commanderforehead | continued from bakerstreet due to captcha

[Ryan thinks he's more curious than nervous, but if Akmazian wants to wait that's fine. It isn't like he's directly adverse to pictures, the whole twelve step and forgiveness and all that, but Ryan never really got into being in the pictures again. And who would take them, after he'd alienated everyone who he was close to? Over a decade later all that has passed by, but he never really got back into the habit. He's pretty sure the only person who has a picture of him now that isn't direct family is Dr Urvidian - Ryan would bet good credit that Urvidian uses a photo of Ryan for a dart board or something of the same.

Ryan's eyebrows raise curiously as he sees the camera Akmazian produces. Is that thing older than he is? God, how is it even still functioning. It's so... quirky, that Akmazian even owns something like that.

The snap of the shutter is at just the right moment. It catches the fond smile for the mayfly life it had before that changes to alarm.]

You - delete that. I was probably making a stupid face and I don't need another thing for you to blackmail me with.

[Ryan makes a grab for the camera to do it himself if Akmazian doesn't instantly comply.]

Edited (I CAN GET NAMES RIGHT) 2016-08-08 17:15 (UTC)

You know what? Nah. [ well, that's one thing about ryan being so short: akmazian isn't, and he also isn't averse to standing up and literally playing keep-away with the camera if ryan persists in trying to get it.

honestly, he's not even sure what he'd do with photos he takes with this, anyway. it's not like he has any sort of adapter that actually interfaces with the physical media the photos are kept on -- it had been just an interesting part of a particularly boring smuggle that he'd kept for himself.

he studies the photo on the small viewscreen, looking a little smug. ]

Dr. Dalias, I can promise you right now: if I ever feel the pressin' need to blackmail you, I've got way better material to use than this.

[Okay this REALLY isn't fair!! AND HE'S NOT SHORT!! HE'S NORMAL SIZED AND YOU ALL ARE GIANTS AND-!!!

And he has no idea that Akmazian has no way of getting that photo off the camera or anything, or even why it bothers him so much. Well, okay the last one is because it's embarrassing. What if he looks like an idiot? Hasn't he looked like an idiot enough without there being some kind of proof of it?

The point is Ryan is now standing on his tip toes trying to reach past Akmazian's head with one hand while the other makes a grab for his shirt to try to yank him down at the same time in order to reach that damn camera.]

Then you've got no problem deleting it!

[ if ryan had asked him calmly, or acted cavalier about it, then akmazian probably would have forgotten about the photo immediately. as it is now, though?

he's just reaching down with his free hand, clasping his fingers around ryan's wrist so he can try to peel it off of his chest. ]

Jeez. If I'd known that's all it took to get you to try to climb me...

[ he flashes his eyebrows at him, very much aware that the joke was more for his own benefit than ryan's. ]

Look, this is very delicate equipment. I can't just let anyone handle it.

[ the double entendres will never stop. ]

[Ryan's cheeks go vaguely red and he definitely pauses for just a moment to look at Akmazian like he's considering cramming the camera down his throat once he gets hold of it.]

'Delicate' my a-ah!

[Because what could make this better? Just enough of an automated course correction to have Ryan lose his already precarious footing and fall against Akmazian, who is hopefully more steady on his feet or they're both going down.]

[ he is, thankfully, just because he had already been bracing himself for ryan's assault. he does sway back briefly, however, but he flings the arm holding the camera around ryan's shoulders, catching him tight against his chest. ]

Oof. You okay there, doc?

[ akmazian's tone is light - it was only a little jolt, of course, so he's sure everything is fine - but the concern in it is earnest. best to check, right? ]

[Ryan's arm goes around Akmazian's shoulder too, tense and still while his heart works its way back down from where it managed to lodge itself in his throat.

Okay maybe no more roughhousing on the moving vehicle.

It was also entirely his own fault for losing his cool, much as he'd like to blame Akmazian for pushing his buttons again. After no more turbulence comes and his pulse gets back under control Ryan sighs again and loosens his hold on Akmazian. Way to act seventeen again, idiot.]

Yeah. Only injury is my pride, which should be used to it by now.

Maybe you should take a seat, then. Don't want to do any damage to ourselves before we even land, right?

[ it's a nice sentiment, except akmazian hasn't loosed his hold at all. nope. he's just going to casually .. hold him there .... for as long as he can get away with it. ]

That would definitely be a new record I'd rather not share with Doctor Urvidian or Nurse Johns.

[So, you know, if the worst happens please do not tell them.

He figures, okay, Akmazian will definitely let him go now, except... uh... then he doesn't. It isn't like Ryan's still going for the camera, or they're hitting a lot more turbulence. Just two dudes, holding each other really close.

