Vila Restal's Journal

From theatrical_muse: Headlines

One of the consolations for getting caught, headlines are. Well, all right, the only one. See, if I never got arrested, I'd've been well known only to assorted fences and cracksmen, but a headline like "MASTER THIEF RESTAL NABBED" almost makes it worthwhile. I collected them: "TOP SAFE MAN CAUGHT" (not that it was a particularly safe life, mind), "JEWEL THIEF SENT TO CF1", "ART GALLERIES SAFE: RESTAL IN CUSTODY (bit wordy, the old Londondome Crier, or the Londondrone Weeper as we called it), and "RESTAL EXILED". Very pithy that last one.

Funny thing though: you only get your name in print as a thief when you're nicked or sent down, but turn rebel and it's always up in caps. "RESTAL LEAVES SIGNATURE" (well, I like to scratch my initials on the hard ones), "ACE RESTAL" (a favourite one, that, from the Lindor Times, after I told Tyce I'd got Zen to put well over the minimum 25 little pursuit ships on the side of the Liberator), but the best one of all is "RESTAL STILL AT LARGE".

And long may it remain so.

From theatrical_muse: Old acquaintance

I think I'm about the only one who hasn't run across an old friend or acquaintance since I left Earth. No, I tell a lie, there was poor old Gan too. And you know what, I'm relieved. I mean, look at how it's gone for the others. Avon's 'old friends' all tried to turn him in, kill him, or cheat him. No wonder he stopped trusting people, even me who'd only ever do the last and only in a game. Cally's meeting with an insane old god and her sister (not at the same time I might add) didn't go well in either case, Jenna's old pirate mate collared us--literally. I'd rather not think about the time we had to rescue Blake's cousin from Travis and his crimmos, and Tarrant apparently once knew that nutter Bayban the Butcher (well, he would be if he was compared to Tarrant, wouldn't he?). As for running into Blake again, I still have nightmares about that.

So on the whole, I'd rather not have any, thanks.

From theatrical_muse: What do you live for?

Eh? Well, it beats the alternative! Seriously, what sort of a question is that? You mean what's the point? Lots of things!

I'm at the top of my profession, I'm fairly well known, he says modestly, and thanks to the Federation's policy of not turning naughty rebels into poster boys and girls, I can go anywhere without being recognised. Not very well thought out, that one, Servie old thing. And then there's the small things in life, like cheesy toast, a good hot vege vindaloo, a nice drop of vintage wine (anything older than a week'll do it), hot cocoa before bed, adrenaline and soma to calm the nerves after a space battle, fast stardives and strong forcewalls, safes with challenging locks, a cup of tea and a nice sit down...

And you know, when things are going badly, a good sleep, which I'm sure Avon would tell you reorganises and defrags the brain, usually makes things look a bit better in the morning. Or what passes for one in space.

From theatrical_muse: If you could have any mutant/super power, which one would it be?

Ah yes. We had a discussion about that once, after watching one of those take-your-mind-off-the state-of-the state vids that Blake calls opiate for the masses...

( Powers )

Thought I'd have a go at this just in case I decided to go in for something a bit more legal. I mean you never know.

1. Go to this this site.
2. Put in Username: nycareers, Password: landmark.
3. Take their "Career Matchmaker" questions.
4. Post the top fifteen results.

1. Optical / Ophthalmic Lab Technician
2. Special Effects Technician
3. Electrician
4. Jeweller
5. Dental Lab Tech
6. Electronics Assembler
7. Actor
8. Office Machine Repairer
9. Electronics Engineering Tech
10. Electrical Engineering Tech
11. Magician
12. Musical Instrument Builder and Repairer
13. Upholsterer
14. Comedian
15. Composer

Eh? A third are techs! Must be all the time I've spent helping Avon while annoying the hell out of him. Nah, if I ever decide to go straight, I'd pick 4, 7, 11, or 14.

Upholsterer? Dunno about that, but I'll test the products out if they like. :-) I'm a bit disappointed publican's not in there though.

From theatrical_muse: Which is the more exquisite sensation: revenge, relief, or vindication?

Well, this one's easy!

I've never been much for revenge. Don't really see the point. It just causes more of the same, you see. People revenge themselves on you for the revenge you took on them and so on and so forth, and before you know where you are, you've got a family feud or a series of wars that run for centuries. I'm not saying to turn your cheek so the fist can slam into the other one, mind you. It's best just to laugh it off right then like I do, with a smart remark, a practical joke like bolting all their furniture to the ceiling of their cabin, or a few strong drinks to dull the pain if it's too dangerous to do either. Sitting on it, then serving them a stale meal they won't swallow just isn't worth it.

You'll probably live longer too. And that can't be bad.

Vindication usually means I was right about something nasty happening (I can always sense danger, you know) and I can't say it brings me much pleasure. Saying "I told you so" is another good way to shorten your life for that matter, especially around Avon.

Why would anyone pick anything but relief? I mean, relief feels good! I just wish it happened more often.

From theatrical_muse: You've just won an award! What would it be and why?

Best thief in the galaxy of course! After all, they said Central Control was impregnable (sounds like it had a chastity belt on) but I got through that lock in a minute flat. A doddle if you don't count having to run through a minefield first which almost did me ticker in. Not that I boast about it a lot, even if it was an act of dazzling brilliance, because it was there that me old mate Gan died, holding a blown-up (blown-down, really) door up so we could escape.

I still miss him.

Then there was the force field on Kezarn that I cracked and found a new world for a whole race of people. "Brave and clever" old Norl said I was, and it's not often I've heard those words used about me. Not that I like to think about that time all that often, even if I'm a planetary hero to those weirdoes, because then I think of Kerril who said she loved me but loved a new life more or she'd've stayed with me. wouldn't she? Mind you, if she had, she'd've found out I wasn't a hero at all but just the comic relief on and token Delta, though not as fast as she would've if I'd gone with her. Not your tough sinewy pioneer type, me.

