Bettering The Bandit

[Tolleson]

In the year since he was captured, Tennant has gained a noticeable amount of muscle, a good farmer’s tan, and better attire. Not much better. Clad in the finest of his two shirts, a patched pair of pants, holed boots and a cocky smile, he is definitely not mistaken for his sister when he comes calling on the Governor.

Perhaps someone had tried to stop him, shooed him away. Still, he’d head back, ducking and dodging, slipping past the desk jockeys and paper pushers with whatever warnings they issued. Assuming there wasn’t a constable to stop him, though most knew his face by now and might even think him harmless; Tennant would run his hand through his hair like he was preparing for a date and head directly to see the Glenn Burnie.

[Glenn]

"Tennant, sit down."

The uncomfortable chair. The thief didn't deserve much better. Still, he had worked hard during the year, and in some very unfortunate conditions. On the other hand, he hadn't come even a little bit closer to clearing his name. It was all very troubling. The second he did that, he'd be fully free with nothing hanging over his head, yet, that mysterious shapeshifter was still missing. It was almost enough to make someone disbelieve him.

Burnie had left him waiting for a time but that was only to be expected. There was much going on and almost all of it (no, no, ALL of it without an almost) was more important than the man waiting. "I take it you wish to move up in the world a bit. If you're serious about using your talents for Myrken, and if you're halfway competent with them, we may have use for you."

[Tolleson]

The doorway might have suited him better, a greater distance from the assigner of chores and dirty jobs no man in his right mind would do willingly. Yet he was willing, begrudgingly so, the jobs were always completed.

Glenn Burnie's notorious, uncomfortable chair was taken. A pained expression drawn on Tennant's face as his too-tall torso shifted in an attempt to find comfort, unsuccessfully. The look that followed was a sort of silent exasperation, one that said without saying, 'oh, how you must delight in tormenting your guests with such loathsome accommodations.' But he was here for a reason and complaints were best ignored for the time.

"I had heard as much," finding that there was no comfort in leaning back he went forward, propping himself up with rigid, stilt-like arms.

"Indeed, I am interested if your offer will keep safe the whole of Myrken and benefit it's splendid populace." And if it paid. Perhaps the sarcasm was too much here, but wasn't that the sort of loyalty and commitment a man like the Governor was looking for?

[Glenn]

From Tennant? Of course not. That's why he had his sister. Who needed two Tollesons to do one job? Not Burnie. Not Myrken.

Two jobs though?

"Tennant, let me put it this way: Either you're a competent thief and a terrible liar or you're a qualified patsy and terrible at tracking down a shapeshifter given a year's time to do so. Neither are exactly shining records." Still, Burnie was smiling, calm, relaxed in his nice chair. "But you're eager enough. I can see you just chomping at the bit to help out." Deadpan, friendly even. No sarcasm at all. Apparently Tennant had brought all they needed today.

"So tell me what you have in mind. You wouldn't be here if you didn't have something."

[Tolleson]

"Perhaps I'm both," he grinned, entirely too jovial reply to the insulting assessments, trying to look comfortable on furniture that made it impossible. He could have said more, defending himself in some way, but he only smiled and let it all roll off. And truthfully, he wasn't such a bad liar and might even have argued, being that Rhaena had believed him... but, right, a purpose; he'd come wanting something, to gain favor not badger the man with the power.

Oh Glenn, so friendly. "Quite right!"

There was a falter in his otherwise amicable smile as he reclined into what ought to have been a more relaxed position in the chair. Apparently he'd already forgotten how the back sat at too right an angle, the solid seat of it, too grating.

"As I've yet to track her down, an will likely be stuck in Myrken sometime until she returns," when, not if, "I require income." Perhaps as a sign of good faith that he wasn't a lousy, low-down criminal here he was, actually looking for a job.

"Your Inquisitor Aleksei River, is looking for some able bodied folk... the willing sort?" And wasn't he just.

[Glenn]

Tennant's good spirits were just a little annoying. He rolled with things and had a lucid understanding of his situation and what Burnie was saying mixed with a detached cushion of diffidence. It made him particularly insulated from the Governor's snipes. Glenn realized that and didn't appreciate it one bit. Still, he'd been fairly well behaved this last year.

"I cannot speak for Aleksei's selection process. I had input, yes, but he tends to attract the strange and the odd. It was intended to be a special wing of the Constabulary but may end up as something else entirely. That said, if you wish to be Mr. Kaczmarek's "burglar," and that was defined very specifically, "then i think you overestimate the trust you've earned."

There was a twinkle in the once mapmaker's eyes. That does not mean you can't earn some more, however. You can join as Aleksei's adjutant, which will probably mean more errands than training at first, but the more you prove yourself, the more training you'll receive. You'll also have a reasonable salary of course." Burnie raised his hand, almost idly, as if he had forgotten something. "And of course you'll provide me with regular reports of what's going on. A way to keep everyone honest and on the same page. There'll be no need to mention that bit to Aleksei. You understand, I'm sure."

[Tolleson]

And Burnie's face was annoying, still, Tennant didn't let it get him down. Keeping the sass under control was just one of many secrets to success in his absolute failure; still it did keep him out of trouble. Well behaved in Glenn's eyes.

For the bit about Aleksei's 'burglar' there is mild amusement in his smile and just enough of a wry pull that seemed to say, 'and you over-estimate my ambitions'. Again, things best left unsaid and so he'd only watch and listen until the ever-long-winded Burnie with a twinkle in his eye, finished.

The notion of being more-or-less a page wasn't thrilling, but 'fairness' was a hard card to pull, given his rather unique situation. "Regular reports," the phrase was repeated back slowly with one brow lifted as again he leaned forward, away from the Chair of Pain. The smile unwavering, the wry pull of it to one side indicating his clear understanding of the Govenor's request. And oh, wasn't it all the more illuminating that Glenn Burnie didn't trust his own men.

"Of course," the phrase was echoed and finally shrugging, he let the smile fall into one quite a bit more amicable. Perhaps, annoyingly so for Mister Glenn 'Trust-Issues' Burnie.

[Glenn]

"Alright, then." Tennant agreed, to everything. What else could he do? It was best, truly, to not let yourself fall so completely into the power of Glenn Burnie. If there was a shapeshifter out there, Tennant certainly had a good reason to get back at her after the year he had. Maybe now, he'd start to obtain the means.

"If there's nothing else, I'll send a note to Aleksei and you'll get started as soon as he agrees. He's a believer in redemption, I think, when it comes from a place of honesty, or at least a lucid understanding of one's situation. I can't imagine he'll refuse you, especially because you do, apparently, bring some useful skills to the table."

Burnie wouldn't give Tennant a chance to say that there was, in fact, anything else. Instead, a simple "Shut the door as you go," before looking back down to his papers.