He shakes his head, but Telemachus probably recognizes his expression, if he really is on his crew: eyes slightly narrowed, calculating, assessing.
Huh. If he needed any more proof that Telemachus Rhade really is on his crew in the future, there it is. He does keep saying he's a soldier, not a diplomat -- sometimes, not a politician, depending on the circumstances -- and yes, he does believe it. Yet people keep trying to turn him into one or the other. Whatever diplomacy he's involved in is through circumstance, not training. Through necessity, not desire.
"If I am, it's only by necessity. I've only ever been a soldier."
Telemachus, though, says it like he means it, and accusations of sucking up aside, he strikes Dylan as no more the sort of man to offer shallow flattery than Gaheris was. Dylan's just not used to people thinking of him this way. Being a hero to someone he's rescued, sure. This level of admiration from a man he's been at odds with, a man he'd outright told he'd considered framing for treason?
That's something entirely different, that sits a little uneasily on his shoulders. Not that it's not gratifying, but ... he's still not sure he deserves the accolade any more than he deserved the rapt attention Tarazed gave his speech.
"Well, uh, thanks. I --"
His words are interrupted, though, by the woman who'd led them in here, Doctor Sk'Amor, calling out that it was time for the tour to get started.
Dylan gives Telemachus an apologetic look, but he's not entirely sorry to make his exit from the conversation.
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Huh. If he needed any more proof that Telemachus Rhade really is on his crew in the future, there it is. He does keep saying he's a soldier, not a diplomat -- sometimes, not a politician, depending on the circumstances -- and yes, he does believe it. Yet people keep trying to turn him into one or the other. Whatever diplomacy he's involved in is through circumstance, not training. Through necessity, not desire.
"If I am, it's only by necessity. I've only ever been a soldier."
Telemachus, though, says it like he means it, and accusations of sucking up aside, he strikes Dylan as no more the sort of man to offer shallow flattery than Gaheris was. Dylan's just not used to people thinking of him this way. Being a hero to someone he's rescued, sure. This level of admiration from a man he's been at odds with, a man he'd outright told he'd considered framing for treason?
That's something entirely different, that sits a little uneasily on his shoulders. Not that it's not gratifying, but ... he's still not sure he deserves the accolade any more than he deserved the rapt attention Tarazed gave his speech.
"Well, uh, thanks. I --"
His words are interrupted, though, by the woman who'd led them in here, Doctor Sk'Amor, calling out that it was time for the tour to get started.
Dylan gives Telemachus an apologetic look, but he's not entirely sorry to make his exit from the conversation.
He has to try to get Gaheris out of his head.