I still wouldn't say no to a nice award though, preferably something stolen and exchangeable for cash.

From theatrical_muse: Mummy

This is what my mum told me once.

I was too young to have a baby. I was only eighteen, no more than a child myself. It wasn't fair. It was probably the same for my mother - she left me outside an orphanage at only a week old, and I never blamed her. You have to make your own way in this world.

"Do you want to see your baby?" the nurse asked. She held out a little bundle.

I shrugged. It wouldn't make much difference. I wasn't keeping it. The nurse laid it in my arms and I frowned at the tiny face. Wide eyes looked back at me and a small fist opened and closed. I caught my breath and touched the perfect little fingers, then the button of a nose. The mouth opened in a smile.

"What are you going to call him?"

I knew she was lost. "Vila," I said shyly, and smiled.

Apparently this is based on a book I haven't read, but my daemon is a female whippet called Lysandra. I think if you disagree about my personality, it changes.

( See my animal )

From theatrical_muse: Time

Time, eh? Well, whether you call it time or porridge or hard or jug, or even 'the penal experience' like that litererery (never know when to stop with that word) classics character Tony Soprano, it's all the same: you got nicked.

Jugs I have known include:

• the JD wards / juvie / Juvenile Detention Wards - called wards because they try to reprogram you into a nice brainless little citizen who'll never had a thought of their own again.
  
  
• CF1 in other words Correctional Facility One, a planet where they send first-time offenders and white collar crims who steal from the doubtful comfort of a cramped office cubicle. Lots of petties and embezzlers, and not a bad place because it's only for a few years and you get a bit of an education, the official courses and various others they might not know about. I officially did metal work and jewellery making, and off the record also taught an after-hours class in lock-picking even though I was only 14, plus learned how to fly a spaceship from some manuals I found in the library. I have fond memories of CF1, despite the female Space Rats who tried to adopt me as a mascot. I was on the escape committee and ended up breaking us out and nicking a supply ship which was all good for the CV.
  
  
• Cygnus Alpha. I didn't get to see much of that, but what I did put me right off being caught again. Nasty place full of religious nutters, thugs, and bad architecture. It made being a rebel an attractive career choice.

I'm finding it really hard to answer these things lately because they're so uninspiring, but apparently I have to do one in four or be kicked out. This one's not too bad, so here you go.

From theatrical_muse: I never thought I'd say this, but..

I miss Avon.

The one I knew back in the Blake days, I mean. We used to insult each other and I think some of the others didn't get it, but I could see the look of amusement in his eyes. If we really didn't like each other, I wouldn't have spent all that time playing chess with him, or helping (and annoying) him while he worked on his gadgets, or just sitting with him on the flight deck during the quiet times. Say what you like, we understood each other. All right, he was an Alpha and went to university and all that, but we had a lot in common: both thieves (though he preferred the term 'embezzler'), both not natural rebels and revolutionaries, both there because we liked Blake and maybe just a bit, underneath all the cynicism, we thought he might stand for something worthwhile.

All changed after he left, didn't it? First it was like he didn't want to admit he was friends with the rank and file like me, maybe because it'd undermine him with Tarrant and Dayna, and after we lost the Liberator, well, it wasn't the Avon I knew at all. No humour, no secret warmth in his eyes, no give and take.

I'm glad I don't know that Avon any more, but I still miss the old one.

A meme about school. Not the best days of my life, in case you were wondering, but then so few of them have been.

( 20 questions )

From theatrical_muse: Talk about one thing you hope to do in the upcoming year that you have never done before.

Um, get bonded?

Never thought I'd settle down and play houses, and with Kerril I won't have to. Sure, we'll be bond-mates, but she likes travelling (or making fast getaways as the case may be) as much as I do, and on a ship you're always at home come to think of it.

Thing is though, since possession is nine-tenths and all that, I'm officially the owner and captain of the Mumak, once a lumbering great Gauda Prime pine and fine pine products freighter, and I'm not sure I can officiate at my own bonding. Cally's the rebel leader these days, so maybe she'll do the honours.

[grins wickedly] Shall I go for sickening kitsch like I suspect Avon and Blake did and have lots of flowers and Lucy as an attending kitten in a pink ribbon? Nah. I have a low gag reflex. I think a quick ceremony in our best suede and leather respectively with an honour guard of Soolin with a huge gun loaded with blanks she can fire afterwards, and maybe if we're in a system, we can blast a few asteroids to smithereens. It's always nice to including some traditional female touches like that for the ladies. And a party the night before for the guys (well, me and Stark and Tarrant these days) where we can drink ourselves silly while watching a few bodice-rippers like "Serving Under Servalan".

Yeah. That'd be nice.

( My aristocratic title )

From theatrical_muse: What do your ancestors mean to you?

This one's a bit hard because I have no idea who they are. See, my mum was found as a baby on Restall Street, and yes, they misspelled that on her papers. All I know about my father is that he was called Vila too, and he was charming and sweet and funny and I take after him; mind you she only knew him the one night. Mum told me she was going to abandon me too after I was born because she was only 18 and I was a bit unexpected, but she fell for me when she saw me. And that's enough for me.

As for ancestors, the strange thing about them is family trees are usually shown upside down with the trunk at the top, but if you look at it the other way, it is a tree. I mean, start from me. I have two parents, they have two each, making it four, the next level is 16 and so on. It doesn't take long before you've got more ancestors that would fit on Earth let alone the galaxy. The only explanation has to be lots of overlap: they're all related to each other if you go back a bit, which means at some point Avon and I are.

Wonder if I ought to tell him. Right when he's doing something delicate on a circuit might be fun.