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Date Posted: 21:56:11 04/29/05 Fri
Author: Diane
Subject: Okay - Chapter 12
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "Okay" on 11:00:56 04/04/05 Mon
Ken was fitting in well, thought Nikita as she looked over his 60 day Eval. True, he was no Michael, but then who was? At least he was no Madeline, either. Nikita shivered.
His profiles were excellent, though not nearly as aggressive as Michael’s, and Section’s numbers were still up. Ken could run sims and reconfigure profiles as needed from Section or onsite in the van. He had not yet led a team, but Nikita still had concerns about his physical abilities. For an average 48-year old man, they were incredible, but for a cold op, just average. He spent nearly all his downtime working out in the gym or the weight room, trying to undo the damage that 10 years of a desk job had wrought.
As if he had read her thoughts, Ken appeared at her office door. “May I speak to you a moment?”
“Certainly,” replied Nikita, ushering him in. “Would you care for some tea?” she asked, pointing to a nearby lounge chair.
“No. Thank you.”’
Ken wasn’t one to beat around the bush. Nikita knew something was up.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, craning her neck to see his face clearly.
“I wish not to spar with Snow any longer.” Silence.
“For what reason?” asked Nikita, curious. Snow was an all around nice guy. She couldn’t imagine that he could have a problem or personality conflict with anyone. Though he was smaller physically than Ken, Nikita had chosen him specifically because he was a sparring coach, and she thought things were coming along nicely between them.
Ken didn’t answer her question. He repeated,” I wish not to spar with Snow any longer.”
“Snow is one of our best sparring coaches,” Nikita said evenly. “If you can’t give me a valid reason, I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to consider your request.”
Ken blinked and looked straight ahead. “Thank you for your time,” He turned to leave.
“Oh, and Ken,” Nikita added, almost as an afterthought.
“Yes,” he replied without turning around.
“There’s a hostile in White Room 3. See what he knows about Caracas.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Thank you.”
I guess that’s what his file meant by ‘has trouble with authority figures,’ mused Nikita.
She knew that Snow had just left on a mission and would be in Prague for several days. She left a message that she wanted to speak with him upon his return.
Nikita switched her monitor to White Room 3. She didn’t enjoy interrogations, though she wasn’t as disgusted as when Madeline and the Torture Twins were alive. Her first official act as Operations was to order the cancellation of Henry and Elizabeth. They were sick, sick people, and surveillance tapes showed that their torture continued long after a subject had broken.
Ken’s technique was very different from Madeline’s He never smiled. His piercing dark eyes locked onto yours, and you couldn’t look away. The first few moments were a staring contest, which Ken always won. Then he would whip a small PDA out of his breast pocked and make some notes, muttering, “Um-hm. um-hm. That’s good. Um-hm. Then he would face the hostile for the first time and smile. Actually, he’d smirk. Then he’d pace off the room in measured steps. He would do this several times in relation to the door. He got out the PDA again. “And you are how tall? He’d asked, disinterestedly. The hostile always told him. He wrote this down in his PDA and put it back in his breast pocket.
“The machine I need is being used right now, so if you don’t mind waiting a bit--? Ken would ask, all concerned. By this time the hostile was usually totally confused. No one had even asked him a question yet. Suddenly, the White Room, and seemingly the entire building, was plunged into blackness. “Damn power surge,” would come Ken’s disembodied voice. “Happens every time they use that machine. Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s fully charged again before it’s your turn. I’ll be back in a few.”
With that, he would close the White Room door and set his wristwatch alarm for 5 hours.
His mind games were much more effective than Madeline’s cold smile. He could often get what he needed with a broken finger and sodium pentothal. The “machine” was actually a heart monitor, which could be used for electroshock of necessary. Not once had Section had to resort to Henry and Elizabeth’s little yellow cases.
After Ken had set the wheels of this particular interrogation in motion, he went to his Section living quarters, which were actually Madeline’s old ones. He’d not done a thing to change them and the rooms still screamed “Bordello!” The furniture was black oak. Everything else was red. Velvet curtains, upholstery, bed spread, table cloth and linens; even the walls were red flocked with red velvet. Oh, the things he could have learned from reading *her* psych file. There was a humidor on the bedside filled with Cuban cigars. Ken didn’t want to know.
