(no subject)

[beathach]

Who: two nerds and you
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: now!

[ The audio comes on sharply, but everything is still dark as two people discuss their situation.]

Is that the camera? Can you get it to work?

I - think so? Here, push this --

I am pushing it, Hank. I thought you knew about these from that show you keep watching. Space Trek?

It's Star Trek and that isn't exactly - you know, the same thing as this.

Right. . . . Wait, I think I see something on the side.

[ And the video flickers on, the red light glowing softly. It focuses on two men. One in a wheelchair and the other right next to him, peering curiously at the camera before they step back satisfied. ]

Well, that’s over and done with. Hello to anyone who might be out there. My name is Charles Xavier and this is Hank McCoy. Apparently we’ve been kidnapped again, by an unknown force again for some mysterious reason.

[muttered:] Again. [and louder] So if anyone would be kind enough to explain exactly what's going on, we'd appreciate it. You have our thanks in advance.

But do keep it pertinent.

Comments

[video]

[forsometimenow]

Congratulations- the two of you are the newest members of a space reality show.

Re: [video]

[axiomed]

[ He takes a few seconds to parse that. ]

And what precisely is a space reality show?

[video]

[forsometimenow]

OK. Long version: you've been kidnapped by some entity calling themselves Atroma, and you're being filmed and broadcast to an audience for entertainment.

Re: [video]

[axiomed]

[ That sounds completely unbelievable - which is why it's probably true. ]

What kind of entertainment?

[video]

[forsometimenow]

You've got me- but apparently their audience enjoys watching us go about our everyday lives.

Re: [video]

[axiomed]

From the sound of it, this is not . . . a new concept.

[ The future is a strange place. Stranger than he remembers anyway. ]

[forsometimenow]

Not really- as least not where I come from. But then again, the reality shows I watched had willing participants. Nobody came to this Fleet by choice that I know of.

[axiomed]

And yet here we are.

[ He wonders if they took away their memory of choosing this place. It has happened before. ]

[forsometimenow]

Yeah. I'm not entirely sure that Atroma has 100% control of who comes and who goes, to be honest.

[axiomed]

How could they not?

[ How would that work? ]

[forsometimenow]

Well, the official explanation when people leave here is that they weren't popular enough with the audience. But I've noticed people being sent away after a matter of weeks- definitely not enough time for them to have made much of an impact either way. And on the other side of the coin, some people I would have thought were doing well in the ratings got sent home. There's also the fact that some people have many others from their home worlds show up while others have none. It's a little too random.

[axiomed]

So there is no discernible pattern.

[ That lines up with Kyriakos and the library. There was no rhyme or reason to why people left or were taken, never to return home. Here, he assumes they would be sent back with no memory of this place. ]

[forsometimenow]

That's right. But Atroma's also purposefully vague about a lot of things- they never, say, give us progress updates or anything, let us see how we're doing in the ratings, nor even tell us what make us appealing to the audience. So we're pretty much flying blind.

[beathach]

[a pause, while Hank mutters "space reality show" under his breath like it's the weirdest thing he's ever heard]

That's a new one.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah. I didn't quite want to believe it when I was first told what was going on.

[beathach]

If I wasn't used to - er, stranger things, I'd be less likely to believe you.

[what an understatement] What exactly is a reality show?

[forsometimenow]

I know that feeling.

Well, in short, Atroma records us going about our lives and shows the footage to the audience. We're not sure how that footage is edited or presented, but that's how reality shows work back home, so I have to assume the same applies here.

[beathach]

. . .

Are they recording us right now?

[forsometimenow]

That's correct.

[beathach]

That's really rude. [if he wasn't trying to keep a lid on things, he'd just turn around and flip off the walls, because it would at least make him feel better]

[forsometimenow]

Yeah. I'd say you get used to it, but... it's something you tend to be aware of. Not that they ever show US the recordings, mind.

[beathach]

So I guess there really isn't anything close to privacy here.

[forsometimenow]

Not so much. Of course, when you're on a crowded planet or waystation, I'm not sure the cameras can be trained on you 100% of the time.

[beathach]

Well . . . that's something, I guess.

[forsometimenow]

And sometimes, a little something's what you need. Especially if you end up stuck here for a while.