Nicole Varlane

Chesterfield Act Registry of the Evolved Database

File #11 Feb 2018 12:56

Summary

Name Nicole Lyzette Varlane Aliases Nicole Nichols Charlotte Stephanie "Steve" Caiati Status Registered Evolved (Class A/B/C Kinetic) Ability Electrokinetic Absorption Gender Female Birthdate December 24, 1981 Age 38 Height 5' 7" Build Slender Eyes Blue Hair Brown Residence Bay Ridge Employment SESA-NY, Fort Jay Parents Richard Nichols † Evangeline Nichols † Siblings Colette Demsky Marital Status Zachery Miller (Engaged) Children Ingrid Ryans (Future) Phillipa Allyn Varlane Miller Lites First Scene And Baby Makes Three Last Scene Profile Nicole Varlane is devoted to her family - nontraditional and extended as it is. A renowned war hero, she has returned to the political arena to try to and build a better world for her children through her work with the SLC-Expressive Services Agency. That said, she often finds herself at odds with what needs to be done and what her heart wants.

portrayed by Winona Ryder

Background

After the siege on Pollepel Island, Nicole fled north to Canada with Colette and her partners. In the days that followed, Nicole and Ryans came to realize that they were better off friends than partners. They parted on good terms, if slightly bittersweet. She blames herself - breaking up with Ryans - for the decline in Howard's strength. His presence in her mind diminished. Physically, she could feel his power waning, her own power being sapped as time went on. By February, he was gone, and Nicole was despondent.

The only thing that brought her back to herself was the birth of her daughter. It was a difficult labor, and they were far away from a hospital and the aid it could provide. After twenty-two hours of labor, Nicole Nichols' daughter came into the world, Phillipa Allyn. Word was sent to Ryans over the Ferry's radio network, and new mother and baby were doted upon by their assembled family. With some coaxing from Colette, Nicole agreed to distance herself and her child from the fraught legacy of the Nichols name and chose to honor a fallen hero by taking the surname Varlane.

It was difficult to watch the war erupting back home from afar, but for a time she at least tried to play at normalcy. That all changed when Avi Epstein showed up to collect her little sister to join the fight. Leaving her infant child behind with the promise that she would return for her someday, Nicole left with Colette to join the war.

Reunited with some of the previously scattered remains of the Ferrymen, Nicole threw herself headlong into the war. She paired off with the head of the Olympians, Lynette Rowan, given their complementary abilities. The two were a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Sturm und Drang. They shared similar coping mechanisms, in that they entirely lacked them and were living skirmish to skirmish and bottle to bottle. Of the two, however, Nicole didn't truly have a death wish. She wanted to see the other side, victorious, and reunite with her family. Raise her daughter. The fact that she kept making it out alive gave her an unearned sense of invulnerability.

That changed in an instant. One mission went horribly wrong, leaving Nicole and Lynette pinned down and with no other option than to make a great display of power. While they killed the enemy soldiers that kept them trapped, they also killed the rest of their squadron in the process. Despite the heavy losses, their mission was considered a success. This is the battle that saw Varlane and Rowan become regarded war heroes. Nicole was in a state of shock afterward, her ability blown out and useless to her for months, and finally able to see reason when her sister begged her to step away and take on a less dangerous role. Falling into the position of tactician, Nicole used her remaining connections in whatever still constituted Washington, and even some old underworld resources, to gather intelligence and give their forces an edge in battle.

When the war ended, Nicole returned to New York and sent for her daughter, just turning two years old. Because of the war, she had missed all the Firsts: Laughter. Words. Steps. Nicole was a stranger to her daughter, and the first months were incredibly difficult, leaving her wondering if she'd done the right thing, or if her child would have been better off staying with her guardians. The bond would grow in time, however, fostered over the course of many sleepless nights. It seemed mother and daughter alike were plagued by nightmares. A trend that neither of them have managed to shake to this day.

At the tribunals, she testified in defense of her friends. The Left Hand of Linderman tried desperately to save the Right, but in the end, Nicole's testimony wasn't enough to spare James Muldoon's life. She considers that a personal defeat, and harbors guilt to this day that there wasn't more she could do for him. Still, John Logan avoided execution, having fallen on the right side of history, and there is no small amount of solace in that for her. Without the Group to provide structure, a war to be outrun, a battle to be fought, testimony to carefully rehearse and present, Nicole threw her hat back into the political ring, offering to assist Raymond Praeger in his bid to win the special election. His campaign needed very little in the way of help, but it was something to do. A way to find her feet again.

In this arena, she reconnected with an old friend's daughter: Catherine Chesterfield. Now Secretary of State, Catherine offered Nicole a position in the newly formed SLC-Expressive Services Agency as Presidential Liaison. Given Nicole's renown as a war hero her savvy in all things political, and, perhaps most of all, the trust Jenn Chesterfield had placed in her all those years ago, Nicole seemed a strong enough, large enough personality to hold the position. Nicole accepted the position and was grateful to settle into a new life and a new routine. The world would be difficult and demanding, but that is the way Nicole thrives.

