[Nico is as intensely punctual as ever, and as deeply uncomfortable. He remains intensely private, both on the network and tending to the corners when out on the barge, but he keeps a sharp eye on other's comings and goings.]
Nico had memorized the list he'd been given on basic social interactions easily, but it had been limited. There hadn't been much on responding to obvious, accurate statements. Under evaluation, he generally strikes people as anxious, withdrawn and not particularly impressive.
"Is there somewhere you want to go?"
Trouble had been the one to ask for the Enclosure.
"Mm." They lean into the intercom: "The Valley of the Lost, thank you."
The door opens into the base of a deep desert valley that's had a town
built into both walls, a maze of caves and shanties, the walls lined with
wooden walkways, rope bridges slung between. It's hot and dry. Trouble
seems to relax slightly.
He's not good at 'out doors', but it's something he's been working on. Focusing on taking in the details of the new location helps, and he can understand why Trouble's more comfortable with the climate. It's almost enough for him to consider unzipping his jacket a little, but that would be uncomfortable in a different way.
Though not quite a bad as trying to figure out what to say about himself.
"I - like computers? Technology stuff. I've been here a while. I'm from, uh, a version of Earth." That seems to cover the perimeters. "What about you?"
"There was this... plague. In my country. Over 59 million children died, with the number counting to rise over the years. Most of the ones who survived are in, uh, dangerous circumstances. A lot of other people have died too, because of various - political upheavals. I'm here to mitigate the damage as much as possible." He's not at ease, but he's far more comfortable when dealing with simple facts, where how it's personally affected him doesn't matter.
"I have more information on the... larger picture then most people where I'm from have the chance to learn. I was willing to sign on to the barge in exchange for the chance of getting the deal." He shrugs again. "I don't know how the Admiral chooses."
"Pssht." Trouble flicks a hand dismissively. "The Admiral chooses
protagonists, darling. The brave, the bold, the unusual, the pivotal
players. For wardens, anyway."
It's an argument that has a decent amount of support, but not one without exceptions. But he considers the criteria offered carefully. The first three are clearly inapplicable, but information is important.
"Playing a pivotal role isn't necessarily limited to protagonists."
"There's a sizeable overlap," they say breezily. "So what role do you play
in what I'm sure is a completely intolerable group of people too young to
save the world but charged with doing it anyway?"
"It's a mostly adult organization, and better defined as wanting to shift political power from the person currently in charge to their own candidate. Most likely the only difference will be slapping on some surface level 'changes' and claiming that they'd like to do more convincingly enough for people to believe in it because it feels better to pretend they made a choice instead of just going along with the option that is less obvious about wanting to kill us. The illusion of control." Just based off personal observation.
"I do computer stuff. Information gathering, creating viruses, analyzing propaganda..."
"They haven't asked me for that very often." There could be a sense of humor there, but it's hard to tell. "Is there a lot of kids charged with saving the world, where you're from?"
Nico follows with far more effort. "I'm not going back home, either. After." There are things for him to go back to, but another world offers so much more. "Where do you want to go?"
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timeasmymeasure
text
Date: 2020-12-31 06:15 pm (UTC)Re: text
Date: 2020-12-31 06:19 pm (UTC)Distressingly, I have nothing else to do. The entrance of the Enclosure, five minutes.
text -> spam
Date: 2020-12-31 06:23 pm (UTC)[Nico is as intensely punctual as ever, and as deeply uncomfortable. He remains intensely private, both on the network and tending to the corners when out on the barge, but he keeps a sharp eye on other's comings and goings.]
Re: text -> spam
Date: 2020-12-31 06:46 pm (UTC)Trouble is so precisely three minutes late that they have to have chosen to be.
"Oh, it's you. One of the quiet ones."
A long, evaluating look.
Re: text -> spam
Date: 2020-12-31 06:55 pm (UTC)Nico had memorized the list he'd been given on basic social interactions easily, but it had been limited. There hadn't been much on responding to obvious, accurate statements. Under evaluation, he generally strikes people as anxious, withdrawn and not particularly impressive.
"Is there somewhere you want to go?"
Trouble had been the one to ask for the Enclosure.
Re: text -> spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:05 pm (UTC)"Mm." They lean into the intercom: "The Valley of the Lost, thank you."
The door opens into the base of a deep desert valley that's had a town built into both walls, a maze of caves and shanties, the walls lined with wooden walkways, rope bridges slung between. It's hot and dry. Trouble seems to relax slightly.
"So, darling, tell me a little about yourself."
spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:14 pm (UTC)Though not quite a bad as trying to figure out what to say about himself.
"I - like computers? Technology stuff. I've been here a while. I'm from, uh, a version of Earth." That seems to cover the perimeters. "What about you?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:17 pm (UTC)They give him a singularly unimpressed look.
"You call that a backstory? Try harder. What's wrong with your Earth? What are you here to fix?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:25 pm (UTC)"There was this... plague. In my country. Over 59 million children died, with the number counting to rise over the years. Most of the ones who survived are in, uh, dangerous circumstances. A lot of other people have died too, because of various - political upheavals. I'm here to mitigate the damage as much as possible." He's not at ease, but he's far more comfortable when dealing with simple facts, where how it's personally affected him doesn't matter.
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:31 pm (UTC)"I see."
Pacing along the valley floor, they glance back over a shoulder at him.
"And in that context, what makes you special?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:35 pm (UTC)"I have more information on the... larger picture then most people where I'm from have the chance to learn. I was willing to sign on to the barge in exchange for the chance of getting the deal." He shrugs again. "I don't know how the Admiral chooses."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:45 pm (UTC)"Pssht." Trouble flicks a hand dismissively. "The Admiral chooses protagonists, darling. The brave, the bold, the unusual, the pivotal players. For wardens, anyway."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:51 pm (UTC)"Playing a pivotal role isn't necessarily limited to protagonists."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 07:54 pm (UTC)"There's a sizeable overlap," they say breezily. "So what role do you play in what I'm sure is a completely intolerable group of people too young to save the world but charged with doing it anyway?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:05 pm (UTC)"I do computer stuff. Information gathering, creating viruses, analyzing propaganda..."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:10 pm (UTC)"Rallying the troops with your optimistic outlook and sunny disposition?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:14 pm (UTC)Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:19 pm (UTC)They chuckle.
"Almost exclusively. That's what you get when a dictator from another world sets up shop on your planet and deals with the previous generation."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:24 pm (UTC)"What role do you play?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:36 pm (UTC)"Troublemaker."
Since he asked.
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:41 pm (UTC)"Did you, uh, pick your name?" He's not judging, but letting people know what they're getting into seems like an interesting choice.
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:46 pm (UTC)"You know, I didn't - but it's interesting how the two things have dovetailed, isn't it?"
They grin at him, all sharp teeth.
"What's your deal for? Trying to escape to somewhere less depressing?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 08:51 pm (UTC)"No. It's to stop kids from dying of IAAN." He doesn't need a deal to go somewhere else. "Do you want to go back to your world?"
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 09:02 pm (UTC)"Absolutely not." They hop from a low wall to a higher walkway, with barely more effort than taking a step. "There's nothing for me to go back to."
Re: spam
Date: 2020-12-31 09:08 pm (UTC)Re: spam
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