video, 01

[unbridles]

Who: John Laurens
Broadcast: Fleetwide video
Action: Aboard the Marsiva
When: Right the heck now.

[He wasn't expecting a bed. More to the point, he wasn't expecting to wake up at all; did someone wake up when they were dead? He's not sure. Well. At least he doesn't hurt after dying, though John can't remember it hurting much before, either. He sits up anyway, still clad in his continental uniform, now with a mysterious lack of bulletholes. In doing so, he jars the communicator nearby, and it falls to the floor with a clatter.]

Shit, what -- [Oh. Okay. There's a thing on the floor, he's surrounded by mysterious silvery walls, and he's trying not to panic. This is great. Maybe the thing will have some answers. So he picks up the comm and pokes at it, tentatively. That manages to activate the video, and behold, there's one seriously perplexed lieutenant colonel onscreen.]

--Um. Can anyone maybe tell me what the hell is goin' on? Is anyone there?

Comments

[unbridles]

Right, so I'm guessin' he had a command of some kind, if that's the case? So did I, an' I know our army is big, but it ain't that big. ...Especially not now.

[He'll keep poking til he gets an answer, probably.]

Yeah? 'M sorry to hear that.

[english_dignity]

Not a formal one. We... don't. I've been a ship captain a few times, but otherwise we leave ranks to others and just go where we're needed.

[Well isn't really keeping it a secret anymore. Just didn't broadcasting it everywhere.]

[unbridles]

...Okay, but what's this 'we' you're talkin' about? I ain't followin'.

[english_dignity]

[Coughs.]

Right, sorry. Perhaps I should clarify that Alfred and myself are not quite what most would call human.

[unbridles]

...Uh-huh. You sure look human. [The skepticism, it burns.]

[english_dignity]

Naturally. But humans don't generally live more than a thousand years.

[Sighs, is used to this.]

[unbridles]

....What the fuck?

[english_dignity]

As I said, not human. But we look like our people.

Alfred's a good bit younger. Especially when you're from.

[unbridles]

Okay, well what do ya mean by 'our people'? [This is getting a little too weird for him, but hey. He's in space. Today is already weird.]

[english_dignity]

Well, in my case the English. To a lesser extend those of the rest of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. They're more my brothers' though. In Alfred's case, you and the rest of your countrymen.