Nicole Varlane and Benjamin Ryans share custody of their daughter. Their relationship is that of good friends, and they co-parent together as though they were any other nuclear family; they just happen to go home to separate houses at the end of the day. Often times, their daughter chooses where she'll stay and the time is split rather evenly. Having a bevvy of sisters and aunts willing and available to swoop in and take the girl for overnights eases things for her parents significantly when their work can get in the way.

When Colette went rogue and decided to liberate Avi Epstein herself, causing a goddamn incident, Nicole did something she doesn't often do: She begged. No negotiation, no bartering, no threats. Nicole begged Secretary Chesterfield to allow her to take on the oversight of Wolfhound. Naturally, she was denied, due to her glaring conflict of interest. Catherine attempted to soften the blow by reminding Nicole of where her talents were most needed. That Robyn Quinn secured the position was only a small amount of comfort to her. At least, Nicole figures, Robyn can be placed under her thumb easily, allowing her to keep tabs on her sister's actions anyway. Time will tell if she proves correct, or if the Robyn proves too stubborn and too savvy to be played.

Psych Profile

On the job, Nicole is all business. She's on-task, charismatic, confident and the very picture of poise. Her composure isn't entirely infallible, but it's a safe bet that she's in control of her own situation - and the SESA's. On her own time, Nicole is quiet and reserved around those she doesn't know well and is a very private person who doesn't volunteer much about her personal life. Over the years, she has learned to trust more, but that trust still has to be earned.

The years have not diminished Nicole's melancholy streak, but only amplified it. Those who know her best know that her moods are depressive more than they aren't, but Nicole is remarkably good at throwing herself into her latest project and refusing to deal with her feelings, taking an "ignore them and they'll go away" approach. Still, she has her bright moments, and when those happen, Nicole truly shines. With the help of her friends and family, this Nicole makes a stronger appearance, but it takes work.

Following the war, Nicole carries a lot of survivor's guilt. While she's regarded as something of a war hero, she hates to be reminded of it, let alone revered for it. She's been known to throw a fist in the face of anyone who tries to praise her actions in the battle that made her name.

Evolved Ability

Nicole possesses a unique form of electrokinesis by which her ability to manipulate electrostatic energy is not internally generated, but derived from external sources and stored within her body for extended periods of time. The baseline function of this ability is an immunity to the negative feedback of electrostatic impulses. Nicole's muscles and nervous system are not disrupted by electrical current, and she serves as an active source of drain while in direct contact with those sources.

When in contact with a source of electricity, such as a power outlet, a battery, or a live power line, Nicole is able to draw out the electricity and store it within her body. This internal charge sends the electrical currents coursing through her body - though it cannot be discharged without voluntary action.

This stored energy's primary purpose is to facilitate Nicole's biochemical systems. While in a "fully charged" state, Nicole is able to convert the electrical charge into energy, allowing her to stay awake and alert without the aid of a full night's sleep, caffeine, protein supplements or other stimulants. However, she is still subject to the same dangers of malnutrition and prolonged deprivation of a REM sleep cycle. Her body will deteriorate without proper nutrients and the lack of sleep will eventually result in mental hallucinations. While she may not suffer from physical or mental exhaustion by traditional means, the side effects of not taking proper care of her body will eventually outweigh the benefit of being able to neglect a night or two of rest and skip a few meals here and there. Storing too much energy comes with a price. In fact, while Nicole is at her moderate electrical capacity, she cannot achieve more than fitful bouts of short sleep, and summarily finds herself unable to attain the level of restful REM sleep needed to revitalize her mind. Discharging most or all of the electrical energy built up alleviates this problem.

On average Nicole can store twenty-four wattage hours within her body, which are gradually burned off over the course of a day of light exertion. This level of electrical charge is accumulated through electrostatic friction (like the effect of scuffing socked feet on a carpet). This requires no external effort on her part, though the amount of energy obtained is typically greater in cold and dry climates, and less in hot and moist climates. This much electrostatic energy can be used to power a single taser-like jolt of energy from anywhere on her body.

These brief electrical jolts function like a standard taser, and can incapacitate a normal adult male with one application, which lasts approximately six seconds. This discharge can come from anywhere on Nicole's body and does not require skin to skin contact. Concentrated electrical impulses blacken skin where touched and burn small holes in clothing. If applied to flammable materials, one jolt can be enough to ignite them.

This moderate level of electricity, however, is only the minimum levels of what Nicole is capable of handling. Her body can store an unexplored upper limit of electrical energy, however she cannot do this without significant side effects. The more voltage Nicole absorbs, the higher her internal body temperature rises. At first this can be a useful tool, allowing her to regulate her own body temperature in winter months to stay warm without having to layer clothing. However it is a severe detriment in summer months when she is prone to overheating while charged up.

