Summary:Laynia puts out a call for some tech support. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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As Daisy is doing her a thing, she's approached by a young mutant, his skin marbled red and black, and his eyes bright amber-gold with slit pupils. Kid's tongue is bifurcated like a snake's, and it seems like his fingers and limbs all have an extra joint. The kid looks at her a little warily, he's small, maybe ten, or twelve at most, and very slim. "You Sssskye?" He asks, the S very sibilant, and the tongue flickered out to taste the air as he asks.
Once he has his answer, the kid offers Skye a sealed envelope, her name written on it is a bold hand, flowing cursive. He doesn't stick around after delivery unless stopped.
Inside is a hand written note:
'I am an associate of your Sponsor, HM. I would like to speak with you concerning a job, a teaching position. I will pay top dollar. If you are interested text time and location for meet to: 212-867-5309. I will assume no interest if no response within 48 hours. Thank you for your consideration.'
*
Huhwhat? "Yah, that's …me…" Skye starts to answer then quickly trails off as some kid with a forked tongue hands her an envelope. That's… Huh. Even for her, superpower fangirl extraordinaire, it's difficult not to -look- at the red snake hybrid creature who's masquerading as Mister McFeelie. "Ah…right. Thanks" she awkwardly says to the kid's back with a little flick of the envelope and a sheepish and entirely brief smile.
Spinning about on her heel she mutters a "Smoooth, Skye" before opening up the offering.
A job offer? -Seriously- a JOB offer?? And she gets to pick the location? Okay, uh… What do they do in the movies? Public place. Like a park. Yah, a park seems good. Right here in ol' M-Town. Gods know she could always use the money with her last gig falling by the wayside. It's a quick text to kick off with her phone. If 'HM' is behind this then it has to at least be reasonable, right?
*
The kid seems more than a bit skittish - Skye's either a 'can pass', or a flatscan, either way the kid has no reason for any especial fondness for her. It isn't -directly- personal, but still a thing. Her staring gets a steady look back at the woman, and then a nictating membrane flickers across the eyes sideways before he turns to depart with his job done.
He does nod, very briefly, to acknowledge her thanks. At least he has some manners, right?
The offer does certainly seem a safe bet, it is very doubtful her sponsor would have given her location to anyone without good reason, and it follows that the reference was to ensure credibility. There's a CHANCE it could still be a trap, but…Skye gets to pick the time and the place, all the traditional trap things are in -her- control, which would support the offer being genuine.
The text is replied to within a few minutes of being sent. A simple 'Agreed.', and nothing more.
A few moments before the scheduled time to meet, Skye would be treated to the sight, barely, of a pinpoint of darkness in the air expanding to form an oval 'portal', out of which steps a woman in black leather with stark white hair worn in a pixie cut. Upon emergence, that portal sort of stretches, then flows into the woman from behind.
Okay, there's something you don't see every day!
*
Only one day after getting the letter Skye's sitting on the very back of a park bench in a long faded maroon coat which nearly reaches her knees. Brown leather hiking boots tucked into faded jeans rest upon the area where most people rest their butts. A light brown knit hat sits on her head but gloves have been set aside to give her free reign of the day old pastry she picked up off of the discount rack before heading over.
The last bite hovers directly in front of a half parted maw and remains there because she's too busy STARING at a FREAKING PORTAL where some villainous looking lady steps through like it's no big deal.
Skye forces a smile into place, nonchalantly stating "And you must be my one o'clock."
She's been coaching herself on smooth responses after tripping up with the kid yesterday.
The last of the pastry goes to meet her molars and vanishes in record time as she hops off of the bench. "So I'm Skye, way..less..dramatic in every conceivable way than you..and still uncertain of what it is that you wanted me for. Yooou..don't look like an aspiring drone pilot, but I've been wrong before."
*
A pair of black RayBans are doffed, tucked into a pocket inside the jacket, and then the woman offers Skye a half-smile. "Da, I am the one o'clock, you may call me Laynia." She approaches and stands a moment looking over the hacker girl with eyes that don't miss much. Her voice? Deep for a woman, almost 'furry', and her accent is definitely Russian and sounds fairly cultured.
"May I sit?" She asks politely, but when Skye hops up, she laughs softly. "Or perhaps we just talk while standing." A moment to ponder how to answer, and then a shrug, expression wry and chagrined both in equal meaure. "Simply put, no, I am not aspiring drone pilot." She meets Skye's gaze. "I am…technologically challenged…need to correct this thing. I have some training, but is not 'gelling' for me, I have reached point where I need polish, and polish comes from expert, and you are such."
*
"Oooh-kay, this isn't at all sketchy…" Skye mutters to herself upon being greeted by ..what, a Russian secret agent? "I'm guessing Boris called in sick today."
Ahem.
To the question the hackerette motions to the bench. "Yah, of course" she automatically replies. "Just ..being formal..I guess," she suggests while taking a seat again, this time using the bench as it had been intended. What is this all about then?
