Out of Character Information
Name: Al
Username: cottonandice
Are you over the age of eighteen? You bet'cha.
Current characters in Baedal: N/A

In Character Information
Basics
Character Name: Kalinda Sharma
Username: the_in_house
Fandom: The Good Wife
Played By: Archie Panjabi
Icon: http://www.dreamwidth.org/userpic/1057359/1179143

Canon Character Section
Physical Description: Kalinda is in her mid to late twenties, with dark eyes, dark hair, tan complexion and classically beautiful features. She's average height, and favours leather, skirts, and knee-high boots. She is rarely seen without her cell phone and a notebook in hand.

Sexuality: Kalinda is unabashedly bisexual. She's acutely aware of her sexuality and the power of it, and she finds no reason not to use it to her advantage. She sees very little need for love and intimacy in sex, and in fact prefers to avoid both all together. She's been in relationships, and enjoyed them while they lasted, but she isn't the best at meeting the emotional needs of her partner. She enjoys dark rooms and anonymity, and no-strings-attached encounters. That said, she isn't exceptionally promiscuous, she's simply casual.

History: Once upon a time, a woman named Leela Tahiri lived in a place called Canada, and lived a life she didn't enjoy. So Leela Tahiri decided to change all that. She disappeared and a woman named Kalinda Sharma came to be instead. Kalinda doesn't have a past – that was Leela's life – so she doesn't talk about her past. Kalinda came to Chicago and began working as an investigator for the Cook County States Attorney's Office where her new identity was cemented. Part of this was achieved with the help of the then States Attorney, Peter Florrick. In exchange for his assistance, Kalinda slept with him without a second thought. A one night stand that wouldn't have real consequences until years later.

Kalinda eventually began working both for Florrick, and for his eventual successor, Glenn Childs, who would come to use her findings to help oust Florrick from office, and attempt to put him in prison for corruption. When Florrick discovered she was working two jobs, he fired her. It certainly wasn't unfair, so she began devoting her time to the other side of the aisle (from prosecution to defense), at the law firm of Stern, Lockhart & Gardner. She rode out Stern leaving the firm, an attempted hostile takeover by a new partner, Derrick Bond, Lockhart/Gardner standing at the brink of financial ruin, and Bond's investigator, Blake Calamar's discovery of the skeletons in her closet.

Adaptability is what keeps Kalinda alive, so to speak. While Blake couldn't determine a reason other than boredom for Kalinda walking away from her old life, he did uncover her affair with Peter Florrick. Despite all Kalinda's best efforts to keep it quiet, it got back to Florrick's wife, Alicia. Alicia was a second year associate at Lockhart/Gardner, and had become Kalinda's best friend. By her own admission, Kalinda doesn't have much in the way of friends. She keeps the majority of people at arm's length or further, and the loss of Alicia's friendship – even though the affair had been years ago, long before the two of them had ever met – rattled Kalinda to her core.

She initially meant to leave Lockhart/Gardner after Alicia was made aware of the affair, but fate intervened to keep her where she was. She's been courted by former flames, one at the government level and the other in the private sector, but Kalinda is truly happy with her work at Lockhart/Gardner, even if she is unhappy about her situation with Alicia. So she stays put. The two were able to maintain a working relationship, with Kalinda giving Alicia her distance whenever possible, and while their colleagues can tell something's changed between the two women, no one is aware of what or why. For Alicia's sake more than her own, Kalinda intends to keep it that way. It's also for Alicia's sake that Kalinda encourages one of the partners, Will Gardner, an old classmate of Alicia's, to pursue a romantic relationship with her now that Alicia has left her husband. Kalinda cares more for Alicia's happiness than her own.

In her time with Lockhart/Gardner, Kalinda got to know a first year associate by the name of Cary Agos, who later went on to work for the States Attorney. While Cary seemed instantly attracted, Kalinda kept her distance, going so far as to explain that the two are from different worlds. “It's not just Mars and Venus,” she had told him. “It's spaghetti and hydrogen. We're different categories. I'm knowable, but just not to you.” Kalinda would fish for information from Cary about her cases, and vice versa. Their odd sort of working relationship survived her being investigated by the States Attorney, where he helped her to shake Calamar off and protect her in the process, and the office being shaken up after elections. When Cary was promoted to Deputy States Attorney, it only made Kalinda's job easier. So she hoped.