In fact, he didn’t want to know anything about anyone unless it directly impacted their performance numbers. That was the main reason he want to removed from Snow’s tutelage. Snow was a major gossip, and his favorite topic was the tragic love story of Michael and Nikita. As much as Ken had tried to block out, he knew that Michael had been Nikita’s trainer/mentor, that he nearly self-destructed when he thought she was dead, that they went on a Valentine mission where things really hated up (tapes still available—see Simon), that when Michael’s blood cover mission was over he tried to kill himself and Nikita saved his life, etc. etc. etc.
Ken finally had to put his hand over Snow’s mouth to keep him from saying another word. “Look,” he told the younger man, “I’m just as romantic as you are, but these are people you know. I‘ve figured the least we can do is stay out of their personal lives.
Snow was like a dog with a bone. “So you know there was something more between them, too. I wonder what the real story is. Who would know? Davenport is dead, but I bet Walter will crack for a few shots of whiskey!”
It was at this point that Ken had walked into Nikita’s office. What kind of answer was I supposed to give her? Because all Snow wants to talk about is when, where, how often, and in what position? I don’t think so. He shook his head.
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Re: Okay - Chapter 12 -- Shanola, 19:49:49 05/18/05 Wed
Why is it important that Ken be physically able to lead teams in the field? I don't recall Madeline ever doing that. So why should Ken?
Also, I would think that if Ken were to ask to quit sparring with Snow, he'd have already come up with a proper reason/response, instead of just repeating his request.
You named and then cancelled the Torture Twins because Ken is SOOOOOO much better at interrogation than they or Madeline *ever* were. Sorry but this screams "MARY SUE" to me. And Ken uses the exact same technique on every person brought in? And it works the same way for every one? Totally not believable.
Also, not buying that Madeline's quaters would scream "Bordello!" with red velvet this and that. I am just not buying that. Look at her office and the way she dressed to get some idea of her style. Also not buying the fact that Ken left everything the exact same. We saw in the beginning of S2 that Section removed everything that once belonged to a Section 'employee'. Why wouldn't they do the same for Madeline?
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Re: Okay - Chapter 12 -- Diane, 19:50:53 05/19/05 Thu
Why is it important that Ken be physically able to lead teams in the field? I don't recall Madeline ever doing that. So why should Ken?
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Ken replaced Michael in addition to Madeline, so he would be leading teams.
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Also, I would think that if Ken were to ask to quit sparring with Snow, he'd have already come up with a proper reason/response, instead of just repeating his request.
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I was trying to show his inability to communicate effectively, especially with a delicate subject. It does come up in Chapter 14 why he is upset with Snow, and Nikita finds out--it's because Snow talks incessantly about Michael and Nikita's sex life. If you can help me to illustrate this in a better way, I'm all ears (or all fingers, as it were lol).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You named and then cancelled the Torture Twins because Ken is SOOOOOO much better at interrogation than they or Madeline *ever* were. Sorry but this screams "MARY SUE" to me.
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I had the torture twins cancelled because they were sick, and Ken's technique is vastly different from Madeline's, not necessarily better. It's easier for Nikita to watch because it' not as difficult to watch without the yellow cases. How can I make this less Mary Sue-ish?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And Ken uses the exact same technique on every person brought in? And it works the same way for every one? Totally not believable.
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I only showed him using the technique once, but I did imply it was his usual M.O. I see what you mean. How can I write this to show that this was his most effective, but not his only, means of obtaining information?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Also, not buying that Madeline's quaters would scream "Bordello!" with red velvet this and that. I am just not buying that. Look at her office and the way she dressed to get some idea of her style.
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I actually read this in a fanfic somewhere, and the image never left my mind. I do see your point, though. I'll have to work on this.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Also not buying the fact that Ken left everything the exact same. We saw in the beginning of S2 that Section removed everything that once belonged to a Section 'employee'. Why wouldn't they do the same for Madeline?