Oh… Oooooooh. "A tech tutor!" she chimes back in, seeming almost relieved that's all that it is! "Sure, aah..are you thinking smartphone..tablet..laptop..DVR..setting the time on the microwave?" she questions with a quizzical expression. "I mean there's a lot of different areas we could be focusing on, so…" she trails off while lightly bringing her hands together. "Pick something and it's off to the races."
*
"Badanov? Da, he has flu." Laynia states without missing a beat. "But do not worry, Moose and Squirrel will get theirs." This added with a nod as she sits when Daisy does. "Stand or sit, is okay, I am the one seeking /your/ help, Skye. So, you set agenda." It really is pretty much that simple to Laynia.
"Da, a tech tutor. I am…quite out of date." Like four decades worth, less any time made up in her studies at SHIELD. "I have learned basics, mm? But yes…smartphone, table, laptop, DVR…whatever that is…I have no microwave, but if is helpful, I will learn that too."
A smile at Skye's willingness to teach. "Is good! I will learn it all, and later, I will need more specialized training when up to snuff."
*
Any embarrassment Skye might have that Laynia overheard the Rocky and Bullwinkle reference disappears when Laynia gets it and plays along. That's worthy of a smile.
A smile which fades slightly upon discovering that Laynia here is looking for, like..-everything.- "Full spectrum" she deadpans as the amount of work lining up ahead of her rapidly stretches beyond what her mind is capable of perceiving.
Quickly it becomes clear that the hackerette is not used to being the one to call the shots where anyone else is concerned. She's always worked independently! It's -weird- having someone else so ..-eager- to follow her lead!
"Alright!" she decides with a quick intake of breath and headbob. "Let's start with practical everyday stuff. What kind of phone do you have? This stuff all dovetails, something you carry with you every day should feel a lot less intimidating."
*
Laynia even remembers the original Rocky & Bullwinkle, they were around when she was a spy back in the day. One of the few cultural references that are still current for her. "Da, full spectrum." Laynia confirms, and she can see how daunting that is for Skye. "I realize is long term project, I bring synopsis of courses I have taken to get more current, I am not /total/ neophyte, but I wish to be /competent/, even GOOD with such things as computers and smartphones, mm?"
The white haired Russian offers a thumb drive, see? Not a total Luddite.
She hands over her phone, it is a Samsun Galaxy S5, so a few years old. "Is…shocking to me how much this little thing can do. It is like ten things in small package."
*
"Well I'm glad you're not on a set timeline" Skye thinks aloud before taking the offered drive. Helpful! "Alright, cool. This should be a big help, let's see where we're at."
She didn't expect to see the most up to date phone but it least it is, in fact, a smartphone and not something hopelessly oldschool like a flip-phone. She can work with this. Better than that, she can do some fancy tricks with the thing and put more of its capabilities at their fingertips.
The real trick is to keep from digging into it, herself. A person's entire life can end up on these devices, she could learn -so- much about Laynia here. Trying to be considerate toward the device's owner is going to be a new trick all of its own.
Before anything else she needs to get a baseline and that means pulling a laptop out of her courier bag to check out the contents of the drive. Depending upon what it contains this could take a while.
*
"I did not expect you to whip up tutorial on the fly, Skye." Laynia says with a smile. "Study what I know, we can arrange times and places to meet and study and train once you have come up with curriculum." She opens up her purse, taking out a thick yellow envelope. Inside is a sizable wad of cash. "As retainer. I can pay well, all I ask is you teach to best of ability and that you keep on the 'down low'.
A smile. "I pay premium for your discretion, we train, nobody need be the wiser. Is reasonable plan? By all means, save my contact info and…if you have secure line, safe to give, and wish to, we can exchange info?"
*
Oh good! That means Skye isn't -completely- on the spot about getting this ball rolling. It may take her a few days simply to figure out what she's going to do and how to approach this 'full spectrum' learning experience.
…Although an envelope fit to burst with greenbacks certainly helps…
"II can see that!" she blurts out as far as Laynia being able to pay well. "Yahright, down low. My favorite approach. Very reasonable plan. Uh—" she stops short again while blindly holding the Russkie's phone back to her but soon aborts. Contact info? RIGHT! So long as she has Laynia's phone she can add her contact info directly -then- hand it back.
"I'll text you soon and we'll get started." Like..REAL soon. She's already holding more cash than she would have made in..like..half a YEAR through her normal means. Hello new Priority Number One!
*
CASH - cash money, /untraceable/ spendable lucre! Laynia has /style/!
Once she has her phone back, she smiles. "You can page…er, no, is /text/, da? You can -text- me when you have come up with lesson plan. Codephrase - you will call me 'Nogoodnick' in text. I will reply and call you squirly, this way we know is us."
At that she picks up her purse after sealing it, and then concentrates, creating another portal behind her. "Was pleasure to meet you, Skye. I look forward to long and fruitful relationship." As the woman takes a step backwards for a fleeting moment an after image of her, or is it…looks at Skye, the reason it doesn't feel like an after image is that it CLEARLY -saw- her, people can feel that sort of thing.
Yes, perhaps a bit on the creepy side. The portal leads to — darkness, and a chill breeze comes out, and then Laynia steps through and it wisps away like tattered smoke.
*