ataraxion | video

Entry tags:

juliana,
mordecai

video

[This will be one of the few times he ever uses video, but he does so intentionally, hoping that it might help whoever's ended up on his half of this deal - because if he's learned anything in the past few days from paying attention to everyone else, it seems that when someone has someone else's memory, the reverse is also true.

And this memory, man, seriously. What the hell.]

Hey. There someone on this ship named Juliana?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[THAT WOULD BE HER.

She waves a bit, smiling.]

Can I help you?

Maybe. [Who knows, maybe there's more than one person here with that name.]

You an AI?

[Gosh, get with the program.]

Yes, I am. Is there something wrong with that?

No, just... Checkin' to make sure you're the right person. Think I ended up with a memory from you.

Oh.

[That... might not be good. She kind of has a lot of secrets a certain Spartan probably won't want people to know about.]

May I ask what? I've been thinking on a lot of things lately.

I was gonna ask what you got from me, 'cause I gather that's how this goes. Not here, though. Little too public. You wanna meet me somewhere?

[OH MAN IT MUST HAVE BEEN--oh wait. No whatever she was thinking about wasn't as weird as what she got, so.]

I can, yes. Fortunately, I'm not in great demand right now. Where should we meet?

I was thinkin' the bar. We can just get a table in the back somewhere. You up for a drink?

[A drink? A drink? New things.]

I could be convinced to have one, yes. When should we meet?

Well, whenever, I guess. Maybe give me 20 minutes, an' I'll meet you there.

As I said, I'm unoccupied. I'll be there, sitting somewhere in the back that looks particularly shady and solitary.

[He laughs a little at that.] Sounds perfect.

[Just give him a few minutes while he finishes feeding his bird, and then he heads to the bar with a contented Mijo on his shoulder. It's an odd time of day for drinking for most of the populace so there aren't too many people there, which suits him just fine, and makes her easier to find. He walks over and takes a seat across from her.]

Hey, don't think I introduced myself. Name's Mordecai.

And you already know my name, so it would be silly for me to repeat it. But I will, anyway. UNSC AI Juliana.

[Handshake? She's sipping some water, by the way. She had to order something, didn't she?]

[Handshake. Damn this whole thing is strange, but having met her now, he already feels better. Less anxious, anyway.]

Here, lemme go get us somethin'. Unless that's not water but iced vodka. [Which sounds awful but who is he to judge; this ship is full of crazy shit.] You got a preference?

It's water...

[She does seem a bit skeptical, but at least two people have recommended having a drink to her before, so this might be a fortuitous thing. There are just enough people around that she could probably start a bar fight if he said anything uintoward, so...]

I've never had alcohol before, to be perfectly honest with you.

... Oh.

[There... are people in the world who haven't had alcohol? Yeah sure she's an AI, but she has a human body now, so... Well. This is unexpected.]

Huh. Okay, well, lemme see what I can do.

[He'll just get her something sweet, that goes down easy. The bartender comes up with something she claims tastes a little like green apple, which sounds good enough. If Juliana doesn't like it, he'll drink it for her.

He comes back and sets her drink in front of her, then reclaims his seat and has a gulp from his bottle of beer.]

So, you drink that, an' I'll tell you what memory I got, deal?

The whole thing?

[She eyes it suspciously, doubting her ability to drink something that may or may not be diluted to some extent. This is new, and she wants to be cautious... except for the part of her that is intensely curious about new things and wants to dive in headfirst. That part is winning.]

I'll tell you what I got for free.

[Quietly, she stares the drink down, stirring it carefully with the straw before taking a sip.

And looking surprised.]

It's good. [Glancing up.]

[He grins a little at the look on her face.]

Good, then. Some a' the stuff here's pretty hit an' miss. Anyway, you go ahead then, tell me what you got.

[All smiles, here, even though she's about to recount something less than pleasant. The hand that isn't stirring the drink is raised, and she points at him idly.]

A shootout. They set you up.

