| Welcome to the Faculty, Caitlin Fairchild |
| Summary: | Caitlin gets a job at Xavier Academy. Not quite the job she might have been expecting. |
| Date: | 2014-08-17 |
| Related: | Various |
| NPCs: | NA |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
 .. .. |
As soon as the security systems inform Emma of the presence of Ms. Fairchild at the gates, the Headmistress clears her for entry. She then promptly closes up everything she is working on, including the new training prospectus and the updating security plans, and then clears her desk. As always, she prepares for this meeting like she does every other one, insisting on absolutely pristine approach and preparation. Control is key.
Caitlin is admitted at the gates, and allowed to disembark at the main driveway loop. From there, she is met by one of the older students, apparently sent to fetch her by Frost herself, and guided through the Mansion she knows so well, up to the Headmistress' office. Along the way, she'll have seen signs of the changes around the school, including the altered and upgraded grounds security systems, and signs of some changes in the building itself. There is no sign of the recovered students in the open spaces of the Mansion, but they are probably all still in semi-isolation while undergoing counseling.
When the student brings Caitlin to the door, he doesn't even bother to knock. He simply stops, nodding his head to the tall redhead, and then turns and departs. Then a coolly familiar 'voice' sounds in Caitlin's thoughts. « Ms. Fairchild. Please, come in. »
Beyond the door, everything is as Caitlin saw in her previous visit and the video conference, with Emma resplendent and austere, sitting behind that desk of hers, awaiting Caitlin with calm and aplumb. "Please. Have a seat."
Caitlin Fairchild nods and does so. "Thank you for seeing me so quickly Ms. Frost." She swallows nervously, obviously not thrilled to be here, but the reasoning behind it is stronger than the urge to run away. "How.. How are the children?" She asks, specifically meaning the children that were rescued. "I.. wanted to also ask if you needed help with them. I.. want to offer my services, as an instructor."
Of course, Emma picks up on Caitlin's unease, because she cannot help but do so. But she shows none of it. It's not really in her nature to gently soothe away another's hurts or fears, especially not someone she considers old enough and wise enough to take care of herself. "The children are … as well as can be expected. The twins are having the greatest difficulty adjusting. Their programming is deep and persistent, clearly something backed up repeatedly over several days. We have made inroads. But they will be on isolation the longest, to make sure they are clean before integrating them with the rest of the student body." Caitlin was an integral part of their rescue, so she offers the information freely, however grudging may be her own feelings.
The icy blonde purses her lips for a moment, coldly observing the redhead, before continuing. "According to all of my records, Ms. Fairchild, your expertise is in computers, electrical engineering, and programming. You are also reasonably skilled in most of the hard sciences, and your physical combat training is above average." Emma can be brutally cutting in her analysis. "I am not sure how that qualifies you to help us with these students and their troubles. What they seem to need most is counseling, and safety." She didn't say no, but she is clearly raising a challenge wall. As usual.
Caitlin Fairchild nods when she hears the information on the children. "I would imagine so. The Project did leave us quite the obstacle when we came to rescue them." She says sadly. "I just wish we could've helped more." When it comes to her record, Caitlin sits straight and with pride. "I was *there* I know what they went through. I tried to stop it. If nothing else, I'm a friendly face. They remember me from the rescue and that can prove quite valuable. I also know that you're making sure this doesn't happen again, and DAMMIT.." She shouts, angered at her ability being questioned and passionate about the subject building to a crescendo. ".. I will ensure this never happens again, with or without your help." She sits, her resolve changing the young woman from a scared little girl who spent a good bit of her childhood here to the strong woman that she wants to be.
Most would expect Frost, lacking any physical abilities, to flinch at least a bit when someone with Caitlin's power gets that upset in such close proximity. But she doesn't. The searing calm the blonde woman maintains does not waver outwardly, whatever may be going on inside. "If you want to work here, especially with such high-risk cases, Ms. Fairchild, you are going to have to learn more control than that. I would have expected your years of undercover operations to have better prepared you." Clearly, Emma is still smarting over the fact that she was never told /anything/ about this operation until it had already come to roost, with children of /hers/ kidnapped.
"As it happens, Ms. Fairchild, I am making some changes around here." The evidence of that has been pretty clear, obviously. "Included in that will be some new areas of curriculum, and some specialized extra-curricular activities. It is possible that you could be somewhat useful in assisting with that." As always, Emma speaks more like she is in a boardroom than anything else. It's that upper-crust Boston background. "We will be re-evaluating students' potentials and offering expanded powers- and conflict training. Preparing them to better defend themselves, each other, the school, and others."
Emma's tone turns ice cold. There is a rage well-banked behind it that is palpable and quite chilling in its razor focus. "Our attempts to make this school a safe haven, and prepare the children for productive integration with the larger population have been stymied. There are forces unwilling to let that happen, who fully intend to use our children as weapons, or worse as mere fodder in their wars. That will not be allowed to happen. Those responsible will be found and eliminated. Tracked to their source and eradicated. If necessary, I will leave them gibbering, drooling vegetables on the White House lawn to make my point. NO ONE harms these children."
"Do you think you can help with that?"
At Emma's rebuke, Caitlin was about to just get up and leave, seeing no way to make this woman happy. She calms herself and regulates her breathing and listens. When she's considered to be 'somewhat' useful, she wonders exactly how many insults she should have to sit here and endure. "I know advanced tactics. I was personally taught by Charles when it came to powers training. I didn't get the watered down version that the kiddies had." When the thought of taking the men responsible for the project pay dearly for their oversight, Caitlin grins, scaring herself inwardly. "If we find these men? I will personally hold them down while you make their heads pop like cherry tomatoes." The project has affected her deeply, deeper than even she expected. She typically wishes no harm on people, but to do this to innocent children? "These are monsters that deserve extermination." She says, solidly and quietly.
Emma watches Caitlin carefully, inside and out, as the woman responds and reacts to what she has had to say. It doesn't change what she's saying, but it is important to know where this other woman lies in all of this. Especially so if they are going to work together.
"Good, then. We understand each other." Emma offers, coldly. "I will protect these children under my care by any and every means necessary. /Every/ means necessary." Emma delivers, ice blue eyes boring into the redhead's green unrelentingly. She leaves no doubt that there are no limits in this world or the next to what she will do to protect these kids. Caitlin can hate her if she wants; Emma is more than fine with that, as long as Caitlin respects and agrees to that level of total commitment.
"Given your certified IQ, you should not find it difficult to complete the state requirements for teaching certification." Emma offers. "Meanwhile, you will move your things from your previous room to one of the staff suites, and you will begin with assisting Mister Masters with physical education and powers training. Once your certifications are clear and filed, you will be added to the regular faculty roster in the sciences and computer curriculums. And once your counseling certificate is complete, you will also be added to that roster. In the meantime, you will be joining the group sessions with the affected students, and assisting in case review for each prior to integration."
Emma doesn't ask. She orders. She lays out the expectations, and the only choice is get on board or get out. But then she picks up her phone, taps out a number, and then slides it across the desk to face Caitlin. There are six digits in that number. "I trust that will be commensurate with the requirements on your time and attentions?"
Caitlin Fairchild nods. "You and I are of agreement on that. I won't let this happen again. I'm sure that if Charles knew about this prior, he would've stopped it as well." She knows she's not working with Charles, and with the world for meta teens suddenly getting smaller, for once, she's glad. She can trust Emma to do the hard things, and Emma can expect the same of her. Her eyes bug out at the salary. "Um.. quite…yes." She wasn't even thinking of salary at the time, just the protection of the children. "When would you like me to start?"
"As soon as you sign the forms." Emma answers, simply. "If you need time to clean up your affairs, that is up to you. I was not privy to your operation, so its clean-up is entirely in your hands. But once you sign the paperwork, you work here." The blonde pulls her phone back and tucks it away, clearing the screen. Then she slides a Starkpad and stylus across the table. "Once you sign everything, it will transmit the paperwork to me, and you will be on the clock. Five percent signing bonus for incidentals payable immediately to the account or accounts you specify in the paperwork. Then pay biweekly at the specified standard rate. Everything else is covered in the paperwork. You will have full access to the fleet of school vehicles, as-needed. Currently, we have four units that have been fully upgraded. Their keys have a green tag. The others are currently yellow-tagged for safety concerns. Understood?"
Caitlin Fairchild blinks and.. nods. "Thank you. I travel light. I've been staying at the Themysciran Embassy in the City." She looks over the paperwork and nods fills it out rather easily, especially with the Starkpad's cut & paste feature for most of the recurring articles. She places the deposits into the trust account that Xavier had left for her to afford incidentals while she was undercover. "Looks like it's time for me to buy a new wardrobe." She stops, stifling herself and remembering to stay in a professional manner around Emma, which means not thinking of… Kara… too late. She blushes and finishes up the paperwork, signing it and hitting the submit button. "Thank you, Ms. Frost. You won't regret this." She says in all seriousness.
"Keep in mind, Ms. Fairchild, you aren't undercover anymore. There's no more need to travel quite so light." Indeed, the whole point of an assignment like this is stability and permanence. Putting down roots. Emma simply nods, accepting what the other woman has to say - and think. "I'm sure I won't regret this. If I felt there was any chance of that, it is unlikely I ever would have made this offer. I will see you in the morning, Ms. Fairchild."
Office 1 - Xavier Mansion
This is a generous sized office. The lower half of the walls are a burnished blonde wainscoting with the upper half decorated with a pale blue multi-hued colored textured wallpaper. Covering the floor is a plush carpet that matches the wallpaper.
Tasteful landscape paintings hang in a cluster on the right wall and against the wall to the left is an eggshell white fabric-covered sofa with another painting hung above depicting the New York City skyline.
In front of the office door are a couple of wingback chairs in eggshell white that face a gleaming neo-modern chrome and glass desk on which sits a holographic projection monitor and other desk things. Behind the desk is a white leather chair and a broad credenza decorated with plants, personal photos and books, beneath the wide window to the outside, flanked by two hutch tops.
*Obvious Exits:
* [O] - North Office Suites - Xavier M