ataraxion | 4th Gear

Entry tags:

4th Gear - Video;

So, we all know that there's something fishy going on here by now.

But I think -- and don't shoot the skeptic here, because it seems we can't afford to have any men down -- that if there is going to be a threat, we want everyone to be capable of keeping in touch.

No man left behind, as it were.

To that end, if there are any people experiencing difficulties using their communicators, I'd be happy to help.

[A team is only as strong as its weakest member, right? You never knew when even someone who'd previously seemed useless would come through at an unexpected moment.

She brings the video a little closer to her face.]

I don't bite, I promise. So, any takers?

[Sooner was better than later.]

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Can you take it off?

[He hands her a pencil, though, and opens his notebook. There's little doodles on the edges, people and hands and feet, but the main space is clear.]

Not without a lot of health risks. I don't know that a massive infection is worth learning to draw.

[She picks up the pencil and nods, though.]

Okay, so. How do we start with this? [She hadn't exactly given herself much time for creative pursuits -- she'd always been too wrapped up in becoming a great machinist. She could draw precise circuit diagrams if it was absolutely necessary, but little else.]

Well, a good way to start is to look at somethin', so you got somethin' for reference. So--

[He reaches under the seat and grabs two books. He stacks them atop each other on the table and nods.]

That's a good place to start. And just-- sketch. There's an eraser, so if you think somethin' ain't so good, you can start over.

[He demonstrates on a piece of scrap paper: sketching a few lines, making a rectangular shape.]

Are you-- I mean-- you look like me? Two eyes an' a nose an' all that?

[She nods, picking up the pencil and looking to the stack of books. She can draw precise rectangles, but she does make some effort to sketch the edges of the book as they appear and not just as they'd look as simplified shapes.]

That's -- a tricky question. I have two eyes, a nose -- ears, but nothing is exactly like yours. I'm not human, even if I'm humanoid.

What are you, then?

A quarian. I don't think you'd have heard of us.

Nah. Tell me about em.

It's difficult to sum up a whole race quickly, but -- well. We're humanoid, but we have distinct differences.

[Like the hands and legs, for example.]

We're a very ... insulated group, in some ways. Close-knit, when we can be.

Insulated how? I mean, we are too. We got families and friends and all that.

Ah, yes -- but our ships are separated from others physically.

[He frowns.]

So just get on a ship with them you love.

Duty gets in the way of that, sometimes.

[She takes a breath.]

Besides, that's not an option here.

[And her parents were dead.]

No, but . . . I mean, you could make more friends here. It ain't perfect, but it's better'n nothin'.

[She nods briefly.]

Of course. I -- made friends here before, but some of them aren't here any more.

Oh.

[He sketches for a few more seconds before self-consciously adding:]

I'm sorry.

It's -- for the better, if they're gone home.

[As long as their home is safe, that is.]

Yeah, I . . . yeah.

[He cranes his neck, looking at her drawing.]

That's pretty good!

[She blinks, glancing down at the paper.]

...well, at least it sort of looks like it's supposed to.

Most people don't get that far their first time.

[Okay, it's mostly said out of loyalty, but he's certainly not mocking her.]

You ever drawn before?

Just technical drawings. Circuits, that kind of thing.

[And only when absolutely necessary.]

What's a circuit?

It's an electrical system that has a closed loop to allow current to run.

[Science!]

[He stares at her blankly.]

. . . sorry, you wanna try English now?

[...she's no good at explaining these things.]

It's -- a way to map electricity, at its most basic.

We'll just call it science and keep it simple, how's about that? Anyway-- here, keep goin'. I'll teach you how to shade stuff inna few minutes, once you get more done.

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gofortheoptics - 2012-06-07 06:41 (UTC) - Expand

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