voice!

[wronganswer]

[ It's not immediately after arriving that Anderson finally accesses the network. Out of sorts and deeply discomfited, she falls back on professionalism, as she's been trained to do, and scopes out the area first. This reconnaissance includes a brief mental skim of assorted passersby, mostly to gauge honesty and make sure this isn't an elaborate psychic-induced hallucinatory trap.

She's strong, but she's not invulnerable. She knows that's a possibility.

Except... it seems like it isn't, and she really is here, wherever 'here' is in the universe. After the two days she's spent poking around and reassuring herself of the reality of everything, though, that's not even the most incredulous part to her. ]

Looking for some information. [ Her voice is smooth, pleasant, a young woman's voice largely stripped of tone and easy to listen to. ] Someone told me there's no police here.

No judges.

How does that... work? Has anyone had experience with the intermediary system?

[ How can a place like this exist? It seems impossible to her. And just who is she, here? Who is she if not a Judge? ]

Comments

[wronganswer]

[ She shrugs one shoulder. He's not wrong, but Anderson isn't quite ready to speak ill of the Hall of Justice. Not to someone she just met, anyway. ]

For some people. I try my best to dispense justice equitably, with the intent of the law and not the letter.

[ She certainly sounds serious enough about it; she considers it her life's mission, honestly. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Uh-huh. Something tells me the clip size on that thing makes the lawbreakers a little skeptical.

[He's not hostile, just…quietly making a note not to do any theft around her. He's been shot at plenty, he doesn't need to add to the number of occasions.]

You looking to reform the lack of justice system here, or make a career change?

[wronganswer]

[ She's not going to shoot someone for stealing, although she may kick him. Her ethical standards are there, just... interesting. ]

They know what the law is, [ she says curtly. ] I don't open fire on someone who hasn't tried to shoot someone first. [ Implication being just how often that happens if Judges go around like this.

Then she shakes her head. ] Not my place. I'm not sure what I'll do, but I wasn't entrusted with that position here.

[sketchycharacter]

[Good to know.]

Then you might want to consider a change of clothes. Your current get-up gives the wrong impression.

[wronganswer]

I wasn't sure how friendly it was around here, [ she says simply, ] but it's on the list.

[ Something that will let her concealed carry her Lawgiver is high up on the priorities, and is going to be a challenge. She foresees lots of jackets in her future. ]

[sketchycharacter]

Fair enough. I've got a few weapons myself, left over from our ship that crash landed a few months ago, but I haven't had to use them so far.

[wronganswer]

Does that make you lucky or smart?

[ That's her sense of humor, sort of a teasing quip. She's genuinely interested, though. She's still trying to get a sense of how dangerous it is around here, on average. ]

[sketchycharacter]

People always tell me I'm lucky. I'm not so sure that's true, though. So let's go for smart.

[He knows he's smart, just not necessarily in the way she means.]

[wronganswer]

Doesn't make a difference as long as you pull through? [ She sounds faintly amused. She can appreciate a practical perspective. ]

I'm Anderson, by the way.

[sketchycharacter]

I hope not.

[Living is good.]

I'm Drake--Nathan Drake.

[wronganswer]

[ Oh good, someone else that goes by their last name. ]

What do you do here, Drake?

[ She might as well start taking a survey; she's looking for ideas. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[It's an action protagonist thing. They're in good company.]

I'm an artist.

[There's no sign that this is a lie, because it isn't really. He does draw and sometimes he even gets paid for it. But it's theft that pays the bills.]

[wronganswer]

[ That's totally not what she was expecting, no. She can't resist inquiring further. ]

What kind of artist?

[sketchycharacter]

Pencil and pen, mostly. I'm not a painter or anything. But I do good work with the medium I know.

[wronganswer]

Is there a market for that around here?

[ How do you make money with art ?? Not like she has any idea. ]

[sketchycharacter]

There is if you pour enough flattery into it. Who doesn't want to think they look interesting enough for a portrait?

[wronganswer]

So you hustle them. [ She sounds amused rather than disparaging. There's way, way worse things to hustle with. At least they get some presumably nice art out of it. ]

[sketchycharacter]

[He shrugs, looking utterly unrepentant.]

Gotta make a living.

[wronganswer]

Not concerned all your clients will figure out you took them? Or do you do business with the locals?

[sketchycharacter]

Hey, it's a fair deal. I'm a good artist, they get a good drawing. What's not to like? Are you saying my art is bad?

[wronganswer]

I don't know, I've never seen it.

[sketchycharacter]

But you're assuming it's a con. That's hurtful. We artists are sensitive, you know.

[wronganswer]

It's not exactly a con if they obtain services in the end. It's just shady.

[sketchycharacter]

I can live with shady.