milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Javert does not know how lucky he was to have avoided both the zombie invasion, and Halloween. So he does not feel any particular gratitude at coming up from the office, and finding the place entirely normal. He just deposits a large box on his corner table, sets a pad of paper next to it, a fountain pen on top, and an inkstand to the side.

That done, a rat brings bread and water, and a napkin that directs him to a package left for him at the bar. He does not notice this at first, because he is preoccupied. He sits, picks a random sheet of paper out of the box, stretches his fingers out and begins to transcribe it to proper paper. In proper handwriting. With proper headings, and a uniformity of style. Because someone knows how to keep account of things, unlike anyone else in the security office.

He came up because it was time to eat, but apparently there is no time to stop for repast. If anyone cares to dispute that, they may go and see the state of the office for themselves.

[OOC: Open until the weekend.
ETA: but for tonight, I must beg slowtime for sleep. Am around to continue all tomorrow. Night, all, and thanks to those who tagged. <333]

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He does pause now, and lean back in his chair, and frown.

'You seem very concerned, monsieur. Is my work lacking?'

"No," Teja says. "I have merely realised how much we had been lacking in our work in Security, lately, and would make sure you have all you need so you can continue what you do."

Pause.

"Mere days ago, I was told by a somewhat whiny young fellow that his complaints about Security not being organized may be addressed in short order and was thus spared from smiting him, or pointing out to him that he is in no position whatsoever to complain about Security, or the order or disorder we keep, in the first place. But there shall ever be those that complain about anything they see."

Teja shakes his head.

'If I find myself lacking material, I can request some from the bar. I need no assistance in that.'

He is still frowning though, trying to understand this last.

'I do not see what you are saying. There were complaints, and you could not counter them? Why should you have to counter them at all?'

"Because many that frequent this place," Teja says, "often fail to see that this is not a democracy, but an inn, where the landlord and those he hires, and those those hire, say what goes, and not the denizens who buy drinks, not the right to speak in an assembly. I was near to smiting that pipsqueak in some form: - complaints about Security not being organised indeed! It would not be his business if we buried all our reports in soft peat for three months, for all that he has a say!"

Pause.

"But you are right: - I need not counter them at all, but it is tiresome to tell all and sundry to shut up. They tend to take it amiss. I told you, those from the future can be truly whingy."

'I would not encourage them by answering their comments,' he says, blandly.

'It only gives a false impression. Still, you may do as you like; I am one of these simple denizens, and am far in your future also. If I have comments on the running of security here, I shall keep them to myself.'

"Please do not," Teja says, "as we hired you to un-mess our papers. But in general, you do know that some things are not your trouble, and refrain from making them such. Some, however, would never shut up."

He shrugs.

"You are not from far enough in the future to be trouble," he then adds. "The line there is somewhat ragged: - rulers and princes would behave in ways earlier, but with the end of the 20th century, all commoners followed suit. Each one feels so entitled to have their troubles addressed, and their feelings taken seriously!"

'As I have said a number of times before, to other people - I am glad I will not be alive to see this attitude prevail.'

People are born to a station, and should stay there. Even with all the new information his brain is trying to process, he holds firm on this point. Morality does not mean elevating yourself to a higher level than you are worth.

'Rulers and princes have a right to act as they desire. It is not for every man.'

"No, they have not," Teja says, "not here. This is an inn, and all the paying guests are equal before the rules, and all must keep them: - even those that are rulers and princes in their worlds. I have some authority here because I am a member of Security, not because I was a leader of fighting men in my life. That should justly count for nothing."

'Pardon, I meant they have that right on their own world.'

Though he cannot see why it would not extend to their time here. It is an attitude they are born with, surely? It cannot be so easy to throw off.

'What of the ones who do not pay?'

As he specified.

"They are paid for, and shall still count," Teja says. "Those that will steal food from children, however, are probably excepted, and may be considered a lower form of life."

'You did not say a person's consideration of these people is taken into account,' he points out, sounding almost amused.

'Is there some decree that states one must alter one's opinion when one enters? This has never been made to me before. I would have thought a man's opinions were sovereign, and belonged to the state of Himself.'

A long pause; Teja almost smiles.