This level of overheating progresses exponentially with the voltage she retains, and too much electrical energy stored within her body causes her to suffer fever-like symptoms and could eventually result in delirium and death. While maintaining a higher level of internal energy, Nicole is able to release more frequent taser charges from direct contact, and even is able to reflexively charge her body with an electrical impulse, allowing her to shock people or objects that come into contact with her.

On the highest ends of her electrical absorption, Nicole's eyes gain a slight luminescence to them, and her skin crackles with uncontrollable levels of electrostatic charge, which discharges against any conductive surface around her in uncomfortable static shocks. A charge of this magnitude even allows her to extend the range of her ability in a five-foot radius, effectively allowing herself to throw a bolt of electricity, or create a small electrostatic shield around herself. Contact with this shield by any conductive surface discharges it immediately while draining a majority of Nicole's built-up power supply. This pseudo forcefield generally creates a more stunning visual display rather than being a practical application of her capabilities.

While on higher reserves of electrical energy, Nicole's nervous system undergoes extreme stress, manifesting in nervous tics, jittery limbs and occasionally blurred vision from reflexive and rapid eye motion. Attempting to take on too much electrical energy can result in two different possible reactions. The first is akin to attempting to overfill a glass - the excess just spills over the rim. In Nicole's case, this means she's unable to contain the extra energy she's attempted to store for more than a couple of minutes and she'll randomly begin to discharge what's above and beyond her capability to control, sending small bolts of electricity randomly arcing from her body. The second possibility is a sort of short circuit effect which causes Nicole great pain before her central nervous system overloads and simply shuts her down, rendering her essentially comatose.

Unlike electrokinetic Evolved who provide internally their own electrical source, Nicole is more conduit than generator. As such, she is not as prone to harm by exposure to water or other grounding elements, and is, in fact, able to discharge electricity while wet or in contact with a source of water and use the conductive powers to her advantage.

The secondary advantage to this is she can allow other electrokinetics to use her as a channel for their ability in situations that would otherwise cause them harm. She and Lynette Rowan used this to their great mutual advantage during the time they fought together in the war.

Turning my fingers in the sockets
My daily dose of lightning
Just buzzed enough to get me climbing up the kite string
- Dessa, 5 Out of 6

Appendices

CrackBerry Contacts

One Big Happy

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Sissy		What's Simple Is True	The relationship Nicole has with her baby sister is a complicated one. Nicole took the teenager into her home once she was able to support herself, rescuing her from the abusive home life they'd both been subjected to. Over the years, Nicole lost and found Colette multiple times. While Nicole had the job as the Daniel Linderman's left hand - literally a life of organized crime - it turns out that Colette's affiliations were the most dangerous. While Nicole at first didn't approve of her sister's affiliations with the Ferrymen, due to fear for her safety, she was eventually drawn in as well, changing her life forever, and finally allowing her to understand what drives Colette. Colette was present for the birth of Nicole's daughter, for which Nicole is eternally grateful. They finally arrived at a place where they had a grown-up love, rather than the distortion that was shaped for them by their upbringing. When Colette decided to join the war, Nicole went with her. It was Colette who eventually convinced Nicole to transition from the front lines to a position as a tactician. After the war, Nicole supported Colette's decision to carry on with Wolfhound. At least until everything went pear-shaped and Colette went on an insane solo mission with disastrous results. Nicole wants to protect Colette more than anything, but isn't sure how anymore.
Princess		Angel Standing By	Ingrid is Nicole's daughter with Ben Ryans from an alternative future that will never be. Before she knew Ingrid's true identity, she felt a strong connection with the girl. Realizing she was her daughter put some of that connection in perspective. Nicole thinks Ingrid is brave, fiercely intelligent, and incredibly capable. She knows that the future version of herself that was mother to Ingrid did not make life easy for the girl. It's a strong source of guilt she hasn't earned the blame for, and she's determined to make up for the sins of her other self.
Pipsqueak		N/A	Pippa is Nicole's (other) daughter with Ben Ryans, from this timeline. She would move heaven and earth for her. In this time, she may never have wanted to be a mother, but Nicole wouldn't take back the birth of her daughter for anything. The little girl can be a handful at times, but she wants for very little and has no doubt that she is loved by her mother and her entire extended family. Nicole spoils her maybe just a little. Phillipa Allyn Varlane is named for three men who died saving the world: Howard Phillips, Allen Rickham, and Magnes Varlane.
Ben		Kids	Ben and Nicole shared a brief connection fueled by dreams of a future that no longer exists. Their mutual desire for happiness brought them together, and they created a child together. They broke up before her birth, but it was a mutual parting of ways, a realization that they didn't have the shared life experiences to keep them together that existed in that future. Now, they have a very companionable relationship and co-parent their daughter with little to no conflict.

