sin & misery

An amused, semi-exasperated eye roll is all she can really give in response to the first part. It’s a clever insult, though, which she takes some amusement at, even when it’s directed at her.

“What, y’don’t want your boss handling my report on how many times a month his husband sucks his dick in the ready room? Tough crowd.” Vulgar talk, she’s learned, is the easiest way to pull power in conversations like these. It makes you feel confident. 

“It wouldn’t be the most shocking or inappropriate thing I’ve handed him.”

Although her face doesn’t change, Jolene is a little impressed. More than a little amused. People don’t often talk to her like that--or when they do, it’s when she’s playing the placid, effective yeoman. Not when she’s like this. Not when she can feel that she scares her erstwhile agent.

“It ‘ent too bad,” she says nonchalantly. “There are worse jobs in the world.“

A quick look around validates that claim. It’s so… dark here. Grim. Not anywhere she’d enjoy spending plenty of time- it’s her first time actually being on a Section 31 ship. And she doesn’t like it much at all. Not like she’d admit it, because that’s a sign of weakness if there ever was one.

“Play friend for your captain’s boy toy- sorry, husband, that was quite a shock for everyone. Hardly a problem.”

“Just don’t be too good an actress. Not that that should be a problem.”

By contrast, Jolene looks eerily at ease in this environment. As she should. It’s all the home she’s ever known. But she is aware it’s off-putting to many people, and that any officer worth their salt uses that to their advantage. 

Send “Trope” for a TV Tropes trope that applies to my character

Antagonistic Offspring

Some children just don't see eye to eye with their parents. They may argue with them, flout their authority, or pretend they don't exist. This character, however, goes that extra mile. They're not only on a different page from their mom or dad, but a different side morally as well—and since the parent in question is at least nominally heroic, there is no way this is going to end well. Mom or dad might be a force for good, but their child is not, and is willing to let them know it. They're not Self Made Orphans, but if they get their way, they will be soon.

Jolene is this for Pris. More specifically, of the subset “mentored or raised by one of their parents' enemies,” at least arguably. Bonus angst trope points for Pris having no idea she exists. 

I...am actually not sure I’ve written up Jolene’s backstory on this blog vs just on discord, but: Section 31 at some point during April’s tenure managed to get access to Pris’ DNA and a few scraps of medical records. During a series of biological experiments, they successfully combined her DNA with that of a human fetus and, uh, whabam. 

A perfect little experiment.

@sectionborn

There’s a slight sigh that from anyone else might be an expression of exasperation, but for Leland is merely going through the motions. “Jolene,” he addresses his yeoman/ship quietly, disinclined to aid the inevitable eavesdropping, “why is there a comm to Christopher Pike on my itinerary? I thought we had an agreement about him.”

“We did.” Jolene’s voice is placid, unrelenting. “I changed it. Your appointment with Captain Pike is in a professional capacity as recommended by Control. We are aware of your previous history, and I’m sure it’s been taken into account.”

Holding out the next PADD in her small stack, Jolene raises an eyebrow.