From: haladwen	Date: 05/22/2007 14:57:17

*calls and leaves you a voicemail when you don't pick up* *is pretty used to leaving you voicemail, really*

Helloooo-oooo! Haldar! Yoo-hoo! Oh, I keep forgetting this isn't like an answering machine. Anyway...having a weird good time...wish you were here...yadda yadda yadda. You're not still at work, are you? You'd better not be. Those cubicles consume a little more of their prisoners' souls every day. That's why you're so pale, duh. You'd think it was the lack of sun, but it's not. It's your SOUL. I'll be back in a day or so, if you were wondering. Your ETERNAL SOUL. I don't think I have enough money for more than another night here. I promise I'll get a real job when I get back though. No, really. Promise. Love ya 'bye! Really. 'Bye!

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 17:45:29

*sends you a text* You're leaving a trail of devastation behind you, Sis. I'm gonna have to send you off to work in the mines if you carry on like this. H xxx

	From: haladwen	Date: 05/22/2007 17:50:42

*wonders what you could possibly have heard already*

*really wonders*

*texts you back with her long-familiar shorthand for "I didn't break anything! Swear to Eru!"*

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 17:39:32

*taps you on the shoulder* That's some nerve you've got, hanging around town. Didn't you figure the bank would have surveillance cameras?

*makes a beckoning gesture with his hand* Come along quietly, now. Easier for everybody, all right?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 17:43:21

*looks like a startled rabbit* I'm sorry but -- what ?!?!?!?!?

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 17:54:41

*cheerfully* Yeah, yeah. That's what they all say.

*pokes you in the chest* *police brutality, ome* We have seventeen witnesses and one very advanced security camera that place a man of your description at the scene of the robbery of the First Imperial Bank located on Cypress Avenue this morning at precisely oh-nine-forty hours. You're under arrest.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 18:12:58

No, no, you've made a mistake. I was in a meeting at oh-nine-forty hours!

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 18:18:34

*takes a piece of paper from his back pocket and unfolds it, revealing a printout of a surveillance camera capture*

*points to a figure* Are you trying to tell me that this...um...vaguely man-shaped blobby bank robbery thing isn't you? And that witness number eleven with the six-inch-thick glasses was lying when she said she thought vaguely man-shaped blobby bank robbery thing frequented the Rose?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 18:30:31

*squints at the photo* That's a man?

*looks up at you* *indignantly* I don't frequent the Rose. I occasionally come by after work but I'm not a boozehound, if that's what you're implying.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 18:33:46

*somewhat forlornly* I take it I'll find nothing wrong with your alibi? There's someone who can corroborate your story that you were in a meeting at oh-nine-forty?

I'm not a boozehound

*even more forlornly* You're not?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 18:39:20

There are thirty-eight people who attended my presentation so, yes, I have an alibi.

*with frustration* No. I'm not. And now I'm paranoid about stepping foot in the Rose in case some old biddy decides to frame me for mass murder or something!

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 18:45:02

*sighs and returns the printout to his pocket* Well, shit. I'll take your word for it.

*holds up his hands* Sorry about that. Chill, okay? Just a little misunderstanding. You're un-arrested. And I'm sure it's not the Rose's fault. *tilts his head* Though Larry's near SoHo is a bit more colorful, really.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 18:51:21

*straightens his jacket* I appreciate it.

I've never been to Larry's. A few of the boys at work say it's not exactly the safest place to go.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 18:55:46

*takes a seat at the bar next to you and orders a pint* It isn't. *smiles* But generally people know enough not to start shit when the head marchwarden's about. Unless it's him starting shit.

*curiously* Where's work for you, then? I know it's not First Imperial, anyway.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:10:43

You're the head marchwarden? Can I just say? You're a scary fucker, y'know?

*orders his own pint and takes off his jacket* Oh, I work in DelvingTronic? It's a telecommunication company. Not the most exciting of jobs but after my last life? It's more than welcome. *offers his hand to you to shake* I'm Haldar, by the way.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 19:15:28

*bursts out laughing* Ahahahaha...scary, huh? That's a new one. *shakes your hand gladly* Mablung, Captain of Doriath and Interim Chief Marchwarden.

*shrugs* Eh, it's a paycheck, right? Haldar... I hope we didn't meet last time because if we did, I'm drawing a blank. But with a name like that you've got to be one of the Haladin.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:21:14

*mildly* Hey, I don't get arrested every day of the week. That's a very new experience for me. Anyway, for all that, it's nice to meet you.

