video | un: degurechaff

[verrostet]

[ A young girl sits at a table in an otherwise nondescript room, her hands folded in front of her in a picture of perfect professionalism. Her white button-down shirt is similarly perfect, not a wrinkle in sight, and tailored to her thin frame. Her gaze into her omni is expressionless — some might call it cold — and her high, childish voice is tempered with the assured enunciation of an adult. ]

Good evening. My name is Tanya von Degurechaff. I'm new here, so I have a couple questions for anyone willing to answer.

First, what kind of job do you currently have? If you don't have one, then I'm also interested in hearing what you did before you arrived here.

Second, are there any jobs or businesses you'd like to see here? I recognize that this is a broad question, but since we come from a broad range of backgrounds, any feedback is welcome.

[ A pause, a stray thought seeming to flicker through her head before she continues. ]

As for myself, I have experience with personnel management, various air-based operations, tactical field research, and administrative work. More broadly, I'm an aerial mage. The business I'd like to see is a coffee shop.

Comments

Video | un: asogi

[truerevival]

[The image of a young man, not much past twenty, flickers on the screen. His face appears neutral but there's a minute, pinched expression, one of concern--she looks so young, even though her speech would suggest otherwise.]

Kazuma Asogi. I am not currently employed, though I spend my time researching in the archives so I am keeping my time occupied.

I was a lawyer back home, more specifically apprenticing as a prosecutor.

[He places a hand under his chin, head tilting slightly as he considers the next question.]

I suppose a tea shop or something of the like would lend itself to passing time. I, personally, would like to see a business where I can apply my skills. Lawyers aren't much in demand here, however.

[verrostet]

[ Well, well. She sits up slightly taller, her gaze focusing in on him intently. Japanese (Akitsushiman?) and a lawyer to boot. Of course, she has no obligation to feel kinship with every Japanese person or respect every lawyer; there are countless examples of garbage individuals in both categories. It does feel a bit nostalgic to even hear a Japanese name spoken out loud, though.

... Nostalgic? About Japanese? Am I that far gone?

How disturbing. But she brushes the thought aside. ]

A lawyer's job really is specialized, huh? ... Though it's hard to say whether a lawyer's job or this world is the more specialized circumstance. Normally, you'd expect every population to have at least a rudimentary system of laws in place.

[ A small, wry smile. ]

I believe I've thought of a solution for you, Herr Asogi. You need only gather up your fellow wayward lawyers and set up an arbitration service. Laws are what people make them, and they can even exist in isolation within singular organizations.

[truerevival]

[The name alone had been a clue, but the address solidified the notion that this girl was Germanic. He was curious on where that allegiance might be--in his time, Germany had only unified twenty some odd years before, Austria-Hungary not long after. Curious, but not enough to ask. Hardly the question to put forward on a first meeting.]

A lawyer's job can be specialized, yes. The prosecution can deal with any number of criminal cases, though. And the laws here, or the lack thereof, don't particularly call for the use of courts.

[But the suggestion she gave is an interesting one, if only because something similar had come up before.] Arbitration would be a better fit than mere mediation. Someone had been suggested the idea of the latter. It's something to work towards.

[verrostet]

Mediation...? I see. That is a more friendly-sounding option. But just as the law is only effective because it's absolute, a trial can only have meaning if its outcome is strictly enforced. It would have to be arbitration. It'll be tricky to set up, as you say, but...

[ She really would like to have some semblance of hard law around here, even if it only exists in a tiny corner of society. A lot of people look at lawyers as ambulance-chasing moneygrubbers, but to Tanya, they're artistic geniuses who use codebooks as their playgrounds. If there were a foundation for it around here, she'd seriously consider shooting for a law degree.

Well, in order for it to ever be possible, she'll need people like Kazuma to blaze a trail for her. Work hard, young Kazuma. ]

I'm going to say something that may sound like blasphemy, but please hear me out. Have you ever considered the entertainment value of a court trial?

[truerevival]

Regardless of the difficulties, people here need the means to seek resolution and restitution. The law is one such avenue--it's worth pursuing.

