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

[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.

[forsometimenow]

... yeah. Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that part. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do much to entertain people.

[alwayscomeback]

Luckily, you don't have to do a whole lot. Most stuff just...happens to us, or around us and they seem to enjoy that?

[forsometimenow]

So the audience enjoys the mundane? Of course, that's assuming things are ever mundane here. I'm getting the impression they aren't.

[alwayscomeback]

That really depends on your definition on mundane.

[forsometimenow]

That's a good point. For me, mundane is when people have ordinary colds and broken bones for me to take care of instead of, say, an infectious disease outbreak spreading through the city.

[alwayscomeback]

And for me, it's having a day where we only get attacked like...once in a day.

[forsometimenow]

Sounds like you've had an exciting life, too.

[alwayscomeback]

Thhaaaaat is a massive understatement.

[forsometimenow]

Isn't it always? So I'm sure I won't be able to have much more peace here, is that right? I can't imagine mundanity will keep people entertained for very long.

[alwayscomeback]

I don't know, we get a fair amount of ratings on the Blue Fish and we're pretty much drama free.

[forsometimenow]

That does make me feel better. I'm not too confident in my ability to pull in ratings otherwise, like I said...

[alwayscomeback]

So long as you're here and doing...just about anything, they seem to like it. Our watchers must be very bored.

[forsometimenow]

Seriously. If they get entertainment from watching us go about our daily lives, I don't even want to imagine how mundane their lives outside of that might be.

Thanks for the info.

[alwayscomeback]

You're welcome! Got to help each other out here, right?

[forsometimenow]

I'm grateful nonetheless. It's... confusing and disorienting, to say the least.

[alwayscomeback]

I promise it gets easier.

[forsometimenow]

Things always do with time. So- how long can I expect to stay here? Or is that another fun guessing game we can play?

[alwayscomeback]

It's the most fun guessing game ever.

[forsometimenow]

Wonderful. So I'll sit back and enjoy the ride in the meantime, hmm? At least they were kind enough to provide accomodations...

[alwayscomeback]

Yeah, and honestly? The ships aren't so bad. And they can be improved.

[forsometimenow]

That's good to hear- it's a little comforting to know there's a goal to work toward. I wouldn't do well if I was left to my own devices.

[alwayscomeback]

Exactly! I need a project, too. Keeps the mind busy.

[forsometimenow]

Yes. And a mind is a terrible thing to waste- as are any other skills. I'm a medical doctor, so I can assume I'll still have patients here, I hope. I'd be worried if I could even do that much.

[alwayscomeback]

Yep, we really need medical doctors, actually. The last one was a reindeer.

...Seriously.