+1 Cylon to the Nexus

[fiveofnone]

There is a man standing near the vending machines in the Plaza, dressed in a well-tailored, peacock blue suit. He looks like he could get you an excellent rate on your second mortgage, but you'd be wise to double-check the fine print before you sign anything. As he fixes himself a cup of coffee, he glances periodically at the people who pass by, his expression perfectly neutral. Although the more astute might pick up on the way he tugs at the cuffs of his sleeves impatiently, as if wishing he were somewhere else.

Finally, he sighs. "Okay. Listen up. Adia asked me to come here because she thought it'd be good for me to make some friends, so if you see her, you can tell her that we chatted and save yourself the actual trouble. All right? I'm sure we're all very busy people."

He takes a sip from his to-go cup and grimaces. "On second thought, can anyone tell me where I can get a decent coffee around here? I can't believe she's been drinking this stuff for the past three years.."

Comments

[mudblood_andproud]

A large orange cat jumps up on the table, moving across it to sniff at the coffee cup that the man is drinking. Then the cat wrinkles his nose. It seems he agrees with Caspar.

"Most people here who know Adia are not going to be comfortable lying to her." The answer comes from a woman, who approaches the table next.

[fiveofnone]

His expression softens visibly at the sight of the cat. He even smiles a little, holding out his cup so it can get a good sniff. "It sucks, doesn't it?" he says, not expecting a response.

Looking over his shoulder, he quickly loses his smile. "Just saving folks some time," he says mildly, although she has a point, doesn't she? Dammit. "Are you with the cat?"

[mudblood_andproud]

Crookshanks nods at him. He paws at the cup. Would you like him to tip it over, good sir?

"Yes. His name is Crookshanks. I am Hermione. We are both friends with Adia."

[fiveofnone]

Did that cat just nod at him? He pulls back the cup, not wanting any coffee to splash out onto his suit. "Hold on, buddy," he says, throwing away the full cup and grabbing an empty one from the coffee machine. He places it in front of the cat. "Here you go. Knock yourself out."

His mouth quirks a little at the name 'Crookshanks', but the look he gives Hermione is otherwise blank. Had Adia mentioned a Hermione? She might have, but she mentioned a lot of names.

"My name's Caspar," he introduces himself. "Adia's boyfriend."

[brother_alone]

"Asked you t'come? I sorta thought she was keeping this place a secret from her world."

There's a rather confused young man eyeing Caspar from around his own mug of coffee. Sucks to be Caspar because his smells way better. Helps to be a part timer for a cafe that has its own coffee setup.

"What exactly would I be telling her anyway if she asks about ya?"

[fiveofnone]

Caspar turns to look Josh over. Damn, that coffee does smell good. "She is," he replies evenly. "I'm the lucky exception."

Not so lucky when it comes to coffee, though. He dumps the cup into the garbage. "You can tell her that you pointed Caspar in the direction of café where you got that. You don't even have to tell a white lie about that, either." Hint, hint.

[brother_alone]

"Wait like..." He gapes just a wee bit. Caspar as in the guy she watched die and then saved her later on from being interrogated? That Caspar? The infamous Caspar Adia's been pining after since pretty much day one here in the Nexus?

Wow.

Josh gives his head a small shake, clearly lost in thought there for a moment. Or maybe just in shock.

"Come on, already. Y'don't have to twist my arm. Any friend of Adia's is a friend of mine and I know Ice Bear and Katsuya will say the same. I work part time at a cafe here in the Nexus. Really good coffee too." He gestures for the Cylon to follow him, still unsure what to make of this all. Dude seems pretty high maintenance. Josh makes a note to message Adia about it later.

"You don't seem bothered by the whole multiverse thing. I take it Adia gave you the gist of it already."

[fiveofnone]

That... was not the reaction he was expecting. He's gotten too used to being greeted with derision and suspicion. This is the warmest welcome he's been given since...

...well, since ever.

"All right," he says quietly, following along. The prospect of a good cup of coffee is worth the unease of leaving the Plaza. "Ice Bear is the talking polar bear, right?" It's the one friend of hers that's stuck out the most in his mind. "What's your name?"

No, he doesn't seem bothered. Or else he's hiding it really well. "She did. I've been here a couple times with her already, too." His expression softens noticeably. "I took her shopping."

[protolawyer]

He was ready to just write this guy off as some new shmoe, but then that name gets a mention. THAT gets Shark to look the guy over properly and fully. Sharp suit. Well-groomed. Some kind of human? Age? Hell if he knows, age doesn't make any sense to Shark. His guesses will always be off the mark so he doesn't even bother.

The lawyer moseys over to the vending machines as well, looking as if he's just another guy here to make a purchase of cheap snacks and drinks. After he swipes his cred card does the guy gets a sidelong (and upwards, c'mon, he's short) look through those dark glasses.

"You know Adia?"

[fiveofnone]

Wow, what the frak is that, an alien? Caspar arches an eyebrow as the little green man in shades makes his purchases, but otherwise keeps his surprise in check.

