Capital City, Osiris: Town Hall

[gabriel_tam]

The timing of the press conference and his announcement had been carefully planned.

Later that day, waving to the cameras and media captures filming for the evening's newsfeeds, Gabriel and Regan Tam had left Londinium on the first stage of their trip, prior to beginning the outward-arcing tour towards the Border and Rim. The first stop, of course, is Osiris -- the planet that Gabriel Tam represents in Parliament, and the location of the Tam family estate.

Home, in other words.

Still, even a brief vacation at home has its obligations and opportunities, and Gabriel is Osiris's member Senator on the Council of Seven, after all. The first town hall open meeting had been scheduled to take place in Capital City, the evening after their arrival.

He'd seen to it that his security personnel had been informed prior to the announcement as a courtesy. It should have given them plenty of time to arrange matters, and in fact it had.

However, that was before anyone had realized that the Senator would see fit to make a point of declaring his clear confidence regarding his personal safety and security. As a consequence, unbeknownst to Gabriel, hidden cameras trained on all entrances and exits from the venue have been hastily activated in order to keep track of all attendees, each of whom is undergoing an automated ident-scan.

One can't be too careful, after all.

Comments

[dr_j]

One after the other, he pulls his feet down from the seat, peering up at the suit.

"Isn't that interesting," Jordie muses -- and makes his movements clear: he's sending a textwave. "Well. Just let me inform my nearest and dearest of my current whereabouts -- because you really can't be too careful, can you -- "

And snaps his datapad shut. "So now that they know exactly where I am and who I'll be with." Another smile -- this one pleasant. "Are you going to demand another scan before he begs for my vote due to your team's actions which may in fact be actionable? Or can we just proceed so I can get on with my evening fomenting riot and corrupting the youth?"

[walk_ins]

"No, sir," he says -- still neutrally, although it's getting harder to do. "Nothing of the kind."

He murmurs something into his wristcuff, then gestures with deliberate politeness for the annoying bastard to proceed. "If you'll come with me, please?"

[dr_j]

At least he doesn't grin outright as he tucks his datapad inside his jacket and gets to his feet.

It's easy enough, if he puts his mind to it: while he doesn't expect that he's going to be taken outside, he'd be an idiot if he didn't at least think about it.

(He did actually send the wave to his aunt and to the head of the Fremont clinic he works in, weekends.)

[gabriel_tam]

The guard takes him the longer way around, up to the front and through the side door into the corridor again, then down the hallway, through the second side door by the stage, and around back to an unassuming and unmarked third door.

He taps on it with his knuckles, in a quick and distinct pattern, then opens it and stands back.

The room is almost empty, at this point. Gabriel Tam is talking with a tall, gray-haired woman and her husband, his assistant hovering attentively at his side.

[dr_j]

Jordie's gaze sharpens a little.

He slips his hands in his pockets and looks with raised eyebrows at the suit.

[gabriel_tam]

The guard shrugs.

Gabriel says something, and the couple laughs. One after the other, they shake hands with him, then turn away with Mark, who leads them to a side door.

He watches after them, then turns and walks across the room, straight toward the mismatched pair.

"Xiexie," he tells the guard, with casual dismissiveness. "I'll take it from here."

Without waiting for an answer, Gabriel offers his hand to Jordie, smiling.

"Dr. Jordan. I'm glad you could join us this evening."

[dr_j]

For a second, surprise is plain on his face -- but then his expression lapses into more relaxed cynicism, and he meets the other man's hand. "Senator Tam. I might have to question your sincerity, only I think your friend here might object. What did you want?"

[gabriel_tam]

He grips Jordie's hand firmly, and then gives the guard a second, much harder look.

The other man looks distinctly unhappy, but withdraws to the other side of the room as Gabriel returns his full attention to Jordie.

"To speak with you." A beat. "That is, if you have the time?"

[dr_j]

Easily: "What exactly did they tell you about me, Senator?"

