IC Contact

[keep_nothing]

✉

CODE 🔋 3:27 AM

Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan

UNSETTLED HERO
"LADY VORKOSIGAN"

ADDRESS
THE RESIDENCE

MESSAGE
"This is Cordelia,
leave me a message."

TEXT

CALL

VIDEO

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION | ETC.

Comments

[purple_reign]

[They're not sure what they were expecting. Someone who might have been on their side? Someone more understanding? Or, more realistically, someone as frantically alarmed and aggressive as Miles and Mark were. Somehow this is worse—like having the floor yanked out from beneath them. Had calling been pointless after all? Had they just made the situation even worse? For a sickening moment they find themselves wondering how Ananke would've handled this.

They bite down hard on their tongue to banish the thought, swallow thickly in a sad attempt to clear their throat, and grip the phone tighter.]

No, I'm just—I told you I'm just [scared] worried. I've never had to deal with anything like this before.

[keep_nothing]

[ Much to his surprise, Cordelia actually laughs lightly at that. It's not unkindly at all, just amused. ]

Don't misunderstand, I'm glad you did call. It shows you're really trying to de-escalate the situation by trying to bring in a third-party for negotiating or maybe just a neutral perspective. Not sure if I count as neutral though, but I was serious about the grounding part. Even if I did ground them, I doubt it'd stick. [ A beat. ] Well, it might for Mark, but he wouldn't be the problem.

[purple_reign]

[There's an audible sigh of relief.]

Yes—that's exactly what I want. I didn't think a true neutral party would work as well with them, and trust me, I know you were. Besides, Miles would probably find some way to blame me if you did ground them.

[keep_nothing]

Probably, knowing him.

[ She gives her own sigh. ] I can talk to them and see what their side has to say, but I think it best if everyone came to the table at the same time. Doing the "he said, she said" won't get us anywhere.

[purple_reign]

I don't know if that's a good idea for a first move... Eventually it would be for the best, but right now I'm worried about them lashing out first.

[keep_nothing]

But other than shouting, how else would you expect him to lash out? From what I'm guessing, there's not much we can actually do to you, right? And I'd ensure that everyone understood that the meeting would be a deliberation.

[purple_reign]

You can't hurt us physically, no, but blows aren't the only way to hurt someone. ...He treats her like she's a monster.

[keep_nothing]

[ She raises her hand in concession, even if they can't see it over a call like this. ]

... Alright, I'll speak to him first.

[purple_reign]

[There's another small sound of relief.]

Thank you. I can speak with Persephone and Luci in the meantime.

[keep_nothing]

I'd like to also speak with you, in person.

[ The tone of her voice hint at it not being a request. ]

[purple_reign]

Name a time and place and I can be there.