Translating Kendrin

Summary:
January 28, 2015: Fenris senses a disturbance in the force in Gotham and investigates

Oracle Safehouse - Gotham


Characters

NPCs

  • None

Mood Music:
[*<http://insert.video.or.music.link.here>]


Oracle's safehouses are… very safe. What danger comes with them tends to be brought by those who stay in them. And they're monitored by someone who can summon if not the Bat then some Bats somewhere to help. It's still dark, rather early in the morning when a Way tears open in the living room and out steps a tall, predatory man in a long coat with a long silver sword. He sniffs about. Someone had come into the realm earlier and he'd been a bit busy but with all the portalling about by bad people this had deserved following up. So here he is. Following up.

There's a knife flying at the tall man almost the moment he steps into the living room, May recognizing Fenris only after the knife has left her hand. Crap. Clearly, he woke her up from where she'd been dozing on the sofa. Yes, the safehouse has two bedrooms, yes, she could have been sleeping in a bed. But, she's not enough at ease in this place yet to do so. Thus…

The movement in the safehouse registers on Oracles monitors and the redheads attention snaps to it. Safehouses, in general, should not have this much activity in them and particularly not a Way opening up. Oracle sighs deeply and taps her comms unit, just once, letting May know she's there and listening if she's needed.

The audio feeds for the house are turned on, Oracle really wants to listen into this conversation.

Kendrin… doesn't really like being cooped up. And that inevitably cooped up period when she's just arrived and people are trying to figure out who she is? Yeah. She hates that most. She's also not given to long periods of dormancy, especially in a strange place.

Her most annoying action since arriving at the house, however, is probably when she took some blue omnigel and smeared it over the lenses of any cameras she found in her room, and then shorted out the listening bugs with the omnitool on her wrist — that tool being the way she located both the cameras and the bugs. Not, mind, that she's done anything more than that. Apparently, she just values her privacy.

When she is in her room, she's quiet. Occasionally, she can be heard speaking to her… what is Kell, anyway? A pet? A companion, anyway. Of course, he's out and about through the house even more than she is. Worse, he seems clever enough to pop the vent grates and go exploring through the ducts, as much as across ceilings, walls, floors and anything else in the way.

In fact, the stranger's spent much of the last 24 hours surfing the tv and radio stations, trying to work up a translation algorithm on her omnitool. Because she needs to know what these people are saying.

She's more or less accepted the fact she's got a shadowing mother brooding over her almost everywhere she goes — short of her bedroom and the facilities — in this place. She's no stranger to the scrutiny. And she fully intends to give the woman the slip, once she's worked out more of the language and social mores. But, for now, it's an equitable enough arrangement. Thus, she's padding back into the living room with a small bowl of fruit when the portal opens and the man with the sword steps through.

The bowl clatters to the floor, fruits rolling and bouncing all over. As fast as May's knife is released, Kendrin's pistol is in her hand and held steady, aimed right at the center of the man's mass. Her expression is flat. Kell swoops around the perimeter of the room, hissing.

Fenris' blade flashes up, mostly on instinct and deflects the knife away with a ring and a clatter. The god-wolf gives May a rather amused look. "You're quick." He rumbles, then looks past her at Kendrin. "Aaaaaah. You're the one I sensed."

While May can hear and understand Fenris in perfect English (and that first sentence was in english) the second thing he says she hears in Chinese… and Kendrin hears in her own native tongue. "Who are you, traveller?"

Melinda May blinks at Fenris, wondering why he switched to Chinese. She's pretty sure that the woman with the unusual tech and strange pet still won't understand. She turns to look at Kendrin, then stands to start picking up the dropped fruits. Because.

It's not lost on Kendrin that a) the man is fast with his sword and b) May is no longer concerned by his presence. Thus, in the interests of not creating more trouble than she needs to, the stranger lowers her pistol, though she doesn't put it away. "Ra'elle Kendrin of Elasia," she reponds slowly to the man, speaking her own language. Her eyes are narrowed and she's definitely curious as to how he knows her language. "Who are you? How is it you understand me when no one else does?"

Kell hisses a little more and alights on the back of a chair nearby. The chair starts rocking and he unfurls his wings for balance.