Significant and Other

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Sturm		Electric Lady	Lynette was the Olympians Shock and Awe squadron leader during the Second American Civil War. She was also Nicole's other half. While their call signs were Zeus and Nemesis, collectively they were referred to as Sturm und Drang, owing to the flashy way they would fight with their complementary abilities. They were at each other's sides constantly, and incredibly tactile with each other. Always touching. The rumors about the nature of their friendship were tossed around fast and free, but Nicole never cared one bit what anyone thought they were doing back at camp, so long as no one questioned their skill on the battlefield. Besides, Lynette's hot. There's worse people that she could have been rumored to be sleeping with. The thrill of battle suited the two women, and they often celebrated their victories or drowned their losses together in liquor. Their vices had them held fast together just as surely as anything. Their shared trauma kept them close after Nicole moved to tactical planning from the front lines, and after the war. The two commemorate the anniversary of the death of their squadron. Just, not with the burn of alcohol anymore. Sometimes that's weird for Nicole, but she admires her friend's strength. She, however, refuses to admit she has a problem, no matter how Lynette tries to get through to her.
Dr. Zed		Portions for Foxes	Zachery Miller is an… odd choice being made, to say the least. After getting caught in the crossfire of a bar brawl, Zachery bandaged Nicole's wound and revealed knowledge about her older scars as well. Fascinated rather than put off by what he seemed to know about her, they exchanged displays of power. And then engaged in an exchange of a different kind. Fast forward the better part of a year, and now he's gone and knocked her up and asked her to marry him. He's everything she should be avoiding, especially considering he's already nearly killed her once, but he makes her heart race. He wants to kill the things that hurt her, and that feels a lot like love to her.

Demskys

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Tasha		Default	Sissy's girlfriend. One of them. Wife? Nicole still isn't quite sure how her sister's relationships work, but she's come to accept them as being what they are. Tasha is a intelligent young woman who makes Colette happy, and that's all Nicole really needs to understand. Tasha is the one other person who can match Nicole for concern regarding Colette, and she makes for a handy sanity check when she's not sure if she's overreacting to her sister's latest stunt.
Tamara		Default	Sissy's girlfriend? Other wife? Nicole knows precious little about Tamara, but she knows that she makes Colette happy, and that's all that matters to her.

Ryanses

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Carrot Cake		Default	Delia is Ben's second daughter. Nicole's relationship with her is that of friends, and not of a step-mother and step-daughter, despite Nicole being the mother of Delia's baby sister(s). They've had their differences in the past, but Nicole adores the young woman she's nicknamed Carrot Cake and is grateful to have her in her and her daughter's lives.
Lucey Goose		Default	Ben's first daughter, Lucille honestly worries Nicole in the way that Colette used to worry her. Nicole sees Lucille as reckless, too daring for her own good, but believes that her heart is ultimately in the right place. None of this makes her dislike the woman, she just has concern for her safety. The fact that see and 'Letty are colleagues does go some way to easing her mind.
Brad		Default	It's complicated. Nicole was a fan of Brad Russo's show The Advocate for years before she had the chance to meet him. A woman who's rubbed elbows with presidents, and she was starstruck. The two became fast friends, especially owing to the fact that they had very similar vices and often little inclination to suppress them. When Nicole thought she might be about to be disappeared by the government, Brad concocted a plan to keep her in the public eye, thus making it incredibly difficult for her to vanish without suspicion. He proposed to her on live television during his Christmas Special. The two kept up their façade for a time before ultimately dissolving due to their love for other people. After all this time, Nicole still greatly admires Brad. Now that he's one of her colleagues with the SESA, she hopes they can recover some of the lost dynamic of their friendship. Also, he is apparently dating one of her best friends. Also, he happens to be Ryans' son, making her mother to Brad's half-sister. Told you it was complicated.
Benji		Default	Benji is Delia's daughter from the same future Ingrid comes from, which Nicole supposes makes her Benji's grandmother. That's kind of weird, honestly, so she doesn't think about it much. Nicole doesn't know all that much about her, but her ability is similar to her mother's, and she shared a strong bond with Howard. Nicole regards Benji as family and hopes they can become better acquainted as time goes on.

