testdrive | welcome to the new age.

[geistnet]

testdrive meme.

1. First Day At Falner
You have just arrived at Falner Estate, a sprawling, beautiful, 400-hectare co-located space between Britain, Germany, and the Philippines, and the main base of Netsach. The flora and fauna in the area gives both a sense of familiarity as it looks at first glance like things you’ll find on Earth, and a weird sense of otherworldliness. Given the size of the place, the Estate is less of a compound and more like a town unto itself. The older buildings within the estate are gothic in their construction, and clear throwbacks to 19th Century Europe. The newer facilities, however, sport cutting edge contemporary designs that were clearly inspired by Fourth World architecture and technology.

If you want a better idea on what can be found on the estate, you can refer to this link.


2. A Day On The Job
You are pushing papers at Methuselah, doing research at the Arcanum, or going out on patrol -- whatever it is that you're doing, it's just another day for you as a Hunter of the Vigil.


3. Let's Head Down to Haven
Find yourself itching for a night out on the town? Why not head over to Haven, the classy nightclub that looks like a large, monolithic black building with no visible windows from the outside and the name of the club emblazoned in bold, white letters on one side.

Haven is located in Makati City, and is open to the public (especially the local supernatural community), but you might want to prepare yourself to wait in line for a very, very long time – unless you’re a Hunter, of course.

Falner’s Maenad Division holds office on top of Haven, as does Ordo Daywalker. Some of Haven’s staff also live above the night club.


4. The Awakening
Want to tag out your character's origin story? Set the stage and let's see where things go.


5. Choose Your Own Adventure
If none of the suggested premises hit the mark, feel free to set things up and let's do a tag round.


Instructions for the Testdrive:
1. Specify your chosen scenario number on the subject line.
2. Should you wish to tag with a specific character already established within Waking the Dead, indicate who. The current list of available NPCs can be found over here.

Comments

Esperanza 'espie' Cervera | 5 and 1

[artesana]

V. The Pick Up ( closed )

You had to find all the right places. All the rights nooks and crannies. Anyone could find a nook to lay down in. A bridge to hide under. An overpass to crawl in the cracks of. All the obvious places homeless people went. Those weren't the safe places, though. They were obvious. Either the cops came and cleared you out or the someone far worse would find you in those places. Espie learned that the hard way in her first few months on the streets.

She wasn't a pro by any means. She was barely decent. But she was determined, and sometimes that's all it took. She found the some of the best places to hide. Not all of them, not the ones a pro would find. But good ones, all the same. Her current hideout as a warehouse outside of Barcelona. Warehouses were dangerous and good all at once. The danger was in how isolated they were. It was a pro too, less likely to be found by the cops that way. But the downside was that if anyone else found you, no one was around to know what happened. You were on your own in places like these.

It was far enough outside of the city it was safer than most. Not the best, but close to it. No one had squatted here in months. She could spend a couple of nights here. Get her bearings, find the best place around.

As it was, she enjoyed the silence and the peace. She took out her sketchbook from her pack and she went to work. It was almost full, she'd need another one. She'd leave this one somewhere special, just like all the last. So many books left behind, but you could only carry the necessities. A sketchbook was a necessity, a full one was not.

Espie went back to work on a drawing from earlier. A picture of a homeless man and his dog. A wild looking dog, made wilder by the streets. With the sweetest eyes she could imagine. Esperanza pursed her lips. She could never quite get the eyes right. There was so much depth in the dog's eyes and she wasn't nearly close to good enough to portray that in her art. But practice made perfect, and she worked at it almost tirelessly.

She nearly missed them.

A group of men. Maybe a girl in there? Esperanza packed her things quickly before moving for the door to the large room she hid in. She pressed against the wall, standing by the wide frame and listening. They didn't sound young. Older. Other vagabonds like her? Partiers taking a detour on their way home? She was silent, listening. Waiting. She couldn't chance it. Too many bad encounters told her better than to hope these people might be good. Everyone on the street was a potential. Friends were rare and they were never more than a day.

Esperanza slipped out the door and down the opposite way of the voices. She ran down stairs and bolted for the door.

And ran smack into a man, toppling back as she did.

She looked up at the man as he stared down at her, stunned and with a cigarette hanging from her mouth. "Hey girly-"

She didn't question it. She kicked out at his shin and grabbed her bag and ran. She heard cursing, heard the stumble, yelling, then the chase. Not just him. He had a friend join him and they were after her. She was faster than them and she had a head start, she was sure of that. That was the only reason she had kicked out, for the head start. Once she got that she could get far away-

Unless she ran into a fence.

