Twelfth Gate [Video]

[forsometimenow]

Who: Jennifer Keller and you
Broadcast: Flootwide
Action: Wonderduck, if despired
When: NOW

[When Jennifer opens the feed, a very canine whine can be heard in the background, and Jennifer reaches back to soothe Naga and offer her a squeaky Flootemon toy that looks suspiciously like Beartic before speaking.]

So, uhm, does anyone know how to take care of a polar bear dog? Korra's in cryosleep, and I think Naga's feeling upset and restless without her. I've never had so much as a normal puppy before, so I don't know the first thing about dog care, much less... polar bear dog care. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Comments

[forsometimenow]

Stranger things have happened.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda's head ticks slightly to the side and a friendly grin appears on her face. Jennifer had a point.]

If there is one thing you can predict about this place, it is that it is always unpredictable.

[forsometimenow]

Mmhmm- and there are times Atroma has tried to be nice to us. ... in their own strange, backwards-thinking way.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[And that was something Wanda was never able to fully understand.]

I do not know why they persist in appearing as though they wish to help us. Perhaps their hope is that it will be enough to make us complacent and never wish to leave?

[Though, now that they had brought Pietro here, perhaps that is exactly what they are doing...]

[forsometimenow]

I think that's it, yeah- and it'll give us less incentive to start an open rebellion. Given that they seemingly could stop us cold whenever they wanted to, I don't know WHY they'd be afraid of that, but I guess it's like the old saying goes, you attract more flies with a spoonful of honey than a barrel of vinegar. They hope that by being sweet and accomodating, we'd be less likely to buck against their rule.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda is silent for a moment as she thinks on this.]

It still does not explain why they decide to dismiss some... There have been some that leave as quickly as they appear. I do not understand it.

[forsometimenow]

My theory has been that they don't always have control over who comes and goes- they just figured out how to exploit those of us who DO stay.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

They don't always have control...

[Wanda had not even considered that possibility. But it would certainly explain why it seemed the comings and goings of certain fleet members was so erratic. However, that raised a potentially more troubling question:]

Then what does that mean for us? That their might even be someone beyond the Atroma pulling the strings?

[forsometimenow]

I wouldn't discount that- or else it's some sort of random anomaly that Atroma just takes advantage of. Nobody aside from them makes it happen, it just sort of... happens. Dimensional rifts open and close, and whoever's unlucky enough comes and goes from here, alongside whomever Atroma deliberately selects.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda's not sure which of those options she likes the least. She sighs, still looking troubled.]

This place... there is still so much to it that we don't know or understand. We just take it on blind faith each day that whomever is in charge has our "best interests at heart" while we are here.

[She shakes her head, sounding more and more frustrated.]

It seems like we've made no progress in answering any of the questions we hear asked with each new arrival.

[forsometimenow]

And for the most part, they do seem to ensure our safety and comfort, at least... but none of us ever forget that we are prisoners here, despite their attempts to assure us otherwise.

[Jennifer then sighed.]

I know. And each theory we come up with has holes in it. But I feel like this is a start, at least. And if they don't have much control over who comes and goes, it'd help explain why they don't just get volunteers to be on their show. Surely they'd have a waitlist?

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[That gets a bit of a snort from Wanda.]

A waitlist? You think there are actually people out there that would want to be on this show?

[She sighs again.]

Again, assuming this is in fact a show.

[The thing that probably bothered her the most was that, no matter what system they visited, no one ever seemed to know of or even heard of a show called "The Drift Fleet."]

[forsometimenow]

If they got enough of a reward, sure, I'd completely believe people would volunteer for this. Heck, some might be crazy enough to do it for free. The people on Survivor put themselves through some pretty difficult stuff just for the chance at a prize. A space reality show would definitely be appealing enough, especially because space travel is pretty uncommon.

But there's that, yes. They tell us there's an audience, but fanmail and such is easy to fabricate.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Well, she has a point.]

When you put it that way, I suppose there could be some people out there interested in being on this show.

[Wanda shakes her head.]

Given the level of technology we've seen, a lot of this could probably be fabricated.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, they've shown us no physical evidence of an audience so far. No actual letters, no pictures, or anything. One would think they'd make a mint off selling autographs and fan encounters and stuff, give our adoring audience a chance to meet us in person, but nothing.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

That is assuming their motivation is money. Which would be appropriate for actual producers of a TV show...

Just another reason to suspect that none of this is really as they say it is.

[forsometimenow]

Mmhmm, exactly. But they also have to be getting money from somewhere, 'cause this is a lot of people for them to feed, clothe and house.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda shakes her head. Not because she disagrees, but more that deliberating about the Atroma like this always seemed to end up going around in circles and giving her a headache. It's no fault of Jennifer's. It's simply the nature of their circumstance. She lets out a frustrated sigh.]

I need to do something else to take my mind off of them now.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... I get you. No use in giving ourselves headaches trying to figure out all the layers in play.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

I would not say that, but... perhaps it takes more heads than just our's.

[She grins appreciatively at her friend.]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer smiled back and nodded.]

I'm keeping notes- we should compare them with others' some time. It helps to get different perspectives, too.

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda considers that for a moment.]

Talking about these things here... maybe it's not such a good idea.

[She doesn't fully explain why, hoping Jennifer will be able to fill in the blank of, "The Atroma are very likely listening, watching, or otherwise monitoring them closely on the ships."]

[forsometimenow]

Mmhmm. So we'll do it some other time.

[She nods firmly.]

[notmutantbutmiracle]

[Wanda returns the nod. Glad to see that Jennifer seemingly understands. A sly, knowing grin accompanies her gesture.]

Some other time.