2019-09-08 - Computers are Hard!

Summary:

Agents Petrovna and Dimitriscu meet in a computer lab.

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Sun Sep 8 19:18:17 2019
Location: Computer Lab

Related Logs

None

Theme Song

None

chasietru-dimitresculaynia-petrovna

Laynia generally considers herself to be a reasonably smart and capable person, but she's still learning a lot about computers after missing the last four /DECADES/. She definitely thinks she needs to hit-up her friend Spider-Man for more pointers. In the mean time she is at a study carrel, wearing some earbuds as she goes through some introductory courses on computing, it is not completely rudimentary stuff, she's not /that/ ignorant, but it is pretty basic all the same and she is clearly not the most adept mouse user ever! Keyboards, thankfully, were more of a thing in the 70's.


The door oepens as Chasi steps in. He's coming in to complain he doesn't have his laptop yet. And his computer in his apartment is too old to do most of the stuff SHIELD needs. So….he's here and slips into a carrel by Laynia by chance and begins clicking around. He's got one earbud in so he can hear the room, and he's lazily clicking around, and…quietly, too. He's just…bored and wants his own laptop, but that takes time. Which means, oh yes, he's here.

Slipping his earbud back in, he's nosing around the course he's on about intermediate usage. He's a few notches above Laynia having grown up with computers and grasped them. Ye t there's still things about computers that mystify him. Like….disks. Still though he shakes his head and slides the chair back a tiny, tiny bit…as he stretches and rubs his eyes. He's been up for an inanely long time. And….yet he's not sure they'd ever let him in with coffee or a sandwich. Both sound good right now…

Pausing his typing on the keyboard he gets up for a moment and peers around. Some habits die hard. Know your surroundings. Even if it is just a computr lab in the towers, he's still….well…wanting to know what's going on.


The lab is definitely not the most hopping of places, just after lunch there are aside from Laynia and Chasi there's two other people in the room, and the agent in charge of the lab as well. Said agent sports a bright grin when he takes Chasi's complaint and even goes so far as to request and expedite on the laptop, you know, like every OTHER laptop request in the system. Secret agents are apparently none too patient.

For her own part Laynia has both earbuds in, but does keep an eye on things, and the volume low. Chasi's arrival earns him a quick and professional assessment, clearly the woman in standard uniform is a field agent, or at least an agent in training if one considers her course materials! After the rapid look-over she offers a nod, and a faint smile, then goes back to /plodding/ through her coursework.

When finally she completes her current course she sights, leans back, takes out the earbuds and prints her results. Rising, she moves to the techie, and offers the printout before eyeing the carrel will disfavor before returning.

A glance of cinnamon eyes to the tired fellow. "There is coffee, though is very bad, in the break area, just to right of here." Her voice is fairly deep for a woman, and her accent cultured, Russian.


Chasi nods, "Thank you" he says. His own accent Romanian as he nods. "Coffee is not bad until you drink government coffee. It is taste like death warmed up" he says and nods to her asking a techie to get him coffee and a sandwich before he settles back into his seat, though he does angle the chair to keep talking.

Computer forgotten for the moment, he's leaning back typing with the very tips of his fingers as he looks over to the woman, and gives her a sympathetic nod. "Computers are problem" he says in his broken English. "They not work when you want"

There's his accent again, and he's got the faintest glint of a smile as he carries on typing as if by smell or, or…..something. He's not finished his course yet, though.


"Da, in my experience only coffee worse is _cold_ government coffee." Laynia agrees readily, a half smile curling. Settling into her carrel seat once more, the woman also turns her seat a mite, not yet donning her earbuds or unlocking from the screensaver. It is pretty clear she's not a fan of them yet, but who knows, maybe when they feel less like an enemy that might change.

A soft laugh. "Old Russian saying about men would apply - if computer gives you problem, no computer, no problem."

She offers a hand then. "Agent Laynia Petrovna, Darkstar." Her grip should he accept the hand is firm enough to show confidence, but not aggressive. "Romania, da? I have little of that tongue."


Chasi shakes her hand, "Agent Chasietru Dimitrescu" he says and smiles with a nod to the computer, using his elbow to nudge the keyboard. He listens and busts out laughing at the saying. "I believe that, yes. No computer, no problem. Write everything. I don't have laptop, I have problem" he adds and glances back to his computer as he hits the print button. It whirrs to life and sends the results to be printed. He'll get up in time once it's done.

Fixing his eyes on a point past Petrovna's shoulder, Chasi looks back to her again. "Don't remind me of cold coffee. I served in Army, all they had is cold coffee, ya? Cold coffee all day, cold solid coffee and no heating it up" he adds with a shake of his head, before he gets up to get his own coffee.


"A pleasure, Agent Dimitrescu." Laynia grins a little at his laughter. "I am old school, but…also very much out of date tech-wise." Only the bulk of the computer age, hardly an impediment now. "Ah, I was not in Army as such, but yes, cold coffee was common enough, especially during field ops. Fire such a good way to get yourself killed." Especially today with modern thermal imaging optics and targeting systems.

"So…are you new to this office? I have not seen you before." A soft laugh. "Granted, I am fairly new myself, only about a month."


Chasi smiles coming back with coffee taking a sip of it. "I've been here a while, but never been to the the computer lab. I had my computer but it broke. I dropped it on the ground and it broke" he says lazily.