Friends

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Sweet P		Friends of P	Peyton Whitney was liberated from the Mount Natazhat facility during the raid to rescue Colette in 2011, and just as pregnant as Nicole. In fact, they gave birth to their children on the same day. The two were able to bond together about the annoyances of the third trimester and just how not normal their lives are, and what that would mean for their children in the future. Peyton went on to open a school for SLC-Expressive children, something Nicole is endlessly proud of her friend for. She's one of the few people that understands the pressures of politics (as it's often many of the same people in the circles of high society), which makes her a sympathetic shoulder to lean on that Nicole is incredibly grateful for.
Tomato		Default	Mateo is the husband of Nicole's best friend. He looks after her in this absolutely crazy world that they live in and supports her unconditionally. Which is to say that he's won points in Nicole's book for being good to Lynette. Now that he's survived a turn on Team Save The World, he's definitely family to her.
Richard		Default	Nicole's first experience with Richard was when he decided to blackmail her to intentionally lose the mayoral campaign for Jennifer Chesterfield. It wouldn't have been so bad, but he threatened her sister, which inspired her to want to kill him. However, it turns out that when push comes to shove, he's not actually the worst person. The years have changed him for the better, and he's part of the reason her baby sister is alive now. After the rescue mission at Mount Natazhat, the two put their differences in the past and parted on a good note. His position as CEO of RayTech seems to indicate a continuing trend toward the good, and she's always warm and friendly with him when they cross paths.
Minnie		Default	The friendship between Nicole and Yi-Min started out normal enough. Housewarming, porch beers, all of that. However, it turns out there was a hidden depth to Yi-Min's involvement in Providence that Nicole never saw. She has to reconcile this revelation – along with the knowledge that her friend tortured her fiancé – and determine if the transgression can be forgiven.
Prince		Default	Yi-Min's partner, Kara stands on her own as a remarkable and utterly capable woman. There's little attempt made to hide the crush Nicole harbors for the munitions chaplain (and her partner), and she delights in the moments when she can convince her to let her hair down.
Mrs. Ryans		Default	Huruma has always been a little bit intimidating on the surface, but Nicole discovered her to be a compassionate woman. Her devotion to Ben is unquestionable, and that also extends to his family. Nicole is grateful to count Huruma as one of her friends and hopes she will be a calming influence on Pippa.

Colleagues

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Madeline		On Her Majesty's Secret Service	Don's successor, Nicole holds a great deal of respect for Madeline, even if she does feel like she effectively demoted her by removing her from the Presidential Liaison position. All the same, Choi seems to believe in Nicole's ability to get the job done and protect the country from threats greater than they have had to deal with before, which Nicole appreciates in turn.
Voss		Live and Let Die	While Nicole holds a healthy amount of respect of Kristopher Voss – he's worked incredibly hard to get to where he is – she still has some misgivings about him. She tells herself that there's almost certainly a large chunk of that owed to his gender. Also, he was a bit too glib about her transfer, and her being partnered with Ben Ryans in the hunt for Adam Monroe. Still, his is a presence that others seem to enjoy around the office, and so she does her best to ignore the small voice in the back of her mind that warns her against him.
Noah		Name	The discovery that Peter Petrelli had been her colleague all along – not Noah Bennet – was a shock. It made it easier to trust him once he revealed himself to her, however. He understands what's at stake and perhaps knows the enemy better than anyone. Nicole is glad to have him at her back.
Bennet		Ain't No Rest for the Wicked	Nicole isn't sure what to make of the actual Noah Bennet. They have a history, and she has no reason to distrust him inherently, but he's on the hunt for his daughter. Nicole knows very well that any parent will do whatever it takes in the name of protecting their child. That alone is enough to make her wary, even if she does intend to help him get his daughter back. Everyone will be safer once that's happened.
Ronnie		Veronica Sawyer Smokes	Competent. Intelligent. Practical. Veronica Sawyer is everything Nicole wants in a colleague. Everything she's been through has made her into who she is now, and Nicole has a fierce respect for Veronica's work ethic and ability to come through in a clutch situation. Plus, she's actually fun to be around. Always a plus.
Quinn		Default	Robyn is one of Sissy's friends, and was her original sponsor for entry into the Ferry network. Nicole considers her to be an incredibly brave woman and admires her devotion to those she loves. There was some tension between them after she'd accepted the position as liaison to Wolfhound, born from Nicole's fear of how things would turn out. Ultimately, however, her trust in Robyn to do what's right, even if it's not what she wants it to be, paid off. That said, the nasty case of overlay psychosis her friend seems to have developed in the aftermath of the worlds colliding is something of a concern. It's difficult for Nicole to watch Robyn's decline into someone paranoid and slightly unhinged. She hopes that she never has to make the call on whether or not to trust her judgement on an operation.
HR Disaster		Default	What can Nicole say about Dirk? He is a ridiculous walking dumpster fire of a man, but he's also kind of her work spouse? He's fiercely competent at what he does, even if he pretends not to be. When she needs an ally, he's got her back. (Unless she's wrong, then he's not afraid to tell her so, which is a trait she values very much.) When push comes to shove, Dirk will always get Nicole out of a professional bind. There may be a couple other things he'd like to get her out of, but he's gotta do something about that mustache first.

Connections

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Don		Step Into My Office, Baby	Don was done dirty by the organization he served. Nicole trusted his leadership and his judgement. She would have followed him to the ends of the earth and still might, given half the chance. Even as profoundly affected by the overlaid memories as he may have been, she still believes that Donald Kenner is a good man. If there's any way she can help him get back to where he belongs, she'll do it.
Logan		Default	Things ended between Nicole and Logan on an awkward note. In spite of everything, herself especially, she still loves him after all these years. Even though they've been keeping their orbits about one another wide. She longs to reconnect, but knows that the person she was with him is not the person she is today. Her devotion to him was toxic then, and she isn't sure she'd fare much better today. Perhaps the fact that she doesn't need him as a component of her self-worth will allow her to make a second run at things. Or maybe it will make her less attractive to him. Time will tell.

