methodofmadness: (pic#18323322)
Christopher Chaos ([personal profile] methodofmadness) wrote in [community profile] lastvoyageslogs2026-06-05 07:14 am
18

If I only see what I can see

Who: Christopher Chaos, John Doe, D'vana Tendi and Vincent Valentine
When: An amorphous time that makes sense to suit our purposes
Where: The Library
What: Christopher sits with infirmary staff to have a conversation about their decisions.
Warnings: Possibility of Christopher being overly emotional and claiming he isn't.


With John's encouragement and help, a meeting time and place is set, two letters sent out to Vincent and Tendi that deliver themselves and announce themselves upon finding who they were meant for. They jump up and down on tiny little legs before falling to the ground, looking like a normal letter. The contents of the letter detail meeting in the library study room at 10 am for the purposes of talking about the infirmary staff standing with Christopher Chaos, John Doe attending as a mediator if necessary.

On the day, Christopher has shown up early, sitting in the study room quietly. It felt more neutral territory than going anywhere near the infirmary and it's connected spaces, having been avoiding them since Ulla's announcement. He had seen that Tendi was up from her coma, was thankful for it, but out of stubbornnessprinciple, he'd not said anything to her or shown up at the cybernetics lab. His notebook is out on the table, he has a few copies of his bare bones consent forms, and he scribbles away as he sits there, working on some sort of formula to make adjustments on his self delivering envelopes.

He isn't watching the time, if someone is late or they are also early, he doesn't actually mind, but he has set a little alarm for himself as a reminder five minutes before the official start. When it goes off he will reluctantly try and disconnect himself from his work and turn to a fresh new page in case he feels the need to write anything said down.
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: little smile)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
John will arrive about ten minutes early, and he'll bring with him a couple of thermoses full of coffee (one decaf, one half caf) as well as a plate of sugar cookies iced to look like various planets, as well as cups and a couple of little plates. He'll put those out, along with napkins before he sits.

He peers at the forms, then over at Chris.

"How are you feeling?"

Where are they starting from?
Edited 2026-06-05 16:51 (UTC)
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: glancing away)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
John will serve him a cup of the decaf, pouring it out and pushing it over. A couple of plastic caps of creamer and half and half will be placed next to the thermoses. Then he leans against the table.

"Well, since we've got a minute, let's see if we can figure them out," he says, tilting his head, "that way, they've got less chance of popping up and surprising us while we're talking. Do you know what any piece of it is?"
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: look to the light)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
John nods, leaning back as he waits for Chris to come out with it. Then he nods.

"Nervous- entirely understandable. But... do you know why you're frustrated?"

That one-

"And you can be honest about it. You don't have to couch it in niceties."
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: glancing away)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
John just nods.

"That's a lot to be frustrated about," he agrees. But he considers everything that Chris said. Considers if it's worth hashing through, decides it is, but he's going to take it a different way.

"What is it that you don't agree with?"
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: direct look)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
He nods to that. Considers.

"Would it help you to feel less frustrated if I told you that that was something of a misunderstanding?" A pause. "I can explain it to you. But if it will just frustrate you more, it can wait."

...he's also going to make the crumbs disappear. Because ew.
Edited 2026-06-05 18:03 (UTC)
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: meeting your eyes)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
John nods. But he is going to ask one thing.

"All right." But- "Are you prepared to be wrong about it?" A short pause before he explains: "Wrong about what the issue is and to accept that your understanding might be mistaken?"

Because that's... probably going to be necessary at several points here.
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: look to the light)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
John shakes his head.

"You might not be," though John's reasonably certain he's very very wrong but he's smarter than to say so, "but you know better than anyone that a scientist who isn't prepared for any result is pretty likely to bias his results, which will only give him more work to do eventually. You should be prepared for all possibilities, no?"
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: direct look)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
He peers a little bit at Chris.

"But... you don't like that idea, though. Or... at least it doesn't sound like you do."
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: smiling gold)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
John shakes his head, though.

