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

[drladysounds]

Aw, you paw thing! You should get a break every once a while.

[The assistant is younger than Shelley expected, now that she was taking a good look while she was entering. Wouldn't be out of place in a school.

Yeah, she's gauging the age pretty badly, haha]

But I guess you're told to stay here in case mischievous people like yours truly tries to rummage in here.

[She winks]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel laughs a little, and responds good-naturedly. ]

Among other things. But I do have a keycard, too. You might need to try a little harder to really get your snoop on.

[ So, things Shelley might pick up on in the office! The shelves on the wall behind her are full of all kinds of weird things - not much Shelley probably recognizes exactly, but it's all pretty much stuff from around the world! Art, carvings, things like that. A few bottles of liquid that look like they're probably spirits of some kind. A fossil? ]

[drladysounds]

[That's a really interesting bunch of things, indeed. It's so strange, but those are good decorations. She's a bit jealous, really. If only she could take a closer look, it's all so eye-catching]

I'm sure I'll get my chance someday. For now I should be talking to you.

[It's better this way. There's a few questions she's curious about, after all]

Is it okay if I ask some personal questions?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Sure! [ She laughs a little. ] Sorry if the answers aren't super interesting, but I am here to answer questions! Even if they're about me.

[drladysounds]

[Shelley doesn't take a seat, if there's any. Instead she just puts her hand on the desk and leans on it, like she's going to make an interrogation.

Sure would be far more imposing if she wasn't the one doing it, she's not the spitting image of a hardboiled detective]

How did you get into this? Are you an intern? Do you at least have a salary and dental insurance?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel takes it in, thinking about how to respond. ]

It's complicated and I'm not sure how much I can say, no, and it's more of a "all my expenses get paid for" kind of situation.

[drladysounds]

...okay, that wasn't as productive as I thought it'd be.

[Shelley seems a bit at a loss of how to proceed. Hmmm...]

Do you...want to be here?

[didntgetdadslooks]

I... [ She hesitates, pulling a small grimace. ] It's not my dream job, but let's just say I owe The Professor for something. And I get to encourage you all to not kill each other, which isn't exactly work I disagree with.

[drladysounds]

I dunno, look at the office! Getting carvings and jars of strange stuff is a work perk I--wait a second.

[Shelley was going to go into a tangent like she usually does, but then she realizes she heard something that didn't fit. Um...]

Wait, you're here to tell us not to kill each other? The complete opposite of what the Professor is asking?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel shrugs. ]

I mean, technically I'm here to keep things running, but no one's told me I can't try to keep you guys alive! I mean... insofar as I can, anyway. I'm not allowed to interfere if any of you try, but... I mean it would bore The Professor, probably, but I'm "allowed to try."

[ She says the last bit in a very bad imitation of his accent. It is no clearer coming out of her than it is over the speakers where the man is from. ]

[drladysounds]

[Shelley relaxes immediately. It's like she was tense and she hadn't realized at all -- she had expected Angel to be completely against them. But no. It wasn't like that. She never once considered this]

...there goes my four-step plan to get you on our side.

[But hey, she can't complain]

I don't like it technically is doing what the Professor wants, but you trying to keep us alive is better than getting us to kill. Is this supposed to be a secret?

[Should she tell the rest Angel is planning to keep them alive, she wonders]

[didntgetdadslooks]

Not... exactly?

[ She sighs. ]

I don't want you guys relying on me, but... I'm the one here to champion the "living here and getting along" option of the rules, I guess. I can't really actively help you, though, apart from getting you things.

[drladysounds]

[For a moment Shelley is silent, thinking. This really has to be a gamechanger of some sort. How, she has no idea, but right now they're going to need all the allies they can get]

I'm not telling them any of this, just in case. We'd rely on you as soon as the word gets out there and since you don't want that... [Even Shelley can see that's going to happen for like half of the people in the underwater base. The other half won't trust Angel at all]

...but since you say you can get us things, you think you can get a few romance books? Good ones?

[didntgetdadslooks]

That's fair enough. I'm not exactly going to keep it secret, but... that might be for the best.

[ She smiles. ]

Sure! I don't know how great a judge I am about good romance books, but I can see what I can do.

[drladysounds]

It's easy! If it makes your legs tremble and you feel yourself swooning onto the nearest couch it's a good romance novel. What's the point if the writing doesn't make you feel the passion?

[Shelley leans back like she's about to swoon all over the desk to demonstrate how romance is supposed to make you feel, but refrains at the last second. Hum. Nevermind that!]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ Angel sort of... makes to try to catch her for a second, but! Swoon averted, okay. ]

I... it's going to take a little while if I have to check them all for swooning, can I just poll for some recommendations with the rest of the staff?

[drladysounds]

Brilliant! That's a good idea. It'll spare you from having to read fifty romance books to find the good ones.

[Things are going so smoothly. Huh.

Maybe things really would be fine despite being trapped in an underwater base with a bunch of strangers for the foreseeable future! Alright. Nothing to worry about!]

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ So smoothly! ]

I can't promise fifty, but I can probably get a few brought in. I'll see what I can do.

[drladysounds]

You have my gratitude.

Now, anything I can do for you?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Uh... I don't know, not really? I'm here to help you guys, I can handle myself alright in here.

[drladysounds]

How independent! Alright! But if you ever need a hand with anything you can call me. We're technically on the same side, so you can count on me.

[Shelley takes her leave. Bye, Angel, nice having met you]

[didntgetdadslooks]

Sounds good to me. Later!