one ○ video / action

[mylegacy]

Who: Caesar Zeppeli and your face
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Friday and Saturday before the shuffle!

[All things told, Caesar does not spend a lot of time on introspection when he arrives on the Marsiva. He takes a few moments to look at the stars - astonishingly bright and close, almost frighteningly so, when you're used to cities, or being too busy to look up and see the space that God made - and then looks away. For fear of being overwhelmed, maybe, or because he has other things to do.]

[Though he can't begin to imagine what they are. What do you do after you've died?]

[When he figures out how to access the network, he doesn't hesitate at all. Hesitating means thinking, and if he thinks too much about this his voice will come out weak, lost, confused. He is a Zeppeli; that would be unforgivable.]

[So it comes out strong, full, his syllables well-rounded and imbued with good humor.]

Buongiorno, all, I - seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere around Mars. I don't suppose anyone has a map?

[He chuckles briefly, then sombers. There's information in his head that he doesn't know the source of, but he can guess.]

There are many people trapped here. I know that much already. I know what is happening. What I don't understand is why.

[Or what is to be done about it. (Although where would he go, if he wasn't here?)]

Comments

[video]

[experiencepoints]

"Why" is easy. Because people with god-like powers invariably are gigantic assholes with them.

[She sounds like she's talking from personal experience...]

[mylegacy]

[He sighs, a little tired, a little resigned.]

Silly me for asking. [Personal experience here, too.]

[experiencepoints]

It's the 'how' you should be concerned about, really.

[mylegacy]

And do you know the how?

[experiencepoints]

If I did, I'd be coming up with countermeasures already.

[mylegacy]

[A pause; then:] Where did you come from? What circumstances, if you don't mind the question.

[There is a sideways point to this line of inquiry.]

[experiencepoints]

[There's a short pause as she considers. She doesn't want to give out the full story, but... Well, she'll leave out the worst bits.]

Playing games for gods. Why?

[mylegacy]

I was only wondering if there are similarities that allow certain people to be brought here more easily than others.

[Like being dead, for example.]

[experiencepoints]

[While she considers herself technically dead, too, she's not going to bring that up.]

Not that I know of, but I'm still pretty new here.

[mylegacy]

There are people here who've been brought to places like this before, too. Increased susceptibility to . . . something.

[Space kidnapping? He's spitballing here.]

[experiencepoints]

... Mm. If that's what you mean, I'm two worlds removed from home, myself. I've been around this block before.

Last time, there was a pattern. It doesn't hold true this time.

[mylegacy]

I haven't. [This is all very new and very weird.]

What was the pattern?

[experiencepoints]

It doesn't matter. I've already confirmed it's not the case here.

[mylegacy]

You work quickly. But you haven't been here long enough to discern a pattern here yet?

[experiencepoints]

The circumstances are different. Less happens here.

[mylegacy]

Are you bored, signorina?

[experiencepoints]

No way, I'm getting to sleep in for the first time in months.

[so, hell yes.]

[mylegacy]

That sounds a little boring.

[Although wow it also sounds super nice. What is sleep.]

[experiencepoints]

It's still an improvement.

[mylegacy]

Then I hope it lasts for your sake.

[And his. Because. Fuck the entire last month.]

[experiencepoints]

Thanks, but don't get your hopes up. It never lasts.

[mylegacy]

[Speaking from experience again, he knows. But he won't call her out on it, not right now.]

I'll do my best to be as pessimistic as possible, then, just for you.

[experiencepoints]

That's good. That's how you stay alive.

[mylegacy]

[Just the barest hint of a flinch, here.]

Is it really.

[experiencepoints]

Alive-ish, anyway.

[Doesn't seem to have noticed...]