Milestones and mirrors

[Helen Kingsley]

"Obviously." Helen concedes. She knows pretty well that this isn't the way this sort of stuff works. "That's why I wanted a closer look before I consider signing anything. See whats all in the bag, if you will."

Jack asks the hard questions, but in cases like this, that's a pretty good thing. Not that she hasn't done so herself, but the question is, do those answers hold ? Helen goes through the people she has put below ground over the years. Discounting the lost causes, the number's small, she's always prided herself on that, but it's there. She's messed up her fair share of folks and fangers, sure, but almost all of them were still walking about a year later. She had almost convinced herself that there's some things that are necessary and have to be done regardless of personal opinion, just like the old times. As Jack said, she doesn't get to mix and match. But now ? She isn't so sure anymore. Especially thinking back to the Kowalsic mess. But she's not going to address it. is there a lesson it ? Yeah, but not the kind of message she wants to discuss.

"Good question. When I came here, I thought I was." She freely admits after a pause. "One hand, it's pretty much a necessary evil needed for our society to work, really, and everyone knows the rules and what happens when you're caught breaking them. On the other hand, killing folks has never really sat well with me. Same goes for fangers." She's not going to chuck the Good Book at Jack, or start spreading out some stories of her life. Hypocritical ? Yeah, she's well aware of that, as O'Brien could attest to. If he were aware that question is a thing, that is. "Have you ever been that in that sort of job yourself ?" Not the most elegant continuation, but the thought sort of comes naturally. Not that she thinks it's unlikely, with fangers, looks can be deceiving, but still... She's heard about some fangers who were also booksy types with weird fields of studies, some of which were runored to have killed people for their studies or just to know what that feels like.

"Looks like some things will never change." She chuckles as Jack details the reports. Too bad they don't hand out medals for red tape wars ! "Sitrep, eval, debrief. I think I get what you mean." It's been a long time since her last activities in that area. Not long enough, in her opinion. Ewrgh, does anyone seriously like that shit ?

[Jacque]

"Signing anything?" the Lord repeated. True as it might be, he hadn't said anything about signatures.

"What sort of job?" He asked as he filled his glass once more. "You mean the kind where I might need to kill?" He shrugged, "Not directly. I've managed to find better ways to deal with circumstances that might otherwise lead to that. Still, it is a possibility that I'm sure I'll have to endure at some point." A corner of his lips tugged upward as he glanced to Helen, "I suppose that makes us monsters with morals?"

He grinned at the haunt's response, "Of course." A nod to confirm her understanding.

[Helen Kingsley]

"Fully committing to get or not get the position." she clarifies. She could go further with that, but she's pretty sure she doesn't have to break it down any more, he'll know what she means. "That's the sort, yes." She isn't too sure if she's supposed to be surprised or not. "Good thing, that." Sure, on the one hand, there's a lot of stuffs that might help not to get into that sorts of situations, but then, those situations don't always wait until you got all that stuff and are ready for them... Still, while probably not very pragmatic and stuffs, she thinks he's better off for it.

"Depends on how willing we are to stick to them and what we're using them for, really. I mean, do we stick to those because we really believe in them ? Or are they some tool to stave off whatever waits for us beyond the only way we know how ? Or just as some habit ? And all that's even before we got that other thing in the back seat. or we had it there the whole time and somebody decided it'd be great if it had a megaphone. It's a pretty complicated topic. No cookie-cutter answers and few general rules." Helen exhales and takes a big swig from the glass. "All that's certain is that it's best never to say never and that you don't know what you're capable of until you've been there."

[Jacque]

"Hmm," he pondered as Helen brought forth the philosophical discussion.

"The answer to that is unique from Kindred to Kindred. I'd like to imagine we do so to prove we are still who we were." he pauses in thought for a few moments. "I believe the Dragons teach the fundamentals of change so rigorously to new recruits for that purpose. To be sensitive to it in others and most importantly yourself. For the Invictus, there are those who believe that the complex structure, rules and decorum are not just continued to romanticize ancient aristocracy. They believe that the etiquette itself helps keep the back seat driver at bay." He shrugged with a swirl of his glass, "I've heard worse theories."

