attempt 001

[unconfines]

Who: Anders
Broadcast: FLEETWIDE VIDEO HIT IT
Action: SS Golden
When: 2/14, not long after shuffling WE ARE BACKDATING THIS MY FRIENDS

[He surprises himself when the feed clicks on easily enough. It's unsettling, but at least it's simple. He can bury the unsettling parts.

Those of you who are familiar—or who have had enough introductions to become familiar—might recognize the striped grey and blue of a Grey Warden uniform, with its high, studded collar, and the curled griffon on the shoulder.

Anders is, for his part, smiling broadly.]

So! Now that I've gotten through the "manhandled into a tin can" bit, closely followed by the "manhandled into a slightly smaller tin can" bit, I thought I'd take some time to say hello. Is everyone comfortable? Because I am not, thanks for asking. [beat] Does it ever bother you how terribly one-sided this is?

[Let him talk and he'll talk. Congratulations on being the captive audience.

Right, back on track.]

Now, I don't usually mind a bit of manhandling, of course, but even I have some standards. It was all terribly anticlimactic. Hardly a kidnapping at all, really.

Anyhow. [with a bit more grandeur:] I believe introductions are in order, don't you? I'm going to eat this [he lifts the little dessert cream in a toast] so you go first.

[Ready: go.]

Comments

[unconfines]

You should have paid closer attention, if that's what you think.

[It's not a small thing, for him to call someone "Commander" and mean it. But he's not really one for touching emotional connections, not if he can help it.]

Personally, I just don't have faith that things won't get dreadfully boring without you there to liven things up. All the murder, the political intrigue... Now it's just darkspawn and the Deep Roads, day in and day out.

[His life is really difficult.]

[howcanihelp]

[ she laughs and shakes her head ]

If I could give you all the murder and political intrigue, you would be welcome to it, I could do with never having to deal with any of that ever again. Ever.

[ she lets out a long breath ]

Honestly, though, I am glad you're here. There are some people here who-- well, remind me to smack you a bit for being an idiot, but it's good to see you in one piece and... you.

[unconfines]

Me? [He spreads his hands, smiling broadly. Keep the faith.] Commander, you know I can't be anything else. With all the idiot bits included, unfortunately.

[howcanihelp]

[ You giant dork. ]

Fortunately, I love you despite all that, my friend.

[ she kind of half reaches out like she's going to press her hand against the screen, then thinks the better of it. ]

Have you spoken to any of the others from Thedas yet? I know at least one of them is... not exactly fond of you.

[unconfines]

Do you mean the very angry elf who looked like he was about to try to strangle me through the glass?

[He sounds a bit strained, now.]

Yes, we met.

[howcanihelp]

Ah, so you have met Fenris. Well, at least it's done.

[ sigh ]

Anders, we need to meet up, on one of the moons, maybe, but-- We need to actually speak, not over these screens. Soon, please?

[ She says please as if she's asking, and doesn't really notice how she slips into her "Warden-Commander giving orders" tone. They're going too meet up to talk, and soon. ]

[unconfines]

Yes, Commander.

[He might not notice how he picks up on it, either. It's a preface to something messy, in any case, and he can't help the way he sounds a bit uncertain. He'd been hoping she'd reassure him that Fenris was unhinged, deranged, nothing to worry about.

He doesn't really know what to think, right now.]

Tell me when, and I'll be there. [beat] Eventually. [beat] Assuming I can figure out the how of getting there.

[howcanihelp]

[ The thing is, she can't entirely dismiss what Fenris said, because it was the sort of thing she was afraid of the first time he ever brought up his plan to help Justice. And years from now, it's so easy to imagine how it could go wrong.

For now, though, she smiles at him, as reassuringly as she can. ]

I'm not going to cane your or anything, I just want to talk about some things. That's all, honest.

You should be able to just ask one of your crewmates for a help, you know. Although, if you'd rather, you can just find a way to get over to the Bishop - that's the ship I'm on - there's a room we can use for some privacy.

[ Well, it belongs to one of her crewmates, but it's not really being used for anything just now that she can tell. ]

[unconfines]

I think I like the moon idea better.

[Private room makes it sound very serious, and not even in the fun way. The ships are already tiny and suffocating enough as it is; if he can pick something more open, he will.

There's a small pause.]

I didn't think that was a sentence that would ever come out of my mouth.

[howcanihelp]

[ That prompts a giggle, at least, and she's back to young Warden instead of Warden-Commander in an instant ]

I know the feeling.

Maker, it's not my favorite of situations, but you can't deny that it is beautiful out there. Have you taken time to just stare out the windows? We're floating among the stars!

[unconfines]

It is nice, isn't it?

[There's a bit of a drawl in his voice that makes it sound like he doesn't think it's nice at all.]

So long as you don't think too long about the deep, dark, unending void around them.

[That's not really what's bothering him about it, though—it's more the idea of being locked up with nowhere to go, subjected to the whims of whatever powers-that-be are steering them along.

It isn't the Circle, but it's close enough to remind him.]

[howcanihelp]

Oh, hush. You always have to point out how things are terrible, it be good for you.



Anyway, I'll catch a shuttle to... I don't know. Whichever moon it is that likes pretty clothes - I think you'd fit in well there. Or maybe the one with alcohol...

And then we can talk.

[unconfines]

[He does have to point out how things are terrible. It's how he makes himself feel better about the various disastrous situations he manages to find himself in.]

Alcohol, I like the sound of that. [He'll need a lot of it, after today.] Wouldn't hurt to get a change of clothes while we're at it, either.

[beat]

Not that I don't have the utmost respect for the uniform. Just that if we aren't going to be doing any wardening about here, I'd like to get something a little bit less... blue.

[That is probably not the original word he had in mind.]

[howcanihelp]

[ Probably not, it definitely wouldn't be Stephanie's first complaint about them. ]

That would probably be a good plan, if we can manage it. I'm not overly fond of the provided jumpsuits, either, they're very...

[ What's a word that isn't inappropriate? ]

Drab.

[unconfines]

Ugh. I believe that. Just the word "jumpsuit" is a nightmare. All right, new goal. Can we get both alcohol and better clothes, please? I'd like that very much.

[And maybe he can distract them both long enough from the serious parts.]

[howcanihelp]

Deal.