|
Post by Castoro Chiaro on Jul 27, 2012 13:57:12 GMT -5
[Wow sorry this took so long to put up. Anyhoo, like I said before, this is a thread for Social Workers to get to know one another and to build group dynamics before the main thread goes up. Other characters are more than welcome to join, but I'd love to see all our Social Workers get tested out.]
The early morning hours fell over New Lancaster, the sky afire with all the sorrowful colors of dawn. Weak pinks and salmon, shades of orange, and the slightest hint of a vibrant red. He'd seen the sunrise many times -- mostly because he'd kept watch of the camp all night during his boyhood years -- but in all his years, Roger had never been able to enjoy it. Not like he could now.
So, he was in no particular rush to get to work. Actually he was in absolutely no rush at all; he'd get to work whenever he did. Schedules never did made much sense to Mr. Norman. Which was probably why he was never up for promotion or an allotment increase (since there was no longer real need for money, Social Workers were instead given more and more assets the harder they worked. His apartment was still minimal grade, as was his store of food). There were many diligent workers on the force, anyway, so it wasn't like they were ever short of eager volunteers for Case Managers. Funny word for captains; they pretty much ran the show, kept the Social Workers in line, gave orders, picked out which cases to pursue, that sort of thing.
Anyway he'd gotten off-track musing on the wonders of the system. Work wasn't too far now, even as slow as he was going. Who knows, maybe he'd run into someone on the way. Could use a bit've friendly conversation, it might divert his thoughts away from plot exposition.
|
|
Caineachu
Manifest of Eye
I lost everything so I could keep you safe
Posts: 75
|
Post by Caineachu on Jul 27, 2012 14:06:05 GMT -5
Alex Wilhelm was about to be late.
She never really cared much for keeping up with schedules and what not, but today, she had insisted to herself that she needed to get to work fast and on time. So that's what she was doing. Her residence wasn't the furthest away from HQ, but she still needed to book it a little to get there, her pace a light jog for most of the trip.
She held her arm up as she rounded a corner, picking up speed, the sun in her eyes blinding her a moment until she lined her hand up to perfectly block the beams of light. She almost didn't see the man in front of her, nearly barreling into him from behind.
"Shoot, sorry, almost took you out-"
She paused and looked at him again.
"Hey, wait a sec. I've seen you around before. Social Worker?"
|
|
|
Post by Castoro Chiaro on Jul 27, 2012 14:17:36 GMT -5
"More of a glorified security guard than anything else. But yes," he replied as he turned to face her, showing his badge. "I've seen you around as well. Or. I've seen your hair, at least. It's hard to forget."
He grinned in private amusement, remembering the game he used to play when he saw her passing by his desk of pondering whether her hair was dyed or natural. Offering a hand, he added, "Roger Norman."
|
|
Caineachu
Manifest of Eye
I lost everything so I could keep you safe
Posts: 75
|
Post by Caineachu on Jul 27, 2012 14:24:24 GMT -5
"Yeah, having past shoulder-length red hair has that effect."
Grinning a little back, she took his hand, giving it a nice, firm shake. "Alex Wilhelm." Letting go of his hand, she glancing in the direction they were both going. "Headin' to work too, Roger?"
|
|
|
Post by Castoro Chiaro on Jul 27, 2012 14:42:52 GMT -5
"I do seem to be wandering in that direction," he replied, stuffing his hands back into the sooty pockets of his coat. "D'you have the time? I think I might be getting dangerously close to being late. Might not be the best idea to pull that three days in a row."
|
|
Caineachu
Manifest of Eye
I lost everything so I could keep you safe
Posts: 75
|
Post by Caineachu on Jul 27, 2012 14:51:42 GMT -5
"Not too sure, but it's gotta be close to the time our shifts start."
Alex rolled the sleeves on her jacket back up. "Come on, let's get a move on."
|
|
nocturne
Normal
See Alvin. See Alvin Run. Run, Alvin, RUN!!!!
Posts: 23
|
Post by nocturne on Jul 27, 2012 15:22:46 GMT -5
The office was dim, weak light feebly streaming in from the open windows. With only the one power plant operating, there was not much use for lots of lights in office buildings, and gaslight was still expensive. And frankly, he didn't care whether it was bright or dim in the room.
