01 ✡ video

[growling]

[ The feed clicks on to reveal an average looking young man with light brown hair; he’s sitting, elbows on knees and hands clasped in front of him, not too far from the camera that he’s obviously propped up on a low table. ]

Hello, Tranquilit-ees… ? Tranquilites? [ A slight pause; yeah, no, let’s never say either of those words again. ] This is Josh of the planet Earth, and I have a quick question that I’m pretty sure wasn’t covered in the welcome packet – which was absolutely lovely and not terrifying at all, by the way, thank you very much to whoever put that together. [ Seriously though, “the list” and “smiley”?? Extremely reassuring. ]

Does anyone have any idea what the date is? I know this jump business has done a number on… well, everything, but this thing’s got to have an internal clock somewhere, right?

[ Despite his best efforts to remain relaxed, it's clear he's slightly nervous - fidgeting a bit with his hands, focusing to keep his attention on the feed. ]

Comments

( video )

[cheerioless]

I think people have tried to keep calenders, by tallying up the days or something. Or they go by the date in their world when they arrived here...

[ quinn's brow furrows because it's slightly confusing. it was what...september when she arrived here. her september. so that would make it what...march? ]

That was no help at all, was it?

[video]

[cl_cl_claudius]

[shakycam of an ancient Roman, looking friendly and amused] Hail, J-josh of Earth. Perhaps it should be T-tranquilitii?

I have been making s-some s-study of the many systems of calendars onboard this vessel. It seems to me it would be the m-most sensible course to c-create and adopt our own system of dates n-native to the ship, since there is so much confusion.

[video]

[growling]

[ Not particularly helpful, but he doesn't want to knock her for trying. ]

No, thank you, it was... incredibly helpful. Answered the question, anyway. [ Just not the answer he was hoping for. ]

So which one do you go by?

[video]

[growling]

[ Josh just stares for a second. Okay, a few seconds. Then he remembers his manners, but he's clearly having a hard time not commenting on the whole... period drama vibe. ]

I, um - the Latin, funny. So just like, pick a random date and go from there? [ Makes sense for keeping time, not really going to help with his particular issue in the short term. He's doing a mostly sufficient job at masking his disappointment, but he doesn't seem thrilled. ]

text;

[altercate]

Internal clock?

text;

[abrahamic]

you too? this one girl said there's no moon here, no sun either :(

text;

[growling]

Yes, like in a computer. Runs on a separate battery from the main systems, can keep time even if the rest fails.

text;

[growling]

[ He makes a face at the emote, and the moon comment raises his hackles a bit. ]

Well, I guess that happens in space. Technically speaking it's probably better not to have them if we can't steer this hunk of junk.

[video]

[cheerioless]

Liar. [ she says it with a smile though. ]

Honestly? I was so freaked out when I got here, I didn't really keep track. [ she winces slightly and runs a hand through her hair. ] I kind of guess, counting each jump as a month... before you got here some of us were talking about setting our own calender, so we can have Christmas and Halloween - which doesn't help either does it?

[growling]

No, I mean - well, not specifically, but it's good for general knowledge.

[ He's wondering about a few thousand other details, like was there a time lapse between people leaving their homes, appearing here - but obviously hammering her with questions isn't going to accomplish anything, so he backs off. ]

It's probably a good idea to get organized, plan holidays. I imagine it gets kind of dire around here otherwise.

Re: [video]

[cl_cl_claudius]

I th-think it's the most g-g-grammatical option. [He's going to start calling them all that from now on, Josh, jsyk.]

I have been c-considering making a speech on this very subject. If I read the "w-welcome packet" rightly, the date the ship and the s-sphere in which it travels claim is some n-nine hundred and th-thirty-eight years "After Earth." I c-can't say this conveys much to me, though it may to you. But m-most residents app-ppear to measure time by the jumps, and begin our c-collective c-count from the first of these, as the time when persons not belonging to th-this w-world were brought to the T-t-tranquility.

text;

[abrahamic]

because of collisions, right? but it still sucks not knowing what day it is.

