video ||

[axeyou]

[Johanna flicks on the video with a glare. The room around her is dark; the screen lights her face from below. When she speaks, her voice is a little rough and hoarse, like she's been shouting a lot, very recently. (She has.)]

Hi, friends. [She bites out the word.] Just a little message for you all. You've all gotten really comfortable on this hunk of junk you're calling a ship--or what's passing as a ship-- [And she manages a little smirk at that--] --which, come on, it's crap. But I get it, it's not yours. You're all just prisoners here, it did some horrible things to you... yeah.

And that's where this comes in.

[She holds up her arm, where her tattoo is clearly stamped out, fresh and new.]

See this thing? This isn't a fashion accessory. This is bullshit. The last time someone shoved something in my arm and told me to smile and get on with my life, I didn't put up with it. I'm getting this thing out of myself, and if any of you have any sense--you'll do the same. You wonder how they get to you? It's things like this. But I'll bet you already knew that.

Well, fuck that. Fuck all of it. I'm not doing that again.

You want us to join up and help you run this ship? --Or resist this ship, or fight whatever you think is here? Here's my offer. First person that tells me how to get this thing out of my arm without dying, I'll join whatever they're running. And you want me on your side.

[JOHANNA OUT.]

Comments

[axeyou]

[A brief, cold pause.]

You think I'm scared?

[expect]

( a beat, considering what he wants to say.

steadily, more calmly than he feels: ) That's why you want it out, don't you? You don't want to be tracked?

[axeyou]

I don't want to be tracked. But it's not because I'm afraid. I could care less about being afraid.

And if that's what you think this is, then you can get as far away from me as you can, right now, and you can stay there, because I don't have time for people who think they can come up to me and tell me that I'm impatient because I'm scared.

What I am is pissed off.

[expect]

If you're not afraid, then there is no reason to be stupid, and that's what you're risking just because you're cross. At least if you'd been scared, that'd be sensible.

[axeyou]

[She laughs again at that.]

Since when is being scared sensible?

[expect]

When it keeps you safe. ( beat; pointedly: ) Keeps you from taking dangerous risks that will get you killed.

[axeyou]

Is that right.

Is that how you've kept alive all this time?

[expect]

( he kind of coughs. his first impulse is to lie, avoid the facts, but that wouldn't be right. he adopts a sort of brazen tone, like he's trying to not care. )

I've died and nearly died more times than I like to think about, to be honest.

It's why I'm such a fan of the sensible approach.

[axeyou]

[There's just a short pause--and then, abruptly, she laughs. There's some real amusement in it.]

Really?

[expect]

Really.

[axeyou]

That's surprising. Feel free to be offended by that.

[Even if she sounds sort of fond and pleased.]

You're the second person to tell me that they died. Is that a thing around here, or am I missing something?

[expect]

I don't know if it is or not. I've only just arrived. ( he sounds a bit tense now, in a way different from his former impatience. )

[axeyou]

Now that's actually surprising. After everything you've done to reassure me and help me adjust to being here.

Are we neighbors?

[expect]

I don't know. ( he also doesn't know how sarcastic she's being. ) I suppose, probably. Amy and I were given rooms on the same level.

[axeyou]

We're at least hall mates, right? That's so exciting. Who's Amy?

[expect]

My wife. ( automatically. ) Is it really exciting?

[axeyou]

Your wife. Adorable.

[and is that sarcasm?? who knows!]

And I think it's exciting. Don't you?

[expect]

Why do you think it's exciting? ( he asks, instead of arguing that amy is the greatest and/or answering the question. )

[axeyou]

Well, we're close enough that we can do all sorts of fun things.

[expect]

Such as…?

[axeyou]

Oh, I have some ideas.

What do you like to do?

[expect]

Somehow I doubt we have interests in common.

[axeyou]

Try me. I'm full of surprises.

[expect]

( he isn't sure at all how serious of a question this is, so goes for bland: )

Watching telly. Going to the pub. Hospital football team. ( these are things he does, to be sure, but as he says them he wonders when the last time he did any of them was. so for completion's sake he adds: ) Sleeping.

[axeyou]

[Very bland. She considers a moment.]

Is a football team as boring as it sounds? Oh, wait. You said you like it, I guess that makes your answered a little biased.

Sleeping?