[ TLV | Video ] 007 - The Fourth Wall

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[This will be the first video entry where Claudia is actually not in her cabin. She's in the library. There are books open around her. There are lots of post-it notes. Her communicator is propped up on a book so she doesn't have to hold it.

She's got a bright streak of red in her hair. She's devoid of any jewelry besides her normal abundance of earrings, and her Wardening matching bracelet to Willow's. She looks quite tired.]

Okay, I could use a good distraction. Sooo... What's going on here, random strangers? Anyone I know out there? ...Artie?

[[OOC: No mistaking her for her actress. That's pretty much the only thing I ask. Feel free to mistake her for other characters with her face, though.

ETA: Long day was long. Going to bed now. More replies tomorrow! ♥]]

Comments

[artemismaximus]

You do, and you will be mopping the Warehou-- [He cuts himself off, and looks around, realizing that there really aren't any floors to mop any more.

Damn. He really doesn't have time for this. But still...Claudia. She's annoying a lot of the time, infuriating most of the time, but she's as close to a daughter as he's ever going to get. And while he's not at all convinced that this isn't Artifact-related (suspension of time, and going on about people he's never heard of are all good indicators), he puts that aside. For the moment.

And yes, 'You're too young to be a prison warden' goes through his mind almost instantly, but he manages to refrain from saying it, substituting a annoyed and worried scowl.] ...will be doing something unpleasant and not tech-related for the next month. [It's a belated finish to his threat, but it works.]

[He sighs slightly. He doesn't like this at all, but he nods once.] Proceed.

Private

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[Eyebrow raise at the sudden change of his threat (and why does it look like he's standing in the middle of a post-war zone?). For once though, she manages to push her curiosity aside. What she needs to talk about is too urgent. She switches the channel to private so no one else in the network will listen in on their conversation.

There's a rather large sigh of her own, and she starts walking with her communicator. (She wants to do this in her cabin, for the same reason as why she'd switched channels.)] Okay, first of all, that's pretty much already happening since I'm stuck here. Voluntarily, though, I guess technically I could leave if I wanted. But, see, you all have... official training and whatnot. So think of this as my training, Artie. I chose to do this. I mean, yeah, I'm awesome with the tech and the weapons, and I'm okay at stealth, and I'm pretty good at the quick-thinking problem-solving thing, too. But not so much when it comes to people problems. [Unless the person happens to be a little like her, but that won't always be the case.] And when dealing with artifacts I am undoubtedly going to run across people problems. And it's become pretty obvious to me I can't always rely on my partner - which I actually don't even have anymore - to deal with it for me.

[By the time she's managed to get all that out, she's made it back to her cabin. She closes the door behind her and sits down on her bed.] But... it's hard. Because if I was there, I know you... and Myka, and Pete, and even Leena... You'd all still have my back. You'd be helping me. And I still... I've only been here a month, and I still feel like an outsider, and... [Another sigh.] I do want to do this. It's only one inmate I'm in charge of, so it's not like it's impossible, I just... I think I need a nice peptalk? And maybe some of your oatmeal scotchies. A nice glass of Leena's lemonade. And an inappropriately timed boob-joke from Pete probably wouldn't hurt either, to be honest. [She is so homesick it is almost ridiculous.]

Private

[artemismaximus]

[Artie listens to her, the smoke drifting up in the background, and a piece of debris visible in the corner of the screen when he turns slightly. His expression is worried, but there's sympathy too, as he hears her out. There's a slight look of shock when she mentions not having her partner anymore in such an--not offhand tone, but not the tone he'd be expecting from her right now. But then again, time distortion. Maybe she's not aware of Steve's death yet.

When she finishes, he still looks worried, but he sighs softly.]

You don't need formal training, Claudia. If I wasn't absolutely confident that you could do the jobs we needed you to do, I'd never have sent you out into the field. [Because he'd never forgive himself if she got killed. He looks a little sheepish, and a little awkward, but he'll do his best with this pep talk even though he's not really good at it.]

You've been through a lot already, so I don't need to tell you you're tough. Even if your fashion sense is just...mm, well, it's something. If you could hack into the Warehouse system, and kidnap me, just to prove that Joshua was still alive, after all those years, I'm sure you can handle anything any inmate can throw at you.

Just--be careful. If you got killed on my watch...I'd never be able to figure out the idiotic computer systems you've created. [He means he cares about you and he wants you to be safe, Claudia..]