That 'More than 50% but less than 100%' certainty Ryan had that Akmazian's flirting was just teasing ticks down a little closer to 50%. He lets it go for another breath, then another, before he speaks up about it.]

... I think I've got my footing now, so...

[ akmazian is always way, way less subtle than he gives himself credit for being. sometimes it's a marvel that he managed to cut it as a spy for any given amount of time at all. ]

Yeah?

[ he does, finally, release him, however, before moving to drop back down into the pilot's chair. he kicks his feet up onto the console, moving to check the photo from before on the camera's view screen. ]

Pity.

[Only Dr Dalias being a favored punching bag for these kind of jokes has kept him from figuring out Akmazian by now, and the night is still young. Well, night being arbitrary in space. It's too obvious, too upfront, while still being antagonistic from time to time. It has to just be more teasing to rile him up.

Right?

He's still getting his own feelings sorted and that's bad enough without trying to figure anyone else's out.

He waits for Akmazian to take a seat before he makes his way back to the copilot chair, crossing his arms against his chest as he looks out to the stars around them.

Ryan glances over at Akmazian.]

At least tell me I'm not making a stupid face in the picture.

[ the fact that ryan seems to just roll with the punches only ever encourages him, honestly. he rolls his shoulders back, settling in to get comfortable, before he finally turns the camera so that the snapshot preview is pointed his way.

personally? akmazian is pretty fond of the little smile on his face. ]

You really gonna make me delete it, doc?

[Ryan judges the picture critically. Well, it's well taken all things considered. If the subject of it was anyone but him he'd even think it was flattering. Seeing himself there, it's just a little too much open vulnerability in that fond smile for him to not feel a spike of self-consciousness about it.

Which, he is aware, is also pretty stupid to feel. For fuck's sake, the first time he met Akmazian was when he had the alien roofie in his system and he showed Akmazian and all of Akmazian's retinue his penis.]

At least I'm not cross-eyed in it. Just keep it to yourself, alright?

[ honestly, akmazian doesn't see anything like vulnerability in the picture. maybe he sees a little more emotional honesty than he's used to seeing out of ryan. he won't ever forget the sort of flat way that ryan had spoken to him at his father's wake, and how much that had worried him.

and then he feels an abrupt stab of guilt when he remembers that. his father would be alive if ryan hadn't stepped up and testified in his defense, and never once had the good doctor brought that up, held it against him. akmazian thinks it might be a little easier to stomach if he did.

he sobers visibly then, before giving the photo one last, long look - memorizing it, maybe - before he deletes it from the camera. maybe he should treat this trip a little more seriously. ]

There. No one else will ever know you once smiled in my general direction.

[Ryan notices the change in Akmazian's disposition, watching out of the corner of his eye. He's not sure what caused it. Some long-buried memory from before the whole spy-framed-for-terrorism thing? Ryan knows very little about Akmazian - almost nothing, in fact, except what he just picked up on that scan that's probably completed by now. He doesn't even know what his real name is, if Akmazian is it or if it's something else.

He knows Akmazian likes to verbally tussle, to unnerve him, and that in spite of Ryan feeling like he didn't really give Akmazian the benefit of the doubt, Akmazian has been nothing but kind past that and shown to be a person with a good heart.

It confuses him, twists him up inside. He's ruined so many relationships because of who he is, he's not even sure how to start something beyond a one night stand and make it last without fucking it up royally. He doesn't want to make any sudden movements and fuck things up again.

He can give Akmazian another smile at least, a bit more wry but still sincere.]

You'll get better photos down on the planet anyway. It's supposed to have a lot of authentic historical sites.

[He gets back up, a little restless and wanting to check if his scan he took earlier has been completed to make sure Akmazian doesn't have any pressing health issues - and that it was successfully fudged enough that no one aside from the two in the ship (and Interface) know that it's for Akmazian.]

Mmhmm. What happened to this being a strictly business call?

[ it's light, but there's still definitely some of that aloofness from before hanging out. he very much knows that it wasn't his fault - danger was expected in that profession, full stop - and it wasn't like he had been the one to directly attack the archives. still.

it had become less about clearing his own name and more about uncovering what was clearly a dangerous conspiracy within the alliance.

the results of the scan are pretty standard: he has a mild allergy to penicillin, but everything seems to be normal. not too shabby for a guy who lives in a cold-ass lonely cargo bay, ok. ]

Edited 2016-08-08 20:28 (UTC)

[Ryan resists the urge to scoff that he knew it. Well, this is why he browbeat Akmazian into the scan in the first place.

Still, Ryan's mildly impressed with the state of his health, all things considered. Clearly any concern he had about Akmazian's residence was misplaced.

