Sanctuary: Early afternoon

[notavegetarian.livejournal.com]

In an almost unprecedented move, Zhaan was open again. Perched neatly on her stool, gaze unfocused as she sketched the Sanctity root of long-ago Delvia. There were touches she added, inspired by her own and by the years seperating her last views of the root from the present.

The radio was tuned to a mellow station, the occasional Christmas song playing.

Comments

[aka-vala.livejournal.com]

Vala wandered in looking around vaguely at the store.

[aka-vala.livejournal.com]

time_agent: "Good afternoon, Ms. Mal Doran. Ah, how are you today?" Mr. Petit is very stiff; apparently, small talk is not his strong suit.

aka_vala: "Oh!" Vala looks up, then looks around, worried that maybe they shouldn't be seen. Or maybe that they're being watched. Or both. This guy pretty much makes you feel that way just by existing. "Uh, hi."

time_agent: Mr. Petit tries to smile. It doesn't work well. He gives it up and goes back to blank. "I need to ask you to do something for the Agency. Don't worry, it will not put you or anyone else in any danger."

aka_vala: "All right," Vala agrees with a hopeful smile. "Need me to go somewhere, uh," she looks around again, then whispers, "some-when for you?"

time_agent: "No, I'm sorry, Ms. Mal Doran. That's later on in your training. There's actually something I need you to do right here at Fandom High. Remember how I said that information about the Time Agency was highly secret and protected?"

aka_vala: "Sure!" Vala ignores the sinking feeling that they've got her room bugged and heard her telling CamPuppy about it all. "Very secret. My lips are sealed!"

time_agent: "Well, there is a student at Fandom High who knows too much about the Time Agency. That kind of information is not something we want running wild in the school. We would like you to do something about him."

aka_vala: She did not gulp. Did they even know the puppy had been Cam? "Uh, 'him?'" she asked as innocently as possible.

time_agent: "You might know his name. Jack Harkness? I belive he's in a couple of your classes."

[aka-vala.livejournal.com]

aka_vala: "Oh!" Only years of practice keeps the huge sigh of relief at bay as well. "Yes, I know him. He used to live down the hall." Something she knows Cam would rather forget.

time_agent: Mr. Petit looks very serious. More serious than normal. "He can't be allowed to run loose with the information that he has about our Agency in his head."

aka_vala: Vala allows herself to frown just a bit. Damn, she still likes Jack, for all he can be a jerk. "Uh, so what do you want me to do about it?" don't say kill him, don't say kill him, 'cuz I won't!

time_agent: Mr. Petit pulls something from his jacket that doesn't look at all like an evil red sonic screwdriver, no, not at all. "Do you know what this is?"

aka_vala: oh shit oh shit, looks like a weapon to me! "Nope," she shakes her head, eyeing it warily. "Never seen one before."

time_agent: "Don't worry, this isn't dangerous in the least. This device will remove his memory. If you put it on this setting -- " he shows her " -- and, incidentally, wear good eye protection, it will remove his memory of the Time Agency and he will be able to go forward with his life."

aka_vala: not kill, o.k., that's good... but... "Remove his memory?"

time_agent: "Yes. Do you want the long technical explanation, or the short version?"

aka_vala: "Um, I don't know... it sounds kind of dangerous. Especially if I don't know what I'm doing." Jack! What have you gotten yourself into???

time_agent: "It's perfectly harmless. I promise. What this device does is disrupt the flow of electricity to the brain. Changing it on specific frequencies prevents the brain from accessing information for a specific time range. Completely safe. No danger."

aka_vala: "But Jack?" Vala frowns. "I didn't even know he worked with you guys. It's not like he's spreading it around." Vala still eyes the device warily.

time_agent: "And how difficult would it be for him to never tell? Particularly since he doesn't have a future with the Time Agency to look forward to? If he got drunk one night and babbled to the wrong person... it could have potentially disasterous consequenses."

aka_vala: "Oh, I guess I could see that." She sighs. "It's not like I don't want to help out, but shouldn't someone who knows how to work it be doing this?"

time_agent: Mr. Petit smiles again. It is no more comforting than before. "You don't need to know exactly how to construct the engine of a spacecraft. You just need to know how to fly it. This is a tool, no more. Dial the right setting, and it does all the work."

[aka-vala.livejournal.com]

aka_vala: "O.K.," she finally says, hesitantly, unwilling to give up this opportunity. "I guess I can do that."

time_agent: Nope, the smile never gets any easier to deal with. Even when, this time, it looks genuine. "Here is the device. This setting is the proper one for removing Jack Harkness' memory of the Time Agency. And please wear these --" hands over a pair of sunglasses "-- when you do it, or you risk your own memory." The smile quirks up slightly at one corner. "I knew you were an outstanding candidate, Ms. Mal Doran. Please do this as quickly as possible. Time is, in fact, of the essence."

aka_vala: Vala nods, trying to look much more comfortable with this than she is as she takes the device and watches the man walk away. Definitely got to talk to Jack.