driftfleet | 002; Some sightseeing and such

Entry tags:

002; Some sightseeing and such

Who: Aaron + You!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Iskaulit/Planetside (Bloodsport common room for that broadcast if you wanna)
When: Throughout December (until they leave)

Audio; Broadcast Fleetwide

[Aaron is making his transmission from the common room on the Bloodsport, so if you're around, feel free to stumble upon him.]

Good morning, everyone. At...least I think it's morning. Anyway, I've been all over this ship, a few others, and the Iskaulit and I've found a photography studio, more than one restaurant, a library, two bars, several different times of relaxation and reflection spaces just to name a few, but no place that seems set up to get any firearms practice in. I think it might be important, seeing as a lot of our ship provide crew members with sidearms. Does...anyone know how we go about getting something like that established? Do we just...pick a space and take it?

Iskaulit - Library | OTA

[In his quest to find a place to train with the weapon provided him on the Bloodsport, Aaron finds himself thumbing through the library. If being stuck in outer space has taught him anything, it's that they aren't really pressed for time. Dorian's comments on the selection of the library have him intrigued at any rate, so he takes his times perusing the shelves.

Dorian was right, he thought as he did so. There was a lot of Earth literature here. Some of it was crap (was that really a copy of the 5 Love Languages?) but he stopped at a collection of classic literature and pulled a weathered book from the shelf. Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray brought a lot of memories back, and thoughts of someone he was starting to fear he'd never see again. He couldn't just take it, of course, though he wanted to. Libraries did require their books to be returned eventually, after all.]

...where do they get these books...?

[If he had that answer, maybe he could find his own copy.]

Planetside - In Town | shopping | ota

[It's difficult to visit this winter planet and not realize it's some sort of holiday season. With all the feasts, parades, and gifts, Aaron is first reminded of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons back on Earth, before the world ended, and that's just fine with him. What he was most interested in, of course, were the shops. Since the world ended, the only way to have new things was to scavenge them. The idea of using what credits he'd been provided to buy things was novel at the very least. His first priority was picking up a new pack, and with it strapped to his back, he's simply wandering the shopping district, looking at windows and waiting for a shop to catch his eye.

And then it does. The camera shop across the way is his destination as he makes his way across the icy road.]

I wonder what kinds of cameras aliens use, even.

[It's murmured out loud, yes, but he's not going to mind if someone wants to join him.]

Planetside - In Town | sightseeing | ota

[Equipped with a new camera and enough digital storage to film the rest of the planet, Aaron, newly excited to explore and document all the unique sights of this place, goes around town, snapping pictures of unique storefronts, trees with particularly intriguing ice formations, and just generally...looking like a tourist. He keeps eyeing that castle in the distance, too. If anyone stops long enough to look over to him, he smiles amicably.]

You want to check out the castle?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He chuckles, though the smile that accompanies it is a little sad.]

Have you never read it?

No, I mean I know the general story behind it but I have not actually read it myself. Is it a favourite of yours?

[He shakes his head.] Not...mine, no. My partner's. Since we moved in together, this...is the longest we've been apart.

And the book is a nice way to feel closer to her. [He looks said book out for you to take.]

Have you been on the fleet long?

[He chuckles slightly but takes the book, smiling.] Him. His name's Eric.

[And he shakes his head.] And I've been here a little over a month.

Oh. right. sorry that was presumptuous of me. um. congratulations? [wow. awkward.]

We've been here about the same amount of time then. Still getting to know the ships and such.

[He smiles and shakes his head. He can't say he's ever really understood why people get so awkward.]

Thanks. We've been together almost 10 years, but it's appreciated.

[You know what? A subject change sounds great.]

So. Did you ever think you'd be an astronaut?

[Tim doesn't protest the subject change and just laughs at the question]

It honestly never even entered my mind as a possibility. My parents had an expectation on what I would become and I had dreams elsewhere. Turns out I've done both?

What about yourself? Was travelling the stars in your future?

Done both what? Your parents' expectations and becoming an astronaut?

[See? Nothing needs to be awkward, Tim. Promise.]

Uh...no. No. I was working with a NGO before...the world ended? That sounds so dramatic but I don't really know how else to describe it.

My parent's expectations and my own dreams. [He'll tap at the circular symbol on his chest to show that what he is now was his own ambitions fulfilled]

Sometimes even if it sounds dramatic they're still the right words. How did your world end? and who are the NGO?

[He chuckles. This time it's his turn to be slightly awkward.] So...you're a...full-time superhero?

[He shakes his head.] Non-Governmental Organization. Have you heard of UNICEF?

Part-time superhero, part-time CEO. Everyone got what they wanted. [Not really, it's his adoptive father's company he took over because his parents were both murdered but there's no hint of that on his face]

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund?

If...you're a superhero, what's your power?

[He's not sure how true that is of course.

But he does nod.]

Yes. Among many humanitarian efforts, they facilitated the distribution of clean drinking water to parts of the Niger River Delta. I was a mediator and negotiator representing UNICEF to the local governments. They...changed frequently, usually violently.

No power, just gadgets and a lot of training.

So you yourself are something of a hero as well. It's an admirable career choice is what I mean.

[Hey, Aaron actually really likes tinkering with stuff.] What kind of gadgets?

[He pauses, shrugging.] I never really thought of it that way. I went to college, got a degree in PoliSci, then I went to Washington to try to make a difference. Lobbying only does so much, so...I gave up, and I found a job where I could really help people.

Edited 2019-01-25 06:18 (UTC)

All sorts? grappling guns, different kind of explosives or gas weapons, infrared and heat sensors, tracking devices, shark repellant, sonic weapons, freeze grenades, remote-controlled batarangs and so on.

It's usually why people start the superhero gig, the need to help people.

Wow... [He shakes his head.]

Superheroes are just in comic books in my world. Not that...we couldn't have used one.

How did your world end?

[Tim noticed that question was dodge before but he thought he was going to let it go. Apparently not]

What caused it and how it happened are two different things. One we don't know, but it doesn't really matter at this point. [He takes a breath, releasing it slowly.] A little over a year and a half ago, an illness spread like wildfire. Millions died...and then they got back up. Society collapsed in weeks.

You're talking like an actual zombie virus? [Tim looks appropriately horrified by the idea]

[There was that word again and after a moment's pause, he nods.]

...sort of? It's...not really a virus...I think. No one really knows what caused it. I'm kind of...new to the idea people have heard of it.

Well, this might come off as rather insulting but in my world, it's a popular pop culture theme? There are many movies, books, comics and video games where the setting is a zombie apocalypse like world.

There are even organised walks where everyone dresses up as a zombie to march down an are. Mostly a reason to dress up and have a party I think?

[Off, yes, but not necessarily insulting. He's quiet for a while, idly thumbing the pages of the book they'd found while he mulled over the concept.]

...why would anyone want to pretend the world ended that way?

[Seriously, he can't wrap his mind around it.]

I don't know? I presume because it's not real and they can't imagine a way that it would be real. It would be similar to people dressing up as the mummy or werewolves at Halloween. It's a fun activity with no negative emotions attached to it besides a horror movie scare and associated adrenaline rush.

[He's quiet for a moment, turning the cherished book, Eric's favorite, over in his hands a few times before nodding.]

...do you think worlds have ended because of mummies? Or werewolves? "The...werewolf apocalypse?"

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