A Stranger in a Strange Land

Aug 4th, 2009 06:20 PM

It's early in the morning, when few people except the terminally curious have yet to show up to any museum. Through the entrance of Fillard Goldman strides Nótt, his staff marking the rhythm of his pace as he approaches the customer service desk. As the attendant looks up at him from the desk he rather awkwardly clears his throat, hesitates for a short moment, and plunges on with it.

"Hem. Good morning. I'm, errr, looking for Dr. Primoria. We had some brief contact, an I got the impression she wanted to meet us here. Could you perhaps offer me some directions?"

As people glance over at him in passing, noticing the rather unusual fellow, he thanks the Fates for deciding to show up when there would be as little patrons present as possible.

**West** · Aug 4th, 2009 09:52 PM

Narration

Gina looks at the tall stranger, and her pops her gum like a whip crack as her eyes take in the staff. Nótt can see her eyes judge him, and blink as they sift through appropriate responses. She's seen some odd stuff, though, and has come up with the perfect response.

"Your name?" she asks.

On an upper concourse, a brunette in a looks over at the front desk, before making her way down some stairs and disappearing.

Aug 6th, 2009 06:40 PM

He hadn't even considered that she'd ask for a name. Now what? He didn't know if she was to be trusted or not, whether a Shadow Name would work here. Scrutinizing would be far too conspicuous. Thinking fast he answered

"Err, Disir. I'm Nótt Disir".

His grip on the staff tightened slightly, as he tried to keep himself calm. "This'll go just fine" he thought, "it's the next logical step. You're doing fine."

**West** · Aug 6th, 2009 11:16 PM

Narration

Gina gives Nótt an odd look at his 'name', but dutifully pulls up her scheduling software on her PC. She pecks at the keyboard, and her gum pops as if it's playing a duet with the keyboard.

While she's still looking, a older-than-young, younger-than-middle-aged woman appears; the same woman Nótt had seen on the upper level.

"It's OK, Gina," she tells the girl, as she approaches. She's wearing a navy skirt and jacket with a striped white blouse; tell-tale smudges at her cuffs and the pencil the impales her hair up'do give Nótt the impression that she isn't just decoration.

"I'm Dr. Primoria," she tells Nótt with a smile.

:tyria:

**Jack Falley** · Aug 7th, 2009 03:06 AM

Jack wiped some of the sleep from his eyes as he walked into the museum. Okay, if calling here doesn't work, maybe I'll get better luck with just showing up.

He looks around him for a bit and hears a loud *pop*, cringing and furrowing his brow as he turns his head towards the desk. He sees a man with a staff talking with a rather pretty woman.

He thinks excitedly, Oh wait, didn't Arthur say that people regarded Dr. Primoria as beautiful? And that staff-wielder is rather conspicuous unless he's just a cosplayer and she's his girlfriend... In a museum, though? Not likely...

Walking purposefully straight towards the two, Jack asks the woman, "I'm sorry to intrude on any conversation you were having and for being so forward, but are you Dr. Primoria? I was told by a friend and mentor in San Fran' that I should... uh... seek Counselor... something from you..." Jack hopes that she gets the hint and others just think he said "Counsel or... something" from trying to find the right word.

Aug 7th, 2009 10:51 AM

Shaking hands with the woman, Nótt was just about to launch into his proper introduction when a stranger walked over and started talking. He could feel annoyance at such an interruption, especially as it came when he was trying to make a good first impression, but resolved to refrain from commenting. It wasn't his place.

However, he did notice the less than subtle indication. It seemed like a perfect opening.

"I'd hesitate to make assumptions, but it would seem likely that this gentleman and myself" here he indicated himself, and made sure to perform the subtle signal with his pinky finger on his sternum while doing so, then closing his hand into a fist after dropping it to his side, indicating his rank, "are both here on similar business. Or rather, business within the same general field of interest, so to speak. If I am correct, perhaps we should retire to a more private location more amenable to conducting our affairs?"

He then looked between the two of them, to see if he'd guessed correctly.

**West** · Aug 7th, 2009 12:33 PM

Tyria took a few steps away, out of Gina's hearing, and turned back.

"Business within business," Tyria replies to Nótt, with a quirk of her lip at her joke. "One moment."

She turned to regard Jack, and continues. "Usually young men tell me their names before admitting they want something from me." Tyria paused, eyes taking in Jack for a few long moments. If he was what he suggested, apparently his Mentor had taught him to walk around Sightless. "What is your field of study, and does your... mentor... have a name?"

**Jack Falley** · Aug 7th, 2009 03:02 PM

"Ah... Right..." Jack reddened a bit and glanced at the ground, frowning. "I'm terribly sorry... My name's Jack."

Looking back up from his feet, he answers her questions, "I recently graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from U.I.U.C., then moved t' San Fran' for a job in my field about two weeks ago. I... uh... woke up not more than two days after moving in. The next day, Fate led me t' Arthur, my mentor... I believe he said that he was a... uh... a Censor..."

Jack continues, "After teaching me some of th' basics, he suggested I move here t' protect my family back in Illinois from any... uh... bad people who would use my name to hurt me, just to be safe..."

Aug 7th, 2009 03:30 PM

"Then you should be proud of your actions Jack. Not everyone would be willing to perform such a Sacrifice, giving up your own life and new home to protect others. It's a choice to be respected. You'll see that the Fates will reward you in turn for it, mark my words" he says, his voice taking on a slight note of formality, almost as if he's reciting, or holding a public speech, before holding out his hand to shake that of Jack and saying in a more conversational tone "I'm Nótt by the way, and find myself recently arrived here as well. Honoured to have met you."

**Tyria Primoria** · Aug 7th, 2009 04:25 PM

"Why don't we go to my office?" Tyria asks, leading the way.

It's large, with a glass desk and Aeron chair. A single laptop and notepad sit on it, with multiple colored pens. A credenza is covered with legal folders, and bookshelves line the walls. A Newtonian demonstrator sways gently next to a computer monitor. A large poster filled with small digits representing Pi is on one wall, and a picture of two dolphins jumping in the ocean, titled "Synchronicity" is on another.

Tyria motions to the two chairs on the other side of the desk as she sits herself, and looks at the two young men expectantly.

A Stranger in a Strange Land

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