OFFICE HOURS

[didntgetdadslooks]

Got something you want to say to your good friend The Professor's Assistant? Come on in, don't be shy! Her official hours are daylight hours - girl has to sleep? after all, probably - but if you knock on the door at night she'll generally answer. Please just make sure to leave the in-game date and time in the header of your toplevel!

All comments are screened for confidentiality during the course of the experiment.

Comments

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ There's... something there, but it's not outright recognition, at least not entirely? Until she opens it, anyway, and Angel runs a hand over the page, tracing between a few of the circles. ]

I... yeah, I guess I did this before you guys got here. But... [ She bites her lip for a second. ] This shouldn't be in there.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Bingo. ]

Really. It was just hanging out in the international culture section. Sure you didn't leave it in there before prep day? Maybe one of the little workers put it back thinking it belonged there?

[didntgetdadslooks]

No, it's... this was mine back at the other facility, before I was moved here. I... don't know why they would have taken it out? It's not a special atlas or anything...

[ Her hand drifts down to the scribbling in pen. ]

This is even the same.

[nothingcanstop]

[ The scribbling... Della thinks for a moment. ]

Maybe the Professor's not letting you in on everything. Why else would your personal things show up here like part of a scavenger hunt?

[ Remember what everyone said at the meeting. If guilt wouldn't work... ]

[didntgetdadslooks]

Maybe... I just don't know why he would do that. Or if he put more of my stuff in here...

[ She sighs. ]

He was sure happy to let me know this morning that I was going to have to hand out a bunch of threats.

[nothingcanstop]

That was a surprise to you too, huh?

[ When Angel's sitting down and Della's standing like this, she can just about look her in the eye. ]

It was a little unclear last time, just when did you learn the specifics of...all this? Before, or after you signed up?

[didntgetdadslooks]

The Professor told me basically the same setup you guys got, and said if I would step in and be the one championing not killing each other, he'd make sure I could leave the base and go out into the world.

[ She gestures. ]

I didn't think... he was this committed to things going the other way, I guess.

[nothingcanstop]

[ It's now that Della takes advantage of that height advantage. ]

It sounds to me like you're just as much a lab rat as any of the rest of us.

[didntgetdadslooks]

... I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind more than once today.

[nothingcanstop]

So. What are you going to do about it?

[didntgetdadslooks]

I...

[ Angel goes quiet for a long couple seconds.

You know what? ]

If I were one of you, which I am not, and were I to want to terminate this experiment without all the murder, hypothetically, which I am not suggesting due to Assistant Rule E forbidding me from doing so, I would tell you that continuing on the track of exploring the facility and trying to put together information isn't a bad way to go. I am also not saying that Assistant Rule C doesn't strictly forbid me from weighing in on anything you find, though it certainly does stop me from directly confirming or denying many possible things.

[ She sighs. ]

If he's going to stretch his rules, I guess I might as well follow suit. It's not much, and I can't promise he didn't expect this, but... it's something, at least.

[nothingcanstop]

[ ...This is good, this is very good. She should've brought a pen and paper to write this down, but no, she can remember well enough. ]

He's watching us. We know that. Do you think right now...he's watching you, too?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel nods, and turns a little to point at her ear, where there's a small earpiece. ]

That would definitely also be something to keep in mind, if it's true.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Aha. ]

...How is he watching us, do you know? Listening devices, cameras... This place is pretty sleek, as far as research lairs go.

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel takes a second to sort out... what exactly she can say in response, almost starting and stopping a couple times. ]

Hang on one second, I think I hear something in the North Hallway.

[ She summons up a floating holographic screen, and through it Della can see a live feed of the North Tunnel. Angel flicks through a few different angles of the hallway before closing it. ]

Hm, must have been a false alarm.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Okay, whoa. That's sure something. She takes a moment to figure out just what to say, and... ]

Uh-huh, uh-huh... [ And she turns a bit, looking for... Is there any paper on the desk? Or in her little office? ] There's so much to keep track of, isn't there? If it were me, I'd need some instructions, something written down or all that.

[ She shoots Angel a wary but knowing look. ]

You the type to need that too?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Maybe.

[ She reaches into the drawer of her desk she opened when Della walked in - there's a light rattling sound as she pulls out some paper and a pencil. ]

If you think you need it, of course.

[nothingcanstop]

Awesome. Yeah, as you might guess, I can be a bit of a bird-brain sometimes. Always nice to have something to read over.

[ And she immediately writes: Can he read this? before turning it back around to show Angel. ]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel exhales, eyes darting around the room as she does her best to keep her composure. ]

I'm not so sure about that. Just make sure not to show whatever you write down around for too long, it'll help keep prying eyes away.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Fantastic. Della turns that back around, to start "taking notes." ]

Well, of course. It's bird-brain, not, you know, incompetent.

[ Another question. Do you know of any other "experiments" like this he's run? ]

Speaking of what's written down... I don't suppose I could ask a bit more about the atlas?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Right, right.

[ Angel shakes her head, just slightly. ]

What about it?

[nothingcanstop]

[ Thank goodness. Alright. She quickly scratches that off. That's what she'll be doing, scratching all this off, when she can. ]

Lot of places. How were you planning on seeing them all?

[ Are you familiar with someone referred to as Subject Gamma? ]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel's eyebrows knit in thought for a second, then she shakes her head again. ]

I don't know - plane, probably? I was going to worry about that later.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Subject Beta? ]

Was that part of the Professor's deal, get you a plane?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Another head shake. ]

I get access to some of his resources, at least.