[network] @ADMIN; Arrival

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Welcome to Norfinbury. The time is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R and the date is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R. This network has been provided for your use. Please interact politely with everyone else on this network.

Comments

[devoutish]

Why those two choices, specifically?

[nursetemple]

The way you talk, mainly. Calm, composed, giving me information to get my cooperation, but just enough. The taking charge of things, but delegating. The lack of surprise at the idea that people are corrupt.

[She shrugs a shoulder.]

Fits both. I find that mobsters tend to be more honest.

[devoutish]

You flatter me.

[Which is an answer in and of itself.]

[nursetemple]

Not trying to. Both types are also selfish, destructive, corrupt themselves, and have too little regard for human life, too often.

[All points to mobster. She'll take it.]

But at least you're putting your efforts towards helping everyone to get out of here. I'll help with that.

[devoutish]

And if I can corrupt the lot of you a bit while I'm doing it, all the better.

[It's said like a joke, but a tired-sounding joke; his heart isn't really in it.]

[nursetemple]

[Her laugh is just as fake as his joke sounded; a little bitter, scared. She's strangely not worried that he's another Fisk, but she's not a fool. He is the same kind of dangerous.]

What makes you think I need to be corrupted?

[devoutish]

Relax. Yeah? Only a joke.

[nursetemple]

[This time, she laughs harder, but there's a biting edge to it. Is he for real?]

I guess you've got some balls, telling me what to do and think right now. Yeah, I got it was only a joke. My answer wasn't very serious, either. I'm trying to relax, see, so that I can do my job should I need to. But yesterday, I was packing up to go on a holiday to Florida, and now I'm here, so you'll excuse me if I'm slightly on edge.

[devoutish]

Mm. Relax was not an order.

[nursetemple]

Was it a suggestion, then?

[Claire raises an eyebrow. This man is...intriguing.]

Tell me, how does one relax in Norfinbury, Alaska?

[At least it's after lockdown, and there has been no anomalies in her path.]

[devoutish]

You don't. Not on your first day. But after that, you pretend.

[nursetemple]

Sounds like every day, back home.

[The only times when she could relax were late nights, when no Matt and no Russians were around, a blanket around her legs, a glass of scotch in her hand and shitty terrible tv was on. Quiet, soothing.]

I'd give much for a knitted blanket and a glass of Lagavulin, right now.

[devoutish]

You don't want alcohol in this cold. The blanket, though, you might find that.

I'd wager this place is nothing like your home. It's likely much worse, but it's at least very different.

[nursetemple]

One glass is not going to hurt me. Also, just wishful thinking. I'm a pretty responsible person. [She smiles, and it seems to echo in her voice, warmer at the end of her words. She knows herself, she knows what cold does to people. She's not planning on actually killing herself through dehydration and hypothermia.]

So far, it's definitely worse. I get the crime back home, but it's still a community, my community. Where are you from, in England? Must be pretty different for you, too.

[devoutish]

London. Nineteen-twenty. Very different, yes.

You may find your Lagavulin yet. We've found gin; wine.

[nursetemple]

[Wow. Well. That's different, indeed. She has to wonder what he thinks of a woman in a job like hers. A mixed raced woman, at that.

She doesn't ask.]

You're doing perfectly fine with the technology provided, that's impressive. I guess you've been here for long enough?

I doubt I'll find fine Scotch anywhere here, but I'll keep an eye out. It can always be used as disinfectant anyway.

[devoutish]

Mm.

[That's an approving mm. He likes resourcefulness.]

I've been here for-- oh, fifty-odd days. Our longest residents are pushing six months.

[nursetemple]

Yes, I've been talking with some of the people that have been here longer. I feel for them.

[Especially since both Al and Steph are children. At least, he sounds like one; she's probably in her late teens, but still too young to be here.]

[devoutish]

Many more have died, and not come back.

[nursetemple]

[If she was anyone else, she'd spit and curse.]

So many are so young.

[devoutish]

Ten, eleven, twelve. Yeah.

[He's not happy about it, either.]

Plenty looking after 'em, though.

[nursetemple]

Alright, that's good to know.

[The idea of kids wandering alone is just unpleasant.]

[devoutish]

Yeah. Even I'm not gonna touch the kids, don't you worry.

[nursetemple]

[She didn't expect that.]

But the adults are fair game?

[devoutish]

That depends on the adult, doesn't it.