001;

[privateeyed]

Who: Ben and you folks
Broadcast: Yes
Action: SS Huntress
When: now

action; SS Huntress

[Ben doesn't take teleportation well. In fact, if the confetti and the music didn't tip the ship off, the loud cursing probably does - there you go, Huntress, your security officer is here]

What the fuck—give a guy some fuckin' warning next time, geez! God damn teleporting bullshit.

[once he's calmed down, though - and picked up some of the pudding because far be it from him to turn down free food - he's wandering the ship, peeking his head into rooms to see what's what]


broadcast;

[once he's somewhat settled in and found a place to sit and digest everything going on, Ben decides to set up a broadcast to get some Shit Done]

Anyone here good with cybernetics? Or - I don't know, computers? Advanced stuff, can give you the specfics if you're interested. Don't need you right now, I'm just covering my ass just in case.

[he pauses, and maybe realizes he should . . . introduce himself. Like a normal person would. You know, instead of just getting down to business]

Uh - anyway, name's Ben; if you don't know shit about cybernetics . . . I don't know, come tell me about the weird crap going on here. Or stuff I should know. I like being informed.

Comments

[privateeyed]

[Ben isn't used to people being happy about seeing him - but then agian, he doesn't keep a lot of friends. Stuffing down the usual response he'd give, Ben steps in the door, hands shoved in his pockets]

Brand new, yeah. Freshly teleported, if that's a thing.

[monolike]

It is here! [Sorey wipes his hands off, jogging to meet Ben halfway and holding out a hand for him to shake.] My name's Sorey, I'm the engineer here and the First Mate, too. You doing okay? I know getting bounced around can be kind of a shock sometimes.

[privateeyed]

[Ben takes the offered hand to shake, his own grip careful] Ben, nice to meet you. It startled the hell out of me at first but I'm good now. They really gotta warn people about that first.

[...] No offense, but aren't you a little young to be a First Mate?

[monolike]

Haha, none taken! [This kid legit looks like he's never taken offense in his life] I'm...nineteen now? I think? People don't really physically age here...but age doesn't really matter when Atroma decides who's going to be an officer anyhow. They named my partner Captain so I figured hey, he needs some help! So here I am.

[privateeyed]

Can't say I'm surprised. Aliens that kidnap folks from all over the place wouldn't care about that, would they. [it doesn't bother him at least, he's just curious] So it's something you sign up for too? That was nice of you.

[monolike]

[Shrugs a shoulder with a sheepish grin.] It's not really that impressive. Just means I gotta fill out some paperwork sometimes.

But hey, I didn't catch your name! D'you know what augment you got, too?

[privateeyed]

Even so. Paperwork can be a pain in the ass. [he knows. Oh how he knows]

My name's Ben - Ben Douglass, if you want the full thing. [even if he's damn sure the roster or whatever has his full first name. He'll have to find out how to change that, ugh] I'm - security, I think.

Speaking of - they normally put mods in your head without permission?

[monolike]

Yeah, yeah, [and Sorey reaches up to pull his hair and earring back to show Ben the bump behind his own ear.] It's not great, but...don't try to take that out. Apparently it really really hurts, and then it kills you.

[privateeyed]

OH, is that all. [he says it a little deadpan, but his hand goes up to briefly mirror Sorey's gesture for a moment] I guess I'll leave it alone - as long as it doesn't mess with my other shit.

[monolike]

Other stuff? [Drops his hair, giving Ben a curious look.] Do you have things like this in your body already?

[privateeyed]

Yeah, sort of. I mean, I can take them out without punishment of death if I have to. [geez, and here he was going to take out the one they gave him and poke at it. Well shit] Technically only one of 'em is "in my body", though.

[monolike]

Hmm. [Kirito was like that too, sort of; had no problem messing with the augment Atroma gave him because of it.] Well...this thing can be really helpful, but it can also glitch and make weird things happen. Everybody's experienced it somehow, so if you're having troubles with it don't be afraid to ask for help.

[privateeyed]

["ask for help", oh Sorey, he's allergic to doing things like that. He makes a face at the glitching part, though]

That's great. [no it's not] What kind of glitching?

[monolike]

Memory loss...causing people to behave in weird ways. It can even turn people into kids, all kinds of weird stuff. [Yeah, it's not fun. Sorey picks up his rag again to pull it through his hands.] It's not permanent and it's almost never harmful, but it's a pretty stark reminder that we are prisoners.

[privateeyed]

That's a glitch? [okay no now he's concerned] What the fuck - that sounds more like - like magic voodoo bullshit than a glitch.

[monolike]

[Shrugs again, a little helplessly this time.] It doesn't make sense to me either, but I'm an archaeologist, not a scientist. There are other people way smarter than me who might be able to explain it.

[privateeyed]

Jesus christ. [he rubs at his face with a small groan] Guess I gotta hunt one of those down, then. I thought you meant glitching like - malfunctioning. You know, normal shit.

[monolike]

Normal's pretty relative here, [Sorey laughs, tossing Ben a sympathetic look as he picks up a hose clamp to start cleaning it again.] Before I showed up, I didn't even know space was a place you could go.

[privateeyed]

Wait - seriously? Where are you from that space isn't a thing? [...] I mean, traveling through space all that far still isn't a thing where I'm from, but there's shit on the moon and all.

[monolike]

Eh heh...I dunno how to explain it! Maybe because there's still so much to learn about our own world, we haven't tried to go beyond it yet... But that's what I mean. [Offers Ben a smile, tilting his head a little.] Maybe that's why a lot of people here are pretty friendly, and ready to help. All sorts of people show up with all sorts of experiences. We kind of have to find ways to relate to each other.

[privateeyed]

That - makes enough sense, I think. Guess it's a dumb question when you can't just say "Oh I'm from x" and it'll make sense.

[he just - just! - resists making a face] I . . . guess that's good? [no it sounds horrible] Uh - friendly folk being around all. Makes it easier, probably.

[monolike]

It really does! [BLASTS FRIENDSHIP RAYS DIRECTLY INTO YOUR CRANIUM] So please, don't hesitate to ask if you ever need anything. Helping out gives me stuff to do, so it'd be more like you doing me a favor!

[privateeyed]

[NO THEY BURN STOP THAT] Right. I'll - keep that in mind. Thanks for the offer.

[oh my god what fresh hell has he been kidnapped to? Friendly people, gross]

Though - what else can you tell me about all this? Aside from - friendly folks and glitches.

[monolike]

...I kind of don't want to tell you some stuff in case you get upset again. [Like he's not afraid of Ben, but the dude seems a little fragile...]

[privateeyed]

I promise I won't get upset. [oh my god Sorey]