driftfleet | (i) video + action

Entry tags:

(i) video + action

Who: Eugene Woods et al.
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Aboard the Starstruck
When: 8/4

[Action]

[Within a few minutes of waking up on the Marsiva, blearily patting around for his communicator, and scrolling through the most recent broadcasts from the fleet at large, Eugene has a pretty good idea of what's going on. For one, he's not on the ship he went to sleep on. Another thing, these are a whole heck of a lot of unfamiliar faces on the network suddenly. And he somehow doubts he got sucked into a different spacefaring reality show.]

[No lie. He does stare at the ceiling for awhile. Mutter some choice words at it, and the shower, and his large tray of food in the cafeteria. But there's no point in getting on a broadcast and yelling about it, when it's obvious he's stuck bobbing around the timeline of this place until they're done with him, so he waits out his time. When he's finally deposited on the bridge of the Starstruck, he's picking his way past pudding cups and confetti before the jingle's even done. He wants to get down to the kitchen and see what he has to work with. When he meets his crewmates over snacks, it's going to be on his terms.

Crepes, maybe. They have to have enough for crepes.]

[Broadcast]

[A few hours and several rounds of paper-thin pancakes later, Eugene figures he might as well pop onto the network. There are still some familiar faces around, after all. And he's pretty sure he might even owe a few of them pasta.]

Well, looks like it's time to introduce myself to the class.

[He's sitting at the galley table, arms folded, still faintly flour-speckled. Chance meetings and some decent, productive work have smoothed his resentment down to a rueful quirk that dogs at the corner of his mouth, sits tired around his eyes.]

I'm Eugene Woods. Formerly of Earth, though a significantly more zombie-infested Earth than most of you are hopefully familiar with. It looks like I'm the new cook here aboard the Starstruck, so if anyone has the inside angle on where I can source produce, seasonings, and meat, I'm all ears.

[Not all credits, unfortunately, but shh. Details.]

As for anyone I've already met-? Heh. [He gives a dry little smirk, sarcasm by way of feigned ego.] Just let me know where they've been holding my fan mail, okay?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[While he's poking around in the kitchen, there's a soft whirring sound coming from above, just around the corner. A moment later a little painted space roomba comes rolling in, floating along the ceiling. It scoots from the doorway to the corner, catching up dust or any cobwebs that crosses its path.

A handful of seconds behind it comes Ochako, who is also on the ceiling, walking and tapping away at her communicator. Like your typical teenager glued to her phone, she doesn't notice him at first.]

[Some time in the fleet has dulled Eugene's usual zombie-honed startle reflex, but his first impulse is always to grab one of his crutches, ready to move or weaponize it as he jerks his head out of the pantry and - stares. For a slow count of ten.

When it becomes clear that she really isn't looking up, as it were, he grins to himself. And because he can't resist, he straightens very carefully, flips one of his crutches, and reaches it up to tap her shoulder.]

[oh man oh man almost to the next level of that Snake game or whatever, just five moreOH GOD WHAT IS THAT

Ochako yelps and flails, kicking off the ceiling and pinwheeling freely in the air, the communicator floating around beside her head. Her wide eyes cast around quickly and zero in on-]

Mr. Eugene!! When did you get here!?

Oh, about fifteen minutes ago.

[He leans against the wall, entirely too pleased with himself.]

I guess I should start learning to cook cute, huh?

[DOUBLE GASP]

You're the cook here now!? Yay! Welcome aboard!

[She wiggles her way over to the ceiling again in order to retrieve the roomba, then kicks off the wall and floats her way towards the floor so she can set it (and herself) down. Time for a hug!!]

[A welcome, sure, Eugene had reasonable cause to expect that. But the hug is so spontaneous and utterly genuine that it startles a little laugh out of him, a telling fumbly moment where he's sort of forgotten how to hug back before he figures out okay, toned-down manly backpat, that works.]

Hey, don't get too excited now. I still have to run down to the planet and try to find a new starter.

A new-

[Her eyes go wide as it clicks - oh yeah!! - and then she grins broadly and just. Points to the counter.

There's a familiar jar, tucked away behind a breadbox. Go look!]

Gods, you're unlucky.

[But like, said with a smile that he's trying hard to make into a smirk of his own. And sort of failing because he's just....glad to see Eugene's face. Sorry you're stuck here buddy but...he missed you...]

Hey, I got a vacation. [Not really - as far as he's concerned no time at all has passed - but what's a little truth to get in the way of friendly bullshitting?] How long have you been stuck here without my charming company?

You might have a point. Is it better to keep being pulled back, or never getting to leave?

[Not about the charming company, though!

No maybe a little about the charming company. Part of that might have been an honest request for information, though, so:]

It's been about...almost a year and half. Minus a couple months.

Oof. Now that's a heck of a nap.

[It might be weird, but knowing it's been that long feels sort of . . . good? It makes the disorientation feel more justified, anyway, which is nice. And he almost can pretend he really did get a vacation from this.]

How have you been?

More or less decent. You missed a few really....exciting stops.

[The way he says "exciting" is really, really dry. Like they were everything except exciting. Lyuku especially has stuck with him a little. La'toli wasn't great either.

...And the implications of Nariba Relia. Man. The Atroma suck.]

[Yeah, the stops can be hit or miss, and Eugene snorts faintly to hear that, apparently, he's been gone for a period that is mostly 'miss'.]

So are we talking crushing boredom-? Or was that a 'wrong kind of exciting' sarcasm I'm hearing there.

I mean, I guess that would depend on your definition of exciting. Definitely not crushing boredom though.

[Funny he should mention zombie infestations. They had one not long ago. Not exactly something she's gonna bring up.

Instead:]

Hey there, stranger.

Hey yourself. Still working at the bar?

