discussion into a rant. "He was an exceptional case for a boyfriend, unfortunately not for crew.
"We picked up a lot of new crew in Abantiare. The bombings spooked some of the old crew, so we just had to pick up -- people I would have left port side if I'd had the option. But the short answer is that I haven't threatened to throw anyone over lately." Some of them were good so far, some where showcasing a complete lack of professionalism, but all of them were her crew.
Mention of the crew did bring to mind one particular question she had about the crew. "Oh, that reminds me. What exactly did the Admiral do to get Seragillo's panties in such a twist?" She had been saving that up for Miles the next time she saw him. She wouldn't have been surprised to discover he was one of the things that had Miles' nerves so frayed right now. "He didn't have a very favorable view of the Admiral."
"Seragillo?" Edgeworth furrowed his brow, and tapped his finger against the rim of his glass. He could think of quite a few disgruntled ex-crewmen, but amongst the names he managed to remember, he couldn't recall that name. Then again, considering all the enemies von Karma's made over the years, it was nearly impossible to keep track of them all. Edgeworth shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't think I've even heard of him. Who is he, exactly?"
"He said he was from the Victoria II and had enough of a bone to pick with the Admiral for me to believe it." She thought about it for a moment, maybe he'd been using an alias. "He was tall, dark skin, said he used to be a mechanic and was joined at the hip with some bunny-eared demi-human, Fran. I suppose the girl might have been a recent addition, though."
She'd actually assumed the girl was the reason for the new assignment. She certainly had been a picky princess about her accommodations. She waved for another drink. If Seragillo had lied about his credentials, Susan would have to take it up with Alex and there would be hell to pay.
Edgeworth raised the glass to his lips, and his eyes widened when Susan started to describe "Seragillo." Tendons popped out as his hand tightened its grip, and his body froze. However, this all changed when she mentioned his companion. His eyes popped out, his face turned a bright scarlet, and all of his previous thoughts were wiped away. He was completely unable to speak...hell, he wasn't able to breathe.
Then again, he was choking on his drink.
Edgeworth pounded on his chest, and wheezed desperately for air while his mouth hung open like a dead fish. "W-water," he gasped out, as he leaned over the table. "G-glass-" Edgeworth was interrupted by more coughing, and he pounded his chest again. "Glass of water."
Susan waved over the waiter again before getting Miles his water. Her hackles were up and she knew that whoever 'Seragillo' actually was she would not be pleased when Miles was able to talk again.
The water arrived a few moments later and Susan pushed it over towards Miles.
Edgeworth's throat felt like it had been set on fire, and the burn distracted him from all thoughts of those traitors. He accepted the water graciously, and drank slowly and carefully to ease the pain without causing another choking fit.. The glass was slammed down half-full when he was done, and he took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. Edgeworth couldn't believe it - the deserter and his accomplice snuck away, only to land in the same port he did. He wasn't sure if he should be elated or furious.
"Yes, I know of him," he said, with an edge of raspiness to his voice. His face was still red, though whether it was from lack of air or barely contained rage was hard to say. "Only then, he was known as Kiros Seagill."
Susan would have had to have been blind to see that this was affecting Miles deeply, but whether it was simply because of incompetence or something even deeper, she couldn't tell.
"I take it he didn't leave you with a very good impression?" Her tone was light, but she already knew the answer and she knew it was going to make her angry if not furious.
Her skin was already crawling, the man had been on her ship for days already.
Edgegworth paused to glare at a particularly obnoxious bit of decoration on the wall, and took another sip of water before he replied.
"He was transferred after an incident with his old unit," he said, as his scowl deepened. "The blame lied with his previous CO, so I hoped wouldn't be a complete dissapointment. But unfortunately, he managed to prove me wrong. He had...problems with the ship."
"He's ... butted a few heads, nothing too serious." Susan didn't particularly like him, and thought Alex had promoted him beyond his competence. Boatswain was a difficult job, 'Seagill' had no experience with it and she was a little protective of her old job.
"I assume we are not talking about a few small issues with authority, though?" She had to get details now, she was going to have to deal with this the minute she got back to the ship, one way or the other.
When Edgeworth walked into the bar, he planned on complete silence regarding the the crew's deserters; as far as he was concerned, Susan had no reason to know about any of this. Now that Seagill and his friend were aboard her ship, though, he decided that a bit of honesty would do them both good. As the first mate, she had the right to know as much about them as possible.