The fire comment gets a smirk. "It is, or you burn down your spot. I knew a guy who lit a fire in a tent, burned it down and complained he was cold. He was told you burn down tent,you deal with it" he says with a nod. "I've been here for a while but I have a home nearby" he says and sips his coffee again with a displeased look.

"Da. Not worst coffee ever, but…but…." he says with a shudder. It's passable coffee, really. It's passable coffee, but…it's not gourmet coffee.


When Chasi returns, Laynia is finishing up another course. "Such fragile things, computers. My own at home is not modern enough to run the required softwares we need, also not secured enough." A faint frown. "I showed to tech, not this one, he laughed and nearly fell over." Must be a few years out of date, maybe more to get that bad a reaction though.

A shrug, and then a smile. "Is okay, I am on waiting list for SHIELD issue, but delay can be significant, all governments thrive of inefficient bureaucracy, mm?"

She snickers at the mention of the guy which burned down his tent. "Every unit has one such guy, must be part of interview process." A nod. "I live in Brooklyn, near Coney Island. Is bit of commute, but not so bad." And then a firm nod about the coffee. "Exactly! Not quite paint thinner, not quite coffee."


"Tech are paid to fix computers" Chasi observes as he nods, "I'm on list for computer as well, so" he nods watching her over the foam coffee cup, "I can buy new computer but it need internet. I not have it at apartment. I borrow neighbor's connection, though" he admits with a shrug. What's a little connection borrowing between neighbors. "He allows it. I pay him five dollars a week for it" he ads. "I live at Water Street, apartments there" he nods. He's only telling her this, because chances are, it's on his file and anyone with clearence can double check that. He's not saying which apartment though.

He smirks though, "Yes, every unit has one guy. He was son of firefighter. His dad lectured him to no end" Chasi grins widely saluting Laynia with coffee before taking a generous gulp. Needs sugar andd cream" he declares. "Coney Island is American theme park? I should go there, ya?" he asks, "I saw pictures of it at home, the rides and the fairs" he adds, wondering if he can get away with printing a picture out. He's not chancing it. Yet. "So what are you in SHIELD, what is your job here?" he asks, then apologizes for being blunt.


"See, I said much the same, he said was not Sorcerer Supreme level Necromancer, that my computer was useful to brows web, surf shopping, and stop a bullet." Laynia chuckles. "Was real people person. But…is expert, if he says 'No, Laynia, I cannot do this thing', well, since /I/ cannot either, I must take him at word, surly or not." She nods about the connection, hey, he's got an arrangement so that's totally fine. "My apartment is near Little Odessa." She's not worried about him knowing that much either, for much the same reason, though personnel records are probably fairly well locked down.

"Best thing I read about that sort of thing - volunteer firefighter sued city because was told had to cut long hair, on stand he lights own head on fire, saying hair self-extinguish." She pauses, eyes bright with anticipation. "Apparently he had used hair gel that morning, however."

"Coney Island looks interesting, have not gone so cannot advise." And then she laughs. "Me? I am in Spec Ops, and Intelligence, I am field agent." Clearly not bothered by the blunt as she returns. "You?"


Chasi grins with a headtilt. "He set himself on fire?" he asks not sounding like he believes it. Rahter he's looking a mix of horrified, amused and scared. "And he was volunteer firefighter?" he asks then listens more. "You need WAND to resurrect your computer?" he asks with a chuckle. "I fit in where needed, I can do a little of everything" he says with a smile, "A little of everything, I can dig through information, I can shoot a gun, I can ask questions, you know?" he asks

Which is a fancy way of saying he's a tool. In the literal definition, too. He pulls up a photo of Coney Island, and looks to it in silence for a few moments, then speaks. "There's a page with the history of it, yes….it sounds amazing. I should go" he says with a determined look. Which is his way of saying forget what SHIELD wants me to do. I'm taking a day off!


"He set himself on fire, as trained fire-fighter, and had put ACCELERANT on head first." She can't help but laugh. "Lose case, of course. Was even out of hospital in two days." A snort, and then a laugh-sigh as she remembers. "Ah, is good to be faceted. My own skills are mostly espionage work, and I have mutant powers, so, Spec Ops and Intelligence. I have work with other sections of course, even with WAND. Let me just say - WAND is _very_ strange group." She grins then. "But yes, I know, not having specialty is good just as specializing is, one lets you be useful in specific, the other in broad, need mix of both to work."

She laughs. "Ah, sounds like fun. I wish you well of it, tovarisch. Myself? I have too much training backlogged, I would like to get to /this/ century soon. But…perhaps we meet on field work, or go out with others for post torture…errr… training drink, mm?"


Chasi grins trying not to laughh. He…..amost manages it. almost, but he nods at her offer of meeting up. He looks amused for a moment then grins. "Pos torture air training sounds like a good time. I know a few places in Brooklyn, pizza joint being one" he grins and slips his earbuds back in, focusing on the course he's been putting off until now, but he does give her another final nod before losing himself in his course materials.


Laynia laughs right along with him, and nods. "Sounds good, I like pizza, will definitely do so." She returns that friendly enough nod, and then mms, to herself as she turns back to her own (substantial) coursework. "Bozhe moi, she mutters…they add more work to list…" A sigh, and then puts in her earbuds and also focuses on work.


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