Competition for Cary's attention – a battle Kalinda didn't realise she was seen to be fighting – arose, however, making gaining access to him suddenly more complicated. Both doing their due diligence, Kalinda accompanied Cary out to question a suspect, where she attempted to talk out whatever issues had come up between herself an one of his ASAs. The visit went sideways when the suspect began shooting through the windows at the officers there to bring him in, and Cary tackled Kalinda to the ground to protect her.

Kalinda isn't sure how Point A led to Point B(aedal).

Powers: No powers here. Although her ability to look that good in a pair of boots is almost superhuman.

Talents/Abilities: Kalinda is an exceptional investigator. She's adept at following people without being noticed, the art of surreptitious photography, talking her way into or out of a situation, and some hacking. (She once hacked into someone's cell phone and cloned it so she could monitor calls and messages. I leave it up to the mods whether or not such a thing would be possible with Baedal's technology.) She's also skilled with firearms and travels with a pistol in her glove compartment.

Personality: Kalinda is many things. To most, mysterious is the most apt descriptor of her. She doesn't allow people to get too close to her, thought she may allow them the illusion of her candour. Her thoughts and motivations alike are kept well guarded from. There is a part of her that enjoys keeping everyone guessing, and there is another part of her that's sad she's come to the point where she can't allow anyone in. She doesn't feel the way she lives is terribly normal, and sometimes she regrets that, and has been making at least a small effort to reclaim normalcy for herself.

While people may not know what drives Kalinda, it can't be denied that she is extremely driven. She's fiercely loyal to those she believes has earned it from her. Her employers have earned her discretion and she will do everything she can to protect their interests and there is very little Kalinda won't do to keep her best friend Alicia from further pain related to her failing marriage. Woe be to the person who crosses her. The last man who did had his rental car destroyed by Kalinda and her baseball bat. In nothing but a slip and her boots, she used that same baseball bat to crack his ribs when he continued to cross the line.

Kalinda enjoys a lot of superficial relationships in place of true friendships. She has a vast network of connections, and she's personable enough – she just doesn't let anyone know the real her. While there is no shortage of people she can grab a drink with after work, she only has perhaps one or two people she feels she can confide in when life is tough. Rather than talk through her problems, she tends to blow off steam in other ways. She's very much the type to “walk it off,” even when the pain in question is emotional.

It's hard to call any relationship romantic where Kalinda is concerned. She is very capable of love, but distrusting of the way it can blind people. She doesn't look for intimacy or love in her sexual relationships. That isn't to say she doesn't feel a connection with her partner, but she doesn't enjoy anything official. Anonymity and casual sex are more her speed, which has prompted the observation that someone in Kalinda's past once hurt her very deeply. If that's the case, she'll never tell. There's no discrimination between male or female – Kalinda is attracted to people, not gender – but past mistakes have caused her to develop an aversion to partners who are married.

In her career, Kalinda is extremely diligent. She genuinely enjoys her work as an investigator. She understands the law and how the justice system works, and she can and does play that to her advantage for Lockhart/Gardner's clients. Sometimes she has to protect the interests of some reprehensible people, but everyone has the right to representation. That said, she isn't afraid to point the cops in the right direction discretely, suggesting sometimes morality does get the better of her.

Most people get the impression that nothing can ruffle Kalinda, because that's what she wants them to believe. Despite being as closed off as she is, Kalinda is exceptionally charismatic and gives the impression that she's something of a free spirit. She comes up with “Lockhart/Gardner traditions” on the spot (most of them involve alcohol), and likes to socialise when she's off the clock. Deep down, Kalinda doesn't enjoy being alone, so she tries to surround herself with people – even if it's just the din of a bar or club.

