ONE: video

[puppydogeyes]

[The video starts out at an odd angle, the device left on the bed as Taylor sorts through the other items she'd found in her locker. She's confused and a little disorientated, but she still starts out with an accusatory tone in her voice, clearly thinking that she is addressing someone specifically.]

Is this another test mission? You should give us briefs, you know, it's not like we ever get a real mission where we just wake up wherever and fumble through it.

[Quiet for a long minute, waiting for a response, checking a gun over to make sure it's all in working order. Still no response, though, and she continues, more anger seeping into her tone.]

Or maybe you're finally trying to get rid of me. [Her expression hardens.] Fuck it, whatever. Guess the worst I can do is survive whatever this is.

[She looks the gun over one more time before holstering it, then starts gathering the rest of the items up; three grenade-like devices that she settles onto the uniform's belt; chewing gum, dog treats, mascara, spare ammo - all go in various pockets. Lastly, she scoops up a dog - a chihuahua, surprisingly calm looking for the strange environment - and rests him on her hip.]

Oh, yeah. And don't ever stick one of my dogs in a fucking locker again.

Comments

[goingsilent.livejournal.com]

Are you some sort of soldier? I suppose that's a leap, but all the people that I know who talk about "missions" turn out to be soldiers.

[puppydogeyes]

could say that, I guess. no real army though. we're students, we've got pathoses, we get sent off to sort shit out

[goingsilent.livejournal.com]

That's better than leaving it un-sorted out, I guess.

[puppydogeyes]

yeah. no idea what I'm meant to sort out here, if this even is a mission.

[goingsilent.livejournal.com]

Back where I'm from, we were having a bit of a problem with human colonies getting abducted, but this doesn't seem like that. Fewer giant bugs, for one thing.

[puppydogeyes]

[She stares at that message for a moment, would maybe normally keep her curiosity to herself, pretend like she didn't care. But she was finding this texting talk sort of freeing, in that regard.]

colonies? giant bugs?

[goingsilent.livejournal.com]

Sorry. [ It's so strange to think like someone who's not used to space travel as a daily reality and all the things that come with it. She's still getting used to not jumping too far ahead. ]

Where I'm from space travel is normal. Humanity's been trying to colonize some of the habitable planets in nearby systems for a while, but it's been a headache recently because this one alien race keeps kidnapping them all. The Collectors. They look kind of like big beetles.

[puppydogeyes]

why would giant bugs kidnap people

unless it's karma for butterfly collecting or ant farms or something

[goingsilent.livejournal.com]

I wish. It was more like an evil plot to take over the known universe by building a giant machine-human hybrid.

[puppydogeyes]

if you've got giant bugs, why go for humans? we're not actually that great. species wise.