NationStates Jolt Archive

Janine Myers' Apartment; Tindalos Megalopolis; The Hack

Janine smiled happily as she read the letter for the twentieth time. She was not a wealthy person; in fact, she was only half-a-step above living paycheck-to-paycheck, so the prize announcement in her hand was like manna from Heaven. She was one of those people who always responded to contests and raffles that were mailed to her, her hope of winning, and dreams of big prizes always winning out over the tiny voice in the back of her mind telling her that it was a waste of time. Granted, when they had wanted money, she never responded, but anything else, she did. Countless stamps licked, innumerable stickers stuck, and hundreds upon hundreds of little envelopes mailed out.

The down side was that she was on every mailing list in the known universe, and some from another six if you listened to her mailman. The up side was what she had just experienced: An all expenses paid trip to the nation of her choice; dailing stipend for sight-seeing and tchotchke buying included. It was the grand prize of whatever contest she had entered, and she was practically vibrating in excitement at the thought of visiting Titan or some other exotic location.

Reality was a little less kind than the big, bold, italicized, and underlined letters on the front page. Seemed that the contest runners had figured out that someone might want to go somewhere expensive and had put a series of retrictions on where the winner could go. Needless to say, Titan was right out. As was, of course, any site off-planet. Her selections were actually quite limited and her excitement wore off as she read the list of 'approved locations'.

Hali didn't exactly fill her with joy. She could easily fly their on her own. GMC was, likewise, less than thrilling; she could take the train there if she wanted. Besides, she'd already visited several times. GMC was nice, but when handed a prize like this, you wanted something unique; somewhere that you could go yourself on the weekend. The list was actually rather dissappointing. There were several more locations that she had already been to, or that she could afford by skipping a few trips to Hackburger. She was about ready to give up and just go to Hali when she noticed it down at the bottom of the list: Tartarus.

No, that was interesting! She was vaguely aware that the Hack was allied with Tartarus, but she'd never actually been there, and didn't really even know much about the place at all. In other words, it was just what she was looking for. It might not be the most exotic place, but it was certainly unlike anyplace she had gone to before. She quickly checked the box next to Tartarus and sent her reply in, once again giddy at the thought of her trip. Imagine! A completely different country, and it's all free!


Customs; Erebus International Airport; Erebus; Tartarus

The 'nice' thing about living a somewhat sheltered life is that so many things are unique and new. For an upbeat woman like Janine, these things were views as opportunities, experiences, and generally good things. So even a banal procedure such as having customs pour over her belongings was at least tolerable, even if it wasn't exactly as thrilling as the flight. It wasn't until she was passed customs and into the airport itself, and then Erebus proper that she noticed something strange happening.

People that she passed tended to have one of two responces: they either avoided her meekly, or were exceptionally polite to her. And not just polite, but polite to the level of deference. The fact that she looked very similar to someone very famous and very powerful never crossed her mind: she simply thought that the people in Tartarus were very kind or very distrusting of foreigners.

Caitlin Marshall’s Apartment, Erebus, Tartarus

Adding the finishing touches to her lipstick, Caitlin admired her reflection in the mirror, smiling as she lowered her make up to the counter and ran her fingers lightly around her dark brown hair, patting it to make sure that it was tidy. She had been getting ready for the past two hours, taking a long bath, finding the perfect outfit and making sure that her accessories were just so. He liked to see her looking her best, and there was no getting away from the fact, that she did.

Stepping through to the lounge, she looked longingly at the clock, knowing that on the stroke of eight, her date would turn up. It was one of the many things that she found charming about him. His punctuality. Of course, he also expected the same from those around him, so it was with fifteen minutes to spare, that Caitlin found herself waiting for him, pacing around the room agitatedly.

A quick glance at the window revealed that he weather was holding out, and she would be able to wear a light weight shawl, rather than a long coat, which would hide the effect of her dress. And she did not want that. She wanted the patrons of the club or restaurant that they attended to gaze at her, wishing they were in her shoes. She wanted to stun them and him speechless.

The sound of a knock at the door, pulled her attention away from her thoughts, and brought her back to her apartment. She glanced briefly at the clock, surprised that it was still only ten to the hour. Putting the thought aside, she moved over to the entrance of her apartment, and pulled open the door, smiling as she greeted the new arrival.