A smirk in response to her last statement. "Yes. We are all quite capable- that is for certain." It was always more about what you chose to do opposed to what they could do. There was simply no denying that the monster did exist.

[Helen Kingsley]

"Provided we still want to be who we were. Theres always folks who reinvent themselves with mixed results in success." Helen has, to an extent, but then, mostly small stuffs, thats not what she's talking about here. "Not the dumbest move. Nothing is worse than not getting the memo and then wondering who that figure in the mirror is some night." She taps her chin. "Does it, though ? Sounds a lot like some of the stuffs they try with psychopaths in clinical. The ones on the high end, that is. You could argue its more about keeping that stuff to themselves and play along with the rules than functionally keeping whatever's back there in check. As long as everyone can pretend everything's normal, nobody needs to look closer. And if something happens, everybody's caught off-guard, like 'Who could've suspected such a thing' ?"

The Haunt peeks into her glass and takes another sip from it.

"Now, that's on a lot more people than just you guys, though. After all, asking no uncomfortable questions means not getting scary answers AND telling some guy who's got some centuries on you he might be a bit unhinged for your standards isn't always the best thing to do. But it also means whenever things go bad, they go really bad. Layman's opinion, of course, I ain't some psychiatrist." Not that she thinks she needs to be for that. She scratches her head.

"So, suppose someone were to want to take an office like Reeve and you'd be asked to think of something they should really know beforehand or something they'd give a really good think... What would that be ?"

[Jacque]

He can't help but grin at Helen's retort. Sure, it could be a little bit of A and a little bit of B here but being sensitive to the smallest details had helped him manage to not be ambushed by the beast's urges.

The Lord considered her question. It half-felt like the generic closing to a job interview and honestly it wasn't too far from it. "I'd have to say it will take some time to figure out the proper balance of using a heavy hand and the softer approach. Too far in either direction opens the Reeve up for criticism from the Domain... whether it be complaints or seeing the Reeve as weak or vulnerable. You'll grow into the position as you learn from your choices and the outcomes that follow. As long as you're acting in the best interest of the Domain and not breaking the Laws, it is your business to run."

"So that leaves us at the big question," he tips his glass in Helen's direction, "Will you step up to the job?"

[Helen Kingsley]

Helen nod as Jack rolls out the goodies. The advice is sensible, really, still some of the reluctance refuses to dissipate even now. But then, she knew that when she came here already. She's still distrustful about a few things, things that aren't an issue just yet, but likely might become so later in the arrival of certain... events. Or people. But that's the point, can#t really foresee that sort of stuff, just prepare and hope the prep work holds up once the dam breaks.

Still, she's got an eye on certain things, and that#s something. Worst case, she'll have to see how long the probationary period is or how the city looks at 401k's. No use beating herself up about the stuffs put on the spot.

Aw, hell, it's kicked off, it's about time to see it through, right ?

Not that there aren't any questions left, just not the sort where she suspects she'd get the full story.

"It's been interesting, lot to keep in mind and think about." She tilts her glass and peeks into it. "I'd like to have two or three days to think about it before I give you a definite answer, if that's possible, really."

[Jacque]

The boat made its way through the winding river and was on approach to another dock.

The response wasn't the one the Lord wanted, but the request was a blink in comparison to the eternity before them. "Very well. In three days you'll meet me in my office to deliver your answer."

"Are there any other questions you have?" he savored another sip from his drink while he waited for confirmation.

[Helen Kingsley]

"Three days it is. Thank you."

Three days to beat herself up on what is and is not feasible ? Should be enough to have a realy fun time, right ? She's not really looking forward to it all that much, but again, she feels it'll be pretty necessary. She empties the remaining content of her glass.

"No questions, Sir. Is there anything you'd still like to know ?"

[Jacque]

"No," he responded and followed her lead in emptying the glass.

"I know all I need to to be confident with the offer." The boat is tied to the docks and the gangplank was placed. He stepped across and waited for her to join. As if he crossed the threshold into a different world and a different person, subtle differences in Jack's tone and phrasing might be noticed. "Thank you for the lovely evening of conversation, Ms. Kingsley."

See you in three days! Fun scene