[Ah and there's the idealism he holds close to his chest. A tone that speaks of dreams for something more--and for a place far from here. No matter, he can press forward with those here, even if the way he's able to do so differs.]

Entertainment? I'll admit, in Japan, I wouldn't have considered it. But working in the courts of Britain...Those trials became something of a public spectacle, so I'm not surprised some might see that value in it.

video; un: quicksilver

[punshots]

Wh-hoooooooa, an aerial mage? Please tell me that's as cool as it sounds.

[ Because it does indeed sound super cool, and his attention may have been pulled away from the actual question when she casually mentioned that. Right, what was he supposed to be answering again? ]

- Oh! Sorry, uh...I'm a hunter? Kind of. Or, I was...not sure what I wanna do here yet. I'd like to see a photo studio!

[verrostet]

[ Her eyebrows lift slightly, surprised by the sudden onslaught of youthful energy. ]

Cool...? I can't say I've thought of it in those terms, but... I suppose flight in itself is convenient. I can fly as high as a plane, though not quite as fast.

[ He says he was a hunter but wants to see a photo studio? It's an unusual blend. ]

A photo studio sounds like a plausible enterprise. I can see one being especially valuable to the denizens here without use of an omni. The issue is with a manner of printing or developing the photos, I presume?

[punshots]

[ Whoa...imagine being able to fly like that...though he'd probably lose his lunch if he was flying as high as a plane. ]

Mh-hmm! Even for those with an Omni, it'd be kinda nice to be able to print your favorite pics too, y'know? But, uh, yeah, not even sure where I'd get started setting up all that stuff. Guess it's sort of a...super-duper long-term project.

[ But if he could help make it happen, he totally will. ]

[verrostet]

[ Hmm. As a (reluctant) new member of this community, it would behoove her to contribute to its growth however safely possible. And it's good to have passionate people opening new businesses — she believes this wholeheartedly as a staunch believer in the free market. ]

If you shift your manner of thinking, there may be a more lateral solution. Rather than fixate on technology you don't have, why not innovate with the technology you do have?

In other words, operate your Omni as you normally would a camera, but change up the way you market your photos to the population. You could take inspiration from the way artists display their works in a gallery or how movies are shown in theaters. Temporary installations by design, but still showcasing the permanence of still images.

[punshots]

[ Oh...that's actually a really neat idea! His expression visibly lights up, sitting up a little straighter. ]

Oh, oh! That's a killer idea! Maybe it could even be, like, a whole community thing! Anyone who wants to put a photo up in there could do it. I'm all about showcasing all sides of photography!

[ Given how a great number of his pictures are selfies. Those are their own kind of art! ]

You're really good at this! Can't believe you came up with such a solid idea just on the fly like that.

Video | un: ichimonji

[expertonshutters]

[Hayato’s certainly seen stranger things, but the temperament of this person vs their appearance does strike him as interesting. He does not comment on it though, merely makes a note of it in the back of his mind.]

Ichimonji Hayato. I’m a fairly recent arrival, so I’m still settling, I’m afraid. However, before I fancied myself a freelance photographer. I’ve done a little of everything in the field, but most recently I’d spent some time as a war-time photographer in a country called Gamon.

[As for what would be nice here, Hayato doesn’t give it too much thought.]

I haven’t had a lot of luck finding a studio for developing photos, so something like that would be great. Also coffee. I’ve been told its a scarce resource, which might have been the most disappointing news I’ve been given yet.

[verrostet]

A war-time photographer? ... You have my respect, sir. In many ways, that job is more difficult than being an actual soldier.

[ She does mean that sincerely. On one hand, she's jealous of anyone who doesn't have to charge headfirst into enemy lines and hope that they don't become a human-shaped colander. On the other hand, as a soldier she at least has access to a gun, bullets, and subordinates to discourage the people trying to perforate her.