"You may call me Fenris." The god-wolf responds. "And this is a particular talent of my people." Again in Chinese and it must be said, the Chinese transliteration of 'Fenris' sounds kind of funny. "A bid you welcome Ra'elle Kendrin, though I am not familiar with Elasia. Have you come here through the stars?" Though May can only get one half of the conversation, it's quite clear that the tall, creepy feeling man understands Kendrin just fine. He adds in english. "Why do I get the feeling I'm being watched?"

Melinda May has picked up most of the fruits, but then plucks one of those teeny grapes from a half-eaten sprig and flicks it at the hissing dragon-ferret thing. "This is a safehouse, Fenris," she replies in English. "You triggered the monitoring system by not bothering to use the front door." Okay, May is particularly dour today. Practically grumpy.

Oracle has a soft spot for May, just don't anyone tell May that. The womans dour and stern nature typically brings a smile to the redheads face, she's not sure why… maybe it's because May does what Oracle sometimes wishes she could do, who knows?

The safehouse systems have two way audio, she just tries not to use that too often, but tonight she will "Hello Fenris. As May says, that is a safehouse. One of mine in fact. Do you think I would leave my people, unprotected?"

Given the fact Kendrin has yet to see even the slightest sign of warmth, good-humour, or other pleasantries from May — aside from their odd initial attempts at cuisine — the other woman's mood doesn't particularly phase her. The traveller just figures May is one of those perpetually sour people you can't hope to please. So, while she tries to be polite, she's not tried to make friends. (Fortunately, however, Kendrin's idea of courtesy would largely be considered, although somewhat archaic, both formal and polite in most societies on Earth.)

Her head comes up as she hears Oracle's voice (for the first time, in fact). A soft, thoughtful 'hmph' escapes her. At least, now, she has some idea who put all the surveillance equipment all over the place.

She gives a mild shrug to Fenris, expression largely neutral. "After a fashion? There are gateways that lead from one place to another. I have developed an unpredictable habit of falling through them unexpectedly."

Kell flames the grape, which promptly drops, roasted, to the floor with a *thlpp*. He grumbles irritably. Kendrin lets out a soft whistle between her teeth and he grumbles again, but stops hissing.

Kell's antics draw a raised eyebrow and a grin from Fenris. "I am glad to see you are so well protected from hostile grapes, Ra'elle Kendrin." The tall man lowers his blade and it shrinks down to a necklace which he replaces around his neck. May will be familair with his rod, but to Kendrin the sight of the two foot length of carved oak strapped at his side is a new one as his coat parts slightly.

"I was unaware, Oracle, that Agent May was one of yours." Still using allspeak so that all involved can at least understand him. "So you did not mean to come here. I see."

It's not that Fenris would necessarily care, but there's been a lot of portalling by bad people lately. "I would offer you aid in returning home, but I'm afraid I don't know where that is. Or when. Or what… portion of the All it's in." Pity, but oh well. "You seem attired as a warrior. May I ask what you intend to do here?"

Now that is a very good question. May gives the odd little critter a brief narrow-eyed look before carrying the bowl of fruit into the kitchen area at the end of the living room space. She'll wash them later if they're salvagable. Then she returns with a paper napkin to clean up roast-grape-schmutz from the floor.

Then she's puttering around in the kitchen a bit more, cupboards being opened, glasses clinking against each other and the counter, and the sound of a bottle opening and liquid sloshing briefly. Three times. Finally, she emerges holding three juice glasses, each holding about two inches-worth of a deep amber liquid that Fenris can likely smell is a decent but not high end brandy.

"Let's just say that May is freelancing and anyone that helps me, becomes one of mine by default. She'll get all the help and protection I can give her in return for the assistance she gives me. Anymore than that, Fenris, you'll need to speak to May." It is true that in the last few months, the Oracle network has grown and continues to grow.

"Kendrin has some form of gadget. Before she took out the surveillence in her room, which was for her own safety I might add, I saw it." Jay is about to get another cleaning job from Oracle "It may be used to assist with translation, would you ask her about it please."

And, now, Kendrin has a name to go with the strange electronic voice. That's nice.

She gives a faint, brief tilt of her head and a small, wry smile at the comment on Kell. "He has adopted me," she says. "And believes himself to be my protector." They have a mild disagreement where that's concerned, but it's of little matter. They help each other. And she's as fond of him as he is of her; that's obvious enough.

Of course, with All Speak, Kell, too, understands everything the strange man is saying. He likes that. Even if he is still grumpy.

Nevertheless, Kendrin shakes her head. And as the man puts away his sword, she slides her pistol back into its holster. That's a neat trick with the sword, really, and it's not lost on her. Nor is the rod beneath the coat, but, then, she has her compact equipment, too.

In answer to his question, she gives him an even look. "I do not know. Largely, I will search for a way to return home. However, portals are both elusive and unpredictable. So, in the meantime, I expect I shall have to find some means to create trade so I can survive." She doesn't sound overly concerned, though neither is she dismissive. But, to be fair, it's not her first rodeo.

"First, though, I must learn the local language." That's her biggest challenge.

She turns her head as May returns with the drinks. Her ears rise faintly. She crosses to Kell and extends an arm to him. He crawls up its length and drapes himself over her shoulders like a stole.

It's been that kind of day. For a few days in a row. May all but shoves one glass into Fenris' hands and offers a second to Kendrin, with the name offered along with the glass of beverage. "Brandy." If the displaced woman declines the stuff, oh well. More for her. The way those past few days have been, she won't turn down an extra shot.

Fenris accepts the drink and swirls it around in the cup for a moment before taking a sip. Not bad. "Thank you May." He murmurs.

""She who watches unseen wishes to know if any of your technology will assist in that task. There are a number of local languages but he predominant one either Oracle or Agent May could teach you."

The Great Wolf looks over at May. "How do you fancy… local employment options?" Vigilante work may not be the best way to start, easy as it would be since Kendrin's already equipped and trained.

So, the electronic voice is a female? Scrambled as it is, Kendrin wouldn't have guessed that. Her ears rise and fall again as she files the information away.

As May offers her the drink, she accepts it with a gracious nod of her head — almost a half-bow — in thanks. She brings the cup to her nose and smells the liquid before taking a small sip. Her brows rise and she smiles. Apparently, she likes it. She raises the glass briefly in thanks to May.

She then lifts her left hand to head height, palm towards her, showing the cuff on her wrist. "My omnitool is already working on a translation algorithm based on local broadcasts, though it not as fast a process as I would like." She takes a moment to look at the display, waving her fingers overtop of it. A holographic projection appears, in characters that don't much resemble English. But, there's a coloured bar that seems about 75 full. So, maybe that's an indication. She waves the display away and it disappears.

Again, those ears rise at the question he directs to May and a brow arches as she turns to look at the other woman.

"Ah well, that's good." Maybe she'll be able to translate it soon. The Omnitool is interesting to Fenris. Some kind of Ferromancy, it seems. Mortals are good at that. And aliens too, it seems. "Well all is well here then. I do apologise for my intrusion. I merely meant to confirm that there wasn't a problem here."

Wait. Oracle is a she? May mentally files that away while resisting the urge to toss the brandy back like a shot of tequila and taking a sip. "Did you hear about the mess at the Triskelion, Fenris?" Her expression, if possible, sours a bit further. "It happened. I'm on administrative leave. Oracle offered to help me avoid going homicidal from boredom." Or something like that.

WHen Kendrin expresses appreciation for the brandy, May simply nods in acknowledgement. Grump. Grump grump. Sip. She moves to sit back down on the sofa, her sense of manners overridden by the grump. If Fenris wants to park it, he knows what a chair looks like.

Oracle really wants a look at that Omnitool… but she'll wait. The comment about Oracle being a woman goes right over her head, most assume Oracle is a she because you know, mythology and stuff. "Let me know what supplies you need there, May, I'll organise them for you. Whilst you're working with me and playing minder, it's the least I can do." She's already noted the brandy.

Kendrin glances up towards the speaker when Oracle speaks again, and then to May, before returning her attention to Fenris. She gives him a formal nod in acknowledgement. "I do not intend to remain here overly long," she tells him, aware he's the only one in the room that seems to be able to understand her. "Merely long enough for the translation program to complete. Then, I shall take my leave, so I shall not become a burden to these people." And so that she won't be trapped by them. May clearly doesn't want to be here with her, and Oracle… is a little creepy, being so voyeuristic. Kendrin doesn't quite trust anyone who's that curious.

"I understand." The tall man takes a breath and considers. He could duck out… but he's curious. So he stays a few minutes longer. "I'm often about. These other two can tell you. My… purview is a little varied, but I frequent this city and the nearby ones." Because they're his. He doesn't say that. "If need be, I can recommend peoeple who might have gainful employment for you." Hell… he might, actually, come to think of it. Depending on what her specific talents are.

Melinda May says, "I'll keep you posted, Oracle." She's already mentally compiling a list of items to take the place of her SHIELD equipment that didn't come with her to Gotham. And then she looks at Kendrin directly and asks her a question, something she's not really done yet since this whole 'roommate' situation started. "What do you do in your home city, anyway?" She trusts Fenris to translate that in an acceptable manner."

Oracle isn't creepy, she's careful, Kendrin will probably learn why all too soon. "If May approves, and you can't find employment for her Fenris, I'm sure I'll have a spot in my network. Things are… heating up in Gotham and we are stretched way to thin." the redhead pauses "In one way, Mays offer came at a perfect time for me."

Kendrin is a woman of many talents, though she doesn't choose to elaborate at this moment. Instead, she nods to Fenris. "That may be helpful," she agrees. "I would appreciate it." When May addresses her directly, however, she cants her head, perhaps a trifle surprised that the woman is actually speaking to her. That said, she's not exactly been a chatterbox, either. She's the sort who's comfortable with her own counsel and given to silence unless there are questions to be asked or answered. She glances to Fenris for a translation, since he seems to be the only one who can. In her ear, the omnitool is chirping a disjointed translation. She'll wait for the man's translation to see how close they are before she tries to answer. Because, right now, the VI can't decide if May wants to know how Kendrin's doing or where she's from.

"She's asking what youdo in the place you came from." Fenris already suspects that it's a question of being a warrior or a hunter with her attire and equipement. Or perhaps soldier, but she doesn't precisely carry herself like one. And warriors are different from soldiers yes. He'll stick around a bit to translate since it seems that this is needed.

Kendrin regards May evenly. "I was a hunter, scout, and trader," she replies, making a mental note NOT to trust the VI just yet. "A warrior, when needed. But, my people were peaceful, save for whenever the Ashereith came." There's a tightness to her eyes, the only hint that the memory is possibly a painful one. Otherwise, she is quite matter-of-fact about the whole thing.

Melinda May considers for a moment after hearing Fenris' translation of Kendrin's words. "I am in this city temporarily, and while I am here, I'm assisting Oracle with helping protect innocents from those who would do others harm. Would you be willing to assist me in fulfilling any duties that Oracle requests?" She looks at the displace woman squarely as she speaks, letting Fenris truly act as interpreter.

Fenris pours himself another drink. At least he doesn't crush the cup when he does it. "If it helps, the Oracle is generally quite even handed." Yes, Fenris knows who the Oracle is and knows that she's the Oracle to boot, but doesn't give that away, adding to the translation. "Ashereith…" He thinks. He's encountered many mosnters but… "Have not heard of them. Which I hope is a good thing. Perhaps they will not find you here."

Kendrin doesn't give voice to her private speculation about the likelihood of dropping off the Ashereith radar for very long. It hasn't worked, so far. But, hey. There's a first time for everything.

She gives a simple nod in response. "I shall hope." And prepare for the worst.

She considers May's request. Slowly, she nods. "I can do that." It seems small enough recompense for the 'hospitality' she's been shown.

Melinda May nods to Kendrin. "Good. Oracle, I'll have that list for you in the morning." She finishes her glass of brandy and moves to return it to the kitchen. "I'm going to try to get some sleep. You should do the same, Kendrin. I plan on evaluating your combat skills." Let's see how Fenris translates THAT.

Carefully is how, but with a grin. "And with that, ladies." He adds. "I should be going. Sleep well. And if you ever need my help, chant my name three times near the pet supplies section in WalMart." He waves, tears open a Way and steps through. It shuts behind him without a trace.


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