Running it now. Something about huge staff turnover. You doing okay?

I think I got all of the cursing out of my system on the Marsiva.

[Which is to say, not great, but holding together. He's pretty sure that's a valid emotional state.]

How about you? How's the managerial life?

There's always room for more cursing. And it keeps me busy! I've been here so long now I'll take it, to be honest. And making money on the side's a great thing.

Has any time passed for you back home or are you just kind of... back again?

Wish I could say it was a relaxing weekend at home with the family, but no such luck. I did get another shot at the mess hall on the Marsiva though, so hey. I got one good thing out of it.

[She winces at the first part. But hey, at least she can be vaguely helpful with the second.]

If it helps, there's a restaurant on the Iskaulit now. The founder only just left the Fleet, but the staff are keeping it going. Food's decent.

[ Look, the z-word catches his attention, even if he'd never use it. It's the first time he's heard anyone he doesn't know sound, plausibly, like they might be from home... Which isn't necessarily a good thing. ]

Where you from?

[Eugene knows that he doesn't read strongly as anything - years in England haven't really touched his network-by-way-of-Canada accent, and a guy in an apron with a variety of arm tattoos is practically a culinary cliche.]

Originally? Canada. But I've been in England since the outbreak.

Edited 2018-08-05 18:51 (UTC)

[ Hey, people move. Even Daryl left Georgia eventually, though he wouldn't think to say he's from Virginia, it's just where he was. For whatever that's worth, now. ]

And you been here before?

For awhile, yeah. How long have you been in the fleet for?

Couple months. Found out some folks I know've been here a while.

Friends of yours, hopefully?

[It's both a joke and deeply, deeply not. For all there are people he misses from home, he can think of other people from his world who the fleet is probably better off without.]

[ He makes an affirmative noise. After all, if they weren't friends, he wouldn't be talking about it, he'd be busy shoving Saviors out an airlock. ]

You glad to be back here?

[ He's curious. Being from a shitty place-- potentially the same shitty place, or at least a place shitty in the same way-- Daryl hasn't entirely figured out how to feel about being kidnapped by aliens who.... have brought his friends back from untimely deaths and make sure everyone's well fed. ]

Edited 2018-08-10 01:37 (UTC)

I mean, kind of? [The fact that the guy even asks the question, when most people treat the Fleet like some sort of torture-level hardship, makes him wonder if he isn't from a situation that's at least similar. But that makes it easier to be honest, too.] It isn't that I don't miss people, but . . . you know, at the end of the day it's pretty safe here. There's always enough food. I'd still go back if you gave me a chance, but I'm not gonna lie, there are some definite upsides to living in a people-zoo.

Don't sound so bad.

[ He hums, a low noise that lets him be agreeable without really agreeing. But anyone would have to admit that makes sense, right? ]

Welcome back then, I guess. I'll buy you a beer sometime.

[ and talk about zombies.... somewhere marginally less public. ]

[Oh, he remembers this one! The Vision speaks warmly into the communicator.]

Welcome back, Eugene. We do have a few home-grown spices aboard my ship and that bacon-flavored kelp, if you recall it. You're welcome to come over any time.

[Of all the fellow captives that could have responded, there's a fairly small handful that can put an earnest grin on Eugene's face. This? Definitely one of them.]

Vision, holy cow. They've still got you stuck here, huh?

In a sense. I was here longer than you were, and then I got sent home for two years. And now it seems I've returned.

--I never did claim to understand the whims of the audience.

Oh come on, you have to be familiar with the power of the reboot. Nostalgia is such a driving force in storytelling.

Ah, yes. The oversaturation of the market with live-action adaptations of animated classics and remakes of properties from the twentieth century is going full force in my timeline.

[EUGENE THERE ARE NEW STAR WARS. NEW STAR WARS.]

Shall we have a reunion episode?

[Oh, this he has to hear about. Between his own universe and this place, he hasn't seen any glossy guilty pleasure flicks in years.]

Do you want to meet planetside? Somewhere cinematically pleasing?

We're rather in danger of moving away from them soon, but if you'd like a taste before we depart, I don't see why not. Do you feel up to piloting one of the shuttles?

This may be a little intrusive, but have you been here before?

[ He seems comfortable (?) speaking to everyone, despite seemingly being a new arrival. It's different than what Alisha has seen, so she can't help but wonder.

... What did he mean by zombie infested? ]

Yep. Been here, done this, got - in this case - the deeply unflattering jumpsuit.

I'm uncertain whether or not to welcome you back, so-- at the least, it's nice to meet you.

I've had an overabundance of garlic. [ Seriously, she only planted three bulbs and this is nonsense. A girl can only dry out so much. ] And my ginger has taken off really well, too. If you want, I can give you a little to make due with cooking right now, and I can bring up some pots and dirt so you can plant your own.

[Fresh garlic and ginger? Yes please, sign him up.]

Oh, wow. Just the plants would be great, thanks. I don't have a lot to trade right now, besides a bread starter.

Sure, I'll take that, if you've got it to spare. [ A little bit of a shrug. She wasn't doing it for the trade, but she wasn't about to turn it down either. ] Why don't you meet me in the gardens on the Iskaulit?

Sure thing. Let me scare up a container and I'll be right over.

[Which he is in short order, once he's had a chance to divide it a little of the starter and feed it. It's not hard to hurry over, with the promise of both ginger and garlic at his disposal.]

[ Well, Eugene is in luck since... Katara is there minding her garden. The basil is not doing well. D8 It probably needed a different soil composition, or more fake sunlight, but... she'll try again with new seeds.

She glances up a him. He looks - vaguely familiar? But it doesn't really matter. ]

Eugene, right?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(i) video + action

action; starstruck

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

voice;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject