Mikodez listens. He doesn't try to hide his amusement. It goes along the lines he would expect, but that doesn't detract from Iago's performance.
"If Doctor Varker had successfully killed himself, it would've been easy for someone to check his most recent conversations if he didn't simply break and reveal it himself. Of course, the same is true in reaction to him making the attempt and that clearly wasn't done." He's sure Iago knows how often these things aren't investigated here, so that's a point to him even if it would be sloppy on a professional level.
"That also counts as attempted harm, in case you were wondering what to report." There's his usual humor to that, as it's not as if he thinks that Iago doesn't know. "It's good that you shared that with me." He's not going to punish Iago for a bit of revenge that he's admitted to, especially as it wasn't when Mikodez was his permanent warden. "If you're harmed again, we'll discuss the appropriate response under those circumstances."
He scoffs. "It took weeks before anyone did anything about Katie, who broke my arm with a hammer. I had a description and a public warning along with her other victims. Months, even. People hurt, people get hurt, and the world moves on. When the hurt is self inflicted, there's only sympathy and gentle words."
He doesn't have any faith in the Barge.
"If I am harmed again, I will handle it myself, the way I have been before."
Even if I have to go around you, is what is unsaid but heavily implied.
Mikodez shrugs. "There's no incentive to do more than that in general." He doesn't have any faith in the Barge, but that's because he doesn't have anything in the way of 'faith' in people in general. "You'll notice that I'm not punishing you for the damage you did to Doctor Varker's mental health. Just as I didn't do anything to punish him when he killed you." He had given Iago something to do with his time because he likes him, but he hadn't had any reason to take action.
"To get one of my agents back from the Kel, I threatened to start shutting down their listening posts. It worked because I would've done it, even though we were in the middle of the war." He wouldn't let an agent rot in the face of genuine risk, on the Barge there's no such risk to be weighed against.
"You're my responsibility now." He gives Iago a level look to go with the matter-of-fact statement. He believes that Iago's smart enough to recognize that it's both promise and threat.
"I don't judge what gives you pleasure." He says, with grin. "I just like to know what sort of measures people take. There's nothing standardized here, which can make data collection more interesting." When there's data to collect.
"Nothing. Nothing was done," he says and he cannot hide the bitterness in his tone. "By the time her warden did anything, it had been months already. He did not tell me what her punishment was. All I know is that I have not seen her."
"I see." He'll look into it, so he won't say more until he has more information.
He takes a cookie, wondering how hard it would be to make chocolate. He could use it to build, and find out what Iago's favorite type is. It's hard to convince him that there's not at least one.
"I think we've made useful progress establishing how to go forward." It can be useful to have breaks in meetings, to stop important points from being lost. "Do you have any questions?"
"I'll set up a potential curriculum tonight, so we'll meet tomorrow to go over it." He expects Iago to have questions about the 'why' as well as the 'what', and that will be part of the grade. "We'll meet daily to go over the math, at first, to make sure the foundation is solid. You can pick out what other courses look interesting to you and can build a schedule from there. Do you know how to use a gun?" The physical components are important too.
"We'll have a meeting to specifically discuss matters of this ship once every two weeks, unless something that needs to be addressed immediately comes up."
"Why the day after when we can start tomorrow?" He says, with his customary amusement that becomes more terrifying on acquaintance.
"I have high standards, and I expect you to meet them." They aren't the standards he'd have for someone starting at the academy, but that's just a matter of calibration. He looks directly at Iago. "Because I believe you can, especially when given the support you deserve." He doesn't plan to let Iago get away with thinking that his potential is not being taken seriously.
Iago is twenty seven years old, but he feels like a child under those words and that gaze and there's nothing really that he can do to push back against it. Mikodez is right and Iago wants to show him how good he can be.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 12:03 am (UTC)"If Doctor Varker had successfully killed himself, it would've been easy for someone to check his most recent conversations if he didn't simply break and reveal it himself. Of course, the same is true in reaction to him making the attempt and that clearly wasn't done." He's sure Iago knows how often these things aren't investigated here, so that's a point to him even if it would be sloppy on a professional level.
"That also counts as attempted harm, in case you were wondering what to report." There's his usual humor to that, as it's not as if he thinks that Iago doesn't know. "It's good that you shared that with me." He's not going to punish Iago for a bit of revenge that he's admitted to, especially as it wasn't when Mikodez was his permanent warden. "If you're harmed again, we'll discuss the appropriate response under those circumstances."
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 12:14 am (UTC)He doesn't have any faith in the Barge.
"If I am harmed again, I will handle it myself, the way I have been before."
Even if I have to go around you, is what is unsaid but heavily implied.
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 01:18 am (UTC)"To get one of my agents back from the Kel, I threatened to start shutting down their listening posts. It worked because I would've done it, even though we were in the middle of the war." He wouldn't let an agent rot in the face of genuine risk, on the Barge there's no such risk to be weighed against.
"You're my responsibility now." He gives Iago a level look to go with the matter-of-fact statement. He believes that Iago's smart enough to recognize that it's both promise and threat.
"What happened with Katie?"
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 01:21 am (UTC)"It was taken care of," he assures him. "I would take no pleasure from hurting her."
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 01:27 am (UTC)Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 01:59 am (UTC)He looks away.
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:11 am (UTC)He takes a cookie, wondering how hard it would be to make chocolate. He could use it to build, and find out what Iago's favorite type is. It's hard to convince him that there's not at least one.
"I think we've made useful progress establishing how to go forward." It can be useful to have breaks in meetings, to stop important points from being lost. "Do you have any questions?"
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:14 am (UTC)"When is the next one?"
How simple it is to switch off the anger, the bitterness, and focus cheerfully on the task at hand. "I need to make sure I understand my assignment."
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:33 am (UTC)"We'll have a meeting to specifically discuss matters of this ship once every two weeks, unless something that needs to be addressed immediately comes up."
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:37 am (UTC)"Why tomorrow?" he wonders. "Why not the day after?"
He doesn't actually want to delay it by a day, but he wouldn't mind it. He simply wants to know what he can and can't get away with.
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:55 am (UTC)"I have high standards, and I expect you to meet them." They aren't the standards he'd have for someone starting at the academy, but that's just a matter of calibration. He looks directly at Iago. "Because I believe you can, especially when given the support you deserve." He doesn't plan to let Iago get away with thinking that his potential is not being taken seriously.
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 02:58 am (UTC)He stands slowly. "Then tomorrow it is."
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 03:10 am (UTC)"I look forward to seeing you, Iago."
Whatever else Mikodez can say about the Admiral he'll give him this: Mikodez has an inmate he can say that to and mean it.
Re: pairings!
Date: 2025-07-07 03:11 am (UTC)Iago takes a cookie for the walk and gives him a strained smile before he leaves.