*grins* That's right. I should have been Chief of the Haladin but I managed to get killed by being all impetuous. I'm trying to avoid that trap this time round.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 19:24:34

*inclines his head with mock formality* Likewise! Although if it's all the same to you, I'm going to pretend I never said the actual words because I'll be swimming in paperwork for a week if I have to report an un-arrest.

*mischievously* The getting killed part, sure. Not the being impetuous, I hope.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:29:41

Your secret's safe with me.

*takes a few long swallows of his pint before he responds* Well, I guess I can't give up all my bad habits?

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 19:36:04

all my bad habits

*bites his lip* Oh, no indeed. You're on the right track now. *coughs* I'm a credit to my profession, really I am.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:39:10

*raises an eyebrow* Well, I'm sure I'm not exactly a credit to my profession of -- of -- computer nerds. I spend half my time bailing my sister out of trouble and the other half -- well -- otherwise occupied.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 19:44:38

*amused* This sister of yours sounds promising. Have I un-arrested her before?

*turns to smile at you warmly* *all innocence* "Otherwise occupied"?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:47:44

*dryly* You've probably actually-arrested her before. No, that's not fair of me. Her friends are the criminals. She stays on the right side of the law. Pretty much. *shrugs* She's my twin and she really thinks she's in charge?

*looks back at you, equally innocently* Socialising. Meeting new people. That sort of thing?

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 19:53:35

*laughs* Oh, so impetuosity...ness...dom is a family trait then. Gotcha. I'll keep an eye out for her. Or her friends anyway.

*takes a sip of his beer* Ah, yes. That sort of thing. Any...particular...persuasion manner of people? *runs a hand through his hair* Don't say just other computer nerds. That would be so, so sad.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 19:57:30

*grins* Be gentle, yeah? Just a night in the lock-up should teach her.

*starts to laugh* Did you know that there are very few hot computer nerds? And most of them are virgins anyway.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 20:02:38

*smirks* I'm sorry, but I absolutely cannot promise gentleness. You'd be surprised to see what people require additional coaxing. *clicks his tongue* You'd never suspect some of them.

*playfully* Oh, so the stereotypes hold, do they? Let me change my initial assessment: That is so, so sad.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/22/2007 20:07:08

*raises an eyebrow* Well, you're the expert. I must entrust the chastisement of criminals to your -- capable hands? *glances down at your hands*

*bites his lip* Oh, it's very tragic. Some computer nerds never come out get out at all. I'm one of the lucky few.

	From: mablung	Date: 05/22/2007 20:12:03

*flexes his fingers, aware of your scrutiny* Heavy, capable, I'm not picky. Both are useful.

*looks into your eyes* You're just breaking all the big rules, huh? You're sure you're not doing anything illegal?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/23/2007 03:40:30

*looks down at his own hands and suddenly finds it quite amusing that they used to wield a sword*

*looks straight at you and smiles* Well, you're our resident expert in what constitutes illegaily. Am I doing anything wrong?

	From: mablung	Date: 05/23/2007 17:35:29

*smiles back at you* Wrong? Definitely not. Nor illegal, at the moment...but there's potential. I can tell. If you wanted to get some of it out of your system, I wouldn't hold it against you.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/23/2007 17:41:58

*raises both eyebrows and leans a little closer* How would I go about that?

	From: mablung	Date: 05/23/2007 17:47:07

*lightly* There's so much one can get away with in this town. The law enforcement is shoddy at best. I mean, take this thing I did just recently, for instance...

*leans close to you and whispers a detailed description of something very, very filthy and very, very illegal in at least seven municipalities, his lips just brushing your ear*

	From: haldar	Date: 05/23/2007 17:50:38

*lets out a shaky breath* *visibly shivers*

*smiles slightly before leaning in and whispering into your ear, relating exactly how he spent his last weekend*

	From: mablung	Date: 05/23/2007 18:04:34

*finds that he's suddenly quite overdressed for the weather and that his clothes feel very excitingly uncomfortable*

*lays his hand over yours on the bar and strokes your wrist with his thumb* Your place or mine?

	From: haldar	Date: 05/23/2007 18:07:42

My place is just around the corner and I'm currently the sole occupant. *slides off the barstool and stands in front of you, between your legs*

	From: mablung	Date: 05/23/2007 18:12:05

*rests his hands on your hips leisurely* It'd be a terrible shame to let all that empty, private space go to waste. I don't think I can in good conscience allow it.

	From: haldar	Date: 05/23/2007 18:14:48

*grins, running his hands up your arms* Well, then. That's settled.