milliways_bar | (no subject)

*He spots Bernard and approaches him ~~in a separate continuity~~.*

Bernard. How goes it? *He is largely expressionless, and occasionally obscured by cigarette smoke.*

*Bernard looks up, surprised.*

Bigby! Long time no see! You still working for me, or what?

Definitely. *He takes a look at the stacks of paper he's gone through.* Remind me never to be absent. Ever. *He rubs his eyes a bit from all the reading he's had to do of late.*

Been playing catchup and it looks like there's a lot that we should talk about. Is now good?

*Bernard stretches and pours himself a shot.*

No time like the present.

First up, Nick. He's been consistently eager about joining the staff and of late, I hear he's become a bit less impulsive. Tim just mentioned to me about the backup staffing plan, but I think Nick's solid enough for something more permanent.

*He furrows his brow*

You know, I don't know that he ever asked me about it. Do you think we need more staff other than the backup? I was under the impression that we had plenty for the everyday.

Well, I only heard about the backup plan moments ago, with few details. We mostly talked about the people Tim ran into who volunteered. How many people were you thinking of to fill it up?

As for currently, I've noticed a few thin spots in our regular habits that I think Nick could cover well. He tends to keep long hours. And sometimes odd ones.

*Bernard shrugs*

Hoestly, it was Tim's brainchild. I told him to investigate the interest and get back to me. You'd be the one to decide how many go into it in the end. Security isn't my specialty.

And, if you think we have gaps, there are quite a few people who have been sniffing around about security. Tony Almeida ran a counter-terrorism unit in Los Angeles, for instance.

*He nods.* Tony's name hit the table along with plenty of others. I'll make sure to go through them all thoroughly and propose an updated staffing plan.

*Bernard grins*

Good. What else?

Lecter. I still need to talk to some people about the matter, but I wanted to know your opinion.

*Bernard sighs*

What's his current status? Last I heard he was biting staff members and locked up.

As far as I know, he spazzed during the Nyarlythotep episode, so Alanna had Svava magiced him into non-violence and returned him to his home realm.

He was supposed to keep away for longer, apparently, but some people have mentioned seeing him again. *His lips compress into a thin line.*

*At the mention of Nyarlathotep, Bernard pales just a bit*

Well, that was a difficult time for a lot of people.

*He sighs again, looking tired.*

I have to say I haven't seen him personally. I guess we could put the word out among the staff that if he's seen, Security ought to know. Do you think we should lock him up again?

If he's mad, I'd hate to keep him indefinitely without any help.

*He nods.* I'll get to that part later. *He looks grim, as if he knows the subject is messy and doesn't want to go there, but it probably needs to be covered in a preliminary fashion at least.*

Definitely. His idea of ethics is shoddy at best. Didn't Snow mention how he started treating Bruce without even looking for Bruce's guardian or a responsible adult? *He tiles his head, slightly.*

Mad? Did he go insane during that?

*Bernard blinks rapidly, and snippets of sound from when he was in the jail come to him.*

I think it was him, yeah. Can't be positive. Wasn't in the best way, myself.

Hmmm. I'll have to look into it. Can't rule out that it might be a ploy. And even if he did lose his marbles, he wasn't that way when he decided to attack Alanna.

Yeah, well, that was before Nyarlathotep ascended.

... which brings me to my third item. I'm told that the whole incident started when Anthy decided to throw a black rose at Moiraine and it hit Dream instead. *Bigby looks positively unthrilled.*

*Sternly, in a tone that brooks no argument*

It's taken care of.

It is? Good. I wasn't certain that it had.

*He moves on.* There's another person in the cells... don't know if you met Malfoy. I heard that he knocked Peter's wand away while Peter was trying to treat someone.

*He nods*

Last I talked to Tim about it, he was working on a solution. I have no deisre to incarcerate him indefinitely. *He shudders* I know a little something about jail.

He's been in too long as it is. i want him out as soon as possible, and Tim knows that.

*He thinks back.* ... last I recall, he said something about his suggestions being "too creepy".

*He rubs his stubbly chin thoughtfully.* If you think he's done enough time, maybe we can switch him over to community service of some sort or fine him and be done with it.

*He laughs ruefully*

Most things Tim thinks up are too creepy. Kid's not right.

*At the next, he nods*

He's... something of a really dangerous character where he's from. I want to keep a close eye on him.

Yeah. Ever since he got cut off from Milliways for an extended period of time, he's gone... dark.

But, hell, a lot of the younger crowd seem to be carrying their own demons; Faith's being tormented with prophetic dreams, for instance. *This being Milliways, he decides during his drag on his cigarette that this might merit some clarification.* Figurative demons. Literal ones are an entirely different story.

Hmmm. A monitoring device of some sort shouldn't be hard. Is Malfoy to be trusted with his magic?

I know about Faith's dreams. Poor kid. I suggested she take Dreamless Sleep potion, but she seemed to think it wouldn't help.

And no, Malfoy isn't to be trusted, but that's not a problem unless he gets ahold of a wand. *A bright grin*

Sunny ate his, you see.

*At Bigby's comment about Tim, Bernard sits up straighter, expression worried.*

What do you mean, he's gone dark?

Faith seems to want to comb them for insight, too.

*He shares Bernard's smile at that.* Still, there are other wands. *His expression goes wary and thoughtful again.*

Tim told me what happened to him. He was trapped inside worlds of his own magic, populated with strange things, people. Only a few common elements...

One, that he was in them.

Two, the "shadow people" that he took from universe to universe from them as his companions and helpers. I met some...

Three, the presence of another "Tim" in them that he had to kill to escape the universe.

*He pales a little*

He never told me.

*A wince*

Then again, I never asked. Stupid.

Hardly. You were in a bad spot, or between bad spots, yourself.

Anyhow, that kind of thing changes a person. Enough that some of the ultra goody-goodies in the bar were worried and claiming he was 'evil'. Still, that blew over fairly quick.

*Bernard clenches his jaw and breathes deeply*

I'll trust your judgement.

Won't say I'm not worried, though.

If he's "evil", he's been a functional and non-disruptive evil for a while now. Just his usual Tim "I attract disaster" Hunter.

... Nevertheless, I've always kept an eye on him.

*Bernard nods.*

Good.

Anyhow, that pretty much covers it. I'll keep at it. *He looks briefly at the pages and pages of miscellaneous.*

*Bernard winces sympathetically.*

Let me know if I can help. It's good to have you back.

*He nods appreciatively.* It's good to be back.

*A grin*

Say hi to Snow and the kids, will you?

You got it.