001

[flickerflash]

Who: Katie and anyone!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: 1st December

[Oh. Well, this is new.

The bunks are comfy enough, and it's not exactly the first time Katie has found herself in an unfamiliar place. (Is it Thursday?) But it is the first time she's woken up in one for a long time, and so she squints at the door for a long moment trying to remember what she was last doing.

Then she peels off the bunk, blanket and all, and shuffles her way out to explore. She's not particularly worried, and most confusion goes right out the window when she see the giant windows that let her see out into space because seriously. She rockets over, face smooshed against the glass. That's probably where anyone on the Marsiva can find her for a long time, because space. Spaaace. This is the best accidental visit ever.

Much later, she'll actually think to check the comms, and only when she goes looking for the one she's meant to have. She turns up on the feed still with the sheet half draped over her curls and her nose still a little red from her mushed space-watching, and addresses the network cheerfully in a British accent.]

I think I took a left turn. Are we really in space? That's not just a clever painting or something, is it? Does that mean there are spacesuits? Can I go out in it? Is anyone here that I know? And what buttons do I push to leave again? Not that I didn't turn up here on purpose, because I've always wanted to see space and I really can't jump that far. Oh, but I should probably make sure, so if you could help I'd be much obliged.

...oh, I need a sword, too. Mine ran away.

[Hello, I am nine and full of questions and lies. But genuinely, she is curious. Something is afoot.

(But space.)]

Comments

[jamminshield]

Oh no! They might onto us. Quick, we need a back-up plan!

[flickerflash]

We could have the last name Notatwin. I'm sure they wouldn't work it out!

[jamminshield]

Yeah! And we can pronounce it funny too and just say that it's foreign!

[flickerflash]

Yes! The only other twins I can think of are Skywalkers, and I suppose people might find that even more obvious.

[jamminshield]

[Steven gasps.]

You saw all of them? That's so cool! ...But yeah, I get what you mean. Notatwin it is!

[flickerflash]

[Oh, but that's important, Steven!]

You haven't seen all of them?

[jamminshield]

No no, I did! I was just surprised because that's a lot of movies to go through!

[flickerflash]

[Three is a lot?]

Well, I suppose it might be if you didn't have a lot of time.

[jamminshield]

Yeah. It's quicker to watch tv! But they're some of the best movies ever, right?

[flickerflash]

Oh, yes! And sometimes they re-run them on a matinee in my town, so I get to watch them with popcorn! Though usually not all of them at once.

{But Steven, you have taste.] What other movies do you like?

[jamminshield]

All kinds! ...Well I guess mostly like action and comedies and people in love. Also stuff from Japan.

Let's see, there's Dogcopter, Lonely Blade, The Lion King...

[flickerflash]

[She hasn't heard of any of those.]

When did they come out?

[jamminshield]

[But how can her life be complete without The Lion King tho]

Umm... The Lion King came out like 20 years ago, but the other ones are really new! From the last few years.

[flickerflash]

Ohhh. It's 1988 where I come from. [1989, but close enough.] Did it come out after that? It sounds interesting.

[jamminshield]

Really?! You're from the 80s?! [A long-gone, mythical time.]

Yeah, Lion King's a Disney movie that came out in nineteen ninetysomething! It's so cool, and I'm really sad you didn't get to watch it.

[Now he looks up determined, with a face like he has a mission.]

I gotta find a way to show it to you! [Alas that they're not in the part of the Marsiva with all the movies anymore.]

[flickerflash]

Disney are making movies again? [She perks up. They went kind of quiet for a while there.]

You would think if this were really a spaceship there'd be all kinds of televisions. Don't people watch things in space?

[jamminshield]

Of course! ...Oh yeah, they stopped doing a lot for a while, didn't they? But they made a lot of great movies since then! Man, now I wanna show them all to you!

[Steven nods sympathetically.]

I know, I know. I guess it's because we're supposed to be the television. But it's still not fair! We all have shows we're missing back home and cool movies we need to show each other. [He sighs.] Atroma, why you gotta be like that?

[flickerflash]

What do you mean we're supposed to be the television?

[Six weeks into this thread and this is when Katie snags a clue.]

[jamminshield]

Oh! [He frowns.] I'm sorry. You didn't hear? The people who took us here... We're here because these space people called the Atroma want our lives to be a tv show.

[flickerflash]

[Oh. Hmm.

Okay.





......]

I did always want to be on TV.

[That's it that's the response.]

[jamminshield]

...

[Blink.]

...Welllll, then I guess that works out for you! Congratulations, Dorothy! You're a star now!

[flickerflash]

[She preens for all of two seconds before something else of great importance occurs to her.]

If we're on TV, where are all the cameras?

[jamminshield]

Good question! I guess they're invisible or hidden really super well! ...They could even be using what we're talking through right now! [It is a whole live video feed and all.]

[flickerflash]

[Suddenly she looks nervous.]

Excuse me. I have to check on my dinner.

[And then she




hangs up. Bye Steven.]