The dim light hid the shabbiness, the floor tiles worn down by time and hard use. The rows of file cabinets salvaged from buildings all over OldTown, bursting with huge volumes of case files, documenting each and every sorrowful story of pain and sickness. A few pictures, none of them newer than twenty years, hanging on the walls to provide some relief from the drudgery, the toil, the burden of caring for people who were cursed by genetics with gifts that would eventually kill them.
Edouard shook his head as though dismissing an errant fly.
He removed the watch from his pocket and wound it idly. Who knew what time it was, really. There was no reference anymore but the hourglass, the sundial, the mechanical watch. Some few electronic clocks existed within the Heart District, Central New Lancaster, but here, in the Verge, there was only the imprecise, the antique, and the ambiguous.
He was not alone in the building, but the team he was to meet this morning wasn't among the few who moved about their tasks.
He idly looked at the watch, and waited in the gloom for the sun to rise, and the task to begin.
|
|
|
Post by Castoro Chiaro on Jul 27, 2012 15:30:37 GMT -5
Roger started on his way again beside Alex, eyes still affixed to the sky. Daybreak was his favorite time of day. Generally only a very few would dare to drag themselves out of bed at this hour. The quiet gave him silence in which to no think about anything, and that was the most relaxing thing in the world to him.
It wasn't long before they reached the rough old building, still in the process of being remodeled. The Institute was always a busy place, when the Doctors started showing up. The Social Workers' offices were on the lower floors and basement, out of the way. He showed his card to the security guard on duty who simply nodded sleepily as Roger and Alex passed.
The offices were a bit cramped, with a table of napkins and freshly-baked pastries available for those coming in for the early shift. Whoever it was that always made the morning coffee had, once again, served him well, and he silently thanked them as he poured himself a cup. Roger had developed something of an addiction for the stuff. He'd really missed out for a long time.
|
|
Caineachu
Manifest of Eye
I lost everything so I could keep you safe
Posts: 75
|
Post by Caineachu on Jul 27, 2012 17:35:15 GMT -5
Alex moved to one of the pastries, picking it up and taking a bite. Like usual, it was delicious. Whoever made them definitely knew what they were doing. She sat down in one of the seat, putting her feet up on the table. She glanced over at the coffee, which Roger quickly went over to. She already had her caffeine fix before she left her house that morning.
"Any idea what we're going to be sent out do today?"
|
|
|
Post by Nyx Aeterna on Jul 27, 2012 17:49:54 GMT -5
Lakshmi ran inside the building, rushing down to where she knew she had to be. Dealing with a migraine this morning had made her late, and she couldn't help but feel bad for shaking her doctor awake to fix her eyes. Again.
The dim office building seemed to be in a perfect lighting for Lucky's specialized eyes. It wasn't too bright, and the soft light allowed for her to pick out small details without having to strain. A difficulty for most was an advantage for her. But she didn't have time for that now. Her waist-length black hair was a bit frazzled in her rush to get to the office, as she'd never been late before and she didn't want to start today. She realized she'd skipped breakfast, and snaked a little fresh-baked pastry from the nice little breakfast table. Yum. It may not have been her usual toast with jelly, but it was certainly good.
A few minutes later, two other Social Workers -- Roger and Alex? -- walked into the building, looking relaxed. Lucky quickly finger-combed her hair, annoyed that she'd barely had time to brush it this morning, and nodded to them both as Roger poured himself a cup of coffee. "Good morning," she said, yawning a bit and taking another bite of the baked thing. She'd never had baked foods in India, so she was still unsure of the names of these little things. A muffin? Maybe. She didn't care about the name at the moment-- the taste of blueberries in a cute little cake thing was enough to satisfy her. "How are you two?"
|
|
nocturne
Normal
See Alvin. See Alvin Run. Run, Alvin, RUN!!!!
Posts: 23
|
Post by nocturne on Jul 27, 2012 23:24:03 GMT -5
Edouard heard voices near the entryway, stirring him from his contemplation of the watch. He put it away carefully, wrapping it in a soft cloth; it was old, and worth keeping nice. He stood, letting the duster fall naturally to hang from his shoulders, and gazed at the small cluster of people forming there around the coffee.
The redheaded girl is pretty, Edouard though idly, pretty enough not to need to work in the castoff rooms of the Institute among the Social Workers. Could she be a plant? Another agent of IntSec? He filed her image away in his memory to check. The man near him appeared relaxed, pleasant, completely non-memorable. A man who might be useful.
