01 - video/action

[winn]

Who: Winn & you!
Broadcast: video
Action: on the Marsiva
When: now!

action;

[ it's the smell that makes the first tug towards wakefulness, or rather the lack of it - over the years, winn's gotten used to waking up to a familiar aroma of an apartment that's just a little too dusty, has just a little too many clothes that really should have been washed yesterday lying around, maybe some residual takeout smell that still lingers from the night before because he's forgotten to properly ventilate - none of it is hitting his nose now, and his mind is not taking it well. groaning, and rubbing his eyes with one hand, his other reaches for his bedside table to pick up his phone - only to hit air.

well that's weird.

eyes finally blinking open, he finds himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. shifting in bed - he finds himself falling to an unfamiliar floor.

what the hell?

he's dreaming, right? he has to be dreaming. or maybe it's a freaky fantasy like the one kara was stuck in - though why would anyone waste disgusting alien hallucinatory-leach things on him? and besides, this - this looks absolutely nothing like his ideal fantasy world! well, just in case it'll work (he'd fill really silly if he passes up the simplest solution for being too simple and it'll end up being all that it takes!), he shuts his eyes tightly, pinches his arm, and mumbles to himself ]

I hella reject this fantasy. You are rejected, fired, gone!

[ opening his eyes again, he finds that unsurprisingly - the only change that transpired is that his arm now aches. well, what else was he expecting? pulling himself up to his feet, he decides he might as well try to figure out where he is - and how to get out of here.

and then he spots the window. blurting out a girly scream, he turns his back to it, his knees nearly buckling under him, and his face losing color. slowly, he turns back towards it and chances another peek, chuckling nervously at his own behavior, trying to ridicule his fear away ]

That's a pretty good green screen -

video;

[ the face that appears on your screen is pale and clearly very shaken. actually, he kinda looks like he's going to be sick, doesn't he? good thing that space tech isn't 7-D! ...unless it is in which case, now would be a pretty bad time to find that out... ]

I got a couple questions for -- whoever's watching this - or - [ he looks around, waving his free hand to gesture around the room - wherever the less voluntary cameras may be ] this - If this is a reality show, when's elimination? Cuz I - I volunteer to go home! I mean let's face it, there is no point to keep me in the running - unless elimination's actually eh, elimination [ he runs his finger against his throat to illustrate his point ] in which case -- my vote is still on home, thanks -

This...isn't really space, is it? [ he chuckles nervously ] I know 'beam me up' was my birthday wish for like 3 years running, but you're over a decade late and this is so not what I had in mind - [ he clears his throat. not the point! and not something he needed to share with - potentially an entire galaxy. actually, this whole broadcast was probably pretty dumb, way to make himself easy prey. ok, no worries! he can still salvage this! ] Anyway! Little help, a lotta help, Xanax, I'll take what you got, thanks. [ clearing his throat again ] Over? [ nailed it. ]

Comments

[takingkarabusiness]

You did?

I think we're in a Phantom Zone—don't freak out, I just mean, maybe time is doing something weird here, so it doesn't impact stuff at home.

I hope.

I don't think there was a fake me. That would be a lot, even for me.

[winn]

Phantom Zone? Like -- where -- [ looking around him - shit, he hates this. he hates not knowing who's listening, where they might be listening from - how is he supposed to plot an escape like that? ] um - where you -- r - your friend! Was. When she was abducted - by that - flying saucer - from that field -

[ aww yeah, he's got this. secret safe! clearing his throat ] I thought that affected who's in the zone, not out? Are you saying that - earth - is in a Phantom Zone?

[takingkarabusiness]

Okay, well. I don't know. But that's got to be a start, right? I really don't want to think about some imposter or worse, that we're actually missing. Space and time are super weird?

[ you're so convincing, Kara ]

[winn]

[ space and time. you know, that's not the kind he was asking for! the plot keeps on thickening, and that panic really wants out. so he takes a breath (trying not to freak out about wasting oxygen) and tries to focus his mind on something else. ]

Where are you, anyway? How do I get to you?

[ she may not be very convincing, but she's all the reassurance he's got! ]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ you're trying so hard Winn. she appreciates that ]

I'm on a ship called the Tourist. It's in the fleet. Unfortunately, we can't hang out until you get assigned to a ship, but after that we can shuttle between them. Or I can shuttle to you since you're being such a baby about the whole space thing.

[winn]

[ does he get points for that? does this count for rating? can he go home now? ]

I'm not being a baby - this is space! This is - the Human-Killing Zone.

[ it's perfectly normal to be scared! sometimes, he really wishes he had some perfectly normal friends to relate with. ]

Who assigns me when does that happen can't I just go on yours?

