[ jax’s hair is still wet and dripping, but he’s made it down to gunnery, has his comm in his lap, hoodie over the back of his seat. he’s lighting up a cigarette, lets it dangling from his lip as he stows his lighter away. ]

Looks like another batch of new arrivals, right? Everyone make it okay?

[ as flippant as it sounds, it’s a genuine question. jax pauses a minute, then drags a hand back through his wet hair as he continues speaking. ]

I’m betting someone’s gonna post up the How-To guide any minute now, but for now you’ll have to make do with the informal shit.

[ and you can’t really get any more informal than jax, who tips his head back to blow a smoke ring, buy himself some time before he starts speaking. ]

I’m Jax Teller, I’m the CGO and if you got interest in lending a hand down in Gunnery, come down and see me. You got interest in any of the other shit, Sciences or Engineering or Flight or running Security for this barge, speak up, someone’ll point you in the right direction. We’re all about lending a hand these days. [ jax grins around his cigarette, lifts a hand to lift it away as he exhales a stream of smoke. ] Other than that, you’re in space, yeah. Don’t do anything stupid, read the Survival Guide, and you’ll be fine.

[ for a given definition of fine, anyway. which jax is clearly aware of, flashing a grim smile at the camera, flicking ash from the tip of his cigarette as he tacks on-- ]

And if you want smokes, talk to Ned.

[ at which point jax snickers to himself, then hangs up. teller out. ]

Hi, hey, howdy, konnichiwa, what's up, and how's it hangin' — been a while since I did one of these.

I mean, it's been a while for this place, anyway; I'm still wrapping my head around, you know, the whole "you were gone for like months" thing when I feel like I've never left. Pretty fucked up, right? I feel cheated out of some trauma or whatever. Good times. But seriously, I've heard it's been as rough as it ever is; hope you guys have been hanging in there. I've only been back a month but it feels kind of tense after that spooky monster problem.

[That said, Marty is actually in a great goddamn mood, so he's gonna damn well spread his cheer.]

As payment, I like to formally introduce you to Marty's Power Hour here aboard the Horror Ship Ala Mode. If you've got any Top 100 Songs from the 80's, 90's, or early 2000's, just shoot me a request and I'll see what I got! I can't guarantee anything, but at least you guys can always clean your weird ol' space rooms to the beat of some of the greatest Earth hits ever. Featuring mostly old pop and rap, because those are the single most important genres of all time. No offense, rock, plenty offense to country. 

[SHOTS FIRED]

Here's a good ol' classic, from me to you! Don't do drugs, kids, unless her name is Mary Jane.


[HOLLA TRANQUILITY, HERE'S TO ANOTHER MONTH WHERE HOPEFULLY NOTHING ELSE WILL GO WRONG FOR FIVE MINUTES.]

[ hello tranquility, it’s thomas on your screen. he’s sitting on what looks like the floor, his back up against the bed. there’s faint sounds of movement, someone shoving things around, but thomas doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to it. ]

I had some--we have some questions. No one has to answer on here, but I thought it’d be fastest if I just..asked. [ he looks up, over the camera at the other occupants of the room, maybe for prompting, or for permission, before he keeps speaking. ] I wanted to ask about two jumps back, the jump where people weren’t waking up. I didn’t wake up. [ there’s a pause, thomas rubbing his fingers along the edge of the lens restlessly as he picks his words. ] I had some other questions too. About the jump. How it works, when get in the pods in the first place, if anyone knows anything about it.

[ thomas leaves the statement hanging for a minute before taking a breath and plowing on. before he can get anything out, he’s interrupted when an off-screen voice finally speaks up, a little muffled by the distance.]

And what the shuck is up with that blue klunk? Why we gotta wake up standing?

[ (you can almost hear newt rolling his eyes from where he’s not visible--his very distinct voice pops up in the background. ] No one’s gonna know that, Min. [ the questions minho's asking aren’t important, more grievances than anything. minho isn’t enjoying his first months. when thomas gives him A Look he sighs but stays quiet.

thomas is obviously trying to show some restraint, not rush out every word, but the next bit comes out in a rush in spite of his best efforts. he's clearly decided to plow onwards before he can be interrupted again. ]

And I need to know if W.I.C.K.E.D. means anything to any of you. If anyone's ever heard of it before.

Don’t forget about the supplies, Tommy. [ newt appears in the frame then, way too close to it before he backs up to sit on the bed next to thomas. he's still a little banged up from his and minho’s adventure with the “grievers” before the jump, and holds up a finger in the feed. ] Back home, even before we knew the name proper, WICKED used to put their name on all of our supplies from the Box. Boxes of food, clothes, stuff for the Glade--all kinds of klunk. If this place really has them involved, they’re gonna have somethin’ like that to show for it, yeah?

If it has them involved. [ tommy says, more to newt and minho than to the audience at large. ] If anyone here has seen anything like that.

[finally the last of the mighty gladers comes into the shot as minho sits down in front of newt on the floor, back resting against his shins.] Or if you’ve got ideas about the people keeping us here. WICKED didn’t make it easy to find out much about them the first time. Could be upping their game, making us think we’re all safe. No reason to label things when we’ve met our Creators.

[ there’s a pause, thomas looking at newt before back into the lens. thomas hasn’t met anyone. not yet. he’s a step behind, but he’s not going to let that deter him. newt meets his gaze with eyebrows raised, saying something without a word, and reaches down to pat the top of minho’s head where they’re sitting. good plan, min. ]

We’re in room 008.009. If you wanna come talk to us in person.

[ thomas finishes, before disconnecting his advice. ]

( ooc: black is thomas, blue is newt, and red is minho )