IC Contact Post

[mathemagier]

[Screened calls go straight to voicemail, where an impatient recording answers]

You've reached Dr. Hermann Gottlieb. Leave your name, number, and business if you expect a return call. Thank you.

Comments

[driftsintobuffetline]

So, I just had an interesting conversation. With someone who needs a hacker for their current mission in order to basically retrieve data without triggering alarms.

Considering Dooku's visit and Ms. Monster's, someone is clearly gunning for your data and since Dooku at least is Constellation... you think this ad for a hacker is related to you?

[mathemagier]

That conversation was a big risk, Newton. Whomever that is might believe you're connected to me.

But it is difficult to say whether or not that person is after my data. I suppose I'll just have to ensure it's completely inaccessible to outside parties.

Really, I wonder why they want it so badly.

[driftsintobuffetline]

I kind of don't care if they know I'm with you.

[mathemagier]

We can't afford to publicly be known to be in Constellation, Newton. The more people that know, the greater risk there is.

[driftsintobuffetline]

Fine. Fine.

But I'm tired of this, Hermann. What are we getting from this organization other than stress?

[mathemagier]

Access to information we wouldn't otherwise have.

[A sigh] I hadn't expected my data to draw this much attention. Perhaps once we receive the government base information we'll see about withdrawing. I think I could work something out with Dooku to protect us.

Mid May - Voicemail

[justaskalice]

Hi.
[By which he means: I spent nearly a decade not checking in, so I'm going to do that now when I can.]
Hi. That's all.

Re: text

[mathemagier]

[It's so unexpectedly sweet that he warms instantly when he listens to it]

It's good to hear from you.

Re: text

[justaskalice]

You mean it?

text

[mathemagier]

Yes. It's sweet to know you were thinking of me.

Re: text

[justaskalice]

think of u alot

text

[mathemagier]

I'm glad.

June 9, 2018

[justaskalice]

[Newt isn't home when it happens; he hasn't been home most of the day, despite it being his husband's birthday. THEY don't want to be home.

But there's a knock at the door and a delivery person holds out a bright bouquet of flowers and a small box. Both are addressed to Hermann in Newt's hurried, awkward handwriting. It's clear he had to fight for this moment, whenever it was that he put in the order for the flowers. It may have been yesterday, it may have been weeks ago. Either way, he anticipated not being in the right mind to deliver the present himself on the day intended.

The box, whenever he opens it, contains a familiar-looking watch (the same style and make, but newly bought) and a page torn from a book. The page is mostly blocked out by a thick marker pen except for the following passage:

When the mind has a tendency to dream, it is a mistake to keep dreams away from it, to ration its dreams. So long as you distract your mind from its dreams, it will not know them for what they are; you will always be being taken in by the appearance of things, because you will not have grasped their true nature. If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time. One must have a thorough understanding of one's dreams if one is not to be troubled by them; there is a way of separating one's dreams from one's life which so often produces good results

Here the page ends.

At the bottom of the paper is a page number and what might be the title of the book: À la recherche du temps perdu]

[justaskalice]

Hey, so it looks like I'm... back? I mean, still the usual problem, but, uh, if you're here...please say you're here.

[mathemagier]

Newton!

[He's just so happy and relieved for a few beautiful moments. Then he pauses and hesitates, a bit guarded.]

How.. how are you?

[justaskalice]

I'm.... complicated. Especially after that week we had.

How are you?

[mathemagier]

I'm.. I'm better, now that you're here. Which week are you referencing- the one where you were ported out or the one where you were... younger.

[justaskalice]

The one where I was your cute young piece of ass. Why, what happened while I was gone?

Voicemail - Pretend this was sent two weeks earlier

[governorkang]

I am having a small cookout at my house on July 29th. I have the meat covered, but feel free to bring any side dishes or desserts that you want, and while beer will also be provided, I'll never say no to more alcohol. 3pm, at [insert address in Heropa].

[mathemagier]

That sounds rather nice. I'll talk with Newt, but I don't believe we have any plans for that day.

text

[justaskalice]

Srs question
Do you think tweed booty shorts would chafe?

[mathemagier]

Probably. But it depends on how long the person in question was wearing them.

[justaskalice]

I was thinking it could be your new pool boy's uniform.

Have that ass looking nice and classy for you, Doctor.

[mathemagier]

Doesn't sound like a bad idea but I'd need to see it modeled before I could possibly make a decision.

[justaskalice]

Alright. Let me see if I can find someone cute to model for you. Maybe one of the interns at work.