Ring to Voicemail

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
d'Sarthe		Fuck You	Gideon d'Sarthe has been a thorn in Nicole's side for over a decade. That he's making a play for Staten Island is truly galling and she'd love to see him knocked down a peg. Or in a ditch.

Missed Calls

Entry Name	Contact Photo	Ringtone	Notes
Caid		Default	Kincaid is Brad Russo's son from the future, and one of the first to embrace Nicole as a member of the family. While others were reluctant to explain what was happening, Kincaid was there to put things in perspective and to be a shoulder to cry on. She was immensely proud of the man he was and loved him fiercely as family. Now that he's gone, she misses his companionship terribly and thinks of him often. Sometimes, in her most melancholy moments, she sits down and writes him a letter to catch him up on her and Pippa's lives. It brings her some peace. The unsent letters are folded up and kept in the bottom of a desk drawer in her study.
Howard		Default	Nicole knew Howard only a short time, but he's one of the bravest people she's ever known. He was just as passionate about rescuing his mother as she was about rescuing her sister, and maybe their complementary abilities gave her some instant affinity toward him. He was perhaps the only one that didn't truly try to dissuade her from joining in the raid on Mount Natazhat. He was Ingrid's friend, which gave her an instant fondness for him. And when she was feeling hopeless about how terribly she thought her future self had messed up, he turned out to be her greatest cheerleader, telling Nicole that Ingrid has her heart. When he sacrificed himself to save Elle and Colette, Nicole recognized what was happening to him and tried desperately to save him. What happened instead was that she absorbed him. He, living lightning, and she, lightning rod. His consciousness was inside her head, creating an innately profound bond that she has trouble explaining even now. She's seen some his memories, and she'd shared some of hers in return. But it couldn't last. Shortly before her daughter was born, Howard simply stopped responding to her psychic missives. Feeling now as though some part of her had died with him, losing him a second time was devastating. She honored this hero in the way she thought he deserved: By naming her daughter Phillipa, for his chosen surname of Phillips.
Kain		The Sharpest Lives	Kain Zarek was one of Nicole's oldest friends, and one of the only ones to know about what she truly did for Daniel Linderman. One of the first to understand, also, that she was being manipulated by their employer just as surely as he had taught her to manipulate everyone else on his behalf. When he was killed, it broke her heart. In some ways, she thinks he's the lucky one for not having lived long enough to see the world go to shit. That thought often drives her to drink.
Allen		Matches to Paper Dolls	Allen Rickham was the greatest love of Nicole's life. He still is, in a way. As Steve Caiati, she fell in love with him. An accident, and not part of her mission. Even once her memories were restored, she loved him intensely. He had rejected her as Steve, and again as Nicole. A future version of him came to her and told her to go to her timeline's version of him, but she couldn't bring herself to. He left her three times and died twice. In another life, they could have been happy together. In this life, he was her greatest supporter and believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself. He credited her as his inspiration, and with his election to the office of President, even if it never truly came to be. She honors him by giving her daughter the middle name of Allyn.
Danny		Notorious	Daniel Linderman recruited Nicole straight from college. He said he saw promise in her, and with mentoring, she quickly ascended from a general admin to his personal assistant. She proved trustworthy and, if anyone could convince Nicole to flex her morals, it was him. His secrets were closely guarded by her, and she's sure she knew more about his business than he ever realized. His attempts to keep her hands clean for her safety and plausible deniability, as well as his own, were not always successful. As he grew ill, Nicole more firmly entrenched herself in the seedier side of his organization as she sunk into a deep depression. Danny made her the woman she is today. Even if she realizes now how much he manipulated her - and knows she was likely targeted from the start because he had knowledge that she would be SLC-Expressive - she can't help but feel gratitude for the opportunities he provided her. He was her first grown-up love, and part of her will always feel that for him, regardless of how conflicted she feels about his machinations. Ultimately, she never acted on it, and she knows that is for the best.
James		Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang	James Muldoon - also known as Robert Caliban was Daniel Linderman's right hand. The two worked well together, and James was never hesitant to draw Nicole further into the darker side of the Linderman Group, recognizing her as a capable asset. His trust in her was gratifying. When The Company was exposed and Danny took ill, putting the Group on shaky ground, the two did their best make sure the ship wasn't rudderless. When he was tried at Albany after the war, Nicole testified on his behalf. It wasn't enough, and she regrets that she couldn't do more to save her old colleague. That guilt will likely haunt her until her dying day.