NO WORRIES edit as you need to aw man he is precious

[growling]

[ Oh my god, it's like he's listening to a lecture from Aristotle. Josh slips back into an awestruck stare as Claudius goes on, only half listening to what he's actually saying. There are a few beats of silence after he finishes, then Josh snaps out of it and tries to manage a normal response. ]

Yeah - yeah, yes, that would make sense. Timing it by the jumps, nothing else is very regular around here. Or too regular, maybe. You think you could put together an accurate calendar after a while? Not accurate as in accurate to our - or your - time, but so we have something to go by on the ship.

[ Another pause, this time to squint thoughtfully at the screen. Then he asks, because seriously, how can he not. ]

So, where are you from? Did I catch your name?

[growling]

Trust me, I know. I'd kill for a calendar.

[ ... actually, that's some pretty literal phrasing. ]

thanks! <3 josh is pretty adorable too

[cl_cl_claudius]

I c-could certainly try. I am an h-historian by training, so the lack of such a system is frustrating. And I think it w-would assist in fostering a s-sense of comradeship among us all.

[Realizing he never introduced himself, Claudius props the communicator on his desk for a moment in order to execute a slight bow. And...actually, that's quite a good idea, leaving it there, so it doesn't shake with his hand! Why didn't he think of that before?

T-tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, commonly called Claudius. I am a citizen of Rome, as y-you may have g-guessed by my name and m-manner of dress. But the date from which I hail is a matter of s-some c-confusion for myself as well.

By m-my own reckoning, acc-ccording to the calendar established by the g-great Julius Caesar, I was brought from the twenty-seventh day of Januarius, in the f-f-fourth year of the reign of Gaius Germanicus. [Beat.] Whom you may know better, if you know him at all, as "Caligula." From the f-foundation of the City of Rome, it is the year 795. I d-don't suppose these dates are meaningful t-to you? Do you by chance know your own date acc-ccording to the J-jewish calendar, or that of the B-babylonians, Eg-gyptians, or Zoroastrians?

[abrahamic]

[Hilariously, so would Isaac.]

maybe if we just counted the days from before we got here. that could work, right?

[growling]

Yeah, I was considering that. Might be the best option for now. [ And, because he's supposed to be looking for a general date, not just determining the countdown on a bomb... ] Until someone develops a calendar based on the jumps, anyway.

[ Assuming the wolf runs on an internal clock itself - never figured that out in his research. If that's the case, he's got two weeks. ]

<33

[growling]

[ Josh patiently waits for him to get the words out, completely invested in the answer and any other random information Claudius drops. When he gets to Caligula, Josh can't help a knee-jerk reaction. ]

Ca - [ He catches himself, clears his throat; continues in a more reserved tone ] Caligula? Yes, well, I know of him. And I - um, none of the above? I'm from - a ways off, we use the Gregorian calendar.

[ pause for thought ]

Which doesn't even exist for you. Ball-parking, I'm from about... 2,800 years ahead of you.

and then i realized i lost my tag to you on another thread :|

[abrahamic]

[Isaac needs to ask Derek about certain pertinent things, but considering it's been roughly a week since the last full moon... two to three weeks left by his count is not a reassurance.]

i don't even know if it's still april, or if we're in some weird kind of future, or a different world entirely.

this is out of my nerd league.

trust me I UNDERSTAND I'm the worst at juggling threads

[growling]

[ Hang on a second - considering he's also talking to someone from BC, it might be worth figuring out exactly when this kid is from. ]

It was April where you left? Same for me. What year are you from?

[ Nothing is out of Josh's nerd league, bro. He'll handle this. ]

trust me I UNDERSTAND I'm the worst at juggling threads

[abrahamic]

2011, why? What year are you from?

Are you from the future?

[Because people from the future might just blow his mind a little, here.]

[growling]

2012.

[ Not so mind blowing, maybe. And now for some age-old "what reality are you from" questions. ]

Who's the president of the U.S. where you're from?

[cl_cl_claudius]

[The horse Caligula made a senator was a guest at Claudius's wedding, okay. Nobody understands a "holy shit Caligula" reaction better than poor old Uncle Claudius. He forbears to comment, though.

The "Gregorian" calendar? [Claudius pulls out a wax tablet and starts taking notes.] A great space of time, indeed. And from where have you come, aside from Earth? Which I understand to mean my own world.

[growling]

[ Oh my god is that a wax tablet ]

Um, the United States. Of America. Which...

... it's on the other side of the ocean, basically.

[cl_cl_claudius]

[Forehead wrinkle] In Africa?