Oh, well, that's happened more'n once, though. Been doin' the whole mercenary an' bounty hunter thing for somethin' like twenty years, now. [He shrugs.] Gotta take a risk sometimes.

Well then, you shouldn't be so worried about meeting in shady bars with delicious drinks. What's so personal about that? A little shootout never hurt anyone, unless someone actually gets shot, of course.

Which usually, someone does. [But he grins. Because that's a good thing, as long as he's not the one getting shot.] Eh, you know, just had to be careful. It's not like I knew what you got. Besides, some a' the people here aren't real thrilled by the fact that a lotta my job amounts to just killing people for money. Not that I care what they think, I just get tired of hearin' it.

It's not something I approve of, to be honest. I ought to hate you. People like you caused me a lot of trouble...

[Less a sip than a gulp, now.]

But I'm not scared of you or anything. You seem smart enough to not mess with someone like me.

Not much point messin' with anyone here if there's nothin' to gain from it. Though if you think you've got some good reason why someone shouldn't mess with you, I'd like to hear it.

[Because whatever she used to be, she looks pretty damn harmless to him now.]

[Harmless? HARMLESS? She's insane.

Oh, wait. He doesn't know that yet.]

I have a seven-foot-something bodyguard with nice arms.

Yeah? Doesn't seem to be doin' much bodyguarding right now though, does he?

He's very stealthy.

[All smiles. She's not scared. Something happens to her and Jai hurts anyone remotely involved. Besides, she's died once anyway... And this guy just said he wasn't the type to kill on a whim.]

[Nah, he's not some psycho, it's all about business to him. Well okay, or as an outlet for boredom, but there's a time and a place and this ship is neither. Drinking is a better solution.]

Sounds like you're a pretty lucky girl, then, havin' someone like that lookin' after you. Hope he doesn't mind us hangin' out at the bar.

[Another drink and he's done with his beer. He'll get another in a moment, but there's no rush just yet.]

So, today I learned what it's like to suddenly wake up as an AI in charge of a mining station.

The luckiest. Though... if he minds, he'll get over it soon enough. He owes me.

[GOOD! Then they can be friends, and Juliana personally likes having useful people in her proverbial little black book.

Oh, he's done? She's behind, then. Drinking a little more now. Maybe a lot more. Maybe finishing it. Yes.]

A planet, actually. The whole thing. [Oh, she smiles like she;s the greatest thing ever to be created because Madrigal was her domain, though not so much so as the Rubble.] Terrifying, isn't it?

Dunno about terrifying, but how about fascinating? I'll give you that much, at least. I can't say I've worked with many AIs. But here, lemme go get us refills, an' you can tell me all about it. Unless you wanna try something else?

[Meanwhile he collects his bottle and her glass while she decides.]

More?

[She doesn't feel like she's had a lot to drink, maybe just a little tingle in her fingertips, so she'll nod and cant her head to the side curiously.]

Anything lime? I love lime.

I'll go see what they've got. Here-

[He stands and bumps his fist against Mijo's belly. The bird steps onto his hand and Mordecai sets him on the back of the chair.]

You two keep each other company, I'll be back in a minute.

[Mijo cocks his head at Mordecai, then ruffles his feathers and looks at Juliana. He'd been almost dozing off while sitting on Mordecai's shoulder, and isn't really that thrilled about having been woken up, but he'll get over it.]

[New friend? New friend! What if she like... sticks a hand out inoffensively and coos at the nice birdie?]

[Said new friend tilts his head at her hand, then looks at her face, expressionless.

But Mordecai comes back a moment later with their new drinks - another crappy space beer for him, and something vaguely citrus for her, and reclaims his seat. Mijo hops back onto his shoulder in the process so as not to be knocked right off the chair.]

Dunno if this actually tastes like lime, but heh, it's as close as they've got right now apparently. Some a' the stuff on this ship is pretty damn weird.

[Hey, she'll just slurp it down this time. It's delicious, so she might as well!]

No, no, it's quite good. Not weird at all. [So she supposes, never having had a lime alcoholic beverage before.] So!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video

video; placeholder while I write stuff up for you

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject