Trooper Station, Thursday

[firstofitskind]

It had been a while since Liam had made his way in to the station, what with holidays and visiting Verity's family, and so he'd completely expected the stack of paperwork that awaited him. Less expected was the present sitting on his desk.

It took him a moment to place the writing on the tag, but once he did, he opened up his Global and shot off a text to Kaidan with a belated thanks.

Then... it was back to sorting through paperwork with a faintly dismayed look on his face as he did so.

Comments

[spectre_alenko]

He promptly got a text back. It was a link to a Wikipedia page.

[firstofitskind]

Nice try. But I think I outgrew believing in Santa Claus somewhere around my fifth minute.

[spectre_alenko]

You don't have to believe in Santa Claus. He believes in you.

[firstofitskind]

... That just sounds unsettling.

[spectre_alenko]

It was supposed to. Did you have a good holiday?

[firstofitskind]

A little awkward at times, but mostly, yeah.

[spectre_alenko]

Awkward?

Come on, of course he was going to ask.

[firstofitskind]

Spent the holidays at Verity's family's place.

There are... a lot of them.

Comparatively, anyway. Verity might not consider her extended family all that large, but to Liam, who'd never experienced any of that? It had been overwhelming at times. Not necessarily in a bad way, just. Different. And there'd also been the few days of tension post-Christmas as Verity and her parents worked out allowing Verity to stay to teach one more semester.

[spectre_alenko]

Yikes. Yeah, that would do it. Do they all get their own 'HAIL's?

He could picture dozens of little mice cheering for people. It would be.. loud.

[firstofitskind]

Of course.

And Verity's splinter colony had to share with the rest of the mice the various rituals and celebrations they'd come up with since the last time they'd visited. Which resulted in a couple of days of Liam being tailed by mice hoping to witness him turning in to a cat.

Also spent a good portion of my time trying to avoid the traps her sister was setting.

Thankfully, the only casualty there had been occasionally his dignity.

[spectre_alenko]

I can relate. Jack got a job here this semester teaching up at the school. So, y'know, now you'll get to avoid traps MY sister sets.

He winced a little and truly felt sorry for the police on the island.

[firstofitskind]

Eh, it was fine. Wasn't like there was much going on most days, anyway.

Oh? Teaching what?

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan squinched one eye closed in a sort of wince. He should have known that question was coming. He could just say 'civics'. That was a thing he could do. After acknowledging that he could do that - he didn't.

Civics: The Art of Civil Disobedience.

[firstofitskind]

Liam snickered. He hadn't actually met Jack when she'd come to visit, but he'd heard a thing here and there. And on radio.

'Civil', huh?

[spectre_alenko]

Non-lethal? Maybe? He hoped, anyway.

[firstofitskind]

Let's hope. Liam texted back, echoing Kaidan's thoughts.

[spectre_alenko]

She's mostly socialized at this point.

Again - he hoped.

[firstofitskind]

She did willingly apply for the position... Liam pointed out.

Which meant he expected she'd at least behave according to Fandom's standards. Which... Liam was the first to admit were not always typical.

[spectre_alenko]

Yeah and I'm still not real sure why, he answered. He had a guess, yeah. It was still a weird thing for her to do, taking an entire teaching position like this.

If he knew Liam expected Jack to behave, Kaidan would have laughed himself sick. At least Liam knew who to call if she needed bail?

[firstofitskind]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ That's for her to know and you to find out, I suppose.

Kaidan, Fandom's standards were basically "Don't kill anyone on the island, unless they're currently trying to invade."

If Jack was interested in breaking that particular rule, well. Then they'd have to have a Talk, yeah.