Conventional Meetings

[Clio]

Month 7, Week 3, Day 7. A small sci-fi convention in Detroit. Open

It can be difficult to find a bit of privacy at a fan convention, without letting someone into your hotel room, but Clio Gabriel has managed to locate a relatively quiet little lounge in a low-traffic area of the convention hall in which to meet her illustrious guest.

The CEO of Kao-Nic Technologies! How fascinating. Though she had never been much into the so-called 'hard' sciences, Ms. Gabriel still feels a slight surge of longing at the thought of being employed at such a place. The research that must go on there! She finds herself wondering again how she ended up as merely and amateur anthropologist and science fiction author, rather than a true scientist. Surely she could have gotten a bachelor's degree, a master's, a doctorate...

Calliope sends her a comforting sensation that equates to 'There, there, dear'. Her partner perches on the arm of Clio's arm chair, draped prettily and looking ever-so-stylish in Femaxian garb. Her costume, at least, is as accurate as it can be while using the materials available. Clio wouldn't accept anything less than perfection from her muse.

As amazing an opportunity as meeting with Victoria Raines is, Clio does hope it doesn't take too long. She has a convention schedule to keep after all.

[Victoria Raines]

Victoria is sipping at a bottled tea when she walks into the lounge. She gives Clio and Calliope a smile a pleasantly neutral greeting as she takes a seat.

"Ms. Gabriel, I really do appreciate your making time for me in the midst of your convention schedule. I realize that going through you directly rather than your publicist rather flies in the face of propriety, but I'm afraid I am on a bit of a timetable."

"How familiar are you with my organization, Ms. Gabriel?"

[Clio]

Clio smiles welcomingly as Mme. Raines takes her seat, while Calliope seems content to remain an aloof and statuesque arm ornament for the moment.

"It is of no worry, Madame Raines. We may both busy women, but I suspect it is you who has the more... inflexible schedule."

"Mostly just that which is common public knowledge. KTech is one of those companies which attempt to make reality the things which we science fiction authors only dream of." Clio gives a little smirk. "And you have a most sparkling reputation, no?"

[Victoria Raines]

Victoria's lips quirk slightly when Clio mentions her reputation. "Yes. My reputation is a point of no little pride. A large part of that reputation stems from my employees and their works, and not myself."

She turns a thoughtful look on Calliope. "I must commend you on your costume. It is very accurate, even more so than one might expect. The two of you share a very special bond," she says abruptly, "Obviously any offers of employment to Clio will account for your presence."

"I would not want to separate Ms. Gabriel from her memories, after all."

[Clio]

"What can I say," Calliope says, draping an arm over Clio's shoulders. Her voice is casual but her one-eyed gaze is slightly guarded at Victoria's rather... interesting what of phrasing things. "My darling Clio has a vision, and I do my best to help her bring it to life."

She sends a questioning sensation to Clio. Does she know what I am?

Clio's answer is uncertainty and curiosity. However, Clio has a more pressing interest that she'd like to address, before paying mind to Mme Raines's possible knowledge of her and Calliope's rather unique and quite literal bond. Her brows raise in slight surprise. "You are implying there may be offers of employment for myself?"

[Victoria Raines]

"Most certainly," Victoria answers lightly when Clio asks about employment, "However, such offers will depend entirely upon how much you might remember of who you really are"

Victoria sips her tea and smiles. "As to your shared vision- I believe making that vision reality is more within my power than yours, Patra."

[Clio]

Both women are silent for a moment, sharing a meaningful look between them. Finally, Clio leans forward, gaze intense behind her thick glasses, and asks, "And just who, Madame Raines, do you think I really am?"

Calliope is wary of Victoria's cryptic comments. As what would be considered an unregistered meta-human - meta-human, she hardly thinks so! Surely she's a bit more than that! - she has cause to worry about people who might suspect her true identity. Her wariness is balanced by Clio's insatiable curiosity, however, and rising sense that Victoria possesses some sort of terribly important knowledge.

[Victoria Raines]

"Oh, no one terribly important," Victoria says, waving her hand dismissively, "but one of mine, none the less."

"You are your own Observer, Clio, and Patra is no more human than you ever were. Do be a dear and try to remember what it was like to be a scientist in truth rather than fantasy. We have terrible need of someone with your expertise at the moment."

[Clio]

The silence is longer this time, the two women passing muddled emotion back and forth between themselves - surprise, disbelief, confusion, hope, uncertainty...

"I... the Observer..." Clio trails off, looking vague, then whips off her glasses and begins furiously cleaning them with a cloth in an attempt to gather her thoughts.

"You know, normal people would call what you just said crazy, darling," Calliope says to Victoria, bewilderment creeping onto her face.

Crazy, except for the fact that everything Victoria just said feels strangely... right.

[Victoria Raines]

Victoria smirks at Calliope and says, "We aren't exactly normal people, my dear."

She takes a deliberately long sip of her tea.

"We are Decepticons."

[Clio]

"Decepticons... yes," Clio says, gaze unfocused. "My work... how could I forget..." Suddenly her face twists into a murderous scowl and she slams a fist down on her chair's unoccupied arm rest. She hisses, "That Autobot."

Calliope flinches and touches a hand to her forehead. "Dearest, you're giving me a splitting headache..." A sudden influx of countless thousands of years of memories is a bit taxing on one's psychic bond.

[Victoria Raines]

Victoria's smirk doesn't widen so much as smidgen when Clio remembers herself. It is pleasing for the encounter to have gone so well so quickly, yes, but given how close Clio's memories obviously were to the surface? This outcome was nearly guaranteed.

Reaching into her purse, Victoria pulls out a sealed manilla envelope. "Consultant contracts, employee identification, etc. Outwardly, you are trying your hand a new style of science fiction, and we have negotiated to allow you hands-on access to our technologies and creative process so that you can speak as accurately to your main characters abilities and motivations as possible."

"In reality, when you visit you will be working with others of our kind on ways to reverse this process."

[Clio]

Still a bit stunned by her rush of returning memories, Clio can only pat Calliope apologetically on the leg. Accepting the envelope from Victoria, she mumbles, "Yes, yes, of course..."

Then her gaze suddenly focuses, and she asks, "Madame, who are you?"

[Victoria Raines]

Victoria brushes her dark violet hair out of her face and smiles grimly at Clio and her companion.

"Shockwave."

[Clio]

Clio's eyes widen slightly, then she nods slowly. She knows of Shockwave, both back in her own universe and this one, but they never had the opportunity to meet him.

Bowing her head slightly, she says, "I look forward to working for you... Lady Raines." She quirks a small smile.