audio;

[springlocking]

-- okay, it's on.

[The video is briefly on, just long enough to display the curious face of the person making the broadcast. She looks average enough, aside from that scar on her left cheek, though she manages to get the camera back off before continuing. Not much analysis/staring time there.

There's a brief inhale before the voice belonging to the face (a teenage girl, no more no less) starts in with her statement.]

Hi, my name's Charlie. I just arrived on the ship, and I've got a favor to ask.

See, I've been assigned to stealth operative duty. I haven't done anything like that in my life up until now, so if someone - anyone - could train me in...anything that's got anything to do with this? I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

Comments

audio; private

[ersatzeverything]

Looks like Allison has already told you that the first rule of stealth club is that you don't talk about stealth club.

it's cool, charlie wouldn't get the reference anyway o/

[springlocking]

[Her name's Allison, huh? She probably had her reasons for not saying anything.]

Yeah, she did. I've got a lot to learn, huh...

[Other parties have also told her this rule - but she keeps her mouth shut on that part. Private means private.]

[ersatzeverything]

No problem; everyone's gotta start somewhere.

Just remember that information is like caps...uh, like money. You don't want to just toss it out.

Like, if I told you that you kinda reminded me of my daughter, because she had blonde hair likes yours and would have been about your age now, you'd have some leverage over me.

[A lie, Deacon's never had children.]

It's not that you can't tell anyone anything, but you want to be careful about what you say, and to whom. Think about what you're giving away and then decide if you really want to and really should.

[springlocking]

[This? This she gets almost on instinct. Like not making direct eye contact with a skeevy night guard - she hadn't known what was wrong, but she had been afraid of giving something up if she made that mistake.

Information, maybe. Whatever it was that he'd seen through the mask later, she'd kept him from seeing earlier. Maybe it would've been her in the suit if she had... Her voice is quiet and thoughtful when she replies.]

I think I get the picture, a little. And you don't actually have a daughter, I'm guessing. ... Which is also information... Am I anywhere near right on how to see things? It's all about thinking before you act or speak, isn't it?

[Charlie wanted to go back to normal after the mess at Freddy's, but - do you really go back to normal after that?]

Meant to say Tex instead of Allison up there... /fail

[ersatzeverything]

[Deacon smiles in approval as she picks up on his lie, and more importantly why he lied and gleaned true information through the lie.]

You've got good instincts. That's gonna be your most valuable tool in the business. Train it up and you'll do fine, kid.

Half the time the job's not about picking locks and creeping through the shadows--I mean, it totally is sometimes, but sometimes it's just about blending in, picking up information from people without them knowing it and controlling what information they might pick up about you. Yeah, thinking before you act or speak.

Belay that part of my brackets, then, Charlie knows nothing about any Allison!

[springlocking]

[That information gives her pause, however, because it nags at a far too recent memory. Controlling information that people might pick up on you- like being a batshit insane serial killer, maybe?

These are the same methods that guy used to pretend to be normal, to dupe her dad, aren't they? Something very cold and unwelcome settles in her stomach as she thinks about it.

No. It's over, Charlie. Don't think about it.

She takes a minute to compose herself before replying again.] So, uh...learning to pick locks probably wouldn't be a bad thing, just in case, though?

[Let's focus on things that aren't directly related to horrible and all too recent events, shall we?]

[ersatzeverything]

[That pause is noticeable, but he doesn't pry. Not no.]

Oh yeah, lock picking is an awesome skill. Super fun as well as really useful sometimes. I can show you, if you've never done it before.

[springlocking]

[This is a safe topic, and she doesn't mind letting this piece of info slip:]

I'd like that, thanks. It might come in handy.

[Not "it would've come in handy," though. What happens in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria stays in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria, darn it.]

[ersatzeverything]

Great. I'll find some locks for you to practice with. You'll be breaking into secured buildings in no time.

I'd show you some hacking techniques, too, but the computers around here are, like, way beyond what I'm used to.

[springlocking]

Thank you.

The computers here are way beyond me too, so - no big deal, there. Even the MIDs are pretty advanced.

[ersatzeverything]

So where are you from, then? And when?

And, yeah, I'm fishing for info right now.

[springlocking]

Midwestern United States, 1990s.

How'd I do dodging that? [She's totally not having fun with this. Really.]

[ersatzeverything]

Totally awesome. Nice and vague, but doesn't sound like you're trying to avoid giving an answer.

I'm from California. 1984.

[Both lies. His accent is Californian, but it was intentionally acquired, not native, borrowed from a passing caravan guard ages ago. And he borrowed the year from a crew mate.]