“This is a surprise, you are early.” She began and stopped suddenly as her blue eyes fixed upon the man at the door. It was not the one she had been expecting, but he was no stranger to her. She looked passed him down the corridor, but she did not see who she was hoping to see.

“Can I come in?” The man asked, his voice gruff.

Caitlin took a step back and let him through, staring after him as he moved inside the apartment. “What’s going on?”

The man stopped and turned to her. “His Highness regrets that he is unable to make this evening, or any other evening.”

“What?” Caitlin practically shouted. “That’s it? Just like that?”

Unmoved by her reaction, the man moved over to her and pulled open his coat. The look on Caitlin’s face froze, fearing that he was pulling out a gun, only to be surprised to see him reveal a small jewellery case.

“I’ve been asked to give you this, as payment for your services.” His voice was level, but there was no hiding the glint of amusement in his eyes.

Caitlin stood staring speechlessly at the man before her, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Her eyes spoke a million words, as anger and embarrassment battled over them. “Get out!”

The man remained where he was, unmoving.

“I said get out! Get out!” Caitlin pointed to the door, her voice raised in anger. “If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police.”

Smiling politely, his eyes never leaving her face, the hired goon moved passed her. As he drew level, he stopped. “If you are free tonight, I could always take his place. I can’t say I’ll pay as much for a night with you.”

Her hand caught him around the cheek, but he barely flinched, and then continued on out the door, closing it behind him, shutting off this part of his boss’ life. She watched the door for a moment, as if she expected her date to arrive, even though she knew it was through.

She looked at the case in her hands, opening it carefully as if she expected it to bite her. The jewels inside sparkled as they were hit by the light of the room. Barely looking at it, she threw it against the wall, watching the diamond necklace crumple to the floor, as she did the same.

* * * * *

A Gentleman Only Club, Erebus, Tartarus

The large clock on the mantel chimed eight, bringing a smile to the face of the dark haired Lord who stood nearby watching it. He mentally wiped his hands of another bit of his past, his mind almost instantly forgetting everything other than the image that lingered. Beside him, one of his companions gave him a strange, questioning glance.

“Is everything alright, Nefarious?” The Count of Barderic asked, as he brought his glass of brandy up to his lips.

“Everything is perfect.” Lord Nefarious replied, his expression back to normal, though his eyes remained tinged with amusement.

* * * * *

Erebus International Airport, Erebus, Tartarus

David Kendel wandered through the airport, heading towards the exit of the terminal. He flew constantly, it was part of his job, travelling the length and breadth of the Empire, which meant that he saw many strange goings on at the airport, but none was more so than the image that was presented before him.

There walking off to one side, and seemingly alone, was the Empress of Tartarus. She was not hard to miss, her image was seen constantly around the Empire, and if she was not gazing down from some portrait or statue, her face could be seen on the television or any number of items around the place.

He stopped walking, his eyes fixed on the young woman before him. Like so many of the people around him, they all seemed transfixed by the image. He looked, turned away and looked again, as if she were a figment of his imagination, but as she remained when his eyes focused, he knew she was real. The strangeness of her appearance in the middle of the airport was not lost upon him, and as much as he wanted to approach, he had the feeling that he would be hustled to the ground before he got within talking distance of her.

We walk with our eyes closed
We don't want to look anymore
Don't want to feel this
I'm not a part of this war
~Leæther Strip, "Down There With You"

Erebus International Airport, Erebus, Tartarus

At first it was curious, then it slowly morphed into disturbing and even a little unsettling. She wasn't used to this kind of attention, or willful non-attention as it were. It was starting to seem like people were afraid of her; a wholly new experience. Where tourists really this hated in this country?

-----

Janine had grown up in the Hack, first living in Chiba City before moving to Tindalos when it was completed, promises of endless opportunity driving her. Unfortunately, like most things in the Hack, the opportunities were largely limited to people who had the capital to take advantage of the opportunities. As a young women with nothing to her name aside from a lack of debt (an accomplishment in the Hack, to be sure), she found that there was little in Tindalos that she couldn't have found back in Chiba.

She would have moved back if she could have afforded it. Alas, she had sold many of her belongings and signed a long term lease on her new apartment, and was pretty much stuck. Not that she minded too much, Tindalos was nice after all, but it was still a major let down for her. Almost enough to crack her usual optimism.

