one ✖ audio

[articletwelve]

Round two, huh.

[ The words are muttered, not realizing it's on yet, and they’re followed by a brief burst of static -- he’s fiddling with the device, trying to figure out how to send out a message. A couple of taps, and it clicks on. At least this is better than those seals. ]

--there we go. Right. If there are any UNSC personnel within range, respond on this frequency immediately. On a secure channel, if you’ve got it.

[ It’s probably a long shot, not that he wants to admit it. There’s no guarantees anyone he knows will be here, much less those he wants to find -- he’s already searched the system for any trace of York or One and come up short.

Still. A pause, and his voice lowers a little, though it’s no less firm than before. ]

--And if you’ve seen anyone with a bad eye, just... let me know.

Comments

[audio]

[hauntedbymemory]

I'm afraid you might find yourself to be far from any...UNSC, did you say?...forces.

audio

[articletwelve]

[ welp, exactly what he was afraid of. still, he won't write them off right away. ]

That a fact?

text;

[wiretap]

[ Creep mode. Engaged. ]

'round two'?

audio

[articletwelve]

[ Wash has a healthy dose of paranoia, but he'd already offered up his voice, and years of using his helmet radio make responding via audio only natural. It's enough to take notice of, however, especially since he didn't quite realize he said it. ]

...Yeah. Guess that's the best way to put it.

text;

[wiretap]

you just got here.

[ She practically saw you get spit out by the grav couch, Washington. Not that you know who this is. ]

audio

[articletwelve]

Here, yes. Doesn't mean it's my first time around.

text;

[wiretap]

previous displacement?

audio

[articletwelve]

That's one way to put it.

text;

[wiretap]

and another way to put it?

audio

[articletwelve]

Magic.

[ His tone is dry, but Wash only wishes he was kidding. ]

[ voice | encrypted ]

[traitortwin]

[Now that she's over the disorientation, South has skipped straight into Angry-And-Demanding-Explanation mode. And, granted, Wash is certainly not the first person she wants to talk to right now (or the second, or the tenth...) but it's better than nothing.]

What the hell is going on?

audio | encrypted

[articletwelve]

[ oh fuck the what-- wait a second. ]

South?

[ It's incredulous, of course -- with how unfamiliar this whole ship had been and the fact that he'd thought he was all alone, he'd started to think he wouldn't encounter anyone else from home, much less Splendor. Relief is the last thing he'd thought he'd feel about her, but it's clear in his voice when he responds, almost tripping over the words. ]

How long have you been here? Is there anyone else?

audio | encrypted

[traitortwin]

You're the first person I've heard from. I just got here. One minute, I'm headed back to my bunk. The next, I'm...

[..."in a tank full of blue gunk with a tube jammed down my throat"? Ugh. No.]

... I'm here.

audio | encrypted

[articletwelve]

[ No matter how much she frustrates him, hearing a familiar voice at all is reassuring, at this point. The fact that she hasn't heard from anyone else doesn't help, but he'll take what he can get at this point, even if it's South.

...Not that that means he'll be particularly kind, all the same. ]

Great. Well, I guess you're better than nothing. You green?

audio | encrypted

[traitortwin]

[Well. That was a little more bite than she was expecting from someone who's usually such a boyscout. Guess being one of the top really does go to one's head, huh?]

Yeah? I could say the same for you, Wash. ... And yeah. I'm green. You?

audio | encrypted

[articletwelve]

[ She gets a snort -- he knows exactly how she feels about him, thank you. ]

Green. Though I'll take cryo-sleep over that gel any day. [ If only. ] How about anyone from the city? We can't be the only ones here.

audio | encrypted

[traitortwin]

The city? What city?

[If this is some sort of way to rub into her face that she doesn't get sent on important missions anymore...]

[video]

[hildabeest]

Bad eye, huh? [She knows he's probably not referring to her, but. Hey, she fits the description, and it's a bit disgruntling.]

audio

[articletwelve]

[ He does double-take, at least, even if he doesn't recognize the voice or expression, and as much as he tries to hide it, the disappointment bleeds into his voice a little. ]

That's right. Other eye, though.

AUDIO;

[widowing]

Of?

[ she doesn't recall seeing him aboard before. ]

audio

[articletwelve]

[ beat. he doesn't immediately know what she's referring to. ]

Of what?

audio

[widowing]

You said 'round two', but I don't recall you being on the ship before.

audio

[articletwelve]

...Oh. Right.

[ Thaaaat hadn't been quite intentional, but he can roll with it. ]

It's just that it's not my first time with something like this.

[ What he's referring to, though-- well, that he'll leave up in the air. ]

audio

[widowing]

[ kidnapping or intergalactic travel? he's handling himself quite well, so she assumes it's the latter, but that doesn't rule out the former. ]

Then you'll have less trouble adjusting than some others.

audio

[articletwelve]

[ Both, as it happens, but saying that isn't something he's planning on doing unless he has to. ]

It's tedious either way. I'd rather skip it entirely.