"He was fine at first, other than some minor idiocy. The pleasantries were short lived, though." Some of the redness left Edgeworth's cheeks, but the tension in his shoulders had returned, and he spoke in a quieter voice than he had before. "Shortly before the bombings, we heard news of a downed pirate ship in the Badlands. We moved to capture them, but some of the crew expressed their...displeasure at the idea. A few even dared to think of it as 'unsporting'." Edgeworth snorted, and continued to drain the glass of water. "Seagill was one of these men, as was another crewmember that he was close to. The only difference was his 'friend' took it a step further, and tried to sabotage the ship."
Edgeworth's gazed hardened, and he tapped his free hand against the table as he stared at the grain of the wood. "He didn't get far before he was captured, and after that, Seagill seemed to change his tune. I thought he had finally gotten his priorities in order, but after we moved to another town for repairs, the Viera left our ship - and took him with her."
Unsporting or not, taking on a downed ship in the Badlands was well within the rights of the Victoria. She would have preferred no confrontations, Miles knew about her mission well enough, and that she was fighting terrorists pushing Reial towards war, but she also knew Miles didn't always believe her.
Susan took it all in. Relations between Ivona and Vohemar were on resting on a knife's edge now, one false step and the whole thing could erupt into a full out war. In that regard, she was pleased that 'Seagill' and this other traitor had that sort of compass. The Silvana was the perfect ship for him in that respect, but that left the 'traitor' issue looming.
Conflict, fights and shooting battles were an inevitable part of being on a military airship. Although she and Alex did not feel any grand patriotism for Ivona, they were both Ivonians, and sabotage, desertion and treason were great sins, especially for a former military man, it spoke of a character unsuited for fighting.
When she'd gotten her offer to join on with the Silvana, she had done it with the understanding she was stepping outside of the Ivonian military and into something more multinational. Did Seagill just see it as a refuge from 'the man'? He bucked her authority constantly, and he and the Viera had been on board for less than a week, it seemed likely he just needed someone to antagonize.
"I have to admire his devotion to peace, but at the cost of treason? And he won't find the Silvana any more hospitable to traitors." Alex would see him dead for a betrayal, and if he didn't, Susan would.
Edgeworth rolled his eyes at Susan's comment; if Kiros was so devoted to "peace", he wouldn't have defended a ship such as the 4423. However, before he could comment, a thought struck his mind.
"Susan?" he asked. "Have there been any new crewmembers besides Seagill and the Viera?"
"We took on several in Abantiare, not just Seagill and Fran. Although he definitely seems closest with Fran, he has also made fast friends with a few others, Highwind, Aragaki, perhaps a few others. I don't keep his social calendar."
It hadn't escaped her attention that this other traitor might be on her ship. She needed to know.
"What does your traitor look like?"
Edgeworth paused for a moment, before he sighed and rubbed the side of his temple. "He's a little under six and a half feet tall, I'd say, and he has the weight to back it up. He has short dark hair, dark eyes, a rather scruffy look..." He tapped his fingers against the table, as he thought of how else to describe him. "There's also a nasty burn on the side of his face, and a cut above his eye. Recent, I might add."
He hadn't made a mention of Gumshoe's dissapearance in the conversation, but he made it rather obvious, didn't it? Edgeworth looked back at her, and asked, "Does that sound like anybody you know of?"
Susan was relieved, actually, that didn't sound like any of her men, new or old. Although Miles hadn't said anyone escaped, his question about more crew members had made it a little obvious that the additional traitor was missing. She was just glad he hadn't made it to the Silvana.
"Doesn't sound familiar. What's his name?"
This was still going to be a sticky situation for her, though, and she already working on a supreme headache, courtesy of Seagill. She took a gulp of her drink. She couldn't shake the feeling that Miles was going to ask her for something she couldn't give him. That irritated her more than anything, the idea that some boatswain who didn't even respect her might throw a wrench in a long-standing friendship.
Why did a traitor have to come to her boat? That was even below pirates. At least pirates sang amusing songs and knew when to shut up.
Edgeworth scowled, and said, "That would be Richard Gumshoe, our former helmsman. However, I doubt even he would be idiotic enough to go without an alias."