She'd gotten a job as a waitress at low end diner at first, and slowly worked her way up the food chain that way. By the time she won the contest, she was working at The Pinnacle, and doing reasonably well for herself, not only in her wages, but also in tips. It wasn't enough to set her on easy street, but it was enough to allow her to stay on top of her bills, which allowed her to take off the month that she had allotted for this trip, even though it involved taking some time off without pay; the Hack was never especially generous with vacation time.

Being a nude waitress had taken getting used to. Janine was by no means a prude, but she also wasn't the type to walk around naked just for the hell of it. She had been horribly embarrassed her first few days at the restaurant, and almost backed out of the job. Had the owner not been so nice, and the pay so nice, she probably wouldn't have survived her first shift. As she worked there, she quickly learned that the patrons weren't there to drool over naked women; they were there because they felt comfortable in the nude, and wanted an opportunity to dine out that way without being drooled over. Such a clientele certainly wasn't about to make unwanted advances to their waitress.

Not that she hadn't received her fair share of looks and even a couple kind offers. She had always blushed at the looks and shyly turned down the offers. She wasn't the type for casual sex, for one, and for another, she wasn't all that interested in women. Sure, she had experimented a bit in high school (this was the Federation; who hadn't?), but she had never found it all that much to her liking; certainly not enjoyable enough to jump at an offer by a complete stranger. Besides, she preferred to be romanced a little, and would rather not have a perspective date start after she and her suitor had seen each other naked. Openness was one thing, but that was just a touch too literal for her taste.

Still, working at The Pinnacle was an amazing experience, and she enjoyed it to no end. She would miss her coworkers and her boss on her trip, but she had been assured that her job would be waiting for her, and that she shouldn't worry about anything and just enjoy herself. With waves and hugs, she'd left the restaurant to prepare for the trip she found herself on.

-----

The wide berth given her by the locals made her think of the friendly atmosphere back in Tindalos, and she felt of wave of homesickness wash over her; she found herself wondering if this had been a good idea after all. Maybe she should have just stayed home, or taken one of the other trips. If everybody was going to ignore her, it would be a very long month indeed.

She figited nervously as she looked over her itinerary, frowning as she realised that she had no clue where her hotel was, nor did she know where the Hack's embassy was. And if everyone was going to ignore her like this, well, it was almost enough to make a person cry. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to figure out what to do next when she blinked slightly, and looked off to her left.

While it has never been proven, and would be difficult to even attempt to test, many people are convinced that they can tell when someone is staring at them. It isn't something that rises to the level of ESP or a so-called sixth-sense, and it's not like the hair on the back of your neck stands up, but people will often feel different when they think they're being stared at. It was just this sensation that Janine felt moments before she looked over to see David watching her.

In an instant she decided that he was at least being slightly more friendly than everyone else in the airport, and that he might even be mildly helpful. It was worth a shot, if nothing else. She brushed a lock of dark brown hair from her face, hooking it behind her ear with minimal success as she walked up to him. She gave him her best smile, trying to act more confident than she felt, "Um, hello. Could I ask you a question?" While the smile on her face never faltered, inside she was frowning, What if he only speaks Tartarian?

If David had thought that seeing the familiar face walking through the airport had been unusual, then the moment that she approached him and spoke had almost sent him onto the floor. He merely stared at her for a moment before his mouth even found the ability to open and close, it was a little longer before sounds were formed.

“Of course, you can.” He managed, with only the merest hint of a stutter. Confusion had fully addled his brain, which was trying to piece together what was happening so he could make some sense out of it. The whole time, she stood before him, his eyes remained locked to her face as if he could not believe what he was looking at. “I mean…” He suddenly lost the ability to speak again.

Janine blushed ever so slightly. She considered herself reasonably attractive -- at least attractive enough to work at The Pinnacle -- but she had never made someone lose all ability to speak before. It was flattering in a way, even if it was a little sad, too. Still, he seemed interested in talking to her, even if he was too flustered to make much of any sense.

She smiled at him, pulling out her itinerary and looking it over, "Thank you; nobody else seems willing to talk to me. I'm looking for my hotel, and I'm not sure where it is... could you maybe give me a hand? I'm told it's pretty close to the airport..." She gave him the name of the hotel and smiled again. He was kinda cute, in a way. Hopefully he could help her out, too.

David smiled, his eyes flicking over Janine, as if he was still unsure. But he once again managed to find his voice as reality suddenly began to sink in. “Of course, I would be happy to help you.” He gave her a little awkward smile, as if he was suddenly embarrassed while remaining a little confused. “Yes, I know where this is. It’s not really too far from here.”

Around him he could feel the eyes of the other passengers as they wandered passed. Each of them had the same expression that he had be displaying only moments before. “It’s close, but not too far by foot. It’s on way, so I can walk you there.” He gave Janine a smile. “It might be a good idea for you not to be walking around on your own, given how people seem to be reacting.” He searched her face to see if she knew the fuss she was causing.

Janine smiled happily, "Oh, wonderful, thank you." She shouldered her bag again and let him lead the way to the hotel. As they walked, she glanced around, once again noticing the uneasy feeling of being watched. It had actually increased a bit now that she was walking with this man. They almost seemed stunned. Her smile wavered a bit, "Um... yeah, I was noticing that... are tourists really that rare?"

If she knew why she was causing such a commotion, then World's Greatest Actress should have been her next title, as she looked completely baffled by it, and almost unaware that she, specifically, was the cause of everything. She almost looked like she figured something else was happening, and she had just been caught in the middle.

David smiled, slightly taken back by Janine’s naivety, but then she was not from Tartarus, and also it was harder for someone to notice their resemblance to others. He pointed towards the exit of the terminal. “Once we get you to your hotel, I’ll explain. We really do not have a shortage of tourists and are very used to seeing them, even if you might think differently.” He juggled his luggage, and began to walk towards the door.

“If you can, just ignore everyone’s stares. Like me, they’ll soon catch on that you are not who they think you are.” He turned and grinned to her, once more taking in her appearance, noticing the differences that he had missed on first looking.

* * * * *

“…And finally, Erebus Internation Airport was thrown into chaos today, when a woman caught the attention of the crowds. A lone woman, walking through the International terminal, caused a stir for security personnel and travellers alike, as she bore a striking resemblance to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Gehenna of Tartarus…” The TV screen filled with an image that had been caught on CCTV. “…The dark haired beauty fooled those around her into thinking that the Empress had paid an impromptu visit…”

The eyes of the man bored into the television screen, his attention fully grabbed for the first time since the news programme had began. He lowered his glass from his lips, where it had stopped in mid-action. His gaze was fixed to the image plastered over the screen as the woman walked up to a man, spoke and then disappeared out of sight. Around the couple, people were standing and staring, stopped in their tracks.

“Interesting.” He stood up, and moved a little closer to the screen, as the same bit of footage was displayed again on the screen, this time showing a closer if blurrier image of the woman and his companion. Lord Nefarious’ eyes lit up as a look of recognition flicked over his gaze, as he focused his attention on the man, before once more he took to staring at the now still close up of the familiar faced young woman.

Janine blinked a little, but shrugged, "Oh... kay..." She smiled sheepishly, feeling stupid, "I've hardly ever left Tindalos, so I wasn't sure... well, I had heard that some countries... I mean, not this country in particular... but I mean..." She paused, blushing some more, "I'm sorry, I just don't know what to expect, and now I sound like an idiot."

Thankfully, he started walking, letting her shut up for a moment and stop babbling. She always hated it when she got flustered, and she hated that it seemed to happen with painful regularity. She still remember the time at the Pinacle, one of her first days, when she had accidentally dropped a glass of wine, and it had spilled all over a guest. Of course, it just had to be red wine on the white fur of a Segonune. She'd ended up in the bathroom crying before the Segonune had found her and managed to convince her that she wasn't going to get fired over it. While the stares hadn't reduced her to tears, it just might have had she not bumped into David. At least she was starting to figure out that it was more surprize at her appearance, as opposed to hatred for her specifically.

She smiled weakly at him, looking around nervously as they made their way down the street to her hotel, "They don't think I'm some kind of axe murderer, do they?"

