hadriel | [Video

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[Victor's face appears on the screen. At least he's figured out how to not be too close to the little camera on his phone.]

Hey! You! Yeah, I mean all of you.

I'm still processing all that shit that happened when I arrived and when the fog rolled in. This place is a god damn mess, right? We're batteries for some assholes and they can't even keep things under control. Never mind, that'll just keep pissing me off if I talk about it.

[He even takes a breath before going right back into another ramble.]

Why I'm really calling is to play with this phone. I mean look at it, it's pretty amazing. I wonder who all played a part in it. I'd love to say I'd come up with something like this but it's a bit ahead of me right now. If anyone can help explain some of the stuff I don't get about it, let me know.

Oh, yeah, and also. I'm calling out to whoever is in the Guard. That means if you can see this get back to me. Now that we have a moment to breathe I'd like to know if you're the real thing or just another problem I'm going to have to worry about. I hope you are the real thing, I have enough people to keep an eye on already and it hasn't even been a month.

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Now that's what I'm talking about. How about you tell me how to get there and I'll wrap up what I am doing and swing on by? Make it easy on me to get what I need to know and I promise I'll be out of your hair. Unless you guys are up to something really terrible and shitty, then I am going to come in like a force of nature. But if you're mostly all like that one woman I might almost believe that you aren't the bad guys.

[He's just going to assume "like that one woman" probably means Maketh, though any of the ladies on the Guard would be a fair representative.]

We're over by the armory on the south end of town. I'm in the office now, if you want to drop in. The name's Nick Valentine.

Got it Nick, I'll be over.

[It doesn't take Victor Talbot long to wrap up, but it does take him a bit to find his way there. He needs to explore more.

When he arrives, he enters with a brisk, far too forceful stride. Like you might catch something just before everyone covers it up. Looking around the office for a man who could be "Nick".]

I was told to swing on by so I took the offer. Is Nick here?

[The building is relatively empty at the moment, with some of the Guard taking it easy as they try to recuperate from the nightmarish events of the past week. At one of the desks sits the Nick who Victor is looking for, though whether or not one would consider the mechanical synth a "man" varies from person to person.

Nick stands as Victor walks in, giving him a nod in greeting.]

I'm Nick. You must be the guy from the network.

[He'd offer Victor a handshake, but he refrains, as he's found the bare, metal hand tends to be off-putting more often than not. Instead, he gestures toward the chair in front of the desk with it.]

Take a seat. I'll see if I can't clear up a few things for you.

[Victor does give a moment's pause upon seeing the synth. The first hiccup in his plan to barge in and get answers. A somewhat polite person.]

Thanks.

[Victor looks around as he approaches, takes the chair and tilts it back some before letting it rest and sitting in it. It's like he's expecting, or hoping to find, something wrong with this scenario. Like a trap.]

Maybe you can. So you're Nick? I'm just going to be honest and say after this I am going to have some personal questions for you too. But first, business! The Guard, you're a member? Whose the founder?

[Nick watches the way Victor tips the chair back, but says nothing to it as he takes his own seat on the other side of the desk. He was expecting questions -- not just about the Guard, but about himself. It comes with the territory of looking and acting like he does. He's fairly certain a Protectron would raise less alarms than someone who looks like a machine, but has the mannerisms of someone more organic.]

Well, it's not as though I'd take up sitting here writing reports for my health. I usually stick to patrols, but I had some desk work that needed doing today. As for our founders, their names are Maketh Tua and Henry Percy, but I believe Damianos of Akielos told you that already.

[Spoiler, Victor: he watches the network. He mentions it lightly -- it's less of a warning and more of a friendly heads-up to an apparent newcomer.]

Now I have even more questions. But I'll tag those on the end if you got the time.

[The whole, "how did you know what other people sent me" thing for one.]

That Maketh woman didn't seem so bad though so I'll focus there. I think I left a pretty sour impression with her but I'm used to that. I haven't met Henry yet, we'll see if he's the patient sort. So you guys gathered up for the sake of everyone else from what I hear. You're a member, does that seem right? Do the two of them keep everyone in line with that ideal?

[In all honesty they could be playing him and he'd never find out. He still wants to put his face in theirs, even if he plans to look a bit deeper than that. Harassing a bunch of them might get something to shake loose. Of course, there's also this guy who might be more interesting to talk to beyond The Guard.]

[More questions. Smart man.]

Well, there's not much to keeping the rest of us in line. We're all volunteers, and most of us had been patrolling regularly as it was, trying to keep the streets clear of monsters when new folks roll into town. Several of us just picked up where we left off back home. Got some soldiers, some military, some people who've just got something they want to protect.

As for me, I'm a private eye. And I get the feeling from all the questions that you might have some history in this sort of thing yourself.

Division of Investigation. Uh, someone mentioned the cats out of the bag on this one but we are going to change our name to the Federal Bureau of Investigation soon. I'm still not handling the time travel shit too well. You'd think I'd be used to strange things, but no, something else fucks with what I can wrap my mind around.

[Before he gets too far on a tangent again.]

Soldiers are a little more grey but I get the gist of it now. Better than a cult or some enforcer assholes. Even the angrier ones of you guys I met don't seem honestly that bad. Maybe I'll calm down on insulting any more of you. It doesn't look likely someone's going to have a mask that breaks and reveals the true monster within.

Though just so I know what I'm dealing with. If I catch one of you doing something shady and break their nose, are the rest of you going to come down on me?

[He's still getting used to the whole "time travel and different worlds" concept himself. It's a tough one for some folks to grasp.]

Not if you don't take matters into your own hands. We don't exactly have a set of laws here, but we all need to be working together, whether it's to keep our own safe, or to help when the 'gods' get out of hand. If one of the Guard isn't doing what's right for the good of all of us, you let us know, and we'll handle them. It's as simple as that.

