[003: Action]

[rianofski]

[He'd stayed inside all day, well aware of the curse and its unfortunate effects, but by the evening, he'd become stir crazy, and had decided that it was safe enough to venture out on a walk. After all, he wasn't affected by the curse... was he?

As it turned out, it was a poor choice. Walking by the fountain, he noticed several people, and did his best to avoid them. He wasn't feeling particularly victorious, but he also didn't know what counted as a victory. Better to keep his distance, though muttering to himself would probably draw curious people over.]

Damn. This is ridiculous. Completely ridiculous. I shouldn't have to feel uneasy simply stepping outside.

[OOC: And yes, his version of muttering is definitely loud enough that people walking by might hear it. Have at it, and make his life difficult!]

Comments

[prosopopoeia]

[They could have had a part of irritation, if McCoy were still here, and General Sephiroth. Maybe that's a large chunk of her frustration, that the city keeps taking the few people that she can manage to respect.]

My title was chief engineer. Astronautics.

[Something which has become irrelevant five month's in to her ship's ingenue voyage and her entire crew, herself included, were slaughtered.]

[rianofski]

Fascinating.

[This time, he's not saying it in a sarcastic way.]

Engineering has always intrigued me, though of course, we've hardly reached the point of space travel yet.

[prosopopoeia]

[She knows, although she has no reason to connect it to him at the moment. She'd had a depressing conversation with Jack about 'rocket ships' once.]

My ship was zhe first, even for my own time. [A shrug.] I 'ave other skills to be put to work.

[Siiigh. Her work. She's so unsatisfied with it, in some ways.]

If engineering is only an intrigue, what is it you do?

[rianofski]

I'm a businessman. An industrialist.

[He stubs out his cigarette.]

And I own a city.

[prosopopoeia]

[Industrialist, well, that at least gives her a better clue as to his era. And it does catch her interest.]

You built it, or you purchased it?

[One of those comes with slightly more judgment than the other.]

[rianofski]

I built it, of course.

[As though the question even needs to be asked!]

[prosopopoeia]

[It does. She has had a bit too much personal experience with the corrupting power of money.]

Quite a project. How has your city fared?

[rianofski]

[A sigh.]

Excellent up to a point. Unfortunately, there are always parasites who desire nothing more than to demand things they're utterly unwilling to work for.

[prosopopoeia]

[She understands that.]

Leadership is a thankless task.

[rianofski]

Indeed, though I have never sought to be a politician.

[There's evident scorn in his tone at this word.]

Yet they persist in viewing me as one anyway.

[prosopopoeia]

None of us are free from politics.

[Sigh. She definitely needs another cigarette.]

To live in a society is to be caught in its web.

[rianofski]

That is precisely why I built my city somewhere no government could touch, no sanctions could reach, no censor could harm.

[He needs another cigarette, too.]

[prosopopoeia]

[A small frown.]

A city-state, all its own, you mean?

[rianofski]

In a manner of speaking. It is its location that makes it truly unique. I built it underwater.

[prosopopoeia]

[All of her attention, it is redirected.]

Zhat is quite a feat of engineering, for your time.

[rianofski]

I worked with only the best. The star scientists, the genius engineers, architects, and contractors... It was a city made up of the best and brightest.

[He takes a drag on his cigarette and sighs.]

And now I find myself here.

[prosopopoeia]

[She nods, she understands. She understands that frustration.]

I 'ave been working here at an industries firm and laboratory called City Solutions, 'owever... zhe founder and one of our top engineers, Mr. Tony Stark, 'as recently left zhe city. Our departments are currently at disarray, with little progress being made.

Zhis is zhe only firm to your interests zhat I know of in zhe city.

[And she's sorry to say it.]

[rianofski]

I had imagined that I would find the industry in this damned place sorely lacking. What does this "City Solutions" do, exactly? I may be interested in exploring further.

[prosopopoeia]

[She goes into a rather sarcastic quotation of the CS services and career statement, that French accent of hers heavy all the way.]

[rianofski]

[He smirks slightly as she finishes.]

Fascinating. Well, that may prove to be an interesting distraction while I spend my time here.

[prosopopoeia]

I hope so, to be separated from one's work is a cruelty.

[rianofski]

I imagine it proves difficult for you.

[prosopopoeia]

I make due with what I can get my hands on.

[Her work was out of her reach, even before this place. Had she not been brought to the City, she would have died. As it was, she had nearly bled out in the snow on the outskirts of town.]

[rianofski]

And can you actually get your hands on anything worthwhile?

[prosopopoeia]

Rarely, the materials I 'ave need of are not available here. I 'ave taken to developing weapons for zhe local police force.

[A shrug.]

I 'ave plans to recreate some of my research, zhey were presented to Mr. Stark with zhe go-ahead, but 'ave been stalled by his departure.