[IC] Lost in Dreams (Chandra)

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by ericthered

She can't tell anything yet. maybe she'll figure it out as they talk.

(Sorry about the delay; very chaotic life.)

OOC: Beyond Haley's words, how does her demeanor register? Threatening? Amused? Curious? Something else entirely? Is she wary and ready for a fight, or does she seem more open to a conversation?

The limits of text, when you can't see/hear cues ... :)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

(Sorry about the delay; very chaotic life.)

OOC: Beyond Haley's words, how does her demeanor register? Threatening? Amused? Curious? Something else entirely? Is she wary and ready for a fight, or does she seem more open to a conversation?

The limits of text, when you can't see/hear cues ... :)

serious, confident, self-pleased, threatening, but impressed with chandra.

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Chandra is studying in the library early one morning (3 AM) as the two weeks are almost completed, when a voice behind her says "Chandra Morgan. You have some interesting talents." Haley, standing there, doesn't seem to be armed, and isn't drawing any energy. "Your friends were tough nuts to crack, but they were working with an expert. So what exactly are you?"

The library is mostly empty, just a librarian near the entrance.

A thousand thoughts cross Chandra's mind in an instant. But they add up to an interesting answer -- whether Haley really knows or not, she has as much to lose from exposure as Chandra does. Maybe even more; even in a quasi-military society like this one, an accidental tourist would surely be handled differently from a deliberate spy.

And who's to say that Haley's world isn't the preferable one? With Gopal's attitude, it's possible I could wind up being turned over to the authorities anyway. She'd have nothing to lose by it. She'd probably even get a promotion out of it, a commendation for the file.

She looks up and at Haley, as though interrupted in her studies.

"Excuse me?" Chandra says in Gopal's Hindi accent. A friendly smile crosses her face. "Oh, good morning, Haley. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in. But perhaps we should talk elsewhere, so as not to disturb the librarian?"

A slight nod in that direction acts as a reminder: We're not alone here.

"I've wanted to study with you for some time," she continues. "I think we could learn a great deal from each other."

[ericthered]

Haley is surprized at the request.

"Yes, some place quieter -- perhaps that room back there"

She points to a room made for groups to meet in privately.

"yes, we could learn lots from each other. Of course, I asked my question first."

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Haley is surprized at the request.

"Yes, some place quieter -- perhaps that room back there"

She points to a room made for groups to meet in privately.

"yes, we could learn lots from each other. Of course, I asked my question first."

"Perhaps we might trade -- a question for a question?" she asks, still in the Hindi accent, as they enter the room and close the door. "Of course, before we start, I would want some assurance that my friends have not been harmed. They are annoying at times, but that does not mean I wish any permanent damage to them, and I would be rather ... pained to discover such had happened."

[ericthered]

"a Question for a Question then. Your friends are fine. Maybe missing a few memories, but nothing that's going to hurt them. Could I have my answer and your question? If you forgot, my question is what are you?"

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"a Question for a Question then. Your friends are fine. Maybe missing a few memories, but nothing that's going to hurt them. Could I have my answer and your question? If you forgot, my question is what are you?"

In for a penny, in for a pound.

"A medical student," she says simply ... and in her native English accent. "One that woke up one morning to find herself in a strange bed and a brand new world."

The sensation of speaking in her own, civilized voice is a welcome one -- so welcome that Chandra has to remind herself not to relax too much. She isn't sure whose side Haley is on -- or, for that matter, whose side Chandra is on.

"And now I think a reversal would be fair," she says simply. "What precisely are you -- aside from being someone able to touch minds rather noisily?"

[ericthered]

Haley: "A natural world jumper on their first inadvertant trip. I was hoping for more, but that does answer the question."

"I'm a resident of another world like this one. We've used magic reguarly since the end of world war two. I'm a mage who specializes in mental magic."

"What are your supernatural capabilities?"

[Rocket Man]

A thin smile emerges. " I suppose that depends on how you define the supernatural," Chandra says. "I suspect each of our worlds is capable of things the other would find bizarre, and that this world would find its own strangeness in the both of us. But, allowing for that ..."

She folds her hands, marshaling her thoughts. "There's the 'jumping' that you referred to, of course, assuming it is intrinsic and not some trick of the environment. And a sensitivity to magic such as yours -- when you cast or use that little artifact of yours, it has a flowing sound, like a tap left on. And from the sound of it, you've already found me resistant to your mental magic; a good thing, too, I suspect, or we'd not be having this conversation."

"Some of my classmates in both worlds might count remorseless logic as a supernatural ability, I suppose," she adds with a knowing look. "I suspect we've a lot in common there. "

"But now, seeing as it is my turn -- what is your purpose here?"

[ericthered]

"Resistant, but I doubt you're immune. I'm having this conversation because I'm neither as heavy handed nor as arrogant as that."

She appears as though she would say, more, but then thinks better of it.

"I'm here to infiltrate the infinity patrol. The ultimate goal is to discover the locations of new worlds and infinity's real resource capacity. I work for the CIA on my world."

"Have you sensed any magic other than mine while you've been here?"