maskormenace | 001

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[Ward's throat still feels like shit and a half, but he's managed to process the following. He's no longer in jail (that's a plus), he's got super powers (he's unsure if that's a plus or minus) but he arrived and avoided the network for a few days out of fear of breaking the damn thing. He's decided long since then that he can't let Skye intimidate him.

She's here. And she's been here for awhile. She has home team advantage.

The only problem is they have a record of him. This whole registering thing was crap - what was the point of being given a second chance if he really couldn't leave Grant Ward behind? For the first time he wants to.

So time to test the waters. He's been to the ceremony, he's been sworn in, he's had a dramatic reunion with the woman he'd thought he cared about.]

New arrival here. Roomba salesman and repairman. Anybody else get a completely shit job? I know nothing about Roomba's. Assuming Roombas here are the vaccuum robots. Y/N?

Also feel like shooting myself in the foot here, but is there some kind of a "so now you have super abilities" support group? Any help or advice appreciated.

[Reading over it two or three times he nods, satisfied that it's not incriminating, that it's blaise enough that even if people decide to ask him questions he can think up enough to talk about without screwing up.

He'd been in worse situations.

His roommates might have noticed that his doorknob on the outside was significantly bent and someone has been closing doors in their apartment very, very quietly.]

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I think I've already decided to give them up.

Down with the Roomba, sure. No one likes those guys anyway.

So, what about the alternatives?

What alternatives??

Like I just said, it will depend on what you're looking for, and what qualifications you have. I'll need more information to give you a more specific listing.

David Alleyne, I work for imPort Career Services.

[pause]

Grant Ward. Former SHIELD specialist level seven.

Specialist is a broad term in that line of work, and "level seven" is completely meaningless here. More to the point, unless you're looking for merc work, which we do not service, none of that is particularly marketable.

But, if we are putting it on your resume, I'll have to inquire about the "former". Reason for leaving?

[It hits him that he doesn't have an actual resume. That mercenary is really all he can do at this point that he has never actually...listed what he can do.

He presses his hands to his face, dragging them down before he responds.]

I speak English, french, Russian, Italian, and Spanish fluently. I can read Japanese and Korean - and manage to pretend to be a tourist that bought a book to read on the airplane if I'm in an Asian country. I know Krav Maga, Jujitsu, and have a brown belt in Karate and I have an off the chart marksmanship rating for at least ...eight? no. none nine projectile weaponry. I can also defuse a nuclear bomb. with help.

[God.]

Ideaological differences.

[ "ideological differences." that falls pretty well in line with "i was working with nazis." but if he's dangerous, and actually as psychotic as skye claims, it would be better to know he's under observation. there are better ways to approach that than just shouting him out, and david's supposed to be the smart one. he'll find a way to work with this. ]

Okay. So merc jobs would probably be right up your alley.

[ if it does come to that, he hasn't heard from his boss in almost a week, maybe he could slide it under the radar, just to know where to keep his eye. but it would be better if he didn't have to. ]

Have you ever done work outside of the spy business? Given the kind of scrutiny you appear to currently be under, would you like to?

I'm going to go ahead and take for granted that "ideological differences" means it was an involuntary termination.

It wasn't my idea.

[no really. It was big brass aka Garrett's idea.]

but yes.

[However... that last part...]

What kind of work?

Well, if we can't establish and demonstrate experience in the field you want to work in, you'll be limited to entry-level positions. We have a variety of listings for imPort-run and imPort-friendly businesses, and the list for the second one is even larger if you registered with the government. Liability issue, many businesses just feel more comfortable employing you if they know the government's got your back.

If you're interested in changing fields, we have numerous options, so what kind of work depends on what you want to do. Give me an industry, I can give you openings.

[There's a real note of confusion. Ward will just think about what Reggie suggested, laying low- but he's asking questions. This guy's asking questions.

He still has no plan, beyond getting at Skye...and he doesn't know where she works.

Or where her friends work and what they do.

So he'll switch to video and frown at it. What the guy might note is ...the guy looks confused. Desperately confused]

Why wouldn't people register?

[Why are you giving him a choice?!

He has to think. Frowning, staring at his fingers, he looks at the camera again]

I have experience working with dogs.

[ He owned one. Once. The first thing that was really his. Sleeping next to him while he was cold and hiding in the rain. He needs a cover. But he's ... honestly never had a civilian cover before.]

[ now, getting back at skye, that's something david would like to prevent. he likes her well enough, even if there are clearly a lot of things they don't know about each other. he's generally pretty good at getting a read on people, at least he likes to think so.

how he's actually going to use the situation to keep that from happening, he hasn't completely figured out yet. he just needs the in, the opening. keep him talking, get on his good side. he'll have time to fill in the blanks after. ]

People refrain from registering for any number of reasons. Not wanting to be beholden, not entirely trusting the offer, etc. I'm sure there are as many reasons as there are unsettled imPorts.

[ david knows, he's one of them. it isn't uncommon among mutants here with their history of government interaction. but he's not about to get into that. ]

So, grooming, training, walking? There are numerous ways to work with dogs. I might even be able to work out canine behavioral therapy, but it'd be probationary.

...I just-

[Shit. Think Ward. think. Why was this so hard? But it was true. All of his covers had been government connected. Diplomats, ex-military...

He rubs at his head.]

Training. Walking. Grooming. I don't get along well with people obviously.

I got that impression a bit. So, you're not picky as long as it's dogs, and less people if possible.

I'll have a look through our listings and see if there's anything I have to offer. In the meantime, it would help if you prepared a resume. I can send you templates and tips, if that will help.

You can send them to me.

[Doesn't mean you'll get them back but who knows.]

Question. Do you do this for all the new arrivals?

[ ah, and there's the suspicion. ]

I do this when people need jobs, or can't fit into the ones they were given for one reason or another. If you look back in the Network archives a couple weeks, you'll see where I was helping another imPort named Joseph Joestar.

He wanted to be a magician.

[ and didn't know how to use his communicator, either. ]

[Earlier, much earlier, Ward had a conversation with Doctor Chilton. He needs something to survive on before that goes through. build himself his own network.]

You make that sound like it's a bad thing

Not necessarily a bad thing, just a different thing. He wants to be a magician, you want to train dogs. My job is to make it happen.

[ though he does not claim any liability in their success, or lack thereof. he doesn't have to have confidence in them he just has to fake it. ]

Train dogs. Walk dogs. Animals are better then people

Training dogs is a more involved job. It puts you with them exclusively for a more significant period of time.

Dog walkers aren't paid very well, and you're out in the world, with a high chance of encountering people along the way. People like dogs, they might try petting them.

If you want to avoid people, it'll be training.

Then that's what I'd like to do.

[Hell it'll be better then the undercover work.]

Seems the best for all concerned.

Then I'll help you get that taken care of. Let me get everything together and I'll send you those resources by the end of the day.

...What can I do for you in return?

[There's the suspicion.]

imPort Career Services is non-profit, you don't have to do anything. The guys who sign my paycheck already did it.

[ though the boss also just ported out, so he has some work to do there. ]

Edited 2014-09-12 04:06 (UTC)

Nobody does anything for free

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