"Yeah." He takes a second look at the diminutive lawyer. Up close, his face might ring a bell for Shark. Adia sent him a photograph of Caspar a long time ago, along with a bunch of other Cylon models.

"Do you?"

[protolawyer]

Shark plays it cool, looking back at the vending machine and pondering his options. Eventually tapping in the keys to deliver a specific treat. Only when the machine is whirring and depositing his selection does Shark look towards Caspar again, running his tongue over his top teeth behind his lips. Then he smiles, showing off those sharp chompers.

"Yeah. She's a client."

Of what? Of what, Shark? It's important to play things close to the vest when you're dealing with suspicious guys, sure. But is this going to make Adia look or sound bad if he goes the wrong direction? Hopefully there's a plan already forming in that big ol' head of his.

"You a friend? Always looking to expand my clientele base."

[fiveofnone]

In the time he takes to make his purchase, Caspar has already tossed the worthless cup of coffee. He spares a glance at the selection in the vending machine, but is unimpressed. He doesn't have much of a taste for candy or chips. Or... whatever category Funyuns fall into. Ew.

The sight of Shark's pointy white teeth gets a small eyebrow raise. Seems incongruous with the rest of his bobblehead appearance. But when the alien informs him that Adia is a client of his, that gets his full attention. Adia never said anything about hiring someone's services in the Nexus. The poor girl couldn't even afford a decent cup of coffee.

This smells like a scam.

"Is that so?" Side-stepping the question, he crosses his arms over his chest, affixing Shark with a suspicious look. "And what is it that you do, exactly?"

[poetwarrior]

It's the sound of Adia Costas' name that catches Faris' attention as he passes by. The K'da has not seen her since the party, only long enough to verify that she had returned from the other realm that stole her away with the others.

This human is unfamiliar, both in appearance and scent. "Would such a lie not be easily uncovered?" That aside, a warrior does what is right, and lying for no reason certainly does not fall into the realm of justice. Or ethics.

[fiveofnone]

Holy shit, it's a dragon.

The cup in Caspar's hand shakes ever so slightly as he sets it down, but otherwise he keeps his expression composed. Adia told him he'd meet all sorts of beings in the Nexus. It doesn't entirely prepare him for whatever Faris is, but it helps. A little.

"it..." He sighs and resists the urge to rub the bridge of his nose. "I was being sarcastic." And then, because lying to a dragon seems pointless and potentially dangerous, he adds, "I don't want to disappoint her, but meeting new people isn't really my thing."

[poetwarrior]

Well, that does not make much sense. Interaction with others is a necessary part of life, and one always begins as a stranger to someone who later becomes a friend. A mandatorily social creature like Faris has a hard time imagining wanting to be alone. Besides, he is here, is he not?

"Why not?" he asks, tilting his head, flicking his ears forward with polite interest. There must a reason, even if it is one that he does not share. And understanding one another is the first step on the path to knowing a person.

[fiveofnone]

He's only here because he'll do anything Adia asks of him. It doesn't mean he has to like it.

"Most people aren't particularly interested in meeting me," he explains, the corner of his mouth turning upwards in a smirk. "Besides, I have Adia. What more do I need?"

[rekindledtitan]

"Adia sent you?" It's harder to hear Blaze coming when her tread is masked among the Nexus crowd, but the synthetic edge to her voice marks her out the moment she speaks up. She's stopped to take a curious look at this man; Ghost ventures cautiously above her shoulder to see for himself. "I thought she'd decided against sharing the word with her people."

She sounds quite relaxed, though her white armor is scuffed and scorched from recent battle, the nose of a rifle poking up from her back. She's replaced the embroidered mark that typically sits at her hip with the tattered, folded remains of a rather different piece of cloth. Pretty though it might have been once, it looks like she took it from a tomb, sticking out from the rest of her carefully-maintained gear.

[fiveofnone]

The sound of Blaze's voice catches his attention first. He looks up from his pathetic cup of coffee and blinks at what he sees. A sentient robot. One built for battle, it looks like, considering the scorch marks on her armor and the weapon on her back. Not as tall or as sleek as a Centurion, but impressive in its (her?) own right.

He glances at the round little robot floating next to her and frowns to himself. Adia mentioned that she had befriended a pair of robots. But she has befriended a lot of people. A lot. More than he was comfortable with, to be honest.

"She did." Or rather, she said she'd meet up with him later after she was done in the lab. Details. He keeps a polite, neutral expression, although there is the slightest of sass in his voice when he adds, "I'm not her 'people', I'm her boyfriend."

[rekindledtitan]

"Sounds like people to me," she replies cheerfully. His answer has only made her more curious, and now her brow plates lift. "Been a while since Adia talked about seeing anyone. You must be someone pretty special." He's not Will, right? She's pretty sure that guy's out of the picture. Ah well, there's a quick way to find out.

