Fic: Controlled Violence, Ch. 6/30
Nov. 7th, 2009 01:28 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
khemlab.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
whatwekeepCharacters: (for this chapter) Hunter Parrish, Michael C. Hall, Christian Bale
Rating: PG
Warnings: Slavery, Profanity
Word Count: 813
Previous Parts: Ch. 1: Liev's Provenance, Ch. 2: Liev v. Madsen, Ch. 3: Lord Bale's Gym, Ch. 4: The Charity Ward, Ch. 5: On Tour
Summary: In an age when slavery is mandated by law, a type of gladiator-style fighting has arisen. Liev is an aging fighter who brings extra income to Lord Bale's household by training other fighters. Michael is Lord Bale's Agent, and is negotiating the purchase of a new fighter.
Author's Notes: Character photos for Lord Bale's household can be found here. Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
miladygrey for the concept of the Charity Ward (where undesirable slaves can be purchased directly), to poisontaster for opening up this sandbox, to devilc for introducing me to it, and to fleurlb for some choice casting suggestions.
Commerce (Los Angeles Branch), Present Day
"You can't be serious." Michael, Lord Bale's Agent, had been arguing with the Commerce agent for at least five minutes now, while Hunter shivered in his underwear on the plastic chair where Liev had left him. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in this situation, but it seemed best not to draw attention to himself. Liev had been intimidating to say the least, but there was something about Michael that was considerably more unsettling. So Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and kept his eyes downcast, listening in on the proceedings. His sale, he supposed. To...be a fighter. Whatever the hell that meant. He was finding it pretty hard to care at this point, as long as it meant getting out of this place. Retraining had been better than this, this day after day on his knees in front of that window, only to be trotted out once in a while to be poked and prodded, and ultimately rejected. At least it had seemed important to Liev that he start out healthy. Maybe that meant something.
"I am here on Lord Bale's full authorization. I'm his fucking Agent, do you understand the meaning of the term? It means I act on Lord Bale's wishes, and that he is ultimately responsible for my actions. We do not need to contact him." Michael's voice had been rising steadily over the course of the discussion. The Commerce agent murmured assurances and protests. Hunter heard the click of a cell phone being opened.
When the call connected, the man on the other side was screaming so loudly that Hunter heard every word.
"What the fuck is so important that you need to call me at work?"
"I'm at Commerce. I've informed the agent that we did not need to contact you, but he has insisted. Would you like to speak to him?"
"No, I don't want to fucking speak to him. But since this Commerce twit has found it necessary to pull me out of a meeting, give him the phone."
Hunter bit his lips to keep an uncomfortable giggle from escaping.
"What the fuck do you mean by calling me, you incompetent piece of shit? Do you understand the concept of an Agent? What's that? Oh, Michael already explained it to you? Well, let me tell you, when I find out who you are you will never work for another Commerce office again, you absolute imbecile. Not in Los Angeles, not anywhere in California, not anywhere in the fucking Empire, do you understand? Do you know what I'm working on right now? No, you don't, and you won't. And do you know why you won't? Because, you little termite, you fucking pissant, you couldn't even comprehend the level of deal I am currently consummating, that you are currently interrupting." Lord Bale paused in his rant. "But since you have seen fit to intrude on my day, I suggest you explain what the hell you want. Quickly."
"Lord Bale, please understand my position. I would be remiss if I did not inform you personally that this slave's previous owners have found him to be quite difficult."
"NICE SLAVES DO NOT MAKE GOOD FIGHTERS!" Lord Bale's voice, even through the cell phone, reverberated throughout the small room. "What kind of incompetent asshole are you? Oh, that's right, the kind of incompetent asshole who will shortly be unemployed. Hang up the phone and give it back to my Agent. Do not ever, ever contact me again." Hunter heard a click and snuck a look up at the Commerce agent, who seemed a good deal more pale than he had started out.
"Will he...will he really go after my job?" The man's voice cracked.
"That depends." Michael's voice was a low purr, and his smile eerie. "How good of a deal am I going to get on this slave?"
Afterwards, walking down the long hall that had been Hunter's home - well, not "home," exactly, "place" was maybe a better word - for the past couple of weeks, Hunter felt a pang of sympathy for the slaves left behind the windows. He'd heard rumors that Commerce would only display a Charity Ward slave for a month. What happened after that was the subject of much speculation among the resident slave population. "So was it a good enough deal?" he asked Michael as they stepped into the sun. Hunter blinked and lifted a hand to shield his eyes. It had been awhile since he'd even been near an outside window.
"What?" Michael glanced over at him as if he was surprised Hunter could speak.
"The deal you got on me. Was it good enough to save that guy's job?"
Michael narrowed his eyes disdainfully as he flipped open his cell phone, presumably to call a car. "As if I have any influence over what Lord Bale does."
