[Video] un: spanglethesestars

[ukase]

[Rumlow has his set-up casual, his feet up on the table, and there's a toothpick sticking out the left side of his mouth. He's clearly sitting with two feet of the chair off the ground, but more predominant might be the healed burn scars that mark the left side of his face but particularly around his eyes. Much of the burns has clearly healed (miracle of pod life), but there is enough there to speak of previous considerable damage. His hair looks great though.]

New here. You don't care, and that's great. I'm looking for information on one subject in particular, so I won't waste time with semantics.

I need information on dragons. Specifically anatomy and how to kill them. I've got a wager with my future wife where she wants me to be the knight in shining armor and slay a dragon, but aside from the komodo kind, we don't have dragons where I'm from.

[He picks the toothpick from his mouth, twirling it in his fingers.]

Sure hope these ones taste like chicken though.

[He winks at the camera, offering a charming grin. Oh right, he wants to name drop because he knows it will annoy the person in question to the maximum degree.]

Also, if anyone knows Jessica Jones. Hit me up.

[He offers a mock little salute and the video ends.]

Comments

[ukase]

[Color him curious for a second or two.]

For a job like that, the only questions I need answering is where we are going, who I'm protecting you from and payment. Otherwise, the whys don't mean anything to me.

[dendarii]

You've no interest in who you'd be protecting? I certainly have reason to know whom I might be asking to guard me.

[ukase]

Nope, don't care. [Seriously, you're trying a business transaction over a public network? No wonder this one needs protecting.]

You clearly haven't done this much. Professional ask questions necessary to the job, never more, never less. And you, you should learn discretion. Inquiring to my skills on an open network: bad business.

[dendarii]

[ Miles raises his eyebrows, rather annoyed by that response. Mostly because Rumlow is right to point out his inexperience: Miles has never really had to hire bodyguards before. ]

I don't see how asking a few basic questions is bad for business. I've requested no secrets, nor given any of my own.

[ukase]

[What can he say? He's good at what he does, and he's worked so much of the field he knows the tricks of the trade. Plus, this kid smells amateur.]

The fact that you want to hire someone as a bodyguard lets whoever is after you or whatever you have that you're preparing yourself. It also means you're currently open for attack. It also means that they have full prerogative to now look into me and whatever skills I might have.

[dendarii]

[ Miles half-lids his eyes, leaning back from his camera a bit. Cramped, crooked fingers clasped over his chest. ]

You believe my greatest threat to come from those with access to this network?

[ukase]

[Huh, he wonders if those fingers have seen better days or if they've always been like that. Weird squinty crooked payee.

He continues his own casual leaning, not at all perturbed with the conversation despite his talk.]

Never said that, but it's still giving away free information. Anyone can access it and use it against you.

[dendarii]

[ Miles is young - only eighteen - but has scars and pain lines all over him. And those fingers have definitely been broken multiple times. ]

And I say a modicum of basic trust is necessary to get started. I've no contacts here, no network to rely on. Why not ask a few questions?

[ukase]

[It's not often that people beg him to ask questions and plumb them for information. Usually at least a car battery is involved.]

Considering, I'm not the one with hang ups here, why don't you ask a few questions you consider important about me?

[dendarii]

How about a name?

[ukase]

Frag. Next.

[dendarii]

... Frag? That's your name?

[ukase]

[Poor chump. Rumlow sighs heavily.]

It's short for fragment, but it has a much better ring to it.

[dendarii]

That's not much of a name. Surely you are more than a fragment of a person.

[ukase]

[So many red flags right now. So many.]

Are you really going to be harping on a name? You asked a question, and I answered it. Do we need the Webster dictionary meaning of the word to satisfy you, or shall we move on?

Do you have a personality disorder? Paranoia? OCD?

[dendarii]

It's a simple question, Mr. Frag. I'm not trying to pick a fight.

[ He's just vehemently curious - and kind of bipolar. ]

Dear god, no. There's nothing wrong with my mental health.

[ukase]

Mister was my old man. I'm just Frag.

[Which is, in fact, a codename. One of many. He has some discretion after all.]

So it's just your physical health that's in question.

[dendarii]

Just so. I am a rather frail individual. [ A beat. ] Which is no secret to anyone who lays eyes upon me.

[ukase]

[He sets his chair down on all four feet with a noise.]

It's clearly no secret. You look breakable. So you need protecting? For how long?

[dendarii]

[ His fingers are evidence enough of that. Delicate bones in this one. ]

For some time. I would say perpetually, but I imagine most would object at such vague terms.

[ukase]

[He wasn't a professional bodyguard, so he wasn't that interested in getting into it full time. Here and there for the right price, sure.]

You pay high enough, you'll surely be able to hire someone perpetually. I doubt I'm that guy though. However, I would be inclined to doing it now and again.

[dendarii]

[ He'd already gotten the impression this wasn't going to work, but - hell, he's kind of desperate. Intermittent work might still provide what he needs. ]

Then I'll keep you in mind.

[ukase]

[Sounds like a failed recruitment attempt. So he'll offer a little something.]

If you find someone who you want to helicopter parent you, let me know. I'll see if they are worth your time. I'm nice like that.

[dendarii]

[ A faint snort at that. ]

That sounds like a threat.

[ He's amused, though, and kind of pleased by the offer(?). It's a good way to test a bodyguard. ]

[ukase]

Hardly. I'll put them through the paces. You don't want someone who can't protect you, right?

[Just accept the offer. He is only putting it out there this one time.]