David shook his head and laughed, not unkindly, trying not to make Janine think that he was laughing at her. “Oh, they most certainly do not think you are axe murderer. If they did, they wouldn’t have let you leave the airport. And I would not be seeing you to your hotel either.” He looked at her and grinned. “I might look foolish…”

The journey to the hotel did not take long, it was close to the terminal and was one of the many that littered the boundaries of the airport. The two exchanged small talk on the way, and had more than their fair share of stares as they went. David was not sure, but he hoped that he was making Janine feel a little more comfortable by being with her, even though he was a stranger.

They entered the hotel and walked up to the reception desk. The young woman behind the counter stared at Janine, visibly alarmed by the face looking back. She turned her attention to David for a moment, as if searching for answers before once more staring at the woman before her.

As she opened her mouth to speak, David interrupted before the receptionist could make a fool of herself. “This young lady would like to check in. She has just arrived from The Hack and would be grateful if you could deal with her request quickly, as she has had a harrowing time at the airport and would like to get away from prying eyes.”

The receptionist nodded, turned to Janine. “If I could just take your reservation details, I will get you booked in.” She smiled, not sure if she felt any more relaxed at knowing the woman before her was not who she thought it was. She reached over and grabbed a form.

David turned to Janine and smiled as the receptionist moved away from the counter to retrieve a form. “I’m sorry for sounding so rude, but I had a feeling you would have had to wait a bit before being dealt with.” He frowned. “The sooner you get to your room, the better. And then, if you do not mind me accompanying you, I’ll explain why you are getting this…treatment.”

She did indeed seem to calm down as they left the airport. While still getting more than her fair share of looks, there were fewer people outside the terminal, and they were a little more focused on what they were doing. Still too much attention, but it wasn't a palitable wave crashing against her. She still tried to keep her head down to lessen the stares though. It worked a little; the change in posture was uncharacteristic for the strong willed Empress, and it certainly made her stand out less. Every little bit helped.

She couldn't help but smile inwardly as they walked. She didn't know much about him, small talk wasn't the best way to get to know someone, but he certainly seemed friendly enough. And, worst case scenerio, she could always brain him with one of her bags if he turned out to be a creep. Those self-defence classes had to be good for something, after all.

Janine smiled weakly at the receptionist, handing over her reservation information and her ID, which clearly showed she was not who everyone thought she was. She had pondered sliding some money along with her forms, but she had forgotten to read up on Tartarian "tipping" customs. Tipping was reasonably common in the Hack, even with the lack of physical currency. In a situation like this, she would have had a pocketful of chits with pre-set amounts stored on them. They were rather like camera memory cards, small and thin. They also had the amount stored on them displayed on a friendly little liquid crystal screen. Being as small as they were, they were also exceptionally easy to palm and slipped to a clerk or receptionist without anyone noticing. Greasing the wheels in the digital world: the concept was the same, the only thing that changed were the vessels.

She glanced sideways at David as she quickly filled out and signed the portion of the forms she needed to (how quaint!). She had left her gun, taser, and pepper spray back home, so if he wanted to take advantage of her, there wouldn't be much she could do. Still, she was curious, and she wasn't just some waif anyway; she could always give a firm kick and run. Deciding to take a chance, she smiled at him, "Thank you, that would be wonderful."

David was not sure why he felt that he had to offer so much help to the stranger, but if worried him that she would be prone to so much trouble if she was not fully clued in to why she was attracting the attention. Of course, even once she knew exactly what was going on, it would be hard for her do to anything about it. He could already imagine some of the discussions going on around the airport, not to mention things that would be going on behind closed doors when people realised what potential problems could be caused by the arrival of someone like Janine.

As they finally reached the door to her room, David stepped back and let her go inside before following her. “This is a nice room,” he said as he looked around him, making a little conversation as Janine went about what she needed to do. “I’ve been passed this hotel more times than I care to mention and have never stepped foot inside. Strange how you never realise these things.”

He remained near the door, not wishing to impose himself on her any more than he had already. Despite the differences in her appearance from the Empress of Tartarus, he still had that weird feeling every time he looked at her. He was kind of waiting for him to order him to bow or something. “At least we got you here without anymore trouble, not that it won’t reappear the moment you step outside the door. Not that that is your fault, after all, we don’t choose how we look. Well, some do, of course, but…well, that’s a different matter all together.”

Walking over to the television, he clicked it on and found the news channel, which was playing exactly what he hoped they would not have. “It seems that your arrival has drawn a little attention, I just hope it doesn’t cause you too much trouble. Of course, this could do you a little favour and will stop all the odd looks you’ve been getting, which has got to be a good thing, doesn’t it?”

* * * * *

The television droned on in the background, drawing little attention from the young woman sitting behind a huge mahogany desk. In front of her sat two people, Emma Sarie, the Foreign Secretary and her head of security, Charles Abernethy. It was the latter, who was speaking.

“Of course, we have can not rule out the possibility that this could turn out badly. I’m not saying that this woman has come here for any purpose other than as a tourist, but that does not mean that someone might see the possibility that she presents.”

Gehenna shook her head. “Charles, if we grew concerned every time someone who bore a resemblance to me entered the Empire, we would end up increasing security on a regular basis.” She smiled. “I do not want to blow this situation out of all proportion.”

“The young woman comes from The Hack, who is an ally of ours. We really do not want to cause trouble by treating one of their visitors as a criminal just for stepping foot on our soil,” Emma interjected, sounding like a voice of reason compared to the overly cautious Abernethy.

“There are all kinds of people out their, Emma. I’m not saying that this young woman is out to cause problems, but she could easily become a pawn in someone else’s plans.” The Head of Security replied. “The man she met at the airport, who escorted her out, how do we know that he is not part of a ploy…?”

“The man has been identified as David Kendal. He’s one of our own.” Emma replied, meeting Abernethy’s gaze. “Once he returns to his office, he will be briefed on the matter to see what he knows.”

Gehenna smiled as she flicked her eyes between Emma and Charles. “I feel sure that we can pass this off as nothing more than an ‘and finally’ story.” She rose from her chair. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention so promptly.”

Janine took the key from the receptionist, hurrying to her room, sick of feeling so exposed, an irony that didn't fully escape her. She let David follow her into the room, depositing her bags by the door and flopping down into a chair, looking frustrated and confused. She hadn't even looked at the hotel until she heard David's comment, but looked at it now, smiling a little, "It is nice." She smiled some more, "I got so wrapped up in this staring stuff I never even thought about where I'd be staying. I'm glad that whoever ran that contest had good taste." She even managed a laugh as she added, "At least I'll have a nice room to hide in."

She blinked as she saw herself on the television, wondering briefly why she warrented so much attention. Her jaw practically hit the floor when she saw the picture of Gehenna appear on the screen, "Oh... oh my God..." She rubbed her eyes and looked again, still not able to believe what she was seeing. Of course, she could instantly spot dozens of things different in the Empress' face, but there was no escaping it: she looked like the Empress, and from a distance, she couple be mistaken for a twin.

She looked over at David, concern etched in her face, "I'm not going to get in trouble or anything, am I? I had no idea I looked like her..." She frowned a little, "Should I dye my hair or something?"

David watched the images flash across the television screen for a moment, before he turned to Janine and smiled. “No, no you won’t get into trouble.” He laughed lightly. “There is nothing in the law that says you cannot look like the ruler of Tartarus, although to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t one at some time or another. There have been some very cranky Emperors and Empresses of Tartarus in their time.” He frowned slightly. “The present one excepted, of course.” It was never a good idea to say such things around strangers.

“And you really should not dream of dying your hair, unless you wish to, but you shouldn’t do it because of this.” He hooked his thumb towards the television, even though the newscaster had moved on to other news. “Of course, you are going to have to get used to the strange looks and stares while you are here, but hopefully the report about you will ease that a little.” He laughed suddenly, trying to lighten the mood. “I would be very wary of…well, people taking an unhealthy interest in you, but I think you are more than capable of looking after yourself.”

He paused, giving the young woman a chance to catch up. “I’m sorry for practically bundling you out of the airport. You must have thought me a total brute.” He gave her a little smile.

Janine sighed a little and sat down in one of the room's chairs, "'Unhealthy interest'? I don't even want to think about that. I suppose I'll just have to make do. Wear a hat or something." She laughed a little at the absurdity of the situation, "Well, at least I'll have some amusing stories to tell when I get home, huh?"

She stood back up and turned off the television, smiling at David, "And I don't think you're a brute at all; you've been a big help." She gave him a friendly hug, "Thank you; for everything. I'd still be in the terminal wondering why everyone hated me if you hadn't been so helpful." She blinked, "Oh! I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?"