Certification

[ask_nicely]

It turns out that Adana's space station is not in Bartalamos' jurisdiction. She wouldn't be inclined to care much, except that means that in her new jurisdiction, she does not have a license. Since she is very much a summoner, and would not like to be an illegal summoner - she will take their test. She's fortunate in the fact that this particular government plays fair with foreigners that have summoner's licenses. She does not have to go through the grueling paperwork process, or wait ages in line, or take a test she knows all of the answers to, anyway.

What she does need to do, though, is demonstrate a capability to summon and bind a daeva, securely. Their definition of secure is different from hers. Theirs involves binding a daeva to two phrases and a task. This isn't the kind of thing Adana likes to do to her summons. It's mean, and it feels like she's reducing them to being less than people. There is one that she knows of that's used to it, at least. She doesn't know if that makes it worse, or better. So she will ask, first.

This circle is quite a bit neater than the last one, and is missing the 'no talking' clause. Calling friendly neighborhood demon, want to get summoned?

Comments

[from_scratch]

"Okay, well - you know when we can't talk we really can't, right? I have on one occasion been blamed for the death of a summoner who I desperately wanted to tell to duck. If something happens, I will not be able to say anything about it. I can't warn you if you're about to make some kind of misstep on your certification thing, I can't finish a sentence for you if you forget a word, and I cannot shout at you if there's a flaming beam of wood coming for your head. And if they want you to bring me in on a narrow-scope task that doesn't improve any of that, if all I'm there to do is follow you I'm not going to be able to give you a blood transfusion if you get hurt or - whatever. I'm not saying any of this is likely, I'm saying you're not used to having someone that crippled around. I am indestructible and you are not."

[ask_nicely]

Wince. "Got it, so I should -... Ugh, this is vile, but I should act like you are - not... there... and react accordingly? Essentially, because you will be made crippled and there's nothing you can do without me breaking the binding entirely?"

She looks honestly kind of horrified at this unpersonhood. It freaks her out.

[from_scratch]

"That'd be safest, yeah. I can get a little mileage out of comically exaggerated facial expressions, and that's pretty much it."

[ask_nicely]

She manages a little giggle. "This is disgusting, are you sure you want to? I won't be upset if you're not willing to."

[from_scratch]

"Your next port of call is some twee angel who's never been gagged since a bell rang and they got their wings, I'd imagine. I really don't mind, I'm used to it, it's not like having me there will make you less safe, and you need somebody to accompany you, right?"

[ask_nicely]

"I'm not worried about feeling less safe, I'm worried because gagging people like this freaks me out. But - yeah, next port of call is a 'twee' angel. Who has probably never been gagged." Wince.

[from_scratch]

"And I'm not freaked out by gagging, because you're literally the only summoner who hasn't done it to me and I pick up summonses whenever I can," shrugs Cam, "but I am freaked out by the dead guy whose apprentice thought it was my fault that I had narrow instructions and no voice and his teacher was dead. That's kind of my first complaint about gag orders and everything else is a distant second."

[ask_nicely]

"Which - no one is likely to do, since it would just be us in a shuttle off for the certification. Okay. Uh - do you have preferences for the task I ask you to do?"

[from_scratch]

"...Please be careful about the details? Don't ask me to stay exactly five feet from you at all times and then wander into the ladies' room, that kind of thing. I trust your judgment and if you surprise me with terrible judgment at the time I will roll my eyes and say 'no, summoner' and you will have to start over."

[ask_nicely]

She nods. "Right, uh - wait, can you do - not necessarily sign language, but can you, say, tap your nose twice as a way to get my attention, or something?"

[from_scratch]

"I can sigh loudly, I can stomp if I'm already walking for task-related reasons, I can yawn, I can crack my neck, and I can do any of those things and similar with an extra dose of theatricality - clearly delineated communicative gestures like that are out though."

[ask_nicely]

"Damn. That's annoying."

[from_scratch]

"Yep."

[ask_nicely]

"Well. Want to try and agree on a task now while you can talk?"

[from_scratch]

"Sure. They don't specify something?"

[ask_nicely]

"Nope, they just - want me to prove that I can. I think they're going to be snippy about the gagging part, though. If you want I could give you a hilarious task, or something altruistic."

[from_scratch]

"Presumably it has to be something that entails going to the cert with you, though. Where is it, anywhere interesting?"

[ask_nicely]

"Another space station, the one this station's schematics are borrowed from, actually. Not sure if you know it or not, it's called Harmony. It would be a shuttle trip, but we wouldn't have to deal with an atmosphere, at least."

[from_scratch]

"I've never been. I could give it a pinhole, if you think they'd like one? You should probably get advance permission for it, though."

[ask_nicely]

"Honestly it would probably mess up their system if they got a pinhole now. Also I'm maybe a little annoyed at them for their... required gagging thing. They do not get nice things because they made me gag a sentient person."

[from_scratch]

"Is the entire station of Harmony dedicated to nothing but irritating summoner certification exams?"

[ask_nicely]

"Well. No. But I am mad at it as a whole because of that one thing."

[from_scratch]

"How dare the entire population of that station. Whoever sells them cabbages and socks should be deeply ashamed," he teases.

[ask_nicely]

She breaks down giggling. "Okay, okay, fair point, but - if I make it seem like gagging a daeva is a good idea in comparison to not and leaving them alone, on account of cool mini black holes, then the idea of gagging daeva becomes a bit more common."

[from_scratch]

"I think it's already pretty firmly entrenched. I don't know, you could have me follow you there and then - make the data stick for my music list to go on? Make you a fetching hat?"