"¡Mierda!" She cursed to herself. She didn't even throw a glance back, there was no going back. She jumped at the fence, climbing as quickly as she could.

Hands grabbed her legs and pulled her back down.

"Come here, bitch," The one she kicked started. "That shit fucking hurt," he growled. She attempted to kick out as the other man grabbed at her arms. He pulled at her back as she tried to jerk away and her back came loose, flying to the ground with her few possessions thrown on the path.

"Yeah? More where that came from," she snapped, even as one got her arms and the other picked up her thrashing legs. She didn't go still for a second. they'd have her then.

"Come on, let's get her back to the others," the one with her arms started.

Then a dog snarled at them. They all paused, staring at the dog standing over her sketchbook. To the men, they saw a wild dog with sharp teeth ready to bite. To Espie she saw the soft eyes that she could never quite get right...

"Get on, mutt," the man with her legs barked at the dog. That was when the dog launched at him and Espie threw her head back at the man holding her arms to get free entirely. She got away from the man and grabbed her things, barely noticing the page her sketchbook was opened on was open to the drawing of the dog from before. She just grabbed her things and dodged past the men to try to run again. One still fought with the dog while the other was back after her down towards the street, yelling after her.

I. The Drop Off ( open )

Okay. She actually did it. She actually left Spain and went to the Philippines and joined some covert group she was only just barely starting to grasp the concept of. It was all a little overwhelming. It had all gone so fast, but she was here all the same. There was no moving back, only forward. Where would she go back to, anyway? Nothing, that's what.

Esperanza stepped out of the car and onto the large Falner estate. So large it had a forest. What had she agreed to again?

It didn't matter. Esperanza made her way forward and pressed into the manor.

( ooc: be gentle! working all kinks out and getting all my knowledge in too still but super ready!! )

Tagging into the Drop Off, naturally.

[ktotheatothez]

While the Tower was all well and good for Kaz when he had downtime, as an operative of Netsach, he also felt the need to check in with his division in case there was something he could do to help.

Of course, he was sidetracked by Aidan. Which is probably why he's just sitting on the steps of Falner instead of inside with Inquisitor Aria Skye.

'Hm?' he thinks, when he sees the car. While it wasn't odd to see cars dropping off operatives, the girl he saw step out didn't exactly look like a hunter.

'A new arrival, perhaps?'

well hello there!!

[artesana]

It was almost strange to want to socialize again. Esperanza had always been a social person before she'd runaway, but her time on her own had taught her to look after herself and worry less about others. She wasn't so alone anymore. It was apparent from the first moment she stepped out of the car and saw an man sitting on the steps of the manor. Jillian had been one thing, meeting others was another. Especially when she had to introduce herself.

It was like riding a bike, right?

She walked up to the stairs and smiled brightly, fighting the urge to distrust and fear instead.

"Hi," she perked up. "I'm Esperanza. Most people call me Espie." She spoke in English rather than Spanish, hoping the language was common enough to work. She didn't know the language in this country, so she had to choose between the two she did know. And if neither worked, then maybe she should trust her gut and move on.

"I guess... this is where I'll be staying?" She hazarded, looking up at the manor. "Unless somehow I'm at the wrong place," She more or less wondered to herself, almost frowning at the thought. "I'm not at the wrong place right? I just ind of trusted the driver..."

[ktotheatothez]

Ever the gentleman, Kaz stands up the minute she came close, already smiling because he'd pegged her right.

"If you were headed for the Falner Estate, you're in the right place."

The young Hunter holds his hand out, hoping to shake yours.

"What brings you to us, Espie?"

[artesana]

Esperanza looked back to him, her grin returning. He smiled at her and said she was in the right place. Jillian had said she'd be safe here. She trusted Jillian, so far. She could trust this man. And his smile was infectious. Distrust was her new norm but it wasn't her default, and falling back into easy smiles felt as natural as breathing.

She took his hand and shook it, maybe a little too eagerly.

"Jillian Andrews?" She gave the name, hoping she wasn't crazy still. "She sent me here. Said I should be welcome.

I guess I'm one of you guys?" She bit her lip a little nervously. "This is all kind of new to me. I didn't even realize what I was until I met Jillian. I can't believe there's a place like this."

[ktotheatothez]

'Jill? Hm. Roxas? I need a little help, bud.' He thinks to that space in his head where his Persona rests.

[ 'Sure... Magician or Justice?' ] the blond replies.

'Justice. I just wanna peek.'

In the instant that you two talk, he's asked for a little help in determining whether or not his guess is right. Jill wouldn't have directly flagged someone without a good reason, of course, being a Card with the Justice Arcana helps in that direction.

"Jill?" He says, lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Well, she wasn't wrong. Anyone who comes here in peace is welcome..."

[artesana]

There's a brief pause in which Espie fears she's said something wrong. She's not sure what, but she's also new. she expects to make mistakes and probably ruin something at some point today. That was another thing you learned on the street. Keep expectations low and when things don't work out or your meal is terrible, you're not quite so disappointed with the results.

It's a brief second, though. So brief Espie's sure she imagined all the worst and that it wasn't anything odd. Even if it almost feels that way to her. But he's grinning and her own smile is wide as can be.

"Definitely in peace," she laughs. "I'm not really much of a threat to anyone, even if for some odd reason I wanted to be." She held up an arm, shifting her bag's weight to her other arm to free herself up a little. "See? Skin and bones. Nothing to be threatening with. Not that I want to, clearly.

I haven't really had this much kindness in so long. I wouldn't insult it."

5. Just as planned. ♥

[frescoes]

She's climbing off of her bike and just about to follow her girlfriend into the rest house that their blade is going to stay at for the night when she feels the shift in the Pattern. It's a tug just at the back of her brain, light and nearly imperceptible. She's skilled enough now, though, to know what it might mean.

"Jill?"

"Are there any reports of operatives on engagements in the area today, Mia?"

Mia Castro blinks at her question, but doesn't hesitate to reach into her coat for her phone. Her girlfriend doesn't respond, not until she's checked in with LogosNET.

"No..." Mia frowns when she notices the look on Jill's face. She can see, perhaps, exactly what her girlfriend's thinking. "Want me to go with you?"

"Follow some distance away from me instead? I'll take point. Maybe you can round up whoever's willing from the Eaters." Jill doesn't want to ask for too much: they've all had a long day on the road.

"All right."

With a smile and a kiss to Mia's cheek, Jill's turning back towards her Rookwraith and starting the bike back up. The tugs are getting more insistent now, and she's getting flashes of possible locations, of a not-quite-paper dog protecting its master from people who don't want to do her any good. Hopefully she'll get there in time.

[artesana]

There was a time, once, when Esperanza had an x-acto knife. She had managed to steal it from an art supplies store and never quite properly figured out the art of cutting paper. Though it had been fun. The blade had dulled after too many tries, though, and didn't cut paper well. She had tried to keep the blade, because dull as it was it was better than nothing. But she had lost it some time ago.

She really wished she still had that blade.

Esperanza wasn't a fighter. She was always more of a flight girl. But when backed into a corner, anyone would follow their flight instinct rather than be hurt. Esperanza didn't like to the think the worst of the world, but drunk men with a homeless girl no one would miss? She knew those stories and she fought hard not to be one of those stories.

The men fought harder.

The one chasing her was at her heels and the other one had kicked the dog, a whine breaking loose that almost made Esperanza pause. Had the dog followed her from before? Was he watching her? How had he ended up here? If he was protecting her she couldn't let it get hurt for her, either.

She didn't have to think about it too hard.

She saw the light in the street, an approaching vehicle. Not a car, just a single light. A motorcycle? Didn't matter. Espie dropped her back and waved an arm as she ran into the street, both hands up and a silent prayer the biker didn't run her over.

"Hey!" She yelled in Spanish. "Help! Please!" She begged, hoping the person on the bike would be a better person than the men following her.

[frescoes]

There's the source: she can see it through the Vice Contacts that she wears at all times. She recognizes the Pattern weaves around the girl because - beyond the threads that make the girl who she is - they are exactly like her own.

Jill pulls to a stop right beside the girl, effectively placing her between the drunken men who were hot on her heels. She takes her helmet off, and after smiling briefly at the girl, she's turning her gaze first towards the dog (good sketch, that one, but it's been damaged), then the men.

"What's going on here?"

Her tone is almost lethally quiet, and her Spanish is perfect (something that the locals must find odd, given the fact that - with her blond hair and blue eyes - she is obviously not from around here). She is hoping that they'll recognize the coat she is wearing (brown, styled in precisely the way that singles her out as a Midnight Rider and Keeper of the Vigil), and the fact that she's on a bike that only hunters are licensed to have. At least three of the men immediately look nervous and start back off, but their leader is frowning and sizing her up.

"Nothing you should bother yourself with, senorita. That girl just took something from us, is all."

[artesana]

"¡Métetelo por el culo!" She yelled back at the man, getting around the bike so that it was between her and the stranger. The dog behind him growled threateningly at her anger, and for a second Esperanza was aware that the dog looked off. It was harder in the darkness, but in the light in the street it was almost there.

She couldn't spare much more attention to the dog. The man had been more angered at her cursing, taking a step forward as if to approach her. It wasn't the smartest idea to insult someone who already wanted to kill you, but weakness was worse. Weakness ate you up on these streets. And she wasn't going down today.

Espie glanced back at the girl now. It was striking how white she looked considering how well she spoke Spanish. It wasn't even that she spoke it so well, but that she spoke it perfectly. Like born to it. But she didn't look anything like the normal culture out here, either. Not like she was raised in it.

"I didn't take anything," Esperanza pleaded with the girl. "I didn't do anything! I was trying to go and they chased me."

"That a load of shit, poonta," the man started again. "You kicked me for no reason-"

"Because you're a fucking saint," she yelled back at him, baring teeth like she might bite. She would if it came down to it.

"Just give us the girl and we'll be on your way," the man tried on Jillian again. The others seemed wary of this deal, one even tried to call his friend back, but she had kicked this one. And the dog had bit. He wasn't walking away with nothing.

[frescoes]

Jill folded her arms across her chest and fixed the man with a flat stare.

"Why should I, sir?"

One could feel the way acid dripped from the way she said 'sir'. It was enough to make the man take a step back. He looked like he was about to speak when Jill lifted a hand and cut him off.

"You just lied to me back there, about the girl taking something. If you really didn't have any ill intent, when she kicked you because she was clearly frightened, you wouldn't be chasing after her like this." She tilts her head and narrows her eyes. "That now leaves me with a rather important question that I want you all to answer: why exactly are you and your friends so tetchy and ready to chase down somebody who hurts you?"

The rest of the posse were looking even more nervous now. "C'mon, man," he pleaded, tugging at the arm of the other. "She's a fucking hunter. Let's get out of here."

The man scowled at Jill, spat right in front of her feet, and stalked off. The rest slunk after him like whipped animals.

That left Jill with the girl and the dog, who was now padding over to the girl and looking up with pleading eyes as if it was wondering if she was okay.

[artesana]

As the men left, Espie watched them carefully. She didn't take her eyes away for a second. Not until they walked around the sides of the building and finally disappeared from sight.

It was like a weight off her chest. Espie let out a heavy sigh and relaxed her stance. All her anger and tension rolled off her and she felt tired and soft instead suddenly.

The dog was at her feet now and Espie couldn't help a tired smile as she knelt down.

"And where did you come from? Your master's got to be far from here," she told the dog, reaching out to pet it and being overly pleased that it was still alive.

Espie glanced up at the woman finally. The hunter. She vaguely recognized that term, but talk of anything supernatural related had been off-limits in her home unless it was talk about how they were messing up the world. She was important, though. Everything about those men, her clothes, and her general air said as much. Someone who was naturally strong and didn't have to force it like Espie did. Espie admired her already.

"Thank you," she told her with a gentle nod. "And I'm sorry I dragged you into that. They were drunk and stupid, they weren't going to let up." Not unless she had somehow gotten away, which had been Plan A until the girl on the bike had arrived.

drop off ofc

[bloodsinger]

A little ways into the manor, Espie will run into Sophie. Or rather, she will almost collide with a particularly tense looking young woman that is apparently storming out of a room full of training equipment; finding a good middle point with the thing inside of her is an art she has yet to master.

But even then, Sophie manages to gracefully avoid any actual contact, dodging Espie a little too easily to look normal.

"Oh," she says as she tries to calm her breath. "Sorry about that."

[artesana]

Esperanza hadn't expected someone to come barging out of the rooms and braced for impact as a young woman nearly collided with her.

But the impact never came.

Espie blinked a few times, letting her mind catch up with the reality of what had just happened. Sophie had been about to run right into her... but was no on the other side of her. Apologizing even.

"No," Espie laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing to say sorry about. You didn't actually run into me after all." How she even managed that was a mystery.

"You okay?" She asked, unable to help herself. "You looked a little... tense."

