01 | Video

[skindeep]

[His face is way too close, but it's a friendly face, if nothing else.]

Nearly two weeks aboard by my count. I don't suppose there's any celebration for that. But I did hear something about a birthday or two. So. Happy belated, I hope it was a good one.

[He speaks with an undeniable English accent, tries to sound cheerful about it. But he knows that a lot of people would probably rather be celebrating their birthdays back home, or...anywhere but here. Tales of murder and being inked against one's will makes the name Tranquility a bit dubious at best. Speaking of names:]

I'm Noah, hullo, no relation to the guy with the ark. Just the one little beast with me, who's really missing his tins of tuna right about now.

Let me know if you come across any? Appreciate it.

Comments

( V I D E O )

[wont]

[ Curious, Alayne peers into the camera. She has been gifted not once but three times with animals by the ship, some more curious and confusing than others as to their relevance. So she asks: ] What manner of little beast?

( V I D E O )

[skindeep]

A tiger. Quite fearsome, really. I hope you're sitting down.

[Noah grins before turning the camera on said 'tiger', who is currently in the middle of his bath. Whoops.]

Well alright, a miniature tiger.

[Or an orange tabby cat for those who know better.]

( V I D E O )

[wont]

[ Alayne's expression grows curious at first, eyebrows lifted. Then, when the 'tiger' is revealed (in the middle of his bath no less) that curious breaks into bright-eyed delight.

Covering her mouth (as any proper lady would) Alayne laughs behind her fingers. ]

Oh, what a glorious beast — quite terrible to behold! Does he have a name half as mighty?

( V I D E O )

[skindeep]

I'll spare you my battle wounds from sharing my quarters with him. They're too gruesome.

[A scratch nearly an inch long! The cat stops, yawns to show his impressive teeth, and then lays down to take his fourth nap of the day. Noah turns the camera back around again.]

His name is Edgar.

[So, yes and no.]

voice;

[scamp]

[English accent right back at you, son, though it's coming from a less friendly kind of guy.]

What's with you lot bringing your pets to space?

voice;

[skindeep]

I'm afraid you'd have to ask our hosts that question to be sure. My best answer is that Edgar was just unfortunate enough to be on the foot of the bed that night.

[scamp]

[And there's a light snort.]

You named it Edgar?

[skindeep]

Now what's wrong with 'Edgar'. There's plenty of fine, famous people with that name. There's...Edgar Allen Poe, Edgar Degas...

[Noah pauses. Yeah, that's all he's got.]

See? A fine name.

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[anthropos]

For the last few months I have been perfecting an alternate supplement for my companion, Spot. Among the many sources of food on board, there is frozen fish available in the kitchens. Perhaps it may be suitable to your purposes?

video;

[skindeep]

Is your companion a dog, by any chance?

[The mention of frozen fish is a relief though, and one that shows on his face.]

More than suitable. I think you just saved my life.

video;

[anthropos]

A cat.

[ He pauses for a moment to look off into the room, and calls for Spot several times only to be ignored. ]

It seems as though Spot is not feeling particularly social today. May I enquire as to the species of your companion?

video;

[skindeep]

A cat!

[He's surprised, because 'Spot' is traditionally a dog's name. But that makes it all the more amusing. And yet Noah would've guessed cat by the way that he's ignored. Dogs come when called. Cats take a message.]

Edgar's also a cat. Charming, aren't they?

[He's teasing, because he's grateful that the tabby is with him, gruff as he may be.]

I'm his human, Noah.

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[ripstides]

Pretty good by my standards, not that I have anyone else's space birthday to compare it to. [ he shrug. no big thing. then, eyebrows raising.] You brought a tuna-eating beast with you?

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[skindeep]

Really?

[That surprises him, and makes him instantly worry about those standards. But he's only just met him. Maybe he's found something truly wonderful about the Tranquility, something hard to compete with.]

He's given me exactly twenty-four hours or else. Frankly I'm a little concerned because, well, space.

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[ripstides]

Where I come from, if it's quiet enough to sit down and have cake on my birthday, that's a good year. [ listen, he's only bitter about that because there was basically a war on his last one. he got a cupcake though? after the fact. ] It wasn't the worst one ever. I'm alive.

[ he's met some cool people but that's the extent of ~truly wonderful~ things on the Tranquility. ]

Because space threats are more valid than regular ones?

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[skindeep]

[Noah's eyebrows lift at that, the kind of answer he likes.]

You're right, that is a point in its favor.

I was worried about the supply of fish in space, actually. But now that you mention it, a 'space threat' does sound menacing.

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[nukeit]

Sounds like you've gotten a decent offer to help out with the fish from one of the guys around here. Another cat?

video; and i might've screamed a little.

[skindeep]

Quite a relief, really. At least until the supply runs low. Is there a large population of cats on board?

video; ahhahasf <3 SORRY TO SCARE

[nukeit]

Larger than I ever figured there would be. At least a half dozen, probably more. Jonesy's got no idea what to do with himself with so many extra cats running around.

action just because.

[deprecate]

[ Cillian's sprawled on their bed, and he has Edgar literally sitting on his face. There are probably terrible jokes to make about that, but he's too busy getting kitty nuzzles to make them. One day getting fine marmalade hair in his eyes and nose and mouth won't be worth smooching the cat to purr like a motorbike, but right now he's glad of the comfort that holding another little creature close can bring. ]

You know someone found a body in the pool.

[ The words are cat-muffled. He'd not mentioned it earlier because it wasn't any of their business, and because... part of him had hoped Noah didn't know, even though they both used the communicator. He's chatting away on it now, even, sourcing food while Cillian plays with the cat and thinks about morbid things, like all the people who talk like they've lost someone, Libby's angry tears, Irene's grace. Fear of loss he can't control has always been an immediate and real threat for Cillian, but he can't even speak what truly worries him: that it'll be Noah, gone, leaving him behind. ]

because we said so.

[skindeep]

[Noah grimaces at that, but only while his back is still to Cillian. It bothers him more than he'll show, to have to contemplate the very real possibilities of loss and death so quickly after their world had already been turned upside down.]

Yes, I heard.

[He still turns with a smile, soft and sympathetic. A little tired, a little worried. But it warms at the sight of Cillian and the cat. His boys.]

[Noah puts the communicator down, stands and comes over to the bed to slide in the space beside him. He rests on his side, fingers trailing lightly over Cillian's arm.]

It could've been an accident.

[deprecate]

[ Cillian pushes the cat off so he can look at Noah properly, so Edgar decides to come but his head against Noah's, clawing at the bed. Cillian lets a hand rest in the dip of Noah's waist, can't help but smile just a little bit when they're nose to nose like this. ]

[ But the topic is a sobering one, and he's perhaps a little more distant than normal. ]

Erm, it's just, someone put up a hit list.

[ He and Noah hadn't been on it, but neither had any other 009ers, and he's worked out the first three numbers indicate how long since someone's arrived. They're new, but that hardly means they're not in danger. ]

[ He realizes he's frowning, and smooths the lines in his forehead, taking a deep breath. ]

Didn't think I'd ever be living someplace more dangerous than the shitty side of Belfast, but on a great big fucking spaceship with a murderer might take the cake.

[jilt]

Stray cats? Put out a saucer. There's a woman with a cow aboard who will surely oblige you.

[skindeep]

Not a stray, no.

[A little murmured, because it's that other thing that he really wants to address:]

I'm sorry, did you say there's a woman with a cow?

[jilt]

Yes, I did. If the Network is to be believed she has several chickens as well.