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CrackBerry Calendar

Character Icons
Civil Servant	Drang	Pipsqueak
nicole_icon.gif	nicole2_icon.gif	pippa_icon.gif

Volume II: Resurrection

2019
When	What	Why	Who
04/17	The Hustle, Part I	When there's change, you can feel it in the air. Like a thunderstorm.	Choi, Linderman, and Voss
04/18	The Hustle, Part II	Maybe it's paranoia, but the track record supports it.	Kenner and Richard
04/24	Anonymous Chat	New age, new tactics.	Cheshire, Dagger, Redking36, and SkepE43
	An Unprofessional Turn	That's one way to end a dry spell.	Zachery
04/27	Perfectly Pleasant	Playing the getting-to-know-you game never gets less awkward.	Zachery
04/30	Old Friends, Part I	New assignments feel like old times.	Choi, Claudia, Noah, Ryans, and Voss
	The Two of Us	Neither may like the plan, but the options are few.	Ryans
05/08	A Pretty Pair	Wallowing in their own personal misery, that's what they make.	Zachery
05/10	More Than Gossip	A friend in need is a friend indeed.	Peyton
05/14	A Date at Eight	The evening is full of surprises.	Zachery
05/15	Nosy Neighbors	Settling in Providence goes about as well as expected.	Chris, Kara, Pippa, and Ryans
05/17	Blood, Sweat, and Tears	One good turn deserves another.	Sharrow
06/17	Roaming	An unexpected surprise.	Zachery
06/21	Candlelight Cookout	A little community gathering can boost spirits.	Chris, Dumortier, Eileen, Kara, Pippa, Reena, Ryans, Sharrow, Sophie, and Weasel
06/26	Aim for the Target	Practice brings people together.	Kara and Sophie
07/22	Ride Safe	New friends are something to drink to.	Kara, Pippa, and Yi-Min
08/15	Surprise Visitor	Sometimes it feels suspiciously like the old days.	Zachery
08/21	Do You Have...?	God damn it.	Richard
08/30	Will All the Water in the Ocean	Betrayal is swift and unexpected.	Adam, Pippa, and Ryans
08/31	Concern	It is both in abundance and in deficit.	Pippa and Zachery
09/01	Leading the Half Blind	It's good to be home.	Zachery
09/02	First Steps on a Warpath	It's time to move.	Choi and "Noah"
	A Unifying Factor	The news is not good.	Lucille and Pippa
09/29	Two Stubborn People Walk Into a Bar	Ouch.	Richard
09/30	Handsy	Ugh.	Richard
12/05	Office Spaces	There's fresh blood in the pool.	Robyn, Shane, and Voss
12/06	Christmas Spirits	Pine smells like birthday.	Luther and Zachery
	Christmas Wrapping	Sincerity hurts like a bitch.	Zachery
	Room 55	The first responder is not wholly unexpected.	Richard and Zachery
12/07	After the Crash	The dust has settled, but much is still up in the air.	Colette and Zachery
12/09	Dendrolatry	The numbers add up to some disturbing figures.	Corbin, Emily, Lance, and Liza
12/10	So, You're Dating a Bad Guy	Of course.	Richard
12/15	Eastern Hemlock	Another victim, another lead.	Kaylee and Lance
2020
When	What	Why	Who
01/06	Office Coffee	A little office harassment is countered by a new transfer.	Becky and Emily
01/15	Black Tie	The truth is revealed and the bonds of alliance are reforged.	"Noah"
01/16	A Questionably Good Morning	There are necessary evils in this world.	Yi-Min
01/17	Not Today	Then when?	Zachery
01/23	Old Soldiers	A little talk therapy.	Carver, Colette, Kara, Lucille, and Megan
01/29	As For My Soul	Mistakes aplenty.	Zachery
	Let it Come, Let It Go	The hurt is nothing new.	Zachery
01/30	About the End of the World	A little eavesdropping at the end of the world.	Isis and Zachery
02/05	Blasterpiece	Strangely encouraging.	Zachery
02/08	For You	What an untidy mess.	Zachery
02/12	Skein	Everything unravels.	Rhys and Richard
02/14	Burning Pile	I'd rather die terrified than live forever.	Zachery
	Bday My Valentine	Happy birthday.	Cesar, Cooper, Dirk, Emily, Geneva, and Lance
02/15	To Miss the Forest for the Trees	Time to nip this in the bud.	Corbin, Emily, Lance, Liza, and Menard
02/17	Monday, Monday	Monday morning couldn't guarantee…	Noah
02/21	Eight	A birthday disaster is averted by unicorns.	Pippa, Seren, and Zachery
	Home to Me	Step by step, wherever you might be, you're walking home to me.	Zachery
02/27	The Eight-Pointed Star, Part IV	The time to bring down Shedda Dinu is at hand.	Avi, Cesar, Dearing, Huruma, Lance, and Lucille