[bloodsinger]

Supernatural reflexes are a thing Sophie hasn't grown used just yet. She's very much a baby Bladian, not a week into this new world just yet. The surprise of almost running into Esperanza manages to clear her head momentarily though. "Close call," she says as she blinks a few times.

"Just. Dealing with what I am now, I guess." That's the best way to word it, Sophie supposes. "New? I was brought here two days ago myself."

[artesana]

Dealing with what she was.

More of the tension and nerves melt off Esperanza in that line. There's a voice in the back of her head that says to keep the wariness and not get too comfortable. But the old her wins out. The old her who loved people and wasn't so distrustful or fearful of them.

Sopie was like her, though. Sophie was new, confused, and just as tense it appeared. It was a relief. Espie was afraid she'd be submerged into a world as the odd one out.

"Just got here," Espie nodded. "And," she tilted her head as though there wasn't much to do about it. "Trying to deal with what I am too.

I'm Esperanza. Espie's okay, though. Or any other way you want to make it easier on the tongue."

[bloodsinger]

She's so young.

That was the first thing that crossed her mind as he girl introduced herself. Young, but also old, Sophie can see that in Espie's eyes.

"Then welcome, Espie. I'm Sophie. From what I can tell, as far as places to figure things go, Falner isn't half bad. Did someone bring you here? Family?"

[artesana]

There's an edge to the word family that makes part of her want to curl up inside. Her family had been everything to her once. Now she tried not to think of them.

It's only a flicker on her face. A brief moment as her smile nearly falters. But she shakes it off with a shake of her head that's an answer as well.

"A woman named Jillian," she told her. "She saved me. Twice. Once from some assholes and the second time when she brought me here.

Was it family that brought you?" Did families do that?

[larue]

Joshua LaRue is on his way out of the manor from his appointment with the Kaiser when he spots her: pretty, petite and morena ( read: olive-skinned; he picked that up from his blademates, ) though a little on the skinny side with a bag slung on her shoulders. She reminds him, oddly enough, of himself and a handful other Special Cases brought to Netsach's door -- not quite so put together, plucked out from some possibly far-flung place and as green as Falner lawn in the springtime.

"Hi," he offers the greeting with no prompting at all, the barest hint of curiosity in his blue eyes as he slows his step.

( You, Espie, will note that he's fairly tall -- roughly six-feet in height -- clean-cut and dressed in a crimson suit and tie. That's a pretty red suit right there. )

[artesana]

"Hey," Esperanza offered back without a second thought to it. This place is meant to be safe, so she's been told. She does think to question it, but she suppresses those urges down. She's spent too much time lately questioning. This is the first good thing in a long time, she doesn't want to ruin it.

She actually does slow to a stop, though, set on talking to as many people as she can and understanding her new role in this place and the people in it.

Especially the man in the strange red suit. Red wasn't a color she was used to seeing for a suit. She can't help but give him a once over, smiling crookedly at the color of it.

And mentally comparing herself. She feels like the biggest fish out of water here. Like she sticks out like a sore thumb. She's almost positive people could smell the country off of her, despite her recent shower. Despite being away from Consuegra for nearly a year. Once a country girl, always a country girl. And her looks... She wanted to cringe. Her hair was long and the ends slightly frayed from a lack of cutting. She never touched her own hair, she loved her hair, but she had no money for a hair dresser. Her clothes were faded and worn out, despite picking the best ones she had on her. A white, peasant blouse with tan ties at the top, just above her chest and wide sleeves that opened around her arms and were tight again at her wrists. Everything else hung loose over her slender frame, and there was a hole at the bottom on the side. None of her shirts were hole-less. Her jeans were better, less tears but a faded black color. Skinny jeans, which weren't comfortable on the road but they matched the blouse and they'd been what she was wearing when she ran away. She couldn't give up the blouse and shirt. Her shoes were the worst, though. Flip-flops with a cloth over the toes and padded bottoms stolen from a large store.

These were her best clothes, and they paled in comparison to what Josh was wearing. She didn't even have any make-up to wear beyond her basic foundation, which was bordering a shade too light now that she'd tanned on the streets. She shifted almost uncomfortably now, the faded, brown, leather bag settling on her hip as she transferred the weight of her feet.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to pull her bangs out of her eyes so she could look at Josh, the edge of her birdcage tattoo poking out on her neck.