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I didn't figure the 'gutting of apartments' treatment went for the executives as well. As far as Ken not changing anything, he's just not the type to make waves. He lives where he's told. The style of his surrounding doesn't interest him. If you truly think I should 'gut' Madeline's apartment, I could have Ken living in extremely Spartan quarters. In Chapter 14, I have Nikita giving him a hard time about his furnishings (the red velvet bordello look); I could change this to her just making him spruce up his place a bit. Would that help?
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Re: Okay - Chapter 12 -- Shanola, 19:30:12 05/20/05 Fri
I was trying to show his inability to communicate effectively, especially with a delicate subject. It does come up in Chapter 14 why he is upset with Snow, and Nikita finds out--it's because Snow talks incessantly about Michael and Nikita's sex life. If you can help me to illustrate this in a better way, I'm all ears (or all fingers, as it were lol).
I think the problem is that you don't have him answer at all, just repeat his request. Maybe a lame answer would be better; "I don't like his technique" or "Snow hasn't been able to teach me anything", or even "I have my reasons". Up to you, though.
As for having the torture twins cancelled because they were sick...I disagree with that. I think they were very effective and after all, we never did learn what they do with those yellow cases. I think Nikita would be pretty stupid to eliminate such an effective tool because she felt they were 'sick'. If she was going to do that, she'd eliminate Section itself and be done with it.
How can you make Ken less Mary Sue-ish when describing his interrogation style? Don't compare so thoroughly to Madeline or the TT. You could also say that he chose to use this particular method for that particular SOTW. The way that it is written, you are totally dismissing Madeline's technique as silly and ineffectual, when in fact, she was extremely effective. I have a difficult time believing someone would step in and be more effective. Different, yes, okay. But not better. You see?
I could better believe that Ken would live in gutted quarters rather than Section leaving Madeline's apartment the way it was. After all, I would think that the very first thing they would do is to clear everything out and then go over it carefully to make sure there were no leaks/bombs hidden away. Think of Section as a big corporation: if the head of the IT dept suddenly says he's leaving, many times they are escorted from the building to make sure they don't take anything that doesn't belong to them. Granted, Section is a bit more extreme, but Madeline could potentially do more damage to them. See?
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You've given me some good ideas -- Diane, 20:12:11 05/20/05 Fri
I'll work on the Chapter 12 rewrite this weekend. I still don't like Henry and Elizabeth, so I just won't mention them. Perhaps this terrorist is just a wuss, which is why this particular technique of Ken's works on him.
I see your point on the reason behind needing to gut Madeline's quarters--especially if she thought her evaluation might not be stellar. She is just vindictive enough to wreak a whole lotta havoc.
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Okay - Chapter 12 - Rewrite -- Diane, 12:26:50 05/22/05 Sun
Ken was fitting in well, thought Nikita as she looked over his 60 day Eval. True, he was no Michael, but then who was? At least he was no Madeline, either. Nikita shivered.
His profiles were excellent, though not nearly as aggressive as Michael’s, and Section’s numbers were still up. Ken could run sims and reconfigure profiles as needed from Section or onsite in the van. He had not yet led a team, but Nikita still had concerns about his physical abilities. For an average 48-year old man, they were incredible, but for a cold op, just average. He spent nearly all his downtime working out in the gym or the weight room, trying to undo the damage that 10 years of a desk job had wrought.
As if he had read her thoughts, Ken appeared at her office door. “May I speak to you a moment?”
“Certainly,” replied Nikita, ushering him in. “Would you care for some tea?” she asked, pointing to a nearby lounge chair.
“No. Thank you.”’
Ken wasn’t one to beat around the bush. Nikita knew something was up.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, craning her neck to see his face clearly.
“I wish not to spar with Snow any longer.” Silence.
“For what reason?” asked Nikita, curious. Snow was an all around nice guy. She couldn’t imagine that he could have a problem or personality conflict with anyone. Though he was smaller physically than Ken, Nikita had chosen him specifically because he was a sparring coach, and she thought things were coming along nicely between them.
Ken didn’t answer her immediately, then quietly stated, “I have my reasons.”
“And they are…?” asked Nikita, raising an eyebrow.
“Personal,” Ken returned tersely.
“Snow is one of our best sparring coaches,” Nikita said evenly. “If you can’t give me a valid reason, I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to consider your request.”
