"Well.....it's a good thing that we aren't in the U.S. ....." Kit said, lounging behind his large mahogany desk. "The IRS would have a coronary."
Turkish sat opposite from him, his large, slender frame fitting rather tightly into the regular-sized office chair. Yet, he remained gracefully composed, as usual. The folds of his robes draped neatly across his lap, hanging off a bit, his hands folded, as usual, comfortably together under the garment. His expression, as ever, remained stoic, but, not without a sense of warm understanding creasing his every word.
"I do not understand." he replied very evenly.
Kit glanced up over the pages at him, back fully arched into his seat casually.
"Well, no Social Security Number, no birthdate, no age, no history......whatsoever..." he read over the forms.
"That is why I have come to you......" he replied.
"Right, right, right...." Piper nodded quickly, leaning up, placing the forms on the desk. "....this amnesia you spoke of.......how long have you had it?"
Turkish frowned.
"I cannot remember...." he stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh....heh....right, sorry...." Kit replied with a embarrassed grin. "Right. Amnesia. D'uh...."
"It is quite alright, Mr. Piper." Stringfellow smiled. "I realize that my height makes you nervous...."
"What?" Kit exclaimed wide-eyed. "Makes me nervous? No, not at all, why do yo--"
"It IS okay, sir....." Turkish continued with a bit more emphasis. "....I understand how my presence can be......imposing, to a degree. I assure you, I mean no one any harm."
"REALLY, Mr. Stringfellow, it does NOT make me---"
"Mr. Piper....." Turkish cocked an eyebrow. "....it is difficult for anyone to lie to me. I would feel much more at ease if you would dispense with any pleasantries."
Kit studied him for a moment, finally leaning back with a sigh.
"OKAY....okay....it does kind of...well......you know...."
"Make you nervous?"
"Well.....yeah...." Kit nodded. "You are a BIG man!"
"Size does not matter....." Turkish smiled.
"Yeah, my ex-wife used to say the same thing....." he joked.
And, to his amazement, Turkish chuckled a bit.
Kit's eyebrows raised in amusement.
"Ohhhh, you get that one, do you?" he smiled. "Says here you're a monk of some kind...."
"Of some kind, yes...." Turkish nodded.
"Doesn't that.....you know....cramp your lifestyle a bit?" he asked in an almost hushed whisper.
"Well....."
Turkish leaned over towards the man, Kit leaning in ready for the scoop.
"Yeah?" Kit whispered.
"I do not remember." Turkish replied with another whisper.
Kit stared at him briefly.
"RIGHT!" he said aloud, leaning back up. "Right...the...memory...thing. Amnesia. Right. Sorry."
Turkish's eyes narrowed.
"Mr. Piper, may I make a personal inquiry?" he asked.
"Sure thing...." he nodded.
"Something seems to be distracting you. Could this 'current' case you spoke of have anything to do with it?"
Kit sighed a bit.
"Yeah...well, it's this thing in Uruguay, you know?" he breathed heavily.
"I do not." TS replied equally.
"Ahhhh.....something's going on down there...and it's.....well, it could be dangerous for the boys...." he stammered a bit.
"Then, you worry over your team's safety?"
"No, no.....I....well......okay, yes. Yeah, I worry over their safety..." he finally admitted, staring out his office window.
"This....'team'.....the consulting agency.....are they your friends?" Turkish asked.
"Oh, well I don--" Kit suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, turning towards Turkish with a somewhat annoyed look. "Wait. What am I doing? Discussing my personal feelings with a stranger? What the hell's wrong with me?"
"I apologize, Mr. Piper....." Turkish bowed his head with respect. "...it is something of a.....side-effect of who I am....."
"What do you mean?"
"Much like nature, people are....open to me....." he began, trying to classify his abilities. ".....it sometimes leads others to expose themselves....their inner feelings and thoughts.....without inhibition...."
"I see......I think...." Kit nodded. "Well, don't do it to me again, okay? It's.....rude..."
Turkish nodded.
"I will try, but, it is not a voluntary ability." he replied with respect. Glancing up, he met Piper's eyes. "It usually depends on whether the person....needs...someone to talk to...."
Kit and Turkish stared at each other for a moment, in total silence.
"Kit!"
Piper jumped at the sound, turning towards his opening door. And, if he had noticed, while Turkish's expression remained as-ever neutral, he too jumped a bit, not having sensed the being's approach.
"I have made a decision!" Naecken announced, walking in with an air of bombasity.
"Naecken, I'm in the middle of someth---"
"I have decided NOT to go!"
"Wait...what? You're not goin---"
"Instead....", Naecken commanded with a dramatic flair, "I shall be going in Naecken's place!"
Kit stared, mouth open.
"Is that clear, Mr. Piper?" he asked in a mock english accent.
"Uhhh.....yeah....right....okay, uh, Naecken....." Kit began stammering out. "...you...uh...you can stay here......and...........you.....can take his--your....THE place.....for the mission...."
Turkish nodded, looking up at Naecken.
"That is a wise manuever." he spoke politely.
"Thank you, Turkish...." he bowed. "I look forward to meeting you an hour ago."
And with that, Naecken promptly left the room.
"He's...ummm....not usually this weird...." Kit began.
Turkish frowned.
"Pity."