Ch. 7: Hunter's Provenance
Rating: PG
Warnings: Slavery, Profanity
Word Count: 813
Previous Parts: Ch. 1: Liev's Provenance, Ch. 2: Liev v. Madsen, Ch. 3: Lord Bale's Gym, Ch. 4: The Charity Ward, Ch. 5: On Tour
Summary: In an age when slavery is mandated by law, a type of gladiator-style fighting has arisen. Liev is an aging fighter who brings extra income to Lord Bale's household by training other fighters. Michael is Lord Bale's Agent, and is negotiating the purchase of a new fighter.
Author's Notes: Character photos for Lord Bale's household can be found here. Thanks to
miladygrey for the concept of the Charity Ward (where undesirable slaves can be purchased directly), to poisontaster for opening up this sandbox, to devilc for introducing me to it, and to fleurlb for some choice casting suggestions."You can't be serious." Michael, Lord Bale's Agent, had been arguing with the Commerce agent for at least five minutes now, while Hunter shivered in his underwear on the plastic chair where Liev had left him. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in this situation, but it seemed best not to draw attention to himself. Liev had been intimidating to say the least, but there was something about Michael that was considerably more unsettling. So Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and kept his eyes downcast, listening in on the proceedings. His sale, he supposed. To...be a fighter. Whatever the hell that meant. He was finding it pretty hard to care at this point, as long as it meant getting out of this place. Retraining had been better than this, this day after day on his knees in front of that window, only to be trotted out once in a while to be poked and prodded, and ultimately rejected. At least it had seemed important to Liev that he start out healthy. Maybe that meant something.
"I am here on Lord Bale's full authorization. I'm his fucking Agent, do you understand the meaning of the term? It means I act on Lord Bale's wishes, and that he is ultimately responsible for my actions. We do not need to contact him." Michael's voice had been rising steadily over the course of the discussion. The Commerce agent murmured assurances and protests. Hunter heard the click of a cell phone being opened.
When the call connected, the man on the other side was screaming so loudly that Hunter heard every word.
"What the fuck is so important that you need to call me at work?"
"I'm at Commerce. I've informed the agent that we did not need to contact you, but he has insisted. Would you like to speak to him?"
"No, I don't want to fucking speak to him. But since this Commerce twit has found it necessary to pull me out of a meeting, give him the phone."
Hunter bit his lips to keep an uncomfortable giggle from escaping.
"What the fuck do you mean by calling me, you incompetent piece of shit? Do you understand the concept of an Agent? What's that? Oh, Michael already explained it to you? Well, let me tell you, when I find out who you are you will never work for another Commerce office again, you absolute imbecile. Not in Los Angeles, not anywhere in California, not anywhere in the fucking Empire, do you understand? Do you know what I'm working on right now? No, you don't, and you won't. And do you know why you won't? Because, you little termite, you fucking pissant, you couldn't even comprehend the level of deal I am currently consummating, that you are currently interrupting." Lord Bale paused in his rant. "But since you have seen fit to intrude on my day, I suggest you explain what the hell you want. Quickly."
"Lord Bale, please understand my position. I would be remiss if I did not inform you personally that this slave's previous owners have found him to be quite difficult."
"NICE SLAVES DO NOT MAKE GOOD FIGHTERS!" Lord Bale's voice, even through the cell phone, reverberated throughout the small room. "What kind of incompetent asshole are you? Oh, that's right, the kind of incompetent asshole who will shortly be unemployed. Hang up the phone and give it back to my Agent. Do not ever, ever contact me again." Hunter heard a click and snuck a look up at the Commerce agent, who seemed a good deal more pale than he had started out.
"Will he...will he really go after my job?" The man's voice cracked.
"That depends." Michael's voice was a low purr, and his smile eerie. "How good of a deal am I going to get on this slave?"
Afterwards, walking down the long hall that had been Hunter's home - well, not "home," exactly, "place" was maybe a better word - for the past couple of weeks, Hunter felt a pang of sympathy for the slaves left behind the windows. He'd heard rumors that Commerce would only display a Charity Ward slave for a month. What happened after that was the subject of much speculation among the resident slave population. "So was it a good enough deal?" he asked Michael as they stepped into the sun. Hunter blinked and lifted a hand to shield his eyes. It had been awhile since he'd even been near an outside window.
"What?" Michael glanced over at him as if he was surprised Hunter could speak.
"The deal you got on me. Was it good enough to save that guy's job?"
Michael narrowed his eyes disdainfully as he flipped open his cell phone, presumably to call a car. "As if I have any influence over what Lord Bale does."
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Controlled violence
Date: 2009-11-07 08:23 pm (UTC)Re: Controlled violence
Date: 2009-11-07 10:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-07 10:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-07 10:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-08 10:57 am (UTC)Likin' this, I didn't expect it to be so well organized; but it's starting to fall together nicely.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-08 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-09 02:38 am (UTC)Btw where is Sean going to come in?
no subject
Date: 2009-11-09 03:15 am (UTC)Btw where is Sean going to come in?
Here (http://community.livejournal.com/whatwekeep/37692.html), (briefly), but more to come.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-10 01:17 am (UTC)(If it's okay with you, in my story is it cool if I make mention of a night at the fights with cameos by a few of your characters?)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-10 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-07 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-08 05:42 am (UTC)