c-c-c-catchall early meetings,

[enarms]

Who: John Watson (enarms) & various
What: John's managed to arrange like 20 meetings and they're happenin here
When: various times
Where: various places
Warning(s): murder chats? medical shenanigans? etc, will update as necessary

Comments

[enarms]

Suppose we could see if any potential candidates stand up under cross reference?

[ his list is currently limited, but he'd like to know if Charles has met any of the people on it to vouch for or call into question their suitability ]

[axiomed]

At the very least, I can make a decent lie detector.

[ He doesn't need to read much of their minds to pick up discordant thoughts. ]

[enarms]

Good to know for when we start the interview process.

[ it's half in jest - the interview process... hah, like this is an opening for a managerial position at a Tesco down the road - but it's also genuinely useful to know that character analysis sits within Charles' purview. without a certain someone else awake to play that part for them, they'll likely need it. ]

Have you got any ideas on people we might want to approach? Or shall I run through who I've jotted down?

[axiomed]

[ Charles hums, before replying. ]

Alan Foster. He'll be of help. I can guarantee it.

[enarms]

[ oh! that's a name that had been on his maybe list instead of his definite, if only because he's already asked a lot of him. but if they're both convinced he's a good man for the job, well ]

Yeah? I agree. He and I have worked together before. Are working together on something else at the minute, actually. [ begs the question - ] The two of you meet on the ship?

[axiomed]

We did. He helped me through my technological difficulties.

[ Charles has never been good at using devices. Cerebro was the only exception and even then he needed Hank's support constantly. ]

[enarms]

[ a smile at that - the conversations he's had with Alan so far have been brisk and professional, but the first of their collaborations had ultimately been a kind of help through technological difficulties too: a set of radios made from nowhere to keep people accessible during the first throes of the crash. ]

He's good at that. [ aaand making a little adjustment to his notes: that's a firm yes for Alan Foster. ] Do you want to be the one to talk to him, or shall I? I think he's a definite.

[axiomed]

[ He hasn't told Alan his secret yet. Perhaps it's time Charles made a decision. ]

I will do it. We're due a conversation anyway.

[enarms]

[ there's something in the response that causes John to hesitate - but not enough to ask again. if Charles wants to do it, far be it from John to stop him. it also saves him from feeling like he's dragging Foster into 20,000 different things at the same time ]

Great, he's all yours. [ consulting his list again... hm ] Have you met Peggy? Carter. She's someone else I'm thinking of.

[axiomed]

[ He brightens immediately. ]

Yes, of course. She has a strong presence of mind.

[enarms]

[ aha! good, another tick on the list ]

And thrives under pressure. I'll get in contact with her later.

[axiomed]

Sounds perfect.

phone tagging is my ruination, forgive that accidental onslaught on your inbkx

[enarms]

There's no-one else I'm completely confident of who fits the bill yet. Shall we see if they've got any suggestions and branch out from there?

<333

[axiomed]

We might as well start small anyway.

[ Too many people and it could fall apart. Charles isn't that ambitious. ]

It's a larger risk otherwise. Even if we might need the manpower. We have to know each other and trust each other first.

[enarms]

Agreed. The smaller the network the safer it'll be. At least until we know where we stand.

Speaking of, I'm going to get in contact with Darma as soon as it's possible. By the look of it they're already aware of the issue, but not necessarily the extent. I'll be careful in gauging if there's any support to be had there.

[axiomed]

Are you sure it's wise?

[ They seem mostly benevolent. Mostly. But Charles, while being an earnest and open person, does not trust casually or easily. ]

[enarms]

No. But I do know they need to understand there's an issue if there's any chance of them having a hand in sorting it. Best case scenario, they've got a system in place and everything's fixed. Worst she's not overly receptive and I won't bother telling her we're looking into sorting it ourselves.

[ does John have an overbearing amount of faith in their intergalactic rescuers? no. but they were powerful enough to bring everybody here, and he can only hope that power and drive will extend to making sure they don't all kill each other. call it wishful thinking.

there's also no small amount of bitterness at the short-sightedness of the apparently godly, but mostly he's acting in hope. ]

I'll tread with caution.

[axiomed]

[ Charles purses his lips, skeptical but sympathetic. They had to start somewhere after all. ]

Please.

[enarms]

[ a smile, loose with understanding. it's not the safest situation to go wading into from any direction really. caution will be first on the agenda.

... and, in a small toast to the beginnings of a plan, John raises his tea and then takes a sip ]

We're on our way.

[axiomed]

[ Something akin to hope curls in his stomach, warm and familiar. Charles raises his cup in turn. ]

So we are. A toast to a better future.

[enarms]

To that.

[ and here's hoping it all goes as well as they could wish it will ]

[axiomed]

[ Hope springs eternal. At least with Charles. For the most part. No one talks about his addiction/depression phase of life.

In turn, he sips his tea with all the daintiness an faux-englishman can muster. ]