Object: A long, red scarf. It belongs to Cary Agos.

Reason for playing: Kalinda Sharma is my spirit animal. She is a very strong character whose adaptability means she should be able to adjust to Baedal fairly quickly. I have no real expectations for RP beyond that it will be totally awesome. I try not to plan things out too far ahead, I like to let them happen organically.

Gods: Probably Ceith, Kavan, Gediron, or Rundas.
Ceith - Kalinda needs to make language work for her both in regards to “legalese” and the art of bullshit.
Kavan - Order is always a welcome element in Kalinda's life. She's very neat in her own presentation, and good with technology.
Gediron - That he favours the ambitious and doggedly determined may make Kalinda a good fit.
Rundas - Timing and luck are important to Kalinda's investigative career, so she may be most drawn to Rundas.

Writing Samples

First-Person Journal Post: Saw Donna tonight, with Calamar. She thinks she's getting back at me for whatever it is she thinks I did to her, but the only one who's going to get hurt by this is her. Calamar will use her for information about me – information that won't get him anywhere. I can only hope she doesn't convince herself that he cares about her beyond what she can provide to him. Maybe she'll use him to get whatever it is she felt I couldn't give her. If she's smart, she'll string him along until she gets bored.

I have my suspicions about what will happen if Blake Calamar gets bored first. Maybe she's better off if she just spills her guts about whatever he wants to know, so he'll leave her alone. She doesn't know anything that can hurt me anyway. What would hurt her won't hurt me. Telling him I'm aloof and unemotional won't be news to him. He's going to have to try harder if he wants to rattle me.

To Do List:
A.M. Meeting @ L/G
Lunch with A.F. to go over details of case
Batting Practice
Stop at store for grapefruit juice

Third-Person Action Post: She's not the one I mistrust, he'd said. Kalinda had told ASA Lodge that there was no her and Cary, but that apparently hadn't been enough for her. There must be a Lodge and Cary, or he wouldn't be saying he didn't trust Kalinda with that pretty little Assistant States Attorney.

Kalinda stared at him for a moment, as if she hadn't just heard what he just said. “Go to hell, Cary.” Small enough words for him to comprehend. “Do you think that I--”

Gunfire shattered her thoughts and the windows of the apartment. Cary threw her down onto the asphalt and himself on top of her. More shots rang out, suspects and police trading fire. He shielded her body with his, a hand splayed over the back of her head, while she kissed the pavement. Someone broke through a window, jumping out and landing not far from where they lay sprawled out on the ground.

She clutched his jacket and shut her eyes tightly. Kalinda was pretty sure she wasn't hit, but was he? They're up shit creek without a fucking paddle, and the last thing she said to him was go to hell.

Mind racing and one hand still holding onto expensive fabric, Kalinda braced one arm on the ground and pushed herself up. “You're all right?” She had to blow a loose strand of her generally perfectly swept back hair out of her face so she could survey the damage.

Third-Person Arrival Post: There was no broken glass, no urban backdrop. No cops, no gang-bangers. No bullets, no guns, no blood, no concrete. And no Cary.

Still clutched tightly in her hand was a length of red scarf. She knew instantly that it was his, but couldn't remember if he'd been wearing one. (He hadn't.) It smelled like his cologne, and she could picture it peeking out from beneath charcoal wool lapels. She wound it up around her fist as she sat up.

Kalinda couldn't breathe.

Finding herself in a hospital room would at least make some sense. This? This did not make sense. “Cary!” Instructions carved into the wall helpfully advised against panic.

She decided it was a good suggestion.

Misc
Other: Season 3 of The Good Wife is currently ongoing and I've left aspects of her history vague in the hopes that I'll be able to just incorporate anything that may be revealed about Kalinda as I go along, rather than provide details that prove contradictory, or otherwise would require a canon update to include in her characterisation. Hopefully I have touched all the bases here. Feel free to AIM, Plurk, PM, or e-mail if you have any questions or concerns!

Oh, and St. Draper said I needed to note this:





Just sayin'.