First Gate

[forsometimenow]

Who: Jennifer Keller
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Now

[The woman on the broadcast is smiling contentedly and seems reluctant to wake up. She murmurs happily and turns over on her bunk, obviously in the midst of a pleasant dream, or relishing a happy memory.

Then her eyes snap open, and she slowly turns... takes in her surroundings... and a few realizations hit. 1. This isn't Atlantis. 2. This also isn't San Francisco. 3. Nobody else is here- Rodney, John, Teyla, Ronon, Carson... not even Mr. Woolsey or Amelia.]

... oh. Oh, crap. Don't tell me the wormhole drive did this... [That's more to herself than anyone else, because she doesn't yet realize she's being watched. Heedless, she scrambles to stand upright, touching an earpiece on her right ear to activate a radio, and a brief burst of static can be heard.]

Dr. McKay, this is Dr. Keller. Please come in. [Tap. Tap.] Rodney? Are you there? [Tap. Nothing. Okay, try not to panic.] Colonel Sheppard, this is Dr. Keller, come in. Mr. Woolsey? Teyla? If anyone on Atlantis can hear me, please respond... [Nothing again. She looks down at herself, finally finding the little communicator clipped to her jacket pocket. OK, that definitely wasn't there before. She lifts it up to her face, examining it curiously, poking at the screen.] OK, can anybody hear me at all?

Comments

Video

[alwayscomeback]

Hear you loud and clear. But this isn't an Atlantis.

That's a lot of names, but I don't recognise any of them, sorry.

Video

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer smiles back at the young man, but she then frowns.]

... I see. Thank you. ... So, uhm, I'll ask the obvious question- where am I?

[alwayscomeback]

You're on board the Marsiva. In general, though? You're part of the Drift Fleet, now. Yay for you.

[forsometimenow]

At least it's comfortable enough here. You don't sound too enthused about my prospects, though.

[alwayscomeback]

It's not exactly a terrible place, but most of us want to get home. Plus being here for the entertainment for others is kinda a bummer.

Action

[dancingmd]

[Enter one middle-aged redhead, with a comforting smile and calming voice.]

Hello, Dr. Keller is it? I am Dr. Beverly Crusher.

Try not to be too alarmed, but we've been captured. And brought to another universe. Unfortunately, you won't be able to reach your people. Trust me, I tried.

Action

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer is looking frustrated by this point, but she takes a deep breath as she listens to the woman, letting it out as a sigh.]

... I've started to get that impression, yeah. But how could this have happened? I was on Earth before I woke up here.

Action

[dancingmd]

I am not entirely sure. I have only been here a few hours myself, picking up details here and there from different people. What I have gathered so far is that we have all been brought from our own universes by some... Being, called Atroma, for their entertainment on a television show. Supposedly there is no way to leave.

Oh, and there is this:

[She turns around and lifts her hair so Jennifer can see the implanted augment.]

Action

[forsometimenow]

A television show. I'm afraid that if that's the case, they're probably not going to find me very entertaining. [Jennifer's voice is flat with disbelief at that... until she notices the augment.] ... What is that?

Re: Action

[dancingmd]

I'm told it's called an augment and it apparently alters our minds in some way, but I haven't noticed any significant changes in myself yet.

[She considers something for a moment.]

Although, now that I think about it, I have been able to work the basic technology on this ship remarkably well. I dismissed it as part of my Starfleet training, but now...

[She frowns.]

Video

[principality]

Oh, hello, dear. It would seem you've been brought here to be observed, like the rest of us. You have my condolences.

Video

[forsometimenow]

Observed?! By whom?

Video

[principality]

Do you ever watch TV? A bit like that, I'm told. I'm, er, sorry to be the one to inform you of that.

[And, softer, and a little sulky.]

...it's not even educational programming.

Video

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer stares blankly for a moment in return.]

So. I've been drafted to be on a reality show, is what you're saying.

Video

[principality]

That would be the gist of it, dear.

[He looks genuinely apologetic, though.]

There is plenty to do...not enough books but...we make do.

Video

[save_the_souls]

[Allen pauses at this. One doctor arriving within the last couple weeks was a relief. Two doctors arriving within a couple weeks was lucky. But three? Well, in Allen's wary mind- that's a starting sign of an omen.]

[Great]

Ah...sorry, I haven't heard of any of those names here. Or the Atlantis.

Video

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer tries to smile back at the young man, but it's a bit defeated.]

Thank you anyway. Atlantis is a city- it's where I lived before I was... brought here.

Video

[save_the_souls]

You mean....like the legendary city that fell into the sea?

[But you don't look like a mermaid???]

Video

[forsometimenow]

That's right. Humans managed to raise it from the ocean. ... I normally wouldn't speak so candidly about it, because that's not exactly public knowledge, but... well, the cat's out of the bag now. I doubt the government's going to come after me for violating my non-disclosure agreement here...

Video

[save_the_souls]

[...]

Hold on. The government paid to have Atlantis raise it from the ocean to use as a secret city?

[WOW WHAT A WASTE OF TAX DOLLARS. THE CHEAPASS IN HIM IS CRINGING]

Wouldn't it have been cheaper and easier to make a new secret city if they had to have one?

video

[aberrant_type]

None of those names sound familiar to me, and you aren't here because of any wormhole drive! I've never heard of a thing like that.

[In spite of how alarmed Jennifer sounds, Hange sounds... chipper. And looks chipper, with a big smile spread across her face. Well, she's trying for reassuring, but not doing that great a job.]

Welcome to the fleet! As for who to blame, you can look towards Atroma.

video

[forsometimenow]

It's something my boyfriend came up with... he's an astrophysicist and I'm not, so I couldn't even begin to explain how it works.

[Chipper indeed- Jennifer's not sure how anybody can be that cheerful, given the circumstances.]

Atroma. I've never heard of that name... who or what is Atroma?

Re: video

[aberrant_type]

What a shame. [It would be nice if this person could've shed some light on the whole thing... alas.]

Anyhow, Atroma is the mysterious organization, person, or whatever you like that's brought us all here to perform in this bizarre form of entertainment apparently for many people all around the universe! Soon enough, you'll be sorted onto a smaller ship with a crew of others that you'll have to live with. Apparently going about your business aside from that is enough for our overlords to keep you on.

video

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... we'd just used it for the first time, so my first thought when I woke up here was some sort of malfunction.

[She listens for a bit, digesting this.]

Wonderful- I'd already heard about the entertainment bit. I guess they're kind enough to provide me with housing, at least, but I doubt the people watching us are going to find me very entertaining.

Re: video

[aberrant_type]

Oh, don't sell yourself short! You might surprise yourself. And it seems like the more fun you are, the more money you get, which makes things easier, so it behooves you try try your best anyhow.