The cold front doesn't really move away, so Ryan draws back as well. Whatever easy camaraderie they started to have has ended for the time being. Ryan's not sure if he's relieved or upset by that. He returns to the copilot seat to look over his materials that he gathered on the three sites that look like potential places for information.

Business, right. His tone doesn't so much go cold as it loses the warmth from before, back to the business tone he's used to conducting.]

Several of the authentic historical sites are where the business calls are taking place.

... One isn't exactly open to the public, on that note.

So that's why you gave me a call.

[ akmazian chuckles under his breath as he spins in his chair, reaching his hand out to beckon for the materials that ryan has. multiple sites to investigate. they weren't going to have a whole lot of time to do this and stay beneath the radar, were they. ]

I'll find a way inside that one. You worry about the others.

I had many reasons for giving you a call, that being among them.

[He hands over the materials just the same. It's sparse, a backwater planet mostly trying to drum up some tourism. They've got a long history though for how small they are, and on a recent cave diving expedition some explorers found some hidden temples that had gotten covered thanks to earthquakes and sinkholes ages ago. Two of the three have small areas opened for the public during certain hours now - and opened right around the time the Orchid stopped by on its way to EOS 10. The third is still closed due to delicacy and danger of the area its in but they hope to open it in a rotation or two.

If there's a real conspiracy going on and this has something to do with it, they don't have that kind of time.]

Like I said, it could be nothing - a coincidence that the Orchid stopped by there - but all the photos they have of the architecture have enough similarities that I can't write it off entirely and would like to check. At least. If it's nothing, great. If it's something, we can figure out a - a plan of attack or whatever back on the station when we have more than a weekend to work with.

Aren't you just a detective in the making.

[ and it really is meant to be a compliment. as akmazian begins thumbing through the materials, it's clear that he actually is pretty impressed: between his "employment" buying and selling in the black market and the efforts he's making to get his name cleared, he's spent a hell of a lot of time doing similar research.

he hums under his breath, before nodding. ]

Well, we'll be there soon, and this is as good a place to start as any. It'd be pretty great if we could actually manage to get the jump on them for once.

Wonder what it feels like, being ahead. Might be nice to try it out. And who knows? Maybe we won't even need to check the third site.

[Except of course now that Ryan's said it, they will absolutely have to break in and check it out. If that wasn't true before the universe will warp itself in the direction towards irony whenever possible. Large galaxy-sized conspiracies can't be dismantled in a day, but Ryan's still anxious to get ahead of this, to keep any more innocent lives from being lost in the process.

He doesn't blame Akmazian for his father. He blames whoever is behind all this.]

Also, you do have a mild penicillin allergy.

I know. You think I didn't get a full workup before they let me start spyin' for the Alliance?

[ he casts a sidelong glance ryan's way, but there's a half-smile easing onto his face now. the closer they get to the planet, the more he's trying to force himself into relaxing. there's no point in making this entire weekend unnecessarily strained, is there. ]

Makes me itchy. Nothin' life threatening. You find out any other fun facts about me from that little workup?

[Less and less Ryan is trusting anything to do with the Alliance regarding Akmazian that he didn't handle himself, personally. His lips quirk I to a sardonic smile and he turns the medical scanner so Akmazian can see. Clean bill of health there. And the generic name, and the fudged data. Ryan has set it to not upload to the main Eos 10 server, but if it does it won't connect to Akmazian.]

Yeah, if you ever decide to have kids you should make sure your spouse isn't a carrier for the recessive gene for xeroderma pigmentosum as well, there's a chance one of your kids could have it in its active form and it's particularly nasty.

[ akmazian leans forward to look at the screen, skimming over the results as if they make any sort of sense to him at all. he cuts his eyes up to ryan's face after that, eyebrows lifted, and chuckles a little under his breath.

he's pretty sure 'kids' won't ever be a problem for him, but the warning is nice. ]

What the hell is a xeroderma pigpen, anyway?

[Ryan doesn't look away when Akmazian looks up and meets his eyes. Looking away just makes you look guilty, like he was staring or doing something shady.]

Xeroderma pigmentosum. in layman's terms? Sunlight allergy. It's when your body can't naturally repair the damage caused by UV rays. It’s pretty rare to even be a carrier of the recessive gene though it's found in all humanoid species we've been able to genetically map so far. Both parents need to be carriers for a child to have the condition show, and even then it's only a one in four chance. It's just as likely for the child to not even be a carrier of the recessive gene.

[... you asked, buddy.]

You can read the entry on it in the scanner if you want, but there are pictures of some pretty heavy burn damage.

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names are overrated...

orz

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