001; Video

[dogsled]

[ The man that appears on screen is wearing red from head to waist--or at least so far as it went out of shot. He wore a leather Sam Browne, a white lanyard, and more gold buttons and badges than was probably necessary, but he smiled a genuine smile too - handsome; blue eyes, dark brown hair - exuding as much professional warmth as any man could hope to. No, there was no hat on his head--he was, believe it or not, trying to dress down. ]

Good afternoon. My name is Constable Benton Fraser. I first came to Chicago on the trail of my father's killers...except this isn't Chicago; it's not even Illinois, and I've never been much further south than the 42nd parallel in my life. [ And did he mention it is insanely hot? Not like a little hot. Not like summer in Chicago hot. Not even sitting two feet away from a campfire hot; but more like might spontaneously combust how does anyone survive in this climate hot. From just below his feet, out of view of the video feed, Diefenbaker whines urgently. If Fraser is suffering, the arctic wolf at his feet is finding the transition harder still. ]

Generally speaking, I serve the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Generally speaking. That's rather why I'm here. You see, in the absence of holding a commission, which I'm hoping to reobtain as swiftly as possible, the fact remains that I am presently a private citizen, and as such the uniform is... Well, it's unnecessary. [ And a lie, or at the very least unintentionally misleading. ] That and it itches.

I would be eternally grateful if there were anyone who might be able to spare me a change in clothes, at least until I have the opportunity to find my feet; in fact, I'd insist on returning them within a week--laundered and freshly ironed, of course.

[ He inhales slowly, and there's a fraction of emotion slips through that is hope and concern and fear, before his schooled mask is back in place. ] And if anyone has spoken to a Chicago PD Detective named Ray - Raymond Vecchio...

[ He trailed off, ducked his head, kneading his left eyebrow with his thumb and forefinger. He missed Ray; either of them. Both. He was supposed to be looking for the hand of Franklin, not dying of heatstroke in Florida, and the Northwest Territories: the Yukon, Nunavut; Canada--they all seemed so impossibly far away now. Whatever he was saying before didn't matter, he decided. If Ray were here he'd make himself known, and it was a superfluous waste of other people's patience. ] Thank you kindly for your time.

Comments

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[highhealplz]

Oh, I can help with that! The clothes, I mean. [ Ashraf looks so pleased with himself. ] You don't know how long I've been waiting for these powers they gave me to come in handy!

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[dogsled]

[ Powers. Right. He hasn't actually had time to come to terms with that aspect yet. Stetson of Invulnerability, indeed. That's so dumb, Ray would say, and Fraser frankly would agree with him.

His doubt doesn't show in his expression, but he does have to hold back from biting his lip. ]

Really, if there's anything, I would dearly appreciate it. I'm afraid all this wool isn't standard tropical issue.

[highhealplz]

Yeah, I wouldn't think so. That looks pretty miserable. But! Lucky you, I'm here.

Mind if I get a look at you in person before I start trying to pull clothes out of nothing? I want to try to get at least generally the right size.

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[lyingheart]

Is the forty-second parallel a reference to latitude?

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[dogsled]

That is correct, although now that you mention it, the 42nd Parallel is also a rather excellent novel by John Dos Passos, incorporating both fictional and biographical elements in its storytelling. Well worth reading if the interest should take you.

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[lyingheart]

Ah. What's it about?

permavid

[glassbox]

Y'were with the RC's? Where y'from, hon?

[dogsled]

[ Anyone else might not have blushed at such a simple question; anyone else is not Benton Fraser. ]

Tuktoyaktuk; have you heard of it?

[glassbox]

Oh, you're from Tuk. I was born an' raised in Yellowknife. Name's Lillian Crawley, but most folks just stick with "Lil."

S'nice t'meet you, Constable.