Volume I: The Way Back

2018
When	What	Why	Who
02/22	Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens	Nicole, Pippa, and Delia have dinner together.	Delia and Pippa
02/27	What You Signed Up For	Nicole offers Robyn some free advice.	Robyn
03/01	Welcomed, Wanted	Huruma returns home, bearing gifts.	Huruma and Pippa
03/06	Thank You For Your Sacrifice	Nicole attends the opening of the Eric Doyle Memorial Library.	Gillian, Peyton, Pippa, and Russo
03/07	Fixer Uppers	Colette takes Nicole out for a night of drinking and sisterly bonding.	Colette
03/21	Under the Bridge	A connection is re-established, if not precisely rekindled.	Logan
03/28	Usual Things	(Relatively) Normal is nice.	Tamara
04/07	A Celebration of History - Entrance and Gallery	An evening of merriment takes a frightening turn.	Eizen, Huruma, Kaylee, Kenner, Logan, Lucille, Monica, Richard, and Sylvester
	Fancy Ladies Go Home	While attempting to protect and hopefully rescue Logan, Nicole finds herself in need of rescuing herself.	Astrid, Buddy, Eugene, Jiba, Marlowe, Monica, and Rex
04/16	Near Miss	Nicole doesn't realize how close she came to a spectre of death.	Caspian, Cesar, Des, Huruma, Lynette, Mateo, Samson, and Veronica
06/06	What's Old is New Again, Part II	With the proper channels having failed, a different approach for liberating Logan is needed.	Buddy, Colette, Logan, Sasha, and Tania
09/13	Consequences	No good deed goes unpunished.	Pippa
09/23	Remember Him As He Was	A Ryans family gathering is never without surprises.	Benji, Calvin, Delia, Ingrid, Lucille, Pippa, Ryans, and Sofia
11/08	A Different Sort of Memorial	A celebration of life-goes-on.	Lynette and Various
11/17	Popcorn at Sea	Storytime receives an interruption.	Pippa
12/06	Favor For Favor	One request is met with another.	Richard
12/07	Origin of Darkness, Part II	SESA gathers agents to solve a problem that's gone on far too long.	Cassandra, Cooper, Corbin, Kenner, Rasheed, and Rhys
12/25	Family Dinners	Christmas is a time of memory.	Colette

2012 - 2017

2012
When	What	Why	Who
02/24	And Baby Makes Three	Nicole discusses the reverence of names with Colette.	'Letty
2013
When	What	Why	Who
06/04	Needs Must	…when the Devil drives.	Sturm

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Skills

Cooking: Nicole's prowess in the kitchen is unfortunately not attributed to innate ability, but to trained skill. She had a great teacher and is able to prepare a variety of dishes and not only make them taste good, but also make them works of art. Her pot pies are to die for.

Organization: Nobody has a head for dates and times like Nicole. Aside from being inseparable from her affectionately termed CrackBerry, Nicole is especially good with recalling where those in her charge need to be, when, and what for. Her desk is immaculate. She never has to ask if anyone's seen her keys.

Persuasion: Nicole has a sort of knack not so much for getting people to do what she wants, but to make people want the same things she wants. She's a shark when it comes to negotiations and does very well when it comes time to barter at the market.

Photography: A holdover from her previous life as Steve Caiati, Nicole would never give up her career for one in photography, but she has an eye for aesthetics and lighting, which makes for some good pictures.

Firearms: Living in New York City and working for someone with dirty hands for years had made a basic understanding of firearms essential for Nicole. Entering the war only caused her to further this particular talent. Nicole feels just as comfortable with her .22 as she does with a hunting rifle or a semi-automatic. She's not about to win any marksmanship competitions, but with enough bullets to spray, precision only matters so much. Her preference is still for her pistol, however, at close range.

Strategy: Battlefield or boardroom, Nicole is adept at gathering information from her various political and remaining underworld resources and using the intelligence to help her draft a plan of battle for the skirmish to come. Before she was the one developing the plans, she was the one enacting them, allowing those with better judgement to guide her through them.

Ringtones

Starcrossed
5 Out of 6	Got no time for my detractors Standing on my staircase All you are is a fire hazard
Ballad of a Politician	A man inside a room is shaking hands with other men This is how it happens Our world under command
Glory and Gore	No-one 'round here's good at keeping their eyes closed The sun's starting to light up when we're walking home Tired little laughs, gold lie promises, We'll always win at this, I don't ever think about death It's alright if you do, it's fine
Alibi	I don't know if he did it And I won't ask There's a lot of good women With a lot of bad backs Your man said something heavy It already looks bad Careful what you carry on his behalf And I know he's thinking of you too Not the type to snitch and run but But sometimes they say it's the plain truth 99 problems
Come What May	Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste It all revolves around you
Problems	I've found love in the strangest place Tied up and branded, locked in a cage I say I'm gonna stage a great escape Let loose and love all But baby we're out of place
Burning Pile	All my troubles on a burning pile All lit up and I start to smile If I, catch fire then I change my aim Throw my troubles at the pearly gates
In Our Bedroom After the War	Wake up, say good morning to That sleepy person lying next to you If there's no one there then there's no one there But at least the war is over

Gallery

Alts

Kay		Director of Public Relations at Yamagato Industries. Soccer mom. Unlucky in love.
Niki		Citizen's Watch for the SZC. Deveauxted daughter and sister. Ace up her sleeve.
Odessa		Escapee from PISEC. Tragic figure of a bigger Destiny. Purveyor of terrible decisions.
Rue		Intelligence operative for Wolfhound. Might be an amazon. Will bet you twenty bucks…