Issue 1 Downtime

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:16 am**

Nate adjusted his view and stepped back from the framed copies of his degrees, trying to make sure they were level. He frowned at one of them, stepping forward to adjust it and then stepped back again. Finally satisfied, he dug into a couple of additional boxes, pulling out books and stacking them on the limited shelf-space he had.

((Open Thread))

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:38 pm**

"Didn't think you were one to decorate," came a voice over his shoulder.

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:57 pm**

"Have to look like a good office drone," Nate said, turning to face his visitor. "Can I interest you in an internship with X-Corp?" He grinned.

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:00 pm**

"Aye, that's why they've got me in a suit these days," she said as she tugged at her sleeve a bit restlessly.

"And I think I've got those bloody pamphlets memorized."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:10 pm**

"I only wear suits for business meetings. Had that bit written into my contract," he said with a chuckle. "Unfortunately my 'housing expenses' clause was removed from the final version."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:12 pm**

"Someone has to get up at the podium," she shrugged.

"Still, it seems all my prayers and angry phone calls have been answered of late."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:22 pm**

"Hopefully you had more prayers than angry phone calls," Nate said, pulling a box off one of his chairs. "Have a seat if you want."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:27 pm**

"Perhaps," she concedes thoughtfully, "but not from me."

She sat down, shifting her weight a bit as she did, apparently not quite a fan of the suit.

"Besides, it's good to have you here. One more person who doesn't think I'm strange."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:37 pm**

"Oh, I think you're strange," he said, "I just also think that's par for the course."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:55 pm**

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence," she chuckled.

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:06 pm**

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe in you, Sam. You know me well enough to know that."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:08 pm**

"Aye, and you wouldn't be allowed on my campus if that trust wasn't mutual."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:13 pm**

"Is this where I hand over the signed statement verifying that I will not lure any of the students into X-Corp shenanigans?" He mimed looking through his desk for a piece of paper.

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:16 pm**

"Depends on the shenanigans. I trust you more than I trust Wisdom, and I trust Wisdom more than I trust Brand."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:19 pm**

"Eh. I'm here to protect and to serve to trot out that old phrase," Nate said. "The worst I'll get your kids involved in without your say so is a London mailroom job. Although those can be rather hellish."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:34 pm**

"With a werewolf for a recruiter. Not fooling me," she gave a bit of a toothy smirk.

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:38 pm**

"Well, I won't lie. University students with the right talents can get some fun assignments helping out X-Corp relief teams and the like. They're not precisely 100% safe, but these aren't power-wielding newbies we send out either. I just make the lifestyle seem glamorous, that's all."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:48 pm**

"It's the hair, isn't it? Always perfect."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:55 pm**

"The hair, the car, the gadgets, all of it. You have to look at the complete package."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:15 pm**

"You're making it sound like you've budgeted for a theme song."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:26 pm**

Nate gave an exaggerated sigh, "Written out of the contract I'm afraid. Cost-cutting measure."

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:04 pm**

"Oh, how much can a little vibrato guitar track cost?"

Posted: **Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:12 pm**

"Competently composed and played? You'd be surprised," Nate said.

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:27 pm**

"Ah well. The world will have to lack."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:33 pm**

"Speaking of lacking, I know you're short on space here, so do you want me on campus or do you want me to leave that space open for others? I really don't have a preference, but given the space limitations, I didn't want to presume on your hospitality."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:47 pm**

"It's no worry."

"Besides, I rather figured you'd enjoy the estate."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:49 pm**

"Large place out in the country has it's benefits," Nate said. "I'm sure several of the students will see it that way as well."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:58 pm**

"The ferals certainly did, last year."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:10 pm**

"I'll have my crap shipped up from X-Corp storage. I'll make sure to clear the shipment with Madison. Everything going okay with the relocation of the XI students?"

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:11 pm**

"We had some parents who weren't on board for it, and there's a few children that seem a little homesick, but the Manor looks like it will serve."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:15 pm**

"A shame more parents couldn't see their way clear. If I had kids, I wouldn't want them anywhere near that stupid legislation," he said, actually intoning a low growling noise in the process. "Typical political short-sightedness. Although they are managing to scatter us quite effectively with it."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:24 pm**

"We've weathered these storms before. What they need to know is that we won't roll over."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:34 pm**

"I don't know that rolling over is what anyone needs to be worried about. I know quite a few people who are moving out of the country with intent to change their citizenship. Hell, SHIELD talked Romanov into going back to them over this and I never thought that'd happen."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:40 pm**

"I've never really gotten a handle on her, even when we were young. I felt a bit bad about how things ended."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:06 pm**

"I was there for her exit interview," Nate said. "She was all business and *ice cold* and that isn't a euphemism. Reading between the lines though, I'd guess SHIELD offered to run interference for her with regards to the MRA. I can't imagine the harassment she would have gotten as a convicted felon and a registered mutant."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:56 pm**

"Which is a shame. She'd really turned her life around."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:00 pm**

"Well, one of my SHIELD contacts says she's got a job as a full operative now, so she should be fine. Just a loss for our side, I guess," he said with a shrug. "Like I said, I don't think anyone's rolling over, they're just rolling out."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:04 pm**

"Wouldn't mind if she visited," she said thoughtfully.

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:44 pm**

"Well, you could project yourself as a mutant terrorist threat," he said with a laugh, "That'd get her sent here for certain. But I doubt that's the sort of visit you had in mind."

Posted: **Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:56 pm**

"I could ping her radar, yes, but I was hoping for something a bit more friendly, in spite of my other tastes."

Issue 1 Downtime

Nate's On-Campus Office

Nate's On-Campus Office

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