Any human being who volunteers to be near the battlefield has to be a little loose in the head, whether they be soldier or reporter, but the accurate report of information is a noble pursuit that she must respect. Little things like that are the difference between a free society and a tyrannical state. ]

As a fellow coffee lover, I share your disappointment. Coffee is great; coffee is civilized. Its presence is often the sign of a well-coordinated and far-reaching line of supply. With the state of the world as it is, I highly doubt we'll be seeing much more of it... Honestly, I'm not sure what I should be drinking in its stead. I might even settle for ersatz coffee.

[expertonshutters]

[It certainly helps that Hayato is a cyborg used to being turned into a human colander and being able to walk away from it. Not that he’s going to mention that. There are certainly other ways that make such a job difficult to do, which is why he’d set out to do it. There are stories to be told, often lost between the cracks of such conflict.]

It’s certainly an important job. It’s easy to lose the humanity within conflicts, without someone there to tell the story of what happens to those caught in the middle.

[In Gamon’s case, it was a disastrous civil war, with both sides at fault, until it became clear someone monstrous had been pulling the strings all along.]

So far it looks like our only options are tea! I can deal with that, I guess, but I sure hope that’s not a permanent solution.

[verrostet]

Tea... isn't a bad alternative. In some ways it's coffee's caffeinated cousin. But when it comes to a late night of work, coffee is your best friend and tea is the enemy.

[ Her tiny body is already prone to early sleepiness... It needs all the help it can get. A calming cup of tea late at night would probably see her faceplanted at her desk, drooling on some important report. ]

I suppose a picture really can tell a thousand words. Government-sponsored propaganda may have a logical function, but it sure can cause complications for the people on the front lines.

[ Because that's who he's talking about when he says "those caught in the middle," right?? The poor soldiers (like her) who have to stick their necks out because politicians can't sort things out civilly, obviously. ]

Cw: heavy discussion of war

[expertonshutters]

We’re in definite agreement, there! I will keep an ear out for anything that sounds like a better alternative. This world is pretty strange, so for all we know there’s something out there we’ve just never heard of.

[He’ll eventually come across all the desperate coffee experiments the other Sleepers are doing. That will be fun.]

Eeeh, that’s a way to look at it, for sure. After all, a lot of the time Propaganda is the only view available to those far from the front lines. It’s calculated in it’s omission of information, to make something like war feel much farther away than it is. Or perhaps to push an agenda of who’s right and who isn’t, without knowing both sides.

[This has turned into a heavier conversation than he expected, but he has a feeling the person he’s talking to isn’t a stranger to such things, clearly.]

It’s easy to assume a moral high ground in a war, if you’ve never seen a battlefield littered with the dead. It’s easy to look past casualties, when it’s not your village that’s burned to the ground, or your children without parents.

video; un: caripan

[expiera]

[Oh hey, she knows that face! Video it is then, don't mind the detail that the blue-haired woman she first met by the tents wears glasses now. Glasses she clearly didn't have or need, back when they first met.]

Hello Tanya, it's nice to see you again! How have you been? [She hasn't seen or heard from her for a month, wonder what happened? 🤔 Oh well, a bit of small talk should be fine before getting down to literal business, right?]

[verrostet]

[ Well, well. If it isn't her potential human resource helpful new friend. Tanya smiles automatically, her professional facade melting into polite congeniality. ]

Ciel! It's been a little while, hasn't it? You'll have to excuse my absence; it seems I got carried away by the idea of a beach vacation and lost track of time.

[ A glancing joke. The gap in her memory before reawakening as a squid creature is in fact infuriating, but she's ready to ♛ Curse God and Carry On. ]

I'm glad to see you well. Though you look a little different from last time...

[ She is minding the detail of the glasses. ]

[expiera]

About a month, yes. There are far worse ways to pass the time in Trench than an extended seaside vacation, so I'm glad to hear that you've been taking things easy and doing well too. Welcome back, in any case~!

[They're very good at this politeness thing, though Ciel does also seem notably more chipper and well put together than their introduction by the shores. The advantages of having had the time and chance to better get used to things, maybe?]

Aha, do I? One of the tips I got for living here was to socialize, do I perhaps look more personable now?

[She's joking, probably?

...Probably. Winking's GOT to be joking, right??]

