June 2012, Geneva, Swizerland

[damncompass]

The morning sun is breaking through Joshua's windows, reflecting even more off of the five feet of snow that's starting to melt in the June heat.

Inside, Joshua is snuggled up to the woman beside him, sleeping with a smile on his face.

Comments

[damncompass]

"When I'm in charge, bad things happen." Joshua shakes his head. "I mess shit up, things get ruined. No. I'm not doing that to such an important place, and one Claudia loves so much."

[k39zzz]

"Whatever may have come of your prior experiences, you are not as poorly suited to leadership as you might think. Besides, you're the first person to study Artifacts since Isaac Newton. We do not waste that kind of resource."

[damncompass]

"And that's supposed to help?" Joshua sighs, putting his head in his hands. "I... I'm flattered, but I just can't. It's... no." Mostly under his breath, he adds "Besides, it's Claud's thing."

[timelessinventor]

"As though Claudia won't be glad to have you there, darling. Besides, the next closest scientist I can think of who spent time in the field is Dr. Franklin, and that's hardly going to make you feel any better. I believe he spent more time making Artifacts than examining them anyway."

While Joshua's head is still in his hands, something occurs to Helena (given the state of things when they went to Egypt, did they...?); she glances at Mrs. Frederic, who nods. Well then. That's rather interesting.

[damncompass]

Joshua just sighs, sitting up a bit and eying Mrs. Frederick. "Does this usually happen to people when they've just woken up and are in their boxers?"

[k39zzz]

That may be the ghost of a smile. Maybe. Possibly. (Twice in three days; someone should make note.)
"Far from it. However, the timing is rather delicate, for a number of reasons."

[damncompass]

"So delicate that you can't wait until after breakfast? Or at least wait for me to get up and put on some pants?"

[timelessinventor]

"In that regard," Helena says, "I believe your sister would say she's trolling you." (She has yet to understand that co-opting of the word, but it's definitely what Claudia would use.)

This is Mrs. Frederic's innocent face! It's actually quite good.

[damncompass]

"Oh, hush." Joshua sighs deeply. Pants, lady in his bed, he really wishes he was wearing some pants. "I... I just. I don't even know. I can't. I just know I can't."

[timelessinventor]

"Why do you think that, though? If they've decided to extend the offer to you rather than simply bring you in as a consultant, they have faith in you." The Regents, in Helena's experience, are better judges of character than that.

[damncompass]

"She's only going to leave if I accept, isn't she?" Joshua sighs deeply. "I could be a consultant. Researcher in residence or something...."

[k39zzz]

"You are allowed to turn the offer down. If you can give me a legitimate reason rather than one founded on your own neuroses."
She has yet to hear one, and she's beginning to think he doesn't have one.

[damncompass]

"I don't have..." Joshua pauses. "Ok, I have neuroses. I have probably a million neuroses. But... I know myself. I know that when I try to be in charge, everything goes to shit."

[k39zzz]

Mrs. Frederic raises an eyebrow at him again. "And that, Mr. Donovan, would be why you're not the only one."

[damncompass]

"Well, there is that, I guess." He's breaking down a bit, his determination to stay away from power cracking under the desire and possibility of something new, and a kind of science that won't go away, and no one will ever be able to tell him to stop. "Um. I don't have to stay here, do I?"

[k39zzz]

"Not at all."
She did offer him a safer environment than his current work station, did she not?

[damncompass]

"Alright. I'll do it." He sighs. "Maybe one day I'll get rid of the neuroses."

[k39zzz]

This time, the smile lasts longer. "Thank you."
She pulls a small box out of her pocket and hands it over.

[damncompass]

Joshua takes the box, and gasps, as he gets a fairly large mental brain dump. "God, couldn't you warn a guy first?"

Opening the box, there is a small gold eye-of-Horus pin inside. "Huh. So this is the Artifact that made my ball go nutsoid."

[k39zzz]

Oh, come on, Joshua. What would be the fun in warning you?
"Indeed it is."

[damncompass]

"So, what's it do, other than give poor unsuspecting newbies a brain dump?" He eyes it for a moment. "Shit, it's like the Galleons. It lets you know when there's a meeting." He pauses. "Or something like that."

[k39zzz]

Mrs. Frederic is not familiar with that reference, but whatever helps Joshua get his head around the idea.

[damncompass]

Thoughts are flying through Joshua's head, things about the Warehouse, about Agents, about other Regents. Eventually, he gets to a couple specific thoughts. "Oh. I see why the timing's so complicated. I... uh. Is she going to be alright?"

[k39zzz]

Then, one assumes, he also sees why she insisted he take the position before that little tidbit came up.
"Claudia will be fine. But we all need our constants."

[damncompass]

"Yeah we do." He pauses. "I get why you wanted me to take it then. I would have done it just because of Claud, and, well." It would be different.