Ken blinked and looked straight ahead. “Thank you for your time,” He turned to leave.
“Oh, and Ken,” Nikita added, almost as an afterthought.
“Yes,” he replied without turning around.
“There’s a hostile in White Room 3. See what he knows about Caracas.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Thank you.”
I guess that’s what his file meant by ‘has trouble with authority figures,’ mused Nikita.
She knew that Snow had just left on a mission and would be in Prague for several days. She left a message that she wanted to speak with him upon his return.
Nikita switched her monitor to White Room 3. She didn’t enjoy interrogations, though she wasn’t generally as disgusted watching Ken as she was when watching Madeline, or the formidable duo of Henry and Elizabeth. Ken’s opening gambit was very different from Madeline’s He never smiled. His piercing dark eyes locked onto yours, and you couldn’t look away. The first few moments were a staring contest, which Ken always won.
Nikita waited to see which technique he would use this time. Aah. “The Machine.” This meant he expected an easy break. She turned off her monitor, knowing what would happen next.
Ken would whip a small PDA out of his breast pocked and make some notes, muttering, “Um-hm. um-hm. That’s good. Um-hm. Then he would face the hostile for the first time and smile. Then he’d pace off the room in measured steps. He would do this several times in relation to the door. He got out the PDA again. “And you are how tall?” He’d asked, distractedly. The hostile always told him. He wrote this down in his PDA and put it back in his breast pocket.
“The machine I need is being used right now, so if you don’t mind waiting a bit--?” Ken would ask, all concerned. By this time the hostile was usually totally confused. No one had even asked him a question yet. Suddenly, the White Room, and seemingly the entire building, was plunged into blackness. “Damn power surge,” would come Ken’s disembodied voice. “Happens every time they use that machine. Oh, don’t worry. I’ll make sure it’s fully charged again before it’s your turn. I’ll be back in a few.”
With that, he would close the White Room door and set his wristwatch alarm for 5 hours, leaving the hapless victim in total darkness.
Quite often, his mind games were more effective than Madeline’s cold smile, which was a good thing, since Ken could never hope to emulate it. He could often get what he needed with a broken finger and sodium pentothal. If “The Machine” ruse (it was actually a heart monitor which could be used for electroshock if necessary) was not going to work, and Ken could usually tell from intel and observation, he would resort to one of Madeline’s methods, which he had studied diligently. After all, she had been the Queen of interrogations. But even Ken hated watching the proceedings when he had summon help in the form of Henry and Elizabeth and their little yellow cases.
After Ken had set the wheels of this particular interrogation in motion, he went to his Section living quarters, which were actually Madeline’s old ones. The only room left in tact had been the kitchen, complete with dishes and cooking utensils. There was a bare, king-sized mattress on the bedroom floor, and a goose-necked reading lamp. Other than buying a pillow and bed linens, he’d not done a thing to change the apartment. The living room and dining room were complete bare, as was the room he assumed had been her office. From what he had heard of Madeline, he couldn’t imagine that she’d had a den. After watching her interrogation tapes, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know anything about her personal life at all.
In fact, he didn’t want to know anything about anyone unless it directly impacted their performance numbers. That was the main reason he want to be removed from Snow’s tutelage. Snow was a major gossip, and his favorite topic was the tragic love story of Michael and Nikita. As much as Ken had tried to block out, he knew that Michael had been Nikita’s trainer/mentor, that he nearly self-destructed when he thought she was dead, that they went on a Valentine mission where things really hated up (tapes still available—see Simon), etc., etc. etc.
Ken finally had to put his hand over Snow’s mouth to keep him from saying another word. “Look,” he told the younger man, “I’m just as romantic as you are, but these are people we know. I figure the least we can do is stay out of their personal lives.
Snow was like a dog with a bone. “So you know there was something more between them, too. I wonder what the real story is? Who would know? Davenport is dead, but I bet Walter will crack for a few shots of whiskey!”
It was at this point that Ken had walked into Nikita’s office. What kind of answer was I supposed to give her? Because all Snow wants to talk about is when, where, how often, and in what position? I don’t think so. He shook his head.
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