ataraxion | (no subject)

[As the camera clicks on, those who know Remus will notice how tired he looks. Not simply as if he hasn't gotten a night's sleep, but truly exhausted-- as if he's been on a long journey, or suffered some great hardship. The circles beneath his eyes are too dark, and there's a long pink scar forming on his right cheek.

Still, he gives the camera a smile, albeit a tired and nervous one.]

Ah-- hello. I do hope this is working properly; I haven't precisely had much practice with cameras. But-- yes. My name is Remus Lupin, and, as most of you know, I've been technically on-board the Tranquility for some months now. However, I've no memory of this-- really, it's as if this is my first month. So please, if I knew you but you haven't heard from me in a while, it's nothing to do with you, I assure you.

[The smile fades now.]

Which brings me to my second point. I've, ah, heard it said that I was rather free with this information, so I suppose it's no longer a secret. But--

[He glances behind him uncertainly, as if seeking support from someone unseen, and then nods.]

Well. I'm a werewolf. No jokes, please, I assure you I've heard them all. And-- well, we're taking every safety precaution we know, Sirius and I, but-- just so you know. I'll post up what days I'm dangerous, simply so no one stops by my room while I'm changed.

[He gives them a thin smile.]

And finally: a simple question. How many people, precisely, have duplicates or twins aboard the ship? Not biologically, I mean, but-- people who look like that, for no discernible reason at all.

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They are, yes, but it's still rather difficult. I'm not certain what I've told whom, from the mundane to the rather more personal. But I suppose there are worse things.

[ She switches over to video, her own propped up on a stable surface. Helps keeps things easier to talk at, less bouncing around. ]

Probably, and being prepared for them's not half a bad idea. Still. [ She gives the camera a half smile. ] Here's to hoping some of those people who remember you were people you know even as you are.

[ Ah, it might be polite to do the introductions. He's offered his name on network, and while her number is a tracing call on it's own... ]

Nice to meet you Lupin. I'm Ellen Ripley.

Remus, please. But hello. It's lovely to meet you, Ellen. Have you been here rather long?

Remus it is.

[ If things are usually kept more formal with the company she ran with, so be it that he takes things the other direction. ]

Not collectively. Four months or so in total, broken up by about six months away.

Oh, well, then, we're almost in the same boat. The Jump has messed with us both. I'm sorry you had the pleasure of going home, only to have it snatched away again, however.

[ It wasn't a pleasure. She smiles anyway, knowing the camera's not good enough to pick up on how it doesn't quite make it to her eyes. No point dwelling over spilt milk. She exhales, soft and fast. ]

Heh. Nothing to apologize for. We work with the hands we're dealt. How's the resettling in going for you?

And not to pry all that much, but what are we supposed to be keeping in mind with this werewolf business?

Oh, it's fine enough. I've never really settled in to a ship before, but I suppose it's all right. Really, settling into my dorm at school was harder; at least here I don't have to worry about Sirius snoring or the like.

And nothing, really, save to keep away from my rooms during the full moon dates-- which, again, I'll be posting. Hopefully that ought to be enough.

You might miss seeing out something like a real window, when you're in space long enough, but the displays aren't half bad. Neither are the views when we're traveling at current speed. Light pollution's at a minimum around these parts.

Full moon dates according to what calendar?

[ Circadian rhythms are one thing, but lunar cycles without a moon more sounds like system regulation on an internal level. ]

The whole... process is that regular?

Er-- where I am, really. It varies from month to month, and location, and all that. But it seems to be following what schedule I was on in England. It's rather confusing at first, but I've rather gotten used to it.

Have you been in space before, then?

Considerate to follow any schedule. Half the time things seem to get tossed out entirely when consistency tries to get involved here.

[ She runs a hand through her hair, small smile on her lips. That's... argh, she knows it's good to know what there is to know. She just wishes people were just -- well -- standard Earth grade human like she was used to.

Alas. ]

For the last ten years. It's a career I flew up into, you could say.

[He chuckles softly in appreciation at that first comment, but his eyes rather light up at that second one.]

Really! Do you mind telling me about it? I've never met someone at home in space, I'm afraid.

[ She sighs inwardly, looking straight at the camera's eye. ]

Sure, if you have any idea what you want me to tell. Most of it's not that exciting. You sleep for a few months, you wake up and run systems and load cargo from an asteroid mining station, you make sure everything's secure, then you head back home. Rinse and repeat, until you get to your pilot's license, getting a better pick of what work there is out there.

It's-- well. It still sounds quite remarkable, even if it's rather mundane for you. You're rather far from home, then, if you have to sleep for months?

There's nothing quite like the feeling of being out there. It's different when it's where you want to be. Less pressure, and a lot more control.

[ The opposite of this place. ]

We were heading out to a far point in the fringe systems. Some of the contracts you're on hit upward of five years, but this was a straight-forward two years round trip. You spend a good deal of time when traveling in cryo.

[ Sometimes fifty seven unplanned years in cryo. ]

Cuts down on how many resources you need for a fully manned operation out in the boonies.

[He leans forward, totally enthralled.]

And-- and what was your mission again? And what did-- I'm sorry, I don't know much about space travl-- what does traveling in cryo do?

[ Her eyebrows quirk up at his mention of mission. ]

Mission? There was one, but it sure as hell wasn't mine. We were working a cargo pick up most recently. Glorified truck drivers and miners, if that's what you'd want to call us.

[ A twitch of her lips into something more amused. It'd been a complaint by certain members, this "bullshit" glorified job. ]

Cryo's a long term version of what we do going in those couches month to month. Ships travel at a faster speed in general, though this old girl's lagging from lasting damage.

[ Maybe. Definitely? ]

You're generally out for a few weeks, or a few months. Sleeping through the long stretches until you either get home, or the ship's AI wakes you up because something's not reading like it's supposed to.

[He nods.]

I should hope that doesn't happen often. Have you run many-- well, whatever you want to call them. Missions or runs or what have you.

More than I bother counting anymore. I was one shy of making Captain last time out.

[ She quiets, brow furrowing. She shakes it off. ]

People rarely end up awake before they're supposed to. A planned run out in space is pretty straight forward. None of this guessing and jumping around bullshit we're dealing with here.

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permavideo!

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