IC contact

[boughtabookstore]

 You've reached Chief Inspector Roslyn Small at [number here]. Leave your name, contact details, and intent. I will return your message soon.

Comments

[boughtabookstore]

[ Another long moment of consideration, absorbing all that information. ]

You should inform him of this decision.

[speakveryclearly]

[Beat as she ponders that possibility.]

But he would probably move out of that room if I did and we would be back to square one. And also I think I may have finally him believing I don't want to kill him. This is pretty much the worst possible time to provide information like that.

[boughtabookstore]

I understand that you are blaming yourself for his death, but I sincerely doubt you would have been able to stop it.

And it should be taken into consideration that if you don't tell him and he finds out on his own, I doubt he'll take it well.

[speakveryclearly]

I've saved him once before. I could have again.

I just want to do the right thing, and in this case I'm not sure honesty wouldn't obstruct that.

[boughtabookstore]

If honesty would obstruct it, it's very rare that you're doing the right thing. [ very firm. ]

[speakveryclearly]

[Beat.]

Was saving him before the wrong thing?

[boughtabookstore]

No. But it was the result of actions that were dishonest. Sometimes that is necessary, but in this case - I believe if you wish to have any friendship with him, dishonesty is the wrong course.

[speakveryclearly]

I'd take that a lot more seriously if his opinion of me were based in the truth.

[boughtabookstore]

So adding more untruth to it will fix the matter.

[speakveryclearly]

Well, I've spent over two months adding more truth to the matter and it's done nothing to gain me conventional friendship, so I'm pretty much ready to abandon that inexplicably impossible initiative. But I see less reason to stop trying to protect him.

[boughtabookstore]

Given the situation, it's going to take time. Patience is required.

[speakveryclearly]

...

[This strikes a nerve.]

...but it will take more time if I'm honest with him.

Also given the situation he's likely to mistake this for an actual example of malevolent intentions.

[boughtabookstore]

And what is a friendship built on lies?

[speakveryclearly]

Lies of ommission.

Those are in a completely different class from actual falsehoods, right?

[boughtabookstore]

[ a dismissive noise ]

That's a distinction people make when they want to feel better about themselves.

[speakveryclearly]

[It is one of those moments where you can hear the sad rain in the background.]

I don't know how to feel better about my alternate self killing him. I have to compensate somehow.

[boughtabookstore]

Isn't your argument for him trusting you that she isn't you?

[speakveryclearly]

Yeah.

But I still have to deal with it. Isn't fair. That she could get him out of her hair and I have to deal with him when he won't even let me.

[boughtabookstore]

Life isn't fair. You're a teenager, I suppose you still believe it is, but it never will be.

[speakveryclearly]

Oh, I know it's not, Ms. Small, I learned that when my home planet was destroyed by meteors.

[boughtabookstore]

Then perhaps you should take it into closer account in your dealings with life.

[speakveryclearly]

Take into account that I'm a member of a marginalized, ultimately unimportant species, you mean?

[boughtabookstore]

That life isn't fair.

[speakveryclearly]

I see.

...

Can I - negotiate anything?

[This is hard.]

[boughtabookstore]

With whom?