"Well, I'm Blaze-37, and this is my Ghost." The little bot murmurs a shy "Hello," still watching Caspar closely.

"Oh!" She interjects over her own introduction as she remembers to add, "We're not Cylons, it's okay. I know you're at peace now, but, well, my point is we're a whole other bowl of ramen. I'm a Guardian, from our version of Earth; my purpose is to protect humanity. And innocents in general," she adds, sweeping a hand at the wider Nexus just to make sure he's clear. "We're not actually picky about species." How's she doing on the 'reassuring civilians' bit? She's not sure, but she thinks maybe she's got it in the bag.

[shardofwinter]

It is getting so close to Winter, and Reynard has plenty to do, with a lot weighing on his mind. Already he's wishing he didn't have to walk everywhere as he goes from place to place. So for the most part he's been keeping focused on his tasks, not on the people around him.

Until he hears someone mention Adia.

Immediately he stops and turns his attention to the stranger, already eyeing him with suspicion. Someone who knows Adia, who wants to superficially appease her.. A new Nexus friend? It must be. She doesn't want to tell her people about the Nexus. But if she told him to 'come here'… This isn't how he pictured Seth, or captain Agathon…

He smooths out his frown, puts on his most charming smile and saunters up to the man. "The trick is to stop drinking it out of plastic, sit down with a ceramic cup and take the time to enjoy it. Here, I'll show you a good place…" He gestures down the road and, expecting the man to follow, starts walking.

[fiveofnone]

Caspar is busy dumping out the offending beverage when Reynard approaches. He gives the man -- his outfit and his attitude -- a skeptical look. Who comes up to a stranger and offers to take him somewhere with a folksy flourish?

Someone in the Nexus, he supposes with a sigh. The taste of that bargain bin coffee still in his mouth, he shrugs and follows without protest. "Where we headed? The Shopping District?"

[shardofwinter]

"Towards but not into." As they walk Reynard waves a finger as he dispenses his wisdom. "The trick to good food and drink is finding the nooks that hide the hidden talents. They haven't had to expand beyond their means, or sacrificed their quality for speed."

True enough, they take some unusual twists and turns. Caspar could be forgiven for starting to think Reynard has his own plans that do not involve coffee. Luckily, he does stop at a building that looks like it's the width of the front door. Inside the narrow entrance slopes and the walls widen. It is a mess of stairs and improvised space. Most importantly, as with all of Reynard's favourite haunts, it provides plenty of privacy.

The owner is short, but slender, and has no visible mouth or hair, only nodding gently whenever something is said to them. Reynard gestures to the menu and then the maze of a seating arrangement. "Place your order and take your pick of where to sit."

Sorry for the late tag in - wanted to get a little further in our other thread before hopping in!

[rogueinladysclothing]

Well look at that. Adia said she would get Caspar to come out into the Nexus, and here he is. The rogue can't help but smirk a little as she approaches the Cylon, though she takes care not to give off any signals that she's there to cause him any harm or trouble. She stops several paces back and crosses her arms loosely in front of her chest.

"I don't think she'd be happy if I let you off so easily," she says, her smirk pulling wider. No way she can let him get away that easily, though she will take some pity on the poor man. "But I can lead you to a better place to get coffee. There's plenty of places that are better than this particular machine." She nods down a nearby street, unfolding her arms as she turns a little. "It's not far, I promise."

no problemo :)

[fiveofnone]

As she approaches, Caspar turns to scrutinize her with an unreadable expression on his face. She seems to already know who he is, which puts him at a disadvantage. Is this someone Adia has mentioned to him? She has so many friends, he can barely keep track of the ones who don't look human...

Hmm. The thread work on her outfit is damn nice. He recognizes quality when he sees it. At the very least, she'll be able to find him a good cup of coffee. "All right." He tosses the to-go cup in the trash. "Lead the way."

[rogueinladysclothing]

Now that the holiday season in approaching, Amelia's been shifted out of her usual chocolate browns into rich forest greens with embroidery depicting ornaments, holly, and other holiday motifs in gold and silver threads down the outer seams of her shirt and pants. As she's been running around all day, she's discarded her cloak, finding it much too warm while she wanders around in her wool blend clothes. Ever the pragmatic woman, this one.

She gestures with a gloved hand for Caspar to fall in step with her as she starts down the street. It hasn't escaped her notice that he was taking a very keen look at her clothes. Adia did say he had good fashion sense, and it shows. Her tailor would be very pleased to see his work so appreciated.

"You'll have to forgive Adia for her coffee choice," she says, trying to break the ice with something a little inane. "Sometimes quick and cheap are the way to go, especially when time flows differently here than it does where you come from."

...okay, maybe she's not being very nice by not cluing him in as to who she is. Time to be nice so she doesn't get an earful from Adia later.

"I'm Amelia, by the way. Adia's told me a lot about you." Good and bad, but that hardly matters right now. She smiles softy at him, trying to make him feel a little more at ease about a stranger knowing about him. "I'm glad to finally make your acquaintance."