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[sassguard]

Sorry, don't think I've ever heard of your friend. [ On the trail of his father's killers just seems strangely dramatic to Shepard, but it's hardly the strangest introduction he's heard. ]

The sun takes some getting used to. [ He can speak with some authority on that, given he's got the look of someone not used to a lot of sun exposure, only to be sunburnt when he was through. ]

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[dogsled]

[ Fraser dips his head gratefully. He has wondered - does wonder - whether Ray had been here before him, but perhaps the reassurance helps to distance him from his concern. ]

The sun isn't in of itself the problem, only our proximity to it. [ And as if to acknowledge that heat he tugs briefly at the collar of his tunic. ] Where I grew up the summer sun would barely set before it rose again. Irregardless of the exposure, the temperature rarely rose above sixty degrees Fahrenheit.

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[sassguard]

Canada, right? [ He assumes that where he grew up, anyway, given what he'd mentioned. ]

Alliance ships usually had artificial light cycles and regulated temperatures, so I never really experienced that while I was growing up.

Video; I'm sorry.

[walkingballpit]

[Shaking his head in a bemused, disappointed manner.]

I watched that whole thing. Not a single 'eh'.

Video; you are forgiven, eh

[dogsled]

[ Fraser blinks, once, twice, then says: ]

Ah.

[ Which is the wrong interjection, and finally good naturedly leans forward. ]

I suppose you've already heard the joke about how they named Canada?

[walkingballpit]

[All of the movies he has seen about Canadians have lied to him. He'd be disappointed, but Fraser has a sense of humor about it after all. Robbie beams.]

Ff, that joke's the lamest thing to come out of Canada ever. Since when did Scrabble bags exist in 1500s?

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[aggressiveapathy]

You didn't say please.

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[dogsled]

[ That's awful. Terrible. He looks positively stricken. ]

I didn't?

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[boobwindow]

[ ID printed is Karen Starr. ]

I'm not sure how citizenship works between the US and Canada in these circumstances. The imPort population isn't a stable one, after all.

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[dogsled]

Unstable; yes, I'd heard the same thing. Even without that complication, applying for citizenship when all that identifies me as a genuine person - nevermind a Canadian - is a slip of paper provided by the United States government, is a feat in of itself.

But I would be remiss in my duty not to try it; I made a pledge of allegiance to give my life in service to my country, and if at all possible I intend to keep my word.

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[parallels]

Wish I could say you get used to the heat but that definitely hasn't happened for me yet.

[She's getting used to having to ditch tights and just go for sundresses and obscenely short shorts. Still, she empathizes completely about being dragged here, even if she wasn't doing something as important as trailing a killer.]

I've got a few things you could wear. Or my friend does. But he won't mind if I lend them to you.

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[dogsled]

[ Hahaha get used to the heat. Fraser is still baffled by the idea that the Atlantic is an ocean that you might swim in for fun i.e. not freezing to death. The heat itself is the least of the things he'll have difficulty getting used to. ]

I would be immeasurably grateful to both you and your friend, in that case.

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[mightiswright]

[ Canadian. It's probably bad that he was pinged to this post by that word alone. ]

You need a change of clothing, eh? [ He couldn't resist... ]

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[dogsled]

[ Apparently this far south of the border everyone's a comedian, but Fraser didn't work at a consulate for the better part of four years and come out of it without hearing every possible variation. As a result he doesn't so much as bat an eyelid, and his smile is polite. ]

That's correct. I was, rather unfortunately, standing in the middle of Franklin Bay when ah-- [ A gesture around him, maybe to Florida itself. ] Suffice is to say I was ill prepared for the abrupt change in climate.

Video

[biotically]

[ A pause. A Mountie. ]

Your uniform looks itchy. [ A beat. ] Ah, I think you have everything you've asked for, anything else you need? I, ah, can't help you with your friend, unfortunately.

[dogsled]

Unless you know where the nearest meat rendering plant is, I'm afraid not. I suspect Louisiana.

[ Where do you even get tallow in Florida? It'd be like trying to find a snowboard hire shop. ]

And yes, it is. Almost intolerably so, in this heat.