02 - video

[winn]

Who: Winn
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: the Tourist
When: now!

[ last time he posted anything, he was a nervous wreck and kind of nauseous. the changes the past two months have left in him are impossible to miss; winn is smiling, upbeat, and almost comfortable. the nervous energy that is there has more to do with his addressing a bunch of strangers than the constant fear of death by space-stuff that overshadowed his first feed. ]

Hi, if we don't know each other - I'm Winn Schott. If we do know each other...I'm still Winn Schott - [ shaking his head, why hasn't he learned from the last time? prepare a script! ]

Anyway! I've been here for a couple months now, and it's been interesting - and I mean that in the original sense of the word. Think about it - not only are we in outer space [ there's only a slight wince at that, and even a lot of excitement. space is terrifying - but it's also really cool ] - but we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to reach across the multiverse and learn things that haven't even been dreamed up in our worlds yet. I've been learning - a ton from just casually talking to people, but there is a much better way to do this if we all cooperate, [ open source. it's the way of the future! ] and I know I'm not the only one out there who's interested!

So, I've got a suggestion for anyone who thinks that's really cool - and - pity for anyone who doesn't [ and by pity, he means judgment. he gestures excitedly with his hands as he introduces his brilliant concept ] - 2016: A Space-Time Odyssey - a series of free weekly lectures about anything and everything we've got here. Talks about different worlds, science, history, art lessons, concerts - I know we've got some musicians here - basically anything anyone signs up to talk about, teach, perform, or however you communicate things where you're from. Since we don't have a lecture hall we can broadcast the talks - give ourselves a fun routine....and if that doesn't work for someone, I can post the notes I'm so gonna take of all of these. Who's in? Who wants to go first?

Comments

Re: [ video ]

[axiomed]

I'm not sure these are questions I should be answering on a public network.

[ Even though he's technically outed himself, Charles doesn't want to spread too much information. ]

[ video ]

[winn]

Right -- right -- of course.

[ he's usually the one thinking of that, but he gets excited when superpowers are involved. looking sheepish now. ]

...wanna meet up? [ yes ok having his mind read is still a scary thought but at the same time - learning about superpowers - ]

Re: [ video ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles pauses. That was not what he was expecting. ]

Are you sure?

[ video ]

[winn]

-- pretty sure?

[ he's apprehensive, but he wants to trust. not only in his fellow abductees, but in himself; a part of him wants someone else to have a look and reassure him that there really isn't hidden evil lurking somewhere, tucked away in a corner of his mind. ]

Re: [ video ]

[axiomed]

. . . All right. All right. I can be in the Iskaulit bar in ten minutes, if that's fine with you.

[ video ] -> [ action ]

[winn]

I'll be there.

[ he nods before he convinces himself otherwise. taking risks. kara's right, he's doing more of that in a day here than he did in a lifetime at home.

he walks off his shuttle, a little pale and shaky but that's mostly because space travel still violently disagrees with him. looking around the bar, he spots charles and offers him a smile and a short wave before grabbing the seat in front of him. ]

...hi. [ is he reading his mind? is this happening now? is it controlled? how many pleasantries does he have to get through before he starts with the questions? ] Good to meet you - [ he offers his hand for a shake. it's weird, he spends most of his time online back home, but meeting online friends offline is still a new and kind of weird experience for him. how do you do this thing? ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles doesn't know how to tell Winn that a non-telepath could probably guess what was going through his head. He resists the urge to rub his forehead. Charles always hated this part, this reassuring of the sanctity of their minds, his promise that he's not a terrible person whatsoever.

In the end, he forces a benign smile and shakes Winn's hand warmly. ]

Nice to meet you. I'm Professor Charles Xavier.

[winn]

[ it's not so much that he suspects the guy of being a terrible person - he just doesn't know how his powers work and how much control he may have on them. ]

Still Winn Schott. [ and it's still a ridiculous name, he's been made well aware. ] Thanks for coming, ah - what can I get you? Drink's on me. [ that warm shake and being off the goddamn shuttle helps put him a little more at ease. a drink will make it better still. ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles shakes his head. ]

Ah, not for me. But help yourself.

[ He's trying not to get back into the habit of drinking. Once in a while - with Hank and Erik, yes but nothing beyond that. ]

[winn]

Not even water or a soda or something?

[ yeah, he'll be helping himself, or he won't be able to convince himself to get back on the shuttle. ]

[axiomed]

I'm fine. Please, go ahead.

[ Though it seems the other man struggles with the shuttles. Space travel isn't for everyone, it seems. ]

[winn]

[ it absolutely isn't for winn, but he does try. that has to count for something, right? ]

Right, I'll be right back.

[ he goes to get himself a scotch, and sits back down, taking a sip. ]

Ok, so -- [ why is bringing up the topic he's there to discuss always so damn awkward? ] you wanna just -- ah -- tell me what you're comfortable telling? Cuz I sort of tend to overstep the super-boundaries -

[ he's just so fascinated by superpowers - but who wouldn't be, in his defense? ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles considers his options and then dismisses them. He's not ashamed of his powers and strength. ]

I am a telepath. It is my primary mutation and as such, it allows me a wealth of options to do with the mind. I can control them and manipulate memories and feelings.

I don't read people's minds without permission, which I understand is not much of a guarantee, but it's the only one I can give you.

[winn]

Good enough for me.

[ he's a friend of hank's - who they jokingly refer to as their world's winn - and he's not someone kitty warns against, either. he seems like a good guy, and winn wants to trust that. besides, it's a better guarantee than I can't control it. ]

Does that mean you can tell the extent of your implant's influence?

[axiomed]

Influence might not be the right word for the implant.

[ Charles folds his hands on his lap. ]

From what I can tell, the most the implant does is feed information and activate the subconscious response needed for using the equipment. I haven't noticed any other abnormalities there.

[winn]

Can you get around it?

[ if it that really is "all" it does - it'd be comforting to know that even if they can't rip it out there's something that can be done about it. ]

[axiomed]

I could, but it wouldn't solve anything. It'd be like putting up a tiny dam near a giant flood. Eventually, it'll get through and it's not worth the effort. Most likely, you'd get a bad headache.

[winn]

That depends on what you can accomplish while the dam holds up.

[ it's an ace in the hole, when they figure out a proper plan. ]

[axiomed]

I couldn't say, but I wouldn't recommend it either.

[winn]

Why not?

[ ok, the atroma probably wouldn't take kindly to it but that's obvious, and also why he wants to do it. what he needs to know right now is whether there are other side effects to worry about. ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles stares at him, before briefly rubbing his forehead. ]

Most of this is conjecture. My telepathy is very strong but the Atroma's powers are stronger. I know this because my powers have been limited. And we are dealing with the mind.

It's risky.

[winn]

When you say 'limited' --

[ is it the implant? if so, then it obviously does much more than "just" feed information and activate the subconscious response. which is what he's been slowly starting to suspect as more than just a paranoid theory. ]

[axiomed]

[ Charles eyes him before speaking. ]

Considering how close the ships are to each other . . . reading people's minds from that distance should not be a problem. It could be the implant or it could be something else. From what I can tell, the implant works in a limited capacity. But this technology is new to me.

[winn]

So you can't know for sure it's not messing with us further.

[ and to winn, that's just proof that it is. ]

[axiomed]

I'm saying I'm not ready to give it that much credit. Getting paranoid isn't going to help us find the problem.