shatterverse | (no subject)

"We're looking for someone named Oracle."

It's more polite and general than it needs to be. She got red hair and that level would put her in a wheel chair. The two details Jack already gave her fitting perfectly.

Two details that Rachel knows nothing about. She stays quiet, looking at the redhead curiously. There's no opinion being offered about her height - just because someone's in a wheelchair doesn't mean they need it.

Barbara takes a moment to match the voice then nods and rolls back from the door to swing it open all the way. "Come on in, Jo. You or your friend care for any coffee?"

"I wouldn't pass it up."

Jo looked around casually.

Wheelchair or no, Rachel is on edge, eyes darting here and there. She isn't looking around, she isn't casual - she's taking inventory of what's around them and what the wheelchair-woman has to work with.

...but she would like some coffee.

"Sure."

Babs rolls over to the coffee maker, pausing briefly to tap a few keys on one of her keyboards. As she pours a couple of mugs the dozen or so monitors around the room flicker and shift from displaying relatively easy to understand (and extensive) data to some sort of complex data feed that takes years of training to interpret.

Call Babs paranoid if you must. "I've got some sugar if either of you want it, but no cream."

Jo watched the switch but her expression didn't change, even as her eyes followed the feed symbols after the switch for seconds before she'd spoken.

"Black is fine for me."

She walked over, reaching out to take her mug once it was poured with a nod of thanks.

"I haven't seen this many computers workin' since I got in."

For a world where it's so rare to find a working houselight, Rachel's eyes are lingering on the computers, too. Perhaps not as comprehending as Jo - not nearly - but there all the same.

And flicking away immediately when Babs returns her attention to them.

She'd like sugar and cream, but Rachel also caught the 'some.' She nods along with Jo's response, black is fine, and takes the mug when it's offered.

She's still not quite sure what Jo wants her to do here, but staying quiet and listening seems to be working just fine for everybody right now.

"Most of these I was lucky enough to have with me when we came through," Barbara explains. "And even with all this I'm feeling the crunch. I'm used to operating with far more number crunching power at my disposal."

It reminds her, distantly, of familiarity. ~~Of Miles. And Ash.~~ Not known, not her skill or her thing, but close enough to the distant past that she wants to frown at it. And use it, like a cheap whore.

(Dr. Badass is In)

Jo didn't frown, or if she did it was against the rim of her coffee mug, and it was gone when she was being attentive to Oracle speaking. She tipped her head, in reference to the screens everywhere.

"How are you connected? And to what--I had thought this place was nearly dead."

Jo and Rachel will have to forgive Barbara's smug grin (or not).

"Satellites. There seem to be fewer portal incidents as altitude above ground increases. Not entirely sure why, but it's left most of the satellite network in place. And since most of those things are designed to stay up for years they tend to work."

She frowns slightly, "And there's some landlines still in place, just not many. They're hard to patch into since most of the exchanges are down too."

Jo didn't look back at the screen. She leaned against a table, drinking her coffee either nodding or scowling openly this time.

Multiverses sucked.

It was a prerequisite.

"Anything better than radios for communication yet?"

Well, if Jo's not going to look...

Rachel sips her coffee and lets her eyes wander. Theres hope of her understanding the code, and she's certain Oracle knows that. But it doesn't hurt to look.

Probably. Multiverse, after all.

Babs spares a glance for Rachel, more curious than worried. After all, if the girl can figure out what the various pulsating colored shapes represent without having been trained to do so, she'd make an excellent agent.

"Well, I've got some limited gear, but most of it's satellite-based and while there are still a lot flying, my coverage is spotty enough that signals get dropped all the time."

Yes but badly it was--

"Better than nothing."

Beat.

"Flying?"

Edited 2008-07-05 06:41 (UTC)

...yeah, that's certainly got Rachel's attention. She doesn't look at Jo, doesn't show the slightest sign that she's bothered by or even understands what Oracle's just said.

Mmm, coffee. Coffee is good, just like studying the patterns flashing across the computer is good. It doesn't mean anything to her, but it means something to Oracle, and that's enough of a reason to pay attention.

"Satellites, I mean, though..." Her gaze suddenly locks onto one of the monitors. "Excuse me for a moment."

Her fingers flash across her keyboard and the view shifts to a map of western Europe with a light dot indicating a location. Babs taps her headset and begins speaking in French. Her tone is insistent, commanding even. It's a tone that expects obedience. The exchange only takes about two minutes before she pushes back with a sigh.

"Sorry about that," she offers as the monitor fades back, "As I was saying, while a lot of satellites are up, a lot are down too. Coverage is spotty. Though there's a surprising number of actual aircraft up there too, considering no one's doing traffic control."

Jo looked at Rachel inquisitively while she was turned away, even though she was looking at the sudden map just as much.

Complicated.

But the way she handled whatever she handled in French just then looked serious. Even if she didn't like the idea of that tone being used toward her, even subjectively as a though.

Jo was looking at Oracle considering as she went back to satellites. Jo had left that at least mostly already.

"You said you had plans."

Jo's glance is met with light blue eyes before Rachel puts her gaze back on the computers. When Barbara turns around, it's as if she hasn't moved at all.

Mmm, coffee.

(she really should have paid more attention in French class)

"Lots of them," Barbara agrees, without offering much more than that.

"You want in on them?" Barbara doesn't tell anyone everything she's up to, and she wants to know what these two are good at before she risks anything she doesn't have to.

"No." Jo's blunt enough, but it's not cruel.

"Not without knowing anything about them. I want to be doing more than I am already and that means checking out possible avenues for what they have."

Jo doesn't get a glance this time - Rachel is looking at Oracle with her chin lifted, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"What're the plans for?"

What they are can come later.

"Minimizing chaos is about as good an explanation as any," Barbara suggests. "Like, I've got a couple of contingencies for when Metropolis finally collapses." She figures that's going to be sooner rather than later.

"So if you're into saving the world, we should talk. I can always use some help, after all." As long as it's help on her terms.

Jo gave Rachel a searching look for her question, but she was already getting her answer from Oracle. Oracle didn't get a much better one for the last tacked on part.

She looks rather disgusted with the terminology.

"Better on the monsters side than the people one." The was a pause and she added. "Taking them out." In case Oracle need clarification.

With her hero issues.

Rachel is less tactful.

She laughs at Oracle. Stifled, but there, brows lifted and smirking.

Though she does nod. Save the world? Yeah, okay.

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

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Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

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Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

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Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle

Re: The Meeting ----- Jo, Rachel, Oracle