maskormenace | 1 🐍 ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ( action for housemates )

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1 🐍 ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ ( action for housemates )

[ When the feed comes to life, Hemali is seated on a couch, her legs drawn up and shoulders and neck hunched over. On the coffee table is a small bottle of nail polish, which she goes about applying with precision over her toe nails.

She doesn't glance at the camera right away, letting the silence linger until she's finished painting the nail the way she wants. Then she finally looks up and smiles, but it isn't one offered up in apology for making anyone wait, not that she believes she has anything to apologize for. ]

Isn't this all interesting? I've never seen a device like this or heard of one that could shuffle people from across the universe.

[ Her eyes light up at the thought, masking any concerns she has about the fact there's something with far greater power than she might ever have. ]

Nor have I heard about machines that could grant people power. What I find most strange having looked over this network, is that so many people would give up these powers if it meant leaving this place? I had always thought people preferred being special and having that kind of security. Does your power not provide that?

[ A contemplative pause. ]

Maybe I am a little excited to travel for once, personally.

[ Not completely, but who needs to know behind a calm affect is a woman who feels threatened by the Porter? She goes back to painting her nails, interested in hearing what these other imPorts have to say in response. ]

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[Alfie is very interested in the way she starts and ends the video, even more than in what she has to say - not because he cares at all about how women paint their nails, but because he recognizes the tactic. It's one he's used himself plenty of times in the past - calmly sitting and reading the paper before starting a business meeting, making his associate wait until he's good and ready. Maybe it's meant to intimidate. Maybe it's just meant to project confidence. Either way, he's taking note.]

Would you rather stay here, then, and be very powerful in this foreign place?

[ Why not? She might not mind so much someday, though she would prefer to live elsewhere once she's seen enough of this country.

His accent makes it a tad hard to understand him at first, so she has to listen carefully to him. ]

I wouldn't mind being comfortable if my stay is a long one.

But that's not what we're talking about, yeah? You mentioned the people who would give up their powers to return home.

[ A broad smile. ]

So some seem to imply. [ A shrug. ] I suppose then I would stay. Who doesn't want to have that kind of security even in a new country?

[ She pauses, frowning at nothing in particular. ]

Or universe? Their explanations were very confusing.

Both, from what I hear.

[ It's hard to wrap (haha) her head around that. ]

How much do you know about this technology?

Mm. Not much.

[He's picking it up, and a lot of it's at least intuitive - but he's definitely not used to it, and he knows pretty much nothing about it beyond "pressing this button does this thing".]

We don't have anything like it in my day.

What do you mean?

[ The way he phrases it he may as well be from another era.

... is he? ]

These things, these-- what did they call them. Smart phones. They're new to me.

[Then, as an explanation:]

I came here from nineteen twenty-two.

[ He's got twenty-five years on her if that's the case, though she won't mention she was born in 1949 when she looks all of 30 years old. ]

Really. [ So that is something this Porter machine can do. ] You look very good for an old man.

[ She's teasing. ]

[He tips his hat to her, a little exaggeratedly.]

I should hope so. I'm in my one hundred and thirties here.

I say you do.

[ Clearly her opinion matters! ]

Still, that is... I didn't realize the extent of the Porter's capabilities. The Americans can't win a war with it?

And what does that say about the Americans, eh?

Foolish or afraid.

Maybe both, but I've never cared for wars anyway.

Not even wars over power?

I've never been involved in one like that. I had everything I needed at home.

[ Sort of. ]

Really.

[He raises his eyebrows.]

And you're still happy to be here?

For now. I have food, a roof and a job.

[ And if Dooku is right, she won't have to do anything she doesn't want to. ]

It's all interesting, to say the least. Do you not think so?

Sure, it's interesting, yeah. But I don't wanna stay. I've got food, a roof, and a job waiting for me in London, too.

They won't let you go if you ask?

[ Or demand, she guesses. ]

You haven't heard? They say they can't control it.

Do you believe that?

I think it's a convenient explanation.

[But he doesn't completely disbelieve it, either. He hasn't decided yet whether he thinks this government is malicious or just incompetent.]

You seem a smart man.

[ Too smart, perhaps. ]

And you're a smart woman. How are those nails coming along?

[Just a little hint that he thinks he knows what she was doing there.]

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