. .. IC Contact | Duplicity .. .

[konstant]

                                                                 

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Comments

[konstant]

Why is that?

[swornsword]

Because this city's layout makes no sense.

[konstant]

I hadn't noticed. I'm used to a much, much larger one.

[swornsword]

This place has two cities stacked on top of each other.

[konstant]

Yes.

[swornsword]

How many cities were stacked on top of yours.

[konstant]

I was an officer in Los Angeles.

It was one of six megapolises left on the planet at the time.

[swornsword]

Military?

[konstant]

Police department.

I was a blade runner. It's not a specialty anyone has heard of since I've come here.

[swornsword]

Swords?

[He's trying, okay.]

[konstant]

[It's a common misconception, so K is neither surprised nor bothered.]

No. My purpose is to locate and retire rogue replicants.

[And, anticipating the question:] Replicants are bioengineered humanoid androids.

I'm a replicant.

[swornsword]

So like a bounty hunter.

[konstant]

Kind of, yes.

Although I was commissioned specifically for the purpose, and I didn't receive bounties so much as bonuses for closing out cases, always less than what was paid to civilian blade runners.

action -> post event

[thecanarylives]

It’s been a long damn week. One that’s left Sara feeling out of her own body, hollow and not entirely sure why. She hasn’t been home yet - hasn’t showered off the feeling of being poked and prodded in both body and mind - heading straight to the People Zoo to collect the wayward submissive she’s been notified has been stirring up trouble while they were gone.

She’s slumped on the metal bench in the stark hallway while she waits for his release, elbows propped on her knees, staring blankly at her phone without quite seeing it in front of her.

Re: action -> post event

[konstant]

It doesn't take them long to bring him around; he makes them nervous, all long stares and absolute stillness until suddenly he isn't. They don't want him here, where they have to be quick with the depowering sticks or his collar or both.

He's still naked, his clothes folded in his arms, but he doesn't care. He strides over the moment he spots her, dropping the clothes on the bench beside her so he can crouch and look her over.

"Sara."

[thecanarylives]

She hears the footsteps, vaguely aware of the footsteps around her, the presence drawing closer. She knows he’s not a threat - knows that calming air about him all too well by now. But still, she flinches at the sound of her name. Her gaze flitting up to meet his, assessing him quietly a moment.

“Let’s get you dressed. We’re going home.” She gets to her feet, grabbing the shirt he’s dropped next to her.

[konstant]

She flinches. His eyes narrow, but he doesn't divide his attention to the guards nearby.

Instead he stands with her - "Sara?" - and tips his head to try to keep her eyes with his, one hand raised towards her but neither touching nor stopping her.

[thecanarylives]

She’s pointedly ignoring the guards, her jaw clenched tight as she pushes his shirt into his outstretched hand.

“Let’s go home, K,” she says quietly.

[konstant]

He doesn't move for several long seconds, prompting one of the guards to start forward, but the man stops when K shifts his gaze to him for a moment.

He pulls the shirt on, then his pants, and picks his boots up.

"Of course," he mumbles, more for Sara's benefit than anything.

[thecanarylives]

Sara’s own sharp gaze is nearly enough to nail the guard to the wall, fuming violence behind K’s calm demeanor.

She waits quietly while he dresses, one careful eye on the guards before she reaches a hand out for him.

[swornsword]

Sounds like a raw deal.

[konstant]

In some ways.

In others, I had a lot more freedom than most other replicants.

You're used to bounty hunters?

[swornsword]

I was one. I hunted pirates.

[konstant]

By choice?

[konstant]

Once the guards are no longer actively considering moving forward K ignores them completely. Instead he reaches for Sara's hand, too, and follows her out of the building.

His own frame is veritably singing with all the things he doesn't know and can only imagine has gone on in the last week, with all the things that have happened to him that he's compartmentalizing to think about later, but his attention is steady and silent on her.

"I want to talk when we get to the apartment," he warns her as soon as they're more or less alone outside.