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[statementfuckingends]

You've reached Timothy Stoker, leave a message at the tone and I'll get back to you.

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[statementfuckingends]

I'm not stupid, Jacobi, I'm not gonna get bloody demoted. But a broken nose can get fixed easy and it's the least I owe him after everything he's done to us.

[Read: if it literally was not for you, Jacobi, Tim would already be happily demoted.]

[mrballisticsdummy]

You're being really stupid.

[And now he gets to hear Jacobi at work.]

You have an inmate who has proven, in the past, to be driven by emotional whims and who has some pretty specific triggers from people like this, especially as they deal with people I'm friends with.

You know I am close to Jon and you and Martin.

And now you've gone and shown that you don't care about his safety and wellbeing.

You know what I'm capable of. More than anyone except Warren. So what you need to do is take my knife. Search my room for anything else I can use as a weapon. Warren will have to deal. He has a gun that he keeps in a safe I can't access.

Tell Warren abut this so he's not in the dark, though I'm sure he's figured it out.

Search me for weapons and explosives daily.

Tell custodial not to let me near their closets.

If you want that little extra credit, you could probably stick me in Zero for a few days until things calm down, but I hate it there, so I'm not begging for it.

Otherwise? If I hurt him? It will look like you didn't protect him.

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim is not at his best and he knows it, but hearing Jacobi come in with an entire-ass plan is... a lot. Part of him wants to fight it, lash out against the sense of, just... inadequacy that it gives him, but he forces himself to swallow his pride. The last time he acted out on this sort of emotion, it lead directly to his death. He does need to get his shit together. Be smart.]

Right - no, yeah, you're right. Come over right now - I'll know if you don't come directly here. [And Jacobi might be able to catch the faint crackle of the walkie-talkie coming to life.] I'll give you the pat down here and check your room after. You can stay here.

[And he goes to the lounge to turn his TV on. He's still got The Princess Bride in, so he just restarts it.]

I don't have anything you can use here unless you plan on stabbing him with a butter knife, but that seems a bit crude for you.

[mrballisticsdummy]

[He's already on his way.]

Yeah, butter knife is really too messy. Also it's your butter knife, and that seems rude.

[Jacobi doesn't even knock. He opens the door, takes off his jacket and holds it out to him in one hand, the closed knife in the other. He's in nothing but a t-shirt and jeans. Nothing in the pockets but his communicator.]

Oh shit, the Princess Bride?

...I love that movie.

[statementfuckingends]

[He'll take the jacket and pocket the knife for now. He'll give Jacobi a brief pat-down too, but it's largely perfunctory: he's familiar enough with Jacobi's build by now that he would be able to tell pretty readily if something was up.

He did take at least some of Jon's earlier advise to heart, as well: both hands have bandages wrapped around his knuckles.]

Original home universe version, as far as I can tell. The library has like six versions, but this has all the scenes as I remember them. You don't forget your first classic.

[When he's done he gives Jacobi's hair a quick ruffle. Being tactile helps. Having a mission helps.]

I owe you one, later.

[mrballisticsdummy]

[Jacobi gives him a quick look and doesn't even protest the hair ruffle.]

Yeah, you do. I'll be here.

[And he sits himself down onto the couch to enjoy a classic, trying to pretend like everything's just fine.]

[statementfuckingends]

[Jacobi might just be able to hear a crackling echo of the audio playing on the screen, as Tim turns on the walkie-talkie as he straps it to his belt.

And... locks the door on his way out. Sorry Jacobi - it's really just business.

As he's moving, though, he pulls his comms out and shoots a call Kepler's way.]

Kepler. Sorry to be a hassle, I'm gonna swing by your room and do a contraband check for Jacobi.

[questionsonly]

[ Warren’s almost immediate answer should tell Tim something. But he’ll spell it out. He’s nice like that.]

If you think I haven’t already done that? After the shitshow that was that network post…

Tim. The lack of faith. I am stung to the heart.

[ Beat. ]

Not that you shouldn’t be prepared for him to come up with something anyway. I trained my people to be able to complete a mission with little to zero resources.

[statementfuckingends]

It's not a lack of faith, it's due diligence as the warden of a known demolitions expert with intense emotional ties to people adversely affected by said shitshow who acts on intense emotions.