"Indeed," he finally says, "they are, and they belong to the person who holds them. Thought is ever free by its very nature."

Pause.

"But even one's free thoughts give no-one the right to disturb another in theirs. So one must never alter one's opinions, but is ever bound to silently respect or ignore those of another, as I chose not to smite that pipsqueak who would doubt the organised running of Security. If one would walk up to you and tell you they are the king of some barbaric tribe, or the god of magic from some fantastic world, and hence you must do this or that, you may freely tell them to shut up and bother someone else."

'I would do so. With respect, of course.'

Because Javert cannot disrespect authority. But then, he has a hard time imagining these fantastical worlds really exist, until he sees them. So it is easier to pretend the people are liars, if they make claims such as these.

'Many do not think as you do. I am always being told I must alter my opinions to suit others.'

He is weary of it, and losing his patience with it also.

"No, I would never say so," Teja says. "You shall learn, as I did, how not to offend the harmless while not giving an inch to the obnoxious; with the experience from your life, and all that Milliways exposes you to by force, it will not be hard for you to distinguish them."

Javert frowns at him.

'I will learn?'

This presupposes he has an interest in learning this.

'You assume I am concerned with causing offence. As a policeman, I assure you, it was an consideration one could ill afford.'

"As a king of the Ostrogoths," Teja says, "I could ill afford pity, and would silence an enemy with my axe. I cannot do so here, Inspector Javert."

His jaw tightens.

'I have asked you not to call me that. And told you, also.'

He cannot believe all people are so inept at following a simple request.

'And killing is quite different to injuring someone's pride.'

"If you would cite your experience as a policeman, Javert," Teja says, "then I would remind you of your renunciation by using your former police rank."

Pause.

"What I could not afford in my world, I can afford now: - so can you! Injure the pride of those that would be strong and mighty all you like, contradict a king-no-more with your admirable tenacity, but do not offend those who are small and cannot harm you. You no longer need to be stern to urchins in order to nip future criminals in the bud."

'Being no longer of the police does not mean losing a lifetime of experience,' he points out, his tone cold.

It is a lifetime of dishonest experience, but that is to large a thing to comprehend in the midst of a conversation.

'And I believe you are giving me an order, despite the fact we have just discussed my right to think what I will of the other patrons of this place.'

"I am not," Teja says. "I am advising you: - think what you will, but do not always act on it if it serves no purpose. You may do it if you wish to, but you might find it to be like wading through a swamp next to a perfectly serviceable wooden foot-path."

Pause.

"As for the other thing: as you cite having been a policeman, I would forever cite the customs of my people as the scale to which I would compare all that I saw. It took me awhile to learn when it would serve a purpose, and when not, how I could do unheard-of things that I had in me, and still remain the Ostrogoth I was."

'Oh?'

He abandons the advice in favour of a new path of conversation.

'What unheard-of things would these be?'

"Among other things," Teja says, "riding a motorcycle through the hills of a future Italy, near to the place where I was born, but 1500 years later. A great pleasure, unheard-of by any dead old Goth."

'Yes, you have mentioned this to me already.'

He does not see the appeal of the same place, 1500 years in the future, but in the interests of conversation he adds,

'I still do not know what a motorcycle is. But Ganymede is going to let me drive his car, and also take me to a place where we may travel at two hundred miles an hour. So he says.'

He does not truly believe this is possible, but the boy had seemed sure.

"A motorcycle," Teja says, "is a machine, much like a car but with far less iron to carry around. It is like a great steel steed that you ride astride, one wheel in the front, one in the back, with the motor in the middle, a saddle above it to sit on, and a handle-bar to steer it. Not having all that heavy iron to pull around that a car has, it can accelerate very fast, take corners very fast, and combine the agility of a small thing with the power of a great motor. It is loud, exhilarating, and wild."

Pause.

"My motorcycle does not go all that fast, but it doesn't need to."

'Like a horse, only with the parts of a car.'

He only has cars as reference, Teja may understand. He did not pay any attention to the other vehicles that had not been explained. So he has seen motorcycles, and did not ask what they were, so does not think of them now.

'It is not a competition to see which is more enjoyable, I think.'

Or perhaps it is. Either way, he is confident in the superiority of the car.