FAQ with Skewers Sadface McGee [video, open]

[myironeyes]

[Marsh is centered in the camera's view, the wall behind him plain, rough-hewn grey stone. The light flickers a little, as though not produced by an electronic source, glinting dully against his spikes. His voice is quiet and raspy, but the words are clearly enunciated.]

I am Marsh. I am a warden aboard this vessel.

If you have heard stories of Inquisitors from the others from my world - they are true. But they are not true of me anymore.

If you have not, simply know that I do not wish to hurt anyone.

[His mouth twists faintly, and he reaches up to tap one fingernail against the blunt surface of the left spike.]

Yes, they're real. Yes, they hurt. No, there's nothing to be done about it.

[Since that seems to be what everyone wants to know first. The message ends.]



[Spam, Kelsier's room, backdated to wibbly time after the power swap event]

[Marsh sits in a chair beside Kelsier's bed, burning tin and bronze at a steady clip, compounding wakefulness as he does so, hunched over a plain grey shirt, diligently mending the seams.]

Comments

Spam o_o

[godsays]

This is your fault.

[Zane is bothered, irritated, angry. Kelsier in a coma. It must have a cause. It can't just be so mysterious. It must be because of the stresses of Marsh's arrival.]

O_O

[myironeyes]

[He goes still.]

...like hell it is.

[godsays]

You didn't see how upset he was.

[voice]

[logistical]

Greetings, and welcome aboard. I am Spock.

[Beat.]

What kind of people did these Inquisitors hunt?

[voice]

[myironeyes]

[He wonders if someone told Spock about them, or if the word just means that much across worlds. His voice is dour and cold.]

Halfbreeds, most relentlessly. But they were the Lord Ruler's chief enforcers in various spheres.

[routemistress]

Not a dickie bird, Marsh lovey. Consider me an Inquisitor virgin.

[Iris very nearly manages to say that with a straight face.]

I'm guessin' you don't 'ave commercial airlines on your world, 'cause that'd be a right bugger in the baggage queue.

[myironeyes]

[He doesn't understand about a third of that.]

...no, we do not.

[surfaceshine]

So I guess it falls to me to ask: does anyone expect you?

[Sorry, Marsh, you got two trolls, a Vulcan, and Zane.

Well, neither of the trolls are purely trolling, but that may or may not come out.]

[myironeyes]

...expect me to what?

[deadly_ned]

I'm not so sure that saying "Trust me, I'm not a torturer anymore" is the...best way to introduce yourself to strangers.


Just. Food for thought.

[myironeyes]

[Head tilt]

It's true. People should know. Would you rather I attempted to hide my crimes, or should I simply not bother to discourage fear?

SPAM

[onlysurvivor]

[After over a week of no movement aside from the occasional shift, Kelsier stirs. Both hands go to his head before he even opens his eyes, a long groan because wow it's like the worst kind of pewter drag. Senses dull, he feels no metal in his system so it takes time for his eyes to adjust when he does open them.

Sorry, Marsh, Kelsier sees the spikes first and jerks back. Then he realizes it's Marsh the Friendly Steel Inquisitor and not the torture and stab you to death unfriendly inquisitor. ]

Sorry, I thought you were-- [Wait, no, tact Kelsier, use tact.] What are you doing here?

SPAM

[myironeyes]

[The flinch hurts, raw and deep, but it doesn't really surprise him. His face is impassive as he sets Kelsier's shirt aside. After mending everything that could be mended in the barge's version of his own room, and everything that looked even slightly tattered in Kelsier's room - because of course Marsh went through his things - he started embroidering tiny flowers along the borders of some of Kelsier's clothes.]

Sewing.

[Keeping vigil. He gets up and fetches a cup of water.]

You've been unconscious for a week. Drink this.

[Private]

[unknownsoldier]

[Zack doesn't usually care, to be honest, but something on the feed has caught his attention.]

Your brother's here?

[Private]

[myironeyes]

[A moment's pause, then a nod.]

You've met him?

[strangehistorian]

Well, welcome to the Barge, Marsh! My name is Chromie!

[myironeyes]

Thank you, Chromie.

[He manages a slightly jerky nod.]

[darknessb4me]

Why are they there?

[myironeyes]

The magic involved is elaborate, and placement is very specific.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

...Gross.

[myironeyes]

It is, yes.

[themissingpiece]

That really doesn't tell us much about you but I get it. Get those questions out of the way so you don't keep hearing them.

[myironeyes]

It seemed more convenient.

If you have other questions, I will hear them.

[Which is not the same as promising to answer, but hey.]

[surrenders]

Better to say it before someone else does, right?

[myironeyes]

They are all truths I am accustomed to. It just seemed more efficient not to repeat myself.