[While quietly ignoring the fact it wasn't his idea. He can certainly wear the confidence like it is.]

And as one of said adversely affected, it would be beyond negligible of me to not put in a thorough effort to making sure he'd got as limited proper demolition supplies as possible. Disregarding that the man could probably make saltpeter out of a shoelace, fucking prodigy, I need to be able to honestly say I did everything in my power to prevent it.

[Even if Elias fucking deserves it and so much worse.]

[questionsonly]

Absolutely. Due diligence on both our parts. Of course.

[ A little more quietly. ]

The only way you’re heading this off is inside his head. I want you to know that. Due your due diligence, but I am telling you. Right now.

The only way you can defuse this bomb? Is at the source. The emotional explosion. The one that’s going off inside him.

[statementfuckingends]

[The methodical beat of Tim's footsteps pauses, so he can give his face a long, tired rub with one hand.

Of course. Jacobi hadn't been wrong about any of this but of course it was just... basically a distraction, really. He's starting to feel like a real idiot for getting so wrapped up in his own head.

Fucking Elias.]

...yeah. I'll be getting to that next, don't you worry. He's locked in my room. Just - one step at a time.

[He's knocking on Warren's door pretty soon after, still.]

[questionsonly]

[ The door opens immediately. ]

All the weapons are in a bio-metrically locked container, guaranteed by the Admiral. But feel free to look around.

I put his laptop in there as well. At least until I've talked to him.

[ Kepler tilts his head towards a chair and settles into said chair to watch. ]

I also turned on the zero g to make sure he didn't hide anything using that. But we can check that too.

[statementfuckingends]

[The narration from 'The Princess Bride' can be heard faintly through the walkie-talkie on his hip, but Tim's only paying half a mind to it. His warden device is weirdly specific, but he's glad for it right now.

He puts his comms away and pulls Jacobi's knife out of his pocket, offering it hilt-first to Kepler as the man sits.]

You mind putting this in there too? He can have it back when I'm convinced he won't use it.

[Which mostly just means 'after they have a proper talk about this'.

Hands free now, he takes a moment to rub his face with both. He's familiar with looking for stuff people have stashed away in weird little spots, but not how Jacobi's mind works for that specifically. And he already feels like Kepler's vaguely judging him.]

Is there anything specific I should know about how Jacobi thinks while I'm searching so I don't miss anything that'd be obvious to you? For future reference.

[questionsonly]

[ Kepler tilts his head, more than a little doggish, before he takes it and walks over to put it away. It's tucked in the compartment and the compartment is closed again. ]

I'll wait til I hear your word.

[ Completely compliant. He's not arguing any of that. ]

You should know that when he goes nuclear? He goes nuclear. He doesn't care if he hurts himself. Doesn't care if he hurts anyone else. And more than anything?

It'll be designed to hit him? Where it actually. genuinely. hurts.

Jacobi? Is a ballistics expert. But that's only one. very. limited facet? Of his real talent: breaking things. Breaking people. Causing. hurt.

[ He taps his own chest. ]

My job? Was to get the job done. To get whatever was required. To make things happen. Harm? Wasn't part of my requirements. Part of my skill set? But it's not what I'm good at. It's just. a. tool.

For Jacobi? It's an art. And he's unmatched.

If you want to figure out what he's going to do? Figure out what will hurt your target beyond the pale. Don't go at it from Daniel's side. Go at it from the target's side. You'll have a better idea of what he's aiming at. Especially since you know him.

[statementfuckingends]

...I'm really getting the impression that everything with Connor was only a taster of what he'd do if he's genuinely upset at someone. [He pinches the bridge of his nose briefly.] Not that Connor wasn't, but that was just... because he was convenient. It wasn't targeted, not like. An attack on Elias would be.

[He runs a hand briefly through his hair, wincing as the bandages wrapped around his knuckles tug on the raw wounds.]

I couldn't even begin to tell you how to get through Elias's bloody ego. But-- [He holds both hands up. Not quite surrender, but that thought needs to go on hold for a minute while he does his job, and so he heads for the bedroom first.] I'll get on it. See what Jon and Martin can pool on that too.

[questionsonly]

[ Kepler aims a fingergun at Tim and fires it. ]

Bingo. Connor? Was a temporary hurt. A 'freak out'. It was sloppy? Rushed. And unprofessional. D grade.

