text @advictoriam [open]

[bleedingsteel]

[Multiple test posts happened before this one, only to be deleted shortly after. Now he has the hang of this.]

Good afternoon.

This technology is new to me, though I have perused the remainder of the network to assume the correct format and protocol. I apologize for any mistakes or violations of etiquette I've made in the course of this message.

[Good grief.]

I'm a recent arrival. My name is Danse. I have taken up residence in what appears to be an abandoned fueling station and garage, located near the village.

I have what some might call a knack for machines. My time thus far has been spent tinkering with what's available at the garage, but I have also mounted several small expeditions around the area in search of scrap. I am interested in acquiring any "junk" you may have, to provide me with parts and components. I would also like to learn more about the technology present here, and I would like to study any pieces you may have. In exchange for the opportunity, I will do my best to repair or restore it for you.

I am also a capable soldier, if you are in need of a reliable backup for an expedition.

In any case, I wish to prove an asset to the community, and hope that my utility outweighs any inconvenience or discomfort my presence will cause. Please contact me if you have any need of my services, or any junk you kindly wish to donate.

Thank you for your time.

Comments

[policier]

I have nothing pressing at the moment.

( And he's not too far from Bonfire Square. He and Soldat may have set, mirrored patrols, but Javert has been doing more than his fair share lately. He can rest a bit. )

Give me three hours to collect everything, and meet me at the bonfire. I'm sure I'll know who you are when I see you.

( He makes it his business to know who everyone is. An unfamiliar face would stick out like a sore thumb, and given this man's description of himself, it shouldn't be difficult to imagine what he may look like. )

[bleedingsteel]

Roger that. I'll be waiting at the bonfire in three hours.

Your name is Javert, correct?

[Gosh, what might a guy who says things like "roger that" unironically look like...]

[policier]

Yes. That is what it says on this device, doesn't it?

( Sarcastically, but not in a mean spirited way. Javert doesn't bother telling Danse what he looks like either. The half assembled machines scattered at his feet should surely give him away. )

I shall meet you soon, then.

> action?

[bleedingsteel]

Indeed, that's what it says in the "name" field.

[It's hard to tell if the sarcasm went over his head, or if he just met it with complete sincerity.]

Until then.

[Precisely three hours later, a stern-looking brawny man arrives at the bonfire. Dressed in a full-body armored orange jumpsuit, he has an odd-looking rifle strapped to one hip, and a baseball bat with nails hammered through it on the other. He brought along an empty duffel bag to carry the tech, if necessary.]

Mister Javert, I presume?

[policier]

( At least he's punctual. Javert stands with his arms crossed over his chest, his hat pulled low over his eyes and his buttons done up to the chin, obscuring much of his face. He glances over when the other man approaches, appraising him for a moment before tilting his head in greeting. )

You may take whatever you wish. It's of no use to me.

( Much of the machines are beyond his comprehension. There are a few half-assembled devices meant to levitate objects, powered microscopes, broken lab machines, and torn apart appliances. He picks up one of the smaller objects and toys with it for a moment. )

Is there anything in particular you were hoping to build?

[bleedingsteel]

Thank you.

[He crouches to examine the machines. Quite the haul, here. He recognizes some of these pieces, but the function of others are far more obscure. The idea of getting to toy with them and figure out what they do gives him a giddy feeling. As close to giddy as a stern man like Danse ever gets, anyway.]

Out of pure utility, I specialize in weapon and armor modifications. But if there is no pressing need for them, I may just scrap these for parts to serve some better purpose later on.

[If only he could build himself a suit of power armor...]

Perhaps there is a local need that I could fulfill.

[policier]

We are always in need of weapons.

( Despite what others may say. Their dedication to pacifism is commendable, but not always wise, and they were only able to defeat an adolescent world eater by the skin of their teeth. They need better weapons. Javert seems pleased by his answer. )

We are still rebuilding from the flood that ravaged us months ago. There should be plenty of work for you here, if you wish to help.

[bleedingsteel]

[He tells himself he shouldn't feel pleased to hear that the people here need help, could use his skills. He shouldn't take any satisfaction or joy from their hardships. It's just that hearing that he could do some good, he could be of some help, he could have a purpose-- it's exactly what he needs.

A machine without purpose is useless junk, just like what he's packing up in his duffel bag.]

I would be deeply gratified to assist in any way I can. I was a soldier. Survival means little to me if I cannot serve some greater purpose than my own existence. [Well, he just came right out there and said it, huh...]

[policier]

( It's a feeling Javert can relate to. He, too, had felt the same sense of purposelessness when he arrived. He didn't know what he was meant to do, or why he had been brought here. It's been over a year and he still feels that way sometimes, lost and uncertain. He crosses his arms over his chest, his expression impassive and hidden beneath the shadows of his cap as he watches the other man. )

What weapons are you familiar with? It is good that you are experienced in battle. We may have to call on your skills much sooner than you expect.