Leia Campbell

[ana]

Am posting this little lady as a mid section survivor.

Name: Leia Campbell

Age: 27

Appearance:

Occupation back home: Freelance cryptologist. Most of the time I work out of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, but on more than one occasion, I've helped out the police and FBI. I assume there aren't many with my particular skills.

Nationality: American; born in Chicago, now lives in Washington.

Residence: Tent on the beach. With a lovely view of the ocean. If it weren't for the plane wreckage and the bodies, this would be heaven.

Skills: Other than deciphering complicated cryptograms for a living? I have a keen interest in Egyptology and American Mythology - particularly mythology surrounding the supernatural. My cookings never poisoned anyone yet, so I'd say that was a skill. I'm reasonably handy when it comes to building things, but i've never really had to put it to the test until now. Hopefully, my common sense counts for something too.

Weaknesses/bad habits: I'm allergic to seafood and nuts. Which could prove problematic on a desert island. Part of me is also a hopeless romantic. Maybe that's why the idea of being stuck on this desert island doesn't seem to bother me too much.

Frequent moods/expressions: Consistently happy, mostly due to having my priorities in order. My work is my life, though my enthusiasm tends to leave me little time to have a social life. I have an inquisitive nature and a thirst to know whats going on, but generally I'm easy going.

Reason for flight: Work.

Item from wreckage: Most of my luggage survived the crash, so I have pretty much everything I could need until rescue arrives.

[supremeoutcast]

Fantastic profile. Me likey

[ana]

Here's a character for Leia's first flashback, just to give you an idea of who he is....

Name: Hyrum Henshaw-Booth



Age: 72

Nationality: English

Occupation: Head of the Crytpology department at The Smithsonian National Museum of National History.

Frequent moods/expressions: Always loveable and kind. Wise and fair. Fatherly towards Leia. Has a much younger wife thanks to his outgoing personilty and charm and underlying sense of mischief.

[ana]

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Two years ago....


Gently. Ever so gently, Leia unravelled another of the crumbling papyrus pages and settled it on the desk under felt covered weights. Almost unconciously, she held her breath, leaning over the two foot wide scroll in front of her. Eye's wide with excitement and anticipation. Her cotton gloved finger traced along the discoloured, age wearyed text from right to left as she attempted to dichper the script. She was so deeply engrossed in her work, that she didn't even hear the door open.

"Still here, Leia?" Came the surprised male voice.

"Oh Jesus Christ!" Leia squeaked in shock, visibly jumping back from the desk.

"No, it's only me." The old man replied with an amused chuckle as he crossed the room to his desk. "I left Jesus making small talk with my wife. Something tells me she'll appreciate his water into wine party trick."

"Hyrum? What are you doing here at this time of night?" Leia asked, glancing at her watch to see it was nearly ten o'clock.

"I could ask you the very same, my dear. You do know it's Saturday night, don't you? You should out on the tiles, dancing the night away with some young eligable bachelor. Not down here in this stuffy office."

"Chance would be a fine thing." She muttered distractedly, turning her attention back to the scroll, before doing a double take at Hyrum. He was looking through his desk drawer, wearing a tuxedo.

"Shouldn't you be at your wife's birthday party?"

"Yes, I should... and if she realises I'm not there, I'll never hear the end of it." Triumphantly he produced a long slender box from the desk and waved it at Leia. "I forgot her present." Setting it down upon his desk, he opened the case and Leia could see the sparkle of white from inside. Like a magpie drawn to something shiny, she came over to see it close up.

"Wow... that's beautiful." She remarked at the diamond studded necklace, glistening in the light of a desk lamp. "She's a lucky lady."

"Call it more of a reward for her putting up with me for all these years." He said, a content smile on his face. "So anyway..." He snapped the jewellry case closed again. "Tell me again, why are you neglecting your social life?"

"The Abu Sukhyar scrolls arrived from Iraq. I wanted to get a look at them as soon as they arrived." She led the white haired old man back to her own desk to show him what she was working on. He followed, curiousity getting the better of him.

"Have you managed to dechiper any of them yet?" He asked, picking up a magnifying glass and leaning over the document himself.

"I was just about to start actually. The text looks arabic, but there are some subtle differences. Notice the soft cursive styles..." She pointed out a few of the more elaborate letters. "Could be Naskhi, Thuluth... maybe Nastaliq style...."

"It's a shopping list." Hyrum announced flatly, quashing Leia's enthusiastic mood.

"It's a what?" She stammered in disbelief.

"Fourteen goats....six sacks of grain.....dates....cumin...." He was reading aloud from the page. "And something that sounds like a recipe for mulled wine...."

Leia looked dejected, pouting over the document as she pieced it together for herself.

"An educated guess would lead me to believe this was a preparatory list for some kind of gathering, maybe the local chief's wife's birthday....?" He set the magnifying glass back down.

Leia let out a heavy sigh and folded her arms in front of herself.

"Just once, why can't I uncover some exciting hidden secret, or a journal entry from one of the ancient pharohs of Egypt...."

"Because those kinds of finds happen once in a lifetime, Leia." Seeing she was dis-heartened, he placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Be patient. You'll make that discovery one day. Chances are, it'll be when you least expect it."

"I know, I know..."

"I'm sorry you're disappointed again. Tell you what, why don't you come back with me to the party. Let's see if we can't find you that eligable bachelor after all."

"Thanks, but I'm going to pass. I don't think I'm really dressed for the occasion anyway."

"Well, if you're not going to come out and enjoy yourself, you should at least go home and get some sleep. You've been here all day. Again."

Leia relented to his wise advice. She peeled the cotton gloves from her hands and dropped them unceremoniously next to the old scroll. Since it hadn't turned out to be the discovery of the decade, it could wait another day to be completely decrypted.

"Alright, I'm going."

"Good, girl." Hyrum replied, patting her hand. "And I should go too. I will see you in the morning." He headed for the door, forgetting the necklace once again.

"Hyrum..." Leia called after him. When he turned to see what she wanted she simply nodded at his desk. It took a moment for the realisation to set in.

"Oh! The necklace!" He scurried back over to pick it up. "The one thing I hate about getting old is my memory has become increasingly seive like. Whatever would I do without you my dear?"

"Knowing you? You'd probably get up to all kinds of mischeif." Leia giggled.

"Chance would be a fine thing." He replied with a cheeky wink.

[JINX]

such a lovely little flashback and i love Ms. Graham!

[Gwen Havers]

Wait, she works at Jurassic Park?

Very enjoyable read. I hope we see more of Hyrum, and that Leia can find something more than a grocery list.

[ana]

No actual dinosaurs, just skeletons in the museum. Though now she's on Lost island... you never know.....Barney does live in the jungle

And yes, you'll be seeing more Hyrum in future flashbacks. ;D

[supremeoutcast]

Fantastic! I'm sure James would dance with her

[ana]

Such a gentleman I'll be sure to save the last dance for James