[Impulse] - Interview 1

The High Commurdant known as Siddon Igwhey had only been seated for less than a few seconds before the Offearcer before him began to speak. There wasn’t even time for the Violetblood to fold his hands on the top of the overly sterile Polacerator interview table.

“Commurdant Igwhey,” The Tealblood began, nose down in the data screen she was recording on. With a commanding voice he interrupts her words just as she had done his getting settled.

“—Please, call me Sid. There is little reason for the formalities, after all you will be asking a great deal about my personal life and judging me to the full extent of Beforan Law based upon my answers and the brevity of them, will you not?” There’s a tempered annoyance to his tone, one that doesn’t shine through fully without the recording of his resting bitchface, but would be fully noted down in the interview summary.

“...right. I’m lawfully required to inform you that this conversation is—“

“Being recorded, I am aware.”

A frown forms on the Tealblood’s lips.

“Then I take it you are also aware that this doubles as a character read? That my main purpose today is to ensure that the Charges you have placed under your care are receiving adequate coddling and emotional support?” It’s only now she looks up from her datapad, the piercing Teal and Yellow of her eyes almost illuminated under the fluorescent Presanctuary lights. Beneath the table, one of her legs bounces anxiously, or perhaps with excess energy. Whatever the case, the minute squeaking of the running blade and the spring-loaded stabilizing spike were grating on Siddon’s ears.

“Yes.” Was his flat response. The squeaking stopped as the Offearcer brings a stylus to her screen and makes an incomprehensible shorthand note.

“Good!” She chirps in an obviously fictitious sweetness. “My name is Offearcer Enomia Mikkel, I am partnered with the Bureau of Cooperative Living to ensure that the loving conditions of all Lowblooded Trolls living within the Central City are receiving adequate care. Today I will be asking you about a few of your Charges. Do you consent to this interview?”
Siddon gives a dry laugh. “I am here am I not?”

She doesn’t entertain his snark this time.

     “How much time, on average, do you find yourself in the company of your Charges?

Let me be clear that this does not include the mandatory check-ins or situations in which you are legally required to be by their side, including but not limited to things like Job Applications, Graduations, Surgical Pre-Op, or travel after Curfew.” Enomia reads from her script, almost word-for-word, and it’s obvious in the rhythm of her voice. While Siddon understands that she’s likely had to run several dozen of these interviews today alone, the sterility of it all is nearly as grating as the squeaking itself had been.

“Well, my dear,” He begins. The Commurdant’s shoulders square as he leans back in the seat, scarred hands locked around each other still on the edge of the metal table. Enomia doesn’t look up, but the large saucers of her ears turn forward to listen as she writes.
“As I have recently moved regions, I have been unable to spend adequate time with those Charges who are still sorting out their personal lives before moving out to meet me. I have One of my Charges here with me already, but I am in the process of vetting personal acquaintances and business partners in order to find proper accommodation until such a time that I can move back.”

“These... ‘accommodations’, is there a local branch of the Bureau involved in their rehiving?” It was a question intended to lead into admission of some sort of foul play. Siddon was aware of the trap she was setting, it was obvious, but he had to still trudge directly into it with an answer that she’d likely have an extended line of questioning for.

“No, there is not.” He answers flatly.

“May I ask why?”

The Violetblood shifts into a more comfortable position while trying his best not to let his disproportionate height to the small, Tealblooded Offearcer come off as intimidating. Being anything but intimidating was something difficult for Siddon. As far as Enomia was concerned, he wasn’t particularly succeeding in the attempt.

“As I am sure you know, once you have given up legal Caretakership of a Charge through the Bureau, you are then barred from learning any future information about them unless their current Caretaker allows it. You have no say in what happens to them, where they are relocated, or how they are treated, let alone are you ever able to once again become their Caretaker.

This move was done to console a dear friend following the Loyalist bombing of the Hueshift. I do not plan on staying in the area forever, and as such eventually wish to take back Caretakership of my former Charges on my return. The Bureau does not offer such an agreement, so I have taken matters into my own hands.”

The confidence and ease with which Siddon talks is frustrating to the Offearcer. Not only was the situation he was speaking of being almost directly the kinds of back-alley dealings that the Bureau wanted to stem from happening, but he was also making sense. Her pen dips from jotting notes to open several information screens that are visible through the back of the datapad.

-----WIP-----

(Nomi) “Then you’re also relocating your Charges temporarily? The ones you’ve brought with you?”

(Sid) “If they wished to accompany me, yes. I have brought two of them with me, four have voiced that they wished to stay as their lives are centered around their current locale. It is those Charges that I am attempting to find a Temporary Home for with those I know personally and trust.”

(Nomi) “The two charges that followed... one of those is ‘The Automata’, correct?”

(Sid) “Yes.”

(Nomi) “The Automata is a very peculiar Charge, is she not?”

(Sid) “They, and yes. I tend to gravitate towards the more eclectic and esoteric Charges. I have more than enough money to support whatever medicull needs arise and I find their company to be joyful.”

(Nomi) “Would you call yourself a ‘collector’?”

(Sid) “Hardly. I would call myself a shepherd, if anything. Hero if I am being self-absorbed.

These Charges are often overlooked and bounced around, or abused due to their strange deformities and requirements. If you have access to Bureau records, you will see that at least three of six charges have been personally rescued by me from less than acceptable situations, one of which ended with Arrest and Incarceration.”

(Nomi) “What is your ‘Goal’ with Caretaking?”

(Sid) “To provide shelter for those who are otherwise unable to. My life will be incredibly long, I wish to provide support to those Charges who may not have opportunities to support themselves of thrive on their own due to their medicull maladies.”

(Nomi) “Do you receive payment from the Bureau for your Charges? If so, is it deposited to your personal bank account?”

(Sid) “I receive payment for two of my Charges due to ongoing medicull expenses, but that money goes directly into a closed account that is only accessible by the Charges themselves, or by verified local Medicull Centers. For all of my other Charges I pay out of pocket.

(Nomi) “....explain to me more about your relationship with The Automata. They are the primary Owner and CEO of ‘Automata Fabrications Incorporated’, correct?”

(Sid) “Yes, they are. I am very proud of them. They started their business while temporarily emancipated from their former Caretaker.”

(Nomi) “Do you have any ownership of the Company?”

(Sid) “Yes, but only in publicly traded shares, as I believe in the work they are doing and support the company as a whole.”

(Nomi) “Does the idea of your Charge owning their own business intimidate you, Sid?”

(Sid) “The Bureau gave their approval for the creation of the Company when it had initially started, I see no reason to question that judgement. The Germanic branch and, honestly, society as a whole seems to give their Charges a fair bit more autonomy than they do here in the West.

Will that be all? These questions are sounding at best insensitive and at worst accusatory and I would much prefer not having my name slandered over assumed mistreatment. I have never once even so much as raised my voice at a Charge, let alone embezzled money or brought harm to them. While the others will not be able to give you an interview in person, I can tell you this now: The Automata will tell you the exact same thing.”

(Sid stands to leave, retrieving his jacket from the back of the chair and taking steps towards the door of the interview room.)

(Nomi) “Commurdant, wait, you can’t just--”

(Sid) “We are done here. You have wasted enough of my time. Thank you, Offearcer, for doing such important work but as my time is best used elsewhere, I believe yours will be too. There is nothing to be gained from this interrogation. I am not one of the criminals you are searching for. I no longer consent to these questions. May I leave?”

(Nomi) “Yes, of course. Thank you for your continued Cooperation.”