text | UN: waver.v || & action || forward-dated to Feb. 07

[professor_charisma]

I suppose I should give an introduction as well, since I've just arrived, though I'll admit right out I'm not much for talking about myself. I'm a new Warden, my name is Waver Velvet. I'm from London, which I hope is a recognizable name to people out there. I know that we're all meeting here from different corners of the universe.

Ice breakers do seem a bit awkward in a situation like this, don't they. It feels out of place to say something like "I can't wait to get to work" or "I'm glad to be here". So I'll just say that I'm here to help in whatever way I can. Back home, I'm a professor, and I'd rather handle this position as a teacher rather than an actual warden. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and doing whatever I'm able to.

WARDEN FILTER
I'd rather meet my new coworkers face to face than over this, so I'll be in the lounge going over my materials at Warden Command if anyone cares to chat. But over this is fine as well. I'm not picky.

[Action tags welcome for any Warden who cares to meet. Waver will be sitting at one of the open-air tables looking over his communicator with a cup of coffee. He has a lot of reading to do, so better get that caffeine flowing. Right now, he's going over any inmate information he can access, and is taking some notes. He's planning to hit up the library later to check out books from and about their homelands, to get a better idea of where these people are coming from.]

Comments

[professor_charisma]

I don't know. I can try to find out, but I doubt they'll give me all the details. My guess is that it is is reversible, contingent upon graduation. But I'll find out for sure.

[He considers something for a moment.]

If you'll allow, I could run a test to see if they're blocking it using magical means. That doesn't mean I'll know how to reverse it. I sincerely doubt I'd be able to anyway. [Or should.].

[saklas]

You can? Yes.

[Please.]

Full permission.

[professor_charisma]

[Waver is ready to deal with that right away; those are pretty easy spells to do.

That is, when you have access to the right equipment and energy. Were there even accessible leylines out here? He looks disappointed for a moment. This would be a lot easier if he didn't have to rely so heavily on those crutches.]

... Sorry. Yes, I'll absolutely do it if I can. I need to see what I have to work with in order to work here. I haven't had a chance since I just arrived.

[saklas]

Yeah.

[Volk doesn't look abashed at asking - that would require him seeing something wrong with being constantly, harshly demanding of every single person around him - around him - but he shoves his hands in his pockets and at least looks frustrated and lost at the world in general, not at Waver.]

What did you think this place was going to be like?

[Not sarcastic. Volk has no idea how he was sold on it.]

[professor_charisma]

A little more accommodating to a practicing mage, honestly.

[Ah. Volk is speaking more broadly. Waver sighs lightly, running a finger absently along the edge of his communicator.]

...I'm wasn't sure. I'm still not. I wasn't expecting a walk in the park by any means. What I was hoping for, I suppose, was a chance to make a difference.

[A real difference. Somewhere where it would be noticed and appreciated. A chance to break out of a rut.]

My skills and knowledge are... narrow. But they seemed confident I was fit for the job.

[He, however, doesn't. Probably not a good look on a warden, and he realizes that. He looks up at Volk, trying to rebuild his resolve.]

As I said earlier, I'm a teacher. Professor. So, that's what I'll do. If sitting down with a class of inmates teaching them whatever it is they need, I'll do it.

[saklas]

[Volk snorts, and looks away.]

Nobody makes a difference, trust me. Nothing either of us will ever do will put a single dent in the perpetual self-fucking death spiral of intelligent life. We all should have stayed as predatory amoebas. Collectively.

[professor_charisma]

[Boy, does he ever feel that some days. If it wasn't for one certain influence in his life, Waver can't help but think of how he might be on the other side if this position, standing alongside Volk. Waver was nowhere near confident enough to think that he could have such level of influence on another person, but he always tried his best.

His voice was soft now, stern but hopeful.]

We don't have to worry about the rest of intelligent life and what they're up to right now. Let's just concern ourselves with what's going on in this ship, and what we can do to make it better.

[saklas]

You might regret encouraging me to do that.

[Volk grins and cracks his knuckles, then looks down like he remembers that this usually means punching.]

Uh, I like to argue on the internet.

[professor_charisma]

[He can't help but chuckle at that.]

Yes, well. No wonder you have faith in intelligent life. You're not finding any on there.

[saklas]

It's the best place to go to argue! People are so wrong. And dumb.

[You know how hard it is to argue with someone that's right and smart?]

[professor_charisma]

Yes, but you don't have anonymity here. The people you're arguing with are just the people in the next room over.

[We're going to have to get you some healthier hobbies, Volk.]

[saklas]

What, like they're going to come after me? Let em. I'm actually trapped, and the only thing I can do about it is to convince people that they're looking at this wrong.

[He presses his mouth into a thin line.]

I can't even go through the system in a regular way because I don't fucking understand what I'm supposed to be doing.

[professor_charisma]

[He frowns at that. But frowning is also sort of his default look.] Going out of your way to make everyone even more miserable, yourself included, isn't going to do anyone any good.

[He doesn't get you internet trolls. There are so many better ways to spend your time! Thinks the guy who's probably gotten in flame wars playing MMOs at least once in his life.]

[saklas]

Bullshit. Bullshit it won't. This place is dangerous and neglectful and there are concrete things the wardens could be doing about it.

[professor_charisma]

No, I--

[He sighs lightly. He's on Volk's side, he swears...]

Absolutely keep those concerns to the forefront. Stay on us about that. But don't just-- antagonize. Otherwise when you do have more real issues to bring up, you're taken seriously. I don't want anyone to dismiss those.

[saklas]

Oh, there is no combination of civility that will get me taken seriously, don't worry about that. I was prepared to fight you a lot harder about the rooms before you agreed, actually.

[It was a nice surprise - but it's indicative of how hard he's had to push on things he considers logical and harmless.]

[professor_charisma]

Yes, well. It seemed like a pretty simple thing to do in order to help.

[He looks at his comm as a message coming through.]

We can discuss more later. For now I need to speak with the other wardens about what they think of what's going on around here too. Two sides to every story, as they say. [And to talk to Volk's current warden.]

[saklas]

Be my guest.

[You will see that everyone is wrong, and he is right.]