Origins

She calls herself a Scottish woman. When Haze pressed her about what had become of an old American pistol, she first said that, as a Scottish woman, she didn’t particularly give a shit about American artifacts — then turned around and cheerfully admitted that of course Paradox had stolen it.

“This may surprise you, Haze; but as a Scottish woman I don't particularly give a shit about American artifacts.”

“这或许会让你感到惊讶，岚梦；但作为一个苏格兰女人，我对美国文物并不特别感兴趣”

The helmet is not her everyday wear. When Holliday asked how often she takes it off, she shot back: you think I keep this on all the time? The mask is a necessity of the work, and a rule of the organization as well: as she explained to Infernus, in Paradox they value anonymity.

“You think I keep this on all the time?”

“你以为我会一直这样吗？”

“In Paradox we value anonymity.”

“在悖论，我们重视匿名性”

The members of Paradox gather seldom: a few times a year. When Lady Geist guessed that they like to brag about their spoils, she answered without ceremony: they are a bunch of bored rich people, of course they brag about what they stole. Others have nothing kind to say about the swagger: Pocket says that at the end of the day she is just another rich asshole.

“We're a bunch of bored rich people, of course we brag about what we stole.”

“我们是一群无聊的有钱人，当然要炫耀我们拿走了什么”

“You can dress up however you want, but at the end of the day you're just another rich asshole.”

“你可以随心所欲地打扮，但归根结底，你不过是个有钱的狂徒”

Yet she is no pampered idler who knows only how to flaunt her wealth. When Baba asked whether she always runs around in that getup, she said only on the job, and offered a precise breakdown: a heist is fifty percent research, forty percent shopping and prep, eight percent vacation time, and only two percent actual larceny.

“Not really. Stealing something is probably what I spend the least amount of time doing. Heists are like 50% research 40% shopping and prep. 8% vacation time and 2% actual larceny.”

“其实不然。偷东西大概是我花时间最少的事情。抢劫任务大概50%是调查，40%是采购和准备，8%是休假时间，只有2%是实际的行为”

Her gift is time itself. She can call out “Stopping time!”, and her signature trick is that cry of “Swapping!”, which trades her place with an opponent’s. She loves a joke, and has a habit of explaining the punchline herself: after “Time’s wasting,” she will add: that was a little time joke, not sure if you picked up on that.

“Stopping time!”

“停止时间！”

“Swapping!”

“交换！”

“Time's wasting. Heh. That was a little time joke, not sure if you picked up on that.”

“时间不等人。嘿嘿。这是个关于时间的小笑话，不知道你听出来没有”

The way she defends her trade is entertaining too. When Ivy accused her of robbing people, she reached for the Freemasons, who aren’t actually working with stone either: “thieves guild” is more of an honorific, she said, and Paradox merely relocates items of public interest and shares them with the world for free. Warden isn’t buying it: she masquerades as having a code, he says, when really she is driven by nothing but ego.

“Ivy: We relocate items that are of public interest and share them with the world for free, so can you just get off my arse?”

“青藤：我们搬运符合公共利益的物品，并免费与全世界分享，所以你能别再烦我了吗？”

“Paradox… you masquerade as having a code, when really you are driven by nothing but ego.”

“悖论…你假装有准则，而实际上你只是被自我所驱使”

Old Friends and Foes

Lady Geist: Already Robbed

Lady Geist opened by demanding her husband’s painting back. Paradox answered that art isn’t really her thing, then added that they had already robbed the lady, and suggested she try to find it herself. Later the lady visited the Paradox Museum and found it cliché and overwrought; stung and a little flustered, Paradox could only defend it by pointing to a Hellenistic bust of Homer.

When the lady struck her down, she said she had waited fifty years for this.

“I've waited 50 years for this.”

“我等了50年才完成这个”

Venator: A Den of Thieves, or a Family

The moment Venator saw her, he demanded she return what she stole; all smiles, she called him Father Rourke and gave him a single word: no. He sneered that he was surprised her colleagues hadn’t murdered her in her sleep yet; she countered that, like any family, the members of Paradox can get competitive with each other, but they always come together in the end. He said they were a den of thieves, not a family; she only sighed that he didn’t understand — “how sad.”

“Father Rourke. How lovely to see you.”

“鲁克神父，见到您真高兴”

Abrams: The Detective Who Watches the Tome

She has long wanted the tome that Abrams carries. When he warned her off it, she said only: can’t a girl be curious? When they came to blows, she made herself plain: that tome will belong to Paradox.

“Can't a girl be curious?”

“女生就不能好奇嘛？”

“That tome will belong to Paradox.”

“那本宝书就归悖论了”

McGinnis: Always in Her Sights

She presses McGinnis on what secrets she is hiding for Fairfax. McGinnis, for her part, says that maybe Paradox will stop trying to raid her lab.

“Maybe Paradox will stop trying to raid my lab.”

“也许悖论不会再尝试袭击我的实验室”

Pocket: She Knows His Real Name

Pocket has changed his name, but she still knows him: you can change your name, Arin, but I know who you really are.

