driftfleet | video ♟ first complaint

Who: Murphy and YOU
Broadcast: Open
Action: HS Marsiva
When: Early morning

[It's been a while since he's sent a wave on any kind of network like this, but it's not like it's hard to remember how.]

You know - being back on a spaceship, alright, fine.

[The face onscreen is of a wiry, annoyed teenager. He keeps carding his fingers through his dry, soft, clean hair; it's a feeling he's not used to and it's still novel. His eyes are rolled skyward as he considers the room, sketching around at the ceiling and searching for something before he regards the actual camera.]

Weird... cleansing rituals. Sewing my clothes. There was probably some feet stuff while I was out. Whatever. I guess I'm not here to judge your lame kinks as long as I get some grub out of it.

[He looks back up again, and ticks an irritated finger towards the roof above him.]

But if we're gonna keep playing this new age, virgin with denial and a saxophone jazz crap all day long? I'm gonna need a damn weapon back.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ick.]

If it's chewable, I've had worse.

It's chewable and edible- you can even combine different flavors of cube to come up with new taste sensations. It's nothing special, but at least it gives you sustenance.

Wow. Don't go so fast, we're running through a lot of real swell options here. What'll you have for your next meal, chunk o'soup or block slop?

[He's dry but not malicious, mostly just glad to hear that a stable source of food could be a thing that exists.]

However will we choose?

[Jennifer smiles in reply.]

Atroma even gives us suggested recipes. Combine wheat and cheese cubes to approximate macaroni and cheese! Lime and cherry gelatin for cherry limeade! The possibilities are endless.

Though... if it helps, when we visit planets and waystations we can buy or trade for actual food. The block stuff is more for longer space journeys, since fresh food doesn't keep forever, or if you're too poor to afford anything else.

[Whoa. Already, there are some words there he already doesn't even know - macaroni? limeade? cheese?] That's-

[He snorts, almost amused. City of something, alright.] You don't gotta explain to me. It's a step up from protein compounds, that's all I have to say.

Good- at least you have some sort of experience with it. It does make real food taste all the better when you can get your hands on some.

Yeah... Fresh greens really top the list when you think about things in life that ought to get you excited.

[Leftover desert dryness apparently.]

You do food distribution around here or are you just an - enthusiast?

I'm a doctor, actually- so it's to my benefit if people are getting enough nutrients and sustenance to stay healthy.

I mean, sort of. Technically, I think you'd get more business if you let 'em starve.

True, but I do have morals. Plus, it'd make be a bit unpopular with just about everyone. I have a reputation to uphold.

Morals? [As if: "What are THOSE?" He smirks, but it's less unkind, more teasing.] No fun at all. Where's your zest for new things, huh?

[Jennifer winked in reply.]

I'm keeping it well hidden for the opportune time to spring my evil plan on everyone.

[Murphy's mouth falls into an 'o' of mock surprise.]

Well, Doc, at least now we know who not to sleep around without an eye cracked. Anyone who calls their plan evil out loud definitely means business.

Darn, you've exposed me. I now must retreat to the shadows and cook up something even more devious.

Are you kidding me? You say 'darn'. And you are an actual person.

[How the hell did this place find him? How did he get here? It felt bizarre even having this conversation after a month of getting stabbed and chased and hanged and cussed out. Lot of it at his own beck and call, but. Bygones.]

How'd you even make it this long? Being so sneaky and all. Have to let us in on your secrets.

It's simple- be so very very evil you loop back around to being nice again. I think.

Aha. Yeah, if only such wild dreams could be really dreamed. We could all finally hold hands and sing a song about friendship overpowering the blah blah blah.

Alas, we don't live in such an ideal world. So I'll just continue being as nice as I can and dealing with people who aren't.

And how d'you deal with the people who aren't?

[he's asking for a friend]

I still try my best to be courteous and professional. As a doctor, I've sometimes had to deal with unruly patients... or whiny ones. [She smiled fondly at that, thinking of the many times Rodney had come to see her with some real or imagined malady.] And in some situations, I've had to be willing to put aside differences for the greater good, if something bigger was at stake.

[She even smiles when she's talking about patients - those ungrateful assholes. People only thinking of themselves, probably trying to weasel extra drugs out of the nice doctor. Murphy really doesn't know what to make of any of it. The kinder she sounds, the more uncomfortable he feels and the less he believes a word out of her. The more he thinks she has to hide.]

Yeah yeah, bigger person and all - come on. Nobody's that diplomatic.

Well, true- I get frustrated and angry like anybody else. In med school, we get taught to put that aside and deal with it after we're finished with the patient, though.

Well, yeah, but then we're back to the no fun again.

So what's the secret to blowing off steam? You punch some stuff, you sneak some herb and moonshine?

Spar, definitely- or at the very least hit a punching bag. Go to the shooting range. Vent to my friends or my boyfriend.

Plot ship's destruction, yadda yadda. I get it.

At least if there's a boyfriend in the picture, we now have the fun mystery solved.

[video]

forsometimenow - 2015-10-01 19:30 (UTC) - Expand

noncriminal - 2015-10-03 17:24 (UTC) - Expand

forsometimenow - 2015-10-04 22:43 (UTC) - Expand