OOM: Javert in London for the scond time

[witchfinder_general]

It' the same featureless blue corridor as before, but this time, there are still people about in it.

Nobody, however, is paying any attention to them: two women with papers under their arms are chatting to each other, and a man is wheeling a trolley of scientific equipment into an open door.

Father Harman holds the door of the supply closet open for Javert.

Comments

[never_shall_yield]

It did not occur to him there would be other people here. He looks down the corridor, and then down at his clothes, and then to Father Harman.

[witchfinder_general]

"Let's go to my office," Father Harman says. "I need to get my gun, in any case; I'll lend you a coat so you won't stand out that much. If anybody asks about you, I had you in for an interview, for research purposes, because you'd seen something."

[never_shall_yield]

'Why do you need a gun?'

Did he have a gun last time? He cannot remember; he was in no state to pay attention on that visit.

'And there is no use in saying that to me. I do not speak English. You will have to explain to them.'

[witchfinder_general]

"I always carry a gun when going out. The entire team does," Father Harman says. "It's much less dangerous in the daytime, but we still like to be able to defend ourselves. It's probably more of habit than anything else."

He closes the door they came in through and walks down the corridor; the two women hastily leave when they see him coming.

"You should at least know what I'm going to claim about you."

[never_shall_yield]

He does not reply. What Harman says about him is entirely irrelevant. He simply frowns at the retreating women.

'Do they fear you, Father?'

[witchfinder_general]

"In this team, I'm something of a primus inter pares," Father Harman says, "and while they technically answer to my colleague Angie Marsh, I'm still something like the almost-superior of their superior, and a priest, and known to be very harsh and uncompromising about our shared cause. Of course they fear me a little. The only one here that doesn't fear me at all is Angie."

[never_shall_yield]

He does not understand the Latin, but the concept is familiar enough.

'Yes. Subordinates defer to authority, of course. It is proper.'

He is glad to see Harman get the fearful respect he is due, and would be due even were he not a hunter of vampires.

[witchfinder_general]

Father Harman opens the door to his office, and steps inside.

"I have a spare coat in here," he says, opening a cupboard that is, inside, actually a small wardrobe, the way some people have them in their offices.

He hands a coat to Javert and puts on another himself, the pockets of which he then fills with some things from his desk drawers.

[never_shall_yield]

It is very long on him. He would refuse it entirely if it were not for the need to hide his clothes. But with his hat pulled down and rough cravat straightened, there is also a strange air of familiarity to it.

He looks around the office. It is very...he does not know the word. Everything is very strange and different, and yet it retains the feel of officialdom the world, and all of time, over.

'It is daytime.'

A thought occurs.

'Where is the woman from before?'

[witchfinder_general]

"Angie?" Father Harman says. "She'll be in the lab; but she knows about Milliways now, so she won't be too astonished if she sees you."

[never_shall_yield]

Javert, of course, did not bother to remember her name.

'What did she say? Did she think you were mad?'

[witchfinder_general]

"She saw me go into the supply closet carrying papers and a computer," Father Harman says, "and then come out a split second later carrying completely different papers, wearing different clothes, and having acquired a little bit of a sunburn, which I really shouldn't, but there."

He shrugs.

"It was very obvious I'd been somewhere."

[never_shall_yield]

'...very well.'

He cannot clearly recall the woman's face. He has a brief notion of blonde hair and that is all. It is not important to him.

'I hope I am not keeping you from your work though, Father. I can wait alone if there are things you must see to first.'

[witchfinder_general]

"No," Father Harman says. "There are no current Code Five cases that need to be pursued, so we are all just doing our research and liaising, but I have no appointments today. I'm still trying to get some Code Five ashes shot into space. It's a lengthy and complex project."

He closes the drawer and stands straight. "Shall we?"

[never_shall_yield]

'Yes.'

He is ready to go. And as they walks, asks, 'shot into...space?'

[witchfinder_general]

Father Harman walks along the corridor; they meet a few people who merely say hello almost shyly and pass them without giving Javert a second glance.

"Into orbit," Father Harman explains, "out of the atmosphere, with a satellite, in containers set to explode and scatter the contents once they're at their destination, blowing the ashes throughout the airless void in eternal sunlight. There is no way whatsoever that these Code Fives can regenerate at all, ever."

[never_shall_yield]

'That is good. I would say it sounds efficient, but sending things into the heavens is hardly usual.'

Or possible at all to his mind, though obviously things are much changed here.

'Do your colleagues agree it is the best course of action?'

[witchfinder_general]

"I got the idea in Milliways," Father Harman says.

Of course.

"But yes, they agree it is a good thing for us to try."

[never_shall_yield]

'The place has some uses then,' he murmurs, looking around with studied eyes.

Everything in this place is so bland. He did not notice last time. But neat, and clean; he can appreciate that at least.

[witchfinder_general]

"Would you have doubted that?" Father Harman says, stopping.

He presses a button between two identical, bland sliding doors -- the elevators, if Javert remembers the last time.

[never_shall_yield]

He does remember this time, and does not cause a scene by stating that he would prefer the stairs. He just steps inside, and internally steels himself for the strange sensation he remembers.

'Yes.'

[witchfinder_general]

"Was the place never useful to you?" Father Harman says as the cabin starts its descent.

[never_shall_yield]

'I suppose it has allowed me to avoid damnation a while longer. And the chance to change my fate.'

He looks up, following the numbers that click down.

'Yes, I am thankful for that. Even if the process so far has been difficult. That is as it should be.'

[witchfinder_general]

"Things should not be easy, you think?" Father Harman says.

[never_shall_yield]

'No.'

There is no hesitation in his answer.

'Especially not in something like this.'