As he crossed the room to where they were, the two were joined by a darker woman, her ravenwing hair masking her face as she took a pastry. As she rose, the glimmer of unnatural brightness caught his eye as she spoke to the man. Manifested, he thought idly. Obviously this is some sort of joint venture. I should have been told.
He stepped to the group, looked at the man squarely. "You are Roger Norman." he stated, as though pronouncing sentence. "I am Doctor Peeces. I was told to report to you this morning for our operation. I believe you knew I was coming." Without waiting for a response, he put a smile on his face that did not reach to his eyes, "I'm afraid I do not know your name, miss." he said to the redheaded lady. "Or yours," he added to the dark woman.
|
|
Caineachu
Manifest of Eye
I lost everything so I could keep you safe
Posts: 75
|
Post by Caineachu on Jul 30, 2012 13:38:24 GMT -5
Alex looked at the man who had inquired her name, smiling a little. "Then allow me to introduce myself." She held out her hand to him. "I'm Alex Wilhelm. I don't know your name, either."
|
|
|
Post by Nyx Aeterna on Jul 30, 2012 17:15:20 GMT -5
Lakshmi noted the lack of warmth in the man's eyes. Doctor Peeces was indeed expected for today's operation, but Lucky had been hoping for more of a people person. Oh well, just another job. "Lakshmi Kavungal," she said, also offering her hand to shake. "You may call me Ms. Kavungal." She smiled politely, awaiting whatever the man had to offer.
|
|
nocturne
Normal
See Alvin. See Alvin Run. Run, Alvin, RUN!!!!
Posts: 23
|
Post by nocturne on Jul 31, 2012 14:40:09 GMT -5
"My name is Edouard, but I go by Puzzle," His glacial smile picked up only a trace of warmth as he mentioned his nickname. "Old story." he chuckled, seeing the faint humor in their eyes. "Doctor Peeces while we are with the patients, of course.
He took her hand, turned it gently in his grip and raised it slightly, as if beginning a formal dance. He could not miss the faint cracks and fissures already marking their path across the skin. Manifested too, this one! He immediately dismissed his theory of a second IntSec agent.
His mind raced through the Patient profiles and Vitae Curriculae he had been handed to recall the name. Alex Wilhelm... Alex...
I am an idiot! he mentally facepalmed. He had assumed that Alex would be a man, and so missed the connection between the dry profiles and the vibrant woman standing in front of him. One of his charges, it would seem, unless her own Doctor accompanied them.
"Miss Wilhelm," he said, bending slighly over her hand. Then he turned to the dark woman beside her.
... and felt an terrible thrill pass through him as his eyes locked onto two icy spheres that held his gaze without blinking.
Her name registered in his ears, Lakshmi Kavungal. The seer.
Despite his training, Edouard shuddered mentally. He felt exposed, and strangely, felt embarrased for being exposed. It was an embarrassment in knowing she could see his own mental faultlines, break-points in his psyche, even sense on a very primal level his perceptions of her. It was uncanny, and entirely not her fault.
He took her hand, made the same ritual turn and slight bow over it. "Miss Kavungal."
Letting her hand fall, he gripped himself mentally and said, "I'm not certain if we have a standard caseload to work today--I don't typically get assigned to Social Work. I have a few open cases I'd like to close out, but they aren't hanging fire, yet. These are, of course, IntSec cases, but still important for SocWork to be involved in..."
Saying this, he withdrew his Internal Security credential and showed it to them. "I'll be along as both Doctor and Agent-accompany today."
|
|
|
Post by Castoro Chiaro on Aug 1, 2012 20:11:51 GMT -5
(Haha wow I'm bad at keeping up with this.) "Any idea what we're going to be sent out do today?" "Not the faintest clue," he replied casually, stirring a bit of sugar into his coffee. He hadn't bothered to go over the case files outside of a cursory glance before attending to his plants. It had looked pretty routine, so he wasn't all that worried about the finer details. He gave a vague nod in return when another lady joined them. Rather pretty too, though the long hair seemed kind of impractical. And a bit tangley, too. Must've been a killer to brush out in the morning. There wasn't really time to answer her question before another guy came in. Seemed to know his name, so one could only assume he was the accompanying Doctor for the day. That must've been in the file, too. Maybe he should've at least read through the first few pages, so he'd have a better idea of what they'd be up to. "Lakshmi. Hindu Goddess of prosperity and abundance," he noted idly as the introductions proceeded. Blowing into his cup before taking another sip, he added, "Pretty name. Exotic."
|
|