Log: Garrison/Callisto

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Garrison and Callisto trade perspectives over refilling the mansion's stock of firewood.



"How could they burn down three cords of hardwood. I swear, did I miss some kind of pagan rite of passage which required a twenty foot tall pyre?" Kane hefted the axe easily, settling on his shoulder. Since he'd arrived, Marko had dumped the bulk of the wood chopping on his head, since he knew how to do it without losing toes, and frankly, some national stereotypes are just impossible to dislodge. In his case, a wood chopping Mountie wasn't getting out of it even if avoided people singing him the song.

Callisto rolled her eyes, stooping to drop the log she'd been carrying and straightening up again, stretching her skinny arms above her head. She shook her head. "I have no idea. You good chopping still or want a break?"

"If you want to split for a while, I'll stack." He reversed the axe and handed it over to her. Fortunately he'd run into Callisto along the way down, and while he didn't know all that much about the reclusive woman, he knew she didn't shy away from hard work. "I'm not keeping you from anything important, am I?"

"Always," Callisto replied with a smirk, weighing the axe in her hand and flipping it neatly over a few times, her automatic instinct when handed any sharp object being to play with it. "But nothing that can't wait. Riding into the city later, but there's no rush."

"Into the city? I'd inquire about if it was a hot date involved in that, but you are holding an edged weapon, so I think I properly shouldn't."

Callisto's grin at this was nothing short of terrifying, and she bent to place a log on the chopping block and split it with a single, perfectly aimed swing before answering. "There's this shelter I go to somewhere. Talk to the kids. Some of 'em are ex-Morlocks - most of 'em have moved on now, but I guess I just figured I'd started, so..."

"Makes sense. I think you're the one person that they aren't going to automatically think of as some kind of fake." Kane flipped the heavy round seconds of tree truck from the cart like poker chips, making a neat stack next to her. "We did some of that kind of community outreach in the force, but the red jacket kind of makes it harder to relate."

"I dunno how easy I am to relate to," Cassidy said with a slight frown. "I mean, sure, I've been there, but, well..." She leant to place another log on the block. "Most of these kids can't just walk down the street without being stared at like me."

"That's not the only factor though. I mean, sure, you're not going to be a perfect example for all their challenges, but being able to help with some direct experience on one or two of them is still helping." Kane leaned back against the cart, crossing his arms across his chest. "First lesson most cops learn is that you can't protect everyone, but that doesn't mean protecting who you can matters less."

"Mm, I guess. Wish I could do something more... something better," Callisto eventually settled on, not quite sure of the word she wanted. She scowled. That was basically the point with her - whatever her instincts told her needed to be done, she didn't have the words. "Make more of a difference. Those kids, they're like any juvies, y'know? Stuck in a circle of... whatever. They'll get the odd break, sure, but ten to one they're gonna end up right back where they started. And I dunno what anyone can really do about that. 'Specially me."

"I'm not going to go into the after school special speech about how one person can make a difference, but there's some heavy hitters in the Professor's rolodex, and a few savvy types around the mansion. Maybe talk to some of them, see what suggestions they have?" Kane shrugged, continuing to empty the cart. "If not, well... even if you can only really help one out of ten, it's still pretty important for that one, eh?"

Callisto made a face. "Yeah. Maybe." She looked back to her work - her hands having been working as if of their own accord while they spoke, the neat pile of chopped logs that Kane had begun growing steadily.

Kane switched from unloading the wagon to stacking the chopped logs into the wood shed and along the sides. The green wood was stacked to the outside, to dry and season in the sun, while the logs ready for use were put closest to the path to the shed. He could have pressed harder, but Callisto was prickly enough in casual conversation. Trying to push her into something she didn't want to volunteer would likely earn him a gut punch for his efforts. "How's work on the Blackbird? I heard that Forge keeps sending you 'homework' on the upkeep."

"'Homework' is one word for it," came the reply. "I swear, it's like he suddenly remembers something really vital and then just charts it all off the top of his head, stuffs it in an envelope and posts it. Half the time I'm not even sure what part of her he's talking about... I think it's okay though," she said in answer to Kane's question. "I mean, I still don't know what half of it does so we're fucked if any of those bits break, but I'm getting there."

"Forge is easy enough to drag back from the WCA if we need it, and I know Hank built a third of the components at some point, so you've got backup." Kane stretched and looked over the lake, shading his eyes. "'cause, you know, no offense but if you're looking for a users manual while we're falling from the sky, he'll never let you hear the end of it."

Callisto shuddered. She hated - hated - going up in the Blackbird. She wore industrial noise limiters now, but her ears would still ring for hours afterward. "I think I can hold her together. I'm getting there."

"I figured. You seem to have the knack with mechanics. Hell, my idea for maintaining the Blackbird involves duct tape and a hammer, so you're easily the better option." Kane grinned. "Reminds me, you ever scrounge up a line on getting the Crown Vic police armor insets?"

The brunette shook her head. "Got a few people keeping an eye out, but no joy yet."


"Nuts. There's this Euro built electric shaver on my commute every day I'm dying to nudge." He joked, finishing off with the stacking. Thanks to her, they'd largely rebuilt the depleted supply in the shed in record time. "Right, so what do I owe you that I'm totally going to pass the cost of over to Kyle for this?"

Callisto shook her head, waving her hand. "Don't worry about it," she said. "I'm salaried here after all, might as well make myself useful whenever."

"You mean beyond an empowering role-model for young women about a future in the skilled trades?" Kane shook his head. "Sorry, it's the affirmative action brush up at work lately. I think I can only speak in non-offensive social speech. Seriously though, thanks. As dumb as it sounds, that car means a lot to me. Kind of a reminder of where I come from, eh? So I really appreciate all your expertise."

Pursing her lips and nodding, the young woman's shoulders gave way to that easy shrug that was always only a muscle's twitch away with her. "It's not dumb at all," she said simply, swinging the axe one last time, this time to embed it in the chopping block, their work finished. "And it's no problem."