[takingkarabusiness]

The same people that brought us here, I think? And you can transfer, sure, but we're kind of full so you'd probably have to sleep on my couch.

[ a metaphor for their relationship ]

[winn]

[ considering how foreign everything else around here is - he'll take the familiar metaphor, please and thank you! ]

Right, yes, save that for me - who do I talk to about making this happen?

[ that was totally an invitation, right? ]

[takingkarabusiness]

I'll ask around for you.

Hey, what augment did you get, anyway?

[ not to freak him out more... ]

[winn]

[ furrowing his eyebrows and tilting his head ]

Watchu talking about, Kara?

[takingkarabusiness]

Maybe just... think about it for a second? Maybe it'll come to you? Some knowledge or something you didn't know you knew...

yes that makes sense kara

[winn]

What -- do you mean - you mean they can mess with your brain?

[ good job on not freaking him out! is he really himself, then? can he trust anything? oh god, he's having an identity crisis!!! and... ]

...I know how spaceships work. Why do I know how spaceships work? This is equal parts cool and really freaky - ok maybe a little more of one -

[ but which? that is the question! ]

[takingkarabusiness]

So... Engineer?

I think it's pretty cool to know things, myself. Though I'm kind of a glorified personal assistant here, too. Well, less glorified and more personal?

[winn]

Yeah it's - cool - very cool - especially knowing how you know them - and how much of what you know is what you know and how much of it is what they want you to - and who they are - and what it all means -

[ he doesn't want anyone poking around in his head, he doesn't even like it when people rearrange his adult collectibles! ]

So who are you...assisting? Don't tell me Miss Grant is on here too?

[ because not being yelled at is his one silver lining here! ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Oh, god no. Definitely not. She'd be running this place in minutes, anyway. I think it's just being personnel for the ship. Whatever people need.

[ she kind of feels like this whole conversation is crashing and burning and maybe she just wants to give him a hug ]

[winn]

[ maybe he just wants to get one :c

he breaths a sigh of relief at that bit of knowledge ]

Thank god. [ really, that's all he needed to make space a perfect hell. ]

So - basically saving everyone's ass? [ he smiles a little, trying to regain that fragile fake-calmness he had on before he freaked out again. ] Good to know that even in space, some things just won't change.

[ and he'll always be the nerd! though in this case he is completely fine with it - if he has to be trapped on a spaceship, he wants to know how to fix it. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

You could say that!

[ there have been enough information bombs for today... ]

But listen, hang tight, okay? It won't be too long before you get assigned to a ship, and in the meantime, maybe you'll meet people who aren't so bad.

[winn]

Do I - want to know what 'not too long' is?

[ he probably doesn't, right. ]

Right, yeah - [ that makes it sound like there are a lot of people who are so bad. and with his luck, he'll run into each and every one of them. while kara can't get to him.

couldn't he be instilled with karate knowledge?

he smiles, trying to appear confident. it mostly looks like indigestion. ]

- don't worry about me, I'll just be here. Hanging out. In space.

[ look he's trying. optimism doesn't come quite as easily for him. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

I mean like less than a week, Winn. It's really not that bad. Less than a marathon of the X-Files complete series.

[ you're still being a baby, winn ]

[winn]

[ IS NOT X( so harsh, kara. ]

No chance there's an X-Files complete series boxset to watch here and pass the time, is there?

[ actually, it's probably for the best. the last thing he needs right now is to get more terrifying ideas in his head. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

I'm not sure that would actually put you at ease with this whole situation.

[winn]

That -- may be a good point. But how much worse can it be than looking out?

[ he pauses ]

What do you do here all day?

[ because right now, his main idea is trying to follow the signal that's broadcasting their lives to wherever that may lead him - but that's the sort of idea that may land him in trouble, especially because he probably has a lot to learn about how these systems work, and something tells him he can't just ask google.

oh and. there's the whole his every move is being watched thing. yeah, that complicates things. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Well, we're parked at a space station base thing right now so I go out shopping or hang out in the park, mostly. Things could stand to be just a little more exciting, but I'm starting to meet people.

[winn]

There's a -- park. In space? And -- seriously, consumerism reached this far? What's the space currency? Who's on space currency?

[ so many questions, once he stops focusing on being terrified! ]

What part of space are we even in?

[takingkarabusiness]

It's on a station, but yes. And contrary to popular belief, America didn't invent buying things. Shocking, I know, but capitalism exists lots of places, Winn.

And I... don't know what part of space we're in. Money is in the form of digital credits—think Bitcoin? That's what that is, right?