"I know that." Holy shit does he know that. "But... why wouldn't you like the idea that you might be wrong? Doesn't that just mean there's more to learn? That there's whole other facets to something you didn't know about before that you're getting to find out about now?"

It's in his tone; John isn't trying to shame him or tell him how to feel, far from it. But, for him, it's a delightful opportunity. It's something new and different and fascinating.

"I'd think it would be a relief. Or-" just to be clear! not telling you how to feel! "it is for me, anyway."
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: glancing away)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-05 09:30 pm (UTC)(link)
John has noticed when that "This is different" comes out too and he'll bring it up later. That's for a mind share, not before a rough discussion.

"That wasn't the impression that I got while we talked," he'll admit, but he'll lean back a little in his seat.

"But... if you feel ready," he tips his head to one side, "I think they're almost here."

A tentacle behind his back will gesture for them to come on over.
coffinturk: (5)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2026-06-06 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
Vincent had arrived a short time ago. But let it not be said he couldn't read a room; and when it was obvious the John and Christopher were in a sensitive discussion, the gunman had pulled back. Still visible from the window of the study room, but obviously waiting patiently for a sign to proceed.

He's reasonably sure John knows he's there, whether or not the warden had looked in his direction.

Whether Tendi has arrived in this interval aside- and certainly there may have been quiet small talk if she had- the solemn figure will, upon the tentacle signal, cross to the door of the study.

As a courtesy, he will knock first. Just because John noticed his presence, it doesn't mean Chris hadn't. And this warns of Vincent's intention to enter.
notthatkindoforion: (Content)

[personal profile] notthatkindoforion 2026-06-06 12:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Tendi might not always be the best at picking up on social cues, but she does know enough not to barge in on John and Christopher while they're talking so intently. So yes, she had sat and chatted a bit with Vincent while waiting for John to let them know they're ready.

There's not a doubt in her mind that he knows they're there, after all.

When John gestures, she follows on Vincent's heels to the little study room. "Hey, John! Hi, Christopher. It's good to see you again."
greatoldjohn: (a gentleman: little smile)

[personal profile] greatoldjohn 2026-06-06 01:42 pm (UTC)(link)
John dips his head to both of them and then gestures to the coffee and the cookies. There's enough cups and tiny plates for everyone, of course, as well as creamers.

"Decaf is in the blue, half-caf is in the green."

Chris was given decaf. Chris will always be given decaf. And he's only going to provide half caf just for everyone's safety sanity enjoyment. John gives a flutter of his fingers to both of them.

"Good morning Tendi, Vincent. Thank you for joining us." He folds his hands thoughtfully. "Any thought on how we should get started?"
coffinturk: (66)

[personal profile] coffinturk 2026-06-06 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Vincent probably enters first and it's really no surprise that one of the new arrivals are going to be more welcome than the others.

This is a default of Vincent's life; to presume that he is the least welcome in the room. It's fair, given his demeanor and honestly introverted life before we even bring up what this meeting is all about in the first place.

But after Christopher offers the reluctant acknowledgement of his presence, the tall, cloaked man turns his attention to the youth and tips his head forward in a silent nod of greeting and acknowledgement.

No dislike or disdain. But honestly, how much of the man's expression can one read when most of his face is covered. Only intense red eyes with their odd light, a brief study. Something that John also gets; along with a short nod to the warden in kind.

The options of decaf and half-decaf are spared a less kind regard. Fundamentally, Vincent knows there's probably reasons for the lack of full caffeination. He bypasses the thermos choices and takes a seat; while he chooses one furthest from Christopher, it's more about not crowding the kid than and dislike.

It's just unfortunate that it can also be taken as a sign of dissatisfaction with his presence. Reaching over, he intends to take a cookie at least. Yes, whether or not Vincent has to eat, he knows that the act of doing so in a social setting is...

Well, human.

Where to start, though. At those words, while Vincent glances at Tendi, his attention turns to Chris and John. And for the first time, he speaks.

"Where do you want to start?"
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