[verrostet]

[ It's nice when the people around you are quick on the uptake and know how to roll with your humor. She's mostly come to expect it of battle-hardened veterans who have to laugh to prove they're still functioning, but it's a pleasant trait in normal people as well. ]

So it was a PR move? I admire your flexibility... but I'll leave the analysis to the experts. Unfortunately, I'm told I don't have a very good grip on what's cute or appealing to most people.

[ A weakness she's happy to have... and she isn't a shameless brown-noser eager to heap compliments on people for no reason. ]

Since you responded, let's have it: your occupation and what you'd like to see in the future, please.

[expiera]

[Squid people town is absolutely chock full of normal everyday joes and janes, yah]

You have to look the part for what you want to do, right? I think you'll be okay, as long as you don't take interest in modelling for children's clothing or becoming a door-to-door salesperson. [Which they both know Tanya won't, unless she's had a sudden change of heart about her coveted desk job.]

I'm doing a little bit of everything, as I said I would. The Koz Orphanage in Crenshaw, the residential district, doesn't turn away help. You can always get a little something for your troubles in Willful Machine, the market district, where there's plenty of odd jobs like errands and deliveries to pick up. The same goes for Darcmouth, the fishing district, and while it doesn't smell nice and is understandably not very popular, I'd recommend looking for work there if seafood is what you're craving! As for what I would like to see, hmm... Maybe a restaurant or food stall that specializes in spicy dishes and snacks?

[...There may or may not be a pattern, here,]

un: agentmothman

[zib]

[Normally, Zib tends to hide his face on the network when responding to posts like this, but upon seeing that Tanya appears to be close to his own age, he thinks it should be fine to respond to this without too much fear of being judged.]

I was a paranormal investigator, but also more importantly considered to be "the defender of Earth" because of aliens that were invading my planet and trying to take it over for themselves. It wasn't really my job because I wasn't getting paid for it, I guess, but I ended up learning how to build various inventions and weapons to use for fighting back against them.

[verrostet]

[ Oh god. A child.

It is true that she's technically a child herself, but she chooses to interact with her age group as little as possible. It was hopeless trying to speak with her fellow orphans in any intellectual manner. In fact, some of her fellow orphans were barbarians of the highest order. Kids will be kids, but she wishes they would at least consider that humans should be humans.

This one seems well-spoken, at least... even if he's the one who sounds alien at the moment. Before she washed up as a squid baby (twice) on these shores, she wouldn't have spared a moment of belief on him. ]

Defender of the earth? On whose authority?

[ And he wasn't getting paid for it?? There's a lot not lining up in this story. (But she's one to talk.) ]

[zib]

[To be fair... other kids didn't take him seriously either back home. Nor did the aliens that looked like kids but weren't.]

Well, um, mine at first, because no one believed that they were even real. Even when one of them showed up in the worst disguise imaginable that just involved a wig and contacts.

But Zim--that was the alien's name--got angry when he realized I could see through him so we ended up fighting a lot until one day, I managed to finally defeat him. Only then could I get the government to actually start funding for a project I came up with to deal with the rest of the Armada that Zim was part of.

[verrostet]

The aliens were trying to infiltrate...? That was bold of them.

[ This story is a headache. But in a way, she can understand bureaucratic skepticism — especially when the one with the unlikely story is a child — and the nigh impossibility of trying to convince a government to listen without the proper backing. She sometimes has trouble trying to convince her superiors about logical strategic decisions, let alone off-the-wall concepts like alien conspiracies.

Fine. She'll keep an open mind and hear him out. Also, she has a genuine question, a question that surely every human has wondered. ]

So... what are aliens like? Somewhat like us, I presume, if one was able to fit in with only a wig and contacts?

[zib]

Not really, to be honest. I mean, Zim in particular still had green skin, and made no attempts to hide the fact that he thought humans were disgusting and the like. But... well, I was surrounded by idiots who bought his lie that he merely had a skin condition going on that made him that way.

[Tanya would absolutely be aghast at the sheer stupidity of planet Earth if she had ended up in Zib's reality to witness it with her own eyes.]