[ He tips his head towards Tim, and then towards the door, gesturing at the other people that Tim well knows he's talking about. ]

This man? Is a threat. Someone? Who hurts, and is hurting, people he's claimed as his own. People he cares about. [ And he breathes in, breathes out, and ruffles his own hair. ] And you did not hear this from me?

But the last time someone threatened. the person he cared most about? He failed.

[ He looks, very directly, at Tim. ]

Get it?

[statementfuckingends]

[Tim will keep working as they're talking, but there's no mistaking that he's giving Kepler his full attention for most of it. The direct eye contact is partway between threatening and (maybe just to him) a challenge, and he meets it readily.]

...yeah, understood. Different scale, but. I know the feeling.

[He straightens up so he can meet Kepler's eyes properly.] I'm gonna make sure he doesn't explode again. Not now he's got a goal, not when it'll mean the fallout's gonna be that much bigger.

[questionsonly]

Don’t make the mistake that he cares about that right now.

He’s brilliant? But he doesn’t think? With his head. Not when it comes to thing like this.

[ He tips his head to Tim. Then, cracking a crooked smile.]

…you’ve got this. You? Know how to get under his skin. That’s rarer. Harder. Than people realize. And absolutely vital.

Let me know if you need any other backup.

[statementfuckingends]

[There's something weirdly reassuring that he has Kepler's approval for this. Partly in that he's getting a nod of approval for being able to wind Jacobi up, but mostly because Kepler has that much faith in him that he can help steer Jacobi right. Also that smile is doing things for him, solid 7 out of 10 for that alone.

So he just grins back, a bit more genuinely confident this time.]

I'll let you know if I do. Or he will, if I overstep again. But I'm not gonna let him get away with just locking this one up to fester.

[questionsonly]

[ He makes sure he has Tim's eye when he speaks again. ]

Good. You shouldn't. And he's going to thrash like a cat in bathwater.

Probably scratch you up too.

[ He breathes in deep and clearly considers whether he's going to do this before he decides to do it. Which is why he rubs at his temple before he continues. ]

Don't play too strong. If he hurts you? Let him see it. He'll use it. But. He'll also feel like shit about it. It'll make him think where a direct approach might not.

You matter to him. Even when he's upset.

But act like nothing gets through? [ He shakes his head, and gives Tim a wry little smile. It's very charming. It's also got just a bit of pain around the corners of the eyes. ] The fallout's not pretty.

[statementfuckingends]

[That smiles speaks, without a doubt, of first-hand experience in the matter.

Good thing Tim's already resigned to the fact Jacobi's going to avoid him afterwards. This just gives him more ammo.]

Yeah. Right. I think I've got a few ways to get to him now. Hopefully it sticks.

[He gives Kepler another warm, determined look.] Thanks. For the advice. And letting me do... this. [With a gesture at their room in general.]

[questionsonly]

[ He throws off a salute. ]

Any time, Stoker.

Believing in the process? Means believing in the process.

[statementfuckingends]

[Solid advice, really.

It doesn't take him much longer to clear out the cabin, just for the sake of thoroughness, but he's got a lot to chew on - and he has to trust that Kepler cleaning it out himself is cause enough not to tear the place to shreds for any sort of grain of weaponry, because as much as he's trying he's a bit distracted.

He clears out soon enough; and after a quick call with Jon to get the Archivist caught up, he unlocks his door to the dulcet sounds of Billy Crystal blathering about bluffing and throws himself onto the couch, heedless of its creaking protest and flopping his legs directly into Jacobi's lap to settle in.]

Brilliant, I haven't missed Inigo's glorious revenge.

[mrballisticsdummy]

[Jacobi's only moved as far as it takes to to get a blanket and properly burrito himself on the couch. When Tim joins him, his feet go in his lap, perfectly at ease with his position.]

Nope. You're good. Fund anything good? Did he lock up my laptop?

[statementfuckingends]

Your boyfriend cleaned house before I even got there and got offended when he thought I insinuated that he wouldn't.

[He tucks one foot under the other heel as he shifts, getting comfy so he can watch the movie. Ostensibly.]

Seemed like he was livid in his own way, but he's a hard man to get a good read on.