001. video

[servator]

[ If you’ve never seen someone who’s very close to death, you have now. The image broadcast is of a wearied-looking soldier who is fairly torn up, sporting dozens of gashes to the face and badly-cracked military-grade armor. The woman in question looks tired, yes, but there’s something almost relieved about her expression, about the way she sighs long and deep before speaking, taking her time in sending out a message. ]

Never thought being dead would look and feel just like living. [ Does that sound too unamused? Ah, well. She pauses, considers what to say; it’s difficult when you’ve recently been more or less dissolved into atoms and then woke up in a gooey pod. Among... other things. ]

This is Command-- [ The woman cuts off, brows knit as she reconsiders. ] ... This is Shepard, formerly Commander of the SSV Normandy, Alliance Navy. I don’t know where this is, exactly, but I think I know what it’s supposed to be.

[ Do the specifics of the afterlife matter so much once you're dead, though? Shepard smiles distantly, voice surprisingly easy despite all the unknown factors. ]

I need to find the bar. Promised someone I’d be there.

Comments

[servator]

The ship doesn't have a record of their DNA before that? Does it get wiped with the jump? [ If there was no record to begin with, she'll have some complaints to make to the XO. Though, from what she's heard, the people on the bridge aren't all that talkative. Or friendly. ]

She's a quarian, damn good specialist. [ And friend, but that's another point. ]

James? [ She says softly, but then, he's gone, too, and she only nods mutely. ]

... Right. Should've figured. Hopefully they're all safe.

[darkart]

[ Severus doesn't have anything to say about her people. Sometimes (most times) he wishes he were the only one from his world here; even if time spent with Lily has been priceless, she deserves a peaceful afterlife, and he would rather eat nails than see Black or Lupin again. Pricks. ]

We're prisoners on this ship. [ He shrugs one shoulder. ] I'm head of a department here only because we've put together skeleton departments under our own power. The original crew is dead or disappeared. Medbay is mostly emergency response. [ Speaking of-- narrows eyes. ] Did you fall down a lift shaft on your way here?

[ The gravcouch fluid should have taken care of injuries, unless they were so extreme she just didn't spend enough time in it. ]

[servator]

Skeleton departments are better than none. If there's someone working tech, or even in medical, then there might be records. I'll head there after this.

[ After she gets her answers. After Severus gets his. ]

What? Oh-- [ Right. She'd been pumping with adrenaline after waking up, trying to figure out where she was and why everyone was so angry, but now that he mentions it... yes. Yes, she looks and feels like complete shit. ] I, uh... was sorta dead before this. Different time, different place. Obviously.

[ The last Shepard on this ship had been... what, torn apart? She's not entirely sure. But she'd been sort of dematerialized as a result of a sort of sacrifice, so that's... that. ]

Looks worse than it is. [ Kind of. ]

[darkart]

[ His expression goes incredulous and disbelieving. Not about her experience, but about it looking worse than it is-- it's a very Don't Even Start With Me About The State Of Your Homework expression, which he's alarmingly good at. ]

I'll ping the CMO while we walk there. [ >:| Shepards everywhere and your inability to remain in one piece FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN etc. ] He was one of the field agents involved in the reconnaissance mission that killed her and Javik. He'll know if there's anything available.

[ 'Her', it sounds somewhat awkward, but he's not sure how to refer to Shepard and not make it sound like he's denying the identity of the woman standing before him. He's still mistrustful of the whole affair, but for now, he'll take her at her word. ]

[servator]

Appreciated. [ Even if they just had some Medi-Gel lying around... though, better not assume. ] It'd be good to get his side of the story. [ Whatever that would be. ]

[darkart]

[ Severus texts William while they walk, and wonders if he should include a warning about the other man's habit of littering everything with horrible swear words and slang. But hopefully he's finally reeling it in after spending a night in the brig for fighting while drunk. ]

There are reports, [ he says, though he leaves off that he wrote one of them. Severus was involved, too, though not as a field operative. Maybe he'll even say so eventually. ] The network was wiped but there'll be backlogs of everything you can download.

[servator]

The entire network? [ If there are backups, though, then it's fine, but she still frowns deeply. ] How did that happen?

[darkart]

[ Severus shrugs. At this point, Ryuuzaki hasn't made his post, and while Severus has taken to typing with ease, he's still distrustful of things like washing machines. Computer viruses are beyond him. ]

A lot goes on in this place. Parts of it vanish, re-appear, become unlivable. It'll mess with your head.

[servator]

No wonder everyone's on edge. [ With a strong pang, she realizes how much she misses the Normandy. ] And nobody knows why, or how?

[darkart]

That's what Lydia Shepard died trying to find out.

[ But there's no exact answers, or Severus would offer them up. Lift buttons get punched, doors open. Medbay bound.

He considers mentioning how badly the recon effort bucked up against SEC and a lot of the delicate sensibilities here but-- that might joss some other rp soooo nvm. She'll find out in time, probably. ]

[servator]

Then that's what I'll do. [ Find out that information? Maybe not. She's somewhere between realist and idealist. Still, she's not unrealistic; what she means, really, is that she'll continue her last incarnation's work. Do what she can to help the people on the ship, no matter what the cost. ]

I appreciate all the help. I know this can't be easy.