open;

[swedeandlow]

WHO| Kurt Wallander and OPEN
WHAT| Kurt decides he needs to get to know the Tributes a little more personally
WHEN| Now up until the crowning! Feel free to tag in super late, he'll still be around
WHERE| Common room of the tribute to
WARNINGS| None so far, will update if necessary

Kurt Wallander sighed meaningfully over his paperwork. He looked, as usual, like he hadn't slept in days, and the outfit he wore was utilitarian and rumpled. Those who had been to District 2 might recognize the style as being much more to their taste to the Capitol's, but he managed to make it look particularly disheveled anyway. There had been no murders lately, luckily, so he'd been able to focus all his attention on the rebellion, which as always managed to make him incredibly depressed. He didn't want to believe that the rebellion was trying to tap into the tributes, but the fact remained that whoever this hacker was, he was deliberately trying to turn the tributes into terrorists.

He'd managed to keep himself at arms length with them so far, but that was going to be impossible now. He'd have to talk to them, get to know them, figure out just how deeply this dangerous sentiment ran...

He sighed again, just as meaningfully, as he stood from his desk and rubbed his eyes. Interviews. Nothing formal, nothing mandatory, but he needed a more personal insight into the tribute system to understand where the weakness might be, where the motivations lay.

So he trudged out into the light rain, without an umbrella, to make his way over to the tribute center. The peacekeepers didn't give him any grief - they all recognized him as a superior officer, despite the wrinkles and baggy eyes, and he made his way to the common room. He didn't have to pretend to look awkward, he managed that pretty naturally, and he certainly didn't look like a peacekeeper as he wandered up to tributes and introduced himself.

Comments

[aintyourdad]

The man in the common room caught Joel's eye because he stood out from the usual crowd. Admittedly, tributes came in all shapes and sizes, but Joel knew the look of someone who'd seen an arena or two, and as haunted as this guy seemed, he didn't have it.

So either he was new, or he was a Capitolite. And from the way he dressed - he looked like either a journalist or a cop.

Neither of which struck Joel as appealing conversational partners.

"I'm not doin' interviews, go bark up someone else's tree," he said dismissively, going with the first assumption as he tried to wave the man off.

[swedeandlow]

Well, this was going fantastically.

"No- no, I'm not a reporter," He murmured tiredly. "Just... trying to get to know some of you better, that's all. You're Joel, correct? From District... ah.." He searched his brain, frowning, "Eight."

[aintyourdad]

Joel could never stop himself from bristling a little when a perfect stranger recognized him, knew his name. It made him uncomfortable, how much everyone seemed to know about him, without him knowing anything about them.

Where he came from, personal information was kept close to the chest, with good reason. Everyone had a shitty sob story, and rare was the person he trusted enough to share it with.

"Yeah. What's it to you, if you're not a reporter?" he asked gruffly.

[emptytrousers]

Kili had planned to go out and explore more of the Capitol, rain or shine, but his stylists had insisted that the dark kohl surrounding his eyes could simply not get wet or he would look far more terrifying than he intended. It seemed he couldn't even enjoy the singular constant thing from home; he loved the rain and had for decades. So, for now he was seated in a comfortable chair nearest the window so he could at least watch the rain if he could not actively enjoy it.

That is, until a somewhat bedraggled and rumpled man approaches him. Of course, the dwarf's first assumption was that he was one of the mentors, here to remind Kili that he had indeed lost the previous Arena, been stabbed by a young girl, and that his hesitance would do him no good if he kept it up. Mindy's words rang too loud in his ears as he tried to listen to the introduction but missed most of it for the clamor of his thoughts.

Clearing his throat, he sat up straighter in his seat before shamelessly asking, "Say again?"

[swedeandlow]

"Sorry. Kurt Wallander," He said, gesturing to himself again with a faintly apologetic smile.

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to talk, for a few minutes. I'm trying to ah, to get to know the tributes a little better."

[emptytrousers]

Oh, right. That's what he'd said. Trying to ignore how fuzzy his head feels, Kili nods and stands up so he can bow to Kurt with a small smile.

"Kíli, at your service." He replies when he's upright again. Talking actually sounded quite nice, even if the dwarf is a little wary of telling yet another person that he didn't want to kill anyone, or that he didn't know what to do about the entire situation. It's much easier to tell a stein of beer his troubles than any of the race of men. "You must be a mentor, then."

[wiredup]

"Hey, copper."

Eddie lifted a hand in greeting as he saw the man, his face breaking out in an easy grin. He was always uneasy around Peacekeeper, a mix of worrying about being caught doing something combined with a vague disgust to know they'd never bust him for doing much sky of murder.

But Wallander was different. And he appreciated it.

"What's cooking?"

[swedeandlow]

Wallander gave a slightly rueful smile and raised a hand in greeting as Eddie approached.

"Trying to get to know my jurisdiction a bit better," He said wryly. "It's been an extremely pleasant time so far." That is to say, the opposite.

"Keeping out of trouble?" He asked after a moment, an almost fond tilt to the words.

[wiredup]

"Oh, man, you know me. I'm never trouble."

Wallander wasn't the only one would could imply the opposite of things around here. There was a twinkle in his eyes and a grin he couldn't keep off his face.

"So, are new Tributes your jurisdiction now?"

[amoral_savior]

Topher was on a sofa with his feet kicked up and his notebook in hand. Eva had managed to grab most of his old work, but there was still a lot to recreate...unless he could locate his "fans." That meant going out. That meant socializing. That meant doing things that he really did want or care to do.

It was easier just to start again.

The arrival of a man in white was new and slightly interesting, until he saw the way the guy bumbled around like it was his first time in public. Amature. He almost felt for the guy, but not enough to actually do anything.