"I'm Esperanza," she nearly flinched. Why did she introduce herself like that? She always had to qualify with her nickname. Then again, if she started with her nickname she'd have to justify that too. "Espie's okay. Or anything else you want to call me." She shrugged. "I'm not picky," she smiled at him.

"I'm new around here." She beat him to the punch line on that. She just hoped she wasn't keeping him from anything. He looked important...

[larue]

The tat peeking out from beneath the neckline of her blouse piques his curiosity, but he can tell that she's a bit uncomfortable in his presence so he offers her an easy smile. He's not entirely sure if it's the contrast in their clothing or something else, but he's familiar enough with greenhorns at Rhiannon being a bit unsettled by his presence that he can pick up little tells ( like the way she shifts her weight from one foot to the other, or the fact that she tucked the errant strand behind her ear in a gesture to recompose herself in front of him ) that clue him in on how to move.

"Bienvenida a Falner, Esperanza. Me puedes llamar Josh." He'd picked up on the Spanish in her accent, and he's come a long way from the basics known by a kid who grew up in San Diego. "Did you just get in?" He switches back to English for that last part, in a quiet offering that he's good to speak either language -- whichever makes her comfortable.

[artesana]

There's a notable shift in her mood when he speaks Spanish. His smile helped enough before, but his Spanish puts her far more at ease. She didn't think she'd meet many people who could speak Spanish. Not that English was difficult for her. There were enough English-speaking people in Consuegra that she picked it up, but Barcelona had been the real test of English that had helped her hone it more. So many tourists and immigrants there, most natives spoke English first as well.

"Encantada!" She exclaimed, but slipped back into English.

"I did. Jillian Andrews," she offered the name hoping he recognized it and she wasn't crazy or in the wrong place or had been told something wrong entirely. "Sent me here. I haven't even been inside yet." She glanced at the house, unable to keep a bit of the awe and nerves out of her voice at being in such a nice place.

[larue]

"Right, you're the kid Jill picked up in Europe." He's saying that with a sheepish laugh as the name clicks into place. The Pride's Artisan had mentioned it in passing in a call -- how she'd run into an Artisan girl while on tour with her girlfriend Mia. The kid had been on the run from some guys who were clearly targeting supes. He'd gone quiet over the line for a bit after hearing that. Supernaturals were a tiny fraction of the world's overall population. Jackasses who targeted them for shits and giggles or outright hostility always earned a spot on his personal shitlist.

Espie's new though, so she wouldn't know all of that, so what she'll pick up instead is the way Josh's body language changes to show that in spite of looking like he should be going somewhere, he's perfectly fine with hanging around -- his shoulders relax, those smiles of his come easy -- because he kind of really is.

( He'll check in with his PA a little later on. Andy knows that if he checks in late to the Towers, he always has good reason and the Card was reliable where it came to fielding things for his boss to an almost ridiculous degree. )

"Jill's a good friend of mine. She's blatema-- I mean, teammates with my kid sister." Thick as thieves, those two: Cindy, Jill. "Do you need to see the Kaiser? I just came from her office. She's a bit busy at the moment, but I can wait with you if you like."

He, Yulia and Stan had each other when they'd arrived in the dead of night back in March of 2063; Espie had clearly arrived all on her own and Josh knows from firsthand experience how life-changing things tended to get from hereon out.

Drop Off!

[bladeweaver]

Taning is fresh into the first few hours of shore leave, and he is already feeling antsy about being on Earth again. There is something to space travel, something that makes one long to hurtle themselves ever forward, that being on terra firma just does not provide.

It doesn't help, of course, that all of his old blademates are off doing their own thing. He could go home to the wife, but... a cursory glance off into the distance confirms that, yep, she's off bashing some poor idiots' heads in in the name of the Vigil.

Aggrieved, and definitely quite bored, he heads off into the mess hall, because he has never stopped being a stress eater, despite his newfound stature and responsibilities. There he spies a rather young lady attacking a plateful of something that looks like bacon in the middle of looking around (he quickly checks her temporal signature; yep, it's her first time here). Because the rest of the mess hall seems rather packed, he'll decide to ask to sit with her for now.

Taning remembers to deactivate his cybernetic exoskeleton before talking to her, mentally kicking himself for not doing it earlier. As such, the plates of armor aren't quite done digitally deconstructing when he speaks up.

"Hi, mind if I sit with you? The rest of the hall is full, so..."

(Espie would note that Taning is a young-ish middle-aged man, in a gray coat with the rapidly fading, vaguely digital outline of an insectile armor underneath it. He is also carrying two katana.)