That sounds about right. If I do take it into my own hands I expect you guys won't let that slide. I couldn't blame you either, back home we arrest vigilantes. It's just something you do. Anyways, now on to you.

What the hell are you?

[As polite as he can manage. A true investigator.]

[And there's the question he was expecting at some point.]

I'm surprised you managed to sit on that question this long. Like I said, I'm a detective, but the answer you're looking for is that I'm a synth.

I surprise myself sometimes too.

[But still, he went for the less selfish questions first. Or at least in his mind.]

A synth?

[Victor may not look it, or act it, but he's a scholar investigator in many ways. He frowns as he pieces together what that could mean.]

So does that have to do with what you're made of or is that a new term for artificial human?

A little of both. Back where I'm from, there's a place that knows how to make artificial folks like myself. The newer models are more organic, but still as synthetic as they come, all manufactured. As for me, all the parts are there, but they're mechanical. I need an engineer rather than a doctor when something goes wrong.

[And given the lack of both in Hadriel, and the fact trouble is always only a month away, at best, it's no wonder his room mar worries about his health.]

[Where as technological machinations such as Nick are a bit advanced for Victor, he doesn't seem all that put off by the artificial part.]

The wonders of fucking science. So normal people make people like you? You're not just a golem, you're a person too right?

[Victor's no engineer either. He might recognize how older tech works but he doesn't have a knack for repairing it.]

Edited 2016-06-28 16:57 (UTC)

I'm not sure most people would say that, but I get by.

[While a lot of folks back in the Commonwealth might consider him more of an elaborate tool than a person, depending on who and where one asks, his reputation in Hadriel definitely points to him being as much of a person as anyone of flesh and blood. It's Nick himself who struggles to see that.]

Yeah, well, it's not really up to most people now is it? If a group of people said I was a fucking tree squirrel it wouldn't make me one. I never quite got the itch to create a person but I can appreciate the work. Too bad you're so beat up, if I run into someone I think can help I'll send them along.

[Where as Victor is pretty straight forward and can't really separate artificial people from people. Sure, they're not human but they're still people. Sadly, most of them are terrible people.]

So, those people that made you, do they let you off on your own or did they keep interfering in your life like some over possessive father figure?

I got trashed. Dumped in the garbage.

[Or at least that's what he still assumes happened -- either that, or he has to give that dream of his credence, and he's not sure he's ready for that just yet. At least that might explain some of the wear and tear on him, though he remembers getting some of the scars himself from years of wandering the ruins, then even more when he was the handyman of Diamond City.

He leaves his answer short and to the point, as though he's not keen on elaborating more.]

I hope whatever asshole pulled that move got what's coming to him.

[Victor means like a broken nose or getting roughed up.]

So, on to more cheerful topics. How the hell did you tap my phone? It doesn't even have a cord. Is there something on it I'm missing?

You'd probably figure it out on your own if you fiddled with it a bit more, but most of what you put on the network is open to the public eye. Good for those of us who like to keep an eye on things.

[He reaches into the pocket of his coat and pulls out his own device.]

When you make a call, there's a button down here you can press that'll lock the conversation to whomever you're talking to. I wouldn't put anything too personal on the network, though. These things don't seem easy to hack, but I'm betting the gods keep tabs on all that goes on there.

Huh. Well good to know. Not that I trust communications that I don't even understand to begin with but it's good to know that's a feature and not just people being clever.

[Victor looks over his own device, playing with it. He makes very deliberate presses on the screen when dealing without physical buttons. It still sits awkwardly in his hand.]

Not that I have a lot of personal stuff to hide. Anything like that I'd be talking about in person anyways. Speaking of, I never did really introduce myself. I'm Victor Talbot...

[Shit. At this point he gives up on that one.]

And I'm guessing old age isn't really a thing you worry about is it?

I was starting to wonder when you'd stop asking questions long enough to give me a name.

[Valentine says that with a wry smirk. He could have asked, but figured this guy would prefer information to introductions. He does note the way Victor handles his device -- he can't say he blames him, given he started out doing much the same. He only has one hand that works well with the touch screen, too.]

As for age, it's not something I worry much about, aside from how long it's been since my last tune-up. Don't need to eat or sleep or any of that business, either.

[Which makes him a handy addition to the Guard.]

[He had tried to lie about his name again, but he's finding out quick that that won't be something he can maintain here. Oh well, Victor Talbot it is. He figures that everyone that name matters too probably already knows who he is and that he is here.

And he really wanted to say his name in person anyways. He wasn't sure how the network worked with so many eyes and ears on him. Would he be able to lie? Probably not. The rules governing him had loopholes but he hasn't had the time to find a way to use them here.]

I've had a lot on my mind, pleasant introductions aren't high on my list of things to worry about. You've been pretty helpful though. Which means you're either a decent person, lying to my face, or a little of both.

As for the Guard, how does one go about joining? Do they talk to one of the two who founded it?

[As for which of those things Nick might be, he's not telling. Most would probably go with 'decent person,' but he sometimes thinks differently of himself.]

Well, I can take down some information now and give it to Maketh and Henry to look over, then you can come sign up when you're ready. Though if you're interested in chatting with them, I might just save the paperwork for them. I've got enough on my plate with all that happened with the fog.

Yeah, I wouldn't want to get you swamped with my bullshit anyways. I'll go talk to them if I want to try joining. If they say no, it's no big deal, I'll just continue what I was going to do anyways.

[Which is attempt to put down those causing all the chaos. But he's not that effective. Against real monsters, his own abilities are limited.]

If you ever need help with some paperwork give me a call. If I'm not busy I could use the busy work.

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