He realizes, distantly, that he feels extremely uncomfortable. Almost nervous. It's not fun any more, he thinks.

Time to get truculent.

"Because I don't think you'd have pulled me back here after what happened out there if you didn't already know I have the time. Frankly, I'd be surprised if your people hadn't already determined what I had for dinner, and while I'm always up for trading recipes, I find it difficult to believe you'd have any use for me other than the method to my Nuevo Mexico red."

[gabriel_tam]

"I'm not much of a cook myself," he returns, with perfect aplomb, "but if the recipe's on offer, I'm sure Andreas would appreciate it." A beat. "Torres y Sanchez," he elaborates.

"Llewelyn Jordan, originally of Fremont, Capital City. Practicing physician; recently relocated to Osiris from Londinium. I'm sure you know that I recognize the institutions where you completed your education. Your record indicates that you have something of a history of protest at various events, and were questioned more than once regarding ... other matters."

A beat.

"I regret that I didn't recognize you before, but I'm glad to have the chance to make your acquaintance in person now."

[dr_j]

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, Jordie folds his arms loosely, expression impassive.

"Whether I like it or not," he says -- lightly -- "you're my elected representative. And since you've had your hands on my permanent file -- "

Light, and ironic.

" -- I think you can guess that I like knowing how my elected representative conducts himself in public."

Light, ironic, and unamused.

"Anything you'd like clarification on from that file?"

[gabriel_tam]

"Not exactly," he counters. "A brief report. In any case, I'm not interested in what your file says about you, Dr. Jordan."

A beat. Gabriel's gaze is direct and open.

"I prefer to know a person in and of himself."

[dr_j]

Jordie tilts his head. "You'll forgive my skepticism. If you're not interested in the contents of my file, why bother consulting it -- or a 'brief report' -- in the first place?"

[gabriel_tam]

"You may have noticed," he says, dryly, "that I have something of a zealous security detail."

He gives a very small shrug, accompanied by a wry smile that only pulls at one corner of his mouth; the scar tissue on the other side prevents that side from responding.

"Unfortunately, given certain past events, they've established a few additional screening procedures to allow for quick response in a worst-case situation. We're still trying to find the right balance, I'm afraid."

[dr_j]

Jordie's tone doesn't change. "It's profiling, Senator. It's the kind of thing that can land you in court if your people do that to the wrong person. There's certainly precedent."

Not that anybody's likely to care if it's a Catholic from Fremont.

[gabriel_tam]

"As I said," Gabriel repeats, "we're trying to find the right balance. What happened to you tonight is unforgivable. I accept full responsibility, and I'm sorry for it."

[dr_j]

The corner of his mouth turns up. "Be sorry for yourself. You're the one who's going to get in trouble with the law. I thought it was fun."

[gabriel_tam]

He raises his eyebrows.

"Am I?"

[dr_j]

"If your internal policy dictates that level of profiling, yes. I haven't had an arrest in eight years, and Londinium was a big blank spot in my file. And your people still flagged me. With policies like that?" Jordie shakes his head. "It's a matter of time."

[gabriel_tam]

"Duly noted," Gabriel allows.

A beat.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, at least."

[dr_j]

Jordie snorts. "I'm sure. Let's stay on point, shall we? Why am I here?"

[gabriel_tam]

"Because, Dr. Jordan, I did want to apologize again -- but also to take the chance to meet you," he replies, with perfect aplomb.

A beat.

"Why did you agree to come back here?"

[dr_j]

"To find out why a man like you would want to waste his valuable time on a man like me."

His head is canted to the right.

"We can do the verbal fencing thing for hours, you know."

[gabriel_tam]

"I suppose we could," Gabriel says dryly, "but perhaps we might instead consider being frank?"

[dr_j]

"Absolutely." Jordie folds his arms a little tighter, resettling his center of balance. "What do you want from me?"