Karlos [This morning]: He follows Jody into the cafe
and moves to a table, pulling out a seat for her.
Jody Yu [This AM]: She moves into the cafe with a
grateful nod to Karlos, as he holds the door open.
Jody Yu [This AM]: And a further look of gratitude at
pulling out the seat. "Thank you, sir." She seats herself propely, and places
her hands on her lap, watching him.
Karlos [This morning]: "You're welcome." He
smiles warmly and folds into the seat opposite, offering her the menu. "What can I
get for you?"
Jody Yu [This AM]: She takes the menu, giving it a
quick once over before setting it to the side. "A decaffinated coffee would be
lovely, Mr. Basoalto."
Karlos [This morning]: He nods and gestures the
waitress over, requesting a decaf and a double espresso. Then he smiles to Jody. "So
are you happy at work?"
Jody Yu [This AM]: She considers the question a moment.
"I would say that I am. I must admit that it my usual duties of hostessing are not
quite as challenging as I am used to, but it is a help to things that go on there, and it
gives me an opportunity to aid and be part of an organization I very much admire."
Karlos [This morning]: "What do you feel would be
more of a challenge?" He regards her curiously.
Jody Yu [This AM]: A slight shrug. "I cannot
exactly say for sure. I suppose being Security as was previously offered would be more
challenging, but again, I am not exactly finding that area of work to be appealing.
Martial skills are not traditionally my way, though I do of course utilize them if
necessary." She's quiet for a long moment, considering the question.
Karlos [This morning]: He chuckles gently. "I
don't want to hear what you're bad at or what you don't want. I want to hear what you
want. What interests you. What you enjoy."
Jody Yu [This AM]: "I prefer, to be perfectly
honest, sir, diplomacy. Mediation. I've found that the times I have been most comfortable
were when I was attemping to defuse a situation in Battery Park, and another between Miss
Ita and Mr. Ingvar."
Karlos [This morning]: He nods. "Splendid.
Consider yourself promoted." He sips at his espresso when it arrives.
Jody Yu [This AM]: She looks at him, blinking, and then
nods. "Thank you, sir." She smiles, and she sips her coffee. "What exactly
will my duties be now?"
Karlos [This morning]: "Mediation." He grins.
Jody Yu [This AM]: "Okay." She nods,
accepting that as an answer. More will come later, she is sure. "I appreciate the
opporunity."
Karlos [This morning]: He nods. "Schedule time
with Melody. She can train you on her duties."
Jody Yu [This AM]: "I will, then." Another
sip of her coffee comes. "If you don't mind my asking, how have you been, sir?"
Karlos [This morning]: He nods. "As well as can be
expected." He smiles faintly, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "But no, I don't
mind you asking."
Jody Yu [This AM]: "As well as can be
expected?" She watches him a little bit. "Is there anything I can do to help? I
know you've been...busy with other ventures, sir, and I wouldn't intrude to ask what they
are."
Karlos [This morning]: He laughs gently. "You can
learn Melody's job. That would help me a great deal."
Jody Yu [This AM]: A soft smile. "Then of course I
will. I am glad to help."
Karlos [This morning]: He drains the Espresso.
"So, are you a lesbian?"
Jody Yu [This AM]: She blinks at that, eyebrow raised.
"Umm...no, I am not. Why do you ask?"
Karlos [This morning]: He laughs, eyes gleaming
playfully. "Sorry, couldn't resist." He sets the cup down. "Although I had
a very dear friend who was schooled much in the way you were, and she was. Quite
irritating. She wouldn't sleep with me no matter how much I asked her to." Grins.
Jody Yu [This AM]: "Ah." She smiles a little.
"No, I am straight, I believe. Though I have never, ah, put it to the test, I suppose
you could say. I have committed to an ascetic lifestyle, which includes celibacy."
She grins, just a little. "Miss Ita seemed quite shocked when I mentioned that to
her."
Karlos [This morning]: He laughs, nodding.
"Yeah... Yeah, I can see that jarring her world a little..."
Jody Yu [This AM]: She nods, chuckling some as she lets
a little more of the fomality slip away. "We all have our own paths to talk. She and
her companion for the night seemed very confused by it." She shrugs.
Karlos [This morning]: "I'm not even gonna ask who
that companion was." He smiles ruefully. "That's her business... Ah, I mean...
No, foot is now firmly in mouth..."
Jody Yu [This AM]: She laughs a bit at that, and
shrugs. "It is her chosen way, and I don't judge that, though I do not entirely
understand it, either. To each their own, as it's said."
Karlos [This morning]: He grins at that. "The
world would be a boring place without all those paths."
Jody Yu [This AM]: She nods to that. "That is
true. Something I learned early on, well before my training."
Karlos [This morning]: "So what do you want out of
this life?" He leans back, regarding her curiously.
Jody Yu [This AM]: She takes a deep breath,
considering. "I wish to complete my Dharma as well as I am able, of course...and try
to reconcile certain...difficulties in myself." She pauses, looking at him. "Are
you familiar with the concept of the tulku, Mr. Basoalto?"
Karlos [This morning]: "It's either that knife
from that movie... Or something to do with reincarnation?"
Jody Yu [This AM]: She nods, impressed. "It has to
do with reincarnation, yes. I was, in a past incarnation, another member of the
Akashayana...a master of Do named Cheng Li. Cheng Li is very strong in me, sometimes to
the point that I am more him then myself. While it is a great gift, it is...disconcerting
at times, being caught between Jody Yu and Cheng Li. I sometimes have difficulty knowing
who is reacting to certain situations."
Karlos [This morning]: "I'm hoping that Cheng Li
doesn't like beating the crap out of people who look at him funny?"
Jody Yu [This AM]: A chuckle. "No, he doesn't.
Violence was, regrettably, a necessary part of his way, though he enjoyed it no more then
I. It was quite different times, when he was alive."
Karlos [This morning]: "Well so long as he can
mediate as well as you and listen to what Mellie tells you, I'm sure things'll work
out..." He smiles reassuringly.
Jody Yu [This AM]: A nod in agreement. "I have no
doubt that they will, sir." She smiles.
Karlos [This morning]: "Right. Time I got on with
my day, I think. And if you're lucky, Mellie will be at the club by now." He grins,
rising to his feet, offering Jody his hand.
Jody Yu [This AM]: She takes the other's hand and
rises, offering him a bow. "Thank you, sir. May you have a good day."
Karlos [This morning]: "You too, Jody." He
grins, then bows to kiss her knuckles lightly, before releasing her hand and
straightening. Then he offers her a nod before moving away to the counter to pay.
Jody Yu [This AM]: She smiles and follows him to the
counter, polite as ever, after leaving a tip on the table, in extra to whatever Karlos may
have left. A little extra kindness for the server.
Karlos [This morning]: Once the bill is settled, he
leads Jody out, opening the door for her once more, then bidding her farewell.
Jody Yu [This AM]: A last nod-into-a-bow to Karlos, and
she heads off, toward the Concerto.