“You can change your name, Arin, but I know who you really are.”

“你可以改名，艾伦，但我知道你真正的身份”

Wraith: Winning with Style

Wraith admires her, saying she doesn’t just like to win, she likes to do it with style; she answers that the feeling’s mutual. Yet when the two cross swords, Paradox speaks without mercy: Paradox owes you nothing.

“You know what I like about you Paradox? You don't just like to win. You like to do it with style.”

“你知道我最喜欢你哪一点吗，悖论？你不只是喜欢赢，你还喜欢赢得漂亮”

“Paradox owes you nothing, Wraith.”

“悖论不欠你任何东西，灵魅”

Apollo: The One Who Won’t Go with Her

She told Apollo that after she saved his life today, introducing her to his father would be a lovely way to say thank you. Apollo’s last word on the matter: I’m not going anywhere with you.

“After I save your life today, introducing me to your father would be a lovely way to say thank you.”

“今天我救了你的命，如果你能介绍我认识你的父亲，那将是你表达谢意的绝佳方式”

“Let me rephase. I'm not going anywhere with you.”

“让我换个说法。我哪儿都不会跟你去”

Grey Talon: The Door to the Manor House

Grey Talon sums her up with a sneer: the only thing he expects from Paradox is style over substance.

“The only thing I expect from Paradox is style over substance.”

“我对悖论的唯一期待就是风格，而不是内容”

Seven: The Man Who Escaped Lost Whisper

When she later learned that Seven was the one who had escaped Lost Whisper, all she said was: so that’s the man.

“So that's the man that escaped Lost Whisper.”

“原来他就是逃离永寂黑渊的那个人”

Holliday and Haze: Trust in Short Supply

When they fight, she tells Holliday outright that she wants that revolver with a history.

“That gun has history, Holliday…. I want it.”

“那把枪有历史了，哈雷黛…我想要它”

Haze mocks her as all show: you’re no queen of thieves, you’re just another target.

“You're no queen of thieves… you're just another target.”

“你不是什么女王… 你只是另一个目标”

Celeste and Dynamo: Give and Take

She promised Dynamo she would make sure he got into the next event; when he came to her rescue, she acknowledged it: I owe you, Dynamo.

“I owe you, Dynamo.”

“我欠你一个人情，奇能”

Deadman Danny: The Most Boring Skeleton

First she asks Deadman Danny just how much Fairfax is paying him, then turns around and calls him the most boring skeleton she has ever met. For all her scorn, her mind is entirely on his wares: she wants to fly the jetpack herself, offers on the spot to buy something like twenty, and in the end says, disappointed, that she thought he was supposed to be some great salesman. She brings up, too, that he sells weapons to governments; when the talk turns to morals, she fires back: you’re claiming moral superiority over me? He, for his part, denounces her as a corporate spy against Fairfax Industries and tells her to leave the company alone.

“You're claiming moral superiority over me?”

“你在跟我比谁更道德高尚？”

Violet: A Fan Not Yet Good Enough

Violet has been to three Paradox Museums, and can’t wait to see what they do next. So Paradox promised her a little preview of the next pop-up after the ritual: anything for a fan. But when they meet as foes, the verdict turns cold: given more time to cook, she may someday become someone worth stealing from; for now, not good enough. As for how to get noticed, Paradox says there are other ways.

“There are other ways to get noticed.”

“还有其他方式能引人注目”

Nurse Harrow: The Woman with the Bag

Nurse Harrow carries a bag she won’t show anyone. When Paradox asked what was in it, all she got was “It’s none of your business.” Paradox said that just makes her want to steal it, and added: lady, I’m going to steal it. Later Paradox declared that the nurse is not going to have that bag forever. The nurse asked for Le Champignon de Lazarus, wanting it to save lives; Paradox granted that this was noble of her, but said that, sadly, it isn’t up to her. The two have tried trading barbs as well: Paradox said she seemed tense and bet she was fun at parties, and the nurse answered only that she is not; when Paradox explained that it was a joke, she got back: you, however, don’t seem to understand dry wit. Another time, the nurse left her with a single verdict: all style, no substance.

Anecdotes

Pop-Up Museums. Paradox puts its spoils on show in pop-up museums, and every exhibition is an event. Graves has been to a few and remembers the one two years ago as the best, and Paradox chimed right in: oh, that was the blackmail-forward one, right?

“Oh that was the blackmail-forward one, right?”

“哦，那个勒索对吧？”

The Things She Wants. To the Rat King she said that his crown would be a nice addition to the Paradox Museum.

“Your crown will be a nice addition to The Paradox Museum”

“你的王冠将成为悖论博物馆的绝佳藏品”

Professional Pride. In her eyes Vyper gives the trade a bad name: you’re an insult to my profession, she says.

“You're an insult to my profession, Vyper.”

“你简直是在侮辱我的职业，蝰邪”

The Rejuvenator. Her specialty is snatching the Rejuvenator. Her opponents curse: of course she stole the rejuv.

“Of course she stole the rejuv…”

“她当然会偷复生石了……”

Open Questions