He remained quiet for a moment, and reached for his abandoned glass of whiskey. There was at least some liquid left at the bottom, but instead of drinking it down, he merely glared at it. "Where are Fran and Seagill now?" he asked, his voice cold, firm, and steady. If he was entirely honest with himself, he didn't know what Susan's response would be, especially with the dubious reputation the Silvana had. However, she had been nothing but helpful and open during this little chat. He could only hope that the trend would continue.
Susan considered for a moment. If Miles had asked about Jushirou or one of the other crewmen she knew more closely she wouldn't have hesitated to tell Miles to piss off. But she did pause. As much as she felt like she should protect her crew, she also had a good idea of what was going through Miles' mind and how much he needed to find Seagill and Fran and bring them to justice. She'd been in the Ivonian Military, she knew how much it would burn to know there were traitors on the loose.
"They are crew members now. They're either on board or enjoying time about town." She couldn't have said any more than that, even if she knew for certain. Seagill and Fran could have been anywhere on the ship or anywhere in town. She didn't think it was important to deny they'd been hired on, and she didn't want to lie to Miles about something he could probably confirm for himself with a little leg work.
"And if they're still on the ship?" Edgeworth looked up from the glass, and stared Susan in the eye. His face was tense and expectant, and his body was perfectly still, other than the slight bob of his adam's apple. "What will you do then?"
"I expect I will be having a long conversation with both of them, but they can stay as long as they work."
The situation made her tense. Although there were all sorts on the Silvana, the ship made it a point to be above international laws and handing over Seagill or Fran, even for an old friend, would damage that too much.
She had to admit, she was irritated she'd found herself in this position in the first place, and she was almost ready just to leave both of them in Melior and lock the doors behind them.
"I'm sorry, Miles." She looked him straight in the eyes as she said it, she knew how much this had to be bothering Miles. He didn't take betrayal lightly and there wasn't anything she could do about it.
Edgeworth's hand clenched the glass, and tendons showed underneath pale skin as his grip tightened. He remained silent for a moment after Susan spoke, the lines around his face tightened while he held back the frustration that welled deep inside of him. The pause stretched out, and he continued to stare at her.
Finally, he broke the quiet, and said, "There's nothing I can do for you if your ship is caught harboring fugitives." His voice was quiet, but steady, firm, and with a hint of warning to it. "You should know this, Susan."
"I don't want this to get messy." She knew. She knew that all too well that Miles would not be able to stop the mess. She also knew the Silvana would be able to take most things the Ivonians could throw at them.
"If they screw up, I'll hand deliver them, but other than that -- I have my duty, Miles."
They couldn't give up their sovereignty just because Miles asked, no matter her personal opinion on the matter. She just hoped Miles would understand this was the best she could do.
It's an international ship, he reminded himself, as his grip tightened on the glass. Lead settled in his stomach, and heat spread throughout his body. It wasn't a part of the military, or even Ivona. They had no obligation or duty beyond what they owed to their crew. He repeated this to himself several times. It did little good.
Edgeworth's hand shook, before he set the glass down and pushed himself up from the chair. He cleared his throat, and announced, "I think I've had enough to drink." His tone was cold, and he did his best to keep the ragged edge of frustration out of his voice. He was almost, but not quite successful.
Susan stood as well. Her own feelings were torn and she hated the fact that Seagill and Fran had put her in this position. She could have pounded them both into the deck herself for this. She was betraying an almost a decade long friendship for two crewman she'd met less than a week ago and already didn't like.
She didn't really beg him for understanding, she knew he either would get over her refusal, or not. He was a very particular man, with very particular hot buttons and Susan was leaning on one of them, hard. She wished she could stop, but short of going against everything the Silvana stood for, she couldn't do anything.
She was in the wrong, shielding Seagill and Fran went against the things she was taught to believe in the Academy, but she couldn't do anything. She knew there wasn't anything she could do to make this right with Miles, not right now. Maybe in time -- she sighed, her memory was just as long as Miles, she knew he wouldn't forget.
"It was good to see you again, Miles." She doubted he'd return the sentiment, but she had to say it.
Edgeworth stood in silence, neither moving from his spot, nor responding to Susan's comments.
"I'll pay for drinks," he said finally, as he pulled out his wallet. He laid a rough estimate of the cash they needed on the table, without taking another look at Susan. "Good luck with your ship."
And with that, he walked away from the table. His back was straight, his head was held high, and by the time he reached the door his shoulders had stopped shaking.