Topher loudly slurped the juice from a box that had his face on it. Horrible picture, but sweet and delicious high fructose corn syrup. Nectar of the gods. Once his box was empty of juice he let out a sad sigh before crushing the cardboard cube and tossing behind him. Now he had to decide whether or not to get up and get another or...

"Hey, one of those creepy mutes around?"

[swedeandlow]

"Ah--" It took him a second to realise that Topher was talking to him. "An avox, you mean?" He asked, frowning, as he glanced around. Usually there was always one to hand, but it was just his luck that in this particular instance there wasn't a single one to be seen.

"Doesn't look like it," He mused, before looking back at the tribute. Well. Time to attempt to gain trust, at least. "Why, what do you need?"

For Joel, that evening

[swedeandlow]

It had been a long day.

Wallander usually drank alone, as sad as it was, but he'd worked too long and his favourite liquor store was closed, so he found himself going to the local bar instead. It was at least more quiet than others he knew, and the bartender was a sympathetic soul, so he sat at the bar with his head bowed as he nursed a glass of wine.

He had known, of course, that gaining any sort of trust among the tributes was likely going to be an uphill battle, but it didn't make it any less depressing. He couldn't blame them for being angry, but that was exactly what worried him. So many would so easily be able to be turned into weapons for the Rebellion, start a war that would kill so many...

He sighed again, to himself, and drank his wine, and tried to forget the fact that he'd promised to call his father that night. He didn't have the heart to face someone else who thought his job sapped him of all morality.

SETTING THIS POST-RILEY BECAUSE OF REASONS

[aintyourdad]

Joel needed to get out. Out of the tribute tower, away from - everything. After the day he'd had, he was ready to throw caution to the wind, get drunk as a skunk and pass out.

He had a feeling Ellie wouldn't be knocking on his door tonight, for the first time since he'd arrived in the Capitol, and that left a hollow, cold feeling in his chest, like he was the one who'd fucked up, even though he knew better. Something about that Riley girl rubbed him the wrong way, and he wasn't going to admit to jealousy. No fucking way.

So instead, he wandered into a bar he knew to be quiet, away from the worst of the gawkers, one a number of tributes frequented when they needed to be out but not quite so in the limelight.

So it was just his luck that he spotted a familiar figure at the bar - one he was not interested in seeing again. He'd nearly thrown a punch at the man earlier, and after everything else that had happened? He wasn't sure he could restrain himself again, if it came to that. "You've gotta be kiddin' me," he groaned, and it probably didn't help that he'd already had a couple of drinks before leaving the tower.

[silberfuchs]

By this point, random people coming up and introducing themselves had become old hat, though the gushing over his emotion-fueled homicide-suicide in the arena still made him nauseated and uncomfortable. Still, as Jessica urged him, he used it as a opportunity to practice 'working the sponsors' as it were and has gotten decent enough at it that when the disheveled and tired looking gentleman approaches him there's not even a grimace behind his cordial smile.

"Good afternoon."

[swedeandlow]

"Afternoon," Wallander says, smiling, trying not to stare at the strangely blank eyes.

"Kurt Wallander," He says, gesturing to himself. "You are -- Albert, if I'm not mistaken?"

[youbarium]

"Um...hello," Carlos said, as the stranger approached. "Can I help you?"

He had been headed upstairs to the District 10 suite, where he was still trying to find an appropriate substitute power source for the devices he wanted to make. He held a coffee cup in one hand and a box full of what looked like springs, wires and assorted spare parts in the other.

[swedeandlow]

"Ah, yes, actually, my name is Kurt Wa--" He stopped, frowning as he caught sight of the box.

"Ah... Mind if I ask what this is for?" He asked, pointing at it.

[deafscythe]

The boy smiles at the introduction, with the practice of someone who has been on the receiving end of a fair share of interviews.

"Justin Law, District 7." He introduces himself in return, with a slight bow. "Are you new?"

[swedeandlow]

"Ah, no," Wallander says, shaking his head.

"No, I've been around for a while now. I just wanted to get to know the tributes better, make sure everyone's been settling in well. Have you had any trouble?"

[retrieverchef]

Eliot took in the new face with barely a blink. He smiled at him as walked over to the bar and ordered a drink. "Rough week?"

[swedeandlow]

Kurt looked up from his drink, frowning slightly as he caught sight of the other man.

"Ah-- yes, you could say that." He knew who he was, of course, it was his job to know the tributes, but he was here off duty. "Can I help you?" He said anyway, as it was just ingrained habit.

[hit_girl_mindy]

It was one of those rare times where Mindy wasn't busy training. At the current moment, she was lying on the sofa, having a cool drink. When she saw the man approaching, her armor was up slowly. He clearly was not just a regular peacekeeper, and she'd already seen the pencil neck who interviewed people: he was clearly not of their ilk.

Higher up, maybe.

"Yeah?"

[swedeandlow]

He took a seat opposite her, folding his hands in his lap and smiled in what he hoped was a warm way.

"Trying to get to know the tributes a little better," He explained. "Though you're hardly a regular tribute now, I suppose. How are you settling in with your new status?"

[mannersmatter]

Effie was hurrying through the weather, wanting to be inside, possibly with a warm drink, when she saw Wallander ahead of her.

"Hello dear!" She chirped brightly, hurrying to fall into place next to him. "Mind if I share an umbrella?"

It was always good to see a familiar face, especially one she hadn't caught up with in a long time. It was nice, too, to grab on to something from before all of this.

[swedeandlow]

He smiled warmly at her, holding it out so that she could run underneath it, even though it meant that his shoulder